Page 1 of Notorious Park Avenue Prince

ONE

east

“‘HAVARD SENIOR PRANK turns campus fountains into bubble baths; overflow causes $100k in damage.’” I scoffed and flung the newspaper across the room, where it skidded to a stop at Donovan’s leather oxfords. “Amateurs.”

He leaned down to grab the paper and lifted a brow at the image of campus destruction featured on the front page. “Guess no one told them you don’t show your hand in March if you want to graduate.”

“Which is why we need to spend our final weeks at Astor devising something epic.” I scanned the room where my fellow Park Avenue Princes had gathered before the start of today’s classes. We’d long since commandeered this space, formerly one of the professors’ break rooms, but which now served as a private “princes only” spot at the university. As if I’d be caught dead mingling with the peasants in a common room.

“Let me guess,” Travis said, a devilish look in his eyes that I appreciated, “you already have a devious plan you want the rest of us to carry out.”

“While you give out orders and don’t bother getting your hands dirty.” Caleb drummed his fingers along the back ofthe couch, where Travis, his boyfriend—and stepbrother, the incestuous fuckers—leaned back against his arm.

“Someone has to wrangle the herd,” I said as I turned to face the small mirror by the entrance, checking to make sure I looked just as pristine as I had when I left my condo. I straightened the ascot at my neck between the unbuttoned collar of my sky-blue dress shirt, smoothed a palm over my dark brown hair, and took a step back to admire the view.

Looking debonair, as always.

“Did he just call us a herd?” Gavin, the youngest of our group, said, and I caught his eyes in the mirror.

“Young Truitt, even princes need a king.”

“God, could you be any more obnoxious?” Caleb grabbed the newspaper from Travis and lobbed it like a Frisbee in my direction. It smacked against my tailored slacks, and I rolled my eyes. First, because of the fact that an assortment of newspapers from across the world was still delivered to the lounge in the first place when it was universal knowledge we’d taken up residence here, and second, because of the slouchy-beanie-wearing nuisance smirking in my direction. Caleb hadn’t been back in the fold for more than a few months and already he was a pain in my perfect derriere—when he wasn’t busy in Travis’s, that was.

“You could always leave,” I said. “Go frolic with the rest of the general population like a sheep.”

“Again with the herd shit.” Gavin threw his hands up.

“That offer to leave applies toallbrothers who are annoying.” I aimed a smarmy smile his way. “Feel free to take me up on it.”

Daire—Gavin’s meaner half—narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything caustic I waved him off.

“Heal, Bruiser. I don’t actually mean it.” I let out a sigh and wandered over to the window that overlooked the courtyard. A handful of months seemed like an eternity when I was stuck inthe confines of Astor. I was ready to be done with school, to move on with life and start making the money I knew was out there waiting to be made.

Power. Prestige. Freedom. They would all be mine. As soon as I could blow this dump.

“East?”

I glanced over my shoulder to where Travis sat with an expectant look on his face. “Sorry, you’ll have to repeat that. I was busy wishing I was anywhere but here.”

“Nice.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was daydreaming about howgorgeousyou are and how beside myself I am that I no longer have a shot with you.” I smirked as Travis flipped me off. “Was there a point to your bothering me?”

“I asked what’s going on this week. Any new clubs we should know about?”

It wasn’t surprising he came to me with this question. After all, Iwasthe one that got the invites on behalf of the group. Again, every group needed a king.

I slipped my hands into my jacket pockets and leaned back against the wall.“There’s some rumblings about tonight. I’ll let you know when it’s set in stone.”

“You ain’t got dick.” Daire’s new habit of involving himself in group conversations was something I was still getting used to.It was also inconvenient, as I rather liked my face as it was, and he tended to solve his disagreements with his fists.

“Now, now,” West, my best friend and roommate, added. “It isn’t nice to point out someone’s dating status.”

“Dating.” I screwed my nose up. “Again I find myself wishing I was anywhere but?—”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The brisk rap of knuckles on the door interrupted my clapback, but West understood exactly where I was goingas the entrance to our sanctuary was pushed open…without permission.

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