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Shit.
“I’m fine.” She pushes my hand away and I let her. “Just a second.” Dropping her hand to my chest, she shoots me one last pleading look before pushing me away completely. She darts over to the bed to pick up the cat before turning back to grapple with the knob.
I step behind her bedroom door, when she opens it and squeezes through it before pulling it closed behind her. “Let’s go downstairs.” Her voice is muffled by the door. Con’s reply is nothing more than noise as they move down the hall. Seconds later the front door slams and they’re gone.
I’m through the window and down the fire escape before I know it. Down the alley and around the side of the building before I can stop myself. Across the tarmac in front of the garage and standing in the open doorway less than five minutes after she left me standing in her bedroom.
Tess is pulling on her coveralls and Con is camped out on the same bench she planted me on Friday night when she super glued the gash on my chin closed. They’re chatting and laughing like their best friends.
I don’t like it.
“Hey, freak,” I say, raising my voice so they hear me over the noise.
When he hears me, Con goes stiff. Standing slowly, he cuts Tess a look before closing the distance between us. “What are you doing here?”
“Mom is looking for you,” I tell him, lying through my fucking teeth. “She wants you home. Now.”
“Why?” He looks skeptical. He doesn’t believe a word I say. Knows better than to trust me.
“How the fuck should I know?” I bark back, fighting to keep my gaze focused on him. Mr. C is staring at me and Tess looks like she wants to kill me. This is some next level pettiness but right now, I don’t give a shit. “Why don’t you go home and ask her?”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I used my Freak Finder.” I shrug like I don’t give a shit either way. “Look—you don’t want to go home, don’t. I’m just telling you what she said.”
He stares at me for a second and I’m 100% sure he knows I’m lying. Then he walks back to the bench, shoulders his backpack and says something to Tess that makes her smile. Laugh. When she flicks her gaze in my direction the sound dies off. The smile flickers out.
I hate my brother so goddamned much right now, I could kill him for real.
He strolls past me, throws a wave over his shoulder and thanks Mr. C for letting him hang out. Tells Tess he’ll see her tomorrow.
I stand where I am for a second, nailing Tess with a hard look. “See you later, Tesla.”
It doesn’t sound like a casual goodbye.
It sounds a lot like a threat.