Page 68 of The One

“I don’t blame you for keeping her away from this party.” His gaze was fixed on Lainey. “I wouldn’t bring her around these fucking vultures either.”

He readjusted his position, and his hand dangled past her shoulder, hanging over her chest.

I didn’t like it.

And if he wasn’t a friend, I would have broken his fucking wrist.

“Watch your fingers there, Timothy,” I warned.

He pulled back, locking those same fingers on her shoulder. “You’re worried I’m going to touch her titty?” He laughed. “Nothing I haven’t felt before.”

“You haven’t felt hers,” I barked.

“Her sister’s. Same thing,” he said.

“Ewww. Gross, Timothy,” Lainey moaned.

They weren’t the same thing.

Not at all.

“Have you seen Penelope?” I asked him.

“Earlier, I think. I’m not sure. I stopped keeping track of that one a while ago. She’s nothing but fucking trouble.” He huffed at Lainey. “No offense.”

Before I could respond, he was gone.

In his wake, Lainey’s expression turned extremely somber.

Shit.

I would get her head straight and apologize for Timothy being a dick, but right now, I needed to focus on finding Penelope and getting us the hell out of here so Lainey would be able to sleep tonight.

I pulled Lainey against me and said into her ear, “I’m going upstairs. Be careful of the vultures around here, as Timothy put it.”

After she nodded, I gave her a kiss and took off for the staircase. It wrapped around the whole side of the foyer with a catwalk across the middle that separated the two wings. From the upstairs landing, I had a direct view of the party downstairs—not all of it, just the living room and kitchen and hints of the patio.

It was packed, wall to wall, with people. Lainey was going to have a hard time making her way through.

I began my search on the right wing, rushing toward the end of the hallway, where there were at least eight doors on both sides.

I didn’t knock. I didn’t have time to wait for a response. I just opened the door.

What was inside didn’t surprise me.

There were three people on the bed—two chicks and a guy. Naked. All getting it on. They didn’t even notice that I’d opened the door or that I was standing there.

Since I was positive each of these rooms had their own bathroom, I needed to go in.

Fuck.

As I went past the bed, I looked at the faces of the girls just long enough to prove that neither of them was Penelope before I checked out the bathroom.

It was empty.

As I was making my way around the bed again, I heard, “Rhett, come join us,” from one of the girls.

I didn’t turn around. I didn’t even stop long enough to respond. I closed the door behind me and moved on to the next room.