Page 19 of Room Twenty-Three: Tangled & Teased

There’s no answer, but I can hear pop music and rustling in the room.

“Are you okay in there?” I ask.

There’s a moment of silence before a noise interrupts the quiet in my earpiece. I hold my hand around to block out the sound from her room.

“We’re leaving in an hour!” Jove yells from the bottom of the stairs.

Atty’s voice comes into my earpiece. “Ask Erin if she wants to stay here.”

“I haven’t hacked Club Sin’s system yet. Give me a ten-minute warning before you leave.”

“Will do.”

My palm stills on the door as I wonder whether to push more and see if Erin likes me as much as I think she does. I’ve seen the way she looks at the three of us. She likes us as much as we like her.

Not Jove.

My closed hand goes to tap on her door again. But my brain battles with my heart as I drop my hand. I should leave her to get over it and not push her on what she wants.

A cell rings from behind the door. The sweet voice of Erin answers. “Hi Lia,”

She called Lia?

“I was checking on you. Making sure you’re okay.”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Erin giggles and I smile when she says, “Apart from being stuck in my bedroom and waiting for everyone to leave me alone for the day.” There’s silence for a moment. “Last night, I made a fool of myself. Don’t ask me to be brave ever again.” She pauses again, obviously listening to her friend.

I groan.

She pushed herself out of her comfort zone, and we didn’t give her the chance to explain.

“I can’t. It was embarrassing, but I have a plan. Anyway, how is Las Vegas?” Erin shuffles around in the bedroom. “Oh... You met someone. Is it serious? Oh my god, Lia. Don’t tell me now. Call me in half an hour, everyone will have left by then, and I can get a coffee and listen to it all.”

Erin sighs.

There’s hesitation in her tone. “I’m in...” She hesitates again, and I hope she remains cautious and doesn’t let her know where we are. We’ve told her the people who killed her cousin are still at large, and we hope the threat was a one off.

Erin chuckles. “It’s a long, embarrassing story I’ll tell you when we meet again. But if I say three words... Jove, Beau, Atty.”

Erin snorts. “My father...” She hesitates. “Because of what happened to Lydia...” I need to forewarn Jove that Lia needs to know. “I can’t tell you right now.”

I fist my hand and bang on the door, getting annoyed. Not only with Erin for letting Lia know too much, but with myself, and with Jove and Atty. We made her feel like shit. Made her feel like she’s stupid.

It’s us who are the fools.

“I need to go,” Erin whispers, but loud enough for me to still hear. “Someone is at my door.”

“Open the door, princess and let me in,” I growl.

She squeaks.

That’s all I need to hear, and I hold my hand against the door, nudging it gently until it’s slightly ajar. “Don’t run away from me.”

I hear another squeak. Her footsteps pad on the floor before she leans on the door. I wonder what sounds she’ll make as I slide into her heat.

Too early, Beau. I chastise myself. Shaking that thought away.

She remains leaning against the door and I wonder if she finds my deep voice frightening as it penetrates into the small room. “I only want to talk to you.”

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