The Killing Kind

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

March 23

After rounding everyone up, they hit the road again shortly after nine a.m., which was remarkable, given how little sleep most of them had managed during the night. Most of the credit for the amazing feat went to Chuck. He had gone into taskmaster mode after explaining his reasons for not calling the cops. Zoe retained some skepticism about that, but Chuck had been so adamant, and so earnest, that there had never been any real question of defying his wishes.

Besides…

I want to get to the fucking beach.

Okay, being honest, there had been an element of selfishness to her quick surrender. She hated knowing that the people who’d jumped Chuck were going to get away with it, but it was a price worth paying in order to be on their way free of any big hassle. Maybe she’d have felt different had Chuck suffered any kind of permanent damage, but he was alive and physically intact. The bruises and scratches would heal. Besides, she’d heard or read somewhere that most random robberies like that were never solved. Probably no one would ever be apprehended after the whole big ordeal with the cops, which would make the whole thing even more of a waste. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was as good a rationale for not doing it as any.

So here they were…

Chuck was at the wheel again, but Joe wasn’t riding shotgun this time. Zoe occupied that position now, and Joe was slumped next to Emily in the middle seat. His head was on her shoulder and he was snoring lightly. Zoe glanced at the rearview mirror and quickly directed her gaze back out the window on her side. Emily was still glaring at her. She was pissed at the way Zoe had snubbed her this morning. Zoe had stayed away from her when possible and ignored her repeated attempts at initiating conversation.

Surely on some level Emily must have expected this. The things they’d done together during the night had been fun at the time, but in the light of day the memories were embarrassing. Zoe was no prude. She enjoyed a bit of kink in the bedroom. But what she had done with Emily and Joe was more than that. It hadn’t been any garden-variety threesome. She felt like a slut and a pervert, and she just couldn’t deal with it right now, especially now that her dormant feelings for Chuck seemed to be stirring back to life. Which was confusing as all hell. It was tempting to write it off as a product of the guilt. But there was more to it than that. Maybe something potentially lasting, and maybe not. Either way, for now at least, she and Chuck were back on.

She saw the faint reflection of herself in the window. A small, private smile curved the corners of her mouth. She was thinking of those moments in the bathroom after Annalisa departed, of how that concerned hug had shifted into something more passionate. She tugged at her shirt collar, feeling a little hot at the memory of Chuck penetrating her from behind as she braced her hands on the edge of the sink and watched him do her in the mirror.

She glanced at him and smiled.

“Zoe.”

Shit.

Zoe sighed and looked out the window again.

“Zoe.”

“What?”

“This cold-shoulder bullshit is fucking annoying. What’s your damage?”

Zoe shrugged and shook her head. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Like hell you don’t.”

Chuck shot her a puzzled glance.

Zoe shook her head again and rolled her eyes.

She turned in her seat and looked over her shoulder at Emily. “Look, stop the drama-queen crap. I’m just tired. Okay?” She forced a brittle smile for her friend. “Long night and not much sleep.” She summoned an exaggerated yawn and groaned. “Christ, you should be as tired as me.”

“I am wide fucking awake.”

Zoe yawned again and this time there was nothing fake about it. She really was tired. And her head was hurting, an ache arguing with Emily wasn’t helping any. She just wanted things to be quiet for a while. Was that too much to ask?

“Fuck you, Zoe.”

Zoe flinched. “What?”

Emily was smiling now. “You heard me.”

Annalisa sighed in the back. “Guys…come on…we’re almost there.”

Emily’s tight smile remained in place. “Hey, I’m just kidding around. I’m just so fucking tired. You’ll have to excuse me. I’m not in my right mind and shit.”

Zoe didn’t bother with a comeback to that. The situation was delicate enough. It was time for some damage control. “Emily, I’m sorry. I seriously am. It’s been a weird and fucked-up morning, I think you’ll agree, but I shouldn’t have been such a bitch to you. Can you please forgive me?”

Emily stared at her a moment later, then looked away. “Whatever.”

Zoe was satisfied. She wasn’t exactly accepting the apology, but the edge had gone out of her voice. She was letting it go for now and that was good enough.

She turned away from Emily, scrunched down in her seat, and propped her bare feet on the dashboard. A while later a green road sign caught her eye: myrtle beach 51 miles.

Almost there…

Feeling a lightening of spirit, she closed her eyes and started to drift toward sleep.