Each lie that came out of my mouth was accompanied by an ever-increasing bitter taste. I frowned.
To be honest, the woman at my side wasn’t ugly. She was fair. On a scale of one to ten, she was a four or five.
Not like Cassidy.
She was a solid fifteen.
“I’m so horny,” the woman growled out, slurring her words. She leaned into me, looking up into my face.
I chuckled under my breath. “Let’s get you to your room and see what we can do about taking care of you.”
She squealed and threw her arms around me. The tip of her tongue slid along the side of my face with way too much saliva for it to be hot. I forced back the urge to vomit and pulled her along with me, continuing to the resort.
The sooner I could get her inside and to safety, the sooner I would be able to figure out what Malachi’s bastard ass was up to. As I moved, a group of guys we passed gave me a thumbs up. I smirked and nodded at them. Once we past them, I rolled my eyes and frowned.
This woman was drawing way too much attention to us. I needed to get her inside and fast.
I wrapped my arm around her and pinned her to my side, holding her against me and half-assed carried her the rest of the way to the resort. Once we were inside, I sat her on a plush chair in the lobby.
“You just sit right here and relax. I’m going to go grab something so I can take good care of you tonight,” I said.
She gazed up at me with her drunken expression and nodded. “Mm… kay.”
I gave her a wink before turning around and heading off in the same direction Malachi went. There’s an old walking path in the middle of the town that follows the old highway. I followed his scent, catching up to him not too far down the path. He stood a block away from the resort, pacing back and forth in front of a small, covered seating area.
Judging by the sleeping bag and various camping items stacked on the picnic table, he had been sleeping here, hiding out right under all of our noses.
“Well at least I know where you have been all this time. Doing a little late season camping?” I asked.
Malachi nodded. His voice came out flat as he said, “Hello, Dallas.”
Once I caught up to him, I forced him to stop pacing and look at me. When he did, I shook my head and said, “You would think there was honor among brothers.”
“What are you going on about?” he asked, voice sharp.
“What the hell have you been doing all this time?” I asked and sucked in a breath. My eyes narrow at him. He was bathed in Cassidy’s scent. There was only one way a person could be that covered in someone else’s sent. I closed the gap between us.
Malachi stood straighter.
I growled out, “You fucked her?”
Malachi pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Perhaps, but I’m pretty sure Charlotte is going to see things a bit differently, don’t you think?” I asked.
He settled his gaze on me. The expression within them was as if he was decided whether I would tattle or not. I wouldn’t. And he should have already known as much.
“You wouldn’t dare tell her,” he said.
“Maybe,” I said. I wasn’t about to let him off so easily. I pointed a finger at his chest. “You’re an idiot.”
Malachi glared at me. “I’m going to do you a favor and let that comment slide. But only this time.”
I snort. “Sure. Sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night, my man. But call me crazy, but aren’t you the one hanging around the resort, checking in on Cassidy… sneaking around… avoiding your best friends, and not showing up to work? Do I really need to continue?”
Malachi pushed back. “Yeah? What about you, continuing to do her bidding? Hmm? What does she have on you that makes it to where you can’t just turn around and walk away?”
“Cassidy,” I said. “And what Charlotte might do to her if we all suddenly disappear.”