That evening when I was through working on tracking the movements of the group who had yet to realize why they’d lost the last two victims they were set to sell to some asshole, who was looking to shell out big bucks for a virgin from that part of the world, I was more than ready to lose myself in her innocence.
Ever since I started this it’s been this way. I get buried in the filth that comes across the computer screen to the point that I sometimes want to turn away and forget I ever knew this shit existed. But then I go back to my dorm and call her up and just seeing her beautiful innocent smile cleanses me once again, until the next day when the shit starts all over again.
I stood up to leave as usual, but this time Jace stopped the elevator on the fifth floor instead of letting it go all the way down to the garage. I looked at him questioningly but he didn’t say a word as he stepped off the elevator and waited for me to follow.
“What’s this?” He walked to the door right across from the elevator and keyed in a code. The doors slid open to reveal a huge living area surrounded by glass the way the rest of the building is. It was pretty much furnished the way his place on the ninth floor is that he shares with his wife and kids.
“You’ll be staying here from now on.” At my raised brow he went on to explain.
“You see what we’re dealing with, not that I don’t trust you, but I think it’s best for all concerned if you moved in here with us, this way we can all look out for each other.”
“You think they’d come after us?”
“There are no guarantees; so far they have no idea we even exist, it’s just a precaution.”
“He know about this?”
“I told him yes, he thinks it’s a good idea. Besides, when your girl gets here you’re gonna need a place to stay.”
I might’ve told them about Caitlin and our situation a time or two. I was surprised to learn that they’d met her before, and her father, back in Georgia a few months before. It seems they knew a whole lot about me before we met.
“You can go back tonight to pack up your stuff and move in here tomorrow if you’d like.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. It’s true that once we’d gotten to know each other and lost any suspicion where the other was concerned that we’d grown close, but this was a huge step.
“Don’t overthink it. It makes sense for you to be here with the rest of us and like I said, you’re going to need a place soon. Unless you plan to be separated from your girl in the dorms when the time comes.”
“It’s not that, I was planning to find us a place but I need to talk to her dad first.”
“Why don’t you marry this girl if you love her so much? You said it’s been four years.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. How did you guys get married so young? Didn’t your parents object?”
Back home it’s no big deal to see kids getting married right out of high school, but that’s small town life, or so I thought. I never expected to meet people so young from Hollywood no less, who held those same values.
Everyone, except Alec, was already married, and from the teasing the others give him about the picture of the beautiful young girl that he keeps on his desk, he wasn’t too far behind.
“No they didn’t; it’s all in the approach. I hear your father in law to be is a tough nut. I can say from my short acquaintance with him that that seems legit. But, if he loves his daughter, which is obvious then he’ll want what’s best for her. Prove to him that you’re that.” The guy is eighteen going on thirty-five.
“I don’t know; I’ll have to think about it. I’m not big on charity.”
“Don’t be an ass, this isn’t charity, I wouldn’t make the offer to just anyone. But like I said, what we’re doing here is very sensitive, I gave it a lot of thought and even though I don’t think any of this will ever come back on us if we’re careful, this is what makes the most sense.”
He had a point I guess, but still… Just then the door opened behind us and the others came waltzing in. “So we doing this or nah?” Track was the first to speak. Jace explained my reservations and all I got was a raised brow from Track while the others grinned and said, ‘I guess he’s moving in.’
“How do you figure Shane?”
“Jace doesn’t accept idiot answers it’s his trademark. If you really didn’t want to move in here you should’ve come up with a better excuse.”