Rebels by Sarah Noffke

Author:Sarah Noffke [Noffke, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: One-Twenty-Six Press
Published: 2015-09-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Who could that be?” I ask, breaking the ten seconds of silence that follows the doorbell. Then it comes again, like a persistent ache in my throat.

Ding-dong.

“I have no idea,” Zack says, his face blank with astonishment.

“Well, go get the door,” I say, waving my hands at him.

He gives a slow nod. Turns, like a robot, and walks way too slowly out of the kitchen. I spin around to Rogue who’s actually giving me a sly smile.

“You’re so damn bossy,” he says, the flirty edge always present in his voice.

“Oh shush,” I say, lending him a punishing look.

The front door clicks when Zack opens it. “Oh, hey,” I hear him say from the other room. He sounds surprised. Nervous. Rushed.

Clink. Clank. Clink. Clank. Someone’s shoes reverberate across his bamboo wooden floor. A loud clap of thunder echoes overhead. My breath halts in my chest.

“I think I made it right before the storm broke,” Dee says, her nasally voice bringing an immediate grimace to my face.

“What are you doing here?” Zack asks from the other room, failing to keep the irritation out of his voice.

“What’s that mean? Aren’t you happy to see me?” she says, venom quick to rise in her voice.

“Yes, of course. It’s simply that I’m working and didn’t expect you.”

Click. Clack.

“Well,” she says, her tone softening, lengthening. “I hadn’t seen your new home yet, and thought tonight would be the perfect opportunity. Actually, I was surprised you hadn’t invited me over already.”

Rogue watches me as we both listen to the exchange. He’s sharing my look of annoyance.

“I’ve been meaning to have you over, I’ve merely been too busy.”

“You know,” Dee says, her footsteps chirping across the wood as she takes a tour of the living room, “my mother didn’t think it was prudent that I come here tonight. That I be alone with you behind closed doors. She said it was a careless move that someone like Em would do, putting herself alone with men, not concerned for how it appears to the general public.”

I roll my eyes, ungrateful to still be my mother’s example of how not to behave.

“Your mother is very mindful in these situations, maybe she is right. I don’t want either of us to be judged dishonorably.”

“Oh, that’s so foolish,” Dee says, walking across the floor again, her voice drawing closer. “Soon it won’t matter what anyone thinks, will it? Once we’re official, that is.”

Zack coughs. Clears his throat. “Can I offer you a drink?” he says, avoiding her insinuation.

“What you can offer me is a tour. I’m anxious to see the whole house. I think if it all looks like this, then it’s definitely in need of my designer eye.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” Zack says, his words clipped. He takes a few steps, probably in Dee’s direction.

“Aren’t we going to start with the downstairs?” Dee asks, her voice failing to hide its excitement. “Why are you leading me to the second floor?”

“I think I’d rather start the tour with the bedrooms,” Zack says, and his tone doesn’t carry the provocative hint I think he wished to add for good measure.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.