Page 53 of Wicked Ends
A: Report me.
A grin chased across my face. Fuck, she was fun.
M: I prefer to deal with wrongdoers in-house. Bring back the bag, beautiful.
A: Not until you agree that this madness can’t continue. Stop pursuing me, and you get your bag back. Don’t stop, and you won’t. Got it?
M: Are you sure you want to play this game with me? Playing is in my blood, and I won’t hold back.
A: It’s for your own good. Get your head out of your ass and forget about me. Then everything goes back to normal.
Forget about her? Impossible. I tucked my phone away, exhaustion tugging at me. We had the big game coming up, and Coach was on all of us to sleep more. Since I had practice at dawn tomorrow, the time to do that was slipping away. With a sigh, I turned my motorcycle toward the HHU campus. As much as I’d like to track Ari down right now and play some more, it wasn’t the time.
As for everything going back to normal if I left her alone? I was starting to realize that that was the very last thing I wanted.
Arianna
I woketo the smell of frying bacon and blinked at the ceiling of an unfamiliar room.
Last night came back to me in a rush.Of course.The bar and Marcus, the threat… then the cops at the motel and Bill offering me a place to stay.
I turned to the side and nearly fell off the couch I’d slept on. My neck ached, but that was probably because I’d slept on the damn bag that I’d stolen from Marcus.
I wasn’t going to spend or lose his money… I was going to take care of it until he stopped threatening me.
“Oh, dear, you’re up!” a bright voice called when I passed the open doorway to the kitchen.
Imelda, Bill’s octogenarian mother, bustled about the room.
“I didn’t know what you liked, so I made pancakes and bacon, and eggs and toast! Oh, and we have cereal,” she continued on.
“Wow, that’s a lot. I’m not big on breakfast usually, so whatever you’ve made will be amazing for me,” I told her.
She smiled at me. “Well, it’s a pleasure. Bill brings so few overnight guests. Some women, some men,” she added, and watched me carefully to see what I’d make of that.
I smiled. “He was really kind to me last night when the motel wasn’t safe to stay in. You both have a lovely home and are so generous.”
“It’s our pleasure!” Imelda’s eyes seemed to light up even more.
“What’s our pleasure, Mom?” Bill rumbled. He came into the kitchen and kissed his mother on top of her head.
It was official: Sally was my favorite woman I’d met in Hade Harbor so far — obviously Kenna didn’t count as I’d known her forever — and Bill was my favorite man. Marcus wasn’t in the running, since he was clearly insane.
“Hosting a guest! I was just telling Anna that you’re welcome to bring anyone over… male, or female, whoever.”
Bill sighed as he pulled out a chair and sat. “Mom’s convinced that if she doesn’t hurry me along, I’m going to end up a spinster.”
“Did I say spinster? No! I didn’t. But having a family is a great joy,” Imelda lamented, carrying heavy plates filled with food to us, and waving me off when I tried to help.
“Sure, it is, but there are all kinds of ways to feel family… Mom, you have to eat, too.”
“I’m not hungry,” Imelda said but sat anyway. She watched me eat big, hungry mouthfuls and patted my hand.
“I like to see a girl your age with a hearty appetite.”
I nearly choked on my food but coughed instead.
“Bill never said if you’re married or not, just that you’re new to town.”
