Page 177 of Fake Game

“Ooh,” Lee croons. “We’re down.”

I slide my hand under the table and grip Deer’s hand with a small squeeze. “What do you want to do?”

“Hm?” She blinks those unnaturally ice blue eyes up at me.

Even though this is the first event she’s gone to since everything went down with the doxing, she’s been quieter than usual tonight.

“Wylder invited us to the Electric Tyger after-party that Castle is having. Do you want to go?”

“Oh.”

“We don’t have to.”

She smiles and shakes her head, the sparkly glitter on her cheekbones shining in the light. “No, I want to.”

“You sure?”

“Mhm. You’ll be with me.”

“You’re fucking right I will be.”

***

Everyone is sloshed.

“I am notthatdrunk,” slurs Parker as he pushes out of the elevator and almost trips.

Syd, the only completely sober person, shoots out to grab her runaway boyfriend. “Sure, you’re not.”

“You are so beautiful.” Parker reaches down and cups her face between his hands as she laughs at him. “How’d I get so lucky?”

“Because I love you.”

The rest of us file out of the elevator behind them. Deer stays tucked close to my side, her fingers rubbing circles on my bicep where she’s holding onto me.

“Night, guys,” Stevie calls out as she and Aleks disappear into his room.

“What about you, babe?” I peer down at my girl.

“I kind of want some air. The club was stuffy.”

“Okay, come on.” I tug her toward the outdoor patio.

We step outside and the breeze immediately picks up, slicking its cool air over us. Deer reaches up to curl her arms around herself.

“Cold?”

“A little.”

“Give me a sec.”

I run back inside to my room and grab the package that’s been hidden in my closet for the last week, ripping it open. When I come back outside, I find her pressed up against the glass railing as she peers out at the city.

I slip the jacket over her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She starts to thread her arms through the sleeves but pauses with a frown. She takes it off and holds it in front of her, jaw going slack. “Oh my Gods.” Her head swivels from the varsity jacket to me and back, again and again. “What?”

“You like it?”

---