Sheknewthat fucking chain smoker.
And there was only one reason he’d be in Annendale-on-Hudson, mere hours after she’d gotten her phone back and texted Rudy that she and her sister would be spending some time up here.
Her uncle had sent him to spy on her.
He turned to glare at her, offering a creepy smile.
“Why don’t you head inside,” Charley said to Sasha. “See what kind of candy they have. I’ll be right behind you.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. I just remembered I need to text Dorian about something real quick.”
“Okay. Don’t take too long—I want to get good seats.” Sasha disappeared inside, and Charley stormed over to the spy, her skin hot with anger.
“How you doin’, Charley-girl,” Bones said, taking a drag of his Marlboro. “Been awhile.”
“What the hell are you doing here, Bones?”
He shrugged and blew a plume of smoke into her face, not answering.
Jesus Christ.She’d grown up with the guy. And now, he didn’t even have the grace to apologize or even so much as acknowledge how fucked up this situation was.
“If you don’t mind,” she said, waving away the smoke, “I’m here with my sister. Who’s nineteen years old and has nothing to do with this. So kindly fuck off.”
Bones shrugged. “No boyfriend today?”
Charley rolled her eyes. So Rudy had told him about Dorian, then. Which was odd, considering she was pretty sure Rudy had cut the other crew guys out of the Ravenswood gig.
“What part of ‘fuck off’ was unclear?” she asked.
Bones didn’t respond. Just stood there scratching his stubbled jaw, the cigarette burning to a nub between his fingers.
“I liked you better when you worked for my father,” Charley said.
“Yeah, me too. Catch you later, Charley -girl.” He exhaled another cloud of smoke, then flicked away the cigarette butt and walked off, disappearing around the corner.
That was it. No outward threats. No shake-down. No warnings.
Just an appearance. A reminder.
Charley leaned against the bricks and sighed. She wasn’t afraid of Bones—at least, he’d never given her a reason to be. But she hated being spied on. Hated what Rudy had done to her. Hated that he was doing it even now, intruding on the one place she’d wanted to believe he couldn’t reach.
Rudy wasn’t even trying to scare her—he could’ve sent thugs to threaten her for that. No, he just wanted her to know he was watching her. Always.
“Who’s the creep?” Sasha stuck her head out through the doorway, nodding toward the spot Bones had just vacated. “I saw you talking to him.”
“Just some guy looking for beer money.” Charley forced a bright smile. “Did you scope out the candy?”
“Yep. I’ve got it all planned out. Let’s go.”
As they waited in line for the ticket booth, Sasha hummed and bobbed her head, totally comfortable, totally content. For her, the future looked bright and happy, even if she had to navigate a few bumps along the way. Her seemingly endless joy was a firm reminder that Charley had done the right thing, asking Dorian for help. Charley’s own future didn’t hold many bright spots, but Sasha’s certainly did. Charley would see to that at all costs.
“Two tickets for the double feature,” Charley said to the kid behind the ticket window.
He pushed the credit card machine toward her. “Twenty-two dollars even.”
Charley swiped her card, but the machine wouldn’t read it. She tried again—no luck. Just a series of angry beeps.
