Run Bad Boy Run

Chapter 21

  "Ember?"

"Huh?"

"Did you even hear what I said?" Stacie Chance demands from the other side of the kitchen. I snap out of my trance and look around, half wondering what time it is and half wondering how the heck I got here in the first place. "What's up with all the daydreaming today?" she wonders. "Have you been sleeping late?" the frustration in her voice drops into amusement. "Can't get your mind off of a special someone?"

Frowning, I stare at the half-eaten spinach salad sitting in front of me. I swear that was a pink cupcake a few minutes ago.

"So?" Mom asks again, nudging my plate to get an answer. When I look up, there are small dots of pink at the corners of her lips. I narrow my eyes.

That was my cupcake!

"Sorry to disappoint you but no. I'm just...thinking about... stuff."

I'm thinking about everything that has happened with Hayden Cross in the past two months. About Derek and his mob of crazies. They have to be the ones who went after me over that damn flash drive. Now that they have it, will they leave me alone? Even after what happened in the cabin?

My mother lets out a long sigh when I don't elaborate on my thoughts. I could never tell her something like this. She'd lose it. "If you're just going to waste your food..." She pulls the plate away from me, forking up the greens and eating them. I smile at her and she gives me her 'disapproving mom' look.

The gesture catches me off guard and I blink, almost dropping my glass of water on the floor.

I've never gotten used to the double life of Stacie Chance. Sometimes she's a normal, everyday working mother, and then at other times, she's so far gone in her own inner turmoil that I forget a third person lives in this house. She's so different with and without the bottle that it feels like she's two different people.

She must sense my surprise too and hastily changes the subject, eyes avoiding mine. "Are you going out tonight?"

I snort a laugh. "I'm done with those—like forever."

There is no way in hell I will allow a repeat of what happened at Nate's house.

My mother shrugs and murmurs something along the lines of 'that's a shame' under her breath. "I'm actually going to Gabby's house, though. Corry too. Paris, and Felicity are going to be there."

"Of course." She says with a smile, taking another bite of the salad.

The conversation dies and somewhere along the way, the awkwardness dissolves so that we're settled into a comfortable silence. I take a moment to enjoy it, closing my eyes and leaning back in my chair. I shouldn't be surprised, however, that the moment doesn't last for too long.

A scraping sound outside of the window catches my attention and instantly, adrenaline pours into my veins.

Someone's outside of our house.

The scraping is followed by a thumping that grows faint as whoever it is makes their way around the house.

It's Derek! They're going to kill you! The terror-induced side of my mind screams and with it, my mind begins to race with what might happen. What I need to do. I have to call the police. I have to grab a knife and get my mom somewhere safe.

Or it could be Jenna, a calmer voice suggests. It is Saturday.

Jenna is a person who shares my mother's love for cocktails. It's almost eight o' clock and it's not uncommon for her to pick my mother up for another night out on the town.