Новинки Рейчел Джонас

Уэст Голден — несносный квотербек, которого еще недавно мне хотелось убить, а теперь он единственный, кому я доверяю свое сердце.

В полном темных тайн коррумпированном городе определить, кто на твоей стороне, становится все сложнее с каждым днем. Особенно сейчас, когда отец Уэста Вин вышел на тропу войны, разбрасываясь ужасными угрозами. Его власть в Сайпресс-Пойнт кажется безграничной, и у меня нет времени проверять, так ли это на самом деле. Чтобы защитить семью, я готова принести в жертву даже собственное счастье. Но Вин не учел одного: кровь не всегда гуще воды. Ему придется узнать, что переходить мне дорогу — не самая разумная затея. Ведь король Сайпресс-Препп пойдет на все ради своей королевы.

Уэст Голден — звезда футбола и любимец всего города, но для меня он мертв.

Ничто так не портит репутацию девушки, как слитое в сеть интимное видео, особенно если в главных ролях — она сама и… ее заклятый враг.

Да-да, вы уже догадались. Речь обо мне и Уэсте.

Когда я смотрю на этого дерзкого квотербека, то вижу не короля школы Сайпресс, а лишь злобного придурка, который пытается меня сломить. И у него почти получилось.

Конечно, можете поаплодировать Уэсту за победу в предыдущем раунде. Но ему стоит опасаться гнева разозленной старшеклассницы с юга, особенно когда в ее руках зажата бита. Поверьте, адское пламя по сравнению с моей яростью — жалкий уголек.

Причинил мне боль однажды — что ж, очень плохо. Но только попробуй сделать это снова!

Уэста Голдена легко ненавидеть, но вот сопротивляться ему просто невозможно. Не позволяйте его хорошенькому личику одурачить вас! Уэст Голден не просто парень, живущий по соседству, и уж явно не из тех, кому стоит доверять. Он — сущий дьявол в дизайнерских джинсах со всем обаянием настоящего психа. Я знаю, о чем говорю. Этот богатенький парнишка уверен, будто я каким-то образом перешла ему дорогу еще до того, как оказалась в частной школе Сайпресс. Ложь. Как я могу быть виновна в том, чего не совершала? Но теперь я его мишень. Еще один неверный шаг, и я могу попрощаться со своим светлым будущим, ведь влиятельный и хладнокровный…

West Golden—Fierce protector. The one.

The cocky jock I once wanted to kill with my bare hands is now the only one I trust with my heart.

In a city full of corruption and dark secrets, knowing who’s on your side gets harder to determine every day. Especially now that Vin’s on the warpath, passing out threats he fully intends to see through to the end. His power here in Cypress Pointe seems limitless, and I don’t have time to see if that’s true. I’m prepared to make sacrifices to keep my family safe.

Even if what’s sacrificed is my own happiness.

As our circle of loyal friends becomes clear, we cling to it, because it’s all any of us has. And if there’s one thing Vin didn’t count on, it’s that blood isn’t always thicker than water.

He might just find out firsthand why it’s never wise to cross the king’s queen.

West Golden—Football star. Playboy. Dead to me. Nothing puts the final bullet in a girl’s rep like a leaked sex tape. Especially one starring her and the cocky quarterback who’s had it out for her since day one. Yep, you guessed it. That girl is me. At Cypress Prep, West is king, but all I see when I look at him is the wicked prick who gets off on trying to break me. His plaything. Go ahead. Give him a round of applause for winning that last round, but know this—hell hath no fury like a girl from the south side with a baseball bat. Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice… over my dead body.

Ricky Ruiz—ruthless kingpin, reclusive heir, the one man I can’t seem to outrun.

Rumors buzz when a pic of me buying a pregnancy test goes viral. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if, roughly one month ago, I wasn’t also spotted with the new top-dog of Cypress Pointe’s most notorious crime family.

The same crime family my father dedicated his entire law enforcement career trying to bring to their knees.

Ricky inherited the money, the houses, the cars, but he also inherited the danger. He sleeps with one eye open and one finger on the trigger. So, when my name starts popping up alongside his on social media, the beast awakens, convinced there’s now a target on my back, too.

He’s not big on patience or subtlety, which I realize when I come home to find him waiting in a dark corner of my apartment, in no mood for a debate. He’s on a mission to collect what he believes is his.

Me.

My father warned me about the Ruiz family. If I’d listened, I might not be locked in a room inside Ricky’s home, I’d still have the job he decided to quit for me, and I’d still have my freedom.

I have no plans to be Ricky’s caged bird. Not even with an army of street soldiers at his disposal. He’d beg to differ. According to him, it’s just a matter of time before I give in and admit what he claims to have known from the beginning.

That I’m already his

Sterling Golden—Cocky football star. Rich Playboy with a secret. Guy I’d most like to throat-punch. The cherry on top? I’m stuck pretending to be this d-bag’s girl for the next few months.

When I spotted him sneaking out the Dean’s window—a woman whose reputation precedes her—I could’ve minded my business. But it’s not every day you catch your nemesis in such a compromising position, so I did what any self-respecting person would’ve done.

I added fuel to the scandal that ignited, then laughed while the cops hauled him off in nothing but handcuffs and his boxers.
Of course, the arrogant prick found a way to rope me into the lie that got him out of trouble. Which means the only way I come out of this unscathed is to go along with it, pretend we’re a thing.

Most girls would kill to be on the arm of a Golden triplet, but I’m counting down the days until it’s over. In public, we give the city the show they crave—a chance to witness their local bad boy falling in love. But when we’re alone, the gloves come off and we give each other hell.

Only, who knew exchanging insults and cruelty could feel a bit like… foreplay?

There’s an expiration date on this arrangement, but as we turn up the heat to convince our city this “relationship” is the real deal, Sterling and I sometimes forget that it isn’t. He might think his recent fall from grace was a disaster, but if he makes me regret this, I swear I’ll make his life a living hell.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… your belongings might mysteriously catch fire.

Consider this your final warning, Mr. Silver, because it’s the only one you’ll get.

I’m screwed.

His followers don’t call him Pretty Boy D for nothing. The guy is, literally, God’s gift to women. I should know. I’ve watched chicks throw themselves at him since puberty.

Sharing his loft should be simple. Easy. But shortly after I settle in, we realize being "just friends" was so much easier when we weren’t sleeping under the same roof.

Seven years of thinking we had this down to a science goes out the window the night Dane sees my “Never Have I Ever” list. Now, he’s on a mission to help me cross off the top four items. Some of which aren’t quite as innocent as he’d expect.

What he’s proposing will break the rules we agreed to when I first came to stay here. He wants me to give in, to let my guard down and face my feelings for once. At least, that’s what that wicked look in his eyes and the mounting heat between us suggests.

This isn’t how I imagined being roommates would go. But a girl can only stare temptation in its green eyes for so long and not weaken.

My best friend wants to have his way with me and, right or wrong… I think I might let him.