Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

Fuck, yes. This is what I’ve been needing ever since my mom delivered the heartbreaking news that we were leaving Breakers Flats. It still hasn’t hit. It’s been four long days since she told me the news and I’ve been refusing to come to terms with it.

I don’t want to leave this place. This is my home. It’s a complete shithole and filled with all the wrong kinds of people. Any normal person would be jumping for joy at the thought of leaving here, but not me. It may be a shithole but it’s my shithole—gangs and all.

My eyes flutter open as I get comfortable against Eli and I instantly start cursing myself for making such a stupid mistake. Not the getting cozy with Eli part, but the opening my eyes thing as I find Nic staring right back at me. Only this time, it’s not the same intense heaviness from before, this is the pissed off alpha bullshit that he usually pulls on the guys—the one that tells me he’s just moments from spanking my ass, and not in a good way.

Before Nic and I got together a year ago, that look would have had me running, but when I realized that he’d fallen madly in love with me, things changed. Since then, he’s had a little trouble keeping me in line, and I have no problems assuring him that tonight is going to be one of those nights.

It’s my last night here in Breakers Flats and I intend on going out with a bang.

Nic doesn’t look away and I hold my ground. There’s been a strain on our relationship ever since I walked in to find his cock buried between the legs of Carmen Saunders. He knew he fucked up and he’s been paying for it ever since. His shot was blown. I’m not the type to hand out second chances, but it doesn’t stop him from trying.

Despite all of that, I still love him. He’s the one I go to when I’ve had a bad day, he’s the one who wiped my tears after my dad died, the one who held me and told me it was all going to be alright. He’s my protector, my world, and my heart. Leaving him is going to kill me.

Leaving my whole crew is going to kill me but it’s a necessary evil. It’s a decision I hate, but one that I completely understand.

Without this move, mom and I are up shit creek without a paddle. This is our last shot.

I keep my eyes locked on Nic’s dark ones and curl my lips into a little ‘O.’ I flick my cheek, keeping a straight face and watch the smoke puff out of my mouth in perfect rings knowing it’s bound to drive him over the edge.

His eyes darken. He hates it when I smoke. Apparently, it’s unladylike but what the hell would he know about being a lady? Besides, I happen to know for a fact that Nic Garcia loves it when I act like anything but a lady. It’s been a while though. If it didn’t hurt so bad, I might have even caved and given him a goodbye screw.

Dominic gives up and breaks the connection, snapping his gaze back to the park as the newbies somehow manage to let their deal go even further south.

All four of the boys groan. If this shit gets back to Nic’s father, they’re all going to go down for it. I slip off Eli’s lap and drop into the center of the backseat, leaning forward into the front, wanting to watch the epic fail as it plays out.

My elbow drops down onto the center console, and I don’t miss the way Nic moves his arm over, pressing his warm skin against mine, giving me shivers at his touch.

I concentrate out the front, trying to ignore the feelings swarming through my body.

The newbies are performing their very first drug deal. I remember Sebastian’s. He was a good boy before the Black Widows corrupted him. He practically shit his pants. If it weren’t for Kairo, we probably never would have seen Sebastian again. He’s come a long way since then.

The newbies are meeting with a bunch of rich kids from some town that losers like us couldn’t even dream about, and to say it could be going better is an understatement. They should have been better prepared and done their homework.

I’m not surprised when they hand over the goods before taking the money, only to watch the rich kids make a run for it.

Sebastian and I shake our heads as Eli groans beside me. “For fuck’s sake,” Kairo mutters under his breath.

The newbies start running after them, knowing damn well the consequences of losing that money. We let them sweat it a bit and watch the fuckers race through the park but when one of the little turds pulls a gun, Nic groans.