“Come on. Let’s get out of here,” I said firmly to Milo because I didn’t want to abandon him, but I also wasn’t going to stand there and let Luther and James pick us apart. However, when I stepped forward, Luther playfully swung his cart into my path.
“Okay, now I’m mad.” I glowered at him, and right when I was about to shove his stupid cart, Milo suddenly came to life and stepped in front of me.
“Stop,” he said, and time came to a screeching halt while we all waited to see what he was about to do.
Chapter Thirty
Milo
“Stop.” Finally, I’d recovered my ability to speak. It had taken me a few moments to get past the shock of seeing Luther and James at the hospital, exactly like I’d been dreading. And it was high school all over again, Luther and James hassling Jasper, and me doing nothing to stop it. It was like they started their shit and my voice fled along with my convictions and my courage.
But unlike high school, Jasper now looked more furious than scared, and I had a sinking feeling some of that anger was probably directed my way. And also in contrast to the past, I now had way more on the line. I’d promised Jasper and myself that I was going to be a better person, and that better person was definitely not a scared-rabbit statue who let my roommates get away with harassing anyone, let alone someone who meant as much to me as Jasper.
“Knock it off,” I said to Luther. My stomach issued a Category 5 hurricane warning. It might have been a little dramatic, but I swore I could feel my entire future hinging on the next few minutes. My stomach could deal. “Let him pass.”
“I’m so sorry, Zeus. Or is it Apollo? Sorry. I didn’t pay attention to ancient history.” Luther laughed harshly.
“It’s Prince Neptune.” I pulled myself up to my full height, which was taller than Luther and wider than James. “And you both need to cut it out.”
“Or what?” James shook his head. “Since when do you hang out with Quigley, anyway?”
“You don’t know everything about me.”
“Clearly.” Luther swept his gaze over my costume again, openly mocking. “Like I said, you’d better be careful. People might get the wrong idea.”
“Right here, guys,” Jasper said from behind me, tone still dripping with irritation.
“Or maybe they’ll get the right one.” My stomach was in full-out revolt now, bile burning my throat, but I forced my hand backward, fumbling for Jasper’s. Holding his hand at the ball had been scary, but this right now was like the difference between a high dive and skydiving. With an iffy parachute. And the landing zone was on fire. But whatever. I was doing it.
Jasper inhaled sharply but he didn’t flinch away, grabbing my hand back, not letting go.
“Okay. Very funny.” Luther rolled his eyes as if there was no way I was serious.
“I don’t have time for this shit.” James yanked his cart past Luther’s.
“No. No way.” Tilting his head, Luther quirked his mouth like he might be seeing me for the first time ever. My clammy skin broke out in goose bumps under the scrutiny, yet I held firm to Jasper.
“There’s no room in my life for you…experimenting, Lionetti.”
“It’s not your life. It’s mine.” Even as my muscles started to quiver, I still stared James down.
“No, I meant that literally. No room. You can pack up your crap and get the fuck out.” James’s expression was as hard as his tone.
“Yeah.” Luther sounded more resigned than mad. “Way to choose that—”
I cut him off with a growl. “Watch it.”
“Everything okay here?” An older portly security officer stepped off the elevator and strode toward us. Heck. All we needed was someone to have complained about our argument.
“Yup, Officer.” James spared me a last glare before steering his cart toward the elevators. “Moving on. Moving the F on.”
“You do that.” I scowled back until they were both out of sight.
“You need me to call the cleaning company supervisor?” the guard asked. “I know how much the kids love the costumed visitors like you two. That cleaning company’s workers are supposed to stick to the remodel on the next level up.”
“No. It’s fine,” I said, even though it most definitely was not. Jasper muttered something under his breath about a complaint not being a bad idea, but I pretended not to hear, instead trying to look casual while waiting for the guard to head down the corridor.
“Wow. That was…” Jasper exhaled about a decade’s worth of tension.
“I know.” Swaying slightly, I squished my eyes shut.
“Hey. You okay?” Jasper steered me toward one of the couches in the waiting area by the elevators.
“No.” Collapsing onto the couch, I put my head in my hands. Jasper made soothing sounds and rubbed my back, but I was concentrating too much on not hurling to appreciate the contact. “What did I do?”