Page 20 of Lucky 14

Unknown: Are you a cotton candy person or not? For some reason, I feel like you’d HATE cotton candy

Unknown: No one on the team says they know you. You’re like a ghost

Unknown: A ghost with no boyfriend. Yes, I asked. No girlfriend either

Unknown: Get back to me on the cotton candy, fourteen

He’s also sent some videos on Fighting 101 and basic self-defense. I roll my eyes, turning off my phone. I’m sure he just wants to get in my pants.

Connor messages me daily for the next few weeks. He asks about stupid things like my favorite color, what government secrets I’m keeping, and if I think all humans see color the same way. At first, I ignore him, thinking he’ll get bored. But as time goes on, he finds ways to sneak me little treats without anyone noticing. One day, I open my bag to find a bunch of candy fingers stuffed between bread. He’s labeled it “knuckle sandwich, for your enemies”. It makes me laugh, but I quickly stuff it down. Harley has increased the stink eye, if that’s possible. I think she knows something’s up, and I can feel her starting to boil over.

So, I start watching the fighting videos Connor sends. At first, to mock him. Then, I realize the videos might actually be legit. I hate it, but in the secrecy of my room, I practice the moves. It’s not long before I find out it’s not enough to do them by myself, fighting the air. I need a partner.

Finally, one day before practice, I work myself up. If Connor wants to harass me all damn day and get my ass beat for it, then the least he can do is teach me how to defend myself. But first, I want to see if he’s just blowing smoke up my ass to try to get in my pants.

So, I catch Connor in a rare, alone moment as he comes out of the locker room dressed for practice. I shove off the hallway wall where I was waiting and stalk up to him.

Connor’s face lights up. “Well, hey fourt⁠—”

I swing at his face.

Connor ducks immediately, stepping into my space and shoving me back against the wall. He’s there, all up in my face, his eyes wild for a second with something like terror. It makes my stomach clench up in fear until he freezes there, not hitting me, just staring. Staring like he’s seen a ghost. Then, that look is gone, and Connor’s gaze softens. “Well fuck. Dangerous little thing, aren’t you?”

I swallow, feeling how close his body is. Close and muscled and…

“Get off.” I shove at him. “I just came to say I accept.”

Connor’s eyes widen. “You’re accepting me into your super secret spy shit?”

“No. You’ll teach me how to fight.” I shove out of his orbit, even though my body never wants to leave that orbit.

Connor doesn’t say anything, and I turn to look at him. A slow grin creeps over his face.

“Don’t,” I warn him.

He raises his hands. “I won’t. I just think it’s cool that you chose today.”

“What’s today?” I narrow my gaze.

Someone shouts down the hall for Connor, and he grins. “The fourteenth.”

I frown. Is it a holiday or something, and I forgot?

“It’s your lucky number.” Connor starts backing down the hall. “Lessons will go well, I already know it. No one messes with fourteen!” Then, he’s gone.

CHAPTER NINE

Day 1

Twenty-eight hours.

My shoulder twitches. I stare at the notepad where I’ve jotted down the time. It’s been that long since I’ve reached out to Poppy. It’s been hours since I’ve been in this hotel room with nothing to do. Hours of nothing but staring out the window and wondering what the hell I signed up for.

I thought The Hunter’s Club was some sort of sex cult. I mean, it’s literally listed on Google as a swinger’s bar, although I always suspected there was something deeper going on. Everyone was standoffish, and I never seemed to fit in, but this? A remote getaway? I thought that meant seminars about love and maybe kinky sex. I mean, there was a seminar, but I just caught the tail end of it; no one thought to tell me it was happening. Something about hunting and hours and tagged deer, I don’t fucking know. I’m not a hunter.

For the hundredth time, I look out the window of my room, over the tropical landscape. I can’t help but think Poppy would love it here. There’s a huge forest, mountains farther down, and in the close distance to the right, a sparkling expanse of water. It’s beautiful in a way Oklahoma isn’t, with all kinds of vegetation and varying landscape.

Poppy is going to think I’ve given up on her. Like the last few months didn’t mean anything. They meant everything. I’m here in tropical who-knows-where-cult to prove that.