Page 78 of Saving Kate

“I don’t feel like getting the third degree over any type of food with you.”

“No third degree. Where I’m taking you, we won’t even be talking. Scout’s honor.”

I grit my teeth and realize Ax is watching us from the doorway. The only upside of going out with Eli right now is avoiding him.

“Zero conversation?”

“Zero.”

“Deal.”

When Eli makes a deal, he keeps it.

He takes me to a movie theater that serves food, and of course movie theater policies haven’t changed in the last four years, so we barely talk. He does however, eat his weight in wings while I laugh at him and I get lost in the romantic comedy he swears he chose only for me. Though, his laughing and his eyes fixed on the screen tell me it isn’t exactly killing him to watch it.

When the movie ends, the lights come on and I catch him smiling at me. “Have fun?” He asks.

I grin. “I don’t know, you seemed to enjoy it enough for both of us.”

He rolls his eyes at me and leads me back out to his car. He starts to pull out of the parking lot and I glance over at him. “Thank you, Eli.”

“Anything for you, beautiful.”

I flush at the compliment. Pulling back up to the house is like being drenched in cold water as I’m finally pulled back to reality.

The memories of last night hit all at once.

“No one will bother you—”

“You mean Ax won’t bother me?” I correct him.

Eli smirks. “If he does, say the word and I’ll punch him.”

I wince, remembering Asher punching him in the face last night. “He deserved it,” I mutter quietly.

Eli nods. “We all did. We shouldn’t have bombarded you like that.”

“Why would you guys ever think—”

“Why don’t we head inside.”

I’m frustrated as he gets out of the car and I have to pick up my pace to keep up with him. We find Asher and Ax with another guy at the kitchen table. The other guy is tattoo free and looks up at me briefly as he continues typing away on his laptop.

“Kate, this is Colt. He contracts for me,” Eli tells me.

“Oh, on security?” I ask Colt.

Colt smirks darkly. “Among other things.”

Eli chuckles. “Colt’s one of the best hackers around.”

I raise an eyebrow at him and Colt grins proudly at Eli’s words without any attempt to deny it. “How was the chick flick?” Ax asks, catching my attention.

Asher snorts and Eli just grins at me. “I think Eli liked it more than I did,” I tease and Asher laughs louder.

“Not even surprised,” Asher says, shaking his head.

“So, what are you hacking?” I ask, turning back to Colt and glance at his screen that looks like the inside of the matrix.

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