Page 43 of The Doctor

“Not now.” No sooner had Zee spoken than Jet stepped back into the hall.

“Address is on the paper. I’ll notify the doorman so he’s aware we’ll have guests.”

“Thank you, Jet.”

“I’m assuming no one knows?”

Zee shook his head. “I’d like to keep it that way.” With Jet’s nod, Zee grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the door. “You’ll be the first to know when I can tell.”

“Of course. Take care of yourselves.”

Zee tugged me out the door, but I got a quick glance over my shoulder before it slammed shut behind me.

The look on Jet’s face made me think he knew more than he’d ever let on.

14

Zeno

While Clara’s driving wasn’t perfect, the fact that she didn’t complain when I told her to drive to the safe house had pride swelling in my chest. After touring the two-bedroom apartment to see what might be needed for Nadia and her son when they arrived from Italy, Clara had asked me if it was okay for her to drive again.

Every-fucking-thing inside me swelled as she pulled into a spot outside my brownstone and put the car in park. And when her pretty brown eyes met mine, I knew I was in trouble.

My throat worked to swallow down the flood of saliva that accumulated with the thought of this girl being back in my space. All those images I’d been trying to suppress from our morning together came racing back.

I couldn’t let her in my bed again. I couldn’t have her in my house.

So I did what I’d done every time I’d thought about her this way in the past: I pushed her away.

“Why don’t you run inside and get anything you need, then I’ll bring you home.”

Her face looked stricken. “What? Why?”

“I’ve got appointments, kid. I’ve got things I need to do.”

“So do them,” she said, reaching for my hand. “I’ll stay out of your hair.”

I yanked my hand from her grasp, and I hated myself for the hurt that simple action left on her beautiful face.

“What did I do?” Her words were but a whisper, and it felt like a pile driver slamming into my heart.

“Clara…” Her bottom lip trembled, and she tore her gaze away from me. “I need some space. I need to not have you here, just for a while. What happened this morning? It wasn’t okay. And it can’t happen again.”

She sniffled, then swiped her palm across her cheek. Without a word, she climbed from the car and made her way up the front walk. A long moment later, she was back, with nothing but her school bag and that little cloud pillow.

And a broken heart.

It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, driving her home and letting her off at the front door. Without looking at me, she opened the car door and put her feet on the cobblestones, bag slung over her shoulder and her pillow tucked under her arm.

She paused, tilting her head so I could see the side of her face. “I liked it.” She sniffed, then lifted her chin. Without another word, she got out and left.

It wasn’t until I was turning the locks to secure my front door later that night that I came to the realization that Clara had lied to me.

The fall semester had just started.

They wouldn’t have already had a test.

15