“You should go back to the gutters,” Lisa said.
A few of the other girls that stayed glued to Lisa’s hips agreed. As far as the social ladder went, Lisa Sullie was considered the princess of Aridole. Her family quite literally built our town. My father had tried for me to look her way multiple times, but there wasn’t a bank account or a threat big enough for me to touch her.
“Pres is going to move,” Rem said.
I made eye contact with Mac, and he grimaced even further. Nelly’s hands were wrapped around his bicep. I needed to talk with Mac and ensure he had no interest in Keegan.
“Should I kill him?” Hawke asked, whispering against my ear.
My teeth sank into the inside of my cheek to keep myself from reacting. He did it on purpose to try and see if one day he’d sneak up on me unprepared, and I’d kill him. His addiction to death was troublesome, but I had a firm handle on Hawke.
“No, he’s useful,” I said.
“That and he has something going on with Blue Quarters, Luka Davis, and Whyatt Chamers,” Samson supplied.
I only knew of blue Quarters because of her family relations. However, they were one of the few to run from Aridole and rightfully so. All the others had names that weren’t special in any way, but all the same, I memorized them.
“Good,” Rem said.
I kept my mouth shut but felt the same. A tight ball in my chest eased, knowing Mac wouldn’t be making a move on Keegan, although I wasn’t sure I would either.
“Hawke, have a seat.” I pointed to the one next to Rem and looked at her pointedly.
She sighed but knew exactly what I wanted. We let Hawke have his fun, but only if he stayed on the metaphorical leash I’d created.
Keegan stood up and flung tea off of her. She pushed her soaked hair back and smiled. I sat up, more intrigued. It took only seconds as Keegan grabbed the back of Lisa’s head and slammed her face into the table not once but twice. Blood gushed from her nose and mouth, and gone was laughter replaced with a devastating silence.
Violence wasn’t uncommon but for someone to hurt the princess of Aridole, well, that wasn’t smart. She’d be paying in more ways than one.
Lisa sloped down to the ground, unconscious. Keegan tied her hair up and flicked a tapioca ball off her shoulder. “Anyone want to accidentally trip and hit their face on the table?”
“You’re dead,” one of the girls said.
Keegan grabbed the girl and brought her knee up. It connected with the girl’s torso. Spit flew out of her mouth as she crashed to the floor next to Lisa gasping for air. Keegan looked around the room before grabbing her backpack. Her gaze locked with ours, and she went still.
“I think I’m hard.” Hawke groaned. “No, scratch that. I’m definitely hard.”
Keegan squinted at us before flipping us off and walking away.
Rem whistled. “I think I have a crush.”
I didn’t know if I should take her seriously or not. Either way, Keegan Quell had successfully gotten under all of our skins. Except maybe Samson.
Mac got up. I already knew where he was headed. He stopped at our table, and I raised my hand. “We will be taken care of her. We claimed her.”
Mac grimaced. “Then why did this happen?”
“Are you questioning how I do things?”
I could tell Mac wanted to argue, but he clamped his mouth shut and turned away. I stayed there as the rest of the students moved along. The groupies that hung to Lisa’s every word got assistance from the football team.
My gaze landed on Douglass. He had his letterman jacket on, signifying he was with the football crew. I kept a tab on every single potential enemy in school and out. And Douglass still held some weight with his father in his position.
“Think he’s going to make a move?” Rem asked.
“There is a sixty-two percent chance he will,” Samson said.
He wasn’t the only one. Much like how I had to reign Hawke in, I’d have to do the same with Keegan. All train of thought stopped. Did I want to keep her? She brought nothing to the table, and yet the thought didn’t disappear. I didn’t want anyone else to touch Keegan Quell.