See No Evil (Brotherhood Trilogy #1)(3)

Until I taught Riley how to kick ass, he was getting daily beatings from the idiot thug. Riley was too stoic to go to the dean, and Ivan was too slippery to ever get caught.

“He looked like he was ready to piss his pants. It’ll be easy pickings this time around, boys.”

His stupid buddies snigger while I grip the bench.

Memories of what Riley went through eat at me. They’re still crystal clear, and I feel bad that Ivan and his asshole friends are zeroing in on a new target. But I’m not getting involved.

I won’t get kicked out over some kid I don’t even know. Riley was different. He was my roommate.

The new boy who stared at me through the glass this afternoon is not my problem.

I rub my chest, still confused by why we stared at each other. There was just something about his face that drew me in. Which is really freaking weird, because he’s…a guy!

But…I don’t know. He was…pretty. That’s the only word I can come up with to describe him.

What the hell is wrong with me!

Pretty. I think the new guy’s pretty. That’s seriously messed up.

I head to the showers and scrub my face. I wish I could scrub the new kid from my mind, but I can’t. He was touring the school with Headmaster Williams, which means he’ll be coming here.

He looked young and skinny. He’s probably a freshman, which means I don’t have to interact with him. Seniors rarely have classes with freshmen, and it’s not like he’s gonna be playing hockey, not with that wimpy-looking body.

Turning off the shower, I dry myself and throw my towel in the basket, changing into a pair of sweats and my favorite hoodie. After dinner it’s compulsory study hall for grades nine and ten, which means the teachers will be busy monitoring that and the seniors can relax a little. We’re old enough to monitor our own study habits.

And I’m trying. I swear.

Grabbing my bag, I wait for Ry and Kade to finish before skipping out. I want to dump my stuff and grab a little contraband before Monday night’s meal. Mashed potatoes, sliced turkey and seasonal vegetables is hardly something to get excited about. Yeah, yeah, it’s healthy and nutritious, just what teenage boys need, blah, blah, blah. And I will eat it. After such an intense practice, I’m starving. But there’s nothing wrong with a potato chip and candy bar starter.

“I feel sorry for that new kid already,” Riley mumbles as we shuffle down the path.

It’s already cold for late October. I don’t mind it so much, but the school’s a drafty place. Mid-winter is gonna be frickin’ freezing at this rate. I would ask Dad to send me an extra blanket and jacket, but we haven’t spoken since our last fight.

I hunch my shoulders.

I don’t care. I can look after myself.

I’m not sure I can say the same thing about the skinny new guy though.

“At least he won’t be in our dorm or anything,” I mutter. “Ivan can only touch him during school time.”

“How do you know he won’t be in our dorm?” Riley asks.

My eyebrows rise. “Because he looks like he’s twelve. The guy has to be a freshman, which means he’ll be in the north dorm.”

“No way, man.” Kade shakes his head. “Definitely a junior.”

I roll my eyes. “Either way, he won’t be in the south dorm. That’s seniors only territory this year. Ivan will have to track him down.”

“And we all know he will.” Kade musses his hair, then smoothes it back into place. It’ll be long enough to tuck behind his ears soon.

“I hate that guy,” Riley mutters.

“We all do.” I give him a warning look. “Don’t get involved, Ry. New kid has to fend for himself.”

“With that wimpy look on his face? He’s gonna be beat down before the end of his first day.”

Kade grins. “You survived.”

Riley’s pale brows dip into a sharp V. “Don’t be a smug prick. The only reason he didn’t touch you was because he knew Trey and I would beat his ass.”

“That’s horse shit!” Kade scoffs. “He knew better than to mess with me. I’d deck him with a single punch.”

“Whatever, floppy fist. Your punches are like getting hit with a cotton ball.”

Kade jumps behind my back and grabs Riley around the neck, then scrubs his knuckles over Riley’s scalp. They laugh and tussle while I stand there grinning at them. As soon as they hit the ground, they pull apart, jostling and slapping each other with foul-mouthed insults they don’t really mean.

Kade hauls Riley back to his feet and we keep walking to our room.

As we round the corner, I spot Ivan’s new target. He’s standing next to his parents, listening to the headmaster and Dean Hancock. Headmaster Williams has his happy face on today. His ginger head bobs as he smiles and shakes hands with the father. They must be loaded. Headmaster Williams only smiles that big for families willing to donate extra money to the school.

Like Eton Prep needs it.

I glance at the pretentious buildings to my right and across the manicured lawns. I didn’t grow up with opulence. Less than a year after my mother died, Dad re-married. Step Monster’s got big boobs, a slender waist and enough money to send me to an exclusive boarding school in the middle of nowhere.

I don’t care. I’d rather be here with my non-related brothers than the family that doesn’t want me.