Chapter 5

FIVE

I have a couple of hours before I need to be at the garage for my shift. Usually, I'd crash and get some much-needed sleep, but for some reason I shower and dress in my overalls, leaning into Alice's door. She has a room here she can use whenever she needs to stay, and after last night, I didn't want her far from me. Her dorm is always empty since she prefers it here.

She looks up from where she's packing her bag with a frown. "You should be asleep. I heard you come in only an hour ago. Busy night at work?"

"Something like that." The wad of cash burns a hole in my pocket, reminding me I need to use it later to pay for her new laptop. "Grab your shit. I'm driving you to school."

"I can take the bus. You need to sleep," she protests, but I just raise my eyebrow and she sighs, knowing better than to argue with me. "You've never driven me to school before. Why now?" she mutters as I grab my keys and lock up after us.

The house isn't bad for what we pay, and it has an underground garage connected to all the houses on the street, which I like. She stares at me the entire way down, and when I start the car, she turns to me. "You're freaking me out. Why are you driving me? "

"I have to be at the garage early, and this is on the way. Seat belt," I tell her.

Her eyes narrow, but she obediently fastens it, and I pull out, heading into early morning traffic. The truth is, I don't know why either. Maybe it's my lingering fear due to what could have happened to her last night after class. She has the pepper spray I bought her, but she didn't use it. I'll need to have another talk with her. Maybe I can ask Bones to help her with some self-defense classes. He's the best at that kind of thing. It might ease my mind a little since I know if I overpower her with my protective instincts, she'll just rebel.

"Don't touch the music," I mutter as she reaches for the dial. She sits back with a sigh, knowing better. Hell, I don't usually let anyone in my car. She's the exception since she's my sister, but she knows better than to fuck with my baby.

It doesn't take us long to get to her fancy as fuck campus, and I park near the art building, idling at the curb as she grabs her bag and looks at me. The sun shines on her dark hair, hair we got from our mom. For a moment, she looks so much like her it hurts, and I lean in, dropping a kiss to her forehead. "Be good today. Call me if you need anything, and don't leave class alone tonight. Get someone to walk you."

"I'll ask Evan," she teases as she leans back, eyes twinkling.

I glare at her. "Anyone but that idiot."

Laughing, she climbs from my car, leaning down to look at me. "I don't know. He's kind of cute. Maybe I will." She slams the door and skips to the sidewalk, heading to class. I fist the wheel as I glare after her.

Evan? Cute?

She's fucking blind.

As if us speaking of the devil made him appear, he skates past me on a board. His straight, icy hair flows in the wind like we are in some fucking commercial. His eyes are bloodshot and red, but there's a smile curving his pierced lip. Wearing baggy jeans, with paint splattered across them, and an oversized shirt, he's the total opposite of me in my all-black attire. For a moment, I debate running him over for making my sister look at him, and my lips curl into a smile at the idea, even as my heart races with the thought. Stupid organ. When he's out of sight, it finally seems to calm down, and so does my anger, so they must be linked.

Shaking my head, I lay my arm across the other seat and reverse, leaving my sister and that idiot to their education.

I skipped out of work early, something I never do, but I'm exhausted and my boss could see that. Luckily, I'm a hard worker, so he let it slide, but I can't make this a regular thing. Rubbing my face, I lean back in my car as I wait. My overalls are tied at my waist, and my black shirt is stretched across my aching muscles. Today was long and hard, and I regret not getting any sleep, but I couldn't just go home. I'd be too worried about Alice, so I'm waiting for her class to end so we can eat and go together. The campus is quiet at this time of night, since her classes run late, and I relax in the peace and quiet until a shrill voice startles me.

"Oh my gosh, I love your car!"

Frowning, I blink at the short, pink-haired girl bouncing on her toes, standing way too close to me. She has a designer bag clutched in her hand, and her perfectly glossed lips curve into a smile. She's cute, I guess, with curves most guys would die to touch, but only annoyance flares through me as her shrill voice comes again, making my aching head hurt worse. "Can I touch it?"

"No," I warn with a deep frown.

"Oh." She wilts for a moment before perking up despite my angry rejection. "Are you here to pick up your girlfriend?"

"No." I shove my hands into my pockets, glaring at her so she gets the picture and steps away, but she just moves closer until her overwhelming perfume nearly makes me sneeze, fluttering her fake lashes like she's trying to take off .

"Well, in that case, how about we go for a drive? I really like your car."

"No," I snap harshly.

"I wouldn't," comes a familiar, husky voice, and I jerk my head around to see Evan leaning on his board, grinning at me. "He's an asshole."

"Oh." The girl looks between us and then smiles at Evan. "I don't mind."

Fuck, can this girl find any self-respect? She's practically throwing herself at me despite the warnings to fuck off.

I sit taller, eyeing Evan despite the girl trying her hardest to get my attention. He looks tired, but he's smiling. Why is he always smiling? I notice dimples in his cheeks as he directs his grin at the girl, and I don't like that.

"Fuck off, rich boy," I snap, drawing his gaze back to me, and his smile turns into a frown, which is better. He shouldn't smile at people all the time, especially her.

"You're much too cute for him," he comments to her, winking. "Trust me, he isn't worth the effort."

"You don't know a thing about me, rich boy," I retort.

"No? You have a younger sister you love, you fight like a beast, and you like cars, especially yours. You think you're better than everyone and hate anyone who comes from money. How am I doing?" He tilts his head, both of us glaring at each other.

"I only hate you, rich boy," I say.

"Really? I feel so fucking special," he sneers, stepping closer, and I push from my car, refusing to back down. He runs his eyes over me.

"Stop it," I warn. "Stop fucking looking at me like that."

"Like what?" he teases, his fucking dimpled smile back in place as a strand of his icy hair blows across his face. I have the insane urge to fist it and drag him closer.

"Like you want me," I hiss. "It's disgusting."

"Trust me, asshole, if I wanted you, you would know it." He grins. "I was just thinking black brings out the color of the asshole in your eyes and makes you look good. "

I blink, looking down. My shirt got stained at work, and I borrowed this. It's too tight, and I never wear color. I instantly regret it. "Fuck off. Stop fucking with me."

His tongue plays with his lip ring. "Can I touch your car?" he asks sweetly, fluttering his eyes as he glances up at me, and something about that look has my muscles tightening and my heart skipping a beat.

"You are the last person I would ever let touch my baby," I growl.

"Your baby, huh?" He steps back, eyeing the car. "I can see the resemblance. Both are all souped up with no real drive."

"The fuck did you just say?" I snap. "I'll have you know this engine?—"

"Blah, blah, blah, I stroke my dick to car magazines." I gape as he laughs. "What a shame your friend left. I'm sure she would have listened to you ramble on."

It's only then that I notice the girl left during our argument.

"Where did she go?" I frown. When did she go? I'm grateful, but I don't like being unaware of anything.

"Why? Want a taste of rich kids now?" he taunts.

"Fuck off, it's not safe to walk around campus alone at night."

He eyes me, working that fucking lip ring again, and I want to rip it from his mouth. "She left with her friends." He nods after a pink car squealing away. "Guess you were too busy to notice."

My hands ball into fists as I glare at him. "That's because you piss me off, rich boy."

"Name's Evan," he drawls, "but you remember that."

"Trust me, I'll forget everything about you in a minute."

"Really? You keep calling me rich boy and remembering me, so what does that tell you?"

Gripping his oversized shirt, I haul him closer, getting right in his face. "Listen here, rich boy?—"

"What, asshole?" He smirks. "Are you going to hit me or kiss me?"

"You fucking?—"

"Am I interrupting something?" My sister's voice causes me to whip my head around. Both of her eyebrows are raised as she looks between us. I push him away, and he laughs as he straightens his shirt, gripping his board as he blows her a kiss.

"Nah, just saying hi to your brother and stopping him from scaring off all the girls with his glare," he teases.

I point at him. "Stop fucking talking to my sister."

She clears her throat, marching up to me. "No, you stop being an asshole. I can talk to whomever I want," she snaps, the anger that runs in our family rearing its head. "Thank you for sitting with me at lunch, Evan. I really appreciate it. See you tomorrow."

"Why will you see him tomorrow?" I ask, crossing my arms as I stare her down.

She glares at me. "He's our model for sculpture class."

I blink, turning my head to him to see him grinning. "Nude model." He sweeps his tongue over his lips. "Maybe you should come, asshole. You seem interested."

"Listen here, rich boy—" I start.

"Alek," Alice snaps. "Stop being such a fucking bully just because you're tired. Let's go home and get you some sleep. I'm sick of your attitude."

"Tired, huh? Long night thinking of me?" Evan teases as he drops his board and grins at me. "Try not to dream of me tonight, asshole." He leaves, skating away, and I'm left gaping after him.

"Can you fucking believe that prick?" I seethe as I storm around my car.

Alice laughs. "He gets under your skin," she comments as she climbs in, and I start my engine.

I tighten my hands on my wheel and glare at her. "No, he doesn't."

"Oh yes he does, big brother. Sculpture class is at eleven if you want to come." She winks.

"You shut up as well," I mutter as I pull out, my eyes going back to the rich asshole riding his board without a care, that smile still on his lips.