Chapter 18 Jade
Class on Monday is a lot of the same, and while I feel like I might actually be starting to get the hang of things, math and I still don’t get along.
I filled Trent in on the whole Randall incident.
Well, most of it. I might’ve left out most of what happened at the club, and he didn’t bring it up, which leads me to believe nobody else told him either.
The last thing I want is for him to think I put Hazel in danger.
I simply explained that Randall had invited me to dinner, and since he’s the mayor, I’m going to go to see if he has any valuable information.
I’m not sure why I don’t tell him the whole thing. Maybe because I don’t want to argue again, maybe because I don’t want to worry him. I don’t know, but regardless, he wasn’t happy with the idea of me going either, though he wasn’t quite so insistent as the guys had been.
The rest of the day passes in a blur, and before I know it, I’m headed to the parking lot after my last class without even really remembering leaving the classroom. Thankfully, it was English, which I’m doing okay in so far.
I blame my fuzzy brain for not noticing that the guys are already standing around Roderick’s car when I get there, but it’s not until they all climb in that I realize it’s not just them.
Roderick climbed into the driver's seat while Spencer takes the passenger seat. I go to climb in the back, but before I can, Zander’s hand snakes around my waist and pulls me back against him.
“Me first today, Doll,” he whispers in my ear, right before he takes it between his teeth and nibbles on it. My body heats like it’s caught on fire, and I’m sure my cheeks are bright red when he drops his arm and swiftly moves around me to slide into the back seat.
Asshole.
I hear him chuckle, and I know he sees how my body just responded to him, but there’s nothing I can do to hide it.
I lift my chin and climb in the back, pulling the door closed behind me as I settle in next to Zander without looking at him.
“Aww, come on, Doll, I was just messin',” he says, sliding his arm around my shoulder, and while I huff at him, I also know he’s telling the truth. Zander loves messing with everyone, but I seem to be his favorite.
I look up, intending to give him a hard time, but the words die in my throat as I see that it’s not just us in the back seat today like it usually is.
“What’s he doing here?” I ask as my eyes land on Jake, his focus already on me. Has he just been sitting here watching me the whole time?
How the fuck did I not notice him?
“Yes, please explain,” Jake says, and while he’s talking to the guys, he doesn’t look away from me.
“Kratos wanted to see him,” Spencer says from the front seat, his voice sounding bored.
“Okay, but why is he in the car with us? Can’t he just meet us there?” I ask because it seems stupid that they have him. It’s not like Jake doesn’t know where Hopper’s is; he’s part of Vengeance, after all.
“Not us,” Roderick says as he pulls the car out of the lot. That gets my attention enough that I look away from mine and Jake’s little stare-off to glare at him in the rearview.
“What does that mean?” I demand watching him, even though I know he can’t look back at me while he drives.
“It means you're not going with us,” Spencer answers for him, and this time his bored tone irks something in me. I turn my attention to him, and even though we’ve remained somewhat civil lately, I have a feeling that's about to go out the window, and I can’t even say I’m sorry for it.
“The hell I’m not.” I push forward until I’m wedged between the front seats. I’m damn near in Zander’s lap like this, but I don’t give it a thought. This is more important.
I turn my attention to Roderick, completely ignoring Spencer, even though I feel his eyes on me.
He doesn’t even glance in my direction, instead continuing to focus on the road in front of him as if he can’t carry on a conversation while driving.
We all know he can.
“You don’t need to be there,” Spencer says from beside me, but I continue to ignore him. I allow myself to enjoy the satisfaction of hearing his tone change, though, clearly, I can still get under his skin even with the new big bad boss title.
Roderick pulls off the highway and, in doing so, has to look my way to check the road. He gives a small huff when I cock my brow at him in question. I’m not letting this go, and with his love for order, I know he’ll fold, eventually.
“I don’t know,” he finally says as we turn into a neighborhood that I’m actually familiar with.
“Kratos said that you should spend the day with Trent. Work on your studies. He didn’t give me a reason, and I’m not in the business of asking for them.
” His eyes dart over his shoulder for just a moment, but it’s long enough for him to make his point.
He can’t say more with Jake in the car, and I wouldn’t put it past Kratos to give them no reason at all.
Slumping back against the seat harder than necessary, I fold my arms in annoyance.
I might understand why he can’t say more, but that doesn’t mean I like this.
I also don’t like the idea of the guys being alone with Jake without me.
All it will take is something minor, and they could blow this whole thing up before I get the chance to make any headway with Randall.
I’m caught between trusting them to do what they need and needing to get answers of my own.
Fuck.
I take a deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly as I attempt to wrangle my temper. Insisting they take me and throwing my weight around in front of Jake could be just as detrimental to our mission as if they mess it up later.
I’m going to have to trust that Kratos has a reason for keeping me away, and honestly, it’s not that hard to believe.
Kratos and I have been working together for a long time, and while he’s against me putting myself in danger just as much as these guys are, I also know he trusts I can handle myself when needed.
No, my issue is trusting these three to keep it together and follow through with a plan they’ve made very clear they don’t support.
Pressure on my thigh pulls me from my thoughts, and I look down to find Zander’s hand gripping it. His hold is light enough that it’s not painful while still being enough to center me.
I look up at him, but he’s not looking at me. Instead, he’s got his phone out, appearing busy, but I can tell he’s paying attention to me even though he’s not drawing attention to me.
I feel the knot of anxiety loosen in my chest just the slightest bit, shocking me. He turns his eyes away from his phone, and our eyes meet long enough for him to give me one of his pretty-boy smiles before he turns his attention back to the screen.
I remember our talk last night. The way he held me when he told me he cared about me. How his voice was almost pleading when he asked me to let them help, and how understanding he was, even when he didn't need to be.
I take a deep breath. “Where are you taking me?” I ask, and while the car was mostly quiet before, it’s as if they all freeze for a moment.
I guess none of them expected me to concede so easily.
Well, the feeling’s mutual because I didn’t either.
Zander’s the first one to snap out of it. “We're taking you to Trent’s house. I thought you might want some help with homework,” he says with a smile, but there's a wicked gleam in his eye that lets me know I’m not going to like the next words out of his mouth.
I debate between lunging at him or not to keep him quiet, but I don’t decide fast enough.
“I knew you wouldn’t mind more one-on-one time with him,” he says as he wiggles his eyebrows at me like the weirdo he is, and yeah, I definitely should have shut him up when I had the chance. “And if you guys decide to do other activities, well—”
I have no idea what else he could have said, but I don’t give him the chance.
I can feel him chuckle under my hand, which now covers his mouth, and I know it would have only gotten worse.
Without moving my hand, I know he has a shit-eating grin plastered on his face right now. His eyes are a dead giveaway.
“If I move my hand, you're going to be quiet,” I tell him. My voice is low as I channel every bit of my inner badass into each word, but it does nothing. Zander isn’t afraid of me. I don’t think he ever has been, and I don’t know if he’s just really that crazy or stupid.
If looks could kill, he would be dead, but instead of nodding or even shaking his head, he does something even more drastic.
“Ewww, what the fuck?” I shout, pushing back on his chest to sit up. I didn’t even realize I was lying across him. In my attempt to shut him up, I’d shoved him almost into Jake’s lap, and he’s looking at us as if we’ve lost our minds.
Well, one of us has, that's for sure.
“What?” Roderick barks from the front seat as Zander falls apart laughing, not even bothering to move until Jake shoves him off of him.
“He licked me!” I yell, wiping my hand on my pants to get his slobber off. I make a show of rubbing as if he’s diseased, but he just keeps laughing, not even paying attention to me.
“No, what does he mean you want more one-on-one time with Trent?” Roderick asks, turning to face me from where he sits in front.
I hadn’t even realized we weren’t moving anymore thanks to Zander distracting me, but now, looking out the window, I can see that we’re parked at the end of Trent and Hazel’s driveway.
I roll my eyes but decide not to answer. That’s what he’s worried about right now?
I know the guys have some history, but Roderick seems to dislike Trent the most, and I have a feeling telling him I walk to class with him almost daily won’t go over well.
Not to mention, I also share lunch with him and text him about homework regularly.
He’s not the only one, but I know that won’t matter to Roderick.
I grab my bag out of the back before I reach for the door handle, suddenly happy for the escape. I’m not sure I would have survived the ride to Hopper’s with the way the guys are acting, or maybe they wouldn’t?
“What, no kiss goodbye?” Zander asks as I push the door open, and I turn back to glare at him. This whole thing is his fault. He just had to open his mouth. He knew what he was doing and, even worse, he’s enjoying it.
“Aw, don’t be like that, Doll. Ignore Ricky. You know how he is with Trent,” he says, waving his hand in Roderick’s direction as if it’s no big deal. Judging by the glare Roderick gives him in return, I don’t think he appreciates it.
“I don’t understand why you all are just okay with dropping her off with the cop,” Jake says.
I don’t have a good answer for that, so I just keep on glaring at Zander. Nobody else answers him, so they're either ignoring him as well or they don’t have one either.
I move to get out of the car, hopping down and slinging my bag onto my back.
“I'll call you when we're here to get you,” Roderick says, turning his attention back to me. His words come out clipped, and I have a feeling Zander’s comment about Trent isn’t going to be forgotten.
I give him a nod before I reach to close the door, but Zander jumps down before I can move to close it, gathering me up in his arms in one swift motion
“I’m sorry, Doll, I didn’t think it was a big deal. You didn’t seem to mind the last time I licked you,” he says before pulling me flush against him and pressing his lips to mine.
My brain screams at me to push him away, but my body does the opposite, and I melt into him. The kiss is short and demanding, but more than enough to scramble my brain the way I’m sure he intended.
He pulls back and hops back in the car, pulling the door closed as I stand in the driveway in a daze.
It’s not until Roderick backs out of the driveway that what he says clicks in my brain, and I feel my whole face heat.
“You're an asshole!” I scream at him as he rolls down the window, blowing me a kiss before they continue down the street and out of sight.