Elite (Eagle Elite) (18 page)

We both faced him like teenagers who just got caught making out. Which, to be fair, was kind of true considering I was only eighteen. But still, I didn’t think of Nixon as being in college. Maybe it had something to do with him being so protective? Or adults being afraid of him? Or the gun? Yeah, the gun probably did it too. Grandpa would have a stroke if he knew the truth.

Not that I knew the truth either.

But I’m pretty sure it had to be bad. I mean, why else would people be chasing Nixon and pointing guns out of their cars? I was surprised how well I was handling everything, but at that moment my embarrassment was trumping my fear… which was probably a good thing.

“Hey, Gramps, you’re early.” I gave him an awkward hug and waited for the yelling to start.

He hugged me and then shot daggers at Nixon. “You.”

Uh oh. Grandpa didn’t know who Nixon was. He had no idea that cops called him Mr. Abandonato, and that women nearly fainted in his presence. He didn’t know this world, so he didn’t know that narrowing his eyes at Nixon was like a death wish.

“Me,” Nixon repeated. “Great to finally meet you,
Mr. Rooks
.”

“I didn’t catch your name.” Grandpa crossed his arms refusing to shake Nixon’s hand.

“Really? I could have sworn you knew it already.” Nixon was almost chest to chest with Grandpa now. Crap. They were going to kill each other. I tried to step between them, but the minute I moved, both of their arms shot out and pushed me gently out of the way.

Weird.

“I’m old.” Grandpa let out a hollow laugh. “Tell me again, what’s your name…
son
?”

Nixon’s jaw flexed. “Nixon Abandonato. But most people around here just call me sir.”

“You’re too young to be a sir.”

“And you’re too old to be protecting your granddaughter.”

“I’ve been protecting her my entire life.” Grandpa poked Nixon in the chest, but Nixon didn’t budge. “And last I checked I don’t take orders from a mere child.”

“Maybe it’s time to let someone else protect her.”

I raised my hand and cleared my throat. “Um, just FYI, I’m standing right here, and I have no idea why you guys are being such idiotic men right now, but I really want to go inside. I mean, I did almost just die back there.”

Grandpa’s nostrils flared. Without warning he reeled back and punched Nixon in the face.

I groaned into my hands. “Grandpa, he saved me. He—”

“He…” Grandpa pointed at Nixon. Blood was gushing from his nose. “Is bad news, Tracey! I don’t want you seeing that boy anymore!”

“No!” I yelled. “Why are you being like this? Grandpa, I miss you. I haven’t seen you in weeks, and you just punched my boyfriend in the face! Are you insane?”
Whoops.
I may have dropped the boyfriend word too soon. Nixon probably thought I was so stupid. One date did not mean we were boyfriend and girlfriend.

“Boyfriend!” Grandpa wound up his arm to punch Nixon again, but this time I stepped in front of my bleeding date, making Grandpa drop his hand. “Trace?”

“I like him.” I leaned back into Nixon’s frame and sighed as his arm came around me and held me against him. “He even beat up a guy that bullied me. He’s good. And I was going to tell you all about him over dinner tomorrow. Actually, I was going to invite him, but now that you’ve punched him in the face—”

“Trace.” Nixon’s voice was raspy. “It’s fine. You should spend some time alone with your grandpa tomorrow. Don’t go to class. Take a day off. Really, it’s probably best that you do, all things considering. You had a rough night.”

Perplexed, I turned in his arms and stared at him. His eyes were ice cold. No emotion was behind them. It was like staring at a statue. “Why are you doing this? Come with us tomorrow, it will be—”

“It will be best if you do as your grandfather says,” Nixon finished and licked his lips. Blood was still slowly trickling over them. “It was…
interesting
meeting you again, Mr. Rooks. Be sure to keep an eye out for the shadows tomorrow evening. They’ve been lurking.”

I didn’t turn around in time to see Grandpa’s face, but he suddenly seemed very old to me as if his wrinkles had taken on enough lifetimes. He looked away. Tears welling in his eyes. “And tonight?”

Nixon released me. As he walked away he said, “The dove’s existence is not yet known.”

“What?” I yelled. But Nixon was already jumping into his car and driving off. Grandpa wrapped his arm around me.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Trace?” he whispered as his hug tightened around my shoulders.

“Yes, but…” I looked back at Nixon. “I don’t understand.”

Grandpa chuckled. “He’s an interesting boy, that Nixon. But you cannot see him anymore. It isn’t… smart. You’re such a young girl and—”

“Gramps.” I pulled out of his embrace. “Did you really come all this way to do insurance stuff and talk me out of dating my boyfriend? Or did you want to spend some time with me?”

His worried face broke out into a smile. “I wanted to spend time with you, of course.” He walked me to the door of my dorm. “Why don’t you skip tomorrow? I’ll pick you up around eight for breakfast?”

I nodded. “Grandpa.” I licked my lips. “Things are weird here. They… I don’t know, sometimes I feel like everyone knows me better than I know me. Does that make sense?”

“Yes. And I promise I’ll do what I can to clear things up. But not tonight. Now, off you go. It’s late.” He shooed me inside. I watched him walk away into the darkness and pile into a waiting black Mercedes. Weird. He must have been upgraded or something.

****

Two hours later Nixon still hadn’t texted me back. Monroe had gone out with Tex and decided to stay over at his place, whatever that meant. So I was alone and still a bit freaked out. Didn’t help that it was around eleven and I still couldn’t sleep.

I tried Nixon again.

YOU GONNA TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT?

I threw my phone onto the bed and groaned. Finally, two minutes later he responded.

SURE!
YOU OFFERED ME YOUR BODY
—
I’M FREE IF U R?

I laughed.

U
R AN ASS AND THAT’S NOT WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT!

If evasiveness was a sport, Nixon would be an Olympian, seriously. Now that I really thought about it, even in the car he had changed the subject to my embarrassment and then kissed me.

Well, either I was really easy, which could be true considering Nixon does crazy things to me, or he didn’t want me asking questions.

My phone went off again.

I’M AN ASS?
THAT’S NOT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WHEN WE WERE KISSING.
WANT ME TO COME OVER?

I stared at the text message. Did I? Grandpa would be ticked, but he didn’t have to know. And I was lonely.

WILL YOU ANSWER MY QUESTIONS?

He responded immediately.

MAYBE.

I smiled and typed,
BRING POPCORN
.

Chapter
Twenty-two

I tried to get into the latest zombie novel I’d bought on my e-reader but every time the author described the hero’s eyes, I thought of Nixon. Every time the couple kissed, I thought of his lips.

Really, it was pathetic.

A half-hour after Nixon’s last text, I heard swooning women in my hallway. Okay, so maybe I couldn’t hear them, but I did hear Nixon. He was laughing.

I sighed held my e-reader close to my heart. I loved his laugh.

Seriously, someone needed to come in here and smack me with my e-reader. I was acting crazy. I’d known him for what, two weeks? Not even.

I was worse than a twelve-year-old Justin Bieber fan with the fever, or whatever they called it.

My door swung open.

“Do you have access cards to every room or something?” I jumped off my bed and fought the urge to tackle a smiling Nixon.

“Of course.” He grinned in a way that said,
I’m important,
so there.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t see popcorn?”

“About that.” He scratched his head. “Chase was bored so…”

“The party is here!” Chase shouted from the doorway, loaded with enough groceries to feed a small country. “Move over, Nixon. It’s chick flick time and I’ve got the goods.”

“Is he high?” I crossed my arms and examined Chase’s eyes.

“No,” they said in unison.

“I’m my normal awesome self. I have had two Red Bulls though, so my bad for the loudness. Damn, I was bored. You saved my life.” Chase winked and set the groceries on the shared desk in our dorm. I always seemed to forget how attractive he was. I almost felt sorry for whoever ended up with the guy. Next to Nixon he was the hottest guy here and probably just as much trouble to deal with. Well, maybe not just as much, but close. After all, they were family.

Nixon slammed the door to my room shut, much to the disappointment of the waiting girls in the hall who were eyeing me like I was the harlot of the century.

“So…” I began unpacking the groceries. I didn’t even want to know how much security detail the guy took with him in order to obtain them. “What movie did you guys bring?”

Chase chuckled. “Well, funny that you ask that.”

“Chase,” Nixon warned, but Chase kept talking.

“Nixon here was pouting about your ruined date, and I thought to myself, wow, what would make him feel better? What would inspire him to be more romantic? I mean, cows, man? Really?”

“It was romantic,” I defended Nixon and walked into his arms, unable to help myself from being near him.

“Cows. Cows are romantic?” Chase shook his head. “I think not. And in my opinion, or that of my dear mother’s, Nicholas Sparks is the shit. Therefore, we’re going to watch… drum roll, please.”

Nixon and I just stared while Chase bounced his hands against the desk. “The Notebook!”

“Shoot me now.” Nixon cursed.

I smiled. “Hey, it’s a good movie.”

Chase smirked at Nixon. “Say it, dude. Say it.”

“Say what?”

“V-vampire?” Nixon guessed totally quoting Twilight. He put Chase into a headlock and cursed. “Fine, you were right to choose Nicholas Sparks. Good job. Too bad you can’t use any of that romance on finding your own girl.”

Chase pulled away and shrugged. “I’ve already found my girl.”

Nixon narrowed his eyes.

Chase stalked toward me and put his arm around me. “You see. I have it worked out perfectly. The minute you screw up — and let’s be honest, you’re like a time bomb — I’m swooping in for the kill.”

“Romantic.” I picked Chase’s arm off of my shoulder and stepped away.

Nixon’s eyes turned icy again as he glared at Chase. “Not in this lifetime, dude.”

“You never know,” Chase fired back.

Wait, when did this turn into something serious? Both of them looked ready to throw punches.

“Okay, too much testosterone!” I stepped between them. “Let’s just watch the movie, alright?”

Chase snapped out of his funk and smiled. “Sure, let me just get the chips and dip out. Oh yeah, and popcorn. I also got some licorice and Skittles.”

“Skittles?” I repeated.

“He wants you to taste the rainbow.” Nixon groaned. “It's one of his lines, and then he puts the skittles in his mouth and kisses you. It’s a very tired line that he can’t seem to let go of, huh, Chase?”

“Bastard,” Chase joked and went about putting our snacks together.

Nixon lay on my bed and held out his hand for me to follow him. I snuggled into his side and within minutes felt my eyes droop.

“It’s okay,” Nixon whispered into my ear. “You can sleep. I know it was a rough night.”

“But…” I didn’t open my eyes. “We were supposed to talk about tonight and why you have guns and… Skittles.”

“Skittles?” He chuckled. “What, you trying to taste
my
rainbow?”

“I love rainbows.” I smiled.

Huh?
I must have been dreaming, because I could have sworn I heard Nixon say. “I’ve always loved you.”

“You too,” I said back, because you know, I was dreaming and it was totally okay to say that back in your dream.

Nixon’s warm lips were on my neck. “I’m glad you’re safe, Trace. Now sleep.”

He felt so good. I snuggled as close as I could and tucked my head into the crook of his arm. It was an amazing dream, being in his arms, being at peace.

****

The sound of my alarm jolted me awake. Almost falling off my bed, I stared at my phone. Who plugged it in?

I had a text from Nixon. Wait, Nixon? Where was he?

SET YOUR ALARM FOR SEVEN JUST IN CASE YOUR OLD MAN WAS COMING EARLY. CLEANED UP SNACKS BUT CHASE WANTED TO LEAVE YOU THE SKITTLES. USE THEM WISELY! HAVE FUN TODAY PLEASE BE SAFE.

My grin was so huge I’m surprised my face didn’t hurt. I quickly texted him back.

THANKS FOR NOT TASTING MY RAINBOW WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. PROMISE TO BE SAFE. PLUS NOBODY WOULD ATTACK ME
WITHOUT YOU
AROUND.
YOU’RE THE GUN MAGNET! SEE YOU TONIGHT?

I anxiously wrung my hands together while I waited for him to respond.

LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON
J

With a happy sigh, I sent him a smiley text back and looked at the time. It was just after seven. I had plenty of time to shower and make myself presentable.

I grabbed my shower tote and threw on my flip flops and bathrobe.

The bathroom was pretty busy. Luckily, one of the showers was open. I snatched it before anyone else did and washed my hair. The hot water was therapeutic against my sore back. Why would my neck be sore? I rolled my head around and gasped. Nixon. I’d fallen asleep against his arm. No wonder my neck hurt.

I was still smiling when I toweled off and gathered my stuff to go back into my room. Making my way to the bathroom door I pulled it open and nearly ran into one of my dorm-mates.

“Skank.” She pushed past me.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” She sneered. “You’re a skank. Two guys in your room last night? Really? You know Nixon and Chase are just messing with you, right? They’re Elect and you’re a nobody. A charity case. Besides… word around school is that you’d give it to anyone.”