I felt awful for her, and I prayed that Jax, Colt, Whitney, Sean, and Wyatt would find Felicity soon, but so far, no luck. It was like she’d vanished into thin air. I hadn’t even seen her lurking around school. Maybe Isach had, but with him no longer speaking to any of us, we had no way of knowing what he knew.
Whitney kept trying to get inside his head, but his thoughts were guarded. We were effectively locked out, and that was terrifying. I desperately wanted to know if Rector knew about me. Though, if he did, I doubted I’d be breathing right now.
Finally, the bell rang, and I was out of the classroom in a flash, rushing to my locker where Trent was waiting. My heart swelled at the sight of him, and I kicked up my pace. I shoved everything into my locker, refusing to even think about homework this weekend.
“I need to stop by the house and grab a few things,” he said, leaning down to kiss my check.
“Okay.” I smiled and took his hand. “That will give me a chance to talk to Whitney.”
She’d been absent from school the past two days, claiming she was exhausted from spending every night hunting for Felicity. I had a gut feeling there was something else going on with her.
We arrived at Trent’s a few minutes later, and I headed straight for Whitney’s room while Trent gathered whatever he needed. “Hey, got a second?” I asked, gently closing the door behind me.
Whitney lay in bed, her hair a mess. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to say thanks for covering for me this weekend.” I tilted my head, studying her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” But her tone was off.
“You know you can talk to me, right?” I said, sitting on the edge of her bed.
She smiled. “I know. Thanks.”
I hesitated. “Okay… well, I guess I’m going then. I’ll talk to you when I get back on Sunday.”
“Have fun.” She waved.
Yeah, something was definitely up with her. I hoped by Sunday, she’d be more willing to talk to me. God knew she’d been there for me when I’d needed her the most, and I wanted to repay the favor.
“You can’t be serious about taking off like this,” Colt said.
I stopped in the hallway, out of sight but very easily within hearing range. Who was he talking to?
“I’m dead serious,” Trent said. “I told you a week ago that I was doing this, and there’s nothing you can say that’s going to change my mind.”
Leaning against the wall, I closed my eyes. Was Colt seriously trying to convince Trent not to spend the weekend with me? I knew he didn’t like me, but this was going too far.
“Felicity is still on the loose. We have no idea where she is or what she wants, and you’re just going to go spend the weekend with your girlfriend?” Colt said, disgust dripping from his tone.
“She’s my fiancée, and yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Sorry, Trent, but I’m with Colt on this one,” Jax said. “It’s not safe.”
I stifled a groan. Of course he was in the middle of this, too. Though I suspected his reasons for trying to convince Trent to stay home had very little to do with Felicity being on the loose or concern for our safety.
“I don’t care,” Trent said, his voice tight. “Chloe will be perfectly safe with me.”
“Yeah, well, we’re not exactly worried about her,” Colt said.
“I am,” Jax said.
Trent’s snarl was loud enough for me to hear, and my heart lodged in my throat. Another second and the three of them would undoubtedly start fighting. I needed to let Trent know I was ready, but I didn’t want to walk in and have them think I was eavesdropping, even if that was exactly what I was doing.
“I’m spending the weekend with Chloe. End of discussion,” Trent said, and I was surprised that there was no longer any anger in his tone.
“You’re being reckless, Trent,” Colt said, his voice rising with each word. “That girl is going to end up getting you killed.”
Okay, I’d heard enough. Swallowing hard, I walked into the living room, head held high, and smiled like I hadn’t heard a thing. It was bad enough Trent was arguing with his brothers about spending the weekend with me. I didn’t need to get involved in it, too.
“Ready to go?” I said to Trent, taking his hand in mine.
“Yup,” he said, his gaze locked on Colt.
Colt shook his head and huffed. “I thought you were smarter than this.”
Trent stiffened. Then, slowly, he pulled his cell phone from his back pocket and tossed it on the couch. “We’ll be back Sunday night. I don’t want to hear from either of you until then.”
He tugged on my hand and led me outside. Shock ricocheted through me. Had he really just left his phone in the house? What if something happened? Jax and Whitney had my number, so I guessed if it was something serious, they could get in touch with me.
“I heard what happened back there. Are you okay?” I asked once we were in his truck and headed down the road.
“I am now.” He smiled in my direction. “Please don’t let them ruin our weekend.”
“Oh, I don’t plan on it,” I said with a grin.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS is what you used to do all the time,” I said, shaking my head.
Trent and I had spent the last hour roller skating, and it was a lot more fun than I ever expected. Like everything else, he was so good at it while I fumbled my way along. He’d been patient with me, though, holding my hand so I wouldn’t fall.
“Yup,” he said with a nod. “In the early 90s, I spent almost every Friday and Saturday night at a roller skating rink.”
“Why?” I laughed.
“Mostly boredom.” He shrugged. “And because Jax thought it was a good place to meet girls.” Trent rolled his eyes.
We sat at a table in the concession area, which also housed a small arcade. A disco ball hung over the center of the rink, twisting and pulsing various colors over the room. Loud thumping music pumped from the speakers suspended in each corner. The entire atmosphere was electric, and it was easy to see why people liked it here.
“Want a drink?” Trent asked.
I nodded. “Water, please.”
He stood, leaned down to kiss my cheek, then disappeared into the crowd that was supposed to resemble a line at the concession stand. Smiling, I watched in awe as people whizzed around the rink.
A group of people moved into the center of the rink and began some rather impressive spins and tricks. I stood and made my way toward the short wall that separated the rink from everything else so I could get a better look. I leaned against the wall, totally mesmerized. How on earth did they do that without falling flat on their faces?
When they finished, the placed erupted in cheers and applause. A moment later, the lights dimmed, and the DJ said something that was too muffled for me to understand. At least four dozen people filed out of the rink, leaving only pairs left on the floor. The music slowed to something softer.
“Couples skate,” Trent said, coming to a stop in front of me.
I blinked, confused. When did he get back in the rink? “Uh… okay,” I said.
“This is the biggest moment of the night,” he said, clutching the wall and bringing himself closer to me. “This is when every guy in here shoots their shot.” His eyes sparkled, and his lips curved into a playful smile. “See, when you first get here, you always find that one girl who just takes your breath away, and so you watch her skate. Subtly, of course, because you don’t want her to know you’ve noticed her. But you have. You notice how she flips her hair over her shoulder when she tosses her head back to laugh. How she moves around the rink with her friends, smiling.”
I couldn’t stop from smiling right now if I wanted to. I loved listening to Trent talk like this, to hear him relive parts of his life that clearly had an impact on him. It was easy to picture him and Jax here, showing off, making the girls swoon.
“And then the DJ announces couples skate,�
� he said. “So, you take a deep breath, skate up to her, hold out your hand”—he held his hand out to me—”and say, will you skate with me? By this point, you’re so nervous you’re praying you don’t throw up while you wait for her to answer. She either says yes and takes your hand, or she says no and laughs in your face.”
I laughed—I couldn’t help it. He’d painted such a vivid picture in my mind, though I couldn’t imagine any human girl ever saying no to him. Or Jax for that matter.
Trent placed his hand over his heart, feigning a wound. “Ouch,” he said.
“Stop.” I playfully swatted at him, then leaned over the wall to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’d love to skate with you.”
I met him on the rink, and he took my hand, lacing our fingers, and then we looped around the rink, slow and steady, and for the duration of that song, I felt like a totally normal girl on a date with a totally normal—but incredibly hot—guy. The night couldn’t have been more perfect if I’d planned it myself.
We skated for another hour, then headed back to the cabin. My legs were tired, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but I was wide awake, ready for whatever else Trent might have planned. When we arrived at the cabin, Trent ushered me inside and locked the door behind us. He tossed his keys onto the entryway table.
“So, now what?” I asked.
“We can curl up on the couch and watch a movie,” he suggested.
Now that was the perfect way to spend our last night here. “Okay, I’m going to go change. I’ll be right back.”
I rushed upstairs and quickly changed into one of Trent’s oversized T-shirts, then met him back in the living room. He stood in front of the couch, flipping through channels on the TV.
He handed me the remote. “Find something to watch,” he said, his gaze rolling over the length of my body. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared upstairs.
I stared at the TV for a moment before my gaze wandered to the fireplace, which Trent had already lit. Most of last night I’d complained how cold it was in here. He must’ve started a fire so I wouldn’t do the same tonight. He really was sweet.
I shut off the TV and gathered every blanket and pillow I could find, then piled them on the floor in front of the fireplace. I turned off all the lights and settled on the floor.
“Chloe?” Trent said as he came down the stairs, a hint of panic in his tone. “Where are…?” He came to a sudden stop when he saw me. “What’s this?”
He’d changed into a pair of cotton pajama pants, and the sight of his bare chest ignited a burning desire deep in my belly. I still couldn’t believe this gorgeous, thoughtful, funny, caring guy was going to be my husband.
“When you first brought me here last summer, I fell in love with this little space and figured it would be a perfect place to curl up together,” I said.
“And do what?” he asked, his tone deep and seductive and packed full of understanding.
I sat propped up with my hands behind me, ankles crossed. The T-shirt I wore rode up my legs, exposing my thighs. “I’ve always thought it would be romantic to make love in front of a fire,” I said.
He sauntered toward me, then lowered himself to his knees. He placed his hands on the floor on either side of my waist, effectively boxing me in. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat ratcheting my anticipation.
“By all means, then, let me make your fantasy a reality,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. His eyes darkened several shades before his lips landed on mine.
I LAY CRADLED AGAINST Trent’s side, my head on his chest, and I trailed my fingertips across his abs. He definitely made my fantasy a reality—twice. Every kiss and caress had been beyond perfect. I dragged my fingers up his chest.
He groaned softly and tugged me closer. “I hate that we have to go home tomorrow,” he said.
“Me too.” I sighed. “This weekend has been so amazing. I really don’t want it to end.”
“Neither do I. But soon enough, we’ll be married, and then we won’t have to sneak around like this,” he said.
“What is going to happen after we’re married?” I asked. Folding my arms on his chest, I rested my chin on my hands and peered up at him.
“What do you mean?” He tucked one hand behind his head and rested the other on my back.
“Well, what’re we going to do? I mean, I really don’t want to go off to college. At least, not right away. Are we going to travel? Do we get jobs? Where will we live? How are we going to support ourselves?” I asked.
I felt kinda silly asking him those questions, like I was somehow invading his privacy asking about money and living arrangements, but I couldn’t exactly avoid them, either.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “We can do whatever you want to do,” he said.
“I hate it when you do that.” Sighing with frustration, I sat up, hugged my knees to my chest, and stared at the fire, my back to Trent. “I don’t want to be the only one making decisions about our future. We’re supposed to be in this together, remember?”
Trent shifted so he was sitting upright behind me and showered my shoulders with tiny kisses. “Chloe, baby,” he whispered, and for a split second, I forgot why I was annoyed with him. “I don’t say that to upset you, or to force you to make all the decisions. But I’ve been around a very long time, and I’ve already done everything I’ve ever wanted to do. Well, almost everything.”
I twisted to look at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Once I marry you and know that you’ll be mine for eternity, then I’ll have done everything I’ve ever wanted,” he said with a soft smile. He cupped the side of my face, his gaze intense. “As long as I’m with you, I really don’t care what we do or where we go.”
I nodded. That still didn’t make me feel better though. What if the things I wanted to do, he’d already done and had hated them? Would he tell me? Or would he just go along with it to make me happy? I didn’t want our marriage to be one where I called all the shots and dragged him along with me.
“I have no idea what I want to do,” I said.
“That’s okay,” he said. “You’re going to have a lot of time to figure it out.” He stroked his thumb across my cheek. “As for everything else… I’m sure Sean will let us stay with him until we find somewhere else to live.”
“Yeah, right. Me living in the same house with Jax and Colt? I don’t think so,” I said.
Trent frowned. “Good point. I assume you want to stay in Keene Valley as long as possible, though, right?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
Because once I changed and we left Keene Valley, I knew I’d never see my family again, so the longer I could stay here, the better. I wanted to take advantage of every day I could.
“Sean has worked very hard to ensure Jax and I will always be taken care of, so don’t worry about money, okay?” he said. “I have more than enough to support us.”
“I’m not taking your money,” I said and pulled back from him.
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask just how much he had, but that was none of my business. If he wanted me to know, he’d tell me. I swallowed hard.
“Chloe.” He sighed, but I couldn’t tell if it was with exasperation or humor. “You’re going to be my wife. That makes it our money. Not just mine.” He gave a hard shake of his head.
My shoulders sagged. He was right. Once we got married, everything became ours. Still, it was strange to not have to worry about money or paying bills or any of the other very real, very adult issues everyone else my age was now going to have to deal with.
“Okay,” I said after a moment.
He swept my hair away from my neck, cradled my nape, and brought me to him for a kiss, and I let myself get lost in him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:
Interrogation with a Side of Torture
TRENT DROPPED ME OFF AT HOME, and I walked inside. Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean were already in bed. I’d called earlier and explained Whit
ney and I had gone shopping in Lake Placid and that I’d be home past curfew. They weren’t exactly thrilled, but they didn’t give me a hard time about it.
Quietly, I trudged upstairs and tossed my bag into my room. I noticed Abby’s bedroom door was closed, but light filtered out from beneath it. Was she still awake? I figured she’d be sound asleep by now. I strained to listen, and I swore I heard voices.
I knocked on Abby’s door. I didn’t wait for her to answer—neither of us ever did—but when I attempted to open her door, it was locked. “Abby? Can I come in?” I asked, careful to keep my voice low enough not to wake Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean.
“Uh, yeah, hold on. Give me a sec,” she called.
I pressed my ear to her door. Abby was bustling around her room, her voice a hushed whisper, but I couldn’t make out any actual words. What on earth was she doing in there?
A moment later, the door opened. Abby hastily brushed her hair away from her face. “Hey. What’s up? Did you have a good weekend with Trent?”
“Yeah, it was great.” I narrowed my eyes.
Her face was red, but not the same kind of red from the last time I’d seen her—no, her face was flushed, like she’d been laughing.
“Okay, what’s going?” I stepped past her and barged into her room.
Isach stood behind the door, back pressed against the wall.
I poked him in the chest. “What is wrong with you?” All the anger I had toward him resurfaced, and I had the sudden urge to punch him in the face.
“Chloe,” Abby snapped, her voice low. She stood next to Isach and slid her arm around him. “It’s fine. He explained everything.”
I crossed my arms and glared at both of them. “Good, then you can explain it to me, because I have no idea what’s going on anymore.”
“I will,” Isach said. “I promise. But I can’t right—” He tilted his head and stared off in the distance.
Eternal Promise: (The Cursed Series, Book 5) Page 17