Wild Girl (Slateview High 2)

Footsteps.

Fuck.

My heart lurched in my chest, and I leapt to my feet, adrenaline pouring through me so fast that it made me feel lightheaded.

It wasn’t my mom. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t be home for another week.

With shaking hands, I pushed the backpack up against the side of the couch where I’d found it, darting into the kitchen just as the door opened.

“Hey, Coralee,” Bish called. “Forgot something.”

Jesus. That was fucking close.

I wasn’t dumb enough not to know what a violation of trust it was that I’d been going through their things while they were gone—and I had almost just gotten caught. Panic and guilt raged through me as I gripped the edge of the counter so hard my knuckles went white.

“Yeah?” I called out, trying to keep my voice even.

He poked his head into the kitchen. “Yeah. Had to circle back and pick up a payment that I need to deliver for Nathaniel. I left it in my jeans.” He grinned. “Y’know, the ones you were so eager to yank off me last night.”

I flushed and rolled my eyes, and Bishop’s grin grew sinful before he continued.

“Misael had something to take care of with his foster family, so we’re just gonna head out in about an hour.” He glanced around the kitchen. “Want lunch?”

“Yeah.” I unclamped my hand from the counter, turning to face him fully. “That sounds good. I think there are sandwich-makings in the fridge.”

“Works for me.” He rapped his knuckles once against the doorframe. “Let me just grab this envelope so I don’t forget it again, then I’ll come help you.”

“Okay.”

He turned to head toward my bedroom, and I moved toward the fridge, trying to get my heart to settle down as my thoughts turned to what kind of ingredients we had on hand.

But before my hand settled on the refrigerator door, realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.

My notebook. It was still sitting out on my bed.

Shit!

I wheeled, about to dash toward my room, even though I knew there was no way I could beat Bishop there, when a single word stopped me.

“Cora?”

His voice was sharp. Harsh. A tone I hadn’t heard in months.

I froze like a deer in front of an oncoming truck, lips going suddenly dry. A second later, Bishop walked slowly back into the room, holding my notebook in his hands.

I was sure I paled at the sight; I could feel the blood drain from my face. My body went cold as I watched him flip through the pages, heavily inked in my research and machinations about what I was going to do to help my father.

A muscle in his jaw ticked, and his mouth set in a sharp frown as he read over it.

I was silent. I didn’t know what to say, or how to justify my actions. The little black notebook Bishop was holding in his hands represented a betrayal on so many levels.

“What is this?” he asked after a moment, his voice thick. “Cora… what the hell is this?”

Somehow, I forced words past my rapidly closing throat. “It’s just… it’s just some thoughts—”

“Cora, these are names you shouldn’t know!” he exploded. “Shit you shouldn’t have any idea about! These are full-blown plans to poke around Nathani

el Ward and his wife about your father!”