“Lynette! I thought you’d never get here, babydoll!” he cooed, pulling her in for a hug and running his hands down her body before pinching her ass.
Any other woman would have kneed him in the balls, but not Lynette. She squealed with delight instead.
Josie didn’t budge, her attention averted to her hands, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
Pete’s eyes fell on her as he released Lynette, a slow smile creeping to his lips. “And who is this stunner? You didn’t tell me you were bringing a guest! Another blonde, too!”
Lynette didn’t hide her sneer, always thirsty for every drop of the spotlight. “That’s Josie Roberts. Remember her?”
“No way! You look amazing, baby!” He rushed over to help Josie out of the truck.
She didn’t take the offer or even scoot his way. Her shoulders were rigid, and she looked petrified.
Pete either didn’t notice or didn’t care, coming to a stop at the open door and reaching in, fingers hovering inches from her arm.
“Thanks.” I leaned forward to smile his way. “She’s feeling sick, so I’m driving her home. You two have fun.”
I didn’t want to drive her anywhere, but I couldn’t leave her with him. It was one thing to leave a willing participant; it was another to leave someone who was clearly terrified.
Lynette’s lined eyes bugged out of her head, but Josie stayed still, knuckles white as she clutched her exposed knees. At least one of them had common sense and wouldn’t risk a burn to bask in the glow of money.
Pete frowned, stretching his arms wide, revealing both nipples. Nipples as beady as his creepy eyes. “No hug?”
“I’d back up if I were you,” I warned. “Stomach thing. Probably going to puke the whole way home. Puke or poop. Who knows?”
He heeded the warning, putting precious space between him and the truck. “We’ll catch up another time. I owe you dinner and drinks, beautiful.”
Lynette tapped her foot on the driveway, her hair tossed over her shoulder in a wave of extensions. “Pete, let’s party, baby.”
He extended an arm to shut the door, his beady nipples making another unwelcome appearance. As he did, he winked Josie’s way.
Once he stepped far enough back, I pulled a quick U-turn, sending Josie sprawling into the passenger seat.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Interesting how I was the first to apologize.
Twice.
Not that I was keeping track.
“You should wear a seatbelt.” The one for the middle seat was against my thigh, abandoned by her thanks to its location.
She ignored me, pulling herself upright and sliding over, practically hugging the door.
“I wanted to get out of there. You looked like you did, too.”
I didn’t know why I helped the witch, but even the worst people needed saving sometimes.
“Thank you.” It came out so low I’d barely heard her.
“I wouldn’t leave anyone at Pervy Pete’s against their will. Even you.”
She cringed but didn’t bite back. The old Josie would have had my balls nailed to the dash. Odd.
“Where are you staying?” I asked, stopping at the end of the driveway. “I’ll drop you off.”
Drop you off, and call up anyone game for a rage fuck.
She unclipped her seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “It’s okay. I’ll call Olivia to pick me up.”
“No, I’ll drive you home.” I touched her arm, a gesture I’d done a thousand times — only this time she screamed.
I flew back against my door. “Jesus Christ!”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to reason with the frightened animal across the truck. The wolverine I’d known was replaced with a rabbit.
“I can’t leave you out here in good conscience. I’ll drop you off, and I’ll never see you again if I’m lucky.” I gestured at the surrounding forest just outside a predator’s house that would put any bear to shame.
She stayed flush against the door, handbag clutched to her chest. “Anderson Inlet Lane.”
Seriously?
She was staying on my goddamn street?
“House number?” I asked, clenching my jaw.
She smoothed her dress, hiding a bit of exposed thigh before snapping her hands back to her chest. “Eleven.”
No.
Fucking.
Way.
She was the woman I saw at Mrs. Sutton’s with the suitcase and the kid.
Who the hell was the kid?
What the hell were they doing there?
I kept quiet and made the turn toward the cove, leaving Casa de Creep in the hills. We drove in silence, the tension so thick you’d have to chop it with a goddamn ax.
I sped up, flicking on the high beams as we headed into the thick forest, wanting to get the ride over with. The vengeful side of me wished I would have left her there, but I knew I could never have gone through with it.
We rounded the final stretch before the turn onto Anderson Inlet Lane when I saw a flash to my left. I slammed on the brakes, causing a scream that rivaled the one unleashed earlier. Her body folded like a futon as my arm and her seatbelt kept her from whacking into the dashboard.
A female moose bounded across the road followed by a new calf, the wobbly-legged baby only a few days old at most. The doe would have likely killed us if I’d hit her, a lifted truck still nothing compared to the nearly thousand-pound mammal.
Nervous tremors ran through me, the two of us breathing heavy and staring straight ahead without saying a word.
Rookie mistake.
I should’ve known better. May and June brought moose down into the valley to birth, seeking the easier terrain and berry patches.
In the meantime, the deer duo wandered into the woods without a care in the world, oblivious that one of them was seconds away from becoming venison tartare.
“Are you okay?” I asked, pulling my arm back and glancing her way.
She nodded, sitting up, her locks mussed by the sudden stop. She smoothed the strands with a free hand, the limb trembling.
“Welcome to Maine,” I muttered, continuing along the last few hundred yards slowly before turning onto our street.
The drive to the cottage stayed quiet despite the hundreds of questions buzzing through my mind, more ticking by with
