4. The Enemy
4
The Enemy
You know how in the movies the girl and the boy get into a fight and you hear dramatic music as she leaves?
Well, my movie scene sucks. Walking away from Blake seemed like a good idea at the time. But now? I’m forced to admit that Mr. Liar was right. I barely know anyone in here. Some faces I recognize from the school halls pass me from time to time but none that I could actually call “friends.” Will, Kassidy, Kendrick, and Alex are also nowhere in sight.
Is this Hide from Winter Day and no one told me?
“Come with us, he said. It will be fun, he said.” I curse under my breath, the bundle of pain that used to be my feet taking me to the staircase. I look down at my heels and wince. Why did I do this to myself?
I go up the stairs in an attempt to escape the loud music busting my ears and sigh in relief when I reach the second floor. The music is still loud enough to make you deaf but somehow a bit more bearable. I glance around. Doors. A lot of them.
This house is bigger than my house and Maria’s combined.
I lean back against the wall, trying to gather my thoughts. I look down at the empty red cup I’m holding. How’d I drink this disgusting rum and Coke so fast? I guess my boredom is to blame.
That’s when I hear it.
Moans.
A mattress squeaking.
Immediately, my eyes jump to the slightly opened door a couple of steps away from me. Really?
Well, it sure looks like everybody’s having fun but me.
Then, it stops. I’m about to go back downstairs and escape this nonintentional eavesdropping when a female voice reaches my ear.
“That was incredible.”
No reply. The mattress squeaks again.
“What are you doing?”
No reply. Again.
“You’re leaving?”
Then, after a long pause, she finally gets an answer. “Yeah. The party’s waiting.”
The voice obviously belongs to a male. I know I shouldn’t be listening, but I can’t help it. Plus, technically, it’s not listening. It’s hearing.
“But I thought maybe we could…” She doesn’t finish her sentence. She doesn’t need to. It’s obvious that she wants to cuddle. The sound of a zipper being pulled up hints that her not so charming prince is getting dressed.
“Don’t give me that look. You know I don’t do that kind of thing. I told you. We have fun together. But that’s all it is. Fun.”
Harsh.
At least he did tell her exactly what he wanted from the start.
“Asshole,” she hisses, and before I can run away or at least pretend that I wasn’t listening to their conversation, the door swings open. She storms out of the bedroom, her heels in her left hand and her broken heart in the other.
She has mid-length dirty-blonde hair and pale eyes. She is so tanned it makes me wonder if she spends every day of her life outside.
Says the pale Canadian who can only tan three months a year.
Wearing a tight and short black lace dress that could make any head turn, she’s the definition of “dress to impress.” I get it though. She has the body to do it.
Then she notices me and I realize how obvious it must be that I was listening. She gives me the dirtiest look she can possibly muster, her eyes as red as scarlet and her heavy makeup smudged all over her face. She is both wasted and baked.
The golden chain clasped around her neck catches my eyes. It reads a name.
Bianca.
Realization hits me. This is Bianca Reed? The popular mean girl of Riverside High and the girl who threw this monster party? She walks around me and stumbles down the stairs, the alcohol flowing in her veins obviously getting the best of her.
I’m still looking at her drunkenly walk down the stairs when someone else exits the room and the door closes.
I stop breathing, my eyes widening.
Haze.
Of course, it had to be him. Am I even a bit surprised?
His messy brown hair and the lipstick mark on his neck literally make me want to puke.
We got it. You had sex.
Do you want a sticker? A medal?
I try and subtly walk toward the stairs, hoping that by some unknown miracle, he won’t see me. But I know way too well that I’m not that lucky. I’m the girl who follows her cousin to his gang meeting and becomes the ultimate target to her family’s enemies because she was curious, for God’s sake. His clear blue eyes stop on me.
“You really can’t stay away from me, can you?” He smirks.
I don’t reply, still quickly making my way to the stairs. Before I can take another step, his hand captures my wrist, stopping me. My whole body becomes tense when his fingers meet my skin.
He literally just touched Bianca with those hands. Germs.
“You going somewhere?”
Yeah. Somewhere you’re not.
I don’t reply, remembering Kendrick’s words.
Ignore him at all costs.
“Your mother never taught you that it’s rude to ignore people?”
“She did. But you know what she also told me? She said to never talk to creeps.”
I want to slap myself for being unable to keep my mouth shut when it comes to this guy. I can’t help it. He irritates me that much.
“You know you’re probably the first girl to try and get away from me?” He gives me a seductive smile, stepping closer. I step back instinctively.
“First time for everything,” I say.
“Speaking of first time… I almost forgot what you look like without your watchdogs next to you. Where did your bodyguards go?” He looks around.
“I don’t know. They’re around here somewhere getting drunk. Which reminds me, I should g—”
“They left you alone?” He shakes his head, obviously amused. “I knew they were stupid, but this is something else.”
I frown. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Not every guy is nice, Kingston. You should be careful. Who knows who you could run into tonight?” The cocky grin on his face says a lot more than a thousand words ever could. He knows all too well that the most dangerous kid in this house is him.
“You’re right. Thanks for the advice. I should go find them.”
“Look at you. Playing hard to get when we both know how this is going to end.”
That’s when I know I’ve had enough.
I bite my lower lip and smile as I take a step forward. I get on the tips of my toes—since he’s a good six foot four of wannabe bad-boy attitude—and watch his face change as shock and surprise flash in his eyes. Quickly, it’s replaced by a satisfied smile.
When I lean in until my lips are next to his ear, the disbelief in his eyes is on display for the world to see. Then I whisper.
“Careful, Adams. Your last booty call is showing.”
His eyes widen as he brings his hand to his neck where Bianca’s fresh lipstick mark is waiting. I jump on the opportunity and disappear down the stairs. Diving deeper into the thick crowd of drunk teenagers, I’m unable to hold back a laugh. His face was priceless.
For someone who’s such a player…
He easily got played.
I never would’ve thought, when I entered this party, that a red cup would turn out to be my only friend. So much for meeting new people, huh? Staring down at the bottom of the plastic cup in my hand, I lean back against the kitchen counter. Kass should be here by now. She said she’d be here in ten. Problem is, it’s been thirty minutes. Plus, my phone is almost dead, and I have no idea how I’ll contact anyone without it.
If these heels weren’t so painful, I’d be walking home right now. The clock on the wall reads 11:54. I can already hear Maria’s speech about missing the curfew. She’s been calling for the past twenty minutes, but I can’t bring myself to pick up. What could I possibly tell her? I’m sorry, I’m trying to go home, but I can’t find the others as they’re probably making out with people they just met or about to throw up?
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I jump, turning around to see who the voice belongs to.
Standing behind me is Blake. With one hand in his jeans pocket and the other holding a beer, he gives me the puppy eyes that clearly say please don’t still be mad at me . The alcohol in my system is probably to blame for how happy I am to see him right now. I was angry at him. But now? I’m just relieved to see someone I know.
“Where have you been?” He leans on the counter next to me.
“You know, here and there. Desperately looking for a familiar face.” I try a joke but can’t even muster a smile.
“How’s that working out for you?”
I draw a breath. “Not well.”
“Listen. I’m sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I might have overreacted. It’s none of my business. I’m sure you had your reasons for breaking up with Kass. It’s just… I know what’s it like to have someone leave without an explanation, so it hit close to home. Plus, you really need to tell Kendrick.” I take a sip of my drink.
“You’re right. I’ll talk to him. I’ll talk to both of them. I promise. I’m just waiting for the right moment.” He looks down, clearly anticipating Kendrick’s reaction. “So, we’re okay?”
I let our eyes meet, unsure. He truly seems sorry.
“Sure.”
He’s about to speak when the loudest noise I have ever heard cuts him off. Distant screams and footsteps make it clear that something is happening. I jump, my heart crawling up my throat.
What the hell is this?
Blake and I exchange looks, frowning.
“Cops! Everybody out!”
People start running, pushing each other carelessly as they try to get out of the house. How could I not see that one coming? The music is so loud the entire neighborhood probably can’t sleep. Plus, the amount of underage drinking in this place is unbelievable. When I finally take my eyes off the madness unraveling before me, I look to my left at Blake. Let me rephrase that—I look to my left where Blake should be.
He’s gone. In the blink of an eye. He left me. How did he manage to disappear so fast? I have no idea. My mind starts racing as I try to think of a logical explanation. What do I do?
“What the hell are you waiting for? Move,” a deep voice says.
I barely have time to recognize Haze Adams standing tall next to me. Where the hell did he come from?
He grabs my arm and starts running, dragging me along with him against my will. I desperately try to keep up, my feet hurting so bad I curse the day heels were invented.
“What the hell are you doing? Let me go.” I try and remove my arm from his grasp.
“Trust me, you really don’t want me to do that right now,” he says, looking straight ahead.
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Whatever you do, do not stop, you hear me?”
“But we could get arrested for running if…”
All it takes is one severe look from Haze to shut me up.
“Winter, they’re not cops, okay? Run.”
That’s when I hear it.
The sound that makes my blood turn cold.
A gunshot.
Haze takes a little side street, distancing us from the frantic crowd. The numerous blisters on my feet make it seem like we’ve been running forever. The streets are empty. Silent. We can still hear the panic from afar, but the sound decreases with every step.
A black car is parked a couple of steps away from us. Haze doesn’t say a word, but his eyes tell me everything I need to know.
“No.” I shake my head.
“Get in the car.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Winter, get in the damn car,” he barks. “Now.”
I look at him, unsure. There are a million reasons why I shouldn’t get in the car. But none of them are as powerful as the fear that infiltrates my entire being when I hear distant footsteps coming our way. I don’t want to stick around and find out who they belong to.
I get into Haze’s sports car and slam the door loudly. It doesn’t even take a second for the vehicle to take off in a roar. I hold on to the leather seats so tight my knuckles turn white. I glance at him from the corner of my eyes, trying to breathe properly. Key word: trying.
He keeps glancing in the rearview mirror as if he’s afraid someone might be following us. I don’t dare speak or move for a good five minutes, unable to fully process what just happened.
“We’re clear,” he finally says.
He seems to relax like a huge weight’s been lifted off his shoulders.
“Who were they?”
He doesn’t answer, not even bothering to look at me.
“This is kidnapping, you know that?”
Like his ability to speak just returned from an unexpected trip, he scoffs. “Not exactly the answer I expected.”
“And what in the world did you expect?”
He looks at me for a brief second. “Oh, I don’t know. Something like ‘thank you for saving my ass, Haze. You’re amazing. To show you my gratitude, I’ll give you a—”
I cut him off. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”
He stifles a laugh.
“Listen, I don’t know what you smoked tonight, but my ass is doing very well and doesn’t need your saving, thank you very much.”
He doesn’t reply, taking a very tight and abrupt turn.
“Slow down, please.”
“Not until we get you somewhere safe.”
“What the hell does that mean? I’m not in danger. Dangerously close to smacking you in the head maybe, but that’s all. Please drive me home.”
“Love is weakness. Kendrick loves you. Yes, you’re in danger.”
I freeze, my thoughts racing each other.
“So these people…”
“They were after you.”
A million memories start spinning around in my head as I remember Kendrick’s words. If word gets out that I have someone to protect, horrible things could happen. Fear slams against my chest.
“It was a gang, wasn’t it?”
He doesn’t reply. I know his silence means yes.
“Is everybody going to be okay? The kids from school?”
He sighs. “They’ll be fine. That’s not how they work. They only wanted you. They’re probably already out of there, looking for you.”
“But there was a gunshot? And how did they even know who I am? I thought that if we agreed to the deal, your guys wouldn’t tell anyone about me. I—”
He interrupts me. “We didn’t.”
“Then how?”
“I don’t know, Winter. One of my guys must’ve disobeyed. I’ll have to take care of them.”
I don’t answer, terrified to even think about what “taking care of them” means.
“Why did you help me?”
“Because your idiot of a cousin left you all alone,” he hisses.
“Yeah, but what’s in it for you?”
“For God’s sake, do you ever stop asking questions?”
“Do you ever answer them?”
His jaw is clenched, and his fists are tightly wrapped around the steering wheel. Call me crazy but…
It almost looks like he doesn’t know the answer to that question himself.
After a long and horribly awkward ride, Haze pulls up into the driveway of a house that’s—for the second time tonight—so big it looks like it came right out of movie.
“Where are we?” I frown, glancing at the brick-built house.
“Somewhere safe.”
I roll my eyes. “Thank you. I feel much better.”
“We’re at my house.” He steps out of the vehicle. “You’re spending the night.”
He shuts the door and walks around his rich-kid car to—believe it or not—open my door and hold out his hand for me.
“Haze Adams opening doors. What a gentleman.” I don’t move, ignoring his hand.
“Well, I can’t exactly let you sleep in my brand-new car, can I? I have a ‘no drool on my leather seats’ policy.”
I look down at my phone. Ten missed calls from Maria. Seven from Kendrick. Five from Kass. This is really bad.
“Listen, thank you for what you did. But I really need to go home now. Kendrick’s probably worried sick, and my aunt will literally murder me if—”
He cuts me off. “I can’t. As much as Kendrick hates me, he’d much rather have you here than back at the party, trust me.” His hand hasn’t moved. He’s waiting for me to take it. “It’s too risky being out in the streets after the attack. I’ll drive you home tomorrow. Come on.”
I stay still for a few seconds, hesitating. Then, after mentally making a list of every option presenting itself to me, I step out of the car while making sure to ignore his hand held out in my direction.
Do I trust him? Never in a million years.
But I don’t have a choice.
I turn off my phone to save the battery as Haze unlocks the front door to his castle—I’m sorry, his house. I follow him as he casually walks into the impressively big living room, making it clear that he’s used to it. It’s an everyday thing for him.
I can’t stop myself. “You are literally the definition of spoiled, you know that, right?”
He turns around and flashes a smile. Only this one is tainted with a distant sadness. “Yeah, well, it’s not all it’s cut out to be.”
Kicking off his shoes, he removes his jacket and sends it flying onto the leather couch next to him. My eyes instantly connect with the lean back muscles peeking through his T-shirt. Oh freaking hell, is the perfect body necessary?
As if the pale blue eyes, perfect smile, and undeniable charisma isn’t enough.
Winter, stop checking out the enemy.
“Come on. Your room’s this way.” We pass through the kitchen to reach the stairs. As I glance around the high-ceiling room that’s surprisingly clean, I wonder if he has a maid. Probably.
The second floor is as spacious as the first. But the lack of decoration and white walls give it an impersonal vibe, like no one lives there at all. That’s what differentiates a house from a home.
Haze finally stops in front of a door and pushes it open. Behind it is a very empty room with, yet again, white walls. A bed and a nightstand are neatly placed in the center of the room.
“Your parents won’t mind that I’m spending the night?”
He scoffs. “It would require for them to be here in the first place.”
I look down, so many possibilities colliding in my mind.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Winter, stop.” He half-smiles. “They’re not dead. We just don’t live with them.”
“Oh.”
Oh is also code for “I have no idea what to say, but I have to say something before it gets awkward.”
“Wait, you said we?” I remember what Kendrick said. Haze is the best fighter there is, and his brother is next in line.
“My brother and me.” His eyes become cold, an obvious sign that he doesn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be nosy.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Whose room is this?” I narrow my eyes, still analyzing my surroundings.
“That’s my brother’s.”
I frown. His brother’s? Unless his brother is a ghost, I can’t believe anyone actually sleeps in here.
“Is he okay with me taking his room?” I look up at him.
“Of course. I hope you don’t mind sharing the bed though.”
My mouth drops.
He bursts out laughing. “Chill, I’m kidding. It’s a guest room.” He mocks, “You should’ve seen your face.”
“Jerk.” I mutter the first insult that comes to my mind under my breath.
“Prude,” he says right back.
I sit down at the edge of the king-sized bed.
“I’ll get you a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.” He walks out. Shortly after, he’s back with clothes that look very comfortable although they are clearly way too big for me. I get up, taking the clothes from his hands.
“I swear to God, if I wake up tomorrow and you’re not here, I will kill you. Don’t think I won’t.”
“Oh, so you want me to stay?” He gives me an annoyingly charming smile, tilting his head to the right.
One step is all it takes for the distance between us to disappear. I don’t step back, refusing to let him think for even a second that he has any control or effect over me.
“Because that can be arranged,” he whispers.
Oh, he’s good.
I’m sure that trick usually works for him.
“I’m just saying. I don’t want to wake up alone in this completely unknown house. Plus, I don’t know where I am and…”
“Relax, Winter. Of course I’m staying. What kind of guy would I be dropping you at a stranger’s house and taking off?”
“I don’t know. Let me see. You’d be the Haze kind of guy.”
He smirks. “Point taken.”
“One night, Adams. That’s all. Then you drive me home first thing in the morning.” I try to sound as threatening as I possibly can, well aware that I’m probably doing a very bad job. He nods, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Under one condition.”
I sigh. “What?”
“I want a kiss.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. A thank-you kiss if you will. I mean, I did save your ass. As cute as that ass may be, it was still a lot of work.” He steps forward until I can smell his cologne.
Smooth, Haze. Real smooth .
He stills smells disturbingly good. Just like I remember.
He offers me his Colgate commercial smile. I place my hands on his chest and force him out of the room.
“Of course. I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”
His eyes widen.
“Really?”
“No.” I slam the door in his face.
“And they say I’m mean,” he says from the other side.
I suppress a laugh. “Good night, Haze.”
“Good night, Kingston.”
The sound of his footsteps fade out down the hall, a sign that he’s going to bed, too. I quickly throw on the clothes he got for me and, just like I expected, they make me look like I’m wearing a potato sack. I can’t help but wonder how the hell I went from bored and drunk at the party to sleeping in Haze Adams’s guest room. As I crawl up under the cold covers, my eyelids so heavy it’s a miracle I didn’t fall asleep midconversation, I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, the all-powerful leader of the West Side isn’t as bad as he’d like people to think he is.
My eyes fly open at the sound of a door closing. My vision takes unbearably long to adjust to the light. I glance around the white room as questions invade my brain. Where am I? How did I end up here? What happened? I rub my heavy eyelids, looking down at the clothes I’m wearing, and my memories come rushing back.
I’m at Haze Adams’s house. He saved me yesterday. I’d hoped that this was a dream. Or should I say, a nightmare. I wince at the pounding in my head. Alcohol and I do not get along. I reach for my phone on the bedside table. Problem is, there’s nothing to reach for.
Where the hell is my phone?
Panic takes over me. I get out of bed, my mind racing. Haze is the one who took it. It has to be. I throw on the clothes I was wearing yesterday, neatly fold his T-shirt and sweatpants and step out of the room. No one. I can’t hear a single sound. The house seems empty.
Haze didn’t leave, did he? I need to get home before my aunt calls the police and files a missing person’s report. I go down the stairs. Still no sign of Haze. I enter the spacious living room, taking in my surroundings.
“You must be Winter.”
I jump, startled, and quickly turn my head to see a guy looking at me. Casually sitting on the leather couch, he’s analyzing me carefully. I instinctively bring my hand to my chest as if it’ll somehow steady my frantic heartbeat.
“I’m Tanner. Haze’s my baby bro.” He stretches his arms and flexes his muscles, making me want to roll my eyes. Yeah, definitely in the same family these two. Tanner seems older than Haze—maybe twenty-two—but I can totally see it: the smirk, the messy hair, the muscled body. Tanner’s hair is darker and his eyes are green, but apart from that, he has that same “I’m going to break your heart and destroy your innocence” look to him.
Guess it runs in the family.
“Hi.” I shift uncomfortably. “Where’s Haze?”
“You just missed him, actually.” I think back to the slammed door that woke me up. If I’d just been up ten minutes earlier, I could be on my way home right now.
“He had an emergency,” Tanner adds. “Told me to tell you not to go anywhere. He’ll be back soon.”
I curse under my breath. God damn it, Haze. Sticking around for breakfast wasn’t part of the plan.
Although, I must say I am not at all surprised that he went and did exactly what he promised not to do.
“This might sound weird, but have you seen my phone by any chance?”
“Yeah. Haze took it. Said it was to make sure you waited for him.”
Bastard.
“Oh. Well, I really have to go. I think I’ll just walk.” I nervously fidget with the fabric of my clothes, wondering how the hell I’m going to find my way back home.
He tenses up. “I can’t let you do that.”
“What am I? A hostage?” I force a laugh and spot the closest exit.
The seriousness in his eyes dissipates gradually. “Listen, I don’t know what my brother wants with you, and you clearly don’t either. So why not stick around and find out?”
I sigh. I guess I don’t have much of a choice. Plus, as crazy as it may sound, something about the way his eyes darkened when I tried to leave tells me he’s not the right person to mess with.
“Thanks for letting me spend the night.”
“Don’t thank me. Haze is free to bring home whoever he wants.” He grins, insinuating that I did more than “spend the night.”
I’m about to tell him he’s wrong when he speaks again.
“So what exactly are you to my brother?” He narrows his eyes, staring at me intently. “Friend? Special friend?”
I make a face. Even the word friend sounds like too much.
“We’re not sleeping together if that’s what you’re asking. And I don’t really know, to be honest. We’re acquaintances at most.”
“So he invited you over because you’re nothing to him?” He frowns, clearly not buying my story.
“I was in trouble, and he offered me a place to stay. He was trying to help. Nothing more. Is the interrogation over?” I try a joke, and he laughs faintly.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…” He pauses. “My brother never, and I mean never, brings a girl home. You can’t blame me for being curious.”
If I was drinking water right now, I’d probably be choking.
“Oh, come on. You can’t seriously expect me to fall for that?” I shake my head, the conversation I overheard between Bianca and him yesterday coming back to me. Haze is no saint.
“I know what you’re thinking. You’d assume with all the girls throwing themselves at him, he’d bring a different girl home every night. Well, he doesn’t—he goes to their place. But bringing them here? Don’t even think about it.”
Well, that’s weird.
I don’t reply, smiling awkwardly.
“Do you know about him?” He raises an eyebrow.
“You mean, do I know about the fights? Yeah. I do.”
He nods. “Good. I thought I’d have to make up stories.”
The familiar sound of a text message coming through interrupts us. Tanner reaches for his phone in his pocket and unlocks it. I can’t tell what he’s looking at, but when uncertainty crosses his face, I know something’s wrong. Realization seems to hit him. Then he looks up as any trace of kindness quickly drains from his emerald-green eyes.
“Hold on. You said my brother offered you a place to stay because you were in trouble last night. What kind of trouble?”
I mentally debate on whether or not I should tell him.
“Listen, it was great talking to you, but I really have to go. It’s getting late,” I stutter, walking toward the kitchen where the closest door is screaming my name.
He gets up as well, a hatred I’ve never seen before occupying his gaze. Then he says the two most dreadful words I’ve ever heard.
“You’re her.”
“What?” I step back, desperately analyzing my surroundings for an object I could use as a weapon.
“You’re the East Side girl.”
I don’t even have time to react when he rushes toward me, his eyes as dark as night. The oxygen is knocked out of my lungs when he pushes me against the wall, his hands circling my throat roughly. I hit him as hard as I can to get him off me, but it’s no use. He’s a good six foot five of muscle and obviously stronger than me.
“You’re that girl he made the deal about, aren’t you?” he hisses, barely an inch from my face. “Listen, I don’t know what the fuck is going on with Haze or why he’s messing with the enemy, but this is never going to happen again. You stay the hell away from my brother, do you hear me? You tell the East Side their pathetic attempt to screw us over is not going to work.”
Then I do the only thing I can think of. I lift my leg up and knee him as hard as I can where the sun doesn’t shine. He lets go of me almost instantly, groaning in pain. I sprint to the exit, slam the door open, and rush out onto the street. I have never run so fast in my entire life. Unable to see my feet hitting the ground, I look back to the Adams house that keeps getting smaller.
In the end, I was right. What I was running toward turned out to be so much worse than what I ran away from.