"I was just-" Stells and I spoke up at the same time, and she giggled nervously as I took the lead.
"We were just trying to see if you have any news from Eastvale," I finally said. "Estella is still in the running, right?"
"Yes, for the regular admissions," Miss James said, giving me a long look. "Of course, as you both know, the chances of her getting in are quite slim, now that you've been accepted, Milo."
"Of course." I smiled and shrugged at Estella. "Looks like we'd better get going."
We walked out of the office barely holding back our laughter. Once outside, I turned to face her and asked, "What were you actually doing in there?"
"Recon," she answered, narrowing her eyes at me. "What about you? Why were you going through Miss James' stuff?"
"I was just looking for my... admission letter," I told her, and she nodded. "I was in a rush, so I thought I'd look for it myself."
"Right, right," she nodded, eyeing me suspiciously. I couldn't exactly tell her the truth - that I was looking for Miss James' panties, could I? I'd promised Natan I'd get them, which he hadn't failed to remind me of this morning.
"When can I see you?" I asked next, my heart hammering in my chest as I inspected her.
"Papa's basically turned me into a prisoner," she groaned. "But I'll try to get away as soon as I can. Maybe tonight?"
"Tonight, I..." I picked my words carefully. I had to get those panties if I wanted Natan to accept Estella and me being together. "I have a prior commitment."
"Oh." She stared me down, and I nearly felt myself blushing. "What kind of commitment?"
"I... Have something to do for my brother," I managed. "But I'll see you in algebra, right?"
"Sure." We stood there awkwardly until I finally gathered the courage to pull her against me. "What are you doing?"
"I missed you," I whispered against her neck. "I'm worried about you."
"Help get me out of there," she said softly. "I don't want to be stuck at home anymore. I'm afraid of him..."
What she said made my hairs stand on end, and I realized just how much I hated Estella's father. He was bad news all around, and I needed to find a way to get her away from him. "I'm doing my best, Estella. I'll keep trying." We broke apart, and I felt her lingering gaze on me as the school bell rang, announcing the end of the lesson. As the hallway filled with people, I realized she was bare faced, wearing the classic uniform of Wildwood, not some customized version that barely covered her butt. "You look pretty today."
"Really?" She winced. "Today? I'm not wearing makeup..."
"Pretty," I nodded. "So pretty."
She grinned before a classmate, Ryan, clapped me on the back. "Milo, my man." He glanced at Estella, looking closer when he noticed what she looked like. "Dude, what happened to you?"
Though his question was addressed at Estella, I couldn't help myself, answering for her. "Nothing happened to her, but something might happen to you if you pick on her like that."
"Jeez, calm down," Ryan frowned. "No need to get your panties in a bunch. We're late for PE. You coming?"
"Sure," I muttered, my eyes still firmly fixed on Estella. "See you later, Princess."
She waved as we left, and I felt her gaze on the back of my neck. I turned around, but I couldn't see her through the crowd in the hallway anymore. The need to be back with her made my heart throb in my chest, but I forced myself to keep walking. There'd be more time for that later.
Once school was finally over, I got into my car. I still had something to take care of. Natan had been adamant about those panties, reminding me three times during the school day that he could make my life difficult if he really wanted to. I groaned inwardly as I sat in the driver's seat. There was no way I was getting out of this.
I scrolled through my notifications as I waited, deciding what to do. I'd set up a search alert for Estella's father the previous day, and now, my phone was telling me there was a new article on Ricardo waiting. I clicked through the link, my eyes widening as I took in the huge headline.
Is millionaire preacher Carlos Hawthorne as squeaky clean as he looks?
I skimmed the article. The writer was going on and on about a rumor heard through the grapevine about a possible investigation being opened on the preacher. It sounded like fake news to me - some of these bloggers would do anything to bring traffic to their site. But still, I couldn't write it off entirely. If there really was an investigation, that meant Hawthorne would be scrutinized more and more. And if they found some dirt on him... it wouldn't be good for Estella. We needed to get ahead of this.
I glanced at the school. The hours for the admissions office weren't over for another hour, which meant I had some time to get what I needed. Besides, I knew where Miss James lived now.
Battling with my inner demons, I turned the car on and reversed out of the Wildwood parking lot. I started driving toward her house, hating myself for what I was about to do. But when I'd seen Estella in algebra, she seemed so torn down and upset. We hadn't gotten a chance to talk, but I had a feeling the change in her outfit and makeup hadn't gone over as well with everyone else as it had with me. I wanted to console her, but I hadn't gotten an opportunity, and now I was about to break into the home of a member of the school staff... to steal some panties, no less. Fuck.
I drove toward Miss James' house battling with my mind the whole way there. Finally, I pulled up in front of her empty driveway. There was nobody around save for an elderly woman walking a poofy-looking poodle. I got out of the car, trying the front door. Locked.
"Fuck," I muttered to myself, glancing around the back. What were the chances of her leaving the back door unlocked, anyway? The town was safe, but this wasn't the best neighborhood around. I walked behind the house, making my way around the shrubbery separating Miss James' property, until the back door came into view. I sneaked another look around before trying the handle. The door opened easily, and I pushed the screen door in. Just like that, I was in her house.
I breathed a sigh of relief, quickly making my way through the house until I reached the bathroom. The small house was spotless, and I hated myself as I dug through Miss James' chest of drawers in her simple bedroom, pulling out a pair of hot pink lacy panties. I whistled to myself and grinned as I stuffed them in my pocket. At least now I could get Nate off my back. That was one problem I'd taken care of, at least.
Just then, I heard a car outside, and the color drained from my face. I was about to get caught, but at least she wouldn't know about the panties.
The front door unlocked by the time I sat down at the dining table. The very one where we'd been sitting when I broke things off...
"Milo?" Miss James stood in the doorway, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell?"
"I..." I was struggling to find something to say that would excuse my unannounced presence. "I wanted to check on the Eastvale thing again, since we didn't get a chance at school."
"So you thought you'd just barge into my home?" She narrowed her eyes at me, closing the door behind her. "Is Estella here as well?"
"What?" I furrowed my brows. "Of course not, why?"
"I could've sworn I saw a familiar car outside." We both glanced out of the window, but the street was deserted save for our own cars in the driveway. "You can't just come in here like this, Milo, you’re the one who broke things off. It's seriously inappropriate."
Yeah, like that was ever a problem with you, I thought to myself, but kept my mouth shut, knowing when it was time to keep my thoughts to myself. "I'm really sorry, but I wanted to talk to you in private."
"Oh?" She set her bag down on the kitchen island, giving me a hopeful look. Fuck. Can I possibly get myself into more trouble here? She came to stand closer, and I forced myself not to flinch as she touched her hand to mine. "What about? I've been thinking about things..."
"Not about... Ummm." I struggled to give her an appropriate answer. I either risked getting her hopes up, or making her even angrier with me. This wasn't going to end well
, and I already knew it. "Just about Eastvale. What happens if I decide to give up my spot?"
"Give it up?" She gave me a shocked look. "Milo, it's the best school in the state." "I know," I muttered. "But I want Estella to go."
"Did she ask you to do this for her?" Miss James' brows shot up. "Because that is wrong on so many levels I can't even begin to-"
"No, she didn't," I interrupted her. "She would never, and she doesn't want me to. But I know how much it means to her."
Miss James' lips set in a thin line, and she gave me a curt nod. "You'd really do anything for that girl, wouldn't you, Milo?"
"Pretty much," I muttered before I could stop myself. "She's... special."
"Sure," she nodded, coming to stand closer by me. "Anyone can be special if you care about them, Milo. We... we could have been special."
"I... don't know about that," I laughed nervously, getting up from my seat. My hand was in my pocket, pushing her panties deeper into it so they wouldn't fall out. God forbid she found out about those... I'd never get her off my back then.
"It's true," she said softly, smiling at me. "We could have been so very special, if you hadn't thrown it all away... Tell me, do you regret it, Milo?"
I shifted my weight from one foot to another, refusing to meet her gaze. "I don't really think about that, Miss James."
"Still refusing to call me by my name?" She giggled, taking another step forward. Now I was caged between her and the wall, my nerves getting the better of me and my heart pounding faster than ever. "I wish you'd kiss me, Milo. I really, really want you to kiss me."
“Miss James, I really don’t think that’s a good…”
“Shh.” She was inches away from me now, her eyes gleaming. “Don’t say anything, Milo.”
I couldn’t have even if I’d wanted to. And I was acutely aware of her hot pink, lacy panties in my pocket. If she realized I had those, she was never going to leave me alone.
“I think I should get going,” I managed to get out. “I’m going to be late for dinner.”
“Don’t go,” she purred, trailing her finger over my chest. “There’s still time to make things right. You know you want this, don’t you, Milo? Just stop fighting it.”
I’d had enough. I grabbed her wrists gently, but firmly, holding her away from me. She turned her eyes up to look at me, and I knew she was upset about me saying no, but I was past the point of caring.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” I reminded her. “We really, really shouldn’t be doing this.”
“But I know you-”
“No, I don’t,” I interrupted her. “I don’t want it, and neither should you. It was a bad idea from the start and I never should have let it go as far as I did. So please, let’s just forget about everything that happened here today. I’m going to leave now, and I don’t want you to say a word about this to anyone. Do you understand?”
“But we-”
“There is no we, Miss James.” Her wrists trembled in my grasp, and I let her go, watching her arms fall by her sides. She was upset. Definitely upset. But I’d gotten what I’d came for, and now it was time to go.
I pulled away from her, walking to the door. I half-expected her to make another move, and I wasn’t surprised when she called out after me a final time.
“Milo.” Her voice was icy this time around, and I knew it was time for her to use what she had on me to force me into doing something I did not want to do.
“Yes?”
“What if I tell the school you made a move on me?” Her voice was buttery soft, but I wasn’t going to fall for it. This was just another way of her trying to get what she so desperately wanted. “What if I tell them you forced me into a compromising position?”
“And who’s going to believe you?” I asked her, looking over my shoulder. “The new teacher at a prestigious school who lives in a trashy place like this? Nobody will buy those lies, Miss James. And that just tells me how far you’ve fallen. How desperate you are.” I turned around, watching her with pity in my eyes. “You should know that I didn’t want it to come to this, but I will stand up for myself if you try to bring me down. I’m not a pushover.”
She stayed stubbornly quiet, her bottom lip trembling as she watched me. I smiled at her, a sad reminder of the friendship we could have had if she hadn’t forced me to try and get what she wanted.
“Goodbye, Miss James.”
I walked out of her house, breathing a sigh of relief as I reached my car. I got in and pulled out of her driveway, driving aimlessly until I found myself at a panoramic spot on top of the city. I parked, turned on the music, and allowed myself to finally breathe again.
My phone started ringing just then, and I picked it up, furrowing my brows when I saw Finn’s number flashing across my screen. We didn’t really call each other, doing our best to avoid communication since we started getting blackmailed, which meant this could only be bad news. I picked up the call. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“Milo.” I could practically see him grinning at me like the cat that got the cream. “I may have stumbled across something that could be useful for you.”
“Oh yeah?” I ran a hand through my hair. “What might that be?”
“I have some information on Estella Hawthorne’s father,” he said. “A little birdie told me you’re desperate to know how to bring him down.”
My skin prickled at the thought. Finn lived in a shitty neighborhood not far from Miss James. He had contacts, shady people who traded in the best currency there was – information.
“What do you know?”
“Well, I’m not just gonna tell you,” he laughed out loud. “Silly geek boy. It’s gonna cost you if you want to find out.”
“Fine,” I ground out. “How much, and when will you tell me?”
“A grand,” he went on. “I want it as soon as possible.”
“A grand?” I repeated. It was low. Real low. Finn must have been desperate for the money. “Fine, you’ve got a deal. Can we meet up now?”
“Yeah.” I heard him getting up. “In town. You know that spa place close to Clancy’s?”
“Yeah,” I muttered. “You want to meet there?” What a weird fucking spot.
“You’ll see why. I’ll meet you there in ten.”
“You got it.”
I cut the call and checked my bank balance on my phone app. There was enough in my account to meet Finn’s demands, more than enough in fact, though I had a feeling I’d have some explaining to do when I got home.
Driving away from the spot, I arrived at our meeting place minutes later. I barely had enough time to transfer the money from my account to Finn’s. Finn pulled in a couple minutes after on his bike. He took his helmet off as I approached, grinning at me.
“You ready for this?” he asked, and I nodded. “Got the money?”
“I transferred it to you,” I told him.
“How?” he furrowed his brows. “I don’t want a trace.”
“Whatever, dude, I’ll just make something up,” I muttered, though I could tell he was none to pleased about it. I sighed, pulling my phone out again and swiping on the screen. “There, just added another five hundred. That gonna shut you up?”
He grinned at me. “You got it, rich boy. Come on, we’re going in.”
We walked into the spa place, looking like total outcasts amid all the girls getting manis and pedis. The lady at the front desk gave us a weird look, but Finn sauntered to the counter with a confident smirk.
“We’re looking for a massage,” he said confidently.
“A massage?” She raised her brows, eyeing us both. “Over eighteen?”
“I am,” I stepped in, and she gave us another suspicious glance before nodding.
“Okay, you can come. You stay out here, though.” She glanced at Finn, and I looked over my shoulder as she motioned for me to follow her. I fell into step behind her, already getting a feel for what this was going to be all about. “You pay upfront to your masseuse.”
“Clothes off,” she said. “Masseuse is waiting in room three.”
“Great.” I flashed her a smile, and she reluctantly left, as if she still wasn’t convinced about my true intentions. I took my jacket off, but the moment the door closed behind her, I was on the move, eager to find out how this place was connected to Estella’s father.
I followed the sound of laughter to a long hallway with doors on either side. Fuck. There was next to no chance I’d be able to find Ricardo Hawthorne in there. The moment I burst into one of those rooms, I was going to get escorted off the premises. So I thought it better to just wait for the man to reveal himself.
I stood behind a room separator, pouring myself a glass of cucumber water as I waited for someone to appear. And it didn’t take long. Not even five minutes later, one of the doors on the right side of the hallway open, and out walked a pretty, young redhead, and none other than Estella’s father.
He muttered something in her ear while I watched, and she flushed, waving at him as he left. I didn’t have any concrete evidence, at least not enough to take Hawthorne down. But the redhead was still there, and she was bound to have some answers.
“Hey,” I walked out from behind the screen. “Which one’s room three?”
“Oh!” She clutched her chest.” You scared me. It’s the one over there.” She pointed to a clearly marked door and gave me an odd glance. “Have I seen you before?”
“Nope, I’m new,” I grinned, eyeing her. “Hey, what if I want to do this with you?”
“It’s a thousand extra.” She crossed her arms, staring me down.
“How about five hundred and you give me some information?” I suggested.
“I don’t… I don’t think I should do that,” she muttered, looking around for backup.
“Don’t worry, I’m not a cop.” I stepped closer, pulling out some hundred-dollar bills from my pocket and stuffing them into her palm. She didn’t resist me. “I just have a couple questions about the man who just left.”
Boys That Read: A High School Romance (Lords of Wildwood Book 2) Page 14