Page 155 of Zero Chance

“That’s because I—” Waverly offered me an apologetic cringe.“Like Hudson, I never wanted anyone to know.It was so embarrassing and…” Glancing down at her hands, she shrugged before looking up again.“I think that’s why he kept my secret after the gazebo.After saving my life, he’s always been kind of protective of me.Always watching as if he thought I was going to do it again.”

Rolling her eyes, she added, “He knewyou’dbe okay if you didn’t know I was your mystery girl.But he couldn’t be sure how I’d take it if youdidfind out.So please don’t hold it against him for keeping my secret.I think there’s something about saving a person’s life that makes you think you have to keep looking out for them.Just know, he didn’t do it because you’re not important to him.I know you are.You’re both part of theseven, for crying out loud.And I can’t handle the idea of you alienating yourself from one of your best friends because of me.Please… Talk to him again.”

Cupping her face in one hand, I exhaled, freshly amazed by her compassion.“Yes, Mistress,” I murmured with a heated grin as I leaned in to kiss her brow.But the bruise and cut to the right of it reminded me why I was here in the first place.

Pressing my lips there instead of her forehead, I asked, “Is this the only place you’re hurt?”Lifting a piece of her bangs, I eased it aside to look at the gash.

Waverly blinked at me and nodded, letting me know there weren’t any hidden boo-boos that needed a healing kiss, which was really too bad because I would’ve happily laid a big wet one on all of them.And then some.

“So what the hell even happened?”I asked.

Casting a significant glance toward the watching eye of Big Brother, she silently let me know she couldn’t talk about it in front of her parents, which must mean my mother was involved.

Son of a bitch.

I’d been so sure that simply asking my mom to be nice to Waverly would do the trick.But apparently not.

Wanting to go momentarily violent and kick something because I’d failed Waverly, and she’d gotten hurt, I snapped, taking hold of her hand and tugging her with me as I stood.“Come on.It’s cold out here.Let’s go sit in the Jeep and warm up for a minute.”

“Uh…” Waverly glanced back at her front door as if she expected her mom to come charging outside to stop us.

But I glanced at my watch and said to the camera in the corner, “We still have fifteen minutes until curfew.”

So Waverly followed me to the Jeep where I opened the passenger-side door for her, waiting for her to climb up.After shutting her in, I jogged around to the driver’s side and got in with her, starting the engine.

Turning the vents to high heat, I angled them toward her before blowing out a shaky breath and finally meeting her curious gaze.

With a wince, I groaned, “God,” and I took both of her hands, kissing them.“I’m sorry.I’m so fucking sorry she did this to you.I’ll talk to her again.I swear.I’llmakeher understand; you are not to be hurt.”

Waverly’s brow furrowed in confusion before she shook her head.“What in the world are you talking about?”

“Mymom,” I muttered, baffled that she even had to ask.Barely shifting my thumb over her injury, I hissed, “Gah.She went after you again, didn’t she?I hate this.I don’t know what her problem is.I don’t know why she’s doing it.Maybe being a ghost takes away your humanity or compassion or ability to reason through right and wrong.I don’t know, but I’m going to find a way to get her to leave you alone.Okay?I swear, she will not?—”

“Oh, she didn’t do this,” Frankie broke in.

I stuttered to a stop and blinked.“Say what now?”

She smiled.“Your mom didn’t hurt me.Not at all.Actually… She saved me.”

Sure I’d heard wrong, I tilted my face so my ear was aimed at her.“Okay, I’m going to need you to start from the beginning.”

With a laugh, she took my hand and squeezed.“Some of those basketball players that were at the library when you left started giving me a hard time after they saw you kiss me, so your mom—she walloped them with a few books.”Grinning, she added, “You should’ve seen them run out of the library screaming.It was classic.”

“Wait…” I lifted a hand.“Ahumanput this bruise on you?”

Immediately sobering, Waverly opened her mouth once, then closed it, before finally saying, “Actually, I gave it to myself.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, still on alert and tense with anger.“Explain please.”

She cleared her throat.“One of them grabbed my arm like he was going to—you know—force me to kiss him.”

“Son of a bitch,” I growled, grabbing my armrest and gripping it in rage.“Who was he?”

After a brief grimace, she admitted, “I don’t actually know.”

“Waverly,” I warned in a stern voice.“Don’t fucking protect the son of a bitch.”

“I’m serious,” she promised.“I have no idea what his name was.”

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