Red Handed by Jessa Wilder

Irolled over to skim Rush’s chest, but all I hit was cold sheets. What the actual fuck? A trickle of doubt sank into my chest, quickly covered by the heat of anger. It’s not like I was delusional about what was going on between us. Hell, I would move back to the Mount Summer gang soon enough, but when I went to sleep with someone, I expected them to be there in the morning.

I sat up, running my palms over my eyes, the blanket pooling around my hips. For a second my skin flushed red, embarrassment tinging the tips of my ears. Screw that. I ripped the blankets off, standing from the bed and stretching long. I lifted on my toes, arms in the air, and bowed my back, feeling a glorious full body stretch.

Confidence returned. I strutted to my bathroom, turned on the shower, and steam billowed filled the room. I watched myself in the mirror as I grazed my fingers over the hickeys covering my neck and my lips tipped up in a sinister smile. Nico wouldn’t like this recent development. He didn’t like that I kept distracting his boys. I couldn’t wait to rub it in his face.

I may have woken up alone this morning, but there was no shame in my game. I knew what I was getting into. My body tingled as heat flooded between my legs. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The mirror fogged until I could no longer see my reflection. I stepped into the huge shower, surrounded by marble tile and fancy jets. It had taken me a decent fifteen minutes to figure out these controls the first time I used it. I tipped my head back under one of the large rainfall nozzles, letting out a soft moan as the warm water covered me. The hot water seeped into my bones, replacing the chill from the past week’s events. I gently washed myself, taking extra care of my sensitive bruises. The room was fragrant with the smell of vanilla honey soap the hotel provided. A girl could get used to the luxury hotel life. My stomach rumbled. I was always freaking hungry.

I twisted my hair up into a towel, wrapping my body in a second one off the warming rack, and groaned, as its warmth replaced the chill of the air. I would have to have one installed in my room back home. The reminder of my temporary stay here didn’t sit well with me, but after reminding myself that I woke up alone this morning, the feeling disappeared.

I dried my hair, applied my usual makeup, and dressed in a tactical outfit. Black pants, blank tank, armed to the teeth with both my knives and guns holstered on my hips. Not sure if I was reminding them or myself who the fuck I was, but either way I looked like the total badass they trained me to be.

I grabbed my stuff, including my phone from the nightstand, and it was lit up with messages.

Jimmy: Get your ass back to the compound now.

Jimmy: If you don’t get your sister here within the next hour, there will be hell to pay.

That message had my ass moving to the door, but I paused, reading the last one. Sure it would be a lengthy description of exactly what that punishment would entail.

Rush: I had to handle something. I’ll be back later.

Nine words. Couldn’t even make it an even ten.

Anger bubbled up in my chest, but I pushed it down. Whatever, it was a good night, and this was an excellent reminder why it won’t happen again. I smirked. I would thoroughly enjoy it when he figured that out, because there was no doubt he thought it was happening again.

I grabbed a quick coffee on my way out my door, closing it slowly, not wanting to catch either Beck or Rush’s attention. Not that I thought they were here, but I certainly wasn’t going to risk it. I pressed the elevator button for the third time, impatient to get the hell out of here and back to the Mount Summer residence before any of these guys saw me. Did they have the right to stop me? No. Would they be a giant pain if they knew Sophie and I were leaving? Unquestionably.

I took the elevator up to Sophie’s room, sending her a text to open the door. She was already dressed, clearly having received similar messages from our loving father. Hate for the man that raised me hardened my chest, positive Sophie hadn’t received the same the same threats of torture.

“Let’s go.” I kept my voice low, and she got the hint that we were sneaking the hell out of here instead of dealing with the BS that would come our way if they caught us. I wondered what dear old dad would think about how I was behaving around them. Probably pissed I hadn’t knifed one of them to remind them of who I was.

Soph and I took the elevator down to Connor’s floor. She hit the floor button because I had no idea where his room was, having never visited him. I had felt guilty before, but that ship had long sailed as soon as he started acting like a complete ass. She kept glancing over at me, eyes lingering on my neck.

“What?” I deadpanned, knowing exactly what she was looking for.

“Nothing.” Her singsong voice filled the elevator. “Just wondering which one won the bet.”

I glared at her. “There better not have been an actual bet, Sophie.”

She smirked at me, shrugging her shoulders.

Not sure if she found people stupid enough to participate in this bet, or if she was just trying to get a rise out of me, I let it go. If I found out the bet was real, I was likely to strangle her. Dad would undoubtedly lose his shit, and it would end up costing me a finger or two.

We walked out of the elevator on Connor’s floor. Sophie had an extra spring to her step. I’m sure she loved the idea we were going home. She would be praised and doted on, like the princess she was. Meanwhile, I was preparing myself for my inevitable interrogation.

Everything around us was nice, but cheaper than our floors. The carpet lining the floor was faded in spots, and the lights were standard instead of crystal. Apparently only certain floors received the royal treatment here. Which I guess made sense, since the rest of this place was a high-end brothel.

I banged on Connor’s door, already feeling irritated. It was going to be a long ass day, and like hell, I was going to show up late. My dad followed through on his threats. So you goddamn believe that we would be there within the hour. Connor opened the door, properly armed for our excursion. Although I now know how pointless that was. He’d been useless at the cafe, but it was better for Sophie and me that my dad didn’t know of his incompetence. A broad smile covered his face, eyes glinting. He was always my favorite guard. My heart squeezed a little, but quickly froze. His smile turned into a sneer when he spotted the marks on my neck.

He could fuck the fuck right off.

“Problem?” My voice was sharp, and his eyes snapped to mine.

His expression quickly turned neutral, a smile forming on his lips. “No, just happy to finally go home.”

That I could believe. Connor, for all he’d annoyed me these past weeks, was stuck in his room. A trickle of guilt tightened my neck. I squelched it, reminding myself that was his job.

Sophie cut through the tension, voice bright. “Let’s go. Mom said she had a surprise for me.”

I grumbled under my breath. I’m sure she fucking did. The only surprise I would get would be a surprise beating. I smiled at her, equally guilty of hiding the nasty truth of things. A part of me would always want to ensure at least one of us wasn’t totally fucked up.

Sophie talked Connor’s ear off the entire way to the parking garage. I was happy her relationship with him wasn’t damaged because of our stay at the hotel. I made a conscious decision to be nicer to him while we were out today. He hated Nico, Beck, and Rush. Rightfully so. I was the one whose priorities were off.

Connor hit the key fob and a pearl Escalade beeped a row over. It was an expensive vehicle, but flashy expensive. Small Louis Vuitton clutch expensive. Trying to be something it wasn’t in a world of Ferrari and Aston Martin.

We climbed in and I immediately noted the lack of armor and bulletproof glass. I’d grown used to the safety of the ‘tank’ I’d been driving in. I’d definitely miss that when I moved back home. Although at the rate we were being attacked, who knew when that would be. On the other hand, I had been kidnapped, not a good endorsement on how safe they were keeping Sophie and I. Actually, scratch that. No one cared so long as it was me and not her.

We pulled out of the hotel and hit the highway back to the South Side. Connor peeked at me in the rearview mirror. “You excited to go back home?”

I smiled, giving him the only right answer. “Yup.” I popped the P, keeping my voice as light as possible.

Sophie spoke up effectively, saving me from the awkward conversation. The closer we got to home, the higher she bounced in her seat. “I can’t freaking wait. I have a bunch more stuff to pack that I’d missed the first time.”

Both Connor and I groaned at the same time, and I flashed him a genuine smile. Laughing at Sophie’s clothing enthusiasm was always a favorite pastime of ours. We pulled up the street to our parents’ house and my stomach rolled with dread. Connor’s eyes turned soft, lips tipped in a sympathetic smile. Sophie may have been oblivious to how I was treated here, but he’d witnessed it more than once. The situation brought back memories of all the times Connor was there for me after my ‘punishments.’ I hadn’t been fair to him these past few weeks.

I smiled brightly his way, and he matched mine. I would attempt to correct that. Losing a lifelong friend over three guys who were sure to change back into enemies was not a good plan. I couldn’t do anything about that now. I donned the mask of my father’s daughter—trained killer and thief of all things. In this world, the only thing scarier than me was my dad, and he liked to make sure everyone knew it.