Page 27 of Luka

The guy was big, real big, which reminded Spencer of Lyle. Maybe that was why he had an uneasy feeling around the guy. “Thanks.”

When he turned, he shoved whatever Luka had handed him into his pocket. Then Spencer looked at Ross’s sofa. It wasn’t the best-looking couch, but Spencer wasn’t going to turn his nose up, especially when his own furniture wasn’t that spectacular.

As Ross locked the front door, Spencer sat on the edge of the couch. Ross returned and handed him a remote. Spencer gave him a smile and then watched as the guy left the room. Spencer lifted the remote, ready to find something to watch, when he heard a hushed voice. Ross was probably on the phone. That didn’t mean Spencer had to be paranoid. The guy had a life outside of babysitting Spencer.

Then one word caught his attention.

Luka.

Setting the remote aside, Spencer eased off the couch. He tiptoed toward the voice, straining to hear what was being said.

“I do this, my debt with Lazarus is clear,” Ross said. “I don’t owe him shit.”

Spencer slapped a hand over his mouth to stop the gasp. It was clear Ross wasn’t the friend Luka had thought him to be. If Spencer hadn’t been told about what happened in his apartment, if Luka had kept that information from him, he wouldn’t have known who Lazarus was or that he was the same guy after Spencer.

He wasn’t sure what Ross was talking about doing, but Spencer wasn’t sticking around. He would call Luka as soon as he was far enough away from Ross’s. Spencer didn’t feel safe staying there another second. What if the vampires showed up before Luka could get there? That could be the only thing Ross was talking about.

Handing Spencer over.

But how did Ross even know what kind of trouble Spencer was in? Was he going to stick around to get answers? Hell no. There was no telling how far away Luka was, and if Spencer was going to survive this, he had to go now.

And this is why you listen to your damn gut. He’d felt uneasy about staying with Ross, and now he knew why. It wasn’t because the guy was as big as Lyle had been. It was because he wanted to hand Spencer over.

Not happening.

Luka could track him if Spencer took off, so he reached into his pocket, pushed the button—screw waiting around—and eased toward the front door. Only, it wasn’t a turning lock. It was a lock that required a key.

Ross had basically imprisoned Spencer.

“Going somewhere?” Ross asked from behind him.

Spencer tried to play it off so he could come up with a new plan to get out of there before any vampires descended on the place. “I was just peeking out, you know, because I was looking for Luka. Where’s your bathroom?”

Keep calm and don’t let him see how nervous you are.

“This way.” Ross walked down a hallway, and Spencer followed, hopefully not to his doom. To his temporary relief, Ross waved at a door, and behind it was a bathroom.

“Thanks. I’m glad you’re such a good friend to Luka.”

He saw the regret in Ross’s eyes, but that wasn’t enough to stop Spencer from mentally cursing the guy, calling him every bad name he could think of.

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

Spencer slipped into the bathroom and looked around. There was a privacy window, but when he tried to lift it, the dang thing was stuck. It was one of those old, wooden windows, and the wood was probably warped, stopping him from escaping.

Now what?

Spencer had no clue. He doubted he could creep out of another window. He wasn’t even sure if Ross was human or other. If he was other, he would hear the tiniest of noises and know that Spencer was trying to haul ass.

Even so, Spencer had to take that chance. It wouldn’t take long for vampires to show up. He hadn’t been at Luka’s long before they’d found them.

Holding his breath, Spencer eased the bathroom door open. He hadn’t heard it squeak when he’d opened it going in, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t squeak on his way out. Luckily it didn’t, and Spencer slipped into the hallway, pausing long enough to listen.

When he didn’t hear anything, Spencer eased across the hall and opened the door. It led to a bedroom. Since the room looked lived-in, Spencer assumed it was Ross’s. And on the far wall was a window.

He prayed this one opened. If not, Spencer wasn’t sure what to do because Ross was too damn big to try and fight. He looked around the room as he hurried across it, trying to find a weapon he could use if the whole window thing didn’t work.

His gaze landed on an ice-skating trophy. Really? Ice skating? He wasn’t one to judge, but wasn’t Ross too damn big to be on ice skates, let alone win a trophy?

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