Red Handed Read Free

out.
    Jamie muttered something unintelligible and stumbled forward once more. Reaching out, I wound my arm around her waist. “Come on,” I said. “Time to lie down.”
    â€œNightie-night then?”
    â€œDefinitely.”
    Her only response was a strangled gasp.
    I eased her onto the dirt and grass, dropping my beer along the way. Jamie was heavier than she appeared and her dress didn’t bend easily. When I finally got her settled on the ground, I righted her clothing to cover all the important parts.
    Crouching beside her, I peered down and sighed. Her green eyes were glassy and fixed straight ahead. Her lips were parted and tinted blue as her lungs tried unsuccessfully to suck in air. Was this what my mother had seen, each time she’d looked at me?
    There was nothing else I could do for Jamie. She’d fly for the rest of the night.
    With another sigh, I pushed to my feet. I turned toward the dancing circle, not knowing what to do with myself just then. Stay guard over Jamie in case someone decided to molest her? Go home before my mom found out I’d left?
    Nah. I couldn’t leave Jamie. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her.
    Unbidden, my gaze slid back to Ryan. He was watching me, I realized with surprise. And pleasure. I’d never met a boy who radiated such power .
    Again, warm tingles fluttered over my skin. My stomach clenched. I hated the way I was reacting to him. That had never happened to me before.
    Before he could look away from me, I looked away from him . Ha! How do you like that?
    The music reached a high-pitched crescendo, echoing through the night. In less than an hour, everyone here would be passed out. There was too much smoke in the air for anyone to remain sober for long—even me. So as soon as everyone had nodded off, I’d head home. No one could hurt Jamie if everyone was snoozing.
    But I hated the thought of going home as much as I hated the thought of staying here for much longer. I’d have to deal with my mom. I shuddered. Things weren’t smooth between us yet. She was constantly going through my things, looking for drugs. She wasn’t even close to trusting me.
    Why should she? I snuck out at the first opportunity . I’d just, well, I’d really needed a break from her sad, you’ll-be-back-on-drugs-soon-enough glances. I’d needed to forget.
    Don’t think about that. Not here of all places, where temptation lurks . What could I do to keep my mind occupied? Dance?
    No. If I joined the dancing circle, the fire would heat me inside and out and my resolve would weaken. I would smoke. If I smoked, I wouldn’t stop until I was numb. And if I became numb, I wouldn’t care about staying sober.
    In that moment, I felt more out of place than I had in a long time. I didn’t belong here, and I didn’t belong with the other kids at school, the ones who considered me better off dead. I didn’t belong at home with my mother, either, a woman who made me feel guilty and depressed every time I looked at her.
    â€œTake your friend and go home,” a deep male voice suddenly said.
    Startled, I whipped my attention to the side. My eyes widened. Ryan Stone was standing next to me, a slash of black clothes and intimidating male. I hadn’t even heard him approach. Not the snap of a twig, not the roll of a rock or the pound of a boot.
    Up close, he towered over my five-foot-seven frame. His shoulders were broad, his arms hard and strong. His eyes were…freaky. I’d thought they were pretty from a distance. Wrong. They practically swirled with blue and flecks of purple. They didn’t look like human eyes.
    Was he an alien?
    No, couldn’t be. Except for his eyes, he appeared to be fully human. Aliens did not. I’d always thought they were recognizable with one glance. The Delenseans had blue skin and multiple arms. The Bre-Alees excreted slime, so they always appeared wet. The Mecs