y are coming. Don’t you understand? No matter how peaceful a country wants to be, they can’t stop the evil lurking in the shadows. ISIS is building an army. Everyone in law enforcement around the world is trying to get a lock on their movements and motives. A group of young Americans talking to the families torn apart by religious war and political enemies could set off someone. We couldn’t take that chance.”
“I think you all may have overreacted.”
“No, Devon, listen to me! Really listen to me.” He reaches to the folder on the table and starts arranging photographs. “This is what can happen to people ISIS wants to make an example of.”
My gut turns and tears sting as I take in the horrid pictures laid out. Men, women, and children are beaten, bloody, burned, and some dead. Quinn sucks in a shaky breath, and I know she’s holding back her own emotions.
“I wish on my life I didn’t have to show you these. But it’s not fair for you to be mad at me, your parents, Nate…anyone. You have to understand; I’d do anything to protect you, including forwarding these to the President of the University of Virginia. Her mind changed really quickly.
“It’s one thing to send in a team of seasoned journalists with protective details and millions of dollars behind them. But totally another for a group of college kids.”
“This is so terrible.” I reach for one of the pictures and withdraw quickly. I don’t want to even touch them.
“Yeah, babe.” He cups my chin and turns my face to his. “And I already told you, if anything happened to you, I’d die along with you. I’d prefer to delay that for seventy or so years. You owe me a trip down the aisle.”
A sob escapes, and I throw my arms around him. Quinn wraps around from his back, and we both hold him tight. After a minute, we pull away, and he puts the pictures back in the folder. He visibly relaxes and lifts me onto his lap.
“All right, guys, it’s handled. You can come in now. They’re under control,” Bryce yells behind us.
Like Sunday night when we got home, the room fills with all our parents and my brother. My mom, somewhere in the last few hours, has found a shirt with the Olympic Rings and the 2016 logo for Rio.
“How in the world did you know we’re going to Brazil?” I question her.
The room erupts in laughter, and every eye goes to Bryce. When I look at him, he gives me a cocky grin.
“I have Professor Henry Grant on speed dial.”
Of course he does…
Chapter 3
“Babe, we’re here,” Bryce says softly in my ear. I open my heavy eyes slowly and see we are in the parking lot of his apartment complex.
“Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“Don’t be. Nate and I listened to sports radio.”
“That’s probably what put me to sleep.” I scowl. “Well, that and the half-dozen shots I got this morning.”
“Let’s get you to the couch. You can go back to sleep.” He unclips my seatbelt and lifts me.
“I can walk,” I try to argue but then rest my head on his shoulder, inhaling his scent.
“Are you sniffing me?”
“Sort of. I love the way you smell. Spicy, woodsy, citrusy…all you. I’ve loved this cologne since you were in high school.”
He stops and turns his head toward me. The look on his face is unreadable until his eyes grow soft. “It’s exactly the same with you. The perfume you wear is permanently etched into my brain. Every single time a woman is in the vicinity with that same scent, I automatically look for you.”
My heart swells, and I touch my lips to his. He holds me tighter as his tongue slips into my mouth. At the taste of him, my heart rate speeds up. I clutch his shoulders and twist my legs around his waist. It doesn’t occur to me that we’re still outside in the parking lot as I devour his mouth. Our tongues swirl together while the familiar burning builds in the pit of my stomach. We stay this way until a car drives by honking. Bryce breaks away, nipping my lower lip gently.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Nate grumbles behind us.
“Sorry,” I squeak, completely unapologetic.
He rolls his eyes and passes us to grab the bags from the truck. I jump down and help unload.
Once we get inside, a sense of sadness washes over me. These next few days will be the last we spend in this apartment. There are a lot of fond memories that whirl through my mind. Bryce and I may not have spoken for a long time, but before I cut him out of my life, Quinn and I loved visiting the guys when we were seniors in high school.