<p>Pine River was supposed to be a new start for me.</p><p><br></p><p>And it was, especially attending school with my three overprotective cousins, who were the triplets at the top of the social hierarchy.</p><p><br></p><p>Except they weren't alone there, and the first day when I came to school, I saw him.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Scout Raiden.</p><p><br></p><p>Tall. Lean. Tattooed. Mesmerizing.</p><p><br></p><p>He was a golden god with dark and piercing eyes-looking like he wanted to eat me up.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The feeling was mutual, and that was a problem.</p><p><br></p><p>It was lust-want-must have-loathing-hate all at once. I was affected.</p><p><br></p><p>And I couldn't have that. No way.</p><p><br></p><p>Not after what I'd just left in Cedra Valley.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>I didn't care how much money his uncle had.</p><p><br></p><p>I didn't care that it seemed every girl wanted him.</p><p><br></p><p>I didn't care about his reputation as an up-and-coming fighter.</p><p><br></p><p>Or the promise of how those hands would make me feel.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>What I did care about was staying as far away from Scout as possible.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>It was a threat.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>I wasn't going to survive Scout Raiden.</p>