Page 56 of Off-Limits Bad Boy

“Maybe she's trying to mess with us,” I say, just throwing guesses out there. “Or maybe someone's using her to get to me...to us.”

Emma's gaze is locked on me. “Kade,” she says again, and I stop moving to look at her

“Believe me,” I say, closing the distance between us in two strides, and taking her hand, bringing her fingers to my lips and feeling the spark that pops between us. “Those photos, they're just a single second frozen in time. They don't show the truth.”

“The room card...” she says, but she doesn’t finish the sentence, or can’t. She picks up the shiny white plastic, turning it over in her hands as if it has all the answers. But it doesn’t.

“Why would someone do this?” she whispers, her gaze meeting mine. I see the sparkle of tears there and wish I could just take away all the pain and doubt she’s feeling. I’d shoulder all of it if it would ease her misery.

“The photos only show a second in time. It’s a lie.” I hold her gaze, silently begging her to hear me. “But this,” I say as I lift our intertwined hands, “this is real.”

She seems to suddenly snap back to reality and color returns to her face. “Someone wants to tear us apart. Divide and conquer. But why?” Her brow furrows.

I lift my shoulders. “Maybe they want chaos? Or to punish us? Ot to split us up so they can try to take us for themselves?” I glance at the image of myself and Stella once more, my guts twisting. Did she do this?

Emma is watching me carefully from her spot beside me on the couch. She wraps her arms around herself as if holding the pieces together. “We don’t have to give them what they want.”

She nods. “What should we do?” she asks, her tone serious.

But I don’t have answers for her. Not this time. “I’m not sure,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck with one hand. “We could confront Stella, but if she did this, she’ll just lie.”

“Who else would want to do this?” That same question pops up again and once more, I feel uneasy. Does this have something to do with the people Alex and I have been trying to reach?

“Who else knows?” she whispers, talking more to herself than me as if internally searching for some memory that might shed some light on who would do this to us.

I think about the silence Alex asked me about—the lack of response from the people he was trying to get in bed with. My gut twists harder and I feel sick. I shove the thought away. Not now. What would they have to gain by doing this?

“Do you trust me?” I ask and her gaze snaps to me. She hesitates as if considering the question, then gives a slight nod. It’s not much, but it’s better than a no.

“I want to trust you,” she whispers, the words catching as if her throat is closing. “But love isn't always rational, is it?”

Her delicate voice cuts through me like a knife and I lean in closer to her. “No,” I say, my lips hovering inches from hers. “But it’s worth finding the truth for.”

Her breath catches, and her gaze meets mine. In this moment, we’re so close, but somehow it feels like there are galaxies between us. Then I close the gap, brushing my lips against hers, and it feels like nothing has changed.

But everything has changed.

Chapter Twenty-three

Emma

I touch the call button, my heart pounding painfully like a wounded animal in my chest.

Alex answers, his voice upbeat, but something feels... false... about his tone. And I wonder if Kade is right; maybe Alex does know.

“Alex, I won't make it to the club tonight.” I feel awful for letting him down, but my mind is so scattered I’d be more of a hazard at work than a help.

“Is everything okay?” he asks, his tone suddenly worried.

“Yeah, I’m just tired - I didn’t sleep last night.” I realize how the words sound after I say them, and I squeeze my eyes shut. What a dumb thing to say.

“Alright, take care of yourself,” he says, and I’m grateful he doesn’t press for answers to whatever questions he has.

The call ends and I stare at the screen, the image of Kade and Stella locked in that too-close embrace coming to mind.

I wish I hadn’t asked him to leave. But he’s gone now, and I need someone to talk to, to figure all of this out with. So, I find Lila's number and touch the green phone icon.

“Hi, Em! How are you?” she sounds excited, and I instantly burst into tears.