Page 81 of Beautiful Defiance

I remember her.

“She’s super shy. Shay was hoping she’d fight this new girl for his attention.”

I roll my eyes. “There is something wrong with all of you.”

“Welcome to high school drama.” Rue shoots a toothy grin at me over her shoulder. “We’re almost to Dumas. Are you excited?”

“I’d be more excited if we were staying with your sister instead of with Midnight.”

“But he is so hot. And Dare? He’s smoking hot.”

“Gross, Rue.”

“It’s the truth, Red.”

“Can it, okay? I don’t need to know my best friend girl is wet for my brother and my cousin. Make sure you don’t stay in a room with Dare for too long, Leigh. He’s persuasive.”

“Persuasive good? Or persuasive bad?” I ask, my face warm. Seven can be persuasive. Like take off my yoga pants and kiss on my scars persuasive.

“What does that mean?” Red volleys back.

“Both,” Rue says. “He’ll charm your socks off, then use your socks to jack off in to.”

She laughs. I shake my head. Boys.

On the last leg of the drive, I send a text message to Thomas and Hannah that I’m spending the night at a friend’s house. They send back a thumbs-up emoji. Wouldn’t want Thomas worried when he and Eleanor arrive home from their vacation this evening.

Soon, Red is parking the SUV in front of a two-story house. Midnight and Dare don’t go to Dumas University. Rue said the moment Riley moved to Dumas, Midnight followed. Dare, bored without his wingman and best friend, followed. Midnight bought this house and a block of businesses on the border of Dumas.

We get out of the SUV. We’re only staying one night, but when there’s a rocking party to go to and a cheating bitch to take down, my friends and I pack for an epic trip of a lifetime.

Red hits a button on the key fob, and the back window rolls down. He walks around, grabs our luggage, and hits the button again. The SUV beeps, and the back window goes up. Rue and I follow him up the brick steps and to the front of the door painted black.

“Is black his favorite color?”

“It’s his signature color, yeah. Goes with his name.”

“Does that mean yours is red?”

“Nah, mine’s blue.”

“For the color of your eyes?”

“You got that right, baby.” He gives me a sly grin over his shoulder.

I roll my eyes.

Red rings the doorbell. Silence. Then we hear it.

“Get the fucking door, Dare.”

“You do it, moron. He’s your brother.”

“Your cousin, bro.”

Rue’s laughing into her hand. I smile. “How old did you say they are again?”

“Twenty-three.”

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