Read Online Entanglement (YA Dystopian Romance) by Dan Rix - Free Book Online Page A

Buff’s shoulder and dragged him away
from the bouncers. “Been looking all over for you! See that sailboat over
there . . . marvelous , isn’t she?”
    Amber
intercepted the bouncers. “Oh my God, thank you guys so much for your
help!” She smiled and batted her eyelashes at them. “He’s my half . ”
    Aaron
stole a look at her and had to turn away to suppress a snicker.
    The
bouncers grunted and retreated into the thumping, flashing darkness.
     “Buddy,
I got him!” said Buff, smacking his palm. “Broke Breezie’s nose, just like
that.” He grinned, and blood dribbled down his chin from a split lip. His eyes
were bruised too.
    Amber
came up next to them and rubbed her arms. “It’s cold,” she said to Aaron,
shivering. “I changed my mind. Let’s go dance now.”
    “Forget
it,” said Aaron. “It was a bad idea.”
    “Fine,”
she said, and her gaze darted to Buff. “I’ll dance with your best friend then—”
    But
before Buff had a chance to accept, Aaron snatched her hand away from him.
“Alright, one song,” he said. “You still think you’re going to regret
this?”
    “Actually,”
she said, catching his eyes with a sizzling glance as she pulled him into the
club’s sweaty heat, “I’m counting on it.”
    ***
    A
scan around the club revealed that Clive and Dominic were absent, and it made
Aaron nervous; they were up to something.
    The
song was in transition as he and Amber headed for the corner, just the
synthesizer. The lasers made slow sweeps across the ceiling.
    When
they reached a good spot, the strobe lights flashed and the bass kicked in,
obscuring Aaron’s thoughts. Amber faced him, blushing, and glanced down. He
watched the lights flashing across her face, and his heart fluttered,
weightless. He pressed his eyelids shut. His birthday was too soon; dancing
with Amber was a mistake. He needed to get out of here.
    But
then she draped her arms around his neck, and already, he felt himself giving
in. He held her waist, unable to pull away. Blood surfaced under his skin. The
thrill was almost palpable.
    The
music pressed them together, the club dissolved. They were alone. Together.
    He
felt her hair on his cheek, silky. She smelled like sweat and flowers. Holding
her was easier than it should have been. Excruciating, yes, but easier.
Intoxicating, in fact.
    Very intoxicating.
    Aaron
felt her mouth near his ear. “None of this is going to matter when we’re
eighteen. Why are you so tense?”
    But
she was tense too. Her body felt taut, as if she was holding her breath.
    She
moved closer, and he felt her cheek against his neck. He could feel her heart
racing—or was it his? His nerves felt tingly wherever their skin touched.
    “What
are you thinking about?” she whispered.
    “Take
a guess.”
    “I
can’t read you,” she said. “Tell me.”
    “Oh,
you know . . . ,” he said, “just my Anthro essay.”
    “Butthead.”
    It
felt like only a moment passed, and then the song was over. It hardly seemed
fair. But they still didn’t let go of each other.
    “I
think the song’s over,” he said.
    “Then
why are we still dancing?” she said.
    Just
then, Buff burst out of the crowd and grabbed Aaron’s arm.
    “Buddy,
your car —” he gasped, out of breath, “Breezie and Selavio are pushing it
into the water!”

FOUR
    7 Days,
11 hours, 29 minutes
    Outside, the cold, salty
breeze stung his eyes, blurred his vision. Dominic and Clive were leaned over
on either side of his Mazda, their arms flexed on the inside of the frame. They
had turned the car around, and now they were picking up speed, jogging toward
the end of the pier where white foam frothed up onto the planks.
    Aaron
unclasped his fingers from Amber’s hand and started after them—and slipped,
slamming his face into wet, slimy wood. He jumped back to his feet.
    “Turn
it right,” Dominic yelled, nearly running now. “Turn the wheel right!”
    The
car veered left. “I said right! ”
    They
jumped away from