Chapter 25 #2
I reach into my bag and pull out the compass, slipping it into his pocket as my brothers talk to other people. However it goes, I want him to have it.
“Can we go home?” I whisper.
I want him to myself a little while longer.
But he steps behind me, and I feel his breath in my hair as he moves to my other side. “Farrow’s going to trail you to your parents’ place,” he murmurs, “and make sure you’re safe. I’ll come home as soon as I can.”
“What’s going on?”
But it’s not an actual question. It’s a beg. A plea for him to talk.
He holds my gaze, but I know after one moment turns into five, he’s not going to tell me.
“Quinn!” Dylan bounces over, grabbing my hands. “I’ve never seen Noah race a car, so we’re gonna do it!” she exclaims. “You riding with him or me?”
I turn away from Lucas, unable to look at him right now.
Dylan starts to pull me away, and I try to latch on to what she said. She and Noah are racing cars instead of bikes? And I’m riding with one of them?
But I don’t have time to react before a grip closes around the inside of my elbow and tugs me back.
We both look at Lucas, and he simply shakes his head at Dylan, telling her I’m not going anywhere.
I don’t know if it’s his silence, his protective hand still on my arm, or the fact that he’s not dictating whether or not she can put herself in danger like he is with me, but I see the moment understanding dawns in her eyes. Her storm blue orbs widen and her lips part.
“Oh my God,” she breathes out, beaming at me. “Are you serious?”
“Dylan, go sit down,” Lucas bites under his breath.
But she damn-near laughs. “Oh, I’m not a kid anymore, so you shut up.”
She throws her arms around me, and I go rigid, worried that one of my brothers nearby will ask what’s going on.
But after a moment, it all melts away. I hug her back, my chest tightening in a way that makes me break out in goosebumps.
“Was it good?” she asks in my ear.
“Yeah.”
Amazing, actually.
I’m trying to hold back my relief so hard I’m shaking. I didn’t realize how exhausting the secret had been. Hiding the looks, the conversations, the attraction… But still, I say, “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“I’m telling Aro.” Pulling back, she hoods her gaze. “You can tell my dad.”
She whirls around and skips back to her boyfriend, leaving me with that horrific thought. Yeah, fat chance.
Lucas releases my arm, but I don’t turn. “Are you really still leaving Shelburne Falls?”
If he thinks he’s going to try, I might not be able to keep my tone in check. So much so that not only will Jared know how far we’ve gone, but everyone in Shelburne Falls will too.
But Madoc’s voice interrupts us. “Lucas!” he calls.
He steps over. “This is Vanessa Black, a graduate of the University of Chicago.” He gestures to the black-haired young woman behind him. “She interns with Barton & Haynes while she pursues her Ph.D.”
So? Why should Lucas care about that?
Does he think Lucas will stay and go back to work for Fallon’s and his former company?
“Nice to meet you.” Lucas reaches for her hand, shaking it. “What’s your specialty—commercial, residential…”
“Whatever work they’ll give me,” she teases, “but I am particularly drawn to conservation.”
He looks at her. She looks at him. Madoc looks at them both.
And it’s like I’m the camera panning out at max speed, their cozy little circle far away from me.
“She’ll be spending the day in Fallon’s workshop tomorrow,” Madoc tells Lucas. “Maybe you can make her go green.”
Then, Madoc winks at him. Why is he winking at him? I want to feel my place at Lucas’s side, even if no one else knows I belong there, I do.
But Lucas isn’t even looking at me.
“It’s hard to get city dwellers to be happy anywhere else,” Lucas says, laughing.
“Just takes the right motivation,” she flirts. “Will you be there tomorrow?”
I dart my eyes to him. Images of them in the workshop alone, talking about architecture and their interests, making my head constrict.
My heart lodges in my throat, black starts to spill into my vision like I’m in a tunnel, but then…a hand takes mine and pulls me away.
I draw in air, stumbling after Noah as he leads me to the speakers where a group of people dance. “Don’t talk.” He pulls me into his arms, and I wrap mine around his neck, closing my eyes and trying to get my pulse under control. “Just hang on to something whenever possible,” he tells me.
I’m not sure if I’m shaken because I’m upset or angry. Madoc is trying to set him up. He’s doing anything to get Lucas to stay.
But Lucas should’ve looked at me. Or even better, taken my hand and made it obvious how he felt about me.
It’s okay, I tell myself.
One night. That was the deal.
Noah and I slow dance even though it’s a high-paced Yungblud song, people enjoying themselves all around us. Hunter hugs Dylan from behind as they rock back and forth, I don’t see Kade, Aro, or Hawke anywhere, and Farrow glares over at us as some girl I don’t know hangs off him.
“Farrow looks like he’s about to kill something,” I mutter, trying to distract myself.
Noah looks at me. “If one of us touches you, he wants it to be him.” Hugging me again, he taunts, “So I won’t be letting you go anytime soon.”
We laugh a little, relaxed. I don’t think Farrow’s aggravation has anything to do with me. He didn’t want Noah having anything to do with Codi, either.
Noah tenses under my arms, and I close my eyes, knowing what’s about to happen.
“Quinn?” Madoc says, interrupting my dance.
I open my eyes and twist my head, Madoc and Jared approaching, followed by Lucas.
“We’re having a little get-together at the house,” Madoc tells me. “Would love some pizza. Why don’t you take your new car and head over? We’ll meet you.”
“Not tonight.” I turn away. “I’m dancing.”
I’ve never denied them food if they asked me to cook, but he doesn’t really want pizza. He wants me to leave and not have any fun with a good-looking guy whom he thinks has lots of fun with lots of girls. Noah relaxes me. So does Farrow, for that matter.
Lucas chimes in next. “Quinn, let me take you home.”
“I’m staying.” I start moving with Noah again. “And I’m not a child anymore.”
“Quinn—”
“Later.” We spin around, slowly moving away and into the crowd. “I’m dancing now.”
Noah holds me tightly, and I know Lucas probably thinks I’m trying to make him jealous. Honestly, though, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than with someone my own age right now.