Page 53 of Defiant
“Did you see the new kid?”
“Yeah,” her friend eagerly whispered.
“His name is Dante. I hear he’s in a gang.”
If I could’ve rolled my eyes at that, I would’ve. Just because he wore leather and had tattoos didn’t automatically mean he was in a gang. Could these girls mind their own business?
“He’s kind of hot, isn’t he?” the first girl asked. I thought her name was Laura, but I wasn’t sure. Frankly, I didn’t pay too much attention to anyone before Jaz had strolled along. Just enough to get by. “Pretty sure that bike outside is his.”
Her friend hummed. “He could ride me any day.” She and her friend laughed, and thank God the teacher had finally fixed the connection, so class officially began soon after.
My mind zoned out during class. I took no notes, which meant I’d have to go through the book myself and pick out what I thought was important. Oh, well. I was too busy thinking about the new kid, and about Jaz. Something told me the two were connected, somehow, a pit in my stomach that just wouldn’t settle.
When fourth period let out, I was measured in getting up, the last one out of the room. I took my time in going to my locker, even slower to put in the combination and shove my books in. Normally I was in and out, moving quickly through the halls because I didn’t care to linger. Usually I headed straight for the kitchen in the cafeteria, got in line before most, and bought my lunch—not that I often ate what I bought. Midpark might be a school for the rich and fancy, but their lunches were just as gross as anything else.
Really, I should be happy that it was lunchtime, because that meant I’d get to see Jaz. Jaz was really the only person I looked forward to seeing, the only person in this entire school I cared to focus on and listen to, should she choose to speak.
And she usually did. She was quite talkative, always finding something to say. I liked her. I guess Stella was right: when it was right, you just knew.
But then I stepped out of the kitchen, holding onto my tray of chicken nuggets and fries, and I spotted my table. Our table.
Currently our table was being taken up by Jaz and someone else. The new kid in question.
What the utter fuck was this?
I allowed myself only a moment of shock before I walked closer. All the while, I actually fumed. It was like I was hearing Jaz tell me she went home with her private investigator, Jacob Hall, like she was telling me she hooked up with Archer Vega all over again—only this time, I was able to see it for myself.
The bastard was sitting next to her, entirely too close to her, giving her a look that most definitely meant he’d seen her before.
Did he know her? I’d known Jaz had a life before Midpark, but I never thought I’d see it.
I didn’t like feeling jealous, but I could not fight the warring emotions inside of me. A frown sat on my face as I headed to the table. I made more noise than I normally would’ve as I sat down, causing both Jaz and the new kid, Dante, to look at me.
“Dude,” Dante spoke, trying to wave me off, “this is our table. Scram.”
Jaz glared at him. Her icy glare did make me feel better, and her words to him made me crack a smile, too: “Dante, this is technically Vaughn’s table. If anyone should leave, it’s you.” Her dark brown eyes, warm and welcoming, turned to me, softening immediately. “I’m the only one welcome here.”
“The fuck?” Dante questioned. When he realized she wasn’t kidding, he folded his arms across the table and stared at me. He didn’t have a lunch before him, unlike Jaz, who had her usual bagged lunch. “There’s only room for one badass at this table, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see who that is. What kind of name is Vaughn, anyway?”
“I could say the same thing about Dante,” I muttered, holding back a sneer. I was not one to puff up and protect my territory, but maybe that was because I’d never had something to defend before.
Someone.
I wasn’t one to talk needlessly, but I had to find out all that I could about this guy, had to gauge what level of threat he was. If he was indeed as tough as he looked, or if his tattoos and leather were all for show.
“Why’d you move to Midpark, Dante?” I practically growled out his name. The chicken and fries on my tray would go cold. I wouldn’t eat anything for lunch today, wouldn’t even pretend to. My focus was solely on the new kid before me and how he sat dangerously close to Jaz.
He best be careful. If he moved an inch closer to her, I’d lunge over this table and tackle him to the ground.
“Ah, you know,” Dante spoke with a smile, “had to be close to Jaz.”
“You two know each other?”
It was Jaz who answered me, “No, we don’t. I met him last week. No matter what Dante says or how he pretends we’re best buddies, we’re not.” That was mainly said toward Dante himself, whose smile did not waver at her bold declaration.
If what Jaz said was true, then who the fuck was this guy? Why was he here, and why did he act like he knew Jaz?
Both Jaz and I stared at Dante, waiting for his reply. Dante must’ve figured she would say something like that, for he didn’t even blink. He shrugged, still smiling that hollow, vacant smile. The smile of a psychopath. The smile a man wore right before he tried to tear your face off.
