Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

Colton’s friend replies, his lips pulling up into a grin as his tongue pokes out and runs along his bottom lip. “The help is hot,” he says hungrily.

“Who’s fucking hot?” A chirpy voice comes from somewhere that is not here. My eyes flick around, wanting to know exactly where this third guy is and if he’s going to be a threat to me. The guy appears a second later, striding excitedly out of the media room. His eyes come to mine and while they also travel up and down my body, he does it in a much less creepy way. This guy, he’s just picturing me naked while the other was imagining all the ways he could fuck me.

“My, oh my, the help really is hot,” the guy says, walking right up to me and taking my hand. He gives it a gentle kiss before letting it drop to my side. I’m about to prepare for an ass-kicking when Colton lets out a soft groan and I decide that this guy can kiss my hand as much as he wants if it’s going to annoy his friend. He gives me a wide grin before respectfully taking a step back. He throws back over his shoulder. “Where have you been hiding this one?”

Colton rolls his eyes. “I haven’t been hiding her anywhere,” he says as though the suggestion is offensive to him. “She’s new. The bitch is free game for all I care.”

The creepy friend’s eyes seem to light up as the new guy whips his head back to me, smiling brightly and showing off some of the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. For a moment, it’s startling. Where I’m from, we don’t see many blonde-haired, blue-eyed kids. We’re all dark; hair, eyes, and personalities.

“I’m Charlie Bryant,” he introduces politely, throwing me off as polite was anything but what I was expecting. He looks back at his friends. “Obviously you’ve met Colton, and the dickhead watching you like a predator is Jude Carter.”

Jude. Huh, rhymes with rude. I can remember that.

Charlie continues. “Spencer is getting around here somewhere but he disappeared half an hour ago. My theory is that he’s fucking one of Carrington’s maids.”

“Right …”

“You busy? Want to chill?”

Colton’s booming demand comes flowing from behind Charlie. “No. We don’t fraternize with the help.”

I pick up my sandwich from the table, leaving all my mess behind as I stride toward Colton, keeping my eyes locked on his hazel ones. “Which is it, dickhead? I’m either free game or the help that can’t be fraternized with. I mean, if you’re going to attempt to insult me, at least get your insults straight.”

Charlie laughs behind me. “Oh, damn. Colt. She’s got you there.”

His eyes heat like molten lava, glaring heavily but Jude straightens beside him, dangerously staring down at me as though he’s ready to tear me in half. “Do you have any fucking idea who you’re talking to, trash? That’s Colton fucking Carrington. You’ll learn some fucking respect.”

I step in closer, proving that I’m not scared of their bullshit despite how my heart is thumping wildly within my chest. “He’ll get my respect when he does something to deserve it. Right now, he’s just the same trash that you three dickheads see me as.”

Jude’s jaw clenches and he goes to step into me but Colton slaps his hand up against his chest, holding him back and Charlie’s laughter seems to grow. “Holy fuck, dude. Someone needs to take a chill pill.”

Smirking up at the dickheads, I bat my lashes. “And it’d be even nicer if someone choked on it.”

They stare at me as though they can hardly believe what they’re seeing and I take the opportunity to step around them. I casually start making my way toward the living area as though that confrontation hadn’t just rattled me to my core.

I’m going to pay for that. Colton is not going to roll over and accept that I just disrespected him in front of his friends. Hell, I also disrespected his friend too. Not Charlie though. He seems cool but I won’t make up my mind about him yet. After all, he was probably just looking for a quick fuck.

There’s no denying it, Charlie Bryant called me the help and as long as that continues, he’ll be considered the enemy, just like them.

Chapter 5

My alarm screeches through my new bedroom and I peel my eyes open to remember it’s Monday morning.

School.

Fuck. I was hoping the night would swallow me whole and I’ll wake up again on Friday afternoon. There’s nothing worse than being the new kid at school. I’ve never stepped foot into a private school but I’m assuming they’re all the same. Bitchy girls and jock dudes who think they’re God’s gift to earth. Add the bucket loads of cash they all come equipped with, and I can guarantee that today is going to be one of the worst days of my life.