Corrupted

Chapter Four

Real eyes, realize, real lies.

“Dylan.”

I groan.

“Dylan!”

When a pillow hits my head I snap up and glare at the person. Adam gives me a grin and I groan again. “What?”

“Get up; we have a job to get to.”

“Ugh.” I grab my phone and check my messages when he walks out and click on the new one from Stella. It’s a video. Her, Ashton, and Erin are running around some sort of field screaming and smiling. I grin at my screen and they all hold up a sign.

WE

MISS

YOU DYLAN!

It goes off and I frown because I wish it was longer than that. I toss it back on the nightstand and get out of bed to get dressed for work. Adam got me a job down at the Hilton hotel. We both work the front desk. It’s actually a really easy job and pays extremely well. Hopefully I can buy a car soon.

I drum my fingers on the front desk, staring out into the empty lobby of the hotel. Adam went on break, so he ran across the street to grab something to eat from Rally’s. It’s a little past one in the afternoon. Business has been slow, but I have had two guests check in and one check out.

My eyes dart up to the front door when a man runs by outside and then stumbles inside the door. His black jacket has smudges on it and the side of his face is bleeding slightly. His panicky blue eyes meet mine and he stops for a moment. I don’t know why the hell Derek is running in here looking wrecked, but I know he needs help.

“Hide in the back,” I urge and run behind me to fling open the door. He nods and jogs over to slip inside the door. I close it and turn back to the desk, resting my hands on it slightly.

Three men walk in, scanning the place with their eyes. The one in front is bald and around his forty’s, wearing a black shirt and light jeans. The other two men both have short hair and look about the same age. The one on the right has a scar on his forehead reaching his ear. They come up to the front desk and stare at me.

I raise my eyebrows slightly. “Can I help you?”

“Have you seen a Derek Palmer?”

“Nope.”

“He ran in here.”

“I don’t know the guests personally.”

“Where are you hiding him?” He places his hands on the desk and I see a small smudge blood stain on his knuckles.

My whole body tenses up as my eyes remain on the blood on his hand. Derek’s face was bleeding, which means this man was the cause of it. I become so angry I’m not even able to form a complete sentence. “Not.”

“Are you protecting him? Is he your little boyfriend?”

I chuckle slightly at the thought. “Hardly.” I scan all three of them slowly. “You need to leave now.”

“We’ll be back.”

“I’ll be counting down the seconds.” Once they give me glares and walk out, I count to five and then run to the door, meeting Derek as he walks out. I look away awkwardly and step out of his way.

“Do we look like boyfriends?” he demands.

I laugh. “Maybe.”

He gives me a curious glance and stays silent for a moment before muttering, “Thanks.”