Page 56 of Like You Know
“What’s wrong?” Jet asked, his eyes glued to where his fingers slowly teased the front of my dress down.
“Nothing, I just ... can’t stop thinking about my mom.” I twisted the other way, struggling to see in the dark.
Beneath me, Jet froze and pointedly pulled my dress back up over my boobs. “Uh ... what?” He chuckled.
I laughed and scrambled off his lap. “She promised to check in, and I’m just a little worried ...” I spotted my bag and picked it up, digging inside for my phone.
It was thirty-eight minutes past midnight, and the last check-in text I’d received was at eleven. I had three missed calls, but they were all from Harlow. Ignoring the calls, I quickly texted my mom.
I chewed on my lip as I stared at the screen, waiting for a reply. She’d just forgotten. It was getting late. Maybe they’d already gone home and fallen asleep.
Jet appeared at my back, startling me. I’d been so focused on my phone I hadn’t even heard him get up.
“Hey,” he whispered gently, rubbing my shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“My mom is at this party, and she hasn’t checked in like she promised. I’m just a little worried.”
“Why? She’s with the Calvin guy, right? It’s just a party.”
My phone rang, but it was Harlow again. I sent it to voice mail, not wanting to miss my mom’s reply. Harlow was probably drunk and calling to tell me how much she loved me.
“It’s at this evil woman’s house, and there’s a cult and shit ...” I waved a hand over my shoulder. “It’s a long story.”
Jet just kept massaging my shoulders. He probably thought I was some crazy conspiracy theorist.
A text came in, but the relief had barely washed through me before worry pushed it right away. It wasn’t from my mom. It was from Harlow.
“God, she’s persistent tonight,” I mumbled as I opened it.
H: Call me back ASAP! I couldn’t sleep so I started looking at pics online from that party. And then something in my memory clicked so I looked it up. The guy your mom is with—his name is Calvin CLAYTON. He’s Raine’s son!
An image came through underneath the text—a posed picture of a younger Cal with Raine. It looked like a newspaper clipping, with a caption naming them as mother and son.
“Oh my god.” Panic had me breathing hard as I shoved my feet into my shoes and ran for the door.
Jet was hot on my heels, asking worried and confused questions.
I dialed Mom’s number as I fumbled with the locked door. With steady hands, Jet moved me aside and unlocked it, and I rushed out into the hallway. Thankfully, the office was near the front door and I wouldn’t have to shove my way through the party.
The call went to voice mail. I redialed the number as I jabbed repeatedly at the elevator button. The doors finally opened just as the call went to voice mail again.
“Fuck!” I yelled at the ceiling before continuing to blow up Mom’s phone.
“Amaya, you’re freaking me out here.” Despite his words, Jet sounded pretty calm, if deadly serious.
“Harlow just texted. Calvin is Raine’s son.”
“OK.” Jet nodded, as if waiting for more.
“Raine runs BestLyf. She’s a dangerous person, and that whole organization is fucked up! And he’s her son!” The slow elevator and constant unanswered calls were getting to me—I felt frantic. “I just need to know she’s safe.”
Jet pulled me into a tight hug, and instantly I calmed down a little. “Everything is going to be fine. Where’s this party? Let’s go there and check on your mom.”
I released a shaky breath of relief. He wasn’t getting irritated or treating me as though I was losing it—even though I kind of was. He was going to come with me and help. “It’s only two blocks away.”
The elevator doors opened, and we rushed out onto the street.
CHAPTERTWENTY