Eva
A knock at my door forces me to sit up straight. “Who is it?” I wonder if principal Byrne has returned, remembering his warning not to open the door.
He’s the scariest man I’ve ever met, and I’ve met some nasty characters through my parents’ work, but he’s also the most beautiful man.
“It’s your next-door neighbor,” a voice calls back.
I stand and approach the door, considering opening it after Oak’s warning. “Oh, what do you want?” I ask.
“I wanted to introduce myself. I’m on your left. There is a moment of silence.
My brow furrows as I speculate why Principal Bryne would advise me not to open the door. If I wish to fit in, I have to be friendly, and refusing to open the door isn’t a good way to make acquaintances.
I open the door to a small, pretty girl with red hair. “Hey.”
She smirks. “Hi, you’re Eva Carmichael, right?”
I clench my jaw and nod. “Yes, who are you?”
“Jeanie Doyle,” she says, holding out a hand for me to shake.
I regard it anxiously. “As in Doyle from Chicago?” I ask, realizing she’s related to the Callaghans of Chicago. I know every child in here is the product of high-profile criminals. The exact reason I’ll never fit in, but at least it’s only for seven months.
She tilts her head. “Yeah, are you going to leave me hanging here?” She glances at her hand.
I shake it, and she clutches so fiercely it’s like she’s trying to break my bones. “It’s nice to meet you,” I say, reclaiming my hand.
She smirks, but it’s a malicious smile that sends shivers through my body. “You shouldn’t have opened the door,” she says as two girls appear on either side of her.
Dread hammers into me as I slam the door shut in their faces, but the two girls stop me, pushing it open. “What do you want?” I swallow my fear.
One of the new girls cracks her knuckles. “To welcome you to the Syndicate Academy.”
My father’s voice rings in my head as I stare at the three girls who wish me harm.
You need to learn how to fight your own battles, Eva.
When I was six, my parents enrolled me in boxing classes, even though I had no interest in it. They forced me to continue until I was sixteen, and my teacher guaranteed them I could hold my own in a fistfight. Perhaps I’ll finally be able to use the skills I learned. Although, three on one will be tough.
I take a step away from them, preparing myself for an attack. “I don’t want any trouble.” I hold my hands up.
One of the other girls smirks. “Too bad it found you.”
I ball my fists and hold them in front of my face. “Bring it.”
They all laugh at me, which only angers me.
Jeanie is the one to strike first, rushing at me and jabbing me in the stomach. I step away and then punch her in the face, taking her by surprise.
One of the other girls comes for me and punches me in the chest. I grab her wrist and twist it hard, bringing my knee into her stomach.
She groans as I let her go, pushing her back into the other girl.
Jeanie moves forward again, eyes flashing with rage. “Not bad for a rookie.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “I’m not a rookie.”
She laughs. “I heard you’re a fucking snowflake who has never even killed anyone.” She tilts her head to the side. “What heiress of a clan hasn’t killed by the time she’s eighteen?”
My stomach churns. “You’re sick if you think it’s something to brag about, taking someone else’s life.”
Jeanie glances at one of the other girls. “Can you believe this?”
She shakes her head. “Bitch doesn’t deserve to attend the Syndicate Academy, if you ask me.”
I glare at them both. “No one asked you.”
They exchange glances. “She needs teaching a fucking lesson,” the other girl says, cracking her knuckles.
Ihold my fists in front of me as they taught me. It’s not in my nature to be aggressive, but I’ll defend myself.
She comes at me and jabs at my left side, which I block easily. The girl gets impatient, throwing a jab at my right too fast. Islam my fist into her stomach hard, making her grunt as she doubles over.
“Fuck this,” Jeanie says, rushing for me fast.
She tackles me to the ground, landing punch after punch. I struggle to push her off, but her strength overwhelms me as she gets about three solid blows in before I can fling her off me.
Blood trickles from my busted lip. “What is wrong with you?” I ask, struggling to believe these girls delight in hurting others. It makes no sense, but my brother was the same, determined to prove himself deserving of the depraved empire my parents built.
“Nothing,” Jeanie replies. “What did you expect from an academy full of mafia heirs?”
I didn’t expect this kind of shit on my first night here. The fact is, I will stand out like a sore thumb because I have no plan to take over my parents’ business.
The tallest of the girls steps forward. “If you think this is bad, you’ll be surprised.” There’s a cruel edge to her tone ass he reaches into her pocket, pulling an object out. She’s so fast all I catch is a flash of metal as she lunges forward, stabbing the knife into my right leg.