He bent his head down, kissing my forehead. “You do look nice.”
I snorted.
“I mean it,” he said. “I liked what you were wearing earlier, but it’s kind of nice to see you in the skirt.”
“It’s slutty.”
“Shut up and let me compliment you. I like your legs,” he said. “You’ve got really nice legs.”
I couldn’t take this right now. “I thought you were supposed to be listening.”
He chuckled and then drew me in tighter.
Once we both shut up, I was able to hear a lot more. I kept my eyes on the pool, on the ball flying back and forth, but behind me, I could hear voices.
The woman had a nasal voice, high-pitched like a yappy dog. For the longest time, she complained about the women in the pool. That bikini was ugly. That girl had stretch marks.
The guy she was talking to would comment, and then compliment on how much better she was compared to the other escorts.
Henry, on the other hand, was a clam. He watched the girls, oblivious.
I leaned into Marc, whispering. “He’s a lump.”
He nodded his head slowly, his face close to mine. “Just wait it out. Try to find out who she is.”
When I could, I looked over at the woman. She didn’t seem different than the other escorts. I wondered if Henry picked her out special. Her hair was long and sculpted, like she just got it styled today. She seemed really at ease next to the boss.
Marc kept his hand on me while he listened. At first, he kept it to the small of my back. Slowly, his hand slid further down, until he was clasping me by the hip.
“You know,” he said, swaying a bit with the music that was blaring from a stereo on the other side of the pool. “St. Augustine’s got a nice surf this time of year.”
“And?” I asked, totally spacing on his meaning because I was thinking it somehow had something to do with the missing girl.
“Have you ever been surfing?” he asked.
I shook my head against his shoulder.
“Brandon and I go out every once in a while,” he said. “When we travel, we like to test out the water where we go.” His hand dipped closer toward my butt. “Maybe you and I could head out once before we leave.”
I blinked, processing. “Are you asking me out on a date?”
“We’re on a date,” he said.
I mumbled something and lifted my head, shaking it. “This is a stakeout.”
“Don’t say that so loud,” he said, smiling at me. “We’re together at a party. That sounds like a date. Sometimes you’ve got to take the dates you’re given.”
He was trying, and it made my heart hurt that he was. “Marc,” I said softly, turning my eyes away. I couldn’t stand to look at the blue and green in his eyes. They were luring feelings out of me I didn’t want right now.
He leaned in, pressing his lips to my temple in a kiss. He whispered against my skin. “Bambi.”
He misread my attempt to turn away his affection. When his lips touched me, I stilled, nearly pressing my head back against it. I was tired, hungry, and weak when he was trying to show affection. I was more a girl than I wanted to admit, wanting attention and craving it. Images of him coming in to save my life flashed in front of me. If I’d met Marc alone, without the others involved, I would have fallen so hard way before now.
Maybe I was lying to myself thinking I hadn’t already.
His hand on my butt squeezed gently. He released it and then rubbed the spot. He kissed me again, closer to my ear.
“I thought we were supposed to be listening,” I said.
“I can kiss you and pay attention,” he whispered.
My heart started to flutter, nervous. Not about Henry. It was about Brandon. He could come out any minute, and see Marc kissing on me.
It was about Axel, too. He wouldn’t appreciate this.
Marc was doing a number on my heart though. Those wiggle sparks he was talking about before started to ignite in my stomach again. For a moment, I wanted to space out, to pretend it was just me and him, since we were pretending anyway.
Guilt, however, would settle.
I was still undecided about the Academy, about whether I was going to dive deeper into this team, or leave them if they were decidedly evil.
I’d told Blake that I’d do whatever it took to find out the truth. Being swayed by my attraction to them wasn’t going to help if I one day made the wrong move and they kidnapped me like they did that vice-principal, or possibly Wil.
I could only hope Wil was okay.
God help me if they turned out to be good guys, because if I wanted to stay, I wasn’t sure they’d let me after they all found out the truth.
I shook away the thoughts, needing to focus. “I can’t do this now,” I said to Marc. He was too distracting and I was too weak to fight him.
“Don’t be nervous,” he said. “They’re not paying attention to us.” He kissed my ear again, taking the lobe between his lips and nipping.
Why did he have to be so sweet? I was fighting off feelings. Truth was, I didn’t want to pick between them. It was too difficult of a choice, because they were all incredible. It was so selfish for me to think so, but I wanted to tell them what was going on, because all the decisions weighing on me were too much. Stay or go? Join the Academy or don’t? Date him, or him, or him? If they chose for me, I would know who liked me the most, who I had the best shot with.
My tiredness made me want to give it all up. His kisses made me feel like confessing it all. If I put it all out on the table, maybe they’d tell me everything and it would stop this vicious pile of lies from getting any higher.
What was holding me back was that I was scared he’d make me decide between them. Right here, right now, I wasn’t sure, and that scared the bejeezus out of me. I’d always been able to walk away, as if not being able to decide meant I really didn’t want something.
But that wasn’t the case with them. Walking away was difficult. Axel had already said if I tried it now, they’d follow. Would they if they knew the truth?
I was scared to confess I was having a hard time. That could mean they all backed off, turned me away. Rejected, again, when I had no one else.
I sighed.
“Bambi,” he said softly. He lifted his hand from my butt, holding at the small of my back, drawing me in. “You okay, sweetie?”
“Don’t be so nice,” I said softly. I hadn’t meant to say it, but it slipped.
He laughed in a low rumble against my skin. “Not into nice guys? Because I should tell you, I hog blankets in the winter.”
I tried to smother a smirk and shook my head. “Please.”
“And if you leave good food in the fridge, I will eat it before you get there.”
I bit my lip to stop a laugh.
“And,” he said, moving until his abdomen was pressed against mine as he held me close, forcing me to look at him. He kept his hand on my hip, as he clutched the beer he was holding. He focused on my face. “And I’ll find Wil,” he said. “I swear. And I’ll make sure neither of you ever have to go back to that fucking father of yours.”
“Marc,” I said, trying to pull away. I didn’t want this right now. It was making my heart hurt again.
He held on stronger. “I know you’ve been worried about something,” he said. “I can see it in your face. You tried to leave before. I know the feeling, trying to clear your head. Make sure you’re making the right decision. I know you didn’t get a chance to really do that, but I’m telling you, you can trust us.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” I said.
He nodded. “I know it is. I’ve done it, too.”
I shook my head slowly, closing my eyes. He was too difficult to look at. “It’s not the same,” I said softly. There was no way he could understand what I was going through.
Marc shifted quickly, and there was a clunk and a small splash against my leg. My eyes shot open but before I could focus, he captured my c
heeks between his palms. He’d dropped the beer to hold on to me.
“Tell me,” he said. He leaned in until he was almost too close to look at. “Tell me how it’s different.”
“Marc…”
“I’ll fix it,” he said, his voice started to rise and then he closed his mouth and looked around. When it appeared no one was paying attention, he looked back at me. “Maybe our circumstances aren’t exactly the same, but if you’re telling me there’s a problem and you’re keeping it from me, stop it. Just tell me.”
“It’s nothing,” I said, although my voice wavered. My heart lifted at his pleading, and for a moment, I was tempted.
He leaned in slowly, until he was close enough that I could feel his warm breath on my skin. “Liar,” he said quietly. “The longer you hold on to it, the longer it’ll be a problem. It won’t be if you just tell me what’s going on.”
Maybe he knew more than he was telling me. “What do you think is the problem?” I asked.
His mouth closed as he stared at me for the longest moment. I sensed there was something he wanted to tell me but was waiting me out to tell him first.
Did he know? About Brandon? About Raven? Maybe Axel? Was there something else he was thinking?
A shrill laugh from the other side of the pool broke the moment as we both turned to look.
Future was on the other side of the pool. She’d stripped off her shirt, standing only in a bra and the skirt. She was doing a swinging dance, rubbing her hands on herself.
Brandon was nowhere in sight.
“Where is Brandon?” I asked Marc.
Marc scanned the crowd. “I don’t know.” He squeezed my arm, leaning in. “She’s causing a distraction, maybe for him. I’m going to find out. Stay here. Keep an eye on her. Don’t move from this spot. If you get hassled, go to the SUV and stay inside until we come for you.”
I didn’t like that plan. I didn’t want to lose sight of him. The earpiece was gone now, back in the SUV, and I wasn’t sure it was even working. “What are you doing?” I asked him.
“Have to go save Brandon,” he said. “If he’s trying to snoop, he picked the wrong place to do it.” He stepped away, trying to walk around the crowd.
I swallowed, drawing my arms around my stomach while Marc circled the pool. I lost sight of him through the thick group of people gathering around Future as she did a strip-like dance.
She was starting to hook her fingers into her bra, showing flashes to the guys gathering around.
Some were standing back, shaking their heads. They must have known Future.
The girls in the pool were pouting at not getting enough attention.
“Is that Fortune?” Henry asked. It was the first time I’d heard from him all night. I stepped back, trying to stand behind someone else to give some distance.
“Aw shit,” the brunette escort beside him said. “That fag? What’s he doing here?”
“I didn’t tell him we were having a party tonight,” Henry said. “Must have heard it from the others.”
“Well go tell him to leave,” the woman said. “Or at least put his clothes back on. They’re all going to be grossed out if he takes off that skirt.”
Henry grumbled something.
“If you want to fuck him, then go do it somewhere else,” the woman said.
“That’s not what I said.”
She snapped her fingers and pointed at him. “Look, I told you we should wait until the job was done.”
The job. She was giving orders to Henry.
Who was she?
“George,” Henry said. He snapped at the guy that had been sitting next to the escort. “Go get Fortune. Get her out of here.”
Another guy was jogging around the pool. He started waving at Henry. George left, heading toward Future. The new guy stood next to Henry. “Boss,” he said. “The SUV that was at Fred’s place, the one with the crew snooping around…”
“Not so loud,” Henry said.
“It’s parked outside.”
Uh oh. They knew about the car. We needed to leave. We may have to do it without the car.
I started walking around, flashing a fake smile and looking like I was trying to get a better view. Future was getting hassled by George, but she was ignoring him, twisting her hips and swaying back and forth. She reached around, threatening to unhook her bra.
I had to give it to her. If Brandon told her to make a scene, she was doing a marvelous job.
I found the phone tucked away, and checked the numbers, looking Marc’s. I sent him a text, telling him to get out. They know we’re here. I hoped he got it before they found them.
I was starting to ease my way around, trying to figure out a way inside, and wondered if the front door was still open. I started around, toward the dark areas between the houses, slowing down a little to let my eyes adjust.
An arm grabbed me, pulling me into the darker shadows of the area next to the house.
My first reaction was to throw a punch. If it’s one of those jerk guys thinking I was one of those escorts, I was going to…
Blake Coaltar’s face loomed over me, pressing his hand across my mouth and telling me to keep quiet.
My heart raced. “Blake,” I said, though smothered by his hand.
“We have to leave,” he said. His voice was deeper, demanding. He tugged me, nearly lifting me off the ground. He wasn’t going to wait.
I struggled, smacking him on the arm. “I have to go inside.”
“Your pals are about to be arrested,” he said. “If you go in there, you’ll be going with them.”
I panicked, looking around him, trying to see what was going on as he started carrying me toward the street.
The commotion inside was loud. I knew a fight when I heard one. Brandon or Marc may have been caught.
“We have to go get them!” I cried.
“No,” he said. “You’re coming with me. I don’t know what you thought you were doing, trying to bust in on a party filled with bounty hunters and hookers, but you guys are the craziest.” He encircled my waist, lifting me up higher and hauled me toward his Mercedes parked down the street.
Alarm seized through me. I didn’t want to leave Marc or Brandon behind, but the thought of being arrested made me hesitate.
It killed me that my fear was what held me back from running in there with them. I’d never been arrested before. All my thoughts about the police were that they’d lock you in a cell with Bubba, and throw away the key. If you’re ever caught, you’re forever on their radar.
Blake carried me, as my first instinct was to tuck back in a corner and watch. Marc’s and Brandon’s promises were still heavy on my heart. Running off felt like I was betraying them both.
Blake stuffed me into his Mercedes and shut the door. He hopped into the other side and started the car. He revved, and tore down the street.
The last I saw was Brandon being hauled out by two guys, his hands behind his back.
I clutched the cell phone they’d given me. I’d been too late. I shouldn’t have let Marc go in there after Brandon. I shouldn’t have agreed to this party at all.
I pressed my face into the leather seat, dying on the inside.
SECRETS LIKE RAINDROPS
Blake pulled over not too far from the house, waiting. When an unmarked cop car pulled out from the party with Brandon and Marc in the back, he started tailing them.
“What are we doing?”
“Making sure they actually take them to the police station, and not to the morgue.”
My jaw dropped. “They didn’t do anything.”
“Those cops are really pissed off,” Blake said, pointing at the car we were following. “Your buddies crashed the wrong party. What the hell were you guys thinking?”
I fumed, tapping my fingers against the armrest. I stared out the front, like I could set fire to the cop car just by glaring at it. “How do we get them out?”
“Sweetheart,” Blake said. “Are you kidding me? This is
perfect.”
I turned on him. His blond locks were hanging into his eyes. The facial hair was a little too overgrown. He was wearing the same jeans and shirt as yesterday. Had he slept or taken a break at all since his promise to follow me? “What? How is this perfect?”
“Don’t you see? They’ve been arrested. That will hold them overnight at least. They’ll probably grill them to try to figure out why they’re here. Now you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
“Huh?”
“Their damn lawyers,” he said. He turned his head to me and grinned. “That’s who we should pay attention to. The guys with power. The ones that manage to walk in and get them out of being in trouble.”
“But we weren’t…we were…” I moaned and shook my head. “This is all wrong. We can’t do this right now. We were trying to find the girl.”
“Who?” he asked.
I looked over at Blake. His eyes were wide, glancing from the road to me. It was dark, so I only caught the shape of his face. I hoped I wasn’t making this worse by telling him. “Sara,” I said. “You’re forgetting there’s a little girl in the middle of this mess. We need to find her.”
“How do you know her?”
“She’s apparently the…niece of one of the members of the Academy. Someone else. I’ve never met him.”
“Is she really missing? Are we sure the Academy doesn’t have her?”
“Why would the Academy guys look for her if they have her?” I asked.
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. After all the secrecy and lies, I’ve got all sorts of conspiracies I’m cooking up.”
“I can’t go on theories,” I said. “We need to focus.”
He swallowed, staring out the windshield as he drove. “You’re right,” he said. “If you really want to find her, catch me up. Tell me about Sara. What do you have?”
I started telling him about going to Fred’s apartment, about trying to figure out the truth with Future, then to Henry’s for the party. “I was trying to listen in on Henry. He wouldn’t talk though. It was always the girl. And for some reason she said they should have waited until after the job was done.”