Page 32 of Dark Things (Payback Duet #1)
Stafford
A s I walk to the library, I can’t get the image of Reb and Haunt dancing at the party out of my head. They way they molded together, bodies sweaty and tangled like they were one.
I blow out a breath and run my hands through my hair.
My suit is pressed, and the tie I chose to wear may match the green of Reb’s eyes.
Something about her stirs these dormant feelings inside of me, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or bad.
Belle was always the girl who had my heart and even after five years those feelings haven’t gone away, but Reb makes me feel things too.
It’s quiet as I enter, not too many students hang around after school hours, but it’s probably best for what I have planned.
There’s no guarantee that they’ll come, but I had to take the chance.
Ambushing them in the cafeteria wasn’t the best idea, but when Colter has something in his head, it’s hard to get him to agree to anything else.
My footsteps echo as I make my way up to the private study suites. I put in the request to rent one right after I asked Haunt and Reb to join me. I approach room four and turn the handle. I stop mid-stride, the sight before me almost bringing me to my knees.
Reb is straddling Haunt’s lap, her mouth devouring his. Her fingers are tangled in his hair, holding his head back, and a thrill of excitement goes through me. Fuck, she’s so dominant. My cock instantly gets hard, and I shift, trying to relieve the pressure.
I must make a sound, because they both turn to look at me. Haunt’s smile strikes something inside of me, but the faraway expression on Reb’s face has me taking a step further in the room.
“Close and lock the door, would you, Staffy?” Haunt says with a wink, giving Reb one last peck before releasing her. She returns to her own seat, clearing her throat and opening up her books.
Haunt turns on his laptop and then begins working like I didn’t just walk into the hottest scene I’ve ever seen. I thought having a foursome with Belle and the guys was hot, but seeing these two together…Jesus.
“Where do you want to start?” Reb asks when I finally take a seat.
“I…I’m not sure,” I say, pushing up my gl asses with my finger and clearing my throat. Why the fuck am I so flustered? I’m never out of control.
She purses her lips and looks at Haunt. He nods and leans back in his seat, arms folded across his chest, but the smile never leaves his face, and I’m not sure if I should be concerned.
Reb sighs. “I don't think we’re really here to study are we? Because you seem like a pretty smart guy, and while my GPA probably tops yours, I don’t think you need the help.”
I bristle a bit at that because like fuck is her GPA higher than mine. “No, I don’t need any help.”
Haunt licks his lips and his hand slides under the table to—I’m sure—touch Reb’s delicious thighs in some way…or is his hand higher? Caressing the apex of her thighs, maybe?
“Staff.”
I’m jolted out of my musings and turn to Reb once more. “Sorry, yeah, I don’t need the help, but we do need to talk about what you guys said in the cafeteria. It’s not as simple as you made it out to be, and I really think we could help each other.”
Haunt nods, “Yeah we’ve been thinking the same. While there’s not a lot we can tell you, there are some things in our work that align with yours.”
I consider his vague answer, ambiguity is a running theme with them.
“Look, I get you guys have probably been doing this for longer than us, but we haven’t exactly been saints the whole time we’ve been working for Mario.
We’ve done and seen things that my past self would have run from, but there’s nothing more important to us than finding Belle.
We have and will do anything to make that happen, including illegal things for the wrong man. ”
Reb’s face hardens and I can’t figure out why she’d be angry about that. It’s not like she isn’t doing the exact same or worse to get what she wants, whatever that may be.
“Your allegiance isn’t to Mario, then? It’s to this girl that you say you're looking for?” Haunt asks.
His hand goes to the back of Reb’s neck just like it did at lunch. It’s a claim, or a grounding that she seems to need. It looks like she’s ready to launch herself out of the chair.
“Correct. Mario is a means to an end. We feel no loyalty for him and his organization. How about you guys? I’m sure being a Graves means you're more entangled.”
“Haunt is a Graves in name only,” Reb says, her stare drilling into me.
“In that case, I propose we help each other. If you want Mario we can give him to you, but in return we need you to be honest about Belle, because we know you know something,” I say. I know I’m pushing it, but we’ve been dancing around this for too long.
Reb closes her eyes for a moment, but when she opens them the fire I see inside makes me flinch. So much anger .
“It’s probably better for you if we figure out the Mario part first. When we get rid of him, we’ll give you the information you want, but not before,” Haunt says, still gripping Reb’s neck.
“So we give you everything and hope you’ll deliver at the end? Is that something you’d agree to if you were us?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“You don’t have a choice here, Stafford Fitzgerald. It’s either you make the deal and we get you out of Mario’s grasp and give you the info on Belle, or you leave this room and forget we had this conversation. We can do this without you; it’s you guys who need us,” Reb sneers.
I straighten in my seat and lean in, “How am I supposed to trust you?”
“You’re not. You have to take the gamble. Consider it a game, one where you're all in and have to wait to see what cards you’re dealt. Unless you're scared of taking the risk.”
My nostrils flare looking between each of them. My gut is telling me to go with it, but sometimes that’s not enough. “You’re trouble, you know that?”
The comment comes out so smoothly that I don’t realize what I’ve said until it’s left my mouth. My ears heat up, but Reb is frozen in her seat. Haunt notices and takes over.
“Take the deal, Staff. It’s the only way you’ll ever get answers.” His other hand reaches across the table and he grips my forearm. Even though my sleeve I feel the heat rolling off of it. “I’ll make it worth your while if you do.”
This should not make me harder than I am, but I can’t help it. “Are you changing your mind about a third then?”
Haunt laughs, but Reb still sits there like a statue. Her eyes though, the impossible forest that’s inside them, consumes me. What I wouldn’t do for just a taste.
Before either can answer, there’s a knock on the door. I let out a breath and walk toward door, knowing exactly who it is. I open it up and turn back to them, who now have guns pointed at the door.
A shaky laugh sounds, and Brooks steps further into the room. “Meeting seems to be going well then,” he says, not caring that two scary killers have their weapons trained on him. Colter’s scowl shows how much he does not appreciate the welcome.
Reb holsters her gun first, but Haunt tracks the movements of both men before I close and lock the door. “We were just coming to an agreement of sorts. They are willing to give us information after we help them take care of Mario.”
Colter walks around the table. Neither Haunt nor Reb move, but I see her feet shift. Haunt looks like he could care less what Colter does, which is odd given all the protective vibes I’m getting off of him.
“You expect us to follow you blindly and not get anything in return until you get what you want? ”
Now I’m not saying that my best friend isn’t smart, but in this instance I feel like he’s not living up to his potential.
“You seem to always be in the position where your dick is about to be cut off. It’s starting to become a pattern, cavalino ,” Haunt smirks.
Colter looks down, and there’s Reb knife pressed to his cock. His jaw ticks, but he ignores it, bringing his eyes back up to meet hers. “Give me a reason to trust you,” he says, not breaking their staredown.
“Because without me, you’ll never know.”
It was almost a whisper, but we all heard it. For the first time in five years it feels like we’re finally on our way to knowing what happened and where Belle is.
“Then we’re in. Don’t make me regret this.”