Page 87 of Nemesis

The first is two blocks down. Three trucks are parked across the road, and guys loiter around beside them. Only one remains behind one’s wheel, clearly meant to back out of the way to letapprovedtraffic pass.

We turn.

Another one, this with concrete lane dividers dragged into the street. Two men with guns stand in the only opening to pass through.

We turn.

It’s clear for a while, but then there’s another. Reese swears. Saint closes his eyes. My arms are crossed over my stomach, the painkillers not doing much against the growing tension in the cab. The more opposition we hit, the more claustrophobic I feel.

How does the sheriff not know about this?

Reese’s hand touches my wrist.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye and slowly release my hand from where it’s clutching my upper arm. His fingers run along the bone of my wrist, down to my pinky.

I let him unwind my arm and take my hand. He drives one-handed and changes directions again. Avoidingagain. I don’t know if these guys see us coming, since we can spot their lit-up checkpoints from blocks away.

But we hit the main road that connects with the one that exits Sterling Falls. The only road that can be considered a highway.He takes a right, and we head up toward the reservoir. If we keep going and don’t turn toward the body of water, we’ll end up in North Falls.

We’ll pass right by Kade’s rented mansion.

My fingers tighten on his, and he glances at me. A question in his gaze.

I release his hand and curl in on myself.

We follow that road with no incident. Approaching Kade’s place, I nudge Reese with my elbow and lift my chin.

He takes in the mansion with a quick, disconcerting eye.

Saint glares at it, too, for an entirely different reason.

“Is that asshole still in town?” he questions.

Okay, maybe not.

Reese’s eyebrows hike. “He knows Kade?”

“Youknow Kade?” Saint asks. “Who the fuck is this guy, Artemis?”

“I’m not answering that.” I sink lower. “Can we just get back to my condo, please?”

Reese presses his lips together. I can’t even fuckinglookat Saint, because I have a feeling he’d make some connections he shouldn’t make.

Like how Reese and I know each other.

I close my eyes. At first, it’s just a ruse to get out of talking. But then real heaviness takes over, and I slump.

I wake up on Reese’s shoulder. A cool wind lifts my hair, and I slowly sit up straight. The passenger door is closed, but the window is open and Saint is gone.

My face heats. I wipe at my mouth and take note of where we are.

Parked in front of one of the late-night diners near Sterling Falls University.

“What…?”

Reese touches the corner of my lip. “Saint went in to get us food.”

“Us?”

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