This Fearless Girl (St. Clary's University #2) - E. M. Moore Page 0,24
and sure enough, they slow and park behind us. “Dakota, this—”
“It’s fine,” I say as I push the truck door open. I jump down and walk around the back while the two guys in the car get out, one of them whispering into his phone. We meet between the vehicles, Lucas standing half in front of me. I reach my hand out. “Is that Cole? I want to talk to him.”
He eyes me suspiciously but says, “She wants to talk to you.”
A few seconds later, he passes me his smartphone. It feels so foreign, but I hold it to my ear like I know what I’m doing anyway. “Cole?”
“Baby Girl, I’m flattered you wanted to talk to me. What can I help you with?”
“Listen,” I say, his easy manner making me decidedly uneasy. “I know you want us in the mountains as soon as we can, but we have a slight problem. One of your thugs knifed Wyatt, and he’s not ready. He needs a little more time.”
“Ah, yes. And you need him?”
“I do,” I say, feeling like I’m saying yes for a couple of different reasons and not just for the one he asked about. “So, please call your guys off us for the time being. We have research to do in preparation. Nothing interesting is going to be happening anytime soon.”
“You’re always interesting, Dakota. I hear things have progressed between you and the unkempt one.” I snap my jaw shut so hard it makes an audible sound. Cole chuckles. “Actually, I’m watching a video of that kiss right now, and you look utterly beautiful. Sinful almost.”
I’m speechless. I blink up at Lucas who looks back at me with concern, but I shake it off. Cole wants to get at me, but he won’t. “I understand the stakes,” I say slowly. “But you trusted me to do this for you, and I’m going to. I’m asking you to call off your goons in good faith. Being followed everywhere is a little too creepy if you ask me. I’d rather give you regular updates instead.” Now more than ever. I don’t want him watching every time I get close to Lucas. He’s spying on us. On me.
Cole doesn’t respond right away. Finally, he says, “I can give you a little slack, but if you abuse it, it will be worse than ever for you. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” I tell him. “Understood.”
“Bye, baby girl. Or should I call you Wild Girl?” He lets the question linger before saying, “Nah. I like to have my own pet names.”
My stomach squeezes. I can’t get rid of the phone fast enough, so I return the phone to its owner, then spin on my heels, heading straight for the truck. Lucas and I don’t dare talk until we’re back in the relative privacy of the cab. A tremor rolls through me as soon as we’re both safely inside.
“What did he say?”
“He told me he’ll pull his people off as long as we give him regular updates.”
“Okay, that’s good. But he said something else, too, didn’t he?”
“He saw our kiss.” I bite my lip, still not clear what to make of it.
“I really don’t like how obsessed he is with you.”
I shake my head. “That can’t be it. He’s just trying to get under my skin.” And if that’s what he’s doing, it’s working. I peer in the side mirror as Lucas pulls back onto the road. Sure enough, Cole’s guys don’t follow. They stay there before performing a U-turn and taking off in the other direction.
“These aren’t good people, Dakota. We have to be very careful around them. Stone thinks Cole took his mother. I know you have your own feelings about her, but he’s going through the same thing as you. His mom is missing, and he doesn’t know where she is.”
Guilt slams into me. I pick up the canister and hold it in my lap. “I honestly thought she just up and left. With my father gone, she had nothing to stay for. And she did take his money,” I say, my voice hardening.
“I’m not fighting you on that. What happened after she left your dad’s house is what’s concerning. Stone has a private investigator working on it, but it’s moving too slowly for him. You know how he is.”
“Maybe Stone’s father should be helping him do that instead of hanging out with gangsters?”
“Ain’t that the fucking truth.” Lucas keeps checking the rearview mirror the closer we get to Stone’s house. It’s not