Jodie is eyeing us, glancing back and forth with a suspicious glare. “You two are being gross, aren’t you?”
“Why don’t you go finish getting ready, Stink Face?” Jasper asks, stepping toward me.
“I am ready,” she protests.
“I think you could be more ready.”
She rolls her eyes. “Okay I get it, you want to be alone with yourbooooyfriend. You could have just said.”
“Thanks, Stinky,” Jasper says.
Jodie stomps past him. We wait until she’s gone, then our eyes meet and we collide. Jasper pulls me into his arms and plants a passionate kiss on my lips.
“I’ve missed you,” he says when we finally come up for air.
“I’ve missed you too.” Reluctantly I let go of Jasper with one arm and pull the rolled-up present from the inside pocket of my white suit jacket. “Happy birthday.”
“You didn’t need to—”
“Shut up,” I say. “Of course I did. Though it’s not much…”
Eagerly I eye Jasper, studying his face, every micro-expression and twitch of muscle, as he unwraps his gift. He drops the wrapping paper on the floor and unfurls the piece of paper. For a long time he stares at the drawing I made for him, his brow furrowed, and for a painful moment I’m worried he hates it. He has everything in the world. Why would he want a dumb drawing of us onstage at New Year’s?
“It’s—”
I don’t let him finish his thought. “I based it off a photo someone took at the party. It’s okay, I could have done more shading, especially on the arm there”—I point at the picture—“see?”
“Max, it’s perfect. Thank you.”
With a firm hand he pulls me toward him and kisses me again. And he keeps kissing me, until I think my feet might leave the floor. The dull ache in my mind drifts away and I lean into his embrace. Then before I know it he’s pulling away.
“I—I have some bad news,” he says, his thumb running over my cheek.
“What is it?”
“There’s something we have to do before we can leave for the party.”
“What’s that?”
“Actually, it’s more of asomeone.”
I shoot him a confused look. Why is he talking in riddles? What could be so bad he’s scared of telling me?
“Someone?”
“My dad. He wants to speak with you before we go.”
Oh.The last time I spoke to Alpha Jericho was at the New Year’s party, when I was giving him a piece of my mind, telling him to step up his parenting game. He didn’t look pleased then and I can’t imagine he’s anymore pleased now that Jasper and I have messed up relations with Morven and the other packs.
“I’m sorry,” Jasper says. “Hopefully, it’ll only take a second.”
A second?Is that how long it’ll take for Jericho to hand me my ass?
“Uh, sure,” I say.
And as Jasper takes my hand and leads me to a corridor, I have a distinct feeling I’m being led to my death.
SPRING BREAKERS
