Page 33 of Jaked

Okay, so I hadn't exactly been diligent about returning my family's phone calls, but someone could have left me a message at least. I felt myself frown. No. They couldn't have. I had a new phone number that I hadn't been eager to share.

"So," Jake continued, "what do you think of that?" His voice hardened. "Sis."

Hehadto be lying. I reached for my purse. "I'm calling Selena."

"Go ahead," he said. "The story won't change just because your sister's telling it."

I met his gaze, and reality sank in. He was telling the truth. I could see it in his eyes. Slowly, I settled back into my seat. "Oh crap," I breathed.

"You're telling me."

"Wait a minute," I said. "Why areyouunhappy? It's bad forher, not for him."

"That's one opinion," he said. "Not mine."

I ignored the jab. On too many levels to count, this wasn't good. My sister, supposedly the smart one, was being way too stupid for words. Here, I'd wised up. And what didshedo? She got stupider. Looking down, I felt my frown deepen. Was stupider even a word?

Maybe I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.

When I looked up, something in Jake's gaze made me pause. "What is it?" I asked.

His voice was low in the quiet room. "You."

"What about me?"

He looked around, as if cataloguing the luxury surrounding us. "With you here, the place feels different."

I narrowed my gaze. "Different good? Or different bad?"

After way too long, he finally spoke. "Ask me later."

I drew back. "No."

"Suit yourself." And then, if shaking off some lingering gloom, he flashed me that same old grin. "Either way, you're stuck here a while."

I shook my head, trying to decipher what just happened. I gave up and asked the obvious. "How long?"

"'Til the thing with Rango's settled."

I blew out a long breath. Oh yeah. Rango. And that stupid black book. "Settled how?" I asked.

"I'm working on that," he said. "I'd give it a week. Maybe more."

Was that good news? Or bad news? In truth, I was lucky to have a place to stay at all. Maybe two weeks would be better than one.

And then, I remembered something. "Oh crap," I said.

"What?" he said.

"That stupid book. It's still at Maddie's." I jumped from my seat. "We've got to go back."

I recalled the ugly scene from earlier, and my stomach clenched. The last thing I wanted was a repeat performance. Maybe I could go back later tonight, when she was at work. Shewasworking tonight, right? I couldn't remember for sure.

I looked down at my lap. "Damn it," I muttered. "I should've grabbed that stupid thing on the way out."

"Thisstupid thing?" Jake said.

I looked up and stifled a gasp. "Where'd you get that?" I asked.