Page 150 of Zero Chance

Lifting my gaze right back to her mother, I said, “Then I’m really sorry about having to go over your head like this, but…” I shrugged, not sorry at all.

Waverly’s mom opened her mouth to say something else that would probably just piss me off more, so I held up a finger to pause her because her daughter’s voice entered my ear.

“Hello?”She sounded half-asleep and confused as to why I was calling.

“Hey,” I said, softening my voice and feeling all the antsy nerves inside me calm to an idle, contented simmer.“Did I wake you?”

In front of me, her mother narrowed her eyes hatefully.

While on the phone, Waverly cleared her throat.“No.I—I’m up.”But she didn’t sound okay.

“What’s going on?”I asked.“Xander said something happened at the library?So I came over to see you, but?—”

“Wait, what?”she cut in, clearly having no idea what I was talking about.“You camewhereto see me?The library?”

“No.To your house.I’m at your front door right now.Except your mom won’t let me see you.”

“You’rewhat?”

A clatter of sound came from the second level of her house; I peered through the opened door, past Ms.B’s shoulder, and up the main staircase just in time to see Waverly appear on the top landing.

She jarred to a halt as she gaped back at me over the railing.

Relief flooded my veins until I noticed a cut on her brow that bisected her eyebrow.

Gut knotting with horror, I muttered, “Son of a bitch, youdidget hurt.What the hell happened?”

I tried to step over the threshold toward her, but Ms.Breeker shifted into my path, physically barring my way.

I stopped and sent her a scorching glare for keeping me from what was mine.

Waverly jogged down the steps, disconnecting her phone as she went.“What’re you doinghere?”

“I heard Xander’s side of her call with you.And as soon as she told me something had happened at the library, I came.”Sucking in a sympathetic breath, I stepped forward again without thinking and reached for her bangs, hoping to shift them aside so I could see the full extent of the cut.It was already red and was definitely going to bruise.

But Ms.Breeker cleared her throat, stopping me in my tracks.Hardening my jaw, I dropped my hand and remained outside the house as I sent Waverly’s guard dog a hard glance.

She scowled right back, her glower telling me it’d be a cold day in hell before she let me lay a hand on her baby.

Too late for that, Mama Bear, my gloating expression crowed.

In unison, we both turned to Waverly.

She gulped audibly and appeared to be frozen with total trepidation.

When her gaze shifted to me, I tipped my head and looked pointedly at the porch floor, silently asking her to join me out here since I obviously wasn’t welcome inside.

Her eyes flared, and she stepped forward, except her mom shifted into her path and touched her arm.“You really need your rest, dear.You’ve had a trying day.”

Waverly met her gaze, obviously hearing her, but when she stepped outside anyway, my heart pounded hard in my chest.She was coming to me, against her mother’s wishes.I don’t know why that felt like such a win for me, but I had a feeling she didn’t often defy her mother.

Ms.Breeker confirmed it by dropping her jaw as she gaped after Waverly.

Saluting her with a triumphant little smirk, I reached for the handle and began to draw the door shut, only for Waverly’s mom to leap forward and catch it.

“She has a curfew,” she blurted.

“Well aware,” I bit out.

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