“You wish, Princess.”
I’d always treated her like the little sister I never wanted, ruffling feathers, giving her shit the second she was old enough to take it.
Like now.
Now that she’s in high school? She better be ready for whatever comes. Whether it's from me… or someone worse.
She shoulder-checks me and I grab her elbow, pulling her in close. I lean into her ear.
“Welcome to hell.”
She shivers.
I smile.
Then I push her away and walk off, not sparing her another look.
Chapter Two
Rygaard
Senior Year
“Kenny, stop.” Presley giggles from the sidelines, rolling her shoulders and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Classic Presley move, the one she does when she’s into a guy. “You’re so funny.” She gushes, and I swear, my blood starts to boil.
The football game is in full swing, and so was Presley, working that damn flirt game like she was born for it.
She had a recital that ran late, so I told Coach I wasn’t playing. No Presley, no game. ‘If you do that, you’ll be suspended for the next two games. Is that really what you want?’ I still hear his words.
Still didn’t give a single fuck. I couldn’t play without her there. Couldn’t focus. Didn’t even try.
And now, here she is, laughing at something that prick Kenny said, with his hand hovering a little too close to her ass.
My ass.
Let his hand fall any lower, and I swear I’ll break every finger on it.
They haven’t seen me yet. I’m standing just far enough to stay hidden but close enough to hear every damn word.
“Come on, Prez, lemme see what you’re hiding under that jacket,” he croons.
Before I even think, I’m off the wall and moving.
But then she speaks. “Now, Kenny,” she says, cool and sharp, “what makes you think you’re worthy of seeing what’s under my jacket, let alone putting your hand on my ass?” That smirk could drop a grown man.
She points in my direction. “My brother is right over there. Think he’ll let you leave here with both hands still attached?”
I freeze mid-step.
She knew.
She knew I was standing here the whole time.
I meet her gaze, and she smiles, just before smacking Kenny’s hand away.
“Number one, he’s not your brother. Two, your pathetic crush on him is childish. Three, no one's gonna want a stuck-up bitc- ”
Crack.