Calor

RAINEY

I had a chat with Riley’s mom, asking if Riley could stay with me in Crossview for a bit until things cooled off.

Freetown just wasn’t safe for her right now, and even though Ron Moretto promised he’d be gone for a month, I couldn’t bring myself to trust him or Kendra.

Alex tossed Riley’s bag into the back seat of his car, and we hopped in. He switched on the radio, keeping the volume low as we started our drive away from the hospital.

I stared out the window at the tall buildings. The wind was cool and sharp, and the sun’s golden light spilled into the car.

My mind was filled with my conversation with Ron Moretto.

~What did he mean when he said Ansel was the scariest of them all?~

I hadn’t had a chance to ask Ansel about what the drug lord had said yesterday. His words were still fresh in my mind, bouncing around in my thoughts.

It seemed like he knew Lea, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened between her and Ansel. Why did he and Alex say she’d betrayed him, and how did she know Ron Moretto?

There were so many questions. It felt like I was lost in a maze just thinking about them.

I glanced at Ansel in the side mirror as he bit his lower lip. He was looking out the front window, and when he felt my gaze, his eyes met mine.

I looked away, shoving my hands into my hoodie pockets and watching the trees go by. His eyes did strange things to my stomach.

There was no way someone with eyes as captivating as his could be scary, like Ron Moretto had said.

Sure, he’d cut open a man’s stomach without a second thought. But honestly, the guy had it coming. I couldn’t judge him when I’d cracked a girl’s skull open myself.

It wasn’t the best time, but I found myself blushing at the memory of us in bed together the other night. The connection we’d shared was intense.

His eyes were like a whole new world. I could get lost in them and never want to find my way back.

~Just one more look at his eyes. Just one more.~

Thinking he’d stopped looking, I snuck a peek at him, but quickly looked away when I saw he was still watching me.

~Damn.~

He gave a small smile to himself before looking at Alex. “Is Alaric home?”

“Yeah, he and the twins. Mom and Dad are at Grandma’s for the weekend.”

“Oh my God, turn it up!” Riley practically jumped out of her seat. “I love this song!”

Alex looked at her, amused. “‘Birthday Sex’?”

She shrugged. “Yeah, so? I like the beat.”

He tried to hide his smile, his dimples showing as she squinted at him.

“What?”

“Nothing. Not a thing.”

He grinned, then cranked up the volume so “Birthday Sex” by Jeremih filled the car.

This was one of Riley’s favorite songs, even though she’d never done anything like that. She just liked the beat and the flow of the song.

Watching her bob her head and try to dance made me feel better. It was a relief to see her acting like herself again.

She had a small cut on her forehead, but it wasn’t noticeable and could easily be covered by her dark hair.

“Riley.” Alex made a sharp turn, and she slid to the edge of her seat, her arms resting on his headrest.

“Yeah?”

“When’s your birthday?” he asked over the music. Ansel looked at his brother with a knowing smile, which he hid with his hand as he looked out the window.

“August. Why?” She looked confused as Alex smirked. “Nothing. Just thinking about what to get you.”

He and Ansel shared a knowing look, which earned them confused glances from me and Riley.

~That look meant something.~

We both realized what they meant at the same time, and my mouth dropped open as Riley’s face turned pink.

She punched Alex in the side, and he grabbed the spot, laughing while trying to keep his eyes on the road.

“Damn, Riley. How can you punch so hard for a girl your size?”

“You deserved it. You’re such a perv, Alex!” She blushed and sank back into her seat.

He laughed. “You’re the one who likes birthday sex. What did ~I~ do?”

I laughed at my embarrassed friend, who was pushing her hair back and looking out the window while Alex and Ansel laughed their heads off.

Riley might seem tough, but talking about sex still made her blush like crazy.

“It’s okay, Ry. You know how annoying Alex can be.” Ansel looked at her with a smile, and she tried not to smile back. “You were laughing too, Ansel.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean anything by it. You know I don’t like to tease.”

“Hey, Riley, if you like birthday sex, you like birthday sex. There’s nothing wrong with that. I won’t judge your kink.”

Alex shrugged, amused, and Riley rolled her eyes, smiling a little as she looked out the window.

He smiled at her in the rearview mirror as he turned onto their street.

I looked around as I realized they’d driven past my stop. “You forgot to drop us off.”

“Yeah, where are you guys going?” Riley asked.

“Actually…there’s something you girls need to know.” Alex’s voice was suddenly serious as he looked at us in the rearview mirror.

“What do we need to know?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as Riley and I looked between the boys.

“You want to tell them, Ansel?” he asked, a serious look on his face. It made us nervous as we waited for an answer.

Ansel sighed. “We’re not who you girls think we are. There’s something you don’t know about us.”

“What’s that?” I ask, my voice laced with skepticism. I catch his reflection in the side mirror, his face unusually serious.

Alex pulls into their driveway, parking the car. The sun is sinking low in the sky, casting long shadows over their darkened house. There’s no sign of anyone home.

Even in the dim light of the car, it’s clear to see the brothers exchange a look, their faces grim. Neither of them says a word.

“Okay, you guys are freaking me out,” Riley pouts, her lips jutting out in a sulk.

“Yeah, seriously. What’s with the weird vibes?”

Ansel turns in his seat to face us. His expression is serious, devoid of his usual humor. It sends a chill down my spine.

“We’re not as good as we seem. And the reason we brought you here tonight is…to kill you and sell your organs.”

Riley bursts into laughter, and I can’t help but join in. She slumps back against the seat, her body shaking with each deep, belly laugh.

When Riley laughs, her face is usually funnier than the joke itself. It’s always wet with tears, and she turns so red you’d think she might pass out.

Seeing her like this, I can’t help but laugh too. The whole car shakes with our laughter.

“Oh my God, if this is what I get for being in the hospital for days, then sign me up for another stay. This is hilarious.”

She wipes the tears from her eyes, still chuckling. The boys, however, are staring at us with straight faces.

“You almost had me there. I was this close to believing you.” Riley holds her thumb and index finger a hair’s breadth apart, her laughter finally subsiding.

The brothers don’t say anything else as they get out of the car. We watch them as they walk around to our side, their serious expressions starting to unnerve us.

Ansel takes my arm and pulls me out of the car. I look at him, confused.

“This isn’t a joke, Rain,” he says, pressing me against the car.

The evening wind whips my hair around as I stare at him, taken aback.

“I’m sorry I lied to you. I hope you can forgive me someday.”

I furrow my brows at his words. What is he talking about? His gaze is intense, and I drop my eyes to the ground, remembering what Ron Moretto said.

~“Ansel’s the scariest of the brothers.~

~“Sure, they all have that charming smile and those mysterious eyes.~

~“But what makes Ansel the scariest is that he knows how to make you believe he’s a good guy. He’s like candy, sweet on the outside. But all that sugar leads to cavities and diabetes.~

~“You think you know those brothers. But trust me, you don’t.~

“You can’t trust everyone, Rain,” Ansel continues.

I lift my eyes from the ground to meet his. His voice is cold, his gaze predatory. Fear stirs within me, and I struggle to find my voice.

“W-what do you mean, Ansel?”

“Walk towards the house with your hands up. Don’t look back, or you’re dead,” Alex orders Riley, who has stopped laughing and is now looking at him in confusion.

He takes her arm, and Ansel does the same with mine, leading us towards the house.

~What the hell is happening?~

“What’s going on?” Riley asks. “Are you guys high?”

“Don’t talk. It won’t end well for you,” Alex warns as they guide us up the steps.

I try to catch a glimpse of Ansel’s face, but it’s too dark now. The sun has set, leaving us in darkness.

Despite his sudden change in demeanor, his grip on my arm is still gentle.

He pushes the door open, and they usher us into the dark room. We can barely see anything as we stand there, scanning the room for any sign of light.

~I have no idea what’s going on.~

“Seriously, I can’t see in the dark!” Riley hisses. “What the fuck is wrong with you two—?”

The light suddenly flicks on, cutting Riley off. The room is filled with people, all shouting in unison.

“Congratulations on your discharge, Riley!”

Confetti rains down on us, and I gasp, my eyes wide as I take in the room full of smiling faces.

Riley is speechless, her mouth hanging open in surprise as she takes in the festive decorations.

A large congratulations banner hangs on the wall in front of us, and the room is filled with balloons and colorful streamers.

I can’t help but smile. The King boys threw a surprise party for Riley. The thought warms my heart, and I can’t help but feel a surge of happiness.

“Oh…my…God…” Riley breathes out. She blinks rapidly, trying to hold back tears.

“I’m sorry if I scared you.” Ansel leans down to whisper in my ear, his voice soft.

I look up at him, smiling. That was terrifying, but also the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.

“Now it’s time to harvest your organs!” Alex teases Riley, lifting her up in his arms and planting a quick kiss on her forehead.

Her face flushes as she looks up at him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

“Thank you.” She smiles, and he nods, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Riley, baby-knuckles doesn’t have the strength to hold you like that. He’ll drop you, and you’ll end up crippled for life.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t let him carry me like that,” Aiden teases as he, Arden, and Alaric join us, laughing.

Alex shoots his brother a flat look, his eyes narrowing into thin slits. He gently sets Riley down, who grins at Aiden. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

Arden ruffles her hair, bending down to her level. “Glad to see you’re okay, soldier. I know you’re not one to go down without a fight.”

Riley grins at him. “Thanks, Arden.”

Alex glances between the two of them, then clears his throat, subtly pulling Riley away from his charismatic brother.

“So, how did they manage to trick you two into coming here?” Alaric wonders, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Well, we told them we were in the business of killing people and selling their organs,” Ansel chuckles.

“Which…” Riley quickly raises a finger. “Which I didn’t believe, because Alex is a terrible actor. He was on the verge of laughing the entire time.”

Everyone laughs as Alex looks shocked. “I did not. I kept a straight face. I scared you half to death, Riley. You should have seen your face.”

She presses her lips together, trying to suppress a smile. “Don’t lie, Alex.”

“You know I’m not. Admit it. I scared you, didn’t I? You were about to beg me. ‘~Please, Alex. Let me go, Alex~.’”

He gives her a sly look, licking his lips and wrapping an arm around her. She squirms away from him, her cheeks turning pink as Alaric grins, signaling to a few guys by the stereo.

“Let’s get some music going!”