Page 99 of Zero Chance

I’d planned to give the note to Xander to pass along to him, but for some reason, I couldn’t wait that long.I craved his attention now.

Moving fast, I darted out from behind the counter and dashed toward the stairs.Panting hard as I reached the second level, I glanced around at the empty group study tables until I found one with dozens of books scattered on top.Recognizing his backpack among them, I hurried over and set down the envelope with my signature calligraphy letter facing upright on top of his bag.

Then I whisked myself back down the stairs and darted behind the safety of the checkout counter.When I saw the bathroom door open five seconds later, I turned away before I could see him emerge, and I pretended to rearrange the books on the cart.

His whistle filtered over to me as he started for the second floor and ascended the stairs.Only then did I bite my lip and glance up at his retreating back.

I knew I’d told him to stop looking for me in the note, but that was the last thing I actually wanted.Because I knew it was the last thing he’d do after receiving such an order, which was exactly why I’d given it.

A small part of mewantedhim to find me.

But only if he liked what he found.

23

KEENE

Today, my study group and I learned humming could be a calming mechanism.It distracted a person from bad, intrusive thoughts and stimulated good chemicals in the brain, soothing the person into peace.

Good shit to know when you planned to become a doctor to women who were going to be pushing a bowling ball-sized child through their vagina.Just hum through the pain.It’ll help.

If only.

Realizing I was whistling, I paused and tipped my head, wondering if whistling had the same effect on an individual as humming did.

Huh, no wonder why I was typically such a happy guy.I whistled the bad moods right out of me.

Continuing the tune, I reached the second level of the library and started for my stuff I’d left behind when I’d gone to the bathroom, only to squint when I saw something out of place.

Slowing to a stop, I blinked at the cream-colored envelope sitting on my black backpack.

At first, I thought my mother had left me a note.Excited about the fact that she’d learned how to write on paper—so now we could truly communicate with each other—I lurched forward, only to see the notorious M logo from the Mistress.

“Holy shit,” I said, jarring to a halt and immediately glancing around.But I didn’t see anyone else up here on this level.

A new feeling of eagerness filled me, and I snatched the envelope, needing to know what she’d written this time.

Keene Dugger, I will only say this once.Stop looking for me.I promise you; you don’t want to find me.Sincerely, M.

I scoffed before a slow smile began to spread across my face.“Oh, darlin’,” I told the non-present mystery girl.“Wrong thing to say to Keene Dugger.”

It was like she was just begging me to keep after her.

Willing to play chase, I went to the parapet so I could look down onto the first floor.I almost expected some girl down there to be looking up, waiting for me to appear.But no one was paying attention to me.Dammit.

I’d been gone for less than a minute.Had she fled the library entirely or gone to hide somewhere within these very walls?

God, what if we were inside the same building together right at this moment?

Desire cloaked my flesh with an achy heat that made me crave sex.Remembering how her hungry hands had felt on me, I shuddered and went to the windows to look outside and down on the quad.

Except no one was glancing back at the library as if they’d just left a secret note behind.

When a cold breeze touched my arm and climbed up the back of my neck to play in my hair, I lifted a distracted hand and mumbled, “Hey, Mom.”Only to realize, “Hey…” I turned away from the window to face the rest of the library.“Mom…” Lifting the note in my hand, I asked, “Did you see who left this on my backpack?”

She didn’t answer because she was a ghost, and I couldn’t really communicate with ghosts.But when even her chilly breeze left me, my shoulders slumped.

“Yeah, thanks anyway,” I mumbled and returned to the table to fall heavily into my chair.I was drumming my fingers against my backpack and scowling at the letter when I caught sight of a book floating toward me in my peripheral vision.

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