37. BACK THEN – October #2
But this is what happens when you have Ryke and Lo together. They freak the fuck out. I don’t have a sister, so maybe I’d be the same. I don’t know.
I am worried.
Just a different kind of worried. I keep checking the doorway every five-seconds. On edge. Waiting impatiently for Willow. Her words from before keep cycling through my head. Being touched. She’s scared about all the roaming hands and bodies, and it’d be impossible not to bump into people here.
Every room in this mansion is packed except for the kitchen. Maybe because it’s the least decorated area in the house. Just tiny candles set along the granite countertops.
Lo, Ryke, Rose, and Connor all congregate near the kitchen bar, agreeing to the “wait it out” method. Connor is closest to me, watching me type on my laptop that’s propped up on the stool.
He’s dressed in an almost identical costume as Ryke. Except it’s all white. White robe, white tunic, white pants. Like he’s some ethereal fucking immortal. If he wasn’t carrying the lightsaber, I’d just think Lo dressed him up as a god.
In reality, he’s Luke Skywalker.
And right now, Luke fucking Skywalker is hovering . When six-foot-four Connor Cobalt hovers, it feels like you’re under the shadow of the tallest high-rise. It’s an intense, uncomfortable place to be. I’m trying to just ignore him, but he keeps watching my computer screen as I type.
I check the doorway again.
This time Daisy and Willow walk through it. I intake a breath, and before I can get a good look at my girlfriend, Ryke rushes to Daisy, blocking my view.
“Where the fuck did you go pee?” Ryke asks. “We’ve been looking for you two everywhere.” He sets a hand on the top of Daisy’s head, his cane in his other one. After Ryke married Daisy in Peru, he had a bad rock-climbing fall, and he needed surgery on his leg.
I don’t even like to think about the climbing accident. I’ve had bad days—but almost losing Willow’s brother…yeah, that ranks up there.
“To the moon and back,” Daisy answers Ryke. He looks to Willow for a better answer.
“Just the first-floor bathroom. No one was by the coffin when we came back.”
“Told you,” I say to everyone. Immediately I regret it because I sound like a douchebag yelling out told ya so! I’m a dick.
“You’re either really embodying this whole devil thing,” Lo tells me, “or it’s just in your soul.” He’s not even looking at me. He’s raiding the house’s pantry with Lily hanging on his waist, trying to pull him away with as much effort as she can muster. It’s not much.
“Lo, you can’t,” she pleads.
Lo retrieves a box of Cheez-Its. “I can. Maybe they should’ve thought about snacks, huh?” He opens the brand-new box in front of her face.
Lily whispers, “Should we write an IOU?”
“Lil.” He pops one in his mouth. “Think of it as their birthday present to me.”
“It could be worse,” Connor tells her, but he’s still glancing at me and my computer. “He could have broken into the liquor cabinet and consumed a forty-thousand-dollar bottle of alcohol.”
Ryke adds, “And had a bunch of Ninja Turtles chase after you down the street.”
“See, love,” Lo says to her. “My worst is over.”
I almost snort. That shit actually happened to him? Jeez.
Lily smiles and holds out her hand. He pours Cheez-Its in her palm, his own smile spreading across his face.
Rose sips sparkling water and paces between the doorway, hawkeyed. She’s been like that since we arrived at the party, even more so since Daisy and Willow got lost.
Honestly, I’m used to Rose being in complete battle mode. She’s basically the Joan of Arc of the core six.
“No one fucking hit on you, did they?” Ryke asks Daisy. The sudden question slices my chest, and my focus zones in on Willow for a split-second.
She’s sliding closer to me, and when she gives me a look like I’m okay , I return my gaze back to the computer screen and try to relax. Willow doesn’t love attention drawn to her. Us being together and showing any kind of PDA is like a spotlight bearing down telling her brothers look here!
I’m trying my best to make sure that light isn’t so bright.
So I pretend that I’m so fucking interested in code that I don’t really notice her. But I slide my hand down her arm, her skin silky smooth, and my fingers lace firmly with hers.
I squeeze her hand, and I’m close enough to hear her breath shallow. Fuck that causes mine to shorten.
“I’m pregnant,” Daisy reminds Ryke in a tone that basically says, I couldn’t possibly be hit on.
“Yeah?” Ryke says. “Your sister thinks it wouldn’t fucking matter if you were pregnant or not.”
Willow clears her throat. “We were approached…Daisy handled it really fast though.”
My head whips towards Willow. “What?” My stomach tosses, and it feels like the floor caves underneath me.
Ryke’s jaw hardens. “What do you mean approached ?”
Willow makes a soured face like she’s grossed out. Please tell me they didn’t…
Fuck. I can’t even think it, but I know I have to ask it.
“Did someone touch you?” I ask under my breath, hopefully soft enough that not a lot of them hear. Preferably no one but Willow.
“No, no, like I said, Daisy handled it really fast. It was just…weird, I guess. He was old.”
“Fucking fantastic,” Ryke mutters.
I’d like to say I’m relieved, but I’m not. I hate that Willow had to go through anything that made her uncomfortable. I hate I wasn’t there to at least call the guy a fucking creep or push him away.
“It does seem like there are more guys here than girls,” Lily says, munching on Cheez-Its. I did notice that, but it’s a statistic that I really don’t care to be reminded of.
Lo nods to Willow. “You want to leave now?”
She shakes her head vigorously. “No. It wasn’t that bad, honestly.”
I don’t know if she’s just trying to be nice and not ruin the night. Worry mounts, and I kiss her on the cheek. Hand to the back of her soft neck, my lips move to her ear, and I whisper, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. Tell me everything that happened later?”
She nods and I pull her against my side, tucking her to my body.
“How many steps are left?” Connor asks me.
I shake my head, not following, and then I remember he’s been watching me on my computer all night. I lick my lips and type one last line. “That’s it,” I say.
“That’s it?” Daisy says eagerly, edging closer. She glances at the screen, full of computer code. Her brows scrunch together.
“Whoever they had hacking into your accounts will be met with porn spam when they try again. I also increased all your security passwords, and I’ve written them down for you.
” I dig into my pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a crumpled piece of paper.
I hand the paper to Daisy. “I had to add a defense to all of your accounts, by the way. No one should be able to find your phone numbers unless you personally give it out.”
Daisy releases a giant breath in relief.
I motion to Lily. “And your passcodes took me thirty-seconds to hack.”
Lo gives her a look.
“Whaaa…” She crinkles her nose. “It’s not anything familiar to anyone, I promise.”
“It is though,” I say. “Your favorite movie is X-Men: First Class. You said it in an interview, which is public knowledge. You can’t use 2011xmen as your password—”
“Shhh!” she hushes me with bugged eyes and waves her hands like she’s swatting flies. “Someone’s going to overhear and get into my work email.”
Besides the eight of us, there’s no one in the kitchen.
“If you want, I’ll help you change it tonight.”
She nods repeatedly.
Connor closes his lightsaber and gestures from me to the laptop. “You taught yourself code?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” Connor asks like he’s actually interested. But he can’t be. I’m me .
“I like it.” I shrug. “Code makes sense to me. Does there need to be another reason?”
Connor smiles. “There could be, but the reason you gave me is the best one.”