A knock comes at the door, and my eyes fly open. I’m frozen, losing my grip on reality like I’ve done only once in my life. My palm is imprinted with Echo’s promise ring from my firm grip, and my muscles are so tense they hurt.
Everything fucking hurts.
I don’t feel pain.
I don’t feel anything.
I’m steel.
Except for her.
The knock comes again, and I release the ring.
Destiny is knocking. I know it’s Echo without checking my phone. I feel her through these walls like fate calling out to me. And when I swing the door open, there she stands.
“Hey.” She pops her gum, digging her toe against the wooden floor.
She’s changed since the party. No longer buttoned-up. Instead, she’s in her baggy jeans and a skintight, black long-sleeved shirt. The boat neck shows off the stars on her shoulders. Ones that escaped her eyes and marked her body like the galaxy reaching out to me.
“Can I come in?” She pushes her fingers through her straight hair.
She ticks, moves, fidgets.
Pop rocks on the tongue that find it impossible to sit still.
I step aside and hold the door open, watching her pass. The cloud of lavender that follows her demolishes my senses.
“Party over?” I walk past her into the room, stopping at the counter and once more drawing the whiskey to my lips.
“Rhett had to get some sleep.” She rubs her arms.
No one is sleeping tonight. Not Rhett. Not her. Not me.
We’re all too busy lying to ourselves.
“And you?” I set the bottle down.
Echo’s gaze moves to my windows, where the city shines through them. The slightest glassy sheen coating her expression. “I’m scared.”
That’s not what I expected her to say.
“Of what?”
She bites her lip, glancing back at me with a broken frown. “Theoutcome of this.”
The one unknown. While I manage to maintain control over most situations, she’s the wild card.
“Why do you wear my purity ring?” Her gaze falls to the chain around my neck, and I realize I’m gripping it again.
“Because it’s mine.” I hold it in my palm like it’s the center of my gravity. “Just like you are.”
“I’m not supposed to be, Crew. None of this was supposed to happen.” She pauses her chewing, holding the gum between her teeth.
I walk over to her. Can’t help that my hands need to hold her. That no matter how much she rips me to shreds, I’m nothing without the feel of her teeth on my flesh tearing me to pieces.
“Doesn’t matter what’s supposed to be. This justis.”
“And what is it? Your current form of entertainment?” She grits her teeth.
