Page 46 of The Gift
“Yeah, I know. I’d never drop you in the middle of shit, Bailey. We’ve already been through a fair bit together. I’ve got your back, baby-girl.”
I hold my hand up, recoiling away from her. “You know, baby-girl coming out of your mouth is truly horrific, like completely gross. Don’t do it again.”
She shrugs and rolls her shoulders, still trying to be overly happy, it’s her way of apologising.
“Anything else?”
“Not really. Donnie asked the A-team to be vigilant until he can get us personal security, but get this, they have connections, so you, me and Ben all have our own little security/bodyguards arriving within the next thirty minutes. And I’ll tell you what, since I screwed up, you get first pick of our security, which includes the A-team by the way! They should be arriving any minute now.”
“And I guess, I get the bill?”
“No, seriously, Moaning Maddie went full cray-cray, demanding little wench barely took a breath for like minutes, listing off demand after demand after demand. Seriously, she’s a spitfire and does heaps more than moan, even you would have been bowing down to her and her demands. At the end of the day, she got Donnie to apologise, and agreement from him he’d be footing the bill, like he should.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her, and she takes full advantage and rushes in to give me another cuddle. She must feel me relax because she does a little squeal then rocks us side to side enthusiastically. Doors slamming out front makes her stop and check over her shoulder. “Race you back, bitch, and since you didn’t agree to getting first pick of the bodyguards straight up, I do.”
One second, she’s there, the next she’s gone, and I’m left once again looking at Jenna’s garden, wondering what I’m doing. I’m not surprised when my feet move in the opposite direction of the food, the crew, and the latest arrivals. Out of everything she said about the letter and the photos, I’m getting hung up on where I’m the one being blamed. I need to lock that paranoia down.
Sounds deceptively easy, and in reality, it probably is too, because if there are all these procedures being put in place, I’m at no more risk that I was yesterday. But that voice in my head keeps on about it being my fault. Some hurdles in my mind are like visual skyscrapers full of endless shackles, and locked doors with no way out. I feel trapped and guilty.
“Bailey!” Carmen screeches like a cat in heat, and since patience is not one of her strengths it’s easier to leave my musings and weave through the wildflowers back around the corner.
The appearance, or reappearance of the A-team isn’t a surprise, the four of them stand, amongst the untamed beauty of Jenna’s property, and without a wave or a smile, they go full alpha mode, complete with growling and scents. I have to lock my knees to stop from falling until I get my panic under control.
I swear the birds stop their singing getting caught up in the drama too. My chest bursts into a frantic pace, matching my racing pulse.
“Everything okay?” I ask quietly, wondering if I should have spoken louder considering the distance, but they each hear me judging by their reactions.
Reno takes my breath away. He’s furious and looks ready to rage at whoever he needs to. Ashton’s smile isn’t the same as usual, which is a good sign that things are pretty crap. Koda, well once again, I can hear his intentions even though he’s over there, and I’m over here. And I’m not surprised to find Henley the coldest out of all of them.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand at the knowledge that someone is behind me. And suddenly I’m thinking about my recent discussion with Carmen and all the warnings in what she didn’t say.
I barely get a look over my shoulder and I’m screaming. Fear races through me, making my heart beat out of control and when CJ’s fingers bury into my hip bone instead of running, I lock up.
The A-team suddenly resemble torpedoes ready to detonate, poised to destroy the man over my shoulder. My attention latches onto Koda: his eyes are black again, not in smouldering arousal. He looks like one of those psychotic villains who’s lost in a deep rage that leaves him empty and silent.
“Take your fucking hands off her,” Henley barks first. A feral edge to his harsh demand but it is nothing like the rage in his eyes.
“What? Hey?” CJ stammers behind me, sounding caught off guard. But he doesn’t do what Henley told him to do, instead digging his fingers in deeper. This time I swallow the grunt of pain but can’t hide the look from my eyes.
Koda sees. “Bails,” he snaps immediately. His voice like a thunder crack. I take a step to him, stopped by CJ.
“No,” CJ barely whispers, but to my overstimulated senses it’s like he’s yelling in my ear.
“CJ, let me go, you’re scaring me,” I talk way too fast, fighting to get away from him. But he doesn’t hear, yanking me closer. And without a doubt I will have bruises from the way he squeezes me.
“What is going on right now?” Carmen’s voice cuts through the blur of panic in my head, bringing the rest of the crew back into focus.
“What is that smell?” Someone else throws into the mix.
Reno responds to her, pumping his hand up and like he’s trying to stop their noise or movement from adding to what is going on. “Colton is scent struck.”
“No way! Colton’s doing what the memo warned? Was he inside the cottage filming with us?” Ben says, all of the crew edging forward.
“Who?” A woman says, my panic making it impossible to tell who it was.
“The guy who’s about to be dead if he doesn’t take his damn hands off Bailey.” Koda’s threat enables me to start focusing more rationally.
“Why?” Another nameless voice asks.
