Chapter 2
Chapter Two
AIDEN
Sonny was a pretty boy and not my usual hookup. But his nice, plump lips would look good wrapped around my cock. My balls tightened in anticipation of the moment he was on his knees for me.
I usually choose boys like Marcello. Thick in the arms and chest, sort of wild and mysterious. Marcello reminded me of a boxer and was built like one. I would have been interested if he weren’t straight as an arrow and one of my sister’s marriage options.
Alex shook Sonny’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Sonny. I’ve never even been on a boat before. But sure. That sounds like fun.”
“Never?” Sonny covered his heart with his hand and feigned a look of shock. “I need to rectify that immediately.” He glanced at me. “You should come, too. So I can get to know you better.”
He didn’t ask my name because he already knew it. The Cormacs were among the five founding families of Devil’s Creek, just like the Wellingtons and the Salvatores.
“If we have time.” I rolled my shoulders, acting like I didn’t care about the invite when I really wanted to go. “Our grandfather keeps us busy.”
“Doing what, prey tell?” Sonny invaded my space, and the scent of bergamot awakened my senses. “The Wellingtons are such a mystery to the rest of us. Your family keeps a lot of secrets. How about I share a few of mine with you over drinks?”
Marcello cleared his throat. “Tone it down, Son.” He grabbed Sonny’s shoulder and pulled him backward. “He just got here. Don’t scare him off already.”
“I’m not afraid of him,” I snapped. “Or any of you. I don’t give a shit how much money all of you have. I can’t be bought, and neither can Alex.”
“No one is trying to buy you.” Sonny brushed his muscular bicep against mine, staring at my bottom lip like he wanted to take it between his teeth. “I can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.”
To still the rapid beating of my heart, I breathed deeply through my nose and stuffed my hands in my pockets. He smelled too good, and… Fuck, he was hot and hitting on me.
“I’ll see you and your sister this weekend, yeah?”
I swallowed hard and bobbed my head.
“Good.” He smiled. “Say Saturday around noon at the marina?”
I bit the inside of my cheek, annoyed I was agreeing to hang out with this preppy-ass motherfucker. “Yeah, sure.” I glanced down at Alex. “For my sister, I’ll go.”
Alex tugged on my arm, excited about going on a yacht. Our parents never took us on vacation, not even a day trip to the zoo. We were only allowed to leave the house for school, and we were mentally and physically abused for years. Mommy Dearest treated Alex worse because she was the spitting image of her. We both were. But Alex was better and prettier than our mother at everything, so she got the brunt of her anger.
“We’ll take good care of your sister,” Bastian said with a sinister grin plastered on his stupid fucking face. “She’s in good hands, Wellington.”
I snarled at him. “Don’t even think about putting your hands on her.”
Alex pulled on my jacket, steeling my attention back to her. “I can handle myself, Aid. Don’t worry about me.”
I shook my head. “Lexie.”
“Aiden,” she said to match my tone. “I will be fine. Years of enduring Mom has prepared me for them,” she whispered, but with their proximity, they could probably hear her. “Trust me.”
“Text or call if you need me. I’ll leave class. I don’t care if I get in trouble.”
A smile lit up her blue eyes, even though I could see she was putting on a solid front. “You should go before you’re late. The bell is about to ring.”
We were identical in almost every way, down to the shapes of our faces and the unruly curly hair I cut short. Alex’s curls were all over the place, framing her heart-shaped face. She couldn’t tame it no matter what she put in her hair. Despite our similarities, she was about a foot shorter than me, a skinny thing I could tuck under my arm and rest my chin on her head.
I breathed in Alex’s sweet perfume and released her from my grip, my eyes darting between the Salvatore brothers. “Don’t fucking touch her.”
Damian laughed.
Bastian smirked.
Luca pushed off from the wall of lockers and bumped his arm into mine. “This is my town. My school. What you want is irrelevant. The only name that matters here is Salvatore. The sooner you realize that the easier things will be for you and your sister.”
I slammed my palms into his chest, but he was solid beneath his jacket and the same height as me, so he barely moved a millimeter. “Don’t threaten my sister.”
Sonny cupped my shoulder while Marcello backed Luca into the lockers to separate us.
“Don’t start with him,” Sonny warned. “You won’t win a fight with Luca.”
I shoved his hand off my shoulder. “Don’t tell me what to do, Pretty Boy. I won’t stand here and let them threaten my sister.”
“No one’s threatening anyone,” Bastian chimed, rolling his eyes like he was bored with this conversation. “Chill the fuck out.”
“Time to get going, Wellington.” Luca flung out his hand to dismiss me. “You can’t afford to miss a class. Not with your horrible grades.”
“Aid, please,” Alex begged me with her eyes, pleading for me to leave her with these arrogant jerks. “Just go. I’ll see you after school.”
Alex was strong, even when she saw herself as weak. Like me, she was a survivor. To put up with our mother, she had to be tough. Alex could handle the Salvatore brothers.
I let our fingers brush once more. “I’ll meet you here after school.”
She nodded, a sad expression crossing her face as I walked away.
I hated leaving her.
Sonny joined me seconds later. “You’re either brave or stupid.” His palm slammed into my back, nearly knocking the wind out of me. “But I like you, Wellington. You got balls. Not many people have the guts to stand up to Luca.”
“I’ve dealt with worse than him,” I fired back. “And when it comes to my sister, there’s nothing I won’t do for her.”
“Yeah.” He let out a throaty chuckle. “I can see that. It’s kinda hot seeing you stand up to the Salvatore brothers.”
I snapped my head at him. “I’m not into pretty boys.”
“Everyone is into me.” He smirked, confident that he was a gift to the world and everyone in it. “You’ll see. Give it time.”
Cocky motherfucker .
When the hallway split into two, he darted in the opposite direction without another word.
I bet everyone was into him.
Me included.