Darling:james is just nervous about me going near campus when they haven’t caught the murderer yet
Holden stared blankly until the screen automatically darkened. Then his head thunked back against the wall, and he stared up at the ceiling.
Kit’s boyfriend was going to crash their date… because of Holden’s own unsolved crimes?
Holden took back every positive thing he had ever thought about fate.
His phone chimed again.
Darling:sorry. of course that’s a bad idea. can we go somewhere else another day instead?
No, no, no. Guilt surged through Holden, so intense he could choke on it. His silence had upset Kit—a crime worse than murder.
Holden:james can come! the more the merrier :D
Holden:i’ll send you the details~
Typing the messages physically hurt, deep in Holden’s chest. But the pain was worth it for Kit’s relieved reply. Holden reveled in the rest of the conversation. Kit may be dating other people,but right now, every simple text message bound him closer to Holden.
Besides, bringing James would make Holden’s plan even more poetic.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Kit asked, hooking his ankle around James’s. “I don’t think they serve champagne and caviar at this kind of party.”
James rolled his eyes. “Please. I’ve been going to frat parties since before you were born.”
Kit giggled and leaned against James’s right shoulder. They were in the back seat of one of James’s cars, with Carla driving on the other side of the partition. No limo this time. Getting a chauffeur to a college party was already excessive enough.
Not a frat party, according to Holden. His friend lived in a co-op, whatever that was.
“I’m excited to get to know this Holden boy better,” James said. “Mostly I just know that he likes to bite almost as much as I do, and Bishop doesn’t like him.”
Kit flushed at the first point. “Bishop doesn’t like most people.”
“True. Smart move inviting me instead. Besides, all the college kids would smell the ex-cop on him.”
Yeah. Kit had told Holden a little white lie.
James hadn’t insisted on crashing their date. That had been Kit’s idea. Not because Kit felt unsafe, but the opposite. With Smith dead, there wasn’t a hit out on him anymore. Nobody from Kit’s past knew he was in San Corvo.
Kit felt dangerously safe. He wasn’t used to that, and he didn’t trust his own judgment when he felt so comfortable. Bringing James along seemed smart.
“How much do you like this guy?” James asked out of nowhere. Traffic and city lights danced over his face, but his eyes were dark and fixed on Kit.
“A lot,” Kit answered eventually. He almost asked if that was okay, but stopped himself. His relationship with James was secure enough that he was confident James wouldn’t get mad.
James picked up Kit’s left hand and started playing with his fingers. The casual touches were grounding. Intimate. “Do you like him enough to keep secrets from him?”
Kit’s lips parted, silent.
James caressed his wrist next, slowly sliding Darius’s tracking bracelet along Kit’s skin. “Or do you like him enough to tell him secrets?”
“I won’t put you guys in danger,” Kit said quietly.
“I know you won’t.” James laced their fingers together and squeezed. His grasp was warm, even as Kit’s heart chilled. “But we can take care of ourselves. Can Holden?”
Kit couldn’t answer.
35
