Page 95 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

I caught her shoulder with one hand to keep from colliding with her.

She screamed, her head whipping around to face me. Relief shot through her eyes. “Astria!”

I stood perfectly still as she hugged me, smashing the broom handle between us, her heart racing. “Cadee, are you okay?”

She touched her upper chest, and it was then I noticed what she was wearing. Her dark hair was swept up off her neck and she had on blood-red lipstick. She had on a pair of skintight leather pants, a low-cut halter top that showed off her belly button piercing, and four-inch heels. After having seen how Michael had been with her, I had a hunch he’d not seen her in the outfit.

She was free to make her own life choices, so I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. Plus, the outfit looked great on her.

But she was ice cold. It was a warm night. She shouldn’t have been this cold.

As much as I disliked putting my markings on display, I took off my duster and eased it around her. In her state of panic, she operated on autopilot, putting her arms through it, staying close to me, all while glancing behind her often.

“What’s going on? Did someone hurt you?” I asked, ready to beat the crap out of anyone who dared to harm her. In truth, if someone had hurt her, they’d much rather have Michael gunning for them than me. Especially with what I’d spent my last eighteen years doing.

She took a deep breath, shivering as she stayed close to me. “N-no.”

“You’re scared,” I said.

She started to shake her head no but stopped. “Yes. I, um, never mind. It’s nothing.”

I tipped my head slightly, watching her quietly, understanding she needed to tell me in her own time about whatever had startled her.

She touched my upper arms and went to speak, only to stop and squeeze my arms slightly. “Girl, you’ve got some muscle. Hey, why are you carrying a big stick?”

I smiled. “Where are you headed? I’ll walk with you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she protested. “I’m sorry that I nearly ran you over. It’s just—” She glanced back again, toward one of the large houses just across the way.

When I’d attended, they’d been homes that were rented by students, much like the old house my roommates and I had shared.

She exhaled low and long, shaking a little less.

The smell of alcohol was on her breath. “Cadee, by chance have you been drinking tonight? I’m not going to judge you. I just want to be sure you’re all right.”

She met my gaze. “Are you going to tell my dad?”

“No, but Imaystrongly encourage you to tell him yourself if I think the situation warrants it,” I said.

A small smile touched her lips. “You’re cool. I like that. Dad isn’t really that cool.”

“I knew your father when he was very cool,” I supplied. “If I remember right, he was quiet but had a string of ladies following him around, fawning over him. He seemed pretty taken with Stevie though.”

“I got invited to a party,” she said. “Some seniors are throwing it. I’m a sophomore.”

I understood where she was going with this. “Are you close friends with the people throwing the party?”

“Not really,” she confessed. “My friend and I were supposed to go together but her dad is the medical examiner and he pretty much put her on lockdown after the sun set. He’s like my dad. He’s overprotective.”

“Am I to assume you went to this party alone?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Did someone hurt you?” I questioned, ready to shove a broom handle up someone’s ass if need be.

“N-no,” she said fast. “It’s not what you’re thinking. They were nice to me there. Kind of too nice, but whatever. I had a drink and got bored. And I started to worry that my dad would figure out I’m not home. He was kind of worked up this evening too. Told me to stay in tonight. Didn’t say why though, but he and my uncles left the house pretty quickly together. I left the party to walk home. I didn’t drive there because I figured I’d be drinking, and my house isn’t that far from campus.”

“Makes sense,” I said.

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