Page 69 of Stardusted

Like Sky’d glimpsed that surge of vulnerability, he hung his head and balanced his hands on his hips, muttering a curse. Itwas lost to Crescent’s din. When he raised his face, he looked determined, and he shifted his weight. As if he was about to close the space between us.

But I’d put it there for a reason, and that was the last thing I needed to maintain my tenuous grasp on my rationality. When I tensed, ready to back up again, he seemed to think better of it.

Instead, he lifted his hands, palms out. “Raven, I’m not accusing you of anything. This isn’t an attack. It’snot,” he insisted more firmly when I took a breath, prepared to argue. His eyes shone with very convincing sincerity. “I’m only saying…if somethingdidhappen, you could…I don’t know. Talk to me about it.”

I blinked at him, taken aback by the offer. “If something had happened,hypothetically, why would I talk toyouabout it? Of all people.”

“Because.” He let out a harsh breath, glanced over his shoulder, then leaned in. His dark gaze snared mine. “Because maybe I can help.”

I stared at him.Help? With what, the evil alien robots? What, was he going to scare them off, too, like he’d scared off that pushy guy? He was intimidating, but he wasn’tthatintimidating. That thing in the lab forsurehad him on shoulder width. Height, too. Overall scariness.

Certainly on bone-crushing capability.

My disbelieving laugh burst free. “Help how?” I asked, flinging my arms out. “You offering trauma counseling now? I thought you were just a bartender.”

His lips formed a tight line. A smidgen of guilt pricked my conscience.Just a bartenderhad sounded way more condescending than I’d meant it to.

I was so focused on this spiraling conversation, I didn’t see the couple flailing nearby until one of them collided into me from behind. Hard enough, I stumbled.

Sky reached out to catch me. His fingers landed right on the bruise on my upper arm.

Pain jolted my system. I jerked back, hissing through my teeth. “Shit!”

“What?” Sky yanked his hand back. His attention zeroed on the invisible bruise I was rubbing. “What is it? Are you okay?”

“I’mfine,” I muttered. I wasn’t. The entire limb felt like it was going to fall off. “It’s just…from what happened at the college.”

“I thought you said you weren’t hurt.” He hadn’t looked away from the spot I held. In fact, he was staring at it grimly.

He was right, too. Ihadsaid that. Minutes ago. He was listening. A little too closely, a little too…attentively.

And there was thattone.

I hunched my shoulders and slowly released my arm. My heartbeat thudded off-kilter. “It’s just a bruise. And it’s none of your business.”

“Okay,” Sky said, tone even. The music’s frenzied beat nearly swallowed his words. “That’s fine.”

Itwasn’tfine. None of this was. Because when his indigo eyes traced their way back to mine, I could clearly see he didn’t believe me. A muscle near his temple pulsed.

“You can tell me,” he said, confirming it. “I think you’d be surprised at how…open-minded I am, Raven.”

Oh, he was good. My actual name, spoken so quietly, in his low, mesmerizing voice…

But the spell was broken, and I was all tangled up now. Confused. More than a little irritated. Had this all been some ploy to get the truth out of me? To get me to admit something?

Why was he so convinced I was lying?

Unless…

Unless heknewI was. Because he knewsomething. Not suspected, butknew.

I smashed my lips together, forcing down the sudden lump lodging itself in my dry throat.

Unlesshewas the one hiding something.

Like he felt the weight of my suspicion, Sky’s expression closed off, and he eased back a step, giving me space again. Letting that gap between us stretch. He slipped his hands into his pockets, eyes trained on me. He didn’t reach for me again. Didn’t try to pull me back in. Didn’t say a word.

I didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Maybe a little of both. Relieved I could think clearer. That logic was trickling back.