Page 28 of Shadow and Skulls

He laughs when she doesn’t respond. “In fact, you love it so much you had your tongue up it just last night. Isn’t that right, Lexi?”

The way he says her name makes me cringe.

She stills, and it’s so familiar to me that my heart reaches out to her. But I don’t speak up. I don’t bring his attention back to me. I just hold quiet solidarity with her as we wait to see what he’s going to do next, both of us hoping some other shiny thing will catch his attention.

I’ve known many men like Matt. Men who live for the sole purpose of making others uncomfortable. They are the worst kind of cruel.

The sound of the fire alarm floods my system with relief, making me gasp for breath as I rush out of the building. It doesn’t take long for everyone to get outside, and by the time all clear is given, the final bell of the day has rung.

Thank god.

I’m seriously getting worried about finishing the year, let alone another day.

“Hey, hon,” my mom says, waving to me from the counter when I get to work. “I’ve got to run, but could you drop these keys off to JD on your way home?”

I place my bag over the wooden coat rack hanging by the door. “Yeah, no problem. Go on,” I say, gesturing for her to leave before she slips out the back door.

The store is quiet today, allowing me to get lost in my mind.

I’ve been trying to stay busy at the shop, organizing and reorganizing, struggling to rid myself of the bad feeling that’s lingered since my interaction with Matt. I don’t like the way he tapped his foot against mine. It’s the first time he’s ever touched me.

My phone buzzes in my pocket.

The bad feeling evaporates as soon as I see who it’s from.

I know I blocked him … twice. How many numbers does he have?

Unknown: The fire alarm did the trick, yeah?

Maybe he really is a spy.

Unknown: Don’t let them get in your head.

Me: I’m not.

Wait. How does he know they’re in my head?

Unknown: You are. You’ve been standing in the same spot for the past thirty minutes.

My hair whips around my face as I spin in a circle, scanning the room.

Me: You’re starting to scare me.

This is getting … weird, but oddly entertaining.

Unknown: You’ve been scaring me, too. It’s thirty minutes past closing, little shadow. I couldn’t leave you in your head any longer. Even if that meant I might have to scare you.

Me: You hid a camera in my mom’s shop!!!!!!!

Unknown: No. I just tapped into a camera that was already hidden in your mom’s shop.

Me: So, someone else is spying on us? You’re not helping me calm down here, Tank.

Unknown: Yeah, he’s a real big guy, although not nearly as tall as me. He’s real possessive about his women. Would do anything … and I mean anything, to protect them.

My shoulders fall. Why am I even surprised? I begin to shut the lights off.

Me: I’m pretty sure my dad’s got you beat by at least two inches.

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