Shit. Simon is genuinely pissed at me. I’m lost for words. His face, typically wearing a clown grin, is screwed up in anger.
No one speaks, and all eyes remain on me. I guess they all feel the way Simon does.
Well shit! How do I talk my way out of this? And do I want to?
“Sorry,” I whisper, casting my eyes to the floor.
“Is that all you have to say? No excuse or explanation?” Simon scolds, and I cringe, shaking my head, keeping my eyes cast low.
“How about you back off Hastings? You don’t know the full story.” Ayden snaps.
“It’s okay, Ayden.” I stand, deciding not to cower anymore. Simon is right. I should never have thought about sneaking off and putting myself in danger, especially since I’m fairly sure that Mike is still around. “Simon is right. I should have told you all what my plans were. That was stupid.”
Simon grins, “Yes, it was. Don’t do stupid stuff again. That’s my job.”
Chuckles sound out from all of the guys, even Ayden, and Simon steps forward and pulls me to his chest.
“Also, FYI, Lexi. We like parties. You could have invited us too.” Simon pouts, and I pull back and mouth another sorry.
“Right well, I’ll double-check all the doors and windows again, and we should all get some sleep.” Jared declares, effectively ending the conversation.
Each of my pack gives me a grin or a friendly shoulder bump as they file out of my bedroom, leaving me alone with Ayden again.
He doesn’t speak but pulls some blankets out from my wardrobe and makes his bed on the floor.
“Ayden, stop.”
He freezes mid blanket placement, peering up at me.
“If I ask you to sleep in my bed, are you going to think more of it than two friends sleeping side by side?” I want it to mean more, I really do, but I know it can’t.
Ayden stands, dropping the blanket from his grip and rakes his hand through his thick dark hair. God, I miss running my own fingers through that hair!
“I’m always going to think more of things between us, Lex, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hold my restraint and be the friend you need right now.” Honest words match his sincere blue eyes as they seize me in place, unable to move. His candour is confronting yet refreshing.
“I don’t deserve you.” The whisper slips past my lips and floats across the small space to meet his ears.
Ayden’s eyes warm, his right dimple making an appearance as the corner of his mouth heads north. “You’re wrong. It’s me that doesn’t deserve you.”
I can see that no one will win this argument, and I can’t hold back my grin in return.
“Get in the bed. No touching!”
“What? No, spooning?” He’s so smug right now.
I’d slap it off his face if I could be sure I wouldn’t melt the moment our skin makes contact.
“Definitely no spooning.” I ignore his pout and move to the other side of the bed, taking out a hoodie from my draws.
“You want mine?” Ayden asks, hopeful, but I don’t turn to look at him. I shake my head and slip the hoodie over my head. If I wear his hoodie, I’ll be powerless to stop myself from giving in to him.
Keeping my arms inside the hoodie, I slip my red boob tube and strapless bra off before sliding my arms in place and turning.
Ayden eyes me as I shimmy my jeans down my legs needing to be free of the tight fabric. I don’t say anything because I don’t trust myself not to say something that will make him step over the line between friends and, well… more.
Before he can get any more words out, I slip into my bed, a bed I haven’t slept in for such a long time. It feels strange until Ayden slips in next to me, fully clothed. Now my bed feels too big and too small all at the same time, yet oddly it feels right. Perfect.
We both shuffle around, trying to get comfy while avoiding touching each other in the small space. Ayden had turned the light off before climbing in with me but left the hall light on. I’m glad he did that. I need the soft glow that filters in through the open doorway. It helps to scare away the shadows that come to life.
Downstairs I can hear the faint murmur of voices and the TV. My house has never felt more like home than in this moment. I wish I could stay here tomorrow, but I know we will have to go back to Marcus’s, and I’ll have to face that lonely lilac bedroom.
“Ayden?” I whisper, raking my eyes over what little I can see of Ayden's face, which is so close to mine. We are on our sides facing each other. Tonight is going to be torture.
“Yeah?”
“Your mum is going to be mad at me for not coming home by curfew.”
“Nah, I already covered for you. You’re in the clear.” His voice is gravelly and sexy as sin as he tries to whisper.
“You shouldn’t have done that. No more lying to your mum, remember?”
He chuckles. “It’s fine Lex. I didn’t lie. I told her you were with me and that we are all staying here. I even sent her a selfie with you in the background.”
“What! When did you take a photo?”
“Right before you started dancing.” Ayden chuckles.
I need to remember to ask him to show me the picture in the morning.
“How’d you find Rhys and me, anyway? We only told you we were going to a party in Redfield. Come to think of it, why were you there?”
He sighs. “Dale. He added me to SnapChat, and he didn’t ghost on SnapMaps. And we were there, Lexi because you didn’t check in with me like you promised.”
“Stalker much?”
“When it comes to you, always. Not in a creepy way, though.” Ayden tries to sound convincing. It’s cute.
I giggle. “Oh no, there’s nothing creepy about Ayden Mitchell stalking me.”
Ayden laughs with me, and when we are done, we both fall quiet again before he speaks.
“Why were you kissing Rhys?”
“I plead the fifth.”
“Lexi, you do know that’s not relevant in Australia, right?” Ayden’s deep voice is laced with humour.
“So everyone keeps telling me!”
“Stop avoiding my question.” He chuckles as he speaks.
I sigh, seeking out his eyes in the darkness. From his vantage point, he has a better view of my face with the light filtering in on it. But his face is covered in shadows, all except for those damn panty-melting ocean eyes. It’s like they glow.
“Rhys said that kissing her would help me forget about kissing you.” The honesty comes out before I can tamper with it and twist it into some sort of half-truth. Damn him and his power to render me useless!
“Did it work?” Ayden whispers.
“I-I plead the fifth.”
Ayden chuckles before linking his pinkie finger with mine. Warmth spreads through my body at the contact, making me relax into the mattress, and as if he summoned me to sleep with magic, I fall into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Seeing Marcus and Rhys’s bare arses and tangled limbs on my mum’s bed really isn’t what I wanted to see… ever! Yet here I am, sneaking past them to get to my mum’s bathroom so I can shower. I’m going to make them wash the sheets themselves, because eww!
Showering quickly, wanting to avoid being walked in on, my mind wanders to what I saw and felt when I woke up this morning. Ayden lying next to me is a truly breathtaking sight, but I didn’t expect to see that he no longer had his pinky finger linked with mine, but he had my hand in his, tucked under his chin hugging it like it’s a teddy.
Fuck me! How’s a girl meant to find self-control around that?
“Lexi!” Rhys yells, pounding on the other side of the door, making me jump and nearly slip on the wet tiles in the shower. “I need to pee! Hurry up!”
“Okay! Hold on just a minute!”
I shut off the water and drag the towel over the top rail of the shower to dry my body. I didn’t bother washing my hair today, so I’m able to make quick work of drying myself off before securing
the towel around me to step out of the shower.
Then I scream!
On instinct, I throw myself back, and at the same time, Rhys reefs the door open, eyes wide, seeking me out. I know the moment she sees it. What someone has written in the fog of the mirror. No, not someone. Mike. It can only be Mike.
I CAN STILL GET TO YOU LEXI.
IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME!!!
Marcus is suddenly in the bathroom with us, and I scream again and cover my eyes with my free hand when I get a full frontal of his junk.
“Lexi! Are you okay?” Ayden’s voice gets louder the closer he gets, and before I know it, the small space is filling with Ayden and the guys on his heels.
Curses ring out before Ayden growls at Marcus and shoves him out the door.
“Get dressed!” Ayden hisses at his cousin before turning back to the mirror.
I should be trembling, crying, running, but I’m not. I’m pissed.
“Who showered in here last?” Jared asks, taking his phone out and snapping a picture of the now fading message. With the door open, the steam in the room is escaping, and with it, the message.
“Not me. I’m still dirty from Marcus!” Rhys giggles, and I hear someone make a gagging sound. Probably Simon.
“I did. Last night before, Rhys and I got ready for the party. There definitely was no message on the mirror then.” I wrap my arms around my body, hoping that I won’t lose the towel and flash everyone.
“So, someone came in after you showered? You would have still been here for the message to have been written on the mirror.” Garrett says, gaining everyone’s attention.
“No. By the time I finished getting dressed after my shower, the steam had cleared because I opened the door and put the fan on. I needed to use the mirror to get ready.”
“So, whoever it was, came in last night while you were at the party and removed the door, they what? Had a shower?” Shaun asks, looking as confused as the rest of us.
“Door? What door has been removed?” Rhys asks, reminding us that she doesn’t know everything that’s going on. I’d thought Marcus might tell her, but I guess he was too busy.
“Ah… come with me. I’ll explain.” Marcus, who now has jeans on, says to Rhys while giving me a questioning look.
I give him a brief nod, silently telling him it’s okay to tell Rhys before answering Shaun’s question. “Firstly, whoever came in and did this is Mike. Secondly, he probably did take a fucking shower.” A shiver runs up my spine at the thought.
“We don’t know that it’s Mike doing this.” Garrett tries to sound convincing, but his statement comes out more like a question.
“Actually, I’m 98% sure it’s Mike,” I say, annoyance clear in my tone. The message on the mirror reminds me of the message he sent me a couple of weeks ago when I was in Melbourne.
You little slut! I don’t know how you got away, but I will find you, and when I do, I’ll make our last encounter seem like foreplay! You were never good at Hide and Seek Ali. When you least expect it, I’ll be there to catch you!
I try to move out of the confined space, but there are too many bodies in the way. “Can I get out, please? I need to get dressed.”
“Why are you so certain?” Ayden asks, clearly beating Jared to it by the look Jared shoots Ayden.
My shoulders sag when I realise the guys aren’t going to move until I’ve answered.
“Besides the fact that the message is similar to one he sent me a couple of weeks ago, I found out last night that Mike has been seen in the area. Apparently, after going on a bender with the drugs he was meant to sell, he’s been trying to score more. I don’t know much about that stuff, but the important thing to know is that he’s still close by. He probably never left.”
“Who told you this?” Jared gets in before Ayden this time.
I don’t want to tell them because I’m fairly certain they don’t know that Travis and I have history. Yes, that history is criminal, but it’s still history. I’m not dumb, though. I know the guys aren’t going to drop it, so I should be somewhat honest. Somewhat!
“Travis.”
“Travis? Travis Watson?” Garrett asks.
“Yep. I saw him at the party last night. He told me that Mike has been seen around the place.”
“So, in other words, Mike approached him to score drugs?” Shaun hisses, making it clear how he feels about Travis.
I blanch a little but try to hide it by turning the other way and pretending I’m frustrated. Ayden’s ever-watchful eyes follow my every move in the reflection of the mirror before his eyes narrow. Yep, he caught my reaction. Dammit!
“Who’s this Travis guy?” Ayden asks.
I spin and push my way out of the bathroom, not needing to hear them bag Travis. I know he’s not the most savoury person to call a friend, but he took the full blame for something I played a part in, so I kind of feel protective of him.
My name is called by Ayden and Jared as I storm off, my body still only covered by the grey towel. I pass through the kitchen, ignoring the weird looks I get from Tillie and Dale. I don’t know where Marcus and Rhys went. I sure hope it wasn’t upstairs because I need to get dressed, and I need some space.
This shit with Mike has to end. I’m sick of feeling scared and needing to always look over my shoulder. He’s a sick, twisted psycho that needs to die… or at least go to prison again. But dying would be better. I need to rid him from this earth, from existence.
Upstairs is quiet and free of visitors, so I make quick work to find clothes and get dressed. Most of my clothes are at Marcus’s house now, so with few options to choose from, I slip on my white Bonds trackies and my basic blue K-Mart t-shirt, tucking it up under my bra to crop it.
“How do you make trackies look so good?” Ayden’s voice makes me jump, my eyes immediately moving from my reflection in the mirror to where he stands in my doorway, leaning against the frame.
“You really need to move louder around me. I’m too skittish these days.” I glare at him, but it only makes him grin.
“Maybe I should wear a cat bell around my neck so you can hear me coming.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I grin smugly, and he chuckles.
“Tell me about Travis.”
Fuck, I was hoping he’d find out what he wanted to know from the guys.
“I’m sure one of the boys filled you in.” Stepping back, I sit on my bed and roll on some white foot socks.
“They told me their version of Travis. Now I want to know your version.” Ayden steps into the room and around the bed to see my face. Ugh! He’s so adorably infuriating!
“They are the same versions, Ayden.” Avoiding his eyes, I focus on my shoes, loosening the laces of the white sneakers.
“Nope. Don’t think so. You know a different version of Travis. I could tell by the annoyed look on your face when Bossi spoke about him.”
“I was annoyed about having a conversation about my psycho brother. That’s all.” I’m unable to hide my annoyance now, and I hope Ayden gets the hint and drops it.
“Nope. It wasn’t the mention of your brother that annoyed you.” He’s not going to back down! Dammit!
I stand, glaring at Ayden, my sneaker still in hand. “What the fuck do you want from me, Ayden!”
“I want you to tell me the truth! What are you hiding? How can I help you if you hide shit from me?”
“I didn’t ask for your help!” My face is on fire. It must be bright red because I’m burning up.
Ayden steps up to me. “Tell me what I need to know, Lexi!” He’s so close now, a foot away, his breathing heavy with frustration.
“I don’t need to tell you shit. It’s not relevant to the Mike situation, so you don’t need to know.” I growl in a much too girly way.
“Is he an old boyfriend?”
“What? No!” My voice is high, the partial lie not fooling him in the slightest.
Ayden’s blue eyes roam my face, boring into my own, searching for answers. �
�He means something to you.” His voice is barely a whisper.
“It’s not what you’re thinking, Ayden.” I huff and drop my butt back to my bed. “He’s a friend. A questionable person, yes, but he has been good and loyal to me.”
Lowering to his knees in front of me, Ayden takes my shoe out of my hand and slips it on my foot.
If only I were Cinderella, and he were my prince!
“How come the guys don’t know about your friendship with Travis?” Intense blue eyes peer up through dark lashes, the storm raging in them like a plea for me to let him in.
I drop my head, sighing again. This information isn’t relevant to the situation with Mike, but I can tell he’s not going to drop it. It pisses me off, yet I find myself submitting to him.
“We don’t have a close friendship, Travis and I. We experienced something together, non-sexual by the way,” He doesn’t need to know about this kiss, “and Travis has protected me ever since. That’s all.”
“Any chance you’re going to tell me what you experienced together?”
I shake my head.
“Didn’t think so.” Ayden pats the top of my foot, and I look to see that he has put both my shoes on and tied the laces. He sighs, and I notice the exhaustion shadowing his eyes, reminding me once again that I’m not good for him.
“I need to call the cops and tell them about what’s happened overnight. I’ll tell them about the rumours going around about Mike being spotted in town, but I’m not throwing Travis under the bus because of the drugs. I expect you and the guys to keep your mouths shut about that too.”
“Fine, but if things get worse, I’m not withholding information just to save your friend’s drug dealing arse!”
I could kiss him. It would shut him up, that’s for sure. It would also open the can of worms I’m trying to keep sealed tight. So, I do what any mature seventeen-year-old girl would do. I poke my tongue out.
Cue his grin… and cue my damp knickers! Jesus!
I somehow manage to pry myself away from Ayden’s presence and make the call to Officer Zimora. I fill him in with what has been happening, and I shoo everyone but Ayden and Marcus out of my house before he arrives to collect evidence.
Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) Page 24
