Page 50 of Wristlocked
“Was he a junkie?” I can’t picture it. I don’t know why. It’s not like I actually know the guy. Except I kind of feel like I do.
“No. But he knew someone who was.”
“Lucky him. Who was it?”
“You’ll have to ask him. It’s not my story to tell.”
“Fine.” I pause, considering. Do I have any other choice? I’ve been in Vegas for three years, but I don’t really know the city,leashed to Celeste and the school as I am. Especially not the side where Jamie would go. But Chace—“Why would he help me?”
She almost laughs.
“Because he’sLyot. Because he’s good. Because he makes broken things beautiful instead of lighting them on fire. Come on.”
“Gia.” I don’t want to say it, but I have to. “We have call in an hour.”
“I know.” Her eyes are serious, unwavering. “Let’s go.”
I grab her then and kiss her fiercely, not giving a shit that I’m smearing her lipstick all to hell.
We find Chace in the weight room, and once he recovers from the impact of Gia’s appearance, he listens to her hushed explanation without comment, only occasionally glancing at me over her shoulder. When she’s done, he grabs his shirt from the bench behind him and tugs it on as he approaches me.
“Do you have a car?” he asks. “We could Uber to the Foxhole, but if we strike out there, it’ll be a lot easier if we have our own ride.”
“I can get one.” I pull my phone out, and after checking that there are no calls from Jamie, I text Viktor.
I need your ride. Nonnegotiable. Be in front of the office with the keys in 5.
I start for the courtyard without waiting for a response. If he doesn’t show, I’ll go drag him out of whatever hole he’s hiding in and take his fucking keys. Luckily for him, I get a reply thirty seconds later.
Don’t you have a show tonight? Where the fuck do you need to go?
Just bring me the fucking keys.
Okay, dude, chill. I’m on my way.
“What are we going to do if he’s not at the Foxhole and no one’s seen him?” Gia asks, hopping from one foot to theother and wrapping her arms around her midriff to try and keep warm. Fuck. I should have grabbed her another jacket from my room. It’s probably forty fucking degrees out here, and her thin zip up is not going to cut it.
“There’s no ‘we,’ Gia.” Lyot gives her a look. “You’re staying here.”
“Like hell I am.”
“First of all, you need to get to the theater and let them know what’s going on. I’ll make sure Gale gets back before you have to perform.” He gives me a warning look, as if he can feel how little of a shit I give about the showcase right now.If I lose Jamie when he’s this close because I put my own dreams above his safety again, I’ll never fucking recover.“And second of all, no way in hell am I taking you down there looking like that. We want to get answers, not start fights.”
“Where the fuck is Viktor?” I snarl, avoiding Gia’s eyes. She studies me for another minute, then comes over to stand on tiptoe and presses a kiss to my cheek.
“You’re going to find him,” she promises, and I want to believe her, so I bend my head to take the words from her lips and carry them with me. She kisses Lyot next, wrapped in his arms and exchanging their own low murmurs.
When she’s gone, the night air seems to sharpen, drawing its focus around us as we hone ours. Lyot’s hands are shoved in his pockets, and he’s pulled his dark hood up over his head, but I can see his eyes flashing haunted in the shadows, and his set jaw matches my own.
27
Lyot
Viktor’s car is an older Beamer, the kind rich parents buy their kids after they’ve totaled the first new one. Gale doesn’t object when I climb in behind the wheel and slide the seat back, merely gets in the passenger seat and hands me the keys. I can feel the tension radiating off him, darker and more volatile than his usual challenging snark.
Neither of us speak as I merge onto the Beltway and head east toward the Strip. The silence hangs heavy, charged with all the things I never expected us to share. I fumble with the strange radio until Gale swats my hand away.
“Drive,” he says, and finds a station playing Billie Eilish. Her sultry voice doesn’t exactly make me more comfortable, but I keep that to myself.
