“Of course, I’m right.” She inched back. “Listen, I don’t have anything for you to wear. Granite said we’re leaving in an hour, so I’m going to rush to the nearest shop and see if I can find you something in the kiddies’ section.”
“Would you stop?”
She winked teasingly. “Hey, I intend to use every opportunity I can to make fun of your bony ass.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t doubt that for a second. Hey, where are we going?”
“Granite insisted that we take you to a safe house.”
“Why?”
“How the fuck should I know? I just live here, remember? There’s a shirt and pair of shorts for you, you know, in case anyone else decides to barge in here. Can’t leave you here wearing nothing but a sheet. I’ll be back soon.” Blowing a kiss my way, she closed the door as she left. Somehow, I felt like Neon and I might become friends. God knew, I was going to need a friend around here. And she hadn’t been anything but kind to me.
The bowl of cereal taunted me from across the room, and Onyx’s words played on repeat inside my head. Someone they both loved died from not eating. It all made sense now, why everyone was so fucking obsessed with me eating. But was that all I was to Granite? A cruel reminder of someone he lost, hoping he might be able to live down the regret he felt?
Better yet…why did it fucking matter to me what I was to him?
23
Granite
Something wasn’t right.I could smell it in the air as we stood outside the garage. Warning crawled all over my skin, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it just didn’t feel right. The last time warning knocked on my skull like this was the night my dad died.
“Yo,” I turned to Ink, who was packing out the ammo, “Neon back yet?’
“No. Don’t think so.
“When did she leave?”
He glanced at his wristwatch. “About forty minutes ago.”
I looked over at the empty space where her motorcycle would stand. She didn’t ride a Harley like the rest of us. She had a pitch-black Ducati Monster. She called a Harley “the old fucker’s ride to hell.”
“Call her. See where she’s at.” I lit a cigarette. If it wasn’t for the run, I’d have a fucking beer right now.
Dutch stepped in next to me. “We should get the girl in the van.”
With a simple nod, I gave him instruction to go get Alyx. These wheels were rolling on the fucking hour, whether Neon was here or not.
As Dutch rushed off to get Alyx, Ink came back looking as pale as a fucking ghost, and I knew. I fucking knew this was why my motherfucking skin crawled with warning.
“What’s going on?”
He held the phone out to me, his eyes dark and doleful. “It’s Neon’s phone. One of the prospects found it outside the front door. Granite, Neon never goes anywhere without her phone.”
Just as I took the phone from him, the video caller rang. My gut twisted into a thousand tiny motherfucking knots.
Biting my lip, I slid my finger across the screen. And true as fuck, Slither’s ugly motherfucking face appeared.
“Hello, Granite.” His split tongue lapped over his lips. “It’s a fine day today, isn’t it?”
“What the fuck are you doing, Slither?”
“Just making conversation. I have to say, your huge-ass face looks tiny on this screen. Much less…intimidating.”
A heaviness crashed down on my chest, my body wracked with chills. “Don’t fuck with me. Where is Neon?”
“Oh, she’s here. Hold on.” The screen image went vivid as he moved. “There she is.”