XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

PROLOGUE

I never knew who my parents were. All I knew is that they had given me up. And walked away. I grew up with that knowledge. I wasn’t wanted. As I filtered from foster home to foster home, time spent in group homes, I had learned a few lessons. But one stuck out more than the rest.

Survive.

I survived because I knew who was who. I could tell who had the power in any situation. And I made myself invaluable to them. I got damned good at it.

When I was in fourth grade, I started hanging out with Brian Lanser. He was gorgeous. I know in fourth grade you’re not supposed to even know that the opposite sex exists, but I did. I was always boy crazy. And in fourth grade, my crush was on Brian Lanser. He introduced me to cigarettes, beer, and from him I picked up my soon to be obsession—stealing.

I became a legend at it.

I didn’t care for any of the other stuff. But stealing—that was the rush. It made my heart pound and after each swipe…I got more addicted.

I switched foster homes again and left town. It was the same everywhere I went. The same kids. The same habits. The same behaviors. You had the god blessed ones, the rich and spoiled, the nondescript and bland, and then my crew—the kids who all the other kids were scared of.

I made friends fast because I could pickpocket where you would swear I hadn’t even been. Faster than the eye. It was a talent that everyone loved. And I became valuable in return. Plus—the guys liked me.

By the time I got to eighth grade, I had circled back and found myself in the same school as Brian Lanser. Yet again. And he remembered me. He was my first boyfriend, first actual. And he reacquainted me with cigarettes, beer, and condoms (these still held some mystery to me).

And I taught him how to steal cars.

We were a match made in heaven. And then something happened.

I was adopted.

And it all stopped.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

CHAPTER ONE

“Taryn.”

Yep, that’s my name. And I just rolled my eyes, not pausing as I made my way down the school’s hallway. My sister could screech all she wanted—I wasn’t going to help her. Ever. At least not that way anymore.

“Taryn.” Mandy shouted again, pit-pattering her way to me. No one should run when wearing high heels, at least those high heels. They arched halfway up her calve. But that was her sister. Mandy wore high heels, she wore the clingy tank tops, the miniskirts, and some days—she wore the cheerleader outfit.

My new sister was a cheerleader. I had been adopted into a family that raised those kind of kids. The god blessed and rich kids. And Mandy was the epitome of a golden child. At least she thought so. Blonde. Petite. Smart. And popular by all accounts. She wasn’t the head of her clique, but she was one of them. You know the crowd. The highest of the high. The crowd where only a handful actually hold the power. The rest of the popular crowd just drool to get into their circle.

“Taryn, god’s sake—stop!”

I ignored her, opening my locker as I heard her stumble to a halt, panting slightly.

Eyebrows arched, I whistled, “Thought you were in shape, there sister. All those late night activities with Devon, right.”

“I don’t care about that.” She snapped. Ooh—Mandy was on a mission. And I knew what she wanted, which meant…

“I heard Devon hooked up with Stephanie Markswith at Brent’s party.” I commented, casual. Grabbing my Calculus book.

“Not gonna work, sister dear.” She said scathingly, but it had. I saw the twitch. Oh yeah, she knew what I was doing and why, but… “There’s no chance in hell that he would hook up with her. No way in hell!”

“Not what I heard.”

“She’s not suicidal.”

“She was drunk. Don’t think she was thinking all the clearest.” I remarked, shutting my locker and moving away.

Mandy latched to my side. Seething. “The girl’s dead!”

“Better tell her that.”

I saw Stephanie turn the corner up ahead, along with her mini-Stephanie-wanna-bee friends tagging behind. Jackie, Slappy, and Curlie. Of course those wasn’t their real names, but to me that’s what they were. Little anorexic bubbles with air inside. They had no personalities and their only mission in life was to get popular. Stephanie was their first rung in the ladder so that’s where they started.

Stephanie wasn’t quite where my sister was in the social status. But she was almost there.

And Mandy saw her at the same time as she immediately veered off in her direction.

I couldn’t stop a faint grin. Stephanie was about to be knocked down from whatever standing she had achieved and it was all because of me. I’m such a bitch, but the thing is—I had another reason to seek my sister on Stephanie.

Yeah. I had lied. Stephanie hadn’t hooked up with Devon. I have no idea who she had hooked up with, but there wasn’t a doubt that it had been something—note that I said something, not someone—but the reason I felt no guilt was because the first week I had come to school—my new life in place with my resolutions firmly in place—she had spread a rumor that I stole our biology exam.

Yeah, it might’ve been true in the past, but not then. And what got me even more pissed off was that she had spread the rumor only because her boyfriend had hit on me. That was it. Of course, when some of the goody-two-shoes had gotten a whiff of the sniff, my name had been called over the speakers to report to the superintendent’s office.

And all my history had been pulled up—making me look guilty as hell. Not helping my innocence—and I actually was innocent in this case—and I promptly received detention for two months. They couldn’t prove anything, but it didn’t matter. Stephanie had already brandished my name and all my intents and purposes to be a ‘good’ kid had gone done the drain.

So I served the sentence. Got pretty close with Mr. Hollings, the unlucky teach who had pulled the detention straw. And I set about trying to reclaim my ‘good’ name again.

It helped that Mandy had spoken up in favor for me. She was my sister. And I felt my first family loyalty—ever, in my life. I liked it. It made me feel…like I was worth more than a swiper.

After that—it’s been war between me and Stephanie. But the past few months things have been quiet…guess that’s over now.

I could hear Mandy’s screech continue as I ducked inside my classroom. I couldn’t help, but chuckle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Glancing up from my lunch tray, I saw Tray Evans drop into the seat opposite mine. Grinning, so self-assured, he drawled, “Your sis preaches about some of your skills.”

“Skills that are firmly stocked and locked. Go away.” I said coolly. I didn’t care who he was, I wasn’t going back there. No way in hell.

“Come on. Why are you so hard-pressed? A girl like you could get laid, easily.”

I fixed him a steel glare. I knew who he was. He was the resident god of the school. Captain of the soccer team. Heartiest partier. His own personal supply of kegs, and if you were really nice and kissed his ass he’d even rent a few out to you. Tray Evans was that kid that I hated the most. He had the family, the looks, the personality, the money. He could charm his way anywhere and he did. He was so goddamned lucky because he had everything and instead he chose to spend his days optimizing his level of fun.

He was lazy. Pure and simple and advantaged.

I hate anyone who’s advantaged and takes it for granted—Mandy now excluded because she’s my sister.

“A girl like me?” I asked, coolly. “And who do you think I am?”

There was a flicker in those hazel depths and dirty-blonde locks. Yeah, he was now back-pedaling a little. “Chill. Didn’t mean anything by it—it’s just that…any guy would be with you. That’s it. Didn’t mean anything derogatory.”

“Right.” It didn’t set right, the guy was lying. “What do you want?”

Yeah, he was firmly reassessing me. This wasn’t the girl that he had been told about. And I knew it. I hadn’t pulled out my confrontive bitchiness—yet. I’d played in the background, doing passive aggressive stunts (like with Stephanie), but right now…that wouldn’t fly. Not with Tray Evans. He ate those girls for a snack and came back for seconds.

“Taryn!” Mandy cheerfully greeted, landing in the seat next to mine. “Tray, hey!”

“Matthews.” He greeted smoothly, the cool façade slipping back in place. Once again in control.

“Is it true?” Mandy asked, “Is the party at your place?”

She hadn’t seen the switch in him. That was weird—I’d seen right through it, apparently I was the only one.

“Thinking about it.”

Catching me studying her intently, Mandy asked, wary, “What?”

“Why are you here?” I asked pointedly. She didn’t sit by me. I sat alone. It was my rule.

She sighed. “Come on, Taryn. We need your help.”

“That’s what this is about? Both of you coming to double-team me?”

“Well…yeah.” She said simply.

Tray leaned forward, propping those gorgeous muscled arms on the table, teasing me with a view of a tattoo peaking out underneath his polo sleeve. I had a things for tattoos. “Mandy says that you’re good at swiping stuff. We need something swiped.”

“No.”

“Taryn, why are you being so unbelievably difficult? Come on—you’re like a legend at this stuff. Mom and dad had to attend conferences about this stuff, just to prepare the family for you.”

I went cold.

Gasping, Mandy realized what she’d said.

Coolly, I murmured, “Sorry that your family had to learn how to sneak-proof their home before their new defected adoptee moved in.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.” She scrambled. “I really didn’t, I’m sorry—Taryn.”

But I wasn’t listening. I had already stood and crossed swiftly out the door and down the hallway. Without thinking I found myself in the parking lot, my car keys dangling from my fingers. But as I got inside and put the keys in the ignition, I stopped myself. What was I doing? Times like these, there was always a Brian Lanser to make me forget. But now…that wouldn’t solve anything. Not anymore.

The passenger door opened and Tray got inside. Shutting it, he leaned against it, his arms relaxed, hanging around the seat. “Going somewhere?”

“Get out.” I clipped out.

“Where we going?” He countered, grinning.

I couldn’t help it. I found myself checking him out. He really was gorgeous. He had eyelashes that girls would kill for. Startling hazel eyes. A lean muscular build that athletes inherited after years of training. And that mouth. Full plump lips.

He was a Brian Lanser. But the difference was that Brian Lansers never got away with anything. They were hated just because they were associated with criminals. Tray Evans pulled the exact same stunts—and were worshiped. They were dangerous in my mind.

“Like what you see.” It hadn’t been a question, but he had framed it as one. And we both knew it.

“Oh, you got the package. We both know that, but you have crap for quality.” I drawled back, smirking. I didn’t care that it was a hit below the belt.

“You think so?”

“All my life, I’ve dealt with boys like you. There’s no surprise there.”

Leaning forward, his face slowly getting closer, he whispered, his breath now teasing my skin, “You think so.” He murmured softly, tilting his head slightly as his cheek now grazed against mine.

I held firm. I had too. But I hated that I had to ignore the heat that spread through my body, how I had to hold my breath even.

I whispered back, “I know so.”

“Bet I could change your mind.”

“Bet you could…if I wanted you too. But…,” now pulling away, I said flatly, “I don’t want you.”

His eyes were laughing. The hazel color had darkened to almost an amber color.

“So get out.” I delivered smoothly.

He chuckled softly as he leaned against the door once again. “Listen…business only, okay?”

I was silent, regarding him suspiciously.

“Next week is homecoming and we play the Panthers from Pedlam.” Judging from my silence, he proceeded, “Anyway, last year they stole our gamebook and we got screwed. This year—it’s our turn.”

“You want me to steal their gamebook?”

“Mandy says you used to do this stuff. I respect that you don’t want to do that anymore, but…we know that they’ve already been sniffing around campus. We caught a few of ‘em Friday night, they were trying to take our State Championship flag from last year.”

“You won state championships?”

“Yeah.”

“So the one loss didn’t hurt that bad.” I said, sardonically.

“It hurt enough.” Acid could drip from his voice, “They had to revise an entire new gamebook.”

“You don’t even play football. Why do you care?”

“Because this is my school. I take care of what’s mine.” He promised. Firmly.

But this wasn’t my school. I didn’t have a school. Wait—Pedlam?

“I know people at Pedlam.”

“What? You go to school there or something?”

“Yeah…a few times.”

“So…?”

“So…I don’t know if I want to go and help you screw with a school that I’m probably more welcome at than here.”

Tray sighed, rolling his eyes, “You’re Mandy’s sister. This is your school too, Taryn.”

And that was the first time I’d ever heard him say my name. In fact, until lunch, he’d never spoken to me. Not until he wanted something from me.

“Get out. I’m not helping you.”

“What? Come on.”

“Out!” I snapped, glaring fiercely.

“Fine.” He clipped out, getting out and slamming the door behind him before stalking off.

Watching him, I narrowed my eyes. Well…if I ever had hopes of climbing the social ladder—it just walked away with him. And the fact that Mrs. Welters was standing outside, watching for skippers, didn’t help appease my anger as I saw her wave a hand at Tray, smiling as he passed by.

God. Even teachers bowed down to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As I let myself inside the house—correction—the mansion where my new family lived, I dropped my keys in the bowl beside the coat-rack. They didn’t have maids or anything, but it felt sometimes that they should. The place was just massive. But I already knew no one was home. My parents—it was hard to think of them as parents, I had to keep reminding myself not to call them Shelley and Kevin in my mind—were gone on a business trip. Kevin was either on-call at the hospital, or like this weekend, he was off on a conference. And he always took Shelley with him. Leaving me, Mandy, and Austin home alone. Austin was 14. And a brat, but I could beat him up so he left me alone for the most part. Our bonding was a work in progress.

Grabbing a pop, I landed on the couch in the media room. I was having a hard time immersing myself in the movie I had put on when I heard the sound of voices coming from the kitchen. Groaning, I could make out Mandy’s friends.

The gods of the gods.

Ugh.

“She’s down here.” Mandy called out, bouncing down the stairs. “Hey.” She exclaimed, plopping beside me.

“Hey.”

“So Tray said you said no. A big fat no actually.”

“No, Mandy.”

“Come on…why not?” She whined, pouting at me. Putting on those puppy eyes.

“What’s going on?” Jasmine Kent asked, laughing as she sat on the couch opposite us. Tray, Bryce Sethlers, Grant Lancaster, and Devon Hedley trailing behind. The only person missing was Grant’s sister, Amber.

I knew some about them. They had enough rumors swirling about every single one of them. Amber and Grant were twins. Grant had hated Tray at one point for about a year because he screwed Amber a few times—apparently Amber had been panting after Tray for years until he finally succumbed. And Jasmine had a brief stint with him too—but it lasted six months according to my last science partner who wore microscope glasses. (I couldn’t remember her name.)

And I had also heard that even though Mandy was hot and steady with Devon, it didn’t mean that she hadn’t snuffed out the torch she had for Tray since sixth grade. However, Devon and Mandy were the longest running couple in the school. I think it had been four years. Bryce and Jasmine merely slept together every now and then. Usually at the party scene you could find the two panting and grinding. Most people bet how long before they’d either be found in a corner or some closet. And thinking about it, I couldn’t remember hearing a whole lot about Grant’s love life…maybe he just had more class. But then again, who am I to judge? I only knew how to handle the badboy in every school.

Yep. It the social elite and they were in my living room. Well—Mandy’s living room.

“Leave her alone, Mandy. The girl’s frigid, she said no.” Tray said in low tones.

I rounded on him, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” He smirked.

Right now, this wasn’t about me being the perfect little girl to stay in a home. No, right now—this was about me defending me. Mandy wouldn’t back me up, not against Tray. So I was on my own.

I taunted, “Got your little knickers all wrapped in a bunch, huh? Rejection must really get you if you gotta resort to name-calling. Kinda superficial.”

“Oh—they’re not little.” He grinned, completely at ease.

Bastard.

“Says you.”

“Says me.” Jasmine giggled.

Mandy had fallen silent. Uncharacteristically.

“And you’re pretty experienced, huh?”

“Taryn!” Mandy hissed.

“Whatever.” I mumbled, standing and moving towards the door.

“Oh come on….,” Mandy called out, “Taryn, come hang out. These are my friends and you’re my sister.”

I turned around. Tray was watching, amused by the scene. Jasmine had turned to glaring. Guess she didn’t like what I implied. The guys were—well, guys. They were snickering, apparently they thought my comment about Jasmine was funny.

This was a game to them, even Jasmine as she let a smile slip out, after being nudged from Grant.

But it wasn’t a game to me. It used to be, my whole life had been just a game, but the stakes were too high.

“I’m not doing it. Whatever you want me to take, I’m not doing it.”

“We’re not asking anymore.” Tray remarked, sounding bored.

“Yeah.” Mandy agreed, “We’ll figure something else out, okay. So just chill, alright.”

They were all watching me and I knew whatever I did next would seal my position in the school. And…Mandy was my sister. Logically I knew that my placement was firm, finalized, but…that’s not what I felt. I went against what my instincts were screaming at me and I slowly sat back down and resumed watching the movie.

Mandy squeezed my arm slightly before she started chatting to Jasmine over my head.

I was silent throughout the rest of the evening. I think they were a little cautious around me, I’d been pretty quiet over the few months they’d known me and everytime they came over. It was the first time anyone had seen that side of me. It was a side I hid, from…well, from everyone. Even myself at times.

Everyone meandered to the kitchen where Mandy put a pizza in the oven. I had followed, perched on a stool, my hands wrapped around my pop. Tray had been watching me the entire evening, and it was pissing me off but I knew what he was doing. He was trying to figure me out, figure out my weaknesses and so forth. He didn’t like having someone unpredictable in the group, which I was. And part of it was because I just didn’t like letting people read me. Call me paranoid, but I was guarded for a reason.

When the phone rang, Mandy handed it over, saying, “It’s for you. Dunno know who it is.”

Frowning, I asked, “Hello?”

“Babe.”

Brian.

I jumped off the stool and scooted out through the patio doors, shutting them behind me. “What are you doing calling me?”

“Babe, come on.”

“Brian—leave me alone.”

“Come on,” he said silkily, “After all we’ve been through? You and me? And you’re just going to write us off?”

“There’s no us. I made that loud and clear.” But god, it was good to hear his voice. The problem was that I did remember the good times and I had to bite off a groan.

“Let me come over. Let’s talk about this.”

“No.”

“Babe.”

“Brian—no. Go and fuck Liza, I know she’s probably panting right behind you.”

“She’s not you, Tar. No one’s you, that’s the fuck up.” He sighed, “I want you. I miss you.”

I couldn’t say anything that I hadn’t already said. And I wasn’t going to tell him the truth. He’d be relentless.

“Babe…you can’t tell me you don’t miss me. I’m your family, Tar. I’ve been your family and you can’t just dismiss me. You know that. I know that you know that.”

“Yeah, well…,” it was harsh, but… “I have a new family.” And I hung up. I breathed heavily as I leaned against the wall, hidden from inside where I knew there were at least a few pairs of eyes on me.

Mandy came to the patio door and opened it a crack as she stuck her head outside, “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I said shakily. Trying for a grin.

“You don’t look okay. Who was that?”

“Just…someone from my past.”

“An old boyfriend?”

“Guess you could call him that.”

“He sounded hot over the phone, is he hot?”

“Oh yeah. And he knows it.” I chuckled. Brian did know it. He was different from Tray. Tray’s looks could mesmerize people. Brian’s almost scared people away, he was the cliché badboy and everyone saw it when they looked at him. He’d spent more than his fair share of time in juvie and he always learned new tricks. He was fast becoming a professional criminal, if he already wasn’t one already.

The phone rang in my hands. I saw Mandy reach for it, ready to do my dirty work, but I shook my head. “No. I have to do this.” Clicking the button, I murmured, “What?”

“Babe.”

Relentless.

“You call me again and I’m putting a restraining order on your ass.” I snapped, as I turned my back, “And you know I’ll do it even if I have to sleep with a cop to get it done.”

“You don’t mean that. You don’t really want me out of your life.”

That pissed me off. I’d lived my life not letting anyone tell me what I wanted or didn’t want. And Brian knew that—he just screwed up. “Just watch me.”

“Babe…you really don’t want to do that.”

“Oh really? What? You think I don’t know all about your crap you got going on? About your little deal with Carmen Rizzo or about the drugs you always keep at Christian’s house. Oh wait—no—here’s the best one…how about the vids on that bank you robbed? I got those—I know where those are.”

Maybe I’d gone too far because Brian was quiet on his end. But no…I’d have to be a cold stone bitch to seal this deal.

“You mean those vids where you were an accomplice?” He countered.

I laughed, openly, “Oh please. I’m the professional. You think I’d be reckless enough to get caught? Oh no, those vids got you and you alone. I’m nowhere near those videos. I’m not even a shadow. Remember who taught who.”

“You threatening me, Taryn?”

“It’s Taryn now? Not Tar? Not babe? Is Liza crawling all over your lap?”

“You’re pushing me.” He warned.

“Then stay away from me, Brian. I mean it. Or else I’ll get my hands on that stuff and I’ll hang you out to dry. And don’t think I won’t and don’t you dare think I can’t. Because you know, more than anyone else, what exactly I’m capable of. Where I’m capable of going.”

I was right. Brian had watched in amazement as I could slip through any crack, make my way under any security program. I hadn’t stopped with cars when we renewed our alliance. No, I shot to the professional level quickly and suddenly. And I’d taken him with me.

“Fine.” He bit out, “I’d forgotten how much of a bitch you are.”

“Oh no, baby. I was your equal, that makes you a bitch just as much.” I said smoothly, hanging up.

Oh my god. That had been brutal. I could hear the jail cell slam shut, with my family inside and me on the opposite side. I’d burned one of the sturdiest bridges I had ever had in my life. And I didn’t know if it was worth it, I was still gambling with this life, if it’d work out or not.

“Holy hell.” Jasmine breathed out.

Whirling, I paled, seeing the entire gang on the patio. Amber had shown up sometime, shocked.

Tray was staring at me with an unnamed emotion, one—shivering—I didn’t know if I wanted to identify.

Mandy wasn’t breathing.

“Mandy.” I said, faltering self-consciously, “I—”

“Mom and dad, they told me some of the stuff, but…they don’t know any of that stuff. That’s some…that’s like serious stuff.”

“It wasn’t me. Most of it was…Brian.”

“Yeah, I remember hearing mom talking about him to a parole officer.”

“Look,” I let the parole officer slide by, I wasn’t really surprised, “it’s why I don’t want to go back to that life. This life, with you guys, it’s a new start for me. Yeah, I’m good at stealing stuff, but I don’t want to do that anymore.”

The rest were quiet, still processing what they’d heard.

But I saw Tray’s eyes. I saw what they were calling me—liar.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX