“I know we don’t expect the guys to be faithful to us while we’re here, but in case you were, I know there is at least one who has been with a few other girls since taking a liking to you. They’re just not allowed to say anything.” She pulls back before she follows the path back and I trail behind.
Could she mean Aeron or Tom? Then again, didn’t Tom say it wasn’t what it looked like? What else could he have possibly been hoping to do?
13
Little Spies
Aeron
“You have got to stop running off whenever things get too hard. Sir won’t be happy that we’re back two days behind schedule,” Tom says, and I pop my earphones in to try and drown him out.
He yanks them out with one quick tug before tossing them out of the window. Son of a bitch.
“Why do you care? You don’t exactly follow his rules to the letter,” I grouse and he shakes his head as he pushes the throttle harder.
“I don’t, but I’d rather you didn’t spend another birthday being belittled by your mother,” he says, as he stares at me from the corner of his eye.
“We’re going to be called away for it anyway. It isn’t as though I can avoid her.” I pinch the bridge of my nose as he cranks the stereo and I narrow my eyes at him.
“Is that really necessary?”
“If it annoys you, then yeah. Seeing as I should be back at the Academy by now, trying to fix things with Luna. How can we share her if all I do is piss her off?”
“Isn’t that what we all do? Can you think of any one of us that genuinely makes her happy without hurting or angering her in some way? It’s our gift and curse, cuz, but she’ll get over it. If she can forgive Emmet for all his shit, then she’ll definitely forgive you.” I hunker down further into my chair and close my eyes.
I swear though, if Justin Bieber starts blaring out of those speakers, I may be forced to make him crash this car. Just saying.
“Look, we’re almost there. Can you at least try and pretend you’re the carefree, happy Aeron we all love and despise in equal measures?”
“Just concentrate on the road, and leave me and my attitude alone. You gave up your right to care about that our last time around.” He should have just left me in that run down motel. I would have calmed down, got it all out of my system, and come back as myself. But no, apparently I lost that right as well.
“Oh, grow up. Tucker was the one who got her, not me. Why can’t you just let it go?” He throws his hands in the air, and I don’t even bother trying to reach for the steering wheel.
“Right, because you’re the innocent party who did nothing wrong. Next time you decide to play hero, Tommy boy, leave me out of it. I don’t need rescuing and I don’t need you.” He flips me off before turning the music up to deafening levels and I can’t believe I’m starting to brighten at the sight of the Academy walls. I am so fucking lost.
We wind up the road, and I’m out of the car before he can even come to a stop. I ignore him cursing my name as I throw open the doors and head straight for the staircase.
Choices, my wing or hers? Fuck it, hers. I go into the top wing and throw her door open and lean against the door jam.
“Aeron baby, now this is a pleasant surprise,” One says as she licks her lips and stalks closer to me and I give her my usual smirk.
“I have a little task for you, One,” I say huskily and she damn right preens.
“Anything for you,” she all but purrs, as she glides her hand down my chest. Right until I grip her wrist and pin it against the wall.
“You’re going to help me unravel a mystery, and this time, you’re not going to use me to make some petty little point to Five,” I breathe into her ear and she whimpers as I tighten my grip on her wrist.
“What mystery?” she asks, as I pull away and she rubs at her wrist.
“Well, seeing as your Sir’s little spy amongst the girls, you’re going to help me figure out who it is amongst the guys. Oh, and I suggest you keep this one to yourself.” I stroke her hair behind her ear as she goes as white as freshly fallen snow.
“I’d rather go against you than Sir.” She rushes to push the words out and I laugh low. I didn’t know for sure, but now she’s confirmed it.
“Okay, well then I’ll just go and see Arthur and tell him how you spilled your secret position in a bid to garner my attention. I hope you had fun, because you’re right, you don’t want to mess with the big guy.” I turn around and take measured steps towards the door.
Three, two, one.
“Wait, I’ll do it. Please, just don’t tell Sir. I don’t want to end up on his bad side.” Tears pool in her eyes and I throw a tissue at her.
“Good, keep your eyes out and your ear to the ground. If you hear or see anything, then I want to know. Even if it doesn’t seem relevant to you. Because you’re not the brightest light in the room, so I trust your judgement about as much as I trust… well, a guy holding a gun to my head. See you around, One, and try not to be too antagonistic to Five this year, you never know what may push me over the edge.” I give her a wink before I saunter out and head to the girl who is calling to me. Even if she doesn’t realize it.
“Little Zero, you in here?” I shout, and I hear a muffled reply come from her bedroom. I wonder if she’s alone in there.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I step inside to see her wardrobe now spilling out into her bedroom. Her clothes littering every inch of her floor.
“Someone updated my clothes while I was away, and my apron is gone. It’s one of the few things I was allowed to bring with me from home.” She stares up at me as she clutches the clothes to her chest, and I shake my head before I crouch down in front of her.
“Are you sure it’s not here?” I ask, scratching at my head. I mean, how can she possibly make sense of all this mess?
“No, it’s not. It doesn’t even make sense, I always kept it hanging up in my kitchen area, and now it’s not there. Why would they get rid of it?” Her eyes are wide as she continues rummaging through the chaos she’s created.
“I don’t think they would have. Don’t panic, we’ll find it. I’ll put the word out for a missing apron. What does it look like?” Is that a stupid question, I mean don’t they all look the same?
“It has a picture of me, my mom, and my sister on it. They got it for me one year for Christmas, I feel naked without it.” She starts fiddling with her moon necklace and I grip her hands in mine.
“Come on, let’s get this shit tidied up and then I’ll see what I can do. I’m sure it will turn up somewhere.” I stand up and pull her with me. She falls into my chest and her breath rushes out of her.
“Do I leave you breathless, Little Zero?” I ask with a smirk and her cheeks go red as she hollows out her cheeks.
“Maybe just a little.”
Damn, I wasn’t expecting that.
She puts her clothes away while I shoot a text off to the guys, and hope that one of them can find out where it’s gone. No doubt one of the little bitches here has stolen it while we were away. Well, they’ll soon be sorry for even attempting something so juvenile and petty.