Page 46 of Her Devil

He shrugs, going with her as Tamsin jumps up on Taylor’s shoulders. “Come on, baby. We’ve got this.” Her laughter echoes around the pool, steam billowing from her skin as the cool evening air swims around her.

Charlotte hops up on the side, lowering her legs over Jacob’s shoulders before steadying herself as he moves away. The two girls laugh as the guys do their best to steady them, Tamsin reaching in for Charlotte’s hip to tip her over but not managing it.

I barely manage to follow what’s happening before both girls are falling off and landing in the water, the guys following them as everyone tumbles together.

“Winner stays on,” Nick calls from beside me. But I have no idea who won.

“No problem,” Jacob replies. “But you’re up next, brother.”

“You’re on,” he replies, grabbing my hip. “Come on, sugar. Looks like we’re up.”

“You think… yeah, no. That’s not happening,” I argue, pressing my back into the side.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall,” he baits. “I’ve got good balance.”

“Stephanie will do it,” I deflect, calling her name loudly.

“You’re on your own, girl. He’s hot, but I’m quite happy here.” She goes back to her quiet conversation with Jasper, completely ignoring us.

“Don’t tell me you’re a little chicken,” he goads, that mischievous twinkle in his eye so like Jacob’s. “My girl is not afraid of a little water, surely?”

“Fuck off,” I argue with a smile.

“Come on,” Charlotte calls. “I’m getting cold up here.”

Jacob drops back down in the water, warming her up before standing up again, an amused look on his face. “I think she’s a little scared, bro. You’d better give the lady a hand.”

Nick’s gaze catches mine as he turns my way and I prepare to swim, because I know for certain he’s going to get me. We wait there for the longest half-second known to man whilst I contemplate where the hell Leo and Wyatt are and why on earth they aren’t saving me from this. Surely that’s what the boys that kind of like you do, no? They rush to your rescue. Oh, but not these two.

He lunges for me and I splash water his way, hoping to escape before he gets to me. And I manage it for a second. But all too quickly, his hands are on my hips and I’m being hauled out of the water and hoisted up. I grab on to something, anything I can hold on to, mostly his head, as he places me on his shoulders like I weigh nothing.

I try to wiggle off and jump back in the water, but his hands hold my legs steady as he heads towards Jacob and Charlotte, Tamsin and Taylor taking the defeat better than I expected as she high-fives me as we pass. The whole thing is a blur as Charlotte comes for me, the two of us grappling for the top spot above the brothers who are just as competitive as you’d expect them to be.

Movement in the bushes behind Charlotte catches my eye, and I’m almost certain there’s a flash of light, a phone or a camera or something. But that distraction is enough for Charlotte to get the upper hand, tumbling me into the water. I’m laughing as Nick hauls me up, checking me over with interest, Leo and Wyatt not far behind.

I’m only half paying attention as I look back to the bushes.

“You okay?” Leo asks, following my line of sight.

“Yeah, I just thought I saw something…”

It’s probably nothing, just the masked men and hidden threats playing tricks on me.

“Where?” he asks. But he doesn’t sound like the fun and easy-going version of himself that I’ve got used to, he sounds cold, detached, and taking this way more seriously than I anticipated.

“Just over there.” I point as he jumps out, water cascading down his back and leaving a trail. “It was probably nothing, just a cat or something. Don’t worry about it.”

I feel foolish even mentioning it, especially as Nick jumps out too, handing me over to Wyatt like some doll that needs protecting. “Always trust your instincts,” he disagrees.

The two of them nose around the general area I pointed out, not saying a lot to us as they whisper between themselves. Leo bends down, looking at the base of the tree as Nick shrugs his shoulders, coming back to the pool.

“Might have just been a cat or something,” Nick says with a smile.

“Or just an excuse because you lost,” Charlotte adds, breaking the creeping tension. “I didn’t have you down as a poor loser, Ivy. But I’ll give you another go if you think you can take us.”

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” I ask, more than up for giving it another go, even if it is only to shake this feeling off. There was someone there or something. I’m sure of it. “Come on, Nick. Let’s show them how it’s done.”

Wyatt backs up as Nick drops down, allowing me space to climb on his shoulders, by choice this time, before he stands up, the night-time chill wrapping its embrace around me.

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