* * *
Me: Leaving now.
* * *
The second she stepped out of her trailer, my heart catapulted into my throat.
What the hell was she wearing?
“You are so fucking screwed.” Kye chuckled, clearly amused by the turn of events.
Zane caught my eye and shook his head as if to say, ‘He’s right.’
She climbed into the car, and Kye let out a low whistle. “Holy. Shit. Is that little Harleigh Wren?”
“Hey, guys.” She tugged on the hem of her skirt, if you could call it that.
Fuck.
“Birdie,” I whispered thickly, unable to stop my eyes roaming over her body. I didn’t know where to look first, I’d never seen so much of her skin on display. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I silently willed my pulse to calm the fuck down.
“What do you think?” she asked, peeking up at me through long, dark lashes.
“I… it’s…” I cleared my throat. “It’s a little… much, don’t you think?”
She blanched and I felt like a total asshole, but I didn’t know what else to say. Because holy fucking shit, she hardly resembled Harleigh.
My Harleigh.
“Dude.” Kye leaned over from the back seat and smacked me upside the head. “A little much? Have you lost your goddamn mind? She looks hot as—” Zane elbowed him in the ribs, and he yelled. “Ow, fuck face, what the hell was that for?”
“We should go,” I grumbled, stepping on the gas.
Harleigh was quiet, pressing her head against the cool glass, deep in thought.
Things were as awkward as fuck, but when she’d agreed to come tonight, I thought she would choose a safe costume. Something that covered her up and didn’t make her stand out. Something that wouldn’t require me to spend the night keeping guys away from her, guys thinking they could touch what wasn’t theirs to touch.
“I heard that some of the academy kids might show,” Zane said.
“Nah, no way,” I replied. “They don’t have big enough balls. Especially not after how we kicked their asses on the field last month.”
“Only telling you what I heard, man.”
“If they’re stupid enough to wander into our territory, then they’d better be ready to pay the price.” Anger zipped down my spine.
“Hell yeah.” Zane leaned forward, chuckling, and we high-fived through the seats.
Harleigh had dressed up as Harley Quinn complete with pigtails. The three of us had stuck with our plain black hoodies and black jeans, adding LED neon masks.
She peeked over at me again and our gazes collided. Fuck, her eyes. They seemed to draw me in even more than usual. My jaw clenched as I sucked in a sharp breath and turned my attention back on the road.
“Nix, I—”
“Not now, B, yeah?” I said, a little harsher than intended, but I was a fucking mess. “Not now.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harleigh sink further into her seat. And I hated that I’d made her doubt herself. But shit, if I wasn’t having a real hard time reining in my emotions.
She looked… She looked like a total knockout. Not that I didn’t think she was beautiful all the time, I did. But her costume was enticing to say the least. At least when she was in her normal everyday clothes, I could fight the urge to drag her into my arms and kiss the shit out of her.
But dressed like that, I wasn’t sure I could behave.
Fuck.
I was in trouble.
So much fucking trouble.
Darling Hill Reservoir was the place to be tonight. Surrounded by the dense forest, it was the perfect place for teenagers to cause a little mayhem without upsetting the cops.
And tonight, it was party central. A huge bonfire crackled into the night as people danced and laughed, sipping warm beer and stolen liquor.
“Wilder, about time.” Paul Odell, a senior from school, stalked over to us, fist bumping me then the guys. “Shit, Harleigh, is that you under all—”
“Don’t go there, man,” Kye murmured. “Not unless you want Nix to rip your head off.”
Paul stepped back, smirking as he held up his hands. “I can see why it would be a problem.” He glanced at Harleigh, and then back to me. “Shit, man.” He chuckled, a knowing glint in his eye.
I glowered at him. Back the fuck off, asshole.
Harleigh shrank into herself, and I wanted to reassure her like I usually would, but I couldn’t trust myself to speak.
Before I could figure out what the fuck to say, she cleared her throat and said, “I’m going to get a drink.” She disappeared into the crowd and Kye let out a low whistle.
“I did not see that coming. She looks—”
“Carter,” I warned.
“Yeah, yeah, I got the memo. But come on, Nix. Little Harleigh Wren is all grown up. And if you don’t stake your claim tonight, someone will. Because holy shit… girl looks fine.”
The knot in my stomach tightened. He wasn’t wrong, Harleigh looked… fuck, she looked like sin and sex. Every guy’s wet dream.
She’d knocked me on my fucking ass, and I didn’t know how to get back up or what the hell to say to her.
Things were changing between us, had been for a while. We were juniors now, but I didn’t want to rush her. I wasn’t exactly a saint where girls were concerned, and until recently, I’d never allowed myself to even think that there might be a possibility of me and Harleigh taking things to the next level.
I knew she liked me. Knew she harbored feelings for me. But it had always been so innocent—she was so innocent—that I’d never acted on it.
Fuck, what was I talking about?
I wasn’t good enough for her. I never would be. And there was no doubt in my mind that Harleigh was too good for a place like The Row. For a guy like me. She was quiet and kind and loyal. All she needed was the confidence to spread her wings and fly and she would never have to look back at this place.
My stomach sank. I couldn’t imagine a world where I didn’t have Harleigh by my side. She was my best friend. Every-fucking-thing to me. But she’d get out of The Row one day, she had to.
And although it would fucking kill me to set her free, I would.
Because that’s what you did for the people you cared about.
The people you loved.
You let them go.
Harleigh
“Tell me again why he’s here?” Celeste threw a displeased look at Nate, and then frowned back at me.
“He invited himself, what was I supposed to do?”
“Uh, I don’t know,” she whisper-hissed. “How about say no? Make up some excuse about why he couldn’t possibly come with us. I’m sure you could have thought of something.”
“You know, you could try speaking a little louder, Rowe.” Nate chuckled from upfront. “Then I might actually hear what you’re saying.”
I suppressed a smile, but Celeste silently fumed.
“I think it’s cool you’re tagging along,” Miles said. “Evens things out a little.”
“What the hell, Miles?” Celeste leaned forward and tugged his hair. He yelped, trying to swat her away.