Wild Girl (Aston Creek High 3)

“No,” I panic.

“Time’s up.”

The SUV rams into the back of the Dodge, sending us into an out of control spin. I reach for Slade but he is struggling, trying to control his truck. My body is thrown against the door, my head smashing against the window until the Dodge collides with the railing and we’re falling to the dark depths below.

My stomach drops like I’m on a roller coast and just as we crash into the freezing water below, his voice rings loudly in my head. “Mine.”

BANG!

My head snaps up from the coffee table in fear, my heart pounding as I feel the cool breeze hitting my skin.

Shit, it was just a dream.

My heart pounds as I look up at Slade and Damian standing before me, the door still swinging from their entry. They both hover there, looking at me like I’m some kind of frightened bird who’ll fly away the second they make a move.

“Are you alright?” Slade questions hesitantly as I wipe a hand over my forehead to find it clammy. In fact, my whole body is sweaty. “You look kinda…off.”

I shake my head, meeting his eyes as I try to catch my breath. “Just a umm…a bad dream.”

Slade nods as Damian lets out a breath. “Oh, is that all?” he chuckles, striding in and slamming the door behind him. “I thought you were about to tell me that Anton escaped and is hiding under your bed with a gun.”

“Ha. Ha.”

Damian drops down onto the couch behind me and Slade walks in, sitting down beside Damian and pulling me up off the floor. “Was it that same dream again?” he murmurs, keeping our conversation private as Damian grabs the remote.

I nod my head and Slade sighs, pulling me into his chest. “It’s just a dream,” he reminds me. “I’m here now.”

Chapter 14

“Grab something to eat on the way,” Shay calls from the bathroom as she rushes to get ready for work. It was a shitty night for us all. Ben had shown up after dinner, and he and Shay were up all night fighting. Well, he was begging, wanting to come home while she wanted nothing more than to kick his ass out and go to bed.

I listened to it all from my bedroom until I finally snuck out the window and slept in Slade’s bed. His house is just as loud with the girls but at least they weren’t screaming and being a constant reminder of how Anton knew about my parents in the first place.

After Slade yelled at me for sneaking out of my version of Fort Knox and walking to his place in the dead of night, he finally gave up and pulled me into bed. So I guess the night wasn’t a complete waste. He rocked my world twice and then we both fell asleep, curled in each other’s arms.

Being a good little girl, I race into the kitchen and grab a banana out of the fruit bowl, kicking myself for telling Slade that I’ll catch a ride with Shay. What an epic mistake that was. Shay isn’t anywhere near ready and if I don’t start running, I’m going to miss homeroom.

“I’m leaving,” I call.

“Okay,” she yells back. “Behave. I’ll see you at the hospital tonight.”

“K.”

I throw my bag over my back and start working on all the locks as I step up in front of the door. Getting them out of the way, I finally reach for the handle and as I pull the door open, I find a man standing before me, his fist high in the sky, ready to knock.

“Oh, um…that was quick,” he grumbles in surprise.

My eyes rake over this perfect stranger and I can’t help but notice how tall, dark, and handsome he is, though that’s not all I notice. This guy is big —like Slade big— only there’s a darkness in his eyes that comes from seeing the type of shit that no one should ever have to see. For some reason, I feel a pull toward him, sort of like we’re kindred spirits. “Do I know you?”

He shakes his head. “No, but I know you.”

My brows furrow as I look around him to see a stunning woman with a perfectly round baby bump, standing out by the curb, leaning against a car.

“Umm…I’m sorry?” I ask, confused by his strange comment as I start contemplating how quickly I could escape this maniac.

The guy looks back at the girl with uncertainty and she nods as though she’s giving him all the support in the world. “Do you have a few minutes?”

I shake my head. “No, actually, I don’t. I’m late for school.”

He nods and the longer he watches me, the more he looks as though he’s going to hurl. “I’ll make it quick,” he says, in a tone that seems to soothe me. “You’re Skylah, Right? Is your brother home? It’s probably best that I speak with you both.”