Page 9 of Sinful King

“I know,” she whispered, looking at me through her lashes. “I just refuse to be bullied.”

Finally, she lifted her gaze and met mine dead on.

Blair knew what it felt like to be bullied by the people who’re supposed to love you. She fought harder for herself because of it and I respected that.

“Everything alright at home?”

She shook her head and then nodded.

“My mom and I are good. We’ve been staying at my grandmas.”

I leaned into her personal space, bracing myself on the concrete with one hand.

“When did y’all move out?”

It wasn’t the first time her mother had packed up and left Nathaniel.

“Last week but I’m sure we’ll be back. We always go back.”

“Are you good?”

Our gazes clashed and I knew she wasn’t, that my question had been pointless, but I waited for a response anyway.

“I’m fine, Sean.”

She looked down, up and then down again.

Liar.

The first bell rung, signaling the end of lunch and our conversation, but I’d finish it some way or another.

“Will you meet me later?” I asked as we gathered our stuff. “I got something for you.”

Blair brushed her pleated skirt a few times before answering.

“What is it?”

We walked side by side into the school, then I turned and took backward steps with a grin on my face.

“It’s what you asked for.”

For the first time today, she hit me with a smile that almost made me lose balance. And to avoid bringing more attention she didn’t need or want, I left without saying goodbye.

Halfway to class, I spotted Finn and knocked him in the back of the head.

“Don’t be late,” I said, still in motion, only to be stopped by Penelope.

“Sean, I’ve been looking for you,” she annoyingly whined, reaching out to touch my shoulder.

I leaned out of her grasp and frowned.

“You don’t have permission to touch me and…” I let my voice carry a little so she and everyone else could hear me too. “you never will. Remember that. There will never be a Sean and Penelope.”

She was the furthest thing from my type. Nothing but a pale redhead who thought my Irish ancestry meant I wanted one to bring home.

Taking her to meet my mother? It was laughable.

Penelope wouldn’t know what to do with herself in a room filled with my cousins, who she probably thought looked more like her than me, let alone Caroline O’Sullivan.

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