A knock comes on his driver’s side window, and it makes me jump. He rolls it down. “What’s up?” he asks.
Cole leans over, poking his head in. He still holds the bottle of vodka he took from me by the bonfire. His cold eyes sweep over my body and then go to Eli. “Leaving so soon?”
“Just going for a ride,” Eli tells him.
“Sure, you are.” He slaps the hood of the car. “So am I.”
I look over at his Porsche Cayenne parked a few cars down and watch a blonde climb into the passenger seat. She pulls down the visor and fixes her lipstick as if Cole gives a fuck if her lips are fresh.
When I look back at Cole, he gives Eli a smirk. “Make it worth it.” Then he pushes off the door and strolls over to his car.
Eli pulls out onto the winding road, and I look down to see I’m still holding my drink. “Will you stop for a second?” I ask.
“Why?” he asks, sliding his eyes over to me for a quick glance.
“So I can pour this drink out.”
He snorts. “It’s fine.”
“What if we get pulled over? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
He just laughs. “Don’t worry about me, D. It’ll be fine.”
Warmth runs up my spine at the way he called me D. I bite my lips to hide my grin and turn to look out the passenger window. “Where are we going?” I ask nervously.
“To my favorite place,” he says.
My knees bounce with nervousness. This is the first time I’ve ever been alone with Eli. Or any boy. I’ve thought about it a hundred times, but none of those compare to him finally showing an interest in me. We talk here and there in the halls of the school, and I’ve caught him staring a few times. All he did was smile, but I was the first to look away.
I take a small sip of the drink. And hiss in a breath.
He laughs. “Is this the first time you’ve ever had a drink?”
Among other things. “No,” I lie and take another one. The lie burns more than the alcohol. It makes me think of Becky. She lies to everyone about everything. I’m nothing like her. “Yes,” I admit and take another.
He stays silent, but I watch a smile spread across his face lit up by the lights on his dash. He looks fucking gorgeous with a strong jawline and dark hair that looks like it needs a trim falling in his eyes and curling at the ends. He wears a black hoodie and ripped jeans with a pair of tennis shoes. His parents died when he was younger, but his sister is quite a bit older than him. They had Eli when they were older. Aimee met a good businessman and married him. They took Eli in to live with them when their parents passed.
I take another sip as my thighs tighten. I’ve wanted to kiss him for so long, and I pray that tonight is the night that happens.
He slows down the car and exits the road onto a gravel drive. I turn and look out the back window but can only see the red glow from the brakes behind us. “Where are we?” I ask.
“You’ll see.” He remains cryptic, and I take another sip.
He brings the car to a stop and turns it off. “Come on.”
I push open the door and do a three-sixty, looking at our surroundings. “Eli, that’s the Lowes house,” I say, pointing over in the general direction of the only lights on at this time of night.
“I know.” He walks around to the back of his car and pops the trunk.
I follow and watch him unzip a black duffel bag. Before I can see what’s in it, he yanks out a flashlight and zips it back up. “Come on.” He shuts his trunk and grabs my hand. My knees threaten to buckle at the contact. Then he begins to walk me up a hill.
We stay silent. The only sound is our shoes crunching on the ground beneath us. The weather hasn’t been as crazy as usual. We haven’t had any rain in a couple of weeks.
I shiver from the cool night air and take another small sip of the vodka. My chest heats from the burning alcohol, and I take another.
We walk in silence, and I turn to look back at the car, but nothing’s there. Just the dark night surrounding us, hiding us. And I take another sip.
We come to the top of the hill, and my legs falter, bringing us both to a stop. “What are we doing here?” I ask, and my voice shakes.
He turns to face me, his light shining down on the ground. “I told you, this is my favorite place.”
Is he joking? He’s got to be fucking with me. “Eli, this is an abandoned cemetery.”
He shrugs. “And?”
I swallow nervously. “It’s creepy.”
An evil smile lights up his face as bright as the flashlight he holds. “I know.” Then he turns and starts to drag my heavy feet through the bodies laid to rest and never thought of again. I watch as names I’ve known for years in this town but never really knew pass by us. But then there’s one I know all too well. Betty Reynolds—Cole’s mother. She was always so nice to me. She’d go out of her way to say hello or check on you.
“Here we are.” Eli gets my attention as he comes up to the cliff that overlooks the ocean. He releases my hand and sits down on the ledge. When I make no move to get any closer, he turns to look up at me. “Come on.” He pats the spot next to him.
“I’m afraid of heights.” I shake my head; my hand tightens on the cup.
His face grows serious, brown eyes looking up at me. “I’d never let anything happen to you, D.” He lifts his hand to mine. “Come on. I wanna show you something.”
I take in a deep breath and then take another drink before I place my hand in his along with all my trust.
CHAPTER TWELVE
DEKE
WE ENTER COLE’S house to find Austin sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of untouched pasta in front of her, the fork in her hand just pushing it around. The moment we enter, she stands, and her green eyes widen. “Oh.” She’s surprised when she looks at Bennett and then Shane.
Did Cole not mention to her that they were coming?
“Hey, Austin.” Bennett is the first one to greet her; he walks over and gives her a hug. She returns it. Shane stays where he is, settling for a nod. She gives him a smile, but it looks forced.
“I’m off to bed,” I state. “I’m fucking tired.”
Bennett slaps me on the back.
“I’m gonna go for a swim,” Cole announces to no one in particular. He turns, exiting the kitchen, and heads up to their room to change into his board shorts.
“If any of you are hungry, there is spaghetti in the fridge.” Austin mumbles, “Excuse me,” and exits the kitchen after Cole.
I, too, make my way up the stairs, not bothering with dinner. I had a late lunch. Closing my door, I hear them talking through the wall.
“Cole, please talk to me,” she begs him.
Silence.
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“Don’t Austin,” he warns.
“Cole … please …”
“I don’t wanna have this conversation with you!” he snaps.
She lets out a huff. “Well, too fucking bad. We’re gonna have it.”
I rip my shirt up and over my head and unfasten my jeans before shoving them down my legs. I yank the covers back and crawl into the soft bed.
“Why didn’t you tell me the guys were coming?” she continues.
“Slipped my mind,” he lies.
I know why he didn’t tell her. He doesn’t want Austin to have the slightest clue of what is going on, but she’s a smart girl. She’ll figure it out. He should know that by now.
“Well, how long are they staying?” She huffs.
“Don’t know.” His response is flat.
“Do you know anything?” she snaps.
“I know I’m going for a swim.” Their bedroom door opens and then slams shut.
I sigh, placing my hands behind my head and stare up at the white ceiling. I should go down to the pool and talk to him, but sometimes the best thing you can do for Cole is give him space.
I just close my eyes when my bedroom door bursts open, hitting the interior wall. They
snap open. I hold in a sigh when Austin enters my room, hands on her hips and a sour look on her face. “What the fuck is going on, Deke?”
I sit up. “That’s for Cole to tell you.”
“He won’t.”
“Then I can’t help you—”
“Bullshit!” she snaps.
I lie back down and close my eyes, dismissing her. When I hear my bedroom door slam shut, I smile in victory. My left hand reaches out to grab my phone. I need to set my alarm. I have a nine a.m. class tomorrow. My eyes spring open when I feel nothing but my nightstand.
I throw the covers off. “Shit!” My phone is missing. I just had it. I put it right there ... “Austin?” I shout her name, running out of my room. I enter their bedroom without knocking and find it empty. But their adjoining bathroom door is shut. I run over and try to open it. It’s locked! “Austin?” I pound on the door.
Silence.
Shit! I move back, about to shove my shoulder into the door to get my phone back, but then decide against it. This is Cole’s problem. Not mine.
I make my way downstairs and out to the back patio. Cole has his head underwater, swimming laps. I reach over and grab the first thing I can find, which is a towel. I take it and throw it at him. His arm gets caught in it, pulling it underwater. He comes to a stop and lifts his head. “What?” he demands.
“Austin locked herself in your bathroom.”
He just stares up at me from the pool.
“And she has my phone with her.”
He frowns.
“I don’t have a lock on it.”
Recognition dawns on his face. Placing his hands on the edge of the pool, he pushes himself out of the water and makes a mad dash for the house.
I follow him but much slower.
“What’s going on?” Bennett asks as I walk through the living room, my feet stepping in the puddles that Cole left behind. He and Shane are sitting on the couch.
“Nothing,” I answer, not wanting to explain it. Making my way up to my bedroom, I enter and shut my door. I can hear them arguing once again.
“This is no joke, Cole.” Austin growls. “This is Evan Scott!” she snaps. Maybe she doesn’t know. “Becky told me a while back that Evan Scott was Deke.” Well, fuck! “And I highly doubt he sent this to you and himself.” He says nothing. “And all of a sudden Bennett and Shane show up? Obviously, someone is fucking with you guys. And you were gonna keep this from me?”
“Yes.”
She gasps at his honesty. “Why?”
He sighs. “Why would I tell you? Sweetheart”—he softens his voice—“I pulled you into this game nine months ago, and it almost got you killed. I can’t lose you …”
“Nothing is going to happen to me, Cole.”
“You don’t know that,” he argues. “And I’m not willing to take that risk. Not again.”
“Wouldn’t you want me to be alert? I take Lilly to school. I pick her up. She has dance and ballet. I’m not with you a hundred percent of the time. Barely fifty percent now that you have classes and swimming. Wouldn’t you rather me know to keep my eyes open for something off than be in the dark?”
He doesn’t answer that because he knows she has a valid point.
“You’re different,” she whispers, and it’s so low I almost didn’t catch what she said. “And I can handle dark and moody, Cole, but not this one who keeps secrets. We’re supposed to be a team.”
“I know,” he says with a rough voice.
“I’m going to be your wife.”
“I know.”
“Whatever you are getting into, I’m getting in too.”
“No!” He growls.
“Yes! This isn’t just about you anymore. You, me, Lilly, and the guys. You’re all my family, Cole. I trust you all with my life. You need to trust me just as much.”
“I trust you.” He snorts.
“Then show me that.”
A long silence follows before he speaks. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.”
Then they’re kissing. Her moaning follows shortly after. I roll over onto my side and grab the spare pillow on my bed and place it over my head, not wanting to hear them fucking. You would think as much as houses cost these days, the walls would be soundproof.
“Stop,” she says.
“Excuse me?” Cole asks, sounding surprised. Pretty sure he’s never heard that word from a woman before.
“We need to talk to the guys.”
“It can wait …”
“No. It can’t. This is important.” She growls.
Seconds later, my door opens, and she pokes her head in. My phone sails through the air, almost hitting me in the head. “Get dressed and meet us downstairs.”
I sigh and do as she says, wanting to get this over with. I already told them I’m fucking tired.
DEKE
We all gather in the living room. Austin sits on Cole’s lap in the leather recliner. I’m perched on the couch next to Bennett, and Shane stands by the back door, refusing to sit.
“Do we have an idea who it is?” Austin asks. Her eyes scan the paper one more time. Cole gave it to her ten minutes ago, and we’ve all sat here while she silently went over it.
“No.” I answer.
“Demi has to be behind it.” Shane growls.
“I don’t know,” she says slowly. “Demi doesn’t seem to be that type.”
He pushes off the wall. “Deke is fucking her.”
“What?” She gasps, her large green eyes meeting mine.
“I’m not.” My jaw clenches. I’m only fucking her in my dreams. My dreams where she pretends to be Becky and tells me to hurt her. Too bad I end up killing her every time. I keep that to myself, though. Don’t wanna cause more worry than there already is.
Shane goes on. “She knows too much. And she needs to die.”
I didn’t think Austin’s eyes could have gotten any bigger when she looks at him. “You can’t be serious.”
“You have a better option?” he asks.
She turns and looks at Cole. He’s running his hand absentmindedly through her hair. “Please tell me you don’t want to kill Demi?” I haven’t heard that kind of fear in her voice in a long time.
His hand pauses, and he looks up at her. His eyes give nothing away, but his brows crease. “No.”
She looks back down at the paper in her hands.
This would be a good time to tell them she threatened me the last time I saw her, but I keep my mouth shut. For some reason, I feel like I need to protect her from Shane. He’s on a mission to kill someone, and Demi is his target. Do I think she’s capable of this? Not really. But am I suspicious? Yes. If she’s behind it, I’ll handle her myself. It’s not going to require all the GWS to take her down.
“We don’t have a lot of options here.” Shane growls. “She comes out of nowhere, and all of a sudden, she’s on a piece of paper that has some cryptic riddle on it. And we’ve checked Kellan’s phone. Of course, there was nothing on there. He must have deleted everything.”
Yeah, that was a dead end. “What do you suggest we do?” I ask her.
Shane snorts as if asking Austin for advice is beneath him. I don’t give a shit what he thinks.
She doesn’t answer right away. Folding up the letter, she stares out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook their pool in the backyard. Regret and sadness flashes across her face, and I wonder what she’s thinking about. I’m not sure how well she knows Demi. Becky never hung out with her much. Demi came to a few bonfires on the beach with Becky, David, and his friend, but that was the last time I knew of them ever hanging out together.
Finally, after what seems like forever, she looks at me. “How do you push a girl to think irrationally?”
None of us answer.
She chuckles at our clueless minds. “You make her jealous.”
I frown. “Jealous?”
She nods. “A jealous woman is a scary one.”
I think back to
the time I saw Austin jealous over Cole.
I lean my shoulder up against the lockers as Cole digs through his. Austin walks down the senior hallway, not bothering to look his way, but he sees her, grabs her, and pulls her back to his front before she can pass him. “Miss me, sweetheart?”
She spins around in his arms, reaches up, and slaps him across the face. The sound bounces off the walls.
I take a step back from them. What the fuck …?
“What the hell was that for?” Cole demands, now glaring down at her.
She throws me a look of disgust, and my brows rise. What did I do? She turns her attention back on Cole. “I’m sure you can figure it out.” She turns around and walks toward the door, but he grabs her arm and yanks her back. “Cole!” she snaps.
“What the fuck was that for, Austin?” he demands. “Because I didn’t tell you where I went? It was none of your fucking business!”
He spent the day in Texas meeting with his counselor at the University of Texas. He plans on taking Lilly with him, and he can’t live in the dorm with a child. He needed to discuss housing, and he already had a few lined up to look at while he was there. He told me this morning before he boarded his plane that he’s gonna ask Austin to go with him. He tried to make it sound like it was no big deal, but Cole wanting any woman to move in with him is huge. He loves her. I know it. He knows it. He just refuses to admit it. She had no clue where he went or what he has planned. I don’t know why he won’t just tell her.
Tears fill her green eyes. She tries to pull away from him, but she gets nowhere. “Just forget it.” Her voice cracks.
And I watch in fascination at the way he melts for her. How can he not see it? Feel what she does to him? His eyes soften as he steps into her. “What’s wrong?” he asks, cupping her face.
Her first tear falls. “I know where you went.”
My eyes widen. How the fuck does she know? I’m the only one he told.
Cole’s jaw sharpens. “How do you—”
“I heard it,” she interrupts him.
He looks at me, and I throw my hands up, shaking my head. “I haven’t said anything.”
“What do you mean? You heard it? Who did you hear it from?” He turns his attention back to her.
“I’m not gonna spell it out for you, Cole.”
DARE SERIES COLLECTION Page 69