Page 51 of Boys Who Taint

“Who?”

The voice behind me makes me turn around and grab his throat so fast he can’t even blink.

“Relax. It’s me.” My brother, Atlas, raises his hands. “Don’t kill me.”

I put him down and sigh out loud. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Who’s doing the sneaking here, though?” he retorts, raising a brow.

“I was just having fun,” I say.

“Hiding behind a tree?”

“You know how those girls are.” I turn around again so I can keep my eyes on her and that mystery guy she definitely didn’t want me calling her boyfriend.

“Oh … girls …” Atlas shrugs. “Yeah, it’s not like I have experience there.”

“What are you even doing here?” I quip. “You’re not supposed to be here. This is a student-only party.”

“Heath invited me,” he replies. “And who cares? It’s run by students. It’s not like anyone’s gonna check everyone.”

“I might tell them to,” I quip.

“Because I caught you plotting?” He scoffs, almost taking pride in the fact that he’s managing to piss me off. “Didn’t think I’d be able to get up your ass that quickly. What kind of girl has gotten Apollo fucking Torres so worked up?”

I swiftly turn around and grab his shirt, dragging him away from the bonfire. “I don’t have time for this. Leave. Now.”

“Or what?”

“You want me to call Dad?” I growl.

He tilts his head. “Dad already knows. He encouraged me to come.”

“Why would he?”

He shrugs. “He wants me to get out of the house. Live a little.”

“Then live a little.” I make a waving motion with my hand. “Shoo.”

“It’s so much fun watching you stalk a girl, though.” He smirks the same way I do, and it pisses me off even more.

“Don’t you have a lame friends group to entertain? Go.”

He raises his hands. “Fine. I’ll leave you to your creeper ways. But only if you tell me all about her later.”

“In your dreams,” I retort as he slowly backs away and finds Heath’s little gang. And by gang, I mean Silas, Max, Ivy, and all of their friends.

Silas and I got along okay because we’re both sadistic sons of bitches, but the others … eh. Couldn’t care less.

The only thing I care about right now is finding out who that fucker is who’s constantly floating in Aspen’s vicinity. And why Levi has even allowed him to live.

Then again, it wouldn’t look good on him to kill another person she loves.

One more mistake, and the Caruso family will wipe him off the map.

I smirk to myself. Lucky me.

Yearsago

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