Arrow to the Heart: A Dark Cupid Romance

Chapter 16

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11 Years Ago

I hear the low hum of a car engine outside, so I go to the window to check it out. Virginia is bringing home another foster kid today and I'm curious to see who I'm going to have to share a room with. He's supposed to be in my year, which could be a good or bad thing depending on whether or not he's a jackass.

Virginia steps out of the minivan first and her passenger gets out the other side. My view of the guy is mostly obscured by the minivan, but he seems big. He rounds the car with a duffel bag in hand, and for the first time I get a good look at him.

He's got light brown skin and dark hair in short tight curls. Even with his puffy blue coat, it's obvious the guy is built like a tank. I bet he's a football player.

Great.

My muscles tense and I clench my fists. The last thing I need is another asshole jock in my life who wants to use me as a punching bag.

I've got enough of those at school.

I make my way downstairs to meet him, figuring Virginia's just going to call me down anyway if I don't. Virginia is laughing as they walk in—which is weird, because this woman never laughs. She's an uptight pastor's wife whose only joy in life is hateful church gossip. Pretty sure she's only religious in the first place because she gets off on being able to judge other people. Yet here she is giggling with this guy.

"Oh you're a charmer, young man!" she says, smiling as she hangs up her coat. "You can hang your coat here."

She gestures to the coat rack, then turns and spots me.

"Oh, Dillon, I'm glad you're here! This is Eli," she says.

I've been here for over six months and she still can't get my name right.

"Declan," I say, but she doesn't respond.

He shrugs off his coat and hangs it on the hook. When he turns around, I see them: the pattern of black lines peeking out beneath his collar.

What the hell?

He looks almost like me but... it can't be.

His eyes go wide when he sees me.

"Oh damn," he says, looking me over. "You're... uh..."

"You'll watch your language in this house," Virginia says, lips pursed and eyebrows raised.

I roll my eyes.

"I uh... oh, sorry ma'am," he says.

Kiss-ass.

He turns back to me.

"Hey man, I'm Eli." He reaches out a hand like he's trying to shake mine, but I keep both hands tucked firmly in the pockets of my hoodie.

"Declan." I give him a curt nod.

"Declan," Virginia says, "can you show Eli to your room and help him with his stuff?"

"Sure." I turn and walk up the stairs, leading him to my room—I guess it's our room now.

Not like anything ever really feels like mine anyway.

I push open the door and step inside unceremoniously.

It's barely a room; it's more of a walk-in closet. It's just enough space to fit two twin beds and a dresser. I'm pretty sure my last room at the group home had more space than this.