Page 48 of Dark Verse

I shrug. “It’s always just been Raven or Ray. My Nan calls me sweet baby, but she gets special permission.”

“Do I need to put in an application for this permission or is there some other kind of review process?”

I chuckle. “It’s a grandmother clause, and it can only be applied to blood relations.”

He clicks his tongue lightly. “Always a catch with you, Ven.” He squeezes my hand. “So, what will it be?” he asks.

For the first time in…well, forever, the pressure in this moment feels different. Like a no from me won’t prompt a meltdown on Knox’s part, like most of my experiences. For too long, everything in my life has felt like something I’ve been trying to stage-manage into the right place. The few times I’ve let someone else in, it’s ended with my heart stomped into a million pieces and my health falling off a cliff. Every heartbreak has forced me to relearn a hard lesson. Life is a lot more survivable when you keep firm control of every part of it.

Yet there’s a thin but unmistakable thread that’s holding us near each other, a small hope that seems to start in his chest and draw me in. It’s growing steadily. It feels charged and safe at the same time. Like losing control might be worth the risk again.

“I have some admin work to do in the morning, but I should be done by early Wednesday afternoon.”

“Yeah?” His tone is hopeful again.

“I’ll meet you there,” I say quickly.

“Understandable. A lady needs a solid escape plan.”

“Oh, right,” I say, remembering that I no longer have a car. I make a mental note to see if the public transit system has a stop near FullSpectrum. “I can probably be there by five.”

“Five sharp. FullSpectrum. It’s a date.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

RAVEN

CASH TAYLORSON is a liar. This place is not a fever dream. It’s the fever dream’s acid trip after coming down from a cocaine bender. FullSpectrum’s art installation is the most visually insane thing I have ever seen, a complete and total sensory overload that is nevertheless fantastical and wonderful.

From the moment I step into the building, I know I’m in for something special.

Knox waits for me just past the welcome desk, tickets in hand and that massive smile splashed across his features. Most days, I can tell he got ready in a hurry, mismatched socks, wet hair, a slightly glazed look in his eyes like he just woke up. Knox’s usual attire consists of old shirts and blue jeans that smell like they were just laundered but look like he was working in the dirt. One morning, his T-shirt was on backward. The only thing I know for sure at this point is that the man has an endless array of leather jackets. Okay, five is not endless, but that’s enough for every day of the typical workweek.

But not today.

His thick beard is trimmed and oiled. His hair is combed and styled. Knox wears a classic all-black shirt and jeans, with his favorite leather jacket still on. The black has a subtle shine against his equally dark shirt and pants. He looks deliciously mysterious.

Oh, my God. This might be a mistake.

This guy is looking more like my type with every passing second.

“Good afternoon, beautiful,” he says as I approach him.

He holds up a lanyard, placing it over my head and entering my space in the process.

He smells sharp and clean, like mint, basil, and oakmoss. Like rainy afternoons and lazy mornings in bed. As soon as that scent hits my nose, I breathe deeper.

Oh, yeah. This was a mistake.

Feeling suddenly hotter, I clear my throat before saying, “Thanks.”

“You ready?”

“Let me stop off at the restroom for just a moment,” I say, spotting the signs.

By the time I’m in front of a mirror, I have half the contents of my purse out. Mascara, lip stain, and liner. Plus hairpins, a small perfume bottle, and ponytail holders.

My sepia-brown skin looks orange to my eyes, a telltale sign that my cheeks are high with blood. I’m nervous. The last real date I went on was a year ago, and that ended with a handshake as we waited for our separate rideshares. And now I’m about to go on a first date with a man who I let finger-bang me the first night we met and who now works for me.