Page 20 of Wonder

I brush up against someone’s back, stepping away with an apology. The man sweeps bleary eyes over my head, not caring, just as two hands land on my shoulders.

The grip is secure, but not tight. A little too firm.

My hackles rise.

A mouth brushes my ear. “Care to dance?”

Instinctive refusal hovers on my tongue as I turn.

The man surveying me doesn’t fit with the glass-eyed crowd around us either.Thisman has olive skin and sharp dark eyes that watch me intently, without any hint of the clouded look the others wear. He lifts a hand, running it through already rumpled black hair as I scan him, taking in his sleekly muscled shape.

A dancer, maybe.

Because he’s not like the others. There’s somethingotherabout him, some sense ofoffthat makes him stand out against the horde surrounding us.

Belatedly, I realize that I’m staring. His lips twist up into a sly grin, and my cheeks… flush.

He offers his hand, one eyebrow raising. “Ever been to a nightclub before, sweetheart? Here, we tend to dance.”

I try to force the scowl off my face as I slip my fingers into his, but the flare of surprise in his eyes tells me he’s seen it anyway.

He pulls me closer, one hand closing over my bare back as the other clasps my hand. “What’s your name?”

“Alyss.” I glance over his shoulder, searching. “Yours?”

“Buck.” He moves with an intensity that I didn’t expect… but he’s not a dancer. A little too jerky. And his fingers… they tremble in mine. My grip tightens instinctively.

His gaze drops from scanning the crowd to my face, jaw tightening. “Who did you come here with?”

“A friend.” The song ends, surging into a new one that draws roars of approval from the crowd. Around us, people start to bounce, but Buck doesn’t stop his swaying. Instead, he hums for a few moments, low and melodic, a clash against the pulsing beat around us.

I study him, following his lead. “Have you been coming here long?”

His lips tug up as he shrugs, his teeth flashing in a smile. “For a while. Long enough to recognise a pretty new face when I see one.”

Long enough.

Inhaling, I reach into my dress, and his brows drop. “A little soon, but—.”

His face changes as I tug out my phone.

Suddenly, hard hands grip mine, covering the phone in my hand. Buck’s head twists as he yanks me along, backing further into the crowd as he leans down.

“Are youinsane?” he hisses, still gripping me. “You can’t bring a fucking phone in here. You should know that if—.”

He stops, his head jerking back as he scans me again. “If you received an invite. Who the hellareyou? Why didn’t they stop you at the door?”

I twist, trying to pull away, but he doesn’t let go. “Answer me.”

I push into him this time, knocking him off balance for long enough to rip my arm free. I press the button on my screen to make it light up and shove it under his nose.

“I’m looking for information about my brother.” I force the words out quickly as Buck pauses. “I think he came to Wonder six months ago. Did you see him?”

Buck barely glances down and away from the photo, his voice hard and flinty. “No. You need to leave, now.”

There’s no shaking in his hands now, only steel, as he wraps his hand around my wrist. “Don’t fucking struggle, for the love of God. You’ll only draw more attention.”

“I’m not-stop.”