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“We have three weeks to work the case properly. The trial is on Friday, October 20. We’re supposed to go there and compare the jury’s decision with the report we’ve written.”
I nod awkwardly and can’t help but interrupt him. “Where’s the trial?”
I linger for a second on his sore lip, remembering my still sore nipple, and then turn away while waiting for his answer. But first I have time to notice his expression. He’s thinking about the same thing I am.
“Brighton isn’t very far from here. So we can leave early, attend the trial, and come back the same day. Since it’s a Friday, we’ll have the whole weekend to work on our analysis and hand it into Mrs. Richards on Monday. She wants us to critique the jury’s decision once it is given to us. What would we have done in their place? Anyway, you know what I mean. For two weeks, we have to immerse ourselves in the case to understand every element of the behavior of the man behind the suspect. She doesn’t just want a legal analysis.”
I nod again, silent now. Brighton. I know this city, by name at least. I’m looking forward to going there and back in a day. At least we won’t be stuck together too long. Honestly, I don’t think that would have been a good thing.
This trial better be wrapped up before the vacations at the end of October, before my little sister comes here. I don’t want to upset her by being in a bad mood by constantly comparing our fucking past with this case. I don’t want Agnes to go back to it against her will. I don’t.
I put my computer away, my mind preoccupied.
“All right,” I conclude. “I’ll read the file as soon as I have some free time.”
My tone clearly dismisses him. Yet, once again, Tucker doesn’t move. His eyes scan me, and I feel like he’s reading me like an open book. For a second, I’m afraid he’ll notice my confusion, that he’ll understand that this case affects me personally.
My sense of foreboding grows stronger as he approaches and places both hands flat on the furniture between us, the last barrier between our two bodies.
“Are you okay?” Tucker asks me gravely.
Why does he want to know that? I thought he just wanted my body. I try to look irritated. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be okay?”
My attempt seems to be a pitiful failure. He understands that I am lying, so he resumes, “I don’t know…just…you didn’t look right when you found out about the case.”
Oh no, I was pretty damn bad, but I’ll get over it. I have to. I can’t let the horror of my past dictate my future. For me, for my little sister. I smile softly, mockingly.
“So when you saw I was in trouble, you tried to save me by sticking your tongue deep into my mouth? Well done, you just saved a life.”
Once again, my line of humor doesn’t reach him. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if this case is bothering you, we can—”
“I’m fine,” I cut him off firmly, raising my hands in front of me. “I’m just tired. I’ll study it later with a clear head.”
My harsh words allow no argument. He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. I don’t like his scrutinizing look. It’s far too frank, analyzing me far too much for me to be comfortable. I’m a psych major. Normally it’s my job to analyze people. I can see him coming miles away, him and his fucking eyes.
I don’t want it to be like this. I lift my chin cheekily and walk towards the front door, silently inviting him to follow me.
I open it wide and put on a polite expression. “I’ll text you once I’ve put together a summary of the facts on my end. We’ll just have to combine our summaries afterwards.” After all, I have his number since he texted me.
He walks up to me, stopping a few inches away. “We’ll have to meet anyway, yes,” he says enigmatically.
I raise an eyebrow, inviting him to continue. The expression on his face changes, his eyes are nothing but molten lava. He comes a little closer to me.
“Well, have you forgotten that you won the second game?”
How could I forget, seriously, when the leader of the Pack is coming to hunt me down at home?
“And what are the consequences of my victory? Did I win a star? Oh, maybe a sticker?”
At last, a little scoundrel smile appears on his face. “You’ve earned the right to continue the competition.”
“A new race in the forest? Another orgy? What if I don’t want to? I asked you to leave me alone.”
“No… and no,” he says, his voice getting stronger. “And about your desire…come on, redhead, I know you’re dying to win again. In fact, we’re going to test you a bit to see if you’re worthy of joining our—what did you call it again?—our psychopathic fraternity.”
“In other words, you want to see if I’m a chicken?”
He nods in agreement. “We’re not interested in weak people. We want you to have guts.”
