Chasing Red Series, Book 1

by Isabelle Ronin

“Later, Caleb,” I whispered to no one.

  Chapter Four

  Veronica

  I spent the rest of my morning at the school library, using their computer to apply for jobs online, print my résumé, and make a list of businesses that were hiring.

  Armed with a stack of résumés, I went to every business on my list. When that didn’t yield anything promising, I felt desperate enough to submit my résumé to everyone else.

  It had been four hours of nonstop walking, filling out forms, and repeatedly hearing “I’m sorry, we’re not hiring” and “We’ll give you a call.” I was exhausted, discouraged, and starving.

  The pancakes I’d had for breakfast had been digested long ago. I knew I should eat something, but I didn’t want to waste the money I had left on food. I could wait until I got back to Caleb’s apartment to eat.

  I let out a sigh, almost tripping when the sole of my shoe started to fall off.

  Overwhelmed, I stared at the gaping space between the upper and now-separating sole of my sneaker. My throat felt thick, and I had an intense urge to scream at the joke that was my life.

  It would be laughable if an old, worn-out shoe was the last straw that finally broke me.

  When Mom was alive, we barely scraped by with our two incomes. When her condition got worse and she had to quit her job, I had to take out a credit line on top of my school loans to keep a roof over our heads.

  Eventually, she had to stay in the hospital, and I rented a bed space in a house with five other people to save money. Safe was a foreign concept in that house. I started carrying a pocketknife and kept my valuables in my school locker. When Mom passed away, I saved as much as I could and left the small town where we’d lived for over ten years. I had been commuting into Esther Falls for both my jobs, so moving there made sense. I rented an apartment close to the university, where I was completing a two-year program in culinary arts.

  The studio apartment was as small as a postage stamp, the furniture old and secondhand, and the surrounding neighborhood was rough. But it was mine.

  I had worked hard to pay for everything in it. I had privacy. I didn’t need to share the bathroom with anyone, didn’t need to clean up someone else’s mess, didn’t need to worry every night that someone would steal my things or…something worse.

  All that was gone now.

  Due to bankruptcy, the dance studio where I’d worked since high school had closed down without warning, leaving me broke. I also had a part-time job as a server at a small restaurant, but there was no way my hours there could cover my bills, and I fell behind. When my landlord kicked me out for failing to pay two months of rent, something inside me broke.

  Then I met Caleb, and here I was.

  When things became too rough to handle, Mom always said something to cheer us both up. I remembered the feel of her weak hands squeezing mine as she wasted away in that hospital bed. “Everything that happens in your life is to prepare you, Veronica,” she’d said. “Metal has to go through fire to melt and be turned into a sword. Be strong because this is just a test. You are being melted, being molded into a stronger person. This burning will pass, and you will find rest. Don’t give up, honey.”

  Closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I composed myself. Life had taught me that it didn’t wait for anyone. I had to move on. When I opened my eyes, I was ready to tackle the rest of the day, broken shoe be damned.

  * * *

  It was late when I arrived at Caleb’s apartment. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. I might not have gotten a job offer, but I’d gotten my résumé into as many hands as possible. It had been a very productive day.

  Opening the fridge, I wondered how fast I could make Caleb’s dinner so I could slip into my bedroom before he returned home—but the fridge was as empty as my bank account.

  I groaned in defeat when I heard the front door open. But when I heard heavy footsteps coming from the living room, I reached for my pocketknife in case it wasn’t Caleb. I’d already made one mistake, but still—better safe than sorry.

  “Red?”

  I let out a sigh of relief when I heard Caleb’s voice. He was sprawled on the couch, remote control in hand as he turned on the TV. His black leather shoes and dinner jacket decorated the floor. Discarding his clothes there seemed to be a habit.

  I stood behind him, admiring the way the bronze in his hair glinted in the light.

  “What’s for dinner?” he asked, propping his feet on the coffee table.

  “I just got back. I’ll make you something now if you want.”

  He looked over his shoulder at me. If my heart tripped—which it totally didn’t—it was a normal and healthy reaction to seeing a gorgeous face. It didn’t mean anything.

  “Are you trying to butt out of our bargain already?” he asked, turning back to the TV.

  Insulted, I put my hands on my hips, glaring at him. “Unless you want orange juice soup with Pop-Tart croutons, you need to go to the store. We don’t have any groceries.”

  He rested his head on the couch headrest and arched up and over so that he was looking at me upside down. “You’re giving me a neck injury. Why don’t you come around so we can talk like normal human beings?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him.

  He sighed. In a smooth move, he straightened, turned, then climbed to sit on top of the couch. He playfully studied me. “I’m bored,” he stated.

  I raised my eyebrows. Did he expect me to entertain him? “And?”

  “You owe me dinner.”

  “I told you—”

  A grin stretched across his face as he loosened his red tie. “You can pay me another way.”

  My jaw fell open.

  He laughed. “Why is your mind always in the gutter?”

  I blinked once. Twice. My mind was always in the gutter?

  He pushed off the couch, put his shoes back on, grabbed his keys and helmet from the coffee table, and walked past me. I thought he was going to leave when I felt his hand circle around my wrist, dragging me out the door with him.

  “Oh for God’s sake, where are you taking me?”

  God, he was tall. For every step he took, I had to take two to keep up.

  He pressed the elevator button. “For a ride.”

  “A ride?”

  He started laughing as he pulled me inside the elevator, pressed the Down button, and watched the door close. “I’ve never met a girl who twisted my words as much as you do. You have a filthy mind, Red. Filthy.”

  “What the… A filthy mind!” I sputtered.

  When the elevator door opened, he dragged me into the basement parking garage.

  “A ride.” He clucked his tongue. “On my bike.”

  I pulled my wrist from his hold, rubbing my hand against my jeans. His skin was hot and made me feel strange things.

  He stopped and glanced back at me. “Problem?”

  “It’s Sunday night. Don’t you have class tomorrow?”

  “So?” He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m in college, not high school. I can skip class if I want.”

  “Of course you can. You’re rich. You don’t have to work for anything.”

  His eyes darkened, and he shoved his hands in his pockets, giving me a long look. “Do you like to be judged for being poor? You think having money saves me from pain?”

  Chastised, I fell silent. When I opened my mouth to apologize, he cut me off. “You coming or not?”

  I nodded, feeling guilty, and followed behind.

  When he stopped in front of a sleek black machine, I stared at him in disbelief. It looked like it ate kids for breakfast.

  “Ever ride a bike before?” he asked, tossing his black helmet from hand to hand like a basketball.

  I took a step back. “I’m not riding that monster.”

 
His laugh was low and sexy. He grabbed my wrist again and pulled me close—closer than was necessary.

  “I don’t know,” he whispered, his thumb stroking my palm in lazy circles. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it.”

  My breath hitched, and he chuckled when I pulled away.

  “N-no. I’d like to keep my limbs intact, thank you very much.”

  His eyes danced at me playfully. “Yeah? Where’s the fun in that? Rule number one,” he said, gently placing the helmet on my head, “safety first.” He fastened the straps tightly under my chin.

  “Rule number two,” he continued, flipping the visor down. I felt slightly claustrophobic so I flipped it back up. “When I’m making a turn, lean your body toward the turn. Never the opposite way. Got it?”

  “Sure.”

  He smiled down at me, staring for a moment. I wanted to bottle the color of his vibrant green eyes. Realizing I was staring, I shook the thought from my mind and snapped, “What?”

  He shrugged, then swung his long leg to straddle his bike. “Hop on.”

  When I didn’t, he turned his head, eyebrows raised and eyes glinting with challenge. At that moment, he looked like a gorgeous devil who’d take my soul to hell—and enjoy every minute of it. “You scared?”

  My skin prickled with irritation. It would take more than a pretty boy on a big-ass motorcycle to scare me. I’d prove him wrong. I huffed and climbed on the bike, grabbing the sides of my seat.

  “Where’s your helmet?” I demanded.

  “Only have one,” he replied. He was so close—close enough for me to catch his masculine scent. “Nobody rides this bike but me. You’re the first passenger.”

  He turned the engine on, revving it a few times. The bike vibrated angrily.

  “Forgot to tell you the last rule,” he said conversationally, looking over his shoulder. I could hear the mischief in his tone.

  “I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

  He grinned. “Hold on to me. Really, really tight.”

  “No, thanks.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  I cried out as the bike zoomed forward, and my arms automatically went around him. I could feel his shoulders and hard stomach shaking with laughter.

  He so did that on purpose! Fine, he won this round.

  I vowed the next one would be mine, as we exited the garage with a roar.

  I didn’t like the bike. It was noisy and dangerous. But as we streaked down the road, and the wind whipped cool and damp on my skin, I felt…

  Freedom.

  I closed my eyes and for a moment, just a moment, allowed myself to enjoy the thrill of it.

  My heart climbed into my throat when he zigzagged through curves and punched around street corners. I remembered what he’d told me and leaned to the left or right when he did, my arms tightening around him even more.

  “Where are we going?” I yelled.

  “Flying.”

  “What?”

  “You’ll see,” he said simply.

  We stopped talking after that. I lost track of time and slowly forgot about my worries and the threats of life hanging over my head. I watched the sun as it dipped low in the azure sky and birds glided in the wind above.

  As we neared an old, rusted railroad bridge, Caleb stopped the bike at an empty lot. A sign that said ROAD CLOSED/ROUTE BARRÉE in big, bold letters was bolted to one of the beams. Vines clung and twisted around the beams, so thickly the steel barely peeked through.

  There were groups of people in various states of undress everywhere—girls in their underwear or bikinis, some wrapped in blankets or scarves and guys mostly in their shorts or boxers. The weather had warmed up considerably tonight, but it was still a little chilly, and the water must be cold, but everyone seemed to be having fun. They were shouting cheers and howling with laughter. I smelled the sweet-pungent scent of smoke and burned meat and noticed a crowd gathered around a barbecue and a big bonfire on the uneven hill sloping below the bridge. Makeshift tables were set up here and there.

  Suddenly, I realized I was plastered to Caleb’s back, my chin resting on his shoulder. I quickly moved back. His body tensed as if he knew why I needed distance from him.

  And then I saw two guys shouting at each other on the bridge. When the bigger of the two pushed the smaller one, his arms flailed like helicopter blades before the bigger guy shoved him against the railing. The smaller guy lost his balance and fell over it.

  Good God!

  “No!” I screamed in horror.

  My heart fell to my stomach as I heard a splash. I jumped from the bike, ran, and gripped the railing, gathering the courage to look down. A head broke the surface of the dark water, followed by a whoop of victory.

  I blinked, realizing that this was a party where pushing people off a bridge was considered normal, and that the bridge wasn’t as high above the lake as I’d thought. The guy was already climbing out of the water, up the hill, and back to the bridge where he would probably jump off again. I could feel the heat climbing up my cheeks as I heard laughter around me. I’d never seen people do this kind of thing before. What had I gotten myself into? I turned around slowly, embarrassed.

  Why hadn’t Caleb told me? What a jerk!

  He swaggered toward me, mischief lighting his eyes. “I’m sorry, Red. I should’ve told you.”

  He didn’t look sorry at all. I wanted to slap the smile off his face. I glared at him instead.

  “What?” He chuckled.

  His dress shirt was already unbuttoned, and he shrugged it off, dropping it carelessly to the pavement. I’d seen him shirtless before, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t help but look and appreciate.

  His body was a work of art. Long and lean and tan. His arm muscles flexed as he reached for his belt buckle, and then…I turned my eyes away.

  “First time a girl’s turned away when I’m removing my pants.”

  I blushed harder. “Really? I didn’t know there was anything interesting down there to see.”

  When he didn’t respond, I looked up. His smile was naughty as he said, “Take a good look then.”

  Oh, he was maddening! Provoking, definitely. Annoying, absolutely. That was all. There was no way I found him interesting. Not at all.

  But I couldn’t keep my eyes away as I watched him jump on the railing with a smooth motion, his balance impeccable as he turned around and faced me, wearing his boxers. A daredevil grin appeared on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with cockiness as they watched me. Eyes still on me, he spread his arms wide and let himself fall. I heard him yell before he hit the water.

  Pulse racing with excitement, I gripped the railing, searching for him. When he resurfaced, I let out a sigh of relief.

  “Are you Caleb’s flavor of the month?”

  Puzzled, I looked at the girl standing beside me. She was beautiful, with blond hair and a curvy body showcased in an infant-sized orange bikini. Her eyes were big and set wide apart, reminding me of an alien. The look she gave me was unfriendly.

  “No,” I said stiffly.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Why are you with him, then?”

  “Babysitting,” I replied, turning from her and deciding to ignore her.

  She scoffed and walked away.

  I had to be careful not to hang around Caleb if I wanted to be left in peace. Clearly, the most popular guy on campus came with a pack of rabid female hyenas who wouldn’t think twice about clawing out the eyes of their competition. Which I most definitely was not.

  “Red!”

  I spun around and watched Caleb jog toward me. His wet hair was plastered to his forehead. Water trickled down his lithe body. Jeez, could he turn it off for a minute?

  “Your turn,” he panted, stopping in front of me. He bent forward and rested his palms on his knees, breathing hard.

&nb
sp; I was too busy ogling him to process his words, and it took a moment to realize what he’d said.

  “Nuh-uh. Unlike you, I’m not suicidal.”

  “What happened to the girl I met at the club?”

  “That wasn’t me.”

  Deliberately, he straightened his body inch by gorgeous inch until he stood in all his poster boy glory.

  “Come on, Red. Live a little. Or are you scared and prefer to stay in your shell?”

  When I just looked at him coolly, he shook his head, shooting me a disappointed look before he turned his back, dismissing me.

  Hot—I felt hot with anger. How dare he! Spoiled rich brat. Irresponsible, reckless, suicidal maniac!

  I was tough. He didn’t know me. I toed off my sneakers and took off my shirt, ignoring the surprised whoas and catcalls around me.

  Let them look! I knew I looked good. Good enough that I’d had a short modeling stint—until the photographer asked me to pose naked. I ran out of there faster than he could say strip.

  Caleb turned, his eyes widening in surprise. I looked at him directly, defiantly, as I unbuttoned my jeans and wiggled out of them. I was wearing my best underwear—a matching lacy red bra and panties. They weren’t exactly new, but they still looked damn sexy. The next thing I knew, I was climbing on top of the railing, and seconds later, I was up in the air.

  “Wait!” I heard him call out.

  But he was too late.

  God help me, I’m going to die, I thought darkly as I felt the cold wind slap my face. While I was suspended in the air, the moment felt endless. I felt horror and shock when my body hit the freezing water. Gravity pulled me down, down, down… Where the hell is the bottom?

  Panicking, I fought my way up. When I reached the surface, I gulped in blessed sweet air.

  I did it! I freaking did it!

  All of a sudden, I felt hands grip my shoulders, shaking me.

  “Are you crazy?”

  Kicking my legs to stay afloat, I blinked the water out of my eyes and saw Caleb’s face wild with incredulity.

  “Yes!” I shouted.

  I felt euphoric, exhilarated. My chest felt full, like it was about to burst.