Elements of Fire Book Three by Odette C. Bell

Author:Odette C. Bell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Odette C. Bell

5

I don’t make it that far out of the party until somebody side steps toward me and quickly grabs my elbow.

They have a soft, quick touch, and just before I can throw them off and haul them over my shoulder with the efficiency of a judo master, I hear Lisa by my ear, “Was that really necessary?”

I stop dead still.

The night has really settled in now. And if it weren’t for the lights on in every building around campus, it would be as dark as a bottomless pit.

So there’s nothing to stop me as I turn my head to the side and see Lisa’s disappointed look.

Her lips are pressed in, a frown is etched across her chin, and her eyes are hooded. “What the hell are you doing, Lydia? This is not like you.” Though she’s already got my attention, she continues to hold my elbow. That’s when I realize it’s more of a grounding motion, as if she’s trying to hold me still before I float away.

I blink back my surprise. Then I realize as much as I don’t want to brush Lisa off, I currently don’t have an option. So I take an easy step to the side, breaking her grip but not in such a strong way that she stumbles.

I press my top teeth into my bottom lip and shrug. “Look, I know that looked bad. But—”

“Bad?” Her voice drops down as her eyebrows shoot up. “I saw you steal something from his pocket. What was it, anyway?”

I pale. “I didn’t—”

She makes a grab for my pocket.

There’s no way I’ll let her take the object, so I shift swiftly to the side, bring a hand up, and grab her wrist.

It’s a gentle move, but it’s still a blocking one.

She’s looked disappointed in me before, but now she looks as if I’ve slapped her in the face. “Lydia, what are you doing?”

I take several swift, jerked steps back. I bring my hands up and spread my fingers wide. “Look. There’s an innocent explanation for this. But you can’t tell Jerome—” I begin.

“How about the police?” She crosses her arms. “What’s gotten into you lately? I get it – you had to leave uni to work for Hargrave because you needed money.” Her eyes tick down to my pocket and linger there for several seconds before they slowly draw up my form and lock on my eyes – the visual equivalent of somebody measuring a hangman’s noose. “But if you’re that strapped for cash, you should have told me. I would’ve helped you. You don’t need to resort to stealing.”

“Trust me when I say this isn’t stealing,” I mutter.

I know I should just turn around and run away.

Nothing good will come of standing here and trying to explain myself to Lisa. Because there’s nothing I can explain. I can’t afford to tell her the truth – and Lisa’s always been the kind of savvy woman to realize if you’re lying to her.

She crosses her arms further around her middle until it looks as if she’s trying to squeeze herself in half.

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