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.“Okay.”Their footsteps flew up the stairs.“What was that all about?” Todd took a swig of soda.“They’re female.”“That explains it then.”Nicky smacked two empty lasagna pans onto the counter next to the dishwasher.Dean Martin’s voice poured through speakers in the ceiling.His father sang along to “That’s Amore” as he ladled marinara into a plastic container.Not an environment conducive to punching your best friend.“So what’s eating you?” Todd garbled over a mouthful of pizza.“Nothing.” Nicky’s gaze wandered to the back door.“Her? That’s it? You’re ticked that I asked her out first?” Todd’s laugh echoed off the ceiling.His father joined in.“All’s fair, my boy.”Of all the people unqualified to give a lecture on what was fair in love, his father topped the list.Nicky tossed a serving spoon into the sink and sucked a calming breath.He grinned at Todd.“Why should I be ticked? She’s going out with me tomorrow.”Todd’s eyes jarred wide.Nicky laughed.“All’s fair, my boy.”“Go around back to the building next door.” Rena stood on a stool and reached for something near the ceiling of her closet.“He’ll meet you on the other side.There’s a row of bushes.Just give him this and get back here as fast as you can.” Rena’s icy fingers placed a roll of money in Dani’s hand.Dani closed her fingers around it.“Who’s out there? Jarod? You don’t want him coming to the door because Todd’s here, right?”“I’ll cover for you.I’ll say you’re trying on some shirts that don’t fit me anymore.It’ll only take a couple minutes.Here.” Rena grabbed a hooded sweatshirt off a chair.“Put this on.” She opened a drawer and pulled out a pile of shirts.“I’ll leave these on the bottom step.Bring them when you come back in the kitchen.”The hoodie reeked of cigarette smoke.A moment of claustrophobia speeded Dani’s already thundering pulse.She yanked it over her head and took the hair band Rena held out to her.She still hadn’t said she’d do it.Rena lifted the sweatshirt hood over Dani’s hair.“Walk down with me so they don’t hear your footsteps.I’ll keep the door to the kitchen door closed.Be careful when you come back in.Open the door slow so it doesn’t squeak.”“Rena.This is crazy.What’s going on? I’m not doing anything illegal or im—”“It’s not illegal.I earned this money.”“But why are you—”“Do this and I’ll answer questions.You want a story, so go.”Shutting out the warnings in her head, she followed Rena down the stairs and stepped out into the hot, still night.The slap of her sandals reverberated off Bracciano’s brick wall as she ran into the alley.The roll of bills in her hand grew warm and damp.Fighting the effects of adrenaline with every step, she passed the grassy space between the restaurant and the two-story garage.Lord, what am I doing? She didn’t wait for an answer she didn’t want to hear.She slowed her steps as she neared the corner.Behind her, something clanged.A trash can lid.Her breath froze in her throat.She stopped, pressed her shoulder to the wall, and inched toward the corner.“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” She’d memorized the verse from Ephesians years ago.She shouldn’t be here.Do this and I’ll answer questions.She ordered trembling legs to walk.Sweat trickled down her sides and she shivered.In the bushes just feet behind her, a twig snapped.A figure stood between her and the street.Dark eyes blazed in a thin, pale face as the boy neared.“How much?”“I don’t know.”“Count it.”“It’s too dark.I can’t—”The boy swore and grabbed her left arm.Pain shrieked from the stitched cut.She bit back a scream.A moan escaped.“Count it.”Trembling fingers unrolled the bills and held them in a thin finger of light from the street.“Twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred…” Where did Rena get it? What was she paying for? “Two hundred eighty-five.”“Lucky.” He grabbed her good arm and pushed her bad one against the bricks.Points of silver light shot before her eyes like falling stars.A police cruiser drove by at a crawl, tires close to the curb.She tried to pull away.His fingers formed a vice around her arm.“Rena trusts you.That doesn’t mean I do.Don’t forget that.” He shoved her toward the alley.“Go!” His foot landed on the back of her thigh.She stumbled but caught herself.When she reached the alley, she heard the soft groan of metal on metal.Flattened against the back of the building, she looked around the corner.White shoes, incongruous with the black, glowed in the thin light.Silhouetted against the light from the street, the boy crouched on what appeared to be a thick metal door.Curved hinges connected it to the brick wall.He raised his shirt, pulled out something she couldn’t make out in the dim light and tossed it into an opening in the wall.He turned.Locking eyes with her.Holding her breath she ran into the green space, pressed against the wall, and waited.Footsteps pounded the gravel.Away from her.Nicky tossed an empty pizza box at Todd.Rena pushed through the double doors and rattled off an order.Her eyes darted to the door leading to the stairs.Something wasn’t right.“What’s going on, Rena?”“Huh?”“What’s she doing up there?”“I had a bunch of shirts for her to try on.” She patted her belly.“Your cinnamon rolls are making me fat.Oh yeah, that scampi wanted vermicelli instead of—”The door opened.Dani came in with a stack of folded shirts balanced in one hand.Her cheeks were flushed.A pale ring surrounded her lips.“Are you sure I can have these? That’s really sweet of you.”“Hey, they don’t fit me anymore.”Nicky recognized the gray one on the bottom.It wouldn’t be too small for Rena if she gained forty pounds.“You’re giving her your Twin Shadow shirt?”“Yeah.I thought they were cool for a while, but I got sick of their stuff.”Nicky scraped the griddle as he eyed Dani.“And you, coincidentally, got sick of Nora Jones, and now you’re crazy for metal?”Dani laughed.“This is my new paint shirt.” She tilted her head to one side.“I minored in art in college.” Her smile wavered when he didn’t return it.She reached for her glass and took a long drink.The side of her right hand appeared bruised.He looked again.Dropping the spatula, he walked toward her.Not bruised.Paint.Mixed with grime.He’d seen the exact same color many times.On his own hand.She looked up at the clock.“I didn’t realize it was so late.” Faint smile lines curved around her mouth.“I’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”“So I hear.” Todd dumped room-temperature pizza into the box.“Here.Take this—in case you don’t find time for supper in your busy schedule.”Picking up his keys, he led the way to the back door.“I take it Nicky mentioned I’m having dinner with him tomorrow night.”“He did [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]