by Autumn Reed
Chase grimaced. “Ironic, huh?” He pulled at the back of his neck. “It doesn’t bother me as much as it probably should. I hide behind my computer and pretend every action I take is justified. Whether that’s true, I don’t know, but believing it helps.”
Theo peeked his head through the patio door. “Are you two staying out there all night?”
I carried the remaining dishes into the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher. “Guess I should have a talk with my dad about his plan now that he’s more exposed than ever.”
Chase shot Theo a worried glance.
“What? What do you know that I don’t?”
Theo slung an arm around my shoulders. “You should have this conversation with your father, sweet pea.”
“What conversation is that, sweet pea?”
Theo jumped away from me as Dad walked into the kitchen with wet hair and wearing borrowed clothes.
“What you’re going to do now,” I said.
Theo pointed toward the exit, appearing more than ready to leave. “We’ll get out of here and give you two some privacy. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Jones.”
My dad nodded at Chase and Theo but didn’t say anything until after they’d left. “Are you going to tell me which one of them you’re dating?”
“Are you sticking around?”
“No.”
“Then, no.”
He sighed. “Fair enough. We might as well sit down for this.”
After returning to the living room, I watched him drop into a chair, just now noticing how tired he looked. He obviously hadn’t slept at all the night before and was probably running on fumes. I considered telling him we could talk about this in the morning, but I had the sinking feeling that he may not be around long enough to answer my questions.
He slouched even farther into the chair and groaned. “I’m getting too old for days like today.”
“You might try not breaking and entering, then.”
“Thanks for that very helpful advice. You know, I can’t decide if I’m relieved or concerned that you have such powerful friends.”
“What do you mean?”
“Patrick pulled strings and managed to get the charges against me dropped. I didn’t bother asking what all that involved. It doesn’t really matter, at this point.”
“That’s great.” How could I complain about Zenith’s questionable methods when I often benefitted from them?
“And, Patrick is taking me to a Zenith safe house tomorrow. I don’t know where, so don’t bother asking. Only he and Jackson will know my location.”
“Why can’t you stay here? The guys could help you investigate DuBois. I know the Danny Franco angle was a dead end, but DuBois is running a freaking criminal organization. We have to be able to prove that he deserves to be behind bars.”
“Do you hear yourself, Haley? We will not be doing anything. You’re already way more involved in this than I ever wanted, and don’t forget that Douglas is still a loose end. For now,” he muttered. “I refuse to risk your safety even more by sticking around. This is best for everyone.”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
Dad laughed. “Why are you?”
“Apparently, I got it from you.”
“There are worse things, I suppose.”
I shook my head in frustration. “What did you mean by ‘for now’? Are you going after Douglas?”
“Let’s just say that I’m going to make sure he doesn’t give you any more trouble.”
I glared at him. The last thing I wanted was for my dad to take on Gerald Douglas. He’d always been a loose cannon, and with his political career in decline, who knew how he’d react to Dad’s threats. It almost seemed better to leave Douglas be.
“Don’t give me that look, Haley. I’m taking care of it. Any more questions?”
I reined in my desire to stomp my foot and asked the one thing still lingering between us. “Does this mean I won’t be able to talk to you anymore?”
He nodded slowly. “I discussed it with Patrick, and we both think it would be best for me to stay radio silent, at least until I can determine whether DuBois is still attempting to find me. Patrick will have a way to contact me in case of emergency and vice versa, but that’s it. I’m sorry.”
In the past, his news would have devastated me, but this time I mostly felt disappointment. At least I knew he would be safe. “It’s okay. I’m glad I get to spend time with you now, even if it’s a brief visit.”
“Me too, kiddo.” His face brightened. “Hey, Patrick mentioned a pool table. Are you interested in a game?”
“Depends. Can you handle me beating you?”
“Since when do you know how to play pool?”
I rolled my eyes and he lifted his hands in surrender. “A lot has happened in the last year. Got it.”
As we walked toward the game room, he pulled me into a hug. “I’m proud of you.”
“Really?” I asked into his chest.
“Absolutely. Theo was right. Despite everything, you’re strong and kind and so incredible that you have a group of young men at your beck and call.”
I giggled at his description. It wasn’t entirely accurate, but I wasn’t going to correct his assumption by explaining my true dating situation.
“Just be careful, Haley.”
“You too, Dad.”
Temporary
I emerged from the bathroom and found Knox leaning against the back of the couch, arms crossed and a scowl on his face. When he noticed me, his face lit up, and he immediately stalked toward me.
“Let’s stay in.”
“You know we can’t.” Maybe I would have agreed, and endured the wrath of Theo, if it was an ordinary night out, but it was his birthday.
“Come to my room after we get home, then.”
It wasn’t a question, and I bit my lip, debating the best way to phrase my next statement. “I can’t,” I said simply, not wanting to tell him the real reason—I had already promised Theo I’d stay in his room, sleep in his bed.
Knox’s lips hovered next to mine. “Can’t or won’t?”
“I, um . . .” I lost my train of thought as he ran his hands along my sides, then cupped my backside, pulling me flush against him. The temptation to kiss him was overwhelming until I heard footsteps and pushed myself away just in time to meet Theo at the bottom of the stairs.
“Ta-da,” he announced. I gave him a once-over, taking in the fedora, button-down shirt, black slim-fit slacks, and unique shoes. He was even more retro than usual, and the look suited him to a T.
“Mmm, love the shoes,” he said appreciatively, admiring the high, black peep-toe heels with an ankle strap. His eyes traveled up my body, lingering on the sweetheart neckline of the vintage-style dress I’d also purchased for the occasion. It was black and flirty, with a cross-neck halter and skirt that flared when I twirled. “And the dress.”
Theo turned my hand over to reveal my forearm, trailing a finger down the sensitive skin and grazing over a temporary tattoo of a bicycle. “Nice touch. Are there more?”
“Maybe,” I said coyly. After the practice one, I got carried away and ended up with several retro tattoos scattered in various places on my body.
He leaned closer, but before he could utter the words on his lips, Knox asked, “Are you finally ready?”
“Yes.” Theo turned to his brother. “I’m glad you can’t wait to get to the club.”
“I can’t wait to get this evening over with.”
Theo ignored Knox’s comment and offered me his arm. “You look incredible.”
“Of course she does. And, it took her half the time it took you to get ready.”
“Whatever, brother. You’re just jealous that Haley’s my date.”
Knox grunted his agreement but said no more as we followed him out to the truck. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of the jazz club and paused before shutting off the engine. “Theo,” he said with a tone that hinted at an oncoming lecture.
“You do remember I’m turning twenty-two, right?”
“I don’t care if you’re turning twenty-two or eighty-two, you’ll always be my little brother. And, when it comes to your birthday, things have a habit of getting out of hand.”
“Psh. You need to let loose, live a little.”
Theo opened the car door, quickly slipping his hand into mine, and I glanced back at Knox to find his face an unreadable mask. When we walked past the bar, he stayed behind to order a drink, and I withdrew my hand from Theo’s and proceeded to dig in my purse, feigning a desperate need for lip gloss. Theo may have been happy to broadcast to his friends that we were together, but I didn’t feel comfortable doing so while dating four other guys.
A group of Theo’s friends were waiting for us at one of the large tables in the back, including Drew, Max and her boyfriend, and a few other faces I recognized. Logan hovered near Kara, who smiled when she noticed our arrival. Liam and Chase were in Dallas, again, but I was surprised Jackson wasn’t already here.
And, then, I spotted Tyler. His arm was draped over a petite girl with caramel-colored skin and glasses, and a look of surprise flickered over his face when he noticed me. This could get awkward.
Theo greeted his guests, his hand on the small of my back. Tyler shook Theo’s hand and smiled warmly at me, then introduced me to his girlfriend, Megan. Theo and Megan debated the merits of various vintage cocktails before wandering to the bar, leaving me alone with Tyler.
“It’s good to see you, Haley.”
“You too.”
“I’m glad you’re back. I hope everything’s okay.”
“Thanks,” I said, unwilling to explain my reasons for leaving. “Megan seems nice. How did you two meet?”
He smiled fondly at her, then turned back to me. “Don’t laugh, but we met on this dating app, Strike.”
“That’s great. My best friend tried a dating app, but most of her dates have been duds. I’ll have to tell her about it.”
“You and Theo, huh?”
I glanced around nervously, hoping for an out, and discovered Jackson sitting at the bar with Knox, drink in hand. When did he sneak in?
“Can I steal Haley for a minute?” Kara placed her hand on my arm and tugged me away without giving Tyler a chance to respond.
“Thanks for rescuing me. He was starting to ask about me and Theo.”
“Hmm, Theo. Is that who you’re dating now?” she teased, knowing full well I was dating all of Team Jaguar. She had yet to push for answers, and I knew I couldn’t put off that discussion much longer.
“For tonight.”
“I probably should have warned you that Tyler might be here. I know he had a thing for you in the past, but he’s head over heels for Megan.”
“I wish Theo had thought to mention it,” I grumbled.
“Boys.” We shared a knowing look.
“Speaking of boys, what’s up with Logan? He’s watching you like a sad puppy dog.”
“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes. “He wants to go public with our relationship. He said he’s, and I quote, ‘tired of feeling like my dirty little secret.’”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, whatever. I can’t deal with his drama right now.”
“I’m happy to listen, if you want to talk about it.”
“I’ll think about it. What I really want to talk about is your love triangle. Wait, there are six of you, a love . . . hexagon. Damn.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s ridiculous.”
“I need a refill, and this isn’t the best place to talk. Hang out tomorrow?”
“I’d love to.”
“Love to what?” Theo slipped his arm around my waist. “Dance with me?”
“Of course,” I answered quickly, hoping he hadn’t overheard me and Kara.
As he led me to the dance floor, the song changed to a slow, seductive tune. There were a number of other couples dancing, including Tyler and Megan and Drew and another of Theo’s friends. Logan soon joined us, dancing with a girl I’d never seen before.
I spotted Kara sipping a cocktail and standing at the edge of the dance floor. Although I was curious to see her reaction, I was too busy trying to spy on Knox and Jackson without being obvious. Two girls had approached them, and one of them was touching Jackson’s forearm while the other had a wide smile aimed at Knox. I was on the verge of marching over there and telling the girls to back off when Theo pulled me closer and slid his hands down to my butt. I placed my hands over his and guided them back up to my waist.
“Haley, you seem tense. Does this have something to do with the incident that occurred the last time we were here?”
“What?” I tore my eyes away from Jackson and the brunette chatting with him. “No.” My unfortunate encounter with the drunk guy in the hallway near the bathrooms hadn’t even crossed my mind.
“I know what will help.” His head dipped, and I quickly turned mine so his lips landed next to my mouth. “You know, kissing is naturally relaxing. It increases oxytocin levels as well as endorphins, making you feel calm and happy.”
“Is that so? When did you become Bill Nye the Science Guy?”
“Since I started taking human sexuality this semester.”
I cocked my head, knowing I would have remembered if he was taking a class on sex.
“It’s the psychology class I mentioned.”
Not prepared for him to go into the details of the class, I asked, “What does it have to do with your major?”
“I needed a psychology credit, and it sounded interesting. Although, it’s not quite what I expected.”
Afraid to inquire further, and risk embarrassment, I remained silent. Theo opened his mouth, as if to say something, but held me closer instead, and we spent the next few songs dancing and enjoying the music. When I glanced back at the bar, Knox and Jackson were nowhere to be seen. I tried not to panic at what that meant, surprised when a throat cleared behind me.
“My turn.” Knox plucked me out of Theo’s arms and into his.
He clasped my hand and placed it over his heart. With the other draped around my waist, he pulled me close, swaying slowly to the music. I was tempted to rest my head against his muscular chest, but I resisted. I didn’t want any of Theo’s friends who assumed we were together to think I was cheating on him with Knox. Why was this so complicated?
“Are you having a good time?”
“Are you?” I couldn’t mask the accusatory tone in my voice.
He looked down at me, his eyes searching mine, and waited until he had my full attention. “If you’re referring to the girls who hit on me and Jax, we shut them down. So, to answer your question, I’m having a good time now.”
I softened and allowed myself to relax in his arms, finally able to breathe again with the confirmation that he was mine.
When the song ended, we reluctantly returned to the group. Theo was sipping a cocktail and talking to Max and her boyfriend, so I slid into a nearby booth where Jackson sat alone. Knox followed, sandwiching me between them.
“Hi.” Jackson’s voice was low.
“Hi.” I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat under his intense gaze.
His pinky touched mine before straying to my knee. I tried to converse as if nothing was happening, but he slowly inched his hand up my thigh, and I found it incredibly difficult to focus on the conversation as his thumb stroked my skin.
“Haley, good to see you. Your hair looks fantastic!”
My knee hit the underside of the table. I was so absorbed with Jackson that I hadn’t even noticed Max and her boyfriend until they were sliding into the booth across from us.
“Max, hi. Thanks. YouTube.”
“Awesome. I keep thinking about filming some tutorials.”
“You should.”
Theo approached, drink in hand. “I’d like to sit next to my date.”
I could feel a wave of tension roll off Knox as he rose to give Theo his seat. He left us to talk with Tyler, and Theo wrapped
an arm around my shoulder, drawing me in and placing a kiss in my hair.
Max grinned. “I always said that you and Theo would be cute together.”
I laughed nervously and racked my brain for a different topic, one that didn’t involve my rather complicated love life. Max was on the verge of asking another question when Jackson came to my rescue.
“What have you been reading these days?” he asked, coaxing me into conversation with him instead.
We discussed books and their film versions, and I lost track of time as Theo’s friends came and went. As much as I was enjoying talking with Jackson, it had been a long day, and I failed to stifle a huge yawn.
Theo gulped down the rest of his drink. “I need to get Haley to bed, so we’re going to head out.”
I coughed loudly, choking on nothing but air.
Drew gave me an assessing look before grinning at Theo. “So, you finally did it, huh? I was starting to think you were obsessed with the only girl you couldn’t get.”
My embarrassment gone for the moment, my head spun to stare at Theo. He’d been . . . obsessed with me? How had I not realized?
Without looking away from me, Theo answered Drew. “Yeah, I finally did it.” Then, he leaned forward and fused his mouth to mine. Too shocked to do anything but kiss him back, I tried to ignore the fact that Jackson was sitting on my other side and at least three other people were watching.
When he released me after several long moments, the first thing I saw was Knox’s stormy face. He stalked out of the club, and I nudged Theo, desperately needing to escape as well.
“I’ll meet you outside,” I said to Theo, before turning to the other occupants of the booth and forcing a smile. “It was good to see you all again.”
I glanced at Jackson as I darted toward the door, surprised to see him give me a smile and nod of his head. Was he okay with the fact that Theo claimed me in front of his friends?
When I reached the parking lot, I slowed and put my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. Knox’s boots stopped in front of me, and I braced myself for a lecture.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know Theo was going to—”
“Haley, stop.” He pulled me into a hug. “I’m not mad at you.”
