Page 95 of Burn

Izzy turns to look, then starts up the steps again. “And you think I’m the unstable one for climbing the tower crane.”

Once we’re five floors up, we’re not able to see much, but I can see that he is in fact standing at the window looking over the city with a beer in hand.

Nearly falling off the edge of the building, I have to push Izzy’s skinny ass up to the last set of stairs because they’re not entirely finished. “Cut back on the McDonald’s.”

Scarlet stays where she’s at. I think her stair-surfing sobered her up a little more than she cared to admit.

Izzy laughs. “What if he can see you?”

“Fuck you, he can’t.” I kick at her but lose my footing and land on my ass. Again. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“You. You’re doing this,” Izzy points out. “Let’s make that clear. I’m a hostage.”

“Amen, sister,” Scarlet yells from below us.

“Hardly.” I try to get up again but slip. Izzy and Scarlet act as if it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever seen. More than likely the sound is what’s entertaining.

The sound of my ass hitting the plywood floors makes a slap so loud you’d think someone just spanked my bare cheeks. After tonight, if someone sees me naked, they’ll probably think I joined Fight Club and got the shit beat out of me. Or tried cross-fit again. Both are equally brutal.

With all Scarlet’s laughing, she drops her water bottle she’d stored in her coat like a classic alcoholic. All she needs now is a brown paper bag concealing it. With no amount of amusement, her thumb runs over her nose, giving it a flick. “Goddamn it.”

“You think it’s less obvious that you’re drinking in public by drinking from a water bottle?” I kick her again. This time she kicks back. “It’s pretty obvious that you’re drinking.”

“Ma’am?”

Motherfucker.

All three of us immediately stop laughing.

The officer is back, clanking his flashlight against the side of the building two-stories down. “You girls need to get down from there.”

“Time’s up, bitch. We’re caught.” Scarlet sways as she stands, her face twisting into a scowl. “What are the rules on being drunk in public again?”

“We’re about to find out.” I don’t care if I’m arrested at that point. My head hurts so badly, and I want Scarlet’s couch and Xanax.

“Can you three please come down here?” the officer asks, but then I see from the distance that the dude’s smiling. I’m sure he heard our conversation.

When we’re down to his level, he nods, “This building is dangerous. You guys need to get down,” he says with a motion of his flashlight to the stairs below. “And I might add, this is trespassing.”

Scarlet’s the first to walk by the insanely good-looking cop with dark hair, her hands sensually running over his uniformed chest. “Whatever you say, officer.”

He holds back a grin but doesn’t say anything.

As I’m the last to walk by him, I glance at his name tag.

Officer Ryan.

You have to be shitting me.

Down five flights of stairs, we stand on the street and I can’t help but stare at his name tag. Is he related to Caleb? They don’t look anything alike in the face, but I guess that doesn’t mean anything, right?

He points his flashlight to the building. “What were you doing up there?”

Izzy, you know, the spider monkey I should have left at home fucking rats me out. “Mila wanted to see if her boyfriend Caleb was home.”

Apparently she’s scared of the law. And fuck her for saying his name. If he is related, now he knows who I’m stalking.

I smack her head. “He’s not myboyfriend.”

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