The Vow (Black Arrowhead #1) - Dannika Dark Page 0,91

a couple of days.”

“Yes, but I had another dream last night.”

I strolled toward the side of the building near the white freezer where they kept bags of ice. “Me in the blizzard again?”

“I had my dreamcatcher over the bed, and I still saw the omen. That means something.”

It probably meant that deceiving my best friend and sleeping with her brother was definitely a storm of epic proportions. She would be so hurt by it.

I kicked a pebble around on the concrete. “Just focus on the store, and I’ll be there in no time. Shikoba’s putting me up for the night, and we’re having a big celebration tomorrow before I leave.” I did a facepalm and turned around.

“Take care of yourself,” she said, barely masking her worry.

“I always do. See you soon.” I hung up the phone and ambled back to the truck. I hated not being there to help set up the store. It felt as though I was missing out, and I wouldn’t have all those memories of arranging the garments and deciding where the paintings went. Instead, my memories would be of a trip filled with sex, murder, and mosquito bites.

Lakota moved away from the counter and headed to the back of the store. After plugging my phone back into the charger, I shut the door and glared at the dirty windshield. “If you want me to wash your windows, husband, you’re going to have to rub my feet.”

As I soaked up a cool breeze, a car pulled up next to me, rap music thumping on the radio. “Girl, what happened to your pants?”

I flashed a smile at Crow, the man from the bar. “They went for a walk without me. If you happen to see them, do let me know.”

He chuckled while flicking ashes from the short cigarette wedged between two fingers. “You find what you needed up at Shikoba’s place? I heard about all that trouble.”

I leaned against the truck and folded my arms. “It sounds like they caught the killer. I guess the women in this town can breathe easier now.”

“Let’s hope so. The real reason I pulled up is I recognized your hair under the light, and I found something that belongs to you.”

“What’s that?”

He blew out a breath of smoke, some of his black hair moving to hang in front of his eyes. “It’s a long story. A couple of guys at the bar were trying to round up a posse or something. They said your friends attacked them where that girl was killed, so they took their complaint to the Council.”

I swallowed hard. “What happened?”

“Hell if I know. But I’m a nosy guy, and it wasn’t too far from my property. So after I left the bar, I went to check it out. That’s where I found a familiar pair of pants lying in the dirt. Well, not just pants but a full ensemble. I figured I would save you the hassle of dealing with the Council. Wasn’t sure if you’d want ’em back, so I was planning to see what I could get for them at the resale shop. Changed my mind when I saw you standing out here practically naked.” Putting the cigarette between his teeth, he switched the radio to another song. “I’m heading to the bar. Want to have a drink with me? Some of the ladies are coming out of hiding to celebrate their freedom. Sounds like it’s gonna be a swinging party.”

“I might stop by a little later. It depends. I’m leaving in the morning, so I don’t know how late we’re going to stay out.”

He shrugged. “If you change your mind, you know where I’ll be.” Crow put the car in drive, and when it moved a few inches, I tapped my hand on the door.

“Do you still have my pants?”

A smile touched his lips. “In the trunk. Do I get a recovery fee?”

I gave him a peevish glance.

“Never mind,” he said, getting out of the car. “Women don’t seem to come with a funny bone. I doubt the resale shop would have given me much for them, anyhow. Can’t blame a man for trying to make an honest buck.” We circled the car, and he opened the trunk with his key. “Don’t mind the mess. I collect all kinds of junk for resell. You’d be surprised what people throw out.”

I stared into the dark trunk at a pile of clothes and shoes. When I spotted a leg of my patchwork jeans, I eagerly bent