“Is that mine?” I shrieked. “Oh, pleasedon’t be broken. Please. My parents will absolutely kill me, andI’ll be phoneless.” I snatched it from him and winced noticeably.“It is!” I got to my knees and searched for the battery and back.Everyone started looking around, and two other kids brought us theparts. I quickly put mine back together and then sat on the stepsto try it out. Jericho was doing the same thing, but Viktor tookthe opportunity to sit between us. Territorial swine. I turned mybody away from him. Jericho’s date asked him a question, and theystarted talking.
Jericho’s phone rang as I put my phone up tomy ear. He laughed when he saw it was me. Ace had programmed allthe kids’ numbers into my phone.
“What are you doing, hot stuff?”
I played along. “Nothing. Just at a lameparty at this really lame guy’s house.”
“Well, I’m going to the movies tonight. Whynot ditch the party and come to me?”
“Really?”
“Yep. I’ll be waiting.”
He then stood up and walked back inside withhis date in tow. Viktor stood and held out his hand to help me up.I took it, and we walked back inside.
I’d dodged a big one, and all I wanted to dowas get back to the brownstone as fast as I could. It wasn’t to be.I needed to shake Viktor so I could spend some time with Jerichoand give his phone a second try. That meant we couldn’t go to themovie. We’d have to go for the dancing. And being with Viktor inthe theater was a bad move all around. No. I’d dance with Viktor,take a chance to get away from him and then get the bug intoJericho’s phone. A bad feeling settled in my gut, and I thoughtbetter of the plan. While it would have given me a secondopportunity to get the bug into Jericho’s phone, I figured if hewere to find a bug in his phone after tonight, he’d have to suspectme. I couldn’t risk it. No. I would not be getting close to Jerichotoday. Dancing it was. Safety in numbers—and no couches orrecliners.
We moved toward the room. Viktor followedbehind and placed his hands on my hips. I lurched forward. It wasan involuntary motion like my body was rejecting his very touch,and I smashed right into a guy in front of us.
“Sorry,” I said. “I tripped.”
He laughed and stumbled to the side. “You’vebeen doing that a lot tonight.” Viktor had consumed a ton ofalcohol, but he seemed to still be able to control himself. I tookthat to mean he drank often. Most of the songs were fast ones,making it harder for Viktor to misbehave. I had to be on my guardfor every slow dance. For most of them, I conveniently needed adrink, the bathroom, or some fresh air.
Viktor had run out of his own liquor and wastaking it off everyone else. He would try to get me to drink too.“You’re no fun, Amber. Come on.” The longer the night wore on, themore frustrated he got with me.
I would say two words, “designated driver,”each and every time. I kept one eye on Jericho. He would disappearand reappear. Sometimes with his date and sometimes without. Iwondered what he was doing.
Everyone thanked Jericho as we left thehouse. He gave me a truly inappropriate hug that made me blush.When Viktor’s car pulled up, the valet turned to me and said, “Yourlaptop is in the trunk.”
“Thanks.”
He opened the driver’s side door, and Iclimbed in. I hoped they didn’t allow anyone to drive homesmashed.
“That was pretty cool that Wind gave youthat laptop. He was basically saying you’re the queen of speed.”Viktor gave me a creepy smile. “One day I’ll test that speed.” Ishook my head and closed the driver’s side door.
There was a lot of chatter in the car forabout fifteen minutes, and then it got quieter and quieter untileveryone fell asleep. Out of nowhere, Viktor reached over and tookone of my hands from the steering wheel, holding it in his. Helooked behind him and then looked at me. Carson and his date werein the far back, and Mikado and his date along with the boy withplatinum hair and his date were directly behind us.
“Uhh,” I murmured, and tried to pull my handaway from his. “I’m driving.” He squeezed tighter and talkedlow.
He slid over to me, way too close. “I wantto tell you about something I think you’ll love.” He looked behindhim again. “Looks like we’ve lost everyone.”
I peered behind us in the rearview mirror tosee everyone leaning on their dates, mouths open in unflatteringways. I pushed air out of my nose and tried to pull away, but I wasalready pushed up against the door. He held tighter still.
“Seriously. You’ll like what I have to say.”He relaxed his hold on my hand, but not enough that I could easilypull it away. “I know a fairly easy way for you to make some money,and you won’t have to play any games.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t think so,” Isaid, totally misinterpreting what he was saying and not knowingit. I yanked my hand out of his.
He laughed. “You’ll be perfect for this.Seriously. Hear me out. It has nothing to do with selling yourbody.” He laughed again. “Man, you’re so suspicious. I know someonewho gives great jobs to teens who need them. You’ll make awesomemoney, and it’s fun.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t tell you here.” He peeked behindhim and then back to me before looking at the road again. “It’s noteasy, but it’s lucrative. After watching how fast you are, I thinkyou’ll love it. Meet me for an early dinner tomorrow, and I’ll tellyou about it.”
“Dinner, huh?” What was he talking about?What kind of business was he running on the side? And what did myspeed have to do with it?
He smiled. “All your money troubles willdisappear.”
After that, he slept too. I thought back onmy first day at Bell, watching the kids in the auto outbuildingwith S-Dub. I looked over at
