Page 183 of Soul So Dark

“How about you?” he asks me, to which I respond with a knowing look. “Oh, yeah,” he smiles, “why’d I even ask?”

For the last six years, I’ve gone to every convention as Lara Croft, and I’ll always be Lara Croft until some earth-shattering event changes my mind. I’ve perfected my costume, and secretly, it’s part of the reason I never cut my hair. The longer it gets, the more realistic the costume.

“What’dyoudecide on?” Shelby asks Austin.

“I didn’t,” he sighs. “I ran out of time.”

“What he means is, he’s too cool for us,” Carter sneers as she adjusts her shimmery robe.

“You’recoming?” I marvel. “Wow.”

I didn’t expect Austin would go all out in costume with us, but I’m shocked he found time in his busy schedule to even attend this year.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” he chuckles.

Except that I am.

“I got some new boots for my costume this year, want to see?”

Austin nods and follows me back to my bedroom, where I kneel down at the foot of the bed to retrieve the shoebox I’ve had stashed there since Christmas. Austin takes a seat on the edge of the bed as I lift out one of the brown Timberland Charles Street boots that I’ve kept in stellar condition for just this occasion.

“These are the exact boots that Lara wears in the 2013 reboot andRise.”

“No way.” He takes it from me and turns it over in his hands. After a few seconds, he hands it back to me. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’m glad you’re coming with us,” I say as I tuck the boot back into its box.

“Are you?”

I can’t read his tone. It’s familiar and upbeat, but laced with a hint of suspicion. I finish packing my boots away and slide the box back under my bed.

“Yes. As long as you mean it this time.”

“I mean a lot of things, Dallas.”

I brush my hair away from my face with a sigh. “Such as?”

“That I still miss you,” he cocks his head, “and I’m still waiting for you.”

“Waiting…” I say with sarcasm. “You used to be one of my best friends, Austin, and there was a time when I thought you could be more than that. I thought you felt the same way, until you took me out—” my eyes darken, “and then went home with someone else.”

Austin lets out an exasperated breath and moves to stand. “We’d both be better off if you didn’t hold grudges so easily.”

Better off?

“Maybe, but you’re a little late. I’m kind of seeing someone.”

OK, maybe the term,seeing,isn’t exactly true.

“Who?” he scoffs. “The serial killer guy?”

My muscles go rigid and images begin flashing through my mind—the railroad bridge, Bowen’s dark eyes and syrupy voice, and the terror followed by all the pain.

“What serial killer guy?” I ask with a half-hearted laugh.

“You know, the guy who’s into ropes and bondage and shit.”

“Oh!” I say louder than I mean to. “No, not that guy. Um, a different guy, a guy that I game with.”