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“Hello, Red. I guess you’re here for me?” He grinned at me as I awkwardly shifted my backpack on my shoulders.
“Why would you guess that?”
“Because I’m the only interesting guy in a fifty-mile radius,” he said with perfect confidence. “I’m Chase, and you are?”
“Lily. I’m actually looking for someone else. Cayden West,” I said. I decided that revealing my intention to dig for dirt might be too upfront, especially if this was Cayden’s friend.
Chase sighed. “That asshole isn’t even around anymore, and he’s still got interested chicks.”
“I’m not interested like that,” I blurted out so quickly it made Chase narrow his eyes at me. “I mean, it’s not romantic or anything.”
Chased laughed. “Well, that’s good news for you, because I doubt that fucker has a romantic bone in his body. I pity the girl who ends up chained to that lunatic.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked too quickly.
Chased seemed amused. “Are you sure you’re not his girlfriend?”
I snorted and indicated myself with a sweeping gesture. “Do I look like someone he would date?”
Chase shook his head. “You should ask if you seem like someone who would lower herself to date him, and the answer is no…you look too smart for that.”
I flushed. “Well, thanks.”
“What do you want with Cayden?”
“I just wanted to talk to him,” I lied, hoping that Chase would give me some information.
He studied me a little longer and then sighed. “I don't think I should be telling you anything about Cayden.”
“Why not? Are you his friend?”
Chase laughed. “Fuck no, he doesn’t have any friends. What he has are enemies and people who are scared of him, that’s it.”
“People who are scared of him? Why?” My voice was fading the longer this conversation went on.
There was a small voice inside me that whispered at me to turn back. Cayden was mad enough about me seeing him showering and whatever the hell that was on his back. How would he feel if he found out that I’d really dug into his past? What if I found out something I couldn’t forget?
All the more reason to find out. If he’s really dangerous, I have to get him out of my house.
“Because of his past, his reputation, his foster father…his rap sheet. all of it. Take my advice, cutie, and stay far away from him. Guys like Cayden break their toys—they don’t know any other way to be.”
I blinked at Chase. He was solemn now.
I swallowed hard. “I can’t afford to leave it. He’s – he’s living with my family,” I admitted in a rush. It might be a terrible idea to trust this stranger, but I didn’t trust Cayden, and it seemed we were on the same page.
Chase whistled. “Now, that is bad luck. In that case, I’d say you need to know who you’re dealing with. Go and see Uncle Jack at Black Lake trailer park, on the outskirts of town. You’ll find out more than you want to know there…enough to change your living situation, if that’s what you want.”
“Thank you. You’ve been really helpful and kind to a stranger.” I summoned a smile for Chase.
He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me one way or another., As long as he doesn’t come back here, I’m happy,” Chase said, hitting the ice again and skating away. “Take care at the trailer park, Red; it’s not a place for girls like you. Leave before dark.”
With that ominous warning ringing in my ear, I turned and went to grab Eve.
Before dark? That gave us a couple of hours. It would just have to be enough.
Lily
There wereno cabs or ride-shares that we could find in Midnight Falls, but luckily, we found a bus that passed near the trailer park and hopped on.
