“Pops won’t let that happen.”
He shook the can again and flipped off the cap. There was no use talking to Aiden when he was mad. Like me, art was his therapy.
“I’ll kill him,” Aiden growled.
“It’s not a big deal, Aid.” I closed the distance between us, hands on my hips. “I stood up to Luca. That’s all I can do.”
“The Salvatore brothers don’t own you. You are not their fucking property.” He bent down to match my height. “We’re all we have now. It’s just you and me. I can’t lose you.”
Aiden was fiercely protective. Without him, I would have given up years ago. He was my reason to keep fighting when my life spiraled out of control.
I wrapped my arms around him, and he sank into me, resting his chin on my shoulder. “I love you, Lexie. You know I would do anything for you, right?”
I bobbed my head. “I know.”
To my left, I heard two footsteps and snapped my head toward the sound. Marcello Salvatore and Sonny Cormac strolled toward us. Instead of the Astor Prep uniform, they wore track pants and hoodies with the football team’s logo, slinging athletic bags over their shoulders, their hair wet from the shower.
Marcello cleared his throat.
Aiden dropped the spray paint on the ground, his mouth twisted in anger. “Get the fuck away from her!”
Marcello held up his hands. “Look, Aiden, I’m not like my brothers. I won’t hurt Alex. So back off and chill the fuck out.”
“Then what are you doing here? Spying on us?”
Marcello shook his head. “I don’t like your attitude. And I don’t appreciate being accused of shit I haven’t done.”
“You’re confusing Cello with the Big Swinging Dick Trio,” Sonny told Aiden. “He doesn’t even like his brothers. They’ve never gotten along. So maybe pump the brakes on the crazy train, and let’s all get along.”
Aiden held his gaze and even licked his lips, liking what he saw. “Yeah, alright.”
He took a few steps back and ran his fingers through his curly blond hair. It was short now, but it looked worse than mine if he let it grow. I could never contain my locks. They were all over the place unless I tamed them with gel.
Sonny offered his hand to Aiden. “Are we good?”
Aiden shook his hand. “Yeah, we’re good. As long as no one fucks with my sister.”
“I can’t control Luca and my brothers,” Marcello said. “But whenever I’m around, you have my word. They won’t touch her.”
CHAPTER 10
ALEX
On the short limo ride home from school, Aiden was quiet. He sat with his arms folded over his chest, staring out the window.
“You like Sonny,” I said to break the silence. “I know you do. He’s cute.”
Aiden slid his arm across the bench behind me and groaned. “I don’t like Sonny. He’s too pretty for me.”
He was such a liar.
“Yeah, right.” I sipped from a bottle of expensive water, the label displaying some fancy name I couldn’t pronounce. “I saw you looking at Sonny. I mean, I get it, Aid. If I didn’t have to marry one of the Salvatore brothers, Sonny would be my next choice.”
He leaned closer, invading my senses with his manly cologne. “After what they did to you today, which one of them will you choose? Hmmm? Do you like being treated like shit?”
Why was he being an asshole?
He was in such a nasty mood all day. I was grateful to abandon our old life for this one. No matter what my grandfather asked of me, I would do it—within reason, of course—anything to avoid getting sent back to my parents.
