Page 16 of Echoes of Nevermore
“Do me a favor?” he says, pulling me from my thoughts.
“The next time you are at your grandma’s, check for me?”
“Sure thing.” I agree, too distracted by his fingertips running over my arm again to say much of anything else.
Chapter 11
Nevermore
Growing up, it didn’t take me long to realize Navine, Star’s grandma, always had a reason for doing things the way she did. I swore I hated her for a while, but as I experienced the world, I knew why she told me to leave. She was doing her best in a tough situation.
None of that has changed. I still think that, but I didn’t know just how sneaky the old bat is. I can’t believe she put Star’s picture—our picture—in a frame and hung it on her wall. I wonder where the note from Star to me is now. Clearly not still with the picture, and if it is, it’s not visible. It couldn’t be, otherwise Star might have gotten her memory back by now.
Spending the majority of the night with Star tonight has been more than I could ask for. Although I almost choked to death when she said my name was beautiful. It’s the same thing I said about her name all those years ago. And for a fleeting moment, I thought she remembered. She didn’t. She was being honest.
After a while of us sitting outside, the nice breeze transforms into a cold, unforgiving wind with a bite to it.
Star shivers, and I pull her against my side, resting my arm over her shoulders. “It’s getting cold out here, huh?” She nods against me. “We can head inside, there’s heat in there. Unless, of course, you need to be heading home.”
“Home.” She says awkwardly. “Wow. I didn’t even think about how I’m getting home.” She must’ve ridden with the asshole she kicked to the curb.
“I could take you home, if that’s where you want to go.”
“I don’t know if I do, but I don’t exactly have anywhere else to go right now.”
“Oh,” I answer, squeezing her shoulder and rubbing my hand up and down her arm.
“I’m not homeless, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she blurts out, jumping up to face me. I was, but I’m not going to admit that to her. “I have a house, but seeing as I kicked Scott out tonight and I don’t know if he’ll try something, especially after drinking, I don’t know if I should be there tonight.” She paces and jumps in place after wrapping herself in a hug.”
“You’re welcome to stay with me here. I have a room.”
“That’s not why I was telling you, I just didn’t want you to think I’m homeless.”
An amused smirk pulls at my mouth. I get to my feet, grab her hand, and lead her toward the door. I don’t care if she stays with me or if I need to take her somewhere, I’m not leaving her by herself if she thinks that dumbass might target her. It’d be the last thing he did, I know that much. We live in West Virginia, and I know my way around the woods. There are places to hide bodies that the police would never find. I’ll sleep in my car if I have to keep her safe. I make a mental note to talk to Rizzo, but that guy isn’t stepping a foot back in our clubhouse ever again.
“C’mon. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“If you’re sure it’s ok, can I sleep here tonight, and ask if you might take me to my grandma’s in the morning?”
“Absolutely, little crow,” I wink at her, but remain calm, fighting the urge to scream it at the top of my lungs. I don’t know how it will go facing her grandma after all these years, but for Star, I’ll do anything. She’s with me now, and I don’t plan to let her go. This time I won’t leave. This time, I’m going to do whatever I can to keep her.
Chapter 12
Star
When we go back inside, panic whips through my body with the thought that we might run into Scott. My eyes quickly scan across the room, praying I don’t see him. Rizzo is passed out on the pool table with an empty whiskey bottle in his hand. Tea is nodding off on the couch with a black and white wig tossed over his crotch. The party came to an end while we were outside. I don’t know how long we were out there together, but apparently, it’s later than I thought.
Nevermore leads the way around the corner, past the bar, and to a closed door. He fetches a key from his pocket, sticks it into the lock, and then pushes open his door.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” he offers, closing the door behind him, tossing his mask on his dresser. “And, sorry for the mess. I wasn’t expecting anyone.” His room is pristine, and everything that can be black or red is. Red curtains hang over a huge black bedspread that is pushed snuggly against black walls. I try to find something out of place, coming up emptyhanded. “You don’t have to do that. It’s a pretty big bed. I think I’ll survive,” I tell him, not mentioning the fact that I’m nervous as hell to sleep beside him. I don’t think he’s going to chop me up into little pieces and mail them to my grandma or anything. It isn’t that I don’t trust him. I don’t trust myself. I like him.
“Suit yourself. I snore…or so I’m told.” He walks over to his dresser, grabs a pair of pajamas and a grey shirt, and hands them to me. “In case you want to change.” He offers a smile, gazing at me and letting his eyes linger on my face.
“Sure, that’d be good,” I barely say, and my voice quivers, giving me away. I put my arms through the shirt and then poke my head through, putting it on over my costume. This shirt is huge, hanging to my knees like a nightgown would. I lift the wizard outfit, grab the bottom of the shirt, and secure it down, so it doesn’t show more of my body than. I’m ready to.
“Fuck,” he seethes, his hand flying up to cover his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to look. Ok. I did, but I shouldn’t have. I didn’t know you were changing right here.” He licks his lips and swallows. His eyes are hungry for me, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t love it. This is the exact feeling I’ve always wanted, the way he made me feel watching me from behind the mask—like I’m the only person in the world and as if everyone else in the world bore him. I know it’s lust, but damnit if it isn’t empowering.
I discard my costume on his dresser, slinging it beside his mask, and hop on his mattress. Keeping my back to him, I slide the pajamas over my legs and pull them up, using the shirt to keep most of my body covered.
