Page 77 of The Secret Mate Society

Calder grabbed the sides of my face, pulling me in for a kiss.His tongue pressed against my lips and I let him in, savoring the intoxicating flavor of him that I’d grown to love.

“We’ll do it together,” he said at last, pulling back.“You won’t have to do any of this alone.I’ll be right here.”

The conviction in Calder's voice made my heart race.I'd spent so long bearing this burden alone, hiding my research, pretending I wasn't still haunted by what I'd seen.And now, standing in this kitchen with this man who somehow loved me despite barely knowing me, I felt something I hadn't experienced in years.Hope.

"My apartment," I said, already mentally mapping the quickest route."I need to get the box from under my bed."

Calder nodded, his expression shifting into something focused and determined."We'll go right now.Get dressed."He paused for just a moment, kissing me again.“And remember, I love you, Ethan.I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I stared back, my heart pounding.“I love you too.”

Chapter33

Ethan

The moment we pulled into my apartment parking lot, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.Pulling off my helmet, I saw it was a call from Jake.Calder saw the name too and grumbled under his breath.Those boys, even though they had never met, were just not going to get along.

“Hey Jake,” I said, answering the call despite the glare from Calder.“What’s up?”

“Just wanted to let you know that the local police reached out to the paper,” he said, sounding more than a little irritated.“Apparently they don’t want us to run a story about the murders at the maze last night.”

“Really?Why not?”I tried to sound annoyed even though I was secretly relieved.

“Don’t know,” Jake huffed.“They didn’t give a reason.And when I pushed back, they went over my head to the editor.So now, if I want to keep my job, I don’t have a choice.”

“So, there’s just no article going out?”

“Oh no, there is, but get this.”His voice lowered, like he was trying not to be overheard.“They forced me to report that the victims had died ofexposure.It already went out with this morning’s paper.”

I made a mental note to grab one on the way back to Calder’s place.“Huh.Maybe they just want to investigate?Or they don’t want to alarm people?”

“I don’t think that’s what’s going on,” Jake said flatly.

“Then what’s going on?”

He let out a long sigh.“Ethan… you know I care about you and I don’t want to seem like an asshole…”

I took a deep breath, already knowing what was coming.

“But that guy you’re seeing… the one that seems a littletooconnected to all this… I think he’s behind it.I think they’re blackmailing the police.”

I forced myself to laugh although I wasn’t sure it sounded convincing.“Really, Jake?That’s your angle?Blackmailing the police?”

There was a pause on the line.I could almost see Jake's frustrated expression through the phone.

"You think I'm being ridiculous," he said finally.

"Kind of, yeah."I glanced at Calder, who was leaning against his bike, arms crossed, clearly trying not to look like he was eavesdropping."Look, Jake, I appreciate your concern, but Calder's a mechanic, not some criminal mastermind with police connections."

"Then how do you explain him always showing up exactly when you need help?The timing is too perfect."

I rolled my eyes even though Jake couldn't see me."Maybe he just cares about me?"

"Think about it," Jake pressed."The police are hiding the real cause of death, and your boyfriend shows up right when all this starts happening.He knows things he shouldn't know.He's secretive.He's protective to the point of controlling.Classic signs of someone involved in something illegal."

I glanced at Calder, who was standing rigidly, clearly able to hear every word through the phone.His jaw was clenched tight, that muscle in his cheek twitching dangerously.

"I need to go," I said, not bothering to hide my irritation.