Page 107 of The Love Bandits

“How long was she gone?” I ask, running a hand over his jaw and then the side of his face.

“Four days. She had up a Do Not Disturb sign, but she’d only reserved the room for four days, so when she didn’t check out—” His hand slides down my back, settling on my hip. “Don’t look at me like that, Elaine. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. We were better off without her. I don’t carry it around for sentimental reasons. It’s a reminder.”

“Not to trust anyone?” I ask softly.

“That my brother and I can make it through anything if we stick together…and also that I never want to let myself get stuck like that again. It’s the first thing I remember.”

“Did she come back?”

He shakes his head. “No, but they found her. She’d met some guy. Said she’d lost track of time. She didn’t fight it when they put us into foster care. I think it was a relief.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, kissing the side of his face and then his mouth. “Thank you for telling me.”

“I need to get him back, Lainey. Ineedto.”

I stare into his green-flecked eyes and make a promise I’m determined to keep. “We’re going to.”

And then I kiss him again, pouring into it all of the feelings I can’t yet find words for.

I trust you.

I want you.

I’m falling in love with you.

“Do you want to hide the teddy bear’s face?” I ask, sliding my hand under his shirt. “Because I’m about to do some bad, bad things to you.”

“He’s at least thirty,” Jake says with a smirk. “It’s about time he learns about the birds and the bees.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

JAKE

Lainey tells Mrs. Rosings about the necklaces she found in Nina’s bag, and as a reward, her boss says she doesn’t have to report to work on Halloween. The tea is still a go, so I’m guessing it’s going to be a doozy.

We dress up like the characters I created for us, because why the hell not, and spend Halloween handing out candy to kids at Claire’s bakery since no kids would ever venture far enough to show up at the cabin.

The next couple of days slide past in the way that only really good days do, one spilling into the next without any regard for all the not-so-great shit on the horizon. I’ve always been the type of guy who’d prefer to live in the moment—the past wasn’t exactly great, and the future is only a possibility, not a guarantee, and I’ve wanted to do that even more now. Because even though I don’t want to leave Elaine, I have to be realistic—if shit goes south, life might do it for me.

I might get pulled back in by Roark, or worse, I might get taken in by the police. Put in a cell with no escape.

Anthony texted on Friday to say that Nina had actually invited him to her friends’ party. I think he’d still like to be deluded about her, because he went.

Now, it’s Sunday, D-Day. Or rather Tea-Day.

Joy has sent me several follow-up texts asking what “vibe” we want at Anthony’s tea, so I don’t know what the fuck to expect on the tea front. I suspect it will be memorable, although all Lainey and I care about is finding out if anyone in the house knows where we can find the necklace.

I’m worried about Ryan. In the check-in photo Roark sent this morning, his color looked off. He’s been stuck at Roark’s place for too long. Weeks. If I couldn’t hack it for one night in that room in Lainey’s place, then what must it feel like for him?

I’m itchy to end this thing. To end it, and hopefully start a new life.

Lainey watches me as I pack into the beat-up car beside her. Even though Jake Jeffries’s piece-of-shit car is now in better shape than this one, we always take hers by some silent agreement, as if she’s fond of it too.

“We’ll get the necklace,” she tells me.

I nod, but I’m not so sure I believe that anymore.

What the alternative is, I don’t know, although I’m guessing it will be more dangerous for all of us, something that makes me doubly uncomfortable now that Elaine is officially involved.

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