Page 67 of Always: A Legacy Novel

A little less, but who was fucking counting?

“Someone let me know they saw you chatting up Catherine this morning before homeroom. A bit too close, they said.”

“People at this school should learn to mind their business.”

“Better they don’t. I’ve seen you staring once or twice. Back off. You’ve got a girlfriend, stick to her.”

Yeah, that was quite enough playtime for Cross.

“First, shut your face before I break it. Second, what I do is none of your business. Fuck off back to whatever hole you crawled out of, Derik.”

Cross laughed, put his hand on Derik’s shoulder, and pushed to move him out of the way. He added, “I can talk to whoever the hell I want. I don’t need your permission to do fuck all. Don’t come to me, and expect me to ask you how high when you demand I jump. I answer to no one. I don’t give a single shit what you want. Got it?”

Derik moved forward in an instant so that he stood toe to toe with Cross. “You heard what I said.”

“Threats will get you everywhere you don’t want to be with me,” Cross said. “Fair warning, and it’s the only one you’re going to get, fucker.”

He hadn’t realized it until then, but the locker room was a hell of a lot quieter than it had been a few minutes ago. He still didn’t take his eyes off Derik.

“Did you ever even get the chance to fuck Catherine?” Derik asked lowly.

Cross didn’t respond.

Derik only laughed. “Yeah, I bet not. Shit, she’s not so young now. I’ll let you know how she tastes once I hit it, though. Nearly got it last night, actually. Fair’s fair, right?”

Rage was a blissful thing to Cross.

A beautiful thing.

A bad, terrible, and wonderful thing.

He felt nothing else but rage in that moment.

Cross didn’t even think or consider what it would mean when he drilled Derik in the face with a punch hard enough to break his nose and send him flying back into the lockers. No, he didn’t think at all.

He simply hit the guy again.

And again.

Damn.

His birthday had started out so well, too.

“Mr. Donati, this is your son’s fifth suspension in as many years as he’s been attending the Academy for fighting specifically,” the principal said. “That’s not even counting suspensions for other infractions.”

Cross tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling. With his earbuds in his ears, he could pretend like he wasn’t listening to the conversation happening between his step-father and the principal, all the while ignore his sore knuckles.

“Yes, I’m quite aware of how many times he’s gotten into fights here,” Calisto muttered, “and yet, your school keeps inviting him back year after year and taking my damn money.”

“He is this close to not getting invited back, sir.”

Calisto sighed heavily. “There’s a fundraiser coming up, right? The school wants a second library in order to not share between upper and lower grades. I could cut your needed donations in half, if I knew the cost you were looking at.”

Bribes all smelled the same.

Like dirty money and shame.

Not the Donati’s shame, though.