The Insiders (The Insiders Trilogy, #1)

by Tijan

There was someone in my room. I sensed them just as I turned the lights off. This was the nightmare every girl had at some point in her life. It was here. It was happening to me, not to someone else. Me. Coming back from the bathroom, going to my bedroom, their shadow caught the corner of my eye. Hairs on the back of my neck stood up. A chill went down my spine. A split second. Not even. That’s how long I had to compute what was about to happen before a hand grabbed my arm. Another slammed over my mouth. “Shh!” He moved fast, backing me into the wall. He was tall, a couple inches on me, and strong. That chill just doubled, and he bent his head low, whispering into my ear, “In two minutes, men will break into your home and take you hostage.” My lungs stopped working. This didn’t happen to people like me. I was no one special. Okay, that wasn’t altogether true. The only special thing about me was a lame nickname I got in elementary school, but that was years ago. I was Bailey Hayes, twenty-two and

Ahh! I loved writing this beginning. It almost got taken out during the edit process, but I made sure to keep it in there.

Bobby guy from your debate team.” “Mom. Seriously.” My blood was boiling. “And it wasn’t debate team. It was the computer club, and…” I saw the look on Detective Bright’s face. “And she didn’t use me to get a date with Bobby Riggs—she used me to get an in with his brother, who I was tutoring because, unlike Bobby, Brian Riggs wasn’t the smartest guy on the football team.” Chrissy was fighting back a smile. “And you had a crush on Brian Riggs, didn’t you?” I jerked back in my chair. “I’m just telling you that while I was friends with Simone, she told me her mom got beat up by Chad Haskell. Don’t date him, Mom. Trust me.” I gestured to my head. “Out of our two minds, mine doesn’t forget things.” Ever. She softened. “I know, honey.” I heard the but coming … “But,” she said, “he owns the bowling alley. You could bowl there for free every weekend.” She was off. We were embarking in Chrissy Hayes’s fantasyland. Sometimes I was allowed to visit. “You could bring all your friends every Friday night—or hey! You could help rewrite his computer system. I bet he’d take you on as his personal IT department.” This was what we were talking about? Here? My mom was dating Chad Haskell so I could have free bowling Friday nights? I rubbed at my forehead. A headache was

Lol! I was laughing as I was writing some of the back and forth between Chrissy and Bailey. Chrissy is such a character. I don't know if I did her justice, but I tried.

Pike.

My little nod to the first Buffy movie. ;) If you know, you know.

Cognac-brown eyes, hair almost as dark as mine, a strong jawline. There were indentations around his mouth, making his lip so pronounced, and so tempting. His cheekbones were high and chiseled. Broad and defined shoulders. Lean, athletic build. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. I was looking, and I shouldn’t be, but I was, and I was doing the calculating in my head, and yeah. This guy was ripped. He was mesmerizing. And he had power and authority and he knew how to use both of them. He walked into that room like he owned it, like he’d been there the whole time, like everyone and everything belonged to him and we had yet to learn that fact.

oh Kash. Gotta sigh. It's just... it's Kash. I loved writing him.

“My name is Kashton Colello, and I am an associate of your father’s. No, your mother does not know about me, and yes, I am aware of who you are. I know what happened to you earlier tonight, and I am here to give you two options. You can leave with me, meet your father and your siblings, or you can disappear into a witness protection type of program with your mother.” He paused, just one beat. “Leave with me, meet your father, or disappear with your mother.” The corner of his mouth tugged up in a smirk. “Your choice.”

The smirk! THE. SMIRK! lol And bam, 'Your choice.'

I stepped in, placed a hand on the table, leaned in, and breathed on him. “Fuck. You.”

I was trying to highlight both of these together, but my kindle wouldn't let me. The female in me was cheering her on as I wrote her response.

I had transferred from the Numb Train to the Not Giving a Shit Train.

I enjoy writing the trains. I feel there should be more trains in my books.

“I’m going to need some Tums. With the wine I’m planning on drinking tonight, my reflux will not be pretty.”

My nod to my own mother because this has happened. Often. Mostly all the time when we're at hotels. Thank goodness for those little shops they have.

We were nearing the top, and as we did, I began to hear music. It was getting louder and louder, the closer we got, until we were only a few floors away, and whatever he said, I could no longer make out his words. We hit the top and I could hear only bass and the sound of a cat screeching the same word over and over again. The elevators opened and it was worse. He glanced to me. No good-bye. Or wave. Not even a smirk. Well then. He just stepped out and started forward. There was no hallway. It opened onto the actual room itself. I couldn’t help myself. I hit the button to keep the elevator door open and I stared, like curious nosy spyware. Pressed against the panel wall,

I angled my head out, just enough so one eyeball could see. He headed toward the main room, and like that, there was another burst of loud music, as if a door opened somewhere inside. A guy passed Kashton, heading to the other side of the room. Shirtless. A lean frame like Kashton’s, but skinnier, his jeans were half falling off him. He had dark blond hair that looked greasy, spiked high, and he slapped Kashton on the shoulder as he went by him. He barely looked up before he was out of sight, and then he backtracked. Slowly. Foot by foot. There was no casual walk this time, until he was standing just in front of Kashton … staring right at me. I hit the wall just as Kashton turned to look, too, and I let go of the button. I knew who I had just seen. My half brother from Peter’s first marriage.

I can't explain why, but I really loved this scene. This was her first look at Matt in real life.

In a seat that had been converted so it was facing me sat Kashton Colello. I ignored the spike in my pulse. That was still unwanted. His eyes were hooded. God. Why’d that make him look even better? We stared at each other a moment. “Team manager.” He grunted back, his eyes steady on me. “Outlier.” I deflated. Outlier. An academic word for “outcast.” Scooting to the far end, I hugged my bag on my lap and turned to watch out the window as the Denali pulled away from the hotel. “Did you say your good-byes to your mother?” “Was that my half brother last night?” He didn’t get to ask me about her.

Lol! The 'team manager' was such an insult in her head.

I knew my place. I was elevator music: annoying and in the background.

Gah! I hate this feeling. Hate it so much.