Find Me (WITSEC, #1)

by Ashley N. Rostek

“I don’t want to wake up. I’m dreaming about a pretty girl lying on top of me,”

“You’re too cute,” he said with a tired voice.

The next thing I knew, I was on my back and under him. His chest slightly squished mine as he burrowed his face into the crook of my neck and pretended to go back to sleep. His breath tickled my neck, making me giggle.

“Hey, beautiful. What are you doing here?”

“Can you blame a girl for looking? Keelan is very pretty.” “Thanks, Shiloh,” Keelan said, his tone hinting that he was amused. My back was to him now and even though I was displaying fake bravado, there was no way I would’ve been able to look him in the eye right now without blushing like crazy. “You’re welcome,” I shot over my shoulder. Both Colt and Creed frowned. “I’ve tried to tell them that I’m the prettiest, but they’ve never believed me,” Keelan said.

“Don’t feel the need to put your clothes on because I’m here.”

Colt looked to Creed. “Fuck Ethan, let’s just stay in and watch a movie.”

“I agree, fuck Ethan,” Creed said, siding with his brother.

“I know you find it hard to believe, but you’re extremely beautiful, Shiloh,” he stated and rubbed the back of his neck—his nervous habit. “You could dress up like a clown and still look gorgeous. We aren’t embarrassed to be seen with you. We’re just…”

“You’re wearing another man’s jersey, looking hot as hell, and we don’t like it,” Creed said bluntly.

It has his number on it. You might as well be advertising to the whole school you two are dating.”

“We didn’t tell you because most people bug us for free memberships or discounts when they find out,” Colt explained. “I would never do that.” I caught Creed smiling through the rearview mirror. “We know that now.”

“You don’t need a suit. Just go in your underwear. That’s just as revealing as a bikini,”

“But I’m not wearing any underwear,” I said with all the seriousness I could muster. Colt stopped walking to turn and look at me, eyes wide, and Creed’s hands on my shoulders stopped pushing me forward. Knox and Keelan were very quiet as they watched us, their video game playing on without them.

“I guess you could go naked. I doubt anyone here will complain,” Creed said from behind me. I whirled around. “Creed!” He just smirked down at me. “I’m wearing underwear,” I grumbled.

“If I had known you two would be making me go swimming later, I would have worn granny panties.”

“Only you would want to go swimming with us in granny panties.”

“Whenever Shayla and I were out and about together, pervs would ask if we were a package deal.”

Would anyone really want to be friends with someone whose family was murdered by an obsessed, crazed stalker who was still out there looking for her? No, they wouldn’t. If the guys ever found out, I would lose them.

There was only one reason Ian would call me instead of Logan and that was to tell me Logan was dead.

My phone call with Ian had gutted me. The guilt was too much. The memories were too much. I had just wanted an escape until I was ready to deal with it—to face it. Apparently I was never going to be ready, with how far I’d pushed myself. That poor girl.

Ian had called to tell me that they had found the body of a high-school girl who had looked similar to me. She had been a victim of Mr. X. How they knew that was because he had stapled a picture of my face to her face and they’d found his DNA—a polite way of saying his semen—all over her body. She had been tortured and raped repeatedly over the span of four days.

She was dead now because he couldn’t find me. I was here, safe and hidden, while he was out there preying on girls who looke...

I should have let him have me because I would never be free of him.

“It’s a GPS anklet tracker. If I’m ever taken, Logan can use this to find me wherever I am as long as I have it on,” I explained.

“I have more scars,” I admitted, looking down. “Hey.” Colt’s hands cupped my cheeks and made me look at him. “We don’t care. You might have heat exhaustion and all that matters right now is that we cool you down.”

Being held by Colt had helped calm me greatly and I had been able to pull myself from the toxic spiral I had fallen into.

I knew I wasn’t being fair to myself. That girl’s death hadn’t been my fault. I was not responsible for a psychopath’s actions. But even though I tried to remind myself of that over and over again, a tiny part of still me didn’t listen.

Colt’s hand stopped rubbing my arm and his fingers brushed some stray wet hairs from my forehead before I felt h...

“We’re not mad, if that’s what you think.” “I don’t want to burden—” “You’re not a burden,” Colt interrupted.

Without really thinking, I pulled my sports bra over my head. When I had it off, I found them both staring at my chest. I crossed my arms over my breasts. “Don’t look!” “There was no warning!” Creed argued as he spun around.

“No peeking, babe,” Colt teased just before he shoved down his wet boxers. He obviously wasn’t shy. I got a glimpse of his butt before my wide eyes shot to the ceiling. Creed chuckled, drawing my attention to him. “I guess you two are even.”

I knew what my limits were, and I’d pushed past them anyway because the pain that had followed was better than the pain I was feeling.

“No!” I blurted loudly. Everyone froze and my cheeks burned. “Nothing scary, please,” I said in a normal volume. I couldn’t handle the suspense. Especially when it came to slasher or home invasion horror movies. They triggered episodes of PTSD.

ended up going with the TV show Game of Thrones instead.

After the first episode ended, we had to watch the next one and the one after that. Six episodes later, it was one in the morning and I was tired.

“You’ll have to come over tomorrow night so we can binge some more episodes. I don’t think I can wait long to find out what happens,” Keelan said.

Colt walked ahead of us to my bedroom and turned on my bedroom light. I sat on my bed with a tired sigh. Looking equally as tired, Creed walked around to the opposite side of the bed, pulled the covers back, and climbed into my bed. Colt and I watched as he adjusted a pillow before lying down and closing his eyes. I chuckled. “What are you doing?” Creed opened one eye, then shot up, grabbed me, and pulled me down to lie next to him. “We’re having a sleepover,” he mumbled. “You don’t want to sleep with me,” I said. Both he and Colt snorted. I frowned. “What?” “Nothing,” Colt said. “Let’s just go to sleep,” Creed whined as he snuggled me with his arm around my waist. “I have night—” “Nightmares?” Creed finished for me. “We know. Stop worrying. You’re not going to scare us away, Shi.”

“If you keep being amazing, I don’t know how I’m going to be okay sharing you.” They gave me confused looks. “What do you mean?” Creed asked. I scratched one of my blushing cheeks. “I doubt you two are going to be single much longer,” I said. “A couple of girls are going to snag your attention one of these days and I don’t know how I’m going to handle it. I guess that makes me selfish.”

“You matched your underwear to your pajamas?” Creed mumbled tiredly. “I was feeling Wonder Woman vibes this evening and wanted to represent with every layer,”

I gasped as they grazed over my nipple at the same time his lips pressed against mine. His lips were soft, and the kiss was gentle but restrained, as if he was holding back for me to respond.

Colt had always gone out of his way to make sure that everything was my choice. Even now. Which was why I felt comfortable and confident enough to kiss him back.

That seemed to be all Colt needed. He went from gentle to passionate as...

Creed’s arm that was still around my waist tightened and he shifted behind me. The movement had the same effect on me as being splashed with a bucket of ice water.

I was kissing my friend while my other friend was sleeping behind me.

“I’m a fucking mess,” I forced out with a wobbly voice. “I’m waiting for you to realize it and walk away.” Creed’s eyes went wide. “You just said ‘fucking.’”

“I’m still dealing with the loss of my family. I have moments or days where I can’t hold myself together. Yesterday is a perfect example of that. It’s not fair to either of you to be burdened with this—with me.”

“You two should go.” They both looked stricken. “If you don’t go now, I’ll grow more attached.” Neither of them moved. “Please!” I cried. “I’m more trouble than I’m worth. I cry more than I smile. I have nightmares—” Creed grabbed my face with both hands and slammed his lips onto mine. At first, I was so taken aback that I was frozen like a statue. Creed pulled back a little to look me in the eye. “I’m already attached,” he said before returning his lips to mine.

My body slowly softened, and I kissed him back. Creed wasn’t gentle. His lips demanded everything I could give and when his tongue slipped past my lips to taste mine, he groaned, pushing me backward. My back collided with a chest.

Creed’s gaze met his brother’s over my head. He shrugged. “She was freaking out. I panicked.” Colt sighed behind me. “Did you not think for a moment that kissing her might freak her out more?” “Why?” Creed smirked. “Because you kissed her last night?” I desperately wanted to curse again. “Yes, because I kissed her last night,” Colt snapped.