“Dude.” Gage pulls him into a partial embrace as if it was a reflex, and my gut grows hot with rage. I don’t mind Gage acknowledging the fact Wesley is his brother. Hell, I don’t mind the occasional obligatory visit to the Transfer, where at least he can visit his niece, but this genuine connection the two of them seem to have going is really starting to eat at me. I don’t for a minute think Wes is going to replace me in some moronic way, but seeing them buddying up to one another, whispering something about a Barricade meet and greet right in front of me is really starting to piss me off. “Glad you could make it.” He gives his big bro the once-over, and oddly enough they’re dressed to match, sans the bright blue tie—Wesley’s is green. “Looking sharp,man.”
“Thanks.” He glowers at me a moment. “Have you guys seenEzrina?”
“She’s the woman of the hour.” Gage cranes his neck before coming up empty. “Coop blew out of here a few minutes ago looking for her, too.” He winces my way as if to ask if he should go there. “You know about her, don’t you?” He cuts that steely gaze into his brother’s eyes, and Wesleyflinches.
Knew it. “You’re behind this, aren’t you?” I give him a hard shove to the chest just like Coop did me. “You sickfuck.”
Wes snatches my wrist and lands my arm up against my chest, crooked and ready to break. “Who said you could touchme?”
“Whoa.” Gage steps between us. “This isn’t how this night goes down.” He looks to me. “It’s your last night at the old place with friends. Don’t get worked up so fast.” He shoots a dirty look to Wes. “Andyou”—he sighs with exasperation as one can only do when dealing with Wes—“what the hell are you doing? Who is that chick? And how the hell did you get Ezrina to agree toit?”
Wes steps back and offers a weary look around before stopping short at something just over my shoulder. “I found what I was looking for. Excuse me.” He takes off in the direction of the kitchen, and I catch Nev scowling at him as Wes heads hisway.
“So much for getting a straight answer out of him.” I yank Gage in by the tie. “Get a straight answer out of your new little buddy asap, and I want to know what excuse he gives you as soon as it leaves his mouth. I don’t like Coop pissed at me.” I toss his tie in his face and press out a dry smile. “I’m betting you’ll score some serious points with Skyla if you crack this code beforemidnight.”
Gage shifts from foot to foot as he searches out his wicked brother. “I’ll get right on that.” He starts to head out and backtracks. “Text Skyla and make sure she’s coming, wouldyou?”
“Will do.” He takes off, and I shoot our favorite Celestra a quick message.Where are you? We need to party like it’s1989.
It takes less than five seconds for her to fire right back.That’s not how the song goes. And I’m just about ready. Laken just got here. See yousoon!
My heart gives an irregular thump at the thought of seeing her—the way it always does when I’m about to see Skyla. A despicable part of me finds it mournful that Gage is determined to land in Skyla’s bed again, but if his dick gets its way, I know for a fact all will be right with the world tonight. His world atleast.
A couple of girls walk by tittering my way with their lashes lowered, their fingers loosely covering their lips. It’s the flirtatious bunch from the old Walsh house. And behind them an entire crowd migrates through the doors. I spot Holden Kragger and a couple of girls with him. I know Skyla mentioned Emerson was back, and holy shit, there she is. The Kraggers, in addition to Holden’s new wife, who I haven’t had the misfortune to meet yet, haven’t been holing up at Gage and Skyla’s new place like the rest of them. Speaking of the dead, the last of them trample their way in with the same enthusiasm I’ve witnessed these past few days. It’s safe to say they’re enjoying the hell out of their jaunt back to reality, albeit a short one. Just as I’m about to head over and lend Ellis a hand with whatever mischief he’s gotten himself into, a familiar looking girl catches my eye as she hovers near the arcade. I give her a sideways glance and do a doubletake.
It’sLaken.
I glance down at the text Skyla just sent. Laken is withher.
But Laken ishere.
I give a friendly wave as I head on over, and the girl’s eyes grow wide, her face just as blank as it was a moment ago. Maybe she doesn’t recognize me. And why would she? It looks as if Ezrina’s science project wandered away from thelab.
My fingers dance across my phone as I text Coop to get his ass back here right fuckingnow.
I walk slowly, casually toward the arcade, and the girl tries to bolt just as I come upon her and snatch her up by thewrist.
“Leaving so soon? How about a quick dance?” I swoop her in close and try to lead her to the office, but she jets out the front door into the paper white fog, and I bolt right afterher.
It looks like I’m about to unlock this secret long before Gage. Of course, Skyla will be grateful, and that alone makes me run just a little faster through the parkinglot.
The girl trips over a concrete block, and I dive in time to break her fall. I twist my body around so that my back takes the blow from the concrete and her mouth lands a hair away from mine. Her eyes, that face, she is the exact representation of Laken. I must admit, Ezrina is capable of damn goodwork.
“I don’t believe we’ve had the chance to meet.” I wrap my arms around her, making it impossible for her to escape mygrip.
Laken’s twin closes her eyes as she lands a weary hand over my chest. “Wrong, Logan—we’ve met before. You know exactly who Iam.”
4
Let the Bodies Hit the Ground
Skyla
Paragon is knownfor its long gray days, for the fog that pulls up its skirt and sits over the face of the island, evergreens that stretch their naked limbs high into the sky allowing the night air, the sky to lick at its most intimate spaces. There have been many tender aches in my young life, but none of which rival this primal urge to leash my body to that of my husband’s and atone for our sins during a long night of electric passion. I blame it all on those damnKegels.
“Geez, Messenger, how long has it been since you’ve gotten laid?” Chloe throws a stuffed bunny at me, and I catch it before it nails my face. Her hair is crimped and teased, her makeup so neon her lips glow incandescent, but it’s that old-school sweater dress in an eye-popping rainbow of geometric shapes paired with a giant chunky belt that sets off her look—an homage to a tacky era goneby.
“Twelve weeks, three days, and forty-two minutes, seventeen sexually explicit seconds,” I say, dusting my face with powder before snarling at myself in the mirror. But the fog, the island seems to call to me, and I can’t help but set my gaze on the evergreens, the world outside my window. Laken texted to let me know she was parking and would be up in a second. I was a little relieved when her name popped up on my phone. For a second, I thought she cut me off forgood.
