Page 31 of Wicked Titan

Turning to walk to the house, I feel eyes staring at me. Searching them out unbidden, I find the flames from the fire flicker in their dark depths. It’s all the glimpse I need of Asher to know I don’t want to be out here, and I head back to the house.

Walking through the open French doors, I enter the kitchen. If I had to guess, between the bonfire, the pool, and the house, I’d say every student—from freshman to senior—has shown up for the party. Because everywhere I look, there are more and more people.

Reaching into an ice chest, I pluck out a bottle of water, drinking down a generous swallow as I continue on my quest through the house. I’m walking down a hallway when I finally spot Victoria with Elliot behind her. She spins around, poking her finger into his chest before storming off in my direction.

“Hey,” I say as she finally sees me through her fury. “Everything okay?”

Elliot walks up, slinging his arm around my shoulder. “Welcome, Quinnster. Mi casa es su casa.”

How had I not known this was Elliot’s house? “Thanks, I think.”

Victoria walks off, Elliot spots someone else and yelling at them, hurrying away.

“What was that about?” I ask when I catch up to her.

She grabs a beer from the ice chest, twisting off the cap before taking a generous swallow. “Nothing important.”

Doubt that, but I don’t push the issue. Walk out to the patio, we sit on some lounge chairs next to the pool. After a bit of our usual comfortable silence, watching the chaos around us, Victoria breaks her quietness.

“Do you ever just want to leave? Go somewhere where no one knows you and where you don’t know anyone?”

“All the time, even though I’ve already just done that.” I chuckle at the sentiment, looking around, not recognizing many faces.

“True, but you didn’t get to pick this place.” Victoria pauses, looking over to where Elliot is playing perfect host. Or more like drunken host. “It’s not the same when your choices are made for you, when you have to be someone because that’s who life says you are … or aren’t.”

“You still get a say-so.”

“Not really.” She downs the remainder of the beer before tossing the glass bottle over her head where it lands with a thud in the bushes behind us.

A snicker leaves my lips as Victoria giggles, closing her eyes and folding her hands over her stomach. My head falls back on the chair as we talk for a few minutes. Her voice getting sleepy as time passes.

I remove my phone from my pocket, noticing a message from Grant. We are all upstairs on the balcony. Meet me up here because you’re missing a really sweet view. ;-)

“She’s out,” Elliot chuckles, tucking a strand of Victoria’s hair behind her ear before perching on the end of my lounge chair.

“Yeah, I was going to head upstairs, but I didn’t want to just leave her asleep here.”

He motions for me to stand as he stands, pushing the lounge chair closer to hers. “I’ll keep an eye on her. I need a break anyways.”

“Great party, by the way.” I laugh as he reclines, folding his arm behind his head.

He waves at me without opening his eyes as I glance up at the balcony. “How do you get up there?”

Elliot slants his eyes open enough to see me pointing at the balcony before closing them again. “Take the kitchen staircase, and it’s the last door on the right.”

“Thanks, Elliot.”

“Thank me tomorrow.”

That’s probably a better idea since he probably won’t remember much from tonight.

I drink the rest of my water, tossing the bottle before I tiptoe upstairs. It seems strange to walk around freely in someone else’s house. I wonder how Elliot’s parents are okay with this. If Nathan knew about this party, then Elliott’s parents probably do too. Haley’s parents were okay with her having parties, but it was just ten, maybe twenty, of our friends at the most.

I push open the door, feeling around on the wall for the light switch with no luck.

Looking across the room to the balcony, I notice a few people outside. I step into the room, an office, I think, but the view distracts me. The entire wall is glass from floor to ceiling, allowing a view over the property. As I step to open the balcony door, I’m jerked backwards. My scream is muffled by a strong hand covering my mouth.

“I knew you’d come running.”