Page 6 of His To Claim

“It’s not like we have another choice,” she says as Mrs. Grayson re-enters the room with a plate of cookies.

“Shall I show you your rooms?”

I guess this doesn’t seem so bad, compared to our alternative.

One

SCARLETT

Present Day

In life three things are certain. There are friends, there is family, and then there are those friends that become so much more than family.

In our previous lives we had no friends or family. Now we have our crew.

The foster home they brought my sister Jade and I to three years ago turned out to be the best damn thing to happen to us. For starters, here we had the freedom to do whatever the hell we wanted, and although we may have had that back in Providence, here we also found our real family.

The Grayson’s foster children, Damon Drake, Malachi Saint, and Jaxon Wylde have become like brothers to us. Hell, even Ruby Drake, who I can hardly stand, is just a bitchier version of Jade. Then there’s Mrs. Grayson and her wife Mrs. Sarah who are like two sweet overbearing grandmothers who smother you every time they come to visit.

Today’s our last day of summer vacation before entering our senior year of high school at Pleasant Hills High. To celebrate this accomplishment, which apparently isn’t always a guarantee in their line of work, Mrs. Grayson has planned a BBQ. Most kids in Pleasant Hills don’t make it this far before being lost to gangs, drugs, prison, or worse, death.

For three years we’ve been free of the toxic influence of my mother and Chaz, and I for one couldn’t be more grateful. Since most of us are the oldest kids now, all being the same age, we live upstairs in the two larger bedrooms with an adjoining bathroom. Jade, Ruby, and I share one bedroom, while Damon, Kai, and Jax share the other.

I strip out of my sports bra and spandex shorts, sweat clad from my run early this morning, while waiting for Jade to finish her shower. She better not finish the hot water. As for Ruby… well, she’s probably off somewhere making out with Jaxon. Standing in my cheeky underwear, my back to our bedroom door, I pull a pair of jean cut-off shorts from my dresser, not realizing the door has flung open.

“My how the Gods have been good to you, Scar,” Malachi groans as he stands under the doorway gawking lasciviously at me. His light brown hair sits in messy curls atop his head, while his white shirt, which is buttoned only halfway, reveals his tanned and toned chest. Kai, who has become one of my best friends, has that boy next door charm perfectly disguising his less than perfect interior. Being raised by his dad and his handsy stepmom, they brought Kai to the foster home after nearly beating his dad’s girlfriend to death when she tried to lay her dirty hands on him when he was eleven. Boy is twisted six ways to Sunday, but his sadistic demons hide behind the gorgeous, saintly facade he wears so well.

A teasing smirk appears on his face as he catches me admiring him. “Get the fuck out, Kai!” I yell, as he effortlessly ducks away from the pillow I’ve thrown his way.

“Chill, Scar, I’ve just come to tell you girls that Grayson wantsus down in twenty minutes, dressed to impress. Apparently, we are having an unexpected special visitor,” he says sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“Who is it?” I ask curiously but also a bit terrified by memories of the last time a stranger visited me.

“Didn’t you hear me sayunexpectedvisitor? By the way, my boy Drake is looking for you. When are you finally gonna let the poor lad have at it babe?”

I throw another pillow, missing him again which only makes him laugh harder.

Drake, as in Damon “Dragon” Drake, my best friend and newly minted secret lover. Drake and I have had a deep-rooted connection since I arrived at the house three years ago and became best friends almost instantly. However, now that we’re older and dangerously hormonal, the sexual tension between us has been building up.

At first, I thought it was just to piss off his twin sister Ruby, who’s made it her mission to hate me, feelings mutual by the way, but their relationship is untouchable. They’ve been at the foster home since their drug addict mother died when they were only six years old, and Drake’s always been there to protect his little sister from everything and everyone, similar to how I’ve always looked out for Jade even if we’re the same age.

However, Kai and Jaxon have been trying to get us to hook upfor the longest time, letting us know that the sexual tension between us is seriously messing with their heads.

Little do they know we have beenhooking upfor the last three months.

I slip into my pair of cut-offs and a black ribbed crop top that’s definitely seen better days, realizing I won’t have enough time for a shower of my own. The West Coast heat is no joke this time of year so I figure I’ll just get sweaty again.

Brushing through my long black hair I decide to leave it down, adding some hair product for added volume at the roots. I turnback just as Jade steps out of the bathroom, her dirty blonde hair a tangled mess upon her head.

“Damn, Scar, you look hot, who are you dressing up for? Oh, wait, duh for the Dragon Man,” she says laughing as she walks toward me.

I ignore her rolling my eyes, but well, she’s not wrong. I have been putting a bit more effort into my appearance when parading around the house, swapping my old sweats for shorts and crop tops.

“Grayson and Sarah want us down in twenty minutes. Apparently, someone’s coming over,” I tell her, as I swipe some mascara on my already fake looking lashes and apply a cherry-flavored lip gloss to my lips. “I’ll see ya downstairs,” I add, exiting our bedroom.

“Go get him, tiger,” I hear her yell, just before closing the door behind me.

I head downstairs to find Kai and Jaxon sitting in the living room with Ruby and a few of the other younger kids from the home. They’re all lost in conversation, but Kai immediately spots me, lifting his head and pointing to where Drake is waiting on me. Passing Jax on my way toward the back door that leads to the small space behind the house, I hear him whistle causing the others to laugh. Smacking him on the head, I keep walking and ignore their catcalls and comments flipping them off behind my back.

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