WITSEC

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The location of the mud run was almost an hour away, in the middle of a vast stretch of desert filled with rocky hills, thorny bushes, and cacti. From a distance, I could see the large Start and Finish banners, and lined up in front of them were many differently sized and colored tents. Each tent must have belonged to those who sponsored the mud run. That meant Desert Stone’s tent was among them.

Knox and Keelan had left hours before we had to finish helping set up, and we’d hit the road with Ethan and Isabelle a little after the sun had risen. The five of us had carpooled in Creed’s truck, and I was glad we had when I saw the long line of cars waiting to park along the road we were supposed to turn onto to get to the entrance. To my surprise, Creed kept driving. He continued further down the main road until another turn appeared. He took it and we came upon a second gated entrance. A guy holding a clipboard was manning the gate; he saw us and approached Creed’s window. Creed told him who he was. The guy searched for Creed’s name on his clipboard and let us in.

We drove to a small dirt lot, and I spotted Keelan’s Jeep right away.

“Employee parking?” Ethan asked from where he sat next to me in the backseat.

“Yup,” Colt answered as Creed parked close to Keelan’s Jeep.

Isabelle climbed out my door. Her green and black hair was in two bear-ear-looking buns on top of her head. I had my hair in two braids. Apart from the hair, she and I were dressed the same. She was wearing the racerback Desert Stone shirt I’d gotten yesterday and I was wearing the tank. I figured the more people who saw the name Desert Stone, the more might be inclined to sign up. We were also wearing black athletic shorts. The guys also wore shorts and were wearing differently colored Desert Stone T-shirts. Colt’s shirt was a dark red. Creed’s was black. Ethan originally hadn’t been wearing a Desert Stone shirt, but when he’d seen that the four of us were wearing them, he’d given us all a fake and overdone pout. Colt had run back into his house and grabbed an extra shirt he had that was a heather-gray color.

Isabelle hooked her arm through mine as we followed the guys. Walking toward the tents, I was a little taken aback by how many people were here. Some were standing by the start line, waiting for the run to begin, and others were checking out the different tents. I noticed a lot of groups of people dressed similarly. A group of about twenty women were all wearing pink tops. There was a group of what looked like friends who were all wearing red and black. A small group of elderly ladies were wearing neon yellow. Those were just the few that I had seen first, but there were many more color-coordinated groups.

Isabelle and I continued to walk behind the guys, heading for the Desert Stone tent that was closer to the Finish banner. Each time we had to go around people, the distance between us and the guys got bigger—not that the guys had noticed, because they seemed to be focused on talking and laughing amongst themselves. When a large group of college-aged men walked through the space between us, Isabelle and I had to stop and wait for them to pass. By the time we were able to proceed, the guys had disappeared out of sight.

“I can’t believe they didn’t notice we weren’t behind them,” Isabelle grumbled.

“They seemed to be really engaged in something they were talking about.”

Isabelle humphed as she grabbed my hand and pulled me in the opposite direction from the Desert Stone tent.

“What are we doing?” I asked.

“Being petty,” she shot over her shoulder.

I snorted.

“Since they’re more interested in their bromance, us girls are just going to have to have fun without them,” she explained.

“And make them come look for us,” I added.

“Exactly! We have a while before the race starts, anyway.”

I liked this side of her.

I followed Isabelle to a tent that was advertising energy drinks and handing out free samples. We each got a sample and moved to the next tent, which was advertising and selling athletic wear. That tent was bigger and one we could walk into to see the displays of different designs. Isabelle and I went inside and began browsing.

“I know this brand. I’ve seen it all over social media,” Isabelle commented as she drifted off to one side of the tent.

I veered in the other direction when I noticed white, high-waisted leggings and a matching sports bra on a hanging mannequin. It was the high-waisted leggings that really caught my eye. I still wasn’t comfortable with the scars on my stomach. They were harder scars to bare, and I probably would never be comfortable with others seeing them, apart from my guys. Seeing how high the waistband went on the mannequin, they would cover my stomach scars perfectly if I wanted to work out in a sports bra.

The leggings I currently owned were low-rise. I always bought that style because I’d never thought I’d see the day where I’d begin to feel comfortable baring my other scars. I’d assumed I’d always want to wear a shirt or a sweatshirt to keep everything covered and the idea of having an extra layer on my stomach hadn’t seemed appealing in this heat.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” a saleslady asked as she approached me.

“Uh…yes. I would like to get these.” I told her my size. She retrieved me a pair of leggings and a matching sports bra. She told me that they had other colors. Feeling impulsive, I got another set in black. The saleslady took my card and left to ring me up at the front.

I found Isabelle holding up a teal, gray, and purple tie-dye pair of leggings.

“I love the color of these,” I said.

“Same.” She sighed, folded them back up, and put them back on the display table.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I need to find a job,” she said sullenly. “The money I made from the one I had during the summer is running out quicker than I thought it would.”

So that was what yesterday at lunch was about. “Desert Stone is hiring. It’s a part-time front desk position.”

Her mood perked up. “Really?”

I nodded.

“I’m not going to get my hopes up, but that would be perfect. You work out there, right?”

“I do,” I confirmed as we made our way to the front.

The saleslady had my purchases bagged up and returned my card. I put my card in my wallet-slash-phone-case. I saw I didn’t have any missed calls or notifications before sliding it into the slim pocket of my shorts.

As we left the tent, Isabelle said, “Looks like they haven’t found us yet.”

I looked all around as we walked. “They haven’t even called or texted.”

“Reception is terrible out here.”

Instead of trying to search for the guys, I should have paid attention to where I was going.

“Shi, watch—” I heard Isabelle say as I walked right into someone.

I stumbled back a little before catching myself. “I’m so sorry.”

“If you wanted me, Shiloh, you could have just said. You don’t have to throw yourself at me,” a familiar voice said, and a few masculine laughs followed.

I looked up and my stomach sank. Gabe was here. Gabe, who’d shoved me during volleyball, tossed me into the school pool, helped destroy my car. Gabe, who was Cassy’s equally evil cousin.

Why is he here? I thought as I eyed him and his two friends, who I recognized as his teammates on our school’s baseball team, that flanked him. This was a Desert Stone-sponsored event. Gabe hated Colt and Creed. Unless he’d come to antagonize all of us.

Not wanting to give him the opportunity, I urged Isabelle to walk away with me. “Come on,” I said to her.

“Where are you going?” Gabe’s arm caught me around my waist, pulling me back to where I’d been standing in front of him. “I’m not done talking to you.” His arm moved from my waist to around my lower back and he stepped closer.

I pushed at his chest. “Let go of me.”

His hold on me was unrelenting. “Oh, come on. I just want to talk.”

“Hey!” Isabelle yelled as one of Gabe’s friends blocked her from getting closer.

Smirking at me, Gabe grabbed the end of one of my braids with his other hand and tugged on it just enough to make my head tilt slightly. “I want to see what is so special about you. I mean, you must have a magical cunt or something to satisfy both of the Stone brothers.”

His two friends snickered.

Pushing against his chest with one hand, I went to smack his hand away with my other. He caught me by my wrist before I could. Feeling the marred skin beneath his fingers, he looked down at my scar. An evil glint sparked in his eyes, and I just knew what he was going to imply next. “Or maybe it’s the kinky shit you’re into that keeps them entertained.” He leaned his face close to my ear and whispered, “Since you like being tied up so much, you might enjoy it when we put a noose around that pretty little neck.”

I tried to reel back, but couldn’t go far with him holding me.

“You better drop the charges,” he said in a low voice. “Your time is running out.”

Ripping my wrist from his grasp, I slapped his face and shoved him off me with all my strength. He fell back a step and violent anger darkened his eyes. Gabe’s friends went quiet and appeared stunned. In my peripheral vision, Isabelle took advantage of that and slipped past the guy who was blocking her.

I sensed it in my gut before I saw Gabe’s reach for me. He grabbed the front of my tank with one hand and swung with the other. He was going to backhand me. I blocked the hit by bringing my arm up. Isabelle screamed like a banshee and jumped on Gabe’s back. She began smacking and punching at his head and face.

To defend himself, he let go of me and tossed Isabelle off of him. I reached out to catch her, forgetting I had zero upper-body strength. The impact of her body made me stumble backward until my back collided with a chest. Failing to stay on my feet, I began to slide down the person behind me. Their hands caught me by my ribs and lifted, helping me back to my feet, and I helped Isabelle to hers.

“Did you just put your hands on my girlfriend, Harris?” Ethan snarled as he stormed by and put himself between us and Gabe and his friends. Then Creed appeared and went to stand next to Ethan.

“Are you all right, babe?” Colt’s voice filled my ear. I sagged against him a little.

Gabe slicked back his hair, which was the same tawny shade as Cassy’s, with his fingers. Isabelle had successfully messed up his hair and managed to scratch his cheek. I was calling it a win. “She was attacking me,” Gabe snarled.

“He was going to hit Shiloh,” Isabelle said with a tremor in her voice.

That information didn’t even need a second to sink in for Creed before he shoved Gabe hard. Gabe stumbled backward and his friends moved away as if they didn’t want to get involved. It was at that point I noticed a crowd forming around us.

Creed closed the space between him and Gabe and fisted the front of Gabe’s shirt.

“Hey!” Keelan appeared and got between them. With his good arm, he pushed Creed back, then turned to face Gabe.

Lost in his rage, Gabe tried to shove Keelan out of the way. Keelan angled to the side and caught Gabe by his arm, twisting it behind his back. Gabe struggled against Keelan’s hold, making Keelan wince. It was then that I noticed he wasn’t wearing his sling.

I was moving before I thought to and rushed around Ethan and Creed. By the time I made it to Keelan, he had knocked Gabe’s feet from under him and had him pinned, face-down on the ground.

Knox pushed through the crowd then, security right behind him. He took one look at Keelan restraining Gabe and told security to escort Gabe out. He then told everyone who had been standing around watching to move on and informed them that the run was about to start.

As soon as Keelan was standing, I went to touch him, but stopped myself. Clenching my hands into fists, afraid I’d hurt him if I touched him, I asked, “Are you all right?”

He covered my fists with his hands and smiled down at me. “I’m fine.”

“You could have hurt yourself more,” I grumbled.

He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me. “I saw you run over. Were you coming to save me?”

I looked up at him, frowning. “Are you teasing me?”

He chuckled. “Not at all. I’m quite touched that I have a protective girlfriend.”

“Is someone going to explain what happened?” Knox said as he came to stand next to us.

Colt and Creed walked over next, forming a circle around me. The four of them listened as I told them what had happened. By the time I was done, all four of them were scowling.

Knox looked at Creed and Colt. “Don’t lose her again.”

Colt and Creed stared at me, looking remorseful.

Deciding to take a page from Isabelle's book, I folded my arms across my chest. “Yes, it’s not very nice being forgotten by my boyfriends.”

Creed’s eyes narrowed and he mimicked me by folding his arms. “We didn’t forget you.”

I had to fight not to smile. “How long did it take for you to notice I wasn’t behind you?”

Creed didn’t answer and Colt looked so guilty, I was beginning to feel bad for teasing.

“Not until they made it to the tent and I asked where you were,” Keelan said.

“I’m sorry, babe,” Colt said.

Creed studied me with a frown. “Are you really upset?”

“Can’t you tell?” I asked.

“Normally I can,” he said.

I finally let myself smile. “I suppose this means I’ve improved my lying.”

Keelan snorted at the same time Colt sighed.

Trying not to smile, Creed shook his head and pulled me to him. “That is not something to be proud of,” he said, and did the unimaginable. He started tickling me.

I squealed and tried to get away, but it was no use. He had one arm locked around me while he used the other to tickle me on my sides and stomach. “Creeeeed…st—stop!” I tried to protest in between laughs. “Make him stop,” I begged the others.

Knox stayed rooted where he was, but he was smiling as he watched us. Colt and Keelan laughed, refusing to save me from Creed’s torture.

It wasn’t until I threatened to pee on him that Creed stopped and held my limp form as I recovered. Grabbing the back of my head, he made me look up at him and he kissed me sweetly. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize you weren’t behind us,” he said in a low voice.

“It’s all right. Isabelle and I went exploring,” I said. Speaking of that, I realized I didn’t have my bag with my purchases. I must have dropped it when I’d walked into Gabe. I pulled out of Creed’s arms and began looking around.

“Looking for this?” Isabelle asked, holding up my bag. She and Ethan were standing a few feet away, watching us.

I took the bag. “Thanks.” I turned around to go back to the guys and found Keelan right behind me.

“The run is about to start,” Keelan said, taking the bag from my hands. “I’ll hold on to this until you’re done.”

I handed over my phone-slash-wallet to him as well. I didn’t have reception, anyway. So there wasn’t a reason to risk it getting wet and muddy.

He kissed the top of my head. “See you when you’re done.”

That hurt my heart a little. He was the one who was supposed to do this with me.

He must have seen something on my face, because he said, “All I care about is if you have fun.”

I nodded.

He leaned in close. “If you want, we can create our own game of endurance at home later. It won’t involve mud, but it’ll definitely be wet.”

The feverish heat that hit me had nothing to do with the temperature outside. Keelan winked at me and walked away with Knox, leaving me standing there gaping at nothing because all I could see were the dirty visuals racing through my head.

“Shiloh?”

I blinked back to reality. Creed and Colt were standing in front of me.

“What’s got you all flushed?” Creed asked.

I opened my mouth and shut it. I didn’t want to answer that.

Colt tilted his head slightly, studying my face.

“The run is about to start,” I blurted, grasping at anything to deflect, and began heading toward the Start banner. “What are the stakes if I win?”

It seemed to work, because the guys walked with me and were quiet as they pondered. Isabelle and Ethan followed behind us, talking amongst themselves, while holding hands. After what had just happened, Ethan was also determined to not get separated from his girlfriend again.

“Winner picks dinner tonight?” Creed suggested.

“Knox and Keelan might not agree to that,” Colt said.

“Winner gets to take a shower with me, and I’ll help you wash all the mud off,” I offered. I was going to blame Keelan for the dirty mood he’d left me in.

Their brows tried to reach their hairlines as they both gaped at me.

“I think we’ve unlocked a new side of Shiloh,” Creed said to his twin.

“Like in a video game where if you collect enough coins, you level up?” Colt asked.

Creed nodded. “Instead of coins, it’s orgasms, and poof, a sexy and bold level of Shi appears.”

Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, I said, “I wonder how many orgasms you’ll have to give me to reach the next level?”

Colt groaned and grabbed for me, but I stepped out of reach with an impish smile.

“What if we both win?” Creed asked.

I shrugged. “My shower is big enough for three.”

Colt sighed. “Let’s get this run over quick.” They both started walking a little faster.

I stayed at a normal pace. “Um, what if I win?”

They slowed.

“You’re not going to win,” Creed said over his shoulder.

Taking bigger steps, I caught up quickly. “That’s rude. I could win.”

“Fine,” Colt said. “If you win, I’ll lick you clean in the shower, which I plan on doing regardless when I win.”

“You mean if we win,” Creed corrected Colt.

“If I win, since these stakes are dirty, I—” I started to say.

“You’re the one who made them dirty, Shi,” Creed pointed out with a grin. “No complaints, though.”

“Definitely no complaints,” Colt agreed, also grinning.

“I want to try something new in the bedroom,” I finished.

They both stumbled.

“What is it that you want to try?” Colt asked.

“If I win, you’ll find out,” I said.

Creed frowned at first, but as he pondered, his face relaxed and his head tilted to the side. “As long as you’ll be naked, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

I giggled. “I’ll be naked.”

“Now I don’t know if I want to win,” Colt said to Creed.