Nightfall (Devil's Night, #4)

by Penelope Douglas

“Em, look at me a minute.” She stopped, looking like the whole world sat on her shoulders. What the hell was wrong? I knew if I asked, she wouldn’t tell me, though. “Em?” I murmured. Just look at me. Still, she wouldn’t turn. She was right here but miles away, and my chest ached. “I grabbed you a study guide, too.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the folded packet. “Here.” I reached through the books and handed her the guide. It only took her a moment to reach out and finally take it, but when she did, I let it go and grabbed her hand instead. She sucked in a breath and tried to pull away. But I whispered, “Look at me.” She stopped resisting, but still refused to meet my eyes.

“Look at me,” I whispered. But she choked out a sob, turning her face away so I wouldn’t see. “Don’t,” she demanded. “Please, don’t be sweet. I…” But all she did was shake her head, the words lost. Rage boiled my blood, and I wanted to know what happened. Who hurt her? The sight of her crying was like a knife in my gut. But she wouldn’t talk to me. Not yet. Maybe never.

But that was clever. I broke out into a laugh, and after a moment, I noticed a small smile playing on her lips that she tried to hide.

“Look at me,” I repeated. Slowly, she shook her head, but it seemed more to herself than an answer to me. “Emory…” She stared at the floor and then retreated a step, but I grabbed her face, bringing her in close and rubbing my thumbs underneath her eyes. I wiped away the tears, but more just streamed down.

Sobs wracked through her as she tensed, but I just held her tight, keeping her standing so she didn’t have to even worry about that right now.

I stroked her hair with my hand, my fingers humming at the feel of finally touching her. Such a big mouth and attitude on a person who was really so soft and small. I dipped my nose into her hair, the scent making my head buzz and the feel of her warming every muscle in my body.

I hung up before he had a chance to argue and looked over at Em, who just stared out the window. She’d stopped crying and just relaxed back into the seat, looking sad but comfortable. I stared out at the road as we headed back into town, unable to help the smile peeking out. Sorry, D. That’s her seat now.

I made the popcorn, and after he left, I locked the doors again and carried a handful of junk food into theater three. “Hungry?” I asked, slipping her drink into her cupholder. She looked up at me, her eyes still red but always beautiful. She shifted nervously in her seat and looked behind her toward the doors, probably scared we were going to be caught.

“It’s gonna be okay.” I set down the rest of the snacks and picked the popcorn back up as I sat down. “I know a kid who works in the office. I already called and told him to mark you present in every class today.”

“You know a kid?” she repeated, her usual snark painted all over her face with a big fat brush. “Of course, you have the whole school wired, because—” “Thank you would be the correct response,” I said, mid-chew. She gaped at me. “Try it out,” I told her. She closed her mouth, straightening her shoulders, but after a moment she dropped her defiant little chin and mumbled, “Thank you.”

It was a rotten breakfast, but it was better than eating nothing, and I wasn’t sure she’d eaten yet today.

The opening scenes began, but instead of watching the movie I’d already seen, I watched her instead. Her eyes moved up and down and all around, mesmerized by the action, and her hand with a piece of popcorn stopped halfway to her mouth as she forgot all else.

The corner of my mouth lifted in a smile. “Underworld: Awakening?” she finally said and looked over at me. “This doesn’t come out until January. How do you have it already?” I cocked an eyebrow, and she rolled her eyes, remembering who I was. “Of course,” she retorted. “Must be nice to—” I looked back at the screen, clearing my throat extra loudly.

She halted whatever insult was on the tip of her tongue and let out a little laugh. “Thank you,” she told me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

I held out the Twizzlers and Milk Duds, giving her first choice, but when she picked the Milk Duds, I opened the carton and spilled half in my hand before giving her the rest of the box. I gave her a choice to be nice. I didn’t actually want the Twizzlers.

“Well, I prefer the classics,” I told her. “Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone…” “Jean-Claude Van Damme,” we both said at the same time. She turned to me, and I laughed. “Yes,” she said, smiling. “Fuck yes.” I nodded.

But then, Em started laughing, her pearly white teeth gleaming in the biggest smile I’d ever seen on the smartass little shit. I pinched my eyebrows together. “What?” What was she going to make fun of me for now? “Kickboxer,” she said between giggles. “That scene where his teacher gets him drunk in a bar to see if he can fight intoxicated, and he starts dancing. Just the thought reminded me of you there for a minute.” “Why?” She shrugged. “Big guy, super happy, having fun… I don’t know.” She stuck a piece of candy in her mouth. “Just seems like something you would do.” She sat back in her seat and looked up at the movie again.

We fell quiet again, the surround sound blasting every fight and explosion, but I swore I could only hear my heart beating with her next to me.

“Why do you like me?” she finally asked. I looked over at her, repeating Edward McClanahan’s words, because it was the only way to explain. “We want what we want.”

“Do you still want to hold me?” she suddenly asked me. I shot my eyes up to hers, but she just stared at the seat in front of her. My heart hammered in my chest, and every inch of me warmed. Fuck yes.

Leaning over, I put her cup in the holder and dumped her Milk Duds into the popcorn container on the floor, taking her hand and pulling her up. I watched as she came over and lowered slowly into my lap. I slid down in the seat, folding her into my arms as she tucked her head into my neck, neither of us giving a damn about the film anymore. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of finally having her in my arms, and I had to fist my hands to keep them from roaming, or else she’d probably slap me.

But God, she felt good. Like everything was lighter when I held her. “Don’t tell you I said this,” she whispered in my ear, “but you smell good.” I shook with a laugh, unable to help myself. “Keep being, like pleasant and shit, and I’m going to find...

Sweat cooled my pores, and my cock twitched. I wanted everything at once, and my hands shook so fucking bad, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I didn’t want to scare her.

God, I’d waited for this, but as soon as my mouth moved over hers and her body filled my hands, I wasn’t in a hurry anymore. I slowed everything, slipping my hand under her skirt and squeezing her thighs as she repositioned herself and straddled me. I wanted this to last forever. “So soft,” I panted over her mouth. God, her lips were soft. I kissed her, both of us getting faster and harder, and when she came in for more and more, I was high. My dick strained against my pants, and I gripped her thighs, pressing her down on me.

I dug my fingers into her thighs, the theater spinning around us. Kissing. Only fucking kissing, and I was about to come already.

She might regret this tomorrow. She was in a weird mood today, and maybe I was an action movie, here to help her escape, but that wouldn’t fly when I finally took her into bed. I wanted inside her head first.

Because contrary to whatever she thought, this shit wasn’t ending when the lights came up.

Will was never so angry. Not that I was an expert on him, but I was the temperamental one. He was the lover.

I needed to run. I needed to be too exhausted to care. Will gave him my underwear? I gnashed my teeth together, my nausea turning to fury.

“Show me some moves?” I asked, breathing hard as I removed my glasses. He stopped and straightened, scowling at me. “Why would I do that?” “What do you want in return?” He grinned, and I arched an eyebrow at him. I was pretty sure he didn’t want that. “A sandwich,” he said. I snorted, not missing the intended insult about a woman’s place.

But an arm shot out and grabbed my wrist. I jerked my head, seeing Will in his jeans and T-shirt, green eyes void of the boy I remembered. I yanked my wrist away and pushed him back. He grabbed my arm, and we both fought, me trying to escape and him trying to stop me. “Someone is bound to notice it,” I growled. “No one will notice it,” he told me, “and you’re mistaken if you think he’s going to let you light that in the first place.”

Believe me, Will Grayson. I know exactly where you’ve been.

An arm came around me and took my necktie, threading it through long, beautiful fingers, veins bulging through the back of his hand.

His breath tickled my hair. “Thank you for wearing it.” I couldn’t turn around and look at him because I was sure my face was ten shades of red. He’d put his tie on me after the movies when he’d dropped me at home, and I wasn’t going to wear it, but… He’d taken another bad day and made it good. I liked wearing something that reminded me of it.

He dipped down, slipping his hand around my waist and breathing into my neck. “Emmy…” Heat covered my body, hearing him say it just like he’d said it when I straddled him in the theater. “Please,” I begged, throwing off his hand, “just…go back to your table.” I looked over to their regular seats, seeing Damon watching us while pretty girls loitered around. “Lots there to keep your attention.” “That’s not what I want,” he taunted, squeezing my waist again.

“Don’t worry,” he said letting me go and adding a brownie and chocolate milk to my tray. “All they see is me fucking with you. They’d never suspect—” “That you were serious?” He grinned to himself and dumped a bag of pretzels and some French fries on my tray. “No, that you like me.”

“Just go sit down,” I snapped and then blinked, seeing all the shit on my tray. “And stop putting all this food on here! You’re not eating with me.” “It’s for you,” he told me, taking out his wallet. “You’re pale. All of that’s kosher, right?” I growled, starting to put the food back, but he grabbed my tray and handed the cashier the money.

But he came in closer, looking down at me. “And then I’m taking you to my house. Just us. I want to have a Mission: Impossible marathon with you tonight.” A Mission: Impos…? I snorted, despite myself, and quickly looked away, trying to hide my smile. God, he was an idiot. I wanted to go, though.

But he came in, taking his tie around my neck and rubbing it between his fingers. “You come to me,” he said, “or I’ll come to you.”

“Will is like that,” he said, his voice softening, somber now. “Isn’t he?” Like a smile that doesn’t hurt. I nodded. “Easy, normal, peaceful…” he told me. “The only thing in my life untouched by anything ugly. Nothing has tainted him. He’s the one thing that’s still beautiful and thinks the world is beautiful and believes people are beautiful and all that shit.” Yeah. But I couldn’t say it out loud, because it was hard enough holding back the sob. “You can’t take him away from me,” Damon told me, stepping back and letting me go.

“You know it won’t work anyway,” Damon pointed out. “His family is one of the wealthiest in the country, Emory. His life is so far beyond your understanding, and vice versa. You know you have no place in Will Grayson’s Homecoming picture.” I dropped my eyes, slowly sinking down and picking up my soaked towel, holding it over my body. “I know,” he continued. “Hurts to hear it, but it’s true, and you know it. And what’s more? It’s pointless, because you know how you are. Even I know how you are. The whole school knows. He won’t fit, because you’re committed to being miserable and you’ll just drag him down.”

“And when you’re done with me,” he breathed out over my mouth, “you’ll get to be the first to walk away from something that was never going to happen anyway. You can do that with me. Don’t play with his heart. Use me, instead.” I’d be in charge, because I’d never love Damon. I’d never be broken.

God help the woman who ever fell in love with him.

But Will liked Em. I’d rather live in that memory of the movie theater forever than ever make another one with anyone else.

“You would’ve liked it, you know? I think I might’ve liked it, actually. It certainly wouldn’t have been a chore.” Asshole. “Get out,” I said.

And then he looked back at me over his shoulder. “Has Will seen the bruises?” I tensed. “Be prepared for what’s going to happen when he does,” he warned. “And what can happen to him if he goes up against a cop.”

And what better place for a criminal to hide?

“I love coffee table books,” I assured him. “Thanks for remembering.” He came over and kissed my forehead, and I stilled, only relaxing again when he’d backed away. “Lock up tight,” he said. “And sleep well. I’ll be home at seven.”

But someone sat there, in the corner of my room in my chair. I gasped, jumping back. “Hey,” Will said.

“No candle in your window tonight?” he asked. But I wasn’t listening. “Are you insane?”