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Judging by the raised eyebrows from the people now waiting in line, the dangling stuffed bears hadn’t been our only audience. I wished I could say I cared, but the butterflies flapping in the deepest part of my belly destroyed any sense of decency.

Not holding back our smiles, we jumped off the ride and his hand squeezed my ass. We reentered the Boardwalk, testing things out as a pair. Walking a little closer. Laughing a little louder. Tripping over our feet, pushing stray curls behind each other’s ears. Noting the many alleyways and unlit corners that had the potential to host round two. It didn’t matter if this was short-lived or what he’d told his brother or that he was invested in someone else. I didn’t care that I hadn’t fully processed what and who I was or that I still needed to find the Voices. In this moment, this hunger, this need was all-consuming and it was the only thing that mattered.

To both of us.

Spotting an alluring employee alley next to the Haunted Castle, we beelined into its dim silhouette. The taste of him burned through me, igniting me even more. I tossed him against the defaced wall, my body thrumming with the promise of releasing those butterflies as I closed the short distance between us. Connected from chest to thigh, that need of his became very, very obvious…

A voice called my name. Impossible, considering how deep we pressed into the shadows, into the late hour, into each other. I must’ve been imagining things. Our breathless gasps had to be distorting the sounds—it came again.

“Hey, River!”

I might as well have been doused with cold water.

“River?”

Not even turned to see him, I sensed his confusion. Heat bloomed in my cheeks. I really, really didn’t want to face him right now, but I couldn’t stand frozen against Ryder’s lips forever.

Chapter 19

“Javi!” I squealed, pitching my voice up to fake enthusiasm I definitely didn’t feel. I cringed from the inauthenticity.

“Who’s he?” Ryder drawled.

“Who’s he?” Javi fired back.

I’d fight any demon rather than deal with this. Realizing the entire front of my body was still pressed against Ryder’s, I flinched back a few steps, not quite sure what to do with my hands now that they weren’t dragging through his hair.

“Javi this is my f…” He wasn’t my friend. And he definitely wasn’t my lover, even if his saliva sealed my lips. What was he to me? I shook my head. Didn’t matter. What was I saying again? Oh, his name. That’s right. “This is Ryder. Ryder, this is my best friend, Javi.” That did little to calm them—I could practically see the raised hackles, the animalistic glint in their eyes as they assessed each other.

“How do you guys know each other?” Javi bit out, breaking the tense moment. Aannddd the interrogation began. I gnawed on my lip. Our indulgence had been a lot of things, but I wasn’t totally sure it was worth landing in this situation.

“We met at Grad Night.” It wasn’t a lie. Not technically.

Javi barked out a cold laugh. “That’s strange, because I was with you the whole night, and I don’t remember bumping into Neo from The Matrix.”

My eyes widened and a full-body flush heated my skin. He did unfortunately bear a resemblance to somebody out of a sci-fi movie. I glanced over at Ryder, who didn’t seem the least bit concerned by the comment. His arms stayed crossed as he leaned against the wall with his foot kicked up behind him, eyeing Javi as if he was nothing but a mouse.

Thank God he left his bow in the car.

“After, as I was walking home.” Remaining calm and unflustered in a moment like this was truly a superpower. One I didn’t have, my voice unsteady.

“How is this any of your business?” Ryder cut in, dropping his heel from the wall, finally deciding to speak. It wasn’t even really a question, but pure indifference.

Javi’s eyes glimmered with rage and something else I couldn’t acknowledge. “Because, like River said, I’m her best friend.” He redirected his glare back to me. “What’s going on with you?”

I tensed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not texting me back, you ditched me after class, you’re galivanting around with a guy that wears combat boots, for shit’s sake.” He waved at Ryder’s outstretched legs. “There’s a new season of Stranger Things premiering tonight. WE NEVER MISS STRANGER THINGS!”

His words stung, but my insides curdled at the look in his eyes—the rich oaky eyes I’d been avoiding, now shiny and tinged red, because I knew they’d make me truly break. I hadn’t meant to ditch him. I didn’t want to lie to him. But still, I did. And now, he’d found me with a stupid lovestruck grin plastered on my face…Ugh. I dug my fingers into my palms. I couldn’t look guiltier if I’d tried.

“I’m sorry, I…” I stepped forward to console him, stopping short as he shifted his focus to the ground, looking at everything and anything except me. A lump constricted my throat. “Jav—” My voice cracked, but the damage had already been done. He wouldn’t raise his chin an inch to look at me.

“Here, I got this for you.” A comic book landed at my feet. My eyes darted to the metallic image beneath the clear wrapping. Silver Surfer. The dagger to the heart.

By the time I looked up, he had disappeared into a herd of people being ushered out by park employees. I winced in the spotlight of the art deco lampposts, blinded by the fluorescent bulbs and the tears that prickled my lashes.

It was closing time, which was fine by me because I suddenly couldn’t stand the aroma of corn dogs and deep-fried Twinkies. I’d lose my mind if I had to listen to another repeat of the Haunted Castle’s melody.