by SM Olivier
I knew he wanted more answers, and he was hoping to get them from me tonight, but I had to talk to Gavin in private.
We said our good byes, and I ran upstairs to grab my bag. I hadn’t realized that Noah had followed me up the stairs.
“Why are you running off? I don’t think you should go home to Collin. It doesn’t feel right.” Noah was staring down at his feet as he put his hands in his pocket.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I need to go.” At his crestfallen look, I quickly added. “I should be able to tell you everything…soon, ok?”
He grudgingly nodded. “Call me if you need me,” he insisted.
I smiled and reached up to give him a passionate kiss. “I will. Thank you.”
He smiled and pulled me in for one more kiss and I found myself reluctant to leave.
On the way out the door, I looked at Gavin. “I’m sorry if I ruined your night. If you want, you can stay here,” I said, feeling guilty suddenly.
He shrugged, but gave me a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I’m here for you. Besides, if you’re right, I have a long time to make it up to Jemmy.”
“Have you gotten her phone number yet?” I asked, hoping to assuage my guilt.
I could see the look of hesitance enter his eyes. “What happens if she’s just flirting and she’s not that in to me?” he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’m sure she is, trust me,” I insisted.
“Oh, I am,” Jemmy said saucily from the doorway.
I never saw Gavin so red with embarrassment.
“Good then, it’s settled. Gavin, call Jemmy’s number so she has it.” I smiled widely.
Jemmy rattled off her number, then smiled like the cat that ate the canary. “I’ll be expecting a text from you,” she stated.
“Uh, okay, I will,” Gavin said, still flustered.
“Bye,” Jemmy blew him a kiss, and I laughed as I pulled Gavin out into the mudroom.
As I opened the garage door, I smacked into a wall. Not a literal wall, but it might as well have been. I tripped over my own feet and landed hard on my rear. I looked up at Remington, aka Remy, slightly stunned.
He was the tallest of the guys at well over 6’3 and built like a mountain, but he was light on his feet, thus the reason why he had been my running partner. A longing to feel his hands through my hair left me momentarily breathless. A pang of sadness filled me. I wanted him, wanted them all back in my life.
“Are you okay?” his voice was filled with concern, and I realized he must have repeated himself.
I attempted to smile and stood up, brushing my butt of imaginary dirt, because I knew Sue, the housekeeper, was thorough in her job. “Fine,” I finally murmured. “Just suffering from a bruised ego at my clumsiness.”
Gavin couldn’t stifle his laughter. He was aware of how nimble and sure footed I was.
Remy’s eyebrow knitted at Gavin. “She fell pretty hard,” he gently scolded him.
Gavin wiped a nervous hand across his mouth. “Yeah, you’re right, sorry, Blake.”
“You’re fine. I’m fine,” I reassured them both.
“Running out, Kincaid?” Remy asked with a raised brow. I noticed that he was addressing Gavin, but his eyes never left me. I would say he was assessing me for damage, but his blue/ grey eyes looked like they were dissecting me. He was the most inscrutable one out of my guys, so it was hard to determine what he was thinking or gauge a reaction from him.
Gavin looked sheepish. “Yeah, sorry, man. I’m going to run Blake home and then pick up some cat food for my mom.”
“Litter,” I reminded him quietly.
“Oh yeah, litter,” he said quickly.
Remy looked at him skeptically.
“Sorry,” Gavin said before grabbing my arm and hurrying out the door. When we were far enough away, he looked over at me. “What happened earlier, you’re—"
I hastily held a hand up to his mouth and pointed to my bag, miming a phone.
His eyes widened in understanding as he mouthed, ‘Sorry.”
I threw my bag, with my phone in it, in the bed of his truck as he started it up.
“Have fun listening to that conversation,” I giggled as I jumped in the truck.
One of my favorite country songs by Lady Antebellum came on and I cranked it up. My eyes widened as Gavin joined me in the chorus. He had a phenomenal voice. Who would have thought it? I let him take the next verse, smiling and holding up my thumbs. I joined in on the chorus once more, harmonizing with his rich baritone.
I smiled over at him. “That was amazing. Who knew you were hiding that voice?”
He was blushing once more. “Thanks, I kind of do all my singing in the shower. My mom says she loves to hear me sing, but she’s my mom, so she kind of has to say that.”
“No, she’s absolutely right. We need to find some open mic nights. I kind of miss the rush of the stage and having everyone screaming my name,” I winked at him, being cocky.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” he chuckled.
I smiled at him with a knowing smile. “I have it on good authority that Jemmy’s into men that play music.”
“Really?” he asked excitedly and then gave me a mock glare. “I’m not that easily suckered. I don’t think,” he chuckled. “Wanna tell me why you’re all bright-like now? But it’s the coolest aura I’ve ever seen. It’s rainbow like.”
“Is it?” I asked skeptically. “Stop!” I screamed excitedly once the implications sank in.
Gavin stomped on the brake and I was thrown forward. I winced as I felt the seat belt dig into my chest sharply despite the fact that he had thrown out a forearm to catch me.
“I have to show you. Somewhere private, though.” I said sheepishly, gingerly rubbing the spot that hurt the most. I sighed knowing it was another beating my body had taken that day. My bottom, arms, and chest would be an interesting sight tomorrow.
His head whipped over at me, perturbed. “Holy crap, don’t scare me like that again. I thought I was going to hit something.” Then he frowned in concern when he noticed my pain. “Are you okay?”
Instantly I pushed my pain away. I had plenty of time to deal with it…later. “I haven’t shown you or told you everything. I need to show you before Collin blocks me again.” I was bouncing up and down with excitement.
He pulled over into an old access road. “You’re not afraid Collin’s going to notice this stop?”
I shrugged. “He shouldn’t have bruised me. I’m going to throw that in his face for a while.” I smiled and winked at him.
He frowned. “I really wish you wouldn’t go back,” he said quietly, then he looked out the window as he put the truck in park. “I’ve seen too many battered women and children come into our shelter, some never come back at all and I’m left wondering if they’re still alive. I know some of them aren’t.”
“I’m sorry, Gavin,” I said as I imagined warm, comforting feelings and pushed them towards him. “I know it must be hard on you, but I have to do this. If I were to come out and tell the guys now, and they believe me, I’m still left with wondering who’s after us and how many of them there are. They’ve gone to great lengths to separate us, and I don’t think they’ll stop.”
He looked at me in confusion. “I’m still afraid for you, but I feel this warmth suddenly, this reassurance.”
I smiled at him, even though the situation was grave. “Jace is an empath.”
He nodded, still confused. “I know that.”
“When I made one of my connections, not Jace, I somehow attained that gift too,” I smiled.
His jaw dropped. “You’re effin with me,” he denied vehemently.
I giggled as I produced a small flame in one hand, put a force field around the whole vehicle, and projected a vision of Jemmy waving at us from the front of the truck, “Believe me now?” I asked him from my head.
“No wonder, they’re afraid of you guys,” he breathed out in awe.
I dropped all my gifts at once,
suddenly feeling exhausted. It had been too long since I used my gifts, let alone all of them at once, and it drained me quickly. “Every time I made a connection I also picked up a new gift. Unlike you, I kept the gifts. The first gift I got was the empath, which is Jace’s gift, then I obtained the ability to create fire, Troy’s gift, then there was the force field from Drake, followed by the gift of illusion, Jaxson’s gift. I just wish I knew if I attained a new gift tonight, but I have no energy to try to see if I have super human strength, Remy’s gift, or the gift of healing,” I said wearily as I slumped on the center console of his truck.
“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.
I nodded. “Yes, I haven’t used my gifts in a while,” I explained to him.
He patted me in understanding. “I’m always tired and hungry after a practice sesh,” he said sympathetically. “And…” he ducked his head. “Never mind,” he said hurriedly. “Wait!” he exclaimed suddenly. “I thought you only got another gift when you made an oh…oh,” his eyes bugged out and he looked out the window.
I couldn’t help but giggle. He was a twenty-year-old man, after all! “You have an increase in your libido? You feel increasingly froggy?” I began to tease him. “You have an itch, you can’t scratch? You’re hot to trot? You’re feeling randy?” I teased him mercilessly, laughing. It was dark in the car, but I was sure he must be red by now. “My itch got scratched tonight,” I said tongue in cheek. “Although, it wasn’t itching at first. It kind of just happened. No. No. I’m lying. I was out to seduce him.”
He looked at me with a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
“What?” I continued. “You heard the judge, and my precog sister told me the same thing. I need to make these connections.” As he continued looking at me I shouted, “Will you stop looking at me like that? You’re acting like a virgin!” I covered my mouth at his look of embarrassment. “Oh my gosh you are!”
“Not all of us are so… sexual,” he grumbled a bit acerbically.
I knew I had pushed him, and it wasn’t nice, teasing him, especially something that could be as sensitive as his manhood. I may have emasculated him, but I was stung by his comment, and I bit back without thinking. When I was tired, I was cranky. When I was cranky, I tended to speak without thinking. “I haven’t always been this…sexual. When I was twelve, Heidi’s boyfriend molested me. He touched me where no little girl should be touched by a grown man. When I was thirteen I was forced to fondle a man and make sure he got his pleasure, but not before he made sure to slice me under my breast, where I still carry the scars. It’s amazing I can even be intimate with a man, let alone six. Although in my defense. I’ve only technically had sex with two of them.” I was angry as I got out of the truck and slammed the door.
I started walking towards the road, angry, hurt, and filled with self-loathing. I knew I was being irrational and overly sensitive, but I seemed powerless to stop it. I longed for my old life back, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of the danger I was in.
“Blake!” Gavin ran up to me, grabbing my shoulders gently. “I’m so sorry. I had no right implying anything. I was just… embarrassed. I am a virgin,” he muttered quietly.
I looked at him, my chest heaving with emotions before I drew him into a hug. “I’m sorry too. I overreacted, and I shouldn’t have teased you! You’re one of my best friends, and I’m so glad you’re in this with me.”
We decided to ride around for a little while, so we could continue our conversation. Gavin decided to ride around the campus, before we finally stopped near the coffee shop. Gavin ran inside to get us some coffees, while I tried to wake up.
“How often is Bridgette around when you are practicing?” I asked Gavin when he came back. “Is she gifted?”
I had this uneasy feeling within me that wouldn’t go away.
Gavin looked uncomfortable for a moment. “She and Tamara are always around.” Then he closed his eyes and cursed softly. “And I’m pretty sure they snuck downstairs the other day when Jax and I were practicing, and she’s pretty strongly gifted.”
I groaned. “Crap, crap, crap,” I muttered. “I don’t think it’s safe for you to go home or be by yourself anymore. Now that she has an idea what you can do, you’re bound to be on her hit list as well. I just hope she thinks you can cast illusions like Jax. We need to find out what she can do.”
“Where can I go?” He seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation. “The next time I see her I will find out a way to touch her somehow.”
“I’m not sure you should be around her at all. She’s bound to be in the beginner’s class for ‘performance arts.’ If only,” I snapped my fingers. “Rachel. She’s in that class. We need to find Rachel!”
Chapter 9
I was beyond ready for bed when I got back to the apartment. I let myself in the apartment quietly because I didn’t want to have to have any discussions with Collin. I was too tired to act, and I knew my emotions were still too high to deal with him right now. It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet, so I knew he wouldn’t be sleeping.
I was on my way to my room when I tripped over an article of clothing. I picked it up, confused. Collin couldn’t cook but he was a neat freak. He never left anything laying around. It took me a moment to realize it was bra I held in my hand.
I couldn’t believe Rose was still here, because I had no doubt whose bra I held. Just as I was about to let them know I arrived, for my own entertainment, I heard a distinctive vibration coming from the kitchen. I saw the screen from Collin’s cell phone light up in the darkened kitchen.
I ran over to the island as I rummaged for my sunglass case that held my new sunglasses I used for running. If Collin had ever looked through my stuff, which I knew he did, he would see the glasses I purposely asked him to get. Little did he know, I had a miniature device that would enable me to listen to his conversations, track him, and read his text messages. We had removed the lining in the case and slid the device behind it. It would probably be the last place he would think to look.
I knew I had little time to waste, so I slipped his case off and pressed the device into his cover. It was so hi tech, and I was thankful that Gavin’s dad owned a computer software company that dealt with spyware. It was fate that he was brought into my life not once, but twice.
Collin’s phone lit up once more, and I saw the message as it flashed on the screen. My hands were shaking with nerves.
Hey idiot, I hope you’re not screwing this up like normal. I’m handling mine and you only have to handle 1!!! She left here almost an hour ago, and we’ve had no status update. The name that flashed up was Bridgette. I rolled my eyes—he could have at least changed her contact info; it wasn’t like Bridgette was a common name.
Slightly panicked he might check on my tracker and realize my GPS showed up at the apartment complex a little while ago, I decided to head out once more and go down to the miniature gym located in the building. It had some free weights which Collin tried to talk me into using all the time so I was under his control more. I was tired, but the adrenaline was coursing through me, and I needed to make this look somewhat believable.
I took the steps down to the basement level, planning to change as I went. No one used the stairs accept for me. The elevator was way too convenient. I cringed as I slid back into my slightly damp shorts and tank top, still sweaty from my run earlier. By the time I got to the bottom of the steps, I just had to slip on my sneakers.
I stuck my duffel bag next to the door and pulled out my phone, thankful that the gym was empty as I turned on my music, blaring it. As I walked to the leg press machine, I remembered the iPod Drake bought me, since I used his all the time. He also got me a gift card to download the music. I felt somewhat guilty when everyone splurged on me before. I had no guilt regarding Collin’s money.
I was constantly downloading music and anything else I had a whim for. I knew he had deep pockets, I just wished I could put a deeper dent in them.
I ha
d been working out for at least a half an hour by the time Collin came running into the gym, wild eyed.
“Hey,” he said trying to look casual.
I didn’t have to act too much right now. I had every reason to act peeved right now. He had man-handled me, after all.
“Hey,” I replied to him waspishly.
“How long you been down here?” he asked as he sat down on the bench by the inner and outer thigh machine I was working on. I could see paranoia and suspicion lurking in his eyes.
I shrugged sullenly. “I don’t know 30, 40, 50 minutes.”
“Did you come upstairs at all?” he probed.
I made a face at him. “No, why?”
He had the audacity to look shamefaced as he looked down at his feet. “Look, Blake, I’m really sorry for the way I behaved earlier. I know it was reprehensible. That’s why I’m surprised you even came back here and so early.”
I sighed and stood up. “I wouldn’t have, if I had someplace to go,” I was letting him believe his control of me was working. “I was abused for the last seven years, I promised myself I would never be in that situation again, but here I am. Whether you meant to or not,” I pointed to the marks on my arms that he had left. “The only reason I came back early was because…hey wait,” I looked at him with feigned innocence. “Did you know Bridgette is here?”
It was believable, even to my own ears.
His look of astonishment…not so much. “As in Bridgette Mason?”
“Yes,” I rolled my eyes. “I thought I was done with her pettiness. I couldn’t even sit through dinner without her ugliness.” I faked a shudder. “When did you stop talking to her? I know you guys were on again-off again for a long time.”
He laughed nervously. “The moment I came to college here I cut all ties to home, well, except for my parents.”
I nodded and walked over to my bag by the door, turning off my music. “Well I’m going to hop in the shower and go to bed.”
“Do you want to watch a movie, maybe pop some popcorn?” he sounded pleased with himself.
