Discovering Alexis: The Wildly Crazy Day

  The way he says it makes me feel strangely proud. And the way he looks at me causes tingles to nip at my neck where he sucked. I’m not sure I like how great he’s making me feel at the moment.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.

  “Like what?” He keeps looking at me the same way.

  I eye him over. “I don’t know … Like you’re a sugar junkie, and I’m a candy bar you’re about to devour.”

  His teeth sink into his lip, and he turns away, staring at the road, his fingers gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white. “You have no idea, Alexis, no idea.”

  “Okay, what the freakin’ troll babies does that mean?” And why does my belly feel like it’s full of wiggling jelly beans?

  Instead of answering, he gives me another look. A look that I’m pretty sure a guy has never given me before, one that makes my entire body tremble.

  I try to tell myself that I’m all amped up over what happened between Masie and I, but I don’t think that’s the real reason. Is it because I’m hurting and seeking a distraction from the pain?

  Yeah, that’s got to be it. My walls have come down and I’m feeling too much. I need to put them back up so I don’t have to deal with reality. And the reality is that I thought I was in love with a guy who will never love me back. And for weeks he’s known I’ve been in love with him and has been hiding the fact that he’s been hooking up with Masie. My two best friends have been lying to me. Together.

  And then there’s West. He’s always honest. Too honest most of the time. Still, I’ve never had to guess anything with him. He’s always been pretty straightforward, and he really saved my ass when all this shit hit the fan. In fact, he’s been kind of sweet.

  “Okay, now why are you looking at me like that?” he asks, releasing his lip from his teeth.

  “I’m not,” I lie, tearing my attention off him. Then I hastily change the subject, not ready to confess exactly where my thoughts were. “So, where are we going?”

  It takes him a moment to answer, his gaze practically boring a hole into the side of my head.

  “Fine, I’ll let you off the hook for now. Next time you look at me like that, though, I’m going to wiggle the truth out of you.” His tone turns devious. “No matter what it takes.”

  “Oh no, not the ‘no matter what it takes’ threat,” I mock in an attempt to sidetrack us away from whatever the hell this hungry, belly full of jelly beans thing going on between us is.

  “And we’re going to Masie’s,” West adds as an afterthought as he glances at his phone.

  “What?” I reach for the door handle, preparing to jump out of the car if I have to. “No. Don’t take me back there. I’m worried if I see her again, I might kick her ass. And I can’t get arrested again.”

  “Again, huh?” he teases. “What’s your number up to now?”

  “I don’t know … Like, five?”

  “You’re lucky your sister has a cop for a friend.”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  He grins, and the corners of my lips quirk up into an almost smile, yet I don’t quite make it there.

  He sighs. “I’m taking you to Masie’s so we can look for that clue. And don’t worry; she won’t be there.”

  “How do you know that for sure?”

  Guilt masks his expression. “I’m not sure if I should tell you.”

  “West, just tell me,” I gripe. “You’ve always been honest with me, even when the truth hurts.”

  “That’s not completely true,” he reminds me. “Remember that one time when I saw your cat get ran over and I didn’t tell you for a week because I knew you’d get upset?”

  “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.” I drum my fingers on top of my knee. “I actually thought that was kind of sweet.”

  He gives me a skeptical look. “Really? Because, at the time, you seemed pissed off.”

  I offer him an apologetic look. “Yeah, I know. And I’m sorry I did. I just get that way sometimes. Besides, there’s always sort of been this challenge going on between us.”

  “What do you mean?” he asks too innocently.

  “I think you know what I mean.”

  “Okay, maybe I do.”

  “Then why pretend you didn’t?”

  He shrugs then sighs. “Because I don’t want it to exist anymore.” He shrugs again, seeming lost and confused and kind of vulnerable. “When I first met you, it was pretty clear you weren’t a fan of me, so I played it off by teasing you.”

  “It’s not that I didn’t not like you. You just know how to push my buttons.”

  His brow curves upward in skepticism. “Really? Because sometimes it seems like you hate me.”

  I cross my arms, feeling vulnerable, and I don’t like it at all. “I know we tease each other and everything, but I’ve never thought: hey, I hate West. In fact, I’ve always thought you were kind of funny, even when I’m the butt of your jokes.”

  “You’ve never been the butt of my jokes. And I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.” He nibbles on his lip, appearing undecided about something. I can tell the moment he arrives at the decision, though, because he smirks. “I’ve always thought of our little bantering as flirting.”

  “Ha, yeah right.” I roll my eyes.

  “Deep down, I know you think the same thing.”

  “I so do not.”

  “Sure, you don’t.”

  “West, I do not and stop saying that.”

  “What? Stop saying the truth? That just seems silly.” A wicked glint flickers in his eyes. “Besides, back at the park, I could tell you liked me biting your neck.”

  “No, I didn’t.” The way my neck tickles in the most wonderful way ever suggests otherwise. “Dude, you’re so about to get your ass kicked.”

  He grins. “Aw, please don’t tease me.”

  I glare at him. “I’m not joking.”

  “Whatever you say.” His smug smile irks me in a way that I just about lose my shit.

  “The neck biting thing was the most unpleasant experience I’ve ever had,” I argue. “And I’m going to show you.” I lean over, put my mouth beside his neck, part my lips, and sink my teeth into him. I don’t bite hard enough to draw blood, but he’s definitely going to have some teeth marks on his skin.

  After a little bit of sucking, I move back and smirk at him. “See? Told you it doesn’t turn me on.”

  He doesn’t respond, just pulls the car over and turns off the engine.

  I glance around and realize we’re parked on the corner of Masie’s street. I start to get out, ready to get this over with, but West captures my elbow and pulls me toward him.

  “We’re not done yet,” he all but growls. Then his mouth is on my neck, and his teeth are gently grazing my skin as he sucks and nips and bites.

  I groan. Oh, my God, do I groan, my chest arching into him as he leans farther over the console and pins me against the seat.

  “West,” I gasp, threading my fingers through his hair.

  He groans, moving his hands to my waist, inching up the hem of my shirt with his fingers.

  I don’t know if he’s playing a game with my mind or totally getting off on this, and I don’t freakin’ care at all. Not at the moment, anyway. But I’m sure I will later. Right now, though, it feels too good. And I want to feel good. I want to forget all about Blaine, and stupid Masie, and their dumb kiss, and this … This is working.

  “Harder,” I beg, sounding completely unlike myself.

  He complies, biting harder, slipping his hand all the way up the front of my shirt. It feels like I should be freaking out, but I’m not. In fact, my body likes the way his fingers graze my skin right below my bra, the way his teeth graze my neck, and the way he moans out my name.

  “Harder,” I beg again.

  Seriously, why do I keep saying that? What the fuck is wrong with me?

  Regardless of why my mind is messed up, he does what I ask while pushing me further until I lose control completely, cr
ying out his name and stabbing my fingernails into his arms.

  By the time I return back to reality, I’m feeling strangely content, utterly confused, and at the same time, kind of pissed off. The latter is more at myself.

  As reality douses over me, I move to lean away from him, but West holds me in place, resting his forehead against mine.

  “Don’t get shy on me now,” he breathes against my lips.

  “I’m not getting shy,” I say. “I just think what happened … was just …” Gah, why can’t I get a coherent sentence out of my mouth?

  “An orgasm,” he says bluntly. “Yeah, I know. And it was fucking beautiful. Seriously, the hottest thing I ever saw.”

  I roll my eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

  He leans back to meet my gaze. “You don’t believe me?” His brow teases upward, and the corners of his lips quirk. “Hmm … I guess I’ll have to show you again, then.” Without warning, he grazes his fingers up my shirt again, while he traces a path up my inner thigh with his other hand. Instead of kissing my neck again, though, he watches me.

  My lips part to tell him to stop, because it seems like I should want him to, but no words leave my lips.

  “You can tell me to stop,” he whispers as his fingers near the edge of my panties.

  I want to tell him to stop—I swear I do—but the words won’t come out.

  West whispers something incoherent before he suddenly pulls his fingers away from my panties.

  What in the hell? Why is he stopping?

  Why do I care?

  I get distracted as he starts sucking on my neck again and rubbing me between my legs.

  “Ohmygod,” the words rush out of me while I grip the edge of the seat. “West.” Then I come apart again, for the second time in only minutes.

  Seriously, is that even normal? To have two orgasms in less than two minutes?

  West chuckles, his breath warm against my skin. “It is, and the fact that you have to question that means the guys you’ve been with have been doing it all wrong.”

  Oh, my hell, did I just say that aloud!

  My lips part to retract my statement, but instead, I just let out a loud breath.

  “Well, either that or you haven’t been with anyone.” West leans back, searches my eyes, then grins. “Yeah, it’s definitely the latter.”

  My mortification simmers to anger. “Why? Because I’m so hideous?”

  He shakes his head without missing a beat. “Not at all.” He traces a finger down my cheekbone. “You’re gorgeous all the time. But when you’re like this, your cheeks flushed, a content look in your eyes …” He bites down on his lip then whispers, “Beautiful.”

  I have no damn clue what to say to any of this. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in this situation. Then again, up until today, I never would’ve thought Masie and Blaine would hook up and stab me in the back, and then some person would jack my car as part of a twisted game. A game I still don’t know the point to. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like what just happened. I did like it. A lot, a lot. So much so, I want to do it again.

  Which is why I’ll never do it again. Because liking and loving things only leads to heartache.

  “What are you thinking about?” West asks, his voice soft and slightly unsure—completely unlike West. “You’re not upset, are you?” When I don’t answer right away, he curses. “Fuck, I knew I shouldn’t have done that. Not when you’re hurting.”

  My lips part to tell him that’s not what’s wrong. “I—”

  His phone ringing cuts me off.

  He frowns when he catches sight of the screen, then answers with a grumbled, “Hello?” He doesn’t say much, his eyes fixed on me. “Yeah …” He pauses, and then the color drains from his face. “Wait. What?” Then his eyes snap wide, but he’s not looking at me. He’s looking at something over my shoulder.

  I turn around to see what he’s looking at, when the door flies open and I fall out of the car, smacking my face on the concrete.

  I hear West curse, and then a door slam.

  My ears ring and my vision spots. “Goddammit, that hurt,” I grumble, clutching my head.

  “Did you find your clue yet?” a deep, male, and familiar voice asks.

  I glance up, and through the darkness, I make out a shadow of a figure looming over me.

  “Who are you?” I ask as I start to get up.

  “Your new best friend,” they say, then grab my arm.

  I reach up with my fist balled. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me, you perv …” The words fade from my lips as a needle sinks into my arm.

  And everything goes black.

  Too Distracted

  West

  “I can’t believe I let this happen,” I say as I cross my arms. “This is all my fault.”

  “Will you chill out?” Steel, my friend and team member of the organization, shakes his head as he slumps back in the sofa. “It wasn’t your fault, so quit whining about it.”

  “Yes, it is.” I continue pacing. “I should’ve noticed the mark on the card Alexis had. I should’ve realized it was Hacker Hearts Anonymous.” I’m not talking about the mark printed on the car, either. I’m referring to the watermark in the center of the card.

  I only realized there was one after Alexis and I were attacked and I held the card up to a light. I should’ve noticed it before then, though I was too distracted with Alexis … Kissing her … Touching her …

  “I fucked up,” I mutter, rubbing my hand across my forehead.

  “We all fuck up,” Ellis says, typing on his phone. “It’s part of the job, and deep down, I think you know that. You’re just stressed out because it was Alexis who was attacked.”

  “She wasn’t just attacked.” I sink down onto the corner of the coffee table. “Hacker Hearts Anonymous sent her a message. They were after her, not me.”

  Ellis glances up at me. “Are you sure, though? I mean, why would one of the most notorious hackers in the world go after some random girl from Honeyton?”

  “I don’t know, but I need to find out.” I glance at my cracked bedroom door where Alexis is sleeping off the drugs the guy injected in her.

  Thankfully, the drug was a mild sedative and won’t have any long- or short-term effects, other than Alexis being sleepy for a bit. I still beat the shit out of the guy who doped her up, to the point where he was barely conscious.

  “I need to get some answers before she wakes up,” I say. “I know she’s going to have a lot of questions.”

  “What about the guy who injected her?” Ellis asks. “We can question him when he comes to.”

  Steel cracks his knuckles. “Yeah, I’m definitely up for a little questioning.”

  “No, I want to do it.” I flick a glance at the door to my cage room, where the guy is currently sleeping off me beating his ass.

  Every team has access to a cage room so we can lock up and interrogate people when needed. Of course, we have to have probable cause, which we definitely have right now. Although, Steel pushes the limits of probable all the time.

  “It might take some time to get the truth out of him,” Ellis says. “if he works for Hacker Hearts Anonymous.”

  I blow out a stressed breath. “Yeah, I know.”

  “What’re you going to do until then?” he asks. “I mean, what’re you going to do with Alexis?”

  I shrug. “I’m going to keep her safe.”

  And I fully mean my words. Whether Alexis realizes it or not, if Hacker Hearts Anonymous are after her, she’s in some serious danger.

  And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. Not just from Hacker Hearts Anonymous, but from everything.

  As I turn to head to the cage to interrogate the guy who injected Alexis with the drug, my phone rings from inside my pocket with an incoming call from an unknown number. Unknown numbers are usually from the organization, so I answer.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey,” the caller replies, his voice recognizable.
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  “Benton? What’s up man?” I say and Ellis and Steel shoot me a shocked look.

  We haven’t heard from Benton or any of his other team members in quite a while, ever since we formed our own group and no longer were officially part of the Bad Boy Rebels (yeah, I know it’s a silly name, but we can’t seem to get rid of it). We didn’t leave the group because we were pissed off or anything—although, some of the guys are still pissed off at us for leaving. We just decided that Steel, Ellis, and I worked better together, just the three of us. But we do have a lot of people occasionally work with us when we need extra help with a case.

  “I actually need to ask you for a favor,” Benton says, shocking me.

  “Okay,” I reply, confused, since Benton rarely asks for favors.

  “It’s about your friend Alexis Baker,” he explains. “She might be in trouble.”

  “I know,” I tell him. “She actually is… Or was in trouble already. But she’s at my place right now and safe.”

  “Let me guess, Hacker Hearts Anonymous?” Benton says.

  “Yep, they tried to attack her about an hour ago,” I tell him. “But how did you know that?”

  “I got an anonymous tip. I’m not sure who sent it, but Zhara and I have been trying to get ahold of Alexis all day to warn her,” he says. “And you. But you’re a really hard person to track down.”

  “So are you,” I point out. “All organization members are.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He sounds tired. “It just sucks when there’s an emergency.”

  “Yeah, it definitely does.” I pause. “Wait, what’re you doing with Zhara Baker? She’s not part of the organization… Is she?” Because that’d shock the shit out of me even more than what happened today.

  “Yes and no.” He sighs again. “Look, I can’t really get into the details over the phone, but I just want to make sure that Alexis is okay and being taken care of.”

  “She’s fine,” I assure him. “And I plan on keeping an eye on her until I can figure out what’s going on with Hacker Hearts Anonymous.”

  “Good, that’s a fucking relief,” he says. “Zhara’s been really worried.”

  “So she knows a lot about what’s going on?” I ask, sinking down onto the armrest of the sofa.