AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, well, it might be worth it if these locations check out.” I unfold the piece of paper and skim over the addresses. I don’t know this town well enough, though, to know where any of them are, except for the one in my backyard.
“Most of them are in pretty conspicuous places,” Rhyland mutters, leaning over my shoulder to look at the paper. “You’re probably going to have to wait until dark to check them out, unless you want to risk getting busted digging up bags of cocaine and drug money.”
He’s probably right, but I’m supposed to be driving for their father tonight. I’ll have to find time, though, so I’ll know if Austin is telling the truth before I go to this party with him.
“I still can’t believe all he wants is for me to be his date to this party,” I mutter as I fold up the piece of paper and stuff it into my pocket.
“I have a feeling there’s more to it than that.” Blaise reclines back in his seat and stares out the window with a contemplative look on his face. “Especially since Amelia blackmailed me into being her date for the same party.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” I frown, realizing there might be more to this deal with Austin than I originally thought.
But what?
“I want you to be careful around him.” Blaise straightens and looks at me, his gaze intense. “In fact, it can be your favor to me.”
“I thought you were giving me a break from those?” I joke.
“Actually, I want to eliminate the deal completely, but after this one final thing.” Swallowing hard, he quickly brushes his fingers along my cheekbone. “Promise me you’ll be careful around Austin.”
My heart is a lunatic inside my chest, mostly from his touch. In Hadley style, though, I manage to sound perfectly calm. “Okay, I promise. But I don’t want to eliminate the deal—I don’t like freebies.”
“I don’t care. I’m not going to ask you for another favor, so …” He shrugs.
I sigh. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll be careful around Austin, but I’m still going to do you random favors if you don’t give me any to do.”
“What sort of favors?” Rhyland wonders with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Probably not anything you’re thinking,” I quip with an eye roll.
His eyes glint even more. “Are you implying I’m thinking something dirty, because I’m not, so you must be the one with the dirty mind.”
Rolling my eyes, I face forward as Blaise steers back onto the road. “Sometime tonight, I think I’ll go check out one of these locations,” I say to no one in particular. “I want to find out ASAP if Austin is telling the truth before I start coordinating outfits with him.”
“Can you do it early in the morning?” Blaise asks as he flips on the blinker and turns into the parking lot of an old-school-looking diner lit up with neon signs and flashing lights. “I want to go with you, but I have something I need to do tonight. We can get up before the sun rises and go.”
“You don’t need to go with me—” I start to protest before he reaches over and places a finger to my lips.
“Yeah, I kind of do. I mean, for all we know, this could be a setup.”
“A setup for what?”
Blaise shrugs as he steers into a parking space. “I’m not sure, and maybe it isn’t one, but it easily could be, so …” He pushes the shifter into park, shuts off the engine, and lets out a stressed breath. “I know you’re not a fan of accepting help, but I’m more used to this world, and I just think it’ll be better if I’m with you.”
He’s right; I’m not a fan of having help. But he’s also right about me not knowing this world very well. A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have cared that much, but with me now being responsible for my sisters …
“All right, you can come with me,” I say, unfastening my seatbelt.
He takes the keys out of the ignition. “Thank you.”
I’m not really sure why he’s thanking me. I should be the one thanking him. However, he doesn’t give me an opportunity to do so as he hurriedly climbs out of the car.
“You two are disgustingly adorable,” Rhyland remarks as he shoves his door open.
“Stop making it sound like we’re a couple,” I protest as I open my door and climb out.
Rhyland smirks at me as he hops out and pushes the door shut. “You may not officially be, but you’re definitely becoming besties. You should probably start making out, though. You know, make this friends thing a friends with benefits thing.” He winks then dashes by me, hurrying for the door.
“Oh, I’m so going to kick his ass for that remark,” I mutter, hurrying after him. But then I hastily come to a confused halt when I spot an SUV parked across the street that looks similar to Blaise’s. That’s not what has me confused, though.
