Broken Wings (Dark Legacy #1)(61)

She examined me closely as I slid inside, and the smile she shot my way was genuine.

“Girl, you look hot. I wouldn’t even know you almost died two days ago.”

I snorted out a laugh. “I still feel like I almost died two days ago.”

Groaning, I leaned down to yank off the ridiculous heels and stuff my feet into the converse sneakers I’d smuggled out of the house with me. Given all I’d been through, anyone who wanted to reprimand my breech of dress code could kiss my ass.

Eddy waved a hand at me before she spun the wheel and took off. “How you look is all that matters.” She paused for a brief moment, and I felt like I knew her well enough now, to know that something pretty big was on her mind.

“What is it?” I said with a sigh. “Spill it.”

She shot me a look before a grin that was mostly grimace lifted her cheeks. “Word got out.” Her voice was soft and I sensed some sympathy in there. “About you and the guys being in the crash together. Uh, there are a lot of rumors.”

Shaking my head, I stared out at the scenery flying by. “Let me guess, I’m now the company whore, and each of the guys fucked me before passing me to the next one?”

I turned to find her staring at me, her expression stunned. “How did you know? Did Dante tell you?”

Sitting straighter, I narrowed my eyes on her. “Dante knows? I texted him this morning, and he never said anything.”

Eddy shrugged. “He was ultra pissed when he found out. He’s really protective of you, girl.”

Needing a subject change, I shot her a slow smile. “Care to tell me what’s going on with you two? I mean, I’m not blind. I see all the touches and lingering looks. And you came to my house together…”

Eddy’s hands flexed on the wheel like she was uncomfortable, and I wondered where my confident friend had gone. Dante had her all tied up in knots.

“We’ve messed around a bit,” she said in a rush. “And he is … amazing. Sexiest fucking guy I’ve ever had my hands on…”

“But…” I said, pushing her.

“But…” She sighed. “He reminds me of my brother.”

I coughed and she burst out laughing. “No … no, not like that. I mean, he has that same dangerous and dark vibe. I’m not sure I want to fall for someone whose world is dark. I’ve been trying my entire life to get away from it. I’ve seen what it has cost Jasper. What it will continue to cost him for the rest of his life.”

We were in the school parking lot now, and when she pulled into a spot near the front, she turned the car off and faced me fully. “Do you know what Dante actually does for the gang?”

I shook my head. “He never really talks about that part of his life. He says he doesn’t want me involved, and the less I know, the safer for me.”

Eddy didn’t looked surprised by this. “Yeah, he brushed me off when I tried to ask, but Riles, I’ll be honest, I think Dante is a pretty important part of it. I know authority. I know a leader when I see one, and he has head honcho written all over him.”

This gave me a moment’s pause as I considered what she was saying. Dante was so young, only a few years older than me, that I never expected he could be anything more than one of the outer members of whichever gang he was part of. He’d never told me their name either, but I knew there were only two major players in our area. The Grims and the Slayers. I’d seen his tatts, and he was definitely a Grim—the reaper kind of gave it away.

Eddy opened her door, and the sounds of nearby chattering students filled the car. “So yeah, I’m not sure I can risk my heart on someone like Dante, but if we can keep the casual cool thing going, then I’m not going to complain.”

I nodded, opening my own door and hopping out. Before I could get more than a step away, some bitch I’d never seen before knocked into the frame of my door, pushing me back into the car. My ribs screamed in protest, and as I straightened, I leveled her with the darkest fucking glare I could manage.

“Why don’t you watch where you’re going,” I snarled, adjusting my bag.

She flashed me a falsely sweet smile, her face heavy with makeup, her blond hair so peroxide it was as white as her shirt. “I figured you’d spent most of the weekend on your back. I was just helping you get back there.”

And so it began.

Returning her smile with a false one of my own, I tilted my head. “Well, actually, I spent most of the time on my hands and knees, because it’s hard to fuck four dudes when you’re on your back.”

Her smile faltered for a beat, because she’d clearly been hoping I would run crying from the school. Riley Jameson was made of tougher shit than that.

Eddy joined me then, her eyes narrowed on the bitch. “Fuck off, Kate. No one gives two shits what you say.”

A deep voice joined us then, and I realized we were drawing a bit of a crowd. “Last time I saw you, Kate,” Evan said, slipping in next to me and putting an arm over my shoulders to draw me closer. “You had Jimmy’s dick in your mouth. He said you suck like a fucking fish, gulping all over his dick, but the rest of us were grateful that it at least shut you the fuck up.”

She opened and closed her mouth, like she was demonstrating Evan’s words for him. Some girls nearby were laughing, and when Kate looked around and saw no allies in the vicinity, she took off across the parking lot and into the school.