Rich Prick – Tijan Page 0,22

laughingstocks around these parts.

Realizing his mistake, the manager yelled, “Someone get out! I can’t have any damages to my property.”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re leaving,” Cross said. He paid for his and Bren’s items and disappeared out the door.

I had moved behind Jamie in line, still needing to pay for my gas.

Zeke stood beside me, watching them go. He shook his head. “Your brother’s an asshole.”

I agreed.

Cross had never once looked at me again. He and Bren climbed into the back of the truck as the other two took the cab. A second later, they barreled out of here.

I grunted. “Fuck him.” And I meant it. He helped Aspen. He helped Bren. He didn’t do that shit for me.

After we all paid for our stuff, Jamie came with me. The rest went with Zeke. Mara had stood beside me for a minute, and I knew she’d been waiting for a nod or some signal. I gave her nothing. I’d been making out with Aspen moments earlier. It felt wrong to do anything with Mara. And I knew she would’ve done anything I wanted, despite what Zeke said. That’s just how Mara was.

After getting in my Wagon, I texted Aspen.

Me: You okay?

12

Aspen

I was on my second night camping, and had some distance from the whole gas station debacle now, but I couldn’t shake the Owens. Those are my blues, when I’m sad.

I’d freaked out at the gas station because of Blaise. He was so intense, so right there, so in my face. He cared. He actually, seriously cared, and I’d fallen apart. Then as I’d watched how he faced off against his brother, I was amazed. I couldn’t believe that was his brother, because I knew his brother. I’d met his brother. I’d met his brother’s whole group, and Bren. I remembered her. She was nice.

They’d been in the woods at a bonfire one time when someone called the cops. I helped them out, though one guy had been mean to me.

But back to Blaise.

Gah. Blaise.

The kissing.

The looks.

He’d been pissed that I spent time alone, but I hadn’t had time to explain that I preferred to be alone. Some people are just loners. Since Owen died, that was me. Life was easiest this way, and I’d made my peace with it. I’d accepted it. I’d probably never date or have someone love me, and that was okay. For real.

But then there he was, getting angry—not at me, but for me.

I’d felt myself swooning all over again, and then Blaise’s friends drove up. They were a splash of cold water. I saw Mara looking at me, and there was such sadness in her eyes.

Mara Daniels was gorgeous.

I knew she had a history with Blaise, current history, actually, and if she was looking at me like that, what hope did I have? I already was crushing on him, and now? Now I was gone.

Done.

Hook, line, sinker. Actually, I’d already been hooked and lined. I’d just sunk. Kerplop. All the way to the bottom of the ocean. There I was, falling for him.

He was so hot facing off against his brother. And his brother was hot too, but Blaise was hotter than hot. He had this golden, rich-prick aura around him that I knew shouldn’t have made him hotter, but it did because it made him a badass too. Dangerous.

I shivered, remembering how it felt to touch him, be pressed up against him. And man, I had the Owens again because I couldn’t go there.

But because I apparently wanted to make myself even more Owens, I pulled up the text messages.

Blaise: You okay?

No. No, I wasn’t. But I hadn’t replied to him.

Thirty minutes later:

Blaise: Can you let me know if you’re alive?

Five minutes later:

Blaise: Seriously.

Two minutes later:

Blaise: You scared to text? Or should I start calling hospitals? I’ll do it.

And to that, I had to respond.

Me: I’m camping. I’m fine.

He didn’t reply for five very long minutes.

Blaise: Good to know.

I sighed, replying after that because I was a sucker for punishment.

Me: I freaked. It’s hard to talk.

Blaise: I get that, but I was worried.

Me: I’m not used to people worrying.

Blaise: Well, that’s fucked up. Even my non-bio dad who hates me would worry.

Me: That’s…fucked up too? I dunno.

Blaise: It’s cool. As long as you’re okay.

I hadn’t known how to respond to that, so I didn’t.

Then twenty minutes later:

Blaise: Download this app.

Me: Okay. Done. Why did I do that?

Blaise: So I can find you if you stop texting me because a bear has eaten you.

Ooooh. A whole