Page 466 of Filthy Elites

“The time for hiding has passed, you’re a queen now, better get used to it.” I smile, turning her toward Courtney and slapping her ass hard, propelling her forward as Clay saunters over to me, staying at my side as I watch Starling and Courtney walk away.

“Hate to see them go, love to watch them walk away,” Clay whistles.

“You better not be looking at my woman’s ass,” I spit.

“Nah, bro, my eyes are on the talkative cheerleader’s ass. That fucking uniform never looked so good before. If I could gag her to shut her up, she’d be the perfect fucking woman.”

“I thought you preferred feisty Latina girls? Courtney couldn’t be any more WASP if she tried.”

“She’s a cheerleader, she can bend like a fucking pretzel, imagine all the possibilities,” Clay says with a wistful sigh.

“You can do whatever the fuck you want to her now she’s a sophomore, you know the rules as well as I do. But she’s not sixteen for a couple of months and you’ll be eighteen soon, you know your parents would kill you if there was a scandal about you fucking an underage girl.”

“I know, I know,” he says, waving me off. “I’ve heard the talk about family expectations and keeping up appearances just as many times as you have, it’s why we’ve been screwing seniors since we were freshmen. Gotta say, I’m surprised you’re letting Starling go with blondie, I figured you’d want eyes on her.”

A low, dry laugh falls from my lips as I move toward my Mercedes. “I said she could ride with her; I didn’t say we wouldn’t be following. Find out where Evan and Hunter are, we’re leaving the moment little bird leaves, whether they’re here or not.”

“Dude, you are so whipped,” he laughs.

“Just thoroughly obsessed.”

By the time Courtney’s car drives out the school gates, we’re behind her, staying on her tail the entire way back to Starling’s place despite their attempt to lose us by taking several random detours and attempting to outrun us on a stretch of quiet road.

“What the hell, Sebastian? Why are you here?” Starling demands the moment she barrels out of Courtney’s car.

“We’re eating at my place,” I tell her calmly, grabbing her wrist when she’s close enough and pulling her into my chest.

Fighting me, she slams her fists against my pecs, but I just hold her tighter, immobilizing her. “Behave, little bird, go and say goodbye to your friend.”

“I’d rather say goodbye to you. I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours dealing with you and all your bullshit, I just want to go in my house, get into my comfy clothes and search for a new job while I try to pretend you don’t exist,” she says, exhaling tiredly.

“Say goodbye to your friend,” I snarl as calmly as I can muster.

Her eyes close and she exhales, her shoulders slumping as she turns and pads resignedly to Courtney’s car. I’m not sure exactly what she says to the cheerleader, but they embrace through the window before Courtney backs the car down onto the street and waves gleefully to me as she speeds off back toward North Acres.

Without saying a word, Starling wraps her fingers around the straps of her backpack, climbs the steps to her door, opens it and walks inside without even a backward glance. Watching it swing shut, I smile to myself, then turn back to the car and my friends who are waiting inside.

“I have to go and deal with my girl. Go home, grab the Lambo, then drop it off back here for me in an hour or so. I’ll negotiate with my angry little bird, then bring her home to hang out later.”

“Let’s watch a movie at mine, the media room refurb is finally finished and we can chill,” Hunter suggests.

“Sounds good, can someone let my mom know I’m eating dinner with Starling?”

“Sure, dude, have fun.” Clay laughs.

Flicking him the bird, I head for the front door, open it and let myself in. I can hear Starling talking to her mom on one side of the house, so I follow the sound and find myself outside a tiny, and what appears to be a very cluttered office space. Cassidy is behind a small desk, the wall behind it is covered in Post-it notes with strings connecting one note to the next. It’s like a serial killer lair, which is kind of apt considering Cassidy writes books about murderers.

“It’s not true, Mom,” Starling says, her voice imploring.

“Oh, sweetheart, you don’t need to pretend. I’ve met him now, he’s a lovely boy and his family was so kind and gracious to me last night. I don’t know why you thought you had to hide him from me, you know you can tell me anything.”

Starling tips her head back and groans. “It’s all bullshit, the first time I ever spoke to him was yesterday, I haven’t hidden anything from you, because there’s nothing to hide. He’s an asshole and he’s playing you; he’s playing everyone as part of some fucked-up, malicious game.”

“Baby,” I coo, stepping out of my spot outside the door and into Cassidy’s office, sliding my arm around Starling’s waist. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I’m your boyfriend, your mom understands young love, and we agreed now summer’s over we need your mom to get to know me, so we can spend as much time together as we can now that we’re back at school.”

Starling’s mouth gapes open like a fish, but I don’t give her a second, pressing a kiss to her cheek as I stare lovingly at her for a moment, then look to her mom. “Cassidy, Starling has been so worried to tell you about us. I told her you wouldn’t be mad, I know I’m a little older than her, but I was raised to respect women and I promise I’ll only ever behave appropriately toward your daughter. I love her, she’s my world and I just want to be with her. Please give us your blessing, I know it would mean the world to Starling.”

Cassidy’s eyes soften and she smiles at us wistfully, like she’s remembering what it’s like to be young and in love. “Starling, baby, you should have just told me, I only ever want you to be happy and loved and I think it’s obvious to anyone who looks at the two of you together how much Sebastian loves you. You’re young, it’s the time to love big, so of course you have my blessing. Enjoy one another, just not too much, doors stay open, because I don’t want to be a nana until you’re at least thirty.”

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