Page 58 of Cruel Legacy

I grit my teeth. He’s heard me tell Coach Wolfe and the other students that I don’t answer to that name. “Taking a piss. You? Don’t tell me… You’re letting slim over here, tickle your tonsils? Sorry to interrupt. I’ll just be on my way.”

“Yo, Mike. I found it. I can’t believe this building doesn’t have an alarm.” Someone yells from above.

How many more idiots are still in the building? Michael’s eyes snap to mine. I’m playing it cool, but thinking about my exit route. I’m closer to the end of the alley I was heading for, but I’m facing the way I came. His buddies are moving closer. They’re almost behind me and I have no way of knowing how fast or slow they are.

“I’m gonna ask you again, what are you doing here, Theona?”

“Stargazing. Minding my own fucking business.”

“In an alley?” He squints, sizing me up. “This is a pretty dangerous place for a girl.”

“Can’t be too dangerous if you’re hanging out here.”

The skinny guy steps closer, looking me up and down. “You know, you got a real smart mouth on you.”

His buddies agree. The one who just climbed down off the fire escape says, “And a nice ass.”

I recognize the tone in his voice. I’ve heard plenty of guys comment on my ass, seconds before they have the stupid idea of touching it. Time to go. I try to move around Michael, but he steps into my path. “Move.”

“Make me.”

His buddies have a good chuckle about that. Little do they know, I’ll have no problem doing just that. I move to the other side and he gets in my way again. “What’s your hurry,Theona? Stay. Hang out with us.”

“Yeah. Hang out with us.” Skinny says. He’s now closer than I want him to be. He pops me on my ass. I knew it was coming. Too bad he can’t say the same thing about what I’m about to do. I turn around and punch him in the nose. “You,bitch!”

“Takes one to know one.” I shift my feet, settling my weight. Preparing myself to fight my way out of here. “Anybody else interested in making a love connection with my fist?”

The last guy to exit the building stalks forward. “You got a lucky shot off on my friend. But like Mike said, stick around and have some fun with us. We’re in the mood to celebrate.”

“I suggest you get the fuck out of my way.”

“Or wh-”

He doesn’t get to finish his statement. I chop him in the throat and take off down the alley towards the neon lights.

“Get her!”

I’m almost to the end when a hand snatches my ponytail, forcing me to a halt. Arms band around me, lifting me from the ground. It’s bad luck for the guy who moved in front of me. I kick him in the nuts. One of the other guys grabs my legs and they drag me back to the middle of the alley putting me right back in front of Michael.

He grips my chin in a punishing hold. “I was just trying to have a nice conversation with you, but you wanna get all mouthy and shit. Start throwing blows. I heard all about you mouthing off to The Trium. They don’t know what to do with a bitch like you, but I do, so I’m gonna do what they can’t and teach you some manners.”

His friends push me to my knees, holding onto my shoulders to keep me from getting up. That doesn’t stop me from letting Michael know what I think about his threat to teach me anything. “Better women than you have tried.”

He looms over me and snarls, “I’m about to show you, I’m all fucking man.” He fumbles with his pants, and I take a steadying breath.

I don’t know what I stumbled across, but a court case my first month here wasnothow I expected this new chapter of my life to go. But you know, a girl’s gotta have healthy boundaries, and being forced to my knees in front of this prick, is well outside those boundaries. I guess Clint is about to come out of his short lived retirement.

I snake my hand inside my shoe, grab hold of the handle, and slowly drag it from its hiding place strapped to my ankle. There’s a shuffling noise behind me. I can’t turn to see what’s happening, but I watch as Michael’s face pales. He pauses with his small ass dick halfway out of his pants. I’m seriously doing him a favor by chopping it off.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” I stiffen because I recognize the voice.Great.It’s an asshole convention.

“What are you doing here, Finn?” Michael asks, casting a worried glance over my shoulder.

“Oh, I’m just out for a little late night hell-raising.” Finn steps closer and asks, “What about you? What you got here? A new pet?”

I grit my teeth. I’ve already told him not to call me that. “I’m not his pet.”

Finn smooths his hand down the back of my head. It’s quick, yet unmistakable. The asshole just petted me, like I’m some kind of dog. “Course not. I meantmine.”

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