Mine (Blood Ties Book 1)

I WATCHED HER WALK AWAY, fighting the damn urge to shove open the door and drag her back into the car. But the moment I leaned forward to kill the engine and climb out of the car, my damn phone gave a beep. I looked down.

Natalie: I miss you baby, when can I come over again?

The corner of my eye twitched. The moment I thought of her, Tobias’ fucking words roared to the surface of my mind. You can do better. I lifted my gaze from the cell to Ryth as she reached Duke’s main building. Do better? Better, because I fucking knew deep down she was playin’ me. I knew she hooked up with other guys. I knew, and still I took her back when she begged me to.

I lifted my cell, hit the finder for her phone, and waited for her location to load. Streets narrowed in, then the flashing icon hovered above an address I didn’t fucking know. It sure as hell wasn’t hers.

That twitch came once more in the corner of my eye.

Not her place…

So she was fucking around again.

“Goddamn stupid whore,” I growled, and shoved the car into gear, but the moment I did, darkness caught my eye.

A black Audi idled across the road from the drop-off point, but no teenagers shoved out of the rear seat and strode toward their classes…no, none got out at all. The hairs on the nape of my neck rose the longer I stared at that car. It was familiar. Real fucking familiar. I pulled the Mustang out and jerked the wheel, turning the car hard, but the moment I neared alongside the Audi, I slowed.

A guy sat behind the wheel, his dark, hooded eyes threatening as he turned his head slowly to meet my gaze. I knew him instantly…Freddy Sloane. What the fuck was he doing here? My gut tightened and I instantly thought of the gun in the glove compartment of my car. If he started…

Dude, if Freddy started, I was fucked.

Even I knew that.

But he didn’t climb out of his car, and he didn’t lift his piece. Instead, he looked away from me, and turned his gaze to the main building of the school. He wasn’t here for me…

He. Wasn’t. Here. For. Me.

Panic punched through my chest as I turned my head and searched for Ryth. But she was already gone, probably striding through the hallways of the damn school now. So why the fuck was Freddy watching her? I braked hard, staring at the Audi in the rear-view mirror.

Turn around.

Turn around and force the asshole to tell you.

In a gunfight, the savage bulldog would have it all over me. But hand to hand…I licked my lips. Hand to hand, I’d hold my own. But then the Audi pulled forward and turned hard, the engine snarling as it blew past me and headed down the street.

I didn’t have to follow to know where he was heading. Back to the Rossis’. He might work for his father, but his loyalty was to Lazarus, the Stidda Mafia Prince. The kid who’d grown up hard the last few years, alongside my brother.

I hit the accelerator, only slowing at the end of the street. But the Audi was gone…

Why the fuck was he watching the kid?

Was it retribution?

I pulled over and glanced into the rear-view mirror. Did I follow him into the city and demand a meeting with Laz? Or did I go home…

Beep.

Tobias: Where the fuck are you?

I scowled and punched out a reply: Taking Ryth to school, why?

Tobias: You know why. What kind of fucking game are you playing at?

What kind of fucking game? What did the fucking little prick think…that Ryth was his? If only he knew. I glanced at the passenger seat, remembering how her sweet body had looked angled toward me on the seat, her thin fingers slipping in deep. My cock hardened with the memory.

I gripped the bulge, and massaged. Fuck, I wanted more…wanted to taste her. I licked my lips, my tongue seeking her scent. But it was gone…leaving me fucking craving. I bet if I went down on her, I’d blow her fucking mind.

The thought of that tore something savage from my chest…until my damn phone beeped again.

Tobias: Stay the fuck away from her, Nick.

“Stay away? Who the fuck does he think he is?” I snarled out loud, my anger seething. I grabbed my phone. You listen here, the kid doesn’t belong to you.

Because…she was mine.

The thought hit me out of nowhere. Hard and heavy, like brass knuckles to my chest. I sucked in a hard breath and tried to leash my anger. But it was savage when it came to T. The little fucking punk thought he was the only one hurting after mom died.

But she was my mom, too.

My mom, who I’d loved more than anyone…I just couldn’t cope with seeing her at the end. Remorse waited for me in that deep, dark pit of despair. I’d tried to push it out of my mind, tried to bury myself in Natalie’s cunt. But that only made me feel worse.

Because she was a cheating bitch. And I’d allowed it.

“Not anymore. I’m done,” I muttered, hitting my texts.

But it wasn’t Tobias I answered. It was the past. I should’ve done it a long time ago, when I’d found out the first time.

Nick: Don’t bother me, we’re done and hit send.

I could’ve ghosted her, it was what she deserved. No, what she deserved was to find me cock-deep in another bitch’s pussy. Now that would’ve evened the score. But that didn’t sit well with me, not the part about fucking someone else…just who that someone was.

But Ryth wasn’t just a bitch, was she?

And the more I thought about her living in the same house, two bedrooms down from mine, it pushed me closer to the edge. That perfect pink pussy, slick, gleaming. I wanted to lick and suck and never come up for air.

Would she take my cock?

Christ, I hoped so.

The throb in my fucking pants turned savage. I looked down, the teeth of my zipper gleaming like fucking lights as I strained again my jeans. I hadn’t been this hard in…forever.

Because of her.

My fucking stepsister.

Ryth.

Now, if only Tobias knew to back the fuck off…

I lifted my cell at Natalie’s reply. I caught the Nick, what?!? NOOO! PLEASE NICK! PLE—

“Fuck that.” I swiped and opened Tobias’ text. Nick: I watched her fuck herself this morning in my car, her pussy on full fucking display. I want it. So I’m telling you, T. Back the fuck off and hit send.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I shoved the car into drive and pulled away. For the first time in forever, I felt good. Real fucking good.

Until the memory of that Audi pushed in.

I’d need to keep more of an eye on Ryth, make sure I was here the moment the fucking bell rang, to take her to our special park. At first, I’d thought it was a fucking joke, driving her…now I wouldn’t have it any other way.