Page 43 of Step Alpha

I basically own the runt now. If she doesn’t want me to tell our parents what she’s up to in that bedroom, she’ll have to do everything I tell her to.

Every. Single. Thing.

ChapterTen

Rayne

My mom and Logan go to bed early. And yeah, despite the music they put on to muffle their activities, we can hear them.

Gross.

I do my homework in my room and go to brush my teeth fully clothed.

I can’t believe Wilde saw what was on the laptop.

I kind of also can’t believe he didn’t rat me out. He also gave me half his hamburger, which seemed extremely out of character. I don’t know what to make of it. Is he just super grateful I helped him figure out what to say to Coach Jamison to give him the Assistant Coach position. I sort of hate his dad for not throwing him a bone.

I mean, I get that he hasn’t forgiven Wilde for drug dealing, or whatever it was that happened in South Carolina, and I also think Wilde can be a Class A asshole, but he is, actually, doing everything his dad asked of him. Taking me to school. Teaching me to drive. Working out with the WRH football team.

The fake diamond chip I wear on one nostril is annoying me. Lately, the piercing feels stuck. Too tight. I constantly have to twirl it to try to get it to loosen up.

After I brush my teeth, I decide to take it out. My mom had asked me to six weeks ago when Logan sniffed out the fact that she was four months pregnant and started coming around our house. Back when she pressured me to change my look and basically clean up to make us Logan-worthy.

I’d refused at the time. It was enough to change my hairstyle and stop with the heavy eyeliner. The nose ring felt like part of my emo identity.

But now it itches and pinches and is driving me crazy. So I’m doing it for me, not for Logan. Or my mom.

I have a hard time taking it out like the flesh doesn’t want to release the little stud. It takes me a solid five minutes. I take it with me to the bedroom where I find…oh fates.

Wilde is stretched out on my bed, legs crossed, hands behind his head.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demand, keeping my voice low because I don’t want the parents to hear.

Wilde’s grin is slow and dangerous. Definitely feral. “What does it look like, Runt?”

“It looks like you’re in the wrong room. This is my room now, remember?”

How’s that for taking up space, dickwad?

“My room, Runt. I’m tired of sleeping on the couch. And considering what I know about your extracurricular activities, I own you now.” He pulls one of the pillows out from behind his head. “You’re sleeping on the floor tonight, Rayne-bow. And if you say anything, I will tell everyone–and I do meaneveryone–how you’ve been making money.”

My chest sinks back between my shoulders, caving with my determination to fight.

I would never, ever survive that secret getting leaked.

I grind my teeth and narrow my eyes. “I hate you, Wilde Woodward.”

“Hate all you want, babygirl. I still own you.”

Um…babygirl? I don’t think so.

Definitely not his babygirl.

I harumph and stomp to the dresser, where I pull out a pair of PJs. I take them back to the bathroom to change.

When I return, the light’s off. I shut the door and stand there for a minute. I’m not just waiting for my eyes to adjust. I’m pissed. Waiting for some better idea than sleeping on the hard floor to surface.

But it doesn’t.

---