CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE #2
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s how people like Alicia’s brother die. That’s how Outsiders get hunted down and torn apart—by trying to fight a system that doesn’t fucking lose.
Alicia gets up from the mattress, her bare feet barely making a sound on the floor.
I stay where I am, just watching her.
She paces around the room, hips swaying. Her naked body is a weapon, and she knows exactly how to use it. She twirls a lock of pink hair, lips curving into a teasing smile. Every step, every sway is meant to pull me in. Make me forget our conversation.
And for a moment, it works.
My eyes follow the curves of her body. But then my gaze snags on that damn bird tattoo again. It’s not just ink on skin. It means pain, control, something taken instead of given.
Alicia suddenly spins, arms swinging wide as she starts to dance.
“Will you dance with me?” she asks, wetting her lips, eyes flashing with something I can’t read.
“Alicia, there’s no music.”
She smiles, but it’s not a happy one. “In my head there is, blondie. So many voices. Singing nonstop.”
She keeps moving, body swaying to a rhythm only she can hear. She’s not just dancing. It’s like she’s somewhere else, trapped in her own head, moving to music I can’t hear. Maybe it’s not music at all. Maybe it’s something darker. Something she can’t shut off. Like Tyler’s rules.
I watch her closely, catching every flicker of emotion that crosses her face. Her expressions shift so fast, I can’t keep up. One moment, she looks empty, lost. The next, she’s biting her bottom lip, muffling a laugh, like she just heard a good joke.
Tyler broke her in ways that went beyond her body. He got into her head, left scars I can’t see.
I swallow the rage burning in my throat.
“I should kill Tyler,” I say, voice rough. “For what he did to you. To your brother.”
Alicia stops moving, the playfulness in her face shattering like glass.
She stares down at me. “Stay away from him. Ghosts can’t be killed. You should know that by now.”
Her words are as dark as the shadows creeping in the corners of the room. But then, as if flipping a switch, her smile comes back, bright and easy.
She hops onto the bed and straddles me like we hadn’t just talked about Tyler and the hell she’d been through with him. She hides behind that smile like none of this matters. Maybe she’s waiting for someone to give her hope, like Sarah does for James.
But this isn’t some love story. She’s not mine, and I’m not hers. It’s a date to fuck, nothing more. We’re just clinging to whatever feels good, even if it won’t last. She gets that. I sure as hell do.
Still, I see the pain, and I don’t want to leave her behind in it.
Her fingers drift over my chest, light and lazy, but I catch both her hands in mine. I want her full attention.
“Do you want to come with us when we leave Denver?”
Alicia hesitates, chewing on her lip. “You really want me with you? After what I just told you?” She shakes her head, her eyes flicking away for a second before coming back to mine. “It’s not safe being with me. No one who’s with an Outsider ever is.”
Fuck.
I’m not an Outsider. Every time I’ve pulled the trigger, it’s been to protect Sarah. I’m not fighting against rules or some bigger cause. My only mission is the promise I made to my dad: keep my sister safe.
But now I get it. That constant edge James walks, watching Sarah like the world could snap her up any second just because of who he is and what he’s done.
I run my fingers up and down her arms. “Alicia, I’m not leaving you behind.” I flash a crooked smile. “Besides, my best friend is James Hill, the most dangerous Outsider out there. I think I know what I’m signing up for. So, do you want to come?”
A big smile spreads across her face. “Yes! I’m in!”
She jumps, and my hands fly to her hips, steadying her before she knocks us both off the damn mattress. She laughs, still bouncing with excitement, then pauses. “Wait, where exactly are we going?”
I chuckle and pull her in, fingers tangling in her hair as I kiss her, all teeth and tongue. When I finally pull back, she’s smiling, but it soon fades. Her lips press into a thin line, her eyes flickering with something darker behind them.
“But Michael, we need to be careful. Tyler’s still out there.”
I don’t want her thinking about Tyler. Not now. Not when she’s in my bed.
I raise an eyebrow. “Michael, huh? What happened to blondie?”
She laughs, slapping my shoulder. “Michael Williams, you better give me more orgasms if you wanna keep that nickname.”
I grin, but before I can grab her again, she’s already up, hopping off the mattress.
“But first, I need food,” she says, glancing at me over her shoulder before disappearing through the door.
I sit up, run a hand through my hair, still tense from what she just told me.
I find Alicia’s bag on the floor and pull out a cigarette. I light it, watching the flicker of the flame before taking a slow drag. The smoke fills my lungs, and I finally let myself relax. Guess one of Dad’s old habits stuck with at least one of his kids.
But peace doesn’t last long. Barely a minute passes before Sarah’s voice rings out from the kitchen, loud and sharp.
“What are you doing here?”
Oh shit. Sarah found Alicia.
“Looking for food.”
“And why are you naked?”
I choke on the smoke and cough it right back up.
Alicia left the room naked? Jesus Christ.
I jump up and yank on my boxers as fast as I can. By the time I throw open the door, I’m met with one hell of a sight.
Sarah stands in the middle of the kitchen, wearing one of Dad’s old AC/DC T-shirts and a pair of pink shorts, her arms crossed so tight she might actually pop a blood vessel. Alicia, on the other hand, is standing there completely fucking naked. No shame. No rush to cover up.
“The blondie invited me here,” Alicia says, casually pointing at me in the doorway like this isn’t the weirdest scene ever.
Sarah wrinkles her nose, still not looking in my direction.
Something crashes to the floor across the room, and like a bunch of deer in headlights, we all whip our heads toward Sarah’s bedroom door.
James is frozen in the doorway of their room, mouth open, eyes locked on naked Alicia, his water bottle rolling on the floor at his feet.
“Good morning, big man,” Alicia says with a giggle, unbothered.
I almost laugh too, until I see Sarah turn to me with a murderous glare. She doesn’t say a word, just spins on her heel and marches straight toward James.
“Don’t look at her,” she snaps, brushing past him into their room.
James blinks, finally snapping out of his trance. “I’m not looking.”
“Then why are you still staring at her tits?”
His eyes go comically wide. “I’m not staring at her tits! I’m just—surprised!”
“Then get a nice long look, because you’re not seeing me like that for a whole week!”
“Sarah, baby, come on! I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know she was naked.”
James whips around with his hands raised like he’s pleading for his life, following her just as the door slams shut behind him.
Man, if even James Hill’s out here begging for sex, the rest of us are screwed.
Alicia smiles, grabbing a protein bar from the counter. “People around here are too tense in the morning.”
Cigarette in hand, I walk to her and don’t stop until my hands are on her hips. I grab her ass and lift her onto the counter, spreading her legs. I step between them, pressing in, her skin brushing mine.
“You let another man see you naked,” I say, fingers curling around her thighs.
She steals the cigarette from between my fingers and takes a drag. “Oh, please,” she exhales, smoke curling from her lips, “I’m a masterpiece, blondie. I’d be offended if nobody looked.”
I shake my head, trying not to laugh. It’s gonna be a hell of a ride having her on the road.
She places the cigarette back between my lips, her fingers trailing along my jaw. I scoop her into my arms and carry her to my room. She takes big bites of her protein bar, but her eyes never leave mine.
I kick the door shut behind me and lay her down on the blankets, stripping off my boxers in one move. I stub the cigarette out on the concrete floor beside the mattress just as she pops the last bite of her bar into her mouth, chewing lazily with her eyes fixed on me.
I lower myself over her, pressing my mouth to her leg, then move up to her inner thigh. “So, you still want another round?”
Her breath hitches. “Hell yes.”
I push her legs apart, and the second I slip my hand between her thighs, she’s already soaked. The corner of my mouth lifts.
I take her right nipple into my mouth, flicking my tongue over it as I slide two fingers inside her. Her head falls back, eyes squeezing shut, lips parting in a silent gasp as her body tightens around me.
Two knocks on the door.
“Hey, Alicia? Can we talk?” Sarah calls from the other side.
Alicia’s eyes snap open.
“Shit!”
I pull my fingers out, roll off her in one quick motion, and yank the blanket over both of us. Maybe Sarah came to apologize. Or maybe she’s just here to ruin my fucking morning.
“What do you want, Sarah?” I ask.
The door cracks open, but instead of stepping inside, Sarah stands there with her hand on the doorknob, eyes shut tight.
“Sarah, why are your eyes closed?”
“Because I don’t want to see you naked too, dumbass.”
Like I planned this crap.
Alicia giggles, clearly entertained. “She’s funny. Can I keep her?”
I sigh. “I’m covered.”
Sarah cracks one eye open like she’s checking for landmines. When she sees the blanket actually covers me, she blows out a breath of relief, then turns straight to Alicia.
“Alicia, do you know where we can find chocolate in this city?”
I. Can’t. Fucking. Believe. This.
“Sarah!” I bark. “Did you seriously just interrupt us to ask that?”
She crosses her arms. “Don’t act like you weren’t gonna finish in two minutes anyway. Besides, there are more important things than sex, Michael!”
Alicia locks eyes with me. “She’s really funny.”