Page 25 of Storm

“Shit,” I murmur. I’m going to be pissed as hell if it came early. They’re not supposed to do that. If they arrive at a stop early, the drivers are supposed to wait until the scheduled time. Every now and then, a newer driver gets anxious to end their route for the night, and I’m beginning to fear this is the case tonight.

I’d rather not spend the extra cash on an Uber, but the longer I wait, the more I realize I’m going to have to suck it up. Dropping to the bench, I hunch over my phone and check to see if any cars are in the area.

“Dios mío!” I growl to the night. I’m going to have to wait here for over twenty damn minutes. Tapping the screen to request a ride, I sit back and cross my arms angrily and stare down the street. “Fuck! Fuck this fucking night.”

I swear to God, everything has gone to shit since those fuckers took me to the cabin. Susanna is packing up to move in with her guys now that she’s better. My jobs feel like they’re getting harder every day, and now I’m going to be late to class.

Honestly, I just want to go to bed, bundle under a few extra blankets to get rid of this cold and wake up after the holidays are done. This time has been ruined for me for years after I spent hours upon hours scraping up change to fund presents, shopping, wrapping, and cooking. Everything I put into it goes into the garbage not even a month later. The food is eaten andplates are left around for me to clean up while they hang out in the living room.

I’ve asked for help, but theyknowI’m not their mom, so it doesn’t go over well when I ask. Papá isn’t much help either. He grew up in a home where his mother did everything for him, then expected the same from my mother. Something she didn’t appreciate, especially after papá bitched about nothing to eat weeks after Damián was born. So, she took off and never looked back.

Last year, after a couple of my brothers pouted over not getting a gaming console they wanted, I was just done. I know deep down they appreciate what I do, but words hurt in the moment.

I jerk my head to the side and stare down an alley when I hear an empty can hit a wall, then roll down the pavement. Narrowing my eyes, I try to peer through the dark, but I see nothing.

“Hay alguien ahí?”Shit, people don’t know Spanish around here. Clearing my throat, I attempt to sound more sure of myself and ask again. “Is someone there?”

I listen as carefully as I can, holding my breath to keep silent, but nothing else happens. Just in case, I decide to warn them off if thereissomeone there.

“My boyfriend is on his way to pick me up, so if you’re thinking about fucking with me, I’ll hold him back while I kick your nuts so far up your ass, you’ll be crying for your mom!”

I swear I hear a low growl and a thump, but the wind kicks up at the same time, harsher than it was blowing before, so I can’t be sure. Standing slowly, I keep my eyes locked on the entrance to the alley and shift further under the streetlight. I’d rather be in light than sheltering from the cold.

Another shiver runs up my spine and know I need to leave. Pulling up my phone so I can keep watching the alley and look atmy screen at the same time, I blow out a relieved breath when I see the car is only a couple of minutes away.

I jump when my phone rings, scaring the absolute shit out of me. Answering quickly, I don’t pay attention to who it is.

“Hello?”

“Hey girl, it’s Nia. I just got Bonnie into bed and wanted to give you a call. That guy you had to pick you up showed up a few minutes after you left. Said he was sorry for being late, but he’ll try to be on time next time.”

I jerk my head back and pull my phone away to stare at it for a second, completely forgetting about the invisible assailant in the alley. Odds are it was a rat or something anyway.

Shoving the phone back to my ear, I say, “I didn’t get a ride. You sure he was there for me?” Maybe one of the other girls had a boyfriend picking them up, but told them the wrong night.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Said your name. Big, good-looking guy.”

“Did he tell you his name?” I have no clue who would have gone there looking for me. No one knows my schedule aside from our scheduler and the girls on my team.

“I don’t think so. If he did, I missed it. I was too busy unbuttoning my top button.” Her giggle trickles out and I roll my eyes. I love Nia, but fuck if she isn’t boy crazy.

“I’m not sure who it would have been.” I pause to think it over. “Wait, did he have a bunch of tattoos?”

Her loud sigh in pleasure, then a slow, “Yesssss,” has my shoulders dropping in relief.

Chuckling at her, I shake my head as I turn around and sit back on the bench to wait for the Uber. “It was probably Theo. Sorry to break the news, but he’s good and taken. My roommate may have sent him to give me a ride.”

Susanna’s never done that before, but she also knows I’ve been pretty tired. Maybe it was supposed to be a surprise thing. I smile to myself, touched by her thoughtfulness.

“Damn, that sucks. Well, you slip that man my number and tell him to call me if he ever wants a change of scenery.”

Snorting, I laugh at her. “Unlikely. I don’t think he’d give her up in a million lifetimes. Listen, I gotta run. My Uber is here. Hope tonight is an easy one for you.”

“I’m sure it will be. She’s in her room giggling like a schoolgirl. I think her niece brought over one of those spicy books and she’s been plowing through it faster than she does anything else.”

Laughing, I say goodbye, then stand when my ride pulls up to the curb. Giving my address to the driver, I sit back and close my eyes for the twenty-minute drive home. I hate spending the money, but I’m more thankful that I can end this night early.

I’ll just email my professor tomorrow and let them know I was held up at work and not feeling well. I rarely miss class, so it should be okay.

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