“Pull your pants up, you idiot!” I snap, rapidly losing patience.
Faye dangles a leopard-print bra from one finger. “And you better put this back on before your dad spots your bare nipples poking out through your shirt.”
“I would if I could use my arms,” Whitney huffs, slapping my arm to prove her point. I let her go, taking a step toward Faye. Brazen as all hell, Whitney pulls the sweater up over her head and turns to face us, bare chested, with a devilish smirk on her face. Kent groans, and I can tell what his next move is going to be. Pinning him with a deadly serious look, I shake my head. “Don’t even think about it.”
The footsteps are getting closer, and I make a knee-jerk decision. Grabbing the bra, I fling it at Whitney. “Get dressed, both of you, and stay quiet. We’ll handle this, but I’m warning you, no continuation of what just happened, or we’ll rat you out to both dads.” Kent flips me the bird, as I lift Faye at the waist and pull her out of the bathroom. We shut the door and race out into the lobby in the nick of time.
Adam wanders into the lobby, looking lost. “Oh, Faye, there you are. I was just looking for Whitney. Have you seen her?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. We were just with her. She’s with Keaton. He’s, ah, showing her his … stamp collection.”
I manage to disguise my snort of hilarity as a cough.
Adam frowns, looking skeptical.
I step in. “I’ll send her out to you if you like?”
“Please.” He looks at me a little sheepishly. “I mean no offense, Kyler, but I’d like to keep her as far away from your brothers as possible. Especially Kent. I didn’t miss what was going on back at the table. Whitney is boy crazy, and she’s rather fond of getting herself into situations a fourteen-year-old girl shouldn’t be in.”
“Don’t worry, sir,” I say in my most sincere tone. “We’ll make sure nothing happens. We’ll send her right out.”
“Thank you.” He tilts his head at Faye. “I’m sorry for the way she’s behaving. Don’t take it personally. I’m the one she’s angry at, and she’s at a difficult age. Everything and everyone frustrates her.”
“It’s okay, Adam. You don’t need to explain,” Faye says, in a louder tone of voice. “I understand. She’s fourteen, she’s pretty, and she thinks she knows it all, but once she grows up, she’ll realize how selfishly she’s acting.”
I chuckle under my breath. My girl’s got claws and then some. I’ll bet Kent is struggling to restrain Whitney in the bathroom.
“Somehow, I don’t think you’re speaking from personal experience,” he replies.
“Oh,” Faye laughs, tossing her hair back, “I wouldn’t quite agree with that. You’d be surprised at some of the things I’ve gotten up to.”
His face pales a little. “Maybe there are some things I’d rather not hear about.”
“Perhaps.” She grins wickedly.
Adam retreats outside and Faye sags against me. “That was cutting it close.”
I take her hand, pulling her back to the bathroom. “Come on. They’re probably already on round two.”
This time when we open the door, they are indulging in a hardcore make-out session, but at least they are fully clothed and there are no bodily parts on show.
“Playtime’s over, kiddies,” Faye drolls, and I snicker.
Whitney rips her lips from Kent, glaring at Faye. “You think you’re so funny.” She prods her in the chest. “And we heard every word, and I know you did it on purpose.”
Faye removes her finger. “Thanks will suffice.”
Whitney shoves her upturned middle finger in Faye’s face. “This is as much thanks as you’ll ever get from me, and don’t go thinking I owe you or anything.” Planting her hands on her slim hips, she smirks at Faye. “Stamp collection?! Is that the best you could do?”
“Don’t be so ungrateful. It worked didn’t it?” Faye snaps back.
“Speaking of,” I say, “you best get your ass outside before Adam becomes suspicious.”
Leaning in, she claims Kent’s mouth in a hard kiss, her tongue visible as she thrusts it between his lips. Kent grips her ass, and Faye just rolls her eyes. Whitney breaks away, panting. “Rain check, pretty boy?”
“You betcha.” He pinches her tit through her sweater, and Faye’s about ten seconds away from tearing him a new one when the doorbell chimes.
“Saved by the bell,” Whitney giggles, palming Kent’s crotch one last time. “Later, baby.” She saunters outside, swishing her hips deliberately, and Kent can’t take his eyes off her.
Faye scowls as she notices the growing bulge in his jeans. “Oh, God,” she mutters, rubbing her eyes. “Please let this day be over already.”
The bell rings again, more insistently this time, and I walk toward the door. The second I open it, I’m pushed back as the detective from Bayfield barges into the house surrounded by four uniformed cops. Slamming my face up against the wall, he secures cuffs around my wrists. In the background, I hear Faye ordering Kent to fetch Dad.
Getting arrested three times in the space of two weeks has got to be some kind of record.
The detective eyeballs me. “Things aren’t looking so good for you, son.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Faye
I throw my phone on the bed, screaming in frustration. Where the hell is Brad when I need him? When Ky needs him? Needs us? It’s ten p.m. and he should be back from his aunt’s by now. He had left early this morning for the two-hour trip out of state, but he should be home already. I don’t want to confront Addison by myself, but it’s looking like I won’t have much choice. It’s been four hours since the cops hauled Ky out of here. Alex and James went with him, but they insisted I stay here. Keven went back to Harvard promising to stay up all night searching for anything that might help.
But I’m all out of patience.
I tried talking Kal into coming to Addison’s with me, but he’s siding with Keven, and they both made me promise profusely that I wouldn’t do anything stupid.
Thing is, we have different interpretations of the word, and I’m not opposed to breaking my promise if the situation demands it or taking whatever actions are necessary to protect someone I love.
Rose is out on a date with Theo, and Brad was my only hope. But I’ve phoned him a million times. Left a trillion messages. And he’s still a no show. Perhaps he’s avoiding me on purpose. Not that I’d blame him—Ky did warn him to keep his distance.
I hop up, bristling with restless energy. I refuse to hang around my room moping when my boyfriend is actually being charged with a murder he didn’t commit.
Someone has to do something practical to help him.
That gun could only have been planted by one of two people—either Addison or Courtney. Considering Courtney was fixated on Alex and James and Kennedy Apparel, my money’s on Addison. Besides, Courtney is safely behind bars right now, leaving Addison as prime suspect.
I strip off my clothes, pulling jeans and a black hoodie out of my wardrobe and throwing them on in record time. Shoving my feet into my sneakers, I lace them up quickly. Time is running out for Ky, and if I’m going to intervene, it has to be now.
I leave a hastily scribbled note for Kal and Brad, knowing one of them will check in on me at some point. At least if Addison does away with me, they’ll know exactly who to point the finger at.
Before I leave the house, I grab one of the smaller chopping knives from the kitchen. Using some medi-tape from the first aid kit, I strap it around my ankle, covering the evidence with my jeans. Between that and my self-defense techniques, I’m confident I can fend off anything Addison throws my way. I’m hoping she only had access to the one gun. The one that’s now evidence in police lockup.
The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.
The taxi is
waiting for me on the road outside the old entrance at the rear of the woods. I give him directions and sink back in the seat, trying to quell my nerves. I fiddle with my phone, ensuring I have the record button all set up. This will only work if I can get Addison to confess to something on tape.
I ask the taxi driver to pull over in almost the exact same spot Rose parked in the last time we were here. I hand him a wad of notes and tell him I’ll double it if he’s still here when I get back. Sliding out the door, I head across the fields and out to the wooded area that borders the back of Addison’s house. Then I push the send button on the message I’d already constructed.
“I know who your real mother is, and I know what you’ve done. Unless you want me to share the deets all over the net, meet me in the woods at the back of your house right now. Faye.”
Short and to the point.
Her reply is almost instantaneous. “On my way.”
I stick close to the small wooded area, making sure to keep out of visible light. Every sound from behind has me jittery. Perhaps coming here on my own wasn’t such a good idea after all but there’s no backing out now.
It seems like I’ve been waiting an eternity before I detect a shadowy figure vaulting over the fence and heading in my direction. As she draws closer, I have to smother my grunt of surprise. I have never seen Addison looking anything but immaculately turned out. Right now, she’s paying homage to her trailer trash roots. She’s wearing gray, tatty old sweats tucked into beige Ugg boots and a black windbreaker that I wouldn’t be seen dead wearing, and I’m fairly casual when it comes to clothing. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a severe ponytail, and her face is wiped clean of makeup. If I didn’t know she’s on her way to meet me, I actually wouldn’t believe it was the same girl.
“Are you crazy?” she demands in a hiss as she approaches.
“Of the two of us, I’m pretty sure I’m the least crazy one,” I reply coolly, shoving my hand in my pocket and activating the record button on my phone.
“What do you want?” she snaps.
“I want to know why you planted that gun on Ky, and I’m not leaving until you tell me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Nice try. We know it was you. That day in the lobby, that’s what you were up to when you faked an asthma attack.”
“I didn’t fake anything,” she growls, her eyes narrowing to slits. “I did have an asthma attack. I might’ve just exaggerated it a little.” She looks around me. “If Ky’s so concerned, why isn’t he here?” She plants her hands on her hips. “Or does he send you to do all his dirty work now?”
“Ky can’t come.” My nostrils flare. “He’s in the police station being charged with a murder he didn’t commit.” My eyes glimmer with indignation and rage.
She stumbles a little. “What?” If I hadn’t witnessed her acting skills up close and personal before, I might actually believe the shock splashed across her face is genuine. “But they let him go?!” Her voice rises a notch. “I don’t understand.”
“They re-arrested him earlier tonight. I’m not sure why, but he’s been there for hours, so it’s not looking good. Did you plant more fake evidence for them to find?” She rests her hands on her knees, and her breath is snaking out in panicked spurts. I take a step toward her, wishing I’d thought to remove the knife from my ankle before she got here. “I know it was you. Just admit it, Addison. You say you love him?” I tilt her chin up and stare earnestly into her eyes. “Then prove it. Tell the police the truth. Let him go free.”
She straightens up, and the look on her face transforms to one of absolute terror. “You don’t understand.” She grips my arm. “I would if I could.” Her grip tightens and the look in her eyes is starting to scare me. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this! You’ve got to believe me. I just wanted to make him dependent on me. I didn’t sign up for any of the other stuff.”
“You know I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She lets go of my arm. “It’s better you don’t know.” She massages her temples. “Look, I know you hate me as much as I hate, you but you’ve got to believe me. I do love him, and I would never do this to him.”
I snort. “Puh-lease. After all you’ve done, you expect me to believe that?”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth.”
“Well, excuse me if your word means fuck all. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’?” My eyes drill into her skull. “Now would be a great time for you to show you mean what you say. Time is running out for Ky! If you love him, you’ll make it right. I know you’re involved in this, Addison. You can stand here and deny it ‘til the cows come home and I still won’t believe you. Just admit what you’ve done and turn yourself in. Please.” I’d get on my knees and beg if I thought it’d do any good. “I’m not asking you to do it for me. I’m asking you to do it for him.”
A sharp snapping sound has both of us spinning around, squinting into the black depths of the woodland.
Addison tugs on my arm, attempting to drag me forward. “You shouldn’t be here. You need to leave.”
I’m taller and I’ve definitely got a few pounds of muscle on her, so shoving her off takes minimal effort. “I’m not leaving until you admit it.” So far I have nothing that I can bring to the cops. If I can get her to confess to something, even if it’s only a small thing, that should be enough to cast doubt on Ky’s conviction.
“Faye, please. You have to go.” She gulps, and a spark of terror burns bright in her eyes. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but you have to get out of here. Now!”
She attempts to grab my arm again, but I side step her, grabbing her arm instead. “Quit with the act, Addison. You can’t fool me. Tell me what you did. Better yet, come to the cop station with me and tell them in person.”
“Okay.” The word flies out of her mouth without hesitation, and she nods her head vigorously. “I’ll come to the station with you.” I narrow my eyes suspiciously. What’s she up to now? She starts dragging me away as I try to decipher the confusion in my head. Addison wouldn’t capitulate that easily.
What is going on here?
I resist her pull, digging my boots into the ground. “Hang on here a sec.”
She turns around, and her eyes stretch so wide I’m afraid they’re going to explode right out of their socket. “No!” she screeches, and I lift my hands to cover my ears.
The almost indecipherable sound of approaching footsteps accosts me a split second too late. My heart starts jackhammering in my chest and adrenaline floods my system as I slowly turn around.
Pain explodes in my skull, and black dots mar my vision before an ominous dark blanket of doom creeps slowly across my retinas. My body slithers to the ground just before I lose complete consciousness.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Faye
I don’t know how long I’ve been out of it when I finally regain consciousness. Judging by the faint streams of daylight trickling through the small window in front of me, it’s got to be at least six or seven hours since I was last awake. The pounding pain in my skull has me moaning as I come to. My eyes blink open and shut, refusing to cooperate. Try as I might, I can’t keep them open for more than a couple seconds at a time. My head lolls forward as I lick my dry lips. The metallic taste in my mouth combined with a pulsing ache in my arms is like a shot of liquid reality straight to my veins.
The memory surges to the forefront of my mind, and my eyes blink wide open. Blood rushes to my head, and if I wasn’t already tied to the chair I’m sitting in I think I would’ve fallen off with the sudden burst of dizziness.
My breath gushes out in panicked spurts, and my heart is slamming wildly against my ribcage. I look down at the rope tied firmly around my midriff and the second layer of binding around my calves. My hands are tightly
pinned behind the back of the chair, and every muscle in my arms throbs with the strain.
“About damn time,” a familiar bored voice says.
My breath hitches in my throat, and bile coats the inside of my mouth.
“I know you’re awake, Faye. Look at me.”
I keep my head down, racking my brain for some kind of escape plan. But I come up empty-handed.
I’m so screwed this time.
Something blunt hits my temple, and I scream as intense pain rattles through my already sore skull.
Warm liquid trickles down the side of my face.
“Was that really necessary?” Addison asks in her usual nasally tone of voice.
A hand fists in my hair, and my head is yanked back. My neck strains at the awkward angle.
“Hello, precious Faye,” Courtney says. “You have no idea how happy I am to have you here.” She makes it sound like she’s invited me over for dinner.
“Wish I could say the feeling’s mutual, but that’d be a lie.” My voice sounds remarkably calm considering the epic panic party detonating fireworks inside me.
Courtney twists my hair tighter, and I feel the sharp tug all the way to the base of my ribcage. “What do you want with me?”
She laughs. “I always knew you weren’t that smart despite how much Alexandra gushed about you. Haven’t you figured it out already?”
She releases her hold on my head, but my relief is short-lived. Walking around in front of me, she crouches down and slaps my face from side to side. “Wakey, wakey, you dumb Irish bitch.”
“Court.” Addison sounds almost bored. “What is this?”
“Don’t interrupt me!” she snaps. “You are only here at my invitation, and I can change that any time I like.”
Panic is like a vise-grip around my heart as Courtney whips a gun out from the waistband of her pants, brandishing it in Addison’s direction. Addison is wearing the same clothes she had on when I last saw her and pretty much wearing the exact same terrified expression, although she is doing her best to disguise it.
Keeping Kyler (The Kennedy Boys Book 3) Page 28