Page 53 of Spies Like Us

Lucy and Michelle look bored, and Michelle rolls her eyes and grabs Sophie’s arm. “Settle down, they are just studying. It’s not like they are having an orgy. Come on, I’m bored. Let’s go shopping. Daddy wants me to have dinner with him tonight, and I want something pretty to wear.”

The way she says “Daddy” is kind of creepy, and I’m not the only one who notices. I see Lathan screw up his nose.

The girls leave, and we hop into Ryland’s car, Miller in the passenger seat and Lathan and me in the back. He instantly reaches for my hand, and I feel warm and giggly.

“Was anyone else grossed out by how Michelle talked about her father?” he asks.

“Are we sure she’s really his daughter?” I ask him, and he shrugs.

“I didn’t dive too deeply. That’s what the school records say, but I guess I can look deeper. There’s no mention of a mother for either of the girls. Only that Amir and Hinata are the fathers of Michelle and Lucy.”

I tell them what I learned about Martha being a foster kid and a former nurse, the foster father going to jail, and the foster mother dying suddenly.

“Well, that certainly shines a new light on things. I’m halfway through my research into all of their backgrounds. I found out that all the men attended the same university in Georgia before moving back to Summerville at the same time. Ted and James’s family were already well off. The shipping business has been in their family for generations. Ted took it over as the eldest, and James forged his own path. There doesn’t seem to be any resentment because James is a shareholder and gets a share of the profit.”

His hand is warm in mine, and I’m slightly distracted by the way his finger is circling my palm. “I haven’t gotten to June and Martha yet, but Lisa Thompson dropped out of college in her second year and worked some low-end jobs as a waitress and a bartender. She even had a job in an adult shop for a little while before marrying David and becoming the quintessential cop’s wife.”

“And what about Melissa? The pastor’s wife?” Miller asks, turning back to look at us. His eyebrows jump when he sees us holding hands, but all he does is smirk. I flip him off with the hand not in Lathan’s. I refuse to be teased by him.

“She went to the same college as the guys. She was president of her sorority and graduated with a degree in theology. I did find an interesting thing about her sorority. A couple of the pledges were arrested for solicitation and were kicked out. They claim it was a rush task, but the sorority denied any involvement.”

“That is interesting. I can’t wait to hear what you find out about Martha and June. We did think someone was involved who had medical training. I had all but ruled them out, but that certainly shines a new light on them.” I look around and realize that instead of going to the library, Ryland has taken us back to his place. I guess we’re not even going to pretend we’re at the library. Hopefully Martha doesn’t check, and if she does, I can tell her we went back to his place instead. I’ll have an essay in my inbox to show her if she needs proof we worked.

Ryland pulls into the garage, letting the door close slowly behind us. He and Miller get out, but when I try to do the same thing, Lathan holds my hand tighter and doesn’t let me go. The other two don’t wait, they just go inside, letting the door close behind them and leaving us in the dark garage. The only bit of light is the interior one in the car, but that fades out too.

“I missed you,” Lathan murmurs, drawing me closer to him. I don’t fight him. I’ve missed him too. I’ve grown very attached in a short period of time. I wonder what my therapist would say. She would probably tell me it was bad that I was latching onto this team, and that I was emotionally stunted and making bad choices, but I really don’t care. I like how they make me feel valued, respected, and wanted. Being a ghost has been hard, and my alter ego, Princess Kensington, is a bubble head. I can’t stand her and would never be friends with someone like that in real life. Sometimes I hate that the world sees me like that, but Mom keeps reassuring me. Reputations can do a one eighty. Look at the woman who is queen in the UK now. She was the hated other woman, and now she is queen.

“I missed you too.” I snuggle into his side, and he presses a kiss to the top of my head.

“I just need five minutes with you all to myself before you head off with Dayton. All the others have had their Mac time, and I feel like it’s been weeks since I touched you.”

“Mac time? You make me sound like a happy meal or something.” I giggle, looking up at him. His glasses are slightly askew, and I reach up to straighten them. He smirks.

“Oh, you were a happy meal for me alright.” His voice is husky, and I feel a rush of lust as I remember the meal he made of me under the library.

“That was only twenty-four hours ago,” I remind him. “You’re not completely neglected.”

He sighs. “I know, but Lucy keeps pawing at me, and she makes me feel dirty. I just need the goodness that is you.”

Oh my lord, this man has mad romance skills. My toes curl at that sentiment as he leans in and kisses me. We make out in the back of the car for a little while, steaming up the windows before the garage door bangs open, and Anders stands there.

He peers through the darkness with a big grin on his face. “Will you two stop acting like teenagers and get in here? Poor Dayton is getting restless. I’ve had to banish Miller and Ryland to their room because they were both winding him up. I’m worried there’s going to be bloodshed.”

Lathan and I pull apart. We’re both panting, and Lathan’s glasses are all fogged up. He takes them off and cleans them on his shirt before giving me one more quick kiss. “Thanks, I needed that.”

I smile at him. “Me too. I’ve never made out in the back of a car before. Thank you for being my first,” I tell him, and I see his chest puff up ever so slightly. God, I love this guy.

He climbs out, and I stop. Did I say I love him? I examine my feelings, and sure enough, Lathan has wormed his way inside my chest. I’m not sure if it’s love, but it’s certainly something.

Nope, not going to think about it. I climb out of the car, taking my bag with me, and follow him inside the house. He and Anders are ahead of me, with Anders ribbing Lathan for our make out session in the car, and I don’t pay attention to my surroundings. A hand shoots out, and I’m soon dragged into a dark closet under the stairs. I’m not worried because I can smell both Ryland and Miller as they crowd me between them.

“What are we doing?” I ask as they press my body between theirs, not giving me any leeway.

“Dayton is about to whisk you away on a date. We haven’t had a moment of your time today, and Miller tells me you made out on his bed when you got home last night. You rolled around on my floor as well. That’s a lot of kisses that you owe me.”

“Did it make you hot to hear that he and I made out like teenagers on his bed?” I whisper to him, my voice low and husky. “Did you get hard thinking about the two of us doing that? Did you wish you were sandwiched between us?” I tease him, but he’s only pretending to allow me to have the upper hand.

Without a word, he leans in and kisses me, taking my mouth hard and fast. His teeth brand his mark across my lip before he slides his tongue deep, allowing me to hang on for the ride. I feel hands come up around me from behind, lifting my shirt up and over my head, but leaving me tangled in it. Miller lets go of the shirt and then slides his hands over my breasts, dragging my bra cups down and fully exposing me to Ryland—not that he can see anything in the dark closet. He plucks and twists my nipples, and I feel my desire flood my panties.

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