Page 192 of Soul So Dark

“You could’ve called…texted…emailed!”

“No, I couldn’t have.”

“Yeah, right, like you couldn’t have messaged me at least once to tell me you werealive!”

“I didn’t take one look at you until I set foot back on US soil, Dal.”

“What?”

“Do you understand what kind of torture that would’ve been?”

“Good!” she shrieks. “Because I’ve been revoltingly unfaithful to you, Alex Barrera!”

I can’t help but laugh at her attempt to rebuff me. Dallas is trying so hard to be mean, but I know her. Determined—maybe. Full of conviction—maybe. But not mean.

“Colson said youdied!” she shouts, the last word muddling into a sob.

“I did die.”

“No, you didn’t!”

“Yes, for eight minutes. He didn’t tell you I came back?”

“What do you mean,came back?” she screams. “From the dead?”

Yes, exactly. But whatever the hell Colson said clearly got lost in translation. I grit my teeth, groaning in frustration as I try to think of a way to lure Dallas into the truck without just getting out, throwing her over my shoulder and drawing any unnecessary attention. And, anyway, she's lost her damn mind if she thinks I'm going to leave her to walk through downtown and campus at night in nothing but a tank top and a pair of coochie-cutters. Even if sheiswearing her ass-kicking boots.

After following Dallas through another couple of neighborhoods while she alternates between texting on her phone and stalking down the sidewalk, we arrive at her house. She unlocks the front door while I park across the street, but slams it shut before I can set foot on the pavement. Speaking of which, this house is also on my list of things to change.

College campuses are hunting grounds, and no woman is safe. I’m not leaving Dallas here. She needs to live somewhere with proper lighting and adequate security. And if she won’t let me in, then I guess I’ll be posting up on her porch until she does.

Much to my relief, the porch doesn’t actually collapse when I lean on the edge of the railing. It gives a few creaks and groans, but is otherwise solid. After nearly an hour, a faint click draws my attention, followed by the squeak of the ancient door with too many coats of paint.

A soft voice drifts across the porch. “Are you staying out here all night?”

“I’ve stayed in much worse places. Your front porch on a warm night doesn’t bother me.”

I push off the railing and stroll across the creaky floorboards. When I get closer, I see Dallas peering outside apprehensively. She’s no longer dressed as Lara Croft, having changed into a white tank top and lavender sleep shorts. Her hair lays like a blanket over her shoulders, crimped from her tight braid, and she’s wearing her thick black glasses again.

I lean against the door frame, gazing down at her just inches away. “I thought you hatedCall of Duty.”

“Yeah, well, I also want to havefriends,Alex,” she snips. But then her eyes fall to the ground. “Why did you lie to me?” she asks wearily, the look on her face enough to shatter my heart into a million pieces on this rotting porch.

“Because I couldn’t be anything to you back then—not untilnow.It was better that I was a faceless nobody you liked to play games with. And what was I to do? You had three years left of high school. I couldn’t even marry you if I was deluded enough to try that.” I lower my voice. “Get pulled out of Algebra for your parents to tell you I’d been killed in an ambush? Blown to bits by an IED?”

“Stop,” she squeaks. “I could’ve decided that, not you.”

“No, youcouldn’t,” my tone turns harsh, “because you weren’tallowedto decide any of it. And that’s not what you should’ve been doing, anyway.”

“Alex,” she finally looks up at me, “you’re the only reason I didn’t end up a basket case after Evie died. You kept me from losing myself, and then after you left, I didn’t want to even think about you because I knew it would be too painful. Sometimes, I’d try to convince myself that it wasn’t that deep, that I didn’t mean as much to you as you did to me.”

The typical Lutz mentality—I’ll leave you before you leave me.

“And now that you’re here,” she continues, “I know it’s just a matter of time before you leave again.”

“No.” I shake my head. “I did my service, and I’m not going anywhere.” I plant my boot at the edge of the door. “I came here for one thing, and I’m not leaving without it. I should’ve just busted down this door and not given a fuck about your feelings, especially after you go and name your brother’sdogafter me.”

Dallas averts her eyes, but can’t hide the flicker behind them or the twitch of her cheeks as she tries not to smile.