At Year's End (The 12 Olympians) Read Free

control. He says he’ll be paying extra attention.” Jaxon rolled his eyes. 
    “Did you figure out what you were going to do about Elijah?” Justice asked quietly.
    “Yeah. I did.” Jaxon opened his eyes and stared at his brother. “I’m going to make him mine.”

~*Chapter Two*~
     
    Elijah swore the second hand was moving backwards. When would this damn class be over? He’d taken Spanish all four years of high school and still didn’t know shit. Well, that wasn’t true. He could say he was thirsty, had to take a leak and that the sky was beautiful. Yes, all these things would get him by in Mexico or Spain.
    Elijah snorted, and then straightened when his Spanish teacher eyed him suspiciously. For once, his phone wasn’t in his hand so he just smiled. His teacher was famous for taking away cell phones if you had them during class.
    Right now, he was panicked about hi s next class. It was college days and his teacher wanted the students to bring in at least one parent who had attended college. Elijah knew his adoptive father wouldn’t come — he never had. In fact, neither one of them had shown up for any school functions.
    Two seats ahead of him, Stone Marinos turned back to wink at him and counted down the last seconds of class. The bell rang and Elijah made a run for the door.
    “Oh, Elijah? ” his teacher called.
    Elijah scowled and walked to th e front of the class. Mrs. Lopez was a tiny little thing, with black hair and equally black eyes. Her teeth were white as snow, though, and it was kinda scary sometimes.
    “ Si ?” Elijah grinned.
    “You barely passed your last test, Elijah. You’re usually texting in class, or sleeping. Is everything okay at home?”
    Elijah almost laughed out loud. Well, wasn’t that a loaded question? Hell no, things were not okay . This recent test would be his undoing with his adoptive parents.
    “Yep. I t’s all good in the hood, Mrs. L,” Elijah smiled.
    “You are so much smarter than this, Elijah. I know you are.”
    Elijah had to smile. Mrs. Lopez wasn’t really all that bad; at least she cared about her students.
    “I’ll try harder next time, okay?”
    “ Si .” She winked.
    “ Adios !” Elijah threw over his shoulder as he walked out.
    Stone was waiting for him in the hallway , along with Ryder Winters. They were all supposed to go to Skylar Foxx’s house to rehearse songs for the club. Though they were underage, the owner of Cuffs and Stuff regularly scheduled the guys for karaoke night. They had filled in one night when there was no DJ and that was that. They were a huge draw — heavily protected from over-enthusiastic patrons and strictly forbidden anywhere near liquor.
    Elijah pulled his phone out of his pocket and Stone slammed his hand down on top of it.
    “No! Don’t you dare turn it on!”
    “What the hell?” Elijah pulled his hand back.
    “No.” Ryder crossed his arms. “I swear to God, every time you turn that thing on it does nothing but chime that annoying ringtone and then you’re on it for hours. Just put it away for a couple hours for us, okay?”
    Elijah frowned.
    “Pleeeease?” Stone batted his eyelashes.
    Elijah sighed in mock frustration. “Okay, fine!”
    “That’s our boy!” Ryder clapped him on his back.
    Stone and Ryder were two of his best friends who also went to high school with him. The three of them stuck together as often as possible. Dasan Black was another friend who went to the school.
    Although the school had come a long way since Skylar attended it, there was still the occasional bullying of gay students.
    Elijah began walking to his locker and Stone and Ryder fell in step with him. Dasan was already at his locker , grabbing his books. Elijah grinned at the other young man. Dasan lived with Hayden Cox and Jude Brooks. Elijah didn’t know the whole story, but Dasan’s parents had died and left him a fortune. Now, Hayden and Jude were adoptive parents to him, having recently signed the papers to make him