Wolves at the Door (29 page)

Not only were the curtains open, but his window was all the way up. Perfect.

God, what was I doing? Spying felt dishonest. But my being there had zero to do with doubting Zack. Gina was the one I didn’t trust. And if she confessed to any part of framing me, I wanted to hear for myself.

A few minutes later, I heard a car pull up, then a car door open and close from just beyond the house. Moments later, a knock sounded on the front door and Cara answered it.

“Hello, Gina.” I could almost hear the frost in Cara’s voice. I wanted to hug her.

“Hi.” Gina actually sounded genuine, which was shocking. “Is Zack here?”

I heard Patrick and Brian bickering, but tuned them out just in time for footsteps on the wood floors, then Zack’s voice. “Hey Gina. Let’s go to my room. Everything’s already set up.”

Careful to make sure I was concealed by the bushes, I stepped back until my shoulders touched the fence and
I stretched taller to get a peek at Gina. Great. I was a Peeping Tom.

But I reminded myself that if she hadn’t set me up, I wouldn’t be there at all.

My mouth dropped open when I got a good look at Gina’s clothes. She wore a barely-there tank top and tight, low-slung jeans. Her face was all made up and her platinum-streaked hair immaculate. Yep, she was totally ready to hook up with Zack.
My
Zack.

Clenching my jaw, I resisted the urge to climb through his window and tell her to get the hell out.

Zack appeared to be all business, though, and she seemed to go along with it. I hated that I was grateful they were keeping it to business, but at the same time, I needed Zack to get friendly so she’d let her guard down.

As the minutes passed, Gina moved closer to him. I understood why Zack didn’t inch away, but their proximity grated on my nerves anyway. I couldn’t wait until tonight was over. I knew I should go home, but couldn’t make myself just yet. Besides,
no matter what I busied myself with at home, I’d worry and wonder what Zack and Gina were doing.

Yep, I should add stalker to my resume, too.

I lowered to the ground and leaned against the fence. Rolling my shoulders to relieve the tension, I listened to them as I gazed up at the stars.

It was eight thirty when I checked the time on my cell. By then, I lay on the grass with my hands behind my head.

“So what’s the deal with you and Autumn?” Gina asked. “She had some nasty things to say about you.”

I bolted upright.

Zack grunted. “Doesn’t surprise me. She’s not who I thought she was.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Did you see her slap me yesterday?” Zack sounded genuinely pissed off about it and I wondered if it had bothered him more than he’d let on.

“Yeah,” Gina replied, sympathy in her voice. “That’s so messed up. What was that all about?”

“I still have no idea. Guys aren’t mind readers, but apparently I’m supposed to be the exception to that.” Zack scoffed. “Whatever.”

“In a lot of ways we’re alike, Zack. I took Autumn on as a friend since she was new at school and I’ve been putting up with her attitude since that first day. You have no idea what a chore that’s been.”

“You hung out with her today at lunch,” he pointed out, making me want to cheer at his logic.

“I did it for the same reason we were friends. I’m a nice person and
I felt sorry for her. She lost Daniel and me, then you.”

“I don’t feel sorry for her. She’s the one who alienated us, right? Sorry I gave you such a hard time a couple weeks ago. If I’d known the real Autumn back then, I wouldn’t have believed everything she said.”

“No apologies necessary. How could you know? She had me fooled for months.”

Gina was lucky I wasn’t actually the horrible person she created in her head. Because if I was, with my supernatural abilities, I’d crush her into a red paste. For a moment, I let my mind wander and imagined her no longer around to bother me. Just sticky pulp under my feet.

But it was only a fantasy and I’d never do anything to bring it to reality.

Wait. Why were they so quiet? I made sure the bushes still concealed me and peered into his room.

They were sitting at the foot of his bed, her torso twisting around to face him, arms circling his neck. His arms were wrapped all the way around her, a hand reaching up behind her to cradle her head. Their lips moved against each other and my stomach churned, my throat swelling in rage.

I’d told him to flirt, not do this. How could he kiss that bitch? I wanted to scream silently into his head, but then he’d know I was spying.

Zack stood up, distancing himself and I exhaled in relief even as my eyes burned.

“Something wrong?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

“We don’t have much privacy.”

She made a show of looking around the room. “Nobody’s here, Zack. Just you and me.”

“The walls are paper thin, as Autumn and I discovered when she’d spend the night. Trevor can hear everything. And I mean
everything
.”

Gina smiled sweetly and whispered, “I can be very quiet.” She didn’t wait for a reply, standing up and fastening her lips to his.

He gently nudged her away. “I’m not looking for a relationship, Gina. I’ve had my fill of that crap.”

“Neither am I, so there’s nothing to stop us from taking what we want.”

“There’s always a price to pay for a hookup.” Zack laughed softly. “I’ve had that itch scratched recently anyway.”

Her brows rose. “With Autumn?”

“Who else?”

Did he just tell her we’d slept together? It didn’t matter, since everyone thought we’d already done that anyway. But still…

“C’mon.” She slithered against him. “You’ve been broken up a few days. You’re young and healthy. And I know you think I’m pretty.”

“You realize that Trevor is probably listening to everything you just said?”

“Then let’s take a drive,” Gina whispered into his ear. “Go somewhere where we can be alone.”

His hands rested noncommittally at her waist.

“Oh, I get it.” She drew back. “You’re not playing hard to get. You still like her.”

Zack growled, picking Gina up and tossing her on the bed. “I was just trying to be a gentleman. But you make it impossible.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of them, my nails cutting into my palms as I clenched my fists. The whole thing was like a car wreck, the kind where the car is on fire and you know someone is inside. You should look away so the image isn’t seared into your brain. But you can’t.

He continued to kiss her, slowly pushing her back until he was on top of her. Gina wrestled his shirt off and ran her hands up his bare back. I pressed my fist against my chest to stop the pain deep inside me. I wiped at my eyes, trying to plug the leak, but it wouldn’t stop. Was it really necessary to be almost naked with his tongue down her throat in order to convince Gina properly?

I didn’t think so.

Zack eased off her, propping himself up on his elbow and drawing little circles on her skin. His shoulders began to shake.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Did you hear Autumn got caught cheating?”

“Yeah.” She grinned. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”

“That’s what I thought,” Zack said. “It’s strange though. She used to do my homework when I was at work and I always got A’s. She doesn’t need to cheat.”

“Some rich people don’t need to steal, but they do it anyway.”

“True.” Zack looked pensive as he sat up and scooted away a few inches. “It’s out of character though. You think Natalie set her up? She’s in that class with Autumn. I’d love to know how Natalie managed it. Pretty impressive.”

Gina smiled. “Why don’t you ask Natalie? I wasn’t there.” She sat up again and tried to resume the tongue bath.

He held her by the shoulders, halting her. “My family’s going to think I’m a player.”

“You’re a guy. What else would they expect?”

He gave a quick laugh. “They like Autumn a lot.”

She groaned. “It’s your life, not theirs.”

“But I have to live with them. And, strange as it may seem, I want them to think well of me.”

“That’s why we should go.” She gave him a sultry smile.

“They’ll still know. Besides, I need to spend some time with my mom.”

“What are you saying?”

“You should go.” He yanked her against him. “I’ll see you Monday at school. Maybe we can do something together after.”

“Sure.” She angled her face toward him until their lips were a breath away.

Zack gave a quick laugh and slammed his mouth down on hers.

I muffled a sob. It may have been an act, but Zack was way too convincing.

Finally, after what seemed like years of groping, they came up for air. Zack put his shirt back on and they left the room. I sat on the grass, staring unseeing into his dark empty room.

If he really didn’t want to make out with her, he would’ve found a way out of it. I could only assume that kissing and touching her wasn’t exactly a hardship. Maybe he was comfortable visiting familiar territory or something. Maybe he was a cheater like Daniel.

Or perhaps he’d just grown tired of me and all the stress of the last few days. Who could blame him?

Using the bottom of my shirt, I wiped the tears off my cheek. Where was Zack? Why hadn’t he come back into his room? Had he gone off with Gina for a drive after all?

My throat constricted and tears pricked my eyes again.

Autumn? Where are you?

Crap. I couldn’t tell him I was at his house stalking him.
Go away, Zack.

What? Why? Are you okay?

Just fine. But I don’t want to see you tonight
.

I rose, waiting for him to reply, to fight for us, but only silence met me.

Autumn?

What?

Were you at my house tonight? Maybe watching through the window?
he asked.

Of course not.

Are you still there?

Where?
My eyes darted around the yard to make sure no one was around. I booked it home.

Are you at my house? Because I’m at yours.

It took only seconds to travel the block through the back yards. He turned around, sensing my presence, just as I arrived at my back door.

“Let’s talk inside,” Zack said.

“It was your idea not to come inside. I think we should stick to that.” I refused to look at him as I dug in my jeans for my house key.

“We’ll have to make an exception. Don’t you think we need to talk about this? Not like we can really do it out here.”

“I don’t want you in my house.” I folded my arms over my chest, glaring at him. I didn’t want to imagine what I looked like after crying. Hopefully, the moonlight would look on me favorably, and Zack wouldn’t notice.

He sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. And last time we arm wrestled, you didn’t beat me. So have fun trying to get rid of me.”

“Fine. Come in. We’ll talk, then you’ll leave,” I said, an edge to my voice. I pushed through the back door. As soon as the door closed behind him, I rounded on him. “Say what you have to say and get out.”

“You’re being unreasonable, Autumn. You saw for yourself how relentless she was and suspicious of every excuse I gave her. How was I going to lure her to my side if I rejected her?”

“We would’ve found another way.” I wrapped my arms around my waist, averting his eyes. “You don’t kiss other girls when you have a girlfriend. That’s called cheating.”

“I didn’t want to kiss her. But she kissed me. And I know how important it is for you to be vindicated with Mr. Collins. You didn’t expect something like this was going to happen? Autumn, you
know
Gina.”

“Oh, please. Don’t blame all of it on her.” I gave a watery laugh as I glared at him accusingly. “
You
threw her on the bed.”

“Autumn,” he growled. “I had no choice. You told me to do this, remember?”

“I didn’t say by any means possible! I mean, when Cameron kissed me, he didn’t get another chance. I made sure of it. Because that’s what you do when you’re already with someone.”

“Wait a minute.” He shook his head as if he’d misheard me. “Cameron kissed you?”

Oh, hell, did I just say that out loud? “Yeah, but he ambushed me.”

“Today?” Zack stalked toward me, his eyes dark.

I nodded. “When he walked me to my car.”

“At school?” His eyes had turned to slits.

“No. At Bill’s Bean and Brew.” I took a step back.

“You went
out
with him?” His teeth ground against each other.

“In a
group
. There were other people there.” I gulped. “It was a friend thing and I needed a distraction so I wouldn’t think about you and Gina. I didn’t expect him to kiss me.”