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I stayed completely still. At least, I tried to. I wasn’t sure it was possible with how fast my heart was beating. I just wanted to disappear.

I was a little embarrassed about my rant about being a bad lay. But I was a lot more annoyed that Adonis had butted into my life so aggressively. Jacob and I had a perfect project without him. We didn’t need a third. I’d told Adonis a million times that I wasn’t interested in him. Yet here he was...stalking me at school now? What the hell was his deal?

It took forever for the bell to ring. But as soon as it did, I closed my empty notebook and shoved it into my backpack.

“So what’s this project about, Aphrodite?” Adonis asked.

I stood up. “Sorry, we’ll have to catch you up on it later,” I said, without looking back at him. “I have a thing.” I needed to get out of this room. I was starting to feel all sweaty.

“What thing?” Adonis asked. “You heard Uncle James. You gotta catch me up on our group project.”

I turned around to glare at him. “It’s not our project. And don’t call him that. He’s not your uncle.”

“From what I can tell he’s not Jacob or Axel’s uncle either. I figured he just went by that or something.”

“They call him that because they’re family.” And this stranger absolutely was not.

“Yikes,” Adonis said. He glanced at Scarlett and Axel. “So is this an incest thing?”

“We’re not related,” Scarlett said.

Adonis smiled. “Whatever you say, pumpkin.”

“And don’t call her that,” I said. “That’s her dad’s nickname for her.” What was wrong with this guy?

“There are a lot of rules in your family. What else do I need to know?”

“Nothing,” I said. “Because you’re not a part of it.”

“If you say so. I have an idea. How about we head to your house to go over this project.” He grabbed his notebook and stood up.

I just gaped at him. Not because he towered over me. Or because of the way his Empire High blazer hugged his broad shoulders. Or because his green eyes were staring at me so intensely. No, I was gaping at him because he had the audacity to think I would ever invite him over. He was basically presuming I wanted to sleep with him. Which was not the case. And he’d heard why. I felt my cheeks turning red.

Jacob cleared his throat. “We haven’t officially been introduced. I’m Jacob.” He stood up and put his hand out.

“The protective friend. Nice to meet you, man.” Adonis slapped his hand like they’d been teammates their whole lives.

“That’s Scarlett and Axel. And this is Sophie.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” Adonis said.

“So why did you transfer here in the middle of the year?” Axel asked.

Why were they engaging with him right now?!

“I got kicked out of my last school.”

Of course he did.

“For what?” Scarlett asked.

He shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure this time.”

“This time?” she asked.

He shrugged again. “I think one of my teachers just didn’t like me. So the four of you guys are like family, but not actually family. So I’m guessing all your parents are friends? The Caldwells, Hunters, and Stevenses.”

“Yeah,” Scarlett said. “We all grew up together.”