Chapter One

"Fuck, marry, or kill?" Gauge clamps his palm to my shoulder and gives me a shake, nodding toward Taylor. She flips her auburn hair off her shoulder and laughs when she catches us staring.

"Kill." Bitch is too annoying for my taste. I take another sip from my flask, twist the cap back on, and shove it back in the pocket of my jacket. The whiskey warms the back of my throat. I scan the cafeteria, checking out my options since I dumped Britney. I'm sick of this school. It's always the same shit on a different day.

"I hear you. She's a stuck-up bitch."

"I'd fuck her," Remy says with a shrug.

"You'd stick your dick in anything, including Gauge's grandma."

"Eat shit," Gauge barks, and we all laugh.

"Can't wait for college. It'll be a pussy smorgasbord."

"There's more to life besides getting laid," I mutter. That's all we've done throughout high school, is party and get laid. Not that it hasn't been fun, but there's gotta be something more out there besides chasing ass all the damn time. It gets old.

"That's because you've already fucked any ass around here worth tapping. Might be time to switch teams at the rate you're going." Remy chuckles as I flip him the bird.

"Your little sister is filling out nicely." I grin. I still owe him. He screwed Britney. Sure, I dared her to do it, but I didn't think either of them would actually do it. We were drunk and bored, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Like maybe it wasn't the first time they'd fucked.

"That's not cool, bro. Take that shit back."

"She's a freshman this year, right?" I start to move from my seat when he shoves me back down.

"Don't talk about Penelope like that."

"All right. All right. Relax. I won't fuck her…yet."

Gauge roars with laughter and Remy punches me in the shoulder as hard as he can, but I pretend it didn't hurt. The cafeteria doors open, and my heart rate speeds up. The most gorgeous girl I've ever laid my eyes on is in front of me.

"All right. What about her?" Remy forgets all about what I said about nailing his sister. Like Gauge and I, he's locked in on the gorgeous creature who just entered our kingdom.

"My next conquest," I tell him.

"It's open season," Remy reminds me that also another first is the three of us are single. We made a pact that we'd dump our clingy girlfriends. No strings. Senior year. The wolf pack is on the prowl. And like that, every thought I had about being done chasing ass are forgotten.

This girl is all mine.

"Fuck, marry or kill?" Gauge starts in.

"All three," I murmur.

My best friends stare at me. Since we started this stupid game, I've never answered with more than one choice for anyone.

"No way. You aren't getting anywhere near her panties. Look at her. She's one of those, you know, good girls."

Oh. I'm looking all right. Yeah, she's got that sugary good girl vibe. Baby pink sweater paired with a plaid skirt to match. Fidgeting with the string of pearls around her slender neck. Pale blonde hair styled to hug her shoulders in sleek waves. Unblemished skin and pink lips. No makeup other than lip gloss. A natural beauty. Curves in the right places. Knee-high socks I'd like to peel off her. My gaze hits her shoes. Black converse.

Picture perfect. An all-American girl. I bet she does everything she's told.

"Watch me."

"You don't stand a chance."

"Wanna put a wager on it?" Remy questions.

I stare across the cafeteria where she stands looking like a flightless bird who's not quite ready to leave the safety of the nest. Pure and tempting. A porcelain doll I can't wait to break. The kind of girl I'll gladly burn in hell for ruining. "Name your terms."

"Five hundred dollars says neither of you dick licks gets between those thighs by Halloween. Video proof or it doesn't count," Gauge says.

"You're on." I look at Remy and before he's finished agreeing, I'm out of my chair and standing in front of my target. "Hi."

Her pretty, grayish blue eyes cloud over. "Hey."

"Wanna sit with me?"

"Sit with you?" she parrots.

"Why not?" I sling an arm over her shoulder. Her eyes darken, those pearly white teeth sink into her plump bottom lip. "Stick with me. I'm the king around here and if you play your cards right, lil' doll. I'll make you a queen."

"Tempting offer." She smirks, and I guide her toward our table.

Britney shoots daggers at me, but I ignore her. She's yesterday's news. I have a new plaything. A new dolly to toy with.

"Need somewhere to sit? You can start with my face," Remy tells her.

Her cheeks bloom with color. "Gross."

"Don't mind Remy, he's not been housebroken yet." I flash her my dimpled smile.

"I won't."

"I'm Gauge and that ass clown is Remy. We're the wolf pack."

Remy howls.

"Wolf pack?" The corner of her mouth twitches. "Are you like a gang or something?"

"We run things around here. If you want to fit in, be invited to the parties…you'll keep on our good side."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"Just a warning. We have a certain way of doing things around here."

"I'm sure you do."

"Hey, you decided to stay. Come on, I saved you a seat." Lauren, one of the biggest nerds on the planet, interrupts, looping their arms together.

Remy reaches forward and pinches the new girl on the ass. Her body twists around. Thwack. Her hand whips across his cheek.

Oh shit.

The cafeteria grows quiet. Unshed tears threaten to fall as she scowls at the three of us.

"My office. Now," Vice Principal Kipling booms.

"I'll catch up with you later, Lauren."

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

Her head shifts with a slight shake indicating no.

"Miss Darlington, come on in," Kipling calls. I glance her way, noticing her face turning red. Her gaze meets mine, and I shoot her a wink that earns me a smile that goes unnoticed by the others. Our first secret. There's something familiar in her smile and behind the shadow in her eyes. I feel as though we're old friends. She's not saying shit. Not if she knows what's good for her.

"Way to go, losers." Gauge shakes his head as we wait outside Kipling's door.

"Shut up," Remy warns.

"You just had to grab her ass, didn't you?"

He shrugs. "Good way to test how easy she'll be to break."

He's not wrong, but if my mother receives a call about this, I'll catch hell.

"She'll keep quiet."

"No way," Gauge argues. "Bitch will rat. Coach is going to kill us."

He's not wrong. If we miss practice, that bastard will force us to do laps until we puke.

"You three." Kipling holds his arm out and motions us into his office.

Her fingerprints still mark Remy's cheek and part of me is jealous of the fact that she touched him. It pisses me off, but my thoughts flash to our secret smile. I'll have her panties off before Saturday.

She sits in a chair to the side, prim and proper, legs crossed at the ankles. The only thing that gives her away are the tears staining her cheeks. She ratted.

"I don't tolerate sexual harassment at this school. One more strike and none of you will walk at graduation. You screw up a fraction of an inch and I'll ban you from prom, the senior trip. Military school isn't off the table. Should I keep going or have I spelled it out clearly enough for you?"

"No, sir," Gauge answers.

"Detention after school. All of you. You too." His gaze shifts to the new chick.

Her bottom lip quivers. I bet she's never been in trouble a day in her life. "While Mr. Young may have deserved that slap, I can't condone violence nor reward it. Remy. Gauge. You're both free to leave."

Great.Guess we're not finished.

My friends snicker under their breath as they leave me to face my stepfather on my own. Assholes. Did I fail to mention that Mr. Kipling is married to my mother?

The door closes and his eyes narrow on me. "You'll recall I told you my niece would be coming to live with us?"

"What about it?" The second the words leave my mouth, his register. His niece. I glance at the new girl. I did not see that coming.

"Kyson. You remember Dahlia?"

The Dahlia I remember did not look like this. She was short, pudgy, had acne, braces, and stringy hair. There's no way the gorgeous girl blushing under my stare is the one I mooed at when we were ten. No friggin' way is she the girl who was my first kiss.

"I have a debate team meet to host and your mother was called in at the hospital, so I'll need you to give Dahlia a ride home, and I don't want your loser friends in the car with her. They've done enough damage for the day."

"Yes, sir."

"I take it I won't have any more trouble where Dahlia is concerned?"

"No, sir."

"Good. I'll see you both later tonight for dinner. And, Kyson. Be a good sport and show Dahlia around town and the house. It's been some years since she visited."

"You can count on me."

I'll show her around all right.