Ruthless Princess (Mafia Royals 1)

I raised the bat and slammed it across his right arm, he winced but didn’t say anything. I threw it in the air, caught it with my other hand, and hit him right in the left kneecap.

Zac squeezed his eyes closed; his lips were trembling.

“Who are we?” I asked in a sweet voice that sounded fake even to my own ears. I was a lot of things—sweet was not one of them.

“The Elect.” His pain-filled voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

I tossed the bat to Ash, who wasted no time in slamming it into Zac’s back, causing him to stumble forward. “Do not touch The Elect.” He gave Zac a shove then held out the bat to Izzy.

She took it and hit Zac in the right shin. “Do not look at The Elect.”

Junior was last. I ignored the way his swagger made my stomach flop. Damn Zac wasn’t the only one who’d lived in a gym this summer… he’d put on at least fifteen pounds of muscle. His tatted fingers gripped the bat. With an evil grin, one I felt all the way to my toes, the bat went soaring right into Zac’s stomach, he doubled over and spat out blood, and Junior leaned over him and said in a lethal voice. “Do not speak to The Elect.”

Claire watched, her expression stoic.

Junior dropped the bat and crossed his arms. “Any questions?”

No student said anything.

“Good.” Junior smiled. “Let’s get out there and have a really safe and fun year!”

The sarcasm alone made me want to burst out laughing even though I wanted to drown him half the time.

Ash looked away.

“You heard the man,” Ash barked. “Go!”

And off they went, with their rich parents and perfect lives. They’d graduate to the most powerful positions in the world—and they’d remember this moment in their nightmares.

Zac wobbled and then stood. “Thank you.”

Yes, he was thanking us, because if someone volunteered at the beginning of the year, that person and any friends weren’t just given a free pass to talk with us—they were allowed to hang with The Elect, party with us. That person just had to go through the pain in order to get there. I was glad it was Zac since we actually tolerated him and his friends.

“Welcome.” I blew him a kiss and then tilted my head. “No girlfriend this year?”

His eyes heated. “Not yet.” He licked his lips. “New skirt?”

“Go.” Junior shoved him. “You have class.”

“I do?” Zac looked confused.

“Yeah, you do.” Junior rolled his eyes, then pulled out his knife.

“All right, all right!” Zac held up his hands. “Hell, you guys are crazy.”

I lunged for him.

“Shit, man, don’t call her crazy,” Junior mumbled under his breath while Ash held me back.

“Didn’t you almost lose a testicle last time?” Izzy asked Junior.

Zac must have gotten the picture because he turned and ran.

“You’re welcome!” Ash called and then released me.

I stumbled forward, nearly colliding with Junior. He steadied me.

Our eyes locked.

Damn that man’s eyes.

Teal… who had teal eyes?

I hated that the only times he touched me now were to push me away when it used to be to pull me close.

I hated what we’d been forced to become.

Hated it.

“You’ve got mascara—right here,” He flicked my chin.

I licked my middle finger and wiped off the makeup earning a grin from him before he sobered and looked away.

Ash and Claire were a few feet from us talking with Izzy.

It was rare for me and Junior to be standing next to one another without shouting, pulling weapons. Was this new school year going to be a cease-fire?

“One day… I’m going to kill you.” He said it like a promise.

And I answered in truth. “You can’t kill what’s already dead.”

For a brief moment, I felt his fingertips graze mine.

And then he pulled back.

I exhaled and reminded myself that the sting of tears meant I was still alive, still breathing, still making my family proud, mainly my dad.

I looked around the fancy brick buildings and sighed. “Welcome to Hell.”

Chapter Two

Junior

I would take it to my grave.

The wrongs done against her mom.

The things my father said he did in the name of blood—De Lange blood. The name wasn’t spoken out loud—ever. And the last time that it was, the person was found not long after with a slit throat.

The thing about the Cosa Nostra… we always have enemies; I just never thought the very Family that used to be a part of the five would be the ones to try to destroy us.

The De Langes tried to do it from within, but according to my dad, they failed, and hits were put out for every last one of them. He and a few of the guys went out, and the rest is history.

The only problem with history?

It quite often repeated itself.

And it was only a matter of time before that happened.