Broken Trust: A Dark High School Romance(39)

We were taking one car to New York City, and it turned out to be a huge Escalade, black on black, and all the fancy shit. Jasper was driving, his eyes covered by reflective glasses. “Morning, Riles,” he said when I climbed inside, throwing my duffle bag over the backseat. “You ready for the road trip?”

I shook my head, glad that it would only be a couple of hours. “Why did we need to pack a bag?” I asked. “Surely we can have the meeting and make it home tonight?”

Beck slid in next to me, Dylan on the other side, and suddenly I was sandwiched between two of the hottest, scariest dudes in existence.

Some days, I swear fate hated me.

Or loved me. Depending on what way you looked at it.

Jasper started the car and “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar blared through the sound system.

“We should grab some food when we get there,” Evan said, turning from the front seat. “I love that little deli right near Delta.”

“Fuck yes,” Dylan groaned, and I couldn’t help but smile at him.

“Sounds like some deli,” I commented, looking at all of their faces.

“You should taste their subs,” Jasper said, spinning the wheel and getting us started. “Out of this world.”

My stomach grumbled at the mention of subs, and I licked my lips in anticipation. “Meatball?” I asked Jasper, my eyes wide with excitement.

He grinned at me in the mirror. “With cheese.”

Moaning, I sunk back into my seat. “Fuck yes, I’m so on board for that. What a shame we have to deal with our tyrannical parents first.”

“About that,” Beck said, scratching at his stubbled cheek. “This favor … it usually ends up being one thing. They have a job for us, and this time I can’t even argue about it.” He looked annoyed but resigned to this fate. “Everyone’s been a bit on edge at headquarters lately...” He looked like he was going to say more, but stopped himself and clenched his jaw.

“Hey.” I jabbed him in the ribs. “No more secrets.”

“Delta council falls into a whole other category, Riles,” Dylan answered for him. “With Beck about to take his seat on the board, he’s privy to information that we aren’t. We don’t need to like it, but we do have to respect it.”

Beck sucked in a deep breath and released it in a heavy sigh. “Do we, though?”

A tense silence fell across the car, and both Dylan and Evan leaned to stare at Beck.

“Say what?” Evan blurted.

“Beck,” Dylan said in a carefully soft voice. “Are you suggesting going against Delta?”

Beck said nothing, just stared out the window, drumming his fingertips on the arm rest.

“You can’t,” Jasper spoke up.

“Why not?” I asked, looking between them all. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”

Beck shrugged. “Riley said something yesterday about how we need to change things. Change Delta. She has a damn good point.”

“No, Jasper’s right,” Dylan agreed, “Even if it weren’t for all the shit they have on us in the vaults, you signed an ironclad NDA. We need to play by their rules for another three years.”

Beck said nothing, just kept staring out the window for a long while then ran a hand through his dark hair as he sighed again. “Let’s just get through whatever bullshit they’ve cooked up for us this weekend.”

No one really seemed to know what to say back, so Jasper cranked the stereo, and I slipped my sunglasses back over my eyes. It was a long drive, and I was not a morning person on the best of days. Maybe I could catch a few extra minutes sleep.

When I woke up again, my face was snuggled into Beck’s neck while my feet were tucked up in Dylan’s lap. Despite the fact we were squished up in the backseat of a car, I was stupidly comfortable and I didn’t want to move. Not ever.

“So, you guys talked things through?” Evan’s question was quiet enough that I knew they must’ve thought I was still asleep.

Beck hummed a low sound, and I fought not to snuggle my face deeper into his warm skin. “Sort of. Yes. Not really.”

Dylan chuckled, his hands lightly massaging my feet in his lap. Where my shoes had gone, I had no idea, but that boy knew how to give a fucking excellent foot rub.

“Never heard you all twisted up like this over a girl, Beck.” Dylan’s hands paused for a moment on my feet, like he was anxious to hear his best friend’s response, despite his light, teasing tone.

Fuck knew I was!

“She’s not just any girl, and you all know it,” Beck growled. “We talked. Or… we fought. But fighting with her is like…” he trailed off, and I held my breath waiting for his sentence to finish. “Like fucking electricity. It makes me feel alive like I never have before. I’ll take fighting with Riley over her silence any damn day.”

Butterflies erupted inside me, and it was everything I could do to maintain my breath and keep my body relaxed. I was enjoying the little insight into boy-chat and was in no hurry to end it by “waking up.”

“I don’t think any of us are going to disagree with you there,” Jasper commented with a dry laugh.

“Shh, shut up,” Evan hissed, and I heard the distinctive sound of him whacking Jasper. “You’ll wake her up with your snickering.”