When I step back out of the bathroom, Cree is waiting for me with his feet shoulder width apart and his arms crossed over his chest. He stares at me without saying a word. I wait until it gets too uncomfortable, then I sigh. “What?” I ask.
“You wanted my attention, you got it,” he says coldly. I hate the ache his coldness causes in my chest. “The floor is yours.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter. He moves closer and I back up until I hit the door to the bathroom.
“I don’t care if you’re walking around here half-naked,” he whispers against my hair. “Because you don’t belong to me.”
“Good to know,” I mutter.
Cree turns to walk away, and I ball my fists at my side. “How do you do that?” I snap, and he turns slowly to face me again. “Just turn it off like that? You’ve turned your feelings off for me, or you never felt them in the first place.”
He’s back in my face in an instant. “I felt them,” he growls. “Don’t fuckin’ doubt me.”
“But you don’t feel them anymore?” I ask.
“I don’t know what I feel,” he mutters. “All I know is that you lied to me, Eva.” He stomps away. I take some deep breaths to calm myself. I hate this pain in my chest.
When I re-join Anna, she stares at me expectantly. “I saw he followed you.”
“He’s an ass. Who do I flirt with?” I snap. She smiles wide and her eyes light up with mischief. “Not Lake,” I add. I don’t want to upset Lake. I’ve caused enough unintentional damage between him and Cree.
Anna looks around, then grins. “Blade. He’s always good for a flirt.”
I nod. “First, I need to change,” I say, rushing off. I feel far too exposed in a bikini.
I return ten minutes later wearing shorts and a cami top. I head straight for Blade, who eyes me suspiciously. “Hey,” I smile.
“No,” he says bluntly.
I laugh. “I haven’t said anything,” I say. He’s shaking his head and his eyes go to Cree. “Why are you looking at him? We’re not a thing,” I add.
“That fire in his eyes and the way he’s glaring over here tells me otherwise.” He smirks. “So, you coming over here means you want a reaction.”
I lower my eyes to the floor. “I’m such an idiot. Sorry,” I mutter. “Anna thought up a plan to try and get him to notice me. It’s stupid, but . . . ”
Blade smiles at me sympathetically. “Anna’s full of mischief. You want Cree to notice you, then just continue being you. He hates being ignored, but he also hates you acting like you don’t give two fucks about him,” he says, lowering his voice. He moves closer so his mouth is at my ear. “But I guess annoying him this way is also fun,” he whispers before pulling back and winking. I blush. If I continue like this, it’s only going to get Cree mad and I need to work on trust. Anna is wrong about this.
“New plan,” I say brightly to Anna. “I’m going to ignore him.”
“Ignore him?” she repeats. “But you almost had him just then. He looked fit to burst when Blade leaned in to talk to you.”
“No offence, but Blade knows him better than you, and he said ignoring Cree is the way forwards. I’m not listening to your crazy advice no more, starting now,” I say, and she sticks her tongue out in a childish move. I laugh.
“The rules still apply,” comes Cree’s voice. I look over my shoulder. “Stay away from my brothers,” he adds. I roll my eyes and turn away from him. “Did you hear me?” he growls.
“I heard.” I sigh, making sure I keep my tone bored. He stomps away and I smile at Anna. Maybe this will work. I’m not sure how long I can see him around here without jumping on him and forcing him to talk to me.
I wake to another text message from Callum. This time, he asks me to meet him to discuss things. He tells me he has something important to show me. I ignore the message, just like I have all the others, because I’m certain he’ll get bored before I do, but I find it weird he’s this obsessed with getting me to sign up for his kinky club.
I’m eating breakfast and doing a great job of ignoring Cree when my cell pings again. I feel Cree’s eyes on me, so I make sure to smile as I open the text message from Callum so Cree will wonder who the message is from. My smile almost falters when I read it.
Callum: I have someone important to you. She’d like to see you.
I rack my brains trying to work out who he’s talking about when another text comes through.
Callum: If you tell anyone, I’ll kill her in the worst possible way.
My frown deepens. He’s gone from asking me to sign to his club to threatening someone’s life.
“What’s up?” asks Cree. His eyes are full of concern, but I’m still ignoring him, and I’m certain this is another bullshit lie from Callum to lure me to him. I leave the table and head to my room. The next message makes me sick to my stomach. It’s Emily, the girl Cree once saved, the teen I’ve worked so close with at the centre. She’s smiling at the camera. I can’t work out where she is, but it’s nowhere I recognise. I text back.
Me: What the hell are you doing Callum?
Callum: To save her, you need to come to the club.
I shake my head even though he can’t see me. There’s no way I’ll get out of here.
Me: I can’t leave here. It’s impossible.
Callum: You’ll find a way.
I pace the length of my room. I can’t leave the clubhouse. There’re too many people here watching. I think back to when Anna left the club
