Chapter 3

Something inside me snapped. I fixed my eyes on Leo and forced out each word through gritted teeth.

"What did you just say about my mom?"

He shrugged. "If your mom had been any kind of decent woman, she would've been able to keep a man around. I'm just telling the truth. Why are you so worked up?"

"Say it again."

My voice was quiet and tense, like a wire stretched to its breaking point.

"Your mother was that kind of woman back then. Why would you be any different? You spend every day hanging around a bunch of men, chasing off their girlfriends, then pretending you're above it all."

The lecture hall fell silent. I could feel dozens of hostile eyes studying me from every direction.

My fists clenched, and my gaze drifted to the security camera mounted in the corner of the classroom.

I was fighting for the university's highest academic scholarship. I couldn't afford to lose control.

Elina put on her sympathetic expression again. "Come on, don't say that about her. Maybe she's had a difficult life..."

She sighed softly. "Maybe she's just desperate for love."

I drew a slow breath, forcing the fire in my chest back down.

Then I took out my phone, opened my conversation with my oldest brother, and typed: [Landon, Talon's girlfriend is bullying me in class. Tell Dad it's time to introduce me as the Parker family's daughter. It's time for me to come home.]

I hit "send."

The room was still heavy with silence when four women walked through the door. They had heavy makeup and wore fitted dresses and sky-high heels.

Every one of my brothers' ex-girlfriends had shown up.

Leading them was Summer Vaughn, Landon's ex—the one I'd exposed for trying to scam her way into marriage. She strode over in four-inch heels, looked me up and down, and smirked.

"Well, if it isn't the little sister. Long time no see."

The other three surrounded me, boxing me into the corner of the room.

My classmates exchanged uneasy glances, but no one stepped forward.

Summer jabbed a finger into my shoulder. "You're just some fatherless little brat who latched onto five brothers that don't even belong to you.

"You call them 'bros' all day long, but who knows what goes on after you close the bedroom door?

"So tell us. How many of them have you slept with?"

Someone sucked in a sharp breath. Then laughter broke out from the back of the room.

Leo leaned back in his chair, grinning like this was the best entertainment he'd seen all semester.

Several of the guys joined in.

"Yeah, tell us!"

"How many?"

I'd had enough.

I swung at Summer. Before my hand could reach her, someone grabbed my wrist.

It was the woman who'd once tried to manipulate my brother into signing his house over to her. Her fingers clamped around my arm, nails digging painfully into my skin.

While she held me, Summer snatched my bag off my shoulder. She turned it upside down.

Everything spilled across the floor: lipstick, compact powder, foundation cushion, and a small mirror.

The cosmetics scattered in every direction.

"I thought you didn't wear makeup. You've been pretending to be one of the guys this whole time. So whose makeup is all this?"

I didn't have time to argue. Those belonged to my friend. I dropped to my knees to gather them before anything broke.

A stiletto heel came down hard on the back of my hand. Pain exploded through my fingers.

Looking down at me, Elina smiled sweetly. "What are you picking them up for? As if you're worthy of using any of this."

The narrow heel dug against my knuckles, sending a sharp pain straight into my arm.

I looked up at her through clenched teeth.

Her smile only widened as she pressed even harder. "Consider this a lesson. If you ever cross me again, stepping on your hand will be the least of your problems."

She laughed. "So where are all those brothers of yours now? Oh, that's right. They're all away on business. I guess the little princess who always had people protecting her finally got caught all alone."

Dylan Foster, the class president, stood up. He frowned at me before clearing his throat so the entire lecture hall could hear.

"Renee, this has already gone too far. If you don't want disciplinary action, just apologize. Don't make this any bigger than it already is. You still want that scholarship, don't you?"

I remained on my knees. My right hand was pinned beneath Elina's heel. My left hand braced against the floor, my fingernails scraping into the cracks between the tiles.

The whispers swelled again.

"Serves her right."

"She should've been kicked out of that house a long time ago."

"Like mother, like daughter."

"What kind of kid could a woman like that possibly raise?"

Only one thought crossed my mind: they're finished.

Just then, hurried footsteps thundered down the hallway. The classroom door slammed open.

"Who told you she wasn't our real sister?"

"She's the Parker family's youngest daughter!"

My five brothers had come. They'd actually made it back.