Page 13 of Spies Like Us

Miller pins me against the stairway wall, his naked chest flush against mine. I can’t really see him in this light, but I can feel and smell his peppermint-scented breath against my face. His chest is rising and falling faster than normal, like he’s angry, and I brace myself for his tirade.

I’m waiting for him to tell me to stay away from Ryland or something, but his fingers drift up my side, drawing softly across the exposed skin between my top and shorts. It drifts higher, brushing over my nipple before he hooks it into the collar of my top. To my complete shock, he drags my neckline down, exposing the same nipple Ryland wrapped his lips around. My breathing picks up to match his as he leans in and takes it into his mouth, running his tongue around it. His other hand comes up to smother the yelp that escapes me as he uses his teeth to bite it hard. I struggle, but then he releases it and licks over his bite mark quickly before leaning into my ear.

“I get to do the same things to you Ryland does, but I’m not going to make it pleasurable, so I suggest you stay away from my boyfriend,” he rasps before pushing away from me and heading back upstairs.

I allow my head to hang as I get my breathing under control and tuck my boob back into my top. Joke’s on him, because I don’t mind a little bit of pain, but now I’m going to have to get myself off before bed if I want to sleep. God, he’s so confusing. I don’t have the energy to deal with his mixed signals crap. I’ll worry about it once I’ve had a few hours of sleep.

I continue to our room and quickly undress, exchanging my work uniform for Miller’s big T-shirt I stole. Climbing into bed, I use the image of Ry kissing Miller to get myself off in no time before rolling over and going to sleep.

Chapter 6

Not going to lie, it’s super hard to get up for church the next morning, but Martha won’t let me miss it.

“If you’re going to work in a den of iniquity like that, then you’re going to have to pray to the good lord for forgiveness,” she lectures me as I climb into her car with the three young girls. The boys and Jessica went with James in his car.

I rest my head against the window in the back seat and close my eyes for the trip, the sun shining through the tinted window making me drowsy. Martha has already nagged me about what I was wearing. Apparently black is not acceptable at church, and she made Jessica give me one of her summer dresses to wear with strict instructions to go back to the thrift store for more appropriate church attire this week. Of course Jessica glared as she threw a dress at me. It’s a pastel yellow skater dress, which is short, but apparently, it’s more appropriate than a tartan skirt and band shirt with black tights, despite it being too small around the boob area for me, making my cleavage kind of obscene. It has pockets, though, so that’s a win. I love a dress with pockets.

I only had my boots to wear, and by then, Martha had given up the fight. She just shook her head and muttered to herself.

“What was it like?” Cassie whispers to me, her eyes wide with interest. “Did you see the sex club?”

Next to her, I can see Sally trying not to be too obvious about listening, but she is.

“Nah, nothing like that. It was just a bar—families drinking and having dinner and watching the game before the younger crowd came in for more drinking and dancing,” I mutter out of the side of my mouth quietly without moving my head. I’m going to have to find myself an energy drink at some point today, because coffee alone is not going to cut it.

“They say it’s easy to get served beer, and that no one checks for IDs.”

I shrug. “I don’t know, but Miller and Jessica were there, so I’m going to guess that’s true. I don’t have anything to do with what security does or doesn’t do.”

“So there weren’t people fucking on the dance floor?” Sally presses, and I crack my eyes open to look at her.

“I mean, there could have been, but I didn’t see anything like that.”

She wrinkles her nose in disappointment, and I smother a smile before closing my eyes again. The rest of the trip is quiet, with Cassie and Sally murmuring to each other. Stephanie is listening to Martha drone on about her hopes for today’s service and the fact that she and James are going out for lunch after church, so we’re to find our own way home.

“I’m going to spend the afternoon at the library,” I tell her when she pauses for a breath. “I want to get ahead with all my reading so I don’t get behind,” I tell her, and she turns and beams at me before looking back at the road. I’d thrown my school bag in the trunk before we left the house.

“That’s the right attitude, Mackenzie. You’ll be getting a scholarship before you know it.”

“Here’s hoping, Martha,” I reply enthusiastically. Sally and Cassie roll their eyes, and I smile.

The parking lot is super busy when we pull in. I asked Cassie what denomination the Standishes were, and she told me it was some weird Lutheran hybrid that had confession and communion just like a catholic church, as well as actual confessional booths. They also call their pastor Father Sweeny which is weird. She told me Martha will expect me to confess my sins to the pastor so that I can start my new life on the right path.

Considering the guys think the pastor may be part of the trafficking ring, it really won’t hurt for me to go along with that.

We get out of the car and are joined by James, Jessica, and the guys. Jessica has her hand tucked through Miller’s arm, and she’s monopolizing his attention. Damn it. I need him to sit next to me so he can point out all the key players.

“Cassie,” I hiss pulling her aside. “I need you to run interference for me.”

“Huh?” Her brow wrinkles, and she looks adorably confused.

“I need to talk to Miller. Can you distract Jessica?” I ask her, and her eyes widen before they narrow suspiciously.

“Sally said she heard you got it on with Miller and Ryland and their friend Lathan at the party on Friday night,” she probes. There’s no judgment in her tone, only morbid curiosity.

“How did Sally hear that?” I ask, and she shrugs.

“Sally knows all the good gossip. So is that why you need to speak with him?”

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