Page 47

Honestly, if I saw Lyric wear anything other than her Converse, which I’m pretty sure she has a couple dozen pairs of, I would think something was wrong. Doesn’t stop me from commenting on it every single time, though.

“You love them.” She crinkles her nose at me, her attention swiveling to Maisie as she pushes her way through the door, her shower bag hanging over her forearm.

“Jesus, Mais.” Kai groans, slapping a hand over his face. “What are you wearing? A napkin?”

It isn’t until she steps farther into the room that I understand his reaction. A napkin might have been generous given how small the scrap of material is that she’s wearing. The dress is candy apple red, barely long enough to cover the bottom of her ass, and dips so low in the back, you can quite literally almost see the top of her butt crack. The rest isn’t much better—the fabric cut to cover only the front half of her body, leaving her sides and back completely exposed.

She has her dark hair tied up in a slick pony that moves from side to side as she walks.

If sex itself took on a human form, Maisie is what it would look like.

And here I thought my dress was a bit risqué, but Maisie makes me look like I’m wearing an ankle-length nightgown. Never mind that it makes Lyric’s dress look equivalent to a nun’s habit.

“If you don’t want to see, don’t look.” She throws Kai a glare over her shoulder as she carefully leans down and retrieves her heels, a matching candy red, from the floor next to her bunk. “I work my ass off in the gym and on the field. I have every right to show it off.” She slips on one heel and then the other, the damn things so high she nearly reaches my height, which is at least a good three inches taller than her with no shoes.AndI’m also wearing heels.

“Hard to do when you’re wearing the smallest scrap of a dress known to man. Your brother would shit himself if he saw you in that.”

“Well, good thing he’s not here then.”

“Seriously. Don’t you have a jacket or something you can put over that?” He’s looking at the ceiling when he asks.

“A jacket?” She snorts out a laugh.

“Leave her alone.” Lyric gently elbows his side. “She looks incredible.”

“She looks like she’s trying to draw attention that could get her into some serious trouble.” He grits his teeth, his back molars grinding so hard I swear I can hear it.

“That’s where you come in.” Maisie gives him a cheeky grin.

“I have no desire to be a bodyguard. I’m only going because Lyric is and for no other reason.”

Even as he says it, I know without question that if someone were to mess with any of us, most especially a girl who’spractically his sister, he wouldn’t just stand idly by and watch it happen.

“Well, lucky for me, I can take care of myself.” She all but flips him off with her expression before her head whips toward me. “What do you say, Char?” She extends me her arm, which I’m quick to slip mine through. “Ready to go turn some heads?” She smiles wide, showing off nearly every single one of her stark white teeth.

“Always.” I smile back at her, faking an ease that I certainly do not feel. Mainly because I’m still painfully aware that my phone still has no new messages on it.

Maisie tugs me toward the door, not turning back until we’ve stepped into the hall.

“Are you two coming or what?” she calls after Lyric and Kai.

“We’re coming.” Lyric shakes her head, grinning up at Kai as they join us in the hall.

We exit the building together, following the sidewalk to the parking lot where Kai’s car is located. He quickly slides into the driver’s seat while Lyric moves to the passenger side, joining him in the front of the car. Maisie and I climb into the back, both careful to keep our dresses in place so as not to unintentionally flash anyone. Maisie’s dress may be way more revealing than mine, but that doesn’t change the fact that one tug in the wrong direction and one or both of my girls will most certainly make an appearance.

The drive over is relatively quick, the party just on the other side of the campus. We’ve been to several parties at this particular fraternity already, but it doesn’t lessen the tension in my shoulders as we pull up outside.

Kai lets the three of us out on the sidewalk before driving away to find a spot to park. There’s a ton of people here already, several spilling out onto the front lawn. The first party of the year is always one of the biggest, and this one is no exception.

It feels like yesterday that I came here for the first time, a resistant Lyric in tow. She was so timid back then. And while I think a part of her will always be a little timid—it’s just who she is—Kai has definitely brought her out of her shell.

“Wasn’t it this party last year...” Maisie starts.

“That I met Kai.” Lyric nods, a smile touching her pretty face.

“A lot has changed since then.” It’s my turn to speak.

“That it has.” Lyric is quick to agree.