Page 82 of Bite Marks & Broken Hearts

LOL.

Even if he was laughing at me, I’d take that as a win.

“Am I going crazy, or does this guy look exactly like me?”

The sofa springs creaked as Rory bounced down next to me, phone thrust into my face. I squinted at the selfie of two blokes grinning at the camera. “What?”

“Look at him—he’s literally my clone, right?” Rory’s leg jiggledagainst mine.

“Which one?”

“Oh, very funny.” Rory rolled his eyes. “Obviously not the ridiculously gorgeous Indian guy who belongs on a runway.”

I studied the pale guy more closely. Blond, but his hair was straighter than Rory’s chaotic mess. “I mean… not really? He’s blond but—”

“What? Are you actually blind? We’re practically identical!”

“Sorry, mate. Also, this guy looks way taller than you.”

Rory snatched his phone back with a huff. “I’m a perfectly normal height, thank you very much. But that’s not the point—the point is that my ex is clearly dating my actual twin.”

“Oh.” I blinked at the photo again. “That’s your ex?”

“Yeah, Dev.” Rory’s mouth twisted. “We were together for eight months. He runs with one of the South London packs.”

“I didn’t know you were gay. Or bi, or…?”

Rory glanced at me. “Gay. And seriously?” He barked out a laugh. “It’s literally our running joke that Seb only hires queer people. Well, except maybe Felix—we’ve got a bet going on that one.”

I blinked. I’d been too fixated on Seb’s sexuality to give the rest of them any thought. “Everyone? Even Priya?”

“Don’t believe me? Next time you’re at the bakery, sneak a peek at her sketchbook. It’s full of your scary friend with the spiky hair—the one who keeps threatening to ban me.”

“Emma?” My stomach clenched. An urge to shield her from all of Killigrew Street’s madness surged through me.

“That’s the one. She’s planning this whole thing with reading her tea leaves next time. Proper smooth, right?”

I shifted on the sofa. “I’m gay too,” I said, testing how it felt to just… say it. Back in Braymore, each confession had been a weight in my chest, knowing how the town’s Catholic population would react. But Rory’s eyes never left his phone.

“Yeah, cool. Now, do you want to see more photos of my ex’s replacement me? I swear he went looking for my upgrade.”

A flash of grey darted across my vision. Before I could react, that weird ferret from the third floor scaled Rory’s leg and arm in one fluid motion.It crept along Rory’s shoulders like some grotesque scarf, its matted fur patchy enough to reveal bone beneath. Despite its supposedly dead state, those eerie yellow eyes tracked my every movement with unnerving intelligence.

“Is that thing actually…”

“Dead?” Rory grinned. “Freddy, are you dead? What do you think, friend?”

I watched as Freddy’s head swivelled one hundred and eighty degrees to look behind him. I felt oddly compelled to touch its fur, wondering if it would feel as cold as it looked. Quick as a striking snake, Freddy lunged for my fingers, yellowed teeth snapping viciously where my hand had been a split second before.

“He only likes me.” Rory shrugged apologetically. “And food. He likes food.”

Loud footsteps thundered down the basement stairs as Kit joined us. Perching on the armrest like some sort of brooding gargoyle, he coughed, then asked, “Is Felix hiding in his cupboard again?” while scowling in that general direction.

“If he wants to do extra work, what’s the problem?” Rory said, eyes back on his phone.

Kit turned his scowl on his brother, but before he could respond, Priya bustled in through the bookcase carrying a Fat Cat’s Coffee carrier.

“Morning, boys. Got your usual orders.” She started distributing cups.

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