Chapter 6
We made our way along the winding, tree-lined roads that snaked through the Cape Canyon College campus. Scanning the manicured lawns and giant oaks, I couldn’t deny that I was impressed.
I’d seen pictures of it online, but the images didn’t do it justice.
The campus was beautiful.
Clearly Byron had spared no expense when he’d started this school, determined to offer a level of prestige few other schools could match. It was a playground for the truly wealthy and just like my new stepbrothers had tried to claim, I was apparently one of them now.
Dacre pulled into a parking spot in front of an ivy-clad building with gorgeous arched walkways. Groups of people milling about on campus turned to stare as he cut the engine.
Being an Aston was like being a celebrity.
“Want me to show you where you need to go?” he asked, assessing eyes burning over my skin.
I stared back, meeting the challenge. Given the muscle stacked on muscle covering his body, he could probably end me with his bare hands. But after life with my father, I didn’t scare easily. The only thing I was afraid of was the man himself.
When it came to Dacre, the only person I had to worry about was me. Especially after he’d comforted me over my mother’s scrutiny this morning.
Why would he be so nice to me?
And why couldn’t I just hate these guys liked I’d planned?
I climbed out of the car, chastising myself. I had to keep my distance.
“I don’t need a tour guide,” I said flatly in an effort to push him away.
Dacre got out of the car on the other side, glaring at me over the top. “Wow, someone has her panties in a fucking knot today.”
Tossing his book bag over one shoulder, he rounded the car, his attention rooting me to the spot and making my heart pound in my chest. Images flooded my head of him stalking towards me like that, pinning me to the side of the car and sliding a hand up my skirt.
I clenched my teeth, forcing the image out of my head.
You’re sick, Dempsey. He’s your stepbrother.
I couldn’t work out if it was the wealth, the power, or the fact all three of them were walking sex dreams in very different ways that had me fantasizing about them while I was awake and asleep.
“You have no business thinking about my panties,” I challenged Dacre.
I swallowed at the way his eyes roamed over my body and down my bare legs in my skirt.
“Sorry Bambi, but you have no control over where my mind goes.”
Presley’s car roared up into the space beside us, drawing even more attention to us. Dacre moved in, not quite close enough to be improper, but close enough that my traitorous body noticed.
Fuck. Wanting him—or any of them—was a one-way ticket to hell. My mother would end me. Byron would no doubt lose his shit. I’d be locked inside that house for life. Or worse, sent back to hell.
So I shoved past Dacre to the path. “Enjoy fucking me in your mind. It’ll be the only place you ever get me.”
Lies. All lies.
I just hoped they believed me, because the second I gave in to these feelings of need and pure recklessness, it would ruin all of us.
Presley called my name and I glanced back to find Dacre’s hard gaze locked on me. His expression morphed into a scowl a moment before a heavy arm landed on my shoulders, startling me.
“If it isn’t my favorite fuck,” Trenton said, grinning down at me like a smug asshole.
Between my mother, my stepbrothers, and now Trent, I really couldn’t catch a damn break today.
Dacre and Presley watched me walk away with Trenton until we were out of sight.
“Have a good weekend, babe?” Trenton asked, his arm like a deadweight around me.
The urge to shove him in the bushes lining the walkway burned hot and strong inside me. But I was new here, I needed to bide my time and work out the pecking order. Clearly the Astons were at the top, but I got the feeling Trenton wasn’t all that far behind. I couldn’t afford to make enemies for the sake of it. Even if the guy was a raging asshole.
Normally I was partial to a hot guy calling me babe, but not this one. Given his less than impressive skills when it came to getting a woman off, I’d be happy for him to never utter my name again. Being with him had been the most lackluster ninety seconds of my life.
“It was fine, thanks.”
He gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Well, your week is looking up, because I’m here to show you around. All the best dining halls to hit, the right clubs to join…” He stopped short, pulling me with him and winking at me. “The best places to hook up between classes.”
I forced out a smile, extricating myself from him now that we were far enough away from Dacre and Presley. “I’m good on my own, I’ve got it covered.”
Trenton’s face clouded with annoyance. “You’re not really getting how this works.” He closed the space between us, my back brushing the bricks of the archway to the building. “We hooked up. That means you’re mine now.”
I had to resist the urge to snort at his fucking audacity. “Yours?”
He straightened, smiling that smarmy fucking smile again. “I claimed you that first night at your mother’s wedding, which means all other guys will back off. You may as well embrace it, babe. You and I are a thing now, no one else will touch you.”
Anger surged inside me. Was this really how things worked in his world? “I licked it, so it’s mine”?
Only he hadn’t licked it. He’d rubbed at my left flap for ten seconds and asked me if I was close. There was no way in hell I was committing myself to spending any more time with him than I already had. And I definitely wasn’t going to let people think we were together. Screw the pecking order.
I put a hand to his chest. He clearly thought I was about to pull him close and suck his face off, because his eyes heated with lust.
“Let me be really clear, Trenton.” I paused for dramatic effect. “I’d rather be paddled by a pack of laughing monkeys until my ass is red raw than hook up with you again.”
His lust evaporated in an instant, replaced by a dark rage.
“What did you just say to me?” His tone was low and vicious, but there was no way I was going to be intimidated by a guy who didn’t know how to find the clit. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
I smirked at him, stealing the move from my stepbrothers. “Oh, did you forget? I’m an Aston now.”
Not waiting for his reply, I shoved past him, strolling away.
I’d only made it ten steps when a slow clap sounded from behind me to the right. Instantly on edge, I glanced over my shoulder.
The girl walking towards me looked like a damn bikini model. Striking brown eyes, dark skin, long black hair, and the most perfect curves I’d ever seen. If I played both ways, I’d definitely flirt with her. Maybe beg her to sleep with me.
“I’ve never seen someone shut that date-rapist-in-training down like that. That sorry sack of shit has had it coming, but all the girls around here are too scared to piss off him or his daddy.”
I frowned. “I don’t even know who his daddy is.”
“Be thankful for that. The apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree there.”
I tried to picture Trent with a bigger ego, a bigger bank account, and a few more decades of self-entitlement, and a shudder ran through me.
The girl picked up on it, letting out a laugh that showed off a set of straight white teeth.
“Exactly. It’s a terrifying sight.” She linked her arm with mine and we started walking. “I’ve heard about the famous new lady of Aston house, and now that I’ve seen just how well you can handle these assholes, I have to tell you something.”
I shot a sideways glance as we walked, waiting.
“We’re going to be friends.”
I chuckled. “First of all, the new lady of Aston house is my mother. Second, don’t I get a say in who I’m friends with?”
She stopped, looking around, her eyes alight with humor. “I don’t really see anyone else volunteering for the position, do you?”
I tilted my head side to side like I agreed. “Okay, so you’ve got me there. But they just haven’t met me yet.”
“Oh, trust me when I say they won’t be able to handle you. Nor will they be as amazing as me. The personalities around here are dry.”
I couldn’t help my laugh. “Dempsey.” I offered her my hand.
She took it, giving it a firm shake. “Arena Afia.”
“Looks like I can check making friends off my list.”
She gave me a blinding smile.
“It’s amazing how quickly one asshole can bond two women together.”