Page 49 of Zeke
“Come with me,” I tell him, and he follows.
“What’s wrong?” he asks as he falls into step beside me on our way out to where the bikes are parked.
“Kira,” is all I say, and he seems to understand. He and Eden kind of almost had a thing once, and I know if it had been her name, he’d have been just as worried as I am now.
Before I climb on my bike, I struggle for a moment with a decision I know might put me into a position I don’t want to be in, but then I think,To hell with it.
I pull out my phone and type out a message to Eli, who I know is in town having dinner with Brawler.
Problem at Kira’s. She might be in trouble. If you get there first, let me know.
It’s probably stupid, since this could be the thing that makes up her mind about who she’s going to choose. If Eli beats me there, he could be the one. But right now, Kira being safe is more important than winning her over. I’d rather have Eli win this war than lose Kira forever because I was too greedy to let Eli be the one to save her.
I climb on my bike and don’t take the time to appreciate the roar that usually calms me. Right now, I’m on edge, and with good reason. I have no idea if I’ll be too late or not.
Justice and I race into town, and I nearly roll my bike when I pull into the lot from trying to turn in so fast. No one else is here, which means Eli didn’t beat me here. I can’t decide if I’m happy about that or not, because it means I get to be the one to save her.
Unless I’m too late, and Eli didn’t manage to beat me here.
I barely manage to get my kickstand down before I run as fast as I can up the stairs to her apartment and pound on the door.
“Kira!” I call through the door. I check it, and it’s locked. I hope it’s locked by her and not someone trying to keep me out. “Kira, it’s Zeke.”
There’s some noise inside, and I hear a door being thrown open, followed by hurried footsteps. The locks click and rattle as she opens the door, and when she does, I don’t have to encourage her to come into my arms. She rushes at me so fast I nearly topple backward down the stairs, but I catch her. The second my arms close around her, she’s sobbing, gripping me to her as tightly as I hold her to me.
I look past her into the apartment. The only thing I see out of place is a box of flowers that’s been knocked onto the floor with a card. Justice comes up behind me, and I motion with my head for him to go inside and check the place out. He draws his gun and walks in, eyes open for anyone who might jump out at him.
Once I know Justice is taking care of making sure the apartment is empty, I turn my attention back to Kira, kissing the top of her head.
“You’re safe,” I tell her. “You’re safe.”
“Zeke,” she sobs. “I thought they were from you or Eli, but they’re not, are they? You’d never write something like that.”
“The flowers?” I ask.
“Mm hm,” she squeaks. “There were more a couple of weeks ago, but I thought… but after I got these ones, I know for sure it wasn’t from you or Eli. It’s from someone else, and I don’t know who, but they… They’re threatening me. Zeke… I was so scared.”
“I know,” I tell her, hugging her tightly and kissing her head again, unsure what she was talking about, but figuring she’ll be able to tell me once she can breathe again. “I know. But I’m here now.” I move one of my arms so I can put a finger under her chin to tilt her face up to look at me. I have so many things I want to tell her, to reassure her with, but none of them come out. Instead, I lean down and kiss her.
She returns the kiss, gripping my cut tightly in both hands, pulling me to her.
“Place is empty,” Justice says, interrupting the moment, but I’m okay with it. I’m ready to get her out of here.
“Kira,” I say, looking her in the eyes. Her expression is wild and terrified, but I see the trust she’s putting in me there too. “It’s time for you to come to the farmhouse.”
I expect her to fight, to give some reason why she can’t. She always had a fire in her, but it seems to be dimmed in light of the fear because she nods. “Okay.”
“Good girl,” I say to her for the second time tonight. “Pack up. You won’t need a lot. We can always come back here if you need stuff.”
She nods again, and I watch her go to her room, glancing back at me one time before she disappears into the door.
As I walk inside and close and lock the door behind me, Justice picks up the flowers and the note and brings them to me.
“Looks like someone doesn’t like the attention you’re getting,” he says, handing me the note first.
“‘Do not ignore me,’” I read out loud. “Shit.”
“You don’t think it’s Eli, right?” he says. “Because you’ve been getting more of her attention?”