Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(93)

After a long, deep kiss, I trailed my lips to his cheek until they found the spot behind his ear. His hands roamed all along my back and neck. I smiled against the skin of his neck, breathing hard. “Someone’s gonna see us.”

“No they’re not.”

I pulled back and studied the sly look on his face. “Why do you seem so sure?”

“Because I rented this side of the arboretum out for the afternoon. It’s been blocked off.”

“Can we stay here forever?” I asked.

“No.” He brought me in for another kiss. His hands were relentlessly convincing me to forget about everything outside the here and now. His fingers ran down the side of my body, causing me to shiver in his arms. “I promised Briana I would have you back by tomorrow morning.”

Tomorrow? What were we doing until then?

“The rest of the day is a surprise.” He had read my thoughts again. “For now, we’re going to make out on this blanket in this very private garden.” His words took on a playful tone, yet his eyebrows drew together, casting a dark shadow over his eyes.

He attempted to distract me with gentle kisses, but something bothered him. I let it go for now.

“Why does Briana need me back at school?” I said against his lips.

“She needs your help. A Halloween party or something. Said it’s a big event every year.”

I bent my neck and buried my face into his chest, and I immediately cut off all thoughts from him. I hadn’t told him that my eighteenth birthday occurred this Halloween. Wellington had always allowed the students to make a big deal out of the holiday. I think it was their way of keeping students on campus on a night that could easily get out of control. “What if I don’t want to go back to Wellington?”

He crooked a finger under my chin. “Then we won’t go back.”

I stared at his serious face for a moment before I spoke. “You’d do that?”

“Haven’t I convinced you yet? I’d do anything for you. For us.”

I nodded. “In that case, I think I’m ready to see the safe house my dad left instructions for.”

“I’m already one step ahead of you.”

What does that mean? I mindspoke to hide the accusatory tone in my voice. I hadn’t told anyone where the safe house was. Not even Jack. And except to swim, I never removed the starfish and key from my neck. Even then, the necklace was locked inside my locker.

“Remember when you thought I was looking for my father? Questioning Cathy about Father’s whereabouts?”

Yes.

“That wasn’t the only thing I was doing.”

I pushed up to my knees so that I could better see Jack’s face when he told me what he had been hiding from me.

“Don’t freak out.”

“Why is it that every time you tell me not to freak out, you immediately tell me something that I, of course, will freak out about? What is it? Just tell me.”

“I’d rather show you.”

~~~~~

Jack insisted that we take a long motorcycle ride on the back roads of Kentucky in the heart of the Bluegrass before we went to the safe house.

Late that afternoon, we pulled down a long drive lined with a plank fence. A chestnut horse ran alongside the black fence. I hit Jack’s arm, signaling for him to stop, which he did.

After climbing off the bike, I lifted my helmet off and set it on the seat. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think that was—”

“Cheriana?”

I whipped my head around to look at him. “How did you know where this house was?”

“How did you know where this house was?” he retorted. “Your dad didn’t mention it in any of the documents online. It’s not in any of your school records. It wasn’t in any of the papers my dad had on you from the time he hired a private investigator.”

I remembered how Jack spoke with Coach Williams privately during several classroom and weapon sessions. He disappeared to “check on things” and never told me what.

“Coach knew. Dad gave him access to everything. But he never told me anything,” I said mostly to myself.

“He didn’t think you were ready.” Jack averted his gaze from me to glance up toward the house at the end of the drive. “I got permission to move Cheriana here.”

My hands turned clammy. Panic began to build in my chest. “Permission from whom, Jack?”

Jack closed the distance between us. He reached up and cupped my cheeks with both hands. “You know I love you with every cell, every neuron, every fiber of my genetically modified being, right?”

“Tell me who I’m going to find at this house, Jack.”

“You know who’s here—who’s waiting for you at the end of this drive.”

I had faced so many obstacles in such a short period of time. More than one person should ever have to. Could I face one more challenge?

I walked slowly over to the bike and put my helmet back on. And debated. Stay. Or go.

“Want to know my opinion?”

I faced Jack. I did not need his opinion. “Let’s do this.”

He drove me the rest of the way up the driveway. Handing him my helmet, I locked eyes with Jack—the love of my life. His lips curved slightly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes as he nodded in encouragement. I turned slowly and made the short trek to the front door alone. I reached my hand up to knock, but the door opened before I made contact.