Revolution (Collide, #4)(61)

I took off. I felt him try to grab at my hand, but I kept going. I went right up to Billings. The woman and her man looked between Billings and me. It was obvious I had something to say. That was when Billing noticed the other man. He sat up straighter as he understood the direction the situation had turned in.

That was when I slapped him across the face.

He looked shocked. I tried not to do it hard, just enough to be believable. "What the hell?" he bellowed.

"How could you?" I accused. "I go to the bathroom and you try to chat up the first beautiful girl you see?"

"Uh…." he gulped, "well, you know me."

"Oh, I sure do. And you are in serious trouble, mister!" I grabbed his arm and pushed past the big guy. "Excuse us."

The guy never said a word to us and as soon as we were out of ear shot I said, "You can thank me later."

"For slapping me!" he hissed. "You had to slap me?"

"Better than having your butt handed to you. We were here to find Miguel anyway, not smooze at the bar."

"Oh, yeah?" He grinned. "Here to find Miguel, huh?" He touched my neck. "And Merrick sucking on your neck was how you looked for him, right?"

I covered my neck, my blush creeping up. "Shut. Up."

He laughed. "Man, that guy has some serious mack."

"Oh, my gosh. You're not even speaking English anymore!" I laughed back.

"Hey," Merrick said as he reached us. "Um…so, you slapped him."

"He deserved it," I argued. I grabbed Billing's arm and then laid my hand on my forehead. "How could he betray me with that bimbo?"

Billings laughed and rubbed his cheek. "She got me good, boss." He nodded his chin to Merrick. "You better be good to this one."

"I plan to," he muttered and took my hand. He smiled and shook his head like he didn't know what to do with me. "Let's hope Miguel's still through here. Ryan and Ellie went to find him."

We turned the hall near the bathrooms and peeked down the massive line. A sign said Exit with an arrow pointing the way out and Merrick guided us that way.

Ryan was there. "I didn't see him."

"He's got to be here somewhere," Merrick said.

"Maybe they went out the door?" I supplied. "Let's just go see." I pulled my shirt away from my body. "I'm dying in here, anyway."

As soon as Ryan slung open the door, we all stopped.

I'd seen people suck face before, but these two were trying to embed themselves. And they were completely oblivious to us or anything. So the group of Lighters and Enforcers that had just turned the corner hadn't been noticed.

Well, we'd gone this long without seeing any. We should be glad I guess. At least we learned something to help with the broadcast. Now whether we'd live to carry it out or not was another story. They kept coming and didn't stop. Not even a second glance as they walked between us, and Miguel and Rylee.

I let my breath go as soon as they turned the corner and heard Ellie do the same. I looked at her and she was green as Ryan held her to him. She hadn't expected her ability to work? Miguel noticed us then and growled at us, "Bugger off."

"Time to go, man," Billings told him and grabbed the back of his shirt. "Crap just got real."

"What?" Rylee said. "What happened?" she asked and wiped her bottom lip.

"Did you not see the Lighters who just walked right past you?" Billings scolded them. "Within punching range!"

"I was…busy," Miguel said and smiled smugly. He put his arm on the small of Rylee's back to direct her through the cars and she let him. Once we reached the van, he helped her inside. "Up you go."

She snatched her hand back and gave him a look. "Just because we made out doesn’t mean that you can boss me around."

"I wouldn’t dream of it, love," he replied good naturedly and grinned as he got inside.

We all followed suit and once we were loaded, Jeff asked us how it went.

Ryan cleared his throat. "Well, I got to use my first public bathroom. That was interesting."

"I made out with the Aussie," Rylee stated matter-of-factly.

"I made up with the ginger," Miguel said and grinned back at her.

Jeff stared at us.

"I got slapped in the face," Billings offered.

"By me," I supplied.

"And we got to talk to Cain at the station on the big screen," Merrick said happily.

Jeff still stared while Marissa giggled into her hand. "So it went good then," he stated. "Great."

He turned in his seat and pulled onto the highway. Our laughter that we fought eventually came out.



Once I gave Jeff directions for how to get to Chesser's house, we crept our way along the highway to the trailer park. I told him which one, but Merrick wasn't letting me go alone. So, we both got out and told the others to wait for us to signal the 'ok'. I climbed his rickety stairs and knocked on the door. I heard movement inside and then a scuffle. At first I thought he might have a visitor of the female persuasion that we were interrupting, but then the door was yanked open and a gun shoved in Merrick's face. It wasn't Chesser, it was that other guy, whose names escaped me.