“You’re giving me too much credit, Rebecca,” Razor teases. “I’m still on the mend.”
Rebecca snorts. “You’re an eighteen-year-old boy. When it comes to girls, it’s amazing how fast you can recover.”
He chuckles, she laughs and I’m mortified because we did make out.
Rebecca genuinely grins at me. “You’ll get used to us. What’s taboo in the real world is fair game around us.” Then she speaks to Razor. “When are you introducing her to the club?”
Razor rises to his feet. “Now.”
“What?” I’m not the only one shouting the question. Rebecca appears equally horrified.
Razor leans down and kisses Rebecca’s cheek. “I’ll tell them I met her in the woods. None of this will blow over on you. I can’t have her sneaking out of here like I’m ashamed of her. She’s walking out of this clubhouse with her head held high.”
“I’m fine with sneaking out,” I offer, but neither of them are listening to me.
Rebecca smiles like my parents do at me when I win an academic award. She hugs him and avoids touching the patch on his back. “You’re such a good boy.”
It’s weird watching this moment. One that’s too intimate. One that I would have never thought of as possible for the Reign of Terror. It’s so...normal.
“With that said, no. One, Breanna looks like she’s about to pass out.”
He immediately glances over at me and I weakly wave.
“Two, we’re throwing a club dinner in your honor on Friday. That would be a better time to bring her. The Terror Gypsies will be here, so will all the kids. The board will also be more welcoming of her if you give them advance notice that you’re bringing a guest.”
“She’s special to me,” Razor says, and I can’t help the warm fuzzies he creates.
“They’ve been asking you to play by the rules and I understand how hard that is for you. Waiting until Friday will speak volumes. Waltzing her down now will upset them because we sneaked someone in without their permission. If you won’t do it for yourself or for me, do it for her.”
Razor keeps his gaze on Rebecca as he tilts his head to the door. As if she’s fluent in nonverbal communication, Rebecca leaves without a word.
He heads over to me and cups my face with his hands, and I could stay in his warmth forever. “You’re my girl, and I can’t let you leave like you don’t mean something. If sneaking you out makes you feel like shit, I’ll take you down now. If it makes you feel better to follow the rules, then I’ll bring you on Friday.”
“I like not making waves,” I admit. “I like the path that keeps me from being the center of attention.”
His forehead furrows as if I’ve confused him. “The girl I’ve fallen for is fearless, so where is this coming from?”
I release a long breath. “I’m not as fearless as you think.”
“You need new eyes.”
I roll my old eyes in a “whatever.”
Razor has that predatory expression again and excitement curls within my belly. His hand goes to the small of my back and in a sudden motion presses me to him. I suck in a pleasing breath and he lowers his head so that his lips are a whisper from mine. “One day soon, I’ll be healed and we’re going to be very, very alone.”
Fantastic shivers run through me. And I thought what happened earlier was magical.
A knock on the door and I jump. The code. I haven’t told him about the code. “I figured it out.”
He blinks. “What?”
“The code. I took a look at the second code, and I solved it.” I break away from him and fumble with my book bag until I find the folder. “It means nothing to me, but something tells me this references the one I can’t figure out.”
I hand Razor the paper and watch as his eyes dart over and over again from left to right, repeatedly reading the few words: Consider this your warning shot ~RMC
He rips his stare to me. “That’s it? Nothing else?”
“No, but I swear to you I’m working as hard as I can on the other code.”