"Can I put a hand up?" I yelled over the wind rushing around us as Travis sped down the deserted road on his motorcycle. I moved my head closer to his so he could hear, our helmets clanking together for a moment.
As an answer, he only went faster and my stomach surged. I squeezed him tighter with both hands.
It had been a few hours since I told Travis about the tattoo and it was well into the late night. He said he had to take me back to the hotel tonight so I didn't get in trouble. Naturally, I was sad I had to leave him because I wanted to spend all of my time with him at the house and with my friends there. But Travis had offered to take me back on his own and right now, in this moment, I couldn't have been happier. We weren't in Melkin yet, still out in the fields and he was flying down the road and I was practically super-glued to his back.
No one else was out on the road and I wanted nothing more than to lift my hands out and feel the wind blow through my fingers. But he didn't have a seat for me to lean against and I wasn't brave enough to try it with one hand at this speed. Still, it was exhilarating and freeing.
The sounds of the bike and wind took up most of the noise around us and blocked out anything else. I felt like it was just the two of us, with no worries in the world.
Eventually, we entered the city and the good feeling died as he slowed and turned the bike off. He turned around slightly and held his hand out, helping me off. I took off my helmet and held it out to him. Travis held between his legs as he sat on the bike, resting his arms on the top of the helmet.
"Okay," I said at his silence. Maybe he didn't want anyone to hear his voice. "So I'll see you around?" I asked. I wasn't sure when. Last time, I was able to sneak into the Casey house. This time, it was destroyed.
He didn't say anything and I waved a hand in front of his face but I wasn't sure if he was even paying attention because he had his helmet still on and the visor down.
Travis stood off the bike and rested my helmet on one of the handlebars.
"Come on. We're a bit away, I'll walk you," he said quietly and grabbed my hand in his.
My eyes widened and fear edged its way in my body. "No, really. It's okay. I appreciate it but I can find my way back. I get it and I don't mind," I rushed out because I didn't want him to blow his cover.
"I know what I'm doing," he argued, lifting up the visor on his helmet. I felt like the wind had hit me in tenfold as I looked at him and I didn't know seeing my boyfriend's eyes in public would do that to me. But hear I was, staring like an idiot.
"I actually just stopped in Joy's today for some ice cream," he said casually, pulling me along because I was too busy focusing on his eyes.
My mouth parted at the mention of the woman. "Really?" I asked. She was always so warm and welcoming.
He nodded. "Well, it was more for a meeting of sorts and we didn't know where else to go that was safe but it turns out your friends liked ice cream, too." He didn't sound too pleased.
"I thought you said only Casey members knew about you."
"Well, her I had to tell," Travis said like it was obvious. I rolled my eyes.
"Is that when you heard about the text messages?" I whispered as we entered some random alley.
In exchange for me showing him my tattoo, he told me he overheard Josh talking about a text others got but he didn't get from Dylan.
Travis nodded and leaned in as close to my head as his helmet would allow him. "And then we may have put some trackers on some of your friends' cars," he added, keeping his voice low.
I didn't have the energy to ask if he was serious, he wouldn't make that sort of thing up.
"Where?" I immediately asked. Did that mean he was at the hotel doing that? Or did he do this at the ice cream parlor? Or wherever my co-workers were wandering around in Melkin?
"I told you, I know what I'm doing," Travis repeated, his voice muffled by the helmet.
We reached the end of the alley and I was about to ask him if he really did know or not because from my viewpoint, it looked like he didn't. It looked like he'd led us to a darkened alley that people robbed others in. But he grabbed one of the large wood planks at the back of the alley that made up the fence and moved it to the side, successfully creating an opening for us to squeeze through.
He gestured for me to walk through it. "I heard a lady is supposed to go first," he spoke eloquently, trying to sound fancy.
I stifled a laugh and went through, shortly followed by Travis and he positioned the plank back where it was.
"Where did you hear that?"
He grabbed my hand again before answering. "I can't give you my sources but I'm a walking talking gentleman, ma'am."
I couldn't hold my laughter in anymore but he didn't seem affected by it as we continued on.
He led me through more alleyways and over bushes. The more we walked, the less I was inclined to talk. I didn't want to ruin anything by someone overhearing him. At some point, he let go of my hand and didn't grab it again but I didn't question him on it. He seemed to have a better idea of what he needed to do to stay safe than I did.
"Thank you," he said out of the blue.
"For what?" I asked because despite the smile on my face, I was confused..
I wasn't sure if he meant for getting the tattoo or not. There was a chance he meant thank you for not fighting him on coming back to the hotel tonight. Or thank you for confessing that I loved him. My stomach toppled over itself as I thought about it. I loved him.
"Coming back for me."
"Of course," I answered immediately. "Why wouldn't I?"
He didn't say anything, but shrugged as he put his hands in his pockets.
"Did you think I wouldn't?" I asked quietly, barely able to ask at the audacity of it.
Ever since my dad had taken me back home, I wanted to go back. Not because Melkin was great or wonderful because it was far from that. But because of Travis. I wasn't sure when, but a part of me felt like I'd fallen in love with him back when I was in Melkin the first time. I hadn't realized it until I was gone, back home with my dad and there was an aching in my chest every single day. Nothing would help and every conversation I had seemed so dull compared to when I was talking to Travis.
But as soon I was back here in his arms, it was like my heart was toppling over itself trying to launch out of my chest and into his hands. This time, I recognized it.
"You didn't think that, did you?" I nudged his arm slightly when he didn't answer.
Travis turned his head to look at me and I regretted both asking and the fact that his helmet visor was up. I no longer wanted to see his pained blue eyes as they stared down at me. I didn't want to see the truth that they held in them as they told me no, he didn't expect me to come back at all. I wanted to reach out, hug him, and promise that I wouldn't let anything bad ever happen to him again. He'd been through enough and I wanted nothing to harm him but I couldn't make that promise while he was still in Melkin.
"Why didn't you leave years ago?" I prodded because if he thought I wasn't going to come back looking for him and he would have to come find me, then why stay? Why even bother with Sterling for three years instead of just hitting the road and never turning back before Cameron even got sidelined?
"He messed up your life. He hurt you," he said lowly, lips barely moving as his mumbled the words like he didn't want to say them.
My hand went up to my chest but I tried to play it off like I was just scratching my neck for a second. Instead, it felt like my entire chest was trying to melt down into nothing as my heart continued its assault.
As we walked, I wondered if he planned on saying he loved me. I wondered if he even felt that way towards me. I felt like he did with how he acted and the things he said and the way he made me feel. But he could do all of that and still not love me. I kept my mouth shut. I wasn't about to question him about it, it was his business and I didn't want to push him. He was busy with enough and talking about his feelings probably wasn't on the top of his priority list. Plus, I doubted he had much practice in that area.
We stopped outside the parking garage of the hotel, his hands still hiding in his pockets and his stupid helmet on his head, blocking his lips.
"Please be safe," I whispered under my breath, not wanting anyone to hear and knowing that he'd been here, in the parking lot apparently judging by how easily he found his way through the back alleys here, told me that he might have needed a reminding.
Travis swayed the top half of his body, his legs remained planted as his chest and arms swiveled from side to side slightly. His eyes were scourging the parking lot, not looking at me. I doubted he even knew he was fidgeting.
"Here." His sharp, calculated voice was quiet but it cut through the empty parking lot and my chest.
One of his hands was extended, covering most of the item like he was trying to conceal it but I could still make out the phone in his hand. I squinted at it, did he want me to make a call or something? I went to reach for it, but he pulled it back out of my reach.
"Do not let anyone see this. Don't use it in public. No names or specifics mentioned if you can help it, don't contact a single soul on this unless the number is already stored in here and don't give the number to anyone. If anyone catches you with it, destroy it. No selfies, pictures, or screenshots. Think of it as an emergency resource only."
He held the phone back out to me. He was giving me a phone? I tried to contain my smile but it was starting to get useless the more that I wondered what the chances his number would be in this phone.
I reached out to grab it, only to have it snatched from me again. Travis cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at me.
"Absolutely no texting. None," he added in a strict tone.
"Okay, dad," I said, standing on my toes to swipe it out of his hand before he tried to take it away again. I held it tightly in my hand, resisting the urge to look in the contacts but it was all I could think about.
I heard Travis groan but all I was doing was looking at the seemingly brand new phone. It had a screen protector on it that when I turned the phone to the side, it made the screen appear black so no one could peek unknowingly. On top of that, it was already put in a life-proof case that I hadn't tested but was supposed to be waterproof and shatterproof.
I grinned. "Thank you."
A single nod but that was good enough for me. He tilted his head in the direction of the hotel for me to get going and I smiled again before heading in that direction. Halfway through the parking lot, I turned to see if he was there still, but the spot we were previously standing in was empty. He'd left.
I practically ran out of the elevator to my room, fishing the phone out of my bag as soon as I got in and opening up the contact list. I went to the "T's", anxiously.
I knew it was probably stupid to get this excited over something so little but I'd finally have a direct line to him. Except there was no Travis listed in my phone. My heart fell.
Sighing, I started at the top of the list and started scrolling down while reading the names. Some I was familiar with, some I wasn't. I figured it was filled with people Travis figured were okay to talk to if I needed something. I recognized some from when I gave out cookies to everyone.
Annabeth, Ben, Cam, my finger hovered over the contact but I kept going.
Carlos, Finn, I was getting impatient.
Did that jerk seriously give me a list of Casey gang members and leave his own number out? His was the only one I ever wanted! I kept scrolling, a few of the names sticking out more than others.
Hannah, Jay, Love.
Love.
I clicked on the contact just to be sure there was a number attached to it.
He'd put his contact in as Love. It was cheesy and I wanted to change it to Travis but I left it because he did it. At least he was acknowledging he heard what I said because he hadn't commented much on it earlier. I wanted to call him just to confirm it was him and wasn't just someone with a very unfortunate name but it took all of my self control to put it back in my purse.
Since it was late, I got ready for bed and turned on my regular phone. Text messages poured in from Josh asking where I was and what I was up to. He said he'd covered for me so I needed to remember to thank him for that.
I called the hotel staff and asked for more pillows, aligning them in the middle of the bed and lying against them, trying to trick my mind into thinking that I was with Travis. It didn't really work but it was comfortable and eventually I fell asleep.
The next day, I didn't know what to do because I didn't know what the Caseys would be doing so going to Melkin on my own seemed pointless. Instead,I hung around my room watching television and ordering room service for most of the day. It was relaxing which was something I hadn't experienced in days.
Later in the day, there was a rapid knocking at my door and I opened it to find Josh, looking quite surprised.
"I thought you were ignoring me," he said, walking past me.
"Sure, come on in," I mumbled under my breath.
"Where have you been?" he accused, turning on his heel as soon as the hotel door shut loudly. "I've been coming to your door for days and you never answer. I told Owen you got food poisoning and you've been throwing up the last couple of days. You're welcome," he added, plopping down on the bed.
I looked at him in confusion. "Why was Owen asking where I was?" Had my house arrest ended?
"He needs all the help he can get on this case. That fire you texted me about, dude, Carson. They're out there right now looking around the place because it's empty, I guess," he shrugged.
"You aren't? You said they needed help."
Josh ate one of the fries from my plate from earlier. "I was on my way out but Dylan said I needed to do the paperwork for it so there's no issues," he sighed. "I don't mind, someone has to do it and do it correctly so," he puffed his chest out a little bit.
He looked around, "Do you have any coffee?"
"They're all there?" I asked, ignoring his question. The thought of everyone rummaging around the Casey house had my jaw clenching.
"Not Dylan, he had to go take care of some stuff. He said he had to file some of the paperwork you know, so they didn't get in trouble and I guess he can't trust me for that so here I be," he held his hands out dramatically.
I looked down at my purse where the phone Travis gave me was but dismissed it. They probably had everything under control.
"So where have you been?" Josh asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Exploring," I answered because that seemed to be vague enough.
He nodded but looked like he had more questions as he flicked through the channels on the television. I sat down on the bed next to him, trying to rearrange the pillows so it didn't look like I was trying to create a human pillow last night.
"Exploring the hotel or exploring leads?" he questioned.
I shrugged because he lowered his head, a sly smile on his face that told me he already knew the answer to that.
"You're the best partner a guy could ask for. Anything good?"
"No," I lied.
He fell back all the way onto the bed, "I spoke too soon."
We spent the rest of the night watching movies in my room together. He got a text from Elle saying she was back but that there was going to be a meeting in the morning about everything. According to her message, basically nothing had happened so far and they didn't find anything. I told Josh to stop by my room on his way to the meeting because I didn't want to miss it.
That night, the makeshift Travis pillow worked even less.
As I was getting ready that morning, I heard a buzzing. I looked over at my phone and noticed it displaying the time like always. My eyes widened when I realized that it was the second phone. Scrambling to the ground, I dug through my purse like a mad woman to grab the phone before the call went to voicemail.
The fact that it said this "Love" contact was calling had me rushing to swipe to answer it, having to swipe the accept button twice because the first time I messed it up.
"Hello?" I practically yelled from anticipation, waiting to see who it was. I knew I should have been worried if it was Travis that he was calling me, but I was too giddy.
"So how many times do you think we've spoken on the phone?" Travis' deep voice rang through the phone, effortlessly, almost like he was lounging around. Meanwhile I was trying to hide my panting as I worked to regulate my breathing from my five second phone panic frenzy.
I paused, not expecting that. Phone etiquette seemed like a lost cause on any of them at this point. But it was him, Love. And love him I did. I wanted to jump around and scream into the phone to try to get some of the butterflies out because he knew. He knew I loved him and he wasn't scared off by it, not that I thought he'd go away but I was all too afraid he'd shut down when I told him. But I tried to play it cool.
"Um, other day." I didn't exactly enjoy the conversation on the phone with him the other day when I stole Jay's phone, but still. Anything besides that, my brain wasn't really working much at the moment to remember.
"Nah, that wasn't on your phone," Travis answered.
I bit my lip, "I guess back in high school." But by now, that seemed like ages ago.
He seemed to feel the same, "Yeah, I don't remember either. Hang on."
Before I had a chance to ask him what was up, he hung up the phone. I looked down at it oddly as panic creeped into my mind, worrying if something was wrong that caused him to hang up in the first place. He wasn't calling just to chit chat and I was too busy feeling like a happy little school girl about it. He could been in danger.
The phone buzzed in my hand.
"Hi?" I urgently pressed, eager to hear he was safe.
"Okay had to get those first phone call jitters out of the way. Hi," he said. His voice was still relaxed. Chipper, even as he spoke.
I looked at my floor absentmindedly, none of it making sense but the tone he was using was one I hadn't heard since before I left Melkin years ago. He sounded carefree, happy even. Like he couldn't be trusted not to do something incredibly stupid at any given time.
"Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly because this was such a stark change of attitude for him.
"Your voice is nice on the phone," he ignored my question and a small smile formed on my lips.
I played with the tips of my hair, "You seem a lot more hyper than usual."
There was a small pause and I worried I'd upset him or that he was about to hang up again or maybe he'd go back to his calculating self. I'd single-handedly undo his entire good mood with one phone call. I shouldn't have been given a phone.
"What's so wrong with being happy I can call you anytime I want?" he mused out and I could practically picture the edges of his mouth tilting up.
"That's all?" I relaxed a bit.
"That's all, gorgeous." The image of his smile breaking out into a toothy grin before he would inevitably wink had my stomach flip.
"Sounds suspicious," I joked but usually anything Travis did fell under the suspicious category. "I don't know if I can trust it."
He laughed and my heart warmed, "Smart girl. How's your rib cage?"
Rib cage? Oh. He meant tattoo. I wondered if tattoo was a word he didn't want to say on the phone and then I wondered if he didn't want to say the word tattoo, what other words were bad words. And then I couldn't help but wonder how he was so good at censoring these words out but he dropped swear words more often than teenagers said 'um' and 'like'.
"I just put some ointment on it," I admitted, looking over to where the items Chad gave me were still out. I had my tank top lifted up to let it air out.
"Sexy," Travis practically moaned out. I held in the sigh that wanted to come out at him mocking me for being honest.
"Is this what you called to talk about?" I asked, cleaning up the stuff from Chad so none of my co-workers would ask questions.
"Nah, go in the bathroom. Let me know when you're in there."
The suspicion rose even more. After putting the cream and other items Chad have me in the hotel dresser, I walked slowly to the bathroom like something was about to pop out at me. I knew nothing would, I hadn't left my room all morning but I was still glancing into the shower stall like someone was about to jump out at me.
"Um. Okay," I finally said, coming up empty.
"Turn the shower on," he said.
My eyebrows furrowed as I contemplated any possible reason to need to do that. He was in a happy mood. Much happier than I'd heard him lately. Maybe he wasn't trying to make fun of me about the ointment. Maybe he had some pent up issues.
"I'm not having phone sex with you," I said flatly.
I was met with laughing. Lots of laughing and while I should have been embarrassed, I didn't even care because it was the best sound I'd heard in awhile and if that was the type of thing that got him laughing then so be it. I would make a fool of myself again and again if it made him smile.
Unfortunately, he calmed down, "That's not why. Trust me, it's important. Turn the damn shower on." And then added as an afterthought, "And the faucet."
"Fine," I groaned and turned the faucet on and reached into the shower to turn it on, trying to not douse myself in water.
I sat on the ledge of the shower and Travis waited but I knew he could hear the water.
"Now take off your shirt..." he instructed.
"Are you kiddi-" I shouted but he cut me off by laughing again.
"Chill out. I don't know if your place is bugged."
I looked around, though even if it was I knew I wouldn't see any cameras or listening devices if the person doing it knew what they were doing. Suddenly, I regretted leaving my hotel room all those nights while on house arrest. Even more than that, I regretted coming back.
"Especially after yesterday," he added and my stomach dropped.
"What happened yesterday?"
All I had done yesterday was relax. Had something big happened? Did he get in trouble? Was I in some sort of trouble without knowing it? Did something bad happen to him while I was pigging out and watching tv?
"Your friend made a visit to a very large house yesterday."
"What?" I asked. This speaking in code was frustrating me. But then I remembered Josh mentioning everyone had gone down to the Casey stomping grounds yesterday to check out the fire. "Wait, yeah, I know that. They all went to look at the damage."
"Nuh uh," Travis tsked a few times. "This one went by himself to another large, shithole of a house."
He paused and I was silent, not saying anything as Josh's words from yesterday about everyone's whereabouts rang through my head. He'd said everyone was off at the Casey house except for himself and Dylan.
Travis continued, "You might want to keep an eye on him. He hasn't left yet according to the computer."
No one should've left due to the meeting today to go over everything that they found yesterday.
"Who?" I asked, knowing he wasn't going to say any names.
"The ball and chain that yelled at you."
My stomach dropped. If he meant the Dacosta house, why was Dylan there? And why was he there without any back-up?
"Seriously?" I asked, resting a hand on my knee to as I tried to wrap my head around what was going on with Dylan.
"Yeah. So," he paused but I could hear the mischief in his voice even if I was trying to focus, "Is your shirt off yet?"
My hand flew up to my forehead and I laughed lightly.
"I'm hanging up now," I warned.
"Buh-bye," he emphasized dramatically before the line went dead.
I finished getting ready, careful to wear a shirt that was loose-fitting so it wouldn't hurt my tattoo before putting my jacket on over everything.
Maybe Dylan was investigating leads on his own, trying to see if he could make a break in the case with the recent damage done to the Casey house. I wouldn't put it past him to just assume he was that good that he didn't need any back-up, even if he was scoping out the Dacosta headquarters where multiple gang members could hurt him. His ego was bigger than their house.
But the feeling in my gut told me otherwise. I don't think Travis would've have called me if it was nothing. My co-workers snooped around the Dacosta hangout places many times before and Travis made no attempt to warn me.
There was a knock on my door, causing me to jump. I peeked through the crack in the door before opening it fully.
"Hey, ready to go to the meeting?" Josh asked, smiling.
No, I wasn't but I nodded anyway. I grabbed my things, making sure to throw Travis' phone in my purse and turn it on silent. Walking back into the hall, I met up with Josh who was waiting for me and we made our way down to the elevators.
"Don't forget, you had food poisoning," he spoke like I was a child as the elevator dinged and we stepped on it. I nodded, pressing the button for the ground floor.
However, we were interrupted on our way down when we stopped on another level, Dylan and Owen standing and going over some paperwork in Owen's hands.
Owen pushed the glasses on his nose up before they stepped on and Josh and I scooted back to make room.
"Lacey," Owen beamed, "how are you?"
"Good enough, all things considered," I said.
Dylan nodded a hello at each of us.
"Ready to join the land of the living?" Dylan asked, looking at me.
I hesitated, taken aback by his word choice considering Cameron and Travis but figured I was just being paranoid. Everyone thought I'd been puking my guts out with food poisoning, which was probably why he'd said that. I was not ready in the slightest.
"Definitely. I heard you located the Casey house," I said, grinning as politely as I could at the two heads of the team.
Owen shook his head excitedly before flipping a piece of paper over and reading it.
"You want to talk about land of the living, have you seen what those Casey guys wear?" Josh asked. "Creepy skull masks and shit."
"What?" Owen asked.
The elevator doors opened and we all walked off. My rib cage suddenly felt incredibly itchy.
I glared at Josh because as far as Dylan and Owen knew, at least to my knowledge, they didn't know about Josh and I getting taken to and from the Casey house.
He looked to his feet as he realized his slip-up.
"Yeah, I saw one when Carson and I were exploring Melkin back when we first arrived but we got attacked by the Dacosta guy before we could do anything," he quickly lied.
Dylan held the door open to the conference room for us, raising a curious eyebrow. I raised both my eyebrows back at him, nonverbally asking him what, not willing to let on how scared I was of him seeing through Josh's story.
As I went to take a seat in the room, my purse felt like it was weighing down my entire right side with Travis' phone and my tattoo felt like it was about to burn a hole through my shirt at any given time.
I sat down and they started going over everything each pair of partners found yesterday which was basically nothing. Apparently, it looked like just another house on the inside from what they were able to peek and they were still waiting to get in touch with Hannah to go in properly. However, Owen made it seem like they basically went in the sections that had been burned anyway. I clenched my fist under the table.
"Let's set up cameras all along that street," Owen advised.
I raised my hand.
"Yes, Lacey?" he asked.
"They took down the cameras before on random streets. What makes you think they won't take the cameras down right outside where they live?" I asked.
"Yeah," George pointed to me, "I was just about to ask that."
I smiled at him.
"It's worth a shot," Owen said.
"It's a waste of money," I shrugged.
"Maybe we can find Ms. Martinez at her work and get her to let us on in the rest of the house," someone suggested as I looked at my fingernails.
"Or we can just go in without her if she's not going to come home," an older woman, Sarah offered.
"That's illegal," I said. "Why don't we have someone reach out to Martinez and the rest of us go and figure out what the Dacostas are doing since we're supposed to be looking at both gangs?"
"Yeah but this house just got burned up," Sarah said.
"And nobody's home," I pointed out. "But the Caseys didn't burn their own house up so my guess is the Dacostas aren't being as quiet anymore."
"Wasn't she supposed to be grounded?" Sarah muttered and I fought the urge to narrow my eyes.
"Thank you, Lacey," Owen said kindly, trying to defuse the situation. "But we don't want to spread ourselves too thin."
"We have a good lead here and a chance to round up some members. We're going to take it. You learn about priorities when you move up in the job titles," Dylan added.
I smiled at him as he insulted my trainee position, killing a bit inside me not to call him rude.
Owen started going over plans for the day again but it sounded like a lot of the same thing they'd been doing. Sit and wait in cars and hope that the Casey members would return home. I didn't mind their plan, they weren't going to find anyone.
For the rest of the meeting, I kept my mouth shut and my focus on Dylan who looked way too antsy sitting in his seat.