One of them, anyway.
“Climber, huh?” Baz holds out a hand to help me up. “That’s pretty hardcore.”
“More like a crasher today,” I grumble, taking his hand and hauling myself up.
“Didn’t mean to distract you up there.” He smirks, but then it fades into a smile that’s slightly more chagrined. “I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut, huh?”
“Hmm. Which of the many,manypossible times are you referring to?”
“This one.”
“Yes. But it’s not your fault. I’m off my game today. I haven’t been on the rocks since… well, it’s been a while.” I dust my hands off and take a step back to gaze up at my nemesis. The rock wall, not the man, though I’m still on the fence about his allegiances, especially after that shady-ass brotherhood meeting I witnessed last night.
Part of me wants to ask him about it, just like I wanted to ask Kirin. But that was definitely some next-level secret society shit, and the whole point of secret societies is to keep them—wait for it—secret. Asking him now will only alert him to the fact that I’m onto them, and then I’ll have zero chance at figuring out what’s going on.
Best to play it cool, see what I can suss out for myself.
Besides, despite all the sneaking around and half-truths, I still don’t get bad vibes from any of them. Their intentions, their energy, even their eyes when they look at me—it’s all genuine. Protective, even.
I don’t know what to make of it, but I do trust that I’m not in any danger. Not from the guys, anyway.
“Look, Stevie,” he finally says, kicking at the dirt with his toe. “I came out here to apologize. Not about distracting you. About mouthing off, making everything a joke… I know you’ve seen some shit in your life, okay? And it can’t be easy for you right now, being here, dealing with all of us and your mother’s work and Trello… I just wanted to say sorry if I’ve done anything to make it harder on you.”
“Make it harder on me?” I press my lips together to keep from smiling.
“Right.”
“Shit, Baz, if you don’t jump in this innuendo, I will.”
“Hey!” He cracks up. “Don’t encourage me!”
“From the way things felt before, I don’t think you need much encouragement.”
“Not where you’re concerned, apparently.” His gaze sweeps down to take in my outfit—sports bra, leggings. That about sums it up.
Heat crests, my body still clinging to the memory of straddling him in class. To the vision in the meadow last night, when the only fire we had to contend with was the one between us.
Us. Me and Baz. I know now that it was him, my mysterious lover. That we connected somehow, when our lips touched after he pulled me from the river. For me, it was through the Devil card. For him, through the Star.
I don’t know what it means. Whether I can control it. Whether it’s the same thing that’s happening with Dr. Devane and the vision at the ocean.
But I can’t pretend I don’t feel something. Some deep, primal attraction, especially where Baz is concerned.
“Apology accepted.” I jab a finger into his chest, anything to break the tension roiling between us. “But don’t think that’s carte blanche for future indiscretions. And also, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you after Divination.”
“I like you snappy.” He wraps his hand around mine, presses it against his chest. His heart is beating wildly, and for a minute I feel myself drifting back to our meadow…
“So why the fuck does this asshole rock keep throwing you down?” He asks, breaking the vision before it can take. “You need me to kick its ass?”
“If only it were that easy.” I point to the overhang about fifteen feet up. “See that lip up there?”
He steps closer to take a look, crowding right into my space, still holding my hand.
“I can’t seem to make it over the top,” I say. “And I don’t want to go higher without a belay. This rock isn’t bolted, and I’m not familiar enough with it to go too far up on my own.”
“You, ah, want some help?”
He’s totally serious. But he’s also still holding my hand, and when he looks down at me with those devilish eyes, the very last of my self-control marches right out the window.
