Page 64

“Got it. I’m ready.”
I pull the door open to find Magnum standing there, all dressed in black like usual. He has his eyes closed just like I asked. I take a moment to really look at him while his discerning gaze is closed off from me. His jaw is angular. Fierce. But the area around his eyes is kind when he’s not studying everything in sight like it could potentially be a threat. His beard is longer than I remember it being. A little disheveled. He needs a trim to shape it up.
“Are you out here?” he asks.
I shake myself out of my reverie. “Yeah, you can open up now.”
Magnum’s eyes flit open. He’s struck for a moment. His lips part incrementally. There’s a host of feelings in that blip of a second, but ultimately, his features school together again. He walks around me, taking me in from every side. Magnum definitely takes his job seriously. “In looks, you would pass as any other beautiful girl.”
My stomach seesaws, but when I chance a look at Magnum when he turns to face me, he has his bodyguard face on. “So, you approve?”
He nods once. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still be diligent. We’ll keep to ourselves in the shadows. Don’t do anything to bring attention to yourself.”
“I wouldn’t put us in jeopardy.”
He pulls his phone out, bringing up the video feed to the tower there. He checks it until it looks like we can leave and get down to the parking lot without being spotted. When he thinks it’s clear, he ushers me out the door. He relaxes as soon as we get in the elevator and then relaxes even more when we’re in the car. We’re picking Brawler up from his apartment since he has something Mag can wear, and Oscar is meeting us there.
We park a couple of blocks away from the apartment building and Brawler ambles toward us. He gets in the back with me and then hands a long black, thin piece of fabric to Magnum who holds it up. “What’s this?”
“I played Westley fromThe Princess Bridea few years ago for Halloween. Oh,” Brawler says, also handing over a toy sword. “This, too.”
Magnum takes the fake, plastic toy and laughs. “I think I’ll just use the mask. Thanks.” He pulls it over his face, lining up the eyeholes. The black piece of fabric covers his forehead all the way down to the tip of his nose. His beard is still showing, but it also acts as part of the disguise too. Magnum can’t possibly be the only red-haired guy with facial hair.
“It’s a good thing you have a penchant for wearing black,” I tease, noticing the black tactical pants and black shirt he has on match the mask perfectly.
He glances at me through the rearview mirror. It’s still his eyes, but with the mask on, he oddly looks like he’s letting more of himself come through. His lips quirk up. “I knew the black attire would come to my rescue one day.”
Brawler puts his arm around my shoulder, squeezing me to him. “You look beautiful.”
“As do you,” I say. I’ve only ever seen Brawler in t-shirts, so it’s something else to see him in a button-down shirt. He’s not wearing a mask or any sort of costume, but it also won’t be odd for him to be out at a costume party in the Heights. The same with Oscar. It’s only Mag and I who have to worry about being spotted.
It doesn’t take us long to get to Candy’s. Instead of parking in the back where Mag usually parks for Johnny and me, we ditch the car a couple of blocks away and walk in. The closer we get, the more it’s apparent we’re headed in the wrong direction. There aren’t a lot of costumes, per se, but there are a lot of women in scantily clad dresses. There are a few who are wearing masks like mine, but none of theirs are as intricate as the one I’m borrowing from Oscar’s mom.
“Follow my lead,” Mag says. Because we’re not associated with the Crew tonight, we wait in a line like everyone else. The up and down look I get from one of Dunnegan’s security guys makes my stomach churn, but I’m also pretty sure it’s the reason why we’re let in. The guard takes my hand and pulls me beyond the rope. I grip onto Magnum’s hand because he’s the closest to me and I want to make sure he and Brawler get in as well.
“Save me a dance, sexy.”
Both Brawler and Magnum eye the guard, but as soon as we’re inside, he hits on the next girl. Magnum moves in front of me, still gripping my hand in his so I can easily follow him through the thick crowd. There might even be more people here than there were for my first after party. What a great thing for Johnny. His after parties have really been helping to bring Candy’s to the forefront, and I’m also excited that it’s turning into less of a strip club and more of a nightclub.
Brawler takes my other hand, and we move into a booth in the back. It’s one of the only ones left, and it’s definitely secluded, which is probably why no one else has taken it before us. People don’t come to these things to hang out in the back, unless they want to be concealed.
As soon as we sit, Brawler takes his phone out and messages Oscar where we are. I handed my phone off to Magnum earlier, so he could keep it safe, but also in case Johnny calls. The last thing I need is for Johnny to call and me be too busy to answer. He’d be suspicious right away.
Oscar strides to our booth five minutes later. He’s slicked his hair completely back. The shorn sides highlighting his mop of dark hair on top. He’s also wearing a skin-tight Superman shirt, a big S dominating his chest. He stands in front of us, fists on his hips. He looks off in the distance like he’s just finished saving the world. “Not to brag but I’m kind of important.”
I bark out a laugh, falling into Brawler’s lap with the force of my mirth. Tears dance at the corners of my eyes. It feels good to have the pressure off for just this one night. I trust them to keep me safe, just as I hope they trust me to keep them safe.
Oscar beckons me with his fingers. “Come, sexy bird. You and Superman are about to get freaky on the dance floor.”
Brawler lets me scoot around him while Oscar takes my hand, holding mine firmly in his. Oscar takes us to the edge of the floor where we’re still in view of the table we scored, and we dance to the house music pumping in around us. My pulse jumps as he brings my hips solidly to his, swaying us to the music. He dances differently than Johnny, but not any less sexy. His fingers clutch my ass right through the tulle, and I press into him, tongue gliding up his neck. “You’re bad,” I tease.
“I’m just thrilled I get to touch you in public. I have one night to lay my claim.”
“No one lays their claim on me.”
“So, we noticed,” Oscar says, nudging his nose over my fake one. “One guy claims you and you start dating two on the side just to prove a point.”
Another laugh rips from me. “I guess I did, didn’t I? Let that be a lesson. Who knows who else I’ll attract if you start getting possessive, Quarterback?”