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The second my wrists were free, I rubbed at the red marks that marred my skin.
“Was that really necessary to have them that tight?” My mom whimpered at the sight of the angry red lines.
“Like I said, yes. Maybe if everything wasn’t given to her on a silver spoon, she wouldn’t be acting out like a spoiled brat,” Officer Two answered her. My mom’s only response was a shocked gasp.
Hands pressed on my shoulders, causing me to turn around. I looked up into the kind brown eyes of Officer One. “I hope I don’t see you again like this.”
“Oh, you won’t. She’s going to be grounded until she’s thirty and maybe then some,” my dad gritted out.
I wanted to roll my eyes, but I was in enough trouble as it was without them getting onto me for not respecting them. I knew the drill. I had heard it more than I liked, but I would not give the police officer with a stick up his ass any further enjoyment on my behalf.
Sidestepping the asshole cop, I kept my head high. I wouldn’t giving him the satisfaction of thinking he won. He could kiss my ass. I’d barely made it inside the house before my dad gripped my upper arm and steered me into the living room.
“Ron,” my mom said quietly as she eyed his hand on my arm.
“Hush now, Maureen. I will not hurt her no matter how mad I am.” He dropped on the couch and eyed the space next to him, letting me know that’s where my ass belonged. “Now, tell me what happened, Payton. Where have we steered you wrong?”
How could I explain when I didn’t understand myself?
I shook my head, looking at my parents, hoping they would understand, but the tight expressions on their faces told me another story.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged one shoulder. “Ever since Slade and Harley left, I’ve felt different, but I don’t know how to describe it.”
“Well, you better figure it out quick because unless you can give us a good explanation, you’re grounded indefinitely.”
Jumping to my feet, I could feel my entire body heat with rage. Why couldn’t they understand? Did they even want to?
“I just told you I don’t know. How can I explain to you when I can’t understand myself? Do what you want to do with me? You will anyway,” I shouted.
Bounding up the stairs to my room, the heavy footfalls of my boots resounded against the walls the same as they did inside my body. I slammed my door shut and wanted to do it over and over again, but instead I threw myself on my bed, wondering what hell they were going to stick me in to punish me for being unable to speak my truth.
CHAPTER TWO
PAYTON
Gripping the strap of my backpack, I dug my fingernails into the fabric. I didn’t want to be here. Away from my friends and my school. Too bad I could never go back.
How my parents thought sending me to a Catholic school was going to reform me, I would never know. They were misinformed about the students here. While yes, some of them were there because they were Catholic and had grown up in the system, most were students who had been expelled from their previous school and had settled here with their parents having the same expectation. If they wanted me to stay out of trouble, Saint Sebastian’s was the last place they should have sent me.
With my head held high, I ignored the whispers and all the people who turned and gossiped the second I passed by them. I was sure they were wondering what I had done to deserve to be here.
I ran into a hard but amazingly smelling body that had me tipping my head up, up, and up. I guess I hadn’t been paying close enough attention to my surroundings. The halls looked like any other school’s halls, but the boy, or should I say man, in front of me was unlike anyone I’d ever seen. He was tall, but I used to tall. My dad and my brother had always towered above my five-foot, eight-inch frame. No, it was his eyes. They were a striking light shade of blue that seemed to penetrate straight to my soul.
“Who do you have there, Arch?” A guy laughed in the background. I couldn’t take my gaze off the man who was now gripping me by my upper arms and pushing me back a step.
“It looks like we’ve got a new victim here at Saint Sebastian’s.” He licked his full lips before he smirked. Forcing me backwards until I was flush against the wall, he ran his hands up my arms until they were around my neck. It wasn’t until that moment I saw the malice in his mesmerizing eyes. “At your old school, did they let you run into anyone you wanted?” His grip around my neck tightened.
I guess when you looked like he did; it didn’t matter if you were a complete and utter asshole. What I would not do was let him think he could control me.
My hands moved to rest on his impressive chest. Damn. He just kept getting better and better, and worse and worse. “As a matter of fact, they did. Now, why don’t you get your fucking hands off me?”
“Oh, shit, A. I don’t think she knows who you are?” another guy said, laughing.
Stepping closer until his body was pressed flush against mine, Archer frowned down at me. “I guess you’re right. We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Archer Cole, and I rule this school along with my brothers.”
Shit, there were more of them?
I didn’t dare look. I couldn’t handle more.
