I raise my arms to break his hold.“That took all of thirty seconds.”
He snorts like I’m overreacting.
“Stay out of it, Gavin.You can’t control me.”
My older brother has always tried to rein over my life.Control who I talked to.Hung out with.I’ve lost so many friends over the years because of my brother’s instigating terror.And we didn’t even go to the same high school.He did all this while attending the private school two towns away in Wetherford.I elected to attend public high school when given the choice.I have no idea how Danika tolerated him for nearly two years.
Oh, wait.He broke her.
“Go back to Columbia, Gavin.I’m sure you have more important things to do than hang out with us.”
Gavin isn’t listening to me.His attention’s caught on someone behind me.
“Hey, Gavin,” Collin says, stepping next to Jonathan.“How’s the city?”
“Fine.”Gavin looks between the three of us, his eyes landing on Collin one more time before he returns to the party.
“What was that about?”Jonathan asks, but I’m not sure who he’s asking—me or Collin.Because that was… strange.
I wait for Collin to answer.Jonathan’s focused on me.Collin is staring at the closed door my brother just disappeared behind.
“Wanna go inside?”Jonathan asks when no one answers.It snaps us all back to the moment.An eruption of shivers overtakes my body in reaction to the crisp night and too much exposed skin.
“Yes.”I wrap my arms around myself.Jonathan envelops me, warming me instantly.
He’s here.He didn’t miss it.He wouldn’t.
Then why is there an anxious ball rolling around in my gut?
Maybe because when I kissed him… I could feel the cut on his upper lip.
Chapter Fifteen
We’ll meet you back at the house,” my mother tells me, the adult party still going on behind her—raucous laughter can be heard across the expanse.Her eyes are glassy, and she has an easy smile that only a few too many glasses of champagne can produce.
“Happy birthday, my girl,” Dad says, kissing my forehead.“You guys have fun.Don’t keep Magda up all night.We’ll see you in the morning.”
Although the party isn’t officially over, many of the hellions are departing.It’s not even midnight.I don’t mind.We’re leaving too.It’s an agreement I made with my mother when we planned this.That I get this one thing.
“Ready?”Gavin asks, his toga barely hanging on, the spear long lost.His sway lets me know he’s had a few too many of something as well.
“You’re not coming,” I tell him.“This is my tradition with myfriends.”
He laughs like I’m cute and said something funny.“I’m coming.”
Before I can argue, Jonathan and Collin approach with Jaz and Darcy, the girls’ hands clutched and their shoulders brushing.I smile.“Have fun?”
“Ready to have more fun,” Jaz replies.
“You coming too?”Collin asks Gavin.
“No,” I say at the same time Gavin answers, “Yes.”
“Cool.I’ll drive.You can’t,” Collin responds, continuing toward the valets.Gavin joins him while the girls linger behind us, whispering to each other.
“Where’s Danika?”I scan the stream of demons, devils and tortured dead walking past us, bypassing the valets to return to their cars parked along the street.My classmates probably had no idea how to use the valet service.
As if she could hear me asking about her, Danika comes storming toward us, her tail whipping violently behind her.
