“I’m dismissing you.” Gage gives a curt nod her way. “I have the power to do it. You should go now, Chloe. I’m sorry. This was all a big mistake.”
Chloe’s entire being morphs into one big gasp.
And I’ve just morphed into one big ball of relief.
“Oh, thank God,” I say, pulling him in tight and landing a steamy kiss to his lips, and sadly, I get a mouthful of Chloe’s strawberry lip gloss in the process. But I don’t care. Chloe and I will be sharing sloppy seconds for the next few years. I’m just thankful that the ball is in my court now. And technically, the baseball bat too.
I turn to Wesley and Laken, who are watching this whole scene unfold with far too much amusement. “Come on, we need to find Logan.”
“Logan is at the party?” Laken asks, falling into step beside me as we head for the door.
“Everyone is at the party. This party is like a supernatural convention, except with more alcohol and fewer name tags.”
Wesley brings up the rear, shooting one last look at Chloe, who’s now standing in the middle of the room looking like she wants to set someone on fire. Preferably me.
“This isn’t over, Skyla!” she calls after us.
“You’re right,” I call back without turning around. “It’s just getting started.”
We make our way down the marble staircase, Gage’s hand still warm in mine as we navigate through the sea of stoned party guests. The music grows louder, far more aggressive, and the air is thick with smoke and the kind of tension that suggests this evening is about to take another turn for the worse before it does for the better.
“So,” Gage says as we reach the main floor, “want to explain why my doppelgänger showed up just in time to save you from committing assault with a deadly weapon?” His dimples dig in. “Thank you, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. And it’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
“Actually, you don’t—we don’t—well,Idon’t.” I spot Logan near the front entrance, talking to someone with his back to us. “There he is.”
We walk up just in time to see Drake deck him.
And there’s that dramatic turn for the worse I was talking about.
Now it’s time to turn this bad-luck charm of a light drive around.
We are going home.
39
Skyla
The front entry of Ellis’ mansion has transformed into a gladiator arena, complete with screaming spectators and the kind of bloodthirsty excitement that only comes from watching your classmates beat the hell out of each other.
Party guests press in from all sides, forming a circle around Logan and Drake while shouting at them to bash one another’s brains in as if this is pay-per-view entertainment instead of a potential felony assault.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” The chant echoes off the marble walls and shakes the crystal chandeliers, creating a backbeat that would make ancient Romans proud.
Logan staggers backward from Drake’s assault with blood trickling from his split lip as he presses the back of his hand to his mouth. The energy from the boisterous crowd mingles with the smell of spilled beer and proves to be just the kind of adrenaline that makes people do stupid things.
“Logan, don’t,” I shout. Because honestly, we have bigger problems than my idiot stepbrother.
“That’s going to leave a mark.” Wesley nods at Logan’s jaw, as if he materialized from the chaos itself.
Logan does a double take in his direction, then spots Laken, and his brows arch an inch. He takes a moment to spit blood onto Ellis’ pristine marble floor before frowning at Wes. “Thanks for the medical assessment, Dr. Paxton. Very helpful.”
“I live to serve,” Wes replies with that trademark smirk that runs in the Edinger family. That whole Paxton thing was more or less a ruse, much like the Oliver thing was a ruse for Gage on some level.
“Come on, Oliver,” Drake shouts, standing in the center of the circle with his fists still clenched and his chest heaving as if he’s just run a marathon. “Let’s go,” he barks to the crowd’s approval. His hair sticks up at odd angles, and there’s a wild look in his eyes that lets me know this fight is far from over. “Stay away from my girl!” Drake booms, loud enough for the entire party to hear. “I won’t be warning you again!”
