Page 20 of Supernova

“Okay, stop fishing for compliments. I admit, you’re a pretty good gift giver.” She leaned forward, lifting up onto her toes.

“I’m trying,” Adrian said, bending down to meet her.

The kiss was everything she remembered. Warmth tingling through her limbs. Shooting stars glinting behind her eyelids. Somehow being so perfectly content, while still yearning for more.

A crash startled them both—something heavy falling to the hard floor. They jumped apart and spun toward the darkened subway tunnels where they had come from.

Nova’s pulse raced beneath her skin, and sheknewthat it had been the helmet. Had the blackmailer realized it was a fake? Had they thrown it?

“Just a rat, probably,” she said, breathless for more reason than one.

“I don’t think that was a rat.” Still holding her hand, Adrian started back toward Honey’s room.

Nova dug in her heels. The last thing she needed was a run-in with someone who knew her secrets and wouldn’t hesitate to give them up, especially to Adrian Everhart himself. “Hold on! What if it’s… what if it’s Nightmare? Or another Anarchist? Shouldn’t we call for backup?”

Adrian shot her a baffled look, and even in the dim lighting she could see his confusion. “Youwant to wait for backup?”

He was right. It didn’t sound like her at all.

“It’s just…” She swept her other hand toward him. “You’re not wearing your uniform!”

His head shifted to one side, briefly, then he shook it and started dragging her again. “Come on.”

She cursed inwardly and followed. She would play dumb. She would deny anything the blackmailer said. If she had to, she would take desperate measures, silencing him or her before anything could be given away.

Or maybe she could knock Adrian out, right now, before he saw them and had a chance to learn anything. She eyed the bare flesh at the back of his neck. She could make up a story—say that itwasNightmare in the tunnels, and she jumped out from the shadows and put them both to sleep before Nova could stop her.

Yeah… that might work…

Her fingers twitched. They were nearly to the maintenance closet where she’d left the helmet. Adrian was rounding the corner. There was no sign of anyone yet, not even the beam of a flashlight or the thud of footsteps running away. Just the scuffle of their own feet along the tracks.

Was the blackmailer still in Honey’s room?

The door was still closed, just as Nova had left it. Adrian nudged it open, gripping his marker in one hand. Nova hadn’t seen him take it out.

Biting down on her lower lip, she reached for the back of his neck. But something made her stop. A movement in the room. A shadow moving toward them.

Adrian ducked, then flew forward, sending his fist at the attacker.

A crash reverberated through the room. Adrian let out a stream of curses. Nova shone the flashlight toward him.

There was no attacker, no blackmailer. Their assailant had been Adrian’s own reflection in the dresser mirror, which had shattered from the punch.

“Okay,” he grunted, cradling his hand against his chest, face twisted with pain. “I’m officially done attacking people before I get a good look at them.”

“That might be for the best,” said Nova, but her words were distracted.

Her attention had snagged on the top of the dresser, where a few chunks of broken mirror had fallen to the surface.

The helmet was gone.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ADRIAN PACED AROUNDthe waiting room. Simon was sitting at the edge of one of the sofas, his hands clasped and his fingers twitching against his knuckles. They hadn’t spoken much since their arrival at the hospital. Hugh had gone ahead to see Max, as the only one who was immune to him. The only one who wassupposedto be immune to him. Adrian’s confession had been on the tip of his tongue ever since.

It was so frustrating to be out here when there was no reason that he couldn’t be in the room with Max right now. His tattoo would protect him. All he needed to do was tell his dads about the tattoos, explain that, actually, he was immune to Max’s power, too, and he could be back there with his brother.

But the words wouldn’t come. There would be too many questions. Explanations he wasn’t ready to give.

---