Page 159 of Double Bucked

“Ransom!” I shout. Even though I’m supposed to be quiet.

God, he’s a sight for sore eyes.

I can’t help it. I wind my arms around him.

“Claire,” he murmurs. “Thank God.”

He smells like smoke and earth. I want to bury myself in his smell.

He pries me back. It’s only then that I notice he’s wearing metal cuffs around his wrists, each with half a chain dangling from them. He’s also got a coil of rope strapped to his belt. He glances between the two of us. “I’ve been looking all over for you two. Where the heck’ve you been?”

A heat rises in my cheeks. Um. Having sex upstairs?

Everett sidesteps his question and puts his hand on Ransom’s shoulder. “Where’s the quickest way out?”

He jabs his thumb over his shoulder. “Round the back way. Chaucer is outside. We can hightail it out of here fast.”

“Then let’s go.”

But when Everett grabs my wrist, I feel my feet come to a halt. I can hear it. The low, twang of the band not far from here.

“Wait,” I say. “The Belleflower Queens. They’re all in there. Just as trapped as I was. We can’t leave them.”

Everett’s mouth twists in a frown, but then I see a realization darken his gaze.

“They’re not the only ones we can’t leave behind,” Everett murmurs. “Arris. If he escapes…he’s just going to keep finding ways to reinvent himself all over again.”

“So we’ve gotta end this,” Ransom says.

Everett nods. “You take Claire out the back. I’ll make sure we clear out.”

I prickle. “I’m not going anywhere.”

We lock eyes. I wait for Everett to break.

He glances away. He exhales a quick sigh. “Let’s go, then.”

“Wait,” Ransom says. He digs into his pocket. “I got you something.”

He tosses over a pair of headphones wrapped around his phone. “Thought you might need it.”

Everett stares at the prize in his hands. Quietly, he says, “Dragonfly?—”

“You love me,” Ransom interrupts. “Yeah, I know. Focus.”

55

EVERETT

Okay. It’s time to crash the Belleflower party.

I step forward into the fray. The music rumbles at the stage. Men dance, swaying together with women who stumble on their feet. I wind around tables stacked with champagne glasses.

Arris stands alone, watching his flock. He’s so pleased with himself he doesn’t notice I’m on him until it’s too late.

When his eyes connect with mine, his entire body goes tense.

“Arris Dagney,” I say. “You’re…” Hmm. This isn’t quite right. “…under arrest.”

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