“What?” Michael jerked his head to Will.
“Seriously?” Will blurted out. “You’re not watching this?”
Dragging my eyes away from Michael and Kai, we all turned our gazes on Will, following his line of sight to Rika, Winter, and some guy in black pants, a dark gray pullover, and leather shoes with his dark hair slicked back. Maybe five or six years older than us.
“That guy,” Will pointed out, looking at us as we looked at them. “He had a mask on before. He walked up and put his hands on Rika like he was one of the actors. He grabbed her, picked her up, had his hands way too close to certain things…”
Will turned back to her as he spoke, and I narrowed my eyes, taking note that Winter was standing back as Rika and the guy talked. He looked familiar. Where have I seen him before?
“She got away from him when she realized it wasn’t you,” Will continued, “but now he has the mask off, and he’s talking to her like they know each other. I don’t think she knows it was the same guy that fondled her before.”
I looked away, shaking my head.
They all just stood there. Michael, Kai, Will…
“It’s one of her professors,” Alex offered. “She’s part of his research team at the college.”
“He was not touching her very professionally when he was in disguise,” Will replied sarcastically, taking a swig of his beer.
Looking back over to make sure he wasn’t talking to Winter, I watched as he leaned in to Rika, tilting his head and touching her arm as they spoke. There were things guys did that told you they were flirting.
She turned to Winter for a moment, and once her back was turned, his eyes dropped, giving Rika a long once-over and licking his lips.
Yep.
Girls didn’t always notice, because it was subtle, and we didn’t always realize we were doing it, but he was interested. And he’d copped a feel while her fiancé was standing right here, too.
Was Michael doing anything? Of course not.
And that was the same guy I saw dancing with her at her engagement party, too. I finally recognized him, because he rubbed me the wrong way then, as well.
“He’s flirting with her,” Will told Michael the same thing I already knew.
“Does he know she’s engaged?” Banks asked.
“He was at dinner at our fucking house,” Michael growled under his breath as he glared at the professor.
“Aw, don’t worry,” I said. “Rika can handle her own shit, right?”
I dug out a cigarette, lighting it, a puff of smoke filtering into the air above our heads.
“It’s kind of got me wondering, though,” I went on. “She’s got her own money, and she can take care of herself, because you don’t coddle her, so…why does she need you exactly?”
I narrowed my eyes on Michael, amused. He always made Rika solve her own problems, because he didn’t see her as a possession but rather an extension of himself.
He didn’t want a puppy. He wanted a partner.
But there comes a point when you have to defend your house and take charge. And not just in the bedroom.
Which was all she needed him for.
I grinned. “I guess she does need to be serviced from time to time, doesn’t she?”
He bared his teeth, grabbing the collar of my sweatshirt, but my feet didn’t budge from the ground.
“Oh, please, go ahead,” I dared him, holding his eyes. “It is long past due between you and me.”
He stared into my eyes, probably taking in all the people around us, the security, the cameras, and while I didn’t give a shit, he had a charmed life at risk now. A sports star, soon-to-be wife, business deals in the works…
Do it.
I actually didn’t want either him or me getting arrested for a fight tonight, but I wanted to see some kind of life from him. Some remnant of the guy who was once my friend. Someone I remember very well, wanting to go to that edge and lead us all over it.
This is what happened when you fell in love. You lost your nerve, because you didn’t want to lose what had become more important.
But instead of wimping out, he just smiled.
“You know what?” he said, releasing me. “You’re right. My imagination is nothing compared to yours. Tell me, how would you handle him?”
How would I handle him? Need me to do your dirty work for you, or was this an invitation to play?
“Come on,” Kai egged me on, smirking. “Show us what we’re missing from the good old days. You’re so fucking arrogant. You educate us.”
My heart started pumping a little harder, and I stood there, pondering the challenge. Would they do what I suggested?
I wasn’t even going to leave it up to them. They’d pussy out.
I locked eyes with my sister. “How fast can the butcher be here?”
She stared at me only a moment before realization dawned, and a smile spread across her face. She glanced at Kai who looked at his wife curiously and then back to me, digging out her cell. “For us?” she asked, looking excited. “Minutes.”
And then she put the phone to her ear and walked away to make the call.
I glanced at Alex. “See if they have a first aid kit with smelling salts?”
She nodded, looking hesitant, but walked toward the service tent.
And then I taunted Kai. “Still able to knock someone out with a single kick?”
“Want a demonstration?” he shot back.
I laughed, putting the rest of the pieces together in my head.
“What are you going to do?” Michael asked, pulling back and suddenly interested.
“Me? Oh, this will take all of us,” I told him. “You want it or not?”
He rolled his eyes but stood there, Will on his left, Kai on his right, and his pride telling him not to engage with me.
But then he looked over at Rika, and I didn’t know about him, but I knew if her teacher was pulling shit like this in front of her fiancé, what was he thinking of trying one of these days when Michael wasn’t around during one of their research meetings or an after-class discussion?
Of course, Rika could take care of herself, but he was disrespecting Michael, too. Michael needed to check that shit.
He met my eyes. “Fine. What are we doing?”
I quirked a smile and filled everyone in on their part, sending Banks to meet the butcher in the parking lot and Will to grab another prop from inside one of the haunted houses.
When Alex came back with the salts, I told her what she had to do, unfortunately the bulk of the work falling on her for this whole thing. She was the only chick here not spoken for, so that came in handy when she needed to lure him.
Banks arrived with a backpack, and she, Michael, and I made our way to the tree line behind the barn, shielding ourselves behind the trunks, while Kai and Will hid around the corner of the barn, waiting.
I stuffed my mask, still hooked onto my wrist, in the backpack, and not two minutes later, spotted Alex rounding the corner with the professor. She looked perfect. Short white dress, top hat, makeup. He didn’t look as enamored as he did with Rika, but he was willing to indulge a little walk around the park with another beautiful student.
Kai looked over at me, twenty yards away, and I jerked my chin, alerting him it was time. He stepped back, giving himself room, got in his stance, and as soon as Alex came around the corner, Kai shot out, swung his leg around, and knocked the dude right in his temple. He didn’t even have time to turn and see who was there.
His head jerked back, his knees gave out, and he fell forward, face planting on the dirt ground.
“Oh, shit!” Will shook with laughter. “He went down like a dead deer.”
A snort sounded from either Michael or Banks, and Kai looked down at his victim, surveying his handiwork with pride.
“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Banks whisper-yelled, looking worried as she crept over.
Michael and I followed.
She crouched down next to the guy, feeling for the pulse on his neck.
After a pause, she pulled away, sighing with relief. “Okay, good.”
“Baby, please.” Kai looked insulted.