Saving Sloan (Sloan Series Book 2) (24 page)

The first person she saw when she got to the bottom of the steps was Ray. He looked so handsome in a black tailored suit and black tie. Not a bowtie. A straight one, whatever they are called. His eyes lit up when he saw her and for a second, time stopped between them. Sloan could see herself attracted to Ray. Any girl would be. He was handsome and nice, calm and reassuring. And made a suit look good.

“Wow. You look amazing.” Ray smiled as she got closer.

“You don’t look bad yourself.” She smiled back. It was probably a good thing Aaron wasn’t coming. It would be very awkward.

Ray snapped out of whatever daze he’d been in and helped her off the last step. Which was good, since her three-inch silver sparkly heels were already hurting her feet. “Beauty was pain”, her mom always said.

“I brought this for you.” He held out a clear box with a rose inside.

Her breath caught when she saw it, and her knees wanted to buckle. Mr. ICU said he’d give her a rose, and now Ray was handing her one. He couldn’t be her stalker, right? He’d changed since he was thirteen. Aaron even said as much.

“I didn’t know whether to give you one because of… you know… but I knew your dress was red, and I ordered this two weeks ago before the roses started coming.” He took a big nervous breath. “But if you don’t want it, I totally understand. It was stupid. Really stupid to bring it. You hate it. I’m sorry.”

“No.” She put her hand on the box to keep him from backing away. “No. It’s really pretty. Thank you.”

He smiled shyly. “You think so?”

“Absolutely.” She wasn’t sure. It made her sick to see the single, red-rose corsage, but she didn’t want Ray to feel bad. He’d bought it before the roses had come to her house. Okay, she could believe that. She held out her wrist and waited for him to place the rose on her arm.

Objectively speaking, it was beautiful. A single red rose with baby’s breath all around it. The band that surrounded her wrist was black. She liked it better than the white band she normally saw on corsages.

“Aaron thought a corsage was dorky. I didn’t know, so I thought I’d chance it. Just to be sure. I’m not good at things like this.”

Truth be told, she hadn’t wanted a corsage. It kind of clashed with her dress, but it was the thought that counted, and Ray’d had the best intentions when he’d given it to her.

“I love it. Thank you.” Not knowing exactly what to do, she leaned over and kissed Ray on the cheek.

“Don’t mention it.” He had a look in his eyes she could only describe as longing, and it made her feel bad. Why couldn’t she just stop leading him on? If that was what she was doing. It wasn’t like she wanted to do it.

Thankfully, Mackenzie broke up the uneasiness with a kiss and a hug. “That dress is to die for. Um… no pun intended.”

“Thanks.” Sloan grinned. As puns went, it fit the occasion. “You look… wow!”

“Cute?”

“Hot.”

“Poo, I was going for sexy.”

“I think you covered that too.” Ray smiled politely. Mackenzie grinned at him, and her whole face changed. Sloan looked from Ray to Mackenzie. Why hadn’t they ever dated? Sure, Ray had been sort of with her, but he and Mackenzie would make a cute couple. Much better than the person she’d brought.

Ray wasn’t wrong. Mackenzie did look sexy in a strapless white dress with her red hair thrown over one shoulder. Her porcelain skin looked amazing. Not many redheads could wear white and pull it off. Mackenzie was definitely an exception.

“Thanks. You don’t look bad yourself.” She grinned at Sloan’s escort. “Dapper.” She smiled broader and fixed his tie. “Save me a dance.” She winked and then seemed to remember Sloan was around. “I mean. If it’s okay with you.”

Sloan couldn’t be happier to let the two of them dance and hopefully even hit it off. It sure would take some of the pressure off of her. “Go ahead. I don’t mind.”

Mackenzie grinned and batted her eyes at Ray, who smiled back. Oh yeah. This had potential.

Her mom made them go outside for pictures. And pictures. And more pictures. By the time it was time to go eat, Sloan didn’t think her mouth could do anything but smile. It was there permanently like the scar.

She really needed to stop thinking about that scar.

They all piled in Sloan’s Charger and drove to supper at an upscale restaurant at the edge of town, and by upscale she meant buffet. All through dinner, Sloan worried Mackenzie would get something on her white dress, but the redhead didn’t seem to have a care in the world. She laughed and talked with Ray more than her date. And Ray, for the first time in forever, seemed to be enjoying himself.

It was strange. They’d eaten lunch together every day, but she’d never seen the two of them flirting as much as they were now. Maybe since she’d chosen Aaron, Mackenzie felt it was okay to chat it up with him. It was. It was more than okay. Sloan sipped on her straw and watched the two of them hit it off. It was sweet.

And Mackenzie’s date? Well, he didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy flirting with the waitress, Kalynn.

Sloan really missed Aaron, though. She wished he could have come to the dance, but she knew it wasn’t possible. The school board had made a rule: only students who went to the school could come. Stupid rule. Not everyone wanted to date high schoolers.

She knew one person she’d see at the dance. Detective Mary Morgan. It was good the detective was involved. It made sense and made her relax a bit. Whatever Mr. ICU had in store, Detective Morgan would take care of it. She had no doubts.

After they paid, the couples got back in the Charger and headed for school. When they got there, the sun was just going down. Sloan parked in her normal spot next to a fence at the back corner of the parking lot.

“You don’t have to park here, you know? You can move up. It’s prom, not school.” Mackenzie said from the back seat.

“I know. Just habit.”

“Habit.” Mackenzie scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You just don’t want your new car dinged.”

“And there’s that.” She laughed and put the car in park. They got out and Mackenzie and her date, Sloan couldn’t even remember his name, walked on toward the gym, which was up the hill and to the right, opposite the school.

“Nervous?” Ray asked by her side. They both looked at the gym all lit up and decorated for prom.

“A little,” she admitted. “I mean, who wants to fall?”

“You won’t. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He took her hand. “Ready to have fun?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Together they navigated the parking lot until they got to where the sidewalk began. Movement from the corner of her eyes caught her attention, and she had to hold in a scream.

“Don’t.” The
movement
held up his hands to keep her from freaking out. “It’s just me.”

“Aaron!” She let go of Ray’s hand and ran into Aaron’s arms. Burying her head in his neck, she closed her eyes and enjoyed being held by him.

“You didn’t think I’d miss your big night, did you?”

Yeah, she did. “It’s good you came, but…” She eased up and saw what he was wearing. “Why are you in a tux?”

He smirked. Oh man, did he look good! The suit fit him perfectly. That decided it. All men should only wear suits. His was black like his brother’s, only he had on a red tie, the same color as Sloan’s dress. Sneaky.

“Did you have this planned?”

“Maybe.” He smiled and offered his arm. She gladly took it then faced Ray, who sighed.

“Might as well enjoy it.” Ray smiled offering his other arm.

Just like she’d pictured it a million times, the three of them walked up the sidewalk to the gym together. It was nice. Perfect. The way tonight should be.

When they got to the ticket counter, Aaron whispered in her ear that he’d be right back and disappeared around the gym. It wasn’t like he was supposed to be there. Ray presented their tickets to the ticket ladies and inside they went.

The inside of the gym was beautiful. Streamers of gold, silver, black, and white made a tent from the center of the basketball court to each side. Underneath, balloons littered the dance floor and a makeshift fountain sat in the middle of the floor. Ray helped Sloan down the steps to the court and patted her hand when they got to the bottom. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s amazing.” She smiled, taking it all in. Despite everything, she was glad she’d come. A lady in a black dress caught her eye across the floor. She looked her way and nodded. Detective Mary Morgan. And she looked stunning. Her hair was off her neck and in an elegant French twist. Very chaperone appropriate. They couldn’t speak, of course. Her stalker could get tipped off. But Sloan felt so much better knowing someone had her back, someone with a gun.

“Wanna dance?” Ray asked. Sloan didn’t think he’d noticed the detective, and if he had, he didn’t mention it.

“With me or Mackenzie?” she kidded and elbowed him in the stomach.

“You… for now. Until Aaron finds a way in.” He smiled and held out his hand.

Thankfully it was a slow song, and they could sway with the best of them. A second song came on. And a third. And a fourth. She hadn’t seen Aaron anywhere.

“Don’t worry. He’ll figure out how to get in,” Ray reassured her during their latest trip around the dance floor.

“I know. Just nerves, I guess.” She laid her head on Ray’s shoulder, but didn’t stop looking for Aaron. At the end of the song, Sloan heard a text alert coming from her bag. She walked to the side of the room and pulled the phone out. Sure enough. It was from Aaron.

“He probably couldn’t get in.” Ray laughed by her side. “I bet he’s ticked.”

She bet he was too.

Plan B. Can you come to my car? I have another plan to get inside and dance with you. Don’t give my brother all of your attention. I’m parked in the bottom parking lot next to the school.

“What is it?” Ray asked.

She smirked and threw the phone back in her pocket. “Aaron. He can’t get in and wants me to meet him for Plan B.”

“See? Told you he was ticked.” Ray smiled. It was rare when things didn’t go Aaron’s way. Sloan could see Ray enjoyed it more than he probably should. “Want me to walk with you?”

Sloan eyed Mackenzie from across the room. She was staring at Ray with a longing look written all over her face. “No. I think you need to dance.”

“What?” he asked and Sloan turned him to face Mackenzie. He got that googly-eyed look again. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. Go get her, tiger.” She pushed him toward Mackenzie and then watched as the two of them danced. They made such a cute couple.

Alone, Sloan walked up the steps to the balcony area. The exit doors were to the right. As she walked out, Darcy strutted inside wearing a very revealing dark purple dress with strategic cutouts. Both stopped. Both stared at each other. Neither said a word. Darcy snubbed her nose up and walked into the dance with Tanner on her arm. Suited Sloan just fine. She had other places she wanted to be. Like with Aaron.

The sounds of the dance faded as Sloan walked back down the sidewalk and to the dimly lit parking lot. She had to smile, though. Aaron couldn’t get into the school. She knew that had made him so mad. And it probably killed him that he had to ask Sloan for help.

She got to the bottom of the sidewalk and made her way to the right, next to the school, looking for Aaron’s car. It was the same direction he’d come up before, so she knew it had to be there somewhere. He needed to jump out and get her attention, though, because she wasn’t seeing his dark blue Mustang.

Finally, after searching for about five minutes, she saw it. It sat toward the front of the parking lot, and she couldn’t image why she’d missed it in the first place. “Aaron?” she yelled into the darkness. “Hello?”

“Hello?” she mumbled walking to the driver’s side. She looked in, but didn’t see anyone inside. “Aaron?”

A thud from the trunk made her jump.

What the…

“Hello, Sloan.” A male voice called from the shadowy side of the building. She knew that voice. She knew it!

“Great night for a stroll, isn’t it?” He walked out of the shadows so she could see him. Tall. Dark. Dressed in a tux. “Or a fall.”

“It’s not you,” she whispered. It couldn’t be.

“It is. Surprised?” He strolled closer and waved a long-stemmed red rose in the air. “Your final rose, sweetheart. Ready to go?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Boyd Lawrence. Walking toward her. Not in a wheelchair. Not with help or with a walker. Walking toward her. Gliding in fact.

“You can walk.”

“Duh. Obviously.”

“Your physical therapist?”

“Thinks I can’t walk. They all do. They all bought it, but Sloan, when I woke up in that hospital. In the intensive care unit. The ICU…”

Good gracious, he’d told her who he was all along. She’d known it, but she’d never actually believed it. She’d put him in the ICU. He’d given her a clue, and she’d just ignored it. Stupid!

“When I woke up, I knew you’d put me there. And you needed to pay.”

“
You
put you there when you attacked me.”

“I attacked you because you were being a little witch.” He didn’t raise his voice, which scared her. He was too calm. Too collected. She wasn’t any of those. “Nice touch getting Detective Morgan here, by the way. I had to change my plans a little to get you alone. It’s okay. Aaron provided a great opportunity.”

“Where is he? Did you hurt him?” Sloan’s legs shook, but she refused to let her voice shiver. This guy had hurt her more than anyone ever had the right to hurt another person, and she wanted it to stop.

“He’s coming with us.” Boyd patted Aaron’s Mustang. “Coming to the Fall.”

“What fall?” She yelled despite herself. She was so sick of hearing about the Fall. “Where am I supposed to be falling?”

“You’ll see.” He opened the driver’s side door for her. “Get in and slide over.”

“I don’t think so. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Boyd grinned, tossed the rose in the front seat, and reached inside his jacket pocket. When his hand emerged, it held a gun. “Don’t make me ask again.”

Sloan held her breath, her mind racing. She didn’t want to go anywhere with him. She wasn’t sure what he had planned for her, but she could guarantee it wouldn’t be fun.