Page 53 of The Puck Decoy

“Should I be concerned that I now have to share you with a child?” Nova asks with a smile, as he comes up behind us and drops a kiss to Maddie’s head.

Penelope instantly sits up, eyes locking onto him as she blurts, “Wow, you’re pretty.”

Nova laughs, instantly declaring, “Hey kid, I like you already.”

I turn to find not only him, but Alexander and Archer too, and hope surges inside of me as I flick my gaze past them but come up empty, and I can’t help but ask, “What are you guys doing here?”

Nova eyes me with confusion given my tone, but still replies, “Maddie texted and said you guys were here, so we came for a late lunch.”

Maddie turns and accepts another kiss from him, before turning to Penelope. “Pen, this is my boyfriend Nova Darkmore, and his friends Archer Gray and Alexander Reign.” For some reason she blushes as she says Alexander’s name, and he pointedly looks anywhere but at her, as she adds, “They play on the same hockey team as my brother.” I’m sure her introductions are more for Callia than her daughter, who is eyeing all the boys with wonder.

“You guys know, Josh?” Penelope asks excitedly.

“Know him?” Archer jumps in like a jacked-up Golden Retriever. “Peters and I go way back,” he lies boldly, making me smile. “I even went to his wedding.”

Of course Penelope doesn’t detect his bullshit as she gasps, “Wow, you must be best friends.”

Archer grins, winking at me. “Oh, the bestest.”

I lean over and smack the back of his head like I have seen his so-called bestie do before I ask, “And where is my husband?”

At my question his smile instantly drops, as he looks between his friends, and it’s only then I notice there is a bruise on the corner of his left eye. All three boys look like they have a secret, but it’s Nova that finally replies, “Josh is dealing with something, I’m sure he’ll call you later.”

With that, the three of them grab menus without another word, moving over to a booth so they can order some food, while Maddie bids a goodbye to Penelope so she can join her boyfriend. Meanwhile I am frozen to the spot, hands shaking as I pull out my phone in a panic.

Hallie : Hey everything okay?

I might not be sure where we stand, but despite everything that happened between us this morning, he is still my friend first. His reply is almost instant.

Peter Pan : No

Peter Pan : Daemon isn’t having a good day. I need to stay with him

Unease settles deep in my stomach, both with worry for his friend and for what this means for us. I have gotten to know Daemon a little better since Josh and I decided to do this, yet he’s like an onion, you peel back one layer just to find another. I have barely yet been able to peel back one. Yet I know Josh has dug his way a lot deeper than I have with him over the last few years, so if anyone can help him with whatever he has going on, it’s him.

Peter Pan : You’re still my girl, Tink

Butterflies attack my stomach as my heart pounds in my chest at the five simple words written on my phone screen.

Hallie : Just take care of your friend, don’t worry about me

Peter Pan : You’re mine to worry about remember

Hallie : Psycho

Peter Pan : Brat

Hallie : Asshole

Peter Pan : Mine

I don’t respond, not really sure of what to say, yet I still keep my phone in my hand for almost the rest of the day. I joined Maddie and the guys while they enjoyed lunch, all of them conveniently not mentioning anything about practice. Then head home alone while Maddie goes off with Nova, with only one thought in my mind.

What the hell happened at that practice?

Spending the night trying to sleep on Daemon’s floor to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid wasn’t exactly on my bucket list for last night, but he left me with no other choice. I was late for practice yesterday, and after Coach chewed me out I spent the whole time there thinking about getting back to Hallie and picking up where we left off. Yet the moment we left the ice and found an unwanted visitor waiting for my best friend, I just knew his breakdown was inevitable. If there’s one thing I have learned about him in the last three years, it’s that if he could, he would let the darkness win. Which is why there was no way I was leaving him alone.

Daemon didn’t have the best childhood. In fact, from the few things I have managed to pry out of him, it sounds like he had it really rough. Mix that with the scars scattered across his body–that I have learnt to not ask about and pretend aren’t there–well, let’s just say, I get why he is the way that he is. So the moment I spied his older brother, Jasper, who I have seen only once before, lingering by the stands, I knew that I would have to fight against the darkness to keep my best friend.

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