Pucker Up (A Damsels of Distress Novel) (22 page)

could visit the restroom to clean up.

That fight was too close, she

could’ve been caught. Or worse, Thane

could’ve been killed. What was she

thinking,

leaving

the

safety

of

Salmagundi? Her gaze shifted to each

point of entry and the few other people

waiting in the lobby. Her leg nervously

bounced as she kept an eye out for any

danger lurking in the shadows. Maybe

they should go back.

Back to what? A town that’s

losing its protections a little every

day? No, stick with the plan.

“Hey,” Garren whispered into

her ear as he took the empty chair beside

her.

She flinched at his sudden

appearance, berating herself for letting

him surprise her like that.

“We only had enough money to

get to Redding, California. The bus

leaves in half an hour.” He handed her a

ticket and pocketed the other two.

“Then what?” she groaned. “That

still leaves us at least another 150 or so

miles until we get to Sacramento.”

“At least we're getting closer.”

Garren fidgeted in his seat before resting

his ankle over his knee.

“Seriously? We'll still be stuck

and broke. I don't see how our situation

has improved.”

“I was trying to think of someone

we might be able to ask for help.” His

eyes shifted to her and back to the floor

a few times. “Have
you
told anyone

what we're doing?”

Her eyes narrowed at his profile,

since he wouldn't look directly at her.

“No.” She didn't like where she feared

this was going.

“Well, your friend Athena seems

pretty cool, maybe—”

“Are

you

insane?”

she

interrupted. “Athena doesn't do favors

for anyone, especially me. It will cost

us, and cost us big.”

“She likes
me
.” He finally met

her gaze, eyebrow arched, and a crooked

smile on his face. She kind of felt bad

that he couldn't see through her

housemate's games.

She patted his hand that lay on

the armrest between them. “You poor,

pathetic, deluded fool. She doesn't like

you
, she likes what you can do for her.”

He snatched his hand away and

frowned. “Who else do we know that

might help us out?”

He had a point. Her stomach

clenched at the thought of asking for

Athena's assistance. She wouldn't make

it easy for them.

“I'll talk to her if you want,” he

offered.

“Absolutely not. She'd have you,

me, and the lives of our children

indebted to her for life.”

“
Our
children?” he asked with

an amused smile on his face.

Heat rushed to her cheeks at the

poor word choice. “I didn't mean... not

our
children, but you know,
your

children,” she emphasized by circling

her hands in front of him. “And
my

children.” She pointed to herself.

“Sure, Ivy. You keep telling

yourself that.” That stupid smile stayed

plastered on his face, his eyes locked

with hers.

All moisture vanished from her

mouth under his stare, keeping her

usually witty reply forever mute. How

did he do this to her? She had to turn

away from the triumphant twinkle in his

eyes before she really embarrassed

herself.

“Fine, I'll call her. But we can't

tell her what we're doing. If she finds out

about the reward, she'll find a way to get

it all for herself.” She found a pay phone

and gave it the last of her change. Dread

washed over her as the phone rang.

Please don't let Mr. McGregor

pick up
.

“Hello,”

a

female

voice

answered.

“Athena, this is Ivy. I need your

help.”

“Oh, you do, do you? Where are

you?”

“In Oregon, I think. I need

money.”

“How much?”

Good question.
“About five

hundred dollars should get us through.”

“No, I meant how much are you

willing to give me for helping you?” Of

course, she couldn't do anything out of

the goodness of her heart, given she

didn't have one.

She gritted her teeth. “How much

do you want?”

“First tell me what you're doing

in Oregon.”

“We're on our way to California

to visit an old friend of mine, and we ran

into some trouble. Can you wire me

some money? We'll be in Redding

tomorrow night.”

“An old friend, huh? Why don't

you call her for the money?”

“He doesn't know we're coming.

It'll ruin the surprise.” It sounded lame

as she said it, but she couldn't take it

back now.

“
Him
, huh? Taking your new

boyfriends to see your old one? Kinky.”

She banged her head against the

wall a couple times. “He's not my old

boyfriend. Are you willing to help me or

not? I'll owe you when I get back.”

There was a moment of silence

on the other end of the line before

Athena spoke again. “Sure, I'll help you.

Redding, right?”

That was too easy. Athena was

up to something, but what? “Yes.

Thanks, Athena.”

“You can thank me later.”

The dial tone sounded through

the receiver.

She strolled back to the guys

trying to figure out what the older girl

was up to.

“Well, is she going to help?”

Garren asked as soon as she sat down.

“Yeah.” She pushed the worry

down, figuring she'd face it when she got

back home.

*****

Garren and Ivy helped Thane to a seat

since his leg was still too sore to walk

by himself. The trip took eighteen hours

and four stops to get to the California

town. She wasn't sure if other

Eradicators were searching for her, so

she kept her head covered in her

sweatshirt hood while they found the

MoneyGram store in Redding.

She drummed her fingers on the

counter as they waited for the store clerk

to help them. Her patience was wearing

thin. All she wanted right then was to

take a hot shower and sleep for ten hours

in a nice hotel room bed. But she needed

Athena's money first.

Thane tapped her shoulder and

pointed across the store. Not another

Eradicator? No, what she spotted was

far worse.

Athena stood there, looking like

she walked right off the runway.

“Surprise.”

Chapter 12

“Are you freakin' kidding me?”

Ivy said to no one in particular as she

stared at her nosy, interfering housemate

standing in the middle of the store.

Couldn’t anything go her way? It wasn’t

fair that Athena had managed to travel to

California and still look immaculate,

where she and the guys resembled

homeless bums.

Athena

stood

before

them

wearing her patented don't-you-just-

love-me smile that Ivy never bought in

to. But by the big, goofy grins on the

guys’ faces, they did. Athena sauntered

over to Ivy and raised her arms as if to

hug her but stopped short. She wrinkled

her nose and stepped back, struggling to

keep her fake smile in place.

Good. Maybe if we smell bad

enough she’ll go home
.

“Ivy, aren't you glad to see me?”

Her voice was falsely sweet. “After

all,” she said as she leaned in to whisper

in Ivy’s ear. “
You
asked
me
for help.”

A decision she already regretted.

Athena automatically became the center

of attention wherever she went. And

though she was reluctant to admit it, Ivy

enjoyed being the only girl on the trip.

Now she’d be overshadowed by

Athena’s overwhelming personality.

She was ready to tell Athena to

take a hike but stopped. “Where’s

Danny?” The only reason she left him

behind was because Athena was there to

watch over him. How much trouble

would he get into without either of them

to run interference?

“Don’t worry, he’s fine,” she

said with a dismissive wave. “Mr.

McGregor went out of town on some

pack business so I sent Danny to his

friend’s house for a few days. The next

full moon isn’t for a few weeks.

Besides, I just had to meet your
friend
.”

Athena quirked her eyebrow as she said

it.

Ivy’s stomach dropped.

Athena may play the dumb

blonde, but she was as sharp as your

average, everyday rocket scientist. She

stood there and examined Ivy from head

to toe, then did the same to both guys.

“Taking fashion tips from transients,

now? I’m sorry, but hobo chic doesn’t

look good on you.”

She turned around and walked

out of the store, not even checking to see

if the others were following. Which they

were, because what else were they

supposed to do.

Sitting amongst a parking lot of

beat up pick-ups and SUVs was a red

Mini Cooper convertible.
That has to be

Athena’s. Awesome
. Not exactly a

roomy car; the back seat was so

cramped, little kids probably kissed

their knees sitting in it.

So much for staying under the

radar.
Ivy frowned at the conspicuous

vehicle.

“Well, don't just stand there, put

your bags in the back,” Athena said as

the trunk lid popped open. Ivy tossed her

pack in with the others and strolled to

the open driver's door next to Athena.

“So, a convertible, huh?” she

asked.

“What else? We're in California.

What did you think I'd rent, a minivan?”

Athena pulled the front seat forward and

motioned Ivy in with a wave of her

perfectly manicured hand.

Garren and Thane raced to the

passenger side door to claim the prized

front seat.

“I get shot gun, remember? Car

sick,” Garren said.

“Well, I need the leg room.

Stabbed,” Thane retorted, pointing to his

still sore knife wound.

“Come on, Thane. Do your

stepbrother a favor and sit with Ivy. I got

stuck with her in the truck.” Garren tried

to speak in a hushed voice, but it was

still loud enough for her to hear him.

Ow.

Flashbacks of lying next to him

in the truck as he rubbed comforting

circles on the small of her back swam in

her head. They were quickly drowned by

the memory of the prank he pulled on her

when he pretended to want to kiss her.

Bastard
.

“But, I can't sit back there,”

Thane said.

“Sure you can. She's not that

bad.”

“But—”

“I can hear you, you know,” she

shouted, tired of the Ivy-bashing. Was

she the new Typhoid Mary?

Athena buckled herself into the

driver's seat and sighed. “Gimpy up

front, Pretty Boy in the back.”

Garren

mumbled

something

under his breath, but got in anyway.

Thane had to slide the seat back to

accommodate his long legs, causing

Garren to scrunch up tight.

Ivy chuckled at the annoyed

expression on his face.
Serves him right.

“It's not funny.”

“Sure, it is.”

Something hit the trunk with a

loud thump, but when she glanced back,

nothing was there.

“What was that?” Athena asked,

peeking in her rearview mirror. Slowly,

a small, green dragon shimmered into

view. It tucked its wings in and sat,

staring at Ivy.

“It's just Sparky. He's a baby

dragon that seems to have adopted us.”

“It better not scratch the paint. I

didn’t get the insurance.”

Garren grumbled. “You named

it?”

“Yeah, why not?” she asked. “It

keeps showing up. Might as well call it

something.” To her surprise, the dragon

crawled down and curled up on her lap.

Garren had to duck to avoid being struck