“We really are stalking, aren’t we?”
“Aren’t you a little bit curious?”
This is a rhetorical question because she knows the answer. My curiosity is the bane of my existence. I chew on my top lip and peer through the windshield to the brush. “Maybe just a peek…” I trail off because she’s already out of her door.
I shove the binoculars and our phones in my hoodie and follow her quietly with the dim streetlights as our only light. When we get to the bushes, we have a clear view of the side of the house closer up. It is much more magnanimous at this angle—
paved circular driveway, stone columns flanking the front patio, and grand double doors with light shining through. The question from earlier reruns on how these guys can afford a place like this.
We mutter a few words about the house but remain mostly quiet. After what seems like forever, with no action, I finally sigh out loud.
“Nothing’s happening. This was a crazy, stupid idea,” I whisper.
“I have to agree. This is boring as fuck,” a male voice rumbles behind us, and I screech, tackling Jewls as if someone is attacking us. She squeals in response, reflexively pushing back until we’re rolling on the ground.
We do this for a few seconds, kicking, bucking, shrieking, and holding each other protectively.
A bright light clicks on, and I am momentarily blinded when a firm hand tugs me to my feet. The flashlight moves to Jewls, whose eyes are wide and face smudged with dirt.
“Talon! You asshole,” she yells, rocking to her knees and hauling herself up. “You scared the shit out of us.”
He laughs a full, deep-in-your-gut roar that has me cringing. It’s bad enough we are busted, but his humor at our predicament is mortifying.
“I couldn’t help it. You two were easy targets. Want to tell me why you’re sitting in the dark outside our house?”
Neither of us answers, but Jewls is eyeing me for a good excuse. Which I can’t think of one because all I want to do is crawl into a ball and disappear. The flashlight comes to me, and I catch the white of Talon’s teeth with his wide smile.
“What about you, Jay? You want to fill me in?”
The first time I met Talon, he took my last name and slapped me with his own nickname. Jay stuck.
“Not particularly.” I dip my head in disgrace.
“How’d you find us?” Jewls tries to take the pressure off me.
“Wasn’t hard. We have the whole place secured. Saw your car on the street and went for a run to check things out. At first, I thought it was nosiness until you pulled by the dumpster and jumped out of the car looking like you do.”
“What’s wrong with the way we look?” she snips defensively. “We’re dressed perfectly incognito.”
“Babe, you two couldn’t be incognito in Ghillie suits.”
She raises her hand in the air to argue, and I speak up. “We know about the Casanova Club,” I blurt out.
The smile on his face falls fast and transforms into a dark scowl. “Repeat that.”
I shake my head.
“Who the fuck told you about the Casanova Club?”
I don’t answer.
“Ace will lose his fucking mind and hunt down whoever spread that shit. He already wanted to rip Glen’s head off, but if he finds out that dumb fuck said anything, it’s going to be ugly.”
“It wasn’t Glen,” Jewls protects the guy. He may be a nuisance, but he doesn’t deserve the wrath of Achilles.
“So, you snuck out here on a Friday night to see for yourself if we have a revolving door of women because those fuckers we work with have nothing better to do than make up shit because we don’t fuck everything that moves? I can set you straight right now. None of it is true, but people like to talk.”
God, I’m an idiot. I knew deep down these guys weren’t that type, but my freaking nosiness got me into trouble again. My shoulders sag, and I rack my brain for a plea to keep this from Achilles. “Maybe we can keep this between us?” I try weakly.
“I’m not sure we can do that,” another voice comes from the side. Ford and Major step out, and a light flashes with the unmistakable sound of a camera click.
“Oh my God!” I slap my hand to my forehead. “This is bad.”
“Get over it, Harley, we’re caught. Now, what I want to know is how the hell you guys are living here.” Jewls throws attitude, not caring that our situation is ridiculous.
They don’t answer and it dawns on me out of nowhere. “Ford!” I throw my finger his way. “Ford Whitman!”
Why I didn’t put two and two together earlier is beside the point. Probably because I was too busy worrying about stupid lies that have no merit.
“Can’t put anything past you. My family developed the land in this area. The house belongs to them. We’re crashing here for now.”
“It’s spectacular.”
“It serves a purpose.” He’s not nearly as impressed as we are.
“You ladies want to come check it out? See for yourselves that we don’t have a harem hiding inside?” Talon returns to his teasing manner.
“We don’t want to intrude. No need to completely ruin your Friday night. This is already bad enough.”
“Ford and I have to work tomorrow, and we’re meeting Ace at the gym at seven a.m. Besides, this is quite entertaining.” He rocks back on his heels, enjoying my distress.
“Jewls, give me your keys.” Major holds his palm out.
“Why?”
“I’m driving your car around. Go on inside the house.”
“No, really—” I start.
“I’m starving,” Jewls cuts me off. “Please tell me you men have some decent food. Being on a stakeout is grueling.”
My stomach churns, wondering how she could think about food at a time like this. I glance over at the house, feeling uneasy about going inside when Achilles isn’t there. I’d much rather have an invitation from him.
“What’s on your mind?” Ford steps close, asking quietly.
“I feel like an idiot. I’m beyond embarrassed, and I’m not sure going inside is a good idea. It’s like an invasion of his privacy.”
Ford pulls his lips through his teeth a few times, observing me as his eyes go soft with understanding. “I’m seeing what Amanda and Rich meant,” he utters so low I almost miss it.
“What do you mean?” The mention of my parents sets my head spinning again. What do they have to do with anything?
“Nothing.” He throws his arm around my shoulders and walks us forward. “We’re all friends, Jay. And I think you owe me a rematch.”
“Rematch of wh—Oh my gosh! How do you remember that?”
“I never forget an annihilation that bad. Waited a long time for payback.”
“I haven’t played video games in forever.”
“That means luck is on my side. I’ve spent years preparing for a rematch.”
Nostalgia washes over me, remembering that weekend. What started as a sad affair with the funeral quickly became a favorite memory. Finally meeting these guys after years of hearing about them helped lift the sadness of the occasion. There was no awkward getting to know you stage; it was like we’d known each other forever.