“Is him having a gun and shooting like that why we took the camera? I mean, maybe he thought he was going to protect his family.”
Luke grinned. “Oh god, your questions are going to drive me insane.”
I tugged my face away from his hands, closing my eyes. “The ones in my head I haven’t even asked are driving me crazy, too.”
Luke let out a short breath. His arms surrounded my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Sang. I want to tell you everything. I didn’t mean to tease you. Ask me whatever you want.”
My forehead found the crook between his neck and shoulder. I was frustrated because of the situation. This wasn’t his fault. I didn’t know who to blame. Maybe the Academy. “I know you can’t answer everything.”
“I want to. I can’t answer everything, but I’ll answer everything I can.”
“What’s on the camera?”
Luke pulled back, the smile on his face returning. He fished the black digital camera from his back pocket and showed it to me. “I make you a deal. If you can steal this back from me, I’ll let you see what’s on it.”
I blinked at him, tilting my head. How in the world was I supposed to do that? “It makes it kind of hard if you know I’m going to take it.”
“If you want to become good at anything, you have to make things more difficult.” He slipped the camera into his back pocket. “Here. I’ll give you an open shot.” He turned around, facing the bathtub. He folded his hands across his chest.
There was an outline of the camera bulging from his back pocket. Knowing I probably wouldn’t get it, I slipped my fingers in his pocket to clutch the camera.
Luke’s hand swung around, slapping against mine. “You’re not even trying.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just taking it.”
He turned around, a grin on his face. “Not that I’d mind your hands on my butt, but if you ever needed to lift something from someone else, I wouldn’t want you to get caught like that. Just reaching for it and jerking it out is too obvious.”
“When am I ever going to need to learn this?”
Luke shrugged. “Who knows. Maybe someone at school takes your lunch money and you have to steal it back without them knowing or you’ll get beaten up. There’s always a reason.”
“Did that happen to you?”
Luke’s head tilted back, and he blinked. “Maybe. When I was little.”
I pressed a palm to my cheek. I didn’t want to ask the question but I knew I needed to. Something made me think of what Karen had told me earlier, reminding me about the thefts in the school. Not that I expected the guys to steal from them, but after everything else ... after Derrick told me they had been thieves once, I had to know. “Does the Academy steal? Is that why you’re at Ashley Waters?”
Luke’s mouth fell open. “What made you say that, Sang? We wouldn’t do that.”
I retreated, ashamed now that I thought I needed to ask. “I ... You ... I mean there’s a reason you’re there, right? It isn’t just about trying to help the school. There has to be an easier way than doing what you’re doing, so ... I thought maybe there was something in it for ...”
“Ashley Waters doesn’t have the money to get the football team proper safety equipment or more busses for the students. They can’t even afford a proper security guard,” Luke said. “There’s nothing there worth stealing. And we’re not like that.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling embarrassed at having sounded accusatory. “I’m sorry. It’s ... hard not knowing.”
Luke closed the space between us, until his hips pushed against my knees. My legs parted until he was leaning up against the countertop and his body was pressed closer. His arms encircled my shoulders. “Sang,” he said softly. “We all have a job when it comes to the Academy, okay? It’s not always like this. Our group gets asked to do particular jobs most of the others can’t do. And even this job is extraordinarily out of range of what’s normal for our group. This is the exception, not the standard.”
Volto’s words threaded through the back of my brain, until I felt my lips parting and the question slipping through. “But the school is dangerous, too, right? Is it like taking this camera? It’s why you can’t tell me everything you’re doing for Ashley Waters?”
“You’re wrong, Sang,” he said. His hands smoothed across my upper back. He pressed his face against my forehead until I could feel his mouth and the edge of his jaw against my skin. “The school is a job, and we’re not hurting anyone. We’re there to protect and to figure out what Mr. Hendricks is up to. Just like taking this camera is meant to protect certain people. I’m taking a camera because I want what’s on the camera. It’s to protect someone from very bad people. I’m sorry I can’t say who. You just need to trust me.”
“I trust you,” I said. My arms encircled his back, enjoying the hug when I was probably making him uncomfortable with questions. “I followed you tonight.”
I felt Luke’s mouth shifting. “Probably not the way you imagined spending part of your birthday, huh?”
“It depends,” I said. “Do you enjoy your work? I mean with the Academy?”
His palm smoothed across my shoulders. He drew me in tighter, until his head dipped down, and his lips traced my ear. “I love what I do. I love what the Academy has done for me. Without it, I wouldn’t have a brother, or the guys. I probably would have never met you. So yes, I love my work.”
I traced my cheek against his, finding the desire to kiss it like I had Victor’s, but my courage had run dry that evening. It was hard enough to whisper in return. “Then it was a fine birthday gift. I wanted to spend time with you, doing what you wanted. And we did.”
Luke’s shoulders quivered, and he backed up. His hands slipped up to cup my cheeks. His brown eyes locked on mine. “You’re the strangest girl I’ve ever met.”
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was still thinking of the camera. I slipped my fingers down slightly to the nape of his back, but kept watching him. “I can’t be that weird.”
His eyebrows lifted. “You just helped me break into a house and got shot at and you’re batting those sweet eyelashes at me like this was a date. I think most girls would have thrown a fit and demanded to be taken home the moment I said ‘break in’.”
My hands lowered until my palms rested on his hips. “Should I throw a fit now?”
“A little too late,” Luke said. His hands mimicked mine, his fingers wrapping around my hips. He lowered his head closer until our noses almost touched. “But if you like it that much, maybe next time I take you out, we’ll do it again.”
I hooked my thumbs into the belt loops of his jeans, my fingers resting on the crests of his butt. I was suddenly very aware of how close we were. My luring him in so I could take the camera, it had him within a fraction of an inch of his mouth meeting mine. My heart was thudding again, too nervous to move my fingers down. “What would we do next time?”
Luke’s smile warmed. “Well, maybe we’ll make like Bonnie and Clyde and take out a bank.”
“Sounds dangerous.” I dared to slip my fingers down a little toward the pocket.
“You don’t seem scared by the idea.”
I was terrified he was serious, but glad he seemed distracted. “You don’t seem scared, either.” I slipped my fingers into his pocket.
His hands slipped over my cheeks again, until his fingers entwined into my hair, holding me steady. “Normally I’m not. Maybe I am a little ... with you.”
My fingers caught the rectangle edges, and I started to lift slightly. This was the hardest part, I knew. Touching was probably easy, but I couldn’t figure out how to lift without him noticing ... unless I ...
“Why with me?” I asked, but I slid my eyes down until my focus was completely on his mouth.
Luke’s lips parted. “Those eyes are dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” I whispered, and let my eyes lift to meet his. I clutched tighter at the plastic, slipping it up an inch until the edge was out of his p
ocket.
“Tempting,” he whispered in return. “I told you before I wanted to steal a kiss.”
My fingers stopped, now I was getting distracted. “Is that what you want now?”
His head tilted down, until his lips hovered a breath away from mine. “Sang?”
My fingers shook slightly at the closeness of his lips. I had to re-grip or I was going to lose my hold. And my senses were going wild. He’d told me before how he wanted our first kiss to be. Would he do it here in some strange bathroom after this wild night? The desire to simply lean forward and do it was tremendous. “Yes, Luke?”
“You are ...” he breathed, and paused, his eyes closing.
My heart raced and my whole body froze. “Hm?” I urged, unsure of how to move or what to do next. Was he really going to? I was overwhelmed. I wanted it.
“You are so beautiful,” he started again, paused and suddenly his head drew back, and he spoke in a normal voice, “but you’re the absolute worst pickpocket I’ve ever seen.”
I blinked back as the spell he was casting broke. I huffed, clutched and lifted my hand out before he could take a step back. “If I’m the worst,” I said, and opened my palm to show him. “Then what’s ...” I stopped when I glanced at the object in my hand and blinked at it, unsure of what my eyes were seeing.
I was holding the cell phone.
Luke rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Twice in one night you’ve let me take something out of your panties. Maybe I should be concerned.”
“Luke!” I said, and shoved the phone at his chest. “You ...” But I couldn’t get the words out. How did he do it? “Where’s the camera?”
Luke’s eyebrows arched. “You’ll have to search me to find it.”
I grumbled and pushed him back so I could jump off the counter and stalk out of the bathroom.
“Don’t blame me,” Luke said, picking up the trash and shutting off the light. “You’re the one who keeps sticking stuff in your underwear.”
I paused in the hallway turning back to him. “I don’t have pockets,” I said.
“You shouldn’t keep things in your pocket,” he said. “You’re better off putting it in your bra like you normally do. It’s one thing for me to fool around with an object in your butt pocket. It’s another if I have to feel up your boob to do it. That’s too close and a thief isn’t going to go anywhere near it.” His grin fired up. “Although one of these days, I might want you to help me practice doing that. Just in case.”
I let out a loud sigh and pushed my hand against his chest. “Luke, you’re ...”
“Handsome? Devilishly clever?”
I couldn’t find the word I wanted, so I opted for poking at his chest and started walking off.
“Sang?”
I stopped, turning to find Luke right behind me. The suddenness in which he’d done it surprised me and my foot shot back to take a half step away. His palms caught my face before I could pull away. His fingers threaded through my hair. Then he released one hand and picked up mine, dropping it on my mouth.
And he kissed my fingertips.
The will to tug my fingers away returned. I sensed the same in his lips that traced along my hand. My mind was flying too far though, and my body trembled hard, overstimulated, overtired, terrified, wanting him.
He backed his head away, his half-closed eyes met mine. “I need to take you home, and if I kiss you now, I’ll end up keeping you here.”
I almost dared him, but I couldn’t find the words.
GROUNDED, AGAIN
By the time we made it back to Sunnyvale Court, the edge of the sky teased with dawn. I’d been out all night. There was no chance of the guys having slept through it all. We were in for it.
Luke pulled the bike up to Nathan’s drive and shut off the engine. Despite having the jacket and helmet, I was an icicle. I forced myself to wait for Luke, shivering in my bare feet. I took off the helmet and jacket so I could return them. The shorts and shirt felt so thin now that I felt naked against the cool morning. My body rocked itself with shaking.
Luke finished with the bike, snagged my hand and tugged me toward the front door, squeezing my fingers reassuringly. We were going to face the others together.
Nathan’s house was eerily quiet as we entered. For a split second, I thought perhaps I’d been wrong and the guys were all still asleep. Maybe we’d gotten away with it after all.
The moment we stepped around the corner, that thought crashed into oblivion. North and Nathan stood behind the kitchen island, arms crossed, faces set in stern expressions. Kota, Silas and Gabriel were sitting at the kitchen table as if they’d been in a deep discussion. All eyes settled on us as we entered.
And from the looks on their faces, there was no doubt they knew exactly where we’d been.
The silence lasted eons. My heart was in my throat. The waiting for someone to say something was the toughest. I didn’t want to feel ashamed for going with Luke. Luke hadn’t treated me like a girl, keeping me behind a bubble. I knew that’s why the guys were angry, but I wasn’t going to let Luke think what he’d done was wrong.
I don’t know what came over me. Maybe my subconscious was recalling Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne telling me not to keep things to myself and to tell the boys how I felt. They would support me.
I squeezed Luke’s hand, looking square at him to get his attention. “Thank you for the birthday gift, Luke,” I said. I went en pointe on my toes, and kissed him on the cheek. I tried to drag it out, but I stopped before my tired body could manage to shake. I released his hand, glanced at the others and started off toward Nathan’s bedroom to find some clothes to wear for the day.
The room was dead silent as I left, but I caught widened eyes from everyone, open mouths, and a particularly stunning Luke with tinted cheeks and a smile that nearly sparkled.
When I got to the hallway and couldn’t see them anymore, Gabriel’s voice reached my ears. “Someone call Mr. Blackbourne. I want the next job where I can take her with me.”
♥♥♥
By the time I’d washed and had school clothes on, my shaking had returned full force. I’d used up the last little bit of strength I had facing off the boys on our return. Now I nearly resembled one of Nathan’s zombies. I slipped on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt, still feeling chilled. It wasn’t very cute, but I didn’t feel cute in the moment. My heart was thundering nearly the entire time I was in the bathroom getting ready, listening to their questions and Luke filling them in on almost everything that happened.
When I opened the door again, Luke was leaning against the kitchen wall, his arms folded into his chest and staring off.
North pointed a finger at his brother. “I don’t even know where to start with you. You took my bike. You took Sang. She’s been out all night and now has to deal with Hendricks today.”
“She didn’t have a problem with it,” Luke muttered.
“She’s too nice to say no. You should have known better.”
“She wanted to go. She liked it. She told me she did.”
“She’s not your toy, Luke.”
“She’s not yours either, North,” Luke said, meeting his brother’s eyes.
Someone cleared a throat and attention was turned. I hovered in the archway between the kitchen and the hallway, a finger poised over my lip. Maybe I’d been a little too defiant. My cheeks were on fire. I steeled my spine, trying to ward off the shaking for a while longer. I wanted to pretend I wasn’t tired. I wanted to help Luke and show them I was fine.
“Peanut,” Nathan said in a quiet voice. He crossed the kitchen, snagging my hand from my mouth and drawing me toward him. “Come on, sweetie. We need to get to school.”
I glanced at them all, unsure. “Where’s Victor?” I asked, hoping this change of topic would deflect from having to discuss what was going on.
“You shouldn’t worry about him,” Kota said, though his lips were taut. His eyes had darkened considerably. He rose from the table, uniform
ready. He fished out his keys. “Nathan, don’t baby her.”
Nathan’s eyebrows shot up. He squeezed my hand. “Kota, she’s ...”
“Sang’s grounded,” Kota said, the corner of his mouth dipping. He turned and walked toward the door.
The coldness chilled me until I was frozen to the spot. “Kota?” My voice was soft, nearly a whisper. I didn’t know what to say.
Kota stopped but didn’t turn. “You were on lockdown and you left.”
“Luke asked me ... I ...”
“You had your orders.” Kota turned, his eyes narrowing on my face. Only what I saw wasn’t anger. There was a level of disappointment and sadness. Something I did had hurt him. “I’m sorry, Sang. If you want to be a part of this group, you’ll have to take the consequences when you make a mistake. We all do.”
My heart was struck by his words. I lowered my eyes, tears kissing my lashes, but I blinked them back.
“Kota,” Luke said. “Don’t do this to her.”
“You’re both grounded,” he said. “When school is done today, Sang, you’ll go home. Luke, you can work at the diner but you have to go home if you’re not working. No contact between you two until the grounding is over.”
“You can’t do that,” Luke said louder.
“That’s an order,” Kota said. “Disobey this one, and I take it to Mr. Blackbourne.”
Luke’s face turned ashen. He gazed down at the floor. I had a feeling this was much worse than he had imagined when he took me out.
My tongue froze to the roof of my mouth. I was embarrassed and heartbroken. Had I made a mistake? At the time it didn’t feel like it. I didn’t think Luke had made a mistake either. He was under orders, he obeyed. We were back safe. If he hadn’t brought me, he may not have been successful. What happened then?
But what made me hold my words back was the heavy look of sadness from Kota. I’d never seen him so down before. I’d have given anything in that moment to fix it. I didn’t want to take back my evening with Luke, but I certainly didn’t want to disappoint Kota or the others as much as they looked disappointed in me now.