Page 87 of The Revenge Agenda

It’s actually a really good idea. “I can ask.”

“I mean, a room isn’t ideal, but it’s got to be better than what I have now. Beggars can’t be choosers and whatever.”

He’s right. But Hunter deserves more than to be a beggar.

That prickling starts up again.

Chapter 25

Hunter

I pick Rush up the following weekend, nerves battering my gut. I’m down to my one last hope for somewhere to live, and I have everything crossed these guys can help me out.

Apparently, Rylan and Kai, the men who own the house Rush lives in, have a few places they rent for cheap. Rush’s place is full of people way more artistically inclined than me, but hopefully, they’ll have somewhere I can fit.

“How cute. We could be landlord lovers.”

I snort and glance over at him. “Landlord lovers?”

“Exactly.”

“You don’t hear it?”

“Hear what?”

I’m not about to explain it to him. I’m too nervous. “How did you end up moving in with the others? Were you all friends or …?”

“Gabe and Christian were. Molly and Madden knew each other from college. Seven and Xander met in foster care. Aggy next door actually knew my gran, and after my parents died, Gran was my guardian. Only Gran couldn’t really handle me and didn’t understand why I kept getting into trouble in school. I didn’t understand it either, actually, but I don’t understand a lot of what other people are thinking. Anyway, Gran and I had a big fight, I tried to run away, Aggy picked me up and convinced me to stay with her for a few weeks until I found my feet. Gran didn’t want anything to do with me after that. So Aggy stepped in in her place, and I visited every Sunday. Helped Ry and Kai with some of the renovations they did. When it was finished and they told me their idea, I was the first person they offered a room to, and Madden moved in that same weekend.”

“Wow. And you’re all super close.”

“Sure are. Basically brothers.”

That gives me more hope than I want it to. “Maybe I’ll find somewhere like that.”

“You have somewhere like that. With me.”

I laugh and rest my hand on his thigh. “I know you don’t understand my reasons, but I don’t understand how you can find your phone under your roommate’s mattress or your keys lopped over the pipe under the kitchen sink. It’s one of those things we have to trust the other on that there’s a reason.”

“Oh, I know there’s a reason. It just doesn’t make any sense. At least looking for bedbugs makes sense.”

“Uh-huh.” It’s cute he thinks so.

We get to the restaurant, and after finding a park, I jump out to open Rush’s door for him. He frowns up at me, clearly thinking.

“Is chivalry another thing you don’t understand?”

“I’m pondering that if it’s long been traditional for men to open the door for women, does that mean I’m the woman in this scenario? And who opens the door for nonbinary people? Do they all open their own doors? Or do they have some kind of mind-control door powers where the doors fly open and out of their way?”

I stare patiently down at him. “Get out of the car.”

“That didn’t answer my question,” he says as he climbs out, but he doesn’t bring it up again.

We walk into the restaurant, and my first thought is that they mustn’t get many kids in here because everything is so white. The walls, the floorboards, the tables and chairs. I’m too scared to order something to eat in case I mess up the decor.

“There’s Rylan,” Rush says, waving to a good-looking man sitting at a four-seater by the window.

“Rush.” He gets up to hug Rush before offering me a hand. “Thanks for meeting up with me.”

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