Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,15

to see Roux’s eyes widen at her brother’s outburst. Not wanting to make this worse for her, I pull over onto the side of the road.

“Roan, it’s snowing,” I mutter.

“Yep. Roux, get your stuff. Let’s go.”

“Let me pull up farther—”

“Leave it alone, Hollis,” he snarls at me.

Not rat. Hollis.

Something in his burning expression tells me I need to back off. I just don’t understand what his deal is. Is it because he doesn’t want me to see where he lives? I’ve driven by this apartment complex before. It’s rundown and old, but nothing to be ashamed of.

“I, uh…” I pull my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him. “Can you put in your number? I can text you and when you get home safely, you can text me back, so I know you guys didn’t freeze to death or some shit.”

He eyes the phone for the longest time and then he takes it from me, his rough fingertips grazing along my palm sending a tingle of awareness shooting through me. Quickly, he enters in his number before tossing my phone back at me. While he gathers his backpack and climbs out, I text him.

Me: This is Hollis.

Feels formal as fuck, but I don’t know what else to say to the guy. He doesn’t respond, but instead busies himself with getting his sister out of the car.

“Bye, Roux,” I call out through the still open front door of the car. “See you Wednesday, I guess.”

She smiles and waves at me. “Bye, Hollis.”

Roan doesn’t even look at me. Simply slams the door shut and walks off, his arm slung over his sister’s shoulders in a protective way.

I don’t drive off.

Just watch them walk away.

Alone. In the dark. Snow billowing all around them.

Fuck if my heart doesn’t squeeze inside my chest with worry.

The asshole better text me back.

Roan

I hate this place, but I especially hate it at night. Most everyone leaves me the fuck alone because they know I’ll kick their ass if they don’t. But it’s dangerous for a teenaged girl.

Pulling Roux to my side, we weave our way through the parking lot, steering clear of any groups of people. This complex is a haven for drug deals. A few guys call out to me. I acknowledge them with a head nod, but don’t further engage.

“Charlotte is my best friend,” Roux chirps happily. “We’re going to have slumber parties every weekend. She said her mom will take us roller skating. Did you know she used to have a python, but she had to leave it with her dad when she moved?”

I can’t help but smile as Roux rattles on. She hasn’t been this excited in God knows how long. Truth is, Roux has a hard time at life. Her mom is worthless. Her dad is doing life in prison for shooting and killing three men during a bar fight. And the kids at school are fucking monsters to her. All she has is me.

And now Charlotte.

It makes me uneasy because I know how kids can be. Especially the pretty popular ones. They’re vicious and mean. What happens if Charlotte realizes Roux doesn’t have any friends? Will she leave her behind for the cool kids?

That thought angers me.

I swallow it down, though, and focus on getting up to the third floor in one piece. Several assholes glower at me like they might start some shit, but I crack my neck and eyeball them back. In the end, they leave us alone. As we walk up to our apartment, I notice smoke sliding out from underneath the door.

What the fuck?

I touch the handle, but it’s cold.

“Hold this,” I tell Roux, passing off the leftovers as I unlock the door.

With the turn of the knob, I open the door and push it open. Thick, gray smoke billows out.

“Stay here,” I instruct as I rush in. “Mom? Alejandro?”

Nothing.

They’re not home.

I choke and wave my hand in the air as I make my way into the kitchen. A fucking pot of macaroni is cooking, but the water has long since evaporated. It’s charred to black and smoking. With a growl, I turn off the stove and then toss the pot into the sink. Once I fill it with water, I open a couple of windows and head back to Roux.

“Is our apartment on fire?” she squeaks.

I scrub my palm down my face, fighting exhaustion. “No, but it’s smoky. I’m going to call Mike and have him come check it out for us. Make sure