Page 33 of Séance

The guys are used to his frantic nature and single-minded focus when he’s on a mission.

People usually consider him flaky and high maintenance. Keeping him entertained is a full-time job, one that most people consider too much work.

Hicks curses and heads into the kitchen to keep it from becoming a disaster zone. My twin will empty every cupboard and drawer until he finds what he wants.

“Should we help?” Rue grabs the armrests, ready to stand, and looks at me for the answer.

Seeing her next to me, looking up at me with her innocent eyes and lush mouth, I feel my dick instantly demand attention. I grunt in annoyance and lean toward the fire before she notices the direction of my thoughts.

She misreads me, her face instantly blanking of all expression. It happens so fast that I blink in surprise. Realizing she thinks I’m annoyed with her, I grimace and shake my head. “Nah, he’s on a mission right now. You’ll only distract him, and he’ll forget why he went into the kitchen in the first place.”

With a hesitant nod, she relaxes back into her seat, but it doesn’t erase the tension in her body. She stares absently at the flames and twists her rings around on her fingers. Gunner casts me an annoyed look, while Ellis tilts his head, a puzzled expression on his face as he studies her, completely oblivious to the way I fucked up.

This is why I don’t socialize.

I don’t know how to put people at ease.

I make them uncomfortable by staring too long or not looking long enough, or some shit that James tried to explainto me once. The rules for social niceties just escape me. Even in kindergarten, I didn’t understand sharing, talking, or smiling. I live in my own little bubble. I still don’t understand why people gravitate to others. I mostly find people annoying as fuck. Why would I want to spend more time around them?

Even with the guys trying to teach me, I’m still baffled.

I glance at my brother as he buzzes around the kitchen like a hummingbird, knowing what he’s trying to do. It’s obvious that Rue had a shitty childhood and he’s trying to pick activities she might enjoy.

It’s sweet of him, something he does instinctively as the caregiver of the group.

It’s also one of the many reasons why women fall so easily into his bed.

I’m not envious of his ability to charm people, even with the perks. Being around people gives me the heebie-jeebies. I swear they are like vampires that suck the energy from my soul.

That’s why I like bikes and cars.

I get back the love and care I put into the machines.

Drumming my fingers against the chair, I struggle to fill the awkward silence. Small talk is a foreign concept to me. That’s my twin’s job. Most times, I just walk away if anyone tries to engage me. As Rue’s eyes dart around the patio, she slowly becomes more and more quiet and withdrawn, and anxiety tightens my chest.

“Nice weather we’re having, huh?” I ask, wincing at my idiot ass.

When Gunner snorts, I turn my glare on him, but the fucker just smirks, leaving me to flail about on my own.

“Oh, um…” Rue looks up at the sky in confusion. “I guess? I don’t get to spend much time outdoors.”

My gaze drops, and I notice her pale, flawless skin. There is a glow to her that invites my fingers to reach out and touchher, curious to see if she is as soft as she looks. I nod belatedly, slightly disappointed in her answer but not surprised.

She doesn’t seem like the tomboy type.

Rue falls silent again, and I can’t get over the impression that I’m fucking things up somehow. For the first time in my life, my lack of communication skills makes me feel inadequate. I look toward the kitchen, silently urging my twin to hurry.

I huff in annoyance and roll my eyes when I see my idiot brother has his arms full of every sweet he could find in the kitchen. Hicks is blocking his way, pointing to the counter while trying to reason with him.

It’s a hopeless cause, but we all hope it will work one of these days.

I glance at Rue again, opening my mouth to say who the fuck knows what, only to find her not paying us the least bit of attention. She’s tense, her eyes darting around almost frantically. Her knuckles are white, and she’s practically wringing her hands as she searches the darkness, fidgeting in her seat as if she’s ready to bolt at any second.

Instantly on guard, I signal the others, and we all search for what put her on edge, but none of us can find anything out of the ordinary.

Could she be afraid of the dark?

When she looks at the house, her face whitens, and I’m instantly on my feet. My actions startle her so much that she flinches, nearly tipping her chair over as she scrambles to stand. Shoulders heaving, she backs away, then blinks and seems to return to herself.

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