Branded (Savage Men 4)

“Ready?” Hanson asks as he eyes his watch. It’s almost time for our next class.

“Yeah,” I say. But as I turn around, I bump into someone’s shoulder.

“Hey! Watch it!” He shoves me back so hard I fall to the floor. Only then do I notice it’s Derek. Accompanied by two laughing twins and a beautiful girl on his arm. Dixie.

“Don’t you ever fucking touch me again, redskin,” Derek says, spitting on the floor beside me.

Everybody who was in the hallway with us has suddenly gone quiet. They’re all staring at us.

Dixie wriggles herself free from his arms. “Derek!” She gives him the stink eye.

“What?” he snarls at her while Hanson helps me up. “I didn’t do shit! He ran into me!”

“Fucking asshole,” Hanson mumbles as I pat myself down.

“What did you say?” Derek barks. He’s up in Hanson’s face now and pushes him. Hanson barely manages to keep both feet on the floor. “Say it again, little bitch.”

“Derek!” Dixie shouts, but he’s ignoring her.

Hanson glances at me, then at the crowd behind us. For some reason, his eyes stop when they home in on a girl standing on the sidelines. Lillian.

Out of nowhere, he’s found new, brazen courage, and quips, “You’re an asshole, Derek, and pretty much everyone in the school knows it.”

People around us visibly snort. Derek’s nostrils flare, rigid cords in his neck, and he grunts out loud. Suddenly, his fist flies straight for Hanson’s face. Hanson sidesteps just in time, and the punch lands on my shoulder instead. I don’t flinch even though it hurts like hell. I’m not gonna go down that easily. Not for a motherfucker like Derek.

“Derek, what the fuck?!” Dixie yells.

“C’mon, boys,” Derek shouts at Hanson and me, holding his fists up high. “I’ll take you both on.”

“Fuck no,” Dixie says, tugging his arm so hard he’s yanked to the side. “Stop this shit. Right. Now.”

“Why? They started it,” he barks back at her.

It’s like they’re completely unaware of the people staring at us.

“No. You did.”

“He bumped into me,” Derek hisses.

They’re bickering like a bad couple. It’s almost comical.

“So what? Shit happens. Move. On,” she says, her face turning completely red at the sight of all the people still watching the spectacle in front of them.

“Fuck no. Those assholes are looking for a fight. It’s time someone taught them a lesson,” Derek growls, still glaring at both of us even though his girlfriend is right in front of him.

“You’re embarrassing me,” she whispers loudly, probably hoping no one can hear. But I can. And I’m pretty sure Hanson did too because he’s grinning like crazy.

“So?” Derek says.

“So?” she repeats, making a face. “Fuck, I’m so over this.” Her eyes almost roll into the back of her head, that’s how annoyed she appears. “You know what? I’m done. We’re done.”

She turns around and marches off.

“Dixie? Wait! Dixie!” Derek yells, running after her, completely forgetting about us.

It’s too late, though. The moment he touches her shoulder, she immediately jerks away, shoving him aside.

And all I can do is grin like the devil himself.

* * *

Dixie

Age 16

I sneak to follow my twin brothers, hiding behind a tree when they turn around briefly. I feel like such a fool doing this, but I have to know what they’re doing inside that farmhouse. It feels like everybody in my family knows what’s up except me. There’s something about that farmhouse, but Dad never lets me in. Only Ben and Danny get to go inside. I’m convinced it’s because they’re boys and I’m a girl. That, and our age difference might be part of the reason.

But why? What is so important that only they get to do it and not me?

My dad always boasts about how family comes first, how we should always work hard, and how he is the sole provider for our family. Yet he won’t let me help out in there.

As though they have this secret man club or something, and I’m not allowed in.

Well, fuck that. I’m going to follow them and see what they’re up to.

When they’re almost inside, I make my way to the front door of the farmhouse and try to sneak past them, being careful not to touch anything or anyone.

However, the moment I step inside, Danny turns around, and we come face to face.

“What the hell?” he mumbles. “Dixie? What the fuck are you doing here?” He pushes me outside and slams the door shut behind him. “Oh, fuck no.”

“I just wanna see what y’all are doing in there,” I say, pushing him away.

“No,” Danny replies.

Why is he being so fucking difficult? We used to share everything way back when, but somehow, ever since they got more involved with Dad, things changed. It’s like he lets them in on secrets that I’m not allowed to know, and it pisses me off.