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Harleigh
“Want to talk about it?”Nate asked as we waited for Celeste and Miles to finish up whatever the hell they were doing.
“Nope.”
“Okay… although, you know it has been said, I’m a pretty good listener.”
“What’s with the change of heart all of a sudden?”
“Excuse me?” He blinked up at me.
“You were a sleazy asshole at the mixer. A total creep when you came over to hang out at the pool with Max and your brother. And now you what? You want to be my shoulder to cry on? I’m not buying it.”
“That’s fair. I was a dick.” He ran a hand down his face. “Hell, I am a dick. But I figured we had something in common.”
My eyes crinkled as I studied him. There was no hint of teasing. In fact, he almost seemed… sad.
“I know, Maguire. About what happened to you.”
“I… I don’t know what you mean.”
“It’s okay, your secret is safe with me. But I get it.”
“I don’t know what you think you get, but—”
“My sister.” He glanced at the ground, kicking the gravel with his sneaker. “She… uh—”
Laughter floated over to us, Celeste and Miles emerging from the shadows.
“You two look… happy,” I said dryly, arching my brow.
“She’s drunk.” Miles hugged her closer. “We should probably get her home.”
“Yeah. It’s getting late.” Nate stood and folded his chair up. Part of me wanted to ask what he’d been about to tell me, but the other part was scared to walk that path with him.
I didn’t want to bond over my trauma. Not with him. Not with anyone.
The scars from my past were mine and mine alone. Scratched onto my skin and etched onto my heart. They were my reminder of where I’d come from, where I’d been, and where I wanted to go. Sharing that felt… It felt wrong somehow.
So I was relieved when he gave me a small smile and ushered us to get into his car.
“What did you two get up to?” Celeste asked, shuffling into the back seat beside me.
“Talked mostly.”
“Until Wilder and Zane Washington showed up.”
I flashed Nate a murderous look in the rearview mirror.
“What?” Celeste gasped. “They were here? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Liar.
Because the second Nix’s lips had slammed down on mine, something inside me had cracked wide open. He’d kissed me. Pulled me under his spell, and I didn’t feel wholly in control of myself.
But it was just a kiss.
