Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

This place is ginormous. We don’t belong here.

“We’re definitely not in Kansas anymore,” mom mutters under her breath.

I shake my head, agreeing with her completely. We’ve been here a whole thirty seconds and haven’t even heard a gunshot yet. I can just imagine the security team sitting on the other end of these cameras, turning up their noses at what they see before them.

This isn’t going to go well, but unfortunately for us, this is the only hope we’ve got. We’ve already lost our home, our car, and our dignity. What more do we have to lose? If we were to stay, we would’ve been on the streets, begging for food. Nic never would have allowed that to happen. He would have taken us in, but mom’s pride would have held us back, not to mention, her fear of putting us one step closer to his father’s gang. The last thing she wants is to see her little girl get mixed up with that. If only she knew just how close I really was.

When this opportunity landed on our doorstep, we had no choice but to scoop it up with both hands, hoping it didn’t slip through our fingers. The eviction notice from the bank was already on the fridge and quickly creeping up to its 28-day deadline. We only had a few days left.

“Are you sure about this?” I question as mom and I step over the boundary line to the massive Carrington estate. This shit needs its own area code.

“Of course I’m not,” she says, looking as though she’s ready to break into tears. “But it’s either this or working for those Black Widow thugs, so I chose the lesser evil. You don’t belong in either of those worlds just as I don’t belong scrubbing rich guys’ toilets. Your father would be rolling in his grave if he was looking down on us right now.”

I let out a heavy sigh. She’s right. We don’t belong here or there, but sometimes you do what you have to do just to get by. The people here wouldn’t understand something like that. These are the kind of people who were born with silver spoons in their mouths and money overflowing their gold-trimmed pockets.

If I were the one who had to make the decision, I would have taken the gang option. At least that way I would have been close to the boys and close to dad’s grave. Not to mention, someone needs to keep an eye on Sebastian. He’s only one bad screw away from an STI.

My four boys. They’re the four loves of my life. Well really, Nic is … was, but the rest are all fighting for second place. Though if I’m completely honest, Sebastian might have that second place. He and I share a special, unbreakable bond. He’s just as protective of me as I am of him, but not in that crazy, eye-rolling way that Nic is.

I miss them already and it was only a two-hour drive in an Uber. They were there to wave me off, hangovers and all. They’re my crew. They’re the only reason I was able to make it through the past few years. Being a teen in Breakers Flats isn’t easy. You either win or you lose, there’s no in-between. At least for me, I had my boys and they’ve always had my back.

Now, I have nothing.

I guess that’s not entirely true. I can always call them and I know they’ll drop everything and come running. They’re going to make four beautiful women really lucky one day.

Fuck. That thought sends a sharp pain sailing through my chest. The day that Nic finds the girl of his dreams is going to crush me. I won’t handle it well and if she even thinks about hurting him, I’m going to fuck that bitch up.

I put it to the back of my head as Mom and I make our way down the long-ass drive. I can’t step into this place crying about my old life. I’d be the laughing stock.

I can’t stop gaping up at the mansion. Every step we take makes the place seem so much bigger. I can’t believe people really live in homes like this. Back where I’m from, the amount of money spent on a home like this could house hundreds of people, even thousands.

“Do you think these people have staff to wipe their asses?” I question under my breath, wishing we still had our car. Carrying all our luggage and precious possessions down this ridiculous drive is really starting to weigh me down. I keep myself in good shape, but seriously … there are some things a girl just isn’t capable of doing. I guess I should be thankful that the driveway isn’t an extra mile or two longer.

Mom grins before trying to smother it. She’s doing her best to keep her spirit high. “They do but they call them bidets and they squirt water up into your … you know,” she says, popping her hip to indicate her ass.