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His lips on my spine. His breaths on my skin.
My heart beating, just for him.
31
REBEL
Sometime after dark, I pulled on a black Lycra bodysuit. The thing clung to every inch of me, showing off every curve and dimple. I slicked my short hair back and fit the mask across the top half of my face.
Downstairs, Batman, Robin, and the Joker waited for me.
I eyed Vaughn in his Robin costume. “You look hot.”
He scowled, like I hadn’t been one-hundred-percent serious. “I look like a joke.”
Fang elbowed him. “Can’t all be Batman.”
“Says Batman,” Vaughn grumbled.
Kian grinned, his teeth extra white beneath face paint. “Hey, I said we could swap and you could be the Joker. You didn’t want to put the face paint on!”
“I just got a facial, Kian!”
Me, Kian, and Fang all stared at him. Simultaneously, we all burst into laughter. Laughter that turned into hysterics, until I was glad I wasn’t wearing makeup because tears streamed down my face from laughing so hard.
Some of it was nerves, and I was grateful to get them out now. We were all on edge, but teasing Vaughn for his upper-class upbringing and expensive taste was always good for some light relief.
Eventually, even Vaughn laughed. “I was joking by the way.”
Kian snorted. “You weren’t, but that’s fine. I so enjoy when your hoity-toity side comes out to play.” He turned to me and Fang. “Do you think there’ll be little cucumber sandwiches cuts into triangles for Vaughn’s sensitive palate at this party? Or should we pack him a lunch box?”
I covered my mouth to hide my smile, while Fang pressed his lips tight to keep it together.
Vaughn shook his father’s car keys in our direction. “If we’re finished making fun of me, can we get going? We’re already late.”
“Party don’t start ’til I walk in,” I announced, grabbing my purse from the hallway table.
Fang frowned disapprovingly at me. “You’re incognito tonight, Pix. Don’t draw attention to yourself.”
“When do I ever?”
All three of them stared at me, and I waved them off.
“Stop.”
“He’s right.” Kian crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t get carried away.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Even Vaughn looked like a stern principal, telling off a naughty schoolgirl. “You might not be. We should have a code in case you need to bail.”
“Or I could just say, let’s bail?”
He shrugged. “That, or pull your ear three times.”
“I think you’re taking your Robin costume too seriously. I get it. We don’t need no superheroes tonight. We’re just observing. But that goes for all of you too. If I’m worried about anyone drawing a crowd, it’s you guys.”
Kian’s gaze rolled over my catsuit-clad body. “We aren’t the ones dressed all in Lycra.” He glanced at Fang and Vaughn’s Lycra tights. “Well, at least not all of us. Those two might draw some stares too.”