Page 40 of Mafie Kings

She pulls her hair into a ponytail revealing the worst of the bruising around her neck. She doesn't seem to care that everyone can see it either.

While she’s showering, a guy I believe is named Bryce, grabs his stuff out of a locker next to me. He lifts an eyebrow at me, challenging me to see if I’ll move. I don't. If he can't change right here, then he can find another place to go. After a minute, he shrugs and drops his towel before getting dressed. Part of me respects him for that.

“You gonna shower or just stand there man?” he asks.

I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m waiting on someone.” I nod my chin towards the showers. “Gotta keep this one on a short leash.”

He laughs. “She’s sure got a lot of fight in her,” he says.

Just then Evie walks around the corner, her dirty shirt on with her towel wrapped around underneath. A very interesting look.

She reaches out her hand for her clothes. I hand her the thong first, taking a moment to appreciate it. It's the only lady-like thing she seems to own. She yanks them out of my hand before sliding them on, under her towel. I notice Bryce watching her from the corner of his eye.

“Our little pet lost her privacy privileges,” I inform him.

He looks like he wants to say something when I hand Evie her pants. She pulls them on under her towel, and I can tell she’s starting to get more than a little uncomfortable. I almost feel bad as I start to hand her the clean shirt, but then I remember her face when she saw my medications. How her brows pinched up like she was disgusted.

I pull the shirt back. “You don’t want to dirty your new clothes. Maybe you should remove the dirty shirt first,” I say with a smirk. “What do you think, Bryce?” I look at him.

His eyes widen. If he knows what's good for him though, he will agree. “I guess,” he says in agreement.

Evie’s face reddens. “I’m not taking my shirt off in front of you, Alexi.”

“Suit yourself, Princess.” She can walk around in a dirty shirt for all I care.

She huffs loudly before going over to her bag and grabbing a hoodie. She throws it over her shirt before grabbing a blade, and using it to cut off the shirt underneath.

Bryce laughs behind me. “That girl is something else,” he says under his breath, shaking his head.

I clench my jaw. “You were told to follow the rules. Do you want more time added to your punishment?” I ask her.

“I didn't break your rules,” she says with an attitude. “You made a suggestion and I chose not to take it. There's a difference.”

I move to cage her between me and the lockers when Damien comes in. “Little Shadow, you’re with me for the next class,” he sings out.

Evie ducks around me and runs out of the locker room, and when I get a look at her hoodie, it reads “Don’t be a lady, be a legend.”

Well, she’s definitely not a lady.

“She is going to be a tough one to crack, you know,” Bryce says while throwing his things in his bag. Before he leaves, he turns to me. “If you ever need anything, I’m here.” Then he walks out.

Smart guy knowing when to make his services available. I'll have to keep that in mind.

???

That night, I go back to Evie’s room. She's just getting in bed when I lay back and get comfortable in the lounger. I remove my phone and start scrolling through mindless apps.

“Why are you here?” Evie asks as she pulls a fluffy white blanket around her.

I look up at her and expect her anger to be at the surface, but I'm met with curiosity instead.

“I know you’re mad,” she says, her eyes maintaining contact with mine. “I get it,” she sighs, “I’ve been on most of those medications, too.”

That piques my interest. I put my phone down in my lap and give her my attention as she rolls onto her back and looks up at the ceiling.

“What for?” I ask curiously.

She takes a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “I don’t really know anymore,” she says quietly.

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