Page 67 of Wicked Dreams

Eli’s gaze sharpens. “I don’t know ifdanceis the correct way to describe the horribly rhyming Fall Ball, but it’s something like that. Are you into school dances, Margo?”

“No.”

“Everyone goes to Fall Ball,” Caleb mutters.

“Not me.” I cross my arms.

I haven’t yet put into motion my plan to ask Liam to be my fake boyfriend. I was planning on doing that tomorrow, but now there’s talk of thisFall Ball. What a terrible name. But, as the name suggests, it’s probably held in the autumn. And since we’ve swept into October without a mention of it…

Eli snickers. “Not sure I’ve ever seen you rejected, Asher. Maybe she’d rather go with someone else?—”

My eyes widen.

Caleb shoves Eli, so hard and fast I almost don’t register it. Eli hits the counter, snarling. Caleb’s expression is impassive, but the muscle along his jaw is jumping as he clenches his teeth. They square off, although I’m not sure either wants to escalate it.

Or maybe not. I have no idea when it comes to guys and their testosterone.

I back out of the kitchen—a guilty relief—and into a strong pair of hands.

Theo scowls down at me.Shocker.

Liam pushes between Eli and Caleb before the tension can boil over. “What’s this about?”

Caleb glares at Eli, while the latter glares atme. Because I said I wouldn’t go to this dance? Or because he insinuated I’d go with someone other than Caleb?

I mean… that’s my plan, right? My new plan. Forget boyfriend—I just need someone to take to this stupid thing.

“You’re an idiot,” Eli declares to Caleb.

The change in his mood doesn’t go unnoticed, although I don’t understand it.

His expression is vicious, his gaze lasered in on his best friend. All his features are sharp, from his nose and cheekbones to the lines of his jaw, to the heated gleam in his eyes.

“You should just leave your history with her in the past. She and her family?—”

Crunch. Caleb’s fist smashes into Eli’s nose, narrowly avoiding Liam.

I leap back, hitting Theo’s chest. Eli stumbles, touching his nose, and lunges at Caleb. Caleb, who still has marks on his face from Liam. I scream when they collide, and Caleb’s head whips around.

Eli takes advantage of the distraction. He hits Caleb hard in the stomach, doubling him over.

Theo shoves me to the side and dives forward, along with Liam. They wrangle Eli and Caleb and force them apart.

My hand is glued to my mouth. It’s one thing to hear about the violence or see it on video. It’s another for it to happen right in front of me. Or even… it’s not because of me, is it?

No… it is.

“Goddamn it.” Theo has Caleb against the far counter, one hand on his chest. With his other, he points at me. “You.Leave.”

You know what? I’m totally on board with that plan.

I take two quick steps backward, unable to even look at Caleb. When no one stops me, when he doesn’t tell Theo to fuck off, I spin on my heel and run.

The house is so familiar, I don’t even think about where I’m going. I cut through the dining room, which leads to a parlor that was once a den for Caleb’s father to host his friends. And partially a library.

All the books are still on the shelves, but the furniture is piled up in a far corner. I pass through it and out the side door. It deposits me behind the garage, on a concrete sidewalk that runs down toward the guest house.

I go in that direction. My lungs are tight by the time I get there, and I gasp for breath. My fingers brush the doorknob. Shock filters through me when it easily turns under my hand.

---