“I’m not interested.”
Her trembling voice pissed me off even more.
“Hollinsworth, I fucking swear she said she needed to go,” I said, shoving my hands in the pockets of the blue jeans to seem less intimidating to her and so I wouldn’t choke his ass out here in broad daylight.
Even though we were around the same age, she only reached my chest, so I towered over her much like Hollinsworth.
My gaze slid to her wide eyes, and my heart hammered against my chest.
Holy shit, she’s so beautiful.
Even in the ugly ass light-yellow collared shirt with the school’s crest over her breasts, and maroon plaid tennis skirt that landed midway down her thighs, white socks, and black shoes, she looked sexy as fuck. I understood why he wouldn’t take no for an answer. But that didn’t make that shit right. If she wanted to be left alone, he should listen to her.
“This doesn’t have shit to do with you, Puglisi.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t, but I’m making it my business. Let her the fuck go before I fuck you up.”
He stepped toward me and crowded my space instead of hers. Her shoulders relaxed, and while Jake and his friends’ attention was on me and my friends, she eased away from us.
My eyes flicked to hers, and I winked when she mouthed thank you before walking in the direction she had come. She glanced at me one last time, giving me a small smile that pierced my heart like a speeding bullet before she disappeared around the corner.
For the first time in forever, I’d done something that mattered beyond trying to impress my father. Although I didn’t know who the hell this girl was, we were meant to cross paths today. But this wouldn’t be the last time I saw her.
“If I don’t, what the fuck are you going to do about it?” Jake’s question brought me out of my thoughts. The clueless fuck didn’t even realize she was already gone. “Your brothers aren’t here to save you.”
That made me laugh. Everyone thought my brothers protected me and fought all my battles. They couldn’t be more wrong. My brother Gianni had his nose stuck so far up his girlfriend’s ass he didn’t know if he was coming or going. If it didn’t have anything to do with Phoenix Blaine, he didn’t give a fuck. Lorenzo didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself. And Dante’ s too young to care about shit. No, I didn’t depend on my brothers for shit. I depended on no one but Sergio Puglisi.
I guess it was time Jake found out why fucking with the Puglisi's was hazardous to your health. After I was done with him, I’d make sure he never played another sport again. He’d be lucky if he made it out alive. Today, might be the day I earn my Puglisi tattoo across my chest.
Chapter Two
Seraphina
Two Weeks Later…
I’d been back in school for at least two weeks, and I hadn’t seen Sergio. I also didn’t have to deal with Jake or any of the guys from the hockey team either. It was such a relief. It was difficult dealing with rich kids who believed they deserved your attention just because of who they were. Jake was one of those rich kids.
Since I transferred to this high school, I’d been dealing with him and his friends. I didn’t know if he targeted me because I was one of the few Black girls at school, or he was used to girls falling at his feet. Whatever it was, he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. I wasn’t interested, and I had told him that countless times.
In the past few months, his advances had become creepy and more aggressive, which was why our run-in outside of Lucky’s Diner scared the shit out of me. But at least all that seemed to be over now.
All I wanted to do was go to school, then go home. I wasn’t rich like the kids here. I couldn’t just get by on my family’s name. I worked hard for what I wanted.
Like my sister, I came here on a scholarship. I was fourteen and a freshman. I wasn’t here to make friends or find a boyfriend. My goal was to graduate early and make something better for my life.
Most of the time I navigated the halls of Sacred Heart Prep with my head down and moved as fast as I could to each of class. I didn’t hang out with anyone and tried to stay far away from everyone.
I never ate in the cafeteria, taking my lunch in the library where I could eat in silence and not worry about the constant chatter of high school bullshit. As long as I kept a low profile, I hoped to go unnoticed. So far, I’d done a good job except with Jake. Now that he wasn’t around, I hoped once again I could blend into the background.
With my head down, and my books in my hand, I headed toward the library, dodging students as they rushed to their next class or to lunch. I had only a couple more hours left, then I could leave since my last two classes had been canceled for today. I couldn’t wait. I thought about studying. But I needed a break. SoI would hang out at home, binge my favorite show, while eating a shit ton of sweets. My reward for keeping my grades up the first semester.
Turning the corner toward the library, I was stopped in my tracks by a solid wall of muscle.
“Fuck,” I mumbled as the books and papers I hadn’t stuffed into my backpack fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up without looking at the person I had bulldozed into. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“It’s alright.”
I stopped grabbing my stuff, and my eyes landed on Sergio Puglisi. He looked like a younger version of his brother Gianni, who was my sister, Phoenix’s boyfriend. While Sergio had no clue who I was, I knew who he was. Not only was he one of the most popular and the most gorgeous guys in school, my sister and his brother warned me to stay clear of him. Gianni believed he was nothing but trouble, and my sister agreed. It had become sort of a ritual with Phoenix to ask if I had run into him. Each time I could tell her no. But now I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. I’d done a good job staying off his radar until a few weeks ago outside of Lucky’s Diner.
