Page 33 of Forget Me Twice

Whoisthis guy?

I feel Lake draw himself up to his full height, coiled and ready to spring as we watch her slide into the passenger seat with a natural grace. The car door closes behind her but the window tint’s too dark for us to see inside.

Great. We still don’t know who she’s actually meeting.

As they pull away from the curb, I shove Lake ahead of me, out from our hiding spot and towards the front of the Academy and where my formerly-boosted 1967 Ford Mustang GT390 is also parked.

“And no, you can’t drive,” I snap out, knowing that’s exactly what my wide-eyed, jittery brother is about to ask me. He doesn’t respond as we sprint towards my car, just throws me a pout before flinging himself into the passenger seat like the drama queen he is.

“Focus, man. Do you still see them?” I shouldn’t be barking at Lake like he’s an unruly puppy who’s pissed on my shoes. He’s done nothing wrong, but I feel so fucking off-kilter.

Confused.

Nervous?

Why would I be nervous?

I’m trying so hard to maintain some fucking semblance of zen, but the acid is still eating a path through my insides. My chest is too tight.

“Four cars up, far right lane.”

I keep roughly the same distance between us until we follow them into the parking lot ofThe Rox City Diner.It’s a medium-sized, fifties-inspired diner, with all original furniture and fittings. It’s popular for Rox students going off campus, and it fits her style perfectly. Like it was made for her.

I grimace.It doesn’t fucking matter if it’s her style.

I creep into a space several cars away from the Aventador, but still within eye-shot of the diner’s front windows. As soon as I turn the engine off, I’ve got an arm across Lake’s chest, pinning him to his seat.

“Stay. We’re only here to watch,” I remind him firmly.

Lake whines as he watches Sabine exit from the passenger side, slamming the door behind her. She’s already changed out of her stained shirt and blazer and into a navy zip-up hoodie over a tight, white babydoll tee with a low v-neck.

Paired with her Rox Academy skirt and knee high socks, she still looks even more like a fucking school-girl wet dream.

What the fuck.

His whine slips into a low, deadly hiss as the blond driver unfolds himself from the car.

I’ve never seen this dude before and the motherfucker is big. Between my interest in health and bodies, and time spent in the ring, I’m pretty good at sizing up an opponent’s stats at a glance. From here, I can safely say I don’t think he’sasbig as me, but he’s not far off. I have maybe a couple of inches or so on him, but dude is ripped. He’s covered in ink as well, so pain’s probably more a friend than foe.

There’s something in his bearing too—how he’s holding himself. There’s a good chance this guy is Ace muscle, and we just haven’t come across him before.

Or worse. He’s muscle for one of theotherguys.

Goddamnit.I can honestly say I have no clue how a fight with him would land up.

“Fuck, heispretty,” Lake’s still losing his shit beside me, worried about the guy as a sexual rival. I’m not. I’m worried about whether he’s abusinessrival. If and how I’m gonna need to take this fucker out.

Objectively, I can agree the guy’s good looking, but I don’t like the way he moves. Like a fucking snake in the grass. He’s draped over Sabine, laughing and pawing at her, smirking down at her outfit like she’s dressed up especially for him. In her heels, they’re almost the same height.

Sabine’s smiling back at him. It looks uncomfortable on her face but it’s probably the most genuine smile I’ve seen from her. She doesn’t look icy and closed off like she does at school, she looks relaxed. There’s a real connection there.

The two of them disappear inside, taking a seat in one of the front window booths a moment later. They are sitting across from each other, but the flirty grins and easy banter between them doesn’t seem to have slowed.

When I’m certain Lake isn’t going to jump out of the window, I lower my arm and drop my head back against the headrest. That ugly feeling still slithers through my gut, twisting tighter the longer I watch her with this stranger.

What am I thinking? She’s a fucking stranger too.She’s not though, that treacherous little voice reminds me.She’s home.

Just as the waitress finishes delivering their food, a giant with dark, shaggy hair and full sleeves of dark ink approaches their table before squeezing his bulk into the seat next to Sabine. He kisses her temple before bumping fists with the guy she arrived with.

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