Page 131 of Deviant

Or else.

“So where are our rooms exactly?” Lucy asks, placing a hand on her boyfriend’s chest before he pisses anyone off that he shouldn’t. “Upstairs maybe?”

Seven tilts her head for us to follow her and Five up the staircase.

“The fuck was that?” Andy whispers over to Elias as he and Harper continue to walk in front of us. “The watches never did that shit while we were hiking up here.”

“That’s because we didn’t have eyes on us before,” Elias explains, discreetly pointing to the cameras. “Careful with what you say from this point on, too. I wouldn’t put it past them to have listening devices hidden all over this place.”

Andy takes the advice to heart, sealing his lips shut and tightening his grip around Harper’s hand.

Once we all reach the first floor, Seven points to David while Five points to Chris, urging the two to follow them into opposing hallways.

“Why aren’t they talking?” Abbie asks curiously once the twins have left.

“I think because they can’t,” I assume.

“You think they’re mute?” Harper asks, listening in on our hushed conversation.

“I think so, yes.” I nod.

“Great. Not creepy at all that our lives depend on a blind old fart and two mute deaf chicks,” Big Mike says.

“I didn’t say they were deaf,” I scold him for his poor choice of wording, but he no longer looks interested in anything I have to say.

Seven returns to our little group before Five does and chooses Mackenzie to go with her next.

“Babe, I know this isn’t sexy or anything, but I think all this anxiety is giving me the runs. If you don’t want to share a room with me, I’ll totally understand,” Andy says, grabbing hold of his upset stomach.

Harper places a hand on Andy’s cheek and says, “If you think you’ll get rid of me that easily, think again.”

“Fuck. I think I just fell in love with you a little.”

“Only a little?” Harper bats her long eyelashes at him.

I avert my eyes from the two lovebirds as they kiss, giving them space to have their moment.

But when Five returns, my back goes ramrod straight when she points to me next, waving her hand to follow her.

I take a step, only for Elias to grab me by the arm to stop any other from taking place.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to get him to release his grip.

“Like blondie said, if you think you’ll get rid of me that easily, think again.” He then turns his steel gaze toward Five and says, “Where she goes, I go. Understand?”

Five’s gaze bounces from me to Elias before giving a consenting nod.

I wave Abbie and the others goodbye and start walking down the long corridor. Five doesn’t look back at us once, completely focused on her task.

I school my features not to show any signs of my unease as we continue to walk down the hall until Five comes to a halting stop. She then opens the door to our left and tilts her head for us to go inside. But just as we’re about to, she pulls on Elias’s sleeve and points to his watch.

“I think she’s trying to say that we can’t leave the room until the watches tell us to.”

She nods, confirming my assumption.

“Great,” Elias grumbles, aggravated.

“Thank you, Five,” I say with a smile, coaxing a little one of her own to peek out.

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