Caveman (Wild Men 1)

Jealous? a snotty little voice in my head asks.

Shit. I walk faster, breaking into a jog, letting the rhythm of my steps settle my racing heartbeat. My left leg sends a little twinge up my spine. I ignore it.

That was stupid of me, falling for Zane. Good thing this happened before I fall harder. Before he breaks my heart. It’s only held together by a Band-Aid and a string, and if that goes…

Why did I think I was ready for this?

“Dakota!” Audrey sounds breathless. I remember she’s wearing ridiculously high heels, like Tessa, and I slow down. A few months ago she twisted her ankle running like that.

“What?”

“Jesus. Wait.” She slows to a stop and bends over, hands on her knees, wheezing. “I saw. I saw you.”

“Saw me?”

“Saw you looking at them.”

I stomp away from her. “Yeah. Tessa warned me. Stay away from Zane, blah, blah, blah. I know, okay? I know. Learned my lesson now. I’ll stay away from him.”

“No.” She straightens, her red curls wild. “Listen. That girl at the bar. That’s Megan.”

I blink. “What do I care about her damn name?”

“She’s just a friend. Of Zane’s. Damn, you run fast.” She wipes a hand over her mouth.

“They were awfully friendly with each other.”

“That’s just how they are. I pinky swear. I wouldn’t lie to you.” Audrey glances back, and I see Ash coming our way.

I need to go before he reaches us. I don’t want to think more about this. “I don’t know, Audrey.”

“Megan wants Rafe. And Rafe... Well, we don’t know, but Zane is trying to get them to meet.”

I shake my head. It all sounds too easy, too convenient. “I saw the way she was looking at Zane.”

“No, Dakota. Wait…”

She curses as I turn and start running again. How did she look at him? Fondly, my mind supplies, but I wonder about it now as I hang a right and run down another street. Random streets, random thoughts. I didn’t even see his face, his expression. Could they be just friends, he and Megan? Thinking back, I recover vague memories of them talking and laughing together in parties. Are they really just friends?

r /> Audrey would have no reason to lie about this. She hasn’t exactly encouraged my interest in Zane. I remember once we visited him at his apartment, the time I first met him. Asher had been staying with him, and Audrey wanted to talk to him. I remember taking off my blouse to show Zane my ink—and to shock him a little, because he had a mask of steel I wanted to peek behind—and Audrey had gone all scarlet. Afterward, she pretended she didn’t know me. It was so funny.

Not so funny anymore.

I turn into another street and slow down again, trying to get my bearings. Problem is, I don’t know this area well, and I didn’t pay much attention when Tessa drove me to the bar, because I figured we’d return to her apartment together.

What I should do is give Tessa a call, and I reach for my bag—only to realize I don’t have it with me. I must have left it at the bar.

Brilliant, Dakota. Just brilliant. Absolutely fantastic.

I puff out a long breath and bury my hands in my hair, tugging a little, hoping to jumpstart my brain. No reason to panic. I’ll just keep walking until I find a familiar landmark, or else another bar where I can borrow a phone and call Tessa.

Right. No panic. I resume walking, kicking at the trash in my way—a can, a broken plastic cup, a shoe. I shouldn’t have run away. I’m not a quitter. If I was, I wouldn’t be standing here today.

I wouldn’t be standing at all.

A car honk sounds from behind me, and I walk faster. The street is deserted, and I don’t have my pepper spray.

The honk sounds again, and a pick-up truck appears next to me, the window rolling down. I see a familiar Mohawk and a pair of exotic dark eyes.