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“What?” Soren demanded when I failed to leave his study. “You have something to say?”
I cleared my throat. “Just a question to ask…How did you find out?”
Soren studied me. “Why?”
My hands clenched into furious fists, all my anger at how everything had turned upside down narrowing into one hard point, an arrow nocked and ready to fly at the guilty party.
“Just curious.”
My father shrugged, clearly unconcerned by my fury. “The cleaner found it.”
Eve.
Eve
There wasnothing like having to go to a twenty-four-hour pharmacy at midnight to top off a long, hard day. My mom’s blood pressure medications were ready, and I’d forgotten to swing by and get them earlier, so really it was my fault. It had been nearly a week since I’d tangled with Beckett in his room. Luckily, it seemed he hadn’t reported me to Mrs. Linton or gotten my mom fired, thank God. She needed the work.
I waited in line for the pharmacist. How were there so many people here at midnight?
I scrolled on my phone. My eyes were heavy, tired out from the long day and the overly bright fluorescent lights above. The store seemed to think that having extra-bright lights and two security guards would make it safe to be open in the small hours. From the expressions of some of the people hanging around the aisles, it wasn’t working. There were a few tired-looking women and men, probably on their way home from shift work. A new mother had a baby sleeping in a carrier against her chest, her dark-ringed eyes closed as she stood in line.
Across the other side of the store, four young guys loitered, holding both the security guards’ attention. They seemed like trouble, I had to admit it. They were messing around, chucking boxes of flu medicine and cough syrup at each other.
I made eye contact with one. He was skinny as hell and pale as a ghost. He didn’t seem like someone who got outside much in the daytime. He shot me a broad smile, several of his teeth missing. I turned away and stared back at my phone. I didn’t want to attract attention from anyone. I wished I’d put some more thought into my outfit before walking here. I was wearing a loose T-shirt with shorts and flip-flops. I hadn’t bothered with a bra. After a day of suffering in a lace cage, I’d needed the damn thing off. Now, it felt horribly noticeable. I crossed my arms over my chest, a little more secure at the sensation, and moved forward with the line.
“How can I help you?” the pharmacist asked when I got to the counter.
“I’m picking up a prescription.” I gave my mom’s name and waited.
The lady returned after a moment with a hefty bag. “Here you go.” She rang up the medications. “That’ll be $534.”
“Wait, what? It’s usually $329,” I pointed out, suddenly sweating.
“Yeah, the ACE inhibitors have gone up, and so have the beta blockers.”
I swallowed a protest.Crap. $534? That was all the spare tip money I’d made this week. Still, there was nothing I could do about it. She needed those medications. I handed over the money.Goodbye, new sneakers.
I took the bag from the lady and turned away, just as the door to the place slammed open.
“Eve!”
Beckett stood in the doorway, glaring at me so intently, the people around me in line shifted and muttered. He seemed like he’d come to murder me.
He stormed toward me. With his long legs encased in dark jeans and his black leather jacket on top, he drew eyes. He looked hot, and everyone knew it. Maybe it wasn’t just his clothes that drew people’s attention, but his build and face, too. It figured that one of the most privileged, spoiled rich kids in town would also be one of the hottest.Thehottest. Whatever, I was past thinking my brother’s mean best friend who ignored me was hot. Mostly over it, anyway.
“I need to talk to you,” Beckett gritted out, coming to a stop in front of me.
Everyone in line was watching us. We were better entertainment than watching the line shuffle forward.
My cheeks heated. I hated attracting attention like this. I pushed past him. “Not now, it’s late.”
“Yes, now.” He blocked my path and herded me toward the back of the store, using his chest as a buffer. Damn defenseman, used to literally pushing people around to get his own way.
“What the hell is your problem?” I asked and pushed back, but not getting anywhere. He’d corralled me into a corner by thebaby products and a door marked ‘Staff Only’, free from curious eyes.
“You really don’t know? Think back over your week, maybe it’ll come to you,” Beckett ground out.
He was really, really angry, I realized belatedly. I’d never seen him so mad. Usually he was kind of aloof, far above everyone else. Remote. Tonight, he was furious. It reminded me of the day we’d met, and those burning eyes that had pinned me to the spot when he’d asked my name. A shiver went through me.
