Iris Giorgianni is no ordinary girl. She's living a double life: a neglected daughter at home, but a fighter on the streets. As the leader of The Sangue - one of the most wanted and well-known gangs in London - Iris has a reputation to uphold. Only...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"It's the unknown that draws people."
- E.A. Bucchianeri
MONDAY. THE worst day of all days. The start of another week.
Another five hours of training, seven days in a row.
Iris groaned. She wasn't in the mood to exercise; all she wanted to do was lie in bed, relax, sleep, sleep and sleep even more. But that wasn't happening – the morning bell screamed loudly into her ears, simultaneously making both her and Ember stir awake and swear under their breaths.
Unusually, they could hear the patting of rain on the tent, despite the weather having been sunny for a while. Not only was Iris having to face a day of training, but also a day of training in the rain.
"Did you speak to Chase in the end?" Iris asked Ember as they got out of bed and slipped into some shoes. She had spent the rest of the day trying to console Levi about his brother, and therefore hadn't spoken to Ember since the reveal of her much-needed breakup.
Ember shook her head. "Nah. I was busy."
"Busy...doing what?"
"Just busy." Ember avoided her eye contact, opening the door to the tent and letting in a burst of light. She turned around and smiled innocently at Iris. "Coming to assembly?"
Squinting at Ember suspiciously, Iris followed, yawning as they joined the line of campmates walking towards the hall. Everyone seemed particularly grumpy today – most likely because the rain was cold and irritating on their backs. Iris was hoping that rain meant a day off, or a day spent inside. They couldn't possibly make them work like this, could they?
"I know the weather is bad, but normal weekly activities remain as usual." Jade was saying five minutes later, ignoring the noises of protest that arose. She shook her head at them, smiling. "It's just a bit of rain. If everyone could have breakfast and then be ready for a usual start, then we won't have any problems."
At breakfast, Ember deliberately made Iris sit as far away from the boys as possible. "I just don't want to speak to him yet." She said quietly, attempting to hide behind a large, muscular boy as Chase's eyes scanned the room. "I'm not in the mood to talk."
"You're going to have to face him eventually." Iris replied. "Why not now?"
Ember rolled her eyes, tying her dark hair up into a ponytail so tightly that it pulled her skin. "Because I'm a pussy and it can wait. Anyway. You excited to spend the day with Levi?"
"No." Iris' eyes fell on him from a distance, watching the way he stretched; his muscles taut and defined. Even from the back he made her stomach churn. Not that she wanted to admit it to herself. He was just interesting to her, that was all. "A day in the rain with the most annoying boy on the planet? No thanks."
"Ohh is that what you're trying to do?" Ember smiled knowingly. "You're trying to cover it up by saying he's annoying?"
Iris flicked some porridge off her spoon onto Embers face. "Shut up, or we'll end up fighting again."
