“And risk vandalism from those rowdy bunch of teenagers? No, thanks. I will stay outside. Go home.”
“You really should manage your hours better, man…”
Shed. Shed.It became a mantra in her head as she inched out of the bench and hid behind tree trunks until her focus zoned in on a boxed area of metal and wood. It felt like water after long years of thirst. She found the window with the easiest lock, picked it, and leaped in, gaze adjusting to the darkness until she glimpsed everything inside: the cleaning supplies, the skates and coats for rent, and more boxes stacked in a corner. Anne squeezed herself behind the boxes, arranged a fort around her back, and leaned against the wall, determined to stay here until the sun was up and it was safer to go back to her real hiding spot.Home.
Except there was no home, only a temporary shelter until it was time to move again. But she was tired of moving, tired of finding new hiding spots and places that ended up belonging to someone else or ended up bringing too many memories of the past. Worse, she was tired of running into danger, just wanting a peaceful life even though she knew she didn’t deserve it.
She fought to stay awake. She fell asleep, anyway, her mind and body shutting down in exhaustion.
Chapter 3
It was close to sunrise by the time Nico decided to give up his search, coming up with nothing but frustration as he swept acres beyond his clan territory for hours on end. Everything was clean, empty, and harmless, from the forest animals that continued flourishing in the night to his body that called for a bed. But the tent was a glaring sign that something did go wrong earlier, the screams jerking him from almost-sleep and back to their campsite, expecting death and finding chaos as they had fled the scene and vowed to never come back. That was for the better, but…
The woman coasted in mind, unforgettable with her soft curves and the vulnerability glimmering in her features.Please,she had asked, voiceless, terrified beyond belief that he would harm her—and then she had delivered a blow that ensured she wasn’t as helpless as she had looked and made him look like the biggest fool on the planet.
“Forget about it. The campers are gone, she’s gone, and she won’t dare come here again.”
That knowledge had him crashing into bed, knocked out straight away. He opened his eyes to birds chirping dimly in the background, the feeling that he had slept well…and plates being moved around.
“What the—”
“Good morning. Or good noon. What happened? Are you also on night shift here?”
Nico gaped at Peachy, who was back in her regular outfit of a fitted shirt and cotton shorts as she set the table and beamed at him.
“What are you doing here, and how the hell did you find me?”
“They told me where you were and what type of punishment you were given—not that this counts as punishment considering you do this type of task all the time,” she said promptly. “They also mentioned the place, and I know your territory as much as you guys do.”
“They as in my brother?”
Her smile dropped. She shifted her gaze. “I’m not on speaking terms with your brother.” She cleared her throat. “Lunch?”
He scrubbed his face, then wandered over to the table and the dried food she arranged before she ladled a bowl of stew in front of him. He noted the cooking setup in sight and approved the electric box and induction stove before he relaxed enough to eat. Peachy sat down, too, and ate with him in companionable silence.
“No work?” he asked when he finished the bowl.
“Day off. Trouble? I saw the tent outside.”
“You could say that.”
“I can help you clean it up.”
He declined the offer, but Peachy was nothing if not stubborn, following him until he reached the clearing. Nothing had been touched, the tent still scattered, and some sparkling objects in between pebbles and soil that had been left behind in the group’s haste. Peachy knelt and picked some up, scrutinizing them.
“Crystals. They look real. Was there a modeling shoot around here?”
“Campers. First-timers, I believe. They got scared out of their wits and booked it out of here last night.”
“And the tent?”
He pointed. “Branch. Sabotage. Someone was trying to drive them away.”
“The same someone involved with the attack complaints?”
He peered at her suspiciously. “How are you getting this type of information from our clan?”
She grinned smugly and shrugged. “My lips are sealed, buddy. But I promise I won’t sell it to your enemies.”