Page 51 of Dark Little Game

I’mabovegossiping, and it gives me a bitter feeling in my stomach to say anything like that, even about Hunter.

About any Onyx member.

At the end of last year they gave out some awards during a little ceremony before summer. I got “most inclusive,” because most of the time, that’s true. Usually, I try to be kind to everyone.

Hunter brings strange things out of people, though.

I watch his hands on that girl with bitter rage flaring in my chest.

Wish it was your hands on my shoulders, Knox.

At least I’d get the opportunity to punch you for it.

“Nope. That girl is gayer than you are, Rayne,” Oliver tells me. “She told Wes about her butterflies, but she toldmeabout all the girls she wants to hook up with.”

Great.

So I’m not just a gossip, I’m wrong about it, too.

“How have your classes been going, Ollie?” I ask him, because I desperately need a subject change.

“Pretty good. Did any of you guys have Prof Nevins last year? I swear he’s trying to fucking fail us out with how much homework he gives.”

I get lost in the conversation, and I refuse to look up at Hunter for the rest of the evening.

10

Hunter

There’s a reason why I don’t usually tell people about my personal shit, and it’s because I hate the feeling I’ve been flooded with today.

Like I have an emotional hangover.

Like I want to put my fist through a fucking wall, or sink my knife into something that bleeds.

I haven't beenavoidingRayne since I spilled my guts to him about Lune yesterday, but I sure as fuck don’t want to be around him today, either.

I’ve had enough pity stares in my life. I don’t need any more from him.

Dinner with Briar was a good distraction until I saw the Onyx boys rolling in and taking up a long table to themselves.

Rayne looked fucked up, but in a good way.

His hair was disheveled, and he was wearing a white T-shirt that only made his biceps look better.

But unless he’s naked, on his knees, and begging to suck my cock, there’s no chance in hell I should be looking at Rayne like that, anyway.

You confuse my cock, but you’re not getting anywhere close to me.

No one gets to do that.

I say goodbye to Briar soon after, because she’s got a date with some girl tonight and she’s all nervous and stressed about it. I head outside and look down at my phone to find a text that only takes this night from bad to worse.

Barrett Knox: Call me. I’m back from my client retreat in Belize.

Crickets chirp all across the quad as I read the text from my father, but I know I need to return his call.

The only person I like evenlessthan Weston is our father.