Unlocking the front door, I glance back over my shoulder with a sadistic grin. “But doesn’t the idea that we could get caught thrill you?”
“I don’t know what terrifies me more, the way Tanner is going to try and destroy you, or the way you’re going to fight back. You both play dirty.”
My grin widens. “Exciting, isn’t it?”
She shakes her head but can’t stop the shit-eating grin that tears across her face. “Fuck, yeah. Let’s do this.”
I laugh as I finally unlock the door and push through to the polished foyer, thankful to find that we’re home alone. Perhaps now might be the time to do a little recon on Jensen as well. I give Arizona the grand tour and she nods with each passing room, not exactly impressed by the place, but I suppose she wouldn’t be when she’s lived in McMansions her whole life.
At lunch, Arizona had explained that her father was some big businessman, important in the fuel industry, while Chanel’s mom is a socialite living the rich and famous lifestyle, but to be honest, I haven’t got a damn clue who her mom is. I’ve never heard of her before, but I still smiled and nodded as if it were a big deal. Ilaria though, she comes from old money. Her great, great grandfather was a big-time land developer with billions of dollars under his belt. Though when I asked what he was responsible for developing, she had no freaking idea, and honestly, I don’t blame her.
Both Ilaria and Chanel wanted to be here this afternoon, the idea of breaking into Tanner’s home was too thrilling to pass up, but Ilaria has dance class and Chanel was grounded over the weekend for apparently getting a little too drunk at Riley’s party and passing out on her front doorstep. So, it’s just me and Arizona.
We make it up to my bedroom and stand at the window, peering straight through to Tanner’s room. “We’re idiots, right?” I question her, my nerves starting to creep up once again. “This is insane.”
“It is,” she agrees. “But I’d feel like a loser if we bitched out now. I bet Tanner didn’t think about bitching out. He would have just done it and laughed about it afterward.”
“You’re right,” I tell her, both of us swallowing hard. We talk a big game, but when it comes down to the crunch and the panic starts to take over, we’re like two little field mice running from the big bad wolf. “We can do this. What’s a little breaking and entering between friends?”
She lets out a few quick breaths, her shoulders bouncing as she pumps herself up. “We’ve got this. It’s only Tanner Morgan and his whole crew that will come for our blood.”
“So, ummm …” I say, my gaze sweeping over the massive house before us. “I know we’ve got this and all, but how exactly do you think we’re going to get inside?”
Arizona looks over the house just as I am, her brows furrowed as she considers my question. “Do you think the back door would be open?”
I shake my head. “Nah, there’s no way, plus everyone has home security around here, right?”
“Right,” she says, her gaze fixing on Tanner’s bedroom window, making my stomach drop. “Do you think we could get in if we climb that tree and scale the side of the house?”
My gaze falls to the tree in question, and my heart gives out. I’m a little sporty, but definitely no athlete, and tree climbing certainly isn’t a strong point. “You want to climb the tree and scale his house?”
“Great story for the grandkids,” she tells me. “Besides, look at his window. It’s not closed properly, it’s open just a sliver, practically daring us to open it. If we could get our fingers through that, we can pry it open. In and out in two seconds. Plus, I get the opportunity to snoop through his room. Win-win.”
Well, shit.
“You know, when I first walked into the cafeteria and Ilaria waved me over, I thought you were the innocent one, but I think I was wrong.”
Arizona laughs, her wicked tone filling my room. “So very wrong, girl. Now let’s go and teach Tanner Morgan a lesson.”
Within two seconds, Arizona and I are standing out on the manicured lawn, staring up at the overgrown tree between the two big houses. “Okay,” Arizona says, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I exaggerated. Maybe I’m not as wild as I think I am.”
I shake my head, trying to figure out the best path up the tree. “I think we can do it,” I tell her, pointing out my trail. “If we find a step or something to boost us up, we can get to that low branch, step up to the next, then go to the right, and assuming that’s not actually as high as it looks from down here, we should be able to swing up to that top branch and reach the second story roof.”