Page 74 of Midnight Curfew

Snatching my towel off the hook, I turn off the water and swipe the towel across my body, wrapping it around my waist. I push the curtain aside and head back to the lockers, grabbing another towel off the rack and rubbing it over my head.

I didn’t want to wear a suit tonight, trying to act like I belong there when I know what I am to those people. But then I thought they might not let me in if I’m not dressed right, so I had Aracely drop off my suit earlier. Krisjen was at a meeting, Iron had disappeared, and what do we pay Aracely for anyway?

As I come up my row, though, I see long jean-clad legs standing at the end. I pull the towel off my head, staring at my brother.

Macon waits for me with his arms folded across his chest, and I glance left and right, not seeing anyone else.

I think he’s set foot in this school twice. Once to meet with a teacher to remind them that many priests are probably gay and that they can get off our gay sister’s back, and then…

And then he showed up for her graduation.

St. Carmen is like another planet to him.

Walking to the locker, I pull it open. “I was expecting Iron.”

He was supposed to give me the rundown on what to do and where to go if I’m on the run at midnight. Ideally, I just wanted a car parked at Fox Hill, but then they’d see him dropping it off.

I don’t think it’ll be a problem, though. I fully intend to make it so fun that Callum doesn’t want the night to end early.

Macon nods. “He’s around.”

“What does that mean?”

He’s around…

But my oldest brother just tips his chin at me, a small smile turning up the corner of his mouth. “Where’re your boots?”

I pull them out of the locker and hand them to him. He just takes one and turns, sitting on the bench with his back to me. I start to pull on my clothes, stealing glances over his shoulder.

Using a small finger knife, he shaves off one of my treads in order to fit a blade in the traction of my sole.

I pull on my black pants, and he turns around, handing me my shoe. “If they have any metal detectors, they’ll think it’s the steel toe.”

I’m not sure if he thinks I can’t handle it, but it’s nice to have him to myself and not yelling for a change.

“Don’t worry about me,” I tell him, more of an assurance.

I can handle Callum Ames.

Pulling on my shirt, I button it up.

“Oh, I have enough to worry about,” he says. “We’ll be having our own fun tonight.”

The Saints will be busy in the Wolfe Room, and I’ll make sure they stay that way while my family makes their move, getting the liquor into storage.

I drape my black tie with silver pinstripes around my collar, but Macon approaches, tying it for me.

I narrow my eyes. No one has ever tied my tie, although I’m sure Dad helped him with his when he was growing up.

“These people are bad.” He stares down at my collar. “I’d tell you not to do this, but you’ll for sure do it then.”

I can’t help but smile a little. We may have very little in common, but he knows me.

A lump moves down his throat, his eyes still not meeting mine.

“When you’re young,” he says, “you’re feeling everything magnified by a hundred.” He pauses, seeming out of breath. “Your head can feel like a prison. But it’s not.”

He tightens the tie and lifts his gaze to mine.