I sucked in a breath and held it to calm my nerves.
“It’s almost time for breakfast,” he said.
“You mean lining up the boxes of cereals?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Talon said.
“You know cereal is not healthy for you, right?”
“Sorry we can’t afford farm fresh organic eggs with some fucking kale and goat cheese…”
I laughed. “Trocs… so jealous. That’s why nothing happens between us in bed, Talon. You’d get jealous about never having it again.”
I started to walk around him and he stopped me. “Let’s clear the air. If I wanted it, I’d get it. And you’d be the one forever ruined. Now, with that said, you owe me some money.”
I looked up at Talon and curled my lip. “I know.”
“I saved your ass last night from Brock. And I saved you from Emily. It’s time to pay up.”
“I can’t go back there yet,” I said. “They know…”
“This is the part where I tell you it’s not my problem.”
I swallowed hard.
I hated all the Trocs.
Chapter 2
The old story
Gia.
When I saw her little, yellow car, my eyes filled with tears.
I stood on the porch with Talon, Emily, and Kace.
I had to watch Emily smoke like a chimney while Kace’s hands were all over her. He stood behind her and had no problems groping her ass, working up her side, and even cupping her chest.
Emily loved the attention.
She would groan and lean back against Kace and wiggle her body against him.
It made me blush because I wasn’t sure if that’s what Talon and I should have been doing…
“Everyone inside,” Talon ordered. “Leave Winter alone with her friend.”
“Oh, another Bump,” Emily said. “Is she as pretty as you, Winter?”
I looked at Emily.
Emily blinked.
I blushed even harder.
Talon got everyone inside and paused at the front door.
“See what I do for you?” he asked.
“My hero,” I said.
“Get the cash, darling.”
He slammed the door shut.
I didn’t care about him being an ass to me.
I jumped off the porch and ran toward the yellow car.
As Gia climbed out of the car, tears started to roll down my cheeks.
I felt so dumb for it, but I couldn’t control it.
It was like I hadn’t seen Gia in six months.
She hurried around her open door and we jumped at each other.
We hugged and fell to the ground.
Literally.
One of us was supposed to keep our feet on the ground, but we didn’t.
We collapsed to the ground, hugging and laughing.
With me crying.
“It’s really you,” Gia said.
“It’s really me,” I said. “Look at me…”
“You smell like a Troc.”
“I feel like one,” I said. “Save me.”
“Come home,” she said. “Please…”
“Gia,” I said. I looked around. “Did you bring the money?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Want it now?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I have to get Talon off my back. Then we can talk. Okay?”
“Here?”
“Maybe we’ll go for a ride. But you have to stay local. Noah, Easton, and Xavier… fuck. What if they followed you here?”
“You’re being paranoid.”
“I’m not,” I said. “They know we’re friends. Your car is bright yellow.”
“Okay, now you’re freaking me out,” Gia said.
“Did you notice anyone following you or anything?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “I wasn’t looking…”
I hurried to my feet. “Your car is hidden here. We better stay.”
Talon’s house was hidden by overgrown shrubs and bushes.
It looked like crap but it was actually a good thing.
Then again, if anyone followed Gia, it didn’t matter.
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like it at all.
My tears were instantly dried. Replaced by the old feeling of paranoia.
Welcome to the world of Winter.
“Do I need to count this?” Talon asked as he stood over Gia and I.
We sat on the top step.
He stood on the porch.
“Do you think I would cheat you?” I asked.
“What about you?” Talon asked Gia.
Her face turned red. “I grabbed what Winter told me to grab.”
“Okay,” Talon said.
He went back into the house.
“Sorry about that,” I said. “He’s such an ass.”
“I can see that,” Gia said. “At least he’s helping.”
“He’s getting paid to help.”
“I can’t believe this, Winter.”
“I know,” I said.
“Just… tell me what happened.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “That’s the worst part.”
“Well, tell me what you know then.”
“We were at the ball. And it was going okay. It was what they said it would be. There were a few situations, but nothing too crazy. They took care of me, Gia. They protected me. I felt close to them. Like really close. I felt so close that I started wondering what I wanted to do. What I was actually doing.”
“Oh, Winter,” Gia said. “You fell for them?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way. I kind of understand them.”
“They wanted to kill to you. They tried to kill you.”
“I know, Gia,” I said. “That’s what makes it so confusing for me. I don’t get it. They’re all broken. Just like us. The Bumps are so fake. At least being here, the Trocs are real.”
“Seriously?” Gia asked.
“I mean it. They’re dirty and poor. They smoke. Drink. Fuck. They have no problem with it. There’s nothing to hide. It’s kind of freeing. It’s hard to get used to, but just being here…”
“Tell me you don’t want to be a Troc,” Gia said.
“What? No. I want to go home.” I smiled. “I’m just making a point. Getting close to Noah, Easton, and Xavier showed me who they were. Who they really are. It’s… sad. That’s the word I’m looking for. It’s sad. Their lives. Their parents. The money and power. They have that, but they have to work so hard to keep it and manage it. It’s exhausting.”
“Yet their money and power has you hiding here,” Gia said.
“For now.”
“For how long?” Gia asked.
“I don’t know yet.”
Gia shook her head. “I hate this.”
“Me too. It came out of nowhere. I went to sleep and felt good. I felt great. Other than being confused.”
“Because you stupidly got your heart involved.”
“Please don’t attack me,” I said. “I know how much I messed this up.”