Page 9 of Wild

“Who made this?” Hollis asks. “It’s fucking delicious.”

Fox points at me.

“Really?” Hollis turns surprised eyes to me.

“What? Do I look like I can’t cook?” There’s a challenge in my tone. At times I might be—okay, definitely am—a little too sensitive to people thinking I can’t do certain things. There seems to be this belief that if you’re famous—or in my case, by association—that you’re incapable of doing things on your own. Oftentimes in school growing up I was bullied by other kids for assumptions they made about me.

“Nah, I just assumed you guys had like a chef or something.”

I shake my head. “Is getting famous all about the perks to you? Because trust me, if you haven’t learned yet, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I’ve seen the media spin so many stories on the guys of Willow Creek, on their wives too. I’ve had to see headlines saying my dad’s cheating on my mom. Even when you know it’s not true it still hurts. The less people you have nosing around to sell fake stories the better—also, staying as normal and level-headed as you can is the key to success. The minute you think you’re all that is the minute you fall.” I snap my fingers. “Remember, the climb to the top takes time and is hard as hell, but the minute you fuck up and piss enough people off it all disappears.”

The two guys across the table sober, but not Hollis. Oh no, he continues to look at me with a cocky ass smirk. I want to smack it off his face and I’ve never felt like this before. I only met this guy not even an hour ago and he’s already under my skin.

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Whatever,” I say. “You’re nothing to me. I don’t care what happens to you—but whatever you do,” I glare so he knows I’m serious, “don’t fuck with my dad. He’s a good guy.”

With that I give him a push, forcing him off the bench so I can get up and leave. I drop my plate in the sink with a clang, not even bothering to rinse it like usual, and stride from the room.

Hollis Wilder has no clue the fire he’s playing with.

CHAPTER2

HOLLIS

Iwatch the beautiful redhead leave the kitchen, my eyes following the sway of her hips and pert ass. I know she’s the last woman I should be looking at because she could get me in loads of trouble, but I can’t help it.

Something hard hits me in the head. “Ow.” I rub the bump. “What the fuck was that for?”

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” Rush warns me.

Rush of all fucking people. Rush who’s the reason we got hauled out of the damn club last night like a bunch of prepubescent boys sneaking into a strip club.

“What?” I ask, playing dumb.

“You can have any pussy you want, but not that one.”

I narrow my eyes. “Who said I want that one?”

“The drool pooling out of your mouth says otherwise,” he snaps. “We need Hayes, man. This is the big break we’ve been waiting for, and we don’t need it fucked up because you can’t keep your dick in your pants and fuck the boss’s goddamndaughter.”

I’ve never seen Rush get so worked up over something.

He continues, “We’ve worked our asses off for years to have a chance like this and if you fuck it up for us…” He trails off.

“You’ll what? Kick me out ofmyband?”

“No,” he says. “But I know I’d never forgive you.”

The deadly calm voice he says it in tells me he’s not bluffing.

“Don’t worry about it,” I assure him. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

I try to put as much meaning into my words as I can, and I must succeed because he nods, but in my gut I know it’s a lie. There’s something about Mia that intrigues me. She’s fiery, and not only because of her hair. I’ve never met a girl who seemed to dislike me so much and … well, I guess I want to change her mind.

After all, I’m fucking amazing.

I finish my omelet and I have to admit Mia is one hell of a cook. If she can make an omelet this damn good what else can she do?

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