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27

RILEY

I pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. Not at Nana’s house but Dad’s. It was the last place I wanted to be–God, was it ever–but I didn’t have many choices. Lila was away at school. Wendy and Alice knew Cody was into me based on bowling night and the way he’d followed me to the restroom, and I’d returned all dreamy from an orgasm. But I couldn’t have an ice cream binge-fest with any of them because what could I say?

Yeah, I got fucked–in more ways than one–by Cody McIntire because he’d bet with his friend that I could fall in love with him in less than a week .

That was the truth and plenty for us to rant over for a long, long time. It didn’t even cover the shifter angle. The mind wiping thing. Any of that.

Because Cody was a flipping shifter. He chased his prey. I knew that firsthand. Since I ran, I figured his wolf would make him come after me. I couldn’t have that. Not now. God, not ever.

I closed my eyes and flopped back against the headrest. I’d driven around aimlessly, thinking. Fuming. Proverbially kicking my own ass for my stupidity. The tears had stopped pretty fast since I couldn’t see the road, and the last thing I wanted was for Dad to pull me over. Since he was working the night shift, it was a possibility.

Knowing I’d run out of gas sooner or later, I went to the one place Cody wouldn’t dare barge in. Dad’s.

The garage door slid closed behind me, only the overhead light illuminating the space.

This was the WORST walk of shame. Ever. Falling for a guy my dad warned me about. I’d tossed his expertise on the topic right in his face. Now I’d get the “I told you so” look for months. Or a pity stare. I didn’t know which was worse.

And what would I tell Nana?

At least I had a reprieve for the night.

I grabbed my purse and climbed from my car, went inside through the laundry room and into the kitchen. Since the above-the-stove light was on, I didn’t turn any others on. This was home. Where I grew up. Where everything was familiar.

Yet somehow in the past few days, it seemed… different.

The stupid magnets were still on the fridge. Dad’s coffee mug was upside down in the drying rack like usual. It was me that had changed.

Cody had changed me. He’d made me see that I shouldn’t compromise on what I wanted. That I was worth more than any measly relationship offerings Matt or Ethan or some other guy might offer. I deserved it all.

I thought it was with Cody.

But no. I was just a stupid kid.

The tears began again, and I leaned against the counter until the worst of them stopped. It was time to go to bed. Cry myself to sleep. I walked into the living room to head to my room.

“Wondered how long you were going to cry for.”

I jumped a foot and screamed.

“Jesus, women are a mess.”

It wasn’t Cody. It wasn’t Dad. It was… I di dn’t know who it was.

But he was sitting in Dad’s recliner with a gun in his hand. And it was aimed at me.