Page 84 of Under the Lies

Slowly, she looks at me and grins. “Do you want to see where Noah went?

They won’t tell me where we’re going, but Thea did give me a set of rules in the elevator ride down for when we get to our destination.

Rule one: Stick close to her side.

Rule two: Do not engage in conversation of any sort.

Rule three: Do not look at anyone for longer than three seconds.

When I asked where the heck we were going, she added a fourth rule: No questions.

I still asked questions even though they all went unanswered.

Why did I need to listen to these rules? Why were they being so secretive about our destination? What am I letting them lead me into? Why is Reeve smiling like he ate the canary? Seriously, out of all three of them, he was looking like he was on the best high of his life, ecstatic for what’s to come.

Even some of Thea’s excitement had been replaced with anxious energy by the time we slide into the backseat of the waiting car Jensen had pulled around to the front of the building.

It only took about two minutes of being squished between Thea and Reeve to piece together where we’re headed.

The wharf.

Confusion fills me. There’s nothing there but warehouses and loading docks. Why would Noah go here?

The city is full of so many secrets and buildings pretending to be something they’re not, we could be going to a whorehouse masquerading as boat storage and I wouldn’t be surprised. Lead drops in the pit of my stomach with that thought, images of Noah with someone else…it’s not a picture I want to see live.

Our tires crunch on a loose gravel path as Jenkins brings the SUV to a crawl until we’re parked in front of a rusted out industrial warehouse. I stare at it. Noah’s here? Not to stereotype his rich ass, but this looks like the farthest place his Italian loafers would ever touch.

But I’m the only one that seems to think so. In unison, Thea, Gabe, and Reeve open their respective doors and climb out.

When I don’t move, Reeve reaches in and yanks me out. My feet stumble and I slam into his chest.

His arms snake around my shoulders, keeping me pinned to him. “If you wanted me to hold you, all you had to do was ask, Baby Brooks.” His lips graze my neck before I pull away. Gabe slaps him upside the head.

“Knock it off,” Gabe grumbles, the sound close to a roaring storm.

“Why? Are you jealous?” Grinning, he saunters closer to Gabe. “Do you want your big body wrapped up in these arms, Ruiz?”

Gabe’s face doesn’t change, but his eyes crinkle in the corners in amusement. He pushes Reeve away, who laughs and sends Gabe a wink.

“Children,” Thea chides with a smile.

How are they all smiling? It’s freezing out tonight, made even colder by the frigid ocean breeze. Ice daggers pierce past my coat, stabbing my skin. “What’re we doing here?”

“For the show.” Reeve’s smile stretches and it does nothing to comfort me.

“Show?” My voice is small, drowned out by the sharp wind.

Thea links her arm with mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, you’re safe with us.”

Safe. I haven’t felt safe since finding out someone was in my apartment. The word feels lost inside me, the meaning clear but the action missing. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel safe again. No matter who’s around.

But I squeeze Thea’s arm back as we move toward the rusted door, and as we walk, I take in our surroundings. Or lack thereof. This place is abandoned, save for our car, aside from our footsteps and the shrieking wind, it’s as quiet as a cemetery tonight.

My heart beats in tune with Gabe’s fist as it bangs against the door.

A little slat on the door opens, revealing only a pair of eyes. “Password.”

Seriously? I feel my eyes widen. I want to make a joke about us being five, but I bite my tongue. Something tells me the password isn’t going to be ‘fart for brains’ or something of equal juncture.

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