Page 1 of Princess of Hawthorne Prep

AUSTIN

My fingers lock around Delilah’s as I tow her through the first floor of Kingsley’s mansion. I should have known the place would be packed. It’s wall-to-wall people.

People I can’t fucking stand.

Classmates slap my back and congratulate me as I navigate the thick crowd that fills the first floor. I give a few chin lifts in acknowledgment and ignore the rest. Do these assholes really think I’m going to forget that they treated me like shit from day one?

Yeah…not gonna happen.

The heavy beat of music reverberates off the walls and inside my head as we make our way to the spacious kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder to meet Delilah’s gaze.

From the wary expression on her face, she doesn’t want to be here any more than I do. One hour, two tops, and then we’ll take off. I just want to get her alone again. I can’t stop thinking about what it felt like to sink inside her tight heat. The way her pussy gripped my cock, strangling the fuck out of it. I’m totally obsessed with this girl and don’t know how I’ll get enough.

Thank fuck I don’t have to.

She’s mine.

I’ve never felt this way about another female. None ever mattered. But Delilah is different. There’s an attraction that vibrates in the air, charging it, making it impossible to breathe. It was there from day one.

“Just a water,” she says, raising her voice to be heard over the laughter and chatter that presses in on us.

People scatter out of my way as we step inside the kitchen where the booze flows freely. I’ll say this about Kingsley—the guy knows how to throw a wicked party. A girl I recognize from one of my classes is stretched out on the marble island with her shirt shoved above her lacy bra as a guy slurps a body shot from her bellybutton before sucking the lime from her mouth. There’s a game of cups going on at the table. A resounding cheer goes up when one team wins.

I shake my head.

Yeah…this was definitely a bad idea.

I cut a path to the massive fridge and yank the handle, grabbing a chilled bottle of water for Delilah. The guy manning the keg passes me a red Solo cup filled to the brim with golden liquid. I need something to take the edge off and hopefully, this will do the trick.

She twists off the cap and brings the rim to her lips.

As I do the same, my gaze coasts over the sea of classmates all in various stages of drunkenness. It won’t take long for clothing to be shed. My lip curls with the need to get the hell away from them.

“Let’s go outside and sit by the firepit. It’s too damn crowded in here.” It’s fucking stifling. It’s tempting to yank at the collar of my hoodie.

Once we push through the French doors that lead to the stamped cement patio, the cool night breeze hits us. I inhale a lungful of fresh air, finally able to breathe again. The further we get from the suffocating confines of the house, the more my muscles loosen until most of the tension has drained away.

With my gaze locked on the seating arrangement that surrounds the firepit, we navigate the groups of people standing around and shooting the shit. My grip tightens on Delilah as a couple guys attempt to wave me over.

I don’t bother with them.

Believe it or not, the girls are even worse.

Most have spent the last month ignoring me, acting as if they’re better than my family. Only now have they turned their attention my way. One smiles before tucking a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear.

Aubrey.

I think that’s her name.

“Looks like your fan club is trying to get your attention,” Delilah jokes, breaking into my thoughts.

“They’re not my friends,” I say with a snort. “Come Monday, half of them will pretend I don’t exist.”

It’s the truth, and we both know it. There’s too much bad blood between my ancestors and this small, tight-knit community. There doesn’t seem to be anything I can do to overcome the stigma of being a Hawthorne.

Luckily for us, there’s no one occupying the couch. We set our drinks down and I drop onto a plush cushion before pulling Delilah onto my lap. The weight of her soft body feels so damn good. My hands settle on her curvy little hips to lock her in place as she snuggles against my chest.

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