Betrayal Codes

Chapter 11: Libby

Thoughts were spinning in my head, morphing together. I couldn't tell right from left, up from down. I'd been wishing for this moment since I saw him, daydreaming about his perfect lips. And now they were on me. He had kissed me. He is kissing me.

"Libby," he breathed, pulling back. "I need to tell you–" He couldn't finish because I slammed my mouth back onto his, deepening the kiss. I had waited too long to hold back now. He must have felt the same because he obliged, kissing me like I was the oxygen he had been starved of his whole life. The hands that had been cradling my face began shimmying down my body, resting around my waist. We were already close, yet he pulled me closer and closer, as if trying to fuse our bodies together. When he realized this was impossible, he pushed me onto the bed, his large body concealing mine.

I move my head away to break the kiss, gulping down fresh air. "Cole," I smile, losing my next thought as I notice just how attractive he is up close. I knew he was handsome before, but this was a next-level realization. His freckle-less face was flawless, helping to draw attention to his dark brows and bottomless brown eyes. He was smiling sweetly down at me as if I was a fascinating, rare creature he just learned existed. Oh god, he was beautiful.

Quickly kissing his forehead, I tried again. If we were going to do this, we can't hide it. I was keeping enough secrets as it was. "Cole, what do you want to do about this? I don't want to hide it, but if that's what will be best for you, I guess I'll manage."

"No, let's tell them. Then we won't have to practice acting. I failed that class."

"Agree," I laugh. He rolls over so I'm on top of him and resumes the kiss. I can tell he's trying to be gentle with me even though he wants more. And yes, these feelings are different. They're strange and new. They're deeper than anything I've ever felt before, and even though I felt all that, I wasn't quite ready to go fast. I want to savor every last minute of it.

"Cole, we have to take things slow, okay?" I tell him between kisses. He nods while never breaking contact. It's nice to have someone who respects my boundaries. Someone willing to tune out their own wants and put mine in front of theirs. I realize that if Cole was going to listen to me and respect me, I shouldn't be scared. I shouldn't hold part of myself back. I shouldn't lock up my heart in fear of it getting hurt.

For that, I leaned into his embrace and let myself enjoy the moment.

- - -

The plaza is crowded — it always is. Today, though, it feels extra busy. Shop owners stand outside stores offering candy samples. Teenagers dance through boutiques while their mothers complain about them on the benches outside. Men in suits flow in and out of the main high-rise in the square. Families stop to look at the odd statues sprinkled around. Children throw coins into the expansive fountain, complaining when their mothers cover their eyes due to the designer's inappropriate choice of water spouts.

Ignoring the persistent shop owners advertising their products, Cleo, Taylor, Shay, and I parade down the road, eyes locked on our destination: the city's most secure jail. If Peter came to this town looking for a recruit, he would definitely visit the prison filled with the worst criminals.

The boys insisted on staying behind, making up excuses like super-urgently needing to visit an all-you-can-eat buffet in the hotel — the same buffet that the receptionist had confirmed was nonexistent. The thing that bugged me most was Cole's excuse. He claimed he wasn't feeling too well, yet I was making out with him half an hour before. I wasn't worried about getting sick because I knew he was perfectly fine. I was upset because he was lying to me.

And he knew it.

Policemen cover the jail's main floor, guarding each entrance and milling about like sharks, looking for unsuspecting fish to eat. Each officer thinks they're tough. They think no one can pass them or get them to give in, however, we know better.