Page 47 of Soul So Dark

My eyes dart over Dallas’s shoulder, and when she turns back around, I reach up and grab the front of her shirt, pulling her toward me. Her lips hit mine and I hold her there for a moment before releasing her. I catch a glimpse of her shocked face, eyes wide and mouth ajar, as she watches me duck out the window and not look back.

Darkness falls as the curtains are pulled shut again and I slowly make my way to the edge of the pergola, maneuvering the beams until I can quickly and quietly climb down to the patio. I go back the way I came, along the trees parallel to the long driveway. I’m nearly to the end, shrouded in shadow, when I look up and nearly have a heart attack. I stop short, staring at the tall, slim figure standing motionless with her hand on the brick pillar mailbox at the head of the next driveway, just watching me.

Fuck.

She’s seen me and I can’t just walk off. I have to stop and talk to her now, after she’s just watched me for who knows how long. I shake off the initial shock and try to act natural as I stroll along the tree line. Finally, I get to the grass between the driveways where she’s waiting patiently, her short blonde hair and flowy linen pants gently blowing in the night breeze.

“Hey, Sydney.”

She glances over my shoulder with her steel blue eyes. “You are in so much trouble, Alex,” she smiles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I decide to play dumb. It’s more of a stall tactic than anything else.

But Sydney’s smart, so it’s only a question of whether she’s going to actually call me on my bullshit.

“What was that?” she asks, nodding up the long driveway.

“What was what?” I reply, but when I glance back at the house, I realize that from this vantage point, she probably saw me come from the back patio and, to my utter horror, may have also seen me scale the pergola.

“I suspect you don’t normally sneak along the trees when you leave Colson’s house. Where’s your car anyway?” she asks, glancing around.

I can’t lie to Sydney. She’s too smart for that. But I also don’t have anything useful to say, so I might as well cut the crap and get to the point.

“You weren’t with Colson, were you?” she guesses.

“Are you going to tell him?”

With my luck, Sydney probably has a penchant for blackmail. Maybe she’s picked up some new skills in that house of hers over the past few months. But she doesn’t answer right away, just eyes the Lutz’s house before shifting her attention back to me.

“Is there anything to tell?” she asks with an edge as sharp as a razor.

I look over my shoulder at the house, now completely dark.Isthere anything to tell? There’s always something to tell—all of us know that.

“Tomb Raider,” I reply, lifting my chin, “and commiserating about overprotective, asshole brothers.”

Sydney is unfazed, her poker face stellar, perfected after just a short time in Dire Ridge. But she accepts my response, staring back at me with eyes that could burn a hole through wrought iron. Finally, the corner of her mouth twitches with amusement and she takes a step back toward her car, glowing crisp white in the darkness.

“Bye, Alex,” she smiles before ducking inside and starting the ignition.

I watch her until the car disappears into the tunnel of trees and I’m alone again. I glance around, making sure the coast is clear before jogging across the road. I only breathe a sigh of relief when I get to my SUV and pull away from the water tower. But since I stepped out of Dallas’s window, there’s been only one question on my mind, and now it’s screaming for an answer.

What did I just do?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dallas

The window is empty except for the inky blackness of night and the cricket songs drifting in on the breeze. Alex is gone, all but confirmed by the sound of his boots hitting the concrete patio and then his shadow disappearing into the darkness. Meanwhile, I’m left still standing at my window with my mouth hanging open.

Did that just happen?

There’s another pound on my door, jolting me out of my stupor. I quickly reach up and shut the window with an exasperated growl before tugging the curtains closed. Seconds later, I throw open my bedroom door and come face to face with Colson, leaning against the door frame looking nothing short of irritated.

“Yeah?” I’m suddenly out of breath.

“Why didn’t you answer?” He sounds mildly offended.

“Well, I was asleep,Colson,” I say with no shortage of sass.