Page 7 of Dirty Heirs

Everyone in our class had talent. I was not surprised, considering Astor Prep students were mega-rich. I bet their parents paid a lot to get apprenticeships with real artists. My grandfather offered to introduce Alex and me to some of his artist friends.

I didn’t want an advantage.

I only got into painting because my twin loved it. But I preferred to sculpt. My goal was to become a young, American version of Gian Lorenzo Bernini until my grandfather set the terms of our adoption. To become a Wellington, I had to agree to his rules. I only cared about getting Alex away from our parents, so I said whatever was necessary to make that happen.

Alex was fed and free. She was happy for once in her life, and I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her happiness. If that meant not getting what I wanted, then so be it.

When the bell sounded, I scooped my bag from the floor and slung it over my shoulder. Ella watched me, using her long, blonde hair as a shield, trying to pretend she was not staring at me like she’d done all class.

I bent down beside her, getting close enough to make her nervous. “Eat lunch with me.”

She tucked the hair behind her ears, mouth hanging open as she looked up at me. “You don’t want to sit with me.”

Ella grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room. I was at her side within seconds, annoyed that she made me chase her.

“Why not?”

“Because it will ruin your chances of being the next king of this school.”

I laughed. “I don’t want to be king. My sister’s soon-to-be-fiancé already has that covered.”

Ella tugged on the strap of her bag, casting an interested glance at me. “Who’s your sister?”

She was more of an outsider than I thought. Everyone buzzed about our arrival this morning. Our names were on the lips of everyone at Astor Prep. Ella didn’t even know I existed until I walked into painting class. I could tell she was unaware because she didn’t stare at me like the others. While they gave me looks of curiosity, she seemed confused.

“Alex is my twin,” I told her.

She smiled. “There are two of you?”

I nodded. “Alex is my better half.”

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Ella gave me another smile that lit up her face, going straight to those pretty blue eyes aimed at me. “Who is her fiancé?”

“Well, she hasn’t picked one of them yet,” I said as we ran into a group of jocks circling Sonny and Marcello.

Of course, Sonny was on the football team. I bet Pretty Boy was good with those big hands. Ugh. I was an idiot for even thinking about him or his stupid fucking hands.

Marcello nodded as he spotted me. But when his gaze dropped to Ella, he shook his head in disapproval.

Sonny did the same.

Fuck them.

I flipped them the finger because they could go fuck themselves. Ella was none of their business. I wanted to protect her from these entitled dicks just like I did my sister.

“If Luca Salvatore has his way, it will be him,” I finished after we passed the dumb jocks on our right.

Ella gasped at my confession. “Your sister is engaged to Luca Salvatore?”

“Our grandfather is making her marry one of the Salvatore brothers. That was part of the deal before he adopted us and brought us to Devil’s Creek to live with him.”

“Wow,” she said, and my attention shifted to her pink lips, which she smacked together. “She can choose Luca, Marcello, Bastian, or Damian?”

I bobbed my head to confirm. “But I have a feeling Luca will find a way to make her choose him.”

“He’s a jerk. Everyone tiptoes around Luca and his brothers. It’s like they walk on water. They’re untouchable at this school. Anyone who defies them pays the price.”

“I don’t give a fuck about them,” I fired back. “I bow to no one. If the Salvatores hadn’t worked it out so Alex and I had different class schedules, I would be at her side all day, watching over her.”

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