Page 74 of Twisted Ties

She shrugs one shoulder and hooks her phone out of her pocket. “Probably,” she says to me, before bringing the phone up to her ear. “All clear,” she says, into the cell.

I clench my jaw hard, my molars straining. My fingers twitch. But there’s not enough in the tank. And she knows it.

I could raise the alarm. I could call my cousin. I’m certain he has no fucking clue his mate is sneaking away in the middle of the goddamn night. But I’m not going to do any of those things.

I’m going to stand and watch as a red car – that looks like it’s held together with sticky tape – comes crashing out of the underground garage. I’m going to stand and watch as the girl picks up her pig and dives into the passenger seat, the car revving, the headlights cutting out.

I’m going to stand and watch as the girl waves over her shoulder at me and then the car is gone. Just like that. One second there, the next second, poof.

I stare at the place it occupied.

This isn’t my concern. None of my business. My father said to stay away from this girl.

This is my cousin’s mess to sort, not mine.

I stalk towards the mansion. I need to see the matron. I’ve already wasted vital minutes dealing with that girl. I can’t waste anymore.

I peer up at the principal’s office as I draw closer to the mansion. Her light shines through the window. I could go tell her what I’ve just witnessed.

But I’m already going to have enough questions to answer. Enough trouble to deal with.

I don’t need to add to my shit. The girl can look after herself.

And that knot in my stomach? It can go to hell.

24

Rhi

I cling to my seat,Pip burying his face in my stomach as the car hurtles along, the scenery blurring into one continuous dark line outside the window.

“Jeez, this car really can go fast,” I say, gulping down a scream as we career round yet another bend.

“I know. Isn’t it awesome?” Winnie says, her eyes and her face both wild with excitement. “Now I understand what Clem meant. This is nearly as good as sex.”

“I don’t know. I never felt like my stomach was being dragged five miles behind me during sex.”

“Really?” Winnie says, eyes darting from the windscreen in a manner that has me closing my eyes and praying to the gods. “Not even with that huge dick of his?”

“Winnie,” I wail, “please look at the road.”

“Relax, Rhi,” she says cheerfully, tugging hard on the gear stick. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Tell that to the squirrel you nearly hit several miles back.”

“I was nowhere near it,” she tuts. “I never took you for such a drama queen, Rhi.”

Pip moans and I pat his head in a manner I hope he finds reassuring. He stops quivering but refuses to look up from my lap. I don’t blame him. I’ve never been on a fairground ride but I bet this is what it’s like. Only those rides last a matter of minutes. We’ve been driving for five hours straight, the faintest hint of dawn now crawling over the horizon in the distance.

“How much further do you think it is?” I ask, examining all the symbols and lights on the dashboard, all of them meaningless to me. I glance out at the lightening scenery instead. But everything is too blurry for me to determine if I recognize anything yet.

Winnie peers at the display. “It says we’re still an hour away.”

“Okay,” I say, squaring my shoulders. I can do this. Besides, we’re going to make it here in half the time it should have taken. That gives us a head’s start on the man in black, and anyone else who tries to follow us.

Exactly an hour later, when I’m just about thinking I’ll never be able to dig my fingernails out of the seat cushion, the car slows dramatically.

“What’s going on?” I ask Winnie.