Page 95 of Heart Over Heels

The cigarette smoldered in the corner of Elliot’s mouth as his eyes darted between Darby and the vape.

“Or…” Darby pointed at the cigarette. “You can takethatout back.”

Elliot’s lips twitched around the cigarette, then he sighed, snapped the box shut, and stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie. Without another word, he turned and headed for the rear of the building.

Oz watched him go before offering Darby a shrug.

“You think he would’ve preferred Vanilla Cream Dream?” Darby asked him.

“Maybe.” Oz shrugged his broad shoulders again.

The two of them drifted back over to where Colt, Callum, and I stood, and Darby wasted no time reclaiming his spot at my side. His body nestled against mine, drawing mildly interested glances from the other dancers, which intensified when Darbypushed up on his already high heels and tugged me down for a peck of a kiss.

The brush of his lips lit me up. My cheeks heated, and Darby smiled. When his thumb came up to wipe at my mouth, the gesture was so casual and affectionate that I was left speechless until he posed the next question.

“What were you boys talking about besides body waxing?”

This was the hard part. I’d hoped to pass this job off to the twins. Let it be their idea. Or Oz’s. Anyone’s but mine so when the blade of blame dropped, it would fall on someone else’s neck.

Darby wouldn’t stay mad at the other dolls.

He wouldn’t kick them out.

He wouldn’t break their hearts.

“Mercer thinks we should go to an arcade,” Callum offered cheerfully.

“To pay for booze and bond,” Colt added,lesscheerfully.

“An arcade?” Darby glanced at me. “What for?”

“A day off.” I hated the way the words rolled off my tongue. “You deserve more than one.”

Darby mulled over the idea briefly before agreeing. “You’re right, I do.Afterthe grand reopening.”

“Why not before?” I pushed, railing against my better judgment and his. “We should celebrate. You’ve been working hard.”

The others deferred to him as he pondered, and I gave the idea one last nudge.

“We could invite Mister Beckett and Colette too. Close the building for the afternoon and cut loose.”

At that, Darby’s pleasant look twisted into a smirk. “I think I’d like to see you cut loose, Mercy.”

My ears burned as he made a show of thinking it over. His lips pursed, and he looked between the twins, then at Oz, who tried and failed to hide a grin.

“Hmm. Icoulduse an afternoon out. And if Mercy’s so eager for me to take one…” He leaned in, chest pressing into my side and tail snaking up my back. He searched my face for the reassurance I struggled to give.

My lopsided smile didn’t hold up to scrutiny, but Darby was on the spot now, and he wouldn’t disappoint the dolls.

“Fine,” he relented. “One day.Beforethe reopening.”

Oz and Callum cheered, and Colt gave a half-hearted whoop before joining in the chatter. Voices overlapped, and plans spilled out faster than I could process. What they’d wear, what they’d play, and who would beat whom.

After a few seconds, I grew deaf to it. My thoughts were too loud, crowding in on themselves and coupling with worry. It should have been a good thing. Something as innocent as they were.

But the unease wouldn’t relent.

I glanced around the club, scanning the fittings and furnishings and seeing Darby’s touch in every detail. I could sense Antonella’s shadow looming, ready to foul this home the way they had mine. Find the weak spots and exploit them. Mine had been a photo on the fridge. Who knew what they would dig up given an uninterrupted afternoon in the Dollhouse?