I pull my hair completely to one side and he steps under the spray with me, grabbing the clasp in his hand. Right when he goes to undo it, footsteps knock against the cement flooring behind us and we both turn to look over our shoulders.

Maddoc stands there, his face completely blank, but his hands are fists at his side, eyes not on me, but his boy.

It’s a sight to see, I’m sure. Me and Royce dripping wet under water, my shirt off as he helps undo my bra.

Royce finishes undoing the clasp without looking and slowly lowers his hands.

The boys stare at each other a moment before Royce turns back to look over my skin, but my stare stays on Maddoc as he tracks Royce’s every move.

Royce backs away after a minute and steps from the shower.

I reach out and turn off the spray, taking the towel he holds out for me.

I wrap it around my front, letting my bra and shirt drop to the ground.

That catches Maddoc’s attention and his stare cuts to my discarded items.

Maddoc strides forward, his tension-filled eyes bouncing between mine before dropping to my shoulder, and for some reason I slowly spin, showing him what he’s asking to see.

He doesn’t touch me, but his eyes create a burn far deeper than the chemical that’s only marred my skin’s surface.

Captain comes around the corner in the next second, his eyes slow as they take in the scene, landing on mine last.

Maddoc doesn’t move out of the way like Royce did, so Captain leans to the side to look past him, but he doesn’t get too close.

And suddenly I feel like a helpless child again.

I’m not.

“All of you feel the need to be in the girl’s locker room?”

They ignore me.

“Get Chloe and the others in the courtyard.” Maddoc looks to his brothers.

“On it.” Royce heads out.

“No,” I argue and again, I’m ignored.

“I’ll round the team.” Captain starts to leave also.

“I said no!”

“I’ll meet you guys out there,” Maddoc tells them and fuck this shit.

I whip off a soiled shoe and toss it at their retreating bodies, hitting Captain square in the head.

They spin around with glares.

“I said. No.” I step forward. “It’s one thing to crowd my space, but I’m not a helpless little bitch who needs you to put yours in place. She wants to play, fine. It’ll be on my terms.”

“No. She made a move on you after she saw we had you in our hold.”

“Not in your hold.”

“Say what you want, it’s what they should see and how they should understand.”

“Okay.” I nod, stepping back. “Okay, yeah. Go for it. Go run your little game, let her know you won’t stand for it, make me your damsel.”

All three stand taller, waiting for me to make my point but I wait.

Royce gives in first.

“Talk Raven, why would we not?” he snaps.

“You want them to think I fit in your world – still don’t get that but whatever – yet you wanna step in to save the day after one little incident with the campus queen? All that’ll do is make you look weak. ‘Cause how could a nobody, dirty little whore – as you painted me before – like me, get under your skin to this point. A girl who, if you do this, can’t even hold her own against a spoiled brat with a hard-on for three jackasses in Jordans?”

Three pairs of eyes narrow in thought and they look between each other.

“Weak links are holes in your armor. Back off and leave me be, nothing for you to worry about if you do, but if you insist on pretending we like each other, then let me handle this. I’m not weak. Don’t make it seem like I am to feed your own egos.” I shrug. “It’ll only backfire.”

“She’s right,” Captain agrees, and Royce swings a glare his way.

Maddoc, however, keeps his eyes on me.

He says nothing and goes to leave, a cussing Royce and silent Captain behind him.

Good.

This bitch needs to see ... I can handle anything she’s got with a grin.

She’s not used to girls like me.

She’ll learn.

I quickly dress in some PE clothes, throw my hair up and leave the school.

When I get to the house, I’ve got it all planned on what to say to Maybell, but as I hit the steps, she opens the screen for me, a small smile on her lips.

“School nurse called, said you were headed home.” She grasps my shoulders and helps me inside. “I warmed you some soup, it’s only from a can, but it’ll do. Go on and get changed, it’ll be on the table for ya.”

I nod, and head for my room to put on some sweats and a T-shirt.

Thanks, boys.

“Where is she?” Royce hums.

“Maybe she chickened out, took off,” Captain says.

“What, like back where she came from?” Royce shakes his head. “Maybell would have told us.”

Captain shrugs.

“No.” I keep my eyes locked on the door. “She’s coming.”

“How can you be so sure? The rest of the girls already took off.”

“Because she’s convinced she’s got pride. She couldn’t walk away after yesterday if she wanted to.”

Right then, the door opens and out she steps.

Royce laughs, smacking the back of the seat. “Hell yeah.”

Captain grins and looks to me, but I keep my eyes locked on the lioness who has yet to spot us.

She lifts her backpack onto one shoulder and bends to tie the laces of her black combat boots, and when she stands, my dick thinks about going with her, ‘cause fuck. Me.

Those boots make her little legs appear longer, her strong, thick thighs testing the stretch of her cut off shorts, small enough to show her ass cheeks if she bends the wrong way.

She’s wearing a white hoodie with bleeding roses in the center. The neck has been cut out so it hangs off the shoulder, showing the straps of her black bra, long, dark hair hanging down her back, silky straight and shining, a deep, dark blue now taking over the tips.

She looks like a project princess.

“She fuckin’ spun that shit good, brothers. Damn.” Royce grins then rolls his window down. “Get your ass in, Raven Carver.”

She freezes and swings her head our way, scowling as she does.

A laugh bubbles out of her and she shakes her head. “Yeah, I’m not riding with you.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“No way in hell, that’s all I need.”

“Get in or we throw you in.”

She flips us off and heads across the yard, so we roll beside her, stopping when she does.

At the fucking dude’s house.

She leans against the porch, pretending we’re not watching and Royce drops back against his seat.

“The fuck’s she doin’?”

Me and Cap say nothing, but watch as Bass fucking Bishop strolls out, looking like the other part to her duo, black, slick-backed hair, piercings, and shit.

He hops off the porch and they start walking, completely fucking ignoring the fact that we’re trailing her ass.

Fuck this.

I hit the brakes. “Go get her.”

With a laugh, Royce jumps and runs for her, tossing her over his shoulder as he salutes the fucker beside her.