Page 15 of The Stallion
I was supposed to feel unstoppable tonight, but instead, a tiny shred of my being felt like a piece of shit that didn’t deserve the honor I was about to have bestowed upon me.
My father saw remorse as a sign of humanity. I only saw it as a weakness.
As a legacy, I should know everything, inside and out.
Born to be loyal.
Raised to be protective.
“Ravish. Reign. Revue.”
The words were spoken confidently as I accepted my ring from Alec, placed it on my right ring finger, and claimed my prestigious title within the Men Under Revue.
Lifting my eyes from my hand, they immediately connected across the room to those of my father, and I saw my future self staring right back at me.
Proud as fuck that his only son was now a man—ready to own the City of Sin.
Chapter 6
Bria
Twenty-One Years Old
Flying.Falling.
Like an angel losing its wings and being exiled to a life on the ground.
That’s what I imagined when I was thrown so high into the air that I felt as if I could touch every single cloud with the tips of my fingers before gravity pulled me back to where I belonged.
A rush came from being a flyer in cheerleading—being thrown around as if you weighed nothing. Light and airy—like a feather—even if only for a few seconds.
“Alright! Let’s fucking go, Bria!” Asher cheered at the top of her lungs as I nailed my basket toss with a toe touch and triple full-down stunt at the end of our routine.
Asher Leigh was my best friend, roommate, and unofficial hype girl. She had long, dark brown hair, similar to mine in length and volume, which she’d tied into a loose ponytail. She also had anadorable English accent to match her bubbly yet easily excited personality.
We attended Arizona-U together in Phoenix, but we’ve known each other for far longer.
Asher was my ride-or-die, from cradle to grave, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Practice is done for the evening. See you all at spirit night!” Tahlia shouted from across the field as we broke away from the group, finishing yet another exhausting day.
Tahlia was the current captain of the Savage Sirens, an All-Star cheer team that took names and trophies year after year. But we weren’t your typical All-Star team.
The Savage Sirens belonged to the Inclusive All-Star Association, IASA. We competed in a unique league that catered to teams consisting of college students and seasoned adults, ages eighteen to thirty.
There are currently twenty-three national teams competing in our division, and we’ve held the number three slot for the last three years.
I had always dreamed of taking over Tahlia’s position when she finally decided to step down—working my ass off with blood, sweat, and literal tears. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t give to become the new captain of this team.
“Oh my god, you should have seen that throw. I haven’t seen you catch that much air in months!” Asher gushed over the toss, hands waving in all directions as she spoke.
She talked with her hands a lot to express her words, which was one of my favorite quirks about her.
“And how many Celsius energy drinks did we consume today, Ash?” I teased with a bubbly giggle filled with sarcasm as I readjusted my deep red-brown hair into a fresh, messy bun. Several strands had fallen from the last stunt I had performed and were getting in my eyes, along with the sweat from the scorching Arizona heat.
“Oh, come off it, Bria… Two—and a half, but I know my limit, I swear.” The two of us cackled with laughter as we made our way off the football field, our arms wrapped around each other’s waists.
“You know the label sayslimit two servings.”
