Chapter 16: The Owner's Box

Nate's POV

The guard's hand was still reaching for Lena's arm when I put my chest in the way.

"She's leaving on her own," I said. "Take your hand back."

"Mr. Corrigan, the captain asked."

"The captain just asked fifteen thousand people to boo a woman in the dress he sent her."

The guard looked up.

Every phone in the lower bowl was pointed at us. Somebody in the front row was filming with a child on his shoulders.

The guard lowered his hand.

I turned to Lena. Her face had gone chalky, and she was shaking so hard the silk shivered.

"Walk with me," I said.

"Is Shelby..."

"Medics have her. She fainted, that's all. Walk."

I kept one hand between her shoulder blades, not touching, until we reached the tunnel.

Then she stopped against the cold cinder-block wall, kicked off her heels, and put her forehead against my jacket.

I held very still.

She had broken her own rule in my kitchen two nights ago, and she had never mentioned it since. I had never asked her to.

But this was the first time she had ever come to me without deciding to.

"I stood there," she said into the zipper. "I said it all. I didn't look away."

"I saw."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"You can be sick on me. I've been sick on worse."

She laughed, wet and cracked.

Footsteps came down the stairs, quick and light.

Her mother stood on the landing with her cardigan buttoned wrong, a plastic cup of water in her hand.