Page 253 of Boys Who Hunt
“It’s only a short ride down the mountain. Max offered to bring her.”
“That’s awfully chivalrous of him. You two dating or what?” she asks.
I blush. “Maybe. I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
“Hey, you do you,” she says. “Good luck at school today, Cora!”
Cora waves as we exit the house, where Max waits on his bike for us.
When he takes off his helmet, Cora immediately runs to him to hug his leg. “Hey, kid, long time no see.”
I cross my arms. “It hasn’t been that long.”
“Too long,” Max replies. “You ready for a ride?”
Cora has a beaming smile on her little face. “I’m going on a motorcycle? That’s so cool!”
She almost jumps up and down out of sheer excitement.
I chuckle. “You just made her first new school day extra special.”
“Gotta earn those bonus points somehow.” Max winks.
“This is so freaking awesome,” Cora says as Max grabs her and puts her on.
“Safety first,” I mutter.
Max swiftly pulls out a small helmet and plops it on her head, tightening the straps. “You didn’t think I was going to drive away without this, right?”
I narrow my eyes at his coy smile. “You’ve gotten bold …”
“And?” he asks, raising a brow. “You like it?”
I playfully slap his shoulder. “You keep talking like that, and I will make you regret it.”
He makes a filthy moan-ish sound. “Don’t threaten me like that. It only makes me want it more.”
“Want what?” Cora asks.
“Nothing,” Max and I both say, and when he glances at me over his shoulder, we both burst out into laughter.
After we’ve droppedCora off at school, Max brings me back to Spine Ridge University, and I peck him on the cheeks before he drives off again to take his bike for a spin. Our classes don’t start until late this afternoon, and he probably doesn’t want to encroach on my need to distance myself for a while.
And he was right … I did want to be left alone for some time so I could properly grieve our mother’s passing together with Cora.
So I could navigate my way through a world without parents.
Without a solid base.
Without a house to call home.
But we’ll get there someday.
I breathe out a sigh as I walk up the stairs in the Alpha Psi sorority house and head into the guest room where we’ve been staying all this time. Bagel greets me with a purr and a tail rub against my leg, and I pet him a little to feel grounded again.
Little Bagel and I have been through so much together. He was my mother’s first pet and her only companion through the abusemy stepfather flung at her. Sometimes I still can’t believe I was able to steal him away too while I ran with Cora in one hand and Bagel in the other.
I pick him up and settle down on the bed so I can give him some much-deserved chin rubs. However, he’s really not feeling it and jumps out of my arms to strut all over my desk, making a mess everywhere he goes.