AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m keeping the underwear for now. Alright, I’m ready,” she announces.
“Good thinking. Take Miller with you. I can hear his teeth grinding from here.” Ryland grabs his boyfriend’s hand and squeezes it. “You can’t kill him, okay? We need to see how this plays out first. Just because you don’t like him doesn’t mean he’s gone bad.”
Miller grunts and stands up. “Fine, you can drive us home, that way we won’t be late.” He gestures to himself and Mac, and I see both hers and Ry’s eyebrows jump in surprise, but my brother quickly scrambles to his feet. “I’ll get my keys.”
“Be careful tomorrow night. Neither Anders, Dayton, nor I can be there. It’s highschoolers only,” I warn Mac, and she blows me a playful raspberry.
“I’ll be fine. Trust me. I have somewhat of a tolerance to date rape drugs even if he does manage to slip one into my drink, but let me know which side of the scale he decides to fall on, because I want to be prepared, and I need to advise Dad. If he doesn’t tell you, Dad will put out a termination order on him. Even if I wasn’t the one he planned to betray, when you betray an agent, and you betray everything MITHOS stands for.”
The room falls into a contemplative silence as we wait for Ry to return. When he does, they quickly leave. Mac waves to us all and gives us a saucy wink. I look around the room as the door closes behind them, happy to see that the remaining members of my team look just as smitten by the princess as I am. This is going to work. We just need to deal with Bishop and this assignment, and then we can work on convincing her to stay.
Chapter 31
The ride home is quiet. Ry’s car is lovely and lush, and I settle into the leather back seat while he and Miller talk quietly during the drive. I think about what I just saw, and while I am disappointed, I’m not surprised. I saw that coming a mile away. It doesn’t happen often, but when an agent goes off the rails, it’s usually in a spectacular way. I’ll wait and see if he shares that conversation with his team, but I very much doubt he will. Bishop is out for my blood. I could see the manic light in his eyes when Billy gave him a solution to his supposed problem.
I’m actually incredibly surprised that he didn’t blow the rest of the case. I guess there’s still a small piece of goodness left in him that wants to save the kids being taken, but is it enough to keep him from a bullet? Only the next twenty-four hours will tell.
Ryland drops Miller and me at the end of the driveway, and we both walk up it together in silence. It’s not uncomfortable, and there’s still an underlying tension between us, but it’s nothing like what I have with Bishop. I just need to leave Miller be and let him work out his own issues. Who am I to force him to face them?
Martha is at the sink when the two of us walk in. “Ah, good, you’re on time today. Go wash up, and Mac, can you please come back down and help me with dinner?”
I smile at her and do as she asks. Miller and I separate at his door without a word, but I’m okay with that. We both have shit on our minds. I dump my backpack in the bedroom, which is empty of Jessica, and return to the kitchen.
“Where is everyone?” I ask Martha as I start to peel the carrots she pointed at.
“Jessica is at cheerleading practice, and I asked the rest to give us some space.” Martha sighs and turns to look at me. “I heard what happened at school today. Are you okay?” I blink at her for a couple of moments, surprised by the compassion I’m receiving from this woman. She’s been fairly distant since I arrived, and this feels like a one-eighty.
I shrug but don’t answer, instead looking down at the carrot peels. “Ah, yeah, I guess.”
She places her hand on my arm, stopping me, and I look up. “I know life before us wasn’t easy, but I want you to know I’m here for you if you ever need to talk. I called the principal and complained, but he said that without any evidence, he can’t punish anyone.”
I feel my eyebrows jump. I hadn’t expected Martha to care. “It’s whatever.” I shrug and look away from her.
“We’ve all had to do something we’re not proud of to get by. If you work hard and get good grades, you can make something of yourself. Okay?”
I nod, and she passes me some potatoes.
“Here, can you peel some of these? I want to make some mashed potatoes to go with the chicken and beans.”
I take the offered vegetables, and we work in a comfortable silence. I run over everything that I’ve learned today in my head. I’m pleased with how things are going. Sometimes it can take me weeks before I discover anything that can help me with a mission. Working with a team does have its advantages. They are not bad on the eyes either. This temporary arrangement is working out better than I could have ever imagined. I’m also really looking forward to my first shift at Life Lounge on Saturday. Hopefully I can do some snooping and find evidence of the sex club.
* * *
The next day is much like the previous one. I’m teased and bullied by a majority of the student body, but the classes go quickly, and before I know it, it’s time to head home again. I didn’t expect to see Miller, but to my surprise, he and Jessica are on the bus back to the foster home with me and the younger teens.
Cassie chuckles at my surprise. “With the party tonight, Miller and Jessica will be model students and do their homework and assist with dinner. They usually ply Martha with a glass or two of wine so she sleeps extra heavily and doesn’t hear them sneak out.”
“Are you guys going to come to it as well?” I ask, and Cassie screws up her nose.
“No thanks, that’s not our kind of scene.”
The sisters chime in their agreement.
“You be careful, Mac, weird things happen at those parties too. I’ve heard of date rape, and one girl even turned up dead in a field after one of those parties,” Stephanie hisses quietly. Thankfully the noise of the bus covers our conversation nicely.
“And the town just turns a blind eye to all of this?” I shake my head, still unable to understand adults not giving a shit.
“The Divinity of Morality Club contains some high-powered town officials—the police chief, pastor, school counselor, business owners, and even the coast guard captain. I even heard someone whispering at work that the mayor has used their clubs. If anyone who is not actually in it uses their club, then it has to be the ultimate blackmail material if you have a family or are respected in town.” Sally has a point, and she seems to be talking to me again, or at least a little less frosty.
