Page 76 of The Stalker Snafu

I was officially losing it. My mind. My marbles. All of it.

From the looks I was getting, the guys agreed.

“… Is she okay?” Finn asked the room, watching me with concern.

“Wait. This is your Cupcake?” Rafe asked in surprise, pointing at me as I tried to rein in the laughter. If I didn’t get a hold on this soon, the hiccups would start.

I hated the hiccups.

That thought had a more sobering effect than the looks of five guys considering shipping me off to the psychiatric ward, and my laughter slowly faded as I sat up.

“Your Cupcake?” I echoed in growing bafflement, followed by a stray giggle.

Adrian pointed at me too. “She’s the girl you’ve been harping on about?”

I turned toward a certain cupcake thief, raising my brows. “… I am?”

Finn had the decency to look a touch guilty as he scratched the back of his neck, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks as he offered me a sheepish smile. “I may or may not have mentioned meeting you.”

“And marrying you, and making babies with you, and taking over the world with⁠—”

“That’s enough, Rian!” Finn jumped forward and clamped a hand over Adrian’s mouth. I’d never seen his cheeks so red, and he forced out a laugh before winking at me. “Don’t pay him any mind, sweetness. He’s exaggerating.”

“Sweetness?” Rafe snorted. “What are you on right now?”

“Sugar,” Finn and I answered together.

Rafe’s head whipped between us before both hands covered his face as he groaned. “Fuck me. There’s two of them now.”

“Relax,” Julian cut in, with a calming—albeit confused—smile I’d grown to know him for. “How do you know Emma, Finn?”

Finn turned to me in surprise. “Your name is Emma? … I always wondered.”

I grimaced as Adrian groaned. He held a pillow over his face while Rafe looked ready to blow. “You didn’t even know her name, you idiot?”

I couldn’t keep up. Finn ran a hand through his chestnut hair, ruffling it as he offered a charming smile. “Oops?”

Julian shook his head. “Too many surprises today. Emma, how do you know Finn?”

“He stole from me,” I answered automatically, eyeing the sticky-fingered magician.

“He what?” Rafe exploded as the others gaped, and I smacked a hand over my mouth at my bluntness. The evil twin’s scowl targeted Finn, and I feared for his life. “What the hell is she talking about? You’re stealing shit?”

Finn’s eyes widened, and my heart leapt as Adrian got to his feet. I jumped from my seat, too.

“Wait, it wasn’t that bad. Sorry, but I meant he took my cupcake,” I explained hurriedly. Which was honestly just as bad, but I didn’t like the way they were glaring at Finn like he’d murdered a litter of puppies.

The other guys eased up on their glares, and Rafe’s face wrinkled in confusion as I mentally prepared myself to step in if he lunged at Finn.

“Oh. That’s it?” Adrian settled back into his seat. The guys around him relaxed, and my jaw dropped.

“Um, excuse me? He stole from me,” I repeated indignantly, jabbing a finger at the grinning thief. Obviously, I had been too lenient by taking the heat off him. “I was really looking forward to that cupcake after slaving away for the patriarchy all day, and he took it right out of my mouth—midbite! That’s just cruel. If we still lived in the Middle Ages, he would’ve lost a hand. Heck, off with his head!”

Rafe blinked at me, and Julian’s eyebrows rose before he turned to Finn.

“You took it right out of her mouth?” Julian asked neutrally.

I crossed my arms, watching the thieving magician expectantly.