The Skylar Experiment : The "X" in Apex

Chapter Nine - Where Did It Go?

The car delivered nothing more than a mere bump. My phone slipped and dropped to the ground. I couldn't see who was behind the headlights. Dazed and rattled to the core, I couldn't even move.

Seconds later, a figure stepped out in the downpour.

"Damn girl, are you a shitmagnet!?" Luc shouted. "Or are you trying to become roadkill!"

My mouth opened in incredulity, trying to work some words. I stared at him, dumbstruck, then back at my SUV. The animal... it was gone. Vanished.

I crouched to retrieve my phone and flipped it over to reveal a shattered screen. Awesome. I'd been lucky that it hadn't been damaged in the woods, but it appeared that the universe didn't want me to have an intact phone.

He blinked several times and looked at me like I was the dumbest person on Earth. "You really have a hard time with words, Sunshine."

"My name is Riley, jackass."

"I don't give a flying shit. Next time, stay away from the other lane." He turned away and made for his car. "It'd be a bother to deal with insurance."

Of all people, he was the last person I needed to deal with. This morning had been already a challenge. But it so happened that I was desperate.

"Wait!"

Luc pretended like he hadn't heard and opened his door. His hand lingered on the side, and he halted with one leg in the interior.

He breathed deep and hard as the rain soaked his clothes. His shirt clung to what seemed to be abs. Jesus, this dude was chugging something and it wasn't protein powder.

I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. I was drenched to the bone, and the cold had settled. He glared in an up-down motion.

"What?" he grumbled, easing away from his vehicle.

"There's something wrong with my car. It completely shut down and there's no shortage of gas."

A crease marred his forehead, replacing the permanent scowl on his face. "Did it, now?"

I nodded. "Nothing looks wrong but... maybe the battery..."

"I'll see about that."

He blew past me and popped the hood. I'd offer him the flashlight if I could get inside the SUV, but he didn't seem to need it. After a few minutes, he glanced on both sides of the vehicle and over his shoulders.

"It's gotta be the battery. I'll get the cables."

Before I could speak, he crossed over to his car, shut it off, and searched around the trunk. It was a glossy black Range Rover, the expensive kind where I needed to stretch to get in or out. He was so tall, his arm casually reached up to close it.

"You know how to plug these things without electrocuting yourself?" he threw out, dangling one end at me.

I ignored that and went up to him, snatching my side of the cables and flipping back. Feeling his eyes burning into my neck, I connected the terminals without a word. When I was done, I leaned on the bumper and folded my arms.

I caught him grinning then, just a little, and as soon as he realized I was looking, it faded into something closer to his normal frown. I raised a brow, almost asking him what was so damn funny.

But Luc didn't bite. His head dipped under the hood and he plugged the jumper cables. We'd have to start our cars now.

"My door won't open," I shouted.