Page 36 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

“From you?” Outrage paints her smile and I smirk.

“Call me your knight in rusted armor. Defending your honor and saving your reputation as the girl whose brother fights her battles for her.”

“You are the only battle I’m fighting right now.”

Her chest heaves with outrage. “How dare you interfere in my life. If you expected thanks you are mistaken. I’m not interested in you or anyone who resembles my family in any way. Why do you think I agreed to meet Mason? He is nothing like you, so deal with the fact my tastes don’t align with yours.”

“Have you finished?” I cock my brow and she glares at me.

“Yes. We’re done.”

“Then there is still the problem of pizza.”

“Excuse me?” Her eyes widen as I jerk my head toward the steps leading down.

“We need to eat and I prefer not to eat alone.”

I prepare myself for the vitriol she’s about to hurl my way, but instead a soft smile lights her face. “Sure, why not?”

There is no time to analyze this apparent change of heart as she makes for the steps and says over her shoulder, “Are you coming or not?”

As I follow her down, I bathe in my latest victory while also realizing she is playing with me. Whatever is running through her mind right now isn’t pizza—it’s revenge and I am so up for that because it’s a game I have a habit of winning and this will be no exception to that.

17

SUMMER

Iam apoplectic but he doesn’t need to know that. How dare he interfere with my cheerleading dream? I had it all in the palm of my hand and I was going to be one ofthem. The popular girl with the quarterback or some dumb shit like that. Just once in my life I was going to be normal and instead I’m heading off for pizza with a carbon copy of my family, who believes that interfering in my life is in my best interests.

I hate Luca Romano as a person, but I am insanely attracted to him at the same time. I am now officially my own worst enemy and I hate myself, too. Once again, it reminds me of how my life sucks.

If I thought we were heading to the cafeteria, I was wrong because as I make to bear left where the path splits, Luca instructs me to turn right.

“But–”

He interrupts, “We’re heading into town. Less of a goldfish bowl and we get to enjoy the meal outside of scrutiny.”

“Are you afraid of being seen with me?” I goad him and he shrugs.

“No, but I prefer to conduct my business away from curious eyes.”

“So, I’m business now.”

“Of course.”

He smirks. “Life is merely one business transaction at a time. It’s how I view it, how I deal with it and how I like it.”

“Why?”

I fall into step beside him and his husky voice drags against my soul like a rusty nail. “Because if a deal fails, I don’t dwell on it. I move onto the next one and learn from my mistakes.”

“I doubt you make many mistakes, Luca.”

“You would be right.”

The conversation ends when he stops beside a gleaming silver motorcycle.

“Is this yours?”

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