The more I learned, the more complicated it became. I wouldn’t be able to stand by and allow Mr. Linton and Fawn to guide me. “When do you propose these meetings take place?”
“I could text you, so you know when to expect me. I might bring someone, if that’s okay.”
If he’d meant harm, he would’ve brought the extra person without asking. Or he would have already hurt me. I handed him my phone. “I guess so. Put your number in there. I’m working tomorrow night, but we can meet after. Around ten-thirty?”
“See you then.” He returned my phone. “They’re watching the front door. I’ll go out the window where I can hide in the shadows.”
* * * *
I checked the address on the mailbox. Yep, that was it. A sprawling Spanish style house complete with security gate, giant trees and green lawns as far as I could see. Thankfully, Hayden had remembered to put me on the list so when I drove up to the gate and gave the guard my name, he let me right through. I parked and walked the driveway, as Hayden had directed, past the giant swan fountain and blooming flowers.
The ‘guest’ house came into view. It was about the same size as my own home, maybe bigger. Except ours had four occupants — his had only one.
Coming to Hayden’s house was a bad idea after last night. If he had a girl in his bed, would I be able to keep myself in check? Unlikely. But it didn’t matter. I’d have to tough it out with him regardless.
My encounter with the guy last night complicated the situation, made me less sure of anything. I needed to learn to protect myself now more than ever. I needed Hayden too much to walk away. It’s not as if he were any kind of a temptation to me — not after what he’d done last night.
I tapped on the door and waited but no one answered. Hopefully, Hayden wasn’t too wrecked, thus wasting my time. I turned the knob and the door gave way, unveiling light green walls and white trim, wide plank hardwood floors and an arched doorway to a spacious kitchen. The place was simple yet elegant, with very little clutter. It was hard to imagine any teenage boy keeping a home so clean. Clearly, his parents provided a maid.
Hayden had quite the life.
I had no idea how many rooms the house had or which one Hayden would be sleeping in. So I closed my eyes and looked for him, letting my instinct lead. His bedroom door stood ajar and I crept in, praying he wouldn’t be with some girl.
Chapter Thirteen
Tessa
My stomach fluttered in relief at finding Hayden alone. I reminded myself that I didn’t care and rejoiced once again over my good sense at avoiding the temptation the night before. Finding him with the girl in the shadows of the garage proved that I’d made the right decision. I’d never lower myself and kiss him again.
“Hayden, wake up.”
He groaned sleepily and rubbed his eyes. “Hey, Tessa.”
“Good. You remember me.” I kept my voice cold and impersonal. “We have an appointment, remember?”
“Oh, yeah.” By his dazed eyes, he needed coffee. Badly.
I shifted and glanced around. “I’ll wait in the living room.”
“A couple minutes and I’ll be ready,” he croaked as I bolted.
I wanted to pace his living room but didn’t want to appear agitated. Instead, I checked out his kick-boxing trophies mounted on the wall. He emerged moments later wearing jeans and a button-down shirt, left open to expose his flat, muscular abs. I struggled not to stare. He was still a jack-ass and I didn’t want him.
“So…” I shouldn’t ask. My mouth needed to stay shut. But I couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. “You said you didn’t have a girlfriend. The girl last night was what? A one night stand?”
“Neither. We see each other now and then.” He sat on the couch and slid his foot into a sock.
Then it hit me. “She’s Back Up Plan?”
“What?” He furrowed his brows. “Oh, yeah. That’s her.”
“Wow, Hayden. You keep a girl on standby? Just when I thought you were human, you go and show the real you.”
“If she doesn’t care, why should you?” He scoffed. “She has an itch and I scratch it. We’re too people enjoying each other. No big deal.”
“No big deal?” A quick noise escaped my throat, like a melding of a squeak and a groan.
Hayden raised his brows, as though he had no idea why his way of life could possibly bother anyone. “Apparently it is to you.”
“Whatever.” I shook my head. “You work quickly, huh? You’d been kissing me only a couple minutes before.”
“Yeah, and you put the brakes on. You said no, remember?”
I took a deep breath, not bothering to hide my disgust. “Of course. We’re all kind of interchangeable, aren’t we?”
“Oh, did I offend your delicate sense of celibacy?” he called over his shoulder and went to his room.
“You’re revolting, Hayden.” I flopped onto the sofa and shook out my arms, trying to release the tension.
Seconds later, he reappeared, his shirt buttoned and hair brushed. “You haven’t given me a reason not to be.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You expect me to somehow inspire you to be a better person?”
“C’mon, Tessa. You know what I want. I made it very clear last night. You said no. I moved on. You can’t pull the jealous card after you turn me down.”
“I didn’t turn you down. I rejected your crappy offer,” I said. “And it’s a good thing too because you’re obviously not boyfriend material. You proved it last night.”
“I could be though.” His eyes locked onto mine. I could almost get lost in them.
I treaded dangerous ground because if he meant what I thought he meant, he’d be tempting beyond reason. As much as I tried not to be attracted to him, I couldn’t help it. But I wouldn’t allow myself to believe in him. “Hayden, you don’t magically get what you want. You have to be worthy first, then you get what you deserve. I’m not getting involved with someone because they say they’ll be good.”
“Ah, make a guy jump through hoops before you sink your claws in him, huh? Nice, Tessa. That’s the problem with women. They think the guy has to be whipped or they don’t feel loved.”
“We’re not talking about love.” I ground my teeth, then took another stab at calming myself, rolling my shoulders. “We’re talking about decency, morals. You know, the kind of thing every society is based upon.”
“No more TV for you.” His face relaxed, the lines between his brows erased. “Tessa, I’m not your project and I refuse to apologize ’cause I didn’t do anything wrong. You had your chance. You said no. End of story. You ready to go?”
“No.” I sprung from the couch. So much for holding back. “Don’t you dare make out like I’m being a bitch. You’ve never given me a reason to believe, even for an instant, that I mean anything to you. You’re the guy who flirts and persists until he gets the girl. Once he gets what he wants, he dumps her. I’m not falling for it.”
“I’m not Blane. And we don’t all look alike.” He turned and disappeared down the hallway again.
Fuming, I stomped through the front door to wait outside. He followed down the path seconds later and dangled his keys. “You’re driving?”
I snatched the keys and climbed behind the wheel. “Where are we going?”
“There’s a karate studio on Fifth and Main.”
“You rented a space for me?”
“No. I know the owner.”
“The guy who taught you? That was nice of him.” I’d calmed somewhat, dropping Hayden into the same category as my parents. They were the way they were and I couldn’t change that. It certainly did no good to wallow in anguish over any of them. I had to move on. There were more important things to think about, like figuring out what kind of abilities Hayden had, if any. If he were a sorcerer, I’d have to mentor him before he fell in with the wrong crowd.
If only I knew which crowd that was.
At the karate studio, Hayden ushered me to a back room. I
didn’t want to wait any longer. “I have a strange request.”
“Does it involve my lips and your neck?”
“You’re not supposed to be flirting with me.” I glared.
“You call that flirting?” He chuckled.
“You still have Back Up Plan’s smell on you and you’re talking to me like that? Please stop or I’ll vomit.”
“Tessa, get over it. Maybe next time I ask, you should say yes.”
It would be too easy to take his bait. Instead, I sighed and lifted his keys from my purse then set them on a nearby table. “I want you to pick these up.” I flattened my palm on his chest to stop him from doing it yet. “With your eyes closed.”
“Yep. That’s a weird request.”
“Humor me. Close your eyes.” I held his arm and turned him until the table bumped his back then repositioned the keys a few inches from where they were. “Okay, now do it.”
“Can I at least turn around?”
“No. And those eyes stay shut. Now find the keys.”
Hayden’s hands fumbled behind his back for only a moment before the keys came to him, gently floating over the table. Fawn and the principal had told me that sorcerers were rare, that finding two in the same city was unheard of. But Hayden and I were proof that what they said wasn’t right. Either they lied or something was up.
“Are we done?” He opened his eyes and turned.
Hayden couldn’t find out yet what he was. Once he knew about himself and began using his powers, he’d ‘open’ and be detectable. I wasn’t sure if that would be a good thing or bad. “Yeah, I got what I needed to know.”
He squinted at me. “Which is what?”
“I’m writing a short story. It’s about a girl who’s been kidnapped and blindfolded.”
“Oh. You write? I’d like to read a sample.”
No way. “You wouldn’t like it. Girl stuff. You know how they like to talk about their feelings and stuff.”
He laughed. “I’d like to see it anyway.”
Time for a subject change… to something that needed to be discussed anyway. “Agent Phillips and Principal Linton said they’d only use you a few days. It’s been a week. You should get that recommendation letter before your replacement comes. Once Linton doesn’t need you, it might be hard getting him to keep his end of the deal.” Plus, Linton could change his mind about anything once he discovered Hayden’s abilities.
“You don’t trust him?”
I didn’t want to lie since Hayden might relax if he thought Linton and Phillips were safe. “I’m not sure. Bells keep going off, you know? Little things like what you already pointed out. We should get started. I have things to do today.”
* * * *
My butt crashed to the floor. Again. “Is that really necessary?” I rubbed my thigh that still throbbed from the last fall. “I mean, what, are you crabby today or something?”
“Hey, you tripped yourself.” He chuckled. “Sorry, I’ll be a little more gentle.”
“No, don’t.” I moaned. “If I get in a bind, they’re not going to be any nicer. I’ve gotta toughen up.”
He held out his hand to help me up. “You should run every day. Builds endurance.”
I took his hand and popped up. “Is that what you do?” I really didn’t want to talk about how he got in such great shape. It only made my mind go in weird and not unpleasant directions.
“Yeah, five-thirty every morning. I’ll pick you up tomorrow and we’ll go together.”
“Five-thirty in the morning? Are you crazy?”
“Go the slow way or take the fast track. Up to you. Let me know.”
“I guess you were going the slow way this morning when I woke you up.”
“I skip it after a party.” He checked his watch. “We should call it quits for the day. I have plans.”
Probably with Back Up Plan. I sighed. “Fine. I’ll run with you in the morning. Five-thirty, huh? Really?”
He laughed. “Not on weekends. We’ll go at eight-thirty, then come directly here. Get it all done in one shot.”
“Deal. Meet you at your house?”
“Yeah.” He handed me my purse.
I shuffled out the front door, the soreness already settling into my muscles. Together, we walked toward his car parked on the street. In my peripheral vision, cars whizzed by. A white van barreled around the corner as I neared Hayden’s car. The van screeched to a stop and double parked next to the Viper. Immediately on alert, I tensed and moved to shield Hayden who lagged a few steps behind me.
The van’s side door slid open. Before I could get to Hayden, a man covered in black from head to toe aimed a gun and fired. The muffled shot did its job and Hayden toppled over, clutching his side. Then he lay perfectly still. I dropped to my knees beside him and glanced over my shoulder, my adrenaline roaring through my veins. The next instant the gunman and another masked guy jumped out of the van. The masked guy’s arms shot out to grab me and I lunged forward to dodge him, only to be seized by the other guy.
I was about to scream when I felt a prick in my arm. My eyes closed and the dark settled over me like a practiced assassin’s shot, quick and painless.
Chapter Fourteen
Tessa
“What the hell did you do?” The familiar voice behind me reminded me of the gorgeous guy who’d visited my room. “That wasn’t necessary. I’d already made contact. Kidnapping does not make us look good, people.”
I lay on my side against a cold cement floor with my arms bound behind my back. Numbness was beginning to settle in on my shoulder as it bore the weight of my body.
By the dirty floor and musty smell, I guessed I was in some kind of old, deserted building. My eyes slowly opened to what appeared to be a rat skeleton about three feet away. Gross. Light from a big window shone on my feet but there seemed to be no other light source in the place.
Right… I’d been leaving the karate studio and we’d been attacked. Now I was bound and barely able to move. My pulse throbbed at my temples as fear revved up my heart rate. I made a conscious effort to slow my accelerated breathing so my captors wouldn’t notice I’d woken.
What had happened to Hayden? Was he dead? Was he still lying on the sidewalk unconscious, the life slowly seeping out of him? My heart ached at the thought.
“It was taking too long. I sped things up a bit is all,” a woman answered.
The guy groaned. “On what planet does kidnapping endear us to anyone? Rena, you’ve gone too far.”
“Me?” she asked. “I got it approved by our superior. He understands that we can accomplish in two hours what would’ve taken you days. We don’t have time to waste.”
“Untie her now,” he demanded.
“It was only temporary anyway,” Rena said.
A moment later, someone rolled me over and ripped the duct tape from my mouth. I yelped.
Rena tossed the balled-up duct tape over her shoulder. “Besides, we had no idea how loyal she might be to the others and we had no way of knowing how powerful she is.”
“Where’s Hayden?” I asked, taking a more careful look at Rena. She wore her short, dark blond hair pin-straight with bangs. She was lean and her tank top showed toned and cut arms. She didn’t look much older than me, but her eyes were hard, as though she’d lived decades.
“He’s fine,” he said gently. It was the man-candy from last night who’d ambushed me in my room. His face quickly hardened when he eyed Rena and the two figures in black against the wall. “He’d better be.”
Rena rolled her eyes. “Lighten up. We were informed that he’s got some fighting skills. We didn’t want to deal with him so we gave him a tranquilizer. It’s comforting to know how much faith you have in me, partner.”
“Real partners work together.” He motioned for the guys in black to untie me.
The ropes fell loose and I scrambled up on trembling limbs. Were they playing good cop, bad cop? “Can you guys squabble later? Like after I leave?” I took a step toward the gia
nt tinted glass window and my vision grew hazy, my head spun. I stumbled backward and leaned against the wall.
It had to be from the drugs. The idea that they’d poisoned me pissed me off. “Why the hell am I here?”
The hot guy scowled, then focused on Rena. “Yeah, why is she here?”
“To talk.” She smiled.
So I wasn’t a prisoner. “You’re saying I can walk out right now?”
Rena narrowed her eyes at me. “Well, of course. But we strongly suggest you stay.”
“Don’t listen to her, Tessa.” He glared at her. “You can go any time. I’d really appreciate a few more minutes though, while you’re here. It couldn’t hurt, right?”
My gaze darted to Rena.
She sighed. “I’m sorry we kidnapped you that way. With Frank and Lila always around, it’s more efficient to snatch up the recruit and explain later. We didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You’re welcome to stay and talk but if you don’t feel comfortable, you’re free to go,” the guy said. “I promise.”
I didn’t plan to hang around any longer than necessary. I’d take him at his word and get out. Everyone stayed put as I moved toward the door. I exhaled in relief.
A large metal box crashed through the wide tinted window and shattered the glass. A figure jumped through the opening, gun in hand, and all eyes shot to the intruder. Hayden. He aimed the weapon, his eyes darting to each of the four figures. “Tessa, get over here.”
My breath caught in my throat. Very likely, in a matter of seconds, I would’ve calmly walked out on my own. But seeing Hayden there with his gun waving and eyes blazing, my heart pounded. Would they let Hayden go? I glanced at the hot guy again. Behind him the two men in black each held a rifle aimed at us.
“You’re free to go.” The hot guy flicked his hand and the guns behind him lowered.
I believed the guy, but rushed to Hayden’s side anyway, since there was no point in taking any chances.
Hayden began to back up, gun still trained on my kidnappers. He elbowed a shard of glass and it clattered to the floor, making the opening bigger. I stepped through ahead of him. “Get in the car. Quickly.”