Once parked, I walk to the entrance, where Luca instructed everyone to meet. I introduce myself to a few of the other employees, with the strange realization that Luca is their boss—and technically mine, too. I meet Andi, the receptionist, Calvin, the head of product management, and Whitney, the retail ambassador.
A few minutes later, Luca struts up to the group and surprises all of us—all twenty employees—with Platinum Annual Passes, which gives us front-of-the-line access to all rides. Nathan smiles beside him, and I enviously admire the golden hue they both seem to have acquired in Hawaii. I suppose the upside to having a wealthy CEO as a brother and fellow Potterhead nerd is that he wastes no time indulging everyone’s fantasies—treating all of us to Gladrags Wizardwear, where he lets us pick out custom robes and scarves adorned with our house colors. We then traipse over to Ollivander’s to get state-of-the-art wands. I balk at the thought of the cost of this trip for everyone, and I try not to wonder too obviously where Anderson is—though I do catch myself looking around every few minutes.
As Luca and I cackle at Nathan’s Hufflepuff scarf, we high-five and take selfies in our Gryffindor attire. Long ago, Luca and I established that we were Harry and Hermione. The comparison is surprisingly accurate when we apply it to real-life situations.
Once everyone is in their wizarding wear, Luca assigns us to groups of four and gives us a few team-building games—one of them being a scavenger hunt. To my disappointment, he’d planned the trip before I started at Gather, so he places me with him and Nathan. I watch enviously as the other groups break off. It’s not that I don’t want to be on a team with Luca and Nathan—it’s just that I feel like the third wheel.
I glance down at the team-building activity, and the first item on the scavenger hunt is mashed potatoes, so Luca reserves us a table at the Three Broomsticks. Nathan, of all people, pulls out the flask he’s been hiding in his pocket. When no one is looking, the three of us pour the straight rum into our butterbeers. The more we drink, the more we laugh. I get up every few minutes as I go through the list, finding any item I can source from the restaurant. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. We meet up with the other groups around one, and we find out our team did not win—not by a long shot.
After that, the three of us decide to ride the rollercoaster with a few of the other Gather employees. I’m good and buzzed now, and when Luca suggests touring the castle after we get off, I agree wholeheartedly. Some of the other employees, like Andi, want to ride the coaster again, but I want to see the castle. It’s the best part. Luca hands the three of us Goblin masks, something he purchased after lunch on a dare from Andi. I reluctantly pull the plastic mask over my head, proceeding to terrify the two children in front of us.
They run away screaming.
It’s nearly two in the afternoon by the time we get to the entrance of the ride, and I find myself wondering if Anderson is going to show up or not.Why should I care?He would’ve been a grump all day. Besides, a place like this requires that you have fun—something I’m not convinced Anderson is capable of.
Because Halloween is a week away, the castle is decked out in spooky decorations. The lighting is low as we walk along the path in the fast track line to get to the ride, bypassing a few people in the regular line who’ve stopped to take a look at the decorations. As we get to Dumbledore’s office, Nathan starts dry heaving.
“Too much candy,” he mutters before pulling his mask off and puking in a nearby trashcan.
“Or too much rum,” I joke. “Are you going to be okay?”
Luca flits around him with a worried look—which, with the goblin mask, is hilarious to watch. “Hun, let’s sit this one out.” He turns to me. “I’ll meet you after, okay?” He doesn’t wait for an answer. He’s the epitome of a worried boyfriend, and quickly guides Nathan out of the dark lair.
I ignore the lonely feeling settling over me, and instead focus on the fact that Luca and Nathan are probably going to get married and have babies one day. Which, to be frank, is surprising to me. Luca has never been in a serious relationship before, and I’ve never seen him so smitten with anyone—not even Tommy Farro in middle school, who was his childhood crush. I’m glad my twin found his person—and that he doesn’t share my romantic misfortunes.
I cross my arms and walk slowly through the corridors, remembering the last time I was here with a date. Of course, it had gone horribly, and the memory of my date’s bored face flashes through my mind. I continue weaving through the empty pathway, following the arrows that direct you through the castle to the ride. There’s hardly anyone in this area. They’d all rushed off to the ride. But I stay behind, admiring the attention to detail. The hallways have real torches, and the walls feel like real stone. The lights dim further when I get into the next room, and it’s as if the sounds and warmth of the world outside have been extinguished.
I stop as the lights flicker a couple of times. Someone comes up behind me, bumping into me. I turn to apologize, and I slam right into Anderson’s hard chest.
“Oh, sorry,” I mutter, backing up.
“Natalia?”
I completely forgot about the mask. I reach up to take it off, but he beats me to it, pulling it off slowly. Once it’s off, his eyes flick down my body once, and then he drops the mask and backs me up against the stone wall. It’s so dark in here, I can barely make out the outline of his face. Goosebumps erupt along my skin, and my knees give way as he presses his body against mine. The uneven stone jabs into my back. I am pinned beneath him, and his body is warm—too warm.Burning.His hand roves over the front of my robe.
“What—I’m—” I can’t speak as he places his mouth next to my ear. The feel of his hot breath on my neck, the way he subtly grinds against me… I can’t breathe without getting a lungful of his scent. He moves his hands up, grazing the sides of my breasts. “What the hell are you—”
“Shut up,” he murmurs, his voice so low that it’s barely detectible.
When he pushes against me, I get a feel for his size and heaviness. Everything inside of me, every forgotten part, blazes to life.
And then he kisses me—hard, agitated, rough. His lips smash against mine and he forces my mouth open with his tongue, and a thousand shivers claw down my spine as he pushes against me, biting my lip. I don’t expect to like it, don’t expect my body to respond this way, but I do, and it does. I moan into his mouth, and it seems to spur him on, because he growls in response, taking my hands and shoving them above my head. I cry out at the roughness as my head falls back, the sound of our heavy breathing permeating the air around us.
“I don’t like you,” he breathes, biting my lip again as he presses himself against me. “So please explain why I just spent the last hour looking for you.”
I gasp and pull his face to mine, and his tongue swirls against mine. I pull away.
“I don’t like you either,” I answer, my voice uneven. “So please explain why I just spent six hours disappointed that your smart ass wasn’t here.”
He chuckles, his voice amused. As I’m about to pull him back for another kiss, he turns and walks away.
I let out a shaky breath.
“What the actual fuck,” I mutter.Did that really just happen?!I walk after him, making my way through the maze of hallways, past Dumbledore’s office to the exit. I whip around and try to orient myself in the sunlight. My mind is spinning from the rum—but mostly from the encounter with Anderson. How did he know where to find me? Am I hallucinating?
Anger builds inside me the longer I hunt for Luca, Nathan, or any of the other Gather employees. How presumptuous of him, to kiss me like that and then just disappear.
Talk about a hostile takeover.
