Page 8 of Her Dark Obsession

“I’m fine. I’ll get something on the way, Ma. I’m gonna be late.”

“Since when do you care about being late for school?” This comes from my father, who is sitting at the head of the dining table.

“Since it’s the first day, Da. First impressions are everything, remember?” I raise a brow, throwing his own words back at him.

My father isn’t someone who usually tolerates my smart-ass mouth. Right now, I don’t give a shit. We’ve been butting heads since he decided it was time to move. I had a life in Boston, one I fucking loved.

“Get going then. Don’t wanna hold you up on your first day,” he says, waving a dismissive hand at me.

I turn and walk right out the front of the house. My cousin Kenny is waiting for me, leaning against his bright-red Ferrari. “You’re late,” he says, looking up from his phone.

“I know.” I open the passenger side door and toss my bag onto the floor of the car. “You didn’t have to pick me up.”

“And let you work your way around New York Prep alone? You’d end up dead within minutes,” he says.

I laugh. “Doubtful. I was at your party. There were nothing but bored, rich brats spending their da’s money.”

“Maybe, but there are other families,prominentfamilies you do not want to cause shit with,” he tells me.

I already know that. My father made sure I was briefed on who exactly I’d be attending school with. There are two rival families with kids enrolled at NYP. The Italians and the Russians. The Valentinos and the Petrovs.

And then there’s us,the O’Malleys. Let’s just say I’ve been ordered not to make waves with the others. School is supposed to be neutral turf. As long as they stay the fuck out of my way, there won’t be any problems.

“You didn’t catch the Valentinos at the party?” Kenny asks.

“Dante and Orlando? I saw 'em. Not sure what the big deal is.” I shrug. They looked like little punks to me.

“They rule the school. Keep your head down and your mouth shut,” Kenny says. “Trust me, the family does not want a war right now.”

“I’m well aware of what the family fucking wants,” I grunt.

Kenny weaves in and out of traffic, causing the rosaries hanging from his mirror to swing around as he goes. I wouldn’t be surprised if that crucifix broke off and hit one of us in the face.

The reason my father moved us out here was to clean up, but they’re also planning something bigger for New York. Something the other crime families aren’t going to like. At all. They’ll all be calling for war when word gets out what we’re up to. By then, it’ll be too late. Everything will be in motion. The order this city has known for so long will no longer exist.

“Just stay away from the Valentinos and Petrovs. I know how partial you are to pretty blondes, but you do not want to go there,” Kenny says. “Besides, there’s plenty of other fish at this school for you.”

I don’t bother replying to him. There is one particular blonde I plan on tracking down as fast as I can. My cock twitches at the thought of finding the little runaway.

As Kenny parks next to the rest of the other “my daddy has money” cars, all eyes stop and stare in this direction. “What the fuck is everyone staring at?” I ask him.

“You.” He smirks. “You’re new meat. Like I said, plenty of fish looking to willingly swim onto your hook, if you know what I mean.”

I laugh at his stupid euphemism. “Let’s do this,” I say as I round the front of the car.

“Actually, I know I said I’d give you the tour and shit, but I gotta run. Coach is gonna have my ass if I’m not in the locker in five,” Kenny says. “Catch you at lunch.” He runs towards a building in the opposite direction of where I’m currently heading.

I don’t need anyone to hold my hand. I’m capable of finding my way through a fucking school. A loud bell rings out andeveryone starts scattering off in various directions. Great, now Iamlate.

Taking my time, I find my way to the student services office. I need a schedule. I need a map and shit. And then I need to find my way to my first class. Tracking down Aurora will have to wait.

I don’t even know if she goes here. I should have asked Kenny, but my gut told me not to. Some things are worth keeping to yourself, and I have a feeling that girl is one of those things.

I push through the doors and walk up to the student services desk while plastering on my best smile. Which my mother says will either get me into trouble or out of it, depending on who I’m using it on. “Hi, I’m Connor O’Malley. I need to pick up a schedule.”

“Connor, welcome to New York Prep. You didn’t get everything emailed to you?” the woman behind the desk asks me.

“Sorry, ma’am, I don’t think I did,” I tell her. Which is probably a lie, but who the fuck has time to check emails?

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