I shake my head. “Lousy, lying, show watching bastard.”
Her lips tilt up into a brief smile, and she covers it with her hand. “It’s a stupid fight.”
“Most fights are. But he’ll think twice before breaking a deal with you again. Now, do you want to dream up ways to get revenge, like glitter bombing his car, or should we have another drink and watch the finale?”
It ends up being a really fun night. Lacey calls Nick and makes up with him which results in him having a bunch of snacks delivered to us, including a delicious cherry cheesecake.After we indulge, we go back to drinking, though both of us have had more than enough.
We end up back in the living room listening to music and talking. Lacey sits crossed legged on the floor and runs her hand down Goblin’s back. “Lee would never let me have a cat when I lived here. He doesn’t like them.” After a moment, she looks up at me. “He really likes you.”
“Don’t you start,” I warn, sipping my drink.
“No, I understand now. I’ve been trying to hook him up with the wrong girls. Nice girls aren’t his type anymore.”
“Hey!” I toss a throw pillow at her. “I’m nice!”
She giggles as the pillow bounces off her knee, and Goblin darts away. “You know what I mean! I’ve mostly introduced him to like, petite, passive, shy types.”
“Now I’m fat and mean!” I fall back on the couch, bursting into laughter and nearly letting my drink slop over the rim.
The look of horror on her face is hilarious. “Noo! Like meek, delicate, docile.” She can barely get the words out through her own hysterics. “What’s the word I’m looking for?”
We are both trashed. “Submissive?” I suggest.
“Yes!”
“Delicate,” I crow and we both crack up again.
CHAPTER 7
LEE
It’sa four hour drive to Indianapolis. I could’ve waited until morning, considering I won’t be able to meet with Justus until tomorrow, but I had to get away. The text is probably nothing. Some random person screwing around, at least that’s what I’m trying to tell myself. It’d be easier to believe if I hadn’t changed my phone number years ago. No one from that past should have my cell number.
Any other time, I would’ve ripped that costume off Silver, but it’s messing with my head, stirring up the dark memories and guilt that are always trying to pull me back down. Whoever sent that text better hope I don’t find them.
It’s nearly dawn by the time I reach the city and pull into a rest stop to grab a few hours of sleep in my truck. The first thing I do when I wake is check my phone. The mystery texter hasn’t sent anything else but there’s a message from Justus giving me his new address.
It isn’t far and a few minutes later I knock on the door of a little bungalow on the north side of the city. “Hey, come on in. Watch your step,” he warns, scooting a pair of shoes out of the way with his foot and moving a skateboard aside. “Damn kids are plotting my death.”
It looks like things have changed a lot for him. “You have a kid?”
He leads me down the hall to his office. “We’re fostering two teenagers. They’re animals.”
“No more than you are,” his wife Sadie snorts, stepping into the room. We greet each other and she turns to Justus. “Is something going on that I need to know about?” She’s aware of how we know each other and the work her husband does.
“Nope, he just needs my superior hacking abilities. Nothing to worry about.”
“So, you’re taking him to Landon?”
Justus gives her a sideways look, then breaks into a grin and nods. “Probably.” Sadie chuckles, drops a kiss on his lips and leaves.
Once we have the house to ourselves, he sits at his computer. “Did the text come from a private or restricted number?”
“Private.” He accepts the phone when I hand it over. “Do you want to bring Landon in on this?”
Justus taps on my phone screen. “Maybe. All of us have some skills in tracking people online, but he’s the best at it. I told him I might need his help with something today.”
I don’t like it. The last thing I want is to owe any favors,but my other option is to reach out to people who already resent me. I won’t be pulled back into that life.
