by Lilly Wilder
“Why don’t you do something different? Something that’ll make you happy?” When I looked up at Landon he was eating his pizza with a fork and a knife.
“Yeah, ignore him. He was born ass-backward,” Roman said, when he saw the confusion on my face. “I tried to tell him that it was weird for him to eat pizza that way but he doesn’t like getting his fingers dirty.”
I immediately wondered whether that applied to everything or just food, because I wouldn’t mind if he got a little dirty with me.
Jeez, what has gotten into me? Seriously, I’m not usually this horny but there’s just something about these men that gets my panties all in a bunch.
More like they get your panties soaking wet, came a teasing whisper at the back of my head.
I pushed the thought aside and tried to focus on the conversation we were having before I allowed my mind to wander into uncharted territory. “Why?” I asked. “Well, because a degree in English hasn’t gotten me much of anything. I’ve tried to apply for more writing-based jobs but they all want like 1-2 years of experience. How am I supposed to get any experience if no one will hire me.”
“It’s a catch-22.”
“Tell me about it,” I started on my second slice. “So, I’m working on a novel, in hopes that self-publishing might pan out. I really don’t have very high hopes for it but at least it keeps me busy.”
“Do you think we could read some of what you wrote?” asked Landon.
“Oh, it’s nowhere near finished.”
“I’m sure that it’s much better than you think it is. We are often our own worst critics.”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Very well. I didn’t mean to pressure you in any way. I was simply curious.”
“Can you at least tell us what it’s about?” Roman snagged the last slice. There were three uneaten pizza crusts on his plate. At the same time, Landon and I reached for them and dunked them into the ranch.
“Great minds think alike,” I said, with a wink before taking a bite. “And, just for the record, if Landon is weird for eating his pizza with a fork and a knife then you’re weird for not eating the crust. It’s the best part.”
“What are you talking about? It’s just bread.”
“It’s the best part,” I repeated. “And there’s no way you’re going to win this argument because I know Landon will back me up here even if he does eat it with a fork.”
Roman looked back and forth between the two of us. “When did you two decide to gang up on me? It’s totally unfair if you ask me.”
“Well, no one did.” I laughed and so did Roman. It was good to know that he could take a joke. Guys without a sense of humor were so lame but Roman seemed to be on the same exact wavelength as I was.
What about Landon? Well, he’s an exception.
“So, what do you guys think about staying a little longer and watching a movie with me?”
Roman and Landon exchanged a look before nodding.
“We would love to,” answered Roman. “But what are we watching? Please tell me its not some chick flick.”
“Unfortunately, it is. I wasn’t expecting to spend my night with a couple of guys or I would have opted for an action movie.”
Roman got up and helped himself to the freezer. Without being prompted, Landon joined him and helped by handing over the bowls. It was like the two of them were always in perfect sync. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said that they were inside each other’s heads.
“So, what are we watching?” asked Roman, once we had migrated out of the kitchen.
“The Secret Crown,” I answered. “It’s about a girl who didn’t know she was heir to the throne until an unlikely chain of events brings her back to her kingdom. I think she gets on the wrong flight or something.”
“You’re kidding, right? That’s Landon’s favorite movie —”
Before he could say anything else, Landon jabbed him in the side. Roman doubled over, holding his stomach.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Oh, you think my pain is funny, do you?”
“Kind of, yeah.”
Roman shook his head before plopping down, ice cream bowl in hand.
The only spot left was between the two of them. I’m pretty sure they had planned it that way and, honestly, I didn’t even mind. These men had totally different personalities, but together, they were the perfect pair. At times, it felt like I could spend forever just enjoying their company and talking our silly talks.
I started the movie and leaned back so that my head was rested on Landon’s shoulder. I didn’t plan it that way — it just happened. He didn’t seem to mind it, so I didn’t bother to move.
About three times during the movie, Roman got up to replenish his supply of ice cream. When he said that he had a sweet tooth, he really wasn’t kidding.
“You know, you might as well bring over the entire tub and just eat it straight from the source. It would make watching this movie a lot more streamlined. I hate that I have to keep pausing it every five minutes.”
“Patience is a virtue,” he countered, as he wagged the ice cream scoop.
“Is he always like this?” I asked Landon.
“Always,” he responded.
“How do you deal with it?”
“He’s like a brother to me,” he said. “I really couldn’t picture my life without him. He might be a little irritating at times but he has a good heart and he always has my back. I know that if I’m ever in trouble, he’ll be there standing beside me.”
I envied their relationship because it was one that I had never had. Training for the Olympics had left me without friends. I had pushed everyone aside trying to get to the top. Now, I was paying the price for it.
“Well, hold onto him then because there aren’t many people in this world that you can trust these days.”
Landon’s eyes softened as he reached out and pinned a strand of hair behind my ear. It sent a tingle of warmth running through my spine. Our faces gravitated towards one another and our foreheads collided. He kept his hand on my cheek, thumb running across my skin. “You can trust us.”
Chapter 9: Jane
All week, my mind wandered back to my movie night with the guys. I hadn’t been expecting it to turn out so well but it was, without a doubt, one of the best nights I had experienced in quite a while. Just spending time with them had put me in such a state of ease. I had loved every minute of it and now that I hadn’t seen them for a while, I almost felt hollow inside.
Sure, I had seen them in passing as they went in and out of the hotel. They always looked so busy — concerned even — and it made me realize that I didn’t have much idea of what they did or who they truly were, outside of their general personalities. They had enough money to pay for the hotel but where did that money come from? What were they doing now? Some nights, when I worked the graveyard shift, they didn’t return to their rooms until three or four o’clock in the morning.
Doubt started to plant itself into my subconscious. What if they were drug dealers or something? Was I getting myself involved in a great big mess I wanted nothing to do with?
I tried talking to them about it but their answers were vague. There was definitely something they were hiding from me and if they wanted to hang out with me again, then I was going to need some serious answers.
“Jane? Earth to Jane!” Homer waved a hand in front of my face and it jolted me from my jumble of thoughts. I would just need to sort them out later on in the day. “Jane!” This time, he snapped.
“What?”
“Is everything okay? You were like, on another planet or something.”
“Just… thinking.”
“About?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
He frowned. “You know, it’s not good for you to internalize. They say it’s healthy to let things go and I’m all ears.”
“Shouldn’t you be cleaning the rooms o
n the fifth floor?”
“Speaking about the fifth floor…” he started but then he looked over his shoulder like he half expected someone to jump out from the shadows. Once he had made a full sweep of the area, he returned his attention to me. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been talking a lot with the guys from room 512.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So…” he grabbed a complimentary candy and popped it into his mouth. I gave him a glare because he knew he wasn’t supposed to take what was meant for paying customers but he rarely followed that particular rule. I was refilling that dish every other day. Somehow, I have a knack for attracting guys with a serious sugar addiction. “I don’t like them,” he said at last.
“And why is that?”
“I can’t quite put my finger on it but something about them feels… off.”
“I see.”
“And it doesn’t make me comfortable seeing the way they look at you.”
“How do they look at me, exactly?”
“It’s like they’re hungry.”
“Hungry?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “That might not be the best way to describe it but it’s this, almost, predatory look, like they’re just looking for the right moment to pounce.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. I didn’t even think twice about defending them, which was weird, considering that I was having doubts of my own. Yet, I couldn’t stand the thought of Homer thinking ill of them. “Look, I appreciate your concern and the fact that you’re trying to look out for me but I think I can handle myself.”
Homer’s phone started to ring. “Just… be careful.”
His words echoed in my skull. Be careful.
“And I’ll see you tonight, alright?” With that, he was gone. I could hear his muffled speech, as he answered his phone but nothing more than that.
Right. I had agreed to go to the new night club with Homer.
“Ugh…” I groaned out loud, already regretting my decision. Maybe there was some way I could get out of it but when I remembered the look of excitement on Homer’s face when I had said ‘yes’, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to leave him hanging. “Why do I always get myself dragged into these things?” I asked myself, as I resumed my game of solitaire and waited for my shift to end.
***
Later that night, I stood in front of my closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Most of my nightclub attire was from back in my college days and I doubted whether I could still fit into them. Sometimes, a couple of packed on pounds really make the difference.
But hey, I like the way I look now more than I did two years ago. Back when I was training for the Olympics, I was nothing but a twig. I had pretty much starved myself in order to maintain the weight that the coach thought was best for me. Now, I could eat everything I wanted (within reason) and I had grown into an hourglass figure.
I pressed a dress against my body and tried to envision what it would look like if I actually put it on. “Nah,” I said and tossed it onto my mattress.
Eventually, I decided on a little black dress made of stretchy material. I figured that it would be the most forgiving to my body type and I had figured correctly.
I could barely recognize myself in the mirror. I don’t want to come across as conceited but I looked good. I was totally feeling myself, when I heard the doorbell.
With my heels clicking against the hardwood floor, I went to answer it. Homer stood at my doorstep looking downright hilarious. It was hard for me to keep from laughing. He wore an oversized silk shirt that hung down to his knees. It was that tacky sort of red that kind of hurts your retinas to look at it. To top off the look, he was sporting some skin-tight leather jeans and when I mean skin-tight, I mean it literally. I could see every detail of his kneecaps and if his shirt hadn’t been so long, I was sure I’d see the suffocation of his package.
But the best part? His dazzling disco shoes. I swear, they were brighter than the sun on a summer’s day.
“I’m sorry, but what the hell are you wearing?”
He grinned and ran his fingers through his hair. That was another thing. There was so much product in his hair that it looked greasy. It was not a good look.
“This is what people wear to the clubs,” he said. “Just you wait and see, I’m going to be the best-dressed guy there.”
I nearly laughed out loud but I didn’t want to offend the guy. While I wasn’t particularly attracted to Homer, I couldn’t deny that he seemed a decent enough guy. One day, I was sure, he would make a girl very, very happy. That girl just wasn’t me.
“Just let me get my purse and we —”
Before I could finish my sentence, the sound of two motorcycles revving their engines echoed through the surrounding area.
“You’ve got to be a real knucklehead to drive like that,” grumbled Homer.
The sound got louder and louder. Curiosity got the best of me and I craned my head and saw the boys rounding the corner with brand new Harley Davidsons. My eyes widened with surprise and my jaw hung agape. They looked like a couple of bad boy bikers and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it but I did — a lot. Already, I could picture myself on the back, my arms tight around Landon’s body with the wind whipping through my hair. He would ride the straight and narrow while Roman would outshine us, occasionally popping a wheelie or performing some other daredevil stunt.
“What are these guys doing here?” asked Homer. It was clear, by the scowl on his face, that he wasn’t happy to see them.
“I have no idea. I didn’t invite them here or anything.”
“Well, I’m going to tell them that I’ve got a date with you tonight.” Before I could stop him, Homer was already halfway down my walkway, approaching the two hulking individuals. He looked miniature by comparison but nonetheless, he puffed out his chest. It was like watching a Chihuahua squaring off to a couple of Pit Bulls. This was not going to end well.
“I don’t know why you guys are here but Jane is going to the Alpha Wolf with me tonight, so whatever you were planning, you’ll just have to forget about it.”
Roman didn’t give him the time of day. Instead, he sidestepped my co-worker and came jaunting my way. “What’s up with the pipsqueak?”
“Pipsqueak?” Homer snapped. “Did you really just call me a pipsqueak?” Homer looked like he was about ready to start a fight with these guys but, for his sake, I hoped he wouldn’t. Landon and Roman probably ate guys like him for breakfast.
Landon appeared out of nowhere and suddenly positioned himself between Homer and me. “Is this guy giving you a hard time?” he asked, like he was my personal bodyguard or something.
“No,” I answered. “He really is taking me to the Alpha Wolf tonight.”
“Interesting,” mused Roman. “I really didn’t pin you as the night club type.”
“Honestly, I’m not.”
“So, why are you going? Stay home where it’s safe.” Landon had joined the conversation.
“I can keep her safe, thank you very much,” Homer protested, his face becoming a bright shade of red.
“You know I really doubt —”
I stepped on Roman’s foot before he could say anything else. The last thing I wanted was an all-out blood bath on my front doorstep. My landlord would probably charge me extra on my monthly rent to pay for the damages and, honestly, my budget was tight enough as it was.
“I’m sorry, guys, but I just can’t hang out tonight. I made a promise I’d go with Homer to this night club and I’m not one to break my promises.”
“That’s right.” Homer took my hand.
Landon looked like he was about ready to rip Homer’s throat from his neck just for touching me.
“Let’s go.”
***
But going with Homer to a night club was the worst decision of my life. It took less than five minutes for him to abandon me. He was off dancing with some ditzy blonde who’
d had way too much to drink. Even from the bar, I could hear her obnoxious laughter. It pierced right through me each and every time. I sipped my Cosmo, hoping the booze would help, but really, it didn’t.
I got up, about to call myself a taxi when this weird sensation swept right through me. It left a frigidness to every part of my body. I shivered as goosebumps crept along my skin. My heart thumped like I was in danger. I looked up and a man dressed all in black was looking straight at me. He had a long scar on the left side of his face that ran from his eyebrow down to his upper lip. His eyes were a cold shade of blue.
He smirked in a way that seemed to say ‘gotcha.’
My heart thumped a little louder.
He advanced in my direction and all I could do was stand there like a statue.
Move! I screamed inside my brain but my body wouldn’t obey the command. It was like someone had superglued my feet to the floor.
As he got closer, I realized just how humungous he really was. His biceps alone were as thick as my thighs. He towered above me, those icy blue eyes holding a certain level of unspoken menace. This guy was bad news and I needed to get the hell out of there.
“Hey there, baby, why don’t you come with me?”
Chapter 10: Landon
I hated cologne with a passion. It smelled vile and made my stomach churn but I knew it was a necessary evil if we wanted to infiltrate the night club and investigate. Our goal was to find the leader so that I could challenge him and take his place. But, before I dealt that final blow, I would need answers.
Why had they killed my pack in cold blood?
It was a question that had haunted me day in and day out.
“Ready?” Roman asked, as he pocketed the small bottle of cologne. “You know the plan, right?”
“We split up to cover more ground and when one of us finds the leader, we will alert the other and go about this together.”
“Perfect.” Roman ruffled my hair as if I were his little brother or something. I snatched him by the wrist and held it in such a firm grip that all I needed was a bit more power, and it would have snapped.