CHAPTER026 : ComeGetMe Mymindisnumb.
Everythingaroundmeisstillspinning fromwhatjusthappened.Fromthekiss.Fromthenerve.Fromtheaudacity.
Idontknow howlongFinnslipsstayedonmine,oriftheywereevenmovingagainstmine,butthemomentheletgoofmycoat,Iknewitwasover.Whatevermomenthethoughtwewerehavingithadexpired Hessmiling.
Youhaveverysoftlips,hesays.Whatsthatflavor?Strawberry? Myheartraceswithfury.
Imabouttorainhellfireonhimwhensomeoneclearstheirthroatintothemic.
Theemcee.Standingwithagrinthatsfartooamused.
Alleyesareonus.
VictoriaHartley,smilinglikeshesjustseenherfantasycometolife.
Knoxexpressionunreadable.
Hunterseyes arewide.
AndDelilah…frowning.
Lookslikewevegotawedding rehearsal andalovestoryunfoldingatthesametime,theemceesays,beaming.Laughterripplesthroughthecrowd.
Finnchucklestoo.
Ithinkthatsasignofgreatthings tocometomorrow,theemceecontinues.Dontyouallthinkso?Applause.Whistles.
Youvegotfans,lovebirds.Wavetothecrowdatleast.Eventhegroomisclapping.
Finnliftshishandtowave.Thenleansin,whispering,Doit.ThisissomuchbetterthanIplanned.
Ihaventmoved.Notaninch.
Imstillfrozen.Shellshocked.Disbelieving.
Finnmustrealizethis,becausehegrabsmyhand,tryingtolift itintoawave- Withmyfreehand,Islaphimhard acrosstheface.
Hishandfliesback,facetwistinginconfusionandshockashepalmshischeek.Whatwasthatfor? Thecrowdfallssilent.Theclapsdie.
Murmursbegin.Theroomtiltswithwhispers.
Istand.Adjustmycoat.Grabmypurse.AndIleave.
The emceetriestosavethemoodwithanotherjoke,andthecrowdlaughsnervously,butImalreadyhalfwaytotheexit,myheelsthuddingfasterwitheverystep.Outintothenightair.

Itsdrizzling.
Ofcourseitis.
Doesitalwaysraininthistown?Ishouldhavecheckedthedamnweatherforecastbeforeagreeingto thistrip.Ipullmycoattighterandfishout myphone,tryingtofigureouthowthehellIllevengethome.
Sloane! Nope.
Ikeepwalking.
Sloane,wait! Thefootstepsarequickbehindme.Thenahandwrapsaroundmyarmandturnsmearound.
Whatwasthatabout?hesays.
Gobackinside,Finn.Ireallydontwanttoseeyourfacerightnow.
Youmeanthefaceyouslapped?Youveneverdonethatbefore.IdontevenknowwhatIdidtomakeyoumad.
Iblinkathim.Seriously? Hepauses,likeheactuallyneedstothink.Wasitthekiss?Wasitnottoyourliking? 1/4 CHAPTER026Come061Mb Fuckoff,Finn.
Iwrenchmyarmoutofhisgripandturnagain,startingdownthestars Hecatchesup.Stopsme Sloane,Imsorry.Idontevenknowwhatithapologizingforrightnow,butIamreallysorry 1spinonhim.
Whenyoubroughtyourstupidplantome,Finn,whatwasmyresponse Hefrowns.Youdidntsayanything Exactly.Iaskedyoutoleavetheroom.Thatshouldvetoldyoueverything Thatwasntano.
Oh,somysilencemeantyes? Youveneverrefusedmeanythingbefore.WhatwasIsupposedtothink?TheonlytimeIknowyougetbullheadedisconcerningmybrother.WhenIaskedyouwhatthesecretgiftsheboughtyouwereyouthrowatantrum.WhenIaskedyounottoscrewhim,youdid.Butyouveneverdeniedmeanythingelse.WhyamIsuddenlythevillainforassuringyoursilencemeantyes? Mymouthopens.
Thencloses.
Hesright.Notabouteverything.ButIcantremember thelasttimeIsaidnotoFinnHartley.
Finn,Isay,Icandoalot ofthingstosupportyouemotionallyasyourfriend.ButIwillneverconsentto youkissingmetogetagirlwhonoonelikesexceptyou.
Helookshurt.I…Ijustthought- Whatstheaddresstoyourparentshouse? What? Imtakingacab.Imleavingthisplace.
Illdriveyou.
Iraiseafinger.Dont.Iwanttobealone.Isthattoomuchtoaskfor?CanInotbeangry?CanInotbeawayfromyou,Finn?Hestaresatme.Eyesrimmedwithdisbelief.
Whatshappeningrightnow,Sloane?Idontevenknow whoyouareanymore.Ifyouwanttobealone,fine.Stayouthereandhavethesolitudeyou crave.Justcallmewheneveryourecalm,andIlltakeyouhome.
Hestormsoff.
Iwatchhimgo.Jawclenched.Teethgrinding.Icannotbelieveheswalkingawaylikehestheonehurt.ItmakesmybloodboilthemoreIthink aboutit.Butthatsfine.Hewantsdrama?Oh,hesnotpissedyet.Buthewillbe.Iplantoshowhim justhowpissedIcanmakehim.Becausethenexttimeheseesme,itwontbeinthisballroomorbesidehimplayinghisfakelittleplusone.Imgrabbingmyshitandheadingstraighttotheairport.Letsseehowwellheplaysthevictimthen.Ipulloutmy phonewithatremblinghand,teethsinkingintomylowerliptostopthestorminmythroatfromerupting.Istareatth
escreenforlongerthanIshould,thumbhoveringaboveonename.Knox.HestheonlyotherpersonwhocanhelpwithwhatIhaveinmind,eventhoughtheideaofspeakingwithanotherHartleyafterbeingprovokedbyoneissettingmyteethonedge.
Itapthenameandpressthephonetomyear,prayingheactuallypicksup.

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Itrings.
Once.
Twice.
Threetimes.
Sloane.
JustthesoundofhisvoicemakesmealmostforgetwhyIcalled.Itsridiculoushoweasilyhecanshattermymoodwithasinglesyllable.ImsupposedtohateanythingcalledHartleyrightnow.
Ineedafavor,Isay,tryingtokeepmyvoicesteady.
Imallears.
Iswallow.Hard.Iknowyoure Huntersbestmanandeverything.Itsprobablyhorribleofmetoaskthisofyou,butIneedtoleavethisplace.Icantstayatyour parentshouse,whereIlleventuallyhavetoseeFinn,andIneedaHartleytoaccessthegatewhenIgetthereformystuff.Idontknowwhoelsetocall.
CHAPTER026:ComeGetMe Hedoesntspeakforabeat.
Soyoucalledmetoaccessagate.
Ineedtogetoutoftowntonight.
Getout?Asinout,out? ToNewYork? Yes.Iwanttograbmythingsandgostraighttotheairport.Ifyoullbesokindastoassist,goodsir.
Helaughs.Low.Deep.Asoundthatcoilsintomystomachandmakesmypulseskip.
Wemadeplans,Kitten.Areyoubailingonme? CanItakearaincheckonthoseplans?YouHartleyshaveseriouslytestedmypatiencetoday.
Yethereyouare…seekinghelpfromone.
HereIam.
Tellyouwhat,he says.Comemeetmeattherooftop,andIllthinkaboutit.
Mybrowsknit.Rooftop? Mmhmm.ThatswhereIam.Comegetme.
What,might I ask,areyoudoingupthere? Smoking.
Irollmyeyes.Thatsaterriblehabit.Itliterallysaysonthepackthatitcankillyou.
Youcanthelpbeingagoodperson,canyou,Sloane?EvenwhenyouclaimtohatetheHartleys,youstillcareaboutourlungs.
Sayingthetruthisntthesameascaring.
YouthinkIdgiveafuckifsomeoneIhatewaskillingthemselves?WhydontyoubringyourcaringassoverhereandtakethisCuban cigaroutofmymouth? God.Mybodyflushes.Igripthephonetighter.Healwaysdoesthiswrapsfilthinvelvetandmakesitsoundlikepoetry.ThelasttimeIwasalonewithKnox,Iendedupgettingbentoveracountertop.AsmuchasIwantthat,Ihavetostayfocusedonleaving.

Myvoiceisunsteady.Isnttherooftopopen?Itsdrizzling.
Theresapatio.You thoughtIwasstandingintherain? Idonttrustyoutokeepyourhandstoyourself,Knox.
NowhowwouldIdriveifmyhandsweretomyself? Youcouldbeniceandjustcomedown.
Helaughsagain.Ifyouwantsomething,Kitten,youcomeandgetit.
Knox… Iunderstandthatyourehavingdifficultymakingadecisionasisyournature,IvenoticedsoIllhelpyouout.Justgivemeafewseconds.
Iholdmybreathinhope.Yourecomingdown? Acouplemoreseconds,Kitten.Bepatient.
Idontunderstandwhathemeansuntil- Oh.
Ohhhh.
Themotherfuckerturnediton.
IforgotIwasevenwearingthevibrator.Ivebeentooconsumedbyrageandhumiliationandshametorememberwhatmyentireplanfortonightwasinthefirstplace.
Andnow- MybodyjoltslikeIvebeenshocked.Mybreathhitches.Istagger,handgrippingthesideofthebuildingforbalance.
Mykneesbuckleslightly.Mythighsclench.Heat floodsmycheeks.
Knox,Ihissintothephone.Turnitoff.
Butinstead,theintensityrises.Mytoescurlinmyheels.
Hisvoiceisassmoothasever.See,Iknewyouhaditon.Yourewilderthanyoushow.Cometotherooftop,Sloane.Comegetwhatyouwant.
CHAPTER026:ComeGetMe Thelinegoesdead.
Istareatthescreen,slackjawed,vibratinginmorewaysthanone.
Igroan.
Stillbentslightly,Igathermyself.Mythighsachewithwant.HowweirdwoulditlookifIdugintomypantiesrightnowtopulloutthevibrator?Thepersonmakingacallattheotheredgeoftheporticoisalreadyeyeingmesuspiciously.AndtherestroomisbackwhereIcamefrom,inthathall.
ImgoingtokillKnox.
Iwalk.
Heartpounding.Jawtight.Faceburning.
Iheadbackinsidethebuilding,eyesfixedonthestairsIhope leadtotherooftop.