Page 73 of Deck of Scarlets
Voices could be heard over our stare, breaking its intensity. We pulled apart, readjusting ourselves as Baron and Chloe strolled in, dressed in similar attire. Soon after, Kal, Anna, Zoey, and Asher joined. The girls hopped on the treadmill, while Asher and Baron spotted one another over by the weights. Kal hesitated by the dummies, his eyes searching between Josh and me. I wasn’t quite sure what he was looking for, but he trailed off, preparing himself in front of a rowing machine.
Josh’s lips were inches from my ear, the sensation sending waves of chills throughout my body. “Tonight, wear black.”
Understanding what he meant, I watched him gather the wooden daggers we’d used, his back to me. The way his muscles moved, veins protruding as he gripped each dagger, made my toes curl.
After cleaning our spot, a loud ring went off, coming from inside Josh’s pocket.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey, Nickie.”
With my heart in my throat, he waved goodbye, sauntering off past the red curtains, speaking animatedly to Nickie on the other end.
Chloe nudged my shoulder. “It won’t last.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But even as I denied it, it sounded fake, leaving an awful taste on my tongue. Because I’d be damned to openly admit how he’d curled his irresistible vine around my heart.
Chapter Thirty-One
From the window to the door, I paced, shocked to find that the cream-colored rug did not catch fire from the friction of my goddamn feet.
My ceremony started in thirty minutes, and I threw most of my clothes out of the closet onto my bed, hating everything I owned. Having zero idea of what was appropriate to wear and almost giving up, I took one last look in my half-empty closet and found a gray garment bag shoved all the way to the left, hiding behind two heavy winter jackets. Inside, a black cocktail dress with a plunging neckline and sheer shoulder straps screamed my mother.
She would stash something this form-fitting in my closet.
I had just slipped on the black dress when a rough knock came on the door.
“Come in,” I replied, attempting to zip the back of my dress.
“You look ridiculous,” said Josh.
I rolled my eyes, trying to grasp the stupid zipper at the bottom. “Shut up.” So far, I’d tried to hold back my anger and unrelenting inappropriate thoughts about him.
He swatted my hands away and glided the zipper up my back while the tips of his fingers brushed against my too hot skin from the summer heat. Goosebumps rose from his touch, but thankfully, he wasn’t paying attention.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to create some distance between us. Josh wore his black fighting leathers and a black jacket zipped up to his neck. At first, I wondered what kind of lunatic would wear sleeves in this heat, but it dawned on me that he had his Saints uniform on underneath, and the jacket concealed it from the world.
“Don’t you have that nifty stone to hide yourself? You look crazy all zipped up like a snowstorm is about to hit.”
“You won’t be able to see me until you get your own, so I will have to make do.”
“How miserable.”
He shrugged in response. “Judging by your tone, you sound utterly excited to attend tonight’s events.”
“Is a cape ceremony necessary?” Opening the closet door, I gave myself a once-over in the full-length mirror, smoothing out any wrinkles, adjusting the sheer sleeves, and ensuring the girls were secured.
The goofiest smirk erupted on his face just as I peeked at him through the mirror. “It’s not that bad.”
“My roommate is in a coma,” I reminded him, snagging my heels at the bottom of the closet and balancing on each foot as I strapped them in place.
His lips were set in a hard line. “I’m aware of how bad it is.”
“Really? Because the others are walking around as if her life means nothing to them.” A whole week had passed, and no news on Heather’s frozen condition came. It left me up most nights, tossing and turning, uncertain of her future, and left an ache in my chest because I felt hopeless. I wouldn’t know where to begin to help her. This was all new to me too, and that tore me up inside.
Josh took it upon himself to sit at the edge of my bed, pushing a pile of discarded clothes aside. “No news is good news, but I won’t lie and say I haven’t been worried about her too.”
I looked him up and down. “Since when do you care about Heather?”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Remi, when will you stop painting me like some villain?”