Though he suspected no one had eyes like Ezer.
That afternoon, leaving the school property on foot, heading toward the subway station to make their way back home, Ned caught sight of Ezer sitting beneath a tree alone, scribbling in one of his notebooks. Palms going sweaty, he dropped back and broke away from Braden and Finch, hoping they wouldn’t notice. He made his way toward Ezer alone, pulse thrumming and his stomach tilting. Was he going to throw up?
Ezer chin jerked up as Ned came to a stop beside him, and he squinted into the sun, trying to see Ned from where he sat on the dusty ground. His notebook was covered in equations. Ned squatted next to him and pointed at the page. “That makes sense to you?” he asked.
Great.Thosewere the first words he’d said to Ezer? Ugh. Worse that they were a confession of his own stupidity.
Ezer blinked up at him cautiously. “Yes.”
“Ah.”
“What’ve you got here, Ned?”
Ned’s hackles rose as Braden’s smarmy voice came from behind. “Inviting the cocksleeve to our party this weekend?”
Ezer’s expression shuttered, and his jaw clenched. He moved to gather his things, but Finch shot his foot out, putting the sole of his boot against Ezer’s small shoulder and shoving him back to the tree trunk.
“Hey!” Ned shouted, moving to protect Ezer, but Braden—bigger, tougher—pushed him aside, and squatted down himself.
“You’re ugly, but after a few drinks we’ll still fuck you,” he said, running a finger down Ezer’s cheek, and chucking up under his chin. “My father’s house. I’m sure you know where it is. Saturday. You can be one of…eh, a dozen.”
“No,” Ned said, pushing Braden out of the way. He’d promised his uncle no more orgies, no more Bright’s powder, and he meant to keep those promises.
“Yes,” Braden said. “Don’t get all prudish, Ned. You’ve fucked more omegas than you can count on all your fingers and toes. Don’t play sweet just to get your dick in this stupid St. Hauers’ trash. You’re better than that. Better thanhim.”
Ezer reached up and shoved at Finch’s boot, somehow managing to knock it away. He stood, trembling, his eyes hot with rage. “Leave me alone. I wouldn’t fuck any of you even if you held a gun to my head. I’d rather die. Alpha scum. All of you.”
“Fine. Have it your way, cocksleeve,” Braden said. “You just went from fuckable-ishto being on mysuper speciallist.” Ezer stiffened. “Guess what? That won’t be fun for you.”
“He’s going to run to his father,” Ned said, his heart pounding. He should put a stop to this. He just didn’t know how.
“No, he won’t,” Braden said with so much confidence that Ned shuddered. “Will you?”
Ezer glared up at him.
“Because, as it happens, my father is working on a deal with George Fersee. He’s investing millions in Fersee’s next building project. I’d hate to see what Mr. Fersee would do if that fell through all because his son was a tattletale who decided to cause me trouble.”
Ned gritted his teeth.
“Besides, if Fersee thinks his most worthless omega son can’t handle being here, he’ll just send him back to somewhere he knows he’s safe,” Braden went on. It drove Ned nuts how much Braden talked while he tormented people. He was like a movie villain, all blah blah blah, like he had all the time in the world to tear people down before slitting their throats. “And this dumb shit here doesn’t want to go back to St. Hauers, does he? He wants to stay here where people have brains. Am I right, Cocksleeve?”
As Ezer’s eyes filled with tears, Ned wished he’d never met Braden and Finch.
“Yup,” Finch said. “That’s your name now by the way: Cocksleeve.”
Ezer’s lower lip trembled but he put out his chin. He said nothing.
Braden cooed. “It’s a perfect name for such scrawny omega, huh? He’d be pretty tight, yeah? Don’t worry. You’re still invited to the party…if you want to make some alpha friends.” He smirked. “There’s no better way to make an alpha like you than to spread your ass open for him. He might even like it enough to take you under his wing at school.” Braden eyed Ned. “This one’s clearly dying for it.”
Ezer snarled.
Bradon stood, grabbing Ned’s arm. “C’mon.”
Ned jerked free, turning back toward Ezer.
But Ezer’s beautiful eyes weren’t so beautiful now. They were full of frothing hate and rage. He hawked a loogie at Ned, hitting his uniform jacket with a fat wad of saliva and snot. It dripped down the navy material.
“You didnotjust do that,” Finch growled, and lunged.
