“No! I wouldn’t do that. Hook told me to send him to work on Anne’s ship as a swab for a while. When I came back, Hook sent word for him to return to the mainland. He’s already back at that dorm room by now. No harm done.” He gives me a nod. “Don’t worry.”
“No harm done?” I stand and gawk at him. I heard the way Anne spoke at the pirate gathering at Blackbeard’s house. Hook sent an unsuspecting college student to work for her? Holy shit.
“It was nothing personal.” He even has the nerve to sound apologetic. “I’ve been ducking you since I got back. I didn’t want you to—” He gestures at me. “To freak out like this.” He clears his throat and stands, holding out his hand to me. “My real name is Alf Mason. I’m from Liverpool though I don’t quite remember when. Been in Neverland waters too long, I suppose.” He gives me another sheepish smile, as if he didn’t just admit to stalking me at the behest of his pirate captain.
I stare at his hand like it’s a snake with venom dripping from its fangs. Hook sent him to spy on me, maybe worse. Everywhere I look, I’m in danger.
He takes the hint and lowers his hand. “It wasn’t like it sounds, all right? I just kept an eye out for you and …”
The rest of it fades away as I hurry from the cottage, beeline past the barbecue and head straight up to my room. Several pairs of eyes follow my progress, but I couldn’t care less. They can stare all they want.
I run up the stairs far faster than anyone ever should, close my door and lock it, then sit on my bed. Hook lied to me. No, he didn’t. He told me exactly who he is, and yet here I am almost letting him fingerbang me against a wall. I cover my face with my hands. What iswrongwith me? Am I really this naïve? I must be. Here I was thinking I was well educated and making my way in the world, when the truth is I know absolutely nothing. Too trusting, too foolish, too afraid. When I told Hook I wasn’t brave, that was the truth. I’mnot. I’m not cut out for this. I’m a book nerd, a dumb one, apparently.
This has officially turned into a pity party. I sigh and realize how tired I am. Maybe if I can rest, I’ll be able to see a way out of this.
“There’s no way I’m this dumb, right?”
A flash of light scares the crap out of me, and then Tinker Bell is standing in front of me, glaring. “You areabsolutelythis dumb,” she hisses.
ChapterThirteen
“She is quite a common fairy,” Peter explained apologetically.
Ifight the urge to scoot away from her. After all, she’s as tall as I am while I’m sitting down. Then again, there’s something wild about her. Like a feral cat—so cute until it gets its claws and fangs into you. And it’s not even the cat’s fault. It’s just their nature. Like hers. Scary.
“If you’re finished feeling sorry for yourself, we need to talk.” She hovers off the floor, her beautiful wings flapping lazily.
“Does Peter know I’m here?”
She holds her hand up and presses her fingers together in a ‘shut your mouth’ motion. “When I said ‘we need to talk’ I meantI’mgoing to talk andyouare going to listen.”
“Rude.”
Her eyes flash, and she hovers closer. “Do you have any idea the mess you’re in?”
“No,” I snap back. “No one will tell me the truth, so no, I don’t.”
“The truth is you belong to this island, and all you’ve done since you’ve gotten here is fuck up. So let me help you out. In three nights’ time, you are going to walk out of here and through the woods. That way.” She points. “Geo will be waiting for you the night before the full moon. I’ve given him enough fairy dust to take you back to the mainland. When you get there, you will hide. Understand?”
“You mean Peter wants me—”
“Do I look like Peter to you?” She puts her hands on her hips.
“No, he’s prettier.”
Her nose wrinkles, the scar wrinkling along with it. “You will stay far away from Peter. He ismine. Not yours.”
“This jealousy thing you’ve got going on isn’t healthy. You know that, right?” I don’t know why I’m taunting the violent fairy. I guess I’m out of fucks to give at this point.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. As usual.” She floats backwards.
“Last time I took your advice, I got all sorts of messed up. So, thank you for stopping by, but no, I will absolutely not be walking into the deep, dark woods tosupposedlymeet a Lost Boy who willsupposedlytake me back to the mainland.”
She drops and stamps her foot on the floor. “Yes, you will.”
“Nope.” I scoot back into the bed and yank the covers over me. “Now I’m tired. You can see yourself out.”
“Get up!” Her voice rises, the melodic sound of it still marred. A broken bell.
