Chapter 13

Anastasia Lennox was a brat of the highest order, and I couldn’t wait to spank it out of her.

I sat at Charlie’s table, after two nauseating days of lurking in the shadows and not being able to talk to her.

I’d seen the longing glances she’d thrown at the door of Charlie’s the last two shifts, hoping I’d come in after she’d tried to push me away.

I knew she missed me.

Yet here we were, at the restaurant, and she was pretending that I didn’t exist as she cleaned off the tables.

Naughty girl.

Her bruise had faded some, the dark black and purple contained more greens and yellows than it had a few days ago.

It still made me want to throw up every time I saw it.

And I’d seen it alot.

I’d stared at it as I waited for her to leave Haven every morning.

I’d raged at it as she walked out of the dance studio and headed to work.

And I’d used it as motivation each night when I followed her from Charlie’s back to the shelter.

It would certainly be more convenient when she was living with me. Traipsing all over the city on foot and in my truck had become more time consuming than my hockey schedule.

My lips twitched as Anastasia passed by me, her gaze intentionally focused straight ahead.

I’d come here tonight to give her one more chance to accept my help willingly. I wanted her to tell me what had happened. I wanted her to trust me to take care of her.

So far, all that wanting wasn’t making a difference. She was trying to push me away as best she could.

My phone buzzed, and I reluctantly tore my gaze from her delectable ass as she leaned over to wipe down a bench.

Ari: From now on, I would like a six-foot radius between you and Blake.

My eyebrow raised. Lancaster was a drama queen.

Me: Huh?

Ari: Why do you always act so confused when I say things to you?

Linc: Why do you always start off conversations with random things?

Ari: This is a rule that should be applied for everyone, including my bestie Monroe.

Linc: Monroe is not your bestie, Lancaster. No matter how many times you say it.

Me: Can Monroe be my bestie?

Walker: Listen, Hero, there’s only so much I can do to save you.

I could just picture Lincoln plotting my death with that comment. I couldn’t blame him. I was pretty sure that I would have the same reaction to any guy wanting to be Anastasia’s bestie now too.

Me: Back to the six-foot radius thing, though…

Ari: She said she thought you were sweet last night because she saw you give that little kid your jersey. Absolutely unacceptable. Blake isn’t allowed to think you’re sweet, Mr. Gird-Your-Loins.

“Mr. Gird-Your-Loins”…that was a new one. I wasn’t sure that I even knew what “gird” actually meant. I made a mental note to look it up.

Linc: I’ve instituted a six-foot rule as well. Actually, twelve.

Walker: Me too.

Ari: You can’t just agree to a rule because Lincoln does, Disney.

Walker: What if I’m agreeing with you?

Ari: That would be nice if I thought that was actually true.

I snorted at that one.

Me: Is the circle of trust just a club for crazy people who never finish their thoughts?

Ari: Wouldn’t you like to know.

Me: Gasp. You mean I’m not in the circle of trust yet?

Linc: What circle of trust…

Walker: …

Ari: …

I really needed to figure out what “…” meant one of these days. The meaning seemed to change by the day, though.

Me: I’ve got chills, Mr. Spooky Sexy.

Me: So…what does one do to get into the so-called circle of trust?

Linc: You used “so” twice in that sentence.

Ari: That’s not a circle of trust move.

Me: So the circle of trust involves proper English?

Walker: You used “so” again.

Me: Can everyone focus?

Linc: Well, you didn’t use “so,” that’s an improvement.

Ari: You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Me: I’m not old!

Walker: Is there an age cap for the circle? I’ve never seen the rule book.

Ari: Good question, Dis.

Walker: I thought we decided “Disney” was already nickname enough.

Me: Speaking of nicknames, what’s yours, Lancaster? Nicknames seem to be a theme in the “circle of trust.”

Ari: Why did you put quotations around circle of trust?

Linc: Yeah, it’s almost like you’re mocking the circle, James.

Me: Why do I feel like I need to check if my doors are locked now, gentlemen?

Linc: …

Ari: …

Walker: …

Shaking my head I set the phone down just as Anastasia slid into the bench seat across from me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked brusquely.

“Why don’t you ask the question you really want to ask,” I commented, tilting my head as I soaked in her beauty.

“What do you mean?” Anastasia wrinkled her nose up in adorable confusion as she stared at me, and I lost my train of thought admiring the crystal clearness of her eyes.

I’d never seen eyes like hers before.

“Camden!”

I blinked, realizing I hadn’t answered her question.

“Why don’t you ask me where I’ve been?” I said calmly.

Her cheeks flushed and she leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table as she locked eyes with me.

“I can’t think of a single reason why I’d ask that. You having better things to do than stalk me at a diner seems like a no-brainer.”

I huffed out an exasperated breath. She was just not going to give in, was she?

Reaching out, I grabbed her hand, slightly mollified when she didn’t immediately yank it away.

“I missed you,” I told her, meaning every word like they were carved into my heart. “How are you? I’ve been worried about you.”

The look on her face told me she didn’t believe me, but I couldn’t imagine caring, or worrying, or stressing about someone more than I did about Anastasia Lennox.

I waited for her to tell me something…anything. I could see the conflict of emotions in her eyes, the inner struggle she was experiencing. She wanted to tell me. I knew she did.

But something was holding her back.

Anastasia frowned, and this time she did yank her hand away. I allowed it, vowing to myself that one of these days she’d want to touch me every second. “Goodbye, Camden,” she murmured, a finality to her voice that felt like a knife in my gut.

I watched as she walked away.

Goodbye.

We’d see about goodbye.

It was definitely more like a…see you later.

I pulled out my phone and made a separate chat for Ari…he seemed the most up for the lunacy I was about to request.

Me: I need a favor.

Ari: Oh this will be good.

Me: Why will this be good?

Ari: Proceed.

Me: How magnanimous of you.

Ari: Better hurry. Blake is giving me the look.

I panicked. I knew what happened when Blake gave him the look…and it seemed to happen a lot. It also seemed to result in Lincoln having to intervene when Ari’s special…dick decoration malfunctioned.

Me: Fuck. Don’t look at her. I need you to catch some dogs for me.

Ari: …

Ari: I’m unclear where you’re going with this. Is dogs a euphemism for something…

Me: Okay, I think I understand “…” in this context.

Ari: Congratulations. I’m still waiting.

Fuck, why did I always sound like an idiot in these conversations.

Me: Dog is not a euphemism. I literally need you to catch some dogs.

Ari: Is there more? Whose “dogs”? Where are these “dogs”?

Me: Why do you keep putting quotations around dogs?

Ari: Because it’s seven p.m. and you texted me about “dogs.”

Ari: There’s no other thing I could do.

Me: Okay. The dogs are nice. Kind of. They might not be nice when you have to catch them because they will be hopped up on meat.

Ari: This is literally the strangest/most fascinating conversation that I’ve ever had. I’m on the edge of my seat, Hero, good job.

Ari Lancaster added Lincoln Daniels to the chat.

Linc: Where am I?

Me: Why did you add Lincoln?

Linc: Trying to keep something from me, Hero?

I shivered at that.

Me: I would never…

Ari: He needs help with a “dog” situation. My face is too pretty to get bit.

Linc: And my face isn’t?

Ari: You’ve got that scary energy, Golden Boy. They wouldn’t dare.

Me: I’m kind of on a ticking clock here, boys. Also, they are just dogs. Not “dogs.”

Ari: So he says.

Linc: …

Ari: Let me just catch you up, Linc. He’s vaguely asked us to catch “dogs” that he says will be hopped up on something.

Me: Meat…they will be hopped up on meat.

Ari: The plot thickens.

Linc: Why are we catching dogs, though?

Me: We?

Linc: Obviously I’m not letting Ari handle “dogs” alone.

Me: Again…just dogs.

Linc: …

Totally knew what “…” meant in that context.

Me: I need the dogs to…scare someone.

Ari: …

Linc: …

Wasn’t sure what that one meant.

Linc: Who are we scaring…

Me: …

Linc: …

Ari: …

Linc: Okay, we’re in.

Me: Oh and bring Rookie. He can keep Geraldine distracted while we borrow her dogs. I know how he feels about her…lack of teeth.

Ari: …

Ari: … The plot thickens.

Taking a deep breath, I got up from the table and strode to the back once again.

Peeking inside, I saw that the pink-haired woman with the knife fetish wasn’t back here today.

The gods were obviously smiling on me.

Anastasia’s back was to the entry as she washed dishes, and I quickly glanced around the room for any belongings she’d stashed back here. She usually had her dance bag with her at the very least.

Spotting the black bag, I quietly slipped the tracking device inside, counting on her not checking her bag until tomorrow. I just needed to be able to find her tonight since she wouldn’t just be going to the shelter like usual.

The thought of her being out on the street for even one minute gave me literal hives. Getting her kicked out of the shelter was a necessity though. She never would have left on her own. I had to put her in a situation where she had to depend on me so I could actually take care of her.

A few hours on the street with me carefully watching over her was necessary if she was going to end up as my new roommate…permanently.

Backing quietly out of the room, I went back out the dining hall and then the front door.

I had plans to make.

“Why am I here again?” Logan complained. “I had a date tonight.”

“You still do have a date tonight, Rookie,” I commented as I led them down the hall to my penthouse.

“What?”

I glanced back at Ari and Lincoln and the twin grins on their faces.

“You and Geraldine will be getting close and personal tonight. As you said, she can take out her teeth…so lots of benefits to that. A date to remember for sure,” I commented as I waited for the elevator.

The elevator dinged as the door opened, and Ari, Lincoln, and I stepped inside.

“You coming?” Lincoln asked Logan, since he had apparently lost the ability to move after my surprise reveal.

His eyes were comically wide, and he looked a little pale now that I was staring at him. His myriad of tattoos were standing out on his skin.

“Rookie, come!” Ari called.

“Save the foreplay for Blake, Lancaster. I don’t know if Rookie can handle it. Coming on command is next level stuff,” drawled Lincoln.

I snorted.

Ari stared at both of us in horror. “I was practicing for our super secret mission tonight….with the dogs. I’d like to think that I have something more creative for Blake in the bedroom,” Ari snapped.

“Why are you still emphasizing the word ‘dogs’? I’ve already told you they’re just dogs. No hidden meanings.”

“That’s what they all say,” Ari mused. “Until she pops out with a tail and a pink nose, and it’s all downhill from there.”

“I don’t think I want to know that story,” commented Lincoln.

“Can I trade?” asked Logan hopefully. “I’m great with dogs. Excellent, in fact.”

“Nah, Rookie,” I said with a yawn, staring at the numbers on the elevator impatiently because we needed to get a move-on—Anastasia would be off in an hour. “Geraldine likes them younger. She’ll eat you up. I’ll be able to get both dogs out of her when I show up with you.”

Logan side-eyed me before looking pointedly at Ari and Lincoln. “Are either of you worried about this?”

Ari cocked his head, pretending to study me before he shrugged and yawned. “He’s Hero. How bad could it be? Besides, I can guarantee that whatever he’s got up his sleeve…Golden Boy has done something way worse…so I’m not worrying too much.”

Lincoln’s lips twitched and I studied the star forward. If there ever was a person with Big Dick Energy…it was Lincoln Daniels. Didn’t surprise me at all that he would be a secret psychopath. I’d seen the camera on his phone that appeared to monitor Monroe’s whereabouts.

I needed to ask him what app he used as soon as I got Anastasia in my penthouse.

“I feel like there’s a story there, Lancaster. Want to share with the class?” I asked as the elevator finally dinged, and I practically jumped out into the hallway, eager to get the party started, so to speak.

“Oh, there is,” Ari answered mysteriously, ignoring Lincoln’s scoff.

We walked down the hallway toward Geraldine’s place. The building had two penthouses, mine and hers. But our places couldn’t be more different…

Stopping by the door, I turned to face the guys. “So, I’ll just warn you…”

“Oh gosh, this is where you tell us she has a secret sex dungeon,’ said Logan fearfully. It was kind of hilarious to see the six-four forward, tattooed all over man-child, looking like he was about to shit his pants.

Geraldine would love it.

“What? No. Geraldine doesn’t have a secret sex dungeon.” I paused for a moment, second guessing myself. “At least I don’t think…I just need to prepare you all for her place…it’s a little…quirky.”

“Oh shit. She does have a secret sex dungeon—where’s Disney when we need him?” commented Ari, not sounding concerned at all.

“Lamaze class with Olivia. He’s going to three different classes to make sure he has all his bases covered for the baby,” I told them.

“Not sure three classes will be enough,” pondered Lincoln.

Logan shook his head. “Simp.”

Ari clicked his tongue at him. “Not the right context that time, Rookie.”

“What?” Logan responded, sounding confused.

“Can we focus!” I said as I finally raised my hand to knock on Geraldine’s door. Before I could actually touch the door, it flew open and there was Geraldine, clad in a vibrant pink and purple mumu, a glowing purple cocktail with a pink umbrella in her hand.

This was how she normally dressed. That cardigan at Anastasia’s performance had been a one-off.

“Why are you four skulking around out here? Camden, did you find these boys outside? I ordered strippers but they weren’t supposed to be here for two hours.” Geraldine eyed Logan like he was her new favorite candy—just like I’d hoped she would.

Logan audibly gulped.

I swore Ari licked his lips, staring at Geraldine delightedly. “Well, well, well, you must be the infamous Ms. Burton. Camden has told us so much about you.”

Geraldine stared at him, her eyes raking over him slowly before she shook her head. “Send him back. I’m not impressed,” she finally announced before she turned her back to us and strolled further inside.

Ari’s mouth dropped and his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. “I think I’m in love,” he whispered, following her inside like the puppy dog I was trying to borrow.

Lincoln cast me an appraising look and I grinned.

“Circle of trust material, am I right?” I said.

He just shook his head and walked inside.

I was pretty sure that meant yes.

Taking a step into Geraldine’s penthouse was like entering another world. The whole place was an eye burning collection of colors and textures. The walls were painted in electric blues, neon greens, and shocking pinks—that all clashed magnificently with the gaudy gold trim. Every surface was covered in something—an ornate vase, a bejeweled picture frame, or an overstuffed, velvet cushion in a shade of red that could only be described as “aggressively passionate.”

The real eye catcher of the place, though, and what Logan was staring at in awed horror as I walked in—were the statues.

Life-sized, marble representations of nude men, each one modeled after her late husband, Harold. Harold lifting weights, Harold playing the piano, Harold in a heroic pose reminiscent of ancient Greek gods. It was like a very specific, very bizarre art gallery dedicated to the memory of a man who must have spent very little time at his famous jewelry store, and the rest working out or posing for these sculptures. I could almost hear her whispering, “Flex and hold, Harold, flex and hold.”

Judging by the look on Logan’s face, he was afraid that Geraldine was going to turn him into one of those statues if he stuck around too long.

I didn’t have time for this.

“Mimi, I have a favor to ask you,” I began, pushing Logan forward as an offering.

Geraldine settled herself into a hot pink settee, propping her chin up on a pink-tipped, wrinkled hand. “I’m listening,” she said, her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“I need to borrow Midas and Fluffy…just for an hour or so. Logan here is going to stay and entertain you while I hang out with them.”

I tried to make my voice as unthreatening and innocent as I could, but I was pretty sure that I still sounded a bit scary—potentially like I was going to eat her dogs or something.

Yikes.

“Should I ask you why you need them, or is this a need to know only secret mission?” she asked, gazing at me speculatively.

“Definitely a super secret spy mission,” Ari said eagerly, his head bobbing up and down like a doll.

“I don’t think I asked you, young man,” she said haughtily, still giving Ari shit evidently.

Lincoln was staring entranced at the two of them. Ari getting his ass handed to him was not a sight we saw every day.

It was glorious.

“You can have both of them,” she finally said, apparently deciding she didn’t really care why I needed the dogs. “But I warn you, I’m getting a better deal. Fluffy shit in one of my flower-pots today, the little rascal,” she said, taking a big sip of her cocktail. I stared at it for a second. I was going to have to get her to teach me to make one of those. Anastasia would love that. Purple was her favorite color.

“You’re a goddess,” I told her, coming over to press a kiss to her soft cheek before I turned toward where the dogs hung out in the evenings when Geraldine was preparing to…entertain.

“Fuck,” Logan suddenly griped, and I glanced over my shoulder to see him rubbing his ass, scowling at Geraldine who was giggling madly. He’d gotten too close to the couch where she was sitting, I probably should have warned him about that.

Lancaster had a sort of weird, dreamy look on his face that should never be leveled at a seventy-five-year-old woman with a fondness for strippers.

Blake would probably be very jealous right now.

Ari was trying to convince Geraldine she needed to come work at “Grandma Airlines” as I left the room. He needed to be careful. Ari’s…dick decor might get him into a situation he couldn’t get out of if Geraldine got wind of it.

I walked down a hallway to the back room where she kept Midas and Fluffy in what would be considered a dog playground thanks to the toys and the doggy tunnels and the plush beds she kept all over the room. Opening the door, I was greeted with enthusiastic barks and the sight of two enormous dogs bounding toward me like furry freight trains.

“Hello, boys,” I muttered, bracing myself for impact. Midas skidded to a halt, his tail wagging furiously, while Fluffy practically pranced in place, his ridiculous poodle haircut making him look like an oversized, very enthusiastic cotton ball.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Geraldine sang out from behind me. She handed me two bejeweled collars and leashes. “Just get them collared and leashed, and you’ll be all set.”

I eyed the dogs warily.

Geraldine smiled and patted Midas on the head, crooning, “Oh, they’re perfect angels. Aren’t you, my darlings?”

Midas gave a bark that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Fluffy just wagged his tail, looking far too innocent.

I took a deep breath and crouched down. “Alright, guys. Let’s make this easy for Uncle Camden, okay?”

Easier said than done. Midas, to his credit, stood still long enough for me to slip the collar around his neck. Fluffy, on the other hand, seemed to think it was a game. He bounced around, dodging my hands with surprising agility for a dog his size.

“Hold still, Fluffy!” I grumbled, finally managing to snag him by the tuft of fur around his neck. With a quick, practiced motion that came with helping Geraldine with them many, many times, I got his collar on and attached the leash.

Glancing down at my watch, I gritted my teeth. Twenty minutes until she was done at Charlie’s. We needed to get going.

“Okay, boys, let’s go,” I told the dogs as I tried to lead them down the hallway, toward the front door.

The moment we stepped into the hallway, Midas decided he was leading the expedition. He surged forward, nearly yanking my arm out of its socket. Fluffy, not to be outdone, pranced beside him, his leash taut as he tried to match Midas’s pace.

“Ready to go?” I asked Ari and Lincoln who were both staring at the dogs.

“He really meant dogs,” whispered-yelled Ari. “I thought it was a joke.”

“You’ll be okay, Lancaster,” I told him, nodding at Logan as I headed toward the door.

“Logan, be good for Geraldine,” Lincoln sing-songed, and Logan flipped us off with both hands as Geraldine rubbed her hands together eagerly.

“Maybe we can role-play,” I was pretty sure she was saying as I left her penthouse.

I could just imagine Logan’s reaction to that. And what if the strippers showed up while we were gone.

Epic.

“Logan might be a changed man after this,” commented Ari.

“Maybe he’ll score more,” mused Lincoln.

Holding the dogs’ leashes with one hand, I pulled out my phone and checked Anastasia’s tracker. Good. She was still at the restaurant.

I didn’t know about Logan…but I knew one thing about me.

I was definitely going to be a changed man after tonight.