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“That part is none of your damn business.”
“Maybe not, but you’re the one who started this story, so finish it. Unless you don’t have the balls to do it.” I lift my brows, challenging him.
Who the hell knows if it’ll work? With Blaise it might, but Alex isn’t Blaise.
He turns his head and stares at me. “Tell me, tough girl, how many times has that mouth of yours gotten you in trouble?”
“Probably as much as yours has,” I retort, holding his gaze.
His eyes remain fastened on me as he drives down the bumpy dirt road. I want to look away and see where we’re going, but I refuse to be the first one to do so, refuse to back down to him because I’m pretty certain that’s what this whole staring contest thing is about.
Finally, he shakes his head and looks away. “Whatever, tough girl.” He cranks up the heat then cracks the window and lights up a cigarette. “A while ago, I got into some trouble with my father and, in exchange for getting out of the mess, I was supposed to work for him. And if I did what he said for a year straight without any mishaps, he made a promise to leave my brothers and me the hell alone.” He ashes his cigarette out the window. “But then your father showed up, and my dad thought it’d be a great idea for me to work with him instead. I didn’t really have a problem with it, but apparently, your dad did, because a couple of days in, he went to my father and told him I was stealing drugs from him, which I wasn’t. I know I fuck up all the time, but I’m not a damn idiot … I know better than to steal from my dad.” He takes a long drag off his cigarette and smoke puffs from his lips as he exhales. “He also decided to take it one step further and told my dad I made a deal with Axel that I’d work for him, which I didn’t. I can’t fucking stand Axel.” He lifts his cigarette to his lips again. “If I wasn’t my dad’s son, I probably wouldn’t be here, chauffeuring your ass around.” He takes another drag and exhales shakily. “Luckily, though, my dad has a tiny soft spot for his kids. Not that I didn’t get punished.” His grip on the wheel tightens, his knuckles whitening. “I guess punishing me wasn’t enough, though, because last night he also decided to punish Blaise and Rhyland.”
My heart rate quickens. “How’s he punishing them?”
He shrugs as he pulls up to the end of a long, curvy driveway that leads to a large, two-story house smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. All the lights are on, lighting up the night; music vibrates through the air; and people are standing all over the front lawn, drinking and dancing.
“By making them do a job for him.” He parks behind a line of cars then shuts off the engine. “What’s really fucking hilarious about the situation is that your dad was the one who was stealing the drugs and making deals with Axel. I think he was using me as a distraction, which worked for about a week. But he should’ve known my dad would catch on to him. The guy’s not too bright, though, apparently.”
“He used to be,” I mutter. “But after my mom died … he changed. Although, I’m beginning to speculate that maybe he was always this way and I just wasn’t old enough to realize it.” Or maybe I just can’t remember. Maybe I’ve forgotten more memories than I realize. Not that I’m going to sit here and overanalyze this right now, especially in front of Alex. Eventually, though, I’m going to have to deal with it and try to figure out all the memories I’ve forgotten. “I’m sorry my dad screwed you over. If I knew a way to help you, I would. But …” The burn mark underneath the bandage throbs, reminding me how in debt with August I already am.
“But you’ve got your own shit to deal with,” Alex finishes for me, his gaze burrowing into mine as he puts his cigarette out in the ashtray. “Is that why you have that bandage on your wrist? Because of the mess your dad left behind?”
I dismiss his question with a flick of my wrist. “Nah, that’s just from a cut I got from my klutzy ass doing something stupid.”
“Funny, you don’t really seem like a klutzy kind of girl.” Insinuation laces his tone as he arches a brow.
I play it cool. At least on the outside. “Not usually, but sometimes, when I’m distracted, I’ve been known to trip over my own feet.” I glance at the house, changing the subject, worried he might figure out what’s really hidden underneath the bandage. “So, this is where my sister is?”
I can feel his gaze searing into me, and it takes a lot of effort not to bolt out of the SUV.
“You know, a couple of years ago, I had to wear a similar bandage on my wrist. But mine was to hide this burn mark my dad put on me. It actually ended up getting infected and, after I did some research online, I realized you’re not supposed to bandage up burns. It’s better to let them air out.” He pushes the door open. “Just thought I’d tell you that in case that wound is a burn.”
“It’s not,” I lie in an even tone and push open the door.
“Okay.” He throws me a haughty smile then climbs out and shuts the door.
I swallow hard as I hop out.
He knows. Somehow, Alex knows I’m working for his dad.
This is so bad.
Despite my inner worries, I keep on being the badass pretender that I am, maintaining a calm appearance as I bump the car door shut then meet Alex in front of the SUV.
He doesn’t head for the house right away, assessing it with his arms crossed instead.
It’s getting late enough that the sun has started to descend behind the hills that encompass the town, darkness shadowing the land, a reminder that I’ll have to drive out to the docks soon.
The clock’s ticking. You need to hurry.
“Are we going in or what?” I ask Alex after a minute of silence stretches by.
He reclines against the front of the SUV, a light breeze gusting through his hair. “Yeah … I’m just trying to think of the best way to do this.”
“Well, from my experience, the best way to walk up to a house is to actually start walking,” I tell him with a cocky grin.
“Thanks for the advice, smartass. But that wasn’t what I meant.” He uncrosses his arms and thrums his fingers against the sides of his legs.
