If I'd Known_The Cursed Series Part 1 Page 7

  Oh, I want to kick him in the face. And I could too, easily, since my foot is dangling off Joey’s leg, right below Vic’s chin. But before I can, he twists back around and returns to his angry, pouting posture.

  “Little boy, you dropped your toy,” Nina sings mockingly, displaying the gun on her flat palm.

  Just as Vic grabs for it, she flips it in her hand and points it at his forehead.

  “Nina!” Tori calls out.

  But Nina doesn’t react. Her full attention is pinned on Vic.

  “You don’t know what the fuck you’re doing,” Vic challenges her.

  Nina cocks the hammer.

  No one moves. I don’t even think we’re breathing. Gary may be screaming. But I can’t hear him. The entire world is on mute. I’m staring at the silver muzzle indenting the flesh on Vic’s skull.

  “How do you know it’s loaded?” Vic questions, sounding way too cocky for a guy who might have his brains splattered against the window at any second.

  “I don’t. But you do,” she says, her shiny red lips parting to reveal a big white smile.

  “You know I could take that from you, right?”

  Nina just smirks wickedly. I grimace with a silent groan. Vic better shut his mouth. He has no idea who he’s talking to.

  Nina’s a fighter. I’m convinced she came into the world that way so she could survive the shit she’s been dealt her entire life. She may look super girlie and have a figure to die for, but she’s ferocious. Without hesitation, she’s had my back in a fight more times than I can count. Even when I’m the one who started it.

  So I know, if Vic makes a move, I’m going to want to block my ears.

  The car stops. At least it doesn’t feel like we’re moving anymore. I’m afraid to look away to find out.

  “Nina, honey, would you please put down the gun?” Gary asks her so gently, it doesn’t even sound like him.

  My eyes remain glued to the point where the gun is attached to Vic’s head. His jaw tenses. Nina smiles wider, a menacing glint in her dark eyes.

  “What did you do in the store?” Nina asks calmly.

  Vic swallows. “Nothing. Ask Lana.”

  “I’m not asking her. I’m asking you. She’s a sweet girl, and she shouldn’t be involved in this. She might actually go to college. I’m not fucking with that. I’m not going to let you fuck with that either. So, one more time. What did you do in that convenience store?”

  Vic sneers. “Nothing.”

  “Okay, I’m going to shit myself if you don’t put down the gun, Nina! Please!” Gary whimpers.

  I steal a glance his way. Beads of sweat are covering his forehead and streaking down the sides of his face. He may even be crying. My nose scrunches in disgust. I know this is intense, but … really?

  “Fine,” Nina huffs and tips the gun back, easing the hammer in place.

  The entire car exhales.

  “Give me my gun,” Vic demands, holding out his hand.

  Nina laughs. “Uh. No.”

  “Get out!” Gary screams. “Get out of my car! Now!” He opens his door.

  The next thing I know, my door is open and he’s yanking me out.

  “Hey!” I holler, trying to pull my arm out of his clammy grip.

  “All of you, out! I’m not putting up with this shit!”

  I yank free, but the force of the motion sends me tripping over my four-inch wedges, and I topple onto my ass. Joey is out a second later, followed by Tori, both of them in Gary’s face. The finger is out, and Spanish flies from Tori’s mouth.

  “Keep your hands off her!” Joey yells, practically bumping against Gary’s gut. He’s taller than Gary by a few inches, but Gary wins with three times the girth.

  A large black hand is in my face. I look up. It takes me a couple seconds to realize that Lincoln is offering to help me up.

  “Thanks.”

  His hand completely swallows mine as he lifts me off the ground. I swipe at the dirt on my butt, still watching the three go at it. It’s all words. Nothing about their posture has me concerned that someone’s about to swing.

  We’re in the middle of nowhere. There’s maybe a streetlight every quarter mile on this forgotten road, lighting it just enough to make it creepy. Gary pulled off into one of those gravel turnouts on the side of the road—the ideal location when you’re desperate to relieve your bladder or throw your door open just in time to vomit. So not the ideal location to be dumped with a psycho and his gun.

  “Where’s Nina and Vic?” I ask in a rush, frantically searching the darkness.

  “I don’t know,” Lincoln answers, his voice as concerned as mine.

  We creep toward the front of the car. Nina’s back is to us. She’s leaning against the fender on the other side of the car. Vic is in his signature angry stance, scowling at her.

  Nina has the barrel of the gun open and is throwing bullets at Vic.

  “Tell me what you did, Vic,” she says in a taunting tone. “C’mon. You want your toy back, don’t you?”

  Vic grunts something.

  “Then tell me. Quit being a bitch.” There’s a sadistic lilt in Nina’s voice, like she’s enjoying this.

  She’s starting to scare me a little. I put a big star on that mental note I already had, reminding me to never piss her off.

  Vic bares his teeth. “Give me my gun, or I’m going to—”

  “To what?” Lincoln challenges, straightening a few inches taller, like he might jump over the car.

  Vic looks up and spots us across the hood. Nina snaps the barrel shut with a flick of her wrist and stuffs the gun into her purse.

  Vic breathes out audibly, like he can’t believe he has to repeat himself. “This is a fucking joke. I don’t know why you won’t drop it. Nothing happened.”

  At least he’s persistent with the nothing-happened story. I have to give him that. And I’m not going to contradict it. If I do, everyone in the car could be considered accomplices after the fact. And I won’t let that happen. Right now, only Vic and I know what went down in that store. And we’re the only ones who will ever know. Unless he does something else stupid.

  Nina approaches us with a hip-swaying saunter. The dark purple dress hugs her curves perfectly as she balances on heels that bring her to supermodel height. She looks completely unfazed by everything that just transpired. A lethal goddess.

  If only I were that composed … and tall.

  “Screw this,” Gary declares loudly. “Nina, let’s go.”

  Nina shakes her head with an insincere apology. “Sorry, baby. I’m staying.”

  “But you said—”

  “I lied,” she interrupts.

  Gary growls, furious. “Don’t bother showing up tomorrow.”

  Nina doesn’t flinch.

  Before any of us can react, Gary is in the car, reversing with the gas pedal pressed to the floor. Joey jumps out of the way to avoid getting clipped. Shifting to drive, Gary tears off down the street, covering us in a spray of gravel.

  Waving my hand to clear the dust storm, I watch the taillights disappear in disbelief. “What the hell?! My bag’s in his car.”

  Which means my house keys are too. I reach into my open jacket pocket, relieved to find I still have my phone and switchblade.

  “I can’t believe he just left us here.” Tori has her hands on her hips. Looking around the dark, deserted road, she asks, “Where are we?”

  “I think we’re still a few miles away.” Lincoln lifts his hand as if to touch her back, then stops himself and lowers it.

  “There’s no way I’m walking in these,” she says, gesturing to her knee-high boots. She whips around and points a bladed nail at Vic. “Why do you have to be such an asshole? I swear—”

  “What? She’s the one who held the gun to my head.” Vic jerks his chin aggressively toward Nina. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “Except have a gun to begin with!” Tori screams, her curls flailing.

  “I brought it for protection,
” Vic argues.

  “From us? You’re fucking unbelievable.”

  Nina wraps an arm around Tori’s shoulders, coaxing her away before it can escalate further. I turn my back to them, needing to escape the drama.

  “You okay?” Joey asks, coming up beside me.

  “Not even a little,” I reply, taking a few steps toward the edge of the road.

  He slips his arm around my waist, easing my back against him to shield me from everyone behind us. Tucking his thumb into the top of my shorts, he rests his chin on the top of my head. “Let’s work on that. What do you think?”

  I laugh lightly. “Go for it. Anything you can do to make this night better, I’m in.” But I already feel better leaning into him. I’m convinced I could block out bombs going off—all he has to do is touch me and whisper in my ear.

  I’m suddenly spun around, Joey’s hands firmly gripping my hips. As aggressive as the move was, his lips don’t crash down on mine. Instead they tease, barely touch. I’m breathless. I grab him by the back of the neck to pull him into me.

  “Joey, give your brother a call. Maybe he can send someone to pick us up.”

  Yup. We’re still not alone.

  I ease away, my breath caught in my chest. I look around to find everyone staring at us.

  Tori tilts her head to the side, not amused. “Stop groping her and get us a ride.”

  “There isn’t a signal at The Point,” Joey tells them.

  Lincoln releases a heavy breath. “Shit, that’s right.”

  “So what do we do?” I ask. I turn at the sound of a car approaching.

  “Screw this,” Tori says, striding out past the white line and halfway into the lane with her hip thrust out.

  The headlights illuminate her fitted black shorts and sheer top over a hot-pink bra. She waves her arms in the air. They’re either going to hit her or …

  They swerve, missing her, and then slow to a stop along the side of the road.

  “Nice,” Lincoln says, impressed.

  Actually, so am I.

  The red pickup truck backs up, braking a few feet away.

  “How do we know they’re not psychos?” I ask.

  “We don’t,” Tori says. “But we have our own psycho, so if anything, they should be worried.” She looks toward Vic. Except he’s not here. “Where’d our psycho go?”

  “Vic!” Lincoln calls out.

  But he doesn’t appear from within the shadows of the trees where he was sulking only a moment ago.

  The driver’s window rolls down, and a guy with super gelled dark blond hair leans out. “Need a lift?”

  Lincoln steps forward. “Yeah, man, that’d be great. Our ride ditched us. We’re trying to get to The Point.”

  “Us too!” a voice squeals excitedly.

  That’s when I notice the girl with a hot-pink bobbed wig sticking her head out the small window in the back of the cab. Her face is speckled with glitter, and she’s smiling so big, she’s making my cheeks hurt looking at her.

  “You can jump in the back,” the guy tells us.

  Lincoln looks around again as we near the truck. “Vic!”

  “Leave him,” Nina says, pulling out a bottle from her satchel of a purse. She approaches the passenger side and waves the liquor at the girl. “Can I sit up here with you?”

  “Sure!” the girl exclaims. “Wow. You’re so nice. Look, Seth, she’s sharing with us.” She scoots over to make room for Nina. “I’m Allie.”

  “Great,” Nina replies. She tips the bottle back and chugs, preparing herself to sit next to the happiest girl on the planet.

  Joey and Lincoln lower the tailgate and hop into the back before offering to help Tori and me up.

  Just as Lincoln reaches to close it again, Vic’s fingers curl around the metal, forcing it back down. “Hey!”

  “Where were you?” Lincoln asks him in alarm. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

  “What the hell, man? Were you going to leave me?” Vic jumps up onto the truck and shoves Lincoln.

  Joey leaps forward to get between them. “Don’t start.” His voice is low and authoritative.

  No one moves. Joey looks between the two guys. Their eyes lock, silently challenging each other.

  “Sit down.”

  Lincoln backs away and sits, resting against the cab without taking his eyes off Vic. Joey lowers himself beside me, prepared to jump back up if necessary. Vic stands defiantly, glaring at Lincoln with his fists clenched.

  “Vic, sit your ass down,” I tell him.

  He directs his attention to me, trying to intimidate me with his scary stare. I roll my eyes. He grabs the edge of the tailgate to close it.

  Tori knocks on the window. “We can go.”

  Vic stumbles and falls on his ass when the truck takes off. I snicker. If only he’d fallen out.

  Chapter Seven

  “Don’t lose yourself to anyone,” my aunt Allison says to me, lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with a funny-smelling cigarette dangling between her fingers, “not a boy or a friend or even your family. You can’t care what anyone thinks of you, Lana, because as soon as you do, you’re lost.”

  Joey leans back against the cab and eases me onto his lap. “I like you here.”

  “I like me here too,” I admit, relaxing against his chest.

  “How are you doing now?” he asks, his breath tickling my neck.

  “Better.” I smile.

  He smiles back, revealing the dimple. I lean over and kiss it. I can’t help myself. Joey turns his head and his lips barely brush across mine. Shooting stars surge through my entire body.

  He hasn’t truly kissed me yet, and the anticipation is causing my pulse to beat erratically. Seriously, I need ten minutes … twenty alone with him and we’ll both be soaring. All the crazy that’s happened tonight will instantly be forgotten.

  Joey presses his forehead against mine. “What do you think about starting over? You know, have tonight start right now?”

  “I think I like that,” is released within a breath.

  Joey caresses my cheek with his thumb, eliciting a shiver.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice big blue eyes right next to my head. I lean back to find Allie’s face poking through the cab window, her chin resting on her hand, staring at us dreamily.

  “You two are so cute.”

  Tori snorts loudly. I flip her the finger.

  “Here.” Allie offers me the nearly depleted bottle of liquor.

  I take it from her, down a shot and pass it off. I’ve been waiting for the buzz to kick in, to mellow me out. But this night has been anything but chill. Hopefully it will finally overtake me when we get to The Point.

  “You guys know that The Point parties are exclusive, right?” Joey announces to everyone in the bed of the truck. “We’re not really supposed to have access, so keep it between us. Okay?” He focuses on Vic, receiving an affirming grunt in return.

  “Of course,” Tori assures him.

  “We won’t say anything,” I promise. “How do people usually get on the list?”

  “All I know is that everyone on the list has to be approved. I’m not sure how they request to get on it. But they have to pay crazy money for the privilege, basically ensuring their silence, or else they’re blackballed—which, in this group, is social suicide.”

  “How do they find out about the parties?” I ask.

  I’ve been dying to go since I first found out about The Point parties two years ago. We’ve only ever heard whispers after they’ve happened—the secrecy heightening my obsession.

  “Everyone on the list receives a text with a code on it. When they sign in, the location is revealed along with a bar code that gets them in. They can pay to bring up to six of their friends.” As an afterthought, Joey adds, “Oh, phones aren’t allowed inside. You have to check them in as you enter.”

  “Who came up with this? It’s insane,” I ask, impressed.

  “No one knows. The organizers d
on’t want anyone knowing their identities so they can’t be influenced, or busted. This isn’t exactly legal,” Joey explains. “I heard they’ve expanded it to six different spots in three towns. I think they’re trying to make it a legit business.”

  Tori eyes him suspiciously. “How do you know so much about it?”

  Joey only shrugs with a grin that convinces me he knows someone involved.

  I sink back against the side of the truck, groaning. “Wait. How much does it cost to get in? I don’t have a ton of money on me.” I can’t waste my tip money on a party, not if I want to keep our lights on.

  “You’re with me tonight,” Joey says, taking hold of my hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You sure?” I ask, uncomfortable with him paying.

  “Very.” Joey pulls me closer to him and lowers his voice, his mouth next to my ear. “But this isn’t our first date, Lana. I want to save that for another night, okay? Because I definitely want to see you again.”

  It sounds like a line. I should totally blow him off like I do any other guy who tries too hard. Except it doesn’t feel like a line. Everything about him makes my heart race, causing me to do and say things I never would.

  I press my lips together to hide the huge smile that wants to explode onto my face. “I want to see you again too.” I am so pathetic tonight.

  We pull through the open gates of the chain-link fence a few minutes later, entering The Point—which is a collection of old brick factory buildings and warehouses in the middle of nowhere. Some of the buildings are abandoned. Others have businesses in them. It’s hard to tell the difference because they all look like they should be torn down.

  The truck stops at the first building. “We’ll let you off here since we have to park out back.”

  “Thanks for the ride,” Lincoln tells him as Nina gets out of the cab and shuts the door.

  “Not a problem.”

  “We’ll look for you inside.” Allie pops out of the open window and sits on the door. “Love you guys!” She remains hanging out of the truck when Seth pulls away, thrusting her arms in the air and screaming in excitement.