67 HOURS EARLIER
GENESIS
“Hey.” I fall into step with Indiana, before he can hit the water in his snorkel gear. “We’re going sightseeing. Come with us.”
“‘We’?” He looks past me to where Neda is complaining about the upcoming hike, though Nico, Penelope, and Holden are too mired in an uncomfortable silence to pay attention. “Allof you?”
“Yeah. Though I should warn you that no one’s really in a good mood today, except for Ryan.” Now that he’s not a raging alcoholic depressive, he could have fun standing on the edge of an erupting volcano.
But Indiana is only looking at me. “What kind of mood areyouin?”
“That depends. Are you coming with us?” I’m not flirting—not really. And I feel a little guilty for asking him to come on a trip pretty much guaranteed to end with one of my friends either punching or sleeping with another one of my friends.
But I could really use an ally.
“I’ll get my stuff.”
“We’re waiting for the porters to bring our gear from the cabanas. Meet us in front of the restaurant in about fifteen.”
“Porters? As in, plural?” He raises one eyebrow. “You have enough gear to require professional assistance?”
I laugh. “Admit it. You won’t forget me either.” I feel him watching me as I walk away.
Halfway across the beach, I find my cousin watching the Belgian boy and his girlfriend as they feed each other gooey bites ofpain au chocolate. No wonder she was so willing to leave Cabo.
She actually liked him.
Maddie doesn’t notice me until I’m standing right next to her, shading my eyes from the sun with my hand. “The only way to protect yourself is to assume everyone else is lying.”
She crosses her arms over her bikini top. “That sounds like step one from theConspiracy Theorist’s Guide to Mental Health.”
I nod at Benard. “You can get over it, or you can get even.”
“Karma will take care of him.” But her jaw is clenched and her cheeks are flushed. That Belgian bastard humiliated her.
Maddie may be naive and sanctimonious, but she’s still a Valencia.
“Fine. Call me Karma.” But she grabs my arm before I get two steps away.
“Whatare you doing, Genesis?”
“What you don’t have the nerve to do.” I pull my arm from her grip. “Teaching him a lesson.” I let my hips swing as I march across the beach toward Benard. He’s still holding his girlfriend’s hand when I spin him around and kiss him like he’s the only source of oxygen on the planet.
His girlfriend sputters in shock, and when I finally let him go, Benard is too stunned for words.
“Last night was great,” I practically purr as I let my hand trail down his chest. Then I turn to the girlfriend. “Don’t let this one get away. He’s a keeper.”
MADDIE
I will never be able to unsee Genesis kissing Benard.
Still, that was awesome.
As I head for the restaurant, I glance back to watch Benard’s girlfriend yell at him, and my shoulder hits something firm but yielding.
“Ow!”
“I’m so sorry!” I turn to see who I’ve run into and find myself face-to-face with Luke Hazelwood.
