Chapter 5: Lucky Charm

I didn't scream.

I reached for the iron rod on my nightstand.

The pest let go of the card.

It fluttered onto my chest.

I swung from the hips, the way he'd shown me, and the thing burst across my headboard.

Then the ceiling started dropping.

One, two, five of them, landing on the comforter with wet thumps.

My door slammed open.

Ivo came in barefoot in sweatpants and went through them.

I took the ones by the window.

When it was over, my bed was soaked and we were both breathing hard.

He picked up the card off my chest and read it.

His eyes went red at the edges.

"He knows where you sleep," I said.

"He knows where his collateral sleeps. It's not the same as being here."

"Is that supposed to help?"

"It's supposed to be true."

He slept on the window seat for the rest of the night with the rod across his knees.

I didn't sleep at all.

Saturday was blue and perfect, which felt rude.

Augustin had hired a tent, a string quartet and a man who carved ham.

Mom was in yellow, glowing, introducing her new husband to the salon ladies and half the shoreline.

I had on my one sundress and my Air Max, because I wasn't going to fight anything in sandals.

The iron rod was in my tote bag.

Ivo had his in his jacket.

"You look nice," he said by the lemonade.

"Is that true or the contract?"

"Both. The contract just makes me say it."

At two o'clock a black SUV pulled up the gravel drive.

Zane Huxley got out.

White linen shirt, open at the collar.

Tan, white teeth, prayer beads clicking on his wrist.

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