Page 16 of Pucking Bad Boys

“Great.” I barely stifle an eye roll. “Mandatory fun.”

Mack doesn’t rise to my poorly veiled provocation. “In case you haven’t noticed, this is a training session. If you aren’t working out, make yourself useful and spot me, since Tucker abandoned me.”

As I’ve always done since I can remember, I fall in line and walk behind the bench.

There’s a little annoying smile on my brother’s face. I know exactly what he’s doing. We’ve always competed on how much we could bench press. Until today, Mack has always smoked me.

But I’ve been working hard and I can’t wait to see his face when I add a hefty amount of weight to that bar when it’s my turn.

Chapter 5

An Offer I Can’t Refuse

TALIA

The door to the Zeta Theta Beta house unlocks, and Giovanni’s virtual voice welcomes me back as the security system recognizes my fingerprint.

Since the old sorority house burned down, we’ve been gifted with a futuristic house that comes with a virtual butler who’s programmed to know each resident’s wants and needs.

My bestie Sam and I always joke that Giovanni is probably a total smoke show. And while she imagines him tall, dark, and handsome, I imagine him like a gorgeous, blond Viking.

A little like the one who walked me home last night, but didn’t kiss me nor asked for my number.

“Babes!” Sam wraps me in one of her famous bear hugs, and I give her an affectionate squeeze back. “Ready to rock our senior year?” She beams.

“I’ll do my best.”

Sam doesn’t miss the wince I fail to hide. “Hey. I know the last few weeks have been rough with being the last cut from the Shooting Stars and the foreclosure of your family home. But a new academic year is a clean slate. And you and I are going to work hard, have fun, and take no prisoners. You got me?”

That’s why I love Sam so much. She’s been facing her own challenges this summer, including being cut early from the team. But my bestie is a force to be reckoned with. I look up to her and her indomitable attitude.

“I got you.” I smile.

“Good. And let’s begin with owning this motherfucking house, baby.” She does a rock on gesture with her right hand.

Does that mean what I think it does?

“Wait. Are you going for it?”

Sam nods. There’s no need to say it out loud.

My best friend is going to run for president.

“Candace made me promise I would be her successor and uphold her legacy. She took me under her wing last year and showed me the ropes. I’m gonna make her proud.”

My smile widens. “And you’re going to live in the presidential suite.”

“You can bet your cute little ass, I will.”

If the Zeta House is a futuristic work of art, the presidential suite is beyond what words can describe. It has its own private balcony with an outdoor spa area, and there’s a Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom that can accommodate four people. The whole bathroom is decked with voice activated aroma and chromotherapy.

“You know you have my vote, babes.”

Sam pulls me closer as we cross the foyer on our way to the dining room and lowers her voice to whisper in my ear. “I’m gonna need a little more than that. You’re going to be my V.P.”

I stop walking. “I would love to. But you know I need to work to support myself. I don’t think I’ll have the time.”

“I promise I’ll make sure it won’t get in the way of your schedule. But I need you. You’re the only person I trust with my life.”