Page 70 of Zero Chance

All the air vacated my lungs.It was honestly a mystery to me how I was able to gasp out the word, “What?”

Because no, that couldn’t be right.With as many people as he’d been with, no way could I even rank in the top fifty.And I’d been so nervous and shaky with him, too.I mean, at first anyway.But then we’d hit this groove, and…yeah.He’d totally rockedmyworld.But I couldn’t even nudge his.

Could I?

“Are you sure?”I hedged, hardly daring to hope.

“Oh yeah.”Xander sounded positive.“He is enamored with his mystery girl.He’s talking about making lists and asking everyone he remembers was there to make a list of whotheyremembered.And do you want to know why he’s so determined to find you?”

I cringed.“To strangle me?”

I’d be dead within three minutes.I’d looked it up before.The average time limit a person could live without air was three minutes.That had felt like too long to suffer for me, so strangulation had been one of the first lines I’d crossed off my list of ways I preferred to go.

“Girl.”Xander tsked as if I were insane.“No.It’s because he wantsmore.You set up a powerful thirst in him, and now he’s craving thewholegallon.”

“The whole gallon?”I repeated slowly.“Is that some kind of saying I’ve never heard before?”

“I mean, it’s gotta be,” Xander said as if shrugging her own strangeness away.“Either way, you know what I’m saying.So?What’re you going to do about it?”

I straightened in alarm.“Do?”What was Isupposedto do?

“Yeah?Are you going to tell him?Since you know he liked it so much?”

“Hell, no,” I cried.“Are you crazy?He only liked it because he had no idea it wasme.If he found out who his mystery girl actually was, I assure you he’d change his tune.”

“Oh, whatever.You’re amazing.He’d be tickled pink to learn it was you.And yes, that oneisa saying… I think.”

“It is,” I assured her with a sigh.“But you’re forgetting one thing.I am honestly the only female I know who he’s never flirted with.Not even once.My mother was his guidance counselor in high school, and she always complained about him flirting withher.He has no interest in me at all.He’d be pissed, or disgusted, orsomethingvery unpleasant if he ever found out who he was really with last night.I promise you.He can never find out.”

Xander was quiet for a moment.Then she sighed.“I think you’re wrong.He’d be all over you like a tongue on an ice cream cone if he knew the truth.And, yes, that’s an original Xander saying.But I won’t tell him anything, I swear.I won’t even tell him I know who you are because, oh my God, when he realized Parker knew… Damn, child.He was pissed.I’d never seen Keene get pissed before, and honestly, it was kind of scary.They got into this huge, blow-out argument, and Keene ended up storming out of the house.But the things he said to Parker—wow.He went straight for the kill.Parker turned all quiet, and the color drained from his face.I mean, no one knewwhatto say afterward.”

I blinked, honestly confused by that.“He said things like what?”

“The gist of it was that he thought Parker wasn’t a true friend for keeping your identity a secret, and he went through a whole list of grievances to support his claim.”

“But that’s—” I shook my head, even more bewildered.“That’s insane.Parker is the kind of friend everyone would want.He—he just—He’s valuable to have on your side when you need him.”

“Yeah, well…” Xander let out a long breath.“Keene’s not very happy with him right now.And honestly, I don’t know how they’re going to fix what broke between them.”

I sat back, stunned.Parker and Keene were part of the seven.Nothing shook the seven.They stuck together.Always.

Guilt gnawed at my stomach, knowing I was the reason they were currently at odds.Parker had just been protecting me.I should—I should probably tell Keene the truth so he could forgive Parker.Except the idea of revealing my identity to him made my body seize with panic.

Biting my lip, I rasped, “They will.They always fix their problems.They’re part of the seven.”

“Well, I hope so,” Xander murmured.“Because the other six are in the kitchen right now, looking for Keene, and it’s about as comfortable in there as a rattlesnake bite, so I’m hiding in my room until the air clears.”

I smiled at the rattlesnake saying and guessed, “Another Xander original?”

“Huh?”she asked, probably not even aware she’d come up with another quirky phrase.

“Nothing,” I said, smiling and shaking my head, glad Xander hadn’t given up on me even though I’d been cold and standoffish to her more than once.

Seeing movement in the doorway to my room, I glanced up to find Gates standing there with his shoes on and his arms lifted in question, silently asking me when we were going to leave.

“Oh shit.”I flew up from the bed, checking the time.“I forgot.I gotta go to work.Talk later?”

“Sounds good.”Xander made kissy sounds.“I’ll call tonight.Love ya.”

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