Page 55 of Noxious Boys (Groveton College)

I make them, but I don't dabble, other than weed, I have no interest in getting fucked up, my ADHD is a high all on its own some days.

But this is different. I could touch her before, and now, now Ican't.And I'm already not coping with it. The stimming is worse today, worse than last night, my lips are dry and cracked from tapping my fingers against them constantly. And yet, I still can’t stop.

When I was with her, she made everything go quiet.

And now, everything is loud again.

Poppy bursts out of Flynn's office, the fucker, her boots thumping down the hall, she rummages around in her pocket, not seeing me, even as I shamelessly lean against the wall opposite Flynn's office. She draws something from her jeans,hand to her face, she throws her head back, still running until she slams her shoulder into the library door. Smooths her hair down, and then she walks calmly through the second set of doors, swiping her key card to gain entry.

I follow behind her, not trying to hide, hands sliding into my pockets as I make my way inside. It's Friday evening, classes are mostly over. There's a party happening in a frat house just off campus and most students are likely getting ready to head there later, so the library's empty.

It's warm in here, a welcoming hit of heat from the icy temperatures outside. The lighting is low, tall, green, glass shaded floor lamps fitted with soft orange bulbs. Dark green carpets, and rich wooden furniture. The shelves tower over everything, so many aisles laid out like a labyrinth. The study rooms are empty, lights off, and I watch Poppy casually stroll past, glancing at them as she passes, her pace quickening just a little as she does.

She's afraid of the dark.

A smirk curls my lips, watching as she heads to the far back corner, sitting down on the curved bench seat built into one of the four towers. Her tote bag hits the floor with a thud as she draws her knees up, presses herself into the corner. Unless you werereallylooking, you wouldn't see her.

I study her face as I move closer, no one around, my heart thudding in my chest. The reality is, my brothers come first, none of them are my blood, but they're my glue. I would take a bullet for any one of them, any day of the week, but this, the fucking bully bullshit feels wrong.

Iswrong.

And I'm a fucking coward because I didn't fucking say anything. What Bennett says goes, he's our official leader, I respect him, love him, but still, I always look to King.

Raiden's been my best friend since we were kids, and although he has a temper problem, because the guy's a control freak, he's one of the most level headed people I've ever met. He thinks shit through, plans, is rational. You'd never guess he was related to the blood lusting, psychopath Flynn. Sure, they have different dads, but they were both brought up together by Raiden's father. Flynn's only ever met his bio dad once, he wanted nothing to do with him from then on, and he's always treated King's dad as his own.

I stared at King, waiting for him to protest this shit when Bennett explained who Poppy really was. We always swore we'd find the guy, Michael Carrington, we'd make him pay for fucking over Bennett and Lynx's father, for taking their dad away from them. Forcing them to move in with the Kings when they lost everything. Their dad going to jail, all of their assets being seized, their mom's manic depression. They lost both parents that day, even though only one got put away. They lost their home, cars, bank accounts. The clothes on their backs were all they had left when Raiden and Flynn's parents took them in. The families having always been close.

Then they brought me into the fold.

The weird, hyper kid next door. They embraced me as I was. Never wanted to change me like my parents did, they were always trying to feed me pills to suppress my active nature, get me to calm down. Not the families next door. I spent more time there than in my own house.

My loyalty is with my boys, forever and always, but if anyone could sway Bennett, it would be King. And he didn't even try. He just…nodded.

I wanted to grab him and shake some sense into him. Tell him,fuck no,that's our girl. She didn't fucking do any of that shit, she woulda been like five or somthing. How could she have been the mastermind behind the demise of a successfulbusinessman like Jason Adams. On another continent... She couldn't. It's not her fault her dad is a fucking lowlife.

But I didn't fucking say any of that, did I?

Because Bennett knows this. King knows this. Flynn knows it. Lynx knows it. And none of them care. They don't care because it's not about Poppy. She's just an easy way to get payback.

Ruin her life to ruin her father's.

I'm sure it won't end there.

Once Bennett latches onto something he doesn't stop, but step one is ripping apart Michael Carrington's daughter.

I walk right up to her, sit down beside her feet, her face buried in her drawn up knees, her entire body trembling, arms wrapped around her legs.

Lynx told her we were through with her.

Done.

I'm not sure that'll ever be true. At least, not for me.

Addicted.

“Kitten,” I purr, reaching out to cradle the back of her head, snatching my hand back before I make contact with her silky hair.

Her head lifts slowly, lashes blinking over bright lilac eyes, half-lidded, bloodshot, pupils blown. She stares straight through me, her head swaying as though it's too heavy to hold up on her neck.

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