9. Exposed
Exposed
Jack
“Fuck!” I sit on the bench in the locker room and stare at my phone.
“The fuck, Jack.” Caden looks from his phone to me.
I ignore him and shoot off a text.
Me:
We were just talking
Harper:
...
I run a hand through my wet hair. If Emma set me up, I’ll have her head. But this doesn’t look like she had someone come in and take a picture. Besides, I never fell asleep. I try to remember what’s on that side of her room and the angle the picture is taken from.
“Pretty sure that’s where her laptop is,” I mumble more to myself. “She has a webcam, and it was probably easy to hack. But who knew that I’d be over there?”
“Why were you on the bed?” Caden pushes my shoulder.
“It’s not like she has a couch in her fucking room like you, asshole.” I glare at the screen, waiting for Harper’s reply. “She was hurting. I was helping a friend.”
Harper:
Okay, but we have a problem if someone sent this to me
“Not just one problem,” I grumble.
Me:
Looks like someone hacked her cam
Probably reviewing footage and saw this
Emma hadn’t been sleeping since the attack
She asked me to stay so she could sleep
I didn’t touch her
I run a hand through my hair. Fuck, I hope she believes me.
Harper:
If you had, they wouldn’t have sent this shot
My chest loosens, and I take a breath. I love her fucking brain, and I’m so glad she didn’t jump to conclusions like some others might.
“This is just an introduction to what they plan to do with Sidney.” Eli nods to his phone and looks at Luke. “They want to put cracks in our foundation.”
“Sidney’s not getting near my bed.” Luke finishes tying his shoe and straightens. His gaze goes to everyone. “She’s not stepping foot in my room.”
Eli meets my eyes. “You good?”
“Yeah, as long as Harper isn’t mad at me. I told her that I touched Emma’s shoulder and gave her a hug. Didn’t think I’d need to tell her I laid down beside Emma to talk and let Emma sleep.”
“We don’t know who’s watching us and where.” Eli sighs. “We need to be alert to every situation and every conversation. Including in here.”
I glance around at the mostly empty locker room. Lockers shut a few rows over. Not trusting people sucks. We didn’t have to worry about this before, but maybe we should have. Somewhere along the way, we made some enemies that want us crushed. I meet Caden’s eyes. “How’s Harper doing?”
Caden grunts. “She had some nightmares last night.”
It’s been a while since that happened. But it’s understandable. Her home has been invaded multiple times, and now her mom is gone.
“Did you find out anything about Jennifer?” Luke asks, looking at both Eli and me.
“If she has a digital footprint, someone’s hiding it.” I tie my shoes. “And well.”
“If she has help, it’s not someone we know.” Eli glances at Jack. “Did you have a chance to contact our friend?”
I shake my head. They might be the one helping Jennifer. “Plan to tonight.”
We’re still not sure what we can share with them, but they might know where Jennifer is and if she’s coming back. I can’t imagine her staying away too long. Not when Harper is in danger.
“Jennifer called in to work last night.” Eli blows out a breath. “But not tonight. Yet.”
I grab my bag and shut my locker as the others get ready to go. We’re planning on heading over to Nico’s and hanging out for a little while before returning home. I still need to ask my dad about Sean Davidson.
I’m a little scared to find out he set Sean up that night. But I can’t even ask about that because I’m not supposed to know. What I can check is to see if my dad was paid hush money after the fact or even right before to set up Sean.
My hope is that my dad is innocent in all this, but what horseman is actually innocent?
We leave the school and drive over separately to Nico’s. I get there first.
Mrs. Lee greets me at the door. “Jack. It’s good to see you again. He’s in his bedroom. Upstairs, first door on the right. Tell him I’ll be up with more snacks.”
“Thank you.” I rub my suddenly clammy hands on my pants. What if Harper is actually mad at me? She didn’t seem that way in the text, but you can’t tell tone in texts for the most part.
I head upstairs and follow the sound of laughter. When I stop in the doorway, Harper sits beside Nico on the bed, a smile on her lips. Her gaze lifts to mine, and she holds out a hand to me.
Fuck. Relief pours through me. I didn’t realize how tense I’d been waiting for her response.
When I put my hand in hers, she lifts it to her lips and kisses my knuckles.
“You’re a good friend, Jack.” Her words are soft. Her eyes sparkle with love.
I release my breath and lean down to press a kiss to her lips. Kenz clears her throat. Pulling away, I drop Harper’s hand right before the door opens more and Nico’s mom comes in. When I wink at Kenz, she gives me a grin.
“I found a couple more.” Mrs. Lee looks happy as Luke and Eli come into the room. She sets a tray of snack cakes and sodas on the foot of Nico’s bed. “Help yourselves, and if you need more, just let me know.”
She folds her hands together. Eli and Luke part so she can go out into the hallway. I grab a plastic wrapped cake and open it.
“Everything good?” Luke looks between Harper and me.
“Everything’s good.” Harper’s dark eyes meet mine. “How was practice?”
We tell Nico and the girls about practice while we eat the snack cakes and drink the sodas. Caden joins us. Nico tells us how the surgery went and what the doctor said.
“Wednesday I’ll be back to school, but I have to keep my leg elevated. I’m not supposed to carry a bag or anything for a week.”
“We’ve got you.” I don’t hesitate because we do. “You’ll pretend to stay injured for the rest of the year with the way we’ll help.”
Nico shakes his head but smiles. “I appreciate it.”
We talk a little about school and classes. When Nico starts to fade, Kenz heads out, promising to bring Harper tomorrow after school. With her gone, Eli shuts the door.
“We need to be careful at school.” Eli rubs his jaw. “We need to make sure no one tries anything with Nico.”
“You need to watch out for Harper, not me.” Nico’s eyes narrow.
“We need to look out for both of you.” Caden steps away from the wall. “This isn’t a game. They could try to hurt you more seriously than you already are.”
“If you want to play in college, we need to work on your strengthening once PT is over. We can’t let anyone delay that,” Luke says.
“My dad hired a sports PT.” Nico takes Harper’s hand and sighs. “If it comes down to me or Harper though...”
He doesn’t finish the statement. He doesn’t need to. We all know what’s at risk.
Harper
I’m not one hundred percent on board with the helping me over Nico, but I understand it. There’s a part of me that’s happy they’ll choose me over him, or any of them. But the alternative of one of my guys getting hurt makes me anxious and turns my stomach.
Caden and I leave Nico’s last. Nico is practically asleep when we leave. The others promised to get on webcam tonight. I still have some college applications to get through and homework to do.
“You okay?” Caden drives me over to his house. “You’ve been quiet for a while.”
I blow out a breath and roll my head on the seat to look at him. “I wish my mom was here.”
“Maybe she’ll come back sooner rather than later.” His words are soft.
My heart clenches. “I hope so.”
We still don’t know what happened to make her run. And why she left me behind. Because of the guys or was it just the timing? Why did she have to leave at all?
Caden pulls into his garage, and we both get out. I follow him to the side door and up the stairs and down the hallway to his room. As much as I love being with him and the others, I want to go home. I want to talk to my mom.
I drop my backpack and sit on the couch.
“I’m ordering us a pizza.” Caden already has his phone out. “We can focus on schoolwork tonight. Maybe get ahead a little.”
My throat is full from the tears pushing their way up, so I just nod. I don’t have time to fall apart. As soon as Caden finishes ordering, he sets his phone to the side and lifts me to straddle his lap.
He searches my eyes. “What do you need, Harper? Do you need to hit something or cry? Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”
A tear slips out, and his gaze follows its progress. I draw in a breath. “Just being with you is enough.”
He nods and draws me into a hug. I rest my head on his shoulder and breathe in his cinnamon scent, absorbing his warmth. It doesn’t stop the empty feeling inside that my mom’s absence left, but it helps.
He rubs my back as he holds me. No more tears escape.
After a while, his phone vibrates. When I sit up, he reaches over and picks it up.
“Pizza’s here. Be right back.” Leaning forward, he kisses me softly. “I love you.”
My heart skips. “I love you.”
He smirks and sets me to the side. Adjusting his cock in his pants, he leaves the room. Yeah, I noticed that, but I needed the cuddle more than the sexy times.
I grab my backpack and get out my work and laptop. By the time he gets back, I’m settled on the floor in front of the coffee table with my back to the couch.
He sets the pizza down and grabs some napkins before joining me on the floor. We eat and do homework for a while.
Caden’s phone buzzes. He glances at it, rolls his eyes, and sets it aside.
When it buzzes again, he ignores it.
It buzzes again.
“Ignoring someone?” I ask.
“My parents,” he grumbles.
I glance at the door. “Is that smart with me here?”
He turns and captures my chin, tracing my lips with his thumb. “They just want me to come down to dinner. Which isn’t happening.”
“Will they come up here?” I can’t help the question. My mom would, but their parents aren’t like my mom.
“Nah, that’s too much effort. If anything, they’d send Ava, but she knows it would be pointless.” He shrugs and sighs. “Finish your work so I can fuck you, little nympho.”
Anticipation floods me, so I turn back to my homework.
About five minutes later, there’s a knock on the door.
“Go away, Ava,” Caden barks out.
The doorknob turns and a woman steps in. She’s tall even without the heels she wears. Her dark hair is pulled back into a loose bun, and her blue eyes are sharp as they take in me and Caden on the floor. Then her gaze falls on the empty pizza box.
“You could have answered my texts.” She cocks an eyebrow and crosses her arms over her chest.
At least we were studying and not in the middle of any number of things Caden likes to do to me. My cheeks still heat like we’ve been caught doing something wrong.
Caden sighs and picks up his phone. He types something into the phone and sets it down. His mom’s phone vibrates, and she glances at it.
“I see you’ve already had dinner, but you can at least come down for dessert.” Her vibrant blue eyes lock on me. “And you can bring your guest.”
“She’s my girlfriend, and we’re working on homework.” Caden stretches next to me, brushing along my arm and leg.
“Take a break.” His mom steps into the room. “Since my son’s manners haven’t improved, I’m Emily Ross.”
The and you are? is implied, so I straighten. “Harper Davidson.”
“Davidson?” Her brow furrows. “Is Jennifer Davidson your mom?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I won’t deny who I am to any of these parents.
Her anxious gaze darts to Caden, and she turns to shut the door. Caden stiffens next to me when she turns back around.
“What are you thinking, Caden?” His mom steps toward us and covers her mouth. “She shouldn’t be here.”
Alarm bells are ringing in my head, but I don’t know what to say. Fear paralyzes me. Does she not like me? Did I make a bad impression?
She glances my way, and her eyes soften. “I can’t explain right now, but—”
She cuts herself off. If I had anywhere else to go, I’d be packing my bag. Caden puts his hand on my thigh and squeezes. Not that he’d let me go.
“What’s going on, Mom?”