“Do you know who our father is?” Dominic asked so coldly that the obese man stopped in his tracks. Then a simple whisper revealed a name that had the customers scurrying to leave. “Lucifer.”

The eyes that had stared at Angel in suspicion now held fear. In that moment, he would never forget how it felt like thousands of dung beetles covered his body as their tiny legs skated across his skin.

The old man began to stutter, about to piss himself. “I-I-I didn’t know. I-I’m s-sorry.”

“Matthias, get the candy you wanted,” Dominic ordered his little brother without taking his eyes off the cashier.

Matthias wasted no time obeying, grabbing the gummies he had originally picked up and holding them with his second choice of plain doughnuts.

Putting the twenty back in his pocket, Dominic grinned as they all began to leave. “If you’d like, I’ll have my dad come by to pay you back?”

All the cashier did was violently shake his head from side to side.

“Thought so.” Dominic spat on the floor before leaving.

It was everything Angel could do not to run from the eyes and the whispers that had travelled through the air, but he hadn’t. Instead, he had chosen to walk steadily beside his proud older brother while making a silent promise to himself that he would do whatever it took not to have the beetles crawl over his skin again …

…The doors he stood beside flew open as students started to file out. He waited until it seemed like no one was left when the door flew open again, two giggling girls coming out. The tall brunette already belonged to a Caruso, but the short one was the one who had already gotten under his skin.

Following behind them with Tom, he whispered over to him, “Exactly who did Lucca assign me to watch?”

When his question was answered with a single smile, Angel’s eyes went back to the short, troublesome brunette.

Adalyn.

It was a nice name … for an unfortunate girl.

Six

Chicken Nuggets Wait for No One

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were the girls’ long days, having two classes in the morning and one in the afternoon, giving them time for lunch in between. They usually went to the cafeteria during their break, which gave them a couple of options, or one of the few fast food options in the school’s mini food court—Adalyn’s obvious favorite.

They also usually met Elle and Maria at the cafeteria, but Adalyn wondered if they might eat off campus today, considering who was just a few feet behind her, following her, distracting the hell out of her.

“You okay?” Lake whispered for her ears alone.

No. “Yes.”

Her friend’s face didn’t look like she had bought the lie.

Reaching the cafeteria, Adalyn was shocked to see the other girls already sitting at a table with their food. By the look on Maria’s face, she didn’t seem pleased, especially as she watched Angel take a seat at the table next to theirs with the other Carusos.

Honestly, Adalyn’s face didn’t look happy either, but hers was because of the food on Elle’s plate, which consisted of beef tips in some gross-looking brown gravy, and Maria’s plate, which was the same every day—some leaves from the salad bar. Ew.

“That looks good, Elle. I think I’m gonna get that.” Lake eyed her plate.

Adalyn practically choked on the bile coming up from her stomach. “The hell it does!”

“I think it tastes pretty good,” Elle said, taking a bite.

Even Maria made a disgusted face at her. “That’s why I got a salad.”

Rolling their eyes, they all snapped at the beautiful blonde who cared about her appearance a little too much, “You always get a salad!”

“You’re really gonna eat that gross stuff that looks like it cost them five cents to make?” Adalyn looked at her BFF, praying she said no.

“I grew up on poor people food, remember? I was raised to never turn down good-looking, cheap food. You two will never understand.” Lake looked back at her friend and Maria, knowing Elle had grown up frugal, too.

“You’re nasty, and I can’t believe you’re gonna make me eat leaves instead of going to the food court.”

“I’ll take you,” a laidback voice spoke, making them all turn their heads to see Angel appearing as laidback as his voice.

“Really?” she asked, contemplating it, even though that meant she would be alone with him. She then looked toward Tom to see if he would even allow it and was answered with a nod.

Hm, I don’t know if I should …

Maria flipped her hair. “Salads taste goo—”

“Let’s go.” Adalyn quickly stood, cutting off her nonsense and hurting the blonde’s feelings, if she even has any.

“This is to pay for her food.” Tom handed a platinum card to Angel.

Adalyn was already halfway to the food court before he placed the card in his pocket. Chicken nuggets wait for no one.

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