I swallow hard as both he and Gage head in this direction. “Maybe he is the liar in the equation.” Laken didn’t lose her virginity to Wesley—or at least in that point in time. “Or maybe he’s just the time traveling vaginasnatcher?”
“What?” Chloe sounds affronted by the fact her husband’s coital habits span both time and, well, vaginas. “Wesley.” Her voice strums out his name, husky with lust. “I’m so damn proud of him, I might actually bed him tonightmyself.”
So much fordisappointment.
“Hey.” Gage zips forward in that hot, very, very fucking hot zoot suit of his. The scent of his familiar cologne sets my senses ablaze and, oh my God, I am done. There’s an ache deep in my belly for this boy I just can’tdeny.
I zoom past him without so much as a hello, hardly able to catch my breath as an arm snags me to theside.
“Here she is!” Brielle pulls me into a strong embrace. “My one and onlyfavoritebestfriend!”
I step back with a stunned smile on my face, my body still quivering to completion from the Gage-gasm that just took place. Emily, Lexy, Nat, and Kate stop bobbing to the music long enough to acknowledgeme.
Lexy bares her fangs my way. “Logan drove us in the Mustang. You would have lovedit.”
My upper lip twitches at her ridiculous stab at driving me insane with jealousy. Of course, I don’t care that Logan drove her in the Mustang he gifted me for my sixteenth birthday. The very oneIalmost lost my virginity in tohim.
“Oh? Is he burning that too next week?” I couldn’t help it. She practically walked into that one. I lunge over and yank Kate into a quick embrace. “You look great.” I pull back and wince. “How are the vocal cords doing?” I feel terrible that she’s stuck with a bum set ofpipes.
“Better.” It comes out in a hoarse whisper, and I’m thrilled to hear it. Maybe now we can get somewhere with that bizarre piece of news involving Emma. Not that declaring Emma trouble is any real news. I’ve known that for the last three years solid at least. “You look great,too.”
“Thanks. But you are seriously glowing tonight. I’m so happy you’re back.” Her blonde hair hardly looks damaged after lounging in a casket for as long as it did. In fact, Kate looks just as alive and ready to thrive on the dance floor as any of the girls here tonight. “You all look great.” I make a face at Lex. “Evenyou.”
“Be nice.” Chloe wraps her arms around me from behind and rocks me to some old Madonna song. “I’ve seen those pictures she’s taken of your monkeys. I’ve always suspected Lexy was good to have around for areason.”
“I am good to have around.” She gives a thankful nod to the Bitch Squad leader herself. “Logan is especially appreciative. Our relationship is moving along nicely, thank you very much. Maybe you can talk some sense into Messenger, Chloe. Logan is just waiting for her blessing.” She looks to me, pleading as if she honestly believes her own bullshit. “You have your man, Skyla. You can’t havemine.”
Chloe laughs as her chest rumbles against my back. “Skyla can have all the men she wants, Lexy. You and I have always known that. If Skyla wants to fall on her knees to enjoy Logan as an afternoon snack, sit over Dudley’s lap during school hours, and bed Gage nightly, it’s her right and prerogative as our fearless leader. After all, it’s her ovaries that will produce the heirs to both the Fem and Celestralegacies.”
Kate’s face contorts. “Is that what’s happened since I’ve been gone?” she whispers herloudest.
“No.” I wave off the foolish idea, but my body embroils in heat at the visual. A bite of Logan’s tender loins, sitting on Marshall in all the right places, and Gage—letting him take me aggressively from behind, on top, sideways, the thought sends me panting to an all-newhigh.
Em grunts at the sight of me. “She’s exiled herself in a self-imposed celibacy—hence the heavy breathing.” Em’s hair is in a perfect black rainbow over her head, and set against her paper white skin it creates a haunting contrast. “Geez, take your husband home tonight, Messenger. Horny isn’t a good look onyou.”
“Chloe trained Ember to say vagina.” It blurts out of me as a means to distract the masses from my own smoldering girl parts. God, Ember wasn’t even in the room during that three-ringed circus Chloe was conducting, but I’m sure, soon enough, she’ll join the feministchoir.
Em grunts as if holding back vomit. “I’m going to break your neck,Bishop.”
And just like that, Em drags Chloe off while Lex discusses the latest fashions with Kate and our quasi-West reuniondisbands.
Nat leans in. “Thanks, Messenger.” Her arms fall over me hard as she offers up a caustic hug. “You gave Pierce back to me—and on top of that you gave meKate.”
“Yes, well, I also unleashed far too many Kraggers into the world for it to ever be safe again, so don’t go thanking me yet. Things never end well with the K clan running amuck on the island.” I give a quick pan of the vicinity for the Kraggers in question and spot Emerson slam dancing with a couple of the dead on the dance floor. “Sure, they seem to be on the right side of the celestial law at the moment, but, let’s face it, their father is one of my least favorite wild cards, and who knows what will happen in the name of family solidarity.” Wait. Did she sayPierce?
Just as my mouth falls open to correct her, Pierce Kragger himself pops up and drapes an arm around her shoulders. He looks every bit as nefariously handsome as he should—considering he’s really Nev.Right?
“Hey babe.” He offers Nat a nonchalant kiss before reverting his attention tome.
“Oh, no, no, no,” I shake my head frantically. “Nev? Is that you? You’re still in there, right?” I narrow my gaze as if trying to see beyond those pastel eyes, straight into his questionablesoul.
He laughs with his hand pressed to his chest as if my words had the power to kill him all over again. And if it’s Pierce, this may not be such a badthing.
He grimaces. “Relax, Messenger. I heard about the ruckus and as soon as I found out Holden and Emerson were about to feel sunshine on their backs once again, I wanted in. Plus, it’s for a good cause. I’m all for helping out our Nephilim brothers andsisters.”
“First”—I hold up a finger still completely in the dark as to where the hell Nev is—“there is no sunshine on Paragon. And second, if you were still alive, I’m betting you would have sided with theBarricade.”
“True and True. But I’m an optimist about the weather—and I’m dead, Skyla. I see the error of my ways. I’m siding with you. Your mother agreed, and here I am. Just touched down thisafternoon.”
