I pull open the door, letting her enter first. “I still can’t believe any of this.”
Crew and Neo are sitting in the living room. Crew on the couch with his feet kicked up on the coffee table, and Neo lying down on the sofa with his feet dangling off the side.
“Where’s Jagger?” I ask anyone who will answer me.
Of course, it’s Crew that speaks up. “On the phone with his dad.”
“Okay. I’m going to take a shower. You all play nice.”
Turning to Riley, I whisper, “You okay if I leave you with them?”
She glances at the guys and rolls her eyes back to me. “I’ll survive, but make it quick.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
JAGGER
I’m pacing my room,waiting for my dad to call back. He rang a few minutes ago and said he had an update, then ended the call abruptly when Scar’s dad, Kol, arrived at his house.
After a minute of anxiously waiting, my phone buzzes against my palm.
“Everything all right?” I ask immediately.
“I dunno, son. You tell me. What’s this business about Scarlett digging for information on the Beckett family? I thought you said you’d keep a tight lid on what we discussed.”
“I did. Never said a word. Scar, er, Scarlett’s meddling has nothing to do with anything I said.”
“Better not have. You boys have one job there: keep the students in line. You let The Elders and The Guardians deal with everything else.”
Easier said than done, considering the shithead stalker is inserting himself into every aspect of our lives.
“Understood. Now what’s this news?”
“It seems the Beckett family line continued when the late Jeremy Beckett’s mistress birthed a son seventeen years ago.”
This isn’t anything I don’t already know, but I don’t tell him that. He’ll likely scold me for digging.
“Okay. Where is he now?”
“No one knows. His father was found murdered in their home over a year ago, and he hasn’t been seen since. There’s a missing person’s report on him and a rap sheet about a mile long. He’s also wanted in connection to his father’s death. He’s trouble, son. Kol and Sebastian have a couple contacts they’re reaching out to, to start a search for this kid. I’m sure he’s long gone by now, but we can never be too safe. But if anything, and I mean,anythingsuspicious happens, you need to notify me. Understood?”
If he only knew.“Yes, sir. And keep me updated if you hear anything else.”
“How’s your grades?”
“Same as always. AllA’s.”
“Good. Keep it that way and you’ll be following in your old man’s shoes in no time.”
“Can’t wait.” The sarcasm in my tone is obvious, but my dad has become pretty good at only hearing what he wants to hear.
A knock on my open door has me turning my head. “I gotta go, Dad.” I end the call and set my phone on the dresser. “Look at you all fresh and clean.” I nuzzle up to her, burying my face in her soaked black hair.
Her wispy strands tickle my cheek as I move my mouth down to her neck. “Mmm. You smell so good.” Parting her hair to the other side, I suck her skin between my teeth. “It’s a shame you’ve got a friend over.”
She giggles. “Seems she's not only my friend.”
“She’s certainly not ours. In fact, I barely know the girl.”