Page 151 of Crew Princess
“They’re my family. Who’s yours?” I shot back.
“They’re family to us too,” the guy said.
I directed my gaze at him, now finding my footing. “I don’t care how rich you are, how famous you are, how close you think you are to my brother, to my future sister-in law. You fuck with them, betray them, I don’t care what you do, but if the end result is pain for them, I will hurt you. I don’t know how, but I will. That’smywarning.”
Anger flared inside of me, but it was mixed with other emotions like relief. These guys were doing what I did to protect mine. That was unnerving, but in a good way.
After that, the odd serene feeling came back, fluttering through me, calming me.
She quieted, watching her man.
He was watching me, and then he nodded and stepped forward. His hand stretched out. “Sounds good to me. I’m Mason. We’re here for your graduation party, so congrats.”
My graduation party.I’d forgotten for a few minutes. Shit. That meant more of these people were coming, because I knew Heather had closed Manny’s down and invited nearly everyone in Roussou and Fallen Crest.
I was suddenly wary again, shaking his hand. “There’s more of you guys coming? A Logan and Matteo?”
I’d met Logan, but it’d been brief. No interaction like this.
She tipped her head back and laughed.
Even he was grinning. “Logan’s going to love you. He raved about how you were at the station.”
“This is why Channing and Heather have kept us away from her. She’s like us, Mason.”
He grunted, but there was a small grin there. “Yeah. This will be interesting, to say the least.”
I didn’t know what they were talking about, but I’d never officially met Logan Kade. I’d heard about him. I hadn’t heard of Matteo, but Nate sounded vaguely familiar.
I felt like I was wearing new skin.
Everything was changing, and I couldn’t handle it.
“I think I’m going to go rescue my friends from Heather. It was nice to meet you both.” I paused. “Samantha and Mason.”
They nodded and moved aside as I went down the stairs, heading for the back of Manny’s.
Another change for me? I truly meant that. I’d not been impressed with what they said, because words were empty to me. But actions and behaviors spoke to me, and them being worried about Channing and Heather, that said something to me. I liked it. I respected it.
“Come on, Heather!” I heard Zellman shouting inside Manny’s. “I did a petition and got a thousand people to sign that you should give us free rum.”
I was grinning even before opening the back screen door.
“Oh, really?” Heather huffed. “And who are these thousand signatures from? Your left and right hand alternating?”
Z was quiet. That gave her the answer.
“My God. Really? And why are you trying to sneak booze from here? You can get alcohol anywhere. Be like normal underage teenagers and sneak it somewhere else. At least work for your alcohol.”
“That’s what I wastryingto do. You got in the way. And besides, your stuff’s the best quality around.”
I went down the hallway and was almost past the bathrooms and the office when a door opened. A hand shot out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me inside.
“Wha—”
A mouth was on mine, silencing me.
It wasn’t any mouth. I knew that mouth. I’d felt it this morning, and I rose on my toes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and I opened mine in return.
