“I withdrew your interview request, which had been granted, by the way.” She taps on the letter. “Third paragraph if you need confirmation.”
Richard must have promised to build a new wing on the library to make that interview happen. “Why? I don’t get it.”
Mom brings her hand up to her collarbone and feigns shock. “My daughter made it very clear that she was not interested in attending Stanford or even interviewing there. Do you think I misunderstood her?”
A smile tugs at my lips. “No. I’m pretty sure you got it right.”
She sighs dramatically. “That’s a relief. I really am trying, but I’m not sure if my daughter will give me a chance to prove it to her.”
I can’t remember the last time Mom joked around with me or treated me like anything other than her protégée. Tonight my mother feels like my mom.
“What about Ki—I mean, Richard?” I ask. “Won’t he be upset, since he set up the interview?”
Mom raises her chin. “I’ll deal with Richard.”
“Thanks.” I hug her for real because I love her and she tried, and I’m scared out of my mind. And because she’s my mom.
She kisses the top of my head. “Go have fun. I noticed you brought a new friend.”
“Her name is Cruz. She goes to Monroe with me.”
Mom sends me off toward Cruz like a kid heading off to cotillion.
I check my cell.
10:40.
Cruz is eating maraschino cherries out of a bar glass. “Have you seen Lex?” I ask her.
“Someone else is looking for her, too.” Cruz points a cherry stem at the ballroom entrance.
Abel walks in wearing a tux without a tie or cummerbund, and with the first two buttons of his shirt open. He looks amazing.
Cruz cracks a smile. “Go say hi. I’ll be here until all this netting cuts off my circulation.”
As I walk toward Abel, I catch a glimpse of Lex’s blond hair. She’s on the other side of the dance floor, trapped between two guys jockeying for her attention.
“Hey.” I nudge him. “Are you okay?”
Abel shrugs. “Getting there. I met with a therapist this morning, and my father’s manager rented a storage unit for Dad’s stuff.”
“It’s hard to lose someone you love.”
He glances at Lex. “I almost lost her, too.”
“Lucky for you she doesn’t want to be lost.” I remember telling Marco I didn’t want to get lost. I still don’t.
Abel grins and crosses the dance floor.
When we make it over to Lex and her admirers, he pushes his way past them. “Excuse me, gentlemen.” He hooks his arms around Lex’s waist and pulls her close. Abel winks at the guys. “Thanks for keeping her company.”
She smiles at him and rests her head on his shoulder. “Thanks for the rescue—I almost died of boredom.”
He kisses her on the cheek. “I owed you a rescue.”
I check the time.
10:51.
Cruz walks up beside me and I jump. “Your mother just asked me how you’re doing in an urban school setting. Is she for real?”
“Unfortunately.”
Cruz nods at Abel. “How’s it going?”
He looks at Lex and smiles. “Pretty great.”
My cell vibrates again.
go to valet station & ask for Brian
say u lost ur ticket
I stare at the words in the message field.
I’m about to steal a car, and I’m taking orders from a violent criminal who already killed one person I love and has threatened two others.
Things just got real.
CHAPTER 40
HIGH OCTANE
I tell my friends I’m going to the restroom and leave through the back entrance. I can’t risk anyone following me. I circle around to the front and find the valet station.
The guy who parked Lex’s car notices me and quickly stubs out his cigarette. “Can I help you with something?”
“Is Brian around?”
“You’re looking at him.” With his brown hair brushed to the side and his whitened teeth, preppy Brian doesn’t look like someone involved in a car-theft ring. But I guess that’s the point. Neither do I.
“I lost my ticket.”
“Give me a minute.” He jogs away and returns moments later with a silver Mercedes. It’s a sleek two-door that looks vintage. Brian gets out and my jaw drops. The door opens straight up, like the doors on a Lamborghini.
“Most people never see a Mercedes Gullwing, let alone get to drive one.” He helps me into the car and pushes the door closed.
Before I can ask him if he knows where to find Deacon, the passenger-side door opens and Deacon gets in. He’s wearing a tux jacket and a white dress shirt that hides his scars, with a black bow tie hanging loose around his collar. I want to strangle him with it.
“Have fun at the party?”
I’ll have more fun when we get to the dockyard and the cops drag your ass to jail.
“I just want this over with.” I hate sitting so close to him. “Where are we going?”
“Let me worry about that. Your job is to get us out of the Heights.”
“Fine.” I act annoyed.
“Just remember, Marco’s ass is on the line.”
As if I could forget.
Deacon taps on the dash. “Let’s go. We’re on the clock.”
I drive out of the lot. I’m officially a car thief.