Page 26 of Promise to Break

I remember what Nana told me on my last day at the House of Dreams. "You'll have to be even harsher in the real world. Sam will not be your biggest enemy. All the true scum is out there. Fight. Steal. Break. Survive. You're beautiful, and that can be a gift, but it can also be a problem. Be as cruel as you need to be and survive." I did all those things, just as she advised, but it made me an awful person.

"Where is Julian?" Raven wonders as she checks her Fendi watch. The only reason I know the brand is because she explained it to me for my so-called future. She still thinks I need to know about the rich world more than I do. Raven knows I want my independence. And knowing her, she thinks that when the time comes, I won't have anywhere to run. She's wrong. I already spoke about it to Santino and Serena. He's all for me, being a free bird. Serena doesn't really care, as long as I'm happy.

"He's probably still at practice. He's going to the NFL. It's big for him." Julian's the son of Marlina and Pedro. He lives in the small house next to the Fierro mansion, and he works there instead of his father sometimes, but his future will be different. He's a football progeny, and he already has a promised career. Julian became our friend when I caught him making out with the former gardener, Tom.

To this day, I remember Julian's reaction. "If you don't tell anyone, I'll let you watch. Chicks like it." I just rolled my eyes and scoffed at him, telling him that when he finished, he could come to see a movie with Raven and me. Since that moment, we've been inseparable. And where students from other schools aren't usually allowed here, Julian has special permission to come and go as he pleases due to Raven's order. She doesn't use her power for a lot of things, but she does for him.

"He'll be so mad when he hears about what Killian did." We both know that even if our friend has a great sense of protectiveness, he can't do shit about someone like Killian Fierro. More than that, he respects Killian and his friends. I wish I knew why.

"Llego el diablo," Here comes the devil, Raven says with her American accent as Julian enters our oasis on the roof with his six-point-five magnificence. Julian looks as if he came out of a Mexican Telenovela, and it's not just his physique. His eyes are round and brown, to the point you can look at them for ages: his hair is trimmed, and his smile is the most contagious thing I have ever seen. Really, if he takes place in a staring competition, he will win just because of his smile. I know, I tried.

He jumps on the pile of cushions near us and ruffles Raven's blonde mane. Baron hisses and runs to his food.

Thanks to Raven, this rooftop and all the others look like an exclusive apartment full of cushions and blankets that the cat likes to play with when we aren't here. Initially, I thought she would be annoyed at the cat for scratching at everything possible, but she just brought him more things to play with. The rooftop of our building looks like we're on the beach, with the sandy-colored rug that feels like it, too, and the abundance of blue and green decorative cushions that bring the colors of the ocean and sky right to us.

"Killian wants to fuck our girl here," Raven starts the moment Julian's settled, "and she said no. He kissed her, too. He was naked, and it happened in front of the entire school. It was a dreamy kiss, according to onlookers. I wish I had been there. No, scratch that. I don't need to see his thing." The words rush through Raven's lips as if she's in a marathon.

Julian nods. "Okay, well, that's not new. What did you both think these past two years were about? And what do you mean by 'his thing?' You mean his cock, Sunny? We've talked about it. You can say the word."

I blink once before looking at his too-gorgeous face, wanting to punch it as Raven dances in place with the freaking cat in her arms that's probably planning her demise at this point.

"Conejita, did you really think that he did all that just for the hell of it? He wants you, but he's promised to that raging bitch, and you know how Franco is."

Actually, I don't know because I won't let myself. I like Santino, and I adore Isabella. She's amazing. But every time Franco's near me, I get this creepy feeling. It's like he can see right through my clothing. Men have looked at me like that before, sure, but something about Franco makes it feel ten times worse.

"Don't call me that."

Julian frowns. "Conejita?" I nod, thinking about the look on Killian's face when he had my panties in his hands, moving over his… Fuck. Not now. Not ever.

"But I always call you little bunny. Raven is my sunny, and you're my bunny, " His expression of pure glee has me tackling him. Our struggles always look as if I'm one of the Lilliputs from the movie Gulliver's Travels, the Jack Black adaptation, of course.

Julian breaks out in laughter as he struggles and tickles me until I can't breathe. Raven joins in, and after she catches her breath, she says, "That was before Killian used her bunny undergarment to jerk off in front of her."

Raven's words are like a bucket of cold water on Julian's gigantic head. I swear everything is big about him. He stops his tickle attack just to stare, then bursts out laughing so loud that I'm sure everyone downstairs can hear him. Raven joins him in the best hyena laughter competition as I just stare at them blankly. I hate them sometimes.

"Are you done?" I'm sure I look like a disappointed mother—not that I had the chance to ever see that look—as I wait for them to stop. They finally do, just to stare at me and start all over again. Fine. I can admit it's funny, but I refuse to let them see any reaction on my face.

As they hold their stomachs, supposedly because they just can't laugh anymore, I say, "I need your help."

"Help with what?" Julian wonders, his hands still on his six-pack as he looks at the sky.

Raven says, "Our chica finally understands that Killer won't hurt her sister, and she wants revenge."

"Oh, does she now?" Julian asks with interest.

"Yeah, and I left him my panties on the doorstep of his house."

Julian raises a brow. "And how did you get there? Isn't his place full of guards? And don't you think for a second that you aren't going to tell me everything that happens. I need all the tea. I am gay, girl, remember?" He rests on the rug and raises his muscled leg into the air as if he's a ballerina. I'll never understand how a huge guy like him can be so limber.

I don't think about it as I snap a picture of this brute of a man looking like an angel from above. The guy that ends up with Julian will be lucky as fuck.

"Nah, those three are the most dangerous people in New York," Raven replies. "Believe me, they don't need guards when they're together." Raven's right. I noticed some cameras on the façade of the house, but I didn't see a soul keeping the place safe. The setup at the deviants' home is immensely different from what's happening in the Fierro mansion.

"You know," Julian begins, "he was probably too happy to see your panties, mi conejita. You need to do something from his book to piss him off."

My dear friend's smile is pure evil as we start to plan Killian Fierro's downfall.

Chapter twelve

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