The Secret Six
Page 20
He looked like I slapped him in the face. “Why would you need to keep it? It would be much safer with the others.”
Tony had never spoken to me like that before. The unsettled feeling in my stomach churned. Why could I not tell him the truth; that my mom whispered to me to keep it safe? “It’s one of the last things I have of my mother, and I just want to keep it a little while longer. I miss her a lot right now.” The lie rolled off my tongue so easily, it surprised me.
Tony looked like he was about to argue with me until Cole stepped in. “Dad, it’s ok. We can wait a day or two while things calm down. We’ve been traveling a lot this past week, not to mention being attacked by The Brotherhood on a boat earlier today. We could use a little R&R.”
Tony cleared his throat. “You’re absolutely right. Colin told me what happened. I’m glad to hear that you all are safe. Why doesn’t everyone head upstairs and relax for the rest of the evening? I’ll have Mr. Marshall bring your things to your rooms.”
Cole grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. “Come on.”
I followed him out of Tony’s office, confused. Why was Tony so adamant about keeping the pieces together? They weren’t going to go anywhere, and I doubted The Brotherhood would attack twice in the same day. What was so wrong with me holding onto my piece for just a day? Maybe two?
“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I am starving,” Drake said. “Anyone going to join me in the kitchen for some dinner?” We all agreed and started heading to the kitchen.
As I stepped forward to follow the others into the kitchen, a hand grasped my wrist, pulling me back.
“Come with me,” Cole whispered. He had a mischievous grin on his face as we climbed up the stairs. We tiptoed down the hallway toward my bedroom. Cole pulled me inside and with a wave of his arm, he quickly, but quietly, shut the door.
“What’s wrong? Is everything ok?” I asked, alarmed.
Cole stood in front of me. “Everything is perfect.” He gave me his sexy half-grin before he placed his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me to his face. He softly kissed me, before placing his forehead against mine. “I’ve been trying to get you alone since I first met you, but with everything that’s been going on, the only time we had was when we were in the car in California and today in the captain’s cabin. I couldn’t exactly do this in a car, nor did I want to do this on a boat, with an audience right outside,” he teased.
I could barely breathe. I was extremely thankful that the sun had already set and my room was covered in darkness because I was sure my face was bright red. “Do what?”
A wide, beautiful smile appeared across his face before he kissed me again, but it was definitely not like the kisses we had shared before. It was deeper, the kind that ignited your insides and curled your toes. We had no audience, and he definitely was not holding back. I raised my arms and wrapped them around his neck, trying to pull him closer to me. My focus was so intent on his lips against mine that I didn’t notice he had backed me up to my bed. Without our lips breaking, I sat on the bed and scooted up, laying my head on my pillow. Cole grabbed my wrists and held them above my head.
It seemed like his kisses grew hotter, scorching deep inside me. They washed away Jasper, The Brotherhood, and everything that happened in the last couple of hours. I neither questioned nor cared about how quickly I fell for him. Why would I, when he made me feel wanted, special, and sexy; things I had never felt before and wanted to revel in? He had stirred something within me from the moment I first heard his voice after my accident. I knew then that I would always be safe by his side and in his arms.
He broke away from my lips to trail kisses down my neck, careful not to disturb my bandaged cut. I sucked in a deep breath and turned my head, giving him better access. He let go of my wrists, allowing my fingers to dig into his silky, black hair. He pushed a sleeve of my shirt aside to continue his trail of kisses across my shoulders, then went further down, lifting my shirt and stopping right below my chest to kiss my stomach.
“You’re so beautiful, Melody,” he whispered in between kisses.
I slipped my hands under his shirt, feeling his hard, abdominal muscles. He sat up and in one quick movement, slid his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. I laid there, gaping. How could this god-like guy have feelings for me? Me, the outcast loner from Dallas who only got asked out on pity dates by guys who felt bad for her. Heat flowed through my skin so hot that I swore not even the ocean could tame it.
He bent back down and met my lips again, a low growl emanating deep from his throat. His hands grabbed my waist roughly. My head was spinning. I was completely consumed by the fierce rawness of what was building between us.
A knock on the door interrupted us, and Drake’s voice was heard from the other side. “Cole? You’re needed downstairs.”
We looked at each other in frustration.
“Sshh,” Cole whispered in my ear. “Maybe, if we ignore him, he’ll go away.”
The knock came again. “Come on, man, I know you’re in there. I can feel the heat off you both from over here. Your dad is looking for you.”
Cole shut his eyes tight. “Son of a bitch…”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Go see what your dad wants.”
“Why is it always Drake?” He let out a rough sigh. “Why don’t you go downstairs and get something to eat? Unless you’ve already had your fill?” He gave me a wink.
“Not even close.” I sat up and scooted closer to him, kissing him on the cheek. “Try not to kill him. We kind of need him in the group.”
Cole grunted like he didn’t approve of my suggestion, but got up off my bed, taking all of the heat that was coursing through my body with him. He bent down and grabbed his shirt, put it on, and headed for the door. Before he opened it, he turned back around to look at me, still sitting on the bed. "Damn it. This isn’t over,” he quietly warned, heating me up again.
Not even two seconds after he walked out into the hallway and closed my door, there was a loud thump followed by Drake yelling, “Ow! What the hell was that for?”
I laughed again and threw my head back onto my pillow, relishing in the blissful turn my life had taken.
TWENTY-TWO
After taking a much needed cold shower, I headed downstairs for something to eat. I literally felt like I was on cloud nine. There was even a little skip in my step. I said a silent prayer of thanks for how my life had turned out. After my parents’ accident, I thought that nothing would ever wash away the guilt and pain of losing them. That, along with finding out that I was being sent to live at some stranger’s place almost sent me into a spiraling torrent of depression and loneliness.
I had come to find out that, not only was I not alone, I was a part of something even greater than I could’ve ever imagined. Even though all of our powers differed from one another, we were all connected to each other through tragedy. We had each other. I now finally understood what it was like to have true friends. The five of them were the only people in this world I knew I could talk to about anything because they would understand. No therapist on Earth would sit and listen to me talk about having trouble with my water element powers without thinking I needed to be locked up in a padded room.
I stepped off the stairs and headed for the kitchen, but stopped when I heard shouts coming from Tony’s office down the hall. I could only hear his side of the conversation.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
Was he talking to Cole? I quietly creeped down the hall, wondering what Cole could’ve done to be getting scolded. Tony’s office door was slightly opened, enough for me to peek through. I saw Tony standing near a window, his back to me and a phone to his ear. Cole was nowhere to be seen. I sighed in relief, but was still curious to know who Tony was talking to.
“He could’ve ruined everything!”
His harsh tone made me jump. This seemed like a conversation not meant for my, or anyone’s, ears. I knew I needed to leave, but I couldn’t make my leg
s move.
“I’ve worked too damn hard for some punk who thinks he’s better than everyone, simply because of where he came from, to mess everything up. … “You better keep a closer leash on him! … All I’m saying is that he almost cost us everything with that little stunt he pulled. You better find him before I do, and keep him contained.” He slammed his phone shut and stuffed it in his pocket.
With his back still to me, I snuck away from his door and back down the hallway. Who was he talking to and what had made him so angry? Was that last part a threat? Was Tony really capable of killing someone? I shivered at that thought, but then something popped into my head. Had I riled him up earlier, and now he was taking his anger out on whoever was on the other line? I thought about the way he looked at me when I asked to keep my crystal in my necklace for a few more days. It was like we came back to a different Tony, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The man I met a few weeks ago, who gently told me about my parents’ background and my powers, and who seemed like our protector when we were here, was not the man I saw in the office.
“Oomph!” I had been so lost in my thoughts, I didn’t watch where I was going. I bumped into Blake’s backside and almost fell over before he caught me and lifted me upright.
“I’m sorry, Melody,” he started but fell silent as he took in my expression. “Hey, are you ok? You look kind of pale.”
Damn my open book expressions. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I shook my head. “Just tired and hungry.”
“Well, I hope you can find something in the kitchen,” he laughed, pointing over his shoulder. “I think Drake almost emptied out the fridge.”
“Thanks.” I chuckled and walked around him into the kitchen. I looked into the fridge and grabbed the first thing my hand closed around; an apple. I sat and tried to eat it, but my thoughts were in a frenzy and my appetite had suddenly left. I felt like I was missing something and it was frustrating me that I couldn’t figure it out. Why would my mom’s last words to me be to keep my crystal piece safe? Did everyone else feel that way? No, they would’ve told me. And safe from what? There was no way The Brotherhood was stupid enough to attack us here at the academy. Ugh! I wish my mom wasn’t so cryptic…
Knowing I wouldn’t get any answers sitting down here in the kitchen, I threw away my barely eaten apple and trudged upstairs back to my bedroom. The weight of today’s events was finally pushing me to my limit, and my neck was becoming a bit sore from where Ben’s knife had cut me. I walked into my bathroom and found some aspirin, swallowing them dry before climbing into bed. I sighed in content and immediately relaxed at the comfort of being back in my own bed. All of my questions were tomorrow’s worries as I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
◆◆◆
The loud BOOM of thunder startled me awake the following morning, the shockwaves literally shaking the windows. I crawled out of bed and pulled the curtains back as a bolt of lightning flashed across the dark sky and struck near the academy, brightening my face. The harsh wind howled as it splattered raindrops on the window. The waves from the beach seemed angry as they forcefully smacked against the shoreline before being pulled back again.
Dang. I guess we’re staying inside today, I thought grumpily. I had really wanted to spend some time on the beach today, possibly with Cole. We were done with our mission and were long overdue for some relaxation.
As soon as I thought his name, a strange ache formed inside my chest, making it hard to breathe. What the hell? I tried taking deep breaths of air, but it wouldn’t fill my lungs. This reminded me of a time when I was younger and my mom and I found out I was a mild asthmatic. I had woken up from sleep, gasping for breath. I ran downstairs to find Mom, scared out of my mind. Thankfully, she knew what to do. She rushed me upstairs to the bathroom and turned on the shower as hot as it would go, letting the steam help open my lungs.
I immediately ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I stood there, breathing in the steam, but it wasn’t helping. Now, I began to panic. I didn't have an emergency inhaler anymore since I grew out of asthma phase, or so I thought.
I turned the water off and left the bathroom, heading next-door to Blair’s room, but she wasn’t in there. I looked in Lily’s room, but hers was empty too. I stumbled down the stairs, praying the girls were somewhere so they could help me.
I rounded the corner of the stairs and saw Cole pacing in the kitchen. I would’ve smiled at the sight of seeing him, but he looked all wrong. His hands were clenched into fists at his side and his eyebrows were furrowed in anger. His hair stuck out like he had run his hand through it a couple of times. He looked extremely pissed. I walked into the kitchen and reached for his hand. As soon as I touched his hand, my lungs expanded as air finally reached them. I took a deep breath in, savoring the oxygen like a cake would curb a sweet tooth. My interruption of his deep thought caused him to jump a little.
“What’s wrong? Are you ok?” I asked him.
“No,” he whispered and resumed his pacing.
It was then I finally got a good look around the kitchen. The twins were seated at the table. Blake’s arm was cradled around a sobbing Blair, attempting to soothe her as tears ran down his own face. Lily was sitting across from them, holding one of her flowerpots closely to her chest as she wept. Tony was seated at the head of the table. He had scooted his chair away from the table and laid his elbows on his knees, his hands intertwined under his chin as they held up his head. Drake wasn’t anywhere in here. I could physically feel the intense sadness in the room.
“Wh-what’s going on?” I could barely get the words out.
Tony cleared his throat. “Melody, you might want to sit down.” He pulled out the chair next to him. I slowly made my way over, my eyes never leaving Tony’s, and sat myself down. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear what he was going to say, but from the way everyone was reacting, I knew it wasn’t going to be good news.
“Where’s Drake?” I asked him.
“In the training room. He said he needed to blow off some steam.”
I would’ve laughed at that reference at any other time. “And why would he need to blow off some steam? Tony, I’m not liking what I’m seeing from everyone.” I looked at Blair as she lifted her head up, just enough for me to see her red, swollen eyes and tear streaked face.
“I know, but you need to know, because it involves you, too. I’m sorry I didn’t wake you up sooner. I thought it best that you got plenty of sleep.” He took a deep breath. “When everyone woke up this morning, Cole told me what Jasper said, about me and everyone’s parents, and he was right.”
“What do you mean?”
He stared at me for a long moment, contemplating something. “Your parents’ accident, was no accident.”
Once again, air refused to enter my lungs. “What?”
He exhaled sharply. “Do you remember the tree that fell down on the road that made your father take a detour?”
“Yeah, the storm knocked it down so we had to take a different route.” As I said this, I saw the truth in Tony’s eyes. “Wait… you mean to tell me the storm didn’t knock it down?”
He shook his head. “The Brotherhood knocked it down.” He waited for me to say something, but continued on when he realized I stayed silent. “The Brotherhood knocked down that tree so your father would take an alternate route, knowing the road Cole and I found you on would be slick from the downpour.” He took a moment to compose himself. “They had a hand in all of the accidents.”
I sat there, staring at Tony, frozen. My brain stuttered for a moment as every part of me paused while my thoughts tried to catch up. What? I refused to believe what he was saying. The roads were slick from the rain. But didn’t Mom shout at Dad to watch out for something? Was there something on the road that caused them to swerve? What motive could The Brotherhood have possibly had to cause not just mine, but everyone’s accidents? It just didn’t make sense. The only common outcome of the accidents was… No. That had to be a coincidence.
Oh, my god.
They wanted the crystal key and needed us to be together to find it. I instantly felt like a chess piece, a pawn in their bigger game. They knew exactly what they wanted to do with me and how to achieve their goal. I quickly stood up from my chair, knocking it back in the process. My brain was still trying to understand everything, hoping that I was wrong. I had to get out of here. Concerned looks filled everyone’s eyes as they stared at me.
Tony spoke first. “Melody, I know you’re shocked right now and probably even a little hurt. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what really happened. I thought I was protecting you.”
“Protecting me?” I shouted with anger I didn’t know had been boiling. “I walked around for two months blaming myself for their accident. I finally came to grips with the fact that car accidents happen quite frequently, but now you tell me they were actually murdered!”
I took a step toward the backdoor, but Tony’s hand caught my wrist in a firm grasp. “We need to be prepared for The Brotherhood. We need to put the key together, but to do that we need your crystal piece. I promise I’ll take good care of it.”
I shook him off and headed out the door to the only sanctuary I craved, not even caring that it was still storming. I stomped to the shoreline, a little surprised I was still dry. I figured I was keeping the raindrops away from myself without realizing it. I would’ve danced with joy at the fact that I was getting a little better at controlling my powers, but I was fueled by hardcore anger. At this moment, I felt blinded by an intensifying rage that left a bitter taste in my mouth.