Beck laughed, ignoring my attitude. “If we can’t get a call in soon, I’ll steal us a ride.”
He stared at me, clearly waiting for me to protest.
I smirked. “I have no problem walking, but if you’re willing, I won’t turn down a ride. Another motorcycle would offer more maneuverability in this traffic.”
“The evil queen has no problem with me stealing a car?” He held his hand to his chest, faking a heart attack.
“I’m anevilqueen, of course I don’t.” I looked down my nose at him, still crouched at my feet.
He studied my face for a second, then smiled slowly. “I was always partial to Maleficent.”
I felt myself blushing. This man was impossible.
I glanced at his phone. “Try now.”
He waggled his eyebrows, then dialed.
This time, it rang, and Beck’s face grew serious.
Once.
Twice.
Then a voice cut in, distorted and thin.“—Hello?”
Beck jumped to his feet. “Yeah—yeah, it’s me.”
Static flared over the line. Words dropped in and out.
“… people…biting…cops?—”
The call went dead.
Beck stared at the screen.
Neither of us spoke for a moment.
“Okay?”
He looked at me. “I’m not sure. That was my buddy, Stain. The call was sketchy, but from what I could tell, this shit is happening in Ashford, too. The call dropped before I could arrange a ride for us.”
“You got through,” I continued. “That’s something, at least.”
His mouth twitched. “You seem weirdly calm about this.”
“I don’t know whatthisis yet,” I zipped my pack and hefted it onto my back. “I just know standing still won’t help.”
He nodded.
Above us, a car horn blared and kept blaring until it abruptly stopped.
We stayed under the overpass for another minute.
Beck swatted me on the ass. “Ready?”
“Watch it.” I frowned at him.
The nerve of this asshole, he had absolutely no respect for the bitch I could be.
