A car stops in front of me, and at first I think it’s my Uber, but the plate doesn’t match. The window rolls down, and that’s when I recognize the sleek red car with the asshole inside.
Ricco DeBrava. The asshole who’s responsible for hurting my brother and his girlfriend at the time. Taking away my best friend and ruining my family.
“You need a ride, baby King?” he asks, leaning over the passenger seat with an annoyingly handsome smile. As much as I hate him, I can’t deny that he’s gorgeous.
“Not from you,” I tell him as I cross my arms over my chest.
He laughs. “Just trying to help a pretty girl who looks like she was kicked to the curb.”
“I don’t need or want anything from you,” I say through clenched teeth. “And not that it’s any of your business, but I left because I was bored, not because I was kicked out, asshole.”
His hands go up. “I’m only trying to look out for you. Didn’t mean anything bad.”
“Right.” I roll my eyes.
“I’m not surprised that he has you under his thumb,” Ricco says, glancing up at the house behind me. “But if you ever get tired of his… theatrics, I’d be happy to treat you like the queen you are.”
Stepping off the curb, I go to his window, leaning in close so he can really see me. Prick that he is, drops his eyes to my chest and licks his lips, making me cringe.
“I’m under no one’s thumb and never will be. And I’m not a queen; I’m a fucking King.” I slap my hand on the roof of his car, making him jump. “Stay the hell away from me.”
His laughter fills the quiet street before his engine revs and he leaves. My heart is hammering in my chest. I take in a couple deep breaths as I step back and lean against the gate.
“I knew you didn’t need us.”
“Shit!” I yell, jumping from the sudden sound of someone here with me. “You scared the shit out of me, Dez. How long were you there?”
“Long enough. I heard his piece idling out here and wanted to be sure he wasn’t comin’ to ruin the night.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be up there fucking those girls?”
With a goofy grin on his face, Dez walks to me and throws an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t be jealous. You’re our number one.”
“Our?” I ask with a raised brow.
“Look, before things went to shit, we promised Harry we’d always look out for you. You’re family.”
“I don’t think family should do or say the things to each other that we do.” Smirking, I think about all the ways he flirts with me constantly while Sonny is always making my panties wet with the palpable sexual tension between us.
Throwing his head back, he laughs. “Yeah, that may be true, but we still got you, Ruby.”
I know he’s serious when he uses my real name and not ‘baby King.’ “Thanks. I think.”
“You need anything—and I mean anything—you come to us. Even if it’s a fuckin’ tampon run. Got it?”
I nod, accepting and knowing I’ll never escape. Not that I want to.
My Uber pulls up then. “I’ll let you go this time, but next time, we’re your ride. No more of this shit.”
“Bye, Desmond,” I say with an eye roll as I get in the car.
“Give me your phone,” he demands. Handing it over, he takes it, and when he gives it back, he kisses my cheek and closes the door. Looking down, I see he put both his and Sonny’s numbers in and sent them each a text so they have mine too.
I’m about to turn off my phone when I see a text come through.
Sonny: She wasn’t.
Confused at first, I don’t know what he’s talking about, and then I remember my parting words to him. I hope she’s better than what you just gave up.
I don’t reply. He deserves my silence after tonight. But it doesn’t make me smile any less as I ride home.
I jump when Dez runs up behind me, slinging his arm around my shoulder like he frequently does. He smacks his usual kiss on my cheek with his typical big smile.
This guy is someone you can’t help but smile with when you’re around him. Everything is exaggerated and extra with him. He brings the fun and laughter, but he also has the biggest heart.
“You have got to stop doing that,” I chastise. “You make me jump every time. I should be afraid of you when walking down the hall at school.”
He runs his finger down the bridge of my nose. “But that’s my favorite part of the day,” he chuckles. “When’s your next dance show thing?”
“Recital,” I deadpan.
“Yeah. You got one coming up, right? Sonny and I want to come watch you. Haven’t seen you dance since you were little. Bet it’s a little different these days with the legs you got going on now.” His dark eyes skate down my bare legs, and he grunts with a fist in his mouth.
Shoving him, I tell him to stop looking at me like that. He just laughs before slapping me on the ass as he pushes me toward my next class. When I turn to pierce him with a look, he just blows me a kiss and saunters away. He is so irritating, and yet I love him.
In the weeks since Sonny’s birthday, the three of us have begun to find a rhythm that works for us. It’s odd to have these two seniors hanging around me, a lowly freshman, but I’ve given up fighting it. I got looks and heard whispers at first, but they’re all fading now.
When the day finally ends and I reach my locker, I see a note stuffed inside. You going to dance for me tomorrow, Tink?
I fight my smile, rolling my lips between my teeth. Dez asked when my next recital was but truth is, Sonny already knew and more than likely already bought tickets for them.
Turning to leave, I run right into someone. “Oh shit, I’m so so…” My apology trails off when I see who it is.
“It’s all good, beautiful,” Ricco says with a growing smile.
“Don’t call me that,” I snap and push past him to leave.
“And here I thought we were becoming friends,” he yells after me as I exit the building.
He doesn’t exactly scare me, but I don’t like him. He may have a pretty face and pretty words, but he has this air about him that skeeves me out. I shudder when I glance over my shoulder and see him watching me. His smile from earlier is gone, and now he watches me with a stern, hard stare.
Thankful that my dad is timely, I quickly climb into his SUV, anxious to get as far away from Ricco as I can.
“Bad day?” my dad asks. I look at him confused. “You slammed my door so hard I thought you were going to crack my front window.”
“I’m fine. Sorry.”
“You used to talk to me,” he says as he pulls away from the school. “You still can.”
“I know, Dad,” I say on a sigh.
But it’s hard to these days. Not just because I’m a teenage girl, but because I feel like I hardly know my dad anymore. He’s busy with running Royal King, the family business of motorcycles and racing. He’s a legend on the track right along with my sister, Poppy. He puts more focus on her, and I get it, but it doesn’t mean I don’t still miss my dad sometimes. We just don’t have anything in common really.