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And Xavier looks exactly the same as he did before he went into the room, sporting black jeans, a black shirt, and the black leather jacket that he wears almost all the time.
When he steps out of the room, his gaze locks with mine. Like always, he scowls. He hasn’t been a fan of me from day one—that much he’s made clear. I only wish I knew why.
Benton discreetly jabs Xavier in the side and the scowl on Xavier’s face fades into a neutral expression.
With a sigh, Benton crosses the room toward me. “Did you get enough to eat?”
I glance down at the bowl on my lap, half full of cereal and milk. “Yeah, I did. Thanks for letting me eat some of your cereal.”
Xavier’s lip twitches for some reason.
Benton tracks my gaze then frowns. “Is that your first bowl?”
I nod. “I don’t feel very hungry. I think it’s my nerves or something.”
Benton crouches down in front of me, carrying my gaze. “What’re you nervous about? What’s going on with your sister?”
I shrug, watching the cereal go round and round as I stir the spoon through the milk. “That and I’m wondering what my mom was doing with a man like Axel. I know you said you think my family might’ve worked for an organization, but that doesn’t explain why she took me in the car with a guy who works for a drug lord.”
“I know. But like I said, I’m going to look into it.” A crease forms between Benton’s brows as he thrums his fingers on the cushion beside me. “I think I need to find a way to look into your parent’s files and see if they worked a case on Axel. That might help explain why your mom knew him and why he knew her.”
“Can you do that?” I wonder, perking up a bit.
I may not be thrilled about my parents lying to me, but it’d be great if they were simply working a case with Axel and not working for Axel, which yes, the thought has crossed my mind ever since Axel speculated that my mom liked devil’s poison. I feel awful for thinking she would do something like that, but can’t shake the thought.
Benton wavers. “I might be able to. I mean, those kinds of files are hard to access. At least most are. But if Ridge could…” He trails off with hesitancy written all over his face. “You know what, I’ll look into it. But I’m not going to tell you how I’m going to do it.”
I stop stirring the cereal, my lip jutting out. “Why not?”
He chuckles, pushing my lip back into place with his fingertip. “Stop pouting. This isn’t a big deal. I just think that the less you know, the less you can be held accountable for if we get caught.”
My pout morphs into a frown. “Are you doing something illegal?”
“Not necessarily illegal by ordinary laws,” he insists. “But with the organization’s laws, it’s kind of in the grey area.”
“Which means it’s not completely illegal but we could get into trouble if the wrong person catches us,” Xavier explains, sitting down on the sofa next to me and startling the living bejesus out of me.
I think it might be the first time he’s spoken directly to me. Well, except for when we first met and he challenged my reasons for joining the team.
“So maybe you shouldn’t do it then,” I say. “I don’t want you guys getting into trouble.”
Benton glances at Xavier and raises his brows; a trace of a smile playing on his lips. Xavier shakes his head in annoyance. But I can’t tell if his annoyance is aimed at Benton or me.
“We won’t get into trouble,” Xavier attempts to reassure me, although he doesn’t sound too thrilled about it.
“Are you sure?” I ask him. “Because you don’t sound too sure.”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Xavier stretches his arm across the back of the sofa. “We’ve done a lot of stuff that would be considered in the grey area of the laws and we haven’t gotten caught yet.”
I set the bowl of cereal down on the end table. “But technically everyone can say that until they do something that gets them caught.”
“Today’s not the day we’re going to get caught. Not over something as easy as this. We’re too good,” Xavier says. Then he reaches around me, collects the bowl of cereal, and sets it down on my lap. “Now eat up. It’s going to be an exhausting day. Besides, you didn’t eat most of the marshmallows, which is basically the only reason I buy the cereal.”
Crap. I ate his cereal?
While most of the guys probably wouldn’t mind, Xavier seems like the sort of guy who would care.
“Oh, I didn’t know this was your cereal. Benton just said to help myself and this is my favorite kind,” I apologize then take a bite. “I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to eat every last drop.”
Xavier trades a look with Benton, whose eyes glitter with amusement. Then Xavier sighs and redirects his attention back to me.
“It’s fine,” he mutters, standing to his feet. “You can always eat my cereal if you really want to.”
I have no clue why, but his remark seems like a peace offering. If only I knew why he needed to offer peace with me to begin with. I guess it doesn’t really matter, though. At least he’s acting nicer to me.
“Thanks,” I tell him then stuff another spoonful into my mouth.
He nods then heads for the door. “I’m going to go do a quick check of the area,” he calls over his shoulder to Benton. “Text me when you guys are ready to go.”
Benton nods and Xavier leaves the apartment.
“He’s going to the training pit with us?” I ask.
Benton nods, fixing his gaze on me as he sits down on the edge of the coffee table in front of me. His knees touch mine as he rests back on his hands. “I promise he’ll be nice, though.”
“He’s not being mean,” I say. When Benton lifts his brows in speculation, I sigh. “Well, he wasn’t just barely. But it’s okay that he was before. If he doesn’t want to like me, he doesn’t have to. This is his world, not mine.”
“That’s not what his pissy attitude is about. Honestly, it doesn’t really have anything to do with you.”
“Then what does it have to do with?”
“That’s not really my story to tell.”
“Oh, okay.” The guys have said that a lot to me, but Jett and Ridge did tell me a tiny piece of their sad pasts. In a strange way, it makes me feel connected to them. But I highly doubt Xavier will ever tell me his story.
Benton gives my leg a gentle pat. “Now, eat up and if you’re a good girl, we might just stop by your place and let you change.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Only good girls get to change their clothes, huh?”
“Well, usually bad girls just take off their clothes.” He winks at me and my cheeks erupt with heat. “If you’re up for that, though, I’m totally cool with it.”
I roll my eyes, trying to play off the embarrassment. “Fine, I’ll play good girl for a few minutes so I can go change into some clean clothes.”
“Your call.” He shrugs, amusement dancing in his eyes. “But I think I should remind you that you did say you wanted to be a bad girl.”
“I never used the words ‘bad girl.’ I just didn’t want to be Miss Goody Goody Two Good For Her Own Shoes.”
“And you still want that?” he questions, studying me closely.
I deliberate for a beat or two before nodding. “I think so.” I stuff another bite of cereal into my mouth. “Besides, after everything that’s happened, I’m not sure I can go back to being plain, boring, naïve Zhara.”
It’s true, too. Whether I want it to be or not, my life was forever changed the moment I agreed to enter this world.
Questionable Next Door Neighbors
Zhara
So, here’s the thing about my Bad Boy Rebels… I mentally roll my eyes at myself. My Bad Boy Rebels? Seriously, what is wrong with me? They’re not mine and I don’t want them to be.
Well, sort of…
Okay, maybe I don’t know what I want.
But anyway, back to my point. Here’s the thing about the Bad Boy Rebels. They’re all gorg
eous in their own unique way. Take Benton for example. Everything about him screams sexy bad boy, from his dark hair that’s styled messily on top and shaved on the sides, to his facial piercings and smoldering looks. And I’m definitely not the only girl who notices how attractive he is—although it took me until recently to admit I find him attractive. Taylor’s noticed too. Most of the cheerleading squad have as well. Even the girl who lives in the apartment across from Benton notices is hotness.
“Hey, Benton,” she greets him with a flirty smile as Benton and I exit his apartment at the same time she’s walking out of her place.
She looks a few years older than me, with long, blonde hair and a curvy body that’s on full display, since she’s only wearing a bikini.
He gives her a subtle chin nod, focused on locking up his place.
She eyes him over, her gaze lingering on his butt as she bites her lip. “So, I heard you’re going to have a party again Friday night?” She drapes the towel she’s holding over her shoulder, not once giving a glance in my direction. “I know I’ve only lived here for a couple of weeks, but it seems like you’re the only guy in Honeyton who has parties.”
Wait? Benton’s having a party on Friday? Since when?
Wait? Why am I surprised? This is Benton, who’s known for his parties. The concept just seems sort of strange now that I know he’s working for an undercover program. I don’t know why. It’s not like undercover guys can’t have parties.
“There’s other parties going on all the time,” Benton tells Neighbor Girl as he stuffs the keys into the pocket of his jeans. “You just need to know the right people to talk to. People are pretty discreet about parties around here.”
She coils a strand of her hair around her finger while biting on her bottom lip. “Really? I wonder why.”
