Losing Nuka (Litmus Book 1) by Kayla Howarth Page A

I still wouldn’t say that I like him.”
    “You’ve made out with him!”
    “Because I was bored. And even making out with him was pretty boring. Maybe you should go for him,” she says casually, as if what she just said isn’t offensive.
    “Gee, thanks. First for implying that I’m boring, and secondly, I’m not really into sharing guys with my sister.”
    “Well, better get dressed—we’ll be leaving soon.” She leaves the room and I’m left pondering my outfit for a second time.
    I’m not prudish when it comes to my wardrobe, but I’m not exactly this extreme. Slipping the pants on over my thighs, it’s like they meld to my legs. I’m surprised to find them comfortable and flexible.
    The top, however, is harder to put on. It has a built-in bra and crossover straps at the back. Actually, the more I examine it, the more I realise it is a bra. It has a longer piece of material sewn into the stitching that covers my boobs, upper abdomen, and basically nothing else. I’m going out in public in a bra.
    “I feel naked,” I say when I open the door to find Sasha out there waiting for me.
    “I heard you swearing a bit in there.” If she’s trying to hide her smile, she’s failing.
    I cross my arms over my stomach, reflex I guess.
    “Don’t cover up your sexy body,” Sasha says, making me cringe.
    “Don’t ever say that sentence to your older sister again.” I try to say it seriously, but I can’t stop the laughter bubbling out of me.
    “She’s right though,” a deep voice comes from behind us. We turn to see Drake walking towards us. “It is pretty sexy.”
    “Please don’t call me sexy,” I say, bringing my eyes up to meet his.
    “But we’ll still have the same problem no matter what I call you.”
    “What problem is that?”
    “The insane amount of sexual tension between us.”
    Both Drake and Sasha are laughing now.
    I roll my eyes. “I’ll try to keep it in my pants. Are we going?”
    “Right this way, milady.”
    “Don’t call me that, either.”
    He laughs again and wraps his arms around Sasha and me. “Messing with you is fun.”
     
     
    ***
     
     
    The loud thumping of the bass is no match for the heartbeat drumming in my ears. Drake has taken us to a nondescript nightclub, just like every other one I’ve been to in the city.
    The flashing strobe lights trying to blind me? Check. Stocked bar with a huge line of waiting customers? Check. Dancefloor with people gyrating against one another? Check. Sticky floor? Double check. Eww.
    As Drake walks us through the club, nearly all eyes are on him. I’m guessing it has something to do with the fact he has a skanky blonde on each arm. I realise I just called myself skanky looking, but it’s hard not to when I’m only wearing a bra and skin-tight pants. Not to mention the six-inch heels Sasha handed me before we left.
    Drake takes us to a cordoned-off VIP area, similar to the one Declan hired for my birthday, but this one is a long and narrow room with comfortable-looking couches lining the sides and a private bar at the back.
    We’re the only ones in here. I’m about to ask why when Drake keeps leading us through, past the bar and to an unmarked back door.
    He opens it to a set of stairs leading down into a black hole.
    “What the—?”
    “Welcome to Litmus,” Drake leans in over the loud music to yell in my ear.
    Sasha goes first, and Drake gestures for me to follow.
    My eyes need time to adjust to the poor lighting as I step down into the abyss. The music begins to fade as we start walking along the walls of the long, narrow tunnel before us. Soon the only sound to fill my ears is my still skyrocketing heartbeat and the gentle hum of some sort of generator, perhaps from the pipes and cables that run along the roof.
    “Is this how everyone gets to Litmus? Or is this like a special entry?” I ask.
    “This is a staff entry and emergency exit. There are four ways to get to the arena, but you’ll most likely always use