He yanks his hoodie up, shadows swallowing everything but his jaw and those goddamn dimples when he grins.
“Nothing. Just that I've tasted you now, Venom.” He shifts up but keeps the hood pulled low. Leaning forward, he plants a kiss on my lips. “Your ass is mine for the remainder of this trip.”
Heat rushes up my throat, dizzy and thick. I should shove him away. I don’t. His kiss stamps its victory, and I swallow the noise that wants out.
The lift jerks, then pauses. Steel cables groan overhead. We’re suspended in white sky, the final ascent stretching under us. I lean around the breadth of his shoulders, searching for anything to ground me, but the mountain just keeps rising.
Those words already tattoo themselves behind my ribs. Days? Months? Try forever. One thing about Asher—I was right. When he claims something, he keeps it.
The chair jolts again and I turn to him. “What have you done to me?”
He mirrors my smile. “I don't know. But when you find out, fill me in.”
It's our turn to jump off and my lungs cave in. Every breath feels like a timer counting down when this will be all over. No matter how many times he claims me, or I him, it will never replace the truth. We’ll never belong to each other.
We hit packed powder, the impact rattling my knees.
His hands find my waist to steer me in whatever direction he wants.
Nope.
I lean into the nose of the board, letting it knife across packed powder. Wind claws at my eyes until tears streak sideways, but the grin stays.
He flips his middle finger with an eye roll, but follows my trail anyway.
I spot Luce and Jord draped over a neon-slick picnic table, the paint throbbing lime under the LEDs. The crowd is larger than the first game. All here for Asher.
Bass rattles along the course, speakers wired between spotlights that bleach the starting gate. Logos smear every half-pipe and ramp, LED strips outlining each run.
“How was your trip up?” Luce teases, twisting off the cap to her water.
“What?” My eyes fly over her. “Fine.”
Damn Luce. She can sniff out my lies before they even leave my mouth.
“You poor bastard.” Jord clucks his tongue, eyes weak on Asher.
“Oh, look! They have cotton candy!” I gesture toward one of the carts that sell food.Shit. Are my jeans buttoned up? Can they even see?
“Ah, she ain't so bad. Right, Venom?” Asher flings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me flush against his chest.
Jord raises a perfect brow. “I was talking about the paps, but sure, if you want to throw Ivy on that too. Just make sure you both have a story for your partners because—” He flicks his finger behind Asher and to the shutter of cameras.
Asher doesn't flinch. “They always see Ivy and me together. It isn't anything new.” He pauses, and before he even finishes the sentence, I want to hit him. “Or…maybe a few new things.”
He drags his finger over the base of my lips and… I’m swinging.
My fist lands on the hard wall of his abs, catching him off guard.
“Ouch!” He laughs, tumbling over.
“Asher!” a girl calls out from behind, and every muscle in my body freezes.
Still pouting over my right hook, I think he’s going to ignore her, when his eyes slowly shift from me, to whoever it was that called out to him.
She drifts past me in a swirl of long black hair and a body that should be on a runway.
Also… closer to his age.
