Hardboiled: Not Your Average Detective Story (The Lillim Callina Chronicles Book 5) by J.A. Cipriano Read Free Book Online

Thankfully, my dad’s trench coat was lying on the floor beside his bed. I say thankfully because all of his other clothing had mysteriously vanished.
    Still, as I leaned down to look at Connor through the window, I couldn’t help feeling like a stripper. What was next, being the girl who pops out of giant cakes at parties? “So…” I said, glancing nervously away from him as his eyes drifted toward my chest. “How do you feel about ditching class and hanging out with me this morning?”
    He gulped so hard I could actually hear it. “Are you screwing with me?” he asked, mouth agape.
    “No,” I replied, kneeling down so that I wasn’t bent over his car like a hooker. “I need you to take me to buy some clothes.”
    He blinked at me for several seconds. “You want me to take you to the…” he trailed off for a moment and shook his head. “You are naked under there!”
    “I am not naked,” I said. My cheeks burned so hot that I was sure I could roast marshmallows on them. “I’m wearing a very tasteful blue one-piece swimsuit.”
    “Uh… why?” he asked, then shook his head again. “You know what, never mind,” he added, opening his door.
    “Why are you opening your door, getting out of your car, and coming toward me?” I said, my words falling out of my mouth so fast it was just a jumble of sounds in my ears. I took a step back as Connor smiled, reached out, and opened the passenger side door. With a flourish he gestured for me to get inside.
    “After you, Lillim,” he said, and his voice was very strange sounding. I couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but it was definitely off.
    I stared at him for a long time before getting into the car. “No one’s ever held a car door open for me before.”
    “It’s the polite thing to do,” he replied, shutting the door once I was seated. The sound of it made a small whimper escape my throat. It made me feel trapped, and as I reached up, grabbing the seat belt and securing it in place, the feeling grew demonstrably stronger. Had I really just gotten in a car with a boy I met yesterday wearing nothing but a bathing suit? That didn’t seem like me.
    When he got back in the car, he smiled at me. “Okay, pretty lady, where are we going?”
    “Okay…” I swallowed, shutting my eyes. “Here’s the thing. I don’t have any money.”
    “You want me to take you shopping, but you don’t have any money?” he asked, eyes narrowing at me.
    “Yeah…” I replied, drawing out the word. “It got stolen along with all of my clothing.”
    “And how, exactly, do you plan on buying anything without money?” he asked, and I could see gears start to turn behind his eyes. His cheeks reddened, and he turned away from me and stared out the windshield.
    “I was hoping…” I said, but before I could say I would pay him back when my dad got home, he started the car. We lurched forward so quickly that I was thrown into my seat.
    “Look, um… I’m flattered and all, but yesterday you said you had a boyfriend and today you’re throwing yourself at me in my car,” he said, voice flat and angry. “You come out here dressed like a stripper, saying you want me to buy you things because you have no money. It doesn’t make any sense, Lillim. It only makes sense if you realized who my parents are.”
    “Your parents?” I asked, confusion lacing my words as I stared at him.
    “I’ll buy you your clothes, or whatever, but don’t ever do this again. It’s not cool,” he said. “And find a new ride home from school.”
    “Connor, what are you talking about?”
    “You aren’t the first girl to throw herself at me when she found out who my parents are,” he replied, not bothering to look at me as he stared ahead with laser-like focus. “It’s never happened quite this fast, but still…”
    “Connor, I have no idea who your parents are,” I said. “All my clothes really were stolen by a crazy magician who kidnapped my boyfriend last night.”
    He gave me a look