Nero (Made Men 1)

Surprisingly, Elle thought lunch was going well. Nero, Amo, and Vincent talked mostly to themselves the whole time while Elle asked Leo questions about how he liked high school so far. Leo, being easy to talk to, had Chloe chiming in, as well. It was a nice lunch. They’d never had any company besides themselves. They, of course, never minded it, but it was a nice change. It was time to head back to class before they knew it.

Elle and Chloe got up first to take their trays to the trash, but Nero stopped Elle. He grabbed her tray and took it from her while Amo came up and grabbed Chloe’s tray. Chloe, however, didn’t let it go; she kept her hands on the tray, holding it tight. Amo held on tighter and slowly pulled it closer to him, freeing it from her hands.

“I-I can throw away my own trash.” Chloe kept her eyes down to the floor; no way she would look a big guy like Amo in the face.

Elle tried hard not to laugh at little Chloe fighting for her tray against Amo.

“Yeah, so what’s your point?” Amo was asking a rhetorical question because he knew Chloe wasn’t going to be able to answer it. He went to the trash can with Nero and tossed it in.

“Catch you later, girls.” Elle and Chloe smiled at Leo as he went off to his class. He is way too cute.

“What class are you in?” Nero asked Elle.

“Spanish, why?”

“Because we’re gonna walk you to class.” Amo started walking out front and Nero took Elle’s arm to start walking. Chloe walked right behind Elle like she did as usual. Nero stopped and turned around. “What are you doing, Chloe?”

“Um, walking?”

“Why the hell are you walking on Elle’s ass?”

“This is how I always walk.” Chloe’s face was confused as to why it mattered.

“Jesus Christ.” Nero ran his hand through his hair while Amo and Vincent shook their heads. “Chloe, walk beside Elle.”

When Chloe took a hesitant step forward and stood next to Elle, Elle gave her a reassuring smile and nodded for her to start. It took a minute for her to comfortably walk beside Elle because it was hard for her to look at something other than Elle’s back.

It even felt slightly awkward for Elle. She had grown used to Chloe being right at her back. It was also hard for her to let go and trust Nero on his word. Yet, here she was, walking beside her best friend on her right and Nero on her left while Amo and Vincent rounded out the front and back.

She tried not to notice the stares she was getting down the halls; not that she could blame them. They had started the day out as invisible, and now they were walking with the king and his court.

They reached the classroom and Chloe practically ran inside. Amo and Vincent leaned against some lockers close by. Elle was going to go in her classroom; however, Nero grabbed her arm, dragging her back.

“What is it with you running away from me?” He tugged her close to him and held on to her waist.

She tried to free herself, but honestly, it was useless. “Stop it. People are staring at us.” The constant attention from everyone was seriously making her blush.

“So, let them. I didn’t get a thank you, you know?”

“Well, you’re not going to get one now.” He still was not budging on letting her go, even just a little.

Nero smiled. “That was not the right answer. Now you’re not going to like how you’ll be thanking me.”

Elle laughed. “Oh, really? And how’s that?”

“I’ll need a kiss as a thank you.” He grabbed her chin to position her face.

“No, no, no. I am not kissing you. You’re crazy to think I would kiss you in front of everyone.” She felt her face grow even redder. No way is my first kiss going to be here, with him.

“I can wait then. I’ll get my kiss by the end of the day. Oh, and stay here. We’ll be back to pick you up, so don’t even think about leaving without us. Your ass better be right here, understand?”

“Excuse me?” Elle’s body returned to normal. He can’t tell me what to do.

Nero squeezed her tighter. “You don’t want to defy me, Elle. Remember, you owe me a thank you.” He let her go.

Elle was astounded as she stormed into her classroom. Who does he think he is?

She thought he was unbelievable. No way was his mouth coming anywhere near hers. ‘I’ll need a kiss as a thank you.’ Ha! As if!

Elle suddenly realized she had made a deal with the devil.

Chapter Eight

Like a Disney Movie

Elle had lost all concentration at school with everything going on. Her life felt like the twilight zone to her now. Plus, she still had no idea how to handle the whole murder thing. She needed to find out about this boss and see if she could get in the clear.

Then there was Cassandra.

‘Well, she was suspended. Do you know why?’ Elle knew why. It was all because of her in the lunchroom. Cassandra was going to pay her back, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Forget the boss killing her, Cassandra was going to make sure she was six-feet under the moment her feet stepped back into school.

Elle cringed at an old memory from freshman year.

Cassandra and her two blonde friends stood over her in the locker room. “We heard what happened to your father. Good thing he paid your tuition before the school year started.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, how the hell is he supposed to make enough money in a wheelchair? I know he lost his job. Such a shame that your first year will be your last year at Legacy Prep High.”

Their sadistic laughs ran through her ears. She wasn’t going to listen to her talk about her father that way, though. “Yeah, and it’s such a shame you feel the need to stuff your bra. Can’t you at least stuff them evenly?” Elle knew she had gotten her with that one.