They have been at war with each other since the first day they met, and finally, someone has won. The question is who.
Stepping out of the tunnel and back into the dormitories, Luca quickly departs. Heading, more than likely, to some Riley-appointed task in the cave. Too jazzed from what they’ve just experienced, the sisters make their way to their room. As soon as the door shuts, they burst into conversation.
“It didn’t hurt at all. I was so scared!” Eve blurts.
“Right? The tube thing was a bit much. They could at least add a window or something,” Maggie adds, throwing herself onto her bed. The moments she lands, the redhead howls in pain, forgetting her very tender new accessories.
“Fucking motherfucker!”
Eve can’t help herself. Unable to hold back her giggles, she erupts in laughter.
“Shut up,” Maggie grumbles, holding her arms out in front of her and blowing, trying to cool the angry red skin surrounding her barcodes.
“I’m sorry, I am so sorry! Are you okay…” she says, but she only laughs harder.
Eve suddenly realizes—she feels happy. Today, she has solidified a friendship with Rowan, come to some sort of ceasefire with Luca, and shared a bonding moment with Maggie in the lab.
It is amazing how one day can change everything.
Maggie twists her zombie, outstretched limbs toward her, gets off her bed, and before Eve knows it—she’s being hugged.
“Thank you. I…I don’t know if I have ever thanked you,” Maggie says, “for all that you have done for me. I’m an asshole a lot, but I do love you.”
Eve’s laughter turns to tears, and the dampness on her shoulder lets her know that Maggie is crying as well. Both climbing onto Maggie’s four-poster, the girls lose track of time as they talk and reminisce, and before long, fall fast asleep.
A sharp knock, and Eve looks for her alarm clock—but it’s not there. She realizes that she’s still in Maggie’s bed. A bowl of popcorn they smuggled from the kitchen has tipped, blending in with the already-white comforter. Finally locating Maggie’s timepiece, it reads 7:00 p.m.
The handle slowly turns and Beth’s lovely face peeks from around the corner. Martin must have administered something to her Eve-inflicted injuries from the day prior, because all evidence of the eldest Abbott’s assault has vanished. Beth’s beautiful features are back to their glorious state.
Maggie is still out cold. That girl could sleep through a freight train.
“Hey. How you feeling?” Beth whispers.
“Not bad, but my arms are really sore. But that’s normal, right?”
Eve’s arms are itchy and slightly irritated. Not unbearable, but not comfortable either.
“Yup. Just wait until they do your chest if you think this is bad…” Beth giggles, and then asks shyly, “Can you come with me for a second?”
Based on the twinkle in her eye, Eve can tell that Beth is up to something.
“Yeah, hold on….”
Locating her socks and boots, Eve slips them on, joining the bubbly Quinn in the hallway.
“So, we usually have this thing that we do after first sessions. A…celebration of sorts? But it dawned on me that you and Maggie have nothing to wear.”
Beth motions for her to follow as they head down to the second level, coming upon a door with a pinecone expertly carved into the exterior.
“Kindly enter my chambers!” Throwing the door open grandiosely, Beth bows, motioning for Eve to go first.
This side is Eve’s favorite side of Beth. The sweet, charismatic best-friend type. Her hair is once again down and soft, her loose shiny curls enough to make any girl envious.
Entering Beth’s room, it’s exactly the same as Eve and Maggie’s. The eldest Abbott is slightly disappointed, expecting her to have a television or hipper furniture. Beth seems to be able to get away with the most when it comes to the rules—Riley and everyone else have a soft spot for her.
“I know what you’re thinking—boring. But I rarely spend time in here anyways. I’m always pestering one of my annoying brothers. That being said, what I lack in decorations, I make up for in clothes. Oh, and I also have an encrypted satellite phone. Riley looks the other way, because your girl here has an online shopping addiction! Thank you, United States government for cutting me a fat check every month. And I also know what you’re thinking—I pick up my packages once a month in town, which is a gazillion miles away. But worth it, because the postal clerk is actually hella fine….”
Beth rambles as she stands in front of the door to her closet. When she finally opens it and flips on a light, Eve once again bursts out laughing.
Every single inch is covered in shoeboxes, purses, designer outfits, belts, and numerous hats.
Beth is an adorable hoarder.
“You need an intervention,” Eve teases.
“Right? But clothes make me happy, and I make everyone else happy, so what’s a girl to do?”
The gorgeous blonde starts pulling various dresses and holding them up to Eve. The ones she likes she tosses on her bed, the others she throws into a pile on the floor.
A perplexed Eve asks, “What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you hear the part about a celebration? We are celebrating. You can’t wear what you are wearing to where we are going. And I hope to God I have something that will fit Maggie in this mess.”
“Where are we going?!”
“Somewhere that is not here….”
To Eve, “not here” sounds really, really good.
Chapter 28
“I hate mascara,” Eve complains.
The Abbott sisters have become Beth’s dolls.
Finding out that they are actually leaving the compound for a bit, Eve barrels upstairs and jumps on Maggie’s bed until she has no choice but to acknowledge her.
All it takes is Eve saying two words.
Boys. Party.
And Maggie is wide awake.
Thankfully Beth does find a couple of dresses that will contain Maggie’s robust cleavage, and soon both girls are submitting to beauty makeovers. Thankfully, they are in good hands. It just takes looking at Beth to know that she is an artist.
Two hours later, between outfit selection, hair styling, and glitter liquid liner, all three girls are finally ready.
West checks in a few times, anxious to get going. But Eve just knows it’s an excuse to stare at Maggie. Her sister selects an orange, beaded minidress. It fits her like a glove, and Eve has never seen her more radiant.
Bubbly Beth has taken Maggie’s wild curls and smoothed them into a French twist, adding some clips on one side for pop. Her black winged liner and smoky eye complete Maggie’s transformation.
On the other hand, Eve isn’t sure about her new look. Fastening her silver heels, she studies her reflection in a full-length mirror hanging in Beth’s cramped closet.
The dress she’s sporting is not her first choice. For one, it’s long and dark blue, which is fantastic, but the high slit up the side that comes to right below her derriere is a bit too risqué. Long sleeves with a high neckline, the back is completely open to her waist. Beth had pulled her hair into a low, messy bun and given her bangs a trim. She’d kept her makeup subtle: mascara and a bit of clear gloss, with blush to top things off.
While Eve’s outfit is sexy to the max, her makeup and hair is sweet and innocent.
Joining her at the mirror, Beth is rocking a rainbow jumpsuit with eyeshadow to match. Keeping her hair down, long and loose, she looks like a disco goddess.
“Are you sure I look okay?” Eve questions, nervous.
“Ha. Let’s just see what my brothers think. Their reactions are going to be priceless.”
Squealing, Beth grabs her hand and then Maggie’s, dragging them out of her room.
Heading across the foyer and out the front entrance, when the girls arrive at the driveway, a string of black Humvees is already lined up.
Apparently, quite a few Zappers are joining in tonight�
�s excursion.
Tate, Martin, Rowan, Luca, and West are talking in a circle. And for the first time since they have met, Eve and Maggie are seeing them in something other than black. All of the brothers have on various dress shirts and jeans, the majority of their tattoos now concealed.
West, noticing the three making their way toward them, slaps Rowan in the chest—indicating that he needs to see what West is seeing. Eve’s cheeks flush as the males’ gazes tell her everything. Luca’s eyes are hungry as he watches her approach.
Rowan, on the other hand, puts two fingers in his mouth and whistles. Breaking away from his brothers, he jogs over, and throws an arm around Eve.
“Damn, girl! We need to get you out more often! Eve’s riding with me!”
Playfully tugging her toward the vehicle in front, she briefly picks out Luca with a slight scowl on his face. A little jealousy never hurts anyone.
Eve reminds herself to thank Beth for everything.
Slight chaos ensues as more people pour out in their finest attire. Grimacing, Eve spots Lucia and Sophia in the mix. She isn’t sure if what they are wearing would be considered clothing. Sequined bathing suit tops and miniskirts paired with go-go boots. Eve can’t help but watch from the front seat passenger mirror as they approach Luca, climbing into a separate Humvee with him.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like a little Latin flavor?” Rowan jokes. Eve’s reaction to Lucia and Sophia’s arrival must have been obvious.
“No, she just doesn’t like attention-seeking robots,” Maggie snaps. Cuddled up with West in the middle row, Eve spots Martin in the back, awkwardly trying to create some distance from their PDA.
“I like you, Maggie.” Rowan laughs, genuine.
“Same dude. Same.”
West plants a small kiss on Maggie’s neck, in obvious awe of the creature beside him.
They’re just about to pull out, when Riley, of all people, marches across the gravel. Rowan lowers Eve’s window.
“Good evening, sir. Care to join?” Rowan asks politely.
“Thank you, but no. You guys know the rules. Be back by three a.m., no later, and stick close to Martin. He’s still on duty and will make you aware of any impending threat.”
“Thank you for your sacrifice, buddy. I know how much you were dying to get your dance on….” Rowan winks at Martin in the rearview mirror, who only shakes his head.
Riley nods, a cue for them to be off, as the cars start to move. Ripping down the driveway and out the gates, they trade dirt for pavement, heading north on the freeway.
West and Maggie are whispering and laughing as Rowan lowers the radio, wanting to engage with Eve.
“Why did you have to cover up? I was excited to see Martin’s work!” he says, indicating her tattoos.
“Beth and Maggie forced me into this one. Not my idea.”
Eve squirms, uncomfortable, as the slit in her dress keeps shifting, exposing more skin. And her itching arms are driving her mad. It takes all her willpower not to scratch the already-raw skin being harassed by the tight fabric.
“You look amazing.” Rowan is almost bashful as he gives her a sweet smile, which she returns. He’s wearing a powder blue collared shirt that hugs his toned physique, and Eve isn’t minding it one bit. Rowan keeps glancing at her exposed leg and back to her face, but it doesn’t bother her. Eve doesn’t feel like she is being objectified, just admired.
And she finds herself not minding Rowan’s attention as much as she did before.
They all chat, the mood light, for what has to be an hour before they arrive at the outskirts of a city. The twinkling lights from the multiple houses and businesses sprinkle the valley before them.
“We…are somewhere in New Mexico, I think? Doesn’t matter, as long as there is a club with alcohol, and guess what—we have located a club with alcohol!”
West corrects him, “Martin located a club with alcohol! What my brother is trying to say is that there is a club, and you’re probably going to see more than one tipsy Zapper tonight.”
“But what if there’s an attack? Don’t you guys have to be ready at all times?” Eve ponders.
“There’s a pill for that—instantly sobers, but it leaves you with a sour stomach for days. And there are only fifteen of us out tonight of the forty, give or take, currently in residence at Evergreen. I think we’re allowed to let loose a little.”
Rowan cups her chin with his right hand, the left still steering, and then focuses back on the road. Driving through the city, Eve soaks everything in. Laundromats, gas stations…normal people living their normal lives. When you’re pulled away from society for an extended period of time, you really appreciate the little things. Especially with her new eyes, she quite literally could see everything more clearly.
The city starts to shift from smaller businesses to taller corporate structures, indicating that they are downtown. Rounding a corner, a rectangular building with neon blue and pink siding reads “The Velvet Lounge.”
Trusting the Humvees to excited teenage valets, the striking group heads toward the front entrance of the club, bypassing a significant line wrapping around the building. Sparing a glance behind her, Eve is disappointed to see Luca walking next to Sophia. She’s touching her hair and laughing, while Luca is telling her some humorous story.
Rowan sweetly slips his large paw into hers and starts swinging their arms back and forth like schoolchildren, dragging her attention back to him.
“Any guy that’s looking at anyone but you right now is an idiot.”
Eve’s jaw drops slightly, unaware that her surveillance has been that obvious.
“Do you even mean half the things that come out of your mouth?” Eve snorts.
“Stick with me and find out….”
Rowan squeezes her hand and smiles as they pay off the bouncer, letting their entire group cut the line.
“And now, we dance!” Rowan yells over the house music, guiding Eve onto the crowded dance floor. She covers her face in her hands, mortified. Eve was prepared to sit at a table all night and watch everyone else grinding and gyrating, but she hadn’t planned for this.
Removing her hands from her eyes, she tries to bolt—but Rowan grabs her waist, bringing her to lean her back against him. Entranced by the music, the energy, and the smell of his aftershave, she slowly starts to let go. Eve decides to take Rowan’s advice and focus on what is right in front of her.
Which just happens to be him.
Chapter 29
Eve gets lost with Rowan as they dance. Her feet are starting to hurt, but no less than her already-throbbing arms. She honestly doesn’t care. Laughing more than probably one should, she’s never had this much fun in her adult life thus far.
The DJ switches to a slow song as Eve rests her head against Rowan’s chest engulfed in his embrace as they shuffle from side to side.
“You’re all sweaty,” Rowan teases.
“So are you, but I currently don’t care.”
“Are you glad you came out tonight?” Rowan whispers in her ear, sending a pleasant chill down her spine.
“Actually, yes. I needed this.”
“So needy….”
“Speaking of ‘needy,’ I need to run to the ladies’ room. Any ideas of where that may be?”
Rowan points to the right of the bar and squeezes her hand as they navigate through the couples. Splitting apart, Rowan heads over to the bar to buy them some drinks and join the ever-moody Tate, who hasn’t left his stool all evening.
Making her way through the crowd, she winces, aware of two thick blisters, one on each heel. Eve wonders if they have a first aid kit in this place, or maybe Martin has something in one of his kits he could dole out.
Thankfully, there’s no queue as she locates the ladies’ restroom. Entering a stall, she hears the doors open and two more familiar voices.
“Ugh, I hate her! She has literally been all over Rowan since we arrived.”
Eve recognizes that voice—Lucia.
Normally, Eve would have kept sitting in that stall until they had completed their childish gossiping, but not tonight.
Flushing loudly for effect, she throws the stall door open and steps out.
Sophia and Lucia are reapplying lip gloss in the mirror, and Sophia’s gets slightly smudged as she whips to face Eve.
“Look, I know both of you don’t like me. And it’s pretty obvious that I don’t like you either, but let’s set a few things straight. It’s okay that you both see Maggie and I as a threat. Which you should, because we are catching up and excelling at everything that’s thrown our way. We are right on your heels, and you know it. When it comes to the Quinns, you also see us as competition. Which you also should. Word of advice? If you want to nail down Rowan or anyone else, I suggest playing a little hard to get? The way both of you throw yourselves at any guy that walks past is a tad bit desperate.”
Sophia growls, lunging at Eve, but Lucia grabs her around her middle, holding her back. Eve notices a silver moonstone ring on Lucia’s left ring finger as her knuckles whiten in an effort to detain her sister. Unperturbed, Eve steps around them, washes her hands, casually using a soft towel to blot them dry. Sophia is still trying to get to her.
“Let go of me! Lucia! Let go!”
“No, if you attack her, we’ll be in serious trouble!” Lucia whines.
“Night, ladies.”
Eve struts past them and back out into the bar, and a smug smile tugs at her lips. Scanning the crowd for Rowan, she notices his distinct braids at the bar, and is about to join him when a large hand grabs hers.
Immediately on the offense, she is ready to attack when she realizes the man holding her hand is Luca.
Wasting no time, he tugs, dragging her toward a set of private rooms behind them. Entering a hallway, Eve looks in each as they pass—but they’re empty. More than likely reserved for VIPs, or the early morning hours when dancing is done but drinking is not.
Saintsville Page 14
