Page 22 of Boys Who Hunt
And now I lost the only job I had to get us some extra much-needed cash because of those fuckers who stalked me there. All because my hearing aid fell out.
I fish it out of my pocket and stare at it for a moment.
Those boys are ruining my only chance at staying at this university, ruining my job, ruining everything I worked so hard to achieve. And for what? Money that means the world to me yet is pocket change to them.
They’re almost making me regret stealing from them.
Almost.
But I need that money more than them.
I need it more than I need my sanity.
And if this is the game they intend to play with me …
Then I will fucking give it my all to bring them down.
CHAPTER 6
Ivy
My eyes can barely stayopen.
I hid in a park behind a tree last night and didn’t have a single ounce of sleep.
But I’m here.
I’m here on Spine Ridge U campus and going to my classes, just as I swore. Nothing will make me give up that easily.
“Hey, Ivy! Come sit with us!” River Landon waves at me from the grass where he’s having lunch with the friend group I frequently join since I came to this university.
Fuck. I really did not want to sit down today when I didn’t bring anything with me to eat. But with River calling me over, I’ll have to go over there.
“How are your classes going?” Océane Pearce smiles at me, her dark skin so radiant in the bright sun that it dazzles even me. “Getting used to Spine Ridge U yet?”
I shrug and smile back. “It’s okay. I’m slowly easing into it.”
The twins, Xavier and Aspen Caruso, share a family-sized salad. One picks out the cucumbers and pickles, while the other vehemently avoids them and eats only the raisins and apple slices. Xavier tries to steal one of the apples, but Aspen swats his fork away. “Fruit’s mine. That was the deal.”
“Bitch,” he whispers under his breath, swatting at her fork too.
She spits a piece of raisin in his face.
“Gross!” Xavier wipes off his face, and Aspen scrunches her freckly nose in amusement.
River laughs. “Y’all can’t ever be nice, can you?”
“Girl’s been bothering me since she stole half my mother’s fucking womb from me,” Xavier growls, and Aspen punches his shoulder in response.
“So much love between you two, it’s infectious,” River jokes, running his fingers through his dark-brown hair.
“What are they fighting about now?” Talon, River’s older brother, asks as he stands over the group.
“Sharing air,” Océane jests as she gets up and pecks Talon on the cheeks. “Where’ve you been?”
“Extra class,” he says, smugly kissing her on the lips, claiming her in front of everyone. “Ready to get out of here?”
“Bet,” she says.