The Bad Boy's Princess

Ch. 3 - peaches and cream

Jace Vanderbilt

"Jace!" Ali's voice was appearing in my dreams now? It wasn't bad enough that my sister annoyed me to death in real life, but now she was appearing in my dreams to? The hell. "JACE!"

Okay, that punch was definitely real. There's only one 16 year-old who can throw a punch like that and it's because her big brother taught her so, just in case for self-defense. What can I say, as annoying as she is I doubt any kidnapper would find it worth to put up with her for longer than a minute, but it's just to be extra safe in case some lunatic wanted to kidnap her.

"ALI! Leave me alone. Pretend to be mom and call in sick for me." I groaned. Goddamn it, where did summer go. How is it the first day of senior year already? It was just yesterday that the boys and I were at the lake drinking until 3AM. Oh wait, that was yesterday.

So you can understand how horribly painful my migraine is right now, a few hours after drowning our last supply of booze.

"Jace William Monrova Vanderbilt, do not make me call mom on you. She already knows you snuck in at 4 last night." Ali punched me again and with the mention of my mom knowing about my mission, I was up. And I was going to be very dead soon.

I made a mental note to myself to stop falling asleep drunk and shirtless when it was cold as shit outside. Definitely not pleasant to wake up nearly frozen, especially down there. Great. A horrible hungover, an expected earful from mom, frozen testicles, and probably bruises from Ali's punches earlier. What a great start to senior year.

"JACEEEY!!!!!" There it is, as usual and on time, Ryder and Riley shouted as soon I reached the kitchen, where they were "eating". Air quotes because this pair of almost 4 year-old fraternal monsters were rubbing pancakes on each other's faces.

The twins were an accidental product or so my parents say, during their trip to Spain a few years ago. Ali and I were not one bit excited, especially me, not wanting any more annoyance in my life after Ali. Behold, not only was there one but there were two little monsters. But as soon as the twins were born, I have been whipped for them just like everyone else in this estate has been.

"Good morning, mom!" Okay, no response. I am so dead. Silence is murderous, especially when it's coming from your mom, Ariella Monrova Vanderbilt, probably the kindest and most graceful human being to ever walked the earth. But here she was, completely ignoring my ass. She only did this when she was really mad. Or disappointed. Which I'm sure she was both right now.

"Good morning, pancake monsters." I kissed the twins both on the heads, Ryder first as he was the older twin by 18 minutes. Then Riley, the youngest princess and most adorable little girl in the world. I just hoped she won't grow up to be as annoying as Ali, who was sitting at the other end of the table, on her phone as usual. "How is my favorite princess doing?"

"Peachy keen, brother." Ali answered from the dining table, without looking up from her phone, knowing I was talking to Riley. "By the way, can you drop me off at school today?"

"What's wrong with Blake taking you to school like usual?" Blake was mine and Ali's driver until I got my own car for my 17th birthday. Riley looked up at me and put her arms up, signaling for me to hold her so I did. I tried to recall a time when I ever said no to this little girl and nope, there wasn't any. I swear that as soon as she said my name, it was game over for me. Both the twins looked like me when they were younger, but now Riley was starting to look more like Ali and our mom.

"Well, brother. My friends wanted to see you. I promised them I'd tell you to drive me today so they get to see you." She rolled her eyes, as if stating the most obvious fact in the world. As brilliant and beautiful as she was, Amelia Vanderbilt was the most spoiled & bratty princess this world has ever seen. My father was mainly to blame as he was basically powerless when it came to my sisters, but especially Amelia.