Page 93 of Creatures of Chaos

“About what to do now that you’re still in the competition. This complicates things.”

I sigh. “I’m not going to apologize. If it wasn’t?—”

“I know,” he says, cutting me off. “I’m more grateful for what you did than you’ll probably ever realize. But we’ve created a situation that has to be dealt with.”

I hear my name being yelled, and when I look over Becks is running toward me. He scoops me up in his arms the instant he reaches me, crushing me to his chest, and I freeze. It’s the most public affection he’s shown me since we confessed our feelingsfor each other, and it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that I’m not used to it.

“Thank the Creator you’re okay,” he says. Leaning over, he buries his face in my neck as a shudder runs through him.

“It’s okay. I’m all right,” I say, trying to soothe him.

“You don’t understand,” he says, finally pulling back so I can look him in the eyes. “They found one of the other competitors an hour ago on the side of the road, beaten almost beyond recognition. She’s in the hospital now and they aren’t sure she’s going to make it.”

Sabine.

“I knew you didn’t have a phone or a computer, a way to call me for a ride. I thought . . .”

I know what he thought. He thought I hadn’t made it either and I’d ended up like Sabine.

I shake my head, an image of myself lying broken and bloodied on the ground rising up in my mind’s eye. I wasn’t Sabine, but I almost was. “No. I made it here all right.”

“Howdidyou get here?” he asks, and my gaze tracks over his shoulder to Talon, who’s waiting off to the side with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Becks twists to see what I’m looking at and then he tenses. A growl rumbles up in his chest.

“Talon knew I didn’t have my phone too, so he swung by to get me. If it wasn’t for him I’d be in a hospital bed next to Sabine right now, or worse.”

He sucks in a deep breath then lets it out slowly. The fight drains out of him as he realizes the truth, that if Talon hadn’t come to get me I could be dead right now. His arms slide away from me, and as he turns to walk toward Talon he grabs my hand and pulls me with him.

Becks’ hand wrapped around my own causes warmth to bubble up in my chest. The other competitors and handful offriends who showed up have almost completely cleared out, so there aren’t many others around, but holding Becks’ hand in public still makes a zing go through me. It reminds me of what I want with him. What I’ve been fighting for. To be given a chance to be his and him be mine out in the open for the whole world to see.

We stop in front of Talon, whose gaze drops to our clasped hands before bouncing back up to our faces. I think a flicker of something crosses his face, but it happens so fast I can’t be sure. He lets a lazy smile curve his mouth. “Here to thank me for looking after your girl?”

I snort. “Right. Let’s not forget who got who through that house of horrors,” I say with a pointed look.

His gaze drifts to me and I swear there’s a bit of smolder in his eyes that I absolutely do not react to even a little. “I delivered you back to your princeling with all your fingers and toes like I said I would, didn’t I?”

“That’s overselling it a bit.”

He shrugs, and Becks’ hand tightens around mine.

Clearing my throat, I drop the subject.

“The important thing is that Locklyn made it through this last trial in one piece. So yes, I owe you thanks,” Becks says, and it looks like every word tastes sour in his mouth, but he still gets them out.

Talon assesses Becks for a long moment, but eventually dips his head in acceptance and it makes me feel a bit lighter. Maybe there’s some common ground the two of them can find after all.

Becks sighs and looks down at me. “I’m just glad this nightmare is finally over, and we can move on with our lives.”

I lock up, and Becks notices right away.

“What is it?” he demands.

I glance at Talon, and he arches a brow at me as if to say, “Are you going to tell him, or should I?”

“Lock,” Becks presses.

“Well, about that.” I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and bite down. It draws Becks’ attention and distracts him for a second, but then he gives his head a small shake, his gaze moving to my eyes and holding as he waits. “So there were some extenuating circumstances during this trial, and so I kinda sorta maybe didn’t actually fail out like I was supposed to.”

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