“I used to work there. I hate that place.”
After pulling into the country club’s parking lot and parking between a Ferrari and a Porsche, Caden grunted. “Yep. I still hate this place.”
“You worked here?”
“My freshman year. My dad’s friend owns it.”
“What happened?”
He took his keys out and reached for the door handle, but paused to look at me. “I hate fake people. Guess what kind of people hang out in country clubs?” Then he was out the door and heading inside.
I didn’t have time to sit back and laugh because I agreed. He was halfway across the lot by the time I got out and hurried behind him. I caught up to him on the sidewalk, but instead of going through the main entrance, he circled around the building to a wooden patio. It was full of people eating, drinking, or just sitting and talking. Caden cut through the tables and went down a flight of stairs. I paused behind him, in the middle of the stairs, to get a look at where he was going.
Three different pools spread out at the base of the hill, a lazy river connecting them. Caden headed to the middle pool, and I recognized Marcus, Avery, and others from the CSC lot. I kept scanning for Kevin.
I found him.
He was by the third pool, which was relatively empty, with only a few women swimming. One guy was doing laps, and my stepbrother stood underneath a palm tree near a bunch of other shrubbery. I could see the walking path behind him, and I knew he was trying to hide. He wasn’t succeeding. A hand appeared, cupping the side of his face.
My chest tightened, and I looked over to where Caden was approaching Marcus’ table.
I didn’t know who it was under that tree with Kevin, but I had one guess. It started with M and rhymed with saggy.
I’d started toward them when Avery blocked my path. “Hey.” She held her hands out, gesturing to where Caden and Marcus were talking. “What’s up with that? He looks pissed.”
Caden was the least of my problems at the moment. “I don’t know. I, uh, I have to go to the bathroom.” I looked around. “Where is the bathroom?”
Her eyebrows shot up and she moved back a step. “If you had to go to the bathroom, you would’ve gone inside, where the bathrooms are.” She studied me intently. “What’s going on with you?”
I sucked at being an actress. I rolled my eyes. “Fuck it. Look.” I nodded in Kevin’s direction.
She looked and then gasped, stepping in beside me. She shook her head. “Caden and Marcus are right there. They’re so stupid. I don’t get what Marcus even sees in her. Does she have a magical vagina or something?” She sighed. “I mean, she can be really fun, but still I don’t get it. I honestly don’t.”
I started forward again. “I’m going to put a stop to it.”
“Wait.” She grabbed my arm, holding me back. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“Why?” She pointed to Kevin and Maggie, who were now kissing. Or I thought they were kissing. His head was moving a little. I felt a twinge of hurt in my chest—the way he had with me that one night.
“Think about it,” Avery said. “They’re going to get caught. I mean, they’re stupid enough to get together at the same place Marcus and his brother are, and it’s during the day. It’s inevitable.” Her voice lowered. “So, let it happen.”
“Let Kevin get pummeled, you mean?”
“No, let fate happen. Don’t protect him. Don’t protect any of them.” She snorted, raking a hand through her hair. “They don’t deserve it. Trust me.”
I was tempted. I could feel his lips on mine, his hands touching me, how he’d pressed down on me. A whole host of sensations coursed through me, but they didn’t matter. I gritted my teeth, and I had to actually shove down the longing I’d been experiencing since that night, but I did it.
I wanted those feelings to go away, but when I tried to actually shove them out of me, something else took their place—a different pain, a different longing. A feeling I didn’t want to feel. It was ten times worse than the lingering daydream of Kevin, so every time I felt it, I ended up giving in to my old thoughts. Besides, he was family. That should count for something. His mother loved me like I was her daughter. That meant something to me, so even if Kevin was a lame asshole, I still had to keep him from getting killed.
“He won’t know.” Avery touched my arm again, lightly.
I moved my arm away and stepped forward. “But I’ll know.” And that was really all that mattered. I would know.
In just a few moments I was almost to them, but I had nothing planned. I was going to grab Kevin and drag him out. I figured he’d see reason once I pointed out Caden and Marcus, who were within eyesight. I was just a few steps away when I heard yelling behind me.