Page 31 of Fire Fight

My nerves yearn for something to soothe them and this the most rested I’m going to feel all day.

The idea of sneaking into Drake’s room recurs. I could find my pills and escape without him knowing. Judging from his disturbing conversation yesterday, he still has them.

But I don’t know how long he’ll be gone and the thought of getting caught, of being treated like he treated me yesterday isdisturbing. I opt for a long shower instead, washing away the detritus littering my head until I’m relatively calm.

Then I step out of the shower and the first thing I see is Drake’s words on my chest. They’re fading but far too slowly for my liking.

Irritated, I grab covering foundation from the makeup drawer and lay on a thick coating. Out of sight, out of mind.

The easy fix puts me back in control and I’m whistling by the time I get dressed, heading downstairs with a light step. Where I bump straight into Drake heading in the opposite direction.

“Morning,” I say, pretending he doesn’t bother me while my nervous system rattles.

He grunts, moving past without a glance in my direction and I check my phone again. Three minutes past eight. Thirty-three minutes since he left.

It’s plenty of time to get into his room, perform a cursory search, then leave. Tomorrow morning, I could set a reminder alarm for twenty minutes and be out of there with time to spare.

“Good morning,” I say, taking a seat across the kitchen table from Arnold, smiling at the thought we look like a sitcom family.

“Coffee?” Mum asks and I nod, kissing her cheek as she passes me a cup. Arnold hands her the daily dose of pills from the organiser, and she tosses them back with a glass of water. “I can’t believe how easily I fall asleep here. The salt air must be working some magic.”

Something is certainly working magic on her. Five years of worry lines have melted from her face in just a few days.

Then Drake enters, bumping the back of my chair as he walks past. The move raises the hairs on the back of my neck, and I pick up my phone as a distraction. It immediately buzzes with a text.

HUDSON

Leaving in two minutes. You want a lift?

CADENCE

Yes, thanks!

“Gotta go,” I tell Mum, draining the last of my coffee and grabbing a slice of toast.

“At least butter it.” She frowns across the table at Drake. “Aren’t you travelling together?”

“No,” I answer before he can say a word. “I’m getting a lift from a friend.”

Arnold glances up from his screen. “Any reason?”

Drake walks to the window, scowl already in place. “Is that why the douchebag from next door is in our driveway?” His voice tightens. “Didn’t he get enough of you yesterday?”

“You’ve got a boyfriend?” my mother asks, excitement building in her voice.

“A friend,” I correct, shuffling towards the door. “Hudson Carter. You saw him on Saturday when he let me ride behind him on the jet ski.” The last words are tossed over my shoulder as I hurry out the door.

“Trouble?” Hudson asks as I get into the car. “I was about to send in a search party.”

I roll my eyes. “I spent most of my life with no one taking an interest, but this morning, everyone suddenly wants to ask a thousand questions.”

“Bollocks,” he says, reversing out the driveway and heading down the winding hill road.

“What’s bollocks?”

He shoots a charming sideways glance that has me blushing before he says a word. “The idea that no one’s taken an interestbecause I’ve been plenty interested from the moment I set eyes on you.”

The sickly-sweet phrase is immediately followed by a snort as Hudson rolls his eyes.

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