Page 150 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

“Damn,” he says, glancing at it. “Hard to believe this thing is still standing.”

I stay quiet.

“The city should really do something about it,” he adds. “I mean, I can see the rust from here.”

Still, I say nothing. My throat’s too tight.

He sniffs the air. “What’s that smell?”

I sigh. “What do you want?”

“A tetanus booster, to start.”

“What do you want, Knox?” I ask again.

“What else?” He shrugs. “I came to get you. We’ve got a show tonight.”

I wait until the lump in my throat settles. “I’m not going.”

“What do you mean, you’re not going?”

“I mean I’m not going. I’m not playing. I’m quitting the band.”

Knox blows out a breath, puffing out his cheeks. “Well, that seems a bit extreme.”

“Is it?” I shake my head slowly. “You want me out, don’t you?”

“Did I say that?”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, I changed my mind. We’ve gotta go, so…” He bounces on his swing, urging me to stand up with him.

I don’t move. “I’m not going, Knox. I screwed up.”

“So? I screw up all the time.”

I glance down at my shoes; the toes dusted in dry sand and playground grit. “But you never... slept with the enemy.”

“Sorry, have you met Harmony?” he quips.

I lift my eyes, annoyed. “You were right about Logan. All of you were. I didn’t listen. I let myself be wooed. I ignored every red flag because he made me feel...different.”I laugh, humorless. “Nobody wants me around now, anyway.”

“There’s a very dramatic group thread that says otherwise, but okay.”

“What about you?” I ask. “Do you really want me around?”

“I do, actually.”

“Why? So you can tell me to grow up and stop whining?”

“Aha!” He grins. “So youdidread the thread!”

I turn away from his smugness. “I’m not going. I can’t. Not with him there. Not on the same stage. I…” I shake my head, the words coming out dry and broken. “I can’t.”

He lets out a breath. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

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