Page 40 of Caleb
It’s not like I don’t have a pending balance with the demons demanding their pound of flesh inside my head.
“I’ll let you guys know about the pool party.” She stands up, and I follow her lead. “I’ll text you later. And—thank you for being honest and telling me what happened yesterday.”
“Of course, Miss Murphy,” I say with a tight-lipped smile. A few people are walking around the garden, planning an event or something, it seems. And we wouldn’t want anyone to listen to me calling her anything other than Miss Murphy. “We’ll be around.” I nod, and she nods back.
I start to walk away when I stop and turn around. “Miss Murphy?”
“Yes?” She cocks her head with curiosity.
“Don’t let fear win.”
Pool Party
FEAR LOST,and we’re now arriving at this massive gated property on the outskirts of Paris. The place is abuzz with cars and young people climbing out from them with big smiles on their excited faces. Everyone’s wearing their swimming trunks and bathing suits.
“I’m so excited!” Sophie says with a squeal as Aaron puts the car in park. I glance over my shoulder, and Cecile looks unimpressed. I like her. She seems like a very pragmatic, confident girl, and I feel like she’s the type of friend Red needs. The type she might benefit from in the long run.
We picked up Red’s friends on our way here. She didn’t want to arrive here “alone.” Funny how she’s literally never alone but still manages to feel lonely all the time, I’m sure.
A part of me wishes I could help her fill that void, and in a way, I like to think I’ve helped in boosting her willingness to get out more, but it keeps breaking my heart to see how insecure and afraid she still is, especially after what happened yesterday. She even made me promise her before we left the Residence today that I wouldn’t let anyone kidnap her, for fuck’s sake.
“Red,” I said, placing my hands in a tight fist in front of me while a soft laugh escaped my lips. “No one kidnaps you.Ever. And as long as I’m breathing, no one lays a finger on you.And you don’t want to know what happens if they do.” Her eyes widened before nodding a few times and finally hopping in the car so we could drive away and pick up her friends.
Yeah, Red probably freaked out after I said that to her. Or maybe it washowI said it, but it’s the truth, and she needs to know I’m not here to make her laugh, help her relax, and be her friend. I can do all those things as well, but I’m here first and foremost for her protection. And the fact that I’m constantly showing her my soft side doesn’t mean I won’t bust up someone’s face if they get too close or look at her funny. She keeps forgetting that, and maybe I need to show her how intimidating I can be. Perhaps that’s the only way she’ll understand she’ssafewith Aaron and me.
The girls get out of the car, and I’m hot on their heels while Aaron and three other agents who followed us in another vehicle do a perimeter check. Ambassador Murphy wanted extra security today just to be safe. And if you ask me, it only makes Red unnecessarily more suspicious and nervous about the whole thing.
But nobody asked me.
And you never know, maybe she was the one who asked for the extra security. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.
My brow lifts at the scene before me. Shirtless guys handing out drinks to mostly underage girls in skimpy bikinis, a couple making out in the pool against one of the walls, puffs of smoke here and there, and by the smell of it, it’s not just tobacco.
Fucking hell.
Shaking my head, I find a spot where I have a clear visual of Red and both entrances to the backyard.
Sophie and Cecile quickly remove their sundresses and drop them over their bags which they left on a deck chair. Red’s twisting her ponytail and looking around the place. She’s wearing denim shorts and a white tank top. I can see her bathing suit straps tied around her neck, so I know she’s wearing one underneath her clothes, but she’s holding on to her bag and doesn’t seem convinced of getting undressed just yet.
Good.
A few guys are already circling the three girls like greedy vultures, ready to dive in, so I wouldn’t mind if she wanted to keep her clothes on for the entire duration of this event. It would certainly make things easier for me. But I doubt it. The day is warm, and she’ll probably want to jump in the pool. Hell, I wouldn’t mind dipping into it myself if this were an alternate universe where I was a guest at this party because the heat is making my suit cling to my skin while large beads of sweat run down the back of my neck. It only adds to the irritation I’m having trouble brushing off about Red being at this type of party.
In the distance, I spot Noelle sitting at the edge of the huge kidney-shaped pool sipping on a drink and wearing a bright orange bikini that accentuates her golden tanned skin and her long blonde hair. She looks hot. It makes my mouth go dry. Or maybe it’s the heat. But she’s got a guy on either side of her, of course, making her laugh. I’m about to look away when she turns all her attention in my direction. Her lips curve into a smirk with a knowing look in her eyes.
Pulling on my shirt’s tight, icky collar, I force myself to peel my gaze off her. This girl is the epitome of temptation walking around unchecked. Or lounging by the pool, that is.
As I drag my attention back to Red, I see Sophie pulling her tank top over her head and tossing it over their bags. I can almost see Red’s flushed cheeks from here. Or maybe the sun’s already doing a number on her cream-colored skin. Who knows? But she’s so goddamn cute, and now she’s half-naked and surrounded by a bunch of horny and somewhat drunk teenagers.
I am not equipped to deal with this shit.
Noelle leaps into the pool, and a silly wrestling game ensues with one of the guys, which seems like an excuse for them to get closer to each other. It bothers me. It shouldn’t, but it does. I don’t want the girls to be taken advantage of by these guys, especially since the guy in question has dried off his hand with a t-shirt and is now passing her a blunt. She takes it between her fingers without hesitation and takes a long drag, making her cough afterward.
Fuck this. I can’t watch.
Forcing myself to look away again, I see a guy handing Red a plastic cup. I was distracted watching Noelle when the guy poured the drink, so I blast off in their direction because these guys are passing drugs around, and I can’t risk her drink being laced with any of that crap.
Before she can take a sip, I’m already standing in front of them, whisking the cup from her grasp and tossing the contents onto the grass.
