Race the Darkness (Fatal Dreams, #1)(68)
Kent walked out of the house carrying a feminine tote bag. The same style of bag as the one Row had brought to Xander’s cabin with some of Isleen’s clothes. He wanted to chalk it up to Kent getting in touch with his girly side, but Xander wasn’t stupid. He knew how to add.
Kent + Isleen’s tote bag = Isleen was leaving with Kent.
Every muscle went taut, bracing for the final blow to his heart. Xander forced his arms away from her, forced them to hang at his sides.
Roweena followed Kent, her jaw thrust out, her arms crossed over her chest. Xander knew that look. He’d been the recipient of it daily during his teen years. Row was pissed and aiming her anger at someone other than Xander.
“Row, what’s going on?” He flipped on the switch to hear Row’s thoughts. Out of habit he flinched waiting for the pain, but it never came. And neither did Row’s thoughts. She said what she was thinking.
“I don’t care what excuse she gives, she shouldn’t leave you. It’s not right.”
He aimed his next words at Isleen. “Tell me what she’s talking about.” He spoke deliberately, making sure his tone was even. She still wouldn’t look him in the eye, but she still held on to him. If she was leaving, why wasn’t she letting go?
If you let her go, it’ll be the biggest mistake of your life. Row directed her thoughts to him, knowing he’d hear her.
Kent’s thoughts overlapped the end of Row’s. Yeah, asshole. She’s leaving you. Wants to spend the night with me. Not you.
The air punched out of Xander’s lungs.
Row’s and Kent’s terrible thoughts bombarded him, echoing over and over inside the cavern of his skull.
If you let her go…
Wants to spend the night with me.
If you let her go…
Wants to spend the night with me.
“Xander?” Isleen stood directly in front of him, no more than a foot away, but her voice seemed faint as if it had traveled a great distance.
“You want to leave me for him? I’m not going to beg you to stay.” His voice came out rough-hewn and primitive, and anyone really listening would hear his own lie. It made him a motherfucking pussy, but he would beg her to stay. Anything to keep her with him. “And in case you were wondering—I don’t share.” That at least was the truth.
Isleen grabbed his waist tighter. “Xander, stop it. It’s nothing like that.” Her mouth puckered up like she’d eaten something sour. “I just need to go with him for the interview. There are so many questions I need to answer—about what happened at the trailer. About my dream of Gran…”
“I don’t believe you.” Oh, he wanted to, but he could still hear that little shiver, smaller now, but still there.
“I can’t wait. I want to get it done. Now. Get it all out. I want to find the person responsible for Gran’s death. I won’t relax until he’s caught.”
Keep pressing it, asshole. You’ll see she doesn’t want you around. Kent’s thoughts were begging to meet Xander’s fist.
“What’s really going on?” He looked back and forth between her and Kent, who still held that girlie tote in his hand. “And why do you need an overnight bag if you’re just being interviewed?”
She seemed to try for a reassuring smile, but missed the mark. “I thought if I got tired, I could lie down for a bit.”
“There’s some truth there, but you’re still lying about something.”
No one said a word. Nature sounds filled the void, and for a moment Xander wished he could go back to that night on his porch when he got that brain itch—and fucking ignore it. Save himself the pain and suffering Isleen was about to cause him when she ripped open his chest, cut out his heart, and stomped on it.
“You want truth? Here’s some truth. I’ll be back in the morning. I promise. Nothing is going to happen between me and Kent. We are just friends. He is going to interview me. I have a pair of pants and a sweater in the bag in case I get cold. If I get tired, I might take a nap. But I want to do this now. Right now. Not later. Not tomorrow morning. Now.”
She was telling the truth, but something wasn’t right.
Ask to come along. Ask to wait on her during the interviews. Ask her.
Xander recognized Kent’s thoughts for what they were. A trap. Designed to maim Xander in the deepest way, but it was a snare he couldn’t resist. “Okay. I’ll drive you. I’ll wait for you until you’re done.” A fist of dread closed around his windpipe.
“It could be all night. You stay here. I’ll call you when I’m done.”
Fucking goddamn. She was lying again. He had to be sure. “I don’t mind waiting.”
“You should stay here. It’ll just be boring, and they probably won’t let you…”
See, asshole? She doesn’t want you around. She wants to be with me tonight. Not you.
“You don’t want me around.” The words came out in blocks of concrete certainty.
Through the entire conversation she still clung to his shirt. “I’ll be back in the morning. After I’ve done the interviews and—”
After I’ve spent the night with her.
Kent’s words hit Xander’s anger ignition switch. “Dude, you better fucking walk away right now before my shit gets too hot.”