Hunt Me! I Crave the Chase (Spooky Boys #3)

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Blair nodded seriously like I wasn’t totally blowing him off. Like he didn’t even get that I was blowing him off. “I’m a phone call away if you change your mind about needing help.”

“Yeah,” I grimaced, flicking my gaze to Collin who was staring at me with those all-seeing eyes. Like he saw right through my bullshit. He arched an eyebrow, and I cringed. “I know.” I projected confidence, smiling at Blair, then Collin, trying not to get caught when thoughts of my missing dog made me want to punch the nearest surface till my skin looked like ground beef.

I’m just your strong, solid older brother.

Not a train wreck.

I didn’t call you here because I was two seconds from beating a brick wall with my fists.

I didn’t call you here because I wanted to cry.

I don’t cry.

I can’t.

Not anymore.

“You’re coming to the beach though, right?” Blair confirmed, eyes narrowed at me. He waggled his brows a moment later, a wicked grin lighting up his face. It was a weird expression on him. Not because it looked bad or anything, but because he’d never really made faces like that before.

Like a fucking stranger had inhabited my little brother’s body.

“Right,” I agreed, because there were only so many times I could say no before he started noticing something was actually up.

“Sunday,” Blair reminded me, and I nodded, knowing full well I wouldn’t be fucking going.

“You can ride with us,” Collin added. I snagged another slice of pizza and shoved it into my mouth, smiling around the mouthful so I wouldn’t have to respond.

“Thanks,” my voice was muffled as I continued to project confidence.

“Collin,” Blair pointed at him. “Go away.”

I blinked, surprised, twisting to look at the both of them again, brow furrowed in confusion.

“He was only supposed to say hi,” Blair frowned. “I’m not about to smoke with him around.”

“I’m practically an adult,” Collin huffed, arms crossed.

“I’m practically an adult,” Blair mirrored back in a nasally voice. “Yeah, right. Go take your pre-pubescent ass back to the pizza joint. Your shift’s not over.”

Collin snorted, but then smiled at the both of us, obviously not all that annoyed. Even though he did walk off muttering, “prepubescent ass,” under his breath.

When he was gone, Blair snorted out a laugh, shaking his head. “I love that kid,” he said simply, nudging his shoulder against mine.

Thank fucking God he didn’t smile again.

“So. Joint?” He held a hand out, and I pulled it out of my pocket, handing it to him. Blair pinched the joint between his fingers, loosening up the bud so it wouldn’t clog, and I snorted, amused. Because for most of our lives he wouldn’t have known how the fuck to do any of this. Then he pulled out a lighter—a ridiculous fucking thing that looked like it weighed forty pounds, all ornate spooky-looking metal.

“The hell is that?” I asked, because that shit was ugly as hell.

“My new lighter.”

“Lemme guess,” I cocked my head, lips pursed. “Richard?”

“Yeah,” Blair flushed, eyes dancing. “He bought it for me.” He blinked, flabbergasted. “For no reason. Told me…it reminded him of me or some romantic shit.”