My eyes skim over the words, absorbing the information as much as I can as I take notes with one hand and pick up the sandwich with the other.

School is exhausting and I'd only been here less than a day. How anyone did years of this was beyond me.

But still, if I wanted to find out the truth, then I had to keep my scholarship and to do that I had to study, and succeed.

I scribble down a note for class. Teaching myself was a lot easier than listening to teachers drone on and on about a small detail that captured their attention then actually teach what they were meant to be teaching.

I quickly jot down another note before shutting the book and pulling my full attention to the sandwich, my stomach grumbling. My constant fight for food hadn't dimmed a bit it seemed in the week's I'd had free will to eat it whenever I wanted. Food was a rarity growing up, a commodity, a prize to be won rather than something needed for basic survival. He used to take me out for lavish dinners whenever I'd done something he deemed worthy but then would lock me in my room with Elijah at the door to keep watch for two days sometimes three without food when I'd lost a match or talked back. I'm too proud to not admit that I talked back quite a lot, especially within the past year. I mean what did he expect when he killed the only friend, I'd ever made for myself, the only other person that understood what it was like to be raised by that man.

But nobody touched his property, as we'd both learnt the hard way. Ethan more than I, since he was now buried in a shallow grave somewhere and I had spent the two weeks after his death trapped in his bed, his room, his company every waking hour.

My stomach rumbles again and I pull my attention away from my depressing thoughts and back to the sandwich, forcing the food that now taste like ash on my tongue down. But I'm not worried about a little taste of ash when the taste of starvation melting on your tongue is far worse.

My body is always hungry, almost ravenous and no matter how much I eat, it never seems filled.

I let my eyes roam the cafeteria, slipping past students and teachers alike with a calculative eye, picking apart the wolves from the sheep. It was an easy enough thing to accomplish, especially in my last line of work.

Which is why it's easy to notice the gazes that dart to me, looking at me as if I don't belong.

They'd be right.

Footsteps sound to my right and I lift my head, regarding the girl that stands in front of me. She's in a few of my classes and had talked to me in every single one - smiling kindly. It was weird.

She was nice, if not persistent. Kat is her name.

I raise a brow at her, and she fiddles with her fingers, looking over her shoulder slightly before back at me.

"You should stay away from Kinkade and his cousins." She says softly, as if speaking of them too loudly will summon them here in a cloud of smoke.

I don't reply straight away, gathering my thoughts for a moment but I don't need to reply, she continues on.

"Kade, Killian and Malachi are not good people. Everyone noticed the twins talking to you this morning. You should try and stay out of their way. It never ends well for the girls that caught in their trap."

This is the second person to hint that any girl stupid enough to involve herself with them disappears or at least, that what it seems.

I tilt my head at her, leaning forward. "Who are they?"

Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. "Just stay away from them, it'll make the next few years easier for you." Kat gives me a close-lipped smile as she takes a seat opposite me, sitting rigidly and refuses to glance at the eyes that look her way at the action.

"Oh, do you mind if I-" she waves a hand to encompass the table.

"You already are." I mutter and her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I can go-" she says the words, but her face says differently, eyes skittishly moving from one table to the other, as if calculating her odds at another table. If they'll even let her sit.

"It's fine." I say, going back to my food and ignoring her eyes on me.

"Thanks." She says softly, playing with her food but I don't reply.

I'm not here to make friends, not even persistent ones.

A hush falls over the cafeteria just as the double doors swing open and I see the infamous Kinkade, Malachi and Killian stalk in from my periphery, the whole schools gaze latching onto them as if they are a flame and the student body is one giant, writhing mass of moths.

I hate moths.

Killian watches the crowd stoically, Malac grinning like a loon beside him, eyes sweeping over every person until they settle on me. His eyes seem to brighten, and he dips his head, not giving me a chance to react before he's looking away again and following Kade towards a table in the middle of the cafeteria - where every student and teacher can see them.

Figures the three of them would by vying for every scrap of attention they think they deserve.

A soft scoff leaves my lips when I see the girl from this morning at the table they surround, staring at Kade with narrowed eyes before another girl approaches, hair chopped short in a dark pixie cut and a withering glare aimed at the girl, spitting something until she stomps off with red cheeks.

"That's Aubrey." Kat says quietly, not looking up from her food. "She's been friends with those three since they were children. And she's very protective of them."

I don't say anything, watching as the four of them take a seat, and whoever had occupied the seat prior to them running off.

"Do they scowl at everyone they meet?" I ask softly when I see Kade looking at me, signature scowl firmly in place before turning to his friends in a hushed conversation.

Kat doesn't answer for a second and I turn to her, raising a brow before she looks towards the table and then back at me with wide eyes.

"Kade is the unnamed leader and the oldest cousin by a few months, he pretty much makes all the decisions, and the others follow him unquestionably. If he decides he doesn't like someone, Killian's loyalty will have him following. Malachi is a bit of a wild card; he could rebel against Kades instruction, or he will take it as permission to play with you."

"Play?" I ask.

"Torment, torture, whatever he wants."

I hum but don't reply, watching them like one would watch a group of predators at a zoo. Trying to figure out what makes three privileged teenage boys so formidable.

The bell rings, signifying the end of lunch and I pack up, slipping from my seat and out the door before Kat has a chance to pack up and follow, making my way to history class.

• • •

I slip from my room after changing, and studying for the afternoon, taking the steps quickly as I walk through the silent building to where I'd parked the bike.

The night is quiet, almost peaceful, dusk settling over the academy like a thick cozy blanket.

I throw my leg over the bike, feeling comfortable on the machine before bringing it to life and starting the drive to the bar, even if I am a little earlier than Candace had requested.

Hopefully she doesn't send me away when I get there.

The winding path leading out of the academy is a quick drive, the trees on the side of the road looking down on you like sentient beings, standing guard on either side.

I leave the academy behind and ride further into town, feeling freedom biting at my heels.

The bike purrs beneath me as I pull to a stop at the lights, the chill air whispering past me.

Looking down at the bike I promise myself that I'll return it.

I don't need three rich assholes holding it against me and it was a stupid decision to take it in the first place and if I want to survive, I really have to stop making stupid, reckless decisions.

The walk into town isn't the end of the world, even if it is annoying. I've dealt with worse than a forty-minute walk.

A car rolls up next to me, and I can feel the occupiers gaze on me, practically a physical skim against the side of my face. I refuse to look over, keeping my head forward even as I notice the window roll down from my peripheral.

"Nice ride, baby girl."

I turn slightly, meeting twinkling blue eyes with an amused gleam shining in the depths. Malac grins, the smile dark and twisted as he looks at me on his bike, tilting his head like he's thinking about something. "It looks familiar."

"It was a gift." I mutter.

Technically not a lie.

"And what a gift she is." He murmurs, eyes on me, a smile stretching his lips. It's a pretty smile but there's something dangerous at the edges, something unknown that sends a shiver down my spine.

I'm not ready to unpack exactly what type of shiver it is so I ignore it.

I huff at the remark, looking past his shoulder to the person driving the car but Kade - the boy who has decided he hates me sits there, his jaw ticking with frustration and hands so tight on the wheel that his fingers are white.

A bike comes to a stop beside me, the rumble so familiar to the one below me and I look over at Killian. He stares at me, his perusal obvious even through the tinted visor. It's almost like I can feel his hands on me even with a metre and a half between us. I suck in a breath, tightening my core as if preparing for a fight even as confusion rocks through me. I hear Malac chuckle from beside me, pulling my attention back to the real world.

"Your right brother, she does look delicious. Better than I ever looked on that thing."

"Well, you can have it back." I say, having made up my mind. I wasn't keeping a gift that came with an air of danger and the attention of these three. Not after what I've survived. It's finally time to start making healthy decisions. For once I was actually going to listen to the warnings that blare through my body.

"And why is that, Rosie?"

"You know that's not my name, right?"

"It is to me." Malac murmurs, looking at me straight. "Why are you returning the bike?"

"I don't need a gift-" I put emphasis on the word, "that has strings attached."

"And what would those strings be?"

"Your riveting company." I mutter lowly.

He smirks then, "that's not so bad is it, baby girl?"

A scoff comes from beside Malac, the noise dripping with disdain before the car takes off, seconds before the light flickers from red to green.

I watch it leave, Malac practically hanging out the window like a madman, his eyes on me.

"You going to leave at any time?" Shock weaves its way through me, Killian's voice coming through clear as day in the helmet.

He laughs; the sound throaty, almost sultry. "Built in mics, so I can talk to my brother - though the person who's taken his place is a lot nicer to speak to."

I ignore the flirty tone and his question, taking off with a roar of the engine.

He follows closely behind, his bike tilting the same as mine, skimming close to the ground with the confidence he has for the vehicle.

"Are you following me?"

I can hear the grin in his voice when he answers, "We just happen to be going the same direction."

I roll my eyes and accelerate, all the while hearing his throaty laugh in my ears. I clench my teeth for hard my jaw starts to hurt.

I reach my destination quickly, pulling up into the same spot I'd seen the bike in when I took it, Killian pulling up beside me.

He stays seated on the bike for moments longer, watching as I get off and remove the helmet, slipping it onto the handlebars.

Still, he doesn't move even as I walk for the alley entrance and make my way the front door.

It's only when I'm out of sight I hear him begin to move.

I reach the bar entrance and push it open, stepping into the building and walking for the bar. Candace raises a brow at me but says nothing, handing me a rag silently.

I take it, grateful for the work.