In the backseat, I felt Grey’s frustration. “We might not make it.”
“How many are we talking?” I asked. My gaze swept over the tree-studded landscape as I wondered how close they really were.
“Five.”
All my tension melted. “There are fifteen of us, right? Why are we freaking out over five Urbat?”
“Right now, none of them know where we are. If we’re spotted, they’ll all know.”
The next few minutes passed in silence. We turned twice before hopping onto a highway. As soon as we hit the ramp, Grey’s worry vanished.
“Now, we were talking about favorite foods, weren’t we?”
I sighed and curled up for another nap. It didn’t work.
“What kind of music do you like?”
“It depends on my mood.”
“Do you like rainy days or sunny ones?”
“Rainy.”
“Are you a morning person or a late night person?”
“Neither. I’d rather sleep all day.” He didn’t take the hint.
“What—”
“Is the point of all these questions?” I turned to look at Grey.
“You’re only encouraging him,” Carlos said. I glanced at him. He watched the road.
Grey’s amusement floated around me. Too bad for him I was out of patience.
“One more question, and I knock you out.”
Grey winked at me but kept silent.
“How much longer until we get where we’re going?” I asked Carlos.
“A few more hours.”
The car ride from hell...
My bladder was ready to burst when we finally turned into the hotel parking lot. My door was open, and I was out before the car stopped moving. I beat Emmitt to the door.
“Bathroom?” I said loudly.
The man behind the reception counter looked up and pointed to his left. I veered in the direction he indicated and closed myself in the small bathroom.
After the day I’d had, I officially disliked werewolves. And when I found Ethan, I was going to hit him. Gently. I’d only leave a tiny bruise.
I finished using the bathroom, washed my hands, and stalked out. Not only had they deprived me of a bathroom, I was starving.
In the lobby, Carlos stood holding my bag.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Dropping off their things. Everyone’s hungry.”
Instead of handing over my bag, he handed me the keycard. Good. I’d have two hands free to deal with Ethan. I glanced at the number on the card then took off in the correct direction. Our room wasn’t far. I unlocked the door and pushed it open. Grey looked up from the bag he had on the foot of his bed. The room was otherwise empty. My gaze drifted to the bathroom door. It was closed.
I marched up to the panel.
“Ethan, get out here.”
His muffled refusal confirmed my suspicion that he was hiding from me.
“I invoke my tenth grade birthday present.”
That sneaky jerk. I pounded on the door in frustration.
“You can’t. You used it already. Like, three times.”
“That card had no expiration or number of use limits.”
I slapped the door. That gift had been my worst mistake. I’d made a card with a coupon on it. The holder of this card can piss Isabelle off and not get hit for it. I’d written it out of guilt because the day before his birthday, he’d tried kissing me for the first time. And I’d punched him in the face. Not for the kiss, but the overwhelming flood of teenage-boy horny emotions that had come with it.
“Fine. Come out.” I backed away from the door and looked pointedly at Grey and Carlos.
“We’ll wait for you in the lobby,” Carlos said.
Ethan didn’t emerge until the door closed behind the pair. He eyed me warily. Looking at him hurt.
“How could you?” I said. “You’re supposed to have my back, and you just left me with him.”
His tension eased, and he took a step toward me. In a heartbeat, I was wrapped in his strong arms. His hold felt like home.
“I’m sorry, Z. Winifred was persuasive. Plus, I had questions I knew you wouldn’t want to listen to.”
I didn’t ask what. He knew me well; and if he thought I didn’t want to listen to him, he was probably right. I wrapped my arms around his waist and talked into his bruised shoulder.
“I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“You know we’re stuck with them, right? On our own, the group that’s hunting you girls would find you. And on your own, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
He was wrong. On my own, I would stand a chance. But I wasn’t on my own. I had Ethan. He was my weak spot.
He smoothed a hand over my hair.
“What’s making you want to run? Same thing?” he asked.
I pictured Carlos, cringed, and buried deeper into Ethan’s shoulder. He sighed and kissed the top of my head.
“How do you feel? Need to spar?”
I shook my head. Despite the long ride, the back roads meant fewer accidental pulls; and Grey had kept most of what he’d felt to himself.
“Then, let’s go eat.”