Page 50 of The Stolen Dagger
“That’s not what I meant, Kat.”
Before I could come up with another lie, tires squealed on the road ahead. The same black truck that just hit us sped back in our direction.
Frozen in my seat, my heart pounded in my ears. I could only watch as the truck stopped across the two-lane sideroad, and someone opened and jumped out of the driver’s side door.
The man was dressed head to toe in black and wore a hood covering the top half of his face.
My breath caught in my throat on a gasp.
It was the man from the library. He looked even bigger in broad daylight. He was built like a tank, with wide shoulders and muscular arms that hung a few inches out from his torso. Compared to his truck, he had to be over six and a half feet as he marched toward us.
“You won’t get away this time, little bird!” the man yelled, anger clear in his tone.
Chills raced down my spine at his voice. I froze.
“Oh, my God,” Leah screeched. “What is he doing? Why did he come back?”
Her voice broke me out of whatever fear-induced trance I’d been in. “I don’t know, but I’m not staying to find out.”
I frantically shifted the car into drive and slammed my foot down on the gas pedal. The man ran the last few stepstoward us and slammed his fist onto the roof of the car, but I was already back on the road, driving away from him.
He didn’t follow.
Leahand I hadn’t said a word to each other since the man in the black truck, the same man who stalked and attacked me in the library, ran us off the road.
I didn’t know what to say to her. Did I play stupid and pretend that I didn’t know a thing, or did I tell her the truth and put her in even more danger than she was already in just by being my friend?
Drew wouldn’t want his sister involved, but I knew Leah. She wouldn’t stop until she got the truth out of me. And when she knew the truth, she’d hate me for it.
I parked beside the curb on the east end of campus, thinking of what to say to Leah before she got out of the car to meet Tyler.
“Look, I’m sorry,” I started and turned in my seat. “I don’t know what?—”
“What’s going on, Kat?” Leah asked, tucking her golden hair behind her ear. “Are you in some kind of trouble? Is that why you’ve been with Drew?”
“No, I mean, it’s nothing. It’s just … complicated.”
I cringed at that word, but itwascomplicated. I couldn’t bring Leah into this mess. So, maybe it would be easier if she hated me instead.
“What about Drew? Does he know you have a stalker? Is that why you’ve been together so much, or are you just using him because he’s a cop?”
“Of course not!” I yelled. “I care for Drew.”More than I should.
I paused at that thought because it was true, and I knew Ihad to do the same thing to her that I’d done to Drew before. I just hoped she would understand when all of this was over.
“Like I said,” I continued, “it’s complicated, but frankly, it’s none of your business.”
A look of hurt flashed across her face. “I’m your best friend. We’re supposed to be there for each other. I mean, I tell you everything, and I know you haven’t been very open about your past, but I thought you would be eventually.”
I sighed, knowing what I had to do, but it didn’t make it any easier. “Just because you’re my “friend” who overshares to the point of it being annoying doesn’t mean you have the right to know everything about my life.”
Tears filled her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled slightly. She tried to hide the movement with a snarl, but I saw it, and it broke me inside.
“Well, I’m sorry my friendship has annoyed you, but if you wanted to push away the one person who cares, then congrats because we’re over.” Leah scrambled out of the car and leaned down. “And stay away from my brother! He doesn’t need to be pulled down into your drama either.”
She slammed the door shut and stomped off across campus, taking our crumbled-to-pieces friendship with her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
