Page 43 of Elusion

“Dad, don’t.” Trey’s eyes stay on Callie, even though he directs his comment toward Kevin.

She twirls around to face me, touching my arm. “Don’t show him anything. Don’tsayanything. He can’t do anything here.”

Kevin steps toward us. “Either you’re a minor or you’re not. Judging byCallie’s reaction, you’re not. So, if she were to blow anything that registers on a Breathalyzer, smart money says you’d be suspect of furnishing alcohol to a minor.”

Callie huffs and turns around. “You couldn’t possibly prove that.”

“Hard to say,” he says. “Local law enforcement would need to investigate such a suspicion.”

I’m far from concerned by his idle threat, but Callie shifts, so I move my hands back to her shoulders. She’s right; even if she were drunk, which she’s not, no one could prove I played any role in it.

“But…” Kevin steps toward us again, holding up his finger like he has a better idea. “Since they’re here, I might suggest they search the dorms for contraband. Maybe check Callista’s back pocket for her fake ID. You still keep it back there?”

Her shoulders spike when she sucks in air. The piece of shit developed a stronger tactic. Odds favor at least one of those girls keeps alcohol in their room, and unless she found a creative way into the bar, he’s right about her fake ID. If she defies him, she risks screwing over her friends—not to mention, herself.

Trey lowers his head about the same time Callie takes a deep breath. “I need a few minutes to pack,” she says.

Kevin steps out of the way to let us into the suite. Trey attempts to follow me in, but Callie throws all her weight against the door, pushing him back. He doesn’t fight it, letting out a sigh as it shuts with him on the other side. I hit the light switch, ready to ask questions—Callista, Mafia, assaulting a cop. But when I turn around, I see her face, heavy and defeated. I fold my arms around her, and she hides her face in my chest, her breathing erratic.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Can we talk about it on Monday?” she whispers.

“You’re going with them?” I pull away to study her face. “Is that safe? They were just threatening you—and me.”

“It’s fine,” she says dismissively. “My uncle and cousin are harmless.”

Enough dots connect to at least partly fill in the picture. Trey’s a cousin and calls her Cal, like Cate does. Kevin must use her full name—Callista. A pretty name. I wonder why she doesn’t use it.

“And Graham’s your dad?”

She nods but offers nothing else.

Nothing about this feels right. Not the sleazy uncle authority figure who does her father’s bidding. Or the helpless cousin, clearly aware of how fucked up the situation is but going along with it anyway. From the looks of it, out of necessity. Forget about how the ordinarily tenacious girl in front of me looks exhausted and subdued.

But I have to trust her.

Right?

Callie interrupts my internal conflict when she drags her finger over my bottom lip. “Rain check on the floor show?”

Her smile reaches her eyes, and I can’t help but smile back—whatever she wants. Then she kisses me as if nothing happened. We came around the corner, down the hallway, into the dorm suite, and two men aren’t outside, waiting for her. She slides her hands up over my chest, and my lips make their way across her jaw and down her neck.

“Cal.” Trey knocks.

“I might end up hitting a cop,” she says.

I groan into her neck. “That would be incredibly sexy.”

“Don’t move.” She backs all the way to her room and picks up two bags. “I want you to be right there when I get back on Sunday.”

I say the only thing I can, “All right, beautiful. I’ll be waiting.”

In the morning, I lie in bed, staring at my ceiling. In the eighties, they used our house as a dormitory for the local cosmetology school. I swear, my new bedroom retains the vague odor of Aqua Net. Six months in here smells more like a life sentence.

The fifth call from Dustin vibrates the blankets. All morning, I’ve ignored his calls and texts, not even bothering to read them. Annoyed by his persistence, I fish around in the comforter to locate my phone.

“Dude, take a hint.” I hit the speaker button and balance it on my forehead.

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