MEGA-AX1 The Inferno (5 page)

Téa giggled. “Max! You might want to pull that cover over just a little bit before you show me and Jessie your little bits.”

Without removing his arm or opening his eyes, Max used his other hand to pull the covers over his body. “Téa, didn’t I tell you not to use that thing on me. And believe me when I tell you, there isn’t anything on me the size of a ‘bit’.”

“As long as any of us are wearing our amulet, we will always have visual access to each other. I don’t understand how you don’t love this gadget as much as me. I think it’s so cool that our holograms make it seem as though we are in the same room. Anyway, back to my point, you weren’t supposed to text us this weekend.”

Still unmoved, Max lay in bed as if Téa wasn’t there. Then, he lifted his head and arm to look at the clock. “It’s almost four o’clock in the morning. How did you know I wasn’t in bed with a woman? And, can you get off of my bed? It’s weird.” He could see them just as plainly as if they were standing right there.

“I just wanted to tell you to follow the plan.”

“I’m following the plan, but the authorization couldn’t wait.”

Jessie was sitting there listening to them discuss her as if she wasn’t there. It was starting to get under her skin.

“Hello...you and Téa do know I’m sitting here right? I don’t need a babysitter or someone telling me how to manage my time.”

Max was now fully awake, “Don’t get your panties in a bunch. Nobody is trying to tell you how to do anything. You should be happy you have people who care about your well-being. Where are you guys anyway? Whose house is that?”

“Téa dragged me to a party to meet up with that guy she met at the bar yesterday.”

“I did no such thing. You needed a night out…maybe even a hook-up, and I wanted to see Michael. It was a win-win for everybody.”

Max sat up in bed. “I’m guessing neither one of you are getting any tonight otherwise you wouldn’t be here talking to me.”

Jessie laughed. “Téa still might have a shot at it. We’re still at the party or is it the after-after party?”

“Have you been drinking Jessie?”

“I only had a couple of drinks.”

“Téa, you’re driving right?”

“Yes. I’m the designated driver. I only had one drink and it was hours ago.”

“Well, be careful and Téa call me sometime tomorrow. I mean it, call me, and don’t use all those fancy gadgets on me. I’m tired and I’m going back to sleep.”

“Fine, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Téa pressed the release button and it disconnected. They no longer had a visual into Max’s bedroom. Téa sat back down on the couch to wait for Michael and his brother.

Chapter 7

It had been almost an hour since Michael had left Téa and Jessie in the study. They had kicked off their shoes and fallen asleep.

Michael and Brian stood outside of the door.

“Michael it’s almost five o’clock in the morning. I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming down here to meet your lady friend.”

“I know, I know. I’ll owe you big. I’m not ready to let Téa go home just yet. We didn’t get to talk much at the party. I need you to keep her friend occupied so I can spend a little more time with her.”

“I’ve never seen you act like this. I mean you just met her.” Exasperated, Brian ran his hands through his hair. “What do you know about her anyway?”

Even though it was almost five o’clock in the morning, Michael didn’t feel the least bit tired. He had that exciting feeling in his stomach that kids have before they unwrap their gifts on Christmas morning. He couldn’t explain it. Yes, Téa was drop-dead gorgeous, but he was around drop-dead gorgeous women all the time. She was also funny and seemed to be full of life. What grabbed him most about Téa was her confidence. It just oozed from her. The fact that they seemed to have made a genuine connection without her even knowing that Hollywood heart-throb, Brian Wright, was his brother was an added bonus. Yes, it felt like Christmas morning, and he wasn’t quite ready to let it end.

“I know enough that I want to know more. Now stop complaining and help me out.”

“I can’t make any promises. I’m dead on my feet.”

Michael smoothed his hair back and made sure his clothing was in place, “Fair enough. Whatever you can do, I’ll appreciate. You might want to spruce up, Jessie’s gorgeous.”

Brian gave Michael an icy stare and didn’t move to fix anything. Once Michael felt he had all of his clothes and hair in place, he knocked on the door. When he didn’t hear anything, he gently opened it and they went inside.

Both Jessie and Téa were lying on each end of the sofa sleeping. Brian knew that the friend was attractive. He’d seen her from a distance and saw her turn away all those guys trying to hit on her, including that actor. But looking at her now made his mouth water. She was lying on her side using one of her arms to support her head. Her skin looked as smooth as warm caramel. Brian could only see part of her face because it was partially hidden behind all of those wild curls. It had been pulled up at the party. It must have fallen down while she was sleeping. Those shapely legs were pulled up and bent at the knees. The dress had ridden up so much that if she moved just an inch, Brian would know her more intimately than she’d probably like. Once Brian realized he was staring, he turned his head toward the window.

Michael saw it all and it wasn’t lost on him that Brian was checking her out. He would just file that information away for now.

Michael kneeled down in front of Téa before gently pushing a wayward strand of hair from her face. Her eyes fluttered open. Jessie was a light sleeper so when Téa moved Jessie automatically woke up.

The sun was trying to peak through the curtains.

“Good morning. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.”

Téa blinked a few times, trying to remember where she was, then gave him a brilliant smile. “Well, I usually don’t sleep over on the first date. But since you’ve convinced me, I should at least get breakfast.”

Jessie on the other hand felt exposed. The little black dress had ridden up and fallen down in all the wrong places. She quickly tried to get herself together. Her hair was a mess. Where were her shoes? She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep in a stranger’s home.

Once Jessie had gotten her bearings she noticed another gentleman standing quietly in the study with them. It was obvious he was Michael’s brother. They looked so much alike. But where Michael’s features were softer, his brother’s features were much more intense. His deep-ocean blue eyes connected with Jessie’s, and she felt that all elusive zing in the pit of her stomach.

Michael stood up. “It was so crazy last night that I didn’t get a chance to introduce you to my brother. This is Brian Wright. Brian, this is Téa Carlisle and Jessica Ramsey.”

Brian could tell the moment Téa recognized him.

“Good morning, it’s nice to meet both of you.” He didn’t sound genuine but as if he was greeting his one hundredth fan. Yes, he was definitely going through the motions.

Jessie’s hair was probably all over the place and lord knew what else was out of place. She wasn’t in the mood to meet anyone, especially someone who made her feel a little unsettled. He also didn’t seem as if he were in the mood to meet them right now either.

Téa seemed oblivious to the undercurrents going on around her. She stood up and reached out her hand to Brian. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Jessie got up as well, but her knees were feeling a little wobbly. Surely it was because of the position she’d slept in and not the warmth of his hands when they touched hers. Jessie needed to get it together. He was just a man after all. This whole scene was madness. They should get the hell out and head back to Téa’s condo.

Téa cleared her throat and Jessie realized she was still holding on to Brian’s hand. She probably turned three shades of red. She quickly released his hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too….I’m sorry but is there some place where I can go to freshen up?”

Brian was just as uncomfortable as Jessie. He gave them directions to a spare guest bedroom that had its own bathroom.

As soon as Téa and Jessie were alone inside the bedroom, Jessie closed the door and snapped.

“Téa this is the most irresponsible thing we’ve ever done. Let me re-phrase that, this is the most irresponsible thing
I’ve
ever done. I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming here last night!” She hissed at Téa, “We fell asleep on
his
sofa.
Do you know how dangerous that was?
We don’t know these men from Adam. You can stay if you want to, but I’m getting the hell out of here.”

Téa knew that Jessie was going to overreact and be a little upset. But, she was over the top this morning. Téa wondered if it really was because they were being a teensy weensy bit irresponsible as Jessie felt the need to have a plan for everything and didn’t know how to just live in the moment. Or, was Jessie slightly attracted to Brian? Jessie
had
held his hand for just a little bit longer than necessary. That would definitely freak her out. Téa couldn’t be exactly sure what attraction looked like coming from Jessie because she kept all of her emotions bottled up for the most part. What Téa did know was that she needed to calm her down.

Téa walked over and looked at herself in the mirror before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t look too bad.” Then, she turned around and leaned against the armoire. “Jessie, I think we can tell the difference between a crazed murderer and Michael and Brian. If we can’t, then we need to get out of the business we’re in.”

Jessie tracked across the bedroom into the bathroom and all but yelled, “Téa you think everything is a joke, but this is not funny.”

Téa walked into the bathroom, too. “You may not know Brian Wright from Adam, but the rest of the world does.”

Jessie took a look at herself in the mirror. Her mascara was smeared and her hair was all over the place. Just as she suspected, she looked like a raccoon. She found brand new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and washcloths under the sink. She handed one of each to Téa, turned on the water, and started washing her face.

Underneath the towel Jessie sounded muffled, “What are you talking about Téa?”

Téa was just about to brush her teeth, “If you would take a look at the world around you sometimes you would have recognized that Brian Wright is
the
Brian Wright.”

Still looking dumbfounded Téa continued to explain. “He won an Oscar a couple of years ago for that movie…I think it was called “Planet Zero”, and he’s been in a ton of other films. He is what some would consider Hollywood royalty. So, I highly doubt with his high-public visibility he’d be an ax murderer. Plus, he’s cute.”

Jessie turned off the water and rolled her eyes. “Cute or not, famous or not, it’s pretty obvious he’s equally uncomfortable with us being here.”

Téa was aggressively brushing her teeth until Jessie’s last remark. She looked as if she’d just gotten a hold of some world-changing technology. “So you think he’s cute?”

Jessie was annoyed. “I’m uncomfortable. I’m in a stranger’s home wearing a barely there outfit, I’m tired, and I’m hungry. I’ve played this game with you long enough. Why can’t you two set up a regular date like normal people?”

Téa looked horrified. “You know there is nothing about me that is normal. Normal is boring. If I were normal you and I wouldn’t even be friends.”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Jessie wasn’t going to go open it. She stubbornly started to brush her teeth. “Your guy, his house, you open the door.”

“Fine. I look great in the morning anyway.” Téa went to open the door. Michael stood on the other side holding a bundle of towels.

“I thought you ladies might need some fresh towels.” He moved and whispered into Téa’s ear but loud enough for Jessie to hear, “Did you manage to convince her to stay for breakfast? I heard you in the hall. Brian is an excellent cook.”

Both Michael and Téa turned in Jessie’s direction waiting for her approval. They had a clear view of her in the bathroom and her of them as she continued brushing her teeth.

Jessie rubbed her forehead. Téa was taking this
do anything for you
to its limit. It was obvious she wanted to stay, and Téa knew Jessie wasn’t going to leave her there alone.

Téa was going to owe her big for this one. “Fine, but we’ve got to get on the road right after breakfast.”

Michael flashed a wide smile, “I’ll let Brian know to make extra pancakes. He loves to cook and is glad you guys are staying. Did you need some other clothes to change into? I’m sure I can find some sweats and t-shirts.”

Téa took the towels from him, “Thank you, but we have a change of clothes in the car.”

Michael raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not what you think. Jessie and I sometimes have to do overnighters for our job. We both keep a backpack full of things we might need. A change of clothing is one of them.”

Michael seemed pretty satisfied with that answer and relaxed in relief. “Okay, then I’ll see you both in the kitchen in thirty minutes.”

Téa got real close to Michael. She positioned her head so close to his that she was a breath away from touching his lips. Then she whispered, “Sounds good.”