“You know, Viktor. There’s one thing that isgoing to ruin all your plans for me.”
“Yes, and what is that?” he said, seductionthick in his voice.
“My parents.”
His head jerked to me. “Your parents?There’s always a way around parents.”
“I’m surprised you’re saying that aftermeeting my dad the other night.”
“We can handle them.”
“Fifty bucks says they’re waiting for me onthe stoop.”
“It’s one in the morning. They—”
“They have a strict curfew on school nights.Eleven o’clock. I haven’t been answering their trillion texts.They’ll be on the porch.”
“I can handle them.”
“Well, you’d really better get me home. I’mgoing to be grounded for a year.”
He grabbed my hand, looking agitated. “Isaid I would handle them. Trust me.” He squeezed my hand a bit toohard.
“You don’t know my parents,” I insisted. Apart of me wanted him to be afraid or at least respect my parents.I hoped it would help him keep boundaries with me.
“Parents love me. I’ve never met parents Icouldn’t conquer.” He spoke with a sharp tone that smacked ofimpatience.
Looking at his green eyes, exuding charm, Ihad no doubt it was true. “Whatever you say.” I rolled my eyes andchuckled. “I’m just thinking this was the shortest relationshipI’ve ever been in.”
Chapter 20
We pulled up in front of the brownstone, andhe double parked. I couldn’t see Ace anywhere. I would have to killhim for sleeping and making it possible for Viktor to attack me yetagain.
He must’ve noticed the absence of myparents, too, because he said, “And did I mention that I am theluckiest dude ever? Fifty bucks richer!” He jumped out and openedmy door, then led me up to the brownstone entrance. At least,that’s where he thought he was leading me. Out of the dark shadows,Ace jumped in front us before we could touch the first step. Hisstriped oxford was undone at the neck and untucked from his grayslacks, and his tie, still tied around his neck, was a bitloosened. He looked for all the world like a distraught fatherwho’d been waiting on his daughter for hours. He lunged towardViktor, looking punch-drunk from exhaustion, the rifle still in hishand.
“Well, hello. Nice of you to bring mydaughter home so… so…early.”
He bumped into Viktor, where I’m sure hetagged his phone, and then moved between me and Viktor. I hoped hegot a bug and a tracker and not just a tracker.
“Where have you been?” He shot Viktor a lookthat could kill and then focused back on me. “You get in that houseright now. You better have a very good reason for your lapse injudgment, young lady.”
I started up the stairs, impressed and a bitin shock over Ace’s acting abilities, but Viktor didn’t let go ofmy hand. I pulled, hoping he’d let go.
“Mr. Smith, please. I’m so sorry. Don’tpunish Amber for something that was my fault. You see, we wereworking on our English presentation on early twentieth century lifeand fiction. I convinced her that in order to immerse ourselves inthat time frame, we couldn’t have our cell phones anywhere near us.We lost track of time—,” he looked down in mock humility. “We wereresearching the manners and customs, and I just knew we’d neverfully understand if we didn’t experience it.”
He opened his eyes wide, like he wanted meto expand on what he’d said. He was good. “It was really amazing,Dad,” I said. “I learned so much. He had his parents convert partof their restaurant to immerse our study group in the time period.Viktor rented period-appropriate clothes and everything. I just gotso swept up in it all—you know, in everything I was learning. I’mso sorry, I had no idea how much time had passed by the time wefinished. Then it was so late, I figured you two had gone to bed,and I didn’t want to bother you.”
He tipped his head to the side like hedidn’t buy it.
“Okay, you got me. I figured you wouldn’t beas mad if you slept on it first. I knew you would be livid, butthere was a good reason.”
Viktor broke in. “Would you like to talk tomy parents? They wanted to call you, but I told them to wait untiltomorrow so they wouldn’t wake you. I’m sure they’re still up.” Hepulled out his phone and pushed a button.
“No,” Ace said after looking at me raisingmy eyebrows. “No reason any of us should be up any later than wealready have been. Just have them call us tomorrow.”
Ace pulled the rifle up and aimed it atViktor. “And I hope for your sake that they corroborate yourstory.”
“Dad,” I said, “Do you think you could stoppointing that at him? And where is Mom?”
He quirked up one side of his mouth andlowered the gun. “She wore herself out crying. Fell asleep a goodthirty minutes ago. We’ll need to be careful not to disturb herwhen we go inside.”
“Thanks, Dad. Thanks for worrying about me.Honestly, it would have made me feel pretty bad if I had found youin bed when I got here. I love that you care enough about me towait up.” I hugged Ace and then skipped up a couple of steps.“You’re the best dad a girl could ever have.” I winked at him whenViktor couldn’t see.
“And you didn’t tell us anything about thissocial experiment. Had we known where exactly you were, thingscould have been very different.”
“I promise to give you all the informationyou want from now on. And I didn’t know until I got there what thestudy session entailed this time. We won’t make that mistakeagain.”
“You better not,” Ace said, his toneserious.
“You have my word, Mr. Smith. We will keepyou informed.”
“I want to be able to trust you,” he said tome.
“I know, Dad. I’m sorry for worrying you.Let’s go in. Believe it or not, I’d really like to climb into bed.Tomorrow morning will come way too quickly.”
“Good idea,” Ace said. “Thank you forbringing her home. That shows some good judgment, at least.Some.”
We headed in, and Viktor went to his car.
