Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 127712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
It takes me a moment to realize what I’m looking at. And then I come.
Because it’s a camera.
Both Olsen and Locke hold my hands as they lead me out of the forest and back to campus. We kiss. Right there on the path. All three of us. Then they let go of me and wordlessly walk in opposite directions.
I stand there, a little bit stunned, trying to wrap my head around what just happened.
What did just happen?
I’m not entirely sure, but whatever it is—it’s something big.
I hope we do it again.
When I get back to the lab Mercer is in his office. I walk by his door—not stopping, just taking a quick peek. His computer is against the window and most of his body covers the screen. But I can hear moaning.
If he hears me, he doesn’t let on. He doesn’t turn or call out, asking where I’ve been.
I walk past, open my office door, and slip inside.
Was he watching us?
Is that why Locke filmed it? To send to Mercer?
Either that or he was watching porn.
Or. Alternatively. He’s just... doing his job?
One can hope.
A knock on my door makes me startle and turn just in time to find Mercer opening it up. “You’re back.”
“I’m back. Sorry my break was so long. I ran into…” Why bother lying? I’m like a hundred percent sure Locke sent him the vid of us. “I ran into Locke and Olsen.” I simply shrug.
Mercer crosses his arms and leans against the doorjamb. His eyes narrow a little and I’m positive he’s about to bitch me out or call me a slut.
“You should be careful, Nova.”
“What?”
“Careful. This island. These people. It’s… a lot.”
“OK.” I think about this for a moment. “What about you, though? You’re one of these people.”
He nods, presses his lips together. “I am. So my advice applies to me as well.”
He definitely saw the vid. “Should I be wary of you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why?”
“Because people like us, Nova, we’re dedicated, right?”
I scoff a little, unsettled by the slight change in topic. “Sure. We discussed this already.”
“So we would do a lot to get what we want, don’t you agree? Didn’t you do a lot to land here?”
“Yeah.” I blow out a breath. “But that just makes me as dangerous as you and everyone else.”
“Oh, I never doubted that. I’m not trying to scare you. Hell, I’m taking you out of town tomorrow for the weekend. I wouldn’t want you to get cold feet. But you need to be aware of who and what we are.”
“We? As in us?” I point to him, then myself.
“All of us.”
“Locke, too?”
“Him too.”
“What about Olsen?”
Now it’s Mercer’s turn to scoff. “He’s nobody. Just a plaything.”
“What?”
“Locke’s plaything. Never mind Olsen. He’s not important. He’s not one of us, he’s just… here.”
I’m just about to ask all kinds of questions about this when Mercer puts up a hand. “I don’t care who you fuck, Nova. If I wanted that from you, you would be in my bed.”
“Would I?”
He uncrosses his arms and stands up straight. “We’ll leave around noon tomorrow. I’ll come by your place and pick you up.”
Then he turns to leave.
“Wait. Aren’t we working tomorrow?”
“No. Day off. See you at noon.”
CHAPTER TEN – LOCKE
FIVE YEARS AGO
Mercer doesn’t come home until after midnight. Which is not unusual, but we both know that today was unusual. So he’s been avoiding me.
I’m not the kind of man who allows himself to be discarded so I’m sitting in a wingback chair in his bedroom, sipping on a warm bourbon, when he flips on the lights.
He’s tugging on his tie. Loosening it up. Preoccupied.
Probably with the memory of Nova getting off on my fingers in the woods.
So it takes his gaze a handful of seconds before it sweeps my way. He stops pulling on his tie and frowns. “I have to be honest, Locke. I wasn’t expecting you to be in here tonight.”
We don’t always sleep together. Only when we want to touch each other. It’s been about three weeks since we last had that urge. Which is a long time for us. It might even be another signal that something’s wrong.
I swirl my bourbon. “Why not?”
Mercer practically snorts. Well, huffs. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Silas Mercer snort in his life. Not even when he was seven. “Figured you’ve gotten your fill today. Been getting your fill pretty often the past month.”
I smile. It’s one of satisfaction. Because it’s hard to get Mercer’s hackles up but this thing with Nova is doing it. “Jealous?”
“You wish.”
I don’t. This is not me pretending not to care or anything, either. I really, really do not want to get Mercer jealous. I’m not sure he’s capable of that emotion, to be honest. But if he is, he’s definitely not in control of it.
“I’m not out of bounds, Mercer. And you know it.”