Page 12 of The Second Deal

God, please don’t let it be la lechuza or the devil.

Chapter5

Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?

–Trapt

Youdumb bitch,this is how girls get murdered in horror movies.

Drivefaster so they can’t catch you, dumbass!

ButIdrive on, anyway, keeping a close eye on the figure on the bridge.

Theydraw closer, becoming clearer.

Someonein dark clothes heads toward me.Afew feet more, and the headlights shine on their face.

Myheart drops into my stomach and forces the breath out of my lungs.

Thisis so much worse than a horror movie.

Zakblinks repeatedly, focusing on the car.Somethingisn’t right with the way he stumbles.

Pullingup next to him,Iroll my window down. “Zak?Areyou okay?”

Thestreetlight flickers again, and recognition crosses his face. “Steph?”

“Yeah.”Ithrow the car into park. “Thehell are you doin’ out here?Thoughtyou got a ride fromShannon.”

Zaktrips forward, steadying himself on the car door before lifting his head.Hestill has snake bite piercings and a ring in his nose on the opposite nostril fromAdrian.Hislips part, jaw unhinged in disbelief, and the bolt in his tongue twinkles in what little light there is around here.Everyinch of visible skin except for his face is covered in tattoos.

Thestench of liquor wafts into the car.

“Areyou drunk?”

Heaverts his eyes, still supporting himself on the door.Evenhis fingers are covered in tattoos. “Um… sorry…Didn’tknow you were home.”

Igrumble under my breath, unsure of whatI’mabout to offer.Butwith the dive bar just a couple hundred yards away and his house a mile down the direction whereIjust came,Ican connect the dots.

“Getin.I’lltake you home.”

Zakpushes away from the car so hard that he falls on his ass, grunting when he hits the asphalt. “Owee.”

Istifle a chuckle asIclimb out of the car. “C’mon, get in before you get cactus needles in your ass.Reallydon’t wanna be the one to help you pull those out.”

Hescrambles away. “N-no.”

Sighing,Iask, “Why?”

Thestreetlight flickers, and he looks over his shoulder at the approach, as if he heard something, searching until the light shutters off.

“Z, don’t make this any more difficult than it already is,”Ibeg. “Getin the car.”

Hisattention lands on me again, studying me in the darkness.

He’snot the sad, desperate guyIleft behind.Imean, he’s definitely sad the longer he stares at me, regardless of how inky black the air is between us.

Buthe’s not the same.

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