Chapter Three #2
I didn’t miss the way he said other. “What kind of other events, Zac?” I ask, my mind now whirling with worst-case scenarios. I can’t stop my mouth before I start rambling on to him.
“Because if your other events are what I’m thinking, I’m walking out that door and keeping you far, far away from my best friend.
Please, for the love of God tell me you are not auctioning off women.
Prostitution? Oh boy, you’re not selling drugs here, are you?
No, you don’t seem the type for that. Although, you think you know someone and then, BOOM, you really don’t. ”
Zac is staring at me with scrunched up eyebrows. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asks before shaking his head. “Actually, don’t answer that. No, I’m not running a goddamn woman auction or prostitution ring.”
Just as he is about to say more, his phone starts blaring “My Girl” by The Temptations. When Zac answers the phone like his life depends on it, I can’t help but laugh a little. Clearly that boy is lovesick.
I’m sitting here, trying not to be the nosy friend listening in on his conversation with Lyssa, but then he mentions roses and a card. He tells her that they are not from him. My blood goes cold and all that goes through my mind is that I need to get to her.
Alyssa is one of my best friends. I know her, and her past, and receiving flowers from an unknown sender is going to draw up unpleasant memories for her.
Two years ago, one of Alyssa’s old foster brothers started stalking her.
She started receiving roses, odd gifts, and then the treats started.
This went on for six months before he was finally caught when he attacked her in the hospital while she was doing her practical placement for college.
Reacting on autopilot, I jump out and grab the phone out of Zac’s hand. I think he’s so shocked by my sudden movements that he freezes for a moment. I have to push on his back to let him know to start moving as I talk to Alyssa. “Lyssa, it’s Reilly. You are okay. You are safe. You’re in
the hospital; nothing can happen to you in the hospital.” I try to keep my voice as calm as I can manage in an attempt to reassure her.
“Lyssa, listen to me. Do not open that card. Don’t touch it. We are on our way to you, okay? Zac and I, we’re coming to get you, okay?”
Her voice is quiet as she agrees. Shit, this is not good. She’s freaking out. I can tell by how quiet and shaky her voice is, her breathing quickening.
“I want you to stay on the phone with me until we get there. Go and tell whoever you need to tell that you’re sick and you need to go home, okay?” I do everything I can to reassure her that it’s not him. That she is not getting stalked again. I would know if he was released from jail.
Zac halts at the carpark and questions me. I can see he’s stressed but I don’t have time to deal with him right now. If Alyssa wants to share her past with him, that’s up to her, not me.
“You need to drive. If you care about Alyssa at all, you need to get to the hospital now. Just know that she needs us. I can’t tell you why, it’s not my story to tell.” It doesn’t take him long to have the car screaming out of the carpark and towards the hospital.
I’m standing in Zac’s apartment, correction Zac’s penthouse, by myself wondering what the hell I do now.
After collecting Alyssa up from the hospital bathroom floor, Zac threw his car keys at me and ordered me to drive.
Let me repeat that, he ordered me to drive his Batmobile fancy-pants car because he wouldn’t make Alyssa let go of him.
He carried her up to his apartment and then continued down a hallway, with me hot on his trail.
He didn’t even look behind him as he slammed what I’m assuming is his bedroom door.
Deciding that Alyssa is actually in good hands with him, and that she seemed like she needed to be with him, I make my way back out to the living room, staring out of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“What the hell do I do now?” I ask the city below.
Taking out my phone, I send a group message to Holly and Sarah, letting them know to get here as soon as they can.
They both text back immediately that they are on their way.
In my haste to get to Lyssa, I left my bag in Zac’s office and my car at the club.
Before thinking too much about it, I call Bray and he answers on the first ring.
“What’s wrong?” he says in lieu of a greeting. “Nothing’s wrong. Why does something have to be wrong for a girl to actually call you?”
“Babe, first, you’re not a girl; you are all woman.
Trust me, I’ve been up close and personal with your womanhood.
I know. Second, women usually don’t call me during the day; it’s usually late at night.
The only girl who ever calls me during the day is my little sister. So, I’ll ask again, what’s wrong?”
Damn it, why does the mention of other women calling him, clearly for booty calls, make my blood boil?
I don’t care who calls him for a damn booty call.
If I say it enough, it’s true, right? Choosing to be the bigger person and ignore his recall of last night’s events, I tell him exactly why I’m calling, hoping to God that I can trust him enough to deliver my car to me in one piece.
“Okay, so the thing is, Zac and I had to go pick Lyssa up from work. Something happened and, in the rush out of Zac’s office, I left—” I’m cut off by his booming voice on the other end of the phone.
“What the fuck happened to Lyssa? And why didn’t you lead with that? Where is she now? I’m on my way!”
“Wait, Bray, Lyssa is fine. We are at Zac’s apartment and she’s holed up in the bedroom with him. I need you to get my bag from Zac’s office—my car keys are in my bag. Can you please drive my car here?”
“No worries, babe, be there before you know it. Are you sure she’s okay?” He sounds genuinely worried about her. I’m not entirely sure how to feel about that.
“Yes, she’s fine. But you won’t be if you even so much as put a scratch on my car. It’s the black GT in the carpark.”
“You drive a fucking Mustang? Be there soon. Oh, and don’t make plans for tonight. You’re busy.” He hangs up before I can threaten him any further about damaging my car. Or tell him he’s out of his mind if he thinks I’m busy with him tonight.
As I’m waiting for the girls, and now Bray, to show up, I come up with a genius plan to escape the building without Bray noticing it was me who was leaving.
Well, not really genius since Holly and I have been trading places and fooling people all our lives.
Nobody, other than our parents and closest friends, can ever tell when we’ve switched identities.
I will be walking out of this building as Holly and not Reilly.
By the time Bray notices, if he notices, I will be long gone.