Page 41 of Zero Chance

Evil grin sprouting, I said, “Gotcha,” and I rushed after her in hot pursuit.

She’d gone left once she’d reached the street; I veered that way as soon as I hit the sidewalk, and when I saw multiple people ahead, I shouted, “Hey!”

Two figures lifted their heads in my direction.I ran toward them, wiping sweat from my eyes.As soon as I reached a streetlamp that sprayed light over me, one of the two called out, “Keene?”in surprise.

The pair—a man and a woman—looked at each other in confusion before turning back to me.As soon as I got close enough to realize it was Parker and Hope, I groaned my relief and clutched my buddy’s arm, bending at the waist and breathing through my mouth to keep from puking because my balls still fucking ached.

“Oh, thank God.It’s you,” I wheezed, only to wince and cradle my boys with my hand.“Jesus.Fuck.”She’d really gotten me good.

Blinking past it, I straightened enough to seek Parker for help.“Did you just—did y’all see someone come through here?Just now.A girl, like…maybe this tall.”

Hope and Parker glanced at each other as if they didn’t even understand which language I was speaking.

“Uh…” Parker stalled, turning back to me with the strangest expression of what-the-fuck I’d ever seen.

But Hope jabbed out a sudden arm, pointing.“She went that way.”

“Seriously?”Oh thank God.They’d actually seen my mystery girl.

I think I praised them for the help—not too sure; I couldn’t seem to concentrate past my one goal of discovering who had hoodwinked me.

But as soon as I started to race that way, I paused, realizing, “Hey.So you actually saw her face?You know what she looks like?Do you know who she is?”

Parker shook his head, his brows furrowing in question.“Why were you chasing her if you don’t know who she is?”

Dammit.I didn’t have time to answer anything right now.Gritting my teeth through a new wave of pain that passed through my nads, I bent again, hating how this was only slowing me down more.

“And what the hell is wrong with you?”Parker added, stepping close as if he might haul me over his shoulder and tote me to a hospital.“You were limping and now you’re doubling over.”

“I—” Usually, I loved to spill everything.I was a very open, honest guy who didn’t know what a secret was.But she was getting away.Blowing out a boosting breath, I forced my spine straight and lied, “I bumped my knee.Did you know her or not?”

He’d waylay me longer if he knew the truth.Getting racked after you were trying to restrain a girl who wanted to escape you would require more explanation than I had time for.

“Never saw her before in my life,” Hope told me.

Parker patted my shoulder sympathetically.“Sorry, man.”

Dammit!

I wanted to howl, but Parker and Hope were watching me too strangely already, so I waved a hand.“No, it’s okay.I got this.I’ll figure out who she is.”

“Why are you looking for her, anyway?”Parker wondered.

“Tell you later,” I promised before jogging off after Mystery Girl.

But when I reached the end of the block, she was long gone.

9

WAVERLY

Parker and Hope watched Keene hurry down the street before they both turned back to the tree I was hiding behind.

As soon as I stepped out from the shadows, Parker lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.“Oh, we have questions.”

Next to him, Hope nodded.“Yeah.I mean, what—how—why?”she started, gaping at me with her mouth falling open.

Parker patted her arm.“Maybe add a few more subjects and predicates in there, darlin’, less interrogatives, and she might actually understand you enough to reply.”

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