Page 158 of Infernal Secrets

Not only had he forced extra hours, he dumped a mountain of inventory paperwork on me while I manned the front of the store alone.

I didn’t leave work until thirty minutes after closing, forcing me to take a different bus than usual. I didn’t like riding the bus at this hour, especially after seeing another possessed human in the store today.

My growling stomach attracted the attention of the teenage couple across from me. I glanced away, not in the mood to engage.

I’d had one cup of coffee and three-quarters of a Greek salad today. I hadn’t expected overtime, and Shane wouldn’t let me leave for the food court, and he sure as hell didn’t offer to go for me.

The day left me grumpy, tired, and emotionally exhausted.

Resting my head against the window, I closed my eyes.

I awoke with a start when the bus struck a pothole. From the landscape, I realized I’d only slept a few minutes. Checking my phone, I sighed, wondering if the guys had eaten dinner yet.

When I looked up from my phone, I noticed a man sitting a few seats away from me, watching me. I offered a polite smile, but his expression didn’t change.

He wasn’t creepy, but he wasn’t pleasant to look at either.

His ruddy face had a light dusting of salt-and-pepper stubble, bushy brows, and sideburns peeking from under his worn baseball cap. He wore baggy jeans smeared with grass and other unidentifiable stains, and a heavy parka jacket lined with too many pockets, despite the mild temperatures outside.

I lost the staring contest with the man when I heard whistling nearby.

Nobody was close except a young man asleep in the next row and the teenage couple lost in their own world. Toward the rear, two women chatted with a young man in oversized headphones, while a middle-aged man with a guitar case sat by the door.

No one was close enough to be the source of the whistle.

I looked back to see the man still staring. Dropping my gaze to my phone, I debated texting the guys again.

They hadn’t seemed concerned when I texted them that I’d be late. Not surprising. Zeke and Ash had pulled back. Cyn and I hated each other. Ezra didn’t care.

Maybe they didn’t think I’d be attacked again.

I’m surprised they even responded when I told them I’d be late. They didn’t respond later when I told them Maya wasn’t coming over and asked about dinner.

I glanced at the man from the corner of my eye and snuck a photo, sending it to the group chat. If they didn’t care, at least someone would know.

Ezra:

Why are you sending us a photo of a random man?