Page 63 of Wrecked By a Devil

Did he just call me his girl?

His thumb traces slowly along my jaw, like he doesn't even realize what he just said while the words continue to echo in my mind, my heart accelerating as if it’s the first time it feels alive. Well, it is the first time someone has acknowledged my work to this extent and the first time someone called me their girl. If Zeke’s arms weren’t wrapped tight around me, holding me still, I think my knees would give out and I might collapse.

“What do you say?” His eyes look hopeful as he speaks.

“Okay,” I nod, smiling.

“I’ll arrange everything then,” He pulls away, holding my hand just a little longer than necessary. “Walk with me?”

“Wait, you’re not going to give me any details?” We start walking back to his office.

“About what?” He grins. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Fine,” I sigh dramatically. “If you end up planning something that sucks entirely, it will be your fault.”

“I’ll take it,” Zeke laughs. “But wait, did you say earlier that Mia is seeing Cohen?”

“Yeah,” I respond. “I don’t think they’re officially together, but they have been seeing each other and she’s very interested in him. Why do you ask?”

“I just didn’t expect it,” He shrugs. “They barely know each other.”

“They literally have known each other for less than we do,” The moment those words leave my mouth, I realize that they could carry a double meaning, and a part of me wants to kick itself for saying it. I don’t even know what we are. “Not that we’re dating or anything…”

“They’re nothing like us, Riley,” Zeke stops in the middle of the corridor and turns me around to face him. “I don’t want you to compare us to anyone.”

I swallow, feeling small under his gaze, but at the same time stronger and more myself than I’ve ever been. Sometimes when he looks at me, I could swear he sees straight to my soul.

“Damn it,” he curses, letting go of my hand. “I forgot something in the conference room.”

However, the moment we take a step back, we hear hushed voices from the room next door. It’s a smaller meeting room tucked behind a glass door. We can’t clearly hear what the person inside is saying, but at one point we can make out the phrase “offered me money” and both of us freeze in place.

“Come on,” Zeke whispers, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me after him in the small paperwork storage room where we can listen to the conversation without being busted.

“I don’t know, man,” the voice continues. “You know my financial situation, it’s a very tempting offer. And I wouldn’t be the first one to say yes.”

Silence follows, then he continues. “They already accepted it.”

Zeke and I exchange looks. At this point, I recognize the sound technician’s voice and if I’m right, this man just put himself in the spotlight as someone who might be connected to the girls quitting and maybe even to the disappearances of the others. Judging by the look on Zeke’s face, he came to the same conclusion as I have.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Ezekiel

The sound booth is empty. Michael, the sound technician is supposed to be here preparing everything for tonight. He left the meeting room after his phone conversation and disappeared somewhere down the hallway. I called Malachi and we went to look for him.

“Do you think he fled?” Malachi asks. “Maybe he realized you overheard his conversation.”

“He didn’t,” I’m convinced that he has no idea Riley and I were even there.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Malachi’s eyes sweep over the half-finished cup of coffee sitting beside the mixing console. “People don’t abandon their post so close to the opening.”

“Let’s check the dressing rooms,” I nod towards the hallway.

However, neither of us gets the chance to move and the door swings open behind us. I see Michael standing at the door entrance, frozen when he sees us standing there. A plastic bag with takeout containers slips from his hand, spilling across the floor.

His pale face is all the confirmation I need to know that I didn’t mishear anything and he is indeed hiding something. I finally have a solid lead. For a heartbeat, nobody speaks, then Michael turns around but he doesn’t take more than two steps before Malachi catches the back of his jacket and slams him into the wall hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs.

“I didn’t do anything!” Michael doesn’t even pretend to hide his panic.