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and a faded black T-shirt and black leather jacket. His hair was messy, like it was windblown. Hardly trying to impress anyone, Justin still managed to stand out, even in L.A.
    One of the guards informed us the police would be here soon to read us our rights. A rush of nerves fluttered through my stomach. Justin tucked his hands calmly in his jean pockets. His face didn’t show a hint of concern. I’d forgotten how much I missed his unwavering confidence. In his presence, I felt stronger, like his energy was contagious. He kept his dark eyes on the front of the room and I faced forward and wondered what annoyed me more: that I was about to get arrested or that I was standing so close to Justin but had to keep my hands off him.

Chapter Four
    “Do either of you have anything you’d like to say before the police arrive?” the manager asked us. I knew she was waiting for an apology, for us to grovel on the floor and beg her to forgive us for shutting down her digital dance emporium.
    I couldn’t help myself. My thoughts were being excavated.
    “I think your hundred-dollar cover charge is ridiculous and your club is lame,” I told her, which she answered with a sneer. Justin shifted next to me and he cleared his throat.
    “I’m really sorry,” he said in a low voice that sounded sincere. I stared at him, amazed to see a look of apology on his face. I turned back to the manager and saw the tight line of her lips had softened. She nodded and her accusing eyes fell on me.
    “We know which screen those words were coming from,” she said huffily. “And we know who was sitting at those computers.”
    “It was a mistake,” Justin cut in. He offered her an innocent grin. “I was just trying to shake things up.”
    She shook her head. “Not at my club. Club Nino is a place to make friends and feel safe.”
    I had to tighten the muscles around my mouth to keep a straight face. Yeah, what a great place to make real, genuine friends. More like a place to be digitally molested.
    “It isn’t a floor to start a political debate,” she added and stared at me. “Speaking of our cover charge, do you have any idea what you’ve cost us tonight?”
    “We can cover the losses,” Justin offered.
    “What?” I mumbled under my breath, and glanced over at him.
    The manager tapped her long fingernails on her desk as she contemplated this. We heard clattering outside and the door swung open. The muscular security guard who’d escorted me earlier stalked through.
    “Trey, can’t you use the wall screen instead of barging into my office?” she asked.
    “They’re still down,” he pointed out, and she gritted her teeth. She told him to turn the screens back on but he said it was too late. The auditorium was empty.
    “The Lounge is way over capacity,” Trey said. “And people are hanging out in the streets, blocking the shuttle tracks.” Through the open crack of the tinted office window, we could hear people laughing and shouting outside.
    The manager stood up with a heavy sigh and followed Trey.
    “You two can wait right here and think about what you did,” she said as she passed. “We’ve lost over fifty thousand dollars tonight, thanks to your little shenanigans. Don’t think you can get away with that kind of behavior at Club Nino.”
    I coughed to suppress a laugh that was climbing up my throat.
    She turned to Trey. “I want you to stand right outside this door.”
    He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He reinforced her threat by glaring at us before he slammed the door closed behind him. I blinked at the office door and suddenly everything was quiet. I felt the air around me charged with a familiar energy. I turned and met Justin’s eyes.
    “Did she really just say
shenanigans?
” he asked.
    “Must be the new crime lingo for a misdemeanor,” I said.
    There was a grin on his face. I had fantasized about seeing him for weeks but it usually played out a bit more romantically than the current situation—standing in a