Free Kissing Trouble by Airicka Phoenix, Morgana Phoenix Page B

I’m pissed!” Shaun practically shouted. “Question is, why aren’t you?”
    “Because I know why she did it.” Mason was cool and collected again. “Those are my cousins in there and she was protecting them. I’m not going to blame her for that. Also, if you guys are telling me you didn’t do that shit outside, then someone did and, like it or not, we need to call the police.”
    There was more snarling and growling from Shaun, silence from Mason and finally, the stomp of boots on the stairs as someone—Julie assumed it was Shaun judging from the furious pounding—left the hallway. There was a heartbeat of silence, then a door slamming shut overhead.
    She pushed away from the door now that there was nothing left to hear. She straightened her clothes, ran anxious hands through her hair, and double checked her reflection before prying open the door and peeking out.
    The foyer was void of life. The low whine of commercials spilled out of the sitting room and there was a chattering coming from the kitchen. She padded quietly to the first door and peered in. Dustin, Rick, and Wendy looked up from the table, faces smudged with chocolate and a whole box of Oreos empty on the table between them. From the island, Luis met her glance, still looking ashen and shaken, but he gave her a feasible smile that was probably meant to comfort her if it hadn’t appeared so strained.
    “You said we could!” Rick said quickly, as if worried she was about to chew them out.
    Julie smiled at him halfheartedly at him. “It’s okay, but now you have to wait to get into the pool.”
    “Can we still play outside?” Wendy asked.
    Casting another glance at Luis, Julie nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
    Whooping in excitement, Wendy and Rick hopped out of their chairs and bolted for the backdoor. Dustin popped another cookie into his mouth and followed. Unlike his siblings, he wasn’t dressed for swimming. He still wore his jeans and t-shirt and his DS was poking out of his pocket. Julie let it go. She was in no mood to argue.
    “Did he call?” she asked Luis once the kids were out the door.
    He nodded. “He’s upstairs,” he said. “He asked me to stay with you guys. If that’s okay?”
    Julie nodded. “Of course.”
    They left the kitchen together and ventured down the stone step towards the flat stretch of land separating the house from the lake. The grass here was unnaturally bright, almost artificial and the pool was a blue gem right in the center. The grass around it was more faded, almost yellow where they ran alongside the path leading down to the dock. A basketball court and outdoor lounge area sat beneath a beautiful, white canopy, looking more like a resort than a cabin in the woods.
    Julie went for the lounge as the Rick and Wendy chased each other around the basketball court. Luis took the recliner next to her as Dustin flopped down in one of the chairs surrounding the glass table almost ten feet from where Julie sat and pulled out his game system. No one spoke. Only the rustle of leaves as the wind blew through the branches and the children’s squeals broke the silence.
    “Are you okay?” Luis asked quietly.
    Jolted from her reverie, Julie looked at him. “No, honestly. I’m kind of really freaked out.”
    Luis nodded. “I’m really sorry.”
    Julie shrugged. “Not your fault. I mean, it’s not like you did it.” She searched his face. “Right?”
    Both of his hands went up in the air, a sign of surrender. “I swear.”
    Maybe it was the fact that he looked positively clammy, but she believed him.
    “I just can’t believe someone could do something like that,” she whispered.
    Luis’s Adam’s apple bobbed rapidly and what little color he had remaining blanched. “What I can’t believe is the lack of empathy it would take to...”
    They both lapsed into a tense silence and watched as Wendy shoved Rick from behind, making him stumble and cry out in indignation.
    “I just can’t believe we never heard