So Many Boys (The Naughty List #2)(13)

Snapping back to reality, the operative realized where she’d inadvertently taken herself. She pulled to the side of the road and shifted into park, killing the engine. Unease filled her chest, and she began to tap her dark nails on the steering wheel, constructing a plan.

She had to give Tessa credit: organizing an entire fleet of spies took a lot of work and dedication. But she knew she could do it better, especially since Tessa was distracted with Aiden. Her relationship blunder had left open the perfect opportunity for the operative to take SOS from her—and do it right.

The operative looked out the driver’s window to the quaint little house across the street, its bedroom light still on despite the hour. She’d slipped in there weeks ago, slowly gathering all the templates from Tessa’s computer in order to take over SOS. She’d sent out e-mails—some on a time delay—and then found her way to Izzie’s grandparents’ garage for the equipment.

The cell phone on the passenger seat vibrated. The operative snatched it up and scrolled through the message. Her alert had gone off, retrieving all of Riley’s texts from the past two weeks. It was good, since the listening device she’d planted under his desk hadn’t worked. She wondered if her lipstick had deactivated it. Her heart pounded as she waited to see what she’d find on her phone. She needed something.

“I love you, M.”

The operative’s red lips parted as she hitched in a breath. She waited for a response, and when nothing registered, she felt a bit of sadness touch her. She’d known what it was like to love someone and have it not returned. In a way, she felt bad for Riley.

The operative turned again to look at Tessa’s house, unsure why she was even here.

She had an assignment. One she was determined to finish.

The operative started her car, glancing once more out the window. Then she saw her. Tessa Crimson standing in front of her full-length mirror—in her cheerleading uniform. The operative’s mouth opened. Tessa wasn’t even on the squad anymore, but…she wore her cheer uniform at home? Something about this little secret both pleased and irritated the operative. It was sad—pathetic almost—and it made her feel sorry for Tessa. And that wouldn’t do. Tessa had already lost Aiden, the squad, and SOS. Now the operative just needed to make sure things stayed that way. It was the only way to achieve her goal.

Shifting gears, she swung out into the road, illuminating her interior with the streetlights, and headed for home.

The cheaters would be caught. She’d make sure of it.

CHAPTER FIVE

THERE WERE WHISPERS. SINCE SCHOOL HAD started last month, there had been lots of gossip about Aiden and me—about why we broke up and why I’d left the cheerleading squad. And because the most popular rumor was that Kira had been dating Christian until I’d “stolen” him away, it had been really hard to defend myself. Not without exposing the Smitten Kittens as SOS.

So I kept my mouth shut. I denied what I could, hoping the rest would eventually fade away. It was amazing how differently people treated me now that I wasn’t their spirit savior. I was…ordinary.

“Hey, Tessa,” Chris Townsend said as I walked into language arts. The sound of his deep voice startled me. Gosh, I was really on edge!

“Oh, hi.” I glanced around the classroom, the circular arrangement of the desks, the stacks of books that overflowed from the shelves, feeling a little lost.

“You okay?” Chris asked, tilting his head toward mine.

“Uh-huh.” But I wasn’t. I was decidedly not okay. Chris was nice enough; I didn’t want to worry him. He was on the football team—a meaty linebacker with a great chance at a scholarship. He had light blond hair and a perfect speckling of freckles across the bridge of his nose. And lucky for him, he looked fantastic in uniform. Kira had pointed it out on a number of occasions. The ladies of Washington High were crazy about him. Maybe I would have been too, if I didn’t have Aiden.

Chris smiled at me. “Well, I’m here for you if you wanna talk,” he said, backing away, his sneakers squeaking on the linoleum floor.

I nodded, not sure if he was trying to be comforting or trying to ask me out. Seemed that since I’d become single, there were a lot of guys trying to “comfort” me. But they didn’t understand that Aiden and I were still figuring out our relationship.

“Take your seats,” Ms. Lipton said as she stomped into the room wearing her leather combat boots. She had short, spiky black hair and a closet full of flannels. She was pretty but in desperate need of some lipstick. Still, I enjoyed her class.

I sat down at the wood-top desk and folded my hands in front of me, thinking over what Leona had said the day before. Was I home when someone broke in, asleep in my bed while an intruder tiptoed around my house? I shivered.

“Ms. Crimson?” Ms. Lipton asked. I glanced up quickly only to meet her very stern expression.

“Yes?”

“You were mumbling,” she said, squinting her dark eyes. “We have a test—are you unprepared?”

I gasped. Of course I was prepared. What a silly question. “I studied,” I answered, trying to flash a winning smile. But by the expression on her face, I could tell I was unconvincing.

After another second of scrutiny, she nodded and hopped off her desk to grab a stack of papers that was sitting on its wood surface. She counted out the tests row by row, and we passed them backward as usual. When Ralph Moss turned around to give me my test, he grinned. “How’s it going, Sex Kitten?” he asked.