Page 35 of I Fing Dare You

She’s forgotten by now, no doubt. I haven’t.

I can’t.

“He doesn’t want to fuck her,” Maverick informs Rowan. “He wants to own her.”

I glance at the guy, surprised at his uncharacteristically accurate guess. Out of the three of them, Mav is the most different from me. I don’t mind the guy, but I barely understand him and his desire to be a fucking saint or something. Maybe it’s because of his upbringing, in his sickeningly sweet, picture-perfect family. I get a toothache every time I’m in the Eaton household.

As far as Heritage families go, I could have done worse. My parents make time for me. They aren’t dead, like Rowan’s, or messed up like Cain's. That said, my upbringing was nothing like Maverick's.

Mine included darkness, fear, and blood—some of it, on my hands.

He’s right though. I’m not going to all this effort just to screw Nadia.

“Oh.” Maverick stares at me, stunned, then makes a face. “Why her?”

Why, indeed.

I glance at Cain. If he says a word, I’ll shove his face into the nearest wall. Wisely, he doesn’t.

Rowan rolls his eyes. “All right, whatever, keep your secrets.” He finishes his pizza in a few bites. “How can I help?”

I hold his gaze, scrutinizing his expression. What’s his game here? I can’t make sense of it, but he has an agenda. Everyone does. Besides, I’ve never heard him offer to help anyone as long as I’ve known him—which is as long as I’ve been able to walk.

Rowan snorts. “You know, not all of us are calculating assholes.” His grin is quick to disappear. “If you’re playing for keeps, it’s Heritage business. I’m in. I’d like to think you’d do the same for me if I found someone outside the club.”

“Hmm.” He seems sincere. Not that it matters. I don’t trust him. I don’t trust anyone who hasn’t proven themself to me.

Which is highly unfortunate for Nadia. I need to trust her.

Which means I need to test her.

“I’ll pass on the help. Stay away.”

She’s mine to torment.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Gym has been the worst class by far, because the teacher is such a dick, until I walk into my History class at two in the afternoon.

Ms. Casey emailed me that the teacher okayed my late enrollment, so I go. Then, I regret it.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

All four guys are seated together toward the back. I’m too stunned to move.

Maybe it’s not too late to drop the subject. Right?

I imagine Ms. Casey’s expression if I walk into her office and ask for another change, and I drag my feet inside, eyes still on them, because not watching predators in my vicinity would be stupid.

They haven’t noticed me yet. Maverick and Rowan chat together, Cain’s playing on his phone and Jason’s reading some book. It looks like fiction.

I frown, surprised. He doesn’t strike me like a reader, somehow, but here he is.

I scan the room for a free seat far, far away from the quartet.

“Nadia!” Sophia waves her hand from the second row, grinning broad at me.

I would have killed for her not to call attention to me. Now all the assholes stare at me. I see Rowan grin.

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