Toxic (Denazen #2)(83)

Kale logic. Unique, and totally innocent. I was an ass for not realizing it from the start. “So you don’t want her?”

“You thought I did? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”

“Losing my immunity to you, it screwed things up. I ran off like an idiot that night and dug myself a huge hole—only I didn’t realize it at first. Then Jade got here, and she so obviously wanted you. By the time I realized I was in serious trouble, you and Jade seemed cozy with each other. I wanted to tell you, trust me. I wanted more than anything for you to hold me and tell me things would be fine—but you couldn’t. Instead, I’ve been running around, terrified and alone.”

He unzipped his hoodie and shrugged it off. Draping the hood over my head, he wrapped it around me from behind and wound his arms tight around.

“Everything will be all right,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. “I swore nothing would ever make me go back to that place, but it was a lie. I will make sure you get better no matter what it takes. No matter what I have to do.”





31


When we finally emerged from the room, Jade was waiting at the end of the hall.

She looked me up and down, eyes lingering on Kale’s hoodie, and snapped, “What took so long?”

I stuffed my arms through the sleeves and pulled the fabric tighter. I knew it was over seventy in here, but according to my internal clock, it was going on forty. “Didn’t realize we were on a time schedule. It’s Friday, and we’re at a party. No school till Monday.”

“Whatever.” She turned to Kale. “Shall we?”

He stared. “Shall we what?”

Clearly Jade was confused. “Go? I was thinking we could head downstairs. Maybe grab a drink and dance a little before we head back to wherever it is we’re shacking up for the night.”

“I’m not practicing tonight. I’m going to stay with Dez.”

“Stay with—I don’t understand.”

If I hadn’t felt so crummy, I would have laughed at her. Wiggled my ass in its spectacular leather low riders, thrown an arm around my guy, and sauntered off while she drooled all over herself. I mean hell, I was literally knocking on death’s door, and I still looked awesome. The way I felt, it just annoyed me. “Seriously? You thought he was in there breaking up with me?”

Kale glanced back at the door. “Breaking up?”

“Saying you wanted her instead of me,” I supplied. “Stepping out permanently.”

Kale shook his head. He even looked a little apologetic. “No. I’d never step out on Dez.”

“But—the ice cream place—my hand. You told me things you never told her! You trusted me. You kissed me!”

Kale tilted his head, confused. “I would tell anyone who asked what I told you. It was because I didn’t care what you thought of me. And the kiss wasn’t for you, it was for Dez.”

Jade’s jaw dropped.

“There you are.” Mom turned the corner just as Jade twirled on her heel to leave. She watched her go, trying to hide a smile. “I take it you two are fine now?”

“Now that little Miss Porn Star has been put in her place, yeah.”

“Good. Kale, can you take Dez back to Meela’s? She doesn’t look well. Ginger thinks stress might be helping the poison spread faster.”

Kale nodded, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Very good! That was a total mom thing to say! See? You’re getting it.”

She hesitated, then smiled. “There are a few more things to do here. After we’re done, Dax will drop me off on the way back to his place.”

“So, Dax?” I said as soon as Mom was out of earshot.

“He was holding her hand earlier. It made her smile.”

“Well, then, good for them, I guess. Will you—are you staying at Meela’s, too?”

His smile faded. “Do you want me to stay someplace else?”

“No,” I blurted. “It’s just—the last few nights you didn’t exactly push to stay close…”

“At first Ginger didn’t think it was safe for me to stay so close. She didn’t think we could—keep our hands to ourselves?”

I snickered. “Valid point.”

“Then she said she wanted me close to Jade so I could safely be around people.” He shrugged. “She said spending all my time with you wasn’t teaching me how to properly interact with others and that I was bound to pick up bad habits.”

I snorted.

He draped his arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the stairs. “Sue is right. You need rest. How do you feel?” Palm pressed firmly into my shoulder, he frowned. “You seem warm. You have a fever.”

“At the moment? Fine. It comes in spurts.”

We made it down the stairs, people moving aside to give Kale a safe berth. When we reached the bottom, we wove around to the edge of the room. The dance floor was packed with bodies, all enjoying the music. In the far corner, several guys were scaling the rock wall. Someone had turned the surface to ice, and those climbing were forced to use their gifts to make it to the top. I knew we should go, but I couldn’t help stopping to watch them for a moment.

One had it easy. I couldn’t remember his name, but I knew he was an animal shifter who could shift specific body parts—kind of freaky. He’d shifted his hands into claws and was easily taking the lead.