Page 28 of Anathema Codex

"Sure." Aftyn tosses me an unopened bottle and I catch it just as Willa huffs.

"I bought those for us," she grumbles, and I take great joy in twisting off the top to drink.

Half the bottle is gone before I feel like my thirst is slaked enough to poke the bear. "I would have bought some stuff if I'd known we were stopping, but I didn't realize you'd gone inside already when I woke up."

A lie since I'd woken up as soon as the car started slowing down, but it'll just make my next sleeping attempt more convincing.

"You have money?" Willa asks, glancing at me in the mirror for a second, the doubt in her tone more than clear.

"Yeah. Why? Do you want me to pay you back for the water?" I hold it up, but she just rolls her eyes, not engaging in an argument, and Aftyn doesn't seem up for conversation either. "Okaaaaay. Well, thanks for the water. Why are you guys heading to Arizona?"

"It's personal," Willa answers at the same time Aftyn says, "Going to see someone."

Neither of them are going to budge on that topic, yet, but I have a feeling they'll react to my next conversation change.

"Did you know you've got blood back here?" I ask, and the car jerks slightly as Willa tries to turn and look. Aftyn actually sits up in the front seat, twisting to scan the space, and I point toward the opposite window. When his blue eyes land on the dull red smear, a wicked smirk slides over his lips.

"Look at that. Maybe I do owe you a car detail, Wills," he says, facing her again.

"Where is there blood?"

"On the panel by the window. Seems like Dexter left behind more than just fond memories with us for our road trip." Aftyn sounds like he's almost laughing, and it feels contagious because I'm smiling before I even realize it.

"We should have taken him to one of those ER places." Willa shakes her head, her thumb tapping an impatient rhythm on the steering wheel. "Can you call him on my phone? I just want to check on him. If he has a concussion, he really shouldn't go to sleep."

"Stop trying to be his mother."

"I'm not!" Willa snaps, holding out her hand. "Just give me my phone if you don't want to talk to him."

"No, you're driving. Be a responsible adult and drive so I can get some fucking sleep."

"The responsible thing to do would have been stopping to get him checked out, Aftyn, but you didn't want to delay the trip because you're so fucking selfish!" Willa tries to grab for her purse, but Aftyn must have moved it out of reach because she suddenly smacks the steering wheel and lets out a little frustrated screech. "This is your fault, you know? We could have just got Dexter some help, but you wanted him to suffer. You've never liked him and I don't get it. He's practically in love with you."

"Yawn, Willa. You're not telling me anything you haven't already told me in another one of your hormonal bitchfits." The sound of something clunking into the floorboard against a plastic bag is clear over the low music. "I'm not letting you call him while you're driving, and you should just enjoy the break. Your precious charity case will be waiting for you to save the day again and again when you get back."

"You call him then!" Willa shouts, and Aftyn scoffs.

"No way, it'll just encourage the little asshole."

"I'll do it." For a second I thought I was too quiet, but they both go silent and Willa's eyes meet mine in the rearview.

"Give her the phone, Aftyn."

"Oh, so you don't trust her enough to sit quietly in the backseat, but now it's okay to give her access to all your nudes? Your Facebook account? Your filthy text messages between you and whatever boy toys you're stringing along around New York?" Aftyn laughs. "You're a fucking case, Wills."

"Either you give her the phone or I'm taking the next exit and turning us around to head home so I canpersonallycheck on Dexter."

"You won't do that," Aftyn says, and this time it's Willa's turn to laugh.

"Oh really? Try me."

"You don't understand," Aftyn continues, leaning across the center console to plant a hand on Willa's knee. "You won't turn us around because if you think I'm going toletyou turn us around, you need to take a minute and remember who the fuck is sitting next to you."

"Aftyn, stop." Willa's tone has an edge of panic, and I can feel the SUV accelerating. Leaning forward, I realize Aftyn is pushing her leg down, forcing her foot to the floor with an iron grip just above her knee. She swerves around a car, and then another before we have a bit of empty space ahead of us again. "AFTYN!"

"Don't threaten me, Willa. We both know it's hollow, and I really don't like it when you push my buttons." He sounds completely calm, and I know I should probably be terrified as we get closer and closer to the next car ahead... but I'm not scared. My heart is racing, and my skin feels like it's humming, but this is excitement not fear. Everything feels more real, like someone reached into my brain and turned up the color, the sound, the entire texture of the world.

"You're right, okay? I wasn't serious, just let go of my fucking leg! You're going to kill us!" Willa says, her voice sped up with panic, and I can see the pulse thumping just below her jaw, making her skin bounce.

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