141 | | ash

➳ three

➳

When we get to the house, I feel my jaw drop. Curly smirks at me as we get out of the car. “What?” He asks raising a brow and coming near me. I take a few steps back. “Never seen a house in Los Angeles before?”

I roll my eyes. “I have. I’ve been here before, and I’ve been all over the country, thank you very much. I’ve never been in a house this big before, is all.”

Curly shrugs and walks in front of me. I follow, but not because I want to, but because I have to. “Yeah, neither have I. I used to live in trailer parks with my mom back home.”

I furrow my brow and don’t say anything. I don’t think Curly minds. In fact, I think he’s happy I don’t press. Anyone who says something like that doesn’t deserve to be pressed no matter how annoying they may be. When Reid finally walks through the doors (as impressed as me), the boys resort to giving us a tour. They show us the studio, kitchen, pool, and bedrooms. They stop at two rooms and tell Reid and me we can stay in there. However, Reid says he’s fine on the couch, and I agree. We’re here to keep watch, not vacation. The boys don’t object because now they don’t have to double up.

Reid and I walk back downstairs as the guys go to the studio to cool down and play some music. I place my bag on the couch and run my hands through my hair. Reid chuckles at me, and I shake my head.

"What?” I say trying not to blush.

“You okay there, Hart?” He asks sitting down on the couch and brushing his hands on his slacks.

I nod slowly and bite my lip. “Yeah. I just don’t have a good feeling about this case, is all.” I sit down next to Reid and lean back into the surprisingly soft cushions.

Reid nods but doesn’t look at me. He’s admiring something modern on the wall in front of him. “Neither do I,” he finally says. “I never do when it comes to A-List celebrities.”

I laugh. “These guys are A-List?”

Reid shrugs. “They’re pretty big. They were discovered by Louis Tomlinson of One Direction, although their fans say they weren’t, which they’re right. The tall, blonde one, Luke? Yeah, he started posting videos of himself singing on YouTube, and his friends from school decided they wanted to make a band. Then, a year later, the curly-haired one, Ashton, joined in.” Reid looks at me proud.

“I’m guessing you did your research.” I don’t mind him telling me all this. It’s nice to know their names, well, two so far.

Reid just laughs and shakes his head looking at me. “Nah. I read it in a magazine before we came.” He taps his head where his brain is. “Eidetic memory, remember?”

I roll my eyes and sarcastically tap my own head the same way he did. “Yeah, pal, I remember. I have my own, eidetic memory, too.” Reid laughs and pats me on the shoulder.

Curly, who is now Ashton, apparently, comes through the door. “When you two are done blowing each other, our manager wants to have a word with you two.” He leans up against the doorframe and smirks mainly at me.

Reid makes a noise that I don’t understand. When I turn to look at him, his face is bright red, and mine is the same. “You know you’re talking to federal agents, right?” Reid says standing up. I stand up as well and appreciate his calm tone of voice. If I had spoken first, Ashton would’ve been dead.

Ashton just nods and keeps his smirk plastered on his face. He lets out a laugh, that’s more like a giggle, and nods his head towards the back. He leaves, and Reid and I have no choice but to follow. “Scum,” I say under my breath.