Carved pumpkins line the steps up to the front doors. Walking through the entrance is like walking into another place entirely, a haunted house, to be precise. Hundreds of black lights flicker, flashing against large, gruesome figures and monsters. Spider webbing streams across the stair banisters to high chandeliers. Either the Winwards are professional holiday decorators or they hired one. The place looks amazing.
A smorgasbord of sweets is splayed over the landscape of the massive dining room table. Bowls, dishes, and silver serving trays are layered with chocolate and candy of every flavor imaginable.
Straight through the house, toward the back, more lights and decorations surround the pool area and yard. A wooden dance floor is set up behind the pool’s waterfall. To one side of the dance floor are round tables with black tablecloths and ghostly decorations, and to the left, tables overflow with finger food and drinks. Several bars and carnival candy booths are also set up on their sprawling lawn.
“Why don’t you grab us a table and I’ll get us drinks?” Josh suggests.
I take Eden’s hand and pull her along with me. “Let’s sit over there.”
Only twenty minutes have passed, and as much as there is to see, I’m bored out of my mind. If it wasn’t for Bryce and Eden, I would have ditched already. More people have arrived, and several are dancing. Finally, the music is loud enough that you have to yell to be heard over it. It’s beginning to feel like a party.
“Want to dance?” Josh asks.
“Sure.” I’m not the best dancer. I move my hips and sway, adding a little bounce or jumping occasionally, depending on the song’s beat. Not that it matters. Dancing isn’t what I came here to do.
He follows me out to the dance floor. As I begin to move, he steps in closer and goes to reach around my waist, but I dance away, creating much-needed space between us. I bump into the person behind me.
“I’m sorry—” I begin, then turn to see it’s Brielle and cut off my apology. Peyton and Mikayla are standing with her.
Brielle’s eyes narrow, then widen when she recognizes me. “Your costume is… interesting. Didn’t anyone tell you it’s a Halloween party, not a masquerade ball?”
Looking her up and down, taking in her devil horns, skimpy low-cut red leotard, wicked pointed tail, and pitchfork, I laugh. “Since you dressed as yourself, I could ask you the same thing.”
She takes a step forward, then sways as she retreats. “You’re not worth it.”
I could probably catch a buzz from the potent stench of alcohol on her breath. I don’t respond, nor is there a chance to, before Venom comes up behind her.
She sees my shift and turns around, laying her hand on Edge’s chest. “Hey, baby.” Glancing over her shoulder at me, she gives me a bright smile. “Trash here didn’t get the memo that it’s a Halloween party, not a masquerade.”
The four guys who make up Venom are all dressed in dark pants and black shirts, each wearing a different creepy clownmask. Even with the mask, it’s easy to tell them apart. I wish I had the same sense when they were in the cage and my dad was killed. Then all of this bullshit would be over.
Edge removes Brielle’s hand from his chest as his eyes stay fixed on me. I look around for Josh, who found a friend to talk with. So much for using him as a distraction. Without a word, I make my exit from the clown and devil group, weaving through the crowd of gyrating bodies, not bothering to tell Josh where I’m going. Hell, I don’t even know. Even though I’m outside, I feel like I need some fresh air. In the far side of the yard, under an oak tree, is a popcorn machine and a cotton candy machine.
“Hey, where are you going?” Josh calls after me.
I keep walking as I call out an answer to my so-called date. “Saw you were talking with your friend and thought I’d get a snack. Brielle’s presence makes me want to throw up and run in the opposite direction.” I mumble the last part to myself.
He picks up his pace and is next to me as I order popcorn and cotton candy. “How are you supposed to eat both at the same time?”
I stick out my tongue into the popcorn bag, a piece of popcorn sticking to its tip.
“Nice.” He looks at the server. “I’ll take the same.”
He thanks the guy. Together, we walk to one of the benches under the lit tree. He pulls off a piece of candy and tries to feed it to me.
“I have my own, thanks.”
Deflated, he lowers his hand. He’s trying way too hard. Or maybe I’m trying too hard to avoid him touching me in any way.
“Why don’t we go check out the maze after we finish these?” he suggests as he holds up his popcorn and cotton candy.
“Sure.”
I hate the fact that I decide to go only to see if he’ll try anything with me. And I know I don’t owe Kade anything, but ifJosh did rape his sister, then I bet there have been others, and there will be more.
The anticipation has small doses of adrenaline starting to course through my veins. Maybe Brielle sparked the need for me to pick a fight and get physical. “Let’s go now.”
“Yeah?” He licks his lips as the smile on his face grows. He gets up, takes my treats, and tosses them in the nearby trash can. This time, when he reaches for my hand, I let him take it.
