“What’re you staring at?” I ask, putting my hands on my hips.
Being Acacia’s daughter won’t win me any favors, but I’m not gonna kiss their asses.
“You think you’re so special, don’t you?” a pretty girl with dark hair dares to answer. She’s flanked by two minions wearing smug smirks. “Your dad owning this place doesn’t mean shit. Here, you’re not untouchable.”
I pout, looking her up and down in bemusement.
“Is that supposed to be a threat?” I laugh. “You’ll have to do better than that to scare me.”
Her eyes widen, taken aback. Did she expect me to quake and fall to my knees, begging for surrender? Puh-lease. Her groupie’s draw a sharp breath, horrified someone sassed their queen.
“You…” the girl stammers. “You should be scared.”
She’s regained her composure, but it’s too late. I’ve already seen through her mask. I know girls like her. Girls who are so insecure that they tear down everyone else to make themselves feel better. Unluckily for her, I’ve heard better teardowns from fellow cheerleaders. Petty jealousy is rife on the squad, and there’s always some kind of drama.
“Seriously?” I roll my eyes. “Is that the best you can do?”
She steps forward and slides a shiny object out of her sleeve. I don’t get the chance to see it properly, as we’re suddenly cast under a massive shadow. The minions dart back against the wall, and one of them squeaks like a terrified mouse.
A hand grabs her wrist and wrenches the gleaming object from her grasp.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t see that, Charlie,” Aiden growls.
Lex and Eli lurk behind him. Some girls watching on bite their lips nervously, while others smooth down their hair. I can smell their fear and lust a mile off. Unfortunately for them, the guys are already mine…
Upon Aiden’s arrival, the girl—Charlie—has a miraculous change of heart. Her entire expression changes, first freezing, then batting her eyelashes and smiling.
“I wasn’t gonna use it.” She simpers like an idiot. “This is the new girl. Acacia’s daughter. I wanted to make sure she knew the rules?—”
“The rules?” I interrupt. “I make the fucking rules.”
I wrap my arms around Aiden’s neck and pull him in for a kiss. He responds hungrily, wrapping his giant handsaround my waist possessively. His tongue darts into my mouth, sweeping me off my feet, not caring that we have an audience.
Lex’s wolf whistle breaks the moment. Reluctantly, I pull away and see Charlie hasn’t moved. Her shoulders are tense, and her arms have gone weirdly rigid, like she’s internally combusting.
“Why are you here? Run along.” I shoo her. “You’re dismissed.”
Charlie’s jaw drops, completely stunned. Her cheeks flush in anger, and she casts a longing look at Aiden. “But?—”
“You heard her,” Aiden says, threading his fingers through mine. “Get out of our girl’s way.”
The way he says ‘our girl’ makes me tingle in all the right places. Charlie’s eyes fill with tears, and she scurries off to whatever wretched hole she wormed out of. Good fucking riddance. Usually, I think public humiliation is unnecessary, but there’s nothing sweeter than making a mean girl pay.
Aiden chuckles fondly. “You’ve been here less than an hour, and you’re already running this place.”
Lex smirks. “She won’t be popular.”
“So?” Eli says. “She doesn’t need to be. She has us.”
They lead me into the cafeteria.
“Welcome to Sunnycrest!” Lex says, extending his arms and twirling around.
Every head turns to face us, including the staff. I notice a few raised eyebrows, and people whispering behind their hands. One glare from Aiden shuts everyone up instantly.
I slip my fingers out of his grasp.
Aiden turns in anger. “What?—”
