Page 44 of Swallow Your Fear
“Underneath the utensil tray. Stupid ass place to hide it, if you ask me,” Henley said.
I approached him, taking the deed from his hand to look it over.
It was ours, that much was certain.
Austin peered over my shoulder, his eyes scanning the page. With a small nod, he said, “Alright, let’s get the fuck out of here.”
I quickly folded it, then froze with the paper halfway in my back pocket as a car door slammed outside.
Their eyes widened behind their masks as my heart thumped in my chest.
Fuck.
Shoving it the rest of the way in my jeans, we beelined for the back door. We had no time to figure out how to lock it behind us. We slid out right as the front door opened, disappearing from sight after quietly closing it. We didn’t stick around to see if he realized we were here as we hurried around the side of the house to the narrow strip of overgrown grass leading to the back gate.
Austin jumped over the fence first, then Henley, and next, me. Once on the sidewalk, we slowedour pace, not wanting to bring attention to ourselves. We removed our masks, holding them at our sides in case any cars passed and were suspicious. Halloween was soon, though, so I was sure no one would look twice.
To my surprise, no one followed us. We made it to the truck where I got behind the wheel, Austin in the passenger seat, and Henley behind me. Dusk cast everything in shadows, but to be safe, I didn’t turn the headlights on until we were out of the neighborhood.
I drove straight to the ranch, glancing at the clock. We’d arrive right at the time Brynne said she wanted us back. She had plans with McKenna to go to the haunted house tonight, and of course, Brynne was dragging the three of us along, despite knowing that wasn’t our scene. After everything that happened this week, I wanted her to have fun, and I felt like I owed it to her after she stayed home for this, so I couldn’t say no.
Not to her.
Not anymore.
I fucking hated the soft side of me that came out around her, like she placed cotton candy around the bloody knives and brick walls in my head, making my sharp edges have no choice but to be sweet and lose their deadly bite for her.
In minutes, I was turning down the driveway to the ranch. We pulled up, finding Brynne sitting on the front steps in leggings and a sweater. She stood as I pulled the truck to a stop, and Austin got out to let Brynne slide into the passenger seat. He closed the door, taking a seat in the back as Brynne reached over to place a kiss on my cheek.
“No costume?” I asked, making my way back to the main road as she buckled herself.
“McKenna has it. I’ll just change at her house. And what are you supposed to be?” she asked, eyeing my black attire.
Turning onto the road, I grabbed the mask where it sat on the center console, holding it up for emphasis.
“How original,” she said blandly.
“The mask not do it for you, Darlin’?”
She shifted on the seat, and with a glance her way, I noticed the apples of her cheeks were now stained pink.
A smirk held the side of my mouth as I drove to McKenna’s house, following Brynne’s directions. Once there, Brynne hopped out to run inside and change. She hadn’t told me what her costume would be. Every time I asked, she’d get quiet, almost like she was embarrassed.
And when she emerged from the peeling-paint door, why she may have been ashamed to tell me became all too apparent.
She was dressed up as a slutty cowgirl, and the way those little jean shorts barely covered the tops of her thighs did things to me I didn’t want to admit.
Never in my life would I think I’d be adjusting myself over a costume-induced boner.
McKenna locked the door, then headed down the narrow pathway to the truck. From the looks of it, she was dressed as a rated-R Barbie.
With her lips a thin line, Brynne scooted onto the passenger seat as Austin moved to the middle in the back, allowing McKenna to slide in beside him. One glance in the rearview mirror told me exactly how Austin felt about herlittle costume as his eyes roamed over every inch of her. McKenna seemed to enjoy it as she puffed out her chest, her extremely short pink dress accentuating all of her curves. It was split up the middle, a buckle across her breasts barely keeping it together, along with a strap around her neck.
Next to me, Brynne wore a little red top that tied in the center of her cleavage, a bandana tied around her neck, a white felt cowgirl hat that had a beige band around it, and white boots. They’d be freezing, and neither had emerged with a jacket, indicating they didn’t care. If need be, Brynne could wear my sweatshirt, and I was sure Austin would be more than willing to offer up his own to McKenna.
“Shots, anyone?” McKenna asked, her voice airy and sweet, hinting at the possibility of her already having drank a few. She dug through her little purse, pulling out a couple bottles of fireball.
My nose burned at the thought.
