Page 76

Even in his disdain, he still felt he had to reassure me.

That made it worse somehow.

I stared at his mouth. Stupid. Always that mouth.

Soft-looking when nothing else about him was.

I dragged my eyes away.

“Apparently you’re worth ruining your life over,” I said.

Chief’s gaze came back to mine.

For one suspended second, neither of us moved. Something hot and painful climbed into my throat.

Then Megan appeared at the far end of the hall. “Declan.”

Of course.

Chief looked toward her.

I stepped back.

His eyes returned to me immediately. “Piper.”

“I’m fine.”

He hated that answer. Historically. Deeply. “Hazel—”

Megan called him again.

I smiled because I had pride somewhere, buried deep. “Go. Number one.”

His expression went hard. Not cold. Hard. Different.

I turned back to my locker before I could figure out what it meant.

Someone had taped another copy of the list to it.

This one had more handwriting on it.

Under Chief: ASK MEGAN.

Under Clayton: PIPER’S BACKUP PLAN.

Under Rook: CONFIRMED.

Under Ruckus: ALSO CONFIRMED.

Micah’s had become:

JAILBAIT COUNTDOWN. STILL WOULD. STILL PRETTIEST BISHOP. STILL MAD. STILL PRETTY. FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT.

I almost smiled. Then I saw what they’d added at the bottom.

HOW MANY BISHOPS HAS PIPER HAD?

HOW MANY HASN’T SHE HAD?