The more time I spend with this new, kind Reed, the more I find myself liking him. Hell, if I’m being honest with myself, I had the hots for him when he was an absolute asshole.
“Fine. What about what you were doing at the mall?”
“Got some dinner. Stayed later than we anticipated, right, Reed?” Sterling glares at the back of Reed’s head.
“Yep. Then we stole a bird from the fountain and were almost caught. Thankfully, you helped us escape. Thanks for that, by the way.” He brings my hand up to kiss it as I hear the others grumble in the back seat.
“Thank you for your honesty. Can I ask one more question?” Reed’s eyes meet mine briefly before going back to the road. “Why the hell did you steal a stupid bird?”
They all start laughing, but I don’t join in.
“I’m being serious. You guys could have gotten arrested or hurt over what? A twenty-dollar lawn ornament?”
Keaton is the first to speak. “We would have been fine. The mall cop would have only been able to ban us from the mall, and even that would have been a stretch.”
“Besides, we weren’t planning to get caught,” Reed adds with a wink.
I’m not so sure what to think of this new, playful side of him. Besides it messing with my head, it also screams trouble. Trouble I don’t need.
“Art takes his job seriously. He used to be in the army. While he doesn’t carry a gun, he does carry a Taser and baton. He could have hurt you.”
“Careful, Sage. You almost sound like you care.”
Sterling’s words cause me to turn and glare at him.
“Of course I fucking care. Did any one of you think about what getting caught or hurt would have done to the people you care about? Tinsley would have been devastated and Victoria would have been worried too. Since they’re my friends and at least one of you claims that position as well, I would have cared. I don’t like seeing the people I care about hurt."
This time I yank my hand away from Reed’s, but he lets it go willingly.
“I’m sorry, S.” Keaton’s deflated voice comes from the back.
“I’m sorry too.” Reed’s apology is unexpected.
I glance over to him, but he’s focused on the road, all humor gone from his face.
“You’re right. We should have been more careful. I understand where you’re coming from, but you didn’t have to worry. We had it handled.”
“You involved me in it, Reed. I got the memo. You four are untouchable. The kings of the school. Nothing bad ever happens to you. I bet if you had gotten arrested, you would have been bonded out before they even took your fingerprints. Hell, if Art had tased you, you would have had his job along with his firstborn child. Life is easy for you. It’s not the same for me. A black mark like that could ruin my life.”
Reed pulls up in front of my house, putting the car in Park before turning to me. He glances at the guys before turning back to me.
“We’re truly sorry. I had no intentions of involving you in this. Actually, it bothered me to know you were working. We had the whole thing planned out, but finding out you were working threw a wrench in our plans. Beth usually doesn’t close the gate until she’s planning to leave, but I know when you close, you shut the gate right on time. It was by chance that you had it open tonight. We weren’t planning to involve you.”
I huff. “Then why did you? You came right to me. You asked me where the back door was.”
He gives me a small smile. “I wanted you to know it was us. That you had nothing to fear. We know where the door is, but we wanted to know if you would tell us. If you would protect us. I heard you tell the guard that we went out a different door. You had our back. We have yours too.”
“This was a stupid test? For me? You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Instead of comforting me, his words make my blood boil.
The confused look on his face tells me he has no clue what he said wrong. “It wasn’t a test for you but for us. As part of—”
“Enough. We don’t know if we can trust her,” Sterling cuts Reed off.
“You’re welcome to leave this vehicle any time. I didn’t ask your permission, and I’m not going to. We all did something tonight. Something that may or may not affect Sage now that she’s involved. She has a right to know.”
“Whatever, man. I’m out.” Sterling jumps out, heading to my front door.
“I don’t want you to fight because of me. Hell, I don’t know if I want to know.”
I watch as Victoria opens the door, pulling him in for a kiss when she realizes who it is. They head inside, but she sticks her head back out. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but she throws a worried look in my direction. I smile and wave her inside.
As soon as the door is shut, I turn back to Reed. The other two are quiet in the back.
“We’re a part of the Secretum Societatis,” Reed says after a moment of silence.
“The what?”
“Secretum Societatis. It’s an elite group. As seniors, Sterling and I were tasked with obtaining the bird from the mall. It’s our sacrifice for the cause. It’s a lot of stuff that you can’t know about until you’re in. I really shouldn’t even be telling you about it.”
“Is that why Sterling was so upset? And if it was a task for Sterling and you, why were the other two with you?” I ask while throwing my thumb over my shoulder toward Finley and Keaton.
He nods. “It’s a serious offense to tell an outsider. Especially if the outsider tells others. There’s a reason it’s so secret. Only the elite few are chosen. You’ll see. There’s an event coming up soon. It’ll help explain things. Besides, do you really think we could have kept them out of it?”
I scoff. “Sure. As if the elite would choose me as one of theirs. Little old trailer trash Sage.”
Reed glares at me. “I told you not to call yourself that. You have Covington blood running through your veins. You’re part of a founding family. That alone means you’re on their radar, whether you like it or not.”
“What if I refuse to go?”
“Then you refuse. It isn’t a gang. They aren’t going to ridicule you if you choose not to be a part of it. It is what it is. You either join or you don’t. That is, if you’re one of the lucky few chosen.”
“You think I’ll be chosen?”
He shrugs, but I can tell he isn’t giving me the whole truth.
“Enough of this. Can we go inside now? I’m starving,” Keaton whines from the back.
I glare at Reed, willing him to tell me what he’s hiding, but he’s a rock.
Finally, I sigh. “Let’s go inside before V sends out a search party.”
I follow the guys to the house, opening the door before ushering them in. Reed steps into my space.
“What I told you tonight cannot be repeated. Even to Victoria and Tinsley.”
“Why not?”
“They aren’t in yet. They will be, but for the girls, initiation is a little different. They don’t have to steal a stupid bird or another ridiculous task. That’s the man’s offering. The women offer something else.”
“What?” I ask as he presses closer.