Page 190 of Just Wait

Riser and Malcolm head to their respective sides of the maze. It has four openings, one on each side, and that’s perfect for our group. The only downside is that I’ll have to jog to the opening on the left side just to get started.

Still, I’ll deal.

I hit the gym five to six days a week for a reason.

Lumen shivers as we come to a stop in front of the maze entrance.

I step in front of her, running my hands down her arms. She’s wearing a thin long-sleeve T-shirt and leggings. She might be a bit cold until she gets moving, but I’m sure we’ll warm her right up.

“Are you okay?”

She nods. “Excited but nervous. What if I get lost in there? This is probably a shitty time to tell you that I have basically no sense of direction.”

I can’t help the bark of laughter that spills from my lips. “The maze has lighting throughout, but if you get nervous, follow lost in the woods protocol.” Her forehead wrinkles, and I bend down, kissing it. “Just stop in one spot and call out. We’ll come to you.”

“Got it,” she says, exhaling heavily.

“Whenever you’re ready, I’ll text the guys and scurry around to my entrance.”

The naughty little thing runs her hand over the bulge in my sweats, spins around, and takes off with no further warning.

Her hair flies through the air as she turns, and I’m left sniffing the space she was just in like a total weirdo.

Jesus.

I’m not entirely sure betas are supposed to smell that sweet, but I finally remember I need to text the guys.

I pull my phone from my pocket as I jog off toward the entrance I’m supposed to take.

This should be fun.

Riser better have remembered to drop off my mask. It’s just dark enough that they should be a fun surprise, and I’m almost positive we’ve been able to keep Lumen from finding out about their inclusion tonight.

Chapter Forty-Six

Lumen

Iwasn’t lying when I said I have no sense of direction. If I’m not careful, I’ll get so turned around that I ruin everything by coming back out the entrance I came in.

I have incentive to make it to the middle of the maze first, and my competitive nature kicks in pretty quickly.

If I get to the center before them, I get to be in charge, ordering the guys where I want them.

If one of them beats me there, they get to boss me around. Well, within my hard limits. I would use my safe word if I really needed it, but I’m also not going to pull it out willy-nilly. I like the idea of being able to test how far they push me.

The thing about this maze is that all four entrances feed in from a different direction, but they also lead to the same inner ring that runs the entire perimeter.

Kincaid warned me that this could be over very quickly if I don’t make it into the interior corridors before one of them catches sight of me.

It’s eerily quiet, and every crunch of my ballet flats against the gravel seems to echo in the air. This place would be amazing for a romantic walk under the moonlight, but I pick up my pace.

When I first came into the maze, I had to make the call to go left or right. I went right and followed it down. I finally hit my first opening where I can go left or continue straight. Taking the turn deeper into the maze seems like a safer call, based on what Kincaid said.

Light comes around the corner at the end of the corridor, and I have no idea why my system freezes.

My head tilts as the neon mask comes fully into view.

Malcolm.