Page 1 of Queen of Spades

Prologue

Sparrow

My head swivels as I search for Edmond’s old Buick. The massive thing is practically impossible to miss, which is weird because he’s always here waiting when I make it out of class. At least, on his days. My full-time security team of three tends to take shifts, and today is Eddie’s. Unless I messed up the calculations, which I don’t think I did.

I frown, spotting Kane’s expensive sports car whip into the parking lot. It’s flashy and a little ostentatious, but that’s Kane in general.

Out of the security guys who came with me to college, he’s the closest to my age. He’s still a solid eight or nine years older than I am, but he’s the only one who doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb when he follows me around campus.

Kane is stupidly hot, but his personality is the worst of the three. I actually prefer days when Edmond or Charles are on shift, and not just because the ogling gets tiresome. It’s not like Kane needs anyone to boost his ridiculous ego, but he always gets a lot of female attention.

I sigh and hike my shoulder bag back up.

I thought it was a blessing that today was just a drop-off and pick-up day, rather than having one of them standing around outside all my classes. Except, now I have to deal with the dick.

My eyes practically get stuck in my skull with how hard I roll them. It’s a freaking state college parking lot, not a street race. Kane brings the car to a stop a few feet in front of me.

I open the door and climb in. “Where’s Eddie? It’s his day.”

Edmond might be three times my age, but I love that old man to pieces. He’s the only one of my guards who treats me like an actual human being with a brain.

“Buckle up. He couldn’t be pried out of his recliner.” Kane shoves the car into gear and takes off. “His favorite contestant was about to win big on some rerun of a game show from the fucking seventies.” He chuckles a low, throaty sound. “Sorry, princess. You got me.”

“Yay,” I deadpan.

No matter how annoyed I am, I’d never actually complain to my parents.

Edmond should have retired by now. He’s in his early sixties. Come to think of it, this job probably is retirement for him.

Kane whips around the streets, shifting gears seamlessly. I hate the way my eyes are drawn to his hand as he works the gearshift.

Fine, he has sexy tattooed hands that lead to equally tattooed forearms that are quite muscular, considering his lithe frame.

His blondish-brown hair falls over his forehead as he turns toward me. “How was your day?”

I glance away. Like he cares. “It was fine.”

“Did that guy in your writing class ignore you again?” he taunts, taking the turn into our neighborhood. “Is that why you’re all sullen teenager? Are you going to stomp off to your room and slam the door when we get home?”

There we go.

The hotness only lasts until he opens his mouth. He’s a prime example of one of those guys where the inside is so rotten, it ends up ruining a perfectly gorgeous exterior.

I raise a hand, flipping him off. “I’d rather be ignored by him than be forced to listen to you speak.”

“Seriously? He wears khakis with flip-flops. You must be really desperate.”

There’s something about Kane’s condescending tone that makes me sure the world wouldn’t miss him.

Derek seemed nice enough during our first few classes, but the one time I tried to talk to him after class, he blew me off. Kane saw the entire thing, and he’s never going to let me live it down.

Moving away for college was supposed to be my chance to finally live without constantly being under my family’s supervision.

I should have realized I’d be trading one set of jailers for another.

I’m almost nineteen years old, and I’ve never been out on a date.

Eventually, my heat will start.

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