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“The library is second to none,” I chime in.

“So, Boston… You got any crazy ex-girlfriends? Or crazycurrentgirlfriends there?” Mabilia’s eyes connect with mine in the mirror.

“I don’t date crazy chicks, and I don’t have any ex-girlfriends,” I tell her.

“Aren’t you dating Aurora? Or is that not what this whole thing is?” Mabilia asks.

“We’re dating,” I say at the same time Aurora says that we’re not. “Wearedating,” I repeat, my words more for mygirlfriendthan for her cousin.

“But you just said you don’t date crazy chicks?” Mabilia appears genuinely confused as she gestures to the passenger seat.

“Aurora isn’t crazy,” I say, my voice firm and probably louder than it should be. “She’s perfect the way she is.” I pick up her hand, bring it to my mouth, and kiss her knuckles. It’s a little strange showing her affection in front of someone. We’ve been sneaking around for months now, if you count the time she was in Italy, which I do. But we’ve never been seen so much as talking to each other. I don’t hate it, though.

“Who is going to be at this party?” Aurora asks, changing the subject.

“Old friends,” I tell her.

“Old friends, as in the family kind of friends or the school kind of friends?”

“A bit of both, but the family kind are loyal to me. You don’t have anything to worry about,” I explain.

“Of course she doesn’t. That’s why I’m here. To slaughter anyone who even thinks about looking at her the wrong way,” Mabilia says from the back seat.

I look over at Aurora with a raised brow. “It’s a party. Try not to slaughter anyone.”

“Fuck,” Mabilia curses while staring at her phone.

“What?”

“My dad invited Tommy for dinner.” She sighs.

“Who’s Tommy?” I ask.

“Her boyfriend, who really is lucky to even still be alive. I didn’t think he’d last this long,” Aurora tells me.

“Tommy, you cannot go to dinner.” Mabilia has the phone to her ear. “I’m going to Boston. Girls’ trip.” I can’t hear the other side of the conversation. “Fine. I’ll text you, but you cannot tell my dad where I am. He thinks I’m at Aurora’s.”

“Wait… You each told your parents you were spending the night at the other’s house?” I ask.

“It’s not like I could tell my father I was going to a party in Boston with the heir to the O’Malley family, is it?” Aurora replies.

“No, but aren’t your parents’ cousins? They’re going to talk to each other and figure it out.” I laugh.

“They will, but by then, it’ll be too late and we’ll be on our way home.” She smiles.

“Right.” There’s a rest area coming up. “I’m stopping for gas. You need anything?”

“Chocolate,” Aurora says. “I’ll go inside and get snacks.” She leans over and kisses me before jumping out of the car.

As I’m filling up, Mabilia climbs out of the back and runs into the gas station. “What the fuck?” I call after her.

Then I see it and I’m running too. Some fucker is attempting to hold up the shop. He’s waving a gun around hysterically, and as I push through the door, I hear him yelling at the guy behind the counter, ordering him to get the money. Mabilia and Aurora are both standing by the register. Neither looks too worried, but that’s because they’re both fucking insane.

“I have a problem with what you’re doing here,” I say, walking up to the gunman, who turns his aim on me.

“Yeah, what you going to do about it, tough guy? Fuck off,” he grunts.

“You see, I would… but that’s my girlfriend you pointed at.” I continue walking.