Page 79 of Danger

“You’ve got to pick Danger,” one of Rylee’s friends whispers to her. “My money’s on him for being the best lay in the room.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Rylee says, just loud enough to carry. “It’s always the quiet ones that know exactly what they’re doing.”

I wonder if he hears it. If he cares. I wonder if I do.

The hat circles, growing lighter. Keys clink into the metal basket as the stakes build. My heart beats faster as the hat approaches.

I catch Finn’s eye. He’s patiently waiting his turn. If he draws before me, I wonder if he’d pick me… and if Danger would allow it. But the hat lands in front of me before it gets to him. I reach in, and grab the paper closest to me. I open it, bracing.

“Outlaw,” I say out loud.

Danger turns as I say it, and directly behind him Finn hears it too.

Well, shit.That means I have to wait to be picked.

A few more names get called. A few more laughs. My nerves never really settle.

Then it’s Danger’s turn.

He reaches into the hat, long fingers disappearing inside before he pulls out a folded slip. He opens it, eyes scanning the words. Something flickers across his face.

Disappointment. It’s quick. But I see it.

He must have drawn outlaw.

Fantastic.

So that’s it. Fate has decided I don’t get him tonight. Instead, he’ll be paired off with someone else. Somewhere I can’t see. Doing god knows what.

And worse than that—I’ll have to do the same.

I don’t get to feel this way. This was never promised. He’s not actually mine.

Danger lowers the slip quickly.

That’s when I notice movement behind him. Charming. He steps in close behind Danger, whispers something I can’t hear, and just like that—there’s a trade that Honey doesn’t see because she’s currently telling the person that went before Danger thatthey forgot to hand over their keys. It happens so fast no one else catches it.

But I do.

Danger doesn’t even check the new slip. He just lifts his chin and says, “Deputy.”

Relief hits me so hard I start to unlock my knees that have gone numb.

Charming grins beside him, like he just pulled off something no one knew about.

“Guess you get to pick,” Honey calls, eyebrows up.

All eyes are on Danger.

Rylee steps forward, performative cough. “I have outlaw,” she says, in the sweetest fake voice I’ve ever heard.

But Danger ignores it. Instead, he turns and looks straight at me.

He’s next to me in three steps, and hands me his deputy slip. I slide it in my back pocket and before I know what’s happening, he grabs my hand and he leads me toward the door. Everyone notices. Whistles. Cheers. Boots stomp.

Someone hollers, "Atta boy!"

I hear Rylee's voice behind us, ragged and venomous, but I don't care anymore. Not when Danger's thumb brushes over my knuckles and makes her the last thing on my mind.