Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

ZANE

When I imagined my honeymoon with Grey, I thought there'd be candles. Roses, maybe. A sultry song playing to lighten the mood.

I knew she'd be sitting on the edge of the bed, stiff as a freaking board, trying to convince herself she's not going to enjoy this when we both know she will.

I'd keep my clothes on and sit next to her.

She'd reach for my shirt, insisting we ‘get to business'.

I'd tease her about wanting to see my abs and she'd roll her eyes, denying everything—even though every time we kiss, she cops a feel under my shirt.

I'd start by kissing her neck.

She'd try to rush me and kiss my lips, because she can be annoying, even if she's the sexiest woman I've ever seen.

I'd pin her wrists above her head and keep going on her neck.

I'd kiss her ear. Her jaw.

I'd climb on top of her, rubbing my body on hers, clothes on, no mouth-to-mouth.

Just letting the tension build.

Just letting her soft body feel my hard one.

I'd take my time, grinding on her, raking my mouth over everything but her lips.

Then I'd take her clothes off, one by one and kiss every inch of delectable skin offered to me. I'd push her legs apart and kiss up her inner thigh, going further and further until she made that sound that she did in the classroom during the dance. The one that made me groan, made my tongue move faster.

She'd dig her fingers into my hair.

I'd order her to keep them on the bed.

She'd obey me, after giving me the stink eye.

And then she'd melt into my hands and beg me.

Still, I wouldn't give her what she wanted.

But I'd kiss her on the mouth right then.

Kiss her so she'd taste herself in the back of her throat.

Kiss her so she couldn't breathe.

After that, I'd do it all over again with my fingers this time, tracing up and down her neck, down between her legs.

I'd tease her until all that would spill from her exhausted lips was ‘please, please, please.'

And I still wouldn't.

Not until she finally admitted that she loves me.

Not until I heard those words spill from her sinfully plump lips.

Then and only then, would I drag her on top of me and fill her to the brim until she screamed bloody murder.

It would be… perfect.

It was perfect.

At least in my head.

But you know what my honeymoon vision didn't include?

My brothers staring at us.

Or Cadey standing with her arms crossed and an alarmed look on her face, observing everything.

It didn't include a white board and Sol grinning maniacally as my wife gives him permission to burn something down. Again.

"Whoa, whoa," I stand and wave my hands back and forth, "this is a nursing home, not an empty basement. The last time Sol got the green light to start a fire, he went way overboard."

"I'll behave this time. Scout's honor," Sol says, pressing a hand to his heart.

"The salute for the Boy Scouts is raising your hand like this," Finn says, like the human Google page that he is.

"Sol has never been in the Boy Scouts, everyone knows this," Dutch grumbles.

"Maybe he was," Cadey says. "How do you think he learned to start fires?"

Sol gives my sister-in-law an affectionate look before quickly glancing away. "I bought Girl Scout cookies once. I think that's close enough."

Grey chuckles softly.

The sound surprises and pleases me. I thought I'd be hearing different, more animal-like sounds from her tonight but… I can live with laughter. Especially after the crappy day she's had.

She taps the white board. "The one thing you learn in teaching seminars is to lean on a student's strengths. Sol has a gift with fire. He should use it for good."

"See?" Sol lifts his chin. "I have a gift."

"Let's not forget the ‘use it for good part'," Grey says in that teacher-tone of hers.

Sol nods. "Yes, Miss Jamieson."

Something warm hits my stone-cold heart. She's definitely the moral compass we never thought we'd need in this crew. It's affecting us in all kinds of ways.

Case in point, this kidnapping plan.

Grey wants to break out Slavno's grandmother and make sure the old bag of bones is as comfortable as possible on the run, even if she is related to the man who murdered her best friend.

She stopped us from killing Hall too. I know Sol's itching to go after the punk for jumping us after the dance and breaking my wrist. But now that we have Grey, there will be changes on how we deal with our enemies. It's inevitable.

"Let's go over it again." Grey smacks her ruler on the whiteboard and I suddenly have an insane desire to use that ruler on her when we're alone.

I'm imagining her on all fours, promising to be a good girl when I feel all the eyes in the room on me.

Grey frowns. "Zane, are you listening?"

"Huh? Yeah." I run my fingers through my hair.

She narrows her eyes at me the way she does in class when I zone out staring at her lips. "Please focus."

"Yeah, Zane. You're getting an F again if you don't pay attention," Sol says.

I flip him the bird.

He laughs.

Since this is important, I shelf my sexy teacher fantasies for later. Especially since the fantasy is real and it's mine now. I just have to wait until everyone clears out so I can take her three ways to Sunday.

Grey touches the skin under her scar and I can tell she's flustered. But I wish she didn't keep messing with that gash. If she breaks the stitches it could get infected.

"Ahem," she clears her throat and swings around to focus on the whiteboard, "Sol will light a fire in the kitchen to set off the smoke detectors. Finn will pay off the security guards on night shift, so they don't immediately put the fire out."

My brother does a thumb-up gesture.

Grey slaps the ruler on another section of the whiteboard. "The fire will create the necessary commotion to take Gran-Gran out." She points to a crudely drawn old lady with a… is that a hotdog?

"That's Gran-Gran?" Cadey gasps. "I thought it was a fire hydrant."

"No!" Grey exclaims. "Can't you see the walker?"

Dutch, Finn, and Sol lean forward, squinting at the picture.

I smirk to myself. Even in Lit Class, Grey was never much of an artist.

" Anyway ," Grey moves on, "while they're evacuating, someone needs to pose as a doctor to get her out."

"I can do that." I shrug, sitting back down and reaching for my water. I'm still on meds for my other injuries so, even if I'm panting for it, alcohol is a no-no.

"Good." She nods like I just offered to lead the group project in class. "Cadey, can you get Rick to pose as security again? I think we'll need that extra buffer."

"I can call him," Cadey agrees.

Grey swats the ruler against the whiteboard one more time. "After that, we'll deliver her safely to the address." She lifts the note we got from our little prison visit. "And Slavno will deliver his information to us. After we get a name, we solve the case."

"What if he doesn't fulfill his end of the deal?" Finn points out.

I scowl at him. Why's he always the one to rain on our parade?

A shattered expression takes over Grey's face. "That's a good question, Finn."

Sol pipes up. "Forget him not keeping his deal. What if it's worse than that? How do we know he isn't setting a trap? What if The Grateful Project psychos just want an excuse to swoop us all up and kill us off, execution style?"

Dutch grunts and stares across the room. I know he's scared about anything harming Cadey.

She sets a hand on his shoulder, calming him.

The mood in the room sours.

I better salvage this before people start backing out. I don't trust Slavno either, but it's the only card we have in this game. And I know how desperate Grey is for answers.

I unfold myself from the bed and walk lazily over to the whiteboard. "It's a risk. I know it is. I considered keeping this from all of you because of that danger, but I'm smart enough to know we can't do this gig on our own."

Grey bows her head, chewing on her bottom lip. Her emotions are so clear to me that it's like reading a book.

She'd prefer to carry this all on her delicate shoulders if she could.

Too bad.

I'm not letting her.

"If Slavno had anything to live for, he would've kept his mouth shut no matter what we dangled in front of him. His conversation with us means that he will keep his word. If he doesn't, we'll just return his grandmother. It's not like we're friends. He knows we're capable of it."

Finn bobs his head thoughtfully. "The fact that he wants to take his grandmother to a safe place means he knows whoever ordered him to murder Sloane is ruthless enough to kill him and his family." My brother looks up, eyes narrowed to slits. "It also means, he might know more than his bosses are comfortable with."

"It's worth the risk," Cadey says encouragingly.

Grey gives her a relieved smile.

Just then, a phone rings.

Everyone checks their pockets.

"It's my mom," Grey announces to the room, but her frightened gaze is on me.

"Want me to talk to her?" I ask.

Her eyes go wide and she flings a ‘no' from the tip of her tongue like a bullet from a gun. Then, as if she doesn't trust that I'll grab the phone from her, she hurries outside to take the call.

"Her mom still hates your guts?" Sol asks, grabbing a beer.

"Let's just say I won't be son-in-law of the year."

"What did Grey tell her mom so she could be out of the hospital for this long?" Cadey wonders.

Dutch holds her by the waist and brings her to stand between his legs. Leaning against her, he closes his eyes and mumbles, "Whatever it was, seems like Zane isn't getting a honeymoon tonight."

"You know that and you're still cuddling in front of me?" I grab a pillow and hurl it at them.

It bangs against my window.

Dutch smirks. He's being smug about getting some wifey action tonight.

The freaking bastard.

"Is Miss Jamieson coming back to school Monday?" Sol asks as he makes a concerted effort not to look at Cadey and Dutch.

"My wife's name is Mrs. Cross now," I correct him.

A bunch of groans rise from the room.

"Ah, shut up!" Sol grimaces.

Finn scoffs and closes his book.

Dutch throws the pillow back at me and I have to dodge.

"Regarding her future plans, I'm curious about that too," Finn says, leaning forward. "Will she return to Redwood after outing Harris?"

I shrug. "She wants to."

"Doesn't mean she can," Sol points out.

"They can't fire her for the time being." I jut my chin at Dutch. "We talked to Miller."

Cadey looks surprised. "Christa's dad?"

I nod. Grey thinks Redwood is keeping her on because they don't want the bad press. I let her continue to think that because I didn't want to kill what's left of her faith in humanity. But Redwood Prep is a dog-eat-dog world and she would have been thrown out on her ear right along with Harris if I hadn't paid Miller, Christa's dad, a visit.

"We worked it out," I say simply.

"What about Jinx?" Sol asks.

Finn looks up from his phone.

"Are you going to pay her off so she doesn't report this?" Sol gestures between me and the door Grey just walked out of.

"We're dealing with kidnapping a senior citizen, a psycho murderer who chops up teenage girls for a living, our dad running for governor and a crazy inheritance. Jinx is the least of our problems," I mutter.

"You think that now," Dutch says wisely. "But keep ignoring her, and I guarantee, she'll become one of the worst."

Jinx: You can't put a band-aid on a head wound… or a secret.

The Kings were spotted prowling around the hospital today, dressed in tuxes and formal wear. I wonder what royal ceremony they performed? And did it have anything to do with Sexy Teach who just happened to be admitted to that very hospital?

Our precious princes better tread lightly. The bodies in the morgue may soon join the ghosts that haunt them.

Until next time, keep your enemies close and your secrets even closer.

Jinx