What?
Before I can even process what he said, a throat clears, ruining the moment.
West lets out a frustrated grunt that seriously is sexy as hell. Then he moves back and glares at Ellis, who’s standing at the end of the hallway, seeming uneasy.
“We have a problem,” he tells West.
“Tell me something I don’t already know.” West’s jaw is set tight as he shakes his head. “What is it this time?”
Ellis’s gaze wanders toward me and then he gulps. “Maybe we should talk in private.”
“I thought we already discussed this.” I push West back so I can sit up. Then I cross my arms and stare him down. “If you’re talking about me, I want to hear.”
Ellis looks at West and West sighs.
“Just say it, man,” he tells Ellis.
Ellis releases a deafening breath. “We got the guy to talk some more and he told us that a hits been put out on Alexis. That Hacker Hearts Anonymous put one out on her. That’s why he’s here.” He points up the hallway. “That’s why he tried to kill her.”
If I thought my heart was pounding before, I was wrong. Now it’s pounding a million miles a minute, as if it’s trying to escape my chest. I don’t blame the damn thing. I’ve got deadly drugs in my system and some hacker group trying to kill me.”
West doesn’t seem as shocked as I thought he would be. “So that means even after we get the antidote, they’re still going to come after her.” He lets out a string of curses while getting to his feet and raking his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, this is bad.”
“I think that might be an understatement,” Ellis says, pressing his fingertips to the brim of his nose.
“Did he say why they put a hit on her?” West asks. “And is her sister safe?”
I straighten, my gaze snapping to West. “My sister… You mean Zhara?” I shake my head. “No, there’s no way anyone would go after her. That girl’s a fucking saint.”
Worry and a drop of guilt fill West’s eyes. “Being a saint has nothing to do with this.”
“What’re you not telling me?” I stand up and face him. “Is something going on with Zhara?”
He gives an uneven nod. “She kind of has a thing going with another group in the organization.”
I’m taken aback. No, more than that. I feel like I just stepped into the Twilight Zone. “What do you mean a thing? Wait, how long have you been keeping this from me?”
“I just found out earlier today.” West reaches out to take my hand, but I step out of his reach.
I don’t even know why. It’s not like I’m afraid of him or anything. I’m just freaking out and need some breathing space. Unfortunately, Ellis has moved up behind me so I only end up bumping into him.
“Relax.” Ellis begins massaging my shoulders. “No one’s going to hurt you. Zhara is okay. We’re going to get the antidote. And then we’re going to figure out why a hit has been put on you.”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “That seems like a lot of work to do for a girl you barely know.”
He shrugs, a soft smile gracing his lips. “What can I say. I have a soft spot for feisty girls.”
“I’m not feisty,” I protest. “I’m a strong, confident woman.”
West snorts a laugh. “A strong, confident, feisty woman perhaps.”
I glower at him, but I’m veering toward smiling. “Whatever, weird, alpha male, control freak.”
He presses his hand to his heart, feigning being hurt. “Hey, I’m not controlling.”
Ellis chokes on a laugh, causing a smile to break across my face.
“No, the old West wasn’t controlling,” I quip. “This new West definitely seems like a bit of a control freak.”
His expression softens as he takes my hand. “Alexis, I’m still the same guy as I always was. The only difference is now you know about my job.”
I shake my head. “You’re not the same. You’re bossy and you keep…” Kissing me. I clear my throat. “And you called me baby! What the hell was that about?”
He watches me intently. “Yeah, that sort of accidentally slipped out.”
“Well, don’t do it again,” I say. “It’s weird.”
“Are you sure?” he questions, seeming a bit nervous.
I open my mouth to say…. Well, I’m not really sure, but then Steel strolls into the room. He takes one look at Ellis massaging my shoulders and West holding my hand and then he cocks a brow.
“Why do you guys look like you’re preparing to have a threesome?” he asks. “I mean, I’m cool with it and everything, but Ellis and West have never really been threesome sort of guys.” He grins. “Me on the other hand…”
West heaves a tired sigh. “So, is he out?”
Steel nods once. “For now.”
I glance back and forth between the two of them. “What does that mean?”
“It’s better if you don’t know, sweetheart,” Steel says with a dark look in his eyes.
I don’t know why, but I swear he’s said this to me before.
I want to demand that he not call me sweetheart, but the challenging way he’s staring at me, as if daring me to utter those exact words, has me feeling all squirrely.
West clears his throat, clearing the tension building between Steel and I. “We need to get the antidote and then start digging into Hacker Hearts Anonymous and see if we can figure out why they put out a hit on Alexis.”
Steel stares at me. “Maybe we should ask her first? Maybe she knows why they’re after her.”
I remember…
I remember…
I remember…
Remember what?
Don’t. Utter. A word.
The voice inside my head is getting annoying and is making absolutely no sense. Chocking it up to a side effect of the drugs, I do my best to ignore it.
“I have no idea.” I shrug. “I didn’t even know any of this stuff existed until just barely.”
Steel appears unconvinced, but lets the subject drop. “Where’s the best place to get the antidote?”
West shifts his weight uncomfortably. “I actually know another team who has some on hand.”
“Really?” Ellis asks, his hands still resting on my shoulders. “Which one?”
For some reason, West glances at me. “That friend of mine I grew up with.”
“Wait…” Realization quickly clicks. “Please tell me it’s not Blaine.”
West gives me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
I press my hand to my forehead as shock whips through me. “So, not only are you in this weird organization, but my twin sister is involved with it too? And so is my best friend… My ex-best friend?”
West nods. “I’m sorry, Alexis. I don’t know what else to say.”
“It’s okay.” I lower my hand from my head, too in shock to fully process everything. “It’s not your fault.”
“I know, but I’m still sorry.” He places a hand on my cheek. “Is there anything I can do to make this easier on you.”
“I don’t know… Just get the antidote, I guess.” I pause, chewing on my bottom lip. “Is there any way I can see my sister?”
He nods. “Of course. She’s actually been asking to see you.”
“So she knows what happened?” I ask, even more shocked.
He nods. “Benton—the guy in charge of the group she’s working with—got a warning about Hacker Hearts Anonymous coming after you. He tried to warn you and me before it happened, but didn’t get a hold of us in time.”
I remember how Zhara was texting me a few minutes before I was tranquilized. She said she needed to talk ASAP, but I ignored her, like I always do.
Maybe I deserve what’s happening to me.
A slow breath eases from my lips. “So, I can go see her?”
West shakes his head. “Until we know more about what’s going on, you can’t leave this place, baby.” His lips quirk as I narrow my eyes at him. “But I can have Benton bring her over here.”
“Okay, thanks.” I want to hug him. I want to cry. I want to scream.
But instead I just stand there in shock, noting the unnatural warmth in my body, and wondering how much longer I have until the drugs kill me.
But most of all I wonder why I have a feeling that I’ve been in this position before.
Not the most ideal situation
West
After I call Benton to tell him to bring Zhara over, I leave Alexis in the living room and head to my bedroom to make my next call, mostly because I know how she feels about the person I’m calling.
Once I get into my room and shut the door, I dial Blaine’s number.
“What’s up?” he answers after three rings.
“Not much.” I pause. “I’m calling because I need a favor.
“Okay.” He sounds a bit confused and who can blame him. I rarely ask him for favors.
“I need an antidote to the kiss of evil,” I say, sinking down onto the bed.
He lets out a slow whistle. “Shit, really? Who’s the unlucky bastard who got that put into their system.”
I consider lying to him, but he’ll probably find out anyway. “Alexis.”
Silence momentarily stretches between us.
“That’s not fucking funny, man,” he finally says.
“I’m not trying to be funny,” I snap. “She’s messed up in some really bad stuff—Hacker Hearts Anonymous stuff. And they’ve put a hit out on her.”
“I didn’t… I don’t…” He struggles to find words. “God fucking dammit, this fucking sucks.”
“Yeah, it does.”
He continues to curse, wasting time, and finally I cut him off.
“Look, can I come over and get the antidote?” I ask. “This is kind of time pressing.”
“I’ll bring it over,” he offers.
“No,” I answer almost immediately.
“I’m bringing it over,” he insists. “She’s my friend too and I want to make sure she’s okay.”
“I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to see you and I really don’t want to upset her.”
“I don’t care what you think. I need to see her. I’ll be over in a minute.” He hangs up.
Fuck. This is the last thing Alexis needs. And while it might make me sound completely selfish, I don’t want him messing up what I’m trying to start with Alexis.
That kiss… God, I want to do so much more to her... Touch her, kiss her, reenact the things we did in the car…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I sigh. “Come in.”
The door opens and Steel enters.
I immediately tense. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah… Well, as okay as it was when you walked out of the room.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets and shifts his weight, seeming nervous and completely unlike Steel.
I set the phone down on my bed. “You okay man.”
He gives a one shoulder shrug. “I’m not sure yet.”
“Okay.” I remain quiet, waiting for him to speak first, because sometimes it’s the only way Steel will open up.
“I think I might know her, “ he finally says. “Alexis, I mean.”
“I’m sure you’ve probably seen her around,” I tell him. “She’s lived in Honeyton for most of her life.”
“I don’t think I know her from Honeyton.” He swallows hard. “I think I might know her from here.” His gaze drops to the circular symbol branded on his forearm in the midst of several other tattoos. That particular tattoo, though, wasn’t put on him by choice. It was forced on him the day he was forced to join the assassin program.
“You think Alexis was part of the program?” I stare at him in shock. “No. There’s no fucking way. I’ve known her since I was a kid.”
“Yeah, so. People knew me when I was a kid and didn’t know that I was being forced to live this secret life… That I was a…” He swallows hard again. “But anyways, I just wanted to say something, just in case. It doesn’t hurt to look into it, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, we can look into it. But I highly doubt it’s true. I mean, she would’ve said something about it, right?”
He shrugs. “Maybe she’s ashamed of the things she did. Or maybe she can’t remember. My memory was wiped out a lot and sometimes I can’t remember everything I did.”
Fuck, what if he’s right? What if, like Steel, Alexis was once an assassin.
One thing’s for sure, no matter what she was or is, I’m going to keep my promise.
I’m going to protect her no matter what.
About the Author
About the Author
Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
Also by Jessica Sorensen
Other books by Jessica Sorensen:
Unexpected Series:
The Unexpected Way of Falling in Love
Untitled (coming soon)
Bad Boy Rebels:
Discovering Zhara: Kissing Benton
Discovering Zhara: Meeting The Bad Boy Rebels
Discovering Zhara: Going Undercover
Discovering Zhara: Bad Girl Training
Discovering Alexis: A Wildly Crazy Day
Discovering Zhara: Sweet Lies & Kisses
Discovering Alexis: Truths & Lies
Discovering Zhara: Whispered Promises & The Truth (coming soon)
Discovering Alexis (Title to be decided) (coming soon)
Shadow Cove Series:
What Lies in the Darkness
What Lies in the Dark (coming soon)
Mystic Willow Bay Witches Series:
The Secret Life of a Witch
Broken Magic
Stolen Kisses
One Wild, Crazy, Zombie Night
Untitled (coming soon)
Cursed Superheroes:
Cursed
Maddening
Undead
Untitled (coming soon)
Standalones:
The Forgotten Girl
The Illusion of Annabella
Confessions of a Kleptomaniac
Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl
Broken City Series:
Nameless
Forsaken
Oblivion
Forbidden (coming soon)
Guardian Academy Series:
Entranced
Entangled
Enchanted
Entice (coming soon)
Sunnyvale Series:
The Year I Became Isabella Anders
The Year of Falling in Love
The Year of Second Chances
Unraveling You Series:
Unraveling You
Raveling You
Awakening You
Inspiring You
The Coincidence Series:
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
The Redemption of Callie and Kayden
The Destiny of Violet and Luke
The Probability of Violet and Luke
The Certainty of Violet and Luke
The Resolution of Callie and Kayden
Seth & Greyson
The Secret Series:
The Prelude of Ella and Micha
The Secret of Ella and Micha
The Forever of Ella and Micha
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan
The Ever After of Ella and Micha
Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always
Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always
The Shattered Promises Series:
Shattered Promises
Fractured Souls
Unbroken
Broken Visions
Scattered Ashes
Breaking Nova Series:
Breaking Nova
Saving Quinton
Delilah: The Making of Red
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets
Tristan: Finding Hope
Wreck Me
&nb
sp; Ruin Me
The Fallen Star Series:
The Fallen Star
The Underworld
The Vision
The Promise
The Fallen Souls Series (spin-off from The Fallen Star):
The Lost Soul
The Evanescence
The Darkness Falls Series:
Darkness Falls
Darkness Breaks
Darkness Fades
The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):
Ember X and Ember
Cinder X and Cinder
Spark X and Spark
Unbeautiful Series:
Unbeautiful
Untamed
Discovering Alexis: Truths & Lies (Bad Boy Rebels Book 7) Page 5
