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Maybe he could make me feel better. And maybe I could make him feel better too.

But I think the last thing I needed was to be a Band-Aid for someone else’s pain. Because he’d just tear it off. And I’d be exactly where I started. Slowly dying.

Mr. Halifax had broken me. He had. There was no other way to put it.

I kept staring at Adonis. He wanted to help heal me. But what was the point if he just planned on breaking me again?

Adonis pulled to the curb outside my apartment building. I was very aware of the fact that he hadn’t asked for my address. But RJ had probably given it to him.

He kept the car idling instead of putting it into park.

And I knew if I kept pushing him away, I’d push him right into someone else’s arms.

But I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t even know what else to say. And I wasn’t usually one to be lost for words.

I unbuckled my seatbelt. “Thanks for the lift.”

He slowly turned toward me. “Thanks for not getting too mad about me slashing your tire.”

I opened my mouth, but his laughter made me pause.

“Kidding,” he said.

I really wasn’t sure he was. I couldn’t tell if he was pranking me or not. But RJ was right. My dad would love Adonis. “Goodnight,” I said.

“Sweet dreams, Aphrodite.”

Chapter 30 – The Triple Js

Thursday

Adonis stretched his legs out under the lunch table. He took up a lot of room. And that was saying something, because I was used to hanging out with big football players.

His thigh brushed against mine and he smiled at me. “Should we get together tonight to work on our project?”

“Don’t you have a game or something?”

He hit his shoulder against mine. “Don’t pretend you haven’t memorized our schedule, Aphrodite.”

I hadn’t. But it was in my calendar. So I did know he didn’t have a game tonight. I bit the inside of my lip. I’d been putting off working on this assignment for as long as possible. But I was out of time. It was due at midnight.

Adonis looked over at Jacob. “Where should we meet up? My place?”

My head was still messed up from being alone with him in his car. I didn’t think being in his house was a good idea. I shook my head.

“Does this mean I’m finally getting invited to your apartment?” he asked.

Not unless he wanted to die in a pile of pudding. I looked to my friends for help.

“You guys could do it in Scarlett’s secret lair,” RJ said.

I didn’t like the way he’d worded that suggestion. And also...damn it! Don’t tell Adonis about our secret lair! That was not the suggestion I wanted.

Adonis laughed and turned to Scarlett. “You have a secret lair?”

“No,” she said.

I exhaled slowly. Good. I didn’t want Adonis to know about it.