“Giving you a ride home.” I interlink her fingers with mine when she tries to snatch Ava from Ilya.
When he starts toward the back exit, she practically jogs behind him, and only my grip keeps her from physically stopping him.
This is the first time I’ve held her hand and I can’t help feeling that it’s small, soft, and fits perfectly in mine.
“I can call one of our friends,” she tries to tell me, having figured that Ilya won’t listen to her.
“Or you can just go with me,” I say, tightening my hold on her hand when I remember that fucker Landon is one of theirfriends.
I should’ve really put him in a coma when I had the chance.
I stopped because people romanticize about anyone who’s hurt, and I wasn’t doing the motherfucker the favor.
“Eli will kill me if he finds out about this,” she mutters.
“Why?” I ask.
“I just let another guy carry her.” She throws her free hand in the air. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“He wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on you,” I say matter-of-factly.
She just releases a long breath, and I swear she’s about to smile but stops herself. “You guys are cut from the same cloth.”
When we reach her small car, she beeps it open, and Ilya gives me a glance because the car might as well be a tiny turtle’s nest.
I nod at him to put Ava at the back. As soon as Cecily makes sure her friend is all settled, she opts to drive, but Ilya is already sliding into the driver’s seat after a lot of bending.
When I join him in the front seat, it’s like I’m sitting in a damn toy car.
I have to bend my legs and head, despite pushing back the seat to its maximum capacity.
Cecily stares at us through the window and does a shit job at hiding her smile.
“Get in,” I order. “And this isn’t funny.”
“It actually is. You two would look adorable with one of Anni’s fluffy bandanas.”
“Cecily.”
“Fine, fine. You don’t have to order me around about everything, you know.” She shakes her head but then sits beside her friend and lays Ava’s head on her shoulder.
Thankfully their dorm isn’t far from the club, and we arrive before Ilya or I can get a muscle cramp.
Cecily starts to protest when Ilya carries Ava inside but soon drops it, knowing full well that she can’t do it herself.
I stay in the living room as he takes Ava to her room, with Cecily following behind.
Soon after, he reemerges, and she slams the door shut.
“Find those two from tonight. The one who was with Ava, too.”
He nods and heads out, closing the front door behind him.
I study the living room that Cecily spends some of her time in. Annika always talks about how Cecily and Glyndon want peaceful nights in, while she and Ava prefer to go out.
It’s simple, full of small stuffed rabbits and other animals that I’m sure isn’t her doing.
Her room speaks of her more than this shared space.