Savage by Caitlyn Dare
Dane
My compliment doesn't go down the way I hoped it might. Sadie's eyes narrow on me, her full, red lips pursing in frustration.
"Whatever it is you think you’re doing here, it's not going to work," she warns, her voice low and raspy, sending a bolt of desire straight to my cock.
I've always loved the feisty ones. It's why I was drawn to her in the first place all those years ago. She's not like the other daughters in the club. She doesn't just roll with whatever is expected of her. Sadie stands up for herself, makes her opinion heard, and fuck if that doesn't make my cock hard.
I smirk at her. She can play innocent all she likes, but we both know the dirty thoughts that were just running through her mind as she checked me out.
"Sure it won't. But when you're ready to act on whatever it was you were just picturing, you let me know." I wink and take a step back before she sucks me in with her sweet scent and fiery attitude.
"Over my dead body."
I make a show of dropping my eyes down her very alive body. "We'll see." I continue moving away from her. "Oh, and Sadie, girl." She rolls her eyes at me, placing her hands on her hips. "If that asshole bothers you again, you tell me."
"I can fight my own battles, Dane. You just focus on playing bodyguard to River."
Without another word, she turns and marches over to where Quinn has River safely tucked in the corner of the cafeteria. I might not know the finer details of the real reason I've suddenly been transferred here, or why Prez is demanding that Rhett suddenly attempts to right his failed senior year all of a sudden, but something tells me it's to do with more than just protecting River from these jumped-up cunts.
I watch Sadie's ass sway before she comes to a stop with the others, and after running my hand through my hair, I make my way out of the building.
Hitting dial on Rhett's number, I drop to my ass on a patch of grass behind where we parked our bikes this morning. It wasn't really a surprise to watch him walk out. He's not on board with this plan, whatever the truth behind it might be.
But if Prez has demanded it, that asshole knows better than to go against him. It proves just how against this he is, because he knows the consequences are going to be brutal.
His cell rings out.
"Where the fuck are you?" I mutter before throwing my cell down on the ground and ripping open the sandwich I'd grabbed from the cafeteria before I stumbled across that asshole.
Any sensible person would have taken this morning's warning seriously. He's got enough visible cuts and bruises to serve as a reminder about what happens when you cross us. It seems the motherfucker's got a death wish or some shit.
I make the most of my peace by completing the homework I've already been set today, and, by the time the bell rings out, I'm more than ready to get to class and get my first day as a senior at Savage Falls High done with.
Art has always been my favorite class, one in which I can forget about my bullshit life for an hour or two and just get everything I feel out on paper or canvas, and it only gets better when I watch Evan, a few students ahead of me, make a show of his arrival in the same class.
He's standing at the front with his arms held out from his sides like he's the fucking king and the rest of the students are mere servants here to kiss his boots.
"Oh look, someone let a stray in," he deadpans when he notices me walk into the room and give him zero attention as I drop into a chair at the very back of the room.
Ignoring him for now, I rip open my bag and pull out my kit. The last thing I'm expecting is for someone to sit next to me, but ten seconds later, that's exactly what happens.
"Hey," Quinn says, copying my previous action and laying her pencil case and sketch pad out on the table before her.
"Hey. You got no friends in this class or something?"
"Nice, asshole.” She purses her lips. “Real nice."
I shrug, not really giving a shit what she thinks of me. There's not a lot of love lost between Quinn and I, and I'm more than aware that the feeling is entirely mutual.
Unlike her best friend, her outfit of choice helps her blend into the Savage Falls High crowd instead of making her stand out like a sore thumb who's just asking for trouble. Equally, though, her skinny jeans and floral tank combo stirs absolutely nothing inside of me.
"What do you want, Quinn?" I bark, needing to get to the bottom of her sudden interest in me so I can get on with whatever we're about to be tasked with.
"Why are you really here? Looking out for River is bullshit, isn't it?"
"Wow, say it like it is, Q."
"Sadie and I can handle keeping River safe."
"Seems Prez doesn't agree.” My brow arches. “And I have to say that after what I've witnessed today, I'm quickly getting on the same page."
"Evan," she mutters, clearly knowing exactly who I'm talking about. "That guy's an entitled asshole but nothing we can't deal with."
"He's a cunt, and you shouldn't have to deal with him."
She shakes her head, her eyes narrowing. "And you don't get to walk in here on day one and pretend to be God. We all know it was you who made a pretty picture of his face, and—"
"That wasn't me, actually. His sidekick is wearing my artwork." I smirk, nodding toward the blond.
"So who… Rhett," she sighs, answering her own question.
"Bingo, baby.”
"Don't call me that," she hisses, shuddering in disgust. "So, where is he?"
"Fuck if I know."
"He's been sent to retake senior year then, I assume?"
"Assume what you like; it's got nothing to do with you."
"It's got everything to do with me."
The teacher walks in right as my patience with this chick is about to snap. "What do I need to know about Evan and his band of merry jocks?” I ask.
"Other than the fact that he's been gunning for Sadie for our entire school career?" The pencil in my hand snaps as my fist tightens around it. "I love being right," she singsongs, pissing me the fuck off.
"What?"
"You're not here for River,” her eyes light up, “you're here for Sadie. The only question is why? Sadie can more than handle herself around Evan. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's her favorite hobby."
* * *
I might not have been all that happy with being stuck with Quinn's incessant chatter during our art class, but she did provide me with one thing. Knowledge. And there's nothing more powerful than that. Okay, well, maybe the gun that I reluctantly left in my room at the compound this morning. I've had a great rundown of some of the shit Evan's pulled on Sadie over the years, and I'm now staring at the clock, waiting for it to tick around so I can get my hands on him.
It was already abundantly clear that this morning wasn't enough. I think a second lesson for the day is in order.
I drag my eyes from the clock toward him and his table of adoring fans. He's got girls on either side of him, both of whom seem to have an issue keeping their hands to themselves. None of them have done even a second’s worth of work, but the teacher doesn't seem to give a shit. Although, if I were her, I'd want to let them all fail too.
He's either totally unaware of my death stare burning into the back of his head, or he's ignoring it. I hope it’s the latter so I can ensure the maximum level of pain when I finally catch up with him.
I breathe out a massive sigh of relief when the bell finally rings, and, the second I've tidied my shit up, I follow Evan and his fan club out of the room.
"Wait," Quinn calls, making a groan rumble up my throat. "Are you going back to the clubhouse?"
"What the fuck is it to you?"
"Uh…"
"We're not friends, Quinn. We'll probably never be friends, so how about you do your thing and I'll do mine, yeah?"
"I will find out why you're really here. And," she adds, staring up at me, "if you hurt Sadie, I'll blow your fucking balls off."
My eyes widen at her threat, but I don't hang around long enough to respond. I've got more important things to deal with than Quinn Renshaw.
As expected, Evan and the rest of the team leave the cheer squad behind and head into the locker room. Stopping opposite the door, I rest my foot against the wall and pull my cell out. To anyone who's passing, I'm just waiting for someone, but that's not the reality.
I give them five minutes—just enough time to lower their guards, should any of them have realized that I was following. Sucking in a deep breath, I blow through the door. The scent of stale teenage boy sweat assaults my nose, making my stomach turn, but it's nowhere near enough to stop me.
"Hey, what the fuck are you—" I slam my palms into a guy's chest when he tries to stop me, sending him flying into the wall with a loud grunt.
"Henley," I bark, working my way through the benches to where he and a couple of his closest allies are watching in slight panic. "Clearly our warning wasn't loud enough this morning."
My hand wraps around his throat, and I have him pinned back against the wall before he's even aware that his feet have left the ground. I squeeze hard enough to scare him, but not hard enough to kill him. Not yet, anyway.
"If you want to be able to play football this season, I suggest you take what I'm about to say very fucking seriously," I growl so that only he can hear me.
He nods like a pussy. It seems the threat of losing a limb and no longer being able to catch a ball is enough to make him comply. I'm almost disappointed it's so easy.
"If I catch you so much as looking in Sadie Ray's direction, I'll break your beloved throwing arm in so many places you will no longer recognize it. Touch her, and you can certainly say goodbye to that tiny cock hanging between your legs."
His jaw pops with frustration, but he says nothing as his eyes hold mine.
"You're a stupid motherfucker, you know that?"
"He's got it, okay?" Wes, the guy I took to the ground earlier says, coming to stand beside us.
"Yeah, that's the thing. I really don't think he does." Pulling my arm back, I throw it into his stomach. He grunts, doubling over in agony once I release his throat.
Taking a step back, I keep my eyes on Wes, seeing as Evan is distracted. "You're messing with the wrong people. Sadie Ray is off fucking limits. You all got that?" I bellow.
A few mutter their agreement, but most stand by their leader. Weak motherfuckers.
"We're watching you," I say, moving my fingers from my eyes to Wes’s.
He nods, reaching down to help Evan stand up straight as I back away from them all.
"Nice chatting to you boys. Go Saints," I shout with a fake-ass smile and a fist pump I really don't feel.
Fucking assholes.
* * *
"Wow," I say, walking into Rhett's apartment at the compound, getting assaulted by the heavy scent of weed permeating the air. "Looks like you've had a productive day."
His response is to throw a bottle of beer at me before taking another drag of his blunt.
"Give me that," I demand, swiping it from his fingers and taking a hit as I drop into the chair by the window. "Did you even attempt to turn up to a class today?"
"Nope."
"You gonna go to any tomorrow?"
"Doubt it."
"Ray is gonna be pissed. He wants you there for a reason, man," I say, hoping he'll fill me in on the details.
"Yeah, but it's bullshit. Sadie doesn’t need fucking babysitters," he blurts, confirming my earlier suspicions.
"Evan Henley is going to be a problem," I tell him, sidestepping his confession for now.
"The asshole with the busted face?"
"Yeah. Him and his little friends, they're all gunning for Sadie. Which means your sister is probably going to end up as collateral damage in this Savage Falls High war.”
"Jesus fucking Christ,” he grunts, his fist clenching against his thigh.
Releasing a steady breath, he scrubs his hand down his face before holding it out and demanding the blunt back. “I knew sending her there was a bad fucking idea.”
