Page 64 of Zero Chance

But I shook him off and waved a finger at him in warning.“Uh-uh.No holding me here against my will just because you want totalk.”

“Motherfucker,” he warned.

Except I didn’t care.Stepping threateningly toward him, I snarled, “Are you sure we’re even friends at all?I mean, you have no loyalty, no care, no consideration for us at all.You showed yourtrueface when you started fucking Alec’s sister behind his back.”

My words were the kill shot I was seeking.

As the entire kitchen went deadly silent, Parker’s face drained of color.He sank away from me, not able to reply because there was nothing hecouldsay to defend himself against that particular attack.He knew he’d messed up by sneaking around with Hope when they’d first started hooking up.

Alec, however, shocked the shit out of me when he defended the bastard by shaking his head atmein disappointment and whispering, “Dugger.”

Which only made me scoff.“I know.I know.Youforgave him for that because he’d fallen in love with her.”I rolled my eyes.“Doesn’t make what he did any less of a betrayal.”I jabbed my finger toward Parker.“And he made it clear just how important weweren’tby how easy it was for him to break a forbidden rule.”

Parker barked out a hard laugh.“You think that waseasyfor me?”

“It wasn’t Parker’s fault anyway,” Hope jumped in.“I’mthe one who?—”

“I don’t fucking care,” I broke in.“I don’t give a shit if you drugged him up, chained him to the bed, and climbed on top of him naked.He’s still the one whokeptit a secret.He’s the one who killed our friendship.”

“Jesus,” Parker broke in.“I didn’t kill anything.You just need to calm the fuck down and take a breath.No one is?—”

With a snort, I shook my head and shot back, “Calm down?That’s rich, coming from you, Mr.Always Pissed Off.”The guy was anger incarnate.He didn’t even know whatcalmmeant.

When he gaped at me, completely puzzled by my behavior, I growled, “Are you going to tell me her name or not?”

His jaw worked, and regret fluttered through his eyes before he winced and murmured, “No.”

I sniffed bitterly.“That’s what I thought.I’m fucking leaving.”And turning away, I stalked off.

Alec reached for my arm, but I brushed his hand away, and behind him, a wide-eyed Xander skittered out of my path, saying nothing as she watched me go.

“Keene,” Parker boomed after me, but I merely flipped him off over my shoulder and kept marching.

In the living room, Damien was coming down the stairs from the top level.Seeing my face, he slowed to a stop and tipped his head in question.“What’s going on?”

I faltered a step, almost pausing to tell him.But he’d side with Ohrley.I mean,Alechad already sided with him.No way would Archer not side with him too.

“Dugger, would you just fucking wait a second,” Parker demanded as he followed me into the front room.

My back muscles tensed at his voice, and for the life of me, I couldn’t face him.I was too hopped up on my righteous indignation.

I knew he’d probably camp himself outside my room and just wait for me to come out if I went down the steps, so I veered left toward the front door, snatching up my black hoodie I had hanging from the coat tree and grabbing a pair of shoes sitting under it on the floor as I went.I think the shoes were Damien’s, but I didn’t care.

I bundled them into my arms and charged out the door, satisfied by the slamming of the screen behind me.

In my Jeep, I started the engine, glad I habitually stuffed my keys and wallet into my pockets whenever I put on jeans.As it roared to life, I took a moment to shrug on the hoodie and shove my feet into the shoes.

Parker came outside to stand ominously on the front porch, scowling at me through the front windshield as if the power of his stare alone would induce me to shut off the engine and return to him.

It didn’t.

I narrowed my eyes his way and reversed from the driveway, escaping at last.

I didn’t think about where I was going from there.I just drove.And when I pulled into the campus parking lot closest to the library twenty minutes later, I wasn’t at all surprised.This place had become my home away from home in the last year.

Drawing in a deep breath, I approached the front doors, and my muscles already started relaxing as my breathing calmed.

Inside, I headed toward the basement and didn’t stop until I was standing in front of a pair of tables that had been pushed together to provide a hidden group study area.Except no one ever came down here.

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