Eddy squeezed my arm when she left me at my homeroom before she disappeared into the crowds. I slipped inside and took my usual chair. I heard gasps when Beck entered the room, and I had to shoot him a grin and eye roll. The way he was treated in this school was ridiculous. He wasn’t a god.

He slid into the table beside me before he extended his giant arm out and wrapped it around the back of my chair. More gasps. Eyes watched us closely before turning away like they were afraid to get caught.

“You’re drawing attention,” I drawled, shaking my head at him.

He shrugged. “Can’t help that.”

I kind of thought he could, but all of the Delta heirs—the male ones anyway—got off on the power and attention. Beck and Dylan were scary, Beck more so because Dylan was nurturing by nature. Evan and Jasper went for the sex on tap thing, using their power and popularity to get the chicks. It didn’t hurt that they were hot with rockin bods either, but it was mainly the power and popularity thing which brought the skanks in.

“Hey, Riley,” a low voice said from my other side.

Turning in my seat, I met a set of light blue eyes. “Hey Jake.” I returned his smile.

He’d talked to me a few times before; he was shy, with a serious face and dark rimmed glasses. He mustn’t have noticed that Beck was with me today, which didn’t surprise me because he usually had his head in a book wherever he went.

“How are you?” he continued, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

I shrugged. “Can’t complain.”

Had two screaming orgasms this morning.

Beck leaned forward slightly in his chair, and shot Jake an unamused look. Jake’s pale features went as white as the wall behind him, and he swung around to face the front.

I narrowed my eyes on Beck. “Was that really necessary?” I snapped.

He shrugged again, his broad shoulder brushing against me, and sending shivers across my skin. “Didn’t say anything,” he said, a smirk playing around his lips.

Beck didn’t need to say anything to get his point across. Fucker.

The teacher didn’t blink an eye at Beck being in the wrong room, and wrong grade since he was technically in college at Ducis, and shouldn’t be in any classes with me. When the bell rang, I waited in my seat, wanting all the staring students to leave before I did. Beck remained in his relaxed position, hot ass leg spread going on in front of him as he leaned back in the chair.

I caught the edge of his ink creeping out the side of his black shirt, and tried to resist my strong urge to touch him.

“Are we sitting here all day, Butterfly?” he asked, amused. He’d caught me checking him out, and I didn’t even care.

Rising, I straightened my shoulders, trying to act like I didn’t care about all the new attention coming my way. It was worth it to spend time with Beck. To be part of the inner circle. I finally felt like I was part of a family again, and I wasn’t giving that up.

Richard’s words washed through my mind, but I dismissed them. I wasn’t being stupid and naive. He didn’t know Beck, Dylan, Jasper, and Evan like I did. He didn’t understand. He hadn’t gone through blood and fear like we had. Beck had confirmed that this morning: the previous generation of inheritors didn’t have this bond.

When we reached the hall, lots of students watched us. Beck remained close to my back, his heat washing down my spine, and for some reason, I threw extra sass into each step. Swinging my hips.

Beck’s hands wrapped around my sides, pulling me to a halt. “Keep that up, Butterfly, and you’re not going to make classes again.”

A moan choked off in my throat. This was not the place, but, shit.

I wanted him.

Needing to get myself together, I spotted the bathroom and darted toward it.

“I’ll be right back,” I called over my shoulder, ignoring the huff from Beck.

I half expected him to follow me in, but he didn’t.

Deciding I might as well pee while I was in here, I entered one of the free cubicles. The other two were occupied, and I heard toilets flush a moment before I finished and flushed as well. Stepping out, I stopped when I saw Brittley and one of her friends at the sinks, washing their hands. Trying my best to ignore them, I moved to the remaining sink, and placed my hands under the automatic soap dispenser first, followed by the water.

“It’ll never last,” Brittley said brusquely. “You’re just the new flavor of the week, but they’d never actually care about trailer trash like you.”

Her friend laughed, crossing her arms across a very ample chest.

Exhaling loudly, so she knew she was pissing me off, I dried my hands and faced the pair. “And I give a fuck what you think because?”

It was her turn to laugh. “Because Beck and me are soulmates. He knows that. He always comes back to me.”

I tried not to let jealousy rear its head, but the thought of this skinny bitch wrapped around Beck made me feel sick. “You don’t mean shit to him,” I countered, knowing this for a fact. “But since you seem so sure about it, we should ask Beck to choose. Let’s go out right now and do that.”

I waved a hand at the door, and for a moment, fear flashed in her eyes before her natural confidence reasserted itself.

“Would probably be the fastest way to get rid of the trash,” her friend chimed in, boosting Brittley’s confidence further.

She nodded. “You’re right, Jade. Beck and I were together last week, I’m sure he wants more of what I brought his way.”

My hands clawed, ready to rip her head off, but I refrained for the moment. Last fucking week. I was going to kill him. My fury was bubbling over as I slammed the bathroom door open, startling a few students lingering in the hall. Beck was leaning back on the lockers across from the door, seeming relaxed, but he had been waiting for me, because he straightened immediately. I stormed across to him, and before he could say a word, I slammed both of my hands into his chest and shoved him as hard as I could.

I’d been hoping he would hit the locker, but he didn’t move at all.

“What’s up, Riles,” he asked, looking amused.

I jerked my head toward Barbie one and two behind me. “Britters here seems to think you two were fucking last week. You know. When you were…”

“In a plane crash with you,” he cut in, that amusement going nowhere.

Brittley shifted uncomfortably, and it almost looked like she was about to take off, so I reached out and snagged her arm dragging her closer. “When was the last time you fucked her?” I asked Beck.

He shook his head. “Never. I don’t touch chicks like this.”

“I—” I opened and closed my mouth, words dying on my tongue.

Brittley let out an aggrieved sound, fighting against my hold now. When she jerked herself free, I just stared at her. “What sort of overconfident cumbucket pretends she’s important to someone, when he’s never even touched her?”

She sniffled, crossing her arms in a protective manner. “He’s touched me plenty, and it was only a matter of time before he realized how good we would be together. That we’re meant to be together.”

Jesus. She was delusional.

Beck had dismissed Brittley completely at this point, his gaze scorching me with its intensity. “You hit me, Riley Jameson,” he growled slowly. “You didn’t trust me, believing the word of a fucking lying skank. Right now, I’m about ready to take a hand to your ass.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral, even though my insides were doing a happy sexy dance at the thought of Beck losing control with me. “Promises, promises,” I purred. It got me hot pushing him, because angry Beck might be scary, but he was also sexy as hell.

“What is wrong with you?” Brittley screamed then, her hands fisting in her hair. “She’s trailer trash. Poor and pathetic. She’s not good enough for you.”

Beck’s attention went to her for the first time since she’d stepped into the hall, and I almost felt sorry for her, because the look on his face was not one I would want directed at me.

“Riley is worth a hundred of you,” he said soft and menacing. “If you value your life, and the life of your family, you’ll stay the fuck away from her. Don’t talk to her. Don’t look at her. Don’t breathe in her direction.”

Brittley looked like she was going to pee herself right there in the hall, and it took Jade three attempts to finally get her friend moving away from us. I still felt somewhat sorry for her, because I’d been reasonably sure of how this situation would go down.

“Come on, heartbreaker,” I said with a smile. “We’re late for class.”

This was becoming the story of my life.

22

That night, Beck didn’t even give me a choice. He just drove me straight to his house after school, and I didn’t complain. As badly as I hated to admit it, I was falling for him. He made me feel safe, and in a world where people were literally trying to kill me, that was a big deal.