Cruel Infatuation (Underground Kings 3)

IsaacGray88: No, sorry. I was talking to my friend. I live in Trinidad, California. All beaches. Right on the side of a cliff called ‘The Cliff House’.”

FinleyPark: Sounds like a dream.

Wanting some privacy, I head over to the sliding glass doors and step outside, closing it behind me. I bring my phone up and snap a picture, getting the infinity pool in it too. Damn, I live in a beautiful place. It’s warm out, and the sky is clear for the first time in a few days. The ocean is navy blue, and a hint of the cliffside can be seen ac

ross the way.

Muscle memory takes over, and I sit down on the red patio couch Quinn picked out. I get an idea and tap my fingers against my thigh, debating if I should do it. Fuck it, right? It’s all or nothing. I shrug my shirt off and toss it on the couch.

Step out of your comfort zone. Not everyone is bad. People can be trusted.

Why am I taking off my shirt? Because I have a nice body. Even if she only sees my back, I want her to know how good it looks. I want her to find me attractive. I know the easiest way would be to show my face. I want to see hers too, but I’m afraid our banter will change from joking to getting to know one another to sexual. I let sex ruin my life before. I had sex with Kendall on the first date and in the end, she was the one who fucked me over.

I’m not going to let my hormones get the best of me. At least, not yet.

I place my phone on the table and set it against the umbrella rod. I swipe the camera open again and angle it in the direction I want. I set the self-timer to ten seconds and run into place near the pool’s edge and turn around, giving her my back. I tense so my muscles seem more defined and shove my hands in my pocket as I stare out toward the ocean. When I hear the click of the camera, I run back and tap the thumbnail in the bottom left corner and analyze it.

“What are you doing?” Heaven leans against edge of the sliding glass door and crosses his arms.

“Nothing,” I answer and send the picture to Finley. I’m not going to chance him finding that photo of me. I click the gallery app and delete it. It’s only for Finley’s eyes.

“Your shirt’s off.”

“It’s hot out,” I say simply. “I’m thinking about going for a swim.” Heaven wobbles from the doorway to the patio table, sits down, and lifts his casted leg to the empty chair in front of him.

I don’t like how hard he’s staring at me. I shuffle my feet and plop on the red couch again, hoping my phone goes off.

“I think you were taking semi-nudes,” Heaven says, lacing his fingers behind his head. “There’s no judgement. I get it. I think semi-nudes are hot. It sends a tease of what’s coming but not too much. It leaves the mind to imagine. Good for you for doing that. So how old is this chick? Do you like her? What are your plans?”

That overwhelming emotion I wanted to ignore? Pointless since Heaven exists. “Nothing. We’re just friends right now. I don’t want to be anything more. I like getting to know her. There isn’t any pressure. She’s traveling right now and sending me pictures of the sights.” It isn’t a lie. She is sending pictures. I grab my shirt off the cushion and debate if I want to put it back on. It’s nice to feel the sun. I’m always locked away in my room or on a mission.

I rub my fingers along the scar on my side, where the metal rod pierced me in the explosion on our last job. It hurt like hell, but I’m lucky, unlike Heaven, who broke his leg in two places. The rod went through and through, hitting nothing vital. Every now and then, I get a twinge of pain, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

What would Finley think about it? Do scars bother her?

“Mmmhmm,” Heaven hums, tilting his head back to enjoy the sun. “You know, we only give you shit about this because you aren’t forthcoming. You can trust us. We want you to be happy.”

“I’ll talk about it when I want to. It’s as simple as that.” My phone vibrates in my hand, and I grin when I see there are three messages from Finley waiting for me.

“Man, it’s been too fucking long since you’ve smiled. Good for you.” Heaven sits up and sways on one foot to get his balance, and then he hobbles over to the door again. “I’ll leave you alone.”

I feel bad now. I know Heaven is the kind of guy that loves to be around people, and right now, everyone gets to move around and do what they want while he has to watch from the sidelines. Internally I groan, “No, it’s fine. No big deal. Stay out here. We can hang out. It’s a nice day.”

I had no idea it was possible for him to run with a cast that goes from his thigh to his ankle, but he manages it. He plops down in the chair with a big smile on his face. “Can we talk about Finley?”

“No,” I say. “We can talk about anything other than her. I’m not ready to share her with anyone yet, Heaven. I barely know her. Once I get a better understanding of what I want and who she is, you’ll be the first to know.”

“You swear?” He leans forward with excitement, shaking his good leg like a dog getting scratched behind the ear. “Really?”

I slap his cast and grin, “Swear it. Want a beer? I’m going to go get us one.”

“Hell yeah. Thanks, man.”

I look over my shoulder before entering the house and see how happy Heaven is. Does he really feel left out? Do we need to try harder so he doesn’t feel ignored? He seems like he’s always searching for someone’s validation. I’ve never given a fuck about getting someone’s approval, but Heaven seems to thrive off it.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m a little worried about him.

When I step inside, the air conditioning hits me in the face, and it feels nice against my hot skin. Before I open the fridge, I check my phone, and my face heats hotter than the sun. There are a bunch of heart emojis at first and a smiling face.