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“Call her a cab from the hotel phone,” Axel said. “Keep her on the line though. I’m going after the boys.”
“I should go,” I said.
“You’re staying out of this,” Axel said. “You’re done.”
“But…”
“Kayli,” he barked. “I’ve got the boys. I’ll get them out. If they don’t associate you with us, you may be one of the only ones left that can get close and figure out what’s going on with the missing girl. Stay there until a cab gets there, then have it take you here directly.”
“Okay,” I said, with some relief. I’d anticipated having to go inside the police station, a thought that made me tremble. Did I have police phobia? I just didn’t want Marc or Brandon to think I’d just abandoned them.
“Stay with me, Kayli,” Corey said. “Almost got you.”
I sat in one of the stalls while I waited. The gas station attendant probably thought I’d died in the bathroom. I wondered if Blake was still outside.
At least there wasn’t a chance of Corey driving up and spotting him.
“If you’re ever in trouble or running from someone,” Corey said while we were waiting, “call a cab.”
It took only ten minutes after Corey placed a call before a cab showed up. As soon as he said it was there, I ran out, leaving Corey on the phone.
“Keep me on the line until you see me,” Corey said.
I scanned the lot for Blake before getting in the car, but I didn’t see him. I wondered if he’d left.
I climbed into the cab, which smelled musty. The driver had his cell phone in his hands and he dropped it off into the cup holder. “The hotel, yes?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said.
He was off. Corey must have given him the hotel name.
“Car break down?” he asked.
“Uh,” I said, “yeah.”
He nodded. I wasn’t sure he believed me. Maybe because I was dressed a little slutty.
Once he pulled around, I spotted Blake. He had pulled to the farthest corner of the gas station, where there was an air machine. He waited until the cab pulled onto the street before he turned on his engine and started rolling forward.
For a moment, I was worried he’d try following, but he turned off a street, heading back toward Henry’s house.
I settled into the seat.
??????
Corey was hanging out in front of the lobby doors. The moment the cab rolled up, he jumped forward, opening the door for me.
“Kayli,” he said, as I stepped out. “You okay?”
I nodded, although my lips felt glued together. I’d been worn thin earlier and now I was ready to fall to pieces. It’d been a wild week.
“Give me a second.” He looked in where the cab driver had rolled down the passenger window. He held out cash. “Keep the change.”
The cab driver nodded, rolling away.
I stood aside. I waited for Corey to tell me how much he knew, if he knew about Blake, about what had really happened at the party.
Corey turned to me, his smile brightening and he held out his arms in welcome. “Holy crap,” he said. “Seriously, are you okay?”
My eyes widened and I stiffened just for a moment, surprised. I don’t know what I had been expecting, probably to be bombarded with questions right away. Lured by his warmth, I stepped toward him.
The moment I did, he finished closing the gap between us, like he’d just needed my signal. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight, pressing his cheek to mine. His hands rubbed my back, fingers massaging my spine. “Kayli?” he asked, checking in.
I sighed and relaxed into him. His hug was warm and so sweet. I encircled my arms around him, a little loose at first because I was tired, but I found myself hugging him tightly, as hard as I could muster, for a second. “I’m okay,” I said, although a little croaky.
“Come on,” he said, shifting to put an arm around my neck to tug me toward the hotel. “Are you hungry? I’ve got pizza coming. You like pepperoni, right?”
I snuggled into him, walking with my head against his shoulder like we were old pals, my arm still wrapped around his middle as he held on to me. “Perfect,” I said.
“Good. Axel and Raven left,” he said. “Last I heard, they were already at the station.”
“So we’ll stay here until they call us?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said. He guided me toward the elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened instantly and we loaded in. “Probably a good thing they went instead of me. Raven was getting restless.”
“I’m surprised he’s been sitting back.”
“Someone’s got to take the night shift,” he said. “Raven and Axel probably will now.” The elevator started to rise and he pulled me tighter. “Okay but tell me all about what happened. I got bits and pieces, but catch me up.”
I talked to him as we got to the room. I wasn’t sure how much he knew, so I started from when I last saw him until the party. I was still talking as we both claimed spots on one of the beds. He took one of the pillows, lying on his side, propping himself up on one hand. I sprawled out on my back, pillow under my head, facing him but occasionally looking at the ceiling.
“So that’s where you got the skirt,” he said, looking down at my outfit.
I shifted my legs as I realized I was kind of spread eagle with the skirt on. Very un-ladylike. “I want to change before anyone gets back. I don’t want Raven seeing me like this.”
Corey hopped up instantly. He went for his own overnight bag, dug out an Indiana Jones T-shirt and some blue boxers. He presented them. “Will these do?”
I smothered a laugh, not wanting him to think I was laughing at him. He was just so helpful and happy that he seemed to switch my mood instantly. I got up, reaching for the clothes. “Yeah,” I said.
“I like the skirt,” he said, “but I don’t think it’s you.”
My smile lifted. That sounded good. He didn’t care for it and I didn’t either. “Marc and Brandon liked it.”
Corey shrugged. “It’s okay. I mean maybe if it was different. It’s a little too…sexy.”
I think he meant slutty and was trying to be nice. I nodded. “Yeah, I’m not really…”
“Well, I mean you are,” he said. His cheeks started turning red and he pushed a palm against the back of his neck. “I mean, hang on. There’s just different…you… Erm.”
His fumbling made me laugh this time. I waved my hand. “No, I get it.”
His smile lifted and he laughed, too. He opened his mouth, muttered a few syllables and then there was a knock at the door. He diverted his attention. “Must be the pizza guy.”
“I’ll go change,” I said.
I started heading toward the bathroom, but stopped to sit on the bed and take off the kitten heels. I looked for a place to put them out of the way but where I
would see them; I had to return them to Future.
Corey opened the door for the pizza guy, inviting him in for a second. Corey took the pizza, so the guy could pull out the receipt from his pocket and smooth it out. The pizza guy, looking around, spotted me. “Three whole pizzas for just you two?”
I don’t know why, but the question irked me. “Yup,” I said, my eyes wide, dropping the shoes on the bed and then standing. None of your business either, buddy.
“I think she’s claimed a whole one for herself,” Corey said, with laughter in his tone. He came back to sign the receipt.
“Your girlfriend can eat the whole thing?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Probably,” Corey said. He signed and passed the paper back. “Thanks.”
He nodded, looked once more at me and then left.
I rolled my eyes, easing a bit. I wasn’t usually so grumpy with someone bringing me food but I didn’t like being challenged as to what I could do, like eat a whole pizza, just because I was a girl.
Corey locked the door after the pizza guy left. I started toward the bathroom. Corey smiled as I passed him. “That’s like the umpteenth time we’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend,” he said, with a playful laugh.
“Must be a sign,” I said, feeling better now that it was the two of us again. “You and I should just go out.”
He beamed, laughed again and nodded. “Okay.”
I giggled and then walked into the bathroom, closing the door. There was an instant where I thought maybe he might have been serious, but I shook it off. He’s gay. He was laughing. I was laughing. He knew better.
Although if he wasn’t interested in just boys, I would have serious problems choosing between him and Brandon, along with the rest of them.
But there was that whole Academy mess. He was part of it. I couldn’t forget no matter how innocent he seemed.
I changed, used the bathroom, and washed my face. I combed my hair out with my hands. I wanted a shower, but was too hungry to do that now.
