Kellan looks like he’s seen a ghost, but Shane smiles. “She’s perfect.”
I let out a growl. “She’s mine!”
He doesn’t even try to hide his smile at my possessiveness. “No. I mean she’s perfect for what we need.”
Kellan shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I’m not gonna be responsible for her.”
“Between the five us, she would be fine.”
“Look at what happened tonight,” Kellan snaps, arguing with Shane.
“Were you not paying attention?” Shane asks. “She managed to get away from the cops. And she didn’t even have any help.” He points at me. “Cole left her to fend for herself.” He smiles as if he’s proud of her. “And I must say, I’m impressed.”
I, however, want to strangle her. She fucked up my M4. I just bought that car. And the cops saw her, which brings up another thought. Why were the cops there? We disabled the alarm, and no one was around for miles. That warehouse is there for a reason; no one is ever in that part of the town. Barnes is a little town full of elderly people who live in retirement homes. Who would have seen us to call the authorities on us?
“I say we bring her in. See how she does.” Shane nods to himself. “Challenge her. She seems like the kind who wouldn’t back down from a fight.”
“And?” Kellan asks.
“And what?” Shane looks at him.
“When she gets us caught and we’re all in jail, then what?”
“That won’t happen.”
“How can you promise that?” Kellan snaps.
Shane looks back at me. “Because she won’t turn on someone she loves.”
I look at Bennett, the only one who has kept his mouth shut this entire time. He meets my eyes, and my chest tightens at the look in them. “You know damn well that she would be the best piece no one ever saw coming,” he says.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s a message.
Deke: The princess was dropped off. Unharmed. You’re welcome.
I put my cell back in my pocket, close my eyes, and let out a long breath. “You guys know what this means, right?” I ask.
When silence falls over the room, I look them all in the eyes before I speak. “We gotta throw a party.”
AUSTIN
Shark: Party tomorrow night at my house. Be there at ten.
Cole sent me that last night while I was in the bathtub. As soon as Deke dropped me off, I jumped in the bath to clean off. To wash the day away. I never responded, but I don’t think he expected me to. He had summoned me, and he knew I’d show because well, what else do I have to do? And I wanna know what those boys are up to.
Three had looked at me like I was a disease. Cole looked like he wanted to kill me, and Deke looked amused.
First, they kill a guy, then they steal a car? Like what is their deal? Was the car one of their dares? Shelby had mentioned how they were always getting into trouble.
And she had called them Great White Sharks? In and out of the water. That’s why I put his number under Shark. I could use them on my side at school. It’s the second semester of my senior year at a new place. And the town is a stuck-up, wealthy city. I’m sure all the students are little brats, so I could use someone on my side who others are afraid to cross. Or five someones. Even if I’m afraid of them too. Deke said that my fate was in Cole’s hands. So he runs the pack. That was obvious, though. As long as I stay on his good side, I should be okay.
“You look so pretty.”
I look over to the chair next to me that Lilly occupies. She had stayed the night with us. Then this morning Celeste had asked Cole if she could tag along with us to the salon to get her hair washed along with her nails painted. I found it odd that she asks Cole for permission and not their father, but I shrugged it off. Shelby had told me that Cole is the one who pretty much raises her.
“Thank you,” I tell her with a smile. “You look very beautiful.”
She holds up her hands, showing me her little fingers. “Cole’s favorite color is pink.”
“Then he is going to love your nails.”
She nods. “That’s why I picked this color.”
Celeste comes up to us, placing her cell in her pocket. “Well, Lilly, I just spoke with Cole. I had to beg and promise to have you in bed by eight thirty, but he said you could spend one more night.”
“Yay.” She throws both of her hands above her head.
It’s probably because he is throwing a party. Celeste looks at me. “Oh, wow, Austin. I love your hair.”