Page 114 of Stop and Seek
Meeting online friends never stopped being awkward.
“You dumb fuck,” Calvin mumbled, arms wrapped tight around his middle. “I graduated East Bridge same year. I messaged you when I found out you did too.”
Theo snorted. “I haven’t been online. I told you I’d hunt you down and you beat me to it.”
“I get shit done. You got short energy, man. I expected you to be five foot even.”
“Ha ha,” Theo deadpanned. “Only in your dreams.”
It took Calvin way too long to let go and stop squeezing the shit out of him.
Theo glanced over his shoulder—part instinct, part curiosity. He expected Noah to have wandered off too, but he was still leaning against the counter, beer in his hand.
And the look on Noah's face; eyes narrowed, hyper focused on him—him, no one else—made Theo’s skin tingle in the best possible way.
He never thought he’d get to see what jealousy looked like on Noah, and a tiny, sick part of himlikedit.
Too much.
I’m going to beat the shit out of him.
The thought came, left, and slammed back harder. It stuck there, right behind his eyes like sleep he couldn’t reach. The music, the chatter, the people around him—gone. All of it faded into nothing because Noah couldn’t focus on anything except the fact thatthat guywas touchinghisTheo.
Cracking Calvin’s head wide open on the shiny floor would’ve shut that little voice up. But Noah wasn’t here for Calvin. He was here for Keith and Aaron.
Aaron—sadly—was a no show. No big. No problem at all, really. Noah could swing by Aaron’s law office tomorrow.
Now Keith… Keith was just as guilty as Aaron. And if Noahdidn’tsnap Calvin’s neck, Calvin had to know where Keith was. Families were always very close.
Greasy, twitchy, big-grin Calvin. Slobbering all over Theo like a dog with a bone. It was ballsy, Noah had to hand it to him.
He couldn’t look away from Theo. His stomach twisted, and the taste of bile hit the back of his throat. Another long swig of beer didn’t help. Nothing would, unless Calvinbacked offor Noahmade him.
He’s got one more minute.
“Quit.”
Max’s voice barely registered.
“Don’t,” Noah muttered, fingers tightening around the bottle like he could physically anchor himself to the same spot.
“You’rewayoff the deep end, Noah.” Max touched his elbow.
He yanked his arm away. She didn’t get it. She didn’t know what it felt like to look at someone and know you couldfix them. Take away all their pain, even if they never asked. Because they belonged to you, and that was yourjoy.
Noah didn’t take his eyes off Theo. “Go find Alyssa.”
“Alyssa can wait. I’m more worried about you starting something—”
“I don’t give a shit,” Noah snapped. The bottle slammed down before he could stop it. The bottom cracked, spraying foam down the counter and onto the floor in a puddle of fizz and broken glass.
Max flinched. “Don’t bother,” she said when he crouched down. “The staff will get it. Noah. Noah,fucking look at me.”
He stood back up, slow, wiping his hands on his jeans. “What.”
“I need you to stop acting crazy.”
Noah glanced over. Max was pissed, all furrowed brow and slits for eyes.
