Page 10 of I Should Hate You-but I Don't

Margie got in the driver's seat and pulled away from the sidewalk. River swung her arms out, breaking away from Mrs. Hostin. She ran down the sidewalk, yelling and begging Margie to stop and bring back her sister. In her blind panic, she crossed the street, tripped, and skidded on her hands and knees. A flash of pain seared through her skin as she watched the vehicle carrying her sister away turn and disappear out of sight. Curling in a ball, she squeezed her eyes shut.

They'd never been apart before. Even when they went to school, they were in the same building. How was she going to find Kenna?

A hand landed on her head, brushing her hair off her face. She kept her eyes closed, unwilling to face life without her sister. "I'll make sure nothing happens to your sister."

A man's voice startled her out of her panic, and she opened her eyes. He picked her up and carried her out of the street.

The tears wouldn't stop. She had no fight left in her.

Aware that the biker from the corner was carrying her, she cried harder. Looking over his shoulder, she expected to find Mrs. Hostin, but her foster mom hadn't followed. She hadn't cared if Kenna was taken or River ran away.

"My name's Zane. I'm not going to hurt you." He stopped in front of her foster family's house and put her on the curb before holding her wrists and looking at the palms of her hands. "I bet that stings."

He blew across her bloody palms. The cool air soothed the stinging.

The other biker jogged across the street toward her. She no longer cared if they were going to kidnap her. She had nobody left. Not her mom, not her dad, and not Kenna. She was all alone.

"You don't know me, but I'm here to make sure you're okay." Zane rolled the legs of her jeans up past her knees and blew air on the abrasions she'd gotten from the fall. "Do you know where your sister went?"

She sniffed. "With Margie."

"Who's Margie?"

"Social worker." She hiccupped. "She took my sister away, and she won't be back."

"She split you up?"

She nodded emphatically. "Will you find her for me?"

He tilted his head and studied her. "Which one are you, Kenna or River?"

"River." How had he known their names?

"I need to get out of here and look for your sister." Zane looked behind him. "That's my brother. His name is Kingsley. You can trust us."

"Do you live here?" Maybe they were neighbors of Mrs. Hostin.

"No." He reached into his vest. "We can't stay long, but I want you to know if you need anything. Let me know." He handed her a piece of paper. "Here's my phone number."

"I don't have a phone."

He glanced at his brother. "We'll bring you a cell phone the next time you see us, okay?"

"You're coming back?"

"I'm going to find your sister first." He hooked his finger under her chin and raised her gaze. "Go inside and clean your owies."

"But how am I supposed to stay here without my sister?"

"Be brave." He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'll come back and see you again."

He helped pull her to her feet, straightened her backpack, and set her in the direction of the house. She limped away, barely able to bend her knees. In her hand, she squeezed the piece of paper Zane had given her so that her foster mother wouldn't find it. She'd hide it in her backpack with the rest of her belongings.

Chapter Four

Zane

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