comes back and takes the other tub. “Come with me.”
I follow him, even when he veers off to the right to set the tub down in front of the boys. But Cooper’s strong hand darts out to grab my shoulder.
“Ow,” I say, turning on him. “What do you want?”
He narrows his eyes at me. Points to the ground at the top of the deep end. “Stand right here and do not move.”
“Whatever,” I mumble.
“Hear ye, hear ye!” Ax says, his town crier act back for the grand finale. He didn’t swim today. Didn’t even take off his shirt. He’s still wearing his Docs, his stupid wallet chain, and his army-colored cargo shorts. “We have a sinner amongst us! A sinner who needs to be taught a lesson in the town square!” And he looks over his shoulder at me with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Shit,” I mumble.
Cooper is standing next to me. His arms crossed across his bare, muscular chest. And when I glance up at him, he’s grinning.
Ax points to me. “Sin-ner! Sin-ner! Sin-ner!” he chants. And then they are all yelling. He works them up into a frenzy, until their chant is the only thing I hear. Then he suddenly bellows, “Punish her!”
That’s when I realize there’s only one girl in this wet t-shirt contest. And it’s me.
They start throwing the water balloons at me, yelling and screaming like this is the best game ever.
The girls mostly miss. I’m silently thanking my lucky stars that Valentina isn’t taking part in the battle. Because she can throw. She played baseball with the boys as a teenager.
Mona gets a thigh shot in—and yeah, that hurts. But the rest can’t throw far enough to cover the distance. They splat at my feet or in the pool in front of me.
But the boys.
Those boys can throw.
And they hit me. Every. Single. Time.
CHAPTER NINETEEN - COOPER
Lars, Ax, and I stand to the side and just watch them pelt Cadee Hunter with the water balloons. Some of the guys—Dante in particular—are taking this hazing incident very seriously.
“It’s just water,” Ax says.
“Yeah, right,” Lars says.
My eyes slide over to Lars. “We’re only on day two, dude. Better fucking suck it up if you want to make it to the end of summer.”
Ax sighs. “I want to beat the fuck out of Dante.”
“You kinda already did,” I say.
“He’s got more coming.”
“Ooooooh.” Lars winces and looks away. “That one hurt.”
“All she has to do is cry,” I say. “She cries, they’ll stop. I gave them the orders before they started.”
Besides. I like the way I can see Cadee Hunter’s nipples through her soaked white t-shirt. And I’m gonna enjoy that for a moment. It’s the first almost pleasant thing about this day. Even if she is getting pelted with water balloons.
Lars sighs. “OK. I think I see a tear.” He puts two fingers in his mouth and a sharp whistle makes all the pledges stop and look at us.
Ax jumps into action and paces up and down the side of the pool deck in his boots, his wallet chain banging against his leg. “Thank you, pledges! Congrats on a great opening day! Your King has some words for you, so listen the fuck up!”
“Girls,” I say. “Goodbye. You are dismissed.”
“Hold on, hold on!” Isabella steps out from under her thatched-roof cabaña. “Mandatory meeting tonight, ladies. Meet me at the dock immediately.”
“What?” they all complain. “Why?”
Isabella lifts up her chin. “I do not repeat myself. Grab your shit and meet me at the dock immediately.”
They grumble, but get busy picking up their crap and then wander down the path in the woods towards the lake.
Then I turn to the boys. I cross my arms over my chest and stare them up and down as I walk towards their side of the deck. “We had two incidents today that require consequences.” I lock eyes with Dante.
He shakes his head at me. “It’s no big deal.”
“Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. It doesn’t matter. You have a mean side, Dante.”
He shuffles his feet.
“And that’s why I’m promoting you to lead. You’re in charge.”
All the boys look stunned.
Dante is a little dick about his new status. Because he immediately starts yelling, “Yeah! Fuck, yeah!” And I make a note of that.
Lars comes up behind me. He shuts up and doesn’t say anything because I’m not done talking yet. But I can already tell he’s gonna have a lot to say about this decision.
“And tomorrow,” I continue, “you all understand what you