Page 186 of Positively Pricked

Funny, I'd almost forgotten he was there. It was the strangest sensation, because every other time we'd been together, I'd been obnoxiously aware of his every move.

I gave a mental eye-roll. Finally, I knew just the thing to push Zane Bennington out of my mind.

A squashed house.

Now, if only I had a million more.

Almost in a daze, I turned toward the sound of his voice. He was standing next to me, frowning as he eyed the damage.

I said, "Sorry, what was the question again?"

He gestured toward the house. "You want me to grab anything?"

I looked toward the mess and tried to think. Oh sure, I had a few dishes and clothes, but the place had come already furnished, and I couldn't see the point of sifting through the rubble now.

After all, not much of it was mine. And, in a weird twist of fate, everything I truly cared about was already packed, thanks to my distrust of Paisley.

I shook my head. "No. But thanks." I glanced toward the front of the house. "I guess I should grab my suitcases, huh?"

He gave me a look. "What?"

"From the trunk of the limo."

"Iknowwhere they are," he said. "But you're not unloading them here."

I was only half-listening. In the back of my mind, I was still trying to come up with a plan.

Stupidly, I'd sold my old beater of a car. And the other car, the nicer one, wasn't even my own. Rather, it was a company car for a job that I no longer had. This meant, of course, that I had no vehicle at all.

But surely,someonewould be willing to pick me up – if not my parents, then definitely Charlotte, assuming she ever answered her phone.

I mumbled, "It'll be fine. I'll just wait here with my suitcases."

"Wrong," Zane said. "What you'regoingto do is stay with me."