LOGINJune. The image of Reid’s face kept flashing behind my eyes the whole walk home, sharp and painful like broken glass under my skin. He had looked at me like I had stabbed him in the chest right there in front of everyone. Reid Ashford. The boy I had wanted since I was thirteen, the one whose smile used to make my stomach flip. And now Knox had crushed that dream under his heel like it was nothing.The audacity of that asshole made my blood boil. He had stood up in a room full of people and claimed me like I was some prize he had already won, without even asking, without caring what it would do to me. I wanted to claw my nails down his perfect face, scratch that smug smirk right off until he felt even a fraction of the hurt he kept dumping on me. I wanted to scream in his face that he was nothing but a selfish, jealous monster who ruined everything he touched.Knox fucking Ashford was the worst kind of trouble, the kind I should run from as fast as my legs could carry me. Bu
Knox.The bass of the music thumped loud against the floorboards of our estate, matching the irritation in my temple. It was the return of the King, or so my mother acted.Reid was back. My golden-boy older brother was home for the summer after three years of “finding himself” or whatever useless endeavour he’d been up to in Europe.Everyone was fawning over him. The neighbors, the extended family, even the girls I used to toy with now orbited around him like he was the freaking sun.When he was done saying his pleasantries and cracking useless jokes, his eyes found mine and he started to head toward me.He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You look tense, little brother.” He looked tan, fit, and annoyingly relaxed. He held a drink in one hand and offered me a grin that used to make me look up at him.Now, it just made me want to punch his perfect teeth in.“Just thrilled you’re home,” I lied, swirling the drink in my glass.His grin faded slightly and his eyes scanned the crowd. “Is sh
Knox.It was mid-afternoon the next day.The air in the rink bit at the exposed skin of my neck even through the layers of gear but the real chill came from the way June’s voice sliced through the steady hum of skates and sticks.“Knox!”It was a razor sharp and trembling with an emotion that was worse than anger. Wrath.I flicked my gaze up from the puck I’d just wired into the boards and found her at the very top row of the bleachers, fists clenched at her sides with her chest rising and falling with every breath she took.Despite myself, my stomach gave an unfamiliar tug.Coach’s whistle pierced the air. “Ashford! What the hell is this circus?” then to her, “what devil must have possessed you to interrupt my practice?”I wiped sweat from her brow with the back of my glove and forced a lazy grin. “It must be personal business, Coach. Give me two minutes.”“Make it one,” he growled but still gave me a pass anyway.The team slowed, watching as I moved towards her until Coach’s voice
June.I hesitated but he reached down and brushed my lower lip with my thumb. “Open for me, Junie.”I hated the way my lips fell open almost before I could think. I hated that I'd begun to pant with a sick anticipation out of nowhere.This was Knox. The same Knox who had spent months making my life hell with smirks and taunts. The same one whose friend had broken my glasses and I’d reported to the nurse.And yet here I was on my knees, pulse racing for an entirely different reason.The sight made my stomach flip with nerves. He was thick and heavy and hard. And…beautiful. The sheer size stole what little air I had left. He stepped closer and the blunt head brushed my lower lip.“Wider,” he murmured.Part of me wanted to run, but another part felt a shameful heat bloom low in my belly. Undeniably, the sight sent a pulse straight between my thighs.The first slide of him against my tongue was shocking. Like throbbing hot, velvet-smooth skin over rigid heat. He tasted faintly of salt a
June.By the fifth period, I was officially done with the endless taunts by Knox and his horde. Why was the day dragging by so fucking slowly?At least, Knox hadn’t tripped me all day so I could say it was good for me, right? Unlike last week where I had to nurse busted kneecaps all weekend.Everyone including the teachers saw it and what did Ms. Thornebottom ask me to do?“Just place some ice and you’re good to go.”Of course, what was I expecting? That she would serve him detention or make him clean the bleachers?In my fucking dreams.When your parents were the top patrons of the school, you got away with anything, maybe including murder. Snobbish fancy, little prick. Curse my luck for being born in an average family.“JUNE MARIBEL MONTGOMERY!”I turned around, flinching when every other pair of eyes in the hallway found me at the same time.“Jesus fucking Christ, Mae!” I hissed at my best friend. We had barely seen each other all day because for some reason, we had different cla
June.“JUNE MONTGOMERY! YOU BETTER HAUL YOUR ASS OUT OF BED BEFORE I MAKE JULIAN DO IT.”That was my mother’s voice piercing through the house like a frickin’ banshee. Calling Julian to wake me up? Hell, he could not even touch me with a ten foot pole if he needed that to stay alive.However, my mother did not give a rat ass what twin rivalry we had. She would make him do it.With what little strength I had, I rolled out of bed like a drunk mole and trudged towards the bathroom. I couldn’t believe it was another Monday morning to deal with that asshole – Knox Ashford.Five more days of school. Five more days of having to deal with him. Ever since he transferred to DoveTales High, he had never failed to be consistent in making my life a living nightmare.I bet he could top the class if he spent that energy buried in his homework.See, before that jerk, my mornings were blissful. I used to leap out of bed with so much life such that being late felt like an unpardonable crime against m







