CHAPTER 4

Alessandro

Rumor said the bitch nudging my lap with her face liked to use teeth. Her sharpies would stay away from my most prized possession. I pushed her off and didn’t bother trying to remember her name. Her straight hair, dyed blond, large tits after surgical enhancement, a possible nose job, though she went back to groping for my dick and I couldn’t see it, was what she offered. I took a pass.

Public demonstrations of affection were not my thing.

With a slightly harder shove, she went to the floor.

She was a recep, short for receptacle. She was here to ease the load when our dicks needed relief. I had no idea why the thought seemed repulsive tonight. She wasn’t forced to make herself available. I took full advantage of willing receps when the princesses were locked down. Lockdown happened when shit went bad on campus. Protect the princesses at all costs.

My thoughts turned dark and I shook my head to clear them. The girl climbed half into my lap again, refusing to accept my rude no.

“Someone get this bitch off me,” I said to the group at large.

They were my crew, the guys who, through sweat and blood, proved they had my back. These friendships and pacts would serve me when I was the Brambilla.

“Come over here, sweetheart, and put that mouth where it’s needed,” Marino said with his legs splayed and a slight tap to his lap.

He blew smoke, then handed me his vape pen.

“She bites,” I told him with a lazy grin, inhaling deeply, then blowing out the smoke.

“Only if she wants to lose teeth,” Marino warned with a stern look in her direction as she crawled toward him.

If he wanted his dick munched, I wasn’t the man to stop him. Marino was a sexual deviant and would probably enjoy it. To each their own and all that fucking shit.

We were here to assess this year’s class and hopefully put down the wannabe asshole who thought he could take my top spot. I’d had my eye on his smart mouth and dumb brain since last year. He was a Romano and he thought he could win against me and my crew. He was wrong. I would put him down when the time came and leave him with a reminder that a Brambilla will never bow to a Romano.

I glanced at Marino who had his head back and eyes closed while enjoying his party favor. One of the academy staff walked by and ignored him and the recept. Their job was to see no one was hurt, and controlling our sex lives went far past their paid responsibility. They also overlooked the vape pen. We were seniors.

Me and my crew were only at the party long enough to size up Romano so Marino might as well get his rocks off now.

Obnoxious laughter came from the double glass doors at the head of the rotunda and the punk of the hour, Matteo Romano, walked in with six of his crew. At one time or another over the past three years, I’d left them all weeping or passed out on the ground. Now they’d teamed up with Romano and they met my eyes again. I ignored them, turned my back, and warned my crew with one word.

“Business.”

Marino’s eyes popped open and his lazy sex gaze turned sharp. The others followed my chin nod.

“Sorry, doll,” Marino said and pulled himself from her mouth with a slight grimace.

He suddenly jerked her hair hard enough to tear it out and caused a sharp shriek. She got a bite in.

“Crazy bitch,” he muttered, then turned to the group at the door as they moved farther into the senior hall.

Romano’s crew gave us the same eye fuck. Maybe tonight would be the night. I’d like to settle into my senior year without wondering when Romano would stab me in the back.

Truthfully, I was tired of playing the academy game and wanted real life. I had three full years establishing myself as the number one dick. It took my fists and my willingness to take on anyone who wanted a shot at me. I excelled at strategy, had killer instincts, and handled a great deal of pain without flinching. Halfway through my sophomore year, I went after the top spot held by a senior and won. As the youngest to ever take the position, I’d defended it since.

I was tired of dealing nicely with the Romano eurotrash of this world, the school rules and my education be damned. The weed was talking. I would not disappoint my father. I also didn’t want my crew to suffer. I didn’t see a way around this mess and I hated that I even considered another way to handle it.

Tonight, more than anything, I’d wanted to get lost in a heavy buzz caused by something stronger than liquor or green. The academy staff frowned on heavy drugs and would not condone the night train I wanted to ride this weekend.

Too fucking bad.

Monday was the first official day of our senior year. It bugged the fuck out of me and I didn’t want to think about it.

There was more to this school than simply keeping us safe. Rochester halls are where we established ourselves. Our future partnerships and loyalties were built here. When we graduated we entered a life of violence and death. All for one reason.

Family.

As for mine, Father was breathing down my fucking neck again. After graduation, I would stand on his left. Jolly, Marino’s dad, would be on his right. I would be privy to all family skeletons, though I already knew most of them. In ten years or so, I would be the Brambilla and the family business would be mine. This course was mapped since my birth, or more likely before. Hell, my father was already throwing out hints of marriage and grandchildren. For fuck’s sake, I had only turned eighteen two months ago. The man could kiss my ass because I was taking this entire year to live the life I would never have again. The point of my decision to do something different this year was to not think about the responsibility waiting after graduation.

I was ready for that responsibility. I actually craved it. I also knew once I stepped to my father’s side, every action I made would be analyzed and criticized to polish me for leadership. I had this last year of freedom and I planned to take it to the limit. It was now or never.

My father stayed single and fucked around until he was twenty-two. He said he knew his single days were over the first time he saw my mother. He also got lucky that she was from an approved family who was willing to negotiate and become allies with the Brambilla.

But the truth was, my father fucked around after marrying my mom. Discovering his adultery when I was ten left a bitter taste in my mouth. I also knew I would be exactly like my old man.

It was expected.

A hush fell over the hall and brought me out of my thoughts. The atmosphere had changed. A few people glanced my way, then back to the double glass doors leading outside.

I knew of only one person who would cause this stir.

Rossi.