He rubs a hand along the back of his neck, piercing me with his beautiful brown eyes, looking utterly torn. His eyes aren’t as dark as Kai’s, but they have the same little amber flecks. “You won’t run away, will you? Rick would blow a gasket, and Kai will literally kill me if we return without you.”
“Hey.” I rub my thumbs across his brow, smoothing out the little lines denting his skin. “I meant what I said to Rick. I’ve nowhere to go, and I wouldn’t do that to you,” I lie, imagining my black, black soul bursting into flames. “How old are you, Harley?” I’ve been trying to figure out a few things on the ride here.
“I’m fifteen.”
“And Joaquin is, what, sixteen?”
He nods.
“You got a girl?” I ask, trailing my fingers down his face. His cheeks flush again as he shakes his head, and he’s adorably cute. He may look all man, but he’s still so innocent.
This will be like taking candy from a baby.
A pang of guilt washes over me, but I shove it away. This is no time to grow a conscience.
“Why is that?” I ask. “You’re hot and sweet and easy to talk to.” Harley kept the conversation going in the car, and it’s clear he’s the peacemaker or the catalyst for keeping the peace.
He shrugs, and his cheeks are on fire. I drop my hands, figuring I’ve tortured him enough for now. “Kai says I’ve to concentrate on school and there’ll be plenty of time for girls later.”
My face contorts unpleasantly. “What a fucking hypocrite!” During one of our bedtime conversations, Kai admitted he’d lost his virginity to a high school senior when he was fourteen. And, thanks to the gossip doing the rounds at school, I know he’s no angel with women. He’s the screw them and leave them type. Perhaps I should’ve paid more attention to the rumors and not started anything with him. “And he’s not your father. He doesn’t get to tell you what to do.”
Harley shrugs, pulling his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. “He kinda was growing up, and he’s only looking out for me. He doesn’t want me making the same mistakes he did.”
Now, that’s interesting.
“By the way, what happened to your dad? Did my father kill him that night?” Can’t say I’d lose any sleep if Atticus Anderson was ten feet under. But he’s the only surviving parent the guys have, and I wouldn’t wish that on any of them. Besides, if Atticus is alive, he’ll continue his vendetta against my asshole father, and I’m all for that, provided Atticus is finished using me as a pawn.
Harley pales. “He would have if it wasn’t for the Kevlar vest he was wearing.” He rubs a hand across his chest. “He has a few broken ribs, and he’s bruised all over his chest, but he’s okay.”
“I hope he’s still going after my father.”
“He’s more determined than ever,” Harley confirms, extracting a fifty and handing it to me. “Get me Doritos, M&Ms, Hershey’s, Skittles, and Twizzlers.”
I look him up and down. “If I ate all that crap, I’d have a belly to rival Homer Simpson’s.” I pat his rock-solid abs. “Where do you put it all?”
His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat as he attempts a casual shrug. “I work out a lot.”
I trail my hands up his defined chest, licking my lips provocatively, and look at him through hooded lashes. “I can tell.”
His chest is heaving, and the bulge in his pants is growing more pronounced as I continue caressing his upper body. “I think I’ll need more cash.”
“More than fifty? We’re only buying snacks.” His brows knit together.
“I’m starving,” I lie, smiling seductively at him. “And I’m eating for two.” Reaching around, I remove his wallet from his back pocket, giving his ass a cheeky squeeze for good measure, hoping it will distract him from his suspicion. He looks frozen on the spot, unsure of how to handle this situation, and I almost feel bad.
Almost.
Harley is sweet, and I don’t want to trick him, but this may be my only chance to contact Xavier, and I’m not passing up the opportunity because I feel guilty for seducing Kai’s younger brother.
If these were different times, they’d probably burn me at the stake for this.
I pull back abruptly, removing another fifty as I smile at him. I repocket his wallet, patting his ass this time, and his cheeks are so red I reckon I could warm my hands off them.
Kai should have taught his little brother better.
It’s not my fault he’s so clueless with the opposite sex.
“Pick a movie. I’ll be back soon.” I press my lips to his warm cheek and take my time walking to the door, swaying my hips, knowing full and well his eyes are glued to my retreating form. The second I’m outside, I race along the path toward the reception area, scanning over the vehicles in the parking lot until I spot what I’m after.
