Page 56 of Pursued-

“The kid might want to hang with us because he’s looking for protection from Jones,” I’d said.

“Maybe. But let’s see what he does. There’s something to him. I think we can use him.”

So we’d blocked Jones’s revenge, but that was only the beginning of the older guys who wanted to pound Trick to a pulp. Trick, with his male model looks and effortless magnetism, went on to screw a lot of girls who were supposed to belong to other guys. To his credit, he never looked to us or to anyone for protection.

At one point, C told him to knock it off. That we had better things to do than get into fights with jealous seniors.

Trick was surprised, asking, “Why would you fight them?”

“Because we’re a crue,” C said. “We have to have your back.”

“If we’re working something together, sure,” Trick said.

“No. All the time.”

Trick studied us for a moment and then nodded, understanding dawning.

“Just pick a girl,” C said. “Hell, you got with Bailey. She’s fucking model material. Keep her.”

Trick shook his head. “Too vanilla.”

C’s gaze slid to me and then back to Trick. “What are you looking for?”

“No one I’ve been with.”

“That wasn’t the question,” C said.

Trick cocked his head. “Someone who acts sweet, but who’ll let me do dirty things to her that she can’t control.”

“For some things, it’s easier to pay to play,” C said. “Memberships in certain clubs. Nights with certain women who know the score.”

“Then let’s make some money, so I can afford to buy what I want.”

I’d known then that the kid was not a kid. He was a year and half younger than us and hadn’t yet had to kill to survive—that we knew of—but that didn’t make him innocent. Infact, he was like us in more ways than we’d known. And it wasn’t long before he was the one leading the way down the dark corridors. And when it came time to kill or be killed, he didn’t hesitate or even flinch that I ever saw.

Rachel’s hand slides down to mine and her thumb brushes over my knuckles. All my focus narrows to her again. This is the new reality. Her with me, and me in the thick of my crue. It’s better than I ever hoped for.

RACHEL

I like being with him.And I’m afraid someone will take that away because I’m never allowed to hold onto the people I care about or to escape the ones I don’t.

I move my hands up to his forearms and squeeze them.

“Sasha?”

He bends down.

“What if we left?”

“Yeah,” he says and turns to Trick. “She’s ready to go back to the hotel. You coming?”

It wasn’t what I meant, but I don’t correct him. I’ll tell him later.

Trick glances around and shakes his head. “I’ll meet you back there.”

“All right.”

Sasha and I bump along through the crowd. Sasha’s behind me, but he puts his arm out in front so there’s always room for me to walk. It’s startling how much easier it is to move through a crowded room with him.