Page 23 of The Revenge Agenda

Madden laughs. “I’m impressed they talk to her.”

“And now that she has Easy Feet,” I say in a mock presenter voice. “They can say they love her unconditionally since they’re not hung up on a tiny cosmetic flaw. The miracle!”

Madden tucks his hands behind his head and sighs. “We have grown bitter, my friend.”

“Have we?”

“Well, I have. You’ve always been like this.”

I tilt my head to the side. “I don’t feel bitter.”

“Is it a feeling or a mindset?”

“Definitely a feeling.”

“Then maybe bitter isn’t the right word.”

I scoff. “Well, don’t listen to me. I’m not good with feelings. Either they’re too much or not there at all.”

Madden hums and rubs his knuckles against his chest. “Maybe it’s better that way.”

I already know exactly who he’s talking about. Even for someone as oblivious as me, the pining comes through loud and clear.

“Penn?” I check since it’s been a while since we’ve talked about Madden’s crush on his best friend.

“Eh, nothing new there.”

“I’m sorry,” I say because what else is there to say? Penn’s a great friend, but he’s straight. Madden knew that when he went and fell for him, but while I think it’s helpful to point that out, I’ve learned from experience people don’t want to be faced with logic. Especially when feelings are involved.

Madden falls asleep not long after a few more bets, but I still can’t get my thoughts to switch off. Madden’s heartache. His ill-placed crush. Choosing the worst person to fall for. Hunter and I did too, only in our cases, we had no way of knowing.

Does he feel like Madden does? I know he’s mad at me for what happened, but I can’t figure out why. We both are in the same position; if anything, we should be allies.

I open my phone and scroll back through my messages with him, gaze catching on a detail I’d forgotten.

The coat.

Shit.

Better do it now before I forget again.

I creep upstairs and into Xander’s bedroom, searching by the light of my phone until I find it folded in the bottom of his closet.

Xander grunts in his sleep. “Whatever you’re doing, Rush,” he says dreamily, “close the door on the way out.”

That I can do.

And I’ve remembered the coat.

And I made ten bucks off Madden tonight.

Look at Rush, winning all around.

Chapter 7

Hunter

I thought that when I logged into my work email this morning, I’d find an email from Rush waiting. But there wasn’t. Which is obviously a good thing, even if I’m curious over what he would have said.

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