Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series

by Autumn Reed

  Everyone nodded. Knox was standing near me and moved closer. “Any questions?” I shook my head. He smoothed his wet hair back from his face. Lowering his head near mine, he practically whispered in my ear. “Good. I picked you as my ringer; don’t let them push you around.” Maybe I wasn’t picked out of pity after all? Although “ringer” definitely seemed like wishful thinking.

  With the goals set up at each end of the pool, Chase flipped a coin. Our team won the coin toss, so we got the ball first. Having seen them splashing around in the pool earlier, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up, but I was determined to at least try.

  Knox shouted, “Go,” and it felt as if all hell had broken loose. While I stayed where I was, the boys sprang into action, each swimming quickly toward a member of the opposite team. The water churned from the motion, and waves lapped at the edge of the pool. Knox was dancing around with Ethan near the center of the pool, and Theo swam toward our goal with Liam in hot pursuit.

  Chase appeared in front of me. “Hi, Haley.” He grinned before turning his back on me.

  Standing in front of me with his arms spread, Chase didn’t have to do much to block me, especially as distracted as I was by his incredible shoulders. Knowing he had the advantage, I thought maybe diverting his attention was a better tactic. “Hey, Chase?”

  “Mhmm.” Darn, his back was still turned.

  “Chase.” I said louder and with more emphasis. I knew it was a dirty trick, but I had to be creative if I was going to have any chance. He turned around and I ducked under his arms quickly, swimming in front of him while he turned. Knox saw what I had done and threw the ball in my direction. The ball hit the water in front of me, making a plonking noise and splashing before I clutched it to my chest.

  Feeling my legs being pulled away from me, I kicked furiously while glancing around the pool for Knox and Theo. Fortunately, Knox managed to swim closer to me despite having Ethan close behind. I shoved the ball at Knox before going under completely. When I popped back up, Theo had the ball. The guys moved swiftly in the water, and I did my best to keep up with them and the ball.

  I swam in Theo’s direction, but before I could get there, Liam had stolen the ball from him. With Theo behind Liam, and Knox on the other side of the pool with Ethan, Chase and I were in the center of the action. Chase was a fast swimmer, and I had already tricked him once. I didn’t think I could get away with it again. What can I do?

  Liam was headed our way at full speed, and I had the harebrained idea to try and stop him. I pushed off the side of the pool with my feet, hoping I would T-bone him at just the right moment. Despite the impact, he managed to hang on to the ball and raised it high above his head, looking for someone to pass it to.

  By then, Theo had caught up to us and was blocking Chase while I had Liam. I waved my arms like crazy while jumping up and down, just hoping to distract him with my crazy antics, if nothing else. He laughed, but between me guarding him and Theo guarding Chase, they were stuck.

  Liam’s smile was electric, and he moved with grace and strength. Even without the expensive clothes tailored to his frame, there was an elegance to him. But with his hair wet and messy and his absorption in the game, he seemed cuter, almost goofy, even.

  Ethan finally got away from Knox, and Liam flung the ball in his direction. Ethan caught it and shot a goal, scoring to the loud cheers of Liam and Chase. “One, nothing,” Ethan said, smirking.

  Ethan, Chase, and Liam gave a round of high fives as we all swam back to the center of the pool to restart. Everyone was trash-talking at this point, and Liam flashed me a smug grin. “Guess you’ll just have to try harder next time.” His gray eyes reflected the blue water and danced in the sunlight. He’s challenging me; I’ll show him.

  Chase swam up behind us. “You play a good game, Haley. But your team hasn’t scored yet.”

  I smiled. “The key word is yet.” I dove underwater, resurfacing near the center of the pool. Okay, Haley. You can do this. Knox’s words rang in my ear. Don’t let them push you around.

  Ethan held the ball and shouted, “Go!” Fortunately, I was more prepared this time and immediately headed in Liam’s direction. Doing my best to block him, I moved non-stop in an effort to prevent him from getting the ball. When Ethan tried to pass the ball to Chase, Knox managed to hit it, pushing it off course from its intended target. Everyone beelined for the ball, but Theo got there first.

  Theo shouted my name and lifted his chin in the direction of the goal. I swam as fast as I could toward our goal. When Theo threw the ball my direction, I lunged and grabbed it. My heart was racing and I knew I was close to the goal, but Liam moved through the water like a shark.

  After he quickly snatched the ball from me and turned to go the opposite direction, I jumped on his back. I clung to Liam and held on for dear life as he struggled to get away. It wasn’t long before he stopped swimming and stood twisting from side to side while I attempted to stop him or release the ball. I was doing my best to hold him back, but he was clearly enjoying himself.

  Finally, out of instinct, I reached around his sides. I tickled his ribs and he started laughing. “Haley, stop that!” I laughed, breathless from the exertion and the excitement, but didn’t stop.

  I was too busy distracting Liam to focus on where the other guys were. Suddenly a strong arm reached around my waist, pulling me beneath the surface. A second arm wrapped around me, embracing me. Unprepared, I hadn’t taken a breath and my lungs were burning. I pried his arms open, releasing me to move to the surface. I. Need. Air.

  As I swam upward, I was fighting the pain in my lungs and the urge to cough. It felt like I couldn’t get air fast enough. When I finally surfaced, I immediately started coughing and gasping for air. The others stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me as Knox quickly came to my side.

  Knox looked concerned. “Just breathe, Haley. You’re okay. Relax.” He spoke slowly and his tone was soothing.

  Once I caught my breath again, he smoothed a few strands of hair away from my face. “You okay?”

  I closed my eyes and nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

  When Knox turned on Ethan, I could feel the anger radiating from him. His voice was level, but there was a definite edge to it. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”

  Ethan straightened. “Playing the game. What’s the big deal?”

  Knox glared at him. “No. You were too aggressive.”

  I spoke in a hoarse voice. “I’m fine, Knox. Let’s just play.” Knox’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and he turned away from Ethan to face me. “You sure?”

  I smiled. “You sure you want to just end it now and let them win?”

  Theo grinned. “That’s my girl. Now let’s stop talking and play!”

  Chase jumped in front of me, ready to guard. Ethan swam by, his eyes apologetic and questioning.

  Despite our best efforts, my team lost by two points. While I wasn’t the ringer Knox hoped for, I had to admit to having fun; and I had even scored a goal. However, given a choice of games, I would probably go with poker instead. The guys were extremely competitive, and playing in the water for so long was exhausting.

  After the game’s conclusion, Theo started another water fight by splashing me lightly in the face. Almost simultaneously, Chase, Ethan, and Liam attacked Theo while Knox pulled me out of the way and blocked me with his body.

  When their playful fighting turned aggressive, Knox grabbed me by the waist and lifted me out of the pool, setting me gently on the tile. With a sheepish grin, he said, “Go dry off. You don’t want to get in the middle of this,” before disappearing under the water.

  Relieved to be out of the line of fire, I used one of the luxurious beach towels to dry off. Since it appeared that the guys weren’t quitting anytime soon, I pulled my cover-up on over my soaked swimsuit and headed inside to change.

  I opened one side of the French doors and slipped inside, the cool air making me shiver. When I saw a slight movement out
of the corner of my eye, I jumped, clumsily dropping my towel and book.

  Jackson stood leaning against the large window next to the door, arms crossed over his chest. He was still dressed in work clothes but had a distinctly casual air about him in linen slacks paired with a white button-down shirt.

  His lips tipped into a barely-there smile. “Haley, we really need to stop meeting like this. Are you always so jumpy?”

  Intimidated by his presence, I reached down to pick up my things to avoid his gaze. “Not usually. It must be you.” Geez, Haley, why are you such a nervous wreck around him?

  When he didn’t reply, I finally looked at him and he lifted one dark brow. “Well then, I apologize.”

  I bit my lip, trying to come up with an intelligent response. When nothing came to mind, I decided to change the subject. “Have you heard anything about the office assistant position? Do you know when I’m going to start?”

  Jackson stood up straight and placed his hands in his pockets. “Yes, everything is ready to go. You can start as early as next week if you’d like.”

  My pulse started to race in excitement. “Really? That would be great.”

  He consulted his phone for a few moments before returning his attention to me, his voice as professional as ever. “It looks like my schedule is fairly clear on Monday if you would like to start then.”

  Suddenly Monday seemed alarmingly close, and I felt a twinge of fear at having to face new people and circumstances in just a couple of days. Then I reminded myself that not only had I desired this type of opportunity for years, I needed to start saving money as soon as possible.

  At the moment, my best shot at finding my dad depended on getting to San Francisco and accessing the safe deposit box. At the very least, I needed enough cash for bus fare and a few nights in a hotel. But I preferred to wait until I had the resources to make it on my own for an extended period of time.

  “Of course, whenever is most convenient for you.” I hoped he could tell how grateful I was for setting up the job.

  Jackson slid his phone back in his pocket and said, “Okay, Monday morning it is. I’m sure Theo or Knox will be able to give you a ride.”

  I glanced outside and saw the guys exiting the pool. Realizing this was the perfect time to escape, I said, “Thank you so much. I better go change before I freeze.”

  Jackson politely offered, “Please let me know if you need anything. Did someone already show you to a guest room?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I quickly turned and headed toward the staircase. As I made my way back to my designated room, I wondered how the rest of the evening would unfold. One down, one to go. I had managed to get the easy conversation out of the way; now I just had to get Ethan alone and confront him. I needed answers, and fast; I was getting way too close to these guys, especially considering Ethan’s apparent betrayal.

  I sucked in a quick breath at the thought of the guys downstairs. All six were insanely attractive, worldly, and smart. And I was so . . . sheltered. At that moment, confronting Ethan almost seemed like the least of my worries. How would I ever survive this evening?

  Lucky Number Seven

  Padding down the back stairs to the kitchen, I shouldn’t have been surprised at the scene that greeted me. Liam stood at the kitchen counter with a pile of vegetables while I watched, mesmerized by his expert chopping. His long, elegant fingers moved with grace and precision as he wielded the sharp knife like a surgeon.

  Out the glass patio doors, I could see Knox and Jackson behind the huge stainless steel grill. Even in the relaxed setting, Jackson still seemed so reserved. Surely he lets loose sometimes?

  Knox, on the other hand, stood barefoot at the grill, giant tongs in one hand, drink in another. And Chase, Theo, and Ethan were in the yard throwing a Frisbee. After all of my interactions with them, I should have known they wouldn’t be stereotypical guys who ordered pizza and sat around drinking beer on a Friday night.

  As I walked into the kitchen, Liam lifted his head and shot me a devilish grin while giving me another once-over. “What lovely hair you have. You really should wear it like that all the time.” Why do I feel like I’m looking at a frustratingly hot version of the Big Bad Wolf?

  Ignoring the compliment, I nervously ran a hand over my hair, trying to smooth it down. After quickly washing my hair to get rid of the chlorine, I had dried it for just a few minutes, and now it hung down my back in an array of messy waves. Between my hair and comfortable shorts and T-shirt, I was particularly aware of how casual I looked in comparison to Liam.

  While the other guys wore some variation of jeans, shorts, and T-shirts or polos, Liam’s version of “casual” was somewhat formal, thanks to his pressed shorts and button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Not to mention the unusual gold ring on his pinky; a simple band with a flat oval face, it appeared to be engraved.

  Hoping to change the subject from my appearance, I walked up to the counter and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “No. You can help yourself to a drink, though. There’s even beer in the fridge,” he said, tilting his head toward the refrigerator. Okay, maybe I was wrong about the guys drinking beer.

  Knox walked in during Liam’s statement and frowned. “No underage drinking, Liam. You know Uncle’s rules.” He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a glass pitcher with slices of lemon floating at the top. “Lemonade?”

  “Absolutely. It looks delicious.” I was relieved that Knox saved me from responding about the beer. I had never tried it and really had no interest in doing so tonight.

  Liam popped a piece of pineapple in his mouth, chewing as he resumed chopping fruit. Since he was doing all the prep work for the dinner, it seemed only fair that he should get to snitch some. When he realized he had been caught, he smirked and held a piece out to me, eyebrows raised in silent invitation.

  I gave him a sly grin before accepting the pineapple; its sweetness exploded instantly on my tongue. After our strenuous basketball game, I was ravenous. I poured my drink and then followed Knox outside, the smell from the grill teasing me.

  When I sat down at an outdoor dining table, Chase ambled over and pulled out the chair next to me. “May I?”

  “Hmmm…” I tapped my finger on my chin like I had to think about it. “Considering our basketball rivalry, that may be a little too close.” I smiled, letting him know that I was teasing.

  Chase laughed softly and plopped down in the seat. “If it makes you feel any better, you were a worthy opponent, especially considering it was your first time to play.”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “If by worthy, you mean underhanded, then sure.”

  Chase just shook his head with a grin, a dimple appearing in one cheek. “Good point. By the way, Jackson mentioned that you’re starting work next week. Do you feel ready?” He looked at me thoughtfully, his sky blue eyes revealing his concern.

  I huffed a quiet sigh. “Honestly, I’m not sure. Part of me is excited to finally interact with others like a normal member of society. The other part of me is terrified that being around more new people will be completely overwhelming and awkward.” Sharing this with Chase seemed natural, even though I knew most people couldn’t relate.

  His expression serious, Chase said, “I totally understand where you’re coming from; I still get overwhelmed in new situations, and I’ve had a lot more practice. But, I’m confident you’ll fit in at Zenith. And at least one of us will always be around, so you have nothing to worry about.”

  Grateful for his reassurance, I nodded. “You’re right. And I’m really glad that Jackson was willing to set me up with a job at Zenith.” I glanced over at Jackson and was shocked to see him looking laid back, smiling and laughing with the other guys. If I didn’t know better, I would think he was a completely different person.

  “I’m a little surprised, really. I don’t think he likes me.”

  Chase appeared confused. “Who, Jackson?”

  I nodded. “He was really standoffi
sh both times I’ve talked to him. But seeing him now, I think it must be me.”

  Chase studied Jackson for a moment before replying. “I don’t think it’s you specifically. Jackson is extremely protective of our team; I’m sure he’ll warm up once he gets to know you.”

  Before I had time to ponder the idea more, Theo interrupted. “No more gossiping, you two. Time to eat!”

  Our plates piled high, I joined Knox, Liam, and Jackson at the table just outside the pool house. A gentle breeze blew through the backyard, and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect temperature or setting.

  Jackson cut into his steak before addressing me. “Well, Haley, did you enjoy the game? I hope they played nice.”

  I smiled, brushing my wet hair behind my shoulder. “Nice enough.” I grinned. “I had fun.”

  Jackson spoke again. “I’m glad to see they’re making you feel welcome.”

  I nodded. “They definitely are.” I paused. “And, thank you for including me tonight.” Not that you really had a choice considering I’m a pseudo-prisoner, I thought. It seemed best left unsaid, especially considering how much I was enjoying my present situation.

  Liam opened his mouth in feigned surprise. “Unbelievable.” He paused dramatically. “Haley is so polite, so well-mannered with you. Yet, Miss Manners had the audacity to question the authenticity of my accent within moments of our introduction.” He looked at me, the light dancing in his gray eyes.

  Jackson chuckled. “You have lived here for over half your life, so it is somewhat surprising your accent hasn’t faded more. Perhaps it really is just an act for the ladies.”

  Liam dramatically rolled his eyes. “I can’t help it if they find my accent sexy.”

  Knox threw back the rest of his drink before adding. “Your accent or your Audi?”

  Jackson chuckled and closed his eyes briefly while he shook his head. “You know, Uncle often says that your accent just gets you into trouble. And I think I’m beginning to agree.” He smirked, clearly enjoying the verbal banter with Liam.