Page 86 of Wicked Dove
Ocean was on a mission. Apparently, someone actually loves working out; she’s just never had anyone to do it with. Cue my part. This girl had circuits locked down tight. I didn’t even know there was a damn gym in the building, but she has had me running, using some stair climbing wall of death thing, and swinging dumbbells in every direction.
I don’t know how I’m not already looking stacked. My muscles should have muscles by now, but alas, I’m just aching in places I didn’t know existed.
“Get me off this damn thing,” I groan as the treadmill rolls to a stop. Apparently, it was a cool-down walk, but I don’t feel any cooler. “Ice cream is definitely allowed now, right?” I ask, half sobbing as I lean forward and press my hands into my thighs,while Ocean grins at me, dabbing a towel at her temples all lady-like.
I consider hating her.
“What are we watching?” she asks as she flicks her blonde braid over her shoulder, and I sigh.
“Something funny. I feel like we deserve a good laugh after the torture you just put me through,” I grumble, making her grin.
“As long as you’ve got a good sense of humor,” she retorts, and I gape at her with a hand on my chest in shock.
“Don’t doubt me.”
She shakes her head at me as I tug the headphones from around my neck and offer them to her, but she waves me off dismissively.
“Keep them,” she insists, and a knot forms in my gut. “Don’t start,” she warns before I can even open my mouth. “I’m certain I’ll be able to convince you to come back down here again. You’ll need them. Besides, I’ve got these too,” she explains, waving her own headphones at me.
The only reason she kept me down here so long is because she lent me them; the beat was addictive, and it kept me in rhythm. God knows what I would be like without them.
Instead of wallowing over another handout, I suck it up and nod. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she says with a smile, heading for the door, and I follow after her.
We fall into step with one another as we head back toward the staircase that leads up from the basement, but as we near them, I spot one of the doors sitting slightly ajar. It was closed earlier, but now I can see inside. I’m curious.
Nudging the door open, my gaze immediately latches onto Kael’s motorcycle. My tongue sweeps across my bottom lip, but I tamp down the thoughts of last night as I take in the rest of theroom. There are two more vehicles beside the bike, a blacked-out truck, and a?—
“Holy crap, it’s almost as pretty as a stingray,” I breathe, rushing to the sleek black car that has hearts forming in my eyes.
“Isn’t a stingray a sea animal?” she asks, and I wave her off.
“Sure, but it’s also the prettiest car you will ever see,” I gush, looking down at the Corvette Z06 before me.
“If you say so,” she murmurs from beside me, clearly not seeing the beauty that I do, when my brand-new cell phone chimes from my pocket.
Frowning, I pull it out to see a text notification from Kael. I didn’t even know I had his number. Gnawing at my bottom lip, I open it to find a text has been sent to a group chat. I don’t need any guesses to know who else might be in here.
Kael:Where are you?
I consider ignoring it,but once again, curiosity leads me down a dangerous path.
Elodie:Why?
Kael: Where?
Wow.He’s a pot of joy this morning. Note to self: don’t have sex with him anymore because it does nothing to relax him and everything to piss him off. I’m about to stuff my cell phone back into my pocket when it goes off again.
Rion:Don’t stress him, Petal. He’s already lost it.
Elodie: What’s going on?
Kael: Where. Are. You.
“Is everything okay?”Ocean asks, and I blink at her in confusion.
“I don’t even know. Just Kael being Kael, I guess.”
