Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
NOVA
Aiden
I’ll meet you at Otaku Con. Remember what we went over in our lessons. Make him chase.
Please don’t be mad at me.
I lower my phone and relax against the sofa’s cushions while I wait for Brandon to pick me up. I could always take my car and drive myself, but it’s not the most reliable, and I’d rather ride home with Aiden after the event.
I could never be mad at him or hate him. Even when he puts me in an uncomfortable position and I have to lie to Brandon about why I sounded weird and breathy. Maybe I’m annoyed and grumbly. But never mad.
Aiden has a lot going on with preparing for Hellfire Night, which will happen in five days.
I don’t know what’s going on with the trouble his friend warned him about, and I’m going to be honest with myself when I say that I’ve been too distracted to remember much of anything.
If he’s not worrying and freaking out, then I won’t either.
I straighten as a soft tap-tap-tap sounds from the front door.
Brandon must be here.
Grinning, I leap to my feet and rush to the front of the house.
I smooth out the skirt of my black Lolita dress, then adjust the two small half-up pigtails before opening the door.
Brandon stands on the other side, half-turned as he looks across the front lawn.
His black shirt stretches over his broad chest, his worn leather jacket unzipped.
He paired his top with dark jeans and boots.
Hearing the squeaking hinges, he faces me with a smile and rakes his gaze over me from head to combat boots.
“Goddamn.” He lets out a low whistle.
I frown. “Aren’t you supposed to be in cosplay?”
His gaze snaps to my face. “Uh, well, about that. I had some issues with my cosplay, and since my friend who was supposed to pair with me couldn’t make it to the event, I gave up and decided to wear normal clothes.”
“You should have told me, and I could have helped you.”
Brandon waves off my concern and looks me over a second time. “It’s fine. But you look—”
“Nice, right?” I slowly spin, giving him a three-sixty of the cosplay.
He chokes on a noise that’s between a laugh, a groan, and a scoff of disbelief. “Yeah . . .”
“What?”
Brandon forces a laugh and rubs his nape, averting his gaze before checking behind me. “Well, I don’t want anyone who’s home to hear me say what I’m thinking. I don’t feel like having my ass kicked for being inappropriate with you.”
“It’s just me here, and I promise no one will kick your ass for being honest.” I fold my arms together in front of me and bat my eyelashes. “So what do you really think?”
He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “You look fucking hot in this cosplay." Brandon’s gaze lowers to my breasts, then to my fishnet stockings and garter belt disappearing beneath my dress. “I mean, Jesus Christ, Nova. The pictures you post on Instagram don’t do justice. I know we saw each other not long ago, but I had these same thoughts when I first saw you.”
A blush warms my cheeks, and I tug a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
He dips his chin in a nod and smiles. “Your boyfriend is very lucky to have you. I hope you know that.”
A blush warms my face, and I stride past him toward his car. “I think I’m the lucky one. Anyway, are you ready?”
He follows me to his Honda Accord and reaches past me to open the passenger door before I can. I shoot him a playful, disgruntled look, earning a lopsided smile from him.
“Isn’t this the neighborhood that was abandoned a few years ago?" he asks as he leans against the doorjamb.
“What?”
"I swear I heard rumors about a bunch of rich people leaving their homes after they kept getting targeted every five years by a cult.” His dark eyebrows pinch together, and his eyes return to my face.
“They said it was a ghost town in that neighborhood. The houses were left furnished, important documents gathering dust, and even family photos still hanging on the walls.”
“Oh,” I say. “I’ve never heard the rumors before. That’s weird.”
Brandon cracks a smile and chuckles. “You must live a very sheltered life if you haven’t heard those stories.”
I smile, even though his comment is like an arrow to the chest. He probably didn’t mean for it to land as an underhanded insult, but it still stings.
“Eh,” he says, not noticing my silence. He straightens and waves for me to sit. “Maybe it was just a baseless rumor, since you and your brother live here and all.”
I lower myself into the passenger seat and reach for the door, once again too slow, because Brandon shuts it for me. He strolls around the front of the car before taking the driver’s seat.
Brandon’s question replays in my head during the drive to the event center. I lied to him. I’ve heard the rumors and speculations. Because of my close relationship with Aiden, I know more than most since he gives me insider info as a way for him to vent.
This neighborhood is abandoned. The people who once lived here left with only the clothes on their backs in fear of being killed during a brutal Hellfire Night years ago.
Aiden and his friends found this neighborhood and marked it as their territory—a place for the rejects to find peace and safety.
I’ve been here with Aiden since before we graduated high school because living with our neglectful foster parents became too much.
Brandon reaches for the volume knob in the center of the dash and turns the music up, loud enough to drown out my thoughts and set my teeth on edge. I hunch closer to the window and scratch my scalp.
I should have grabbed my headphones before leaving. If I make it to Otaku Con without ripping my hair out, I’ll call it a win.
Two hours drag by while I walk around the convention, browsing the vendor tables and taking pictures with strangers who love my cosplay. I’m supposed to enjoy my alone time with Brandon, yet it’s not as fun as it would be if I were with Aiden, who’d find ways to make me laugh.
Anytime I flirt with Brandon, it doesn’t land the way I want. And maybe it’s because my heart isn’t in it—unlike how it is with Aiden. They’re two different personality types, yet I expect things to flow the way it does with my playboy brother. Brandon comes off as more of an awkward introvert.
“You’re pretty popular, aren’t you?” Brandon says as soon as the guy I took a picture with walks away.
“Yeah, it’s kind of wild to me that people recognize me from Twitch.” I smile and stare at the man’s back, his head bowed over his phone while he examines the photo.
“Others recognized you?”
I shift my focus to Brandon and study his curious expression. He didn’t seem malicious when he asked, or even jealous. “It happens more than you realize. The last time was interesting, though.”
He tilts his head. “Interesting how?”
I laugh and wave off his question. “I don’t think you want to know.”
“Oh god.” He chuckles. “It’s that bad?”
“It was handled,” a familiar deep voice says behind me. Arms wind around me, and tattooed hands settle on my stomach, drawing me against a firm body.
I tip my head back and beam a smile at Aiden.
He returns my grin with his signature flirty one. “Hi, pretty girl. Miss me?”
Before I can answer, he bends down and claims my mouth in a searing kiss that, to my demise, doesn’t last long enough for my liking.
Wait. No, I’m not supposed to have that kind of thought about him and his kisses.
“Maybe.” I hum and lick my bottom lip, chasing his taste.
Such a stupid thing to do. And the butterflies in my stomach need to calm down.
Aiden’s smile sharpens, his pupils growing in size. He cups my throat beneath my jaw, keeping my head tilted back. “Maybe, huh? What do I need to do to make you miss me?”
I giggle, and Aiden’s features brighten, his eyes dancing with amusement.
Aiden leans down and kisses my ear before murmuring, “You’re adorable when you do that. Please, for the love of God, don’t stop.”
Brandon awkwardly clears his throat. “I hope I’m not interrupting a moment between you guys.”
Aiden raises his head, his arms tightening around me in a comforting hug. “Maybe you were.”
I roll my eyes and jab my elbow into Aiden’s side before pushing out of his hold.
“He’s joking,” I say to Brandon.
“We’ve had this conversation before, baby,” Aiden says with a low chuckle as he turns to Brandon. “I’m not joking at all, Brennon.”
“It’s Brandon, and I didn’t believe for a second you were.” He sighs and folds his arms over his chest. “Anyway, are you guys ready to walk around?”
“Oh, there are some vendors I’d like to check out now that my boyfriend is here,” I say.
Aiden’s expression turns smug, and he casts a heated look my way. “Lead the way.”
Brandon’s gaze slips to me and lingers, like he wants to say something. He sighs, his shoulders drooping before he turns and strides toward the vendors. Aiden loops his arm over my shoulder and matches his stride to my shorter one. Meanwhile, Brandon can’t get away from us fast enough.
“You need to behave,” I murmur to him.
He peeks at me from the corner of his eye and scoffs. “Why? He’s jealous, and the plan is working. If he can’t handle your boyfriend being territorial, then maybe he’s not the one for you.”
I giggle. Again. Why the hell am I giggling over him calling himself my boyfriend? What the hell is wrong with me?
His features soften, and he reaches up to tug a lock of my hair.
I swallow the laughter and pick up my pace to catch up with Brandon. Aiden can say that he thinks my giggles are adorable and to keep doing it, but he doesn’t know what’s going on inside my head.
I can’t lose focus on the goal. I can’t fall for Aiden, and I’m terrified that’s what’s happening. If these feelings grow and the lust I’m feeling for Aiden bleeds into love, I’ll have to end things, letting him know it’s getting weird. I just don’t want it to end so soon between us.