Page 142 of The Fake Out

“I love Hazel. I love her a lot.” I tuck the key chain back in my pocket and grin stupidly at Streicher. “We’re going to get married.”

Streicher cracks another grin, Volkov rolls his eyes, and Owens is laughing so hard he can’t breathe.

“Does she know that?” Owens asks.

I pull out my phone to look at the picture of her in high school, smiling reluctantly. “Not yet. But one day.”

She went with me to my mom’s house. Sheknowsme. She sees who I really am, and yet she’s still sleeping in my bed, telling me she’s not going anywhere.

A sign in a tattoo parlor window catches my eye—OPEN.

“Wait.” I grab Owens’s shirt to stop him, staring up at the glowing letters, and behind me, Volkov swears.

I grin big. “Let’s go inside.”

CHAPTER70

HAZEL

A jinglingsound wakes me in the middle of the night, followed by a thundering boom. I sit up in Rory’s bed, half-asleep.

My phone’s ringing. I squint at the screen. Hayden’s contact photo lights it up, and I answer.

“Hayden?” I rasp, confused. “What’s going on?”

“Can you open the door?”

“Don’t wake her up,” Rory says in the background, and my head clears a little more.

“I’m at Rory’s.” The booming noise sounds again. Someone’s pounding on the door.

“I know.” Hayden chuckles. “I have a surprise for you.”

A moment later, I open Rory’s front door. His arm is around Hayden’s shoulder and he takes one look at me, wearing his t-shirt with bare legs, and his eyes light up.

“Hi, baby.” His words slur and his grin stretches wider.

Hayden gives me an entertained, expectant look as he ushers Rory into the apartment. “This belongs to you. He couldn’t figure out which key to use.”

“Hazel.” Rory grins down at me, unsteady on his feet.

I take one look at his red, bleary eyes, and burst out laughing. “Oh, wow. You have fun tonight, honey?”

The endearment slips out, but it feels right.

“Yep.” His grin broadens as he wraps his arm around my waist.

“You get into any trouble?” I pat his stomach and he flinches.

Hayden snorts, and Rory slides a glance at me, still grinning. Mischief sparks in his eyes.

“Alright,” Hayden says, lifting a hand and backing toward the elevator. “I’m off.”

“Thanks for getting him home safe,” I call as I close the door, laughing because Rory’s snuffling my neck, kissing me. “Let’s get you to bed, and then I’ll grab you some water and electrolytes—”

He bends down and hauls me over his shoulder.

“Rory,” I laugh, upside down. “Put me down.”