Chapter 7
Bellamy set me up in his room once more against the same door, and Cleo padded in behind us like a shadow. When I asked him if being in different clothes would be a problem, he merely shook his head and adjusted my stance. Halfway through the session Cleo yawned, her tail flicking lazily side to side and her damaged ear twitching with interest as she leaped off the bed and watched us from right beside Bellamy’s feet. After a while, she appeared to get bored because she turned and strolled out of the room, tailraised.
"Is Knix home?" I asked as I stared across the room from myposition.
Bellamy mumbled something before he tilted his head and swiped his paintbrush through more paint. "He's around somewhere," hereplied.
"AndTexas?"
"Probably working." I sighed, and he stopped, his gaze rising up over his easel. He set his tools to the side. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Do you need abreak?"
I shrugged and then winced, unsure if I just messed up my position. He smiled and raised his paint smeared hand for me to take. I dropped my shoulder and reached for him. He pulled me away from the door and closer to him until I was standing right in front of him with my face tiltedback.
"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" he asked. "You seem a little off. Is it one of theguys?"
I shook my head. "No, it's none of you guys. You guys are great. Beyondgreat..."
His thumb trailed over my cheek. "Then what isit?"
Standing so close to him, I couldn’t help but think of the kiss we had shared in his car. He must have been thinking of it too, because his eyes dropped down to my mouth and, on instinct, my tongue slid over my lower lip, wetting it. I didn't do it on purpose, but it made his eyes widen and then narrow. His expression intensified, and he stepped closer, impossibly closer. I looked up at him through my lashes.What was I doing?I didn’t want to confuse him. I didn’t want to confuseme!
But I'm already a little confused by them, aren't I?another voice in my head said. Bellamy's warm chocolate eyes watched me, curious and hopeful. His gaze slid over my face and when he leaned down, I could smell the mint on hisbreath.
"I told myself that I'd give you time," he said, "that I would let you come to me, but it's getting harder and harder to have you around all of the time. I wantmore."
"More?" It was difficult to hear him, much less make out his words over the pounding of my own thumpingheartbeat.
"You don't think about it?" heasked.
The kiss.He's talking about the kiss.A rush of heat flooded my face, burning into my cheeks. "I-I think about it," I admitted. I'd thought about his kiss and Marv's and Knix's. I'd thought about a lot of things concerning them, whether or not it would affect the team dynamic – it most certainly would. So, I'd held off. Half tempted to kiss one of them – or all of them – again to see if they really were as intense as they seemed, as sweet and enticing as I remembered. But then I thought about Iris. What would happen if I did get involved with one of them? Would I still be allowed to be on their team? Would the others hate me for not choosing them? How the hell would I even be able tochoose?
"–a lot to deal with." I caught only the tail end of Bellamy's words, not realizing that, as I had been agonizing over the consequences of my actions he had been speaking. When I blinked up at him in confusion, he chuckled and settled two warm palms over my shoulders, thumbs brushing back and forth over my arms. "I know you have a lot to deal with right now," he repeated, "with your mom and Iris, I don't want to push you. I know things are a little confused right now. I canwait."
I bit my bottom lip and looked up at him, debating whether or not to tell him about Marv and Knix. It was only right, I told myself. He deserved to know. I released my lip and sucked in a breath. Just as I opened my mouth, however, someone called for Bellamy from downstairs. Both of our heads turned towards the door and Bellamy sighed, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to mycheek.
"We can talk more later," he assured me, releasing my arms and moving to thedoor.
I stood there long after he left, staring after him. Cleo jumped down from his bed and padded over to me before she turned over on her back and began to wiggle back and forth, trying to capture my attention. I looked down at her and smirked before bending over to scoop her into my arms. She meowed happily, purring against my hand as I scratched under her chin, and headeddownstairs.
* * *
Marv,Knix, Texas, Bellamy, and I all sat around the family table with boxes of pizza between us. Cleo perched in my lap and batted at a napkin on the table as I listened to Marv's recounting of the last of his interviews. I watched in silence as he sat forward before leaning back and then adjusted the sleeves of his shirt, unbuttoning them at his wrists and rolling them up to hisforearms.
"I'm telling you, Knix," Marv said, "this is bigger than it seems. I spoke to a few more families and a couple of them concur that their girls would never have acted like thisbefore."
"What else do they have in common?" Knix asked. I could tell that he was uncomfortable because they hadn't received a green light to even do these interviews. It seemed that while Marv was ready to sprint forward, Knix was the only one considering the repercussions. Bellamy listened intently as he ate his pepperoni pizza. Texas swiped at something on his phone under the table. I sat back and watched them all with my half-eaten slice of pizza growing cold in front ofme.
"Money," Marv replied, "some of the girls have been stealing money – or at least, their families think so. I think the families would prefer to think that they're just thieves rather than addicted to drugs or something as well. Large sums of money have been disappearing as well as some expensive jewelry and gold watches. I think this has built up over time. It's been months since the last camp session. Ms. Enders apparently only does the camp twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. If we don't act now, then we'll have to wait months and by then the trail will runcold."
Knix remained quiet and Marv grabbed a slice of pizza and set it gently on his plate. I smiled when he reached for a knife and fork to cut into it. Finally, Knix sighed and pushed his plate away from him. He placed his elbows on the end of the table and clasped his hands as he looked to Marv withunderstanding.
"I know you want to run at this head on," Knix began. "It's noble and I agree that this does seemsuspicious."
"–but?" Marv asked, setting his silverwareaside.
Knix pulled his arms away from the table, letting one drop and the other raise as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He did that, I noted, when he was frustrated or trying to think. "But," he said, "we still don't have approval from Alex. I've informed him of your findings. I can't agree to anything more than what you've done so far without breaking the rules. You knowthat."
I didn't, though. Curious, I sat forward. "Whatrules?"