Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
We both shot apart at that, both of us stiffening at the sound of the woman’s voice. It took all of a heartbeat for us both to be moving, rushing toward the end of the alley, eager to save the woman from…
Her son, apparently.
Who was yanking at her pants and half-exposing the waistband of her panties.
Seeing us, her annoyance with the boy disappeared as she reached an arm around him, and shifted him toward the other side of the street.
It was late for a kid to be out.
But judging by his mama’s work uniform and his silly dinosaur pajamas and mussed hair, she was likely picking him up from a babysitter to take him home to finish sleeping.
“That was unexpected,” Crow said, nodding after the mom and son had disappeared into their car.
“And on that, I have to get going,” I said, moving back to retrieve my knife, then making my way toward the end of the alley where Crow was watching me.
“Go where? Get yourself attacked by a drunken Kyle?”
A little annoyed that he knew what I was actually up to, I was quick to only tell him half the truth.
“Actually, I was on my way to the market,” I told him, waving toward the folded, lightweight grocery cart I’d dropped when he’d grabbed me, still on the ground near the end of the alley.
“The market,” Crow repeated, brow drawing low, dubious about my story. “Dressed like that?” he clarified, his gaze moving down my dress and the body beneath, making my skin warm again.
“Did you think I would dress like this on some kind of reconnaissance mission?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
If he thought I was overdressed for the market, he said nothing. “Where’s your car then?” he asked. “I just saw you walking down the street.”
“I don’t have a car.”
“You don’t have a car?” he repeated, looking taken aback. “Baby, this is not some city. Shady Valley isn’t exactly walking-friendly.”
“Which is one of the reasons I don’t come into town often,” I agreed. “I had a truck when I first moved here, but… what?” I asked at his smirk.
“Chicks driving trucks. Kinda hot,” he declared.
“Men,” I said under my breath. “But, yeah, it died on me. It wasn’t worth the fixes. I’ve gone without since.”
“It’s got to be, what, seven, eight miles into town?”
“Somewhere around there.”
“It’s late. And you’re going to walk, what, two hours back to your place at one or so in the morning?”
“I have nothing better to do with my time,” I told him, even though, yeah, I wasn’t exactly thrilled at the idea of that long walk back. Late at night. Alone.
Objectively, it was silly to be afraid of walking in a relatively safe area at night when I trekked through the mountains alone all the time. Often in the pre-dawn hours or right at dusk, when it was cooler. But also when the predators were around.
Coyotes.
Bobcats.
Snakes.
The occasional mountain lion.
It wasn’t the four-legged—or even no-legged—predators I was worried about.
It was the two-legged sort.
“What are you doing?” I asked, watching as he went to my grocery cart and picked it up.
“Taking you grocery shopping. Then driving you home.”
“On your bike? How do you propose we do that?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“Have the SUV tonight. I’m the designated driver,” he explained as he started to walk down the street, leaving me to follow after since he was still holding my cart.
“I don’t need your help,” I insisted.
“And by that you mean Thanks for lending a hand since I wasn’t using my head when I left my place tonight.”
“No. That’s not what I meant at all,” I insisted.
“Really? Because that’s totally what I heard.”
So then I went shopping.
With the guy I’d poisoned.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Neither of us had any idea at the time, of course, that we were being watched.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Crow
“You’re taking a walk with me,” I said, grabbing Nyx’s arm when she tried for the fifth time to avoid me since we got to the bar a couple hours before. This time, sans Riff and Raff, who had insisted it was time for them to get back to work.
“I’m working, Crow,” she insisted, but didn’t fight me as I pulled her with me toward the door.
“Dell has the bar for five minutes,” I insisted, taking her with me onto the street then down an empty alley.
“What the fuck, Crow?” she asked, yanking her arm away and crossing them both over her chest.
“What the fuck, yeah, that about covers it,” I said, putting my hand on the wall beside her head and leaning in, taking a long sniff.
“Okay, seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?” she asked, shoving me back.
“That’s an interesting smell, don’t you think?” I asked. Earthy. Very distinctive. In fact, I think I’ve only smelled it once before.”