Anger was bubbling just below the question and I could tell at any minute he was about to lash out on me. I didn’t know why, but he was definitely pissed off at me.

“It’s in my pocket. It’s dead. Why? What’s wrong?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

“Megan’s been calling you and texting you all fucking night. Please tell me you didn’t walk here all the way from Finn’s house.”

“Why? Is she okay?” I started to panic.

I shouldn’t have left her there alone. A real friend would’ve stayed.

“She’s fine! She’s freaking out because you were nowhere to be found. We thought someone ran off with you or some crazy shit like that!” I jerked when he raised his voice at me. “Now, again I ask, did you walk all the way here from Finn’s house?”

I was afraid to answer the question.

“Well, I didn’t mean to make her worry, but as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.” I held my arms out to my sides to show I was fine. “I’m sleepy as hell and I fully plan on going home and passing out, but other than that, I’m fantastic.”

I stepped around him and started toward my house, but I didn’t get far before he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him. His nostrils flared as he stared down at me with pinched lips. His face was turning red and I was afraid I was about to feel the wrath of Zeke.

“Answer the question.” His words were a sinister whisper.

I met his stare until I couldn’t anymore and I had to look away.

“Yes, but it was fine. See? I’m fine.”

He dropped my arm and shook his head at me. Still, his angry eyes burned into my flesh.

“Do us both a favor and stay on your side of the world. Don’t come to The Pit. Don’t come to Finn’s house. Just stay the hell away from all of us.”

And then he turned and walked away.

His words hurt. They hurt way more than they should have. I felt them snake around me and squeeze until I couldn’t breathe. Just a few hours ago he was melting me, but with those words he did more than melt me. He seared me and then turned me to ash.

His tires squealed once more as he drove away. All that was left of him were two burnt rubber marks on the road in front of me.

Fifteen

Zeke

Fear wasn’t the sound of my dad’s heavy footfalls as he came down the hallway ready to beat my ass. Fear wasn’t waking up from my repeating nightmare of my mother’s dead eyes. No, those things knew nothing of fear.

Fear was looking around Finn’s house for Patience and not finding her. It was asking her friend Megan where she was and her saying she had no idea. The truth was I never knew what it meant to be afraid until the moment I thought about her trying to walk home from Finn’s party and being raped and murdered.

Megan called her phone over and over again and we all went out searching for her. For hours we searched, until finally I saw her walking to her house. The relief I felt when I saw her blond hair in the gray dawn was so extreme, I couldn’t put it into words even if I wanted to.

As I drove away from her, I couldn’t remember what it was I said to her. I just knew I was pissed off. I was pissed at her for being stupid enough to walk alone in the dark in Finn’s neighborhood. I was pissed because she was just casually walking while Megan and I were in a full-blown panic. I was pissed because she was able to put me in a full-blown panic to start with.

Thankfully, I’d set out on my own to find her. The last thing I wanted my friends to see was me flipping out over the fact that I couldn’t find some chick. And I was flipping out. I’d never felt that kind of anxiety. My fingers still felt stiff and numb from gripping my steering wheel so hard for so many hours.

At one point, I almost ran out of gas, but thankfully I’d finally started making some money from Javier and I was able to fill up and keep looking for her.

Halfway to my house my memory started filling in and I could remember telling her to stay away. Her staying away would be a good thing, but at the same time, the week without seeing her had been hell. I didn’t know what was happening to me and I fucking hated all these conflicting issues bouncing around my head.

Then the guilt started to set in—another emotion I’d never experienced until Patience. I felt bad for yelling at her, but I was so mad at her for putting herself in danger I couldn’t even see straight. She was the queen of bad decisions and coming near me was one of her worse yet.

I had her cell number in my phone since Megan insisted I program it just in case. Once I made it to my yard, I pulled out my phone and sent her a text.