A Whole New Crowd(95)

Tray frowned, but relayed the information. He added, “I’ll text the room number.” Then he was silent for a moment before he murmured, “Got it. Okay.”
As he hung up, I asked, “What was that last part?”
“He told me a code to use in case someone intercepts the text.”
“Does he think that’s a real possibility?”
“I don’t know.” He put the phone down and turned the car towards Pedlam. “He said not to go back home, just to be safe. I think they’re operating under the ‘better safe than sorry’ theory.”
Knock, knock
I was pulled back from my thoughts as Tray’s brother tapped on the door again. Tray went to let his brother into the room, and I stayed by the window.
Chance Evans was an older version of Tray. They had the same hazel eyes, dirty blonde hair, and chiseled cheekbones, but Chance looked more weathered. He was slightly bigger in build as well. His shoulders were a tiny bit broader, but Tray was more defined. After they embraced, Chance gazed at me for a moment. It was direct, as if seeing right through me, with a hint of caution and suspicion at the same time. I felt like I was being interrogated without any questions asked, and I straightened to my fullest height because of it. My eyes narrowed and my chin lowered in a challenge. This was my life. Gray was my friend and I wasn’t going to let a stranger cast blame on me.
After a full minute of studying me, his hand clapped Tray’s shoulder and he gently shook him. “Are you two nuts?”
Tray frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“This is a Panther hotel.” Chance swung his suspicious eyes my way again. The caution was gone. He did blame me. “I know my little brother had no idea, but you did. He said you picked it.”
I turned and leaned my back against the wall. My arms crossed over my chest and one of my eyebrows arched. “Yeah?”
“Taryn?”
I ignored the soft undertone of betrayal from Tray’s voice. “Jace Lanser is missing. He’s the one I want.”
Chance narrowed his eyes, turning back to his brother. “You said a friend was kidnapped. You never said it was connected to Jace Lanser.”
“Is there a difference?”
“Jace Lanser is a big f*cking deal. He’s in a different league. Do you know what you’ve gotten yourself into?” He swung around to me. “What was your agenda coming here?”
“It’s a cheap hotel. No one will look here for us.” But that wasn’t the full truth. I didn’t want to look at Tray. When he asked, it had been a split second decision, but I knew I needed to follow it through. I could feel the hurt from him.
“Bullshit.”
I shrugged and turned back to the window. “It’s the closest hotel to Pedlam’s school.” Liar! My conscience knew I was still holding back.
He shook his head. “You two are going to explain everything, and I mean everything. I want to know when you wipe your ass to the real reason this hotel was picked.” He sent the last statement to me.
A good person would’ve flushed with guilt. I did nothing. There was a good goddamn reason I picked it. Tray gestured to me. “Do you want to start?”
I did. I told him everything. He got all the details, even the events with my fake family and even the conversation from Dee and Kevin. I didn’t hold back any of the exchanges I had with Brian or with Jace. By the time I was finished, Chance Evans had a different look to his stare. There was still suspicion, but he looked wary now. He said, “How do I know this whole thing wasn’t a set-up and you’re not working with Lanser to flush me out?”
“What do you mean?”
He pointed to Tray. “Is this whole thing an elaborate plot to flush us out? If it is, Tray doesn’t know anything. I do. If you’re a plant and you’re working for Jace, you take that message back to him. You got it?”
“You think I’m a narc?” Acid dripped from my tone and I stood upright, moving away from the wall where I was leaning. My arms unfolded and went to my side. I didn’t like being called a traitor.
He moved forward, his arm muscles flexing at the same time. “No. I called you a plant. This whole thing could be a set-up. So you tell me. You brought my little brother to a hotel that the Panthers own. You don’t think I know what that means? If Lanser’s alive and kicking, they’ve already told him you’re here. Now they know where my little brother and I are too.” He glanced at Tray, whose eyebrows were bunched forward. Chance turned back to me. “I don’t buy your bullshit that it’s the closest hotel to the Pedlam School.”