Page 71 of Boys Who Hunt

“Aw, this was my good shirt!” Xavier pulls the fabric over his head.

“Stop whining, bitch.” Mavis throws a full hand at his chest, making everyone else laugh.

“I’m so glad you all came home. It’s no fun without you guys!” Melody says, throwing small hands left and right despite hitting very few people.

I’m still clean, but the second they all look at me with suspicion, I turn around. “Oh fuck no.”

I bolt outside through the back door with everyone on my heels.

“Come here, you little shit!” Felix roars, throwing the biggest load of pie.

I laugh maniacally. “Fucking catch me if you can, cowards!”

Maybe this dinner wasn’t so bad after all.

Heath

Max ison the couch in the common room of the Skull and Serpent Society, reading a book intensely. I throw my bag down on the floor and grab his shoulders, but he swiftly closes the book and tucks it away under his ass.

“You scared me, Heath,” he says, looking over his shoulder.

“Why? What’re you reading?”

“Nothing,” he says with big doe eyes.

I roll my eyes. “Fine. You don’t wanna tell me, then don’t.”

He scratches the back of his head. “It’s nothing you’d find interesting anyway.”

“Thanks,” I say, squeezing his shoulders as I lean in. “So, have you talked with Ivy recently?”

He tenses up. “No. Why do you want to know?”

“I’m curious if she still lets you get close to her.”

He lowers his head. “She doesn’t trust me because of what you did.”

“Whatwedid.” I pat him on the chest. “You’re part of our group, remember?”

“Right, but I don—”

I grab his face and turn it sideways until those submissive eyes bore into mine. “You always do what I want. Don’t you?”

He gulps. “If you ask me nicely.”

“And if I don’t ask nicely? What will you do then?” I’m so close, he’s beginning to sweat, and I lean in to bite the air between us, making him jolt up and down in his seat. “Cry?”

He jerks his head free from my grip, and I’m thrown off by the sudden defiance, which is unlike him.

“Fine. Whatever you want. Can I read now?”

I sigh. “Why don’t you just come along with Silas and me tonight?”

“Where are you two going?” he asks.

I pick up the bag, and the metal inside makes a lot of sound. “We’ve got something special planned.”

His eyes home in on the bag before they narrow. “Like what?”