Page 90 of Racing Hearts

“Why?” he asks.

“She should have graduated. This means she was a student but didn’t . . . Maybe she dropped out?” I look up at him. “And I’m betting I know why.”

“But how do we find her?” Alek asks.

“They don’t list contact information or addresses.” I have an idea and pull up Bones’s information, hitting dial. He answers within seconds.

“You okay, Evan?” he asks. “I’m at home, but I can be at school in ten?—”

“No, no, I just need a favor, if that’s okay?” I reply.

“Of course, tell me,” he murmurs. There is a voice in the background, and then the sound of a door shutting.

“I need you to find someone, and I know you have connections. Her name is Clarissa Wright. She left Pine Valley three years ago. She was a student,” I explain.

I hear him typing. “Got it. Give me ten, and I’ll call you back, okay?”

The fact that he doesn’t even ask why makes me grin. “Thanks, Bones.” I hang up and smile at Alek. “He’ll find her, then we can speak to her and find out what really happened.”

He nods and then tilts his head. “How do you know Bones?”

“You know Bones?” I gape.

He chuckles as he lifts me then sets me on his lap, wrapping his arms around me and tugging me closer. “Hmm.” He nods. “He’s teaching Alice self-defense. I met him at the gym.”

“Ah, he goes here.” I hate that I have to lie to him. “We met in a club.”

“A club? I didn’t know you were part of a club,” he asks curiously, not suspiciously.

“Oh, you know how it is, so many clubs. I just wanted to try one.” I cough and straddle his lap, sliding my hands up his chest to distract him. “Want to fool around while we wait?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and he laughs.

“You are insatiable,” he remarks, but his hand slides down my back, gripping my ass and tugging me closer so we are pressed together.

Lowering my head, I place teasing kisses along his lips until he groans and yanks my head to his. I moan as he kisses me deeply, but my phone rings, interrupting us. Opening one eye, I grab it and hit speaker as I pull away. Alek keeps kissing down my neck, making me close my eyes in bliss as I bite back a moan.

“Hmm?” I answer.

“Evan?” Bones asks in confusion.

“I’m here.” My voice is slightly breathless, but honestly, he’s doing this thing with his tongue. I hiss as he bites me and push him away, then I narrow my eyes in warning. “Did you find her?”

Bones chuckles. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Nothing,” I warn Alek with my eyes as he smirks.

“Okay, well, Clarissa Wright dropped out. She moved home, which is three hours away, but when her mother died, she moved in with her father just thirty minutes away. I’m texting you her address. She is still there, registered as his nurse and working at a local pet supply shop. Is everything okay?”

“Yep, just some research,” I reply. I’ll tell him later when Alek isn’t here.

“Okay, well, good luck. Let me know if you need anything.” He hangs up, and I swing my gaze back to Alek.

“You’ll pay for that!” I growl as I lean in and bite his shoulder, making him yelp.

FORTY-THREE

We eventually make it out of the library, and my neck still has a bruise from his teeth. It shouldn’t make me happy, but it does. After checking on Alice and making sure she is in class, Evan skips his and we take the short drive to Clarissa Wright’s address. We linger in the car, staring at the normal two-story house, wondering what answers we’ll find. Evan was right—I need a purpose. I need to do something.

“Do not growl or glare, and don’t scare her. We need her help,” Evan reminds me.

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