“The Vipers?” She crosses her arms over her chest and I suddenly feel panicky. We’re alone, the only person in sight is old Mr. Peterson watering his plants across the street. But I feel him. Killian. I feel him like he’s standing right behind me, breathing down my neck.
“That’s their crew. The Blackcrown Vipers. You’ll know if you see one of them,” I tell her.
“They’re in a gang?” She doesn’t seem alarmed or even surprised. I suspect she hasn’t had the easiest life.
I shake my head in the negative. “They run the gang.” I look around as if Killian or Kai might sprout out of thin air. “Everything at Blackcrown High revolves around the two of them. As long as you don’t forget that, you’ll be okay.” I hope I’m right about that because I really don’t know her or why they don’t like her.
A look of understanding passes her pretty features, and I shift to head up the walkway, but she doesn’t move. “Do you live close by?” I don’t want to alarm her, but if she has Kai Pierce after her, she shouldn’t be walking home alone.
“Yeah, just a few houses that way,” she says, gesturing with her thumb behind her. “Well, thanks for the info. I guess I’ll see you around.”
I nod and head up the walk and let out a long breath. I’ve worked so hard over the last few years to hide any emotions I’m feeling, but today Killian has me rattled and I feel like I might burst into a thousand pieces. When I’m inside the house, I turn to lock the storm door behind me and my stomach lurches when I see Killian riding shotgun in Kai’s car, rolling slowly past my house. His eyes meet mine and I realize we still have the same connection we had when we were younger. I felt him staring at me when I was talking to Desiree.
I step away from the door and drop my backpack to the floor.
I’ll pay for disobeying him tomorrow.
And he’ll be brutal.
3
Desiree
I’m getting ready for school with extra shaky hands this morning. It’s only the second day, but it feels like a sort of purgatory. I’m already the weird new girl no one wants to be bothered with, and now, apparently, I have the school’s most notorious bad boy after me. Which makes the girls steer clear of me even more since they all seem to love the Pierce brothers.
It’s like the more I try to stay quiet, blend in, and keep to myself the more trouble follows me.
I put on an oversized hoodie over my outfit today in the hopes that it'll help me be less noticeable.
As I leave the apartment today, I pull my hood up and start jogging to school.
I’ve felt like I’ve had eyes on my back the whole morning. I’ve been extra cautious on my way to school today. I’m equal parts scared and relieved that there’s been no sign of Chad.
Not only do I have to worry about Chad, but also, my father.
He was released from prison today.
Daniel Wright, AKA my sperm donor, is nothing but a worthless piece of shit. He’s done nothing in life except abuse me and my mom.
Since he got sent to prison I started going by Mom’s maiden name. I didn’t want to share a last name with that asshole.
So, when I hear heavy footsteps behind me as I reach the school parking lot, I whip around with my heart threatening to explode from my chest.
And it’s the tattooed guy from the bathroom yesterday. What had Ava said his name is? Kai. My hand flies to my chest and I close my eyes in quick relief. Not that I’m happy to see him, but it’s better than my psychotic father, I suppose.
His eyes narrow into slits and he doesn’t stop his forceful strides as he backs me up against a car.
“Why do you look so relieved to see me, love?” his low, velvety voice hits me almost like a caress. He strokes my cheek lightly, his touch making me shiver. I bat his hand away, knowing full well he’s up to no good. He gives me a sinister smile, a dimple appearing in one of his cheeks. “Apparently, I’m doing a bad job of making you fear me, so I’ll make myself very clear.” He leans in closer, his breath fanning my face, and then his whole demeanor changes. Real fear courses through me as his lip curls up in rage. “I should be your worst fucking nightmare. You’d do best to remember that.”
Now it’s my turn to bare my teeth. “You have no idea what demons I’ve had to fight.”
“None of them can be worse than I am.”
“I’ve seen way worse than some high school boy with a bullet complex,” I blurt before I can stop myself.
His icy eyes turn more glacial as he stares down at me, then a voice interrupts us.
“Damn, Kai, who’s the new girl? Haven’t seen her around yet.”
Kai growls, straightening. “You don’t need to see her. In fact, forget you ever fucking saw her. She’s mine.”
What?!
“He’s lying. I am not his!” I retort, loud enough to be heard, and I hear some laughter echo around us. I can’t see past Kai’s broad shoulders, but it sounds like there’s a few guys behind him. Probably part of the Vipers or whatever Ava had said they call themselves.
I push at his broad chest and he doesn’t budge, but a look passes in his eyes and he takes a step back.
There’s something cunning and calculated in the way he’s staring at me and I feel heat rise to my cheeks. The look he’s giving me tells me I’ll regret this interaction between us, so I hurriedly run
