Malia could only avoid Zephyr for so long.

After their talk last night, the ease of being with him, she knew she had to figure something out. Maybe she could ask Emily for help. At the very least to keep her ear to the ground for an apartment opening or someone looking for a roommate. Hell, she’d even take her old batshit crazy roommate right about now. Rooming with Zephyr Donovan was no longer an option, especially not after last night.

The conversation had been less about the sexual tension between them and more about intimacy. He’d been emotional. She’d been open with someone for the first time in a long time. The barriers were down between them, and she’d been comfortable—way too comfortable. The fact she could talk about what had happened with her parents, the fear she’d been living with, it terrified her. She didn’t ever tell anyone. She just kept that all to herself because she had been the one to survive it. Dwelling on it didn’t fix anything.

Well, you shared it with him now.

Yes, and she needed to undo it if she could.

The Sober Car was one of the tiny smart cars that were all over campus. She could park them anywhere. And as long as she logged out, anyone could pick one up and use it to drive somewhere. It was quite ingenious actually. It meant she didn’t have one central location for work. And since it was a Sober Car and all the drivers had to log in, there was also a Breathalyzer on it. The car wouldn’t start unless you blew it and passed. She parked at the meter in front of Zephyr’s house and grabbed her backpack. When she stepped out, a silver sedan drove by her. She locked the Sober Car and plastered herself against it just to make sure she definitely wasn’t going to get hit.

When she crossed the street and jogged up to the door, she frowned. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw the car idling at the corner as if waiting for someone. But it was two in the morning. There was no one around. Then something pricked at her memory. Had she seen that car before somewhere? Tonight?

A shiver crept up her spine, and she shuddered. You’re being crazy, she told herself. There is no reason for anyone to be following you. Then why the hell did she get the impression that she was being watched if the car wasn’t there waiting for her? She frowned and let herself in the building, making sure that the door closed and shut tightly behind her. Feeling too uneasy, she opted for the stairs instead of the elevator. Sure, his place was four flights up, but at least this way she’d be moving and have viable exits.

Just some of the joyous things staying in a shelter once or twice had taught her. Don’t ever put yourself in a position to wait for an elevator to come and rescue you. The doors closed too slowly for that. And secondly, if you can be on the move, be on the move. It was safer. Hard to hit a moving target and all that.

When she opened the door to Zephyr’s apartment, she was panting. She was surprised to find him still awake. He was poring over some files from Tanashi.

“Hey. I was wondering when you’d get home.”

She frowned. “You didn’t stay up waiting for me, did you?” She tossed her keys into a bowl by the door and couldn’t help but head on over to the window. She wanted to make sure. She could see the corner, but it wasn’t there. But in the spot two cars down from the Sober Car was a silver sedan. Was it the same car? Shit, she was losing it, wasn’t she?

“Earth to Malia. Are you okay?”

She turned and slipped her backpack off her shoulders. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just—I just had a funny feeling, you know. You know how they say like, our lizard brain or whatever warns us when something is hinky? It’s like our instincts from a long ago era coming up to save our lives.”

He nodded and closed his laptop. “What’s up?”

She shook her head. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but I drove a Sober Car tonight, parked it out front at the meter, and there was a silver sedan. I don’t know. I think I’m maybe super paranoid or something, but I swear, I’ve seen it before. And then, like, there’s a silver sedan parked a couple of cars away from the Sober Car, and I’m worried it’s the same one that had driven past me at the corner.”

Zephyr stood quickly. In three quick strides he was next to her and tugging her away from the window. And then he closed the blinds.

“What are you doing?”

“Did you see who was driving it?”

“No. I just—It was just a funny feeling, that’s all. I’m being paranoid.”

He ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t like it. Is there a way you cannot drive Sober Car anymore?”

“No. I need the job. I still have to send money to my aunt.”

“Fuck. Look, maybe you can get another shift somewhere? Or maybe you call me when you’re supposed to work Sober Car and I’ll come with you.”

“It doesn’t really work like that. I need the seats for, you know, drunk students.”

“Malia, it’s not safe.”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.” He started pacing. “Remember what I told you about New York? Alice?”

She nodded. “Yeah, but what’s that got to do with this?”

“The guy, her boyfriend, he was like connected with gangs and shit. I mean, Pittsburgh is pretty far away to go for some revenge or something, but I don’t know. I got this feeling the other day at Tanashi that someone was watching me. There was a silver car.”

That shiver, it was back. “But lots of people have silver cars.”

“I know that. I’m just saying. Now you’ve had the same feeling. I’m sure it’s nothing. And my brother Dylan, he’s FBI. He says the guy is in jail. He hasn’t had any visitors. Hasn’t made any phone calls, but still, I don’t know. He could have someone outside of prison doing it for him. I don’t want you to get caught up in that.”

She was far more content when she thought she was losing it. “Okay, I’ll be more careful. I’ll see if I can get some other shifts.”

“Thank you. I’ll ask around too. See if I can get you another job.”

“I’m going to head to bed.”

Zephyr nodded. “Good night, Malia. Get some rest, yeah?”

“Yeah, you got it.”

Except Malia wouldn’t be getting any rest. Not with him sleeping so close. She knew he was worried, and maybe this was another catalyst to get her the hell out of dodge—except, you want to stay. His concern over her well-being just now made it even more difficult to be here. He wasn’t supposed to care about her. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The problem was she was starting to fall for Zephyr Donovan.