Page 85 of These Wicked Hearts

“No you don’t, and you’re a millionaire. Buy your own e-reader.” I mean, I don’t know Atlas’s financial situation, but I’m assuming he didn’t burn through the thirty-six-million-dollar contract he just signed with the Vipers.

“What’s going on with you and the giant anyway?”

“Nothing. We’re just friends.”

Chen scoffs. “I wish my friends were that hot.”

I glare at him.

“You know I’m not attracted to you. I’ve seen too much. We grew up together.”

“Yeah, I guess the romance dies when your best friend constantly ends up in your bed crying every night.” I bite back my smile seeing Chen’s eyes pin me in place in my peripheral.

“Oh, excuse the fuck out of me.”

I look around the cafe and try not to smile.

“Sorry to burden you with my childhood trauma.”

“It was very off-putting actually.”

He chucks a napkin at my face. “Dick.” But he chuckles after a moment. If we can’t joke about shit like this, then fuck is life bleak. “So, what’s the deal with this guy? Because you can say just friends all you want, but I know you and I know you are riding that man.”

Actually, he’s been riding me, but that’s none of Chen’s business. “I don’t know. We just hang out. It’s been . . . fun.”

“Fun.” He snorts. “I remember when I used to have fun.”

“You can have fun.”

Chen shrugs. “I don’t know. Just not into it lately, I guess. So, where are we going after this?”

I’ve been avoiding asking this, but I want to check it out and I don’t want to go alone. “You ever go to a comic store?”

“No.”

“Well, today’s your lucky day. There’s one a couple of blocks over at the mall complex. I want to check it out.”

“Oh, that dick must be so good.”

“Shut up.” And yes, it is, but again, he doesn’t need to know that.

“Let’s go.” He grabs his coffee and pulls at my sleeve.

By the time we make it to the comic store, Chen has spent the entire walk making increasingly dirty comments about Atlas.

“You know what really pisses me off?” Chen says, opening the door and letting me in. “You somehow pull the hottest man alive while I have to suffer through dating apps. It’s so unfair.”

The little bell goes off as we step through. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, not all of us have a six-foot-five god fall into our laps and bounce on them.”

I ignore my friend as I look around the store. It’s pretty dead in here right now. It’s bigger than I expected too. There are comic books lining the walls and on tables spread throughout the store. There’re figurines and memorabilia displayed in cases and on shelves, and posters and props take up most of the wall space. There’s music playing, and I close my eyes when I recognize the melody.

“Riot Heart.” Chen smiles at the guy at the counter. “Love their music.”

“Eh.” He shrugs. “It’s a little too melodramatic for me.”

Chen’s mouth drops open and he turns his head to blink at me. “Melo-fucking-dramatic.” He turns back to the man. “Some might say it’s heartwarming and holds deep meaning.”