I Know Lucy (A Fugitive #1)(55)

“But I didn’t want to.”

“I know.” I rubbed her back.

“How did you even recognize me? Everyone at Lowell knew me as Riley.”

“I knew it was you. Sure, your hair was different, but I recognized the look on your face. You get it sometimes when you’re trying to block out the world, a kind of distant look in your eye. I just knew it was you.”

Her blue gaze met mine, telling me she loved that I really saw her, but it fluttered back to the floor as her shaking fingers scratched the back of her neck.

Did I dare tell her the rest?

“So, how did you find out about Taylor and Peyton?” She choked out the last word.

“Well, I just had to find out more, so I went into San Francisco yesterday to see if I could talk to some other Lowell High students. I was trying to track down Miles’ younger brother.”

“James.”

I nodded. “But I couldn’t find him and ended up meeting up with some other guys, and a student from Balboa High thought he recognized your photo.”

“You showed my picture around?” Her voice hitched.

“Only to a few.” I rubbed her back, trying to settle her. “None of them were certain it was you, they just told me a few stories.”

She sat away from me, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “What if they talk, Zach? What if they start figuring it out?”

“They won’t. They all told their stories and went back to life as normal.”

“Did you tell them who you were? Did you say where you were from?” She stood up, crossing her arms over her chest.

“My name may have been mentioned, I can’t remember, but I definitely didn’t say where I was from. They weren’t interested in me, they just wanted to tell me stories about wild-child Taylor and the day Miles got attack—”

“Stop it!” Stress was radiating from her in pulsing waves that nearly knocked me over. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She scrambled off the bed.

“Dani it’s going to be okay.”

“You don’t know that. I’ve robbed and cheated these people. What if they come after me?” Her eyes sizzled with panic as another thought brandished her brain, but she pressed her lips together and kept it in.

“I seriously don’t think they will.”

“But you don’t know that, Zach.”

She bit her lip, blinking rapidly at fresh tears. I gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down onto the bed. “You’re right, I don’t know for sure and I’m sorry for doing all this behind your back. But I had to know who you were.”

“No, you don’t have to know.” She shook her head, wriggling her wrist free. “You know Dani and that’s enough.”

“It’s not enough,” I whispered. “I want to help you. I want to get you out of this mess.”

“I can’t just get out, Zach, it doesn’t work like that.” She buried her face in her hands. “It just keeps catching up with me,” she muttered to herself. Her fingers dug into her hair, squeezing her scalp until I thought she might hurt herself.

“Dani.” I reached for her back, but she bolted away from me, her eyes wild and bright as she turned to face me.

“I have to get out of here.”

I was too horrified to say anything as she stepped past me and opened up her bag, ready to cram things into it. It took a couple of slow blinks and serious head shakes before I managed to get my faculties together enough to leap off the bed and stop her frantic movements.

Like hell I was going to let her leave me without a fight!





Chapter 26





ZACH


May 2014





“Dani, stop. What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving!” She threw her pants into her bag, before balling up her shirts and shoving them in the end.

“You can’t just run away.”

“Yes, I can. I have to.”

I crouched down beside her, gently touching her arm. “No, you don’t.”

With a huff, she threw her Converse on top of the bag and spun to face me. “You asked questions, Zach! People talk. Talk travels and then the wrong people hear!”

“I—” Licking my bottom lip, I pulled in a quick breath. “Okay, I’m not sure exactly what you’re trying to tell me here, but you don’t have to run from this. That kid from Balboa High told me a few stories, they weren’t even sure the photo was you.”

“And Peyton? How’d you find out about her?” The look of self-loathing that washed over her features told me everything.

I gently squeezed her arm and used the softest voice I could. “The waitress at the diner where I had lunch saw your photo.”

“And recognized me.” Dani shook her head and reached past me for her books.

I shifted, blocking her way.

“Move!”

“I can’t! I won’t!” I held her face, forcing her to look at me. “I can see how much you hate this life. This is your chance to stop running and get out.”

“I can’t just get out!”

“Why? What’s chasing you?”

Her blue eyes were luminous as they filled with tears. “My past,” she whispered, flicking my hands off and slumping to the floor. “There are things that have happened to me. Things I couldn’t control…” She pressed her quivering lips together and blinked at tears. It was heart wrenching to watch. I shoved my hands in my pockets, trying to perfect my words. I wanted to cover my desperation, yet still be loud and clear.