I’m amazed. The kid has gotten used to the club. He’s placed his trust in them.
“I know they do some illegal stuff, but I know they care about us. Memphis says that we’re family now.” He pulls on my heart strings. I guess in a way, he’s getting a wish to come true. He wanted a family that would love him for him. “You’re right, kid. I just never expected to include you in this mess.”
“Well, it’s a mess we’re cleaning up. I guess it’s not all that bad,” he says, going back to his phone, as I fluff his red curls.
That’s my high flying boy.
It’s no surprise by the time that we get into the parking lot, there are a couple motorcycles waiting for us. Including one very angry grumpy man. I can see the forehead creasing with wrinkles. I see Greer and another prospect, I want to say his name is Avery, but for the life of me I find there are too many of them to remember.
“Why does his face look like that?” Finn jokes.
“Because I pissed him off, and he may not be happy,” I say.
It doesn’t take long for us to park before Keola shows up at my door and opens it before I can turn off the Bronco. His face is not amused, and yet mine is. I flash him a bright smile, leaning in to give him a kiss, although he doesn’t kiss me back.
His hands trails along my collarbone, cupping my neck, jerking towards him, “You’re lucky your nephew is here.”
“Is this the part where I go away?” he asks. “No,” I say as Keola says yes.
“You don’t scare me,” I say, getting out of the truck as all of us head inside. I booped his nose before heading inside.
“Just know the counter has started,” he says.Fuck. He knows that will send me over the edge.
“Can I ask where it’s at?”
“Five.” he says, a little too proudly and demented.
The building is eerily quiet. My body shivers with a weird presence, like a spirit passing through a living soul. But no one is here but us and the families. But the education hall isn’t lively, no pattering of feet in the hallways. It makes my heart sink in my chest. The thought of any more kids being harmed or being recruited into this horrible organization has me spinning. This is why I wanted things to be quick so there was no more possibility of my students or anybody else's kids being in a situation they shouldn't be in.
Finn decides to show Greer and Avery around the areas, they gladly obliged knowing that I needed him distracted and it gives him a task to do. Keola follows me into the office and half of me wishes that he had closed the door but that side of me has to be pushed down right now. He allows me to get into my computer as he sinks into the couch just watching my every move. His gaze is like a fire burning, warming my chest and making my heart race. He can just simply look at me and I fall to my knees.
“Can I ask why y’all didn’t want to move forward with a meeting?” I ask, but instantly regretting the moment I ask. I do go looking for chaos or fight, Aunt Lilly’s right.
He exhales deeply, “Because,” That’s all he says.
I toss a tennis ball, ones that are all over my office as a fidget distraction, at his head, but he catches it. “Six.”
“Answer the damn question,” I demand. The system is still booting up as I typed in the names of the students.
He shakes his head, refusing or being stubborn enough to piss me off, now. Two can play this dangerous game.
I remain quiet, refusing to say anything else or add to my previous demand. All that fills the room with sound is the clicking of the keys of the keyboard taking the opportunity of not talking to my advantage but yet I could feel his heated stare. He hasn't taken his eyes off of me and even now as he leans forward on his knees he's just an intoxicating site. Finally my system pops up with the information I need carefully jotting down the information to send over to Topaz.
I just hope that she’s able to get to the families in time and then we can put an end to this. I had sent over the names to Brayden, so he could get to other families and students. My phone rings and I look to see Topaz call again. I pick it up to answer and her boisterous voice goes through the phone without even being on speaker.
“So am I waiting on the rest of the list? Should I be concerned that your friend hasn't messaged back.” she asked over the phone.
“No, he should be finishing up and now he messaged me earlier before we got into my office,” I responded.
“All right well I'll wait for his message before I plot out the rest of the stuff. Hopefully six families will be understanding and we'll get them to safety,” she has hope in her voice and that's all that I need.
While she's on the phone it gives me an idea, “Hey Topaz.”
“Yeah, sweetie.”
“Any idea as to why they didn't want to move forward with a meeting?”
Keola leans forward even more on the verge of standing up, his face went from utterly lustful to him adding more counts.
