Page 71 of Taking Denver

He opens his mouth to argue, then clearly thinks better of it. He heads toward the back exit with his friends.

Ethan’s strong hand takes mine. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m really not,” I say. “You have to go. Everyone filmed you doing that.”

“Denver, I don’t care about?—”

“I do,” I say. We’re too close. We’re in public and touching. Ranger has already proved how much he watches these tapes, and I can only hope he’s still driving home so isn’t watching right now. “Go, now.”

I head for the exit, and once I’m back in the darkened hall, I scream out my frustration. Just as I think things are becoming manageable, everything is thrown into the air again. I never get a goddamn break.

“Denver.” Ethan catches the door before it closes behind me and follows me into the backroom.

I shake my head rapidly. “You can’t be here. There are cameras.”

“Are you with Ranger?”

I glance at the security camera in the corner of the room, wondering if I can erase the tape. Panic spreads through me, tightening my lungs and quickening my heart.

“Denver, are you with him?” he repeats.

“That’s really what you’re asking right now?”

He steps further the backroom, and the door closes behind him. I glance again at the camera. “Ethan, you cannot be here.”

“I’m scared for you, Denver. Why can’t you?—”

“You need to go. He cannot know you were back here!” I try to push him back, but he won’t move. “Ethan, go!”

This is such a mess. Isabelle, Ethan, Axel—I knew this would happen. I’ve come home, and everything has unraveled.Ihave unraveled. Heat spreads across my skin, my cheeks tingling with the urge to vomit, legs trembling with the urge to run, run, run, and never come back?—

“Denver, look at you. You’re fucking terrified. If it’s because of Ranger, you need to leave him.”

The red light. The camera. Ranger’s words. Wyatt’s eyes.

“It’s not because of him!” I insist.

“Say the word, Denver.”

“Then why?”

“It’s because I killed Wyatt!”

Chapter 25

Denver

FOUR MONTHS AGO

“You’re unbearable.”

“I’m the birthday girl. I’m allowed to be unbearable.”

Wyatt grips my thighs and picks me up. “That’s true. And you’re a damn cute birthday girl, too.”

I dance in his arms. “And soon, I’ll be the birthday girl with the tan!”

Wyatt places me on my feet and pulls me close. “I love you, Deluxe.”

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