“Get Chloe and the others in the courtyard.” Maddoc looks to his brothers.
“On it.” Royce heads out.
“No,” I argue and again, I’m ignored.
“I’ll round the team.” Captain starts to leave also.
“I said no!”
“I’ll meet you guys out there,” Maddoc tells them and fuck this shit.
I whip off a soiled shoe and toss it at their retreating bodies, hitting Captain square in the head.
They spin around with glares.
“I said. No.” I step forward. “It’s one thing to crowd my space, but I’m not a helpless little bitch who needs you to put yours in place. She wants to play, fine. It’ll be on my terms.”
“No. She made a move on you after she saw we had you in our hold.”
“Not in your hold.”
“Say what you want, it’s what they should see and how they should understand.”
“Okay.” I nod, stepping back. “Okay, yeah. Go for it. Go run your little game, let her know you won’t stand for it, make me your damsel.”
All three stand taller, waiting for me to make my point but I wait.
Royce gives in first.
“Talk Raven, why would we not?” he snaps.
“You want them to think I fit in your world – still don’t get that but whatever – yet you wanna step in to save the day after one little incident with the campus queen? All that’ll do is make you look weak. ‘Cause how could a nobody, dirty little whore – as you painted me before – like me, get under your skin to this point. A girl who, if you do this, can’t even hold her own against a spoiled brat with a hard-on for three jackasses in Jordans?”
Three pairs of eyes narrow in thought and they look between each other.
“Weak links are holes in your armor. Back off and leave me be, nothing for you to worry about if you do, but if you insist on pretending we like each other, then let me handle this. I’m not weak. Don’t make it seem like I am to feed your own egos.” I shrug. “It’ll only backfire.”
“She’s right,” Captain agrees, and Royce swings a glare his way.
Maddoc, however, keeps his eyes on me.
He says nothing and goes to leave, a cussing Royce and silent Captain behind him.
Good.
This bitch needs to see ... I can handle anything she’s got with a grin.
She’s not used to girls like me.
She’ll learn.
I quickly dress in some PE clothes, throw my hair up and leave the school.
When I get to the house, I’ve got it all planned on what to say to Maybell, but as I hit the steps, she opens the screen for me, a small smile on her lips.
“School nurse called, said you were headed home.” She grasps my shoulders and helps me inside. “I warmed you some soup, it’s only from a can, but it’ll do. Go on and get changed, it’ll be on the table for ya.”
I nod, and head for my room to put on some sweats and a T-shirt.
Thanks, boys.
“Where is she?” Royce hums.
“Maybe she chickened out, took off,” Captain says.
“What, like back where she came from?” Royce shakes his head. “Maybell would have told us.”
Captain shrugs.
“No.” I keep my eyes locked on the door. “She’s coming.”
“How can you be so sure? The rest of the girls already took off.”
“Because she’s convinced she’s got pride. She couldn’t walk away after yesterday if she wanted to.”
Right then, the door opens and out she steps.
Royce laughs, smacking the back of the seat. “Hell yeah.”
Captain grins and looks to me, but I keep my eyes locked on the lioness who has yet to spot us.
She lifts her backpack onto one shoulder and bends to tie the laces of her black combat boots, and when she stands, my dick thinks about going with her, ‘cause fuck. Me.
Those boots make her little legs appear longer, her strong, thick thighs testing the stretch of her cut off shorts, small enough to show her ass cheeks if she bends the wrong way.
She’s wearing a white hoodie with bleeding roses in the center. The neck has been cut out so it hangs off the shoulder, showing the straps of her black bra, long, dark hair hanging down her back, silky straight and shining, a deep, dark blue now taking over the tips.
She looks like a project princess.
“She fuckin’ spun that shit good, brothers. Damn.” Royce grins then rolls his window down. “Get your ass in, Raven Carver.”