“I heard the four of them were tight in middle school, best friends, even. Then Derek turned on them when they got to high school. Guess he was jealous of all the power they had here because they're the real Kingstons and he's practically a nomad compared to them. He and his buddies tried to belittle them, bullied them because they were older and bigger so they thought they could. The boys put a stop to it right off the bat, used their father's status and money to become the kings they are now.”

I lick my lips, side eyeing the three of them on the other side of the room despite myself.

She's wrong.

These boys may have gained their power here with their last name but they earned the fear and respect all by themselves. I’ve seen how their people react to them when they’re close, and I know as well as they do loyalty like that can’t be bought and paid for.

“What happened with Derek?” I ask, unable to resist because I can tell there's more and I know she'll tell me.

“He fucked Wren's girlfriend.”

My brows raise. “His girlfriend?”

He doesn't seem like the type to keep a girlfriend. None of them do if I'm being real. I mean, sure they've constantly got girls dangling from their legs like bitches in heat, Kai especially, but still, I find Wren having an actual relationship with anyone besides his brothers really fucking hard to believe.

“Freya Thorne over there.” Rachel whispers, tipping her chin at the petite blond sat at the front of the class with her eyes on her desk, avoiding any and all eye contact. “Apparently Wren fell for her in freshman year, dated her for two years. He was madly in love with her and thought she felt the same. Turns out she was only in love with the high life. She'd been fucking Derek behind his back for months. Wren caught them in her bed the summer before sophomore year when he came home from vacation early just because he missed her, he loved her that much.”

I grind my teeth and slide my glare from Freya, as she was called, to Wren. Right then, Rachel's story is confirmed. That look I saw in his eyes the other day in the kitchen wasn't just pain over losing his Mom and his barely there relationship with his workaholic Dad.

His fucking heart is broken.

And he knows I know it.

Unable to hold his eyes any longer, I look away and pick up my pen, done with this stupid conversation because I don't even care.

Right.

“Can I borrow your car for a few hours tonight?”

Rachel frowns, eyeing me. “Why?”

“I got some stuff I gotta do.”

“Like what?”

“None of your damn business.”

“Can I come?”

“No.”

She snorts a laugh, shaking her head at me. “Fine, whatever. But if you get caught doing something you shouldn't I'm telling the cops you stole it.”

I grin. “Fine by me.”

Chapter 9

Callie

Later that night, I'm quietly climbing the stairs of the dark penthouse with my cash in my pocket, a full fifteen hundred dollars considering Rachel refused to take a penny of the money I offered her for letting me borrow her car, the stubborn little thing.

I'm aware I could have asked Katherine for the car she offered me before to keep Rachel and her annoying questions off my back, but fuck that. I don't want that little snake thinking I need her or her so called family for anything besides a place to lie my head at night. I've thought about running a hundred times since I got here but I always stop myself, knowing I'd only be fucking myself in the ass if I took off now. I just have to suck it up and wait it out. As soon as I turn eighteen, I'll have saved enough to get out on my own and I'll never have to see her again. I can put this whole thing behind me and move back to Vegas, find a real job and an apartment so I can finish school in peace and finally start the life I was meant to live.

Alone.

Once I get to the top, I quietly pass the first door on my right - the one I know to be Damon's - then Wren's and finally Kai's beside mine, not missing the way they're set up in age order.

Basic survival instinct.