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  I was wrong before. She’s not just pretty. She’s fucking beautiful. She’s tall with legs that seem to stretch on forever, and she holds herself with a confidence that’s sexy as hell. With her dark hair, big eyes, high cheekbones, and plump lips, she’s the most stunning creature I’ve ever seen. I can’t tell what age she is, because she most likely looks older than she is. All I know is she’s under eighteen because otherwise she wouldn’t be here.

  Granted, I’ve minimal real-world experience of girls to be in any position to make such a sweeping statement, but she’s hotter than those actresses I see on TV shows. The ones I usually imagine I’m fucking when I’m jerking off. Even in the shapeless white polo and too-big navy shorts uniform she’s wearing, I can tell she’s got a knockout figure. I hate to agree with anything Lopez says, but she’s sporting an awesome rack that already has every male drooling.

  I hope, for her sake, that she’s got a pair of matching-sized lady balls.

  Because she’s going to need them if she wants to survive around here.

  I have my first close encounter with the new girl later that day. It’s our obligatory outdoor activity time, and we’re all outside, sweltering under the intense late afternoon heat.

  “Fuck, even my balls are sweating,” Torres exclaims, and Sofia rolls her eyes.

  “Keep that fucking shit to yourself,” Valeria spews, scowling as she scans the yard before rolling the end of her polo shirt up.

  “Take it off, baby,” Lopez encourages as his wingmen instantly reposition themselves so they’re blocking his girl from view. Watson is too busy eyeing the new girl as she jogs around the yard to even glance in this direction anyway.

  Valeria licks her lips, curling her finger at Lopez in a come hither gesture. Lopez jumps on top of her, his hands pushing the polo up even farther until he’s exposing her bra to the salivating male audience. She eyeballs me with a seductive smirk, but I stare impassively at her. It’s not the first time she’s indicated interest, and I’m tired of rejecting her advances. Although my body craves sex—I’m as horny as any seventeen-year-old guy—I won’t lower myself to sleeping with her, and I don’t want to start a fucking war with Lopez, so I do my best to ignore her outrageous attempts to grab my attention. When he starts fondling her tits, I look away, and my eyes instantly meet the new girl’s.

  My heart rate elevates as we lock gazes for the first time. Her chest is heaving ever so slightly, and damp tendrils of hair cling to her forehead. A light sheen of sweat glistens on her brow. It’s not exactly ideal weather for running, but I admire her determination. Most kids in here are lazy as shit, uncaring about school, working out, or anything which would make the best of a bad situation. Most get sucked into the system, either banding with the gangs or falling prey to them.

  I wonder which side she’ll fall on.

  As that thought pops in my mind, I vow to do what I can to keep her safe.

  Her eyes bore into mine, almost like a challenge, and I get lost in the seductive depths of her gaze. Honestly, her eyes are the most startling brown. Like a warm burnt amber color, and the orange hues surrounding her pupils are like wild, flickering flames. I’ve never seen anything like them. She stares at me through these long, thick lashes and I fucking forget how to breathe. It’s as if our surroundings have disappeared and it’s only her and me.

  Unspoken questions linger at the back of her eyes, and the way she’s looking at me makes me feel like she’s peeling back my layers, one at a time, until I’m exposed before her. I go to great lengths to hide who I am in here, and, ordinarily, I’d run a mile from someone inquisitive like her.

  But the only urge I’m feeling in the moment is to run toward her.

  The sentiment freaks me out.

  But not enough to pull my gaze away.

  Her tongue darts out, and she licks her lips before dragging her bottom lip between her teeth. I follow the movements greedily, and a wave of desire floods my body while my heart beats wildly in my chest.

  I’m not sure how long we stare at one another for. Time has ceased to have any meaning. But she’s the first to break away, hauling her gaze from me to look over at Lopez and Valeria who are now dry humping on the bench. Her bra is lowered to her waist, her tits bare for the horny audience. A few of the guys have their hands down the fronts of their shorts, rubbing one out as they watch them fuck about.

  “What the fuck you looking at?” Valeria demands, glaring at the new girl with undisguised venom as Lopez stalls with his mouth around her nipple.

  The new girl slowly drags her gaze up and down Valeria’s body, and her mouth tugs up into a slight smirk. “I thought I’d left all the skanks behind at my old school. Guess I was mistaken.”

  Her voice is like molten chocolate, deep, sultry, and highly addictive. Thinking I might be drooling, I clamp my lips shut, smothering a smile as I watch her confidently challenge Valeria.

  Valeria shoves Lopez off her, fixes her clothing, and then stalks toward the newbie. The guys trade excited looks. It’s been ages since we’ve had any chick fights, and they’re chomping at the bit. I stand, ready to jump in and defend the new girl if necessary, when I spy Watson stomping this way. Valeria is too angry to notice, and Lopez is too turned on by the prospect of a girl fight to look anywhere else.

  Leaning against the fence, I hang back, amused to see how this will play out.

  “Say that to my face, bitch!” Valeria slams her palms into the new girl’s chest, and she falls back a couple steps.

  “Get your fucking hands off me.” She doesn’t raise her voice or attempt to physically retaliate, and that impresses me to no end.

  “You’re dead, ho. So. Fucking. Dead.” A vein pops in Valeria’s neck as she prods her finger into the new girl’s chest.

  “I won’t tell you again.” The new girl stares her down, and she has a considerable height advantage. Valeria may be fierce, but she’s a tiny little thing. The new girl towers over her by a least a half foot, so it’s almost comical watching this go down. But I’m not flippant about it either. Because what Valeria lacks in height and body mass, she makes up for in other ways. The new girl may not realize it, but she’s just made a formidable enemy.

  I can’t decide if she’s brave, naïve, or recklessly stupid.

  “Valeria!” Watson barks, pushing his way forward. “Inside. Now!”

  “What the actual fuck?” Valeria shoots a menacing look at Watson. Rumor is, she’s fucking him for favors, and it appears those rumors are right if the entitled expression on her face is any judge.

  “Now.” Watson’s tone brokers no argument. “Powell clearly saw you pushing Zeta.” He gestures at his female colleague over his shoulder. “Don’t make this any worse. Just come with me.”

  We have a name. Zeta. It’s a fitting name for the beautiful, mysterious stranger.

  Valeria deliberately shoves into Zeta’s shoulder as she walks past, glaring at her with pure menace. “Watch it,” Watson tells Zeta, his eyes lingering on her chest in a way that makes my blood boil. “Keep your nose clean around here if you want to stay in our good graces,” he cautions, finally tearing his eyes away. My hands are clenched into balls at my sides, and a rush of aggression floods my system, begging to be unleashed. Right now, I could pummel Watson into a bloody mess. I take subtle deep breaths, in and out, in an attempt to cool my jets.

  “Got it,” Zeta says, showing no emotion. But the instant Watson turns away, she flips him the bird behind his back, and a few low chuckles ring out.

  “Baby, you sure know how to make an entrance,” Lopez says, eye-fucking her as he saunters toward her.

  “I’m not your baby,” Zeta says, folding her arms across her chest. Several groans ring out behind me, and my protective instincts kick up a notch. I take a step toward her, and her eyes dart to mine for a brief second.

  “Not yet you’re not,” Lopez replies wi
th a suggestive smirk.

  “Not. Ever.” Zeta holds up a palm to keep him at bay.

  “Famous last words, baby.” Lopez grins.

  “I don’t do sloppy seconds.” She flicks a quick gaze over him. “And you’re way too fucking short.”

  “Aw, now you’re hurting my feelings,” Lopez says, only half-joking. Guy’s ego is floating somewhere around orbit, and he won’t take too kindly to a remark like that.

  “Do I look like I give a flying fuck about your feelings?” She arches a brow, and I’m struggling to contain the wide grin dying to rip free.

  “Careful, sweetheart,” Lopez mutters. “There’s a fine line between flirting and insulting.”

  “And there’s a distinct line between stupidity and intelligence.” She wets her lips, and I can almost see the gears ticking in her skull. “Or maybe not so much in your case.”

  Lopez frowns. He can’t work out whether she’s just inferred he’s stupid or intelligent.

  Dumbass.

  My smile breaks loose, and she notices, casting a surreptitious look in my direction as her own lips kick up slightly at the corners.

  “Well,” she says, preparing to leave. “It’s been fun.” Waggling her fingers in our general direction, she trots off, leaving a trail of infatuated hearts in her wake.

  It seems my last few months in juvie just got a whole lot more interesting.

  CHAPTER 2

  Zeta

  I’m shaking all over as I jog away from the boys. Blood thrums in my ears, and my heart is racing scarily fast behind my ribcage. I can’t believe I just did that. And I know exactly what I’ve done.

  Drawn a target on my head.

  But I knew coming in here that that would happen anyway, and it’s better to take the opening shot than wait for the bullet to come at me. I suppose if there’s anything I can thank my mother for, it’s my ability to swim in a sea full of sharks.

  I’m under no illusion about my future. If I can’t navigate juvie, I’ll never survive adult prison.

  When I kept my mouth shut, I hadn’t factored that into my planning. I thought juvie would be my ticket to freedom, but instead, it’s my ticket to hell. It’s all happened so fast that I haven’t had time to come to terms with this new reality, let alone consider how I can extricate myself from the longer-term mess.

  All that mattered was getting away from that asshole. In that moment, when it became evident that he was going to pin all the blame on me, that was the only thought playing on a loop in my mind. I couldn’t stay there with him on my own. I would never have made it to eighteen alive.

  So, I’m here, and I’ll have to think up some way of avoiding the consequences.

  But, for now, it’s one day at a time. One step at a time. One minor victory at a time.

  The gorgeous one sends sly looks my way while I force-feed myself the sweet and sour pork the cafeteria is attempting to pass off as dinner. A few guys have tried to sit beside me, but I shooed them away with a glare, a snarl, and a few harsh words. The only other girls in this place are loyal to that skank. They shoot filthy looks my way, but I purposely ignore them, knowing it’ll piss them off even more. As the only girls in the coed unit, it means I’ll be sharing a pod with them, but at least I’ll have my own cell. Until someone new arrives, if that happens.

  I take a sneaky look at the gorgeous one while I sip my milk through a straw. He’s talking to a younger boy at his side, smiling at something he says, and I can tell he cares about him.

  One of the good things about being a loner is you learn to read people well. My people-watching used to drive Mom insane. She constantly chastised me, saying I preferred observing random strangers than engaging in conversation. What she didn’t realize is that I never wanted to engage in conversation with her.

  Why would I?

  What the fuck did she ever do for me?

  Besides bring me into this world, not a hell of a lot.

  I’m gritting my teeth so hard I break through the straw, and little drops of milk splash my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the table of girls laughing at me. Are we back in kindergarten? If that’s how easily they’re amused, maybe this won’t be as bad as I fear. Ignoring the urge to roll my eyes, I pretend I don’t notice, dabbing at my face with a paper towel.

  I feel the gorgeous one’s eyes on me again. There’s just something about him that commands my attention. Something I can’t put my finger on. It’s embarrassing to admit, even to myself, how captivated I am with him. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, but, I swear, the instant our eyes met, I felt something spark to life inside me.

  A connection?

  A bond?

  A shared understanding?

  A mutual dark side?

  I don’t know how to explain it or describe it, other than it confuses, scares, and excites me, all at the same time.

  And I know what you’re thinking. It’s just because he’s hot.

  But it’s not that. It really isn’t. I mean, yes, he’s fucking hot, undeniably so with that ripped body, messy dirty-blond hair, and those dazzling eyes. They’re like a mix of yellow, orange, and brown with a faint green tint, and when he looked at me, I drowned in his gaze, zoning out as some weird vibe erupted between us.

  And now I sound like one of those mushy romance books I love to read. Not the smutty ones. I’ve seen enough of that in real life to avoid reading anything similar. I prefer to read the overtly romantic ones where they’re all subtle glances, shy touches, and sweet kisses. Inside, I laugh at myself, imagining I’ve wandered into my own love story.

  As if those really exist.

  As if that could ever happen in a place like this.

  As if I could ever open myself up to another person in that way.

  My back hurts the next morning, and I crick my head from side to side to try to loosen my stiff muscles. The mattress on the narrow bunk in my cell is hard and lumpy, the pillow flat as a pancake, offering no comfort or support, so it’s no wonder I’m aching all over.

  I’m yawning as I pull on the ill-fitting shorts and polo combo I was provided with upon arrival. A shudder works its way through me as I recall the humiliating intake process. Forced to strip completely naked, I then had to suffer the embarrassment of a full body search. At least it was Officer Powell. But having anyone search my vagina and the crack of my ass with gloved fingers is an ordeal I never again want to experience.

  A loud yawn escapes my mouth again, and I feel dead on my feet. I only managed to get about three hours sleep, and I’m exhausted. The majority of the night was spent in a cold sweat, fighting heavy eyelids and doing my best to avoid sleep in order to ward off the nightmares.

  The doors automatically unlock with a loud click at seven a.m., and I drag my weary body outside, waiting for the others to emerge from their cells. Without fail, each girl glares at me, but hostility from other females isn’t anything new, so it doesn’t bother me.

  “Let’s move out,” Officer Powell says once we are in single file. I keep my head down and my hands clasped behind my back, like I was instructed yesterday. Powell walks alongside us, and every time she stares straight ahead, the girl behind me shoves me in the back, almost causing me to trip over my feet every few steps, but I manage to keep my balance, and I make it to the cafeteria in one piece. I’m tempted to launch my elbow back into her gut, but getting into a fight on day two would not set the best first impression. I might despise that perv Watson, but he had a point about keeping my nose clean.

  Breakfast is sour grapefruit juice, burnt toast, and overcooked boiled eggs, but at least it’s more palatable than what I had to eat yesterday. Keeping my strength up is important in here if I’m to defend myself, so I’ll put up and shut up.

  I’ve a forkful of eggs halfway to my mouth when the boy who was sitting with the gorgeous one yesterday arrives a
t my table. “Is anyone sitting here?” he asks, his voice trembling a little. His cheeks flush as he looks expectantly at me, and I don’t have it in my heart to turn him down, even though that’s my first instinct, especially after he asked so nicely. He’s cute and a couple years younger than me, I’d guess, so I don’t see the harm.

  “Have at it.” I gesture toward the empty chair with my hand, and his cheeks flare red. God, he’s adorable.

  The chair screeches along the tile floor as he sits down across from me. Brushing strands of dark hair out of his eyes, he clears his throat. “I’m Lucas. Lucas Young. But you can call me Luc.”

  “Nice to meet you Lucas Young a.k.a. Luc. I’m Zeta Williams.” I almost stutter on my last name. But, in here, having people know what I supposedly did will be a help not a hindrance. Although, Luc doesn’t react adversely to my admission, so he mustn’t know.

  “How did your first day go?” he asks, toying with the eggs on his plate.

  I shrug, like it’s no biggie. “About how I expected.”

  He smiles at me. “Ryder’s right. You’re brave.”

  My brows climb to my hairline. “Who’s Ryder?” I ask although I can guess.

  He laughs, absently looking over his shoulder. “Oh fuck. This is priceless. You mean to tell me you didn’t notice him?” His chest rumbles with laughter, and I know I’ve called it right. He is referring to the gorgeous one. But I’m not about to let Luc know I did notice him. Would have to be blind not to. He’s the hottest guy in this place, by a mile.

  “What’s so funny?” a deep male voice asks, sending shivers racing up and down my spine. I don’t need to look up to know it’s him. Ryder. I test his name out in my mind, and I like it. I like it a lot.