And it was, especially attending school with my three overprotective cousins, who were the triplets at the top of the social hierarchy.

Except they weren't alone there, and the first day when I came to school, I saw him.

Scout Raiden.

Tall. Lean. Tattooed. Mesmerizing.

He was a golden god with dark and piercing eyes-looking like he wanted to eat me up.

The feeling was mutual, and that was a problem.

It was lust-want-must have-loathing-hate all at once. I was affected.

And I couldn't have that. No way.

Not after what I'd just left in Cedra Valley.

I didn't care how much money his uncle had.

I didn't care that it seemed every girl wanted him.

I didn't care about his reputation as an up-and-coming fighter.

Or the promise of how those hands would make me feel.

What I did care about was staying as far away from Scout as possible.

Because the promise of his presence, the heat that was going to turn the light back on in my world wasn't a promise at all.

It was a threat.

I wasn't going to survive Scout Raiden.