Page 106 of Soul So Dark
“Yeah, fine,” I mumble. “I think I fell asleep.”
“You were out for a couple hours.”
“Hours?”
“Yeah, it was really nice,” he says softly, but then glances to the side like he’s thinking really hard about something. “Um, do you want to stop by my house with me?”
“Yes,” I say it like he should already know.
I push off of Alex’s chest and climb out of the back, grabbing my shirt on my way to the front seat. It feels like it’s nearly dry, having baked in the sun for a couple hours. Alex gets into the driver’s seat, pulls his t-shirt back on, and a few seconds later, we’re back out on the country road.
I glance at the clock on the dash. “I should text Colson and say I’m getting a ride with Shelby so he doesn’t wait.”
“You might like my setup so much, you’ll decide to stay. Adrian’s a douche, but a hell of a cook.”
I recognize the exterior of the house, but it’s vastly more beautiful this time. The last time I was here, the fading sunlight hid the rock garden landscaping and floor-to-ceiling windows with a view straight through the house to the lawn leading down to the creek.
I follow Alex up the front walkway and inside, immediately taken aback by the custom hardwood floors, exposed beams, and stacked stone fireplace. There’s even a tree growing out of a bed of pebbles strategically placed next to one of the wood columns.A freaking tree.
“This is where you live, huh?” It’s all I can say while I gaze around like an idiot.
“This is where I live,” he echoes as he walks into the kitchen and opens the door next to the refrigerator. I hear a faint rumble, indicating he’s opened the garage door. “Be right back, I’m going to unload my car.”
It’s fine, I’ll just stand here in the middle of the room and gawk at this house some more. Once he’s gone, I’m cast into silence, trying to take in my surroundings. But it doesn’t last.
“Who are you?”
Startled by a voice behind me, I spin around to see a guy standing at the entrance of the hallway, studying me with curiosity. He has buzzed black hair, a five o’clock shadow, and the same jawline and vibrant brown eyes as Alex. This has to be one of his brothers.
“I’m Dallas,” I reply with a small wave.
I know what Adrian looks like, but this guy wasn’t at Evie’s funeral and I’ve never seen him before. It has to be Luca.
“Wait,” he drawls with a faint smile, “you’re Colson’s sister, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” I smile back.
“Luca,” he introduces himself, strolling across the room. Then he gives me a once-over, regarding my small stature like most people do. “How old are you?”
“15.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in school then?”
Luca’s not my parents—or Adrian—so I don’t feel the need to lie. “We skipped and went to the creek instead,” I say with a sheepish grin.
“Yeah, I did that a lot, too,” he chuckles, “but aren’t you kind of young to be hanging around Alex?”
I have to suppress an eyeroll. “We play video games together, we’re friends.” And, currently, no one has to know otherwise.
“I guess he’s kind of known for that,” Luca replies.
“For what?”
Luca gives a shrug. “A girl follows him home, doesn’t leave, he gets his dick wet on the reg, and then he cuts them loose when they get too clingy. That’s how it was last time, anyway.”
Last time?
“But maybe you’re different,” he says with a tilt of his head. “You’re too young to have any bad habits to break…”
