Page 109 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

As soon as we’re down off the stage, I take Emma’s hand off my arm and send her in Eli’s direction. Then I turn on Zach and Harper. He talked to her the whole time, but I couldn’t hear them.

If he’s trying to piss me off, he’s succeeding.

Harper stopped holding his arm as soon as they were offstage. Now she walks to stand next to me. I take her hand in mine and squeeze it. But my eyes never leave Zach’s cold ones.

Zach shakes his head with a smug smile before turning and heading around the stack of wood to where his friends are gathered. They greet him like a returning warrior. I hate that fucker.

I’m ready to end him, but we’re still gathering the evidence we need.

Eli’s off to the side, talking with Ashley and Emma. Sidney watches Luke with a frown on her face as he crosses to us. She walks over to where the other cheerleaders are. Luke arrives at the same time Jack does.

“What did he talk to you about?” Luke tips up Harper’s chin and searches her face like he can read the transcript there.

“Nothing worth repeating. Same shit.” Harper blows out a breath and leans into my arm. Luke lets his hand drop, but he wants more. I don’t think she’s going to give it to him. We’re all fed up with that prick.

“So now do they light the fire?” she asks. Her gaze goes to the pile of wood.

I smirk. Jack chuckles, and even Luke has a hint of a smile on his face. None of us told her because we wanted to see her reaction.

“What?” She tilts her head and looks at each of us.

“The bonfire is a tradition.” I lead her over to one of the picnic tables set up on the outer circle. I climb up to sit on the table with my feet on the bench and draw her to sit between my knees. Students walk around talking to each other or heading over to the fair across the parking lot.

She turns and waits for me to finish. Yeah, I’m not telling her.

“They aren’t allowed to have an open fire on school property with students present.” Eli joins us and ruins my fun. “Too much of a hazard.”

I wanted to keep her guessing until the end of the night.

“What do they do with the wood?” She glances at the huge pile.

“Put it back where they got it?” Jack shrugs and sits next to my leg. “You haven’t missed much, sweetheart. Just a pile of logs and a bunch of drunk teenagers.”

Eli sits on my other side. Luke narrows his gaze, realizing he missed out on sitting next to Harper. I give him a shrug. He’s the possessive bastard that always seems to have her in his arms. He can learn to share more.

Harper rests her head against my knee. Luke lets out a gruff noise and sits on the table on the other side of Jack.

“I wish Nico were here.” Her words are soft.

Jack takes her hand. “He probably does too, sweetheart. It’s better for him to rest than to potentially reinjure himself by being here. Who knows what sort of trouble will happen once the adults leave?”

Harper’s eyes widen and Jack chuckles.

This is our last year. Our last Homecoming. It’s Harper’s first everything, and we get to share that with her, but Zach’s threats overshadow that. They loom over us, along with all the other bullshit.

But right here, right now, I want to remember this moment. Sitting beside the unlit bonfire with my girl and my friends, minus Nico. I wish he could be here and experience this with us. But that’s Zach’s fault.

Fuck Zach. I’m going to enjoy this.

For this moment, we can just be teens. People come up and hang with us for a little bit before wandering off. Luke gets us some sodas and Harper some cotton candy. She offers each of us a piece that we eat out of her fingers. Sucking on the sweet sugar and Harper.

The night is winding down. When the adults leave, the party mood shifts from sweet and innocent to a full-blown party. Someone turns on music, playing it on small speakers that fill the space. The lights of the parking lot and carnival are in the distance.

It would be fantastic to have an actual bonfire and let it light up the night.

Harper shivers.

“Cold?” I put my hand on her chilled cheek, and she leans into my touch.