Love's Cruel Redemption (The Ghost Bird #12)(100)

“What are you doing out here?” she screeched at him. She waved toward the Lee house. “I’m working to give you a break and you’re out here messing it up. I swear...”

“How did you know it was us?” he asked.

“You’re parked outside my house, dipshit. I came out to see who it was.”

I hadn’t realized it, but we were within view of her house. Did she recognize the car, too? She took a risk approaching it. We could have been anyone.

Nathan lowered the growl in his tone but still barked at her. “We’re going.” He put his hand on the stick to change gears to get us out of park. He paused and looked at her. “Who were you meeting out here?”

She glared at him. “None of your business.”

“You came out to a random car parked across the street. In the middle of the night. You’re going somewhere.”

She pointed at him with a long finger extended toward his nose. “I’m not out here asking you why you’re macking on Sang and why she’s not with Kota or Silas. Do you want to give me crap about what I’m doing? Because I think we both know you can get off your high...”

She paused as another car came onto the street, bypassing the diner and approaching us slow.

Nathan squinted out the rearview mirror and then turned fully in the seat. “Who is that?”

“I don’t know,” Danielle said. “I don’t recognize the car.”

“I do,” I said, gazing out at the brown sedan. “That’s Mr. Morris.”

“The teacher?” Danielle asked.

Nathan turned to her, reaching out to her to grip her by the arm. “Danielle, I swear to god, if you don’t get into your house and stay put right now, I’ll kill you.” He let her go and barked at her. “Go. Now.”

She backed toward the house and disappeared inside.

Nathan waited until she was in before he rolled away, heading down the street.

The car stayed behind us. If it was Mr. Morris, it was highly likely he recognized the car. He followed us so many times, I was sure they all memorized the license plates by now.

“We should get inside with Erica,” I said.

Nathan didn’t say anything but pulled into the Lee’s driveway. He pulled up to the second garage door that Kota never used, and he reached around me, into Silas’s glove compartment. There was a garage door remote, and he pushed the button to get the door to rise.

He pulled in slow. The fit was tight with Erica’s car next to us but he closed the door behind us.

“I don’t want this car out there where they can mess with it,” he said. He turned the engine off and breathed out slow. “I guess we’re doing this. Ready for Erica?”

“Yes,” I said, lying through my teeth. I was grateful that we were here, even if I was nervous about talking to her. Mr. Morris could park on the street all he wanted. We could get someone to watch him later, perhaps. If he was the one Volto was talking about, we needed to be more careful.

He grimaced and waved me to the door. “Go in first? Tell her I gave you a ride at Kota’s request? I think if we say he’ll be here in a bit, it’ll go down better.”

I wasn’t totally sure how we’d explain the late hour. Or the fact that we were driving Silas’s car.

I didn’t hear the dog barking until I got out of the car. He was inside, just on the other side of the door, clearly he’d heard us. I imagine he wasn’t used to anyone pulling in to this spot. Kota always parked in the drive and the guys always seemed to leave the space open. I had to squeeze around the dog crate and a few other things along the garage wall to finagle onto the steps that led into the house.

Nathan got out of the car, but he waited by the driver’s side door.

I went in but was stopped short by Max. His wet nose dove at my thigh, and he sniffed and jumped, excited.

No chance of sneaking in.

“Kota?” Erica’s voice called from the living room.

I entered, closing the door but leaving it open a crack. “It’s me,” I called out.

Erica was on the couch. The TV was off, but the lights were on. She sat up, holding a novel in one hand and brushed away her hair from her face with the other. “Sang? What are you doing up so late? Is Kota with you?”

“No,” I said and rolled off what Nathan told me to say before I could think about it. “He’ll be along. Nathan drove me over. We were...” I paused, unable to explain the cause and catching myself before I could come up with a lie about it. “Long story,” I said.

She didn’t seem upset by this and angled herself to look over my shoulder. “Is he coming in?”

“If that’s okay.”

“Sure it is,” she said. “Let him come in.”

I opened the door again, and Nathan was already on the steps.

“She’s up,” I told him.

Max wiggled out beside me to get a nose into Nathan’s thigh. Nathan petted him a few times. “Calm down,” he said. “It’s just me.”

Erica left the couch and dropped her book on it. She wore her USMC shirt, oversized with big yellow lettering, and pajama pants.

I hesitated. I sensed Nathan close behind me, and he stopped because I had. I don’t know why, but part of me was waiting for what I was sure was going to happen. Questions. Wondering why we were alone together like we were after what happened.