Page 7

“I just don’t understand why you can’t be a part of the group. You’ve always been an asshole, but you were kinda there all the same.”

“I’ve never been a part of your group.” Tony shook his head. It might be me, but there was resignation in his voice. “I don’t see the point in switching things up now.”

I scowled. I couldn’t help it. Cece always said I wore my emotions too close to the surface. Usually, I said it wasn’t true, but I knew it was. I didn’t like it, so I avoided thinking about it.

Obviously, it didn’t always work.

“You know why. You’re alone.”

“I’m what I need to be,” Tony retorted.

“That makes no sense.” If he wanted to be alone, he wouldn’t be a member of an exclusive community. He’d just build a playroom in his house and call it a day. No one who joined Plumas could say they had no interest in community, even if they held idealized or skewed versions of what that word meant. “I know you hang out with Erika.”

“Hanging out is a stretch.”

For a second, he looked like he was about to say something else. I wondered if this was the first time he’d gotten close to opening up, but that would be… narcissistic of me, surely.

Anyway, Tony cleared his throat and licked his lips, then sat up more properly, hands slapping his thighs. “Are you hungry?”

“Huh?”

Tony rewarded my confusion with the most unimpressed look he could muster. I couldn’t even use the fact that I hadn’t gotten laid in a while as an excuse for all this embarrassing, basic as fuck simping. I’d been buried in Sergio’s ass for what felt like hours last night. He and Abel had invited me to their place after brunch. I might’ve already been in a mood because of the emails and because Cece was away and wouldn’t get back until morning, when I’d be in class.

Sergio’s Daddy was fucking cuddly during aftercare, too. And he treated me just as he did Sergio—sans the sippy cups and diapers, thankfully. But the point was, it should’ve been enough to keep my head on straight for at least a few days.

Apparently not.

Tony sighed. It wasn’t the best thing—or the sound I wanted to elicit out of a person I was talking with—but it was good. It meant I stopped thinking about Sergio’s running mouth.

“Let me guess. You came here straight from class?”

I frowned. “Yes?”

Why was he asking me? This wasn’t how we worked. He didn’t ask me stuff.

“So, the last time you ate was…?”

Did he want me to complete that sentence? I wasn’t a student in an English class, thank you very much.

But apparently not answering wasn’t the right option, because he just shook his head and stood up. Did it mean I was dismissed?

I didn’t know how to feel about that.

TWO

tony

Igrabbed the takeout pamphlets from the kitchen drawer and walked back to Jaime. I was reeling, not sure what to make of his presence in my space yet. If anyone asked, that was why I shoved them against his chest with more force than necessary.

I ignored the electricity that seemed to crackle when my fingers touched him, even over his clothing.

“Pick one and order whatever you want, plus the circled items,” I said. “Ask them to bring a card reader. I’m going to shower.”

Jaime spluttered, leaving the pamphlets on the arm of the couch without even glancing at them. “You—what?”

I tried to get my face to scowl. Not sure I managed it. “Did you want to join me?”

Fuck.