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Ibump into his side. “Samecould be said about a non-fan listening to what we like, hm?”

Ty’sarm slips around my shoulders, hugging me closer. “Yeah.You’reright.”

It’stoo hot for his arm to be around me, butIdeal with it—the heat of him is more reassuring than sweltering.

Aswe head toward the parking lot, the bright lights ofMilamParkbegin to dim and shadows grow.Peoplepass us by, heading toward the gazebo.

Sniffingthe air, my face sours at the sudden overwhelming scent of rotten eggs.

Asolid black figure appears in the periphery.

Myfeet come to a complete halt at the sight of a man encapsulated in the shadows, face blacked out beneath a cowboy hat.

Chapter24

“Suffocate”

–Kayzo ft. Bad Omens

Tyjerks me forward slightly,not realizingI’vecome to a complete stop. “Shit, sorry.Youokay?”

Withouttaking my eyes off the shadow,Ipoint at him. “Doyou see that?”Iwhisper.

Ty’shead moves in my periphery.Hestares for a long moment before saying, “Seewhat?”

Blinking,Ithink the man has disappeared, but no—Ican still see a cowboy hat hiding in the trees. “Let’sget the hell outta here.”

Mygrip onTy’shand is firm asIpractically drag him behind me, hightailing it for theJeep.Ikeep my focus on well-lit areas, avoiding stealing a peep at the shadows;Idon’t thinkIeven breathe until my ass is firmly planted safe and sound in theJeep.

Tyclimbs in with a knowing smirk. “Nicetry,Steph, but you gotta try harder than that to scare me.”

Huffing,Icross my arms and look out the window and into the parking lot, feeling brave enough to scan the shadows.

Nothing’sthere.

“Canwe go somewhere that’s actually scary?”

“Why?Whydo you love being scared so much?”

“Remindsme how aliveIam,Iguess.”

Thetight gripIhave on myself loosens.Ikeep cowering away, hiding from the darkness and shadows after surviving a brutal death.Imade a deal with the goddamn devil and am alive to tell the tale, so why amIafraid of living?

Movementin the shadows makes me gulp.

It’snot thatI’mafraid of living—it’s thatI’mafraid of dying all over again.

“Maybewe should head back to the house,”Isay asTypulls onto the bustling downtown street. “Let’swatch a movie or something.”

“Mhmm, sure, ‘watch a movie.’Iknow what that means.”

Ichuckle uncomfortably.Whateverkeeps me alive,Iguess.

“C’mon, how’s about a li’l night drive throughSanAntonio?Seesome sights.”

“Wecould do that during the day, too, when you can actually see stuff.”

“I’min one of the spookiest cities in theUS—no wayI’mgonna let the opportunity slip through my fingers just ’cause someone’s a scaredy cat.”Henudges my arm. “Let’slive a little.Iwon’t let the boogeyman get you.”