Page 222 of Tempting Little Thief

I look up to where Dom and the other guys stand at the edge of the first step, doing the same. They part for me, and I lift my chin, making my way through the halls of Greyson Elite Academy, this time in a very different role. The last time I was an outsider who weaseled his way inside.

This time, I’m the guest of fucking honor. The man they’re dying to meet ’cause they’ve all heard Rayo Revenaw has “stepped down,” and his successor isn’t who they expected it to be.

I step inside, following the path my girl just took to the double doors that lead to the gym. The doors are open, the floor deep down below a solid fifty steps or more, the bleachers lined along the wall where I’m standing, but they can’t see me. They won’t until I step inside.

Kylo and Hayze step up beside me, and the other guys slide by, heading down the steps, garnering the attention of several students.

They reach the podium in the center of the room, placing themselves a few feet back from the girls as they take turns on the mic, giving the new arrivals a quick rundown of expectations and more.

And then Rocklin removes the mic, stepping around the wooden box until she stands before the school.

“As you and your families were all informed, there is a new face that represents the Revenaw name, but I want you all to know he has one of his own as well.” She pauses, her eyes connecting with a few in the front row. “Bastian Bishop. That’s his name. He’s rough, rugged, and utterly unpredictable. He’s not cautious or contemplative. He’s a volcano. Silent and steady one second, and a fucking nightmare in the next …”

The entire room falls silent, and it takes effort not to laugh. She looks to Bronx, from what I can tell, then quickly looks behind her before standing tall once more.

It’s adorable, her little warning speech, and honestly, really fucking effective when her eyes find mine and she lifts her chin high … no one dares to turn.

I start down the steps, my boys at my back.

Heads stay pointed forward, but eye after eye finds its way to me and it’s not until I’m four steps from the floor that she spins.

I’m not talking a subtle little spin.

Nah, my girl fucking whirls like she did that first day, skirt twirling around her and flashes every fucking person in this room who’s watching her bare ass.

She flashesmy brandingon her ass, and I don’t even fucking care.

Her boys might chuckle under their breath in good fun, her brother might grumble a little about not being warned to look away, but they saw it, and that was the fucking point, her little peep show stunt, her way of showing me she’s ready for the world to know who she—who we—belong to even though most are already aware.

There’s no doubt now.

As I step onto the floor, I turn to face the crowd, but I say nothing.

They needed to put a face to the name and now they have one.

Fear comes from the unknown, so if they ever hear the sound of my voice, it won’t be in a crowded room in front ofmany. It’ll be a warning whispered in their ear if they deserve a second chance at all.

Rocklin says something else, but I’m busy meeting the eye of some and scanning the face of every person in this place from top to fucking bottom.

It’s not until I get to the last row that I hear her say, “And I’d like you to meet someone else. He should be treated as any person of power would, if not better.”

She steps up. “Most of you know Kylo Greco.”

Kylo tenses at my side.

“What you don’t know is he is my brother, son of Rayo Revenaw.”

Eyes widen, but when my head jerks toward the one person who makes a sound, the entire room swallows their words.

I don’t have to look at Rocklin to know she’s smirking.

The perfect princess is no more.

Fuck me if pride doesn’t kick at my ribs at not only her words but at the way in which they’re delivered.

“You can go now,” Bronx speaks into the microphone dangling over Rocklin’s shoulder, and slowly, row by row, the students head for their first classes.

It takes a solid fifteen minutes for the place to clear, our small group talking among ourselves as we wait because, apparently, we need to be the last ones in here. That’s a dumb as hell security move, one I’m mentally adding to my list of shit to fix, but once the last person leaves and the doors are slammed shut, suddenly I’m not so sure …

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