Free The Color of Rain by Cori McCarthy Page A

Johnny takes it off himself. Otherwise you’ll get zapped.” I snap the piece of silver around my wrist, and it locks.
    After a few trilling heartbeats, the silver glows scarlet.
    â€œAh, red,” Kaya says. “Shoulda guessed.”
    â€œIs red bad?”
    â€œMeans you’re his. No one else gets to touch you.” She grabs a towel off a rack and throws it to me. “For now.” She holds asecond towel out to Lo, but she doesn’t take it. Her hand is clamped over the silver bracelet.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Lo?” I ask.
    She holds out her wrist.
    It’s rimmed in yellow.

CHAPTER
7
    L o shivers while we choose clothes from an overstuffed closet. She’ll need a drink soon or she’ll start withdrawal.
    â€œKaya,” I say carefully. “Do you know where Lo could get a drink? A strong drink?”
    Kaya looks over Lo’s shivers. “We have some wine in the kitchen, but Johnny doesn’t like us drinking too much.”
    â€œWine is good.” I nod to Lo, and she follows Kaya to the kitchen area. My best friend looks back over her shoulder at me, and I smile, which hopefully looks less fake than it feels. At least Kaya has been easier on Lo since the reveal of her color, but as Lo’s tiny frame stands out among the curves and grace of the other girls, I can’t help thinking that Kaya wasn’t just being cruel when she pointed out Lo’s looks. Lo is on the bad end of a bad decade.
    Despite all that, it sounds like Johnny approached her on purpose in the Blackstar. And what about our meeting on the pier? Was it accidental or was he really looking for a redhead?
    If these pieces begin to fit together, I’m in more trouble than I thought.
    I glance down at the slim-fitting outfit that Kaya chose for me.It’s comfortable, but I can’t ignore the zipper that runs from one side of my collar to the middle of my thigh. Easy access , she said. I feel the tightness in my chest, but I force myself to breathe through it. I am going to sleep with Johnny. I am here. And this all has to happen if I have any hope of helping Walker.
    I touch the tender spot on my cheek and find Ben by the door. “I need some answers.”
    â€œNot possible.” He turns, leading me into the elevator. He plays with his com as we sink down a level, never looking at me.
    â€œStill busy working your secret Mec magic with that bracelet? I’ll really try not to mention it to Johnny.”
    He looks up hard and fast before pushing past me and through the doors. I jog to catch up, but he stops fast and turns. I run straight into his chest, my forehead hitting his jaw.
    I swear, rubbing my head. “You have a ridiculously hard chin, you know that?”
    â€œYou won’t tell Johnny I was messing with my com. I’ve sorted you out, and like I said earlier, you’re not a bad person. You really want to see Johnny punish me?”
    â€œIt could slip,” I say. “So you should probably do me a favor to keep my lips sealed.”
    I swear he looks at my lips for a moment before responding. “What do you want?”
    â€œMake Lo a green tag.”
    He shakes his head. “Johnny sets the groupings.”
    â€œWell, how about a favor?” I look away. “When I need one.”
    â€œThat’s it?” He reaches for my cheek, and I almost smack him. He holds up the blue disc that he used to heal Walker. “Hell,I was just going to fix your bruise. Okay?” He steps forward, and I let him heal me purely out of curiosity. His fingers are calloused but careful, and the device spreads strange warmth over my skin.
    â€œSo are you a doctor or are all Mecs like this?” I say to beat the awkwardness of being so close to him.
    He snorts. “I’m eighteen. I’m as much of a career professional as you are. How old are you anyway? Seventeen?”
    â€œYou say that like it’s a bad thing.” I look over the