Page 81 of Hyperspeed
But Rev looked, and his small fangs sunk into his lip, the same way I wanted to. My skin felt hot under my suit, and I wanted to pull the collar away from my neck.
I didn’t. I hardly breathed, not wanting to disrupt our quiet little bubble.
“You look good, rookie,” I whispered.
Rev’s skin flared yellow with hints of lilac, and butterflies fluttered in my chest. I rubbed my thumb across the luminescent lines on the back of his hands. “You too, hotshot,” he whispered, eyes locked on where we touched.
When he looked up, we were closer than I thought, leaning in like two magnets of opposite poles, drawn to each other. The diamonds in his eyes swirled like snowflakes in the wind. Staring into the voids, I realised how easy it would be to fall among the stars.
I opened my mouth, unsure of the words that might come out.
But we’d never find out.
“Kai!”
Rev and I straightened up as Jax’s voice echoed through the lobby, putting an appropriate amount of distance between us. Our hands disconnected, returning to our respective laps, and I hated how empty my palm felt.
We both sipped our drinks, avoiding eye contact now that the bubble had burst, the real world flooding back in.
“There you are.” My teammate slapped me on the back, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling. How many drinks had he had? “You good?”
I nodded, glancing at Rev, who was finishing his martini. He picked up the skewer and raised it to his mouth, tongue wrapping around the olive garnish.
“Yep,” I croaked, eyes returning to Jax. “Having a drink with the rookie.”
Jax turned his attention to Rev and smiled. “Bloody hell, Rev. You clean up well.”
His mouth twitched, the lines on his skin lit with yellow. “Thanks, Jax. Nice shirt.”
He had no idea how long it had taken Jax to settle on that damn shirt, so it was the right thing to say. Jax’s face lit up like a supernova, and I could’ve kissed Rev for it.
“We need to sit down,” Jax informed us, looking back towards the ballroom. “They’re serving dinner.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
I grabbed my drink and climbed down from the stool, holding my hand out to help Rev do the same. He didn’t take it right away, just stared at my fingers likethey might be dangerous. I was about to drop my arm, convinced he wouldn’t take it.
But he slotted his hand in mine and stepped down, releasing it to dust non-existent lint from his jacket.
He looked up at me, whispering, “I guess I’ll see you in there.”
Jax still heard, though, and he placed a hand on Rev’s shoulder, urging him to walk between us. “I already checked the seating plan. You’re at our table, with Zylo and Saelix.”
“Oh, okay then.”
We entered the ballroom together, and as we drifted through the crowd, Rev’s tail flicked back and forth. With a hand on the small of his back, I guided him through the sea of guests. With so many already sitting at the tables, it didn’t feel as busy, but there were still a lot of people.
Something brushed my arm, and when I looked down to see what it could be, Rev’s tail was wrapping itself around my wrist, holding it in place. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling, and followed the bounce of Jax’s dark curls in silence.
Zylo and Saelix were already there when we arrived.
Zylo was wearing a traditional black tuxedo, his beefy arm wrapped around his partner’s thin shoulders. Saelix stood out in a fuchsia blazer, unbuttoned to reveal his bare chest, and a pleated pumpkin-coloured skirt that ended mid-thigh.
“Kai!” Zylo bellowed, drawing the other guests’ attention. He rose from his seat to wrap me in a hug, gasping when he caught sight of Rev just behind me. “And look who you brought with you.”
He released me in favour of pulling his teammate into a tight embrace. Rev grimaced—classic—but I didn’t miss how he leaned into Zylo’s chest, just for a second, like he secretly wanted it.
Saelix offered his own hugs, and Zylo pulled out the seat next to him for Rev. Name cards indicated who sat where, and I was happy to find myself sittingacross from the rookie. Ailor and their partner, Velen, were also at our table, along with Tavoris and his wife, and Sam.
