“Cole! Long time no see!” Pierce greeted him with a quick fist bump, and a few others called out to him as he walked over, clearly all old friends. Alessia just stood quietly off to the side, a gentle smile playing at her lips as she watched him approach.

“I thought you were going to bail on us today,” someone teased.

“No way,” Cole said, ruffling Alessia’s hair with easy familiarity–a gesture that looked like second nature, as if he’d done it a thousand times before. “If the lady of the house gives an order, you know I have to deliver.”

Their friends hooted and teased, but neither Cole nor Alessia seemed the least bit embarrassed. Instead, they acted as if this kind of banter was perfectly normal.

“All the gifts are here. Just claim yours. Pierce, mind helping hand them out?”

“Help? I’m honored,” Pierce said, grinning as he took the suitcase from her.

“Hey, sis Alessia-” Pierce was about to head to the back of the classroom with the gifts when Ileana, looking as delicate and fragile as ever, somehow slipped in through the crowd.

Stella rolled her eyes so hard it was almost theatrical, but before she could say anything, Alessia stepped between them, blocking her. Stella just pursed her lips and let it go.

on Alessia’s desk. With his baseball cap pulled low, he had the easy swagger of a schoolyard kingpin, but never crossed into looking rough or

around Alessia, forming a protective half–circle. It couldn’t have been more obvious: they were

But then again, the dumber they are, the easier to use. If she could work her way up in the Tate family through these

Alessia had no interest in

wrong? Not rushing to play

smile froze, but

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Chapter 55

voice, feigning innocence, and

brought it just to give gifts to your friends! If I’d known, I would’ve said something nice about you to Dad… I’m

stretched between them; everyone exchanged uneasy

about picking it up before?” Cole asked lazily, twirling

hand it over. You know, I’d asked everyone I knew to help me track down that

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