“You were busy.” I roll my eyes at myself and my short answers.
“I’m never too busy for you,” he says, and damn if my heart doesn’t melt a little bit at the way he says it.
“I know, but I just thought it was better to let you calm down and not bother you.”
“Bullshit, Kat. Now tell me where you are.”
Damn him. I’m going to have to tell him.
“We’re just––” I’m cut off from saying anything else as my phone is swiped from my hand. “Hey!” I say to Zoey as she puts the phone by her ear.
“Big bro, don’t worry, we won’t be gone long,” she says sweetly, and I can imagine Nate is about ready to blow a fuse. “We’ll call when we’re on the way back.”
“ZOEY, DON’T YOU DARE––”
“Oops,” she says as she cuts the call and pockets my phone.
“He’s going to be so pissed at you,” I tell her with a grin.
She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”
I can’t help but laugh as I hear my phone ringing again. And again. And again.
“We’ll be back there soon anyway, and then he’ll be able to shout at us,” I say, because he will probably do lots of shouting.
“Uh huh,” she says as she continues to drive, but when she misses the turning to take us back, I furrow my eyebrows.
“Where are we going?”
“To The Lodge.”
“Zoey, no,” I say. “Don’t be stupid, we can’t go there.”
“We can, and we are,” she replies adamantly.
“We got the information we needed, now let’s just get back and tell Nate what we know.”
“No.”
“No?” Jesus Christ, she’s gone all Thelma and Louise on my ass. “Zoey, we’re not prepared for anything like this.”
“Speak for yourself. I’ve got ammo and guns galore in the trunk, a few grenades and some knives. Oh, and there’s a knuckle duster if you’re feeling like you want to be hands-on.”
I’m momentarily stunned. This can’t be happening. We’re not doing this.
“Pull over,” I tell her, but she ignores me. “Pull the damn car over, Zoey,” I say, and she comes to an abrupt halt at the side of the road, almost launching me into the bloody windscreen.
I unbuckle and open the door, jumping out of the car and taking a few deep breaths.
Jesus Christ, she can’t be serious. I can’t do this. I’m a shitty option for a sidekick. I’ve only ever fought beside Nate, and even then, he covered my ass.
Oh dear lord, this is not how it was supposed to go.
“Kat, look at me,” Zoey says as I hear her voice behind me.
I turn around and pin her with my stare, and all I see is that steely determination that comes from being a Knowles.
“You can do this. I need you to do this with me.”
