Page 39 of Marked By Tank
“Working on it.”
Ghost grunts like that tells him everything he needs to know. “Call if you move.”
The line goes dead.
I stand there with the phone in my hand for one more second, all the cold from the call settling under my skin.
Salazar’s uncle.
Bounty on both our heads.
Do not go stupid.
Too late for that too.
I shove the phone back into my pocket and head for the porch.
By the time I get inside, I have my face under control again.
Mostly.
She is sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands folded in her lap.
My shirt still hangs halfway down her thighs. Her hair is drying in loose waves around her shoulders. Her mouth is pink and swollen from kissing me. The sight of it hits me hard enough to make my body remember exactly what I was just trying to get a handle on outside.
Her eyes flick up to mine.
Then away.
That lands wrong immediately.
“Julie.”
She says, “Bad news?” like that is all I came back in for. Like there is nothing hanging in the room between us but danger.
I tell her about the bounty. Salazar’s uncle. Staying buried.
She nods.
Too quiet.
Too careful.
And then I see it. Hurt.
Embarrassed hurt, tucked low and trying not to show on her face.
She thinks I rejected her.
Something mean rolls through me.
I move closer. “Look at me.”
Her eyes come up slow.
There.
I crouch in front of her so she does not have to crane her neck. So she can see whatever truth is on my face and not miss it.
