Page 79 of Four for a Boy

“Please, you can’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

Romeo laughed. “I’m the most dangerous person here. You don’t have to worry, I won’t let any killer get their hands on you, fictional or nonfictional.”

He slipped his hand beneath Chad’s mask and cupped his face. Chad was powerless to the touch, and let his eye slide shut for a moment, only a moment, before gripping onto Romeo’s wrist, and removing his hand.

“Please, Romeo. It’s too risky. If Josh comes over—”

“What will he do?”

“He’ll know. He’ll make you take your mask off and he’ll know, and then it’s all over.Ourlife is done.”

“No one in this club will pull back my mask.”

“You don’t know that.”

“They’ll get a fright if they do.”

“And so will I, a heart-stopping one, so please … you need to go.”

“I haven’t been out with you before.”

“For good reason!”

“It could be fun.”

Chad lifted onto his tiptoes again. “I’m not having fun.”

“Not yet.”

Chad couldn’t see Romeo’s lips, but could tell by his voice he smiled beneath the mask. No matter how much Chad begged and pleaded, he wasn’t going to leave. He rubbed his chest, attempting to slow the frantic beat of his heart. Romeo stopped him and pressed his palm against it.

“Relax, Chad, it’ll be okay.”

“How will it be okay? You’re putting us at risk!”

Romeo hummed. The sound fuzzed in Chad’s ear. “I’ll tell you how. We’ll have a drink, maybe dance a bit, not that bouncing up and down is considereddancing, and then we’ll go home together, just like every other couple you can see touching each other up on the dancefloor.”

Chad glanced over, locking eyes on the closest pair grinding and mashing their lips together. Romeo circled him. “One night of us away from the house.”

Chad threw a venomous look over his shoulder. “I like us in our house.”

“So do I. I love our home.” He wrapped his arms around Chad’s middle. “And our home is each other, right? Wherever we are.”

“This is a terrible idea.”

“It’s not.”

“But what if—”

“Shush…” Romeo rested his chin on Chad’s shoulder, gently shushing him while the lights spun, and the horror movie villains jumped.

They seemed to slow down, as did Chad’s heart.

“Enjoy that I’m here, and you’re safe.”

“I hate you a little bit right now.”

“I know, but you love me more.”

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