“Knock it off,” I said to Luther. My stomach issued a Category 5 hurricane warning. It might have been a little dramatic, but I swore I could feel my entire future hinging on the next few minutes. My stomach could deal. “Let him pass.”

“I’m so sorry, Zeus. Or is it Apollo? Sorry. I didn’t pay attention to ancient history.” Luther laughed harshly.

“It’s Prince Neptune.” I pulled myself up to my full height, which was taller than Luther and wider than James. “And you both need to cut it out.”

“Or what?” James shook his head. “Since when do you hang out with Quigley, anyway?”

“You don’t know everything about me.”

“Clearly.” Luther swept his gaze over my costume again, openly mocking. “Like I said, you’d better be careful. People might get the wrong idea.”

“Right here, guys,” Jasper said from behind me, tone still dripping with irritation.

“Or maybe they’ll get the right one.” My stomach was in full-out revolt now, bile burning my throat, but I forced my hand backward, fumbling for Jasper’s. Holding his hand at the ball had been scary, but this right now was like the difference between a high dive and skydiving. With an iffy parachute. And the landing zone was on fire. But whatever. I was doing it.

Jasper inhaled sharply but he didn’t flinch away, grabbing my hand back, not letting go.

“Okay. Very funny.” Luther rolled his eyes as if there was no way I was serious.

“I don’t have time for this shit.” James yanked his cart past Luther’s.

“No. No way.” Tilting his head, Luther quirked his mouth like he might be seeing me for the first time ever. My clammy skin broke out in goose bumps under the scrutiny, yet I held firm to Jasper.

“There’s no room in my life for you…experimenting, Lionetti.”

“It’s not your life. It’s mine.” Even as my muscles started to quiver, I still stared James down.

“No, I meant that literally. No room. You can pack up your crap and get the fuck out.” James’s expression was as hard as his tone.

“Yeah.” Luther sounded more resigned than mad. “Way to choose that—”

I cut him off with a growl. “Watch it.”

“Everything okay here?” An older portly security officer stepped off the elevator and strode toward us. Heck. All we needed was someone to have complained about our argument.

“Yup, Officer.” James spared me a last glare before steering his cart toward the elevators. “Moving on. Moving the F on.”

“You do that.” I scowled back until they were both out of sight.

“You need me to call the cleaning company supervisor?” the guard asked. “I know how much the kids love the costumed visitors like you two. That cleaning company’s workers are supposed to stick to the remodel on the next level up.”