Page 42 of Dirty Heirs

As our lips separate, I laughed. “I don’t know how to treat a lady any other way.”

“Uh-huh.” Alex chuckled. “That’s not what I overheard.”

I stole one more kiss from Ella before setting her feet on the ground and tucking her under my arm. “I treat you right. Tell her, Cinders.”

“He’s the perfect gentleman,” Ella said with a smile aimed at me. “Your brother isn’t like other guys. Well…” She laughed. “He thinks about, you know, guy things… But he’s also really sweet and takes care of me.”

“He better.” Alex elbowed me in the ribs. “I like this one. She’s a keeper. Don’t screw it up.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

On our way to the field, we passed dozens of drunken idiots. Some were still tailgating in the parking lot, hanging out in truck beds and cheering. From a distance, I heard the crowd in the stadium. The band played the school anthem, drowning out some of the noise.

Ella latched onto my right arm, and Alex took the left. As we entered the stadium, I peeked at the back of Ella’s jersey. It said CORMAC in block letters, and I liked seeing Sonny’s last name on our girl.

“I’m meeting Luca, Damian, and Bastian,” Alex said. “They’re saving us seats behind the Warriors bench.”

Heads turned in our direction. Even in a crowd of this size, we were the topic of conversation. People whispered my last name. Then Ella’s. A Doyle wearing a Cormacs jersey was controversial. Knowing Sonny, he did it to piss off his father. He was a rebel and didn't give a shit about anyone’s opinion.

“You don’t have to wear Luca’s jersey,” I said as we walked toward our seats, the eyes of our peers on us. “He doesn’t even play football anymore. And you’re not obligated to sit with them.”

“I want to sit with them.” Alex shrugged. “They’re not that bad, Aid. You have to get to know them.”

“Hard pass,” I shot back. “I’m not wasting a second on those assholes, and neither should you.”

“One day, I will marry one of them. I will be a Salvatore. Might as well get used to the idea.”

She gathered her long, wild curls and tossed them over her shoulder, making it easier to see the last name on her back. I hated that the Salvatore brothers marked her like property.

“They will be your family, too,” she said as if I needed a reminder.

Our conversation ceased when Luca and his brothers spotted Alex. They sat in the front row, directly behind the Warriors’ bench. Luca closed the distance between us, staring at Alex in his usual predatory way.

“We’re over here.” He led Alex to the bleachers with his hands on her shoulders and said, “Damian got you a hot chocolate. Bash ordered you a pizza.”

Who gets a pizza delivered to a football game?

This explained why she ate appetizers for dinner.

She giggled like a little girl. “What did you get me?”

“I’m saving my surprise for the after-party, baby girl.”

His hand hovered over her ass, and I got the urge to break off his fingers one at a time. But I stopped myself. Alex was going to marry him someday. Since I hated Luca the most, she would choose him because I had shitty luck.

Luca gripped Alex by the hips and pulled her onto his lap, sitting between his brothers. Damian handed Alex a cup, which she accepted with an appreciative smile. She sipped the hot chocolate and licked her lips. His hand dropped to her right thigh, and she lit up at the disgusting gesture.

I wanted to puke.

To make matters worse, Bastian was on the other side, touching her knee. It was like each of them needed some form of contact with her.

On Alex’s first day, Luca forced her to kneel in the dining hall. That memory had clearly been long forgotten. Either that or our mother fucked her up so badly that their treatment seemed loving in comparison.

Keeping some distance from Damian, I sat on the bleachers beside him, intentionally putting Ella on my right. Damian gave me the creeps. His good looks fooled some people, but beneath his pretty exterior hid a monster.

“I can’t believe I’m at a football game, “ Ella said, giddy. “This is my first one. I never felt comfortable attending school events… not until I met you.” She glanced down at the jersey and smiled. “And I’m wearing Sonny Cormac’s jersey. Do you have any idea how crazy this is? If anyone told my dad…”

“Just live in the moment, babe.” I slung my arm around her, resting my hand on her hip. “Enjoy this night, okay? Don’t overthink it.”

---