Page 67 of Match Me if You Can

I hate more that his smirk tells me that he knows that I know he’s right.

Violet’s phone is away again and she’s within five feet of us, her eyes troubled.

Only even as I notice that, she’s tucking it away, hiding it, re-erecting those icy shields.

I don’t like that.

I don’t like it so much that I take a step toward her, ready to shepherd her out of here and demand what the fuck is the matter so I can fix it for her⁠—

A thought that’s so bizarre I freeze.

I’m not a fixer.

I break shit.

I fuck things up.

I—

Noble snatches the paper from my pocket, tears it in half and shoves one part at me.

“Wh—”

“Your half,” he says. “Our”—a gesture between him and Violet before he tosses an arm around her shoulders and draws her against his side, waving to top portion of the sheet—“half.”

I growl at him as he steers Violet away.

But as the timer starts and the competition gets underway, I can’t deny that his divide-and-conquer strategy is a good one.

Because we kick ass in the scavenger hunt, winning it well before the other teams even make it halfway.

Which means it’s over and we’re all headed back to our respective corners before Ambrose Assholery can reign supreme.

The competition is in the books, goodbyes are exchanged, plans for dinner are made, and everyone splits up (all without a single punch being thrown).

And a big part of that is Noble.

“I only use my powers for good,” he whispers before he executes a careful extraction of Oakes and Lex from the terse conversation they’re having with Beck and my dad.

I watch him.

I see those powers working as the showdown ends and he shoves Oakes and Lex into a vehicle, sending them on their way.

He glances back at me and winks before looping his arm through my mom’s and doing the same with her, Beck, and my dad.

Getting them in a car.

And getting them away from me.

“Fuck,” I mutter as he waves at me from the window as they drive down the street.

I guess that means I’m going to be buying the asshole a Bugatti.

TWENTY-FIVE

Violet

I sigh and settle back against the headboard, thinking this is far more awkward than the nights before.