Page 134 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

Remi steps back, disbelief crossing his face, and he shakes his head before laughing, although it lacks any humor. “Seriously? You are ready to go this low in order to push me away? It won’t work.”

And just like that, my anger is back, and I smile at him, although my eyes stay dead. “Careful, Remi. Your clingy ex-girlfriend act is starting to get on my nerves!” I shout the last part, and the fucker grins right back at me.

“Good. And let’s keep the verbiage accurate. My clingy friend act.” He bumps into my shoulder, his rage innately gone, but that’s him.

He lights up in a second and just as swiftly tones down.

A voice a few feet away interrupts my comeback to this nonsense; how can you be someone’s friend if you haven't been one in eleven years? “Ah, the lovebirds are fighting again.”

Counting mentally to ten to calm down, although it does little in this regard, I look at Florian standing near my car while his is parked in the distance. He winks at us, wearing a suit that hugs him like a second skin.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Hello to you too, Cortez.” He glances briefly at Remi. “Hey, man.” Remi doesn't bother to reply, but then again, they haven't stayed friends either.

Rumor has it Florian slept with Remi’s girlfriend, and Remi beat his ass.

“I’m here to finish the assignment so I can proceed with my plans and have a threesome tonight.”

“What assignment?” I ask, and Remi explains.

“That’s what I mentioned earlier. Principal Margaret ordered us to make a presentation on the four riders of the apocalypse as a punishment for our nickname.”

Florian elaborates on this idiotic idea, because it’s obvious I don’t know what he means. “She didn't like us destroying the cafeteria.” He chuckles. “Raged and screamed, to be exact, but your father took care of it. We do the assignment, listen to her crap in front of the whole school, and she won’t put it on the record, screwing our paperwork.”

“What happened in the cafeteria?”

“David made a comment to Remi the he shouldn't be in our school, since we don’t accept charity cases, and of course our friend here punched him in the nose.” He winks at Remi. “He’s good with his right hook.”

“Shut up, Florian,” Remi interrupts and continues the story. “His friends joined the fight, and Octavius rushed to my defense to help me out. It got messy.”

Florian puts his hand on his chest. “I couldn't stand not helping Octavius, so I rolled up my sleeves and beat some asses. Before security showed up, we destroyed a few tables, cracked a window, and some other shit that requires renovations. Your dad will pay for that as well.”

“What does it have to do with me?”

Remi rubs his chin. “The school kept on saying the dark four did it, started by the dark four, and shit, since you know they called us this back in the day. Anyway, the principal just assumed you were there, so you’re guilty by association.”

I bark a laugh. “Fuck that. I’m not doing this assignment. Buena suerte.” I already spend too much time in their company and hate how at ease and familiar it feels being surrounded by them.

Sometimes it feels like I can almost forget about my past and learn to live in the present, getting pleasure from this luxurious life, yet it would mean giving up on my revenge.

And I won’t ever do it.

Strolling to my car, I’m about to hop inside, when Florian’s words halt my movements. “She will kick Remi out of school. You know David’s dad and his power. It will affect his scholarship if it goes on his record.” I look at him over my shoulder while Remi still stands on the grass, locking his arms behind his head and musing on something, but not even making a move to change my mind.

No, Remi wouldn't do it, would he?

Too proud to ever beg, because everything in life he gets through hard work. Compared to the rest of us who were born with a silver spoon in our mouths.

Resting my elbow on the car door, I ask him, “Did you care about Remi this much when you fucked his girlfriend?”

Florian smirks, although disgust crosses his features, and so much hate fills his gaze it makes me pause, since it seems to be aimed at himself. “I’m surprised myself.”

I might be an asshole, but not enough to ruin Remi’s prospects just because David has a big mouth. I hope Remi broke more than a nose.

“Remi!” I call him for the first time since I came back, and his head snaps in my direction, shock evident on his face, and I motion for him to come to me.

He jogs toward us, and as he ends up next to us, I announce, “Let’s finish it quickly, and hopefully I won’t have to see any of your faces for a long time.” They’re graduating this year, so it shouldn’t be hard. I zero my focus on Florian. “Where is Octavius?”

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