THE REBELS AT STERLING

PREP

COMPLETE SERIES COLLECTION

OceanofPDF.com
CAITLYN DARE

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Copyright © 2020 by Caitlyn Dare
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author,
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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 CONTENTS

Taunt Her
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29

Tame Him
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
 Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue

Taint Her
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
 Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32

Trust Him
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
 Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Epilogue

TORMENT HER
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Temper Him
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Extended Epilogue

About the Author

Also by Caitlyn Dare

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TAUNT HER

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REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 1

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 CHAPTER ONE

Ace

I look around at the only home I’ve ever known and feel conflicted. It’s a
shithole, but it’s our shithole—the only place I and my brothers have
ever called home. And if I wasn’t convinced that this move would
benefit them, it wouldn’t be happening.
They throw their bags into the trunk of their heap-of-shit car without a
word. Dread sits heavy in my stomach as I move on autopilot, as if we
aren’t about to leave our home. The feeling isn’t an unusual one, nor is the
fury that fills my veins on a daily basis.
Our uncle should have been here ten minutes ago to take us away to
start our new life in Sterling Bay. Maybe he’s decided we’re not worth it
after all. Chance would be a fine fucking thing.
I’m just about to tell them to give up and go back inside when the
crunching of gravel by the trailer park entrance hits my ears.
Fucking great.
A black town car with equally blacked-out windows comes to stop in
front of the three of us.
“I hope he’s not planning on staying long, that thing’ll be on bricks in
minutes,” Conner mutters, his eyes locked on the driver’s door.
We haven’t seen our uncle in years, not since he left us with our shit
show of a mother. It seems family only matters when his hand has been
forced by the state.
I’d have quite happily been my brothers’ guardian for a year, but
apparently an eighteen-year-old with a rap sheet like mine isn’t a
responsible enough adult to look after others.
The door opens and I lean to the side to get my first look at the man
who abandoned us to this life instead of fighting for his family, but the guy
who stands isn’t one I recognize.
“Who the fuck are you?” I bark, much to the guy’s irritation if the
widening of his eyes is anything to go by.
“I’m your uncle’s driver. He sent me to pick you up.”
“Fucking brilliant.” The laugh that accompanies my words is anything
but amused.
“If you’d like to put your bags in the trunk, I’ll take you home.”
Home. This is my home.
My body tenses, my fists curling at my sides, as I step up to the man. He
already looks totally intimidated by his surroundings, and I delight in him
taking one step back as I approach. Slamming the door as I go, I stop him
from an easy escape should he feel he needs it.
No motherfucker, you’ve probably not dealt with anyone like me before.
The scent of his expensive aftershave fills my nose, and it only makes
me want to hurt the privileged asshole that much more.
“Let’s get a few things straight.” I don’t stop until I’m right in his face,
so close I see the fear in his eyes. Now that’s something I can work with,
something I can feed off like a fucking leech. “Firstly, that place you’re
meant to be taking us to is not our home. It’ll never be our home. And
second, we’re not getting in this fancy-ass fucking car. Where the hell is
James? I thought he was coming to collect us.”
“He’s been called out on business.”
This is a fucking joke. First he demands we move into his pretentious
mansion—blackmails me into it when he knows it’s the last place in the
world I want to live—and then the motherfucker can’t even be bothered to
turn up himself. He’s probably too good for this place. No wonder he
looked down his nose at us all those years ago and turned his back as fast as
he could.
“He will be home later to greet you.”
I stare at him, no emotion on my face and a storm brewing in my eyes.
“If you could just get in and—”
 “Un-fucking-likely. We can make our own way.”
I told James as much when he instigated this whole thing in the first
place, but he insisted. Probably because he doesn’t want my brothers’ rust
bucket sitting in his fancy driveway and bringing the tone of the area down.
“I really don’t think—”
“I don’t give a fuck what you think, Jeeves.”
All the blood that was left in his face from when he first stepped out of
the car drains away, and he swallows nervously.
“D-do you want to f-follow me then?”
“Marvelous, Jeeves. What a fantastic plan,” I mock, mimicking his posh
British accent.
The second I take a step back, he scrambles into the car as quick as he
can. Fucking pussy.
“I can’t believe he sent a car,” Conner mumbles as my brothers join me,
and together we watch the town car roll slowly down the dirt track.
“Really?” I balk. “James isn’t our savior, Con. You think he’d even be
taking us in if it weren’t for the court deciding I’m no good…” I swallow
the rest of the words. Of course, no one would trust me with my brothers.
Apparently, the fact that I’ve raised both of them since we were just kids
doesn’t matter.
My chest tightens.
“It’ll be okay, Ace.” My brother squeezes my shoulder. “A fresh start
could be just what we need.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I shrug him off. “We should probably get going.”
There’s nothing left for us here.
Conner gives me a weak smile before following Cole to their car. It’s an
ancient Ford they somehow manage to keep running despite the fact that it
should have been scrapped at least ten years ago. Cole doesn’t even spare
our trailer a backward glance as he climbs inside and guns the engine. I’ll
need to keep my eye on him; he’s always been a quiet kid, but lately he’s
been even more brooding.
They follow Jeeves’ lead before I throw my leg over my bike and rev
the engine. The vibrations instantly help to cool me off. The anticipation
that I’ll soon be flying down the coastal road helps to push my ever
building anger over this fucked-up situation down a little more.
I gun the engine once both the town car and my brothers have
disappeared from sight and take one last look at this place. It’s dark and
dingy, like Hell on Earth. But it’s our home… was our home. We’re
moving. Heading over the border to the rich side of town. Like we’re ever
going to fucking fit in there.
Dust and gravel fly up behind me as I speed off to find my brothers’
taillights somewhere up ahead. We know roughly where James lives, but
I’ve no idea which of the insanely pretentious houses actually belongs to
him. Probably the biggest one, knowing that pretentious stuck-up prick.
I catch them just before the road opens up and the bright blue sea
appears in the distance. I guess that’s one good thing about where we’re
going: the girls on the beach. It’s just a shame they’re all going to talk like
Jeeves, as if they’ve got a spoon permanently stuck in their pouty mouths.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter to myself as I follow the two cars up a long ass
driveway. It’s not until the very last moment that the actual house appears.
It’s a huge place on a hill overlooking the ocean. The kind of house I’ve
only ever seen images of in magazines, or on the TV when the piece of shit
worked.
Images of the parties we can have here start to fill my mind. Maybe this
place won’t be so bad after all. I can get off my face and attempt to fuck
some rich chick looking to take a walk on the wild side… in every room of
the house.
Parking between my brothers’ car and a flashy Mercedes, I throw my
leg over my bike and head in the direction I just watched Jeeves walk into
the house. He obviously thought against helping with our belongings. Wise
man. He’s learning quickly.
With our bags in hand, we climb the stairs to the double front door. It’s
a damn sight different to the one on our trailer that swelled up so bad in the
summer we had to crawl out through a window, and that allowed the wind
and rain to come inside during any storms.
“Holy crap,” Conner gasps as we walk into the entrance hall of all
entrance halls. I swear to fucking god that the only house I’ve seen quite
this lavish is the Playboy mansion. I’m half expecting scantily-clad women
to pour through the doors for a welcome party at any moment.
Sadly, the only person who emerges from one of the many doorways is
Jeeves.
“Would you like a tour?”
“Or a fucking map,” Conner mutters. Cole, however, stands totally mute
and looking bored out of his skull. I know he’s taking everything in, though.
It’s how his brain works.
“Just point us in the direction of our rooms. I’m sure we can figure the
rest out ourselves. We might be from a trailer park, but we’re far from
stupid.”
“I’m well aware of that. I’m William, by the way.”
“I would say it was nice to meet you, Jeeves,” I spit, curling my lip in
disgust, “but in all honesty, it wasn’t.”
“Right, well. You can get to your rooms via this staircase, but you do
have your own at the other end of the house. If you’d like to follow me.”
For once, the three of us do as we’re told and trail behind him until he
comes to a stop at a slightly less audacious staircase, although it’s still much
grander than any I’ve seen before.
“At the top you’ll find four rooms. Each has a fully stocked en suite, but
if you need anything extra please speak to Ellen. You can usually find her in
the kitchen, which is directly behind the main staircase, and she’ll see you
have everything you need.”
“How about an ounce of weed and a few bottles of vodka?”
He stares at me as if I’m going to laugh at my own joke. It’s not a
fucking joke. I’m going to need that and then some if I’m meant to live
here.
It’s only a year. You can do this for a year for your brothers.
“If that’s all, I’ll leave you to find your feet.” He spins on his heels and
fucks off as fast as his legs will carry him.
“Shall we do this shit then?” Conner asks as we all stand like statues at
the bottom of the stairs.
“Fuck it.” I move first, but they’re not far behind me.
I take the furthest door from the stairs, and the one I’m fairly sure will
have the best view. I might be here for them, but they can fuck off if they
think they’re getting it.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, walking onto the insanely spongy cream carpet
and looking around at my new digs. This one room alone is about double
the size of our trailer.
I dump my bag on the window seat and look out at the ocean beyond,
exactly as I’d hoped. Staring out at the perfect postcard view, I hope its
calmness will somehow transfer into me. No such luck, because when I turn
and take in the room around me, the need to smash it up is all-consuming.
I don’t want to fucking be here.
 I want my old life. My shitty trailer. My state school and dead-end
opportunities.
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I sync it with the speakers I find on the
sideboard and turn it up as loud as it’ll go. This house might be a mansion,
but I’ll make sure Uncle fucking James knows we’ve arrived.
Retrieving the packet of smokes from my bag, I pull one out and place it
between my lips before falling down onto my bed. I can only assume
there’s a no smoking rule in a place like this. I smile as I light up and blow
smoke right into the center of the room.
I didn’t follow any rules before, so like fuck am I about to start.

I can’t hear anything over the sound of my music, so it’s not until the door
opens that I realize someone wants me. Looking up, I expect to find my
brothers, but instead Uncle James stands before me in his sharp three-piece
suit, slicked-back hair and clean-shaven face.
“What do you want?” I bark, turning away from him and lighting up
once again.
“I was coming to see how you were settling in, but I see you’ve already
made yourself at home.”
“What the fuck?” I seethe when the cigarette is plucked from my lips,
seconds before it’s flicked out the window.
He pulls up the front of his perfectly pressed pants before sitting down
on the edge of my bed. If he’s trying to look authoritative, then he needs to
try fucking harder.
“A few house rules are in order, I think.”
I scoff but allow him to continue so he can list his challenges, because
you can bet your sweet ass I’m going to break each and every one just to
piss him off.
“No smoking in the house. You want to kill yourself with those death
sticks, then you do so outside. You will not bring any drugs or drink into
this house. If you want friends here, you can use the pool house. I’ve set it
up as a den of sorts for the three of you. That’s your domain.”
“So we can smoke, drink, and do drugs in there?”
 “No. There will be no parties, no girls, nothing that will cause any
trouble of any kind.”
“If you’re not looking for trouble, then you invited the wrong guys to
come and live with you.”
“You are no longer in Sterling Heights.” He frowns. “Things are
different around here. I think it might be important for you to remember
that.”
“Whatever.”
“School starts in two weeks. Your uniforms are already in your closets. I
suggest you familiarize yourself with the place before the hard work starts,
because there is no way you’re not graduating this year,” he jibes, knowing
full well that I fucked up what should have been my senior year last year.
Not my fault that someone had to earn some goddamn money to support my
brothers.
I look to the other side of the room as if his mere presence is boring me.
“Dinner will be served in an hour. I expect you all to be cleaned and
dressed appropriately.” I see his gaze from out of the corner of my eye drop
to my ripped jeans and oil-stained shirt. “My girlfriend and her daughter are
coming to welcome you to town, and I shouldn't need to tell you that you
will be nice to both of them.”
Well, doesn’t that sound like a fucking fun way to spend our first night
in Sterling Bay? A nice, cozy family meal with the man who only wanted
us when we had no parents left in this world.
He makes out like he wasn’t aware of what our lives were like.
He’s a fucking liar.
“An hour. I’ve already warned your brothers. We’ll be waiting.”
I do shower and change—not because he told me to, but because I
fucking stink, and to be honest, I can’t deny that the rainfall shower in my
en suite wasn’t appealing. It was a shit load better than the open pipe we
had in the trailer.
Wearing a different pair of ripped jeans and a slightly cleaner shirt, I
step out into the hall at exactly the same time both Cole and Conner do.
They’re dressed similarly to me; it seems they took Uncle’s warning about
as seriously as I did.
The sounds of voices direct the three of us toward the dining room. My
curiosity as to what hides behind each door we pass is high, but I don’t
look. I don’t want to seem like I care, because I really fucking don’t, I’m
just intrigued as to why a man who’s always lived alone needs so many
fucking rooms.
As we join them, all conversation stops and three heads turn our way. I
know our uncle is here but don’t pay him any mind. The brunette, however,
captures my imagination quite nicely.
He might have warned me about no girls already, but he didn’t mention
one who clearly already spends time here.
He walks over and wraps his arm around both the brunette and her
mother. “Ace, Cole, Conner...” He grins like the cat who got the cream, and
I fucking hate it. “This is Sarah, my girlfriend, and Remi, her daughter.”

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 CHAPTER TWO

Remi

“H ello, boys,” Mom sing-songs. “It’s nice to finally meet you. James
has told me all about you.”
“He has, has he?” One of the boys slides his narrowed gaze to
his uncle. His tone is cold, icy even, sending a shiver skittering up my
spine.
A beat passes, then James clears his throat. “Ace,” he warns, flicking
his head to where Mom and I are standing.
According to Mom, Ace is the eldest. He and his twin brothers lived
with their mom until she died suddenly. Since they had nowhere else to go,
and the twins are still minors, James offered to take them in.
“Hey,” Ace replies, his eyes gliding down my body and back up.
Another shiver works its way through me, only I can’t decide if it’s a nice
one or bad one. Ace looks like he either wants to throw me down on the
table and do very bad things to me, or murder me with his bare hands.
It’s unnerving.
He’s unnerving.
They all are.
But then, what did I expect? Kids from Sterling Heights aren’t like kids
from the Bay.
 “Hi, I’m Remi,” I say. “I go to Sterling Prep, so we’ll all be in the same
class.”
None of them look pleased about that.
“Shall we get seated?” James motions for us to move to the table. As
always, he pulls out a chair for Mom, and as always she makes a scene of
getting situated. I swallow a frustrated huff. I love her something fierce, but
I wish she had more backbone. My experience with guys may be lacking,
but I know my worth, and I’ll never rely on a guy for anything.
Before I can take the seat next to Mom, one of the twins slides into the
chair. The other twin takes the one opposite, leaving two empty seats
between them.
Ace watches me, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Whichever chair I
take, I’m going to be stuck between him and one of his brothers.
Just perfect.
“I don’t bite,” the twin sitting nearest teases, grinning up at me. “I’m
Conner.”
He seems friendlier than his brothers, so I take the seat beside him,
trying to ignore the way Ace’s leg brushes mine when he finally sits down.
Just then, Ellen enters the room with a tray of drinks. “Dinner will be
served shortly,” she says, pausing when she catches sight of the boys. “Oh
my, you must be Ace, Cole, and Conner.”
Her eyes run over the three of them as she steps back. “Now, you two
must be the twins,” she says, pointing between Cole and Conner. “Which
means you must be—“
“Ace.”
My body tenses when his hand lands on my thigh. Hard. Possessive. As
if I’m a piece of property he just claimed.
What the hell is he doing?
I swat his hand away, resisting the urge to stamp my heel into his boot.
Asshole.
“Oh, you boys remind me so much of... never mind.” Ellen hurries off,
leaving a tense atmosphere lingering in the room.
“So, boys, are you excited to start at Sterling Prep?” Mom beams at
them, and I can’t decide if she’s trying to make it easier on James, the boys,
or whether she’s just oblivious to all the tension.
Ace leans back, casually throwing his arm around the back of my chair.
His hand brushes my shoulder and I bristle. “What’s not to be excited
about?” he drawls.
“Oh yeah,” Conner chuckles. “We’re real excited, Sarah. All the new
friends we’ll make.” The way he says it sounds so dirty.
“Boys, please...” James lets out a heavy sigh, running a hand over his
jaw.
James has been good to us over the years. He’s been there, in the
background, helping us and offering Mom a shoulder to lean on. But it was
after she got out of a bad relationship a few years ago that James offered her
a job at his company. She spends almost as much time there as he does, so
it’s hardly a surprise they finally crossed the line from friends to lovers. At
least, I think that’s what this is.
I suppress a shudder. That is one visual I don’t ever need.
“It’s okay, James.” Mom flashes him a warm smile. “This is an
opportunity for us all to get to know each other.”
“Sarah’s right, Uncle J. Don’t you think he’s right, Ace?” Conner
smirks.
“Hell yeah, I can’t wait to get to know you better.” His finger ghosts
over my shoulder, and I jerk forward.
Something tells me he isn’t talking about getting to know my mom.
“Remi, sweetheart, is everything okay?”
“It must have been a bug or something.” I cut Ace with a scathing look.
“Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom.”
I leave the five of them in awkward silence. I need air. I need to get
away from Ace Jagger for a second. He’s unlike any guy I’ve ever come
across. And when you grew up next door to one of the most popular boys in
Sterling Bay, that’s saying something.
But Ace and his brothers aren’t like the guys from around here. They’re
rough around the edges with a darkness that shadows them like a thunder
cloud.
They’re probably in a gang. I’ve heard a lot of the kids from Sterling
Heights are.
I make my way to the bathroom at the back of the house. Ellen’s soft
voice fills the air as she sings a tune. Locking the door behind me, I stare at
the girl in the mirror. The same long brown curls frame her face and big
brown eyes. The same freckles dust her sun-kissed nose. But something is
different. The smile she wears no longer reaches her eyes.
It hasn't for a while.
 Senior year is supposed to be the time of my life. Homecoming. Prom...
Graduation. But nothing is the same anymore, and the thought of putting on
the charcoal blazer, royal blue tie, and pale gray knee-length skirt that all
the girls insist on rolling up to skim their ass, fills me with nothing but
dread.
After waiting long enough, I wash my hands before slipping out of the
bathroom, only to walk smack bang into a solid chest. “What the—“
“Easy there, Princess.” Ace smirks, his hands gripping my shoulder a
little too tightly as he holds me at arm’s length.
“Get the hell off me.” I jerk back but he stalks forward, forcing me
further into the bathroom.
“This isn’t funny,” I say firmly, despite the ratchet of my pulse.
“Do I look like I’m laughing?” His pierced brow rises. “I thought we
could get to know each other better," he mocks.
“Oh my god,” I breathe, disbelief clinging to every syllable. “Just who
the hell do you think you are?”
Ace steps closer, and I edge back. He thinks it’s a game. It’s right there,
glittering in his frosty blue eyes.
But I know guys like Ace, guys who think they can just take whatever
they want without consequence, and I have no interest in becoming his
sparring partner.
My back hits the counter, and my hands shoot out behind me to steady
myself. He leans in, putting us face to face, and I’m sure he must be able to
hear the gallop of my heart in my chest.
Calm down, I mentally demand.
Moving closer still, he inhales deeply, and my breath catches. “You
smell so fucking good.”
“Ace...” I suck in a harsh breath. “Let. Me. Out.” The words leave my
lips through gritted teeth as I try to maintain some control, but it’s futile.
Ace holds all the power, and he knows it.
His mouth curves into a wicked grin. “Scared, Princess?”
“Stop calling me that.” I’m not a princess, not like most of the
pretentious spoiled girls in my class.
His hair is unruly, falling over his eyes a little. The sudden desire to
push it away washes over me. I internally groan at myself. I’m such a
cliché, letting myself fall under the bad boy’s spell.
“Move or I’ll scream.”
 Ace moves his mouth to my ear, his warm breath dancing along my
neck. “Screaming only makes it sweeter.”
Without thinking, I shoulder him out of the way and dart around him.
“I’ll be seeing you around, Princess,” he calls after me. I glance back,
scowling, but it only fuels Ace’s rumble of laughter.
I march out of there, wondering what kind of hell I’ve landed myself in.

I barely eat. Between Conner’s innuendos and Ace’s proximity, I feel

nauseous.
“Is something wrong with your chicken, sweetheart?” Mom asks,
frowning at all the food left on my plate.
“I’m just not hungry, sorry.”
“If it’s going spare, do ya mind?” Conner reaches for my plate.
“Jesus, Conner, show some manners,” James scolds him. “If you want
more, I’ll have Ellen—“
“It’s fine. He can have it.” I push it toward him and he digs in, like he
hasn’t just cleared his own plate.
My eyes flick to Ace. He and Cole are having some kind of silent
conversation. I allow myself a second to look at him, really look at him.
The dark hair, piercings, and tats peeking out from under his t-shirt and
running up his neck make him look scary, but I know better than to judge a
book by a cover, and I find myself wondering about their life in the Heights.
“Maybe you should take a photo, it’ll last longer,” he whisper-hisses,
his intense gaze settling on my face. Mom and James are deep in
conversation. Business talk, no doubt.
Cole barely cracks a smirk at his brother’s attempt to get under my skin.
“Actually, I was looking at your tattoos.”
“You like ink?” He seems surprised.
“I like art.”
He studies me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve but quickly averts
his eyes.
Okay, then.
Ellen breezes into the room and begins clearing away the plates.
“Thank you, Ellen,” James says. “It was lovely.”
 “Clean plates all around, the best compliment a cook can ever have.”
She turns her attention to the boys. “Now, who wants dessert?”
“Dessert sounds great.” Ace walks his finger up my thigh again,
keeping his attention ahead.
I roughly grab his fingers, bending them backward. He lets out a
garbled sound, tearing his hand away. Shooting him a saccharine smile, I
cross my legs, putting as much distance between us as possible.
“So, Cole,” Mom says. “James says you play football.”
He shrugs, grunting some inaudible reply.
“Are you any good?”
“He’s going all the way to the NFL, baby.” Conner slaps his hand down
on the table.
“Con,” Ace warns, and the two of them share a look.
“Remi’s friend Bexley plays for the Seahawks. He’s the quarterback.”
Pride fills her voice, as if it somehow matters.
“Bexley? What the fucking kind of name is Bexley?” Conner barks out
a laugh.
“The Danforths are one of the wealthiest families in the state. Bexley is
following in his daddy’s footsteps and going to Stanford next fall. I’m sure
Remi will introduce you all.”
The three brothers stare at my mom like she’s lost her goddamn mind,
and I’m beginning to wonder if she has.
Ace and Bexley becoming friends... yeah, never going to happen.
“I can hardly wait,” Ace deadpans.
“I spoke to Coach Miller just last week and he’s looking forward to
seeing Cole at practice.”
“You got him on the team?” Conner chokes out. “Cole... playing for the
Seahawks?”
“Well, I assume he’ll have to try out like any new player, but yes, I
pulled some strings.”
“You pulled some strings?” Ace’s tone makes my blood run cold. I
glance down and notice his hand curled into a tight fist against his thigh.
“Ace,” James releases an exasperated breath. “This is a good thing.
Cole has real potential...”
“Potential?” he spits. “What do you know about Cole’s potential?”
“Ace, man,” Conner says tightly.
 “The Seahawks are a good team. Cole has a real shot at making his
mark. But you’ve got to work with me here.” James’ expression turns
pleading.
Ace hesitates, and I can sense his torment. Something is going on here,
something deeper than just three boys plucked from the Heights and
dumped in the rich end of town. Ace has made no attempt to hide his
disdain for his uncle. Conner seems to think everything is one big joke, and
Cole... well, I haven’t quite figured him out yet. He’s barely spoken two
words.
“You think you can just—“
“Ace.” Cole shakes his head slightly, his eyes saying everything he
isn’t.
“Fine.” The eldest Jagger brother shoves his chair back and stands. “I
need a smoke.”
Of course he smokes.
I bet he rides a motorcycle and carries a knife, too.
We all watch him stalk out of the room.
“I think as far as first dinners go, that went well.” Conner grins at me,
and I can’t help but smother my own smile. He kind of has a point.
“I’m going to get some air too.” Cole excuses himself and takes off after
Ace.
“You’ll have to excuse my brothers. We’re not exactly used to all...
this.” Conner glances down the table.
“It was perhaps premature on my part to expect you all to do this.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Mom covers his hand with hers, “I think they did
okay. So Ace is retaking senior year?” she asks.
“He is.” James grimaces. “It’s not ideal to have them all in the same
class, but it is what it is.” He shoots Conner a knowing look.
“Why did he flunk last year?” The words spill out before I can stop
them.
“That is a story for another day.” James dabs the corner of his mouth,
throwing his napkin down. “Why don’t we move this into the sitting room?
I’ll have Ellen serve us dessert there.” He and Mom get up and make their
way into the adjoining room, leaving me with Conner.
“So your mom and my uncle, huh?” He runs a hand through his hair. It’s
dark like Ace’s and Cole’s but has lighter tips. Out of the three of them, he
looks the one least likely to eat me alive.
 “Yep.”
“Are you around here a lot?”
“Sometimes, when Mom insists I come.”
“I see.” His lips thin, and I wonder what he’s thinking.
“Why?”
“Oh, no reason.” Conner stands up, looming over me. “Just watch your
back, yeah?”
He walks away and leaves me sitting there.
I want to believe it’s a friendly warning, that Conner might be a Jagger
brother you can trust, but something tells me it isn't a warning at all.
It's a threat.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Ace

“W hy don’t you have the night off? Go and do something fun,” I

suggest to Ellen after pulling the refrigerator open and grabbing
a bottle of water. Something tells me she’s never done a single
fun thing in her life, but who knows… tonight could be the night.
“Oh, no no. I need to clean out the pantry.”
Okay, so she’s even sadder than I thought. Noted.
“It’s Friday night. Go home.”
“But…” I raise an eyebrow at her and press my lips into a thin line, a
move that works on almost everyone. Apparently I’m scary. Use what God
gave you, Mom used to say. So I do, scaring the shit out of people on a
daily basis. Or at least I did when I was in Heights. Fuck knows what the
rich folk around here will think about me.
“Okay, okay. You’re right, I do need a night off. My pussy misses me
terribly when I work a late shift.”
I scoff, just about managing to cover my amusement at her statement,
although one look at her innocent face is all the evidence I need to know
she’s talking about a cat. Great, we left the most notorious trailer park in
Heights, and now we live with a cat woman. How the mighty fall. It’s a
good thing she’s leaving, because what’s about to go down in this house
would give her a fucking heart attack.
 “You go home and stroke that pussy.” I suppress a chuckle. “We’ll be
fine here.”
“You’ll call me if you need anything?”
“Sure,” I lie. I’m not sure why, but Ellen seems to think we need
someone. To be looked after. She clearly didn’t get the memo about us
looking after ourselves for the past fuck knows however long.
I leave her collecting up her things and shoot a message to my guys. I
told them this was happening about ten seconds after James announced that
he was going to be away on business this weekend.
His warning about no parties was a distant memory as I handed out his
address to every fucker I know.
We’ve been here almost two weeks, and it’s the first time he’s left us
alone for more than a few hours. I was starting to think he didn’t trust us.
Sadly, his little princess hasn’t been back. It’s a real shame. I was
looking forward to having some more fun with her, but we all know she’s
on borrowed time. School starts next week and there will be no running.
She’ll be right there for the taking.
The perfect prey.
The ultimate pawn in my games.
“We’re all set.” I throw my brothers a bottle of vodka each and a baggie
of weed. “No more than that,” I say, staring at Cole. If he’s got tryouts for
the Seahawks on Monday like James implied, then he needs to be sober and
focused. “And no fucking pills. You hear me?”
“Yes, Dad,” Conner mutters with a two fingered salute.
I still at the mention of Dad, and something cold runs through my veins,
reminding me of all the truths I need to uncover during my time here.
“The guys will be here within the hour.”
I take my own bottle and blunt to the front door. I drop my ass to the
stone steps and light up. Fuck the pool house. This is going down in the
main house tonight.
The first few shots of the vodka burn down my throat, but after the
third… or fourth, I no longer feel it.
I flick the end of the blunt to the gravel of the driveway as lights make
their way up to me. A smile twitches at my lips. I really fucking need this.
“Jag,” Dean calls the second he pulls up in front of the house. “This
place fucking suits you, man.”
“You think?”
 “Fuck yeah. The drug lord needs an appropriate mansion.” I laugh at his
idiocy as other cars pile in behind him and people spill out onto the
driveway, heading for the house. Bottles clatter as they carry them inside to
get the party started. Someone I don’t recognize drags a set of speakers
from his truck, and they disappear inside to set up.
Kelsey, my regular hook-up, saunters up to me dressed as she usually is:
in very little. She steps into me, her sweet scent filling my nose, but, unlike
previously, it does little for me.
“Hey, baby. I missed you,” she slurs. One of her hands slides up my
chest and slips around the back of my neck while the other descends for my
cock. My fingers wrap around her wrist before she gets to my waistband.
Taking her chin in my hand, I move her face so I can stare into her eyes.
They’re dark and blown. “Fucking hell, Kels. You’re meant to be getting off
that shit.”
“Yeah, I was. And then you left.”
“You’re not mine,” I snap, pushing her away. She stumbles but doesn’t
fall. Shame. She’s always thought there was more to us than I ever let on,
but she was a way to pass the time, nothing more. “Lay off the hard shit, or
find your way back to the Heights.” She’s taken things too far one to many
times, and the last thing I need is to find her OD’d in the pool.
“You need a drink and to lighten up,” she complains. “Find me later
when you need some action.” She winks, but it’s not appealing in the
slightest. Her lifeless blonde hair is doing nothing for me right now. I’ve got
my sights set on a certain brunette.
Music booms as more people flood into my uncle’s house, and, after a
few moments, I join them.
Falling down onto the opposite end of the sofa to where Conner has
some girl grinding on his lap, I lift my bottle to my lips before pulling out
another blunt.
Now this is a much better way to use this house.
Something smashes out in the hallway, but like fuck if I care enough to
go and check it out.
“Donny is really missing you, man,” JJ says, dropping down beside me
and thankfully cutting off the view of my brother’s tongue delving into that
hussy’s mouth.
“So I’ve heard,” I mutter, thinking of the messages I’ve had from my
boss asking when I’m going to come and do another run for him.
 I fucking need to. I’m skint, and like hell am I going to use a cent of the
money James has given us.
I was building up a nice little nest egg for the future until a fucking
ghost from my past turned up and used my one and only weakness against
me.
“Give me what I want, or I’ll go about it another way.” Even the
memory of his voice sends a shiver down my spine.
Our father. Cunt of the century, and a man we all thought was fucking
dead. Turns out he was just lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to ruin
my life.
“I’ll be back,” I promise JJ. “Just got some shit to deal with here first.”
“What the fuck kind of shit could you need to worry about here?” He
looks around at our lavish surroundings as the sound of something else
breaking fills the room “Well, maybe aside from that.”
“Fuck that. I don’t give a shit about this place. It’s the motherfucker
who owns it that needs my attention.”
JJ’s brows furrow. He’s probably thinking the same as everyone else in
Sterling Bay: James Jagger is an upstanding citizen of the community and a
prestigious businessman. If any of that means liar and master manipulator
then yeah, that’s good ol’ Uncle James all right.
He’s covered his tracks well, I’ll give him that. But he seems to have
forgotten one thing.
Me.
And I’m out for his motherfucking blood.

I’m not entirely sure how it happens, aside from the fact that Conner is
involved, but sometime after midnight, the house begins to empty as
everyone stumbles their way across James’ perfectly landscaped yard and
towards the beach beyond.
Flowers get trampled, and bottles and half-smoked cigarettes and blunts
get thrown every which way as we descend. No one gives a shit, and I
fucking love it. I’m already pumped to see his face when he gets back to
this disaster. I only wish I could be a fly on the wall when he gets the
inevitable phone call about the out-of-control party in his beloved mansion.
 The last thing I’m expecting when we eventually get down to the shore
is to find another party in full flow. Only this one is a little different.
They’re drinking out of solo cups instead of bottles of liquor and, as far
as I can see—or smell—there’s nothing illegal going on. It’s just a group of
kids hanging out around a bonfire like a bunch of fucking boy scouts. Oh,
and one more thing… they look preppy as fuck.
All heads turn our way as we come to a stop before them. Some guy
wearing a blue and white Seahawks team jacket stands. I know his type
immediately: privileged jock asshole. The one who thinks he’s hard. The
one who thinks he can defend his school’s honor or some shit.
He’s got perfectly slicked-back blond hair and blue eyes. He’s such a
fucking cliche it actually hurts my eyes to look at him.
“What the fuck do you want?”
I step forward, not because I don’t think anyone else will, but because
it’s high time I made my mark. I’ve been to—or crashed—plenty of Bay
parties over the years, but I’m fairly sure I’d remember this preppy fucker if
I’d seen him before.
“For you to get out of my fucking face,” I taunt, closing the space
between us.
Hunger for the imminent fight filters from behind me, whereas when I
look over the douche’s shoulder, all I see are terrified wide eyes.
These fuckers need to be taught a lesson.
Ace Jagger is about to take over the motherfucking town, one rich
douchebag at a time.
My fingers twitch. It would be so easy to pull out my knife and do this
properly.
“We’re just hanging out down here. You’re the ones gatecrashing. But I
hear that you Heights scum have a thing about crashing Bay parties.
Probably because we can afford better alcohol.”
“Nah,” I say with a laugh. My lips curl, but I’m anything but amused as
I bare my teeth at him. “Your bitches have tighter pussies.”
“Motherfu—”
“Bexley, stop.”
That voice.
A slender hand lands on the asshole’s shoulder before familiar dark
curls appear, followed by her huge, brown eyes and full, pink lips.
 I look between the two of them. Of course the princess would be with
the captain. If I didn’t already want to take the motherfucker to the ground,
then I fucking do now for having her touch him like that.
Innocent little Remi might have no idea, but she belongs to me now, and
no one touches what’s mine.
“Move, Remi,” I warn, closing the space between us. “Rexley and I
need to have a little chat.”
“It’s Bexley, asshole. And you’d better fucking remember that.”
“Is that right?” I taunt, “because I’m pretty sure the next name your girl
there moans will be mine.”
Remi moves just in time for Bexley to cock his arm back, ready to take
a swing at me. Sadly for him, he’s not aware that I’ve fought guys like him
almost on a daily basis back in Heights, and I’m faster. Much faster.
My knuckles connect with his cheek before he even attempts his first
punch. Girls scream, including Remi, and a few of his team members step
forward, although as my guys move, they suddenly look like they could be
about to run.
Fucking bunch of pussies.
Grabbing Bexley by his collar, I stare down into his panic-filled eyes.
“The Jaggers are in town now. You’ll learn your place.”
“Fuck you,” he spits seconds before my head connects with his nose,
making him scream like a little bitch and blood cover his jacket.
He comes at me, but he’s no match for my strength or speed. In only
minutes, he’s on the floor, writhing in pain, bleeding and crying like a baby.
A couple of his pussy ass teammates drag him off as my guys wait
behind me to see if they’re going to need to get in on the action. But it
seems that the rest of the Seahawks are a little more switched on than their
captain, because they stay put.
That doesn't mean I can’t see the need to fight back in their eyes,
though. They want payback for this, they’re just not willing to when I have
half of Sterling Heights standing behind me. Our reputation clearly
precedes us, and rightly so, most of the motherfuckers standing behind me
wouldn’t bat an eyelid at the chance to hurt a Bay kid.
Turning my attention to Remi, I watch as she stares at me with wide,
terrified eyes. I step toward her. She takes one back, and another, her pace
quickening until she stumbles in the sand and ends up on her ass. I straddle
her waist, her entire body trembling beneath me. I gather both her wrists in
one of my hands and lift them above her head before dropping the other to
the side of her head and gazing down at her. She refuses to hold my stare.
Instead, she turns to the side defiantly.
Taking her chin between my bloody fingers, I squeeze until I know it’ll
pinch and turn her so she has no choice but to face me.
“Look at me.”
It takes her a second, but eventually she concedes.
“You need to watch who you hang out with, princess.” I trail a finger
from her rosy cheek all the way down her neck and to the swell of her
breasts. Her breath catches and her skin breaks out in goosebumps. “Decide
whose side you’re on tonight and either fuck off or come back to the house
with me.”
Her body trembles again, but this time it’s not with fear.
I know what she’s going to say—it’s written all over her face before the
words pass her lips—but I’ll give her this one chance. Next time, I’ll just
take what I want, because a broken Remi is going to get me the answers I
need.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Remi

A ce stares down at me, making my heart thump violently in my chest.

My body is hot and restless beneath him, but it’s only anger.
That’s all it can be.
“Get the hell off me.” I buck against him, but he holds my wrists firmly
in his grasp.
“Say the magic word, Princess,” Ace taunts. Blood coats his knuckles
and splatters his wife-beater. I can’t believe he just did that. Bexley’s nose
is broken for sure, I heard the crunch.
“Tell me you’re not with that preppy fucker?”
“Jealous?” My lip curls. I don’t know why I omit the truth, why I even
consider sparring with him, but he brings out something buried deep inside
me.
“Oh you’d love that, wouldn’t you?”
Something sparks in his eyes, flecks of silver streaking across his
soulless blue gaze.
“Shit, Ace,” a voice calls, but neither of us move, locked in this strange
standoff. “What are... whoa, is that the princess?” It’s Conner. Ace glances
over his shoulder and I use his distraction to my advantage. Shoving my
fists into his shoulders, I dig my foot into the ground and slam my body
upwards.
“Motherfucker,” Ace grunts, rolling off to the side. I sit up, barely able
to contain my laughter. I didn’t mean to catch him in his balls, but I can’t
deny it gives me a strange sense of satisfaction.
 Conner moves closer, offering me his hand. I take it, letting him pull me
up. “You might want to put some ice on that,” I say to Ace, who looks ready
to kill me with his bare hands. Once he can stand again, anyway.
I snicker again, and Conner explodes with laughter. “Shit, Princess, we
sure underestimated you.”
“Tell your brother to stay the hell away from me.” I don’t stick around
to hear either of their replies as I march across the beach toward the path
leading over the sandbanks to my house.
Some party.
I didn’t want to come tonight, but Mom ran into Bexley earlier and he
mentioned it, and Mom being Mom hounded me until I finally gave in.
Besides, I knew Hadley would be here, and she’s about the only girl left at
Sterling Prep that I can stand to be around.
“Remi, wait up,” her familiar voice drifts over to me, and I stop. She
reaches me, a little breathless as if she ran over here.
“You should go back to the dorms, Hads,” I say.
“What the hell was that? Bexley is—“
“Bexley had it coming,” I grumble.
She smothers a snort. “Yeah, he did. God, he’s such a self-involved,
righteous asshole.”
And this is why I like Hadley Rexford. Despite being on the cheer team,
she doesn’t buy into the whole school hierarchy bullshit.
“So that’s Ace Jagger, huh?” There’s a lilt in her voice that has me
frowning. “Oh, come on. We’ve all heard the news by now. The Jagger
brothers have moved into town. Did you meet them already?”
“Something like that,” I murmur.
“And you and Ace are what, exactly?”
“Nothing,” I deadpan. “We’re nothing. I barely know him. Besides,
have you seen the guy?”
“Oh, we all saw him.” Her brow quirks up. “He’s really something.”
I glance back to where I left him sprawled out on the sand, clutching his
junk. But there’s no sign of Ace or Conner.
“It’s late,” I say, desperate to get off this beach.
“I’ll walk with you, if that’s okay?”
“Sure, why not.” The two of us walk side by side, the soft sand giving
way under our feet.
“Bexley will be out for blood once school starts up,” she says.
 “Something tells me Ace isn’t going to worry about a guy like Bexley.”
“I still can’t believe he did that. And did you see some of his friends?”
We’d all seen them. Tatted, pierced guys who looked like they belonged
in some motorcycle club, not at a bonfire party in the Bay.
“What’s their story, anyway?”
“You care?” I throw back at her.
Hadley isn’t a gossip. She doesn’t live for school cliques and classroom
politics. She mostly keeps herself to herself. If it wasn’t for her being in the
cheer team, she’d be invisible.
“No, I don’t care,” she chuckles, “but you’ve got to admit, it’s the most
exciting thing to happen in the Bay since Krystal Gavin had an affair with
the vice principal.”
“Scandalous,” I mock.
Krystal is a girl a couple years older than us. She and the vice principal
back then got caught exchanging dirty texts. He was fired, and she was
shipped off to her grandparents in Pasadena to finish out senior year there.
“You know, senior year is going to be a hell of a lot more interesting
with the Jagger brothers around.”
“Don’t remind me.” I press my lips together.
We hit the path leading away from the beach. There’s a row of beach
houses lining a quieter section of the Bay. Mom and I live in the end house.
It’s by far the smallest, but it's ours, and it has the best views of the ocean.
“Well, this is me,” I say as we reach the spot where the path splits.
“See you at school Monday?” There’s a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Like me, Hadley doesn’t fit in. But unlike me, she never has. And I’m not
sure which one of us has the better deal.
“I can hardly wait.” Sarcasm drips from my words, but it doesn’t faze
her.
“It’s senior year, Remi.” She gives me a weak smile. “Who knows,
maybe things will be different this year.”
I want to believe her, but I learned to stop wishing for things a long time
ago.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Mom greets me with a mug of coffee as I pad
into the kitchen. “How was the party?”
“You should probably ask Bexley.”
“And what is that supposed to mean, young lady?”
“He and Ace got into it.” There’s no use in lying to her, she’ll find out
soon enough. The Danforths are one of the most well-known families in
Sterling. They live behind us in one of the houses lining what we locals call
‘Palm Tree Avenue.’ Technically we’re not neighbors anymore, but we
were for my entire childhood. When my mom and dad separated, Mr and
Mrs Danforth insisted on helping us. I think they secretly hoped that, one
day, me and Bexley would fall hopelessly in love and ride off into the
sunset together. But that was before.
Now the Danforths don’t look at me and see their future daughter-in-
law. They look at me and see a charity case.
And I fucking hate it.
“They were fighting? I find that hard to believe,” she scoffs. “Bexley is
such a good boy.”
“Bexley got his ass handed to him.”
“Oh my... well, boys will be boys, I suppose. There’s going to be an
adjustment period for everyone.”
“Adjustment period… sure thing, Mom,” I grumble beneath my breath
as I slide onto the wooden bench and watch the waves roll in from the
window.
“So, would now be a good time to tell you I invited them over for
breakfast?”
“You did what?” I gawk at her, sure I misheard, because there’s no way,
no fucking way, she invited Ace Jagger and his brothers to breakfast.
At. Our. House.
Guilt fills her expression. “With James away for the weekend, I wanted
them to feel at home, you know?”
“Mom, really?” I let out a heavy sigh. “This is our house. After... I just
thought you’d be more careful.”
“Sweetheart.” Mom gives me a sad smile. “I know they’re a little rough
around the edges, but they haven’t had it easy...” She hesitates, staring out
at the ocean.
“What happened to them, Mom?” I find myself asking. Because no way
can someone be as angry and sadistic as Ace without some kind of deep
childhood trauma.
I should know.
“I don’t know the whole story, baby. James seemed very distressed
when he told me he was taking them in. But I do know that Ace... he found
her.”
My breath catches. “H-he found her?”
Mom nods. “Overdose. Apparently Maria never really recovered after
their dad died. She turned to drugs and alcohol and Ace was forced to grow
up overnight to care for his brothers.”
“Wow, I didn’t know...” My voice trails off. I can’t imagine what that
must have been like for them. It’s no wonder he seems so... damaged.
“So now you know why I want to make them feel as welcome as
possible. Sterling Bay is like shark-infested waters.” Mom’s lips thin.
“They’re already going to be swimming in uncharted territory without us
making it more difficult on them.”
“Nice visuals, Mom,” I chuckle.
“I’m just saying, it wouldn’t hurt for you to try to be nice to them.”
She begins plating up a stack of pancakes just as Ace appears at the
French doors.
Crap.
I’m still in my oversized holey Rolling Stones t-shirt with untamed bed
hair. But before I can make a run for it, Mom has opened the door and
invited him in. “Ace, we’re so happy you could join us.”
“Conner didn’t give me much choice.”
Just then, Cole and Conner enter our small kitchen.
“Something smells good,” Conner rubs his stomach, wearing that easy
smile of his.
“Yeah, it does.” Ace’s eyes darken on me. I grab the glass of orange
juice Mom poured me earlier and drink it down.
“How’s the hand?” I raise a brow, and he smirks.
“It was worth it.”
Asshole.
“Remi told me you were fighting.” Mom cuts Ace with her best stare.
“That’s not going to win you any popularity contests.”
“I’m not looking to make friends, Mrs—“
“Sarah. You can call me Sarah. Now come on, make yourselves at
home. I made pancakes and bacon, and there’s fresh fruit.”
 “This looks great, Sarah.” Conner wastes no time sitting at the table and
helping himself to four pancakes. I push the syrup toward him. “Thanks,”
he replies.
“Nice place.” Ace doesn’t sit. Instead, he takes an apple and hovers by
the door.
“Oh, it isn’t much, but it’s ours, and the view is worth its weight in
gold.” Mom makes sure they all have a drink and some food before she
finally sits down and loads her own plate.
“Does James go out of town a lot?”
“Your uncle works very hard.” Pride glitters in her eyes. “A lot of his
clients are based out of Silicon Valley so he has to take the occasional trip
here and there.”
I glance over at Ace and his eyes immediately snap to mine.
“Remi, sweetheart?” Mom’s voice pulls me back to the moment, and I
blink over at her.
“Sorry, what?”
“I asked if you could pass me the syrup.”
“Oh, sure thing.”
“Can I use your bathroom, please?” Ace asks.
“Of course. It’s up the stairs, last door on the left.”
“Did you take a breath?” I ask Conner, who already has a clean plate.
He grins at me. “I was hungry.”
“I can make another batch of pancakes.” Mom gets up.
“Mom, you don’t have to do—“
“Nonsense.” She waves me off. “The boys are our guests. I can’t have
them leaving here still hungry, Ellen would never let me live it down.”
Conner leans back in his chair, throwing an arm behind his head. “What
did you think of the party last night?” His lips curve.
“I think you and your brothers need to do a better job at blending in.”
“Not likely.” He chuckles. Cole sits quietly beside him. He’s eaten his
food, but he hasn’t said a single word.
It’s unnerving, but in a totally different way to Ace.
With Ace, what you get is what you see. He’s bold and gives zero fucks.
He’d eat you alive if you let him get too close. But Cole is a silent threat.
Quiet and calculating. He’s the kind of predator you would never see
coming.
 “I’m sure you’ll find your feet. Sterling Prep is a good school.” Mom
catches my eye, and I narrow my gaze at her. She lets out a small sigh.
“Okay, so some of the kids can be...”
“Total assholes?”
Conner snickers while Mom stares at me in disappointment. “Remi, that
isn’t fair.”
“Really? You really want to do this now?” I glance at our guests.
“I’m just saying you need to give people a chance, sweetheart. They
used to be your friends.”
I shoot up and edge toward the door. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“I’m sorry,” Mom calls after me, but I don’t look back. I’ve already
heard enough.
Climbing the stairs two at a time, I reach my bedroom door only to find
it ajar, which is weird because I always keep it closed. Old habits die hard.
“Hello?” I say, grabbing the handle and pushing it open.
“Busted.” Ace smirks at me. He’s sitting on my bed, scoping out the
place like he plans to come back tonight and steal all my worldly goods.
“Get. Out.” I don’t even bother with pleasantries. Ace has a serious
issue with boundaries, that much is apparent, and I’m not in the mood to
play games.
Of course he completely ignores me.
Standing up, taking the air with him, Ace stalks toward me. Only this
time, I stand firm.
Amusement flashes in his frosty stare.
“Why are you here?” I ask.
“Because mommy dearest invited us over. Dumb move, by the way.” He
drags his bottom lip between his teeth, releasing a small breath. He smells
like cigarette smoke, stale liquor, and bad choices.
“She’s just being nice.”
“More like stupid. She just handed me the keys to your kingdom, and I
can’t wait to watch you fall.”
“Really?” I scoff. “You get girls with those cheap lines?” I edge back,
but Ace grabs my arm, anchoring me in place.
“Word of warning: I always get what I want, Princess.” His eyes burn
into mine, scorching me to the bone.
“I know you’re hurting, and I know you probably don’t want to be
here,” I say, “but that doesn’t mean you can lash out at everyone around
you.”
He jerks back as if my words physically slap him. “What did you say?”
“I said, I know you’re hurting—“
One second he’s standing in front of me, the next he’s right in my space,
his nose almost touching mine.
He’s so overwhelming, I can hardly breathe. But I can’t back down.
I won’t.
I made a promise to myself a long time ago never to be weak again.
Even if I am in way over my head.
“You don’t know the first fucking thing about my life,” he grits out, his
anger poisoning the air around us.
I don’t reply. I can’t. Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but I won’t cry.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I hold his murderous gaze. It’s a war of wills,
a battle neither of us wants to surrender.
He cracks first though, the corner of his mouth tilting slightly. “Oh, I’m
going to enjoy this.”
My brows pinch with confusion, but I smash my lips together, refusing
to ask what he means.
Ace moves around me to the door, and before I can stop myself, I
glance over my shoulder.
He’s still there, watching me.
A predator stalking its prey.
“See you soon, Princess.” His smile grows.
Wicked.
Arrogant.
Dangerous with a capital D.
And I know senior year just got a hell of a lot more difficult.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Ace

W hen we walk back into James’ after what was probably the most
enjoyable breakfast of my life, it’s like an entirely different house
to the one we left earlier. The smashed bottles, empty cans, and
cigarette butts no longer litter the floor and every available surface. Instead,
everything is back to how it used to be. It’s a show home once again.
“What the fuck?” Conner asks, crashing into my back when I stop
abruptly, not able to believe what I’m seeing.
“Apparently, money can buy happiness. This is fucking epic.”
I nod as Conner sidesteps me and heads toward the kitchen. How the
fuck he can still be hungry after the number of pancakes he put away earlier
god only knows.
I glance at Cole, who stands silently beside me, taking in the scene.
“Neat,” he finally says before pulling his cell out and disappearing
toward our staircase to hide.
“You need to spend the weekend making sure you’re ready for
Monday.”
He glances over his shoulder and narrows his eyes. I don’t need his
words, I know he’s telling me to tone it down a notch and let him do his
thing. But my brother needs to realize the only reason I’m here right now is
for him and Conner, to ensure they have a decent shot at life. There has to
be something good that can come out of this. Chances are, I’ll still end up in
prison, with or without this place. But my brothers? They’ve now got the
world at their feet and enough money around them for all their dreams to
come true. And I’m going to make fucking sure they do. Starting with Cole.
“Get changed. Grab a ball. Meet me in the yard.”
He rolls his eyes but moves to do exactly as he’s told. He’s been on the
wrong end of my fists more than once to know it’s in his best interests to
just listen to me.
There may only be a year between me and them, but never doubt that
they know who the oldest is around here.
At hearing voices in the kitchen, I come to a stop just out of sight. It
wouldn’t be out of the question for James to have returned early. He knows
all about the party, or at least I’m assuming he does after the twenty-five
missed calls and handful of texts demanding that I call him. But I’d like to
think he’d have heard us by now and would already be attempting to rip me
a new one. If he thinks I’m going to do what I’m told over text, then he
really needs to realize who he’s invited to live in his house. He might have
been absent for most of our lives, but I thought he knew the kind of kids he
was dealing with.
“This smells incredible, Martha,” Conner says as the sweet smell of
more pancakes hits my nose.
“Martha?” Ellen asks, sounding confused. It’s a common thing where
Conner is concerned. Some random ass shit falls from his mouth at times.
“Yeah, Martha. Like the legend that is Martha Stewart.”
Ellen chuckles. “Well, I don’t know about that, my dear. But I do my
best.”
“Your best? You saw this place this morning. That’s some mad fucking
skills you’re rocking to get it whipped back into shape so fast.”
“I have my ways.”
“Apparently so,” I say, marching into the room, gaining both of their
attention the second I do. “But what I want to know is why? Why not leave
it for us to deal with? For James to find?”
Ellen looks between the two of us, a sympathy in her eyes that I don’t
want to fucking see.
“It was the right thing to do. I know you’re just settling in, trying to find
your feet. I expected it.” She shrugs and turns back to her batter.
 Conner’s brow creases, but he soon accepts her words, whereas I’m
suspicious as fuck. No one does something nice like that just because.
There’s always a motive. Always.
“Would you like some pancakes?” Ellen asks, looking at me.
“No. I’m going to help Cole with practice. Maybe you’ll join us when
you’ve finished filling your face,” I bark at Conner before marching from
the room.
As I walk down the hallway toward the back of the house, Cole’s feet
thunder down the stairs, and when he catches up to me he’s wearing his old
Heights jersey and has a ball tucked under his arm.
“You’re going to be the best damn player this town has ever fucking
seen, you hear me?”
He nods before running ahead to warm himself up.

Part of me expected James to turn up at some point, but by some miracle we

got through the rest of the weekend without him reappearing. After helping
Cole, we spent the rest of our free time in the pool house on the Xbox
James set up for us.
I should really have gone back to the Heights to pick up some work, but
the temptation of just hanging out with my brothers before we’re forced to
spend our days with the preppy stuck-up kids of this town day in, day out,
was too strong.
By the time Monday morning rolls around, I’m almost ready to get on
my bike and fuck off back to the trailer park. I stand in front of the closet
with just a towel wrapped around my waist, staring at the ridiculous
uniform I’m expected to wear.
I’ve never worn a uniform or conformed to anything in my fucking life,
and I’m really not happy about suddenly doing so now.
Throwing the towel onto the bed, I drag a pair of boxer briefs up my
legs and snap the waistband into place. Blowing out a really fucking
frustrated breath, I reach for the clothes. A grey pair of pants that would
probably look right at home on someone’s ninety-year-old grandad with
how high the waist is. A baggy white shirt, a blue tie with the school crest
on it, complete with a seahawk in the middle, and a grey fucking blazer
with blue trim.
If it weren’t for those two motherfuckers down the hall, I would never
be seen dead in this shit. I don’t give a fuck about the fact I didn’t graduate
when I should have. It’s not like I had any need for the fucking diploma.
The gang I’ve been drug running for doesn’t exactly require qualifications.
All they want to know is that you can defend yourself and that you’re
willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, even if you end up with
blood on your hands.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, shoving my feet into the offending fabric and
fastening the button around my waist.
This is total bullshit.
After running some wax through my hair, I stand in front of the full-
length mirror strapped to the wall in the bathroom and can’t help but laugh
at myself. I’m like a walking fucking contradiction. I’m wearing preppy
rich douche clothes with my tatts showing on my neck and down my
forearms where I’ve rolled my sleeves up. There’s absolutely no doubt in
my mind that I’m going to stand out like a sore fucking thumb.
A loud crash sounds out throughout the house before footsteps pound up
the stairs.
Oh goodie, Uncle James is back to wish us well on our first day.
I pull my bedroom door open with a smirk firmly in place on my lips.
“Is your fucking cell phone broken, boy?”
I make a show of pulling it from my pocket and checking it. “Nope,
looks perfectly fine to me. Excuse me, I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
He stands aside before my shoulder crashes into his as I pass, but his
hand grips onto my upper arm. His fingers dig in but not enough to actually
cause any pain.
I turn on him. My eyes narrow and my lips purse as I go toe-to-toe with
the man over twice my age. He’s tall, but I’m taller, and it’s painfully
obvious to him as he’s forced to look up at me.
“Problem, Uncle?”
“You will not throw any more parties here. I very clearly told you the
rules, and the first thing you did the second my back was turned was break
them.”
“Huh.” I tilt my head to the side as if he’s just asked me some important
question. “Funny, because I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
 “I won’t put up with your defiance, Ace.”
“What are you going to do?” I taunt. “Send me back to the Heights?”
His face pales. “Nah, I didn’t think so. For some fucked-up reason you
suddenly want us here.”
“I’ve always—”
“Cole, Conner,” I bellow in his face, cutting off whatever he was going
to say. “Let’s go. We wouldn’t want to be late.”
They both emerge from their room dressed exactly like me: loose ties,
sleeves rolled up, the lot.
A smirk pulls at the corner of my lips.
Sterling Prep is not ready for this.
After making our way from the house and leaving James exactly where
he was, Cole and Conner climb into their car, but I decline their offer of a
lift and throw my leg over my bike. I have a suspicion that at some point
during today I’m going to need to make a swift exit to avoid taking a
preppy douche out on day one. I couldn’t give a fuck about getting kicked
out, but I need my brothers settled before I fuck up too much.
We’re some of the last to arrive, clearly not as excited about the first
day of the school year as others. Audis, Mercedes, Porches and other
insanely expensive cars for teenagers to drive litter the parking lot.
All eyes turn our way as Cole and Conner’s clapped-out engine sputters
into a space before the rumble of my bike follows.
It’s just like Friday night on the beach with everyone looking our way
like we’re new animals at the zoo.
The second I kill my engine, I light up a blunt, needing something to
chill me the fuck out before I drive back the exact same way we just
arrived. I thought I was done with classes, homework, and school fucking
gossip, but the way we’re still holding everyone’s attention, I think we’re
going to be the hot topic of conversation for some time.
The rolling countryside that surrounds the school buildings offers me
little reprieve before I turn to where I know all the students are staring at
me. I spot the football team in their jerseys. Almost every one has a
cheerleader hanging from their shoulders. All eyes are on us, but I don’t see
the captain anywhere. He’s probably still at home, crying over his broken
nose and black eyes.
“Come on then. Let’s get this show on the road,” I call to my brothers
after flicking what’s left of my blunt to the gravel beneath my feet.
 Together the three of us head toward the entrance. The grand, over-the-
top buildings looming before us are a million miles away from those at
Sterling Heights, which were mostly dirty grey and covered in graffiti—
most of which I’d put there over the years. Everything about that place was
dark and smelled of death and destruction. This place, however, is like
something you’d see on a documentary visiting old English manor houses.
Everything is perfect. The grass looks like it’s been cut with fucking
scissors, the buildings are a spotless cream brick, and all the giant windows
seem to still be intact.
Silence falls around the students as we pass. My skin burns and prickles
as their eyes run over every inch of me.
The guys who think they’re something all take a step forward like they
have a fucking chance if they were to stand up to me, while the girls flick
their hair and lick their lips like we might be fucking interested in their rich,
stuck-up pussies.
I think not.
Just before we approach the reception building, a dark pair of eyes
catches my attention. She’s hiding in the shadows, but still I see her.
Our eyes hold for the briefest of moments before she averts her gaze
and turns away from me.
You can hide all you like, Princess. I will find you.
A petite lady in a baby pink twin set scrambles from behind her desk as
Conner and Cole slam the doors back on themselves to announce our
arrival.
“Oh, hello. I’m Miss Peterson…” Her voice is quiet, almost like a
mouse as she looks between the three of us like we might be about to
squash her with our bare hands. It’s totally doable and probably wouldn’t
take much effort, either.
“Just give us our schedules and we’ll be out of your hair, Mrs Peters.”
“It-it’s Miss Peterson, actually.”
“Of course it is.” I roll my eyes, dropping my hands to my pant pockets
and rocking back on my heels, getting impatient as fuck.
“Principal Vager is waiting to meet the three of you.”
“Great. Lead the way.”
She hesitates. “You… um… might want to…” She tugs at her sleeves,
too scared to actually tell us what to do.
“We’re good, thanks.”
 “O-Okay. T-this way then.”
She knocks the giant walnut double doors before a deep voice calls out
for us to enter.
His office is massive with an impressive hand-carved desk that gives
him a view of the sea in the distance. Bookshelves line the other walls and
are filled with vintage looking books.
“Ah, the Jaggers are here,” he announces almost sarcastically, and it
puts my back up immediately. “We’ve heard a lot about the three of you.”
“All good, I hope.”
He scoffs but holds my stare. “I’m sure that you’ll soon find yourselves
at home here in Sterling Prep.”
“You think?”
Both Cole and Conner take a seat at his desk when he gestures for us to
do so, but I refrain from following orders. It’s best he learns from the get-go
that that’s not how I do things.
Walking over to one of the bookcases, I run my finger over some of the
spines. I stumble upon a collection of Shakespeare.
Pulling one out, I flip it open and discover what I was expecting. First
editions. It says a lot about our dear leader. More fucking money than sense.
“I would just like to run through a few things, a few ground rules if you
will, and then we’ll go over your schedules and you can begin your new life
as Sterling Prep students.” His eyes run over the three of us, and I already
know what’s going to come out of his mouth before he says it.
“First, I think we should discuss how we expect our uniforms to be
worn.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Remi

“D id you see them? I heard Principal Vager almost peed his pants
when he called them into his office.”
I roll my eyes at the girls behind me. It’s all I’ve heard all
morning, and it’s only second period.
Did you see them?
Did you check out their tattoos?
What do you think they’re doing here?
I heard they’re in a gang.
Unsurprisingly, the Jagger brothers are the hot gossip on everyone’s
lips. Girls are already hatching master plans of seduction, and Bexley and
his football friends are no doubt plotting their revenge. And here I am,
trying my best to stay under the radar.
The door to AP English flies open, and Mr Triskin lets out a startled cry.
“This English?” Ace steps into the room, and I swear you could hear a pin
drop.
“Crap,” I mumble under my breath. I was praying we wouldn’t share
any classes, but I’m hardly surprised.
It’s like the universe just loves torturing me.
“You’re late.” The teacher stands, letting his glass-rimmed gaze look
over Ace.
 Someone snickers, and I find myself smiling along with them. It is quite
amusing. Ace stands at least a foot taller than Mr Triskin. He’s shed the
school-issue blazer and rolled up the sleeves on his crisp white shirt. Dark,
menacing tattoos snake up his neck and run down his arms like twisted
vines.
“Holy. Crap. He’s fine,” Lylah Donovan groans from behind me, and
her girlfriends all snicker.
I tune them out. I know all about how strong Ace is, how scary and
intimidating he is.
“Something came up,” Ace replies around an easy smile. I frown. He
seems different. Still as scary as hell but more chilled.
Then it hits me.
He’s high.
Jesus, he really does give zero fucks.
“Find a seat, Mr Jagger.” Triskin looks ready to blow.
I glance around, relieved to find no empty desks next to me. The last
thing I need is to spend the next fifty minutes with Ace within breathing
distance. My relief is short-lived though, when he stalks right up to me. I
lower my eyes, refusing to play whatever game he has up his sleeve today.
Lylah and her friends can barely contain their excitement. “You can sit
next to me,” she says in a dulcet tone that makes my skin crawl.
To my satisfaction, Ace doesn’t acknowledge her.
“Mr Jagger, we don't have all day.” Mr Triskin lets out a frustrated
breath.
“You,” Ace barks at the kid at the next desk over. “Move.”
“I... uh, yeah, sure.” He slinks out of the chair to the nearest empty desk.
Ace drops down beside me, stretching his leg out to the side so that his boot
kisses my desk.
I ignore him, forcing myself to stare ahead. Triskin is talking about this
semester’s focus, but listening is an impossible task. Ace's eyes burn into
the side of my face, intense and suffocating.
“Stop,” I breathe, glaring at him.
A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. His eyes are half-lidded and
cloudy.
Yeah, he’s definitely high.
But even in his inebriated state, it’s like he sees me better than anyone
else in the room.
 “Make me.” He leans toward me.
I can hear Lylah and her friends whispering, drawing their own
conclusions about Ace’s interest in me.
Great, just what I don’t need.
“Hey, Ace,” Lylah whispers seductively.
I watch out the corner of my eye as he glances over his shoulder.
“Yeah?” he says.
“You should come hang out with us tonight at Surf’s.”
“Am I supposed to know what the fuck that is?”
“It’s the beachside diner we go to sometimes.”
“Will Remi be there?”
I swallow the urge to groan. He isn’t making this easy. It's only the first
day of school, and already he’s painting a target on my back.
“Remi?” Lylah says with mild disgust. “Why the hell would she be
there?”
“I am sitting right here,” I hiss.
Of course, Mr Triskin chooses that exact moment to stop talking. “Miss
Tanner.” He glares at me. “Is there something you’d like to share with the
class?”
Lylah snickers.
“No, sir," I say with saccharine enthusiasm, "but I think Lylah had a
question for you about the work."
“Bitch,” she whisper-coughs.
“Miss Donavan, I’m waiting. Or perhaps you’d like to join me after
class?”
“N-no, sir. Everything is fine.”
“As I suspected. Now, if it’s not too much trouble, how about you try
paying attention to the rest of class. Who knows, you might learn
something.”
Lylah gasps, which is ironic since everyone at Sterling Prep is
intelligent enough to breeze into an Ivy League school of their choosing.
And if they’re not, you can bet that mommy and daddy are paying enough
tutors or writing enough checks to make it happen.
The rich and entitled... oh, how it must suck to be them.
Another few minutes pass. Lylah is drilling holes into the back of my
head, but it’s nothing I haven’t already experienced a hundred times before,
unlike Ace, who is so still and quiet I wonder if he’s asleep with his eyes
open. He hasn’t written a single thing in his notebook.
I’m doodling Jane Eyre’s name when I sense Ace shift closer. “How
about we make a deal, Princess?” His voice is a low whisper in my ear.
“You take this class for me, and I’ll repay you.”
My eyes slide to his. He isn’t just watching me, he’s trying to ensnare
me in his trap. I don’t want to succumb, but I feel myself falling.
“Repay me?” I hiss. “Trust me when I say, you have nothing I could
ever want.”
He raises a brow, a lazy smirk breaking over his face. “Is that so?” Ace
leans closer, his big body shadowing mine. “Because I could’ve sworn I felt
your tight little body hot and needy beneath me the other night after I taught
your boyfriend a lesson not to touch what’s mine.”
People are watching. I feel their licks of curiosity brushing up against
me.
“Ace.” It’s a growl on my lips. “Whatever game you’re hoping to pull
me into, just stop.” Please. The word teeters on the tip of my tongue, but I
swallow it.
“Mr Jagger, please give Miss Tanner some room.”
“But she smells so fucking good,” he drawls, causing the room to break
out in uneasy laughter.
Anger zips up my spine. The kids of Sterling Prep don’t need any more
excuses to make my life difficult, and yet, whether he realizes it or not, Ace
is handing them all the ammunition they need.
“Mr Jagger.” Triskin sounds pissed now, his face burning with
indignation. “This is your last warning before I remove you from my class.”
Silence falls over the room and Ace does nothing more than stand up and
saunter toward the door.
“Change of plan,” he says to a wide-eyed Triskin. “I’m hungry,”—his
eyes lock on mine, setting off a wildfire in my veins— “and this shit is
boring.”
And just like that, he walks out.
Taking my final shred of dignity with him.
“Remi, wait up.” I turn to find Hadley walking toward me. She’s in her blue
and white cheer outfit, her honey-blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail
and her face made up to perfection.
I don’t know whether I envy her or despise her.
Her expression falls flat, and I know I’ve done a crap job of hiding my
disdain. “Sorry, I know...”
“It’s fine," I say. "I get it.” She had no choice to be on the cheer team,
the same way I had no choice about being here.
Hadley’s smile returns. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay? I heard
Ace cornered you in English.”
“News sure travels fast.” It was only lunch.
“They’re the talk of the school. Conner is in my math class. He seems
funny. Although he did do this thing with a pencil that Mr Faiman did not
appreciate.”
The hallway grows restless, everyone pointing and staring at something.
I crane my neck around Hadley and let out a groan. Bexley and the football
team are making their grand entrance. Kids start calling out, cheering on
their beloved Seahawks.
“Get ‘em good, Bex,” someone yells, inciting another round of raucous
cheers.
Bexley’s face is a mess. There’s tape across his nose and dark purple
bruising around both eyes. But in his blue and white jersey, it only makes
him look the part.
“Holy shit, he looks ready to kill.”
Bexley Danforth is your all-American guy, a trust fund baby born into a
world of privilege and power. He doesn’t have to work for a single thing; it
all lands right at his feet, gift-wrapped with a bow. As if that isn't enough,
the football gods themselves have blessed him with a record-breaking
throwing arm. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the state.
And he's looking at me like I kicked his favorite puppy.
“Hads, Remi,” he greets us as his teammates spill around him.
“Hey, Bex,” Hadley says. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”
I shoot her a look that says, ‘please don’t’, but she’s already gone,
disappearing into the sea of kids all headed to lunch.
“Does it hurt?” I ask him.
“Not as much as it’ll hurt Jagger when we get him back,” he grinds out.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Going after Ace, I mean.”
 Bexley releases a frustrated breath, placing a hand at the locker beside
my head. I know what he’s doing; he’s giving me no chance of escape.
Asshole.
“Don’t tell me you like the guy? He’s a piece of shit Heighter that
doesn’t belong here.”
“Wow, you really are a judgmental prick.”
“Remi, come on. The guy broke my nose and for what? To make his
mark? Please.” He scoffs. “He’s a fucking liability. I can't believe they let
him transfer here."
I press my lips together in defiance. It’s not that I want to defend Ace,
but I don’t want to side with Bexley, either. That ship has long sailed.
As far as I’m concerned, they can both go to hell.
“All I’m saying is, do you really want to start a war with someone like
Ace Jagger?”
Bexley’s expression darkens. “He came to my party and broke my
fucking nose. This is Seahawk territory, and he’ll get what’s coming to
him.”
And that is precisely why I no longer have a membership for the Bexley
Danforth fan club. He’s everything that’s wrong with this world, and it
makes me sick.
He makes me sick.
“Did you forget I no longer hold the required qualifications to be in
your little club? Or are we just going to pretend that isn’t an issue?” I bite
back, so over his pretentious bullshit.
“Come on, Remi, you know it’s not even like that.” He runs a hand
down his face.
“Yeah? Try telling that to Michaela and her band of bitches.”
“You know I love it when you get feisty.” He inches closer, his
expression softening. “Go out with me. Just say yes. Come on,” his voice is
low and husky, “you must have thought about it. It’d drive Michaela crazy.”
My heart sinks. Bexley has been after me for a while now, but not
because he wants me. No, that would be too simple. He wants me because I
don’t want him.
I never have.
I just want my friend back. I want the Bexley who used to try and teach
me to surf for hours in the summer. The Bexley who held me when my dad
left, who let me sleep in his bed because I hated my mom’s boyfriend and
couldn’t stand to be under the same roof as him.
I miss that Bexley.
But that boy is gone, replaced with a young man who looks at me and
no longer sees his friend but a challenge.
A prize to be won.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Hope glitters in his baby blue
eyes.
“Actually,” I say coolly, “I’m thinking about what happened to the boy I
used to know. See you around, Bex.” I shoulder past him, and don’t look
back.

The rest of the day passes without any drama. I heard Ace took off after
leaving Triskin’s class—someone saw his bike speeding out of the parking
lot. He’ll never last at Sterling Prep, but then, maybe he never planned on it.
I still can’t figure out why James is so set on them coming here.
They’ve spent their entire life in the Heights. Asking them to forget their
roots and play nice with a school full of rich kids seems unfair... or
completely stupid.
Whatever.
I have bigger things to think about, like the text I got earlier from my
sorry excuse for a sperm donor.
Throwing some books in my locker, I slam it shut and make my way
outside. I walked to school today. It takes me about thirty minutes along the
coastal path, but I enjoy the fresh air, and it means I don’t have to listen to
Mom try and coach me on how to fit in. The path takes me parallel with the
football field, where the team is busy practicing. I spot Bexley and a few of
the other seniors. It looks like they’re giving shit to some of the new
recruits.
Oh crap.
My eyes widen at the sight of Cole Jagger going toe-to-toe with
Hayden, Bexley’s best friend and the star running back for the team. Even
from where I’m standing, I can feel the hatred sizzling between them. Cole
is an outsider, and despite the blue and white jersey and standard issue
shoulder pads he's wearing, there’s no disguising that he’s different.
“Jagger,” the coach yells, and the tension evaporates.
I let out the breath caught in my throat.
First Ace going up against Bexley, and now Cole going up against
Hayden. This isn’t good. But it’s not my problem.
My cell phone dings, and I dig it out of my pocket.

Dad: Please, Remi. It’s just dinner.

Me: But it’s not just dinner. It’s dinner with them. With her.

Dad: It’s your first day of senior year. I’d like to hear how it went.

Me: It was fine.

Dad: Please don’t make this any harder than it needs to be. Dinner at
Surf’s at six-thirty or I’ll call your mom.

Bastard. He knows she’s my weak spot.

Me: I hate you.

Dad: I know. See you at six-thirty. Don’t be late.

His words coil around my heart and squeeze, turning my blood to

molten lava. The last thing I want to do is have dinner with him, but every
few months, he does this: demands I spend time with him. Only spending
time together is never just him and me.
It’s me and them.
His family.
The one he chose instead of me and mom.
Della, his wife. Farrow, his step-son. Pacey, their son, and Michaela
Fulton, his step-daughter.
My step-sister.
And my ex-best friend.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Ace

S terling Prep is exactly as I’m expecting it to be—full of self-righteous,

privileged assholes. I turn up to my math class late, thanks to Principal
Vager and his long-winded way of laying down the law to the three of
us. Does he really expect us to follow any rule he puts in place? Rules are
basically challenges to guys like us. Tell us no and we only work harder to
prove some motherfucker wrong.
The teacher is expecting me and immediately directs me to my seat
before continuing with whatever the fuck he’s explaining to the class. I
don’t think he realizes that from the second I entered, all attention left him
in favor of following my every move across the room.
As I make my way to the back, the whispered gossip starts to fill my
ears.
Did you hear that he’s killed someone?
Shot between the eyes.
He dragged his brothers with him into a gang.
He killed his own mother.
The rumor mill is already getting out of hand, although the worse it gets
only works to my advantage, making people even more terrified of me.
Something I’m more than happy with, especially if it means they keep their
distance. I have zero intention of befriending any of these assholes. I just
need to do my time and get out as soon as possible. Prison would have been
fucking easier than this shithole.
Falling down onto my seat, I don’t get a chance to pull anything from
my bag, even if I had any intention of doing so, because someone slides
over to me.
“You must be Ace Jagger. I’ve heard so much about you,” a blonde
wrapped in a cheer uniform almost purrs as she all but forces herself onto
my lap.
I stare at her in disbelief as she openly checks me out and thrusts her tits
in my face. “I’m sorry, can I help you with something?” I grunt, lifting her
from my lap and depositing her back on her feet.
“I just wanted to introduce myself I’m M—”
“Not interested.”
She looks me up and down. I think she’s expecting me to tell her that
I’m joking.
I’m really fucking not.
A preppy, wannabe cheerleader really isn’t my type.
After dismissing her, she skulks back to her seat, but at no point do I
lose her attention, nor do the rumors about me cease. By the time the
teacher dismisses us, I’ve just about had my fill of bullshit, so the last thing
I need is to hear some more fucking lies about me and my brothers.
I heard he had a gun on Friday night. He was going to kill Bexley.
I wait until we’re out of the room before grabbing the gossiping
motherfucker by the collar and pinning him up against the wall. A few
gasps sound out from the students around us, but no one dares to do
anything to stop me.
“You want to say that to my face?” I ask as the guy pales and trembles
beneath my hold.
“I-I’m sorry, man. It was just what I heard,” he whimpers like a little
pussy.
I lean forward, getting right in his face. My breath races over his skin,
and his eyes fill with tears.
“So you weren’t there?” I ask. My voice is calm, cold. Exactly as I like
it. It unnerves my victims, and I like surprising them when they least expect
it. It’s the best part of something like this.
“N-No. M-My friend said…”
“Your friend’s a bullshitter.”
 “O-okay.”
As I tighten my hold on him, his eyes widen in fear. “Think about this
the next time you open your mouth.” I throw him to the ground, and he goes
down like a sack of shit.
Standing over his body as he tries to scramble away, a smirk pulls at my
lips. “If you want to know the truth, I had a knife, not a gun. And unless
you want to be on the other end of it next time, I strongly advise you stay
the fuck out of my way.”
He visibly shakes as I step away and in the direction of the nearest
doors. Digging the spare key for my brothers’ car from my pocket, I cross
the parking lot and jump inside. I want to leave. The temptation is strong,
but I can’t. Not yet.
I pull a blunt from the glove compartment and light up. The tension
starts to leave me almost instantly, and I sink back into the seat with the
memory of her shocked eyes staring at me from a distance earlier.
My thoughts turn to home, but as much as I might want to be back
there, I know this place can offer Cole and Conner so much more. Cole has
a real chance at a football career if he gets a starting position with the
Seahawks. He’s good enough, and if James has pulled some strings like he
says he has then he should have a solid chance.
Conner has never said much about his future. I think, like me, he never
even considered anything outside of our circles in the Heights. We were
born into that world. It was an unspoken rule that we’d just continue with
that life. He’s clever though, more so than Cole and I, and I know he has a
bright future ahead of him if he can just make it through this year without
fucking it up.
By the time I’ve smoked my blunt, the second class of the day has long
started. But I figure there’s no time like the present to meet my next teacher,
and am I glad I do when I find none other than Remi sitting quietly in the
center of the room.
I may not have made it the entire way through AP English, but I learned
enough to know that I’m getting to her.
It was obvious I was affecting her when I pinned her up against the wall
in her bedroom on Saturday morning, but from the second she reluctantly
glanced at me, I watched her eyes darken with interest.
It seems Miss Tanner is going to make my life easy for me. Give it a
few more days and she’ll be begging for me to break her.
After marching out of that fucking place, I spend the rest of the day riding
around town and ignoring texts from Donny. He wants me to check in, and I
just want some fucking space, a chance to catch my breath after the last few
days.
I’ve got nowhere to go. The idea of sitting back in a classroom listening
to my dear new classmates gossiping about me doesn’t really fill me with
joy, and I can’t go home. I’ve no doubt my absence has already been
reported, and James is once again on the warpath.
What the fuck is he really going to do about it? Send us back where we
came from? I doubt it. He clearly wants us here for a reason. And I’m going
to find out. Starting with getting to his precious Remi.
I don’t have any intentions of accepting the invitation from the
annoying bitch who was giving Remi hell in English earlier, but a couple of
hours after school is finished for the day, I find myself pulling up to a
seafront parking lot.
There are Sterling Prep kids everywhere. They might be out of uniform
now, but I can spot their arrogance a mile off. Climbing from my bike, I
head over to the row of storefronts looking out over the sea, just on the off
chance that she might be here. After the way the girl was talking to her, I
doubt Remi accepted her invitation either.
To my surprise, as I walk toward the surf shack the first person I spot at
the window seat is her. She stares down at her still full plate with her
shoulders sagged in defeat and ignoring everyone around her. Her
discomfort is palpable. I glance at the others around the table. There’s an
older couple but the woman isn’t Sarah, two younger kids, and then my
eyes land on someone familiar.
Her.
And she’s still wearing the fucking cheer kit. She laughs at the man
sitting opposite her, all the while playing with the children who are giggling
beside her. Everything about her is the polar opposite to Remi.
I look away before I’m caught staring and give her the wrong idea. If I
wanted her then I could have had her this morning. But my eyes soon find
their way back to Remi, trying to figure out why she’s so fucking miserable
while everyone around her laughs and jokes.
 It’s as if she can feel my stare, because not five seconds later, she looks
up. Our eyes connect for the briefest moment, long enough for me to
register the shock in hers, before she looks back down again.
I take that as my cue and fuck off, but I very quickly decide this isn’t
going to be the last time I see her today.
Instead of going back to my uncle’s, I take the short journey to the
house by the beach that Remi shares with her Mom. There aren’t any lights
on when I pass, so after parking a little down the street in the hope I’m not
spotted, I walk back toward the modest house. Its size is nothing in
comparison to James’, and it makes me wonder how Sarah can afford for
her to attend Sterling Prep.
I don’t bother with the front door, it’ll only cause suspicion if any of the
neighbors see, so instead I go straight to the back. The door is locked, but
when I stand back and try to figure out how to get inside, I find an open
window with a trellis leading up to it. I’m pretty sure it’s her bedroom
window, too.
I smile to myself. It’s almost like she’s giving me an open invitation.
After giving my makeshift ladder a tug to ensure I’m not going to go
crashing back to the ground halfway up, I start to climb. I’m proved right
when I poke my head around the frame and find her purple bedroom inside.
Bingo.
Making quick work of throwing my leg over the ledge, I let myself in.
Her scent assaults me immediately, and my mouth waters with my need to
know if she tastes quite as sweet.
I look around her space, much like I did the other day. She’s got a
couple of photographs of her and Sarah at the beach. There’s one of another
girl, both of them in their Sterling Prep uniforms. I make note of her face,
just in case I can make use of her at some point. She obviously means
something to Remi for her to frame the photograph. I find no evidence of
any of the people she was with tonight. Clearly none of them are important
in her life.
I flick through her school books that are sitting on the side. Noticing
that we share more than just AP English, I pull my cell out and take a few
photographs of the shit I missed today. Getting bored, I pull a few of her
drawers open and rifle through her belongings like the fucking creep that I
am, but aside from her panties, I don’t find anything of any excitement.
 It must be almost an hour later when the front door slams shut and
footsteps thunder up the stairs. I push myself to the edge of her bed and
wait to see if it’s her or Sarah. I really fucking hope it’s the former.
My heart begins to race as the steps get closer. Time seems to slow to
almost a stop as I stare at the door, willing her to walk through. I’m
desperate to hear her shriek of surprise once again. To see the widening of
her eyes and the fear that creeps into them.
Fuck.
I need to watch as her chest heaves when I’m too close to her.
She’s too fucking tempting for her own good.
Just like I was hoping for, the handle twists and the door pushes open
before she emerges. I’m given a few seconds to take her in, as she doesn’t
notice me immediately.
Slamming the door behind her, Remi falls back against it. Her hands
come up to cover her face as a sob erupts from her throat.
I stand, fighting my need to announce my presence, but her bed betrays
me and squeaks when I shift. Her hands fly from her face, her eyes red-
rimmed, full of tears and utterly terrified as she screams bloody murder.
“Whoa,” I cry, racing over and pressing my palm down over her lips to
stop her alerting anyone who could be within earshot.
Her eyes remain wide, but her body relaxes slightly when she registers
that it’s me.
Interesting. Who else did she think it would be?
Tears continue to stream from her eyes and splash onto my hand. I
watch as they drop, too intrigued to know what, or who, put them there.
Something crackles between us as we stare at each other, but at no point
do I attempt to remove my hand.
That is until her lips part and she sinks her teeth into my middle finger.
“Fucking bitch,” I grunt, pulling it away and inspecting the damage.
“Get the hell out.” Her voice is weak, and I’ve no idea if that’s because
she’s too emotionally exhausted to deal with me or because she doesn’t
really mean it.
Either works in my favor right now.
“Why are you crying?
“None of your business.” She pushes from the door and puts some space
between us. She can try all she likes, but her room isn’t all that big, so she’ll
have a hard job escaping me. Especially when I know I can get to the door
before her.
“Who were you having dinner with?”
“None of your goddamn business. You need to leave. If Mom finds you
here, she’ll—”
“She’ll what? Tell me exactly what you think she’s capable of.” I take a
step toward her and she takes one back, only she doesn’t get very far
because she’s backed herself into a corner. Perfect.
“W-what do you want?”
“I thought I made it clear earlier.”
She swallows and draws my eyes down to her long, slender neck. I bite
down on my bottom lip as I close the final bit of space between us.
I stalk towards her and place my palms against the wall on either side of
her head, caging her in.
“The only thing you made clear was that you don’t give a shit about
anything. That stunt you pulled didn’t impress anyone.”
“That wasn’t a stunt, Princess. I don’t set out to impress anyone. Like
me, hate me, I really don’t give a shit.”
“That’s a shame, because I really fucking hate you.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Remi

A ce stares at me, indifference glittering in his eyes.

He means it.
He really doesn’t care.
The things people say about him, what they whisper when he walks past
them down the hall, how they point and stare like he’s an exhibit at the zoo.
I envy him.
I tell myself I don’t care, that their opinions of me mean nothing, but it’s
a bitter pill to swallow when I used to be them.
Every day, I tell myself Michaela is welcome to my father and his
cheating scumbag ways, but I’m the daughter left to watch from the
sidelines while they play happy families.
Every second of every minute, I tell myself none of it matters, but I
know it’s a lie.
“You’re saying one thing, Princess...” He leans in, running his nose
along my jaw. A shiver works through my body. God, why does he affect
me so much? Perhaps it’s because you’ve never been touched like this.
“But your body is telling me something different.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” My voice quivers, betraying
me. Ace must hear it, because a smirk graces his devastatingly rugged face.
 “I bet right now,” he breathes the words over my lips, “if I touch you
right here...” His hand skates to the apex of my thighs. Thank god I’m
wearing jean shorts, “you’d be wet for me.”
“You can’t say stuff like that to me,” I grit out.
His brow quirks up. “No? Wouldn’t your boyfriend like it? How is good
old Bexley, by the way?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“What a shame.”
“Yeah, and why’s that?”
“Because,” he slides his hand up the side of my neck, letting his thumb
brush over my pulse point, “I was really hoping to get under his skin when I
mark his girl.”
“What the—“
Ace’s mouth crashes down on mine, hard and demanding. His tongue
invades me, licking furiously at my own. I fight against his grip, trying to
push him off, but I’m completely at his mercy, trapped between the wall
and his overpowering body.
His teeth rake my tongue as he slides his hand around my throat,
holding me in place. It shouldn’t feel as good as it does, but the harder he
kisses me, the more I drown in the sensations crashing over me. Drown in
him.
Before I know it, I’m no longer fighting him, I’m submitting. My hands
curl into his t-shirt, twisting and pulling him closer, needing him closer. I’ve
been kissed before but nothing like this.
Never like this.
It’s hot and frenzied, and the way Ace consumes me leaves little room
for me to think. It’s like he’s turned a switch and all of the emotions, the
hatred and bitterness festering inside me, just melt away.
And I want more.
God, I want more.
I start kissing him back, pressing up on my toes to meet him kiss for
kiss. He chuckles against my mouth, letting me know he senses the change
in me. But I don’t care. This feeling of complete abandon is addictive.
“I thought you’d make me work a little harder to get a taste of this.”
Ace’s hands glide down my spine and grab my ass, hiking me up against his
body. He’s rock hard at my stomach, sending a bolt of lust shooting through
me.
 Fuck, what am I doing?
“Stop,” I cry suddenly, slamming my hands into his chest. “Just stop.”
Ace lifts his head, staring at me through hooded eyes. “You think you
get to call the shots here?”
His hand returns to my neck, his grip a little tighter—not enough to hurt
me, but enough to make my pulse spike.
“You marked me, Princess.” He holds up his finger, a bead of dried
blood crusted over my teeth marks. “So I think it’s only fair I get to mark
you.”
Ace rips the neckline of my T-shirt down and licks the curve of my
breast. A reluctant moan spills from my lips, but god, it feels good. My
fingers dive into his hair to yank him away. This needs to stop. It’s wrong.
He’s wrong.
“Ace, st—“ It comes out a garbled moan as he bites down hard,
soothing the sting with his tongue.
“Now we’re even,” he says, backing away, dragging his thumb across
his bottom lip as if he’s savoring every last taste.
I glance down at the little crescent-shaped teeth marks, freckled with
red and purple where the blood has rushed to the surface. “You bit me,” I
say with utter disbelief, as if the last few minutes didn’t happen.
“You bit me first, princess.”
“You need to go,” I bark, slipping out from between him and the wall.
“Now.”
“That’s how you want to play it?” Amusement glitters in his eyes.
“Ace, just go, please.”
He holds up his hands. “Fine, but this isn’t over.”
I keep a safe distance as he grabs the door handle. “This... me and you,”
he waggles a finger between us, “it’s only a matter of time.”
“Arrogant much?”
“Deny it all you want, but you felt that just now. You let me kiss you, let
me brand you with my teeth.”
My body trembles with anger because he’s right. He’s fucking right. I
did let him kiss me.
I wanted him to kiss me.
Because not only does Ace Jagger terrify me, he also intrigues me, not
to mention the fact that he’s even more of an outsider at Sterling Prep than I
am.
 Like it or not, Ace reaches something inside me.
Which is exactly why I can’t let him pull me into whatever this is.
“Goodbye, Ace,” I say calmly. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way
out.”
A sly grin lifts the corner of his mouth. “Oh, you and me, Princess…
we’re going to have some fun.”
I watch him slip into the hall, a strange feeling washing over me. I want
to believe it’s outrage; regret and shame at what just happened between us.
Ace Jagger is a menace, and I hate him.
I do.
But as I run my fingers over the fresh bite mark on my chest, it doesn’t
feel like hate at all.

Thankfully, my school issue shirt covers the bite mark. It might be hidden,
but it’s branded on my soul.
Ace Jagger bit me.
He really is as crazy as some of the rumors flying around school say.
Still, there’s a tiny part of me that flushes every time I think about the way
he just took control and commanded my body. It should freak me the hell
out—he should freak me the hell out—but I can’t forget how weightless it
made me feel.
How free.
I’ve never let anyone touch me the way Ace touched me, not since him.
I shudder, locking the memories away. He doesn’t have power over me
anymore. I fight day in, day out, to make sure of it. But it’s exhausting,
dragging around the sins of your past with you.
Ace made it all go away.
I’m more messed up than I thought, if Ace’s rough treatment of me
actually made me feel... good.
I suppress another shudder. I need to stay out of his way, because
something tells me he’d chew me up and spit me out before I even knew
what was happening.
Mom is sitting in wait downstairs. “So,” she fights a smile as I enter the
kitchen. “How was it?”
 “How was what?” I reply, making a beeline for the coffee maker.
“Really?” Her brow lifts.
“Fine. I survived.”
“Remi...” Sadness creeps into her expression. “It’s senior year, baby.
Don’t you think it’s time to put all that behind you? Make some new
friends, rekindle friendships with old ones... go on a date or two, maybe?”
Coffee poured, I sit down at the table. “Do you have any idea what it’s
like for me there?”
“Sweetheart, it’s a good school. One of the best in—“
“State. Yeah, I know that, Mom. But I’m not one of them anymore.”
Michaela made sure of that after she stole my life.
At first, I thought getting a new step-sister would be fun. I mean, Mom
and Dad’s separation sucked, but I was getting a sister. Until I walked into
Surf’s and saw Michaela sitting there with my dad’s arm slung around her
shoulder.
That day, I gained a step-sister and lost my best friend.
“She knew, Mom,” I say, swallowing down the betrayal. It still hurts
even after five years. “All along she knew and never said a word. Then she
acted like our friendship meant nothing.” Pain rages inside me, but I refuse
to let it out. My hands tremble as I grip the mug of coffee tighter.
Michaela stole everything from me, and she did it with a saccharine
smile and cold heart.
“It’s been five years, Remi. You need to let it go. I don’t want you to
look back one day and see how much time you wasted being angry and
bitter.” Her smile weakens. “I know things were hard, and I know I wasn’t
always the mom you needed, but I’m trying, baby. I am.”
“I know, Mom. I just can’t pretend to be someone I’m not.”
She gets up and comes over to me, placing her hand against my cheek.
“I’m not asking you to be someone you’re not, Remi. All I’m asking is that
you embrace senior year. Make new friends. Try new things. You’re almost
eighteen; it’s time to start living, sweetheart.”
I offer her a small nod. It’s the best I can do. She doesn’t get it. How
could she when she doesn’t know the whole story?
“I should probably get a move on, James will be here any minute.”
Mom smooths her hair down and grabs her purse off the counter.
James seems to genuinely care about my mom, and I’m pleased for
them. I am. But I can’t help but wonder if she feels the same or if she’s out
to prove something.
“Oh, and sweetheart,” she says as she reaches the door, “the boys
offered to give you a ride this morning, isn’t that sweet of them?”
“Boys?” I choke out.
“Yes, Conner and Cole. I might have let it slip that you walked to school
yesterday.”
“Mom,” I grumble, unimpressed at her attempt to railroad me.
“I know they’re a little rough around the edges, Remi, but they’re
James’ nephews and I’d really like for us all to try and get along.”
“I enjoy the walk, and it’s such a beautiful—“ Wind howls at the French
doors, and Mom shoots me a victorious smile.
“Looks like a storm is blowing in. Gotta run, love you.” She blows me a
kiss before spinning on her heel and disappearing into the hall, but I hear
her final words loud and clear.
“Tell the boys I said hello.”

“Princess, your chariot awaits.” Conner grins as I close the door behind me.
He’s leaning against the rust bucket of a car he and his brother share. Cole
hasn’t bothered to get out, but I’m hardly surprised.
I let out a groan, but the sound of rain hitting the asphalt drowns it out.
Pulling up my hoodie, I jog over to the car. Conner yanks open the back
door and I slide inside.
“Hey,” I greet Cole.
“Hey.”
Okay then.
Conner climbs inside, shaking out his hair and sending water droplets
flying everywhere. “We wondered if you’d show.”
“Didn’t have much choice, did I?” I say.
“You don’t drive?”
“I got my license, I just don’t have a car yet.” It’s an expense we don’t
need right now, and no way am I going to accept one from my dad.
“Well, she isn’t much,” Conner runs his hands around the cracked
leather steering wheel, “but she’s ours, and she’s never let us down yet.” He
fires up the engine and the thing splutters to life, a cloud of black smoke
rising into the air.
“Good to know.” I stare out of the window, watching the storm lash
down over the Bay, as Conner takes the coastal road to school.
Sterling Bay is such a cliché, a quintessential Californian coastal town,
with its palm tree-lined streets and beautiful mix of Spanish colonial, Art
Deco, and beach houses. But it’s a cutthroat community wrapped up in a
pretty bow. Wealth, money, and power are the driving forces behind some
of the most influential families in the state.
I try to imagine what Conner and Cole must see. Do they see a rich
man’s paradise or something else entirely?
Maybe they don’t care.
Ace sure as hell doesn’t seem to.
Sterling Prep looms up ahead. Back in sixth grade, I’d been so excited
to start here. Me and Michaela were going to take on the world together.
Then everything changed.
She changed.
And as a result of her betrayal and my father’s treachery, somewhere
along the way, I changed too.
“So where’s good to get fucked up in this place?” Conner asks as he
pulls into the parking lot. “Ace said something about Shark’s?”
“You mean Surf’s?” Jealousy licks my insides. Did he go there and meet
Lylah after all?
“Yeah, that’s the one. What’s the deal?”
“It’s just a diner down by the beach, but they have pool tables and some
arcade games. And they have a surf rental shop. A lot of the kids from
school hang out down there.”
“But not you?” He cuts the engine and twists around to face me.
“It’s not really my scene,” I say, grabbing the door handle. “Thanks for
the ride. I’ll catch you later.”
“Don’t be a stranger, Princess,” he says as I climb out. I hate the
nickname, but it sounds nowhere near as dirty on his tongue.
I swing my bag over my shoulder and hurry toward the building. The
rain is lifting, thank god, so hopefully I can walk home later without getting
soaked.
I’m almost across the parking lot when a car skids into a bay, sending a
gigantic spray of water into the air and right. Over. Me.
 “Fuck,” I hiss, my uniform sticking to my body like a second skin. Fat
droplets of water drip from my hair and down my face.
“Oh my god, Remi,” a familiar voice says. “I totally didn’t see you
there.”
I turn slowly to meet Michaela’s wicked smirk. “You didn’t....” I stop
myself. “Of course you didn’t.”
“You really should go get dried off. Poor drowned rat is so last season.”
Anger wells inside me, making tears burn the backs of my eyes. I smash
my lips together, biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself from
screaming... or trying to rip her pretty, vicious head off her shoulders.
Michaela and her friends step around me, their laughter lingering long
after they’ve reached the building.
“What the fuck, Princess?” Conner jogs over to me, barely able to
contain his amusement.
“Just go away,” I snap.
“Come on, Remi, I think—“
“Just go!” My eyes widen. “Please.”
I hate that he sees me like this, but when I turn around and start toward
the building, I realize he isn’t the only one watching.
Everyone is.

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 CHAPTER NINE

Ace

R emi’s eyes are wide and full of unshed tears as she looks around the
parking lot. Water drips from her hair and uniform. Her shirt is wet
through and clings to her body in the most incredible way, showing
off her pink bra beneath.
Wrapping her blazer around herself, she sets off to the sound of catcalls
and wolf whistles. Anger burns within me that anyone else has the audacity
to hurt her.
I glance around the crowd before my eyes land on the cheerleaders. And
who should be front and center but the blonde she was with last night. My
eyes narrow in her direction, but she’s too busy mocking Remi and
gesturing to the giant ass puddle she drove through in order to drench her.
That bitch needs to be taught a fucking lesson.
With everyone distracted, I take off running in the direction Remi
disappeared in. I step into the hallway just as the door to the girls’ locker
room shuts.
Bingo.
As I slam the door back against the wall, every set of eyes turns on me.
“Out,” I bark.
Girls in varying arrays of dress scream, all running for the door once
they’ve covered themselves up.
 Good.
At least some got the message that I’m not to be messed with.
Stalking through the now empty space, I look for evidence of where
she’s hiding. A hand dryer starts up and I follow the sound. I come to a stop
in the doorway and find a crying Remi standing in her pink bra, holding her
shirt under the hand dryer.
I lean my hip against the doorframe and watch her for a few moments.
Her hair has been pulled over one shoulder, the milky skin of her back on
full display until it’s cut off at the smallest part of her waist by her skirt.
Unlike most of the other girls here, it’s not rolled up to expose as much skin
as possible, and while I’m happy that she’s not showing every other guy
more of her body, right now I can’t help wishing that it was.
I’ve had a taste of her now, and I only want more.
I remember how compliant, how eager she was beneath my hands last
night. Fuck, my cock stirs just remembering the little moans that rumbled at
the back of her throat as I kissed her. I can only imagine the noises she
might make when I push her over the edge.
Remi still has no idea that I’m here—she’s too lost in her misery. As
much as I want to stand here and just watch, my need to touch her gets the
better of me.
She startles the second I press the length of my body against her back,
her scream filling the room. But it soon falters when she registers that it’s
me.
“It’s okay, Princess. It’s just me.” I’m sure to most people, having me
sneak up behind them and whisper in their ear would be anything but okay.
I take pride in my ability to strike when people least expect it. It earned me
somewhat of a reputation back in the Heights.
My hands land on her waist and she trembles beneath them. “They’re
going to pay for that, Princess.”
She sniffles. “It-it’s okay. I’m used to it.”
Every muscle in my body tenses.
“Bullshit. You shouldn’t have to get used to that kind of treatment.”
She tries to move away, but my fingers grip her waist tighter to keep her
in place.
“It’s just Michaela trying to be the Queen Bee, trying to impress her
pathetic friends.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.
She’s wrong.
 It’s a really big fucking deal.
Reaching out, I take her shirt from her hands and place it on the basins
beside us.
“Ace, what are you—?”
A gasp falls from her lips as I spin her and press her back up against the
cold tiles.
Her tears have stopped, thank fuck. I’m not sure I could cope with
seeing her crying again because of someone else.
If I make her cry, then that’s a whole other ballgame.
I close the space between us. My eyes drop from hers in favor of the
bite mark I left behind last night. My semi hard cock goes full mast at the
sight of my brand on her pale skin.
“Ace?” she whispers, her voice unsure and weak.
Those motherfuckers shouldn’t have the power to make her feel less
than she is.
Reaching out, I run my fingertip over the bruise. Her skin breaks out in
goosebumps as she whimpers.
Fuck.
Flattening my hand against her chest, I run it up to her neck and wrap
my fingers around gently.
I’m the only one who holds the power to break her, and she needs to
learn that.
Those cunts out there are nothing. Fucking nothing compared to me.
To what I’m capable of.
“You don’t need to worry about Michaela. I’ll take care of her.”
“N-no. I don’t want you fighting my battles for me.”
“That’s the thing though, Princess.” My eyes bounce between hers,
trying to figure out if she understands the strength behind what I’m about to
say. “It’s not just your battle now. They hurt you, then they hurt me. And no
motherfucker hurts me.”
Her lips part as if she’s going to argue, and I use it to my advantage.
I crash my lips to hers and plunge my tongue into her mouth, searching
hers out and encouraging her to join me.
It takes her all of two seconds before she sags against me and her
tongue tangles with mine. My left hand squeezes her throat gently, and it’s
the final push she needs to lose control. She sucks my tongue into her
mouth before gently biting down and making me groan.
 So that’s how it’s going to be between us, is it?
My other hand skims up her waist until I take her breast in my palm.
She moans, thrusting them forward, and I’m powerless but to give in to her
silent demands. Slipping the cup down, I pinch her already hard nipple
between my thumb and forefinger.
Her entire body tenses as the sensation races through her.
“Good?” I mumble against her jaw as I kiss across her soft skin. Her
scent drives me fucking crazy to the point that I’m not sure I’m ever going
to get what I need from her.
Sucking on the sensitive skin beneath her ear, I bite down gently.
“Ace,” she cries, her head falling back against the wall with a thud.
The bell rings out, signaling the start of school.
“Fuck. Ace. We can’t do this.”
She attempts to push my hands from her body, but I’m having none of
it. I’ve only just fucking started.
“Says who? We’ve got twenty minutes before our first class. Live on the
wild side.”
“I don’t know what that is,” she admits so quietly that I’m not sure if
I’m meant to hear it or not.
“Let me show you.”
I kiss down her neck before grazing her collarbone with my teeth.
“Fuck,” she moans, spurring me on.
Slipping down her other bra cup, I stare down at her almost bare breasts.
My mouth waters, and, before I even have a chance to think about it, my
lips wrap around one perfectly pink nipple and I suck. Hard.
“Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Her head bangs with each word and I
smile around the dusky bud, knowing exactly how much power I have right
now.
I could take anything, and I’ve no doubt she’d allow it to happen. She’s
like fucking putty in my hands. Just like I knew she would be. I saw that
glint in her eye that first night at James’, and it seems I wasn’t wrong.
She might think she’s weak, running away from Michaela and her
bunch of bitches, but she’s wrong. This girl has the power to get whatever it
is she wants. She just needs to learn to stand up for herself.
I kiss across to the other side as her fingers slide into my hair and grip
tightly. The pinch of pain is exactly what I need. For someone who wanted
me to stop only a few moments ago, she sure seems keen to continue all of
a sudden.
Finding the bare skin of her thigh, I run my hand up the inside. “Oh
god,” she whimpers as I draw closer to where she needs me.
Her heat is incredible, and the desire to find out just how tight she might
be as I slide into her has my cock weeping.
It’s been too fucking long since I saw some action. I’ve had offers—
more than I can count from the rich sluts who attend this school. But one
look at Remi the day we moved here, and I knew no one else could come
close to giving me what I needed.
“Are you wet for me, Princess?”
A groan is all I get in response.
“Answer me, or I’ll stop.” I’m pretty sure it’s an empty threat, because
I’m not sure I could stop right now even if Principal Vager walked in and
caught us. I’d have to kill the motherfucker after for watching my girl fall
apart, mind you.
My girl.
What the fuck, Jagger?
“Yes. Yes,” she cries. “Yes, Ace. Please.”
Her words are my undoing. Reaching up, I rip her panties from her
body, the sound of the fabric tearing filling the room. I let them fall to the
floor, and Remi gasps, But to my surprise, she doesn’t say anything.
Instead, she shocks the fuck out of me by parting her feet a little.
Standing to full height once again, I rest my forearm against the wall
beside her head and look into her eyes. I want to see them dark with lust,
full of hunger for me as I make her fall apart. As I show her exactly who
she belongs to. Who owns her body.
Her lips are parted as her increased breaths race past. Her eyes are
almost black with desire and her cheeks rosy red.
She looks fucking incredible.
And all mine for the taking.
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Y-yes, anything.”
A wicked smile plays on my lips.
“Make sure you scream my name when you come all over my fingers.”
Her cheeks only get redder at my words, and I love that I can make her
blush.
 My innocent little princess. The things I have to teach you.
Before she gets a chance to think, I part her lips. “Fuck me,” I groan,
finding her soaking wet for me. “You weren’t fucking lying, were you?”
She shakes her head.
Finding her clit, I rub circles around it before pinching down hard. Her
lips form an O in shock and her eyes flutter closed. “Eyes on me,” I
demand. “You watch me as I do this to you.”
She nods ever so slightly, and one side of my lips tilts up at her
compliance.
Slipping my fingers lower, I find her entrance and circle a few times.
“Oh god. Fuck. Ace,” she chants. I can tell she’s desperate to close her
eyes, but she follows orders like a good little princess.
Pushing one digit inside her, I bite down on my cheek when I find her
incredibly tight. Fuck, how she’ll feel around my cock.
Her body trembles before me as I slide deeper inside her. Mewls and
moans of pleasure fall from her lips as her eyelids get heavier, but at no
point does she close them.
With my thumb against her clit and two fingers deep inside her, her
walls start to ripple as she drips down my hand. “Do you have any idea how
wet you are for me right now?”
She shakes her head. She’s so lost to what I’m doing to her, I doubt she
even registers my words.
“Your juices are running down my hand.”
“Oh god.”
“It’s. So. Fucking. Hot.”
Bending my fingers, I find the spot that will have her screaming and rub
at her relentlessly. A sheen of sweat begins to cover her skin, and
unintelligible words and pleas fall from her lips as she races towards
orgasm.
It’s fucking hypnotic, watching her fall.
Then, all of a sudden her body quakes and she does exactly as she was
told.
“Acccce.” Her scream fills the silent space around us and ensures that
anyone who might be in hearing distance knows exactly who’s doing this to
her.
Exactly as I want it.
 Every motherfucker in this place needs to know she’s mine, because no
one dares put their hands on anything that belongs to me.
Her pussy clamps down so hard on my fingers that I swear I’m only a
second away from coming in my own pants like a fucking twelve-year-old
at a wet t-shirt competition.
“Fucking hell, Princess. You’re fucking killing me.”
After a few seconds, her body stops convulsing and she comes down
from her high. I know the moment that reality comes crashing down on her,
because her eyes widen and she lifts her hands to cover her exposed tits. It’s
a damn fucking shame.
“What the fuck, Ace?”
“You’re welcome.”
Lifting my hand, I suck the two fingers that were just inside her into my
mouth. My eyes hold hers as I do so, and hers go so wide I’m worried they
might pop out.
“Mmmm… you taste like fucking heaven, Princess.”
“Oh my god. I cannot believe you just did that.”
She makes quick work of pulling the lace back over her tits before
dropping her face into her hands and hiding from me.
“One,” I say, wrapping my fingers around her wrists and pulling them
from her face. “That totally happened. And two, never hide from me. Ever.”
Her lips part like she wants to rip me a new one, but she doesn’t say
anything. Stepping away from the wall, she stares at the floor in disbelief.
Following her gaze, I find her ruined panties beside her foot. “You,” she
seethes, stepping up to me, her face red with anger. “You expect me to
spend the rest of the day at school with no panties on?”
I can’t help the wicked smile that curls my lips.
I want to tell her that it’s my way of ensuring she doesn’t forget who has
them as I bend down to collect them and shove them in my pocket, but the
words that fall from my lips are very different.
“Spend the day with me.”

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 CHAPTER TEN

Remi

S pend the day with me.

The words echo through my blissed-out state of mind.
That was not supposed to happen. But the ache deep inside me is a
delicious reminder that it did.
Jesus. Ace isn’t just a dangerous guy... he’s a danger to my sanity.
I press my legs together and smooth out my skirt.
“What’s it gonna be, Princess?” he asks.
“Where will we go?” I can’t believe I ask the question, but it’s not like I
can stay in school in a puddle-soaked uniform wearing no panties.
A smirk tips the corner of Ace's mouth. “I have a few ideas.” His eyes
drift down my body, lingering on the hem of my skirt. My stomach
clenches.
“I’m not going to have sex with you,” I say, lifting my chin in defiance.
His deep chuckle reverberates around the locker room. “Getting ahead
of yourself a bit, aren’t you?”
“So you don’t want me?” I’d felt the outline of his cock pressed up
against me as he tortured me with his fingers.
Because it was torture.
Sweet, delicious torture that made me float away to some higher place.
A place where there was no Michaela and Lylah and their merry band of
cheer bitches, no cheating asshole father, or vile men who had a penchant
for young girls.
But I couldn’t help but think I was replacing one version of hell for
another.
“Promise I won’t end up dead, maimed, or drugged?”
His chuckle deepens as he stalks toward me. Curving a hand around the
back of my neck, he drops his face level to mine. “I promise I won’t ever
make you do anything you don’t want to.”
“You sound awfully sure of yourself.”
“Trust me when I say, Princess, that when I’m through with you, you’ll
be begging for me to give it to you.”
Swatting his chest, I shoulder past him, fighting my own smile. He
doesn’t say a word as I reach for the door. Glancing over my shoulder, I try
my best to look demure. “Come on then, bad boy, show me a good time.”
“Shit, for real?” His eyes darken with lust.
“Yeah. It’s not like I can stay in school,” my gaze drops to my skirt,
slowly lifting back up to meet his intense stare, “and to be honest, I like the
idea of rebelling a little.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Ace strides toward me. “Let’s get out
of here.”

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to ride a motorcycle. I just

never imagined I’d have my maiden voyage on the back of Ace Jagger’s
bike, wearing nothing but my Sterling Prep uniform and no fucking panties.
I’m sure there’s probably a law against this kind of thing, but from how
fast Ace is riding, I know he doesn’t care.
I’m starting to wonder what, if anything, Ace does care about.
He acted so protective back in the locker room, as if the fact that I was
upset over Michaela’s little stunt genuinely affected him, but I don’t want to
raise my hopes. Ace carries a darkness inside him, and I don’t doubt he has
secrets. They lurk behind his frosty gaze, taunting me.
I know, because so do I.
He pulls up alongside my house and I climb off, careful to hold my skirt
in place. Ace chuckles, watching me grapple with the helmet he insisted I
wear.
“Here.” He leans forward to help me get the damn thing off.
“I’ll just...” I thumb over my shoulder to my house.
“I’ll be waiting.” That trademark smirk of his slides into place, and I
wonder what he’s thinking. Part of me half expects him to follow me inside,
but he doesn’t, and in less than five minutes, I’m back at the bike in a pair
of jeans and a fitted black t-shirt.
“You shoulda kept the skirt,” he says as I climb on behind him, fitting
my thighs around his hips. Ace slides his hand along my knee, sending
shivers skating through me. His touch is like kryptonite, making me weak
for him.
And I know I'm in deep trouble.
“So where are we going?”
“It's a surprise,” he says.
A thrill shoots through me. I’ve cut the odd class before, but I’ve never
skipped out on the whole day. My mom will lose her shit when she finds
out, but I can’t find it in myself to care. All I can think about is Michaela
standing there, laughing at me. They were all laughing. Kids who used to be
my friends. Kids that turned against me all because Queen Michaela
snapped her fingers and said so.
“Easy, tiger,” Ace says over his shoulder as he hands me the helmet.
“Sorry.” I curl my fingers from my stomach, but he catches one of my
hands.
“Don’t let that bitch inside your head.”
“Easy for you to say,” I grumble, but he’s already kicked the starter. The
bike rumbles to life beneath us, drowning out my words.
It suits Ace. Sleek and powerful, and emanating danger.
He takes the coastal road out of the Bay towards the Heights. Nervous
energy vibrates inside me as I hold him tighter. It’s like the closer we get,
the faster he goes, and I wonder if I’m going to meet the real Ace.
The Sterling Heights version.
I’ve only ever passed the Heights. It isn’t somewhere people from
Sterling Bay make a habit of going. The changes start slow at first. The big
houses with immaculate yards become few and far between, replaced with
derelict buildings covered in graffiti and small, dilapidated houses.
I’m suddenly relieved I traded my prep school uniform for jeans and a
T-shirt.
 Ace eases off the gas as he twists and turns down a network of streets.
He clearly knows his way around this neighborhood, so when he pulls up
outside a store marked ‘Sinners,’ I wonder where the hell he’s brought me.
He waits for me to climb off before doing the same. This time, I manage
to get the helmet off myself.
“Here,” Ace says, taking it from me and hanging it over the handlebars.
“What is this place?”
“Scared, Princess?”
“You’ll have to do something a little worse than bring me to the Heights
to intimidate me, Ace.” I level him with a serious look.
“Oh, is that right?” He flashes me a wolfish grin. “Come on.” Without
warning, Ace grabs my hand and pulls me toward the store. A bell jangles
as we step inside, and I scan the place. The walls are covered in rattle can
art and there’s a distinctive hum in the air.
“You’re getting a tattoo?” I ask.
“Yeah.” Ace is distracted, reading his cell phone.
“Problem?” I ask, and a dark expression crosses his face.
“Nothing that can’t wait. Yo, Cruz, you back there?”
There’s commotion beyond the chain curtain, and a guy as scary
looking as Ace appears. “Jag, my man, how’s it going?”
“You know how it is.”
“Who’s the chick?” His eyes take a leisurely sweep down my body, and
I half expect Ace to go into full alpha asshole mode.
But he doesn’t.
“I’m Ace’s—“
“No one. She’s no one.”
My stomach drops, but I bury the hurt. So what? It’s not like we’re
together.
It’s not like we’re anything at all.
I avert my eyes, pretending to look at one of the design folders out on a
counter pushed up against the wall.
“Kelsey know you’re in the neighborhood with a...” Cruz lowers his
voice so I can’t hear the rest, and I’m not sure I want to.
Suddenly, coming here with Ace feels like a giant mistake. He makes
me reckless and impulsive, completely disarming me.
It never occurred to me before now that maybe that’s how he wants me.
 I peek over at them, and I’m surprised to find them both looking at me.
“You want to see a real artist at work?” Ace asks.
“You’re getting a tattoo? Now?”
“Well I didn’t come here to get my hair braided.”
Cruz snorts at that. “What do you say, Ace’s girl?” His eyes slide to
Ace, but he doesn’t flinch.
I frown, wondering what game Cruz is playing. “After you,” he says,
motioning to the curtain. I slip around them and part the chain ropes, but at
the last second, I glance back and say, “My name is Remi, and I’m no one's
property.”
Cruz explodes with laughter, and I swear I hear Ace grumble at him to
fuck off. I fight a smile.
I might be treated as a worthless no one at Sterling Prep, but I refuse to
be that girl here.
The back room is divided into two workstations separated by a thin
medical-grade curtain. Someone’s boots are poking out the end as the quiet
mumble of pained sighs fills the room.
“Yo, D, Jag is in the building.” Another guy rolls out on a stool from
behind the curtain.
“Decided to get your ass in the chair and get that sleeve finished?”
“You know it.” Ace flexes his arm, the inked patterns coming to life on
his skin.
“Let’s get started.” Cruz begins laying out his tattoo gun. “Ace’s girl... I
mean Remi, you can take a seat right here.” He pats a stool near the chair
Ace is getting comfortable in.
“Don’t you have to trace the design onto his skin first?” I ask, seeing no
sign of any paper.
“Nah, I let Cruz do his thing.”
“Wow, you must really trust him.” I glance at Cruz. “Have you ever
been tempted to tattoo something really inappropriate on him?”
“Who says I haven’t?” He shoots me a wicked grin. “Now watch and
learn.”
Tensing his arm, Ace barely flinches as Cruz gets to work on his skin.
There’s already a myriad of patterns, but they all seem to flow into one
another effortlessly.
“You got any ink, Remi?” the other guy calls from behind the curtain.
“No,” I reply, “but I’ve always wanted one.”
 “Virgin skin,” he chuckles. “You know we’re going to have to rectify
that, Cruz, man.”
“I just don’t know what I’d get." I shrug. "It’s a big commitment.”
The guys all howl with laughter at my comment, but I let them have
their fun. I’m too entranced by the way Cruz paints Ace’s skin to care.
“You’re really talented,” I say.
“Thanks, being a tattoo artist is fifty-percent artist, thirty-percent
technical ability, and twenty-percent therapist. Am I right, D?”
“Hell yeah.”
“People like to talk when they’re in the chair, huh?” I ask.
“Some people, like your guy here, don’t utter a word. Others talk and
talk—“
“And talk,” D calls.
“I guess pain affects everyone differently.” My eyes lift to Ace as I say
the words, but he’s already watching me, his gaze clouded with something I
can’t quite decipher.
I smile, itching to reach out and trace the patterns decorating his hard
muscles.
“So Jag,” Cruz says as he outlines what looks like a skull on Ace’s
lower bicep, “have you heard from Donny? Rumor has it he’s pissed you
haven’t—“
Ace’s eyes snap to his friend’s, and he shakes his head discreetly.
“Shit, man. My bad.” Cruz’s eye flick to mine. “Hey Remi, you thirsty?
We got a vending machine out front. You have to kick the fucking thing to
get it to drop though. Or there’s a water cooler.”
“I could do with a soda,” Ace says, his hard gaze back on me.
“Anyone else want anything while I’m up?” Sarcasm clings to my
words. Cruz must hear it, because he laughs.
“I’ll take a water,” the guy from behind the curtain says.
I get up and go back out front, locating the vending machine and water
cooler.
“So what’s that all about, man?” Cruz’s words give me pause. “You
know if Kelsey hears...” I can’t make out what he’s saying, but he
mentioned her name again.
Kelsey.
I want to believe it’s no one, that Ace wouldn’t be fooling around with
me if he had a girl in the Heights. But I’ve been burned too many times to
trust people—especially people I barely know.
When I re-enter the back room, Cruz and Ace fall silent, and it’s
obvious they were talking about me. I raise a brow. “Did I interrupt
something?” Handing Ace his soda, I peek around the curtain and put the
cup of water down on a steel tray. The guy in the chair doesn’t look so
good, and I quickly slip away.
“I like you, Ace’s girl,” Cruz says when I sit back down. “You should
come back here soon and let me ink you. On the house.”
“Maybe I will. It’s my birthday soon.” The words spill out, and I
instantly regret them.
“You hear that Jag? It’s your girl’s birthday. You’d better get her
something real nice and pretty.”
Ace flips him off, grumbling some inaudible reply. Something has
changed since we first got here. Ace is distant, and I can’t help but wonder
if it has anything to do with Kelsey.
For the next thirty minutes, I sit watching Cruz shade in the skull. It’s a
dark and twisted piece of art, but the way his hand moves slow and steady
with complete precision fascinates me. When he’s done, he wipes away the
remnant ink and blood, wraps the tattoo, and snaps off his gloves.
“You know the deal,” he says to Ace, who nods.
“Thanks, man.” Ace stands and walks over to a mirror to check out his
new addition.
“What do you think, Princess?”
“I love it.”
“Yeah.” His eyes darken in the mirror, fixed right on my face. “Me too.”
Just then, his cell phone starts vibrating. Ace digs it out his pocket and
cusses. “I need to take this.” He stalks out of the room, leaving me with
Cruz.
“So you’re from the Bay?” he asks.
“Yeah. Born and raised.”
“We don’t get a lot of your kind around here.” There’s no malice in his
words, just mild curiosity. “You sure don’t look like most of those stuck-up
rich bitches.”
“Nice.” My lips flatten, and he chuckles.
“Hey, no offence intended.” Cruz holds up his hands.
“None taken. I’m a bit of a black sheep at Sterling Prep.” I don’t know
why I’m telling him this, but he seems to get it, understanding washing over
him.
“That explains a lot then.”
“What does?”
“Why Ace sought you out. He likes to play with broken things.”
I’m about to ask what the hell he means when Ace bursts through the
curtain, his expression cold. “We’re leaving.”
“Something up?” Cruz asks, his expression falling.
“Yeah, one of Donny’s guys is outside…”
“Shit, man. What will you do?”
“Don’t really have a choice, do I?” Ace glances to me and then back to
Cruz, the two of them locked in silent conversation.
“Ace, what is it?” I ask.
“We need to go,” he says coolly.
“Back to the Bay?” I reply, unsure whether I’m relieved or
disappointed.
He barely looks at me as the words fall from his lips. “Yeah, but I need
to make a stop first.”

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 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ace

K illian is waiting for us outside the studio. “Boss man wants to see
you,” he says.
“I’m kind of indisposed right now.” I flick my head to Remi, who
stands quietly at my side.
“Not my problem, Jagger. You know the deal. Boss man calls, you come
running.”
Anger skates up my spine. But he’s right, resisting will only start
something I can’t finish—not with Remi here.
“Come on,” I say to her, ignoring Donny’s goon. “We need to make a
stop and then I’ll take you home, okay?”
She gives me a tight nod. Yeah, I don’t like it either, Princess.
I throw my leg over the bike, and Remi quickly follows, getting herself
comfortable behind me. Her thighs clamp around my hips as she shuffles
closer, pressing her soft breasts against my back. Snaking her arms around
my sides, her hands land on my stomach, and I somehow manage to catch
the growl that threatens to crawl up my throat.
She feels too fucking good, and now I know how she sounds when she’s
falling apart, I’m desperate to do it again.
The way Cruz looked at her inside his studio… I wanted to rip his
fucking eyes out of his head for even talking to her. She deserves better than
to have the likes of him eye-fucking her.
Hell, she deserves a lot better than me right now, but like fuck am I
about to stop whatever this is.
I suck in a breath. I really don’t want to take her where I need to go
next, but Donny’s been on my ass for days to do a drop for him, and the
fucker knows I’m here.
Seems he wasn’t lying when he says he has eyes everywhere.
Donny runs the Height’s most exclusive club—and by exclusive I mean
you need to own a gun and be able to hold your own to be allowed inside.
The shit that goes down in that place doesn’t even need mentioning.
His offices are on the top floor with a club below and a dungeon
beneath that. I’ve heard the stories about that place, but I haven’t ventured
down there. I’d rather not know, if I’m honest.
Everything about Donny is illegal and corrupt, so while I might do the
odd drop for him, that’s as far as it’ll go.
We have an understanding. He keeps me employed to support my
brothers, and I stay on the sidelines of his business. I don’t want to be
someone’s fucking runner, someone’s pussy. If I end up staying on this path
I’ve set for myself, I want to be the guy calling the shots. Not the one taking
orders like a little bitch. I’ve made no secret of that fact. It’s just one of the
reasons he’s happy for me not to dive too deep into his business.
“What the hell is this place?” Remi asks when I pull up outside the
black building.
It’s surrounded by fencing with vicious barbed wire on the top that’s
been known to take a limb or two in the past. There are a couple of guys
hanging around whose eyes bore into us as we pull up.
Anyone with an ounce of fear does not belong here.
“You need to come with me,” I demand once we’re both off the bike.
She looks around and purses her lips as if she’s going to argue, but
when she notices the guys staring right at her, she moves herself into my
side.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I walk her over to the back
entrance. I press my finger down on the buzzer before the click alerts me
that someone’s listening on the other side.
“It’s Jag,” I bark seconds before the door opens, revealing a dark
corridor and staircase beyond.
“What is this place?” Remi asks hesitantly as we begin climbing.
 “Nowhere you ever need to come again.”
“Riiight.”
We’re buzzed through the next set of doors, and, as expected, we’re met
by two of Donny’s henchmen.
“Smith. Black.” I nod at each of them and they do the same to me
before their eyes land on the girl hiding behind me.
I understand why. These guys aren’t exactly welcoming with their guns
on display and constant scowls on their faces.
“I need to see the boss. Can you…?” I gesture to Remi.
“Like she’s our own flesh and blood.” Smith winks at me.
I’d trust these two with my life, I know they’ll keep her safe. But the
look on her face tells me she’s anything but in agreement.
“No, no. I can just come with you.”
“No,” I bark a little too forcefully. “You shouldn’t even be here. Do not
move. Do not do anything. I will be back in a few minutes.”
She wants to argue, that much is obvious as I back away from her. She
looks tiny next to Donny’s guys, and I get this urge to wrap her in my arms
and never let go. It’s weird as fuck.
Needing to break our connection, I spin on my heels and continue down
to Donny’s office. I knock three times and enter when he says to do so.
“Ah look, if it isn’t the Bay’s newest resident alive and well, and willing
to come back for the right price.”
“What do you want, Don?”
He throws a bag down on his desk, followed by a scrap of paper with a
familiar scrawled address on it.
“Take this,” he points at the bag, “to that address. The usual stands. No
questions asked, and don’t look any further than your payment sitting on the
top.”
“You got it. When does delivery need to happen?”
“Thirty minutes ago.”
I think of Remi, who’s hopefully still waiting outside for me. I shouldn’t
have brought her here. I really shouldn’t take her to the drop. There could
be anything inside that bag, and the last thing I need is to get her tangled up
with Donny’s dealings.
“Can I—”
“Take your bitch back to the Bay first?” he asks, proving that he really
does know what’s going on. “No. No you fucking can’t. Either take her or
dump her, I don’t give a fuck. But this needs delivering now, or you’re
fucking done here.”
Anger stirs within me, making my fists curl in my need to make him
forget everything about Remi. He has no right knowing she exists or what
she looks like. I might be reckless, but I’m not fucking stupid enough to
start something with Donny fucking Lopez. Not unless I wanted to dig my
own grave first.
“Fine. But this had better be worth my while.”
“When isn’t it?”
Grabbing the bag, I pull it from the desk and turn back to the door.
“I’ll call you,” Donny says before I reach for the handle.
“I’m sure you will,” I mutter before disappearing and allowing the door
to slam behind me.
“Let’s go,” I bark at Remi long before I get to her.
She startles at my booming voice but soon jumps into place behind me
as I stride past her bodyguards and down the stairs without so much as a
thank you.
After throwing Donny’s bag over my shoulder so it rests over my front,
we silently climb back onto the bike. I’m not sure if Remi’s too terrified to
ask or if she just knows that I won’t give her any answers. Either way, I’m
glad she’s keeping it zipped.
She really doesn’t need to know any details of what we’re about to do.
I try my best not to know any details, which is why I always follow
orders and never look inside the bag after taking my fee.
Gunning the engine, we speed out from the parking lot, leaving a cloud
of dust and gravel behind us. Having her wrapped around me helps
dissipate the anger that this whole situation has kickstarted within me.
When I suggested she spend the day with me, I was not expecting to
make her my fucking accomplice. Seems Donny had other ideas.
The drive to the other side of town is quick, and before long we’re
pulling up in another questionable parking lot. Thankfully, there’s no one
loitering in this one.
“I need you to stay here.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” She looks around, her eyes wide with
fear. “I’m not staying out here alone.”
“And I’m not taking you in there.” I nod my head over to the black door
I need to go through. This isn’t my first time here, so I know I’ll be in and
out.
Her hands land on her lips and her lips purse.
Fuck. I really want to kiss that defiance out of her.
“You really need to do as you’re fucking told.”
“Do I?”
Reaching behind me, I pull my gun from the waistband of my pants.
“Take this and shoot any motherfucker who comes near you.”
She lifts her hands away and stares down at it like I’m handing her
some maimed animal.
“It’s a fucking gun, not a grenade, Princess. Take it.”
“No.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Lifting her shirt, I pull her waistband away from her
body and shove my gun inside.
“Ace,” she squeals. But I’m already halfway to the door.
“Just stay put. I’ll be two minutes, max.”
She mutters something, but I’m too far away to make out what it is. It’s
probably a good thing.
I unzip the bag the second I’m in the building, pull the cash from the
top, and shove it in my pocket. A guy who looks familiar greets me at the
next door and takes the bag without saying a word. Just how I like it.
In less than a minute, I’m jogging back to where I left Remi. She’s
standing in the exact same spot with a scowl.
“You might want to wipe that look off your face,” I say when I get to
her.
“Oh yeah. Why’s that?”
“Because it makes me want to fuck you over the side of my bike.”
Her lips part and form an O.
I chuckle at her shock as I lift her shirt once again and retrieve my gun.
“Y-you take that thing to school?” she asks in utter disbelief.
“Nah, usually I take my knife. Just depends on how I feel.”
“Fucking hell,” she mutters, spinning away from me and running her
hands through her hair. “Please tell me that bag wasn’t full of drugs.”
I shrug. “I’ve no idea. Maybe.”
“Maybe? You don’t know what you’re carrying?”
“It’s not my job to ask questions, Princess. You hungry?”
“Just like that?”
“Just like what?”
 “You forget about what you just did—what you just delivered—and
think about food.”
“I know this is all new to you, Princess. But you’re forgetting
something.”
“Oh yeah. Care to enlighten me?”
“This is my life. This is how I make my money. This is what I do. Don’t
like it, then you know what to do.” I say the words, but I’m pretty sure she
knows just as well as I do that I’ll never let her walk away from me. Not
until I get what I need from her.
Her mouth opens and closes like a goldfish.
“So, food. Shall we?”
Without giving her a chance to argue, I climb on to my bike and wait for
her to join me. She mutters something under her breath, but I allow her to
vent before she eventually climbs on and wraps her arms around me.
I take off, but I’m not ready to leave my home yet. I drive to the nicest
end of town. I mean, it’s still a shithole, especially compared to anything
she’s used to, but I’m confident my gun won’t need to come out here, put it
that way.
“Pizza?” I ask over my shoulder after killing the engine.
“Sure.” I’m fascinated as she pulls the helmet from her head like a pro. I
watch as her long curls settle around her shoulders.
She’s really fucking beautiful.
As I hold my hand out, she slips hers into it and together we walk
toward the pizza place in which I’ve spent hours of my life.
I’m greeted like a long lost family member when we step inside Lucio’s.
“Is there anyone in this town who doesn’t know you?” Remi whispers
as we’re shown to my usual table.
“Nah. Anyone who is anyone knows who Ace Jagger is.”
“Whoa, your ego really knows no bounds, does it?”
“Nope. Two of the usual, please,” I ask Lucio before he runs off to place
our order.
“I can order for myself, you know,” she seethes, sitting back in her seat
and looking around the place.
“I’m aware, but I wouldn’t want you ordering anything but the best this
place has to offer.”
“And what if I don’t like it?”
“Not possible.”
 “Really? What if you’ve just ordered me meat and I’m a vegetarian.”
“You’re not.”
She narrows her eyes at me in frustration. “What if I’m allergic to
something?”
“Are you?”
“Well… no, but that’s not the point.”
“So what is the point, Princess?”
“I have my own mind, and I appreciate being able to use it.”
“You can choose dessert,” I smirk. “How’s that?”
“Fine. I hope you're allergic to chocolate and ice cream.”
I can’t help but laugh at her as she crosses her arms over her chest and
pouts. “Please don’t sulk. It makes you look like the cheer bitches from
school.”
“You noticed them, huh?”
“Hard not to when they constantly want to get on my dick.”
“Why am I not surprised.” Remi rolls her eyes.
“That Michaela’s hot, though,” I tease. “I might let her wandering hands
go a little farther next time.”
Her face goes bright red in the blink of an eye. “She’s a slut.”
“Oh, I’m fully aware of that, Princess. What I don’t know is what her
beef with you is.”
“She stole my life,” she mutters, avoiding my gaze.
“How so?”
She blows out a long breath and is silent for so long that I don’t think
she’s going to open up. “She’s… my stepsister.”
“Oh?”
“My dad hooked up with her mom. They’ve got the perfect life while
Mom and I got left behind. You still want to fuck her?”
“I never said I wanted to fuck her.”
“Silly me, you just want her to feel you up.”
The thought of her even touching me turns my stomach, but I don’t
allow Remi to see that.
I’ve got a game plan here, and anyone I can use to get me the result I
need, I will—whether that be Remi, her best friend, or her worst enemy.
I will find out the truth about my life.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Remi

I ’m grinning ear to ear when we leave the pizza place. Ace is

intimidating as hell, but feed him pizza and beer and he’s actually a
pretty fun date.
Not that that’s what this was. I doubt Ace is the kind of guy who dates.
But still, it was nice. And he picked up the check, which was a bonus,
although after our little trip around his old neighborhood, I really don’t
want to think about what he does to make money.
We almost reach his bike when my cell vibrates. “Oh, shit,” I say,
scanning the message from my mom.
“Problem?” Ace asks.
“We’ve been busted.” I show him my mom’s demand for us to return to
the house at once.
“I’d better get the princess home, then.” He stares down at me, the air
growing thick around us.
“What?” I grow self-conscious under his intense scrutiny.
“I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now.”
“But?” I swallow, heat flashing through me. Ace just ate a huge pizza
and he still looks ravenous.
A knowing smirk tugs at his mouth. “It wouldn’t be a good idea, not
here. Come on.” He motions toward his bike.
 I try to ignore the dejection pulsing through me, but it’s right there,
coiled around my heart.
Ace tries to help with my helmet, but I snatch it off him. “I can do it
myself.”
“Whoa, what’s gotten into you?”
“Nothing,” I bite. “We should probably go.” My mom and James are
going to be pissed.
Ace rests his butt on the seat of the bike, folding his arms over his chest.
“I’m not moving until you tell me what’s wrong.” I’m relieved the helmet
shields most of my face, because I know my expression is probably
betraying me right now. “Spit it out, Princess. I’m waiting.”
“Ugh,” I release a frustrated breath. “Fine. I can’t figure out why you
brought me here is all.”
His brows furrow. “You didn’t have fun today?”
“I... that’s not what I mean,” I sigh. “Do you have a girlfriend here? Is
Kelsey—“
Laughter crinkles the corners of his eyes. “You think me and Kelsey...
fuck, no. She’s no one to me. But you’ve seen what I do, the kind of people
I hang out with. It probably wasn’t the smartest move bringing you here.”
“I see.”
“Listen, I want nothing more than to kiss you. To strip you bare on my
bike, bury my face in your sweet pussy and eat you out.” Lust floods me,
making my knees weak. “You drive me in-fucking-sane, Princess.”
“Oh,” I breathe.
“Yeah, oh. Now get on the fucking bike before James calls the cops on
me for endangering his precious Remi.” He throws his leg over the bike and
grabs the handlebars.
It’s a strange thing to say, but I don’t question it as I slide on behind
him, tucking myself into his back.
“Ready?”
I nod, and Ace revs the engine. Before I can say another word, Sterling
Heights is disappearing behind us in a rush of warm air and exhilaration.
All too quickly the landscape changes to the familiar postcard perfect
scenery of Sterling Bay, but Ace surprises me by pulling off at a rest area
before we hit town. “Off,” he orders, and I slide off the bike, wondering
what the hell he’s playing at. Roughly grabbing me, he tugs me around to
him and shifts his body to the back of the seat. Then he gently pulls the
helmet off my head.
“Get on.” He drops his steely gaze to the sliver of space in front of him.
“Excuse me?”
“I said,” he hooks his finger into the loop on the waistband of my jeans,
“get. On.”
With a quick glance around to make sure we’re not being watched, I
maneuver myself back onto the bike. Ace tracks my every move, using his
big hands to fit my legs around his hips until we’re impossibly close.
“We need to—“
“Just shut the fuck up a second,” he growls, sliding one of his hands
around my throat. “You look so fucking hot like this. Got all kinds of bad
things running through my head right now.” He leans forward, dragging his
tongue up the side of my neck. “One day,” he murmurs against my skin.
I want to ask him what he means, but I’m too blissed out. He’s barely
touched me and I’m already losing control.
“Ace,” I murmur, pressing myself closer. He pushes gently, making my
back bow against the handlebars.
“Fuck, Remi, the things I want to do to you.”
Delicious sparks of anticipation zip through me. And the thought hits
me square in the chest.
I want him.
I want Ace Jagger.
But there are things he doesn’t know about me. Things that could get in
the way of whatever this is growing between us.
He continues his exploration of my skin, licking and nipping until I’m a
writhing, pent-up ball of nerves. I’m about to ask him to touch me, to make
it all go away, but then he’s there. Kissing me. Devouring me. His tongue
delves into my mouth, so deep it’s like he’s trying to crawl inside me. I kiss
him back just as forcefully, sucking and biting his tongue.
“Fuck, yeah,” he hisses.
I can feel him rock hard beneath me, and I can’t resist dipping my hand
between us, feeling the outline of his cock. My fingers creep to the zipper
of his pants but a car flies past us, honking their horn. “Get a fucking
room,” someone yells, and I bury my face in his shoulder. The sudden
disruption is like a bucket of ice cold water, dousing what seems to ignite
between us every time Ace touches me.
 “Oh my god,” I breathe, soft laughter spilling from my lips.
Ace curves a hand around the back of my neck and coaxes me out of his
chest. “You’re right, we should probably go before we get arrested for
indecent exposure.” Hunger burns in his eyes, and there’s something so
heady, knowing that Ace wants me as bad as I want him.
He leans in, kissing me again. But this time, it’s a soft brush of his lips
against mine. “You’d better move, Princess. My restraint won’t last
forever.”
Fighting a smirk, I scramble off the bike and pull the helmet back on.
It’s less that a ten-minute ride to his uncle’s house. Anyone from town
could drive past and see us. But as I curl myself around Ace’s body, I can’t
find it in myself to care. Because for the first time in a really long time, it’s
like someone gets me.
He sees me.
And I don’t want to give that up for anything.

Sure enough, when Ace pulls into his uncle’s driveway, James’ town car is
sitting there, like a warning sign, and next to it is my mother’s second-hand
Corolla.
“What do you think they’re going to say?” I ask Ace as we climb off his
bike.
“Don’t really care,” he grumbles, raking a hand through his hair. “Do
you think your mom will flip?”
“I don’t think she’ll be too happy, no.”
“Well, you’re almost eighteen, right?”
I nod. “My birthday is in a couple of weeks.”
“So you’re almost an adult.” He shrugs as if it’s nothing. But then, I
know Ace has probably been used to a lack of parental figures in his life.
As we approach the house, I want to believe nothing has changed
between us, but I can already feel Ace’s walls coming back up. Whatever
there is between him and his uncle it isn’t good, and part of me wonders
what we’re about to walk into.
The house is quiet as we step inside, but then a deep voice shouts, “Ace,
kitchen. Now.”
 Without thinking, I reach for Ace’s hand but catch myself at the last
second. Anger rolls off him in waves, and I’m not sure the Ace I just spent
the day with is here anymore.
“Remi, thank god,” Mom says the second I step into the kitchen. But the
relief in her eyes is short lived, turning to disappointment. “You have some
explaining to do, young lady.”
“I’d like to hear Ace’s side of the story first, Sarah.” James looks
murderous. “Imagine my surprise when I received a call from Principal
Vager saying you had skipped out of school—two days in a row. Really,
Ace, I expected you to rebel, but pulling Remi into your games is not—“
“It wasn’t his fault,” I blurt out, and my mom’s brows pinch with
disbelief.
“Remi?”
“Look, something happened this morning... with Michaela.” I take a
deep breath, anger licking the inside of my stomach. “I couldn’t stay in
school. My uniform was ruined and I just needed to get away, so I asked
Ace if he’d give me a ride.”
“You asked Ace if he’d give you a ride... on his motorcycle?” she
splutters.
“I wore his helmet,” I say, as if it makes a difference.
“Is Remi telling the truth?” James asks Ace.
A beat passes, and I think Ace is going to admit everything. But then he
surprises me by releasing a long breath. “Yeah, some girls pulled a cheap
stunt on Remi and soaked her through. She asked me to give her a ride
home to get changed, and I guess time just ran away with us.”
“I bet it did,” James says coolly. He’s not buying it, and I’d pay to be a
fly on the wall to the conversation I know they’ll be having later.
“Well, I’m just glad you’re both safe.” Mom levels Ace with a classic
mom-look. “And I’d like your reassurance that, next time, you’ll encourage
Remi to do the right thing.”
I smother the laughter building in my chest. She’s so far off the mark
it’s ridiculous.
“Off course, Ms Tanner. I’ll be sure to keep Remi on the straight and
narrow.” His eyes flick to mine, full of dirty thoughts and reckless
decisions.
“I suppose we’ll leave you boys to it.” Mom curls her hand around
James’ arm and leans up to kiss his cheek. “I’ll call you later.”
 He gives her a dismissive nod, too busy glaring at Ace to really notice.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say to Ace. “Thank you... for today.”
My eyes lock on his as I pass him, and I see the faintest of smiles crack
over his face.
The second we leave their house, I turn to Mom and say, “I’m sorry,
okay? I made a bad choice.”
“Don’t, Remi,” she says, jabbing her finger in the air. “It’s the second
day of semester and you didn’t just cut class, you skipped out the entire day.
Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was, taking that call from
Principal Vager?”
“Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was, standing there, in front
of the entire class, while Michaela deliberately sprayed that puddle all over
me? Even my underwear was wet, Mom.”
“Remi,” she exhales a shaky breath, “this war with your step-sister has
got to stop. I know she’s difficult—“
“Difficult?” I grab the handle and yank it open, climbing inside the car.
“She’s not difficult, Mom. She’s a bitch.”
“Language!”
“Sorry.” I sink back in the seat, letting out a small huff. “She just drives
me crazy.”
“You need to let it go, sweetheart. She can only hurt you if you give her
the power.” Mom turns the key in the ignition and starts backing out of the
driveway.
“Right, because if I just ignore her, she’ll disappear.”
“Not what I’m saying, Remi, but all this hatred isn’t good for you. I
know she hurt you...”
I tune her out. Mom doesn’t get it. She never has. After her ex-
boyfriend left and she got sober, Mom changed. She became all about good
vibes and positive thoughts. But she doesn’t know what it’s like to be the
social pariah. I can’t just forget about that.
I won’t.
She’s toxic. An insidious creature that gets under your skin and poisons
you from the inside out.
Michaela Fulton ruined my life.
One day, I’ll figure out a way to ruin hers.
The next day at school, I’m hardly surprised by the whispers and wagging
fingers as I navigate from class to class. Principal Vager hauled me and Ace
into his office separately. He was more than shocked to hear my version of
events, but I refused to let Ace take the fall for saving me in my hour of
need.
I have detention for the next three afternoons, and I have to write a
paper on the school codes of ethics and why skipping class is an
unacceptable way to deal with ‘student disagreements’.
What a fucking joke.
But I guess that’s what you get when the student you were disagreeing
with is head cheerleader, student council president, and has one of the most
prominent names in Sterling Bay.
“Hey.” Hadley flounces down beside me on the bench hidden around
the side of the building. It isn’t really in bounds at recess, but I like to avoid
eating in the cafeteria whenever I can, and no one usually bothers me back
here.
“What’s up?”
“No way.” She shakes her head. She’s gone for cheer-issue braids today
that sit tight to her head. “I want to hear all about what happened yesterday.
A little birdie told me you skipped out with Ace Jagger?”
Just the mention of Ace has my stomach flipping. I hoped to see him
this morning and find out what his uncle said, but our paths haven’t crossed
yet. That, or he’s avoiding me.
I frown at the thought.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I snap myself out of it. Ace has no reason to avoid me.
Especially not when I took the fall for him.
“So... yesterday...” Curiosity glitters in Hadley’s eyes.
“He gave me a ride home and then we hung out.”
“You hung out with Ace Jagger?”
“Yeah.” I shrug. “Is it that hard to believe?”
“Well, I guess not. But he’s so... and you’re so...”
“Nice, Hads.” My lips mash together as I pick at the bag of chips in my
lap.
“Oh, come on.” She nudges my shoulder. “You know I don’t mean it the
way it sounds. But I’ve heard the rumors. He’s bad news, Remi.”
 I can’t disagree with her there, but a person isn’t always defined by the
choices they make. Sometimes life molds you into who you become.
I should know.
“I didn’t see anyone else chasing after me yesterday to make sure I was
okay.”
Guilt creeps into her expression. “I’m sorry. But you know I can’t—“
“Yeah, I know.” Hadley has her own secrets, and she needs to keep her
place on the team, which means keeping the peace with Michaela.
“I’m sorry she did that to you.”
“It’s nothing new. I constantly try to rise above it, but one day, she’s
going to push me too far...”
“Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?” She cuts me with a concerned
look. “Michaela is next-level crazy.”
Don’t I know it.
“So you and Ace, is it a friend thing or is there something there?
Because I’ve got to admit, the guy kinda terrifies me.”
“He’s really annoying,” I say. “And so bossy. But he gets me, I think.
It’s all very confusing.” I avert my gaze, remembering what it was like
when Ace touched me yesterday. How he gave me exactly what I didn’t
know I needed. A slow tingle starts in my belly.
“You like him, don’t you?”
Reluctantly, I lift my eyes to hers and smile weakly. “Yeah, I think I
do.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ace

M y head pounds like a fucking bass drum when I climb the steps to
James’ house the next morning. I probably shouldn’t have done it,
but the second Remi and Sarah left last night, I wasn’t far behind
them.
He was three words into his ‘rip Ace a new one’ speech when I turned
and walked away. I don’t need him laying down the law. I’m an adult, for
fuck’s sake. I don’t need to fucking be here. I can make my own choices in
life.
I jumped on my bike and headed straight back to the Heights.
Thankfully, Cruz was still at Sinners and took me up on my offer of getting
shit-faced. I ended up spending the night with him, drinking scotch and
smoking. It was exactly what I needed. Actually, no, that’s not true. What I
really needed was to be balls deep in Remi, but I didn’t think climbing the
trellis to her room was a particularly good idea. Sarah already looked on the
edge of losing her shit when they left; I didn’t want to make it worse for
Remi than I already had.
She took the fall for me.
I was not fucking expecting that. Not that I really think it matters what
she says to James, because to him everything will be my fault. That’s just
the way he sees me.
 “Ace Jagger, get your ass in the kitchen right this fucking second.” His
voice is murderous. I don’t need to look at his face to know it’s bright red
and that his eyes are bulging, ready to burst.
Rolling my eyes, I stagger towards him, more than ready to have it out
with him. This fight has been brewing. I’m actually looking forward to it.
“Uncle,” I slur when I get to him. “How wonderful to see you.”
His eyes are murderous, but his anger has little effect on me. If he wants
to scare me then he’s going to need to do a little more than give me a look.
At least do it while holding a gun for half a chance.
“Where the hell have you been?” He looks me up and down,
disapproval written all over his face.
“Out,” I seethe.
Pushing from where he was leaning against the counter, he steps
towards me. He’s trying to make me feel small, like I’m the child in this
situation. It’s not working.
“This is not how you act under this roof, boy.”
“I think it is, Uncle.” I narrow my eyes at him, warning him about
getting any closer. I’m more than happy to settle this thing with my fists if
he’d like to lose.
“Do you have any ideas how many strings I had to pull, how much
money I had to spend to get you into that school?”
“I didn’t ask to go there, to even be here. You instigated this.”
“Because it was the right thing to do.” He lets out a weary sigh. “The
three of you deserve a chance at a future, a real future, after the childhood
you’ve had.”
Memories flash through my mind like a fucking movie. Mom strung out
on the couch while I attempted to cook dinner so my brothers wouldn’t go
to bed hungry. Mom having her special friends visit and me having to take
my brothers out in the rain just to get them away from what was about to
happen, the noises that she would happily allow them to listen to in the
other room.
Then there’s the most pressing issue. Our dad. The man who died all
those years ago, leaving us with that fucking disaster of a mother while our
dear old uncle turned his back on us.
He knew what our life was like, and he just walked away.
“Guilt,” is the only thing I say, and his eyes widen in shock.
 “What? No. I’m doing this because you’re my family. Because it’s what
you deserve.”
“Bull. Shit. I know, James. I know what you did. I know the hand you
had in how our lives turned out. So if you think you’re ever going to get me
on board with this little perfect life you’ve attempted to drop us into, then
you need to think again. All this is you trying to rid your guilt. Trying to
wash your hands of the blood you think is staining them. Well, newsflash,
Uncle. I know everything. And rest assured. Revenge is the first thing on
my list.”
The blood drains from his face as he swallows nervously.
“Yeah, you should look worried, Uncle. I’m coming for you.”
He’s silent as I back out of the room, our eyes locked in our silent
exchange.
“It’s not what you think, Ace,” he cries as I disappear from his sight.
“And stay away from Remi.”
Shaking my head, I make my way up to my room to put on that lame ass
uniform so I can get to school. This whole situation might be fucked-up
beyond belief, but he’s right about something: my brothers deserve a chance
at a future, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to ruin that for them.
Thankfully, by the time I’m hauled into the principal’s office for my
dressing down for skipping the last two days, my hangover has almost
subsided and I can see straight again. He either ignores the stench of
alcohol I’m sure is clinging to me, or this place drives him to drink so much
that he barely notices.
For the first time, I actually make it until lunch. Although it’s not
because I want to be here but more that it’s easier to sit in class and stare at
whatever I’m meant to be doing than it is to leave. I probably had two
hours’ sleep last night on Cruz’s couch. Even without the hangover, I’m like
a zombie.
I grab some food from the cafeteria before leaving as fast as I entered.
Eyes drill into the back of my head the entire time I’m there. I can’t think of
anything worse than being forced to eat in here.
With my lunch in hand, I walk around the building to find a quiet spot
so I can be alone. Cole should be hanging out with the team as I made him
promise me he’d do in an attempt to fit in, and I’ve no idea where Conner
is. He’s probably trying to bag some poor unsuspecting girl with his bad
jokes and even worse banter.
 I shake my head at the thought of both of them. With my own drama
and the distraction of Remi, I’ve not really checked in with them about how
it’s going. Guilt floods me. They should be my priority right now, not how
soon I can get back inside Remi’s panties.
I come to a stop around the side of one of the buildings when a familiar
voice hits my ears.
“He’s really annoying,” Remi says, and I can’t help but smile. I don’t
need to hear any more to know she’s talking about me, but, helpfully, she
continues anyway. “And so bossy. But he gets me, I think. It’s all very
confusing.”
I think back to yesterday and the connection that was between us. I’m
about to keep walking to give them some privacy when her friend asks a
question that freezes my body in place. “You like him, don’t you?”
My heart pounds wildly in my chest, although I’m not sure if it’s with
panic or fear. Fucking hell, do I want her to say yes?
“Yeah, I think I do.”
All the air comes rushing out of my lungs, and I stagger back a little.
There might have been a part of me that wanted her to say yes but fuck, I
was not ready to hear it.
My feet take me away from the scene, and, before I realize it, I’m at my
bike. I glance back over my shoulder to see kids laughing and joking with
their friends, enjoying their stress free bullshit privileged lives, and I cave.
Throwing my lunch into the nearest bin, I throw my leg over my bike and
get the fuck out of here.
The house is in silence when I enter. I’m really fucking grateful,
because I really don’t need to go for a second round with James right now.
“James, is that you back?” Ellen calls from the kitchen before her head
pokes around the kitchen doorway. “Oh, Ace. Finished school already?” she
asks with a knowing wink.
“Something like that.”
“Have you eaten, or would you like me to make you some lunch?” I
want to say no, but my stomach rumbles loudly, making her chuckle.
“Come on, what’s your favorite?”
“I… um… whatever you’ve got. I’m not fussy.” I drop down onto one
of the chairs around the table in the center of the huge kitchen.
“I really don’t mind, Ace. James pays me to ensure the four of you are
well looked after.”
 I scoff. “That’s really not necessary. I’m more than cap—”
“I know, Ace.” She rests her hand on my shoulder and squeezes slightly.
“I know. But you don’t have to now. So just enjoy the rest, eh?”
“I’m just not used to it.”
“Just give it a few weeks. This place will feel like home in no time.”
“We’ll see.”
“So tell me about school,” she starts. “Made any friends yet?”
I can’t help but laugh at her positivity. “Do I look like the kind of guy
who’s going to make friends with anyone in this town?”
She shakes her head but doesn’t comment. “James said you’d been
hanging out with Remi.”
“Yeah, he’s real happy about it too.”
“Things haven’t been easy for her and Sarah since Remi’s dad left. He’s
just looking out for them. I know they’ve not been together long, but he
cares about her as if she’s his own. He only wants the best for her.”
“Yeah, and that isn’t me apparently.”
Ellen glances over her shoulder at me, an amused smile playing on her
lips and a twinkle in her eye.
“What?” I ask, not knowing what she’s getting at.
“Oh, nothing, Ace. Nothing at all.”
She falls silent as she continues with whatever she’s making me, and my
mind wanders back to Remi.
I knew the moment I saw her, saw how James looked at her with pride
and love in his eyes, that she was going to be the perfect target. But it’s only
been a few days and she’s already admitting to her friend that she likes me.
Even though the plan is to make her fall for me and force James to
watch as I break her, proving that he doesn't have the control he thinks he
does... I need to stay away from her. For a while at least.
I can’t lose my head.
Not now.
Not when I’m so close to the answers I need.
So what if she's a hot girl who’s clearly interested? I need to focus on
my end game here. And it’s not for her to fall for me.
Or worse.
Nothing good can come from that.
I don’t leave my room for the rest of the day, and when the sun rises the
next morning, I reluctantly pull my uniform on and get ready for another
day in Hell.
My down time yesterday gave me chance to sort out what I’m going to
do where Remi is concerned. I have a plan. Now I just need to put it into
practice.
She makes avoiding her at school easy, and throughout the day I don’t
even get a flash of her dark curls in the hallway. I actually start to think
she’s not in school until our last class of the day.
I ensure I turn up first.
The teacher gives me a double take when I’m through the door before
the bell. “Well, well, well. This is a nice surprise, Mr Jagger.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I grunt. “I didn’t have anywhere better to be.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I mumble something at her before finding a seat.
It’s only a few moments later that the bell rings and students start filing
into the room. They all take a seat, but the one beside me remains empty.
It’s like they’re too scared to sit beside me or something.
That is, until she walks in.
My eyes lock onto her immediately and I have to fight to pull my gaze
away so I don’t look more interested than I want to. I know the moment she
finds me because my skin tingles with awareness. I watch her move through
the room out of the corner of my eye before she comes to a stop at the table
beside me.
“Sorry, that’s taken.” I don’t look up at her, but that doesn’t mean I miss
her gasp of surprise.
“O-oh… okay. Sorry.” She stares at me for a beat, but when I don’t so
much as look up at her she spins and walks away.
I have no idea who I’m reserving it for, but I soon get my answer when
a familiar blonde walks through the door. She scans the room before her
eyes lock on mine.
A smile twitches at my lips and I gesture to the spare seat. She beams at
me, delight filling her eyes as she drops down in the chair beside me, but
not before she slides her table a little closer.
“I thought it was about time you and I got to know each other a little
better.” Her voice turns me off immediately, but I smile at her like I’m
interested in doing just that.
 All the while, Remi’s death stare burns into the side of my head.
I’m getting to her.
Good.

“You’re coming to the pep rally tonight, right?” Cole asks, poking his head
into my bedroom Friday morning before school.
“Uh…”
“Come on, man. They’re going to announce the starting line-up. I need
you there.” He knows exactly what he’s doing. I can’t say no to something
like that. He barely asks me for anything, so I know this is a big deal for
him.
“You’d better get that fucking spot,” I mutter, pulling on my shirt. I
don’t do pep fucking anything, but for my brother, I’ll make an exception.
The last thing I want to do is spend the night with Bexley and his bunch
of assholes, but seeing as I helped force Cole into it, I guess the least I can
do is support him.
“It’s in the bag, man. I’m the best fucking running back the Seahawks
have ever seen.”
“You’d fucking better be.”
“I’m sure it won’t be a total loss for you. No doubt Remi will be there.”
My head snaps up in his direction and my eyes narrow.
“I see everything, Ace.” Of course he fucking does. He’s always
fucking watching.
“I’m not interested in Remi.”
His eyebrow quirks. He’s obviously used his quota of words for the day.
After shrugging one shoulder, he backs out of my room.
“I’m serious. I don’t want her,” I call after him.
It’s Friday night, a pep rally is the last thing I want to do.
But he’s right. There’s a good chance that Remi will be there…

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Remi

“C ome on, you have to come,” Hadley whines down the phone.
“No way. I’d rather douse myself in gasoline and set myself
alight than spend the night pretending to cheer on the team.”
“You could always come and cheer on your friend. You know, the girl
who has to pretend she actually wants to be a Seahawk cheerleader.” Her
voice is full of sadness, and I feel like a total bitch.
“I’m sorry, Hads, but I can’t—“
“Cole Jagger is going to be there, which means there’s every chance
Ace will be too.”
Just hearing his name makes my stomach dip.
We spent an amazing day together, and then he completely ghosted me.
No, that doesn’t accurately describe what he did to me. He hit me right
where it hurt most.
Michaela.
I still can’t quite believe he did that, especially after what I told him
about her.
Foolish girl.
I let myself fall for the bad boy’s charm, ignoring all the warning signs.
Ace Jagger is everything people whisper about him.
Cold.
 Cruel.
And a complete asshole.
“He is the last person I want to see at the pep rally.”
“I’m not saying you have to try and talk to the guy, but you could use
the opportunity to show him that you don’t care.”
The problem, though, is that I do care.
I thought we were the same. I thought he saw me.
Turns out, he just saw me as a bit of fun. Something to pass the time.
Hell, he was probably just using me to say a giant ‘fuck you’ to his uncle.
Dejection burns through me.
“Bexley will be there,” Hadley continues. “I bet he’ll be more than
willing to lift your spirits.” I can practically hear her smirk down the phone.
“And you know it’ll drive Michaela crazy if you show up and steal his
attention.”
“I doubt that,” I say, knowing that my step-sister has her eyes on
another guy.
A plan unfolds in my head. It’s not the best idea I’ve ever had, but what
was it Ace said? Live a little.
Maybe it’s time I start doing just that. Screw Michaela and her stuck-up
cheer friends. Screw Bexley and his entitled ways.
Screw Ace and his games.
“I’m in,” I say, feeling a sliver of excitement snake through me.
“Oh no,” Hadley sounds concerned. “What are you planning?”
“Who, me?” I reply sweetly. “Nothing.”
“Remi, I didn’t mean...” She stops herself, letting out a resigned sigh.
Hadley knows me well enough than to try and talk me out of anything.
Only, before now, it’s always been her trying to talk me out of hiding out at
lunch or avoiding extra-curricular activities.
But she’s right. It’s senior year. I don’t want to graduate and regret
being the girl who let everyone walk right over her.
“Just don’t do anything too crazy tonight, okay?”
“I can’t make any promises,” I reply, and she chuckles.
“I’m going to regret ever saying anything, aren’t I?”
My lips curve into a devious smile as I whisper, “We’ll see.”
The football field is a sea of blue and white as I weave through the crowd.
Kids stare at me; girls sneering and guys checking me out. I’m not usually
on the end of their appraisal, but tonight I came dressed to impress. The
black denim mini skirt hugs my hips and skims my ass, and the Seahawk
tank I dug out of the bottom of the wardrobe is two sizes too small, but it
makes my boobs look great and shows off a sliver of my toned stomach.
I’ve gathered my long curls into two bunches that flow down my shoulders,
and the pristine white sneakers I’m wearing give me that prep school look
the boys of Sterling Bay seem to love so much.
Someone wolf whistles, and I glance over my shoulder. “Looking good,
Tanner,” a guy from class calls, his eyes roaming down my body.
Fickle jerk.
I flash him the fakest smile I can muster and continue moving deeper
into the crowd. The cheer team is already on the field, whipping up a
frenzy, but there’s no sign of the football team yet. I’ve just found a seat in
the bleachers when Hadley spots me. Her eyes widen as she approaches me.
“Holy shit, girl, you look...”
“Thanks,” I smirk. “Thought I’d better make the effort, you know? Go
Seahawks.” I punch the air.
She chuckles, but her smile quickly melts away. Hadley leans in,
whispering, “Are you drunk?”
“What, no!” She gives me a pointed look. “Okay, so I may have had one
or two of Mom’s wine coolers before I left the house.”
“Remi.” Disappointment etches into her expression.
“I needed some Dutch courage to leave the house dressed like this.”
Her brows crinkle. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I have to go
do my thing.” She flicks her head to the field, and, surprise surprise,
Michaela is glaring right at us.
“You should go. I’ll see you after. Besides,” I slide my arm through the
guy’s sitting next to me, “my new friend here will keep me company.”
“I will?” he chokes out.
“Is that going to be a problem?” I flash him a smile. I recognize him
from a couple of my classes last year but can’t remember his name. It’s
clear he’s the booksmart type. He's wearing a button down shirt, dress pants
and a sweater vest. The poor guy looks as out of place here as I feel.
“I... uh, no... sure, whatever.” His friends all snicker, teasing him, but
then the music booms over the PA system, drowning them out. The cheer
team breaks formation and starts tumbling and flipping across the field. I
scan the crowd, wondering whether Hadley is right about Ace coming to
support his brother. I can’t imagine him being here, with the prep school
masses.
But then I spot him, standing over by the edge of the bleachers, in the
cover of the shadows. He notices me and his eyes narrow dangerously,
sending a violent shiver rolling through me. He looks pissed.
Good, that makes two of us.
Inhaling a long drag on his cigarette, he exhales a tendril of smoke,
never once taking his eyes off me. I break the spell, forcing myself to look
at the cheer team. I don’t know what game Ace is playing, or what changed
after the day we spent together, but I’m done being his toy.
Tonight, I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine.

Hadley blows off the cheer team after the pep rally and we ride together to
the party... with none other than Cole and Conner.
“I can’t believe my little brother is a fucking Seahawk.” Conner leans
over and grabs Cole’s shoulder.
“I thought you were twins,” Hadley says.
“We are, but I’m the eldest.”
“By two fucking minutes,” Cole grumbles. He doesn’t seem very
pleased to have made the team. I thought Hayden was going to combust
when Coach Miller announced Cole as first string running back. He’s held
that spot for the last two years, and it’s a definite blow to his cred.
“You need to take the next right,” Hadley says. “Lylah lives in that
house over there.” She points to the house in the distance. There are already
kids everywhere, cars lining the street and a bonfire flickering high into the
sky.
“Holy shit, she lives here,” Conner breathes as he tries to find a parking
spot.
“It’s probably the best house in the whole town.” Hadley isn’t wrong.
The Donovans own a premium piece of Sterling Bay real estate, a big Art
Deco style house overlooking the ocean, complete with indoor and outdoor
swimming pools, tennis courts, and its own private access to the beach.
 But tonight, it’s party central.
Conner pulls out a blunt and lights it up. “You girls want in?”
I decline, but my jaw falls open when Hadley takes it. “What?” she says
with a dismissive shrug. “It helps to relax me.”
“Hell yeah.” Conner winks at her.
“Cole, you in?”
“I can’t, Coach makes us take drug tests.”
“Fuck, for real?” Cole nods and Conner howls with laughter. “More for
me then.”
Cole flips him off, pulling out a bottle of vodka from somewhere.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t get shitfaced though.”
They pass the bottle back and forth, until eventually Cole twists his
body around and offers it to Hadley. “I’m good.” she says, taking another
drag of the blunt.
“Remi?”
I stare at the bottle. The buzz I felt earlier is long gone, and now I’m
about to venture into enemy territory. Snagging the bottle from him, I down
the rest of the contents.
“Holy shit, Princess,” Conner says. “You’re supposed to savor it.”
“Whatever.” I shoulder the car door and climb out. Hadley and the guys
follow suit, and before I can change my mind, we take off toward the party.
“Hey,” Hadley loops her arm through mine, “are you sure this is a good
idea?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She pulls my arm, letting the guys go on ahead. “Remi, it’s me. You
don’t need to put up those walls of yours. Talk to me.”
“I don’t want to talk. I want to live.” I want to forget.
“So this isn’t about getting back at Michaela and making Ace jealous?”
“It was your idea,” I hiss.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it. I just wanted
you to come tonight.”
“I guess you should have thought of that before you planted the seed.”
She lets out an exasperated breath, defeat clouding her eyes. “Just be
careful, okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Too late for that.
The party is already in full swing when we reach the house. People file
in and out, carrying red Solo cups, their bodies swaying to the mellow beat.
We’ve already lost Conner and Cole, but it hardly surprises me.
“Holy shit.” Hadley grabs my arm and I glance back at her, frowning.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel so buzzed.” She laughs, her eyes cloudy and hooded. “You don’t
think Conner laced the blunt?”
“You need some water.”
“Nah, I need some snaaaacks.”
Jesus. I roll my eyes, grabbing her hand and pulling her further into the
house. We’re bumped and jostled as we make it inside. I’ve been here
before, but not since we were all middle graders. The kitchen is a big open
space with a huge island in the middle. It’s been set up as the bar for the
night, chock full of liquor bottles, ice buckets, and trays of snacks.
“Eat,” I instruct Hadley as she dives for the bowl of chips. Leaving her
to it, I make myself a mixer drink. The vodka is already burning through
my veins, taking the edge off. But when I spot Ace through the open patio
doors, Michaela hanging off him like a cheap throw, my body tingles with
jealousy. He sees me, his piercing eyes locking right on mine as he takes a
long pull on the beer bottle in his hand.
I want to know what he’s thinking, because if the way his hard gaze
moves over my body is anything to go by, he wants me.
So why did you push me away?
Michaela spots me and sneers, making a scene of standing up and
grinding herself all over Ace. He lets his hand run up her thigh and
disappear underneath her ridiculously short cheer skirt. I suck in a harsh
breath. She barely takes the thing off, preferring to spend her life dressed
like Cheer Barbie. It brings her too much power and status.
I want to rip the thing off and tear it to shreds, but first, I want Ace’s
hands off her body.
Fuck.
Why is he doing this?
Downing my drink, I pour another. I shouldn’t have come tonight. I’m
playing right into his hands. For some reason, he wants me to be jealous.
It’s right there in his icy gaze as he watches me while I watch Michaela
writhe above him.
“She might as well piss all over him,” Hadley says over my shoulder.
“Feeling better?” I ask her, and she nods around a lazy smile.
 “Much. Let’s dance.” Before I can protest, she drags me outside to
where the girls are dancing. There’s a DJ set up in the corner, lights
bouncing off the surface of the pool and disappearing into the night sky.
Oh, how rich kids party.
I’m about to tell Hadley this is a bad idea when a hand hooks me around
the waist, dragging me against a hard chest. “I hoped you’d come,” Bexley
slurs in my ear. He’s buzzed, the faint scent of scotch on his breath. Like
father, like son, I think to myself.
“You’re drunk,” I reply, twisting my face to his. He grins down at me.
“Maybe, a little. Me and the guys did shots after the pep rally. It’s a
team thing.”
I roll my eyes. I couldn’t care less about the team.
“Don’t be that way, Remi Bear.” The use of his childhood nickname for
me has my chest constricting.
“Don’t call me that.”
His hand curves up my stomach, anchoring my body to his. “You used
to love it when I called you that.”
“We were twelve,” I whisper.
“Yeah, and I thought I was going to grow up and marry you.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I won’t cry. I’ll never shed another tear over
Bexley Danforth and his sweet lies.
“We’re not those people anymore, Bex.” I don’t bother to disguise my
sadness.
“You’re right, we’re not.” His hand moves up, hovering precariously
near the curve of my breast. People are watching. I can feel the weight of
their stares. Bexley Danforth is the most popular guy in school... and I’m
the girl who no longer belongs here.
A wave of emotion hits me, and I know I’m two seconds away from
crying or making a break for it. But the buzz of the liquor gives me the
strength to start swaying in Bexley’s arms. I look away from him, landing
my glassy gaze on Ace and Michaela. Her lips part, betrayal burning in her
heavily made up eyes. She’s wanted Bexley for as long as I can remember.
But he’s never wanted her for anything more than a casual hook-up.
I keep my eyes fixed on the two of them as I roll and pop my hips
against Bexley’s crotch. He’s rock hard, making no effort to hide how much
he wants me as he grinds his cock against my ass. Desire snakes through
me. I don’t want Bexley, but he’s holding me with such possession it
reminds me of a certain tattooed asshole who is now watching me with pure
hatred in his eyes.
Good, I hope it hurts as much as you hurt me.
Bexley lips land on my neck, but I don’t stop him. I can’t. I want Ace to
feel every bit of jealousy, hurt, and dejection I felt. He sucks and licks my
skin, making my traitorous body shiver.
“Fuck, Rem, do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this? I want
you so fucking much.” His hands grip my hips a little.
“Okay, ease up,” I say.
“No way, baby. I’ve waited too damn long.” He starts moving, pulling
me away from the crowd until we’re secreted away in the shadows.
Spinning me around, he pushes me up against the wall and cages me, his
hands either side of my head.
“What the fuck, Bexley?” I hiss. “We were just dancing.” My heart
crashes violently behind my ribcage. I wanted to make Ace jealous. I didn’t
want... this.
“Nah, baby. You want me, I know you do.” My eyes dart around him
wildly. The liquor in my blood is in full effect now, making me feel a little
unsteady, and everything starts spinning.
“Let’s go back and dance,” I say, forcing a smile.
“So I’m supposed to believe you don’t want this?” He grabs my hand
and shoves it to his cock. “Because I sure as fuck want you. I can’t wait to
be deep inside you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Fear takes hold as I realize what a stupid mistake I made, thinking I
could play with fire. Bexley Danforth doesn’t take no for an answer.
Eventually he always collects what he thinks he’s owed.
And right now, his sights are set firmly on me.
Fuck.
“Bexley, you’re drunk, and so am I.” I press my hands against his chest,
trying to leverage enough space to slip around him. “Let’s go back to the
party.”
His hand clamps around my arm and he lowers his face to mine, forcing
me flat against the wall. “I don’t think so, Rem,” he says in a low voice.
“We have unfinished business.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ace

M ichaela’s fingernails run over my abs and scratch down the skin to
my waistband. Her lame ass attempt at seduction makes my skin
crawl, and I wish she’d just claw my cock off so there is nothing of
me left to rub herself up against. How any of the guys around here find her
attractive, I have no fucking clue.
“We’re done,” I say, taking her shoulders in my hands and pushing her
away.
She clings to me like a koala would a tree.
It’s not cute.
“I said we’re done here.”
“But, Ace,” she whines in her high-pitched, annoying voice.
“But nothing.” I’m a little more forceful this time and successfully
shove her from my body.
I have just watched Bexley pull Remi into the shadows of the pool
house, and like fuck am I allowing him any more time with her than he’s
already had. He touched something that belongs to me. He kissed what’s
mine. For that, he’s going to pay. But it won’t be tonight. I’ll let him stew
for a bit.
Her scream rings out in the air, and I take off running. Only when I turn
the corner to where they disappeared, what I find has my eyes bulging.
 Remi is standing over a curled up and moaning Bexley. I’m a guy, I
know the pain he’s going through right now thanks to her knee, and I can’t
help but smile. There’s also a little trickle of blood coming from his lip.
Fucking hell, did she punch him?
Pride swells within me for my girl.
My girl? No. She’s just my plaything. My pawn.
“Looks like you don’t need me.”
“When did I ever say I did?” she spits, looking me up and down, the
same disgust in her eyes that most of her classmates look at me with on a
daily basis.
I put my hands up in surrender. Some movement over her shoulder
catches my eye, but it’s too dark to see who it is lurking in the shadows.
“Excuse me,” she spits, shouldering past me and attempting to go back
to the party.
“No.” Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around her wrist and stop her
when she’s beside me.
“Get your fucking hands off me. You’re no better than him.”
Images of him touching her around here flicker through my mind, and
my blood boils.
“Just go back to your cheer slut and continue ignoring me. It was much
easier then.”
She refuses to look at me as she says this, and it only angers me further.
With her chin grasped in my hand, I push her back against the wall. Staring
down into her large, dark eyes, I almost fucking drown in them.
They’re mesmerizing.
She’s fucking mesmerizing.
“She,” I spit, “is not my anything.”
“You might want to tell her that, she was climbing you like a fucking
tree.”
A smile twitches at my lips. “Jealous, Princess?”
“Never.”
Our stare holds, chemistry cracking between us, but neither of us takes
action.
Her chest heaves and her pupils dilate. I’m just about as sure as I can be
that she’ll accept my kiss when Cole stumbles around the corner, a few
leaves stuck to his Seahawks jersey.
“Hey,” he grunts as if this is totally fucking normal. “I need a drink.”
 He disappears as fast as he appeared, leaving my head spinning, but
Remi spots my moment of weakness and slips from my hold.
“I’m going to get a drink. Stay away from me.”
“Motherfucker,” I mutter to myself.
I watch her ass sway in that short as fuck skirt, and my fists clench.
A moan comes from behind me. I’d forgotten that piece of shit was still
there.
I drop down to my haunches and look at him. His lip is really starting to
swell. It seems she’s got a fine right hook. Something I should probably
remember. I’m sure I already deserve a couple.
His eyes widen when he drags them open and finds me staring back at
him. Fisting my fingers in his jersey, I drag him closer, so we’re almost
nose to nose. “Don’t fucking touch her ever again. You hear me?”
“Fuck off, man. She was mine long before you showed up.” I pull the
fabric tighter.
“She’s. Not. Yours.”
“She fucking will be. I’ve waited years for her. It seems like she’s
softening at last.”
“You fucking touch her, and I’ll make sure you’re unable to do anything
with a woman ever again.”
“Fuck off, Heights scum. You don’t scare me.”
I laugh. It’s calculating and evil. “Oh, I really, really should.” He
swallows nervously, proving that he’s all talk, and I stand.
Towering over at him, I cast my eyes over his curled up body.
“Worthless piece of shit.” I spit at him as if he’s a piece of trash and walk
away.
Cole and Remi were right about one thing. I need a fucking drink.

The party is exactly as I was expecting: rich kids drinking their fucking rich
drinks and attempting to go crazy. I guess it’s okay enough, company aside,
but it’s not exactly my idea of a great night. There’s not enough weed or
decent pussy for that.
“I drop down onto a lounger beside Cole, who’s enjoying watching the
girls in bikinis jumping about in the pool.
 “If I watch long enough, I’ll get to see some nip, right?” he slurs when
he sees it’s me. Cole might be a quiet motherfucker most of the time, but
give him enough alcohol and he soon starts talking.
“Just go chat one up, you’re a Seahawk now. They’ll be fighting over
which one gets to suck you off.”
“You reckon they could do the job right?” he asks, not removing his
eyes from them. “I mean, they might have been skanks back at home, but
they had mad skills, man. I’m not sure these rich chicks could compete.”
“Maybe you should find out.”
He looks at me, a plan formulating in his drunken head, and he smiles.
“Where’s your girl? I thought she’d be all over you after you rescued
her from the douchebag.”
“She rescued herself, it seems,” I say, tipping my beer bottle to my
mouth.
“Man, if you saw what I saw then—” Suddenly his loitering in the
bushes makes sense. He was about to jump out and protect her.
“He’ll get what’s coming to him,” I mutter. My muscles ache to feel
myself laying into him for thinking he had a right to Remi.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Just not here, not tonight. When he least expects it.”
“Good. No motherfucker should touch a woman like that.” His words
stir something ugly inside me.
Glancing over my shoulder, I check to see if Remi is still standing with
her friend where she was only a few moments ago. She might think I’ve
allowed her to enjoy the party, but she’d be very much mistaken. I’m
watching her every move. Or at least, I was until I was distracted by
plotting my revenge on that motherfucker.
“Fuck.” Getting up, I leave Cole behind on his mission to see some tit
and march up to Remi’s friend.
“Where is she?”
“Uh…” She pales as she looks up at me.
“I said, where the fuck is she?”
“S- she just went to the b-bathroom.”
“Fucking hell. Why didn’t you go with her?”
“I’m not her fucking minder.” Her friend’s eyes are blown and she
sways on the spot. Great.
 Running into the house, I locate the downstairs bathroom easily with the
huge line formed in front of it. But Remi isn’t in it. Storming to the front of
it, I twist the handle, much to the girl's annoyance who’s next in line.
“Hey, wait in the queue,” she whines.
“Whatever,” I mutter. Standing back slightly, I ram my shoulder into the
door. It flies open on the first attempt, but she’s not inside, just a girl who
screams bloody murder and tries to hide from all the prying eyes as she
takes a piss.
Stalking away, I ignore the abuse being hurled at me as I take the stairs
three at a time. I swing open every door I pass as I make my way down the
hallway. Couples fill most of them in varying states of dress. Some of them
look horrified that they have an audience and race to close the doors, others
don’t give a shit. One of them even asks if I want to join their little party for
two.
Shaking my head, I make my way to the end and the final few doors. I
swear to god that if I find her in one of these with a guy, I’m going to lose
my shit. If I find her with him, then I know things are going to get messy.
I reach behind me to ensure my switchblade is in place should I need it
and run my fingers over the handle. The final door taunts me. Rushing over,
I swing it open and stare at the empty room beyond. There’s Seahawk shit
everywhere, but there’s no sign of Remi or the guy whose room this clearly
is.
I’m about to turn and keep searching when a noise hits my ears. A
groan. Running inside the room, I find the connecting bathroom and dart
through it.
“Fuck.”
I discover Remi curled up on the floor. The room stinks of puke, and
when I look closer I find she’s covered the floor in her attempt to get to the
toilet.
“Hey, Princess,” I say, dropping down to my haunches in front of her
and moving a lock of hair from her face.
Her skirt has risen up, showing me the swell of her ass and the scrap of
black lace that’s covering it, her hitched top displaying her tanned and toned
stomach.
Even passed out she’s fucking hot.
Sliding my hands under her arms, I lift her until she’s sitting against the
wall. “Ace?” she moans. Her eyes flicker open, but they don’t focus on
anything, so I’m pretty sure she has no idea my name just fell from her lips.
“Let’s get you out of here, Princess.”
I sweep her into my arms and hold her close as I make my way out of
his fucking room. When she wakes, she’s probably not going to want to
know I helped her, but fuck, it could be a hell of a lot worse if I didn’t. That
motherfucker knew what he wanted earlier, and I doubt he’d have stopped,
especially if he found her in this state in his bedroom.
“Conner,” I shout when I get to the bottom of the stairs. He’s dancing
with some redhead, but the second he hears my voice he drops her like a
stone.
“Shit, is she okay?” he asks, coming over and running his eyes over
Remi. He’s more sober than I was expecting, thank fuck.
“Yeah, just drunk. Get Cole and meet us at the car.”
He nods and runs off in the direction of the garden. I’ve just managed to
maneuver the two of us into the car when they both climb into the front.
“Where to?”
“Home.”
“But?”
“No buts. I’m not taking her back to Sarah like this.”
“But if James—”
“James won’t know. I’ll take her to the pool house, clean her up, and let
her sleep it off.”
Conner looks at me in the mirror, concern filling his eyes. I know what
he’s worried about. He thinks I’m going to get fed up trying to fit in with
this life and end up running back to the Heights, leaving him here. I don’t
know how many times I need to tell him that won’t happen. Not until
they’ve both graduated and have their futures mapped out, that is. Like fuck
am I staying here after they both fuck off to college.
“Just drive,” I demand, and he thankfully does as he’s told, but not
before grumbling, “If she pukes in here then you’re cleaning it up.”
The drive is short, and in only a few minutes, Cole is holding the door
open so I can get out with Remi still in my arms. She snored lightly all the
way here.
“You two go in. We’ll be fine.” They both look between Remi and me
before glancing at each other. They’re not happy about it, but they
eventually do as they’re told and disappear into the house via the side door
that leads directly to our staircase.
 Remi doesn’t stir until I get us into the bedroom at the back of the pool
house. That’s when she pulls her head away from my chest, looks at me
through hooded eyes for the briefest moment, and then pukes over both of
us.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Princess,” I groan, walking straight for the
bathroom. I drop her on the floor before pulling my shirt off and leaning
into the shower to turn it on.
I glance at her slumped on the tiles and something aches inside me. I’m
just doing this to keep her safe, I tell myself. To keep her away from Bexley
and his wandering hands.
Biting down on my lip, I think about what to do for the best. She’s
going to be pissed in the morning when she finds out I stripped and
showered her. But what’s the alternative? Allow her to sleep with her hair
caked in her own puke?
Pushing my concerns aside, I reach down and pull her own shirt off
before standing her up and pushing her skirt down her thighs. I unclasp her
bra and tell myself that I’m not going to look, no matter how much her
dusky pink nipples might call to me. I remember all too well how sweet
they were as I sucked them into my mouth. The little moans of pleasure that
fell from her as I ran my tongue around them.
My cock swells as I remember her in that bathroom, totally at my
mercy. Fuck, I need that again.
I carry her into the shower and allow the water to soak us both. Rinsing
her hair, I ensure she’s puke-free before stepping out and wrapping her in a
towel and attempting to squeeze the water from her long locks.
This isn’t the first night I’ve stayed out here when I’ve needed space
from the house and the asshole who owns it, and thank fuck, because when
I step from the bathroom, I find an old t-shirt I abandoned on the chair
waiting for me.
After sitting Remi on the edge of the bed, I pull it over her head and
remove the towel from her body before dragging the sheets back and laying
her down. It takes me forever to tug my sodden jeans from my legs, but
after I do, I have the quickest shower ever before climbing into bed with
her.
I want to pull her to me. Tell her she’s safe. But I don’t.
I can’t.
It’s not my place.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Remi

I wake to the sound of drums. No, that isn’t right.

Ugh.
My head.
What the hell happened?
I lie as still as a statue, staring up at the ceiling, trying to piece together
the night before.
The pep rally.
My plan to ruin Michaela’s night and make Ace jealous.
Bexley.
Oh god, Bexley.
A wave of nausea hits me, and I scramble out of bed, almost tripping
over my own feet. Rushing into the unfamiliar bathroom, I drop down and
dry heave into the bowl.
Bexley tried to...
Shame burns through me. If I hadn’t gone there dressed like a cheer
slut, rubbing myself all over him—
No.
I steel myself. Nothing I said or did or wore excuses what he did—what
he tried to do.
 Finally convinced nothing is going to make a reappearance, I sink back
against the tiles, giving myself a second to calm down. Pulling myself up, I
run the faucet and splash my face with cold water. I’m a mess. My hair is
damp and matted, and I have last night’s mascara still caked around my
eyes. I frantically search the cabinet for supplies. Relieved when I discover
toothpaste, a new toothbrush, and a packet of facial wipes, I set to work on
making myself feel human.
But even when I’m done, I still want to die.
Movement from behind me startles me, and then it hits me.
I have no fucking idea where I am.
Crap.
My heart races in my chest as I tiptoe out of the small bathroom and
back into the bedroom. The air is sucked clean from my lungs when I find
Ace sound asleep in bed—the bed I just ran from.
Oh god... did we?
No way. I would know if Ace had touched me. I’d feel... something.
“Stop overthinking,” he grumbles, cracking an eye open at me.
“What the hell—“
“It’s early, I’m tired.” His hand slides to the empty space beside him and
pats the mattress. “Come back to bed.”
“You’re more deluded than I thought if you think I’m going to—“
“Stop making everything so fucking difficult and come back to bed,
Princess.” His voice is heavy with sleep. Ace shifts onto his back, throwing
an arm behind his head. His eyes are closed, and the rise and fall of his
chest is heavy.
I can’t help but smile. He’s out cold again but looks so adorable—if
adorable comes gift-wrapped in ink and shredded with muscle.
But as I watch him sleep, reality crashes down around me. Why am I
here, in what I finally realize is James’ pool house?
Ace brought me here, that much is obvious.
But why?
Spotting my cell phone on the nightstand, I grab it and check for
messages. There’s one from Mom, worried that I’m not in my bed. I quickly
text her back and tell her I stayed at the dorms with Hadley. Speaking of my
only friend, I open the text message from her.

Hadley: What happened to you?

Remi: Not sure. I have black spots.

Hadley: Shit, girl. Are you okay?

I glance over at Ace again. The sheet is thrown over his waist, but his
upper body is on full display. Even in sleep he frowns, emanating danger.
But his body is a work of art, literally. He’s so beautiful it hurts to look at
him. And despite how he treated me, I want nothing more than to crawl
back into bed with him and soak up his presence.

Remi: My head feels like it’s going to explode. Are you okay?

Hadley: I had a great night. Hayden walked me back to the dorms.

Remi: Hayden? You’re kidding, right?

He’s almost as bad as Bexley.

Hadley: I know, I know. But it isn’t like that. He’s just a friend.

Remi: Whatever you say. Just be careful, okay?

Hadley: Yes, Mom. Call me later if you want to hang.

I place my cell phone back down and, without overthinking it, slip back
into bed beside Ace. I lie on my side, watching him. He doesn’t move, his
gentle snores filling the room. It’s still early, and I have no desire to go
home and face Mom. Not yet.
Smiling to myself, I turn over and close my eyes. I’m teetering on the
edge of sleep when a hand curves around my hip and drags me backwards.
Ace’s body fits against mine as if we're two pieces of a complicated puzzle.
He rests his chin on my shoulder. “Sleep,” he whispers, his warm breath
fanning my ear.
And this time, I listen.
When I wake again, Ace is gone. If it wasn’t for the trickle of the shower
coming from the bathroom, I might think it was all a dream.
I find a glass of water and some Advil next to my cell phone. For
someone who acts like he doesn’t care, he sure is thoughtful.
There’s a slight drum in my head still, but nothing compared to earlier.
A different sensation is vibrating through me, knowing Ace is on the other
side of the door, naked, hot water sluicing down his cut abs. Even after the
shitty way he treated me, I crave his touch. I’m like an addict chasing their
next high. Needy. Desperate.
A slave to the cause.
I know I’ll probably regret it later, but right now, I don’t care.
Throwing back the sheet, I pad out of bed and move toward the
bathroom door. It’s slightly ajar, tendrils of steam melting into nothing as
they meet the cooler air. Without thinking, I slip inside.
Ace has his back to me as he cleans himself. The taut muscles in his
back and shoulders ripple with every movement. Before I chicken out, I
pull the t-shirt off my body. It’s one of those big walk-in showers we used
to have in the old house, so he doesn’t feel me approach.
At least, I think he doesn’t until he grits out, “If you’re coming in here,
you’d better mean it.”
Feeling a lick of confidence shoot up my spine, I curve a hand around
his hip, letting it trace down his V-line and fall to his cock. It’s at half mast,
thick and heavy in my hand. “Jesus,” he groans as I close my fingers around
him and start pumping.
Ace’s head drops as he slams a hand against the tile. His cock swells
between my fingers as I go faster, slowing at the top and running my thumb
over the bead of pre-cum. He hisses, cussing into the waterfall. I don’t
really know what I’m doing, but he seems to like it, and I like watching this
big, powerful guy at my mercy.
“Shit, Remi, yeah, just like that,” he groans as I jack him harder. He
begins thrusting into my hand as I press my body up against his, desperate
for some friction. Anything to relieve the ache deep in my belly.
“It feels so fucking good.” One of his hands covers mine, forcing me to
squeeze him harder, sliding our joined fingers all the way down his shaft
and back up again in a punishing rhythm.
 “I knew the first time I laid eyes on you, I was going to enjoy corrupting
you,” he chokes out. “Fuck, Remi, I’m going to come.” Ace rips away from
me and grasps his cock. His large hand lands on my shoulder and forces me
to lower myself before he shoots himself all over my breasts.
“Ace!” I shriek.
“Needed to dirty you up a little, Princess.” He reaches out, letting his
thumb trail his sticky release all over me. I let out a breathy moan when he
brushes my nipple.
“Fuck, you look good like that.” He advances toward me, hunger
simmering in his eyes. But I stand quickly, inching back.
“Why’d you do it?”
A frown crinkles his face. “Do what?”
“Really? That’s how you want to play this?”
Ace rushes toward me, pushing me up against the tiles with his body.
“No,” he dips his head, licking my throat. “What I really want is to brand
you again. It seems that fucker Bexley didn’t get the message the first time
around.”
He sucks my skin hard, grazing his teeth there. “You were playing a
dangerous game last night, Princess.” Ace sucks harder, and I know he’s
going to leave a mark. “You. Are. Mine.”
“God, Ace,” I mewl because it feels so damn good, even when I know it
shouldn’t. My fingers slide into his hair, pulling hard. “Tell me you don’t
feel this... tell me.”
There’s something between us.
It’s dark and delicious, and I can’t get enough.
Even if he is a total asshole most of the time.
“I feel this.” He smirks against my neck as his hands run over my body,
sliding between us and finding my sweet spot.
“God,” I gasp as his finger dips inside me.
“You like that?” He gives me his eyes and I nod, barely able to hold on
as his finger works in tandem with his thumb.
“I’m not a good guy, Princess. I don’t do hearts and flowers and all that
fucking bullshit”. He adds another finger, curling them inside me in a way
that makes my knees go weak. I grab his arm, steadying myself, and he
chuckles darkly.
“Yeah, ride my hand, Remi. Show me how much you want it.” His eyes
are blown with lust.
 “More,” I pant, “I need...more.”
Ace drops to his knees, licking my navel. I gasp at the new sensations.
Water trickles down on us, making everything so much more intense.
I stare down at him. He looks so playful, grinning up at me. “I’m going
to make you shatter,” he promises, and then his tongue is on my clit, licking
and sucking and pushing me off a cliff so high I fall and fall and fall.
“Ace, fuck,” I breathe. But he doesn’t let up, working me with his
tongue and fingers until I’m a boneless mess. Another orgasm crests,
crashing over me with such force I scream his name.
Kissing up my stomach, Ace eventually meets my gaze once more.
“Better?” His pierced brow lifts.
“I think you ruined me.”
Something flashes in his eyes, but it quickly melts away, replaced with a
smirk. “Ever tasted yourself, Princess?”
“Wha—“
Ace captures my lips, shoving his tongue deep in my mouth and
wrapping it with my own. I can taste myself on him, and it’s so fucking
sexy.
“Suck,” he demands, easing away and slipping his finger into my
mouth. I make a show of it, licking him clean.
“Good girl. Next time, if you’re lucky, it’ll be my cock.”
Heat pulses through me. I already want him again. But this is crazy.
He’s crazy.
“We need to get cleaned up,” I say, pushing him away so I can slip
further under the water.
I need a second.
Ace is a lot.
My feelings for him are a lot.
“Hey,” he says, his hands curving my waist and holding me close
against his body. “Are you—“
“I’m fine. I just don’t know where I stand with you. You drive me
insane.”
“What do you feel when I touch you?” His finger skates down my neck
between the valley of my breasts and dips inside my navel. It’s so erotic, a
needy moan slips from my lips.
“I feel... alive.”
I feel free. I swallow the words.
 “Then does it need to be anything else?”
I tilt my head back to look at him, but Ace is lying in wait. He fixes his
mouth over mine and kisses me.
Slow.
Tender.
And everything I don’t expect it to be.
I want to believe he feels it too. That he needs this as much as I do. But
I know there’s still so much I don’t know about the blue-eyed boy from the
Heights.
I want to, though.
If he’ll only drop his walls long enough for me to burrow inside.

We hang out at the pool house for the rest of the day. I’m not sure how it
happened, but Conner came out to check on us and ended up staying. Then
Cole appeared a bit later, so here we are, the four of us camped out in front
of the TV watching reruns of The Walking Dead.
James is away for business again, but I only know because Mom
mentioned it yesterday.
“Refill, anyone?” Conner asks, clambering to his feet. He’s on a
beanbag on the floor, with Cole in the chair and me and Ace on the couch.
I’m curled up on end, my feet in his lap.
“Me, please.” I hold up my glass and he lets out a little huff.
“Is this how it’s gonna be now? The three of us waiting on the
princess?” I can’t see his face, but I do catch Ace glaring at him.
“And I thought you enjoyed being the little bitch boy,” Cole grumbles.
“Fuck you, man. Just because you’re a Seahawk now. Hey, does that
mean you’ll get a letterman jacket? I can just picture it now. Our little
brother, rubbing shoulders with Sterling Prep elite in his new shiny—“
“Knock it off, Con,” Ace grunts. “I’m watching this.”
“I did not have you down for a TWD fan,” I snicker.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
“The Walking Dead,” I enunciate each word. “I figured you’d be more
of a Sons of Anarchy kind of guy, or Good Girls. Yeah, that’s more like it.” I
flash him a knowing smile, but he doesn’t return it.
 “Isn’t that the one with the gang banger who fucks the rich bitch—“
“Con!” Ace and Cole both yell.
“Yeah, yeah, no swearing in front of the princess.” He returns with my
soda and flops back down on the beanbag.
“Hey, Conner,” I say and he looks over at me. “Go fuck yourself.”
Ace howls with laughter, and even Cole cracks a smile.
“She’s trouble, Ace.” Conner flips me off and I poke my tongue out at
him. “This is the life, huh?” He relaxes back against the bag. “No adults to
tell us what to do, no leaky rotten trailer, and we have a fully stocked
refrigerator. I know James is a pretentious asshole, but you can’t deny we
dropped lucky with this gig.”
Ace’s hand stiffens around my ankle, his eyes turning dark.
“It’s all right,” Cole says. “But I miss the Heights.”
Suddenly, I feel like an outsider to their conversation. Ace is pissed.
Cole looks sad. And Conner is just Conner. He’s so laid back I’m surprised
he can stand half the time.
“Yeah, I know,” he goes on. “But prep school pussy isn’t so bad.”
“I am right here,” I hiss.
“Good job it’s not your pussy I’m talking about then. Besides, I think
Ace already staked his cla—“ I grab a cushion and throw it at his face. My
cheeks burn with indignation.
“Conner,” Ace says.
“Yeah, bro?”
“Shut the fuck up.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Ace

“D id you find out where he’s going to be?” I whisper to Cole in the
kitchen area of the pool house while Conner and Remi are
distracted.
“Yeah. Party on the beach.”
“Fantastic,” I mutter, thinking that half the fucking school are going to
be there, which means lots of potential witnesses.
The last thing I want to do is drag Cole into my bullshit with his
captain, but he saw what I didn’t, and, if it’s possible, he looks even
hungrier for Bexley’s blood than I am.
“I’ll text you when we’re good?”
“You got it, bro.”
I nod at him and take the drinks back through that I used as an excuse to
get Cole alone in the first place. After handing out the sodas, I drop back
down on the couch. Remi immediately puts her feet back in my lap, and I’m
powerless but to drop one of my hands to her ankle. What I really want to
do is push it higher and up under the skirt I washed and dried for her so she
had no excuse to leave after our very enjoyable shower this morning. But
that was just the beginning. I need so much more from her today.
The episode they were still both staring at comes to an end, and I
breathe a sigh of relief. I might be a patient guy when necessary, but having
her long and very bare legs in my lap all this time is pushing my limits.
“You two can fuck off now,” I grunt at my brothers who both look like
they’re getting comfortable for the night.
“But…” Conner whines when the next episode starts.
“Now,” I bark, killing the TV with the remote that’s sitting on the coffee
table.
“It’s okay, they can stay.” Remi’s soft voice fills the space.
Nice try, Princess but it’s time I got you alone. And naked.
I turn to her, holding her gaze for a second before dropping it down to
my shirt that she’s still wearing in favor of her own skintight Seahawks one.
I’m fucking grateful, because that thing had Bexley’s number on the back
and he doesn’t deserve to even look at Remi, let alone attempt to claim any
kind of ownership of her.
Her nipples pebble behind the fabric, and I’m reminded that there’s
nothing beneath my shirt. She squirms, her thighs rubbing together, her foot
moving against my growing cock.
“Jesus fucking Christ, we’re going. Just stop doing that when you’ve
got company.” Conner’s words barely register as I glare at Remi’s skirt as if
its mere presence offends me.
“Don’t break her, Ace. We need someone to deliver the drinks next time
we hang.”
“Fuck. Off.”
The second the door shuts behind them, I dive for her. “Fucking hell,
Princess. Do you have any idea how badly I need my hands on you right
now?”
She shakes her head, a shy, innocent smile playing on her lips.
“Well, let me show you.”
I part her thighs, exposing her lace covered mound, and settle myself
between them. Dropping my lips to hers, she makes a point of keeping hers
closed for a few seconds in defiance.
I growl. “Hmmm… you know how much I like it when you fight. But
you forget something, Princess. I fight dirty.”
My hand dives under my shirt, and I cup her naked breast in my palm.
She gasps at the sensation and her lips part for me.
“Wasn’t hard now, was it?” I mutter against her mouth.
Her response is a groan as I pinch her nipple, making her hips roll
against me.
 Fuck. Revenge shouldn’t feel this fucking good.
I still for a second as the reality of why we’re even here hits me full
force. But I lock it down. None of that matters right now. I’ll worry about
that later when I step outside of this little bubble we’ve found ourselves in.
Right now, all that matters is hearing her scream my name as I make her
lose control.
I kiss along her jaw and down her neck. “You want me to make you
come again, Princess?”
“Yes,” she whispers.
“How do you want me to do it?”
When she doesn’t respond, I give her some suggestions.
“My fingers?” I pinch her nipple again.
“Yes.”
“My tongue?” I lick up the column of her neck and she trembles.
“Yes.”
“Or my teeth?” I bite down, hard enough to leave a temporary mark. I
can’t help it. I need everyone in this fucking town to know who she belongs
to.
“God, yes.”
I don’t offer her my cock. Not yet, anyway. Something tells me she’s
not ready. The slightly hesitant way she touched me earlier leads me to
believe she doesn’t have all that much experience in this area, and unlike
fucking Bexley, I don’t take things that aren’t offered to me.
I might ruin them after, but at least I get their permission first.
Pushing the fabric of my shirt up her stomach, she helps me out by
lifting from the couch and allowing me to pull it from her head. I stare
down at her, and my mouth waters.
“So fucking perfect,” I mutter, running my fingertip over her brand.
Mine.
“Ace,” she begs, thrusting her full breasts towards me.
Reaching behind me, I tug my own shirt off and drop it to the floor. Her
eyes immediately drop to my ink. I know she’s curious about the story
behind the art, but like fuck am I tainting her with those fucked-up stories.
Dropping my head, I suck one of her nipples into my mouth and then
the other. She moans and writhes beneath me, but as much as I might want
to take her right here on the couch, I know that anyone could see us right
now if they cared to look.
 Pulling her into my arms, her legs automatically wrap around my waist
and her arms around my neck. She plays with the hair at my nape before
leaning forward and dropping light kisses to my neck. Unable to cope with
her softness and the things it does inside my chest, I throw her down on the
bed. Her eyes fly open as she bounces.
“I already told you, Princess. I don’t do hearts and flowers. I do hard
and rough. That okay with you?”
“Y-yes.”
“Good.”
I push my sweats and boxers down my legs in one go, and her eyes drop
to my hard length. I’m not sure if she’s aware of it or not, but she licks her
lips.
“All in good time, Princess. Let me take care of you first.”
I pull her skirt down her thighs without undoing it, before wrapping my
fingers around the edges of her panties and tugging until the fabric rips.
“Now when you walk out of here, you’ll be forced to remember what
happened between us.”
She bites down on her bottom lip as she watches me stare at her. My
cock juts out in front of me, but I ignore it. Although I fully intend on
having it seen to the second I’m done with her.
I grab her ankles and she squeals as I pull her to the end of the bed
before dropping to my knees before. “Such a pretty pussy.” I run my finger
through her folds, smiling when I find her wet and ready for me.
“Ace,” she moans, bucking from the bed.
“You want my mouth, Princess?”
“Yes, yes I need… fuuuuck.”
Leaning forward, I part her and suck on her clit. The second her taste
hits me, I realize that I’ve got a problem.
I’m fucking addicted.
Her fingers dive into my hair and she pulls me closer, needing more. I
slide two fingers inside her, and with them and my tongue working together,
I play her until she screams my name for the entire town to hear.
Fuck, yes.
“Jesus, Ace. I feel like I could sleep for a week,” she mutters as I climb
up her limp body. Her eyes follow me but they’re tired and hooded. Exactly
as I planned.
“Too tired to repay the favor?”
 Her eyes flick to my cock and she once again licks her lips. “I’ve…
um… never…”
Her innocence fucking slays me, and I do something I never thought I
would when next beside a hot body. “It’s okay.” Wrapping my hand around
the back of her neck, I pull her in to kiss me.
She moans as she tastes herself, and my cock weeps, knowing that it’s
turning her on.
I wonder how quickly I could get her off again?
I’m just about to put that thought into action when she pushes harshly at
my shoulder and forces me to lie back. She throws her leg over my waist
before taking charge of the kiss.
Sexy. As. Fuck.
Her heat grinds down on my length. I’m so close to grabbing her hips
and thrusting up into her, but I know I can’t. I’ve got to wait.
She shimmies down my body, kissing over my pecs before running her
tongue along the indentations of my abs.
“Remi,” I warn. She’s getting dangerously close as she starts to make
her way down my V, licking and nipping at me with her teeth. If she doesn't
finish the job, then I can’t be held responsible for my actions.
Her innocent dark eyes look up at me.
Fuck.
All the air rushes out of my lungs at the sight.
So fucking perfect.
“Don’t worry, Ace. I got it covered.”
“O-okay,” I stutter like a fucking idiot when she’s hovering right over
me. Her breath tickles my sensitive skin. It’s the ultimate tease.
“Just tell me if it’s—” I cut her off.
“It’ll be perfect,” I grate out, beginning to lose grip on my restraint.
Thankfully, she wraps her hand around my length before staring at it
like it’s a fucking popsicle stick.
“Remi. Fuuuuck,” I grunt when she licks the head.
My body tenses as I wait for more. Almost as soon as she pulls back
does she get braver and suck the tip of me into her mouth.
Her wet heat is fucking mindblowing, and all I can do is focus on the
sensation as she begins bobbing up and down.
I fight to keep my eyes on her, to try to remember what it’s like, because
I know the time is coming where this is going to come to an end and all I’ll
have is memories.
“Jesus, Princess. So fucking good.”
She smiles around me at the praise and takes a little more of me.
My fingers thread into her hair, but instead of using it to guide her like I
usually would, to make her gag on my length like the dirty sluts of my past,
I hold gently and allow her whatever she needs.
Fuck, she can have anything she wants if she keep fucking going.
Long before I’m ready for it to end, tingles erupt in the base of my spine
and my balls begin to draw up.
I don’t want to warn her. I want her to drink me down. But I can’t do it
to her.
She isn’t them. She’s different and she deserves more.
Hell, she deserves a lot more than me and how I’m going to treat her.
But that’s who I am, the motherfucker with no conscience from the Heights.
“Rem, I’m gonna come, baby.”
I tug on her hair a little, giving her an out should she want one, but she
doesn't even flinch.
Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
“Fuuuuuck,” I groan as my orgasm hits me.
And even still, she keeps fucking going.
Once I’ve come down, I pull her up my body and kiss her until I’m once
again hard and ready for more.
Fucking hell, will it ever be enough with her?

I lose track of how many times I make her come, but by the time she passes
out beside me, I’ve fulfilled my promise of using my fingers, tongue, and
teeth. Now all I need is to sink inside her and find out just how tight she is.
But I’ll wait until she’s begging me to take her.
After convincing her to stay, Remi texted her Mom earlier and said she
was spending another night with Hadley. She wasn’t all that happy about
doing it until I reminded her of the benefits of staying with me—none of
which she’d be able to have if she were alone in her own bed. She caved
pretty fast to my way of thinking after that.
 I could have let her go, but I need her here, believing I spend the whole
night in bed beside her, because I’ve got some revenge to go and serve.
Thirty minutes after she passes out in my arms, I slip from the bed and
silently pull on some dark clothes. After texting Cole, I leave the pool house
and meet him at the side door, ready to go.
“What’s the plan then, bro? Beat him black and blue so he misses the
first game of the season.”
“We’re not going to lay a hand on that cunt. Not yet, anyway. I’ve got
something much more painful to his ego in mind.”
Cole rubs his hands together like the sadistic motherfucker that he is,
and a wicked smile curls at my lips.
I fucking love my brother’s twisted mind. It’s the only one that rivals
my own.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Remi

I wake with a start. Sitting up, I push unruly curls out of my face and get
my bearings. I’m in the pool house still, and it’s late. I can tell from the
way the moonlight is streaming in through the window.
Ace sleeps soundly beside me, his hand curled possessively around my
hip. For someone who likes to repeatedly remind me he isn't a hearts and
flowers kind of guy, he’s doing a pretty impressive job of pulling me deeper
under his spell.
Grabbing my cell off the nightstand, I check the time. One-thirty. Jesus.
Mom is going to ask questions tomorrow, a lot of them. But I’ve already
given Hadley a heads up that she’s my cover, should anyone ask.
Restless, I check my messages and have a quick glance at social media.
I’m about to put down my cell when something catches my eyes.
What the hell?
It’s a photo of the beach, where the volleyball court is, and right there,
bound, gagged, debagged, and tied to one of the posts is... “Bexley?” I
shriek.
“Uh, what?” Ace’s voice is heavy with sleep.
“What the hell?” I zoom in to read the marker scrawled across his chest.
“I suck Seahawk dick.” My eyes fly to Ace. He’s still asleep beside me.
“Tell me this wasn’t you?”
 Bexley is already gunning for revenge, and I don’t want to think about
what he might do if Ace was responsible for this.
“Ace,” I snap, grabbing his nipple and twisting.
“Ow, what the fuck?” He bolts upright.
“Tell me you didn’t?” I thrust the phone in his face and he frowns,
rubbing his jaw.
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s Bexley, look...”
He explodes with laughter. “Stupid douchebag had it coming to him.”
“So it wasn’t you?” I narrow my eyes, looking for any trace of guilt.
Before I can make a decision, he flips me onto my back, pinning me to the
bed.
“What can I tell you, Princess? I wish it was me. Fuck only knows I
can’t wait to get him for ever putting his hands on you. But it wasn’t me.”
He runs his nose along my jaw, letting his lips ghost over mine. “How could
it be when I was here all night, getting you off.”
My stomach clenches. “I fell asleep,” I murmur as he begins to grind
into me. “You could have... snuck out.”
Ace hitches my leg around his waist, driving deeper. Only the thin
cotton of my panties and his boxer briefs separate us. “Why would I sneak
out when I have you in my bed?”
“It really wasn’t you?” I can’t imagine anyone else is stupid enough to
take on Bexley.
“Let me fuck you,” he whispers against the shell of my ear, making my
stomach coil. “I need inside you, Remi, baby.” He rolls his hips, showing
me just how ready he is.
“Ace, I’m...”
“You’re a virgin?” He doesn’t look surprised, just curious.
I nod. “This, us, I like what we have going,” I slide my hands over his
broad shoulders, “but I’m not sure I’m ready to—“
He gives me a tight nod. “I can wait.”
“Geez, thanks.” I drop my eyes. Part of me wants to give it up to him. It
isn’t like I’ve been holding onto my V-card for that special someone. I just
didn’t ever want it to be something I’ll regret.
Ace grips my chin, pulling my face back to his. “What’s going on in
that head of yours?”
 “There’s some stuff... stuff you don’t know about me. Stuff I’ve never
really dealt with.”
His eyes flash with concern, his muscles tensing. “What stuff?”
I nudge him gently, and Ace rolls off me. He slips his arm around me,
pulling me into his side.
“After my mom found out about the affair, she went off the rails.
Drinking. Hanging out at bars looking for attention. I guess she needed to
know she still had it or whatever. Anyway, she met this guy. She was so
smitten, but I never liked him. There was just something about him.
“Things started to get serious, and he started coming around the house. I
was so mad at her. We’d barely gotten settled in and she had already moved
on, or at least, that’s what it felt like.” I knew now, that wasn’t it at all. She
was hurting, and she needed something—or someone—to help numb the
pain.
“Anyway, he turned out to be a total jerk. He’d get drunk and order her
around as if it was his house. She didn’t let him stay over often, but when
she did I always dreaded those nights.” I inhale a deep breath, blocking out
the memories.
“Princess, you’ve gone awfully quiet over there.” I sense Ace watching
me. “Did he do something, Remi?”
Anger laces his words, soothing something inside of me. Ace cares.
Whether or not he’s willing to admit it, I know he does. But like me, he
hasn’t had a typical upbringing. The people he was supposed to be able to
count on, to teach him about love and family and forgiveness, let him down.
And now we’re here.
Two lost souls bound together by stolen touches and toxic kisses.
“Tell me about you,” I say, changing the subject. I’ve already said too
much about mom’s ex. I don’t want him to come between any more than he
already is.
“There isn’t much to say,” Ace grunts. “Dad died when we were young.
Mom tried, and failed, to hold it together, and I had to grow up fast to take
care of my brothers.”
“And that guy, Donny? How did that happen?”
“The Heights is a jungle, Princess. If you’re weak, you get preyed on.
And if you’re strong, you have to prove your worth. Lucky for me, I was
always strong and I had something to fight for.”
“Your brothers?”
 I feel him nod. “It’s why I’m here, for them...” Ace hesitates. “They
deserve a chance at something better. Conner is smart, he could do anything
he puts his mind to, and Cole has a real shot at football.”
“And you?” I lean up to look at him. “What do you deserve, Ace?”
He looks at me and says ten little words that make my heart ache.
“There’s only one place I’m going, Princess. Straight to Hell.”

I wake to the feel of Ace’s lips trailing over my collarbone. “It’s almost
ten.”
“What?” I shriek.
“Yeah, we overslept. Conner just texted to say your mom just got here.”
“Shit.” I bolt upright, catching Ace in the face with my elbow.
“Motherfucker,” he grinds out, rubbing his cheek. I duck down to kiss
him better.
“I’m sorry, but if my mom finds out I’m—“
“Sorry to burst your bubble, Princess, but that ship has long sailed.”
“She knows?” My brows furrow. “And James?” He nods. “Why do you
seem so calm about this?”
“Because,” Ace flips me, rolling me beneath him, “it doesn’t change the
fact that I’m going to be doing very bad things to you tonight.”
“Yeah?” I grin.
“Yeah.” He kisses me, letting his tongue slowly twirl with mine. The
news that my mom and James both know about me being here melts away
until I’m drowning in nothing but the feel of Ace’s lips on mine.
“We should probably go face them.”
“Okay.” He’s acting too cocky, as if he can’t wait to see his uncle’s
reaction.
“You know,” I say, climbing out of bed and searching around for my
clothes. “James really isn’t so bad once you get to know him.”
Ace freezes, anger flashing across his expression. He storms into the
bathroom, slamming the door.
Okay then.
I let out a small sigh. Maybe there’s a way to go before Ace forgives
James.
 By the time I’m dressed, Ace comes back into the bedroom and pulls on
some sweatpants and a clean tank. “Come on.” He holds out his hand, and I
take it.
We walk the short distance to the house in silence. He says he’s not
bothered about them knowing, but with every step we take his walls inch
down until my Ace is gone.
“Uh oh, the princess and her frog are in trouble,” Conner teases as we
walk into the kitchen.
“Fuck off,” Ace grunts, releasing my hand and going to the refrigerator.
“My mom,” I say, “is she—“
“Right here,” she frowns. “You have some explaining to do, young
lady.”
James strides into the room, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
“Conner, you can leave. This doesn’t concern you for now.”
“Damn, I had my popcorn ready and everything.”
I scowl in his direction and he grins, mouthing, ‘good luck,’ before
ducking around his uncle.
Ace leans back against the counter, a bottle of juice in his hand. He
takes a long swallow, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Nothing comes to mind,” he replies coolly.
“I told you explicitly to stay away from Remi—“
“You did?” I gasp, feeling betrayal coil around my heart. Ace never said
a word.
“What I think James is trying to say, sweetheart, is that we’re concerned
about your new... friendship.”
“We’ve been hanging out, so? It’s not a crime.”
“And this weekend,” James adds. “Did you stay over in the pool
house?”
“I’m almost eighteen—“
“Not the point, Remi.” Mom frowns. “We’re worried about you. Cutting
class, stopping out all night and lying to me. It isn’t like you, baby.”
“You told me to make new friends and to live a little.” It’s a futile
argument, but I feel like I need to defend what Ace and I share.
Because god only knows, he’s making zero effort to do it.
“It’s one thing to sabotage your shot at something good,” James levels
his nephew with a hard look, “but to drag Remi down to your level is
inexcusable.”
“Because of course it’s me corrupting the good little princess, right?”
He stands straight, animosity rolling off him in waves. “She couldn’t
possibly want to hang out with me, could she?”
“Ace, that’s not what we’re saying.” Mom’s voice softens. “But Remi
needs to focus on school. She needs to make some serious decisions about
her future.”
“I’ve already told you, I won’t take his money. If I don’t get offered a
scholarship, I’m done.”
“Remi,” she gasps, touching the side of her face. “You don’t mean that.”
Her eyes flick between me and Ace as if she knows he’s to blame for the
change in me.
And maybe he is.
But it isn’t that simple.
Ace hasn’t changed me—he’s just unlocked something inside me.
Something I’ve spent a long time trying to hide.
“Sarah, you should take Remi home. I need to speak to my nephew
alone.”
“I won’t stop seeing him,” I blurt out, because it feels like we’re already
hurtling toward the end of whatever this is, and I’m not ready for it to be
over yet.
“Yes, well, we’ll see about that.” James’ tone is scathing. “I refuse to let
Ace taint your future, Remi.”
I suck in a harsh breath, and Mom rushes to my side. “Come on,
sweetheart. I’m sure James and Ace have lots to talk about.” She wraps her
arm around me.
Staring at Ace, I plead with him to look at me, but he’s fixed on his
uncle.
“I’ll speak to you later, okay?” My mom says to James as we pass him.
She grabs his arm and leans on her tiptoes. “Don’t be too hard on him.”
With one final glance at Ace, I let Mom lead me away, hoping I didn’t
just land him in a whole heap of trouble.
When we pull up to the house, Mom cuts the engine and turns to me.
“Ready to talk about it?” I’d given her the silent treatment the entire ride
home. “Remi, work with me here, please.”
“What’s to say? You’ve both made up your minds.”
“And just like that, you’re going to listen to your mother for once?” Her
brow rises, and I press my lips together. “Hmm, thought not.”
“So, I like him. Is it really that big a deal?”
“James seems to think it is. He cares about you, sweetheart, and he
knows those boys better than you or me.”
“Does he?” I sneer. “Because something doesn’t add up, Mom.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“He was so excited to bring them to the house, but it’s like they can’t
stand each other. Ace talks about him like he’s to blame for something.”
“Ace is angry at the world, baby.” She reaches over and squeezes my
hand. “And he’s lashing out at the one parental figure he has left. James told
me Ace harbors a lot of hatred toward him over what happened with his
mom. But he tried to help. Unfortunately, Maria wouldn’t allow it.”
“Yeah, maybe.” But I didn’t buy it. There was something else.
There had to be.
“Does it really bother you so much, the idea of me seeing him?”
“Every parent wants the best for their child, Remi, and honestly, I’m not
sure Ace is what you need. Bexley however—“
“Are you kidding me right now? You just found out I like Ace and
you’re going to sit here comparing him to Bexley?” I reach for the door
handle. I need to get out of here.
“Sweetheart, that’s not what I meant.”
“You know, Mom, you of all people should know that good looks and a
charming smile are only skin deep. It’s what on the inside that counts, and
Bexley Danforth is nothing more than another devil in sheep’s clothing.”
With that, I stumble out of the car and take off toward the beach.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ace

O ur stare holds as Sarah and Remi’s footsteps get quieter before the
front door opens and closes, signaling that we’re alone. The vein in
James’ neck pulsates to the point that I wonder if it’s about to burst.
He waits another five seconds to compose his words before laying into me.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? I have given you everything you
could possibly want or need and yet, you still fuck it up. You still go against
the one thing I warned you about.”
“No, I’m pretty sure you warned me about parties and drugs in the
house. I ignored them too, if you hadn’t noticed.”
His face turns beet red at my words. “That’s it. I forbid you from seeing
her again,” he bellows.
His eyebrows almost hit his hairline when I just start laughing. “You
forbid me? Come off it, you jumped up prick. I’m a fucking adult, she’s
almost eighteen. We can do what the fuck we like, and you can do fuck all
about it.”
He opens his mouth as if he wants to argue, but I don’t give him the
chance. “I don’t need a father,” I grit out. “I’ve managed my entire life
without one, and without you. It’s too little too late for you to act concerned
about my welfare and my future.”
 “I’m not trying to replace him, Ace. I’m just trying to give you what
you missed out on.”
“Too fucking late. And replace him?” I sneer. “I can barely fucking
remember him. He’s been gone almost all my life, but you’re fully aware of
how long it’s been, aren’t you?” I narrow my eyes at him, willing him to
say more, but all he does is straighten his back and smooth down his
fucking tie.
“You’re right,” he says, sounding much calmer all of a sudden. Funny
what happens when you get close to exposing someone’s indiscretions.
“I am?”
“I’m just trying to make life easier for you. I know how hard you’ve had
it.”
“Yet you left us there in the middle of it. You could have made our lives
easier years ago, but you didn’t so much as show your face after Dad died.”
“You don’t think I tried?” he shouts, losing his cool once again.
“Well, did you?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Well, what is the fucking point then?” I roar. “Because as far as I see it,
you’re suddenly trying to control my life, and trust me when I tell you that
it’s the last thing I fucking want. I don’t want or need you in my life. I’m
only putting up with my bullshit for them,” I point above my head to where
I assume my brothers are. “They are what’s important. It’s not too late for
them. Me, however, I know I’m a lost cause. And yes, I’m also aware that
Remi is too good for me, but so fucking what. Don’t you think it’s about
time I had something good in my life? Something that your money can’t
suddenly buy?”
He releases a breath and stares at the ceiling for a beat. “If you so much
as hurt a hair on her head, I’m warning you, Ace...”
“Why do you care? She’s not your fucking daughter. She’s only in your
life because you’re fucking her mother.”
“That’s enough.” His face is bright red now. “I care deeply for both of
them, and I will do right by them both.”
“And that doesn’t include me.”
He raises an eyebrow, but I don’t hang around long enough to hear what
he might have to say.
I can’t leave it there, though. My anger won’t let me. Stopping when I
get to the kitchen, I turn back to him. “Let’s get a few things straight. If it
weren’t for them, then I wouldn’t be here. You’re a lying, deceitful cunt,
and I want nothing to do with you, even less your guilt money. So from here
on out, you stay out of my life and I’ll stay out of yours. I’ll move into the
pool house so we don’t even need to see each other.” I walk away with his
mouth hanging open in shock.
I’m done with this conversation and the bullshit about him caring about
us that keeps falling from his lips. If he cared, then he wouldn’t have left us.
Hell, he wouldn’t have put us in that position in the first place. This is all
about guilt, all of it, and I want nothing to do with it other than to hurt him
just like he did us.
He thinks he’s a pro at manipulation, but he’s clearly not met the master,
because dear old Uncle James is about to get a taste of his own medicine.
I storm up the stairs with such force that both Cole and Conner poke
their heads out of their rooms.
“Are you ever going to give him a break?” Conner asks. I get why
they’re confused—they don’t know any of it, and like fuck am I going to
tell them now so the truth can fester inside of them like it has me since I
discovered it.
“Un-fucking-likely. He’s a cunt.”
“Really?” Conner asks, gesturing to the house around us.
“His money means fuck all. He’s had it all these years and never done
shit to help us before now.”
“I’m sure there was a reason. He clearly cares enough to do all this. He
didn’t have to.”
“Whatever.” I turn my back on them both and continue to my room.
“I’m moving into the pool house if you need me.”
“You’re what? Why?”
“Because I am. All right?”
Conner holds his hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine. Do your thing.
Hey, did you see that photo of Bexley that’s doing the rounds? That shit is
funny as fuck. Any idea who did it?” Cole catches my eye over Conner’s
shoulder. His sparkle with delight and accomplishment.
“It’s the least he deserves.”
“Agreed. He’s going to get the shit beaten out of him one day.”
“Yeah, and hopefully it’ll be my fists teaching him a fucking lesson.”
“How about you just focus on taking your tension out on your girl, save
you getting kicked out of school before Thanksgiving, eh?”
 I grab the minimal amount of belongings I have and shove them all into
a couple of bags. I avoid the kitchen on the way out to the back yard. The
last face I want to look at is his.
It takes me less than ten minutes to find places for everything before I
fall down on the couch and stare at my new home.
Why does it feel so cold and empty without her in it?
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I shoot her a message. When I snuck
back inside last night, her phone was lighting up like a fucking Christmas
tree on the nightstand with news about Bexley’s little accident, so I seized
the opportunity to take her number.

Ace: You okay?

The little dots start bouncing almost immediately, and a bolt of

excitement races through me. Jesus, I need to go back to the Heights and re-
grow my fucking balls.

Remi: Mom thinks I should forget you and give Bexley the time of day
instead. I walked away and am sitting on the beach.

Ace: Shall I come to you?

She waits a little longer to reply this time. It’s almost enough to have me
putting my sneakers back on and heading her way.

Remi: I’m okay. Just enjoying the peace before I go back. How did
things go with James?

Ace: As expected. I’ve moved into the pool house.

Remi: How come?

Ace: Because he can’t hear you screaming my name from out here.
 I can picture her cheeks heating as she reads my message. I don’t wait
for her to reply this time.

Ace: Can I see you tonight?

Remi: I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Fuck that.
I’m not giving shit up because of her mom and my uncle.

I wait until the sun has gone down before I set off. I don’t take my bike,
deciding the run will do me good. I haven’t found the time to work out as
much since I got here, too consumed with thoughts of a certain brunette to
really worry about it, but I need to do something to stay in shape.
It takes me less than thirty minutes to get to her place, and, exactly as I
hoped, all the lights are out. Silently, I make my way around to the
backyard and look up.
I can’t help but smile the second I see her window is once again cracked
open. Was she expecting me? Surely it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’d show
up. I’ve done it before, and if it means getting another taste of her then I’ll
do it again.
In seconds, I’m throwing my leg inside and dropping to my feet into her
dark and silent room. I slip my sneakers off, quickly followed by my sweaty
tank and make my way to her bed. She’s fast asleep, and with just the light
from the moon shining in through the window, she looks like an angel.
I allow myself a second to take her in before pulling the covers back
gently. Her tank has risen up her stomach and is thin enough that I can
make out the outlines of her nipples. Her tiny panties are just begging to be
ruined.
Dropping down on one knee, I straddle her petite body and press my
hands down on the pillow, either side of her head. I breathe her in before
brushing my lips over hers. Her entire body tenses beneath me. Her eyes fly
open and she lets out a shriek. I move quickly, covering her mouth before
she alerts Sarah to my presence.
 The fear in her eyes takes me back to what she started telling me about
earlier, and the dread that was sitting heavy in my stomach as she confessed
about her mom’s boyfriend returned. She said she’s a virgin… although
there are plenty of other things…
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I focus on her. “It’s okay,” I
whisper. “It’s only me. I wanted to make sure you really were all right?”
“So you sneaked in and scared me half to fucking death?”
“Sorry, I thought it would be hot to wake you with my tongue.”
“Yeah, if you think getting raped or murdered in your sleep is hot.”
I wince. Neither of those were part of my plan. “Let me make it up to
you.” I trail my fingertip from her neck and down to her already puckered
nipple. She might be giving me all the sass, but her body is so on board
with my surprise appearance.
“I wouldn’t want to stop you.” She arches her back and fills my palm
with her breast.
“Can you be quiet?”
She rolls her eyes. “Just how good do you think you are?”
Without giving her an answer, I kiss down her body before ripping her
panties away.
“You need to stop doing that,” she whisper-shouts.
“Why? I like it. And I think you do too, if how wet you are is anything
to go by.” I run my finger through her folds, and just like I expected, she’s
soaked for me.
“I’m going to run out. Mom will start asking questions if I suddenly
need to buy all new panties.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I think they’re well aware of what I’m
doing to you.”
She groans. “Less talk, more action, Ace.”
I’m not one to follow orders, but when she’s the one dishing them out
and her pussy is right in front of my face, I’m powerless but to be a good
boy and do as I’m told.
Her moans fill the room as I lick at her until she ends up covering her
face with her pillow.
Yeah, baby. I’m just that good.
“You can go back to sleep now. I got what I came for.”
She reaches out, rubbing my length through my sweats. “I beg to differ.
It seems you might need more.”
“I didn’t come for me. I came for you. I can wait.” I can, it’s true.
Although I don’t fucking want to.
“Shut up.” Sitting up, she pulls me so I’m standing between her knees
and shoves my sweats and boxers down my thighs.
“Sure, you can play with that,” I say with a laugh.
“Oh, I wasn’t aware that I needed permission to do… this,” she
mumbles the last word around my tip, and it vibrates all the way up my
spine.
Shit. She’s good at this.
It’s going to really fucking suck when all of this comes to an end and
I’m left with the likes of Michaela and Lylah to get what I need.
I hate to do it, but once she’s finished, I tuck her back into bed and kiss
her goodnight. “I’ll see you tomorrow. You want a lift tomorrow with Cole
and Conner?”
“Why not with you?”
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Do you?”
“Why not?” She gives me a half-shrug. “Mom knows, James knows.
What’s wrong with everyone else knowing?”
“A lot. Just trust me.”
She pouts but doesn’t argue.
“I’ll get them to swing by.”
I give her one last kiss before climbing back out the way I came and
jogging to the pool house with thoughts of how she’s going to handle
tomorrow at the forefront of my mind.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Remi

“W e need to talk.” Hadley is waiting for me as I climb out of

Conner and Cole’s car.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say. “I’ll see you later.”
“Don’t be a stranger,” Conner calls after us.
“Where the hell did you get to all weekend? And don’t feed me that ‘I
was studying’ bullshit. You were not studying.” Her eyes narrow and then
widen. “Holy shit, you got laid... Ace?” His name is coated in disbelief.
“Ssh,” I hiss, pulling her away from the crowd filing into school.
“You did, didn’t you? You totally gave it up to him.”
“Will you stop, already? I did no such thing.”
“But you did something?” Her brow quirks up, and I feel my cheeks
flush.
“Busted! I knew it. Spill, girl. I want details. All the glorious, dirty
details.”
“Who are you right now?”
Sadness flickers across her face. “Someone who hasn’t had it in far too
long.”
“Hadley, we’re seniors.”
“Yeah, well some of us started young.” She shrugs as if it’s no big deal.
I guess she has a point. “So... deets.”
 “And then can I go to class?”
“Yes,” she shrieks with delight.
“Okay,” I glance around, checking we’re not at risk of being overheard.
“I stayed over at the pool house with him... all weekend.”
“You did not.” Her lips form an O, and I nod.
“Holy crap, that’s huge. It’s huge, right?”
“Something is huge,” I smirk.
“Oh my god, you’re so bad. I love it.” Hadley claps. “So, are the two of
you together or casual or...”
“We’re... us.” It’s my turn to shrug.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t want to jinx it. Ace isn’t exactly the relationship type.
But there’s something there, Hads.”
“And the shit with Michaela was, what exactly?”
“The equivalent of him pulling my pigtails, I guess.” The memory of
him touching her leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but it wasn't her in his
bed all weekend.
“He’s probably just scared of his feelings for you. You know how crazy
guys can get about stuff like that.”
“I guess.”
“Your mom is gonna freak.”
“She already did. James too. I don’t know everything that happened, but
Ace moved into the pool house after he and his uncle got into it.”
“So now you can sneak in for sleepovers whenever you want.”
“You can’t tell anyone, Hadley.”
“Who am I going to tell? Oh wait,” her eyes light up, “I could tell
Michaela, knock her down a peg or two.”
“Don’t you dare.” Ace is right. Going public will only paint a bigger
target on my back. Besides, there’s something thrilling about the idea of
sneaking around.
“My lips are sealed. Unlike yours, apparently.”
“Hads!”
“Like you don’t love it. It’s about time you got some. You’re a catch,
Remi. Don’t let anyone ever tell you any differently. Just be careful, okay?”
“Not this again,” I grumble as we finally make our way inside the
building.
 “I’m just saying have some fun, enjoy the perks of being with a guy like
Ace,” she lowers her voice, “but don’t let yourself fall too deeply.”
“I know.” Heeding her warning would be the sensible thing to do, but
Ace makes me reckless. He makes me want things.
Things with him.
“Slow and steady, I promise.” I force a smile in her direction.
Even though I’m lying to her.
And myself.

My body tingles with anticipation as I stalk the door, waiting for him to
arrive.
Ace finally enters the room and everyone falls silent. Even the teacher
stops and gawks. I shake my head with silent laughter.
A week later, and he still has that effect on people.
He doesn’t take the empty desk beside me. Inside he walks to the back
of the room. Disappointment snakes through me, but I know I wouldn’t be
able to resist him if he were next to me.
The teacher starts the lesson, and my cell phone vibrates in my pocket. I
discreetly dig it out, burying it in my lap.

Ace: Are you wearing any panties?

Remi: Behave!

Ace: With you, never.

By the time the bell goes, I’m a tight ball of restless energy. I slip out of
the room and melt into the stream of bodies. Ace passes me, his low
whisper hitting me right in the stomach.
“Tonight,” he whispers, “leave your window—“
“There you are.” Michaela’s dulcet tone rakes up my spine. “I was
hoping we could hang out at lunch.”
Forcing myself to move around them, I head for my locker, watching
the two of them out the corner of my eye. Michaela is in her full cheer
outfit, complete with a Seahawk blue bow in her high ponytail. She looks so
sweet and innocent, like butter wouldn’t melt. I know she’s all salt and acid,
though.
Her eyes flick to mine and she shoots me a wicked grin, making a show
of curling a perfectly manicured hand around Ace’s arm.
And I hate it.
“Hey,” Hadley says as she reaches me. “What is... oh. What’s that all
about?”
“I have no idea.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Of course I’m not okay with it, but what can I do?” Ace isn’t
encouraging her, but he isn’t exactly pushing her away either.
Pulling out my cell phone, I type a message to him.

Remi: Should I wear my old cheer outfit later?

Ace’s lip curls as he scans the text.

Ace: Jealousy looks good on you, Princess. Maybe you should steal
your step-sister’s outfit and I’ll eat you out in it later?

Heat floods me as I glance over at him. He’s watching me, his eyes dark
and hooded, as if he’s imagining doing just that.
“Yeah, you’re doing a great job of being discreet.” Hadley chuckles,
snapping me out of it. “Good luck with that.”
We head for our next class, and all I can think about is whether or not I
should break into the girls’ locker room later.
The rest of the day isn’t much different. Me and Ace text back and
forth, teasing one another with promises of things to come. There’s a
constant queue of girls all vying for his attention: Michaela, Lylah, even
some brazen juniors follow him around, batting their eyes and pouting their
lips. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me jealous, but I know it’s not their
bodies he’ll be touching tonight.
Conner is waiting for me when I exit school. “Princess.” Her smirks.
“Your chariot awaits.”
“Is Cole at practice?”
 He nods. “So it’s just you and me.”
“I can hardly wait.” I roll my eyes playfully as I climb inside.
“So you and my brother, what’s up with that?”
My spine stiffens. Conner likes to tease me, but usually Ace and Cole
are around to rein him in.
“You should ask him.”
He chuckles. “Is that your way of saying you have no fucking idea?”
“We haven’t labelled it.”
“You know my brother doesn’t date, right?”
I’m not sure what we’re doing constitutes dating—that would involve
leaving the bedroom, which we never do.
But I don’t want Conner to know that.
“He took me for pizza,” I say, instantly realizing how dumb it sounds.
“Yeah, I heard all about your little trip to the Heights. Dumb move, if
you ask me.” Conner puts his foot down on the gas the second we’re off
campus.
“Do you have a problem with me?” I ask.
“Nah, we’re good. I’ve just never known my brother so worked up over
a chick. Not even Kelsey—“
“Who is she?”
“You know about Kelsey?”
“Cruz mentioned her.”
“Cruz? You’re even starting to sound like him.”
“I’m not...” The words dry on the tip of my tongue.
“Look, if you two want to bump uglies, that's none of my business, but I
know Ace, and he always has a motive. And you seem like a nice girl,
Remi. I’d hate for you to end up hurt.”
My eyes narrow as I try to figure out if he’s being sincere. “So this little
TED talk, it’s for my benefit?”
Conner shrugs, running a hand down his face. “Just watch your back.
It’s obvious you like him.”
“So what if I do? Is that such a crime?”
“Ace is never going to change. The Heights is in his blood. You don’t
just leave that behind because you go and get yourself a prep school
princess.”
His words hurt, but I don’t let him see it. Gazing out of the window, I
swallow down the building tears.
 I know Ace is a dark soul. I know he’s done things—scary, inexcusable
things. But I also see the boy carrying the weight of the world on his
shoulders. He’s tough because he’s had to fight to survive. He’s cruel
because no one taught him how to love. And he’s cold because it’s easier
than letting people in.
We ride the rest of the way in thick silence. Conner’s words weigh
heavily on my heart because I know there’s some truth to what he’s saying.
Society will never accept Ace, and they’ll always frown at a girl from
Sterling Bay being with the boy from Sterling Heights.
But I don’t see things so black and white. I see all the shades of grey.
I see Ace
And none of it changes how I feel about him.
Even if it’s foolish.
Even if it makes me a stupid girl blinded by a wolfish grin and a body
made for sin.
Conner rolls to a stop alongside my house. “Listen, I’m sorry if I
overstepped. I just don’t want my brother to end up doing something he’ll
regret, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I appreciate your concern,” I say as I shoulder the door. “But maybe
you should have a little bit more faith in Ace. People can change, Conner.
But you need to give them a chance to.”

“Shh.” Ace covers my mouth with his hand as he works his fingers
underneath my tank top. It’s the third night this week he’s climbed through
my bedroom window. We spend our days pretending we’re nothing to each
other, saving our truths for moments like this, in the cover of darkness and
safety of silence.
“God, I missed these.” He lifts my tank, dropping his head to my
breasts, licking and squeezing, nipping and stroking. Ace only has to touch
me and I melt.
“You only saw them two nights ago.” Last night he couldn’t come.
James insisted the four of them go out to celebrate Cole’s spot on the team.
Ace hadn’t wanted to go, but he did because despite what people think
about him, he always puts his brothers first.
 I never told him what Conner said to me, and he hasn’t mentioned
anything, so I’m guessing his brother didn’t come clean about our
conversation. I still ride with them, but it’s not the same. Conner looks at
me with disappointment in his eyes, and I reflect it back at him. He thinks
I’m foolish for believing Ace can change, and I think he’s an asshole for
believing his brother can’t.
“I almost stabbed Lylah today. ‘I’d love you to help me with the
assignment, Ace,’” I mock. “Thirsty bitch.”
His hand slides up my throat, pinning me to the bed. “God, I fucking
love it when you get jealous.” Ace stares down at me, eyes full of fire. He
works his hand down my body and dips a finger inside me. I inhale a sharp
breath at the sudden intrusion. “One day, that’ll be my cock. I can’t wait to
feel you wrapped around me, squeezing me.”
“God, Ace...” My eyes roll as he begins dragging his thumb over my clit
with so much pressure I don’t know whether to scream at him to stop or cry
for him to continue.
Lowering his face to mine, he watches me intently. I’ve noticed it’s
something he does now. As if he can’t quite believe I’m here. As if he’s
expecting me to disappear at any second.
His intensity is overwhelming, but I’m addicted to the rush.
“More,” I beg. “I need...”
“Ssh, Princess.” He drags his tongue up my cheek. “I know what you
need,” another finger enters me, “and I’m going to give it to you. Come on
my fingers, Remi, baby.”
His dirty words make me shatter, waves of pleasure crashing over me. I
cry out as he doesn’t let up, but he swallows my moans, pushing his tongue
deep into my mouth.
“Fuck, you’re so fucking sexy.” He strokes my face, planting tiny kisses
all over my lips. “I can’t get enough of you.” His expression darkens, and
he shifts his gaze away from me.
“Ace, what is it?” I slide my hand against his stubbled jaw.
“Nothing. I’m just thinking I’m an asshole for not taking you
anywhere.”
I rear back. “You want to take me somewhere?”
“Well, isn’t that what girls what? To go out?”
“I like what we do just fine.” But I can’t deny the butterflies taking
flight in my tummy.
 “Don’t look so worried, Princess, I’m not suggesting we go to some
stuck-up rich people’s place. But we could hang with Cruz and D.”
“You want to take me to hang out with your friends?”
“Fuck, I don’t know... I’m just saying we don’t always have to do
this...” His eyes are wild, clouded with uncertainty, and it’s so cute seeing
him like this.
“Is the big bad Ace Jagger asking me out on a date?”
“I don’t date, Princess.”
“Will you pick me up from my house and bring me home at the end of
the night?”
He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously.
“Then,” I grin, “it’s a date.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ace

I release a long breath as I pull up outside Remi’s house on Friday night.

I’m five minutes early because I couldn’t put up with pacing back and
forth in the pool house any longer.
I don’t date, so why I’m doing this now fuck only knows. But as I was
staring down at her last night, all I could think was that I was doing her a
disservice. I already know that she deserves better than me. She should
have a guy who treats her right, not who just sneaks into her bedroom at
night under the cover of darkness and does wicked things to her body. She
deserves the hearts and flowers I’m incapable of giving her.
Shaking my arms out at my sides, I notice some movement at the
window. I narrow my eyes trying to see her, to see what she’s chosen to
wear, but when there’s no further movement, I figure that it must be Sarah. I
wasn’t expecting her to be home, or to be aware of this date. It just proves
that she and her daughter are closer than James and I will ever be. There’s
no way he’d stand at the window and watch me take off on a date with his
precious Remi.
After a few more minutes, the front door opens and she steps out. My
breath catches as she floats down toward me.
She’s wearing a black pair of skinny jeans and a loose white blouse.
 “Hey,” she sings once she’s close enough that I’ll hear over the rumble
of the engine. She stops in front of me and leans forward for a kiss. I
hesitate, knowing that Sarah is watching us, and Remi barks out a laugh
when my lips connect with her cheek.
“What?” I ask. “Your mom is watching.”
“And? I’m my own person, and I know what I want.” She places her
hands on her hips and stares at me. “Plus, if she’s going to stare, then we
might as well give her something to stare at.”
“Well, when you put it like that.” Reaching out, I wrap my hand around
the back of her neck and pull her up against me. “Better?”
“Much. I missed you today,” she whispers. I’d stayed out of her way,
knowing it would drive her crazy for tonight.
I stare at her, amazed that she’s willing to spend time with me, let alone
come back to the Heights without argument. I was kind of joking when I
suggested going and hanging out with the guys, but Remi was all in with
the idea. I have a suspicion she’s only willing because she’s hoping to get
an insight into the kind of guy I am. If that’s the case, then she’s going to be
sorely disappointed, because I’ve hidden nothing. My past is my past, and I
am who I am. I refuse to pretend that it’s anything else.
My fingers tighten on her neck as I pull her lips to mine. She doesn’t
hesitate to open up, and my chest swells, knowing that she’s not at all
ashamed to openly stand in her street with me like this. My tongue sweeps
into her mouth, but I pull back long before I’m really ready to, knowing that
we have at least one person’s attention on us.
“Ready?”
“To grill your friends for all your secrets? Yes.” She grins, and I laugh,
my earlier assumption confirmed.
Throwing my leg over my bike, I hand her the helmet. “Come on then,
Princess. Time to go to the dark side.”
“Hmm… I like it when you take me there.”
“You’ve experienced nothing yet.”
Remi wraps her thighs and arms around my body, forcing me to blow
out a steadying breath. Will her touch always feel this electrifying?
Not putting too much thought into what the answer might be, I gun the
engine and we fly out of her street. She squeals behind me in delight as I
speed up on the freeway that heads toward the Heights, and I can’t stop the
wide smile that spreads across my face.
 I feel different when I’m with her. Like for once in my life, I belong,
which is really fucking saying something. I feel anything but when I’m at
James’ or in the Bay generally. She’s got some serious fucking magical
powers, that’s for fucking sure.
The scenery soon changes to the familiar landscape of my past. The
color of the buildings gets darker and the sizes smaller before I have to start
swerving around the potholes in the road that didn’t exist a few miles ago.
I can navigate through this place with my eyes shut, so in no time we’re
pulling up out the back of Sinners and I’m killing the engine.
“I never thought I’d be excited to be here,” Remi admits when I take the
helmet from her and hang it over the handlebars.
No one else would risk leaving something that’s not bolted down, but
everyone in town knows this is my bike and they wouldn’t fucking dare
touch it, let alone steal it.
“Come on, then. They’ve already ordered dinner.”
“Good, I’m starving.”
Unlike when we were here last, we enter through the back door and
head straight up the stairs. Neither Cruz nor D are working tonight; fuck
knows how they managed to swing that, but the second I told them my
plans they immediately said they’d sort it.
Both of them are a few years older than me. I vaguely remember them
from Sterling Heights High, but then to be fair that’s probably because I
was never really there rather than them being older. I’ve probably spent
more time at Sterling Prep in the last couple of weeks than I did my entire
senior year in Sterling Heights High.
“D, get in here,” Cruz shouts the second Remi and I walk into the living
room they share in the apartment above the studio. “Jag really did bring his
girl back.”
“Fuck off,” I bark as he comes over.
“Ace’s girl! It’s so good to see you.” He holds his hand out for her, and
when she slips her fingers into it, he kisses her knuckles and then
encourages her to spin for him, which she also does.
He whistles. “Looking good, girl. You’re wasted on this motherfucker,
you know that, right?”
“Get your fucking eyes off her.” I pull Remi into my side and Cruz
stares at me like I’m some kind of stranger to him.
 “Girl, I love ya, but please, hand my guy his balls back. He’s going to
think he belongs with the rich ‘uns in the Bay at any moment.”
“I really don’t think he is,” she mutters. “You might think he’s different,
but they’re all running scared with just one look.” Cruz barks a laugh.
“Nah, they’ve got it all wrong. He’s all bark. There’s not much to his
bite.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Remi mutters, and my mind goes straight in the
gutter as I recall rebranding last night.
“Whoa, is it getting hot in here?” Cruz fans himself before gesturing
toward the couch. “Come on, stop loitering in the doorway, mi casa es su
casa.”
Tugging Remi behind me, we both fall down onto the couch as Cruz
brings us over a bottle of beer each.
“This good or do you need champagne, Princess?”
“Fuck you, Cruz,” Remi snaps, reaching for the bottle and knocking the
top off like a pro.
“Ouch, burn,” D says, coming to join us. “Jag, Rem.” He nods.
“Dinner’s on its way.”
“So tell us about life in the Bay. What’s it like to have more money than
sense?”
“I don’t remember,” Remi says at the same time I reply with, “Fuck
knows.”
“Okay let’s try this another way… What’s it like living with people who
have more money than sense?”
“Fucking awful,” we answer simultaneously, much to both Cruz and D’s
amusement.
“Jesus, it’s like they’re a married couple.”
“My turn. I want to know what Sterling Heights Ace is like,” Remi
says, not even attempting to cover up her secret mission.
“Well…” Cruz says, leaning back on his chair and crossing one leg over
the other. “Basically as much as a moody fucker as he is in the Bay, I’d
imagine. I’d think the only difference is that he spends most of his days
planning people's murders rather than actually committing them.”
Remi tenses beside me. “He’s joking, baby.”
“Am I?” Cruz asks, his eyes going wide.
“Mostly.”
“Is Kelsey missing him?”
 “Fucking hell, does she always ask this many questions?” D asks,
sounds way too amused about the situation.
“Nah, she’s over it. Got herself a stand in. It was about time she found
herself someone better looking.”
“Jesus. I knew coming here and letting her spend time with you two was
a mistake.”
The banter continues long after the takeout arrives, and we all dig into
the best Chinese that the Heights has to offer.
“Are you all done?” Remi asks once we’re resting back with full bellies
and fresh beers.
“Stay put, Ace’s girl. Your boy’s got this, haven’t you?” He smirks at
Ace. “It’ll do him good to remember what it’s like to live without a maid.”
“How’d you know about Ellen?” I ask, shocked.
“I didn’t, it was a joke.” He gawks. “You’ve got a fucking maid?”
“My uncle has, and I don’t want anything to do with him or his life, so I
stay as far away as possible.”
Remi sits silently beside me but I can tell she wants to say something.
Whether that’s to defend James or to say something about Ellen, I’m unsure
but Cruz doesn’t give her a chance.
“Come on then, Preppy. Show us your skills.”
The two of us collect the empty containers and take them through to the
kitchen.
“I never thought I’d say this,” he says when we’re out of earshot of
Remi, “but that place looks good on you.”
“It’s not the place,” I mutter.
“Yeah, about her.”
“What about her?”
“She’s too fucking good for you, man.”
“Don’t I fucking know it.”
He stares at me, his eyes narrowing.
“What?”
“I’m missing something. What gives?”
I open my mouth to answer. These guys know me better than anyone, so
I’m not surprised he can see something’s not quite right.
“You know my main purpose of going to the Bay.”
“To take down your uncle,” he says without missing a beat. “What’s that
go to do with Remi?”
 I hesitate, not really wanting to vocalize my intentions when it comes to
the girl who has managed to bury herself deeper than anyone else. No one
other than my brothers get under my walls, but I fear that she’s managed to
without my knowledge.
“She’s really important to James. He’s seeing her mother.”
“Ace,” Cruz warns. “You telling me that this is all one big game?”
I shrug. That was my intention, but I can’t help wondering if things
have changed too much for that to still be the case.
“I don’t know, man. She’s…”
“Yeah, I know. I see it. The way she looks at you... You’re going to
fucking shatter her if you go through with this.”
“She deserves better than me. She’ll get over it.” It pains me to say it,
but I can’t deny that it’s the truth.
“Maybe so, but it seems that you’re what she wants.”
I hold his heavy stare with my own until my pocket vibrates, demanding
my attention. I quickly scan Donny’s text before switching it off.
“Problem?” Cruz’s brow arches.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Watch your back, yeah? You know Donny doesn’t give two shits if
you’re living in the Bay now. You run for him, only he gets to say when you
walk away.”
I’m about to tell him to stay off my back when D shouts, “What the fuck
are you two doing in there? Remi is planning her first ink.”
Cruz’s eyes light up at the prospect of inking my girl’s virgin skin
before all but running from the room.
“Ace’s girl,” he drawls. “You getting ready for your first inking? You
want the master, right?” Cruz wiggles his fingers at her and she blushes.
“Hey,” I mutter, slapping him around the head. “Only I get to make her
blush like that.”
“Sorry, man. I can’t help if she imagines my fingers doing other things.”
“I think it’s time we left. Neither of these motherfuckers are getting
their hands on your body.”
“All right, caveman. Calm down.” Remi pats the couch beside her, and I
have no choice but to sit beside her as she discusses options and where the
least painful parts of the body are.
I watch as she soaks up everything he tells her. She continues drinking
when they offer us more beer, but I stop. I need to get her home in one
piece. I might want to teach my uncle a lesson, but killing us both in the
process isn’t part of my plan.
When Remi starts yawning, I make our excuses and we head for the
door.
“Call me and we’ll book that appointment in, girl.”
“You’ve got it.” Remi salutes Cruz and he beams at her.
Part of me is glad my friends approve of her and have accepted her in
their lives this easily. A bigger part of me hates it. It’s only making what I
need to do harder and more confusing.
Is it time I focused on myself for once? On what I want, me, instead of
plotting the demise of someone else?
“You okay, Princess?” I ask when we come to a stop beside my bike and
she sways slightly on her feet.
“Yeah. I really like those guys, and they’re not scary at all.”
“Like me, you mean.”
“You’re not scary, Ace.” Her voice is slurred, making me wish I cut her
off a beer before I did. “I know you’ll protect me. Everyone is wrong about
you, you know. You’re a good person. You make good choices.” Guilt
engulfs me as her words rock my body.
“Oh yeah. Who says otherwise?”
“Conner.”
My brows pull together as anger swells in the pit of my stomach. If he’s
in agreement with James and is warning Remi off me, then I’ll string him
up by his fucking balls.
“And what did Conner say?”
“Shit. I shouldn’t have told you that. Whoopsie.” She covers her mouth
with her delicate fingers and tries to look innocent. “Forget I said
anything?”
“Sure,” I say with a smile. I can forget until the next time I’m face to
face with my brother.
“Come on, let’s get you home.”
“I don’t want to go home.” She pouts as I pull her helmet on and lift the
visor.
“No? Where do you want to go?”
“To your pool house.”
“Isn’t your mom expecting you?” She quirks an eyebrow. “Princess,
have you been holding out on me?”
 “I’m not the only one who can keep secrets, Jag.”
I chuckle at her use of my Heights nickname. “Oh yeah?”
“You want to know them?”
“Sure. Enlighten me.”
“I want you to take me back to your bed to do wicked things to me.
And…” she says before she gasps and blushes.
“And?”
“I want you to fuck me on my birthday.” Her teeth sink into her bottom
lip, as if she’s embarrassed to ask me.
“I thought you wanted a tattoo for your birthday.”
“I do. But I also want you,” she whispers the last two words, and I
nearly come on the fucking spot with anticipation. She’s so innocent and
sweet.
So fucking sexy.
“If that’s what you want, then who am I to deny you, Princess?”
A wide smile spreads across her face.
“Now, let’s go and make your first wish come true.”
I throw my leg over my bike and wait for her to join me.
With her wrapped around me, I head home, to my pool house, to do
almost all the things I’ve been imagining while sitting beside her tonight.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Remi

“M orning,” Mom says when I enter the kitchen. She’s cooking

pancakes, but she doesn’t wear her usual smile.
“Did Ace take you to Sterling Heights on Friday?” She turns
around to face me, disappointment glistening in her eyes.
“I told you he was taking me out.”
“Yes, but you never said a word about going to Sterling Heights.
Honestly, Remi, do you have any idea how dangerous it can be there?”
“I was with Ace. We went to see his friends.”
“That does not fill me with any reassurance.”
“Relax, Mom. The Heights isn’t that bad.” I’d had fun with Cruz and D.
Sure, they teased me about me being from the Bay, but they had accepted
me as one of their own. Unlike the kids at Sterling Prep, who go out of their
way to make me feel like I don’t belong.
It’s funny, really, that the place I am supposed to fit in is the place I feel
most alone, and the place I’m not supposed to fit in is the place I feel most
like myself.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I have to agree with James on this one. I
would prefer it if you didn’t—“
“Don’t do this,” I say, letting out a frustrated breath. “I like Ace, Mom.
And who knows, maybe you’d like him too if you took the chance to really
get to know him.”
“Well, it seems you’ll get your wish Wednesday. James has booked a
pre-birthday meal for all of us down at The Blue Bay.”
“You’re kidding me?” The Blue Bay was expensive, not to mention a
favorite hotspot with Sterling Bay’s elite.
It was also the last place I could see Ace and his brothers frequenting.
“He knows it’s your favorite.”
It used to be my favorite, before my dad ruined everything.
“It sounds lovely, Mom,” I grimace, “but I’m not sure it’s the kind of
place Ace and his brothers will enjoy.”
“Well it’s not their birthday, and if Ace cares about you half as much as
you seem to care about him, then there shouldn’t be a problem, should
there?”
My lips purse. They’re testing us. You didn’t just turn up at a place like
The Blue Bay in your best jeans and shirt. You wore dinner jackets and
evening gowns.
“Talk to him, please. I don’t need dinner at The Blue Bay, it’s not me
anymore.”
Maybe it never was.
And the thought that James might be setting some infallible test for Ace
doesn’t sit well with me.
“You really don’t want to go?”
“I’d rather do something low key.”
“Fine, I’ll talk to him. But I can’t promise anything. James dotes on
you, you know that. And he just wants you to have the things you deserve
in life.”
I gawk at her. “There’s more to life than fancy restaurants and expensive
champagne, Mom.” It comes out more harshly than I intend, and her face
pales.
“That’s not fair, Remi.”
“Just talk to him, Mom, please. It’s my birthday, and I don’t want any
fuss.”
I’ve already decided what I want. My first tattoo... and Ace.
I still can’t believe I was brave enough to tell him I want to have sex on
my birthday, but the beers at Sinners might have had something to do with
it.
I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
 At first, Ace was just my way of saying ‘fuck you’ to everything. But
he’s buried his way under my skin, and I want to give him the one thing no
one else will ever have from me.
My first time.
A shiver ripples up my spine just thinking about it.
“What are your plans for today?” She changes the subject, and my
shoulders sag with relief. That’s the thing about Mom; she never pushes too
hard.
“I need to do some homework, and I thought maybe I’d drop by school
and see Hadley.” I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to board at Sterling
Prep.
“No Ace today?” Her brow rises.
“We’re not joined at the hip, Mom. Besides, I think he and his brothers
are spending the day together.”
A strange expression washes over her, and I stiffen again. “What is it?”
I ask.
“I think of what they had to survive, and it just breaks my heart. And
well, I guess it hammers home how different things could have turned out
for us.” Tears prick Mom’s eyes and I go to her, hugging her tightly.
“But they didn’t, Mom. You saw the light and kicked his sorry ass to the
curb.”
“I know, sweetheart, I know.” She holds me at arm’s length. “Gosh,
Remi, you’re almost eighteen, and it terrifies me. I’m not ready to lose you,
baby.”
“Whoa, Mom. Who said anything about losing me?”
“It’s senior year.” She sniffles. “Then you’ll be going off to college and
leaving me.”
“You have James,” I say, glossing over her mention of college. I still
haven’t decided what I want to do. There’s no way in hell I’m accepting my
dad’s offer to pay for tuition. And if I want a scholarship, I’m going to have
to work my ass off.
“I do.” Her expression softens. “We haven’t talked about the future
much...” she hesitates, and I sense she’s not being entirely truthful, “but he
makes me very happy.”
“Are you sure he’s what you want, Mom?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
 “I just mean we have a good thing going here. You don’t have to prove
anything to anyone. Especially not Dad.”
She gasps. “You think... oh, sweetheart. That’s not what this is. James is
a good man. But I’ve wanted to take it slow because I want to be absolutely
sure before I rush into anything again.”
I stare at Mom and realize I’ve been carrying around so much hate and
bitterness that I’ve failed to see the truth.
Dad’s betrayal changed her. Just like it changed me. But where I
became detached and cold, she became desperate for attention. All this
time, we’ve both been feeling the same thing, we’ve just dealt with it
differently.
“Why has James never had a serious girlfriend before, Mom?” As far as
I can remember, he’s always lived alone in that big house of his.
She brushes the hair off my face, smiling at me the way she did when I
was little. As if I’m the most important thing in her life. “We don’t talk
about it much. But once, he told me there was a girl. She broke his heart
and he never really moved on.”
“That’s sad,” I say, wondering who she was.
“It is. You know, Remi, I just want what’s best for you. But you’re right,
you are almost an adult, which means you’re old enough to make your own
decisions. And despite what I said earlier about Ace, even the most broken
souls deserve to be loved.” Mom cups my face, placing a kiss on my
forehead. Her words sink into me. I know it’s not a blessing, not really, but
she’s telling me to follow my heart.
She’s telling me that even if she doesn’t like the idea of me and Ace
together, she accepts it.
Because I am capable of making my own decisions.
And I choose him.
I choose Ace.

Monday morning rolls around and, as usual, Conner and Cole are waiting
for me. I’m barely awake when I pull the car door open and slip inside.
“Ace?” I shriek as he grabs me and pulls me onto his lap.
“Morning.” He captures my mouth in a bruising kiss.
 “Get a fucking room.” I glance back at Conner, flipping him off, and
notice the nasty bruise around his eye.
“What the hell happened to your face?”
“Ask your boyfriend,” he grumbles, pulling onto the street and taking
the coastal road toward school.
I slide off Ace’s lap and land with a thud on the worn leather. “This is a
nice surprise.”
“Yeah, well, it would seem Cruz and D were right. You do own my
balls, Princess.”
His words, although crass, fill me with happiness. “Is that right, huh?” I
tease, but Ace crowds me against the seat, staring at me with those frosty
eyes of his. “I missed you yesterday.”
“I missed you too.” I trail a finger along his jaw, loving the way he
looks at me with total possession. “Did James grill you about Friday?”
“I managed to avoid him all weekend.”
“So... hmm... he didn’t mention the dinner to you?” I brace myself,
waiting for Ace’s reaction.
“What fucking dinner?”
“Princess’ birthday dinner. Uncle James wants to take us to some fancy
rich place downtown,” Conner pipes up.
“You know about this?” Ace grunts, looking to his brother. Conner nods
in the rear view. “You’d know too, if you hadn’t moved out to the pool
house.”
“But you seem to be having so much fun with Uncle James.” His tone is
scathing.
“Hey,” I say, sliding my hand against his cheek and making him look at
me. “Don’t take this out on Conner. I’ve already asked my mom to talk to
him.”
“You have?” He blanches.
“Of course. I don’t want to go somewhere you’ll feel uncomfortable.
We could eat at Surf’s for all I care.”
“You really asked your mom to talk to him?”
“Yeah.” I smile. “Why?”
“No reason.” He stares past me, and I know he’s lying.
Ace isn’t used to people taking his side, but I’m determined to show
him he’s worth it.
 “As long as they serve supersize portions, I don’t give a fuck where we
go.” Conner grins at me through the mirror. “Hey, do you think we can
bring a date?”
“No,” Ace and I say in unison.
“But you two get to—“
“Con,” Ace barks.
“Yeah, yeah. Keep my mouth shut,” he murmurs, and realization dawns
on me.
“Tell me you didn’t hit him because I slipped up the other night,” I
whisper-hiss at Ace.
“He’s a fucking traitor.”
“Heard that,” Conner says.
“Keep talking and I’ll black your other eye.”
“You need to talk to your guy, Remi, because he’s grumpier than a bear
with a sore head. I thought you were supposed to be happier when you’re
getting regular pus—“
He doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, because I lean over and
slap him upside the head.
“What was that for?” he yelps.
“Remi’s not wrong,” Cole says. “You talk too fucking much”.
“Oh it’s like that now, you’re both taking her side?” I poke my tongue
out at him. “That’s some bullshit.”
A minute later and he’s pulling into the school parking lot. Kids swarm
the lawns and dread slithers through me. This is the part I hate—the part
where Ace and I have to go back to pretending.
“I guess I’ll see you later?” I say.
A knowing smirk lifts the corner of his mouth. “For a prep school
princess, you really are fucking dumb at times.”
“What the—“
“Get out of the car, Princess,” he growls, and I do as I’m told, but only
because I need space from him before I knee him in the balls.
Ace follows me out, and I’m just about to walk off when he snags my
wrist. His fingers slip down my hand, tangling with my own. I gawk at our
joined hands and then lift my eyes to his. “But—“
“No buts.” He starts pulling me toward the building. “It’s time everyone
in this fucking school knows who you belong to.”
“Ace,” I say, trying to push him away from me. He has me pressed up my
locker, kissing my neck in the most delicious way. I guess after one class
apart he’s feeling as needy as I am.
Kids are staring but giving us a wide berth. It’s a definite perk of being
with the most scary guy in school.
“We have an audience,” I whisper, raking my nails over his skull as he
grazes the soft, sensitive skin along my throat with his teeth.
“Let them watch.” His murmurs dance over my neck, and my breath
catches with a soft moan.
“So it is true?” a voice says.
Ace takes a deep breath, standing rigid while I slowly slide my eyes to
Michaela.
“The gangbanger and the peasant, how fitting,” she snarls.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Ace moves into her space, but I grab
his arm.
“Don’t,” I say, slipping around him, putting myself between them. “She
isn’t worth it.”
Tension ripples in the hall as kids watch, probably chomping at the bit
for the long overdue showdown between me and Michaela.
“I’m worth a damn sight more than you,” she scoffs, folding her arms
over her chest and cocking her hip.
Something explodes inside me. I’m fed up of turning the other cheek
when it comes to Michaela and her bullshit opinions about me. It’s about
time she learned that she can’t always get what she wants and watch me
fall.
This time, I fucking win.
“Whatever, Michaela.” I’ve wanted to watch her fall from her throne for
so long, but standing here, seeing the jealousy shimmer in her eyes, I realize
no matter how much she has—the big house and expensive car, a line of
guys all vying for attention, the trust fund account, and Ivy League school
offer—she’ll always want more. People like Michaela can never be happy
because they spend too much time worrying about things that don’t matter.
I might not have the big, expensive house anymore, or Daddy’s credit
card at my disposal, but the truth is, I don’t want or need it. Money doesn’t
make people happy, it makes them shallow. It makes them fake. And that’s
not who I am. That’s not who I want to be.
“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got to say?” Her eyes widen.
“I don’t need to say anything else.” I shrug, a deep sense of acceptance
washing over me. “I spent so long wondering what I did to deserve your
betrayal. I’ve cried so many tears over you. Tears that turned to hatred. But
now, now I look at you and all I feel is pity.”
“W-what?” She jerks back, as if I’ve physically slapped her. “I’m the
head cheerleader. I live in one of the biggest houses in the Bay. I mean,
hello, I drive a bespoke Mercedes.”
“And yet you’re still a vapid bitch.”
A collective gasp echoes down the hall.
“You can’t say that, you’re no one. Nothing. You shouldn’t even—“
“Michaela,” I snap, and she swallows her words, indignation flaming
her cheeks. “I. Don’t. Care. You were my best friend. And all this time, I
thought I was the one who did something wrong. But now I realize it’s you.
You’re the unhappy one. You thrive in the misery of others. And do you
know what? Until you learn to love yourself, you’ll never find what you’re
looking for.
“So yeah, I pity you. Because sure, I might not have a lot, but at least I
know the people in my life are in it because they chose it, and not because
they want anything from me. Now if you don’t mind, me and my
boyfriend,” the word flies out of my mouth, but I don’t want to take it back.
Ace is mine. The same way that I’m his. “We’re in the middle of
something.”
I turn into him and throw my arms around his shoulders. “I’m proud of
you, baby,” he says, leaning down and brushing his nose over mine.
“I’m proud of me too,” I say, kissing him right there in front of most of
our class.
“But you can tell me the truth,” he whispers against my skin. “How
much do you want to knock that ugly smile off her face right now?”
“One a scale of one to ten, eleven.” I chuckle, sliding my fingers into
the hair at the base of his neck and pulling him closer. “You should
probably distract me before I really make a scene.”
Ace’s deep laughter reverberates inside me as he spins me around and
pushes me up against the locker. “It would be my pleasure, girlfriend.”
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Ace

D espite Sarah apparently talking to James about the location of

tonight’s birthday meal, he point-blank refused to change the
restaurant to somewhere a little more low key.
He was testing me, I could see that when he took great delight in telling
me what I was going to have to wear tonight.
“If you want to be there for Remi, then you have little choice,” he said
with an evil smile on his lips.
The motherfucker was playing me, and I was falling right into his
hands, because he was right. Tux or no tux, I wanted to be there for Remi. I
wanted to be there more than I should. But him standing his ground and
acting like she’s the daughter he never had only proves I was right.
She’s his weak spot, and I’m going to fucking smash it very, very soon.
I just haven’t quite figured out how it’s going to go down. I’m hoping
inspiration will strike at the right time—just like the night we stumbled over
the IT geeks on our way to meet Bexley, when he needed to be taught a
lesson. They didn’t take much convincing to send that photograph around
the entire school for everyone to see, while ensuring the trail didn’t lead
back to us in any way.
My lips twitch as I think about that pathetic motherfucker tied naked to
that pole. It was the least he deserved, but fuck if it didn’t feel good. I’d
heard since it was his mother who eventually came to untie him. Seems
maybe his team doesn’t care as much as he thought, because they quite
happily left him there and continued partying without him.
Oh, how the mighty fall.
Although I’m sure he’s going to come back fighting at some point. He’s
been too quiet. I have no doubt he’s planning some big revenge as we
speak. Whatever it is, he’ll lose. I’ve no doubt.
Standing in the bedroom of the pool house, I stare at my reflection in
the full-length mirror. I look fucking ridiculous. I thought my prep school
uniform was bad, but this… this is a fucking joke.
I pull at the tight collar of my crisp white shirt. It feels like it’s fucking
strangling me. My tattoos peek out on my neck and down onto my hands,
and I refuse to remove my piercings. James can try to dress me up to look
like a preppy douchebag, but he can never remove the truth. I’m bad
through and fucking through, and it’s about time he had a reminder of that.
Rolling my eyes at myself, I pull a blunt from my pocket and light up.
There’s no fucking way I’m leaving dressed like this while sober.
“I feel like a fucking penguin,” Conner mutters, coming to join me with
Cole following him. They're dressed exactly the same in the tuxes James
oh-so-helpfully hired for us.
“This bitch had better be worth it,” Cole mutters as Conner snatches the
blunt from between my fingers and takes a drag. He makes a show of
offering it to Cole, but we both know he can’t have any, no matter how
desperate he is.
“You got any fucking alcohol in this place?” He stalks toward the
kitchen and starts pulling the cupboards open. “Jackpot!” He pulls out the
bottle of vodka I’d stashed and lifts it to his lips.
Motherfucker.
“Seriously though, is James just trying to piss us off?” Conner asks,
falling down into what he seems to have claimed as his beanbag now.
“No. He’s just trying to piss me off. This is a test to see if I really care
about his precious Remi.”
“Which you do. Evidenced by the fucking ridiculous penguin suit.”
“So it would seem.”
“Oh, don’t be like that. That girl’s got you so fucking whipped.” I raise
an eyebrow at him as I take another drag. “You’d just about do anything for
her, I’d put money on it.”
 “That’s one bet I wouldn’t take, brother.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Do we need to have another
little chat about not fucking this up?”
“That wasn’t a little chat, asshole. That was me giving you a shiner for
sticking your nose in my business.”
“Remember it how you like, but I warned you.”
“Whatever.” Dropping what’s left of the blunt into a used beer bottle
sitting on the coffee table, I push to stand and smooth down the front of my
pants.
“Come on, let’s get this shit over with.”
“I can hardly fucking wait.”
“Jesus fucking Christ. Does James think she’s a real fucking princess or
some shit?” Conner asks as we round the corner to find a fucking limo
waiting for us. “We’re his own flesh and blood, and we don’t even receive a
fucking card, yet she gets this treatment.”
I don’t need his reminder of how this differs to our own birthdays over
the years. Most of them our own mother didn’t even remember, let alone
our absent uncle.
My stomach clenches with anger that, while we were barely living back
in the Heights, James was here living it up and treating his princess like
she’s fucking royalty. It’s the exact reminder I need for why I’m doing all
this.
If this were anyone else's birthday, I would not be here right now. As it
is, I’m very tempted to turn around and throw these fucking clothes onto a
fucking bonfire.
I don’t realize there’s anyone inside, so I’m surprised when William
opens the back door and a high-heel clad foot appears behind it.
“Fuck me sideways,” Conner breathes as Remi steps away from the car
and allows us to get a look at her. “Well, that’s me suitably jealous. You’re
in for a good night, lucky bastard.”
I barely register his words as all the blood in my body races toward my
cock. “Fuck me.”
My eyes take in her perfectly curled hair hanging around her bare
shoulders, before dropping down to her deep red, skin-tight, full-length
dress. Her tits are pushed up in such a way that all I can think about doing is
sinking my teeth into them and rebranding her, because that is literally the
only thing that could make this sight any better.
 That thought is shot to shit when she takes a step toward me and her
long, bare leg emerges from behind the fabric.
“Whoa. That thing should be fucking illegal.”
“Stop. Fucking. Looking.”
“I would if I could make my eyes move.”
I elbow Conner in the side, and the little bitch moans as if I punched
him again.
“That wasn’t necessary,” he sulks as Remi joins us.
“That tux looks good on you, Ace.”
“Not as fucking good as that dress does on you.” I continue running my
eyes up and down her body, not really believing she’s real.
“Excuse me while I go puke in the flowerbed.” We both ignore my
irritating brother.
“I really didn’t think you’d come.”
“It’s your birthday, Princess. Where else would I be?”
“I don’t know. Running drugs, killing a guy or two.” Her brow rises, but
there’s a smile on her lips. “Anything but wearing that and coming to the
most exclusive restaurant this town has to offer.”
“I must admit, the first two options do sound more appealing, but sadly,
you’re stuck with me. And, if you’re lucky, I won’t even kill anyone.”
She laughs, and I smile with her. She likes to joke about my previous
life, but I’m not sure she realizes that almost everything she says is true.
I didn’t lie to her the day I told her I wasn’t a good person. I guess it
says more about her than it does me that she’s willing to overlook it all,
whereas I’m the selfish motherfucker who didn’t give her a chance.
“Come on,” James calls, making my muscles tense instantly. “We need
to go, we have a reservation.”
Heaven forbid we make the place wait for us.
I roll my eyes and slip my hand into Remi’s to pull her back toward the
limo. Letting her climb in first, I pretend it’s because I’m a gentleman.
That’s bullshit, I just want to stare at her ass as she bends over and try to
figure out if she's got any panties on or not. My cock swells as I picture her
bare pussy beneath the silky fabric. Biting down on my cheek, I picture
laying her out on my bed later and pushing the fabric of her dress up around
her waist, eating her until she’s coming on my face.
Fuck, this is going to be a long ass evening.
“Have you ever been in a limo before, boys?” Sarah asks politely.
 I’m about to bark back an equally dumbass reply when Conner speaks
up.
“I’m not sure a limo has ever been to the Heights. If it had, it probably
left looking a little different to how it arrived.”
Both Cole and I chuckle, clearly both picturing a similar scene.
“Okay, well… I think you’ll like The Blue Bay, the food is out of this
world.”
“Do they have those fancy little portions?” Conner asks skeptically. He
cares more about the amount of food he’s going to get tonight than he does
about having to wear these god awful suits.
“Um… some of them can be on the smaller side. But I’m sure there will
be plenty.”
The drive across town is awkward as hell, and it doesn’t get any better
when we turn off the main road down a private driveway leading to the
restaurant.
“Fucking hell, that’s impressive.”
“Language, Conner,” James barks, looking anything but comfortable
with us all together. He keeps looking between me, Remi, and our joined
hands like he’s going to shank me any minute.
You’re not getting out of this quite that easily, motherfucker.
The restaurant is more pretentious than I expected, and I hate it from the
moment we walk through the doors. Everything is either perfect white or
chrome. The floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the almost three-hundred
and sixty degree view of the Bay beyond, and when I ask for a beer the
waitress turns her nose up like I’ve ordered a glass of shit.
“Champagne for the adults and orange juice for the kids, please,” James
says, stepping in.
“Kids?” I ask incredulously when the waiter has walked away. “None of
us are fucking kids.”
“You’re under twenty-one, so no alcohol will pass your lips tonight.”
I scoff and sit back in my seat. Remi’s hand brushes up my thigh, and I
reach down to wrap my fingers around it as I try to keep my cool.
I don’t want to fucking be here, pretending that we’re the fucking Brady
Bunch.
It’s bullshit, all of it.
“What the fuck is this shit?” Conner asks, his eyes wide as he stares at
the menu before him. It might as well be written in another fucking
language for all the sense it makes.
“Just pick what meat you want and the rest can be a surprise,” I tell him
as James’ eyes drill into the top of his head. “What was wrong with a
normal restaurant where we can wear normal clothes and eat normal
sounding food?”
“It’s Remi’s birthday, she deserves the best.”
“Even though she specifically told you she didn’t want this.”
“That’s enough,” he hisses. “Stop trying to ruin it.”
“Me? You want me to stop ruining it? Un-fucking-believable. Are you
really that clueless?”
He stares at me for a beat before the waiter reappears and puts an end to
our slanging match to take our orders.
“Remi, I know your birthday isn’t officially until Friday, but with Cole’s
first game and the party I’m sure you’ll all attend after, I thought we should
celebrate tonight. So, without further ado. Happy birthday, sweetheart.”
James hands over a perfectly wrapped box.
She’s forced to remove her hand from my leg, and I reluctantly let her
go, although I miss her calming touch the second her heat leaves me.
“Oh wow,” her eyes go wide, “I wasn’t expecting anything. Thank you
so much.”
“You don’t even know what’s inside yet, baby,” Sarah coos, nodding
toward the box eagerly, hinting to the fact that she’s well aware of its
contents.
We all watch in silence as Remi pulls open the ribbon and slides the top
off. She pulls back the tissue that hides the contents before she gasps. “Oh
my goodness, James. I can’t. This is too much.”
“Nothing is too much, sweetheart. You deserve it and more.”
We all watch with bated breath as she reaches in and pulls out what has
her so shocked. The last thing I expect to see when her fingers emerge is a
fucking car key.
A tornado begins to swell within me. He bought her a fucking car. I risk
a glance over at my brothers, who are also staring at it in utter disbelief.
For years we go without anything, not even a fucking phone call. I
might be the only one out of the three of us who’s turned eighteen so far,
but I didn’t get a fucking car. All I got was a fucking OD’d mother and a
fucked-up life.
 Remi’s hand trembles as she places it on the table. She glances my way,
her eyes burning into my side of my face as my stare remains on the key.
This is total fucking bullshit.
Is this why he wanted us here? So he could rub everything we don’t
have in our faces? Are we really that unworthy? That unlovable?
That meaningless?
“That’s not all.” James eyes the box again, and Remi hesitantly looks
inside.
She pulls out an envelope. Assuming it’s just a card, I sit back and try to
work on my anger not getting the better of me. This is the last place I need
to lose my cool with James, but I’m balancing on a very thin edge right
now.
As expected, Remi pulls a birthday card from the envelope, but it’s not
until something falls from it that I see red. My head spins and my fists
clench.
“James, no. I can’t accept this.”
“You can and you will. It’s for the college of your choice.”
“This is fucking bullshit.”
Gasps sound out around the restaurant as my chair goes toppling back
and all eyes turn on me, but the only ones I see are his. The lying
motherfucker who’s trying to ruin my life with his manipulation and lies.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Remi

I can’t breathe.
The entire restaurant is watching us, a mix of disgust, curiosity, and
surprise swirling in their eyes.
Ace is looming over me, anger rolling off him so dark it’s palpable. I
reach out for him, staring into his eyes and willing him to calm down. “Sit
down, Ace, we can talk about it.”
There’s no way I’m accepting a car and the check off James. It doesn’t
feel right, none of it does, and my heart sinks for the three boys around the
table who look gutted.
“Ace, I suggest you sit down, son. You’re ruining Remi’s birthday
meal.”
I shoot James a pleading glance. He’s making it worse. I know he
probably didn’t mean to rub his wealth in his nephews’ faces, but that’s
exactly what he’s done, and now he’s driving a wedge between me and Ace
so deep I feel like I might fall in and never find my way out.
“Ace, please...” I say, tugging his hand. But his eyes are fixed on James,
burning with so much contempt, I feel a tingle of fear. I know Ace hates his
uncle. I know there’s more going on here than I understand, but I barely
recognize the guy standing beside me right now.
 “Ace, look at me.” I stand up, facing him. His chest is heaving and his
eyes are so dark and empty. A violent shiver runs through me.
“Come on, let’s eat and try to make the most of it. Please.”
“This was a mistake,” he grits out. “I should never have come.”
Hurt swells inside me. “Hey, look at me.” I touch my palm to his face.
He’s staring right past me. “Ace, please,” I beg.
“Excuse me,” the manager appears, “is there a problem?”
“Yeah, there is,” Ace’s tone is ice cold, “but don’t worry, the trash will
see itself out.” He rips his hand away from mine and stalks toward the
entrance. I’m about to take off after him, but James leaps from his seat.
“Stay,” he says, rubbing his jaw. “I’ll go and speak to him. I perhaps
didn’t handle that very well.”
Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I nod. To my surprise, Conner and
Cole don’t go after their brother. Mom is whispering something to Cole, and
Conner is shaking his head as if he can’t quite believe what just happened.
“He got you a fucking car,” he sneers.
“I didn’t ask for it,” I choke out, rubbing my throat. My eyes flick to the
door Ace just stalked out of. People are no longer staring, instead casting
furtive glances at our table while they chat and eat their meals. “I told you
this was a bad idea.”
Mom’s face pales. “I didn’t know he was going to give you the check,
not here. I swear.”
So why did he do it?
It makes no sense.
James isn’t malicious. Sure, he might get it wrong sometimes,
especially where Ace and his brothers are concerned. But he cares. If he
didn’t, he would never have taken them in.
I glance to Conner, ready to ask him if he thinks I should go check on
his uncle and Ace, but he beats me to it.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You saw what happened just now.” He lowers his voice. “That’s the
Ace we know. The guy with the short fuse and quick temper. I love my
brother more than anything, but he’s messed up, Remi. More than you’ll
ever know.”
“I’m going to check on—“ I’m halfway out of my seat when James
returns.
 “Ace won’t be coming back.”
“What did he say?” I swallow the pain burning my throat. “Maybe I
should go after him?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, he needs some space to cool off.”
I look at Conner and Cole, hoping they’ll back me up. Cole’s eyes are
narrowed, and I know he isn’t happy with what went down, but indecision
flickers in his gaze. Conner looks resigned. His brows are drawn tight, and
his eyes hold a sadness that squeezes my heart.
“He’s his own worst enemy, Remi,” he says. “All he had to do was play
nice.”
I’m out of my seat before I can stop myself. “I’m going to see if I can
talk to him.” Without looking back, I hurry out of the restaurant.
But when I get outside, there’s no sign of Ace.
I dig my cell phone out of my purse and call him. It rings out, so I text
instead.

Remi: We need to talk about this, please.

I stand there, waiting for his reply. Desperate for a sign he’s okay. He’d
been so angry when the check slid out of my birthday card. Betrayal.
Resentment. Hatred. It all swirled in his eyes, radiated from him, but I saw
through it. I saw the young boy trying to be a man in a world that only ever
taught him disappointment.
A world that had repeatedly told him he wasn’t good enough.

Remi: I’ll be here waiting, when you’re ready.

I hit send and inhale a deep breath. Hopefully, Ace will realize that it’s
not our differences that define us but how we feel and love and live.
Ace says he doesn’t care about anything, but I know he does.
He cares too much.

Ace didn’t come back. He didn’t call. He didn’t text. It’s like he’s
disappeared off the face of the Earth. But Conner didn’t need to tell me
where his brother had gone off too. I knew there was only one place Ace
would escape to when things got too hard.
The Heights.
Part of me wants to go after him, to borrow Mom’s car and go down
there and demand he talk to me, but I don’t. Because I realized something
else after the shitshow that was my birthday dinner last night.
I can’t be the only one fighting for us.
“Hey, almost birthday girl.” Hadley sits down and nudges my shoulder.
“Why the frown?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Wouldn’t happen to do with a certain brooding bad boy causing a
scene at The Blue Bay last night, would it?”
“News sure travels fast.”
“I heard Mr Triskin telling Mrs Gomez.”
“Triskin was there? Great, that’s just—“
“Relax.” She chuckles. “Who gives a shit what Triskin or anyone else
thinks? I’m more worried if you’re okay.”
“He’s gone, Hads.” Sadness coils around my heart.
“What do you mean, gone?”
“He didn’t return to his uncle’s. He isn’t in school today. He won’t
answer my calls or reply to my messages.”
“That’s rough.”
I nod around a weak smile. “Some birthday, huh?”
“He’ll come back. I saw the two of you in the hall the other day. He’s
just as smitten as you.”
“And if he doesn’t?” I want to believe Ace will be back once he’s
cooled off, but part of me worries things will be different now.
“You should have seen him, Hads. He was so angry. I could kill James
for doing that.”
“What did he do?”
“He bought me a car. A freakin’ car. And then as if that wasn’t enough,
he gave me a check for college.”
“Wow, okay, that’s huge.”
“I know. And to make matters worse, I had no idea. It isn’t any wonder
Ace hates me. He and his brothers grew up in the Heights with nothing, and
then James goes and gifts me a car and a check for college like it’s a store
card for the Gap. What the hell was he thinking?”
 “He probably wasn’t thinking. That man is completely smitten with your
mom, and he adores you. It’s just money, and everyone knows James Jagger
has plenty of that lying around.”
“Which is why none of it makes any sense,” I say, something about the
whole thing bugging me. “James has all this money, the house, endless
resources... and yet, he left his sister-in-law to fend for herself and raise
three kids after her husband died? Why didn’t he help them?”
“I thought your mom told you he did try?”
“Yeah, but why didn’t he intervene?”
“Families are strange things, girl. I know that better than anyone.
Perhaps he did try, and in the end he had no choice but to walk away?”
“Yeah, maybe.” But I still didn’t buy it. There was a piece of the puzzle
still missing.
“Your boy will come around, and when he does, you can have crazy
wild make up sex.”
“Hads!” Warmth spreads through me.
“Tell me you don’t want to?”
I press my lips together, fighting a smile. I do want that. Damn, I want it
so much.
But first, Ace needs to come to his senses.

“Anything?” I ask, hopeful as I slide into Conner and Cole’s car.

Conner grimaces, and I have my answer.
“Well, has he said anything?”
“Just that he needs time.”
“Time, right,” I grumble.
“Listen, Remi, maybe it’s just time you accept that you and Ace are—“
“Con,” Cole warns.
“What, man? I don’t like seeing her waiting around for him like this.
She deserves better.”
I flinch. I know he means it as a compliment, but I only hear another
strike against his brother.
“You told him I didn’t accept the check, right?” I’d wanted to refuse the
car too, but Mom begged me to see sense. It was just a car. I could get a
part-time job to pay for the gas and insurance, and finally having my own
set of wheels would be kind of cool.
In the end, we’d compromised. At the weekend, James is taking me to
exchange the brand new Audi for something less flashy and more
economical.
“See, bro, I told you.” Conner and Cole are having their own
conversation.
“You told him what?”
Conner meets my confused stare in the rear-view mirror. “You’re in too
deep with Ace.”
“I am not—“
“Listen to yourself.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “You turned down a
check for college, Remi. That’s some messed-up shit.”
“It isn’t... I wasn’t expecting that from James. If I wanted someone to
pay my way, I’d take my dad’s money.”
“But that’s just it.” He slams his hand against the steering wheel,
startling me. “You’ve got options. You have a line of people trying to help
you. And you’re throwing it all away and for what, a future with my
brother? I hate to break it to you, but you’re kidding yourself. Girls like you
don’t end up with guys like us.”
“Conner, that’s not—“
“Just hear me out. It’s cute that you try to shed your rich girl skin,
commendable even. But when people see you and my brother together,
that’s all they see. The rich girl slumming it with a guy from the wrong side
of the tracks. He’s never going to get past that, and one day, you’ll end up
hating him for it.”
I sink back against the warm leather. Is Conner right? Am I just a
permanent reminder to Ace of everything they’ve never had?
Have I been fooling myself this entire time?
“What my dick of a brother is trying to say—” Cole starts, but I cut him
dead.
“I get it, thanks.” The words get stuck over the lump in my throat.
Needing a distraction from the tension in the car, I dig out my cell
phone and check for messages.
But there’s nothing.
Deciding to try one last time, I text Ace.
Remi: I won’t text again. Maybe you realized I’m not worth it. Or
maybe you’re just drunk or high and trying to figure out how to tell me
you’re an idiot for running last night... whatever it is, I want you to
know that I see you, Ace. I see you, and I’m still here.

I hit send and close my eyes. I don’t expect my cell to ping with a reply.
And I definitely don’t expect his name to flash across my screen.

Ace: We should talk. Tomorrow night, after the game?

Remi: Yes, where?

A flicker of hope grows inside me.

Ace: Pool house? James is out of town and Conner and Cole will be at
the party. So it’ll just be the two of us.

Remi: I’ll be there.

Ace: Good.

His tone isn’t exactly filling me with happiness, but I’ll take whatever I
can get right now. Because I know that if we sit down and talk, we can
figure everything out.
Together.
I’m about to text another reply when my cell pings again.

Ace: Oh, and Princess—wear something sexy. We have a lot of making

up to do.

A bolt of desire pulses through me, and I can barely contain my smile.
We’re going to be okay.
I just know we are.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Ace

I t might be two days later, but the moment when I saw the figure on that
check signed by James fall from the card is on constant replay in my
mind.
The second I stormed out of that restaurant, I was gone. It didn’t matter
what I was wearing, I took off running even before James had a chance to
try and dig himself out of the hole he’d already landed himself in.
He tries to make out like he’s the decent guy for taking us in, giving us
all the things we deserve and missed out on, but the only one he cares about
is her.
It should be us. He was the one who ruined our life. He’s the one who
ensured we grew up without a father and with a junkie whore for a mother.
It. Is. All. His. Fault.
As I walk back into the pool house, the anger swirls in my stomach as if
it happened only moments ago.
I don’t want to be back here. I want to stay in the Heights and drink and
smoke myself into oblivion, but I’ve got a plan to see through to the end.
James thinks he’s winning right now. But it’s time to pull out the Ace
card and send him tumbling to his fucking knees.
I make quick work of tidying the place up so it looks like I’ve made an
effort. I even put a few fucking candles around the bedroom in an attempt to
make it all romantic and shit. Shaking my head at myself, I cuss under my
breath. I’ve never made this much effort for a girl before. Ever.
I usually give them what they need and send them on their way. But
Remi is different. She needs more of a gentle touch. And after all, it is her
fucking birthday.
Pulling the cake from the bag it was dropped into when I left the store, I
push a couple of candles in the top. It’s not exactly a brand new car or a free
ride to the college of her choice, but it’s the best I can do.
Her real present will be here tomorrow.
Conner let slip that Sarah has planned a surprise party for her here
tomorrow night. Somehow she’s invited our entire fucking class without
Remi finding out. Although, I’m not sure why I’m surprised, it’s not like
she actually talks to any of the kids at school. Sarah’s about as oblivious to
her daughter’s life as James is to what I know. At least she means well;
James is just a manipulative cunt.
I shower and dress. I told Remi to meet me here after the game,
knowing that everyone will be heading for the first after party at Bexley’s.
Part of me wants to turn up to that thing just so I can ruin it before his eyes,
but I’ve got my sights set on Remi tonight.
She boldly told me what she wanted for her birthday, and fuck me, am I
going to deliver.
My cock stirs at just the thought of what tonight is going to hold. It
almost makes coming back here worth it.
I slip out of the pool house ten minutes before the game is going to start.
I have zero interest in football or the Seahawks, but there’s no fucking way
I’m missing Cole’s first game. I might keep myself hidden in the shadows
where no one else can see me, but I’ll be there, and I know he’ll know too.
It’s no easy task keeping my focus on the game, though, not with the anger
that’s eating me from the inside out as I stand in the darkest spot I can find.
Only a few people see me, but no one dares talk to me.
No doubt the rumors of what happened in that godforsaken restaurant is
hot gossip around here. After all, no one behaves like that in a place where
dinner costs more than a half-decent car in the Heights.
I shake my head. These fucking idiots don’t have a clue what real life is
like.
It’s not very often I feel anything but anger, frustration, or
disappointment, but as I jump on my bike to head back to the pool house to
wait for Remi to appear, I swear a little excitement races through me.
It’s just because I’m going to finally have her, I tell myself. But I fear
it’s more than that. And it’s that little bit of fear that has me questioning
everything I’ve spent the last couple of days planning.
Remi is the main player in this game she’s unknowingly involved in, but
equally she’s my biggest weakness. With one wrong—or maybe right—
move, she could put an end to all of this. I have no doubt she could hold
that much power over me if she really put her mind to it.
But I need to resist.
I need to fight her large doe eyes that see more in me that anyone else
ever has. I need to resist her kind and encouraging words, and I need to
resist her lies that she doesn’t want James’ car or money, because who in
their right fucking mind would turn something like that down?
Someone who isn’t like the people of your past.
I push that little voice down and lock the door behind it. Now is not the
time for doubts. Now is the time to see this motherfucker through to the
final play.
As if on cue, the click of her heels on the path leading to the pool house
ring out, and in only seconds she pulls the door open and steps inside.
I’m in the bedroom waiting for her. I’m too fucking impatient to wait
any longer than necessary.
“Ace?” she calls, her voice quiet and unsure.
“Bedroom.”
Her footsteps draw nearer, and I swear to fucking god I’m nervous for
those few seconds. But all the nerves, excitement, and uncertainty fall from
my head. “Fucking hell, Princess.” My chin drops and my eyes widen at the
sight of her.
I know I said to dress sexy, but fuck me sideways, I was not expecting
this.
She stands before me with her hair in pigtails, her natural curl twisting
the ends, wearing a blue and white Seahawks cheer uniform.
“Do not tell me that’s Michaela’s.”
A shy, mischievous smile tugs at her lips as her hands come to rest on
her hips. “You set me a challenge, Ace. And I do hate to disappoint.”
“You stole her fucking uniform.”
“Yeah, well, she must have a million seeing as it’s the only thing she
wears, so I doubt she’ll miss it.” Remi shrugs.
 “Do you have any fucking idea how sexy you are right now?”
Color stains her cheeks, spreading down her neck and onto her chest.
Before I know I’ve moved, I’ve crawled off the bed and I’m tugging on
one of her pigtails. “No one else had better have seen you like this.”
“Why, Ace? Jealous?”
“Fucking right. No one sees you like this but me.” Reaching behind my
head, I pull my shirt off and drop it to the floor. “I can’t fucking wait to get
this off you.”
“Oh yeah? And here I was thinking you didn’t want to see me again.”
She tilts her head to the side and quirks an eyebrow at me.
“That wasn’t about you, baby. That was my shit.”
“I know, I just… I needed to talk to you about it.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, sliding my hand up her neck and gripping onto her
nape. Pressing my forehead to hers, I drag in a deep breath.
“I get it, Ace. If I had any idea that James—”
“Don’t,” I say, startling her. “Please, this isn’t about him,” I say a little
softer, focusing on her touch rather than my festering anger. “This about us.
About celebrating your birthday the proper way.”
“Oh yeah? You still want to…”
“Oh, Princess. I’ve thought of nothing else,” I lie as I grip onto her ass
and lift her to my body.
Her legs wrap around my waist and her heat presses right against my
already semi-hard cock.
I brush my fingers over the bare skin of her ass. “You… you’re not
wearing any panties.”
“I thought it would save you a job.”
I growl, dropping my lips to the soft skin of her neck and sucking it into
my mouth hard enough to leave a mark. I want her to remember this night
for a long fucking time.
Throwing her down on the bed, I watch her bounce. The second she
settles, she parts her legs and shows me what she’s hiding beneath her skirt.
“Ummm…” I dive for her, pushing her thighs apart, wasting no time in
pressing my tongue to her clit.
She squeals, her fingers diving into my hair to pull me closer. “Oh fuck,
Ace.”
“You need this, baby?”
“More than you know.”
 “Are you sure about that?” Reaching up, I squeeze her breast over the
fabric of her top.
“Oh god. So good.”
I want to say all kinds of dirty things to her, but my need to keep tasting
her, to drive her over the edge with my tongue, to get her nice and ready for
my cock is too much to resist.
I keep up the pressure on her clit and slide two fingers into her wet heat.
She groans and immediately tries to suck me deeper. Greedy little bitch.
Bending my fingers, I find the spot that’s sure to make her scream, and in
only minutes she falls over the edge and does just that.
While she’s still coming down from her high, I pull her skirt from her
hips before sitting her up and dragging the drop over her head.
“You seem to have forgotten to visit all your underwear drawers tonight,
huh?”
“You don’t appreciate the easier access?” she asks cheekily.
“Oh, baby. I fucking love it.”
Crashing my lips to hers, I sweep my tongue into her mouth, allowing
her to taste herself and to claim her once again.
Fuck. This girl is like fucking kryptonite.
Dragging my lips from hers, I kiss down her neck next before I lick
down her chest to my favorite spot.
“Accce,” she squeals when I sink my teeth into the same place I did that
very first day.
She squirms, telling me that my branding her turns her on as much as it
does me.
I kiss down to her breasts and her back arches in my arms as I suck her
nipples into my mouth and run my tongue around them teasingly.
“Ace, please. I need more… I need… you.”
Climbing from the bed, I push my sweats down my legs and kick them
off.
“I’m not sure you were in any position to comment on my lack of
underwear,” she quips.
“I'm all about an easy life, Princess.” I grab a condom from the box I
left in my nightstand and drop it to the bed beside her.
She stares at it and swallows nervously.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” she confirms, sounding much more confident than she looks.
 “I’ll take it slow. Make sure you’re ready.”
“I’m ready. I need you.”
“Fuck. Keep talking like that and there will be no going slow.”
“I don’t care, Ace. Whatever you give, I’ll willingly accept.”
“Shit, Remi,” I mutter under my breath. How the fuck was I lucky
enough to find this girl?
I realize something in that moment as I stare down at her where she’s
waiting for me with her legs still wide and her chest heaving with desire.
I’m going to regret what happens here for the rest of my life.
But even with that epiphany, it’s not enough to stop me setting my plan
into motion.
I crawl back between her legs and rip the silver packet open with my
teeth. She watches intently as I blow the bit I tore off into the room and pull
the condom out. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she watches me roll it
down my length. Her neck ripples as she swallows her apprehension about
what’s to come.
Taking myself in my hand, I lean over her and take her lips. I kiss her
with bruising force as I run the tip of my cock through her wet folds. She’s
so fucking ready for me it has my cock weeping with the need to sink as
deep inside her as I can go.
Fuck, I want to be connected to her in a way that we don’t know where I
end and she begins. I want to lose everything, forget everything, as I bury
myself inside her.
Dropping to her entrance, I push inside ever so slightly. Remi tenses at
the invasion, but her kiss doesn’t falter as her nails scratch down my back.
Her walls ripple around me and I push further, my restraint already at
breaking point. She moans, and I know that what’s about to come isn’t
going to be pleasant for her, but there’s no stopping it.
“Last chance to change your mind, Princess. If you have any doubts,
now’s the time to say,” I whisper in her ear.
“No. No doubts, Ace. I want you to be my firrrrst.” Her final word
stretches out as I thrust into her in one smooth glide. Remi tenses beneath
me, her breath catching in her throat as she tries to smother the small
whimper of pain.
“Fuck, don’t move,” she says, her eyes squeezed tight as the pain
subsides.
 She’s still for a long, painful second before her eyelids flutter open and
her mesmerizing dark eyes find mine. “Okay, I’m good. Do your thing,
Ace.”
I want to laugh at the determined look on her face, but I can’t, because
the sensation of her pussy squeezing me impossibly tight is the only thing I
can focus on.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Remi

A ce slides out of me and sinks slowly back in. I clutch onto his
shoulders, letting my body adjust to the feel of him.
He’s everywhere.
His weight pressing me down into the mattress, one of his hands
pinning my wrists above my head, his lips feasting on my skin... It’s
everything I thought it would be and more.
“Jesus, Remi, you feel amazing,” he murmurs against my throat, licking
and sucking the skin there. I’m stretched out beneath him, completely at his
mercy.
And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I’m not sure I can go slow,” he breathes, rolling his hips in slow,
measured strokes.
“So don’t.” I lock my legs around his hips, arching my back to meet
him. It’s as if my body knows what to do.
“God, yeah,” he croons. “Just like that. You’re so fucking tight, baby.
So fucking good.” The words catch in Ace’s throat as he picks up the pace.
He leans back a little to stare down at me, watching as he plays my body to
sweet perfection. My breasts jiggle between us and he dips his head,
drawing one of the peaks into his mouth and sucking, letting it go with a
pop.
 “God, Ace,” I pant. “It feels...”
“I know, baby.” He grips my jaw, tilting my head to one side and
dragging his tongue up my throat. “I know. I’ll never forget this,” he
whispers, so quietly I barely hear him.
“Good thing you won’t have to.”
Because I already can’t wait to do this again.
“Yeah, that’s right, Remi. Princess, you’re mine now.” Ace stares down
at me with those cool blue eyes of his and I begin to tremble. It feels
different like this, a lingering sensation off in the distance that I can’t quite
grasp.
“Ace, I need... more.” He slips a hand between our bodies, finding my
clit, strumming in a rhythm that has me crying his name.
“You should see yourself like this. My dirty little prep school princess
giving it up to the big bad wolf.” He drives harder, pushing my body up the
bed. Our moans fill the space, breathy desperate moans. Our bodies slide
together, slick with sweat and drenched in lust.
“I’m close,” he groans, kissing me hard. Our tongues tangle as we race
towards the edge. His hands are everywhere, in my hair, around my throat,
squeezing and kneading my breasts. I can’t breathe. Can’t think.
Ace consumes me.
He’s not just branding me, he’s claiming me. He’s ruining me for all
other men. Not that I want anyone else.
I only want him.
“Fuck, this will never be enough.” He slides a hand underneath my butt
and lifts me, slamming into me with brute force. My eyes sting with tears,
but I’m too lost in sensation to care.
“Come for me, Princess. Come all over my cock.” Ace clamps his teeth
around my nipple and I fall, my walls squeezing him tight.
“Fuuuuuck,” he hisses, stilling inside me.
My heart beats wildly in my chest, my body sore in the most delicious
way. I know he’s probably left marks. Bite marks, and bruises where his
fingers dug into my hip a little too hard. But I loved every second of it.
Silence envelops us as we both ride the lingering high. Ace buries his
face in my neck, tenderly kissing my damp skin. Eventually, he gets up and
disposes of the condom. When he comes back to bed, I snuggle into his
side.
“Hey,” I ask, brushing my fingers through his hair.
 He’s too quiet.
Too still.
“Are you okay?”
Slowly, Ace lifts his head, giving me his eyes. “Better than fine.” He
gives me a wolfish grin, but something about it feels off. “Everything is
exactly as it’s supposed to be.”
My brows knit, a strange tingle rolling up my spine. “Are you sure
you’re okay?”
“Relax, Princess. Everything was great.”
My stomach knots at the coolness in his voice.
“Did I... do something wrong?” I whisper. He’s no longer looking at me
adoringly—he’s looking at me with utter disappointment.
I push away from him and sit up, pulling the sheet up my body. “Ace?”
I say when he doesn’t reply.
He sits up too, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed giving me his
back. His head hangs low as if something is wrong.
“I thought this is what you wanted? I thought—“
He looks over at me and my heart sinks. An evil smirk graces his face.
“You made it so fucking easy.”
“W-what? I don’t understand. I thought we—“
“You thought what, huh? That we’d ride off into the sunset? That I’d
follow you to some fancy ass college on good old Uncle James’ money?”
“Ace, please.” Pain splinters down my chest. This isn’t my Ace. It isn’t
the boy who just made me feel things I’ve never felt before.
It isn’t.
Yet, I see nothing but honesty in his eyes.
“You played me?” I say slowly, the pieces of this surreal nightmare
slowly falling into place. “I’m just part of your game to get back at James?
You... used me.” I pull the sheet closer, hating that I can still feel his touch
branded on my skin.
“Answer me!” I yell, anger vibrating beneath my skin.
“What can I say, Princess? You just made it so fucking easy.”
“You bastard.” I lunge at him, my palm cracking across his cheek. Ace’s
eyes flare, and before I can stop him he pushes me down on the bed,
covering my body with his.
“You were begging for it. Begging for a taste of the bad boy. Don’t
pretend you weren’t using me for your own ends, too.”
 “You think I used you? I fucking fell for you, you bastard.” I try to slap
him again, but Ace snags my wrist, slamming my hand down beside my
head. Pain jerks along my arm, but I don’t scream.
I won’t.
“You’re lying,” I say, ready to call him out on his bullshit. Whatever
game he’s playing is some kind of cruel defense mechanism. He’s hurting
over his uncle, and I’m his punching bag.
“There’s no way this has all been fake,” I grit out. “I’ve been right there
beside you. Every kiss, every touch... you feel it, Ace, I know you do.”
A dark chuckle rumbles in his chest, setting my teeth on edge. “I know I
get you wet. And I knew it was only a matter of time before you gave it up.
You’re like a lost sheep, Princess. Starved of attention and ripe for the
taking.”
Tears burn the backs of my eyes as I try desperately not to cry. “I trusted
you,” I scream. “I defended you to my mom, to James. I fucking chose you,
and this is how you repay me?”
Ace rears back, standing up. His eyes are narrowed, but his expression
is clouded with something… indecision… regret, I don’t know, because all
I can focus on is the pain coiled around my heart.
I sit up, pulling the sheet back around my naked body. “I guess Conner
didn’t tell you yet, but I told James to keep his check. I never wanted his
money.” Sadness coats my words. “If I go to college it’ll be on my terms
and because I worked my ass off to get there.”
“Bullshit. You‘d be a fool not to take it.”
“Not if it costs me you,” I admit quietly. He doesn’t deserve the words,
but I say them anyway. Because I’m tired of pretending. I’m tired of always
holding in how I feel, and what I’ve been through.
“You were right about my mom’s ex-boyfriend,” I say around a sad
smile. “He tried to touch me. It started off as harmless hugs, stroking my
hair, telling me what a good girl I was. But then he’d corner me whenever
Mom was out of the room. His hands would dig into my hip a little too hard
and he’d press up against me, whispering in my ear how much he liked my
outfit. How much he’d like to see what was underneath.”
Ace’s jaw clenches, anger radiating off him. But I don’t stop. I need to
tell him this.
I need to finally tell someone this.
 “One night, they came home drunk. Mom passed out on the couch, and
I hid out in the bedroom to avoid him. It was too late by the time I realized
he was in my room. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. I can still
remember his fingers slipping under my pajamas and stroking my skin.”
Bile rushes up my throat, and I take a deep breath. “He was going to rape
me, I saw it right there in his eyes. Thankfully, Mom woke up and started
causing a fuss. It scared him enough to leave me alone. I started sleeping
over at Bexley’s a lot after that.”
“That fucker tried to rape you?” Ace’s eyes are as dark as night, his fist
curled at his sides.
I nod. “I closed off after that. The few friends I did have at school
started backing off, and I shrank into the shadows. Bexley hit puberty and
got hormones and started wanting things I couldn’t give him. And then you
came along.” Bitterness clings to my words.
Clutching the sheet to my body, I stand so that I’m face to face with
him. “You’re not wrong. Part of me did use you at the start, but not in the
way you think.” My voice trembles. I want to know what he’s thinking.
How he sees me now he knows the truth. “You didn’t give me time to get in
my head about stuff, you just took it. It’s messed up, but I think, in a way, I
needed that. I needed someone else to be in control.”
“Shit, Remi, that is fucking messed up. You make me sound like a
woman beater.”
I flinch at the severity in his tone. I hate that he calls me Remi, as if the
future is already decided between us. But it could be worse, he could
already be long gone.
“That’s not what I mean.” I release a weary sigh. “I always knew I
could say no to you and you wouldn’t push me. But I didn’t want to say no,
and that’s because, whether you want to admit it or not, Ace, there is
something real between us. I know you feel it.”
He has to. Because I’m not sure what I’ll do if he doesn’t.
A beat passes, the weight of my secret heavy above us. Ace is as white
as a sheet, his body vibrating with rage. “You should have told me,” he
grinds out.
“Would it have changed anything?”
“Shit, Remi, the things I did to you—“
“I didn’t tell you so you’d feel guilty, I told you because I want you to
understand that this isn’t a game to me. It’s the most real thing I’ve felt in a
long time.”
He searches my eyes for something, and for a split second, I think I’ve
reached him. But when he takes a step back, his stone mask sliding into
place, I know I’ve lost him.
“You were just a toy to me,” he says coldly. “A means to an end with a
little fun in between.”
“I don’t believe you. You took me to your home, introduced me to your
friends.”
“Who, Cruz and D? Nah.” He brushes a finger over his jaw, letting it
linger on his bottom lip. “They’re not my real crew. My real crew would eat
a pretty thing like you alive.”
“So that’s it then?” Disappointment rolls through me. “You’re going to
throw away a shot at something real because you’re too chickenshit to
prove people wrong?”
He takes a big step forward until he’s looming over me. “Begging looks
good on you, Remi. Maybe I should rethink my—”
Crack.
The sting of palm against his face has adrenaline pumping through me.
“Get out.”
“Is that it? You’re done? I’ve got to say I’m disappointed. I thought you
had a little more fight left in you.”
“What’s the point in fighting for something you already lost?” I press
my lips together, tipping my chin in defiance. I’m one step away from
falling apart, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction. “You should go.”
“Isn’t that my line?” he taunts. My Ace is gone. I realize that now. This
imposter is cruel and cold and callous. His words cut, but his cowardice
cuts deeper.
“Unless you want me to call your uncle and tell him exactly what kind
of piece of shit he’s let into his home, I suggest you leave.” My eyes flick to
my cell phone on the nightstand.
“Have it your way, Princess. I’ve got places to be, anyway.” He starts
pulling on clothes.
A rogue tear slips down my cheeks as I hug the sheet to my body. I
can’t believe this is the same night as when I first arrived.
I trusted Ace with a piece of my heart, and he ripped it out of my chest
and crushed it with his bare hands.
And he still. Doesn’t. Care.
 When he’s dressed, he grabs his cell and starts for the door. “So that’s
really how you want to leave it?” I call.
He pauses at the last second and glances back at me. “I don’t think
there’s anything left to say, do you?”
“I guess not.”
“Happy Birthday, Princess.” He smirks. “Thanks for the ride.”
Ace stalks out of the room without looking back, taking my bloodied,
broken heart with him.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Ace

I storm away from the pool house without looking back. I can’t. If I so
much as glance over my shoulder then I’m going to break.
Something rustles in the trees beside me, but I’m too focused on
where I’m going to look if someone’s there.
I did what I needed to do. My plan is in motion, and I need to stay
strong. This is what it’s all about: making James admit the truth and putting
together those final missing puzzle pieces from my life.
He’s the one to blame for how my life turned out. Things were good…
okay, no, things were fine before dad die— was murdered. Or at least that
was the plan. I don’t think anyone, James especially, expected him to turn
up again like fucking ghost.
If only he revealed all his secrets that day, none of this would have been
necessary.
He wanted me to discover the truth myself.
I’m not only doing this for me, I’m doing it for my brothers. Dad might
have set this all in motion, but he should be under no illusion that he’s next
on my hit list, should he ever be brave enough to show his face again.
He might have successfully blackmailed me into handing over the
chunk of cash I’d stashed to protect my family, but he went against his
promise to stay away. I know he saw my mom, and I know he’s the reason
she overdosed that night.
When I was a child, I thought he was a god. I doted on him. Wanted to
be just like him. But after my most recent interaction with him, I fear my
memory might be doing me a disservice.
He is not a good man.
I can’t argue that James probably had his reasons to do what he did, but
he didn’t need to leave us after. Dad might have been an asshole, but at least
back then we had two parents and I didn’t need to step up to the plate.
Throwing my leg over my bike, I rev the engine and get the hell out of
the Bay. I can’t be here right now when every little part of this town
reminds me of her.
I arrive in the Heights in record time. After stopping for some supplies,
I pull up in our old trailer park and bring the bike to a stop. There’s a patch
of land behind the park, and every weekend it’s where everyone heads to
get fucked up.
With a couple of bottles of scotch in hand, I make my way down.
Nearly everyone ignores me—they’re too high and wasted around to pay
me any attention, let alone recognize me.
I wasn’t lying when I said that Cruz and D weren’t my real crew.
They’re good people. They have honest jobs and mostly live honest lives.
These motherfuckers down here? These are real Heighters, and I would
never bring Remi here.
“Are my eyes deceiving me? Is that really Ace fucking Jagger walking
towards me?” JJ barks after doing a double-take.
“Well, fuck me. The wanderer returns. Decided against living it up with
the rich chicks in the Bay, then? Thought you’d come back and have a pop
at our pussy?” Dean says, amusement filling his dark and dangerous eyes.
“Talking of pussy, Kelsey is gonna be real happy to see you, bro.”
“Not interested,” I grunt.
“Fuck. They really are turning you into a stuck-up motherfucker, eh?
Kelsey not good enough for you all of a sudden?”
All eyes drill into me as I fall down onto the old couch. “Nah, that’s just
not why I’m here.”
“Why the fuck else would you be?”
I lift the bottle in my hand and make a show of twisting the top and
downing mouthful after mouthful until my throat burns for reprieve.
 “You motherfuckers got any blow?”
“Sure thing, man. Line ‘em up, Pike.”
I alternate between taking swigs from my bottle and doing a line of the
good shit Pike keeps hidden for special occasions. My homecoming is
apparently the perfect opportunity.
“Fuck me, this is good.”
My body buzzes as the cocktail of alcohol and sniff takes over my
thoughts.
Fuck yes.
Memories of what I left behind start to get hazy, and I settle back into
where I belong.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Ace Jagger.” Kelsey’s dulcet voice makes
my skin crawl, and she blows my escape from reality to shit.
When I don’t turn around, she walks directly in front of me. “I missed
you, baby.”
Just like the last time I saw her, her eyes are blown, her face is gaunt,
and as she decides she needs to climb onto my lap, I get a look at her
forearms. “When the fuck did you turn into a fucking junkie, Kels?” I snag
one of her wrists in my hand.
“About the same time I was left behind with nothing to do.”
“Don’t you fucking blame this on me. I didn’t shoot that shit into your
veins.”
“I don’t need it now you’re back,” she purrs, settling herself so she’s
straddling me.
“Not back two fucking minutes and he’s got every chick’s pussy fucking
wet. Jag, man. You need to teach us your secret,” one of the guys complains
as Kelsey’s lips go to my neck.
I swallow down another few shots of scotch as I try to drown the fact
that her touch does nothing for me. Electricity doesn’t shoot around my
body from her kiss. My skin doesn’t prickle with excitement when she runs
her fingers down my stomach. And my cock does fucking nothing.
Safe to say, in my quest to break the prep school princess, it seems I
only went and broke myself in the process.
I’m back in the place I thought I belonged, with the guys I once thought
of as my family, but nothing feels right. I don’t feel like I’ve come back
home. I feel like the outsider. The one who left and is trying to claw his way
back in.
 I never thought I’d say it, but I don’t want to be here. I want to drive my
ass back to the Bay and crawl into bed beside her hot little body and lose
myself in her instead of this bullshit.
I’m just about to push Kelsey off when a shadow looms over me.
Glancing up, I find one of Donny’s henchmen staring down at me. His face
is cold, murderous.
Fucking great.
This night is going from bad to fucking worse.
Kelsey hits the floor as I stand. She complains, but all I do is step over
her to find out what the fuck Bruce wants. Donny doesn't send him out for
any old reason. He sends him when he wants a job fucking done—and done
properly.
“What?” I bark, stepping up to him. I might not be all that happy about
his appearance, but there’s no fucking way I’m letting him know that.
“Donny’s pissed.”
“And I care because?”
“Because he needs you, and you're not doing your job.”
“I’m done, man. I can’t keep up with school and shit.” I don’t mean for
the excuse to come out loud, but as it does, the motherfucker’s eyes widen
in shock. I swear, even a smile tugs at his lips for a second, before he
remembers that he came here for a reason.
“You don’t call the shots around here, kid. If Donny needs you, you
come running. You know how it works.”
“And what if I don’t? Then what? Or is that why you're here? Disposal
of the unwanted trash.” Something flashes in his eyes, but I don’t need to
see it to know I just hit the nail on the head.
I square my feet, waiting for his first move and praying that I’m sober
enough right now to stand even half a chance going up against this guy.
“Come on then, big man. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
A crowd starts to gather around us. The only thing more addictive than
the drugs in this place is people’s need for blood.
I dodge his first few swings. He’s not as agile as I once remember him
being, and I wonder why Donny didn’t send someone younger. He knows I
can handle myself. I’d have thought he’d know to send someone who could
match me.
Unlike him, I land my first few blows. I ram my knuckles into his ribs,
his jaw, and shatter his nose. It’s then he sees red and he comes flying at
me.
The pain of his fists is nothing less than I deserve and I revel in it, using
it to spur me on.
The crowd cheers as we continue. Blood streams from his nose as I spit
out what’s filling my mouth from the cut in my lips.
“You ready to give up yet?” I taunt as we stare each other down.
He bares his teeth and reaches behind him. His knife reflects the roaring
bonfire that’s somewhere behind me. I follow his move, but when I reach
for my own weapon, it’s not there.
I briefly remember the events of tonight, of how quickly I dressed and
got out of that pool house. I never leave my knife or gun behind, but
because of her I fucking did. And exactly when I need it most.
He takes a step forward, and I prepare myself for what’s to come. I can
take this motherfucker down easily, but with a knife in his hand I’m much
less confident.
The atmosphere around us becomes heavy with tension, and my
previous thoughts about being in bed with Remi come back to me.
Why the fuck did I bother with all of this bullshit?
Is my need for revenge really worth all the pain? I remember her face as
I said those final words to her. The devastation in her features guts me
almost as much now as it did only a few hours ago.
My body moves on autopilot. I no longer feel his blows, nor when my
own fists connect with him. The roar of the crowd fades away, and I’m no
longer fighting a person but my own fucking demons, my own bad and
fucked-up decisions that led me here.
Clarity comes back to me a couple of seconds too late.
I need to get out of here. I need to go back to her. I need to tell her how I
really feel.
That’s the moment his final blow comes.
Everything goes black as pain shoots from my knees as they hit the
gravel beneath me only moments before the rest of my body crashes to the
ground.
Before everything fades away, it’s only her face I see. But she’s not
smiling, she’s got tears streaming down her face as she watches me leave.
I’m used to pain. Alongside anger, it’s what’s fueled most of my life up
until this point. So coming back around with every part of my body
screaming in pain is not uncommon. I’d just forgotten how much it fucking
sucked since living the high life for the past few weeks.
I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to discover the reality about where I
am and what’s happened to me since that motherfucker took me out. It
could have been an hour ago, or days ago, I’ve no fucking clue. All I do
know is that the darkness, the nothingness, was a hell of a lot better than
reality.
I crave being dragged back under so I don’t have to think, so the regret
and guilt that’s been eating me since walking away from Remi will leave
me once again. But it doesn't happen.
My body comes back to me more with every passing second, and when
my urgent need to take a piss makes itself known, I risk cracking my eyes
open. “What the fuck?”
I blink a few times, not believing what I’m seeing. But each time I look
again, my surroundings are still the same. Still familiar.
“How the fuck?”
Pushing up from the bed, I look for evidence of how I ended up back
inside the pool house and in my own bed.
Bruce was sent to kill me, or to hand deliver my broken bloody body to
Donny, of that I’m sure. He had that look in his eye, so how did I get back
here alive?
I know it’s not all a really fucked-up dream—the pain is too real and
when I push from the bed, and the sight of my busted up and bloody
knuckles confirm that the fight really did happen.
I pad to the bathroom to do my thing before resting my hands on the
cold basin and preparing to look up. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my
face all fucked up. But I deserve it. All of it.
Lifting my eyes, my breath catches for a second as I stare back at
myself. No fucking wonder it hurts so much, although I’ve no doubt it’ll
look a hell of a lot better once I wash the blood off my skin.
Both of my eyes are black and swollen, my cheeks are bruised, and my
lip is still trickling blood. Looking lower, I take in my darkened ribs,
although from how easily I walked in here, I doubt they’re broken, thank
fuck.
 I brush my teeth and turn the shower on. Images of her joining me fill
my head as I step inside and the regret that’s raging inside me only grows.
I shouldn’t have done that last night.
With a towel wrapped around my waist, I stalk back into the bedroom
and look around. I picture us on the bed as I selfishly took the one thing
from her that she can never get back. She’s going to regret ever meeting me
after last night, and I hate myself even more for it.
I locate the camera I set up for the final part of my plan to bring James
to his knees and pull the memory card out. There’s no fucking way I can go
through with it. I’ve already done too much. I’ve already destroyed her.
And in the process, I know I’ve destroyed a part of myself too.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Remi

“R emi, sweetheart, breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry,” I yell, pulling a pillow over my face. My
eyes are sore and my heart aches as the memories of last night
hang over me like a dark storm cloud.
He played me.
Ace played me like a fool.
I can still feel him all over me. His traitorous lips, his sharp teeth, and
his treacherous, treacherous touch.
He really is the big bad wolf, and I fell for his ruse hook, line, and
sinker.
Bile rushes up my throat and my eyes water as I stumble out of bed and
crash into my small bathroom. But I don’t vomit. There’s nothing left, not
after I spent most of the night with my head down the toilet bowl.
Pulling myself up, I stand in front of the mirror. I’m a mess. My chest is
covered in hickeys and I have faint bruises around my hips and thighs. But
the physical marks are nothing compared to the invisible scars he’s left
behind.
“Remi?” Mom calls again, and I let out a whimper. If she sees me like
this, she’ll lose her shit and probably call James, and that is a whole
conversation I never want to have.
 If Ace wants to use me to hurt James, he’ll have to do it himself.
A violent shiver rolls up my spine as I slam my hand against the
counter. “Damn you, Ace Jagger.”
Even now, standing here broken and bruised and no longer a virgin, I
want to protect him. I want to march over to the pool house and demand
answers. I want him to look me dead in the eyes and tell me I mean nothing
to him.
He doesn’t deserve another chance, I remind myself. I’ve given him
enough of those.
Maybe Conner was right all along. Maybe Ace is a lost cause.
Tears roll down my cheeks but I brush them aside. I’ve been this girl
before—scared, weak, alone. I won’t be her again.
Ace Jagger was a mistake.
One I vow never to make again.

By the time I drag myself downstairs, Mom is pacing the kitchen. “There
you are,” she smiles. “I was getting worried.”
“What’s up, Mom?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Whatever is the matter?” She rushes
over to me, brushing the hair from my face.
“I didn’t sleep very well.”
“Remi, what is it?”
“Me and Ace.” I choke over his name. The rest of the words get stuck,
and I shake my head, desperately trying to swallow the tears.
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry. Despite my misgivings about the two of you, I
could see how much you cared for him. Want to talk about it?”
“No, I really don’t.” My eyes drop to the floor.
“I hate to ask this, baby, but he didn’t—“
“What, no!” I rush out, the instinctive urge to defend him still swarming
in my chest. “You were right all along. We’re too different. It could never
work.”
“Oh, sweetheart, come here.” She pulls me into her arms. “And on your
birthday no less. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “Me too.”
 “I know it’s probably not what you want to hear, sweetheart, but it’s
probably for the best. It’s senior year, you need to stay focused. And there’s
plenty of other boys out—“
I jerk back. “I swear, Mom, if you say Bexley’s name, I will scream.”
“I wasn’t going to mention him.” But the glimmer of guilt in her eyes
tells me otherwise. “I had planned a girls’ day for the two of us, but I
should imagine you’re not feeling in the mood now.” Sadness etches into
her expression.
“You did?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise, but I booked us in at La Dolce Vita
for mani-pedis and facials.”
“That’s nice, Mom.” I fight a grimace.
“I know it’s not really your thing, but you used to love getting pampered
when you were a little girl. I thought it would be nice.”
“Sure thing, Mom.” I don’t have the heart to tell her no. Besides, maybe
it’ll give me a distraction.
“Really?” Her eyes light up. “I’m so excited. I had started breakfast,”
she glances over to the plate of pancakes, “but why don’t we go crazy and
get something on the way?”
“Are you sure, I don’t want—“
“Oh hush, now. I can afford to spoil my only daughter for her birthday.
Besides, James is treating us to the pamper session. He told us to get
whatever we wanted.”
I press my lips together and force a smile.
Of course he did.

La Dolce Vita is exactly as I remember it: spacious and opulent with high
ceilings and a rich gold and black color decor. It screams luxury, and
reminds me of a time when we didn’t have to worry about the price tag of
the various treatments on offer.
As it is, we don’t have to worry. James is picking up the tab. I realize
the second I’m swept away by a glamorous beautician called Shelbie that
coming here was a mistake. I don’t want to sit and make small talk with a
woman who is preened and primped within an inch of her life.
 “So sweetie,” she sing-songs, “I thought we’d start with the mani and
then move onto the pedi. And then we’ll get you in the chair for your facial.
‘Kay?” Her plump lips curve revealing a set of pearly white teeth.
“Sure.”
She gets to work on my nails, filing and buffering. “So you just turned
eighteen?”
“I did.”
“How exciting. Any big plans to celebrate?”
“Not really.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” Shelbie leans in and lowers her
voice. “A pretty thing like you must have a line of guys all vying for her
attention.”
“No line, sorry.”
Her eyes flick to where Mom is chatting away to her beautician. She’s
so at ease here, as if she’s always belonged in a place like this. The thought
stings.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” she whispers, a conspiratorial edge to her
words.
“Hmm, okay, thanks,” I say, because it’s easier than correcting her.
“Oh to be young again, when everything is perkier and tighter, if you
know what I’m saying.” Shelbie winks at me.
By the time I’m done, my nails are a glossy black at the base that bleeds
into a deep red ombré at the tip. It’s the perfect shade to match my mood.
“Right, if you swing your chair around and pop your feet up on that
step, I’ll be right with you. The chair reclines, so feel free to sit back and
relax.”
I do as she suggests, it gives me a reason to close my eyes and avoid
any more small talk. But the second everything goes dark, I see him.
Ace.
His icy, soulless eyes staring back at me.
I blink away the fresh tears, staring up at the ceiling while Shelbie sets
to work. Off in the distance, the doorbell chimes and voices fill the studio.
“Hey, check it out.” I notice Lylah Donovan’s dulcet tone and stiffen.
“Girls,” Mom says. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Hi, Ms Tanner,” Michaela says, and I can’t resist peeking over. Sure
enough, Michaela, Lylah and a couple of their other cheer friends stand
there, wearing their fake smiles and designer clothes.
 “Michaela, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Ugh,” I groan, sinking back into the plush velvet chair.
“Problem, sweetie?” Shelbie asks, but before I can answer, I feel
someone approach.
“I didn’t realize they let trash in this place.” I open my eyes to find
Michaela glaring at me. She keeps her voice low enough so no one but me
and Shelbie can hear her. “Someone really should speak to the manager
about that.”
Shelbie keeps quiet as she continues moisturizing my feet.
“Leave it out, Michaela,” I release a heavy sigh. “I’m not in the mood.”
“I guess you wouldn’t be after Ace finally saw sense and dropped you.”
“What did you say?” My hands curl around the arm of the chair, digging
into the soft silky material.
“You heard me. I’m hardly surprised though. Why have hamburger
when you can have steak?”
I vibrate with anger, but it’s nothing compared to the pain coiled around
my heart.
Ace told her?
He told Michaela about us?
No, I don’t believe that. Ace is many things, but he knows Michaela is
my weakness.
I can’t believe he’d stoop so low.
“How do you know?” I ask, even though it kills me.
“How do you think I know? He told me, of course.”
The air whooshes from my lungs. “No, he wouldn’t—“
“What can I say?” She shrugs, flicking her blonde locks off her
shoulder. “But don’t worry, I comforted him the best I could.”
Bile burns in my stomach, and I swallow hard.
“He was more than—“
“Michaela,” Shelbie finally speaks, “don’t you think you’ve done
enough?”
“Who, me? I was merely stopping by to wish Remi a belated happy
birthday.” Her lips curve with malice. “Happy birthday, step-sister.” She
wiggles her fingers and walks away as if she didn’t just deliver the final
blow.
“Are you okay, sweetie?” Shelbie offers me a sympathetic smile.
“Yeah, no thanks to you,” I bite, and she drops her head.
 I know it’s not really her fault. Michaela’s mom is a regular here—not
to mention one of the town’s most respected women. Even if she is a home-
wrecking whore. Going up against Michaela is just asking for trouble.
But still, I don’t apologize.
I can’t.
Because there’s only so much one person can take. And I’ve reached my
limit with traitorous bad boys and toxic prep school princesses.

“This was a good idea,” I say to Hadley before taking another long pull on
the bottle of wine we stole from my mom’s stash.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she replies. There’s something in her
tone that makes me sit up straighter.
“Why?” I frown.
“Why what?”
“Why do you have that look?”
“I don’t have a look.” She averts her shifty gaze.
“Hadley Dove Rexford, you’re hiding something.”
“Ahh, shit, Remi. Your mom is going to kill me.”
“My mom? What the hell does she have to do with this?”
“I’m supposed to be distracting you, not getting you drunk.” Guilt
flashes in her eyes.
“Oh god.” I suddenly feel sober. “Tell me she isn’t planning
something.”
Hadley presses her lips together.
“A party? She’s throwing me a party, isn’t she?” It all makes sense now.
The pamper session. The new outfit she insisted on buying me
afterwards. And the fact that she just so happened to invite Hadley over to
keep me company while she went to see James.
“She’s crazy. My mom is actually batshit crazy.” I bury my face in my
hands. This is the worst thing that could happen right now. I don’t want a
party, let alone a surprise party at James’ house.
“She’s not crazy. She just wanted to do a nice thing for you.”
“Fuck,” I breathe. “Tell me she didn’t invite the entire class?”
 Hadley’s silence has me cussing like a sailor. “Calm down,” she says,
laying a hand on my arm. “It won’t be that bad.”
“Not that bad?” I grind out. “It’s like she doesn’t even know who I am.
She can’t think for a second that I’d want to actually celebrate with any of
the kids from school?”
“Hmm, she may have roped in Bexley and Michaela to help with the
guest list.”
“What the fuck?” I leap up. I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t
sit. Not when I have all this restless energy zipping through me.
“I can’t believe this. The Jaggers’ is the last I want to be right now,
Hads.”
“I know. But if it’s any consolation, Ace isn’t there.”
“What?” My stomach dips. “How do you know that?”
Her expression falls. “I may have helped deliver some stuff to the house
earlier.”
“Hadley!” I hiss. “And here I was thinking we were friends.”
“Hey, we are. But your mom was so excited about it, I didn’t have the
heart to dash her plans. Besides, I didn’t know asshole features was going to
do that to you. I’m sorry.”
“I know.” I flop back down on the couch. “Why would anyone come,
though? It’s not like I’m friends with anyone.”
“People don’t need an excuse to party. Besides, it’s James Jagger’s
house. Kids have been chomping at the bit to get a look inside that place for
years.”
“So people are only coming because it gives them behind the scenes
access. Nice.”
“You know, not everyone at school is as bad as you make them out to
be.”
“You mean like Hayden?” My brow rises.
“Not just Hayden. Some people try to be your friend, Remi. But after
being constantly pushed away, eventually they stop trying.”
She’s not wrong.
But it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.
It’s been so easy to close myself off. To protect myself. After what
happened with my dad and Michaela, and then Mom’s ex-boyfriend, I
didn’t know who to trust anymore.
So I decided to trust no one.
 Hadley has always been an exception to the rule. The second she arrived
at Sterling Prep in junior year and we got paired together for math, I knew
she was different.
“Look, I know you’re hurting, and I know a party is the last thing on
your mind. But what’s the alternative? Sitting here, getting drunk, and
crying over Ace? Please, you’re better than that.”
“What are you thinking?” Because the picture she paints does sound all
kinds of lame.
“I’m thinking, you put on the most killer outfit you can find, you let me
do your hair and make-up, we finish that bottle of wine, and we crash your
party the way it deserves to be crashed. In total style and with zero fucks
given.”
I grin back at her. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
“So you’re in?”
Ace, Michaela, Bexley, Lylah... they could taunt me and tease me, hurt
me and harass me, but they would never break me.
“Oh, I’m in.” A lick of anticipation simmers beneath my skin. “I’m so
in.”

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Ace

“W hat the fuck are you doing here?” I ask, stepping from the pool
house to find none other than fucking Michaela walking
towards me.
Her eyes widen at the state of me, but she doesn’t comment. “I’m just
helping set up the party.” She smiles sweetly at me, and it makes my skin
crawl.
I look her up and down. It’s weird seeing her out of her cheer uniform,
but I can’t say losing it makes her any more appealing.
“Why?” I spit. She’s the last person Remi would ask to help with the
party—the one she probably doesn’t want in the first place.
After last night, I can’t imagine she wants to be anywhere near the
place. Or me.
“Sarah asked me to help.” She bats her eyelashes at me.
“And you’re coming down here why?”
“We’ve run out of tape. James thought there might be some—” She
glances over my shoulder and I stiffen.
“There isn’t.”
“I’ll just have a quick look.”
“No,” I spit. “No, you won’t. Go to the fucking store if you have to, but
you’re not going in there.”
 “Oh don’t be so ridiculous. He told me exactly where he thinks it is. I’ll
be in and out. You won’t even know.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “I said no.”
“What’s wrong? Got some poor naive victim chained to your bed or
something?”
Rearing back, I snap, “What the fuck is wrong with you? I don’t want
you near my shit. Now fuck off.” Taking her shoulder in my hands, I
physically turn her and push her back toward the main house.
I follow her all the way, and once we’re inside she turns left to the
living room while I go for the kitchen.
I can’t remember when I last ate something, and I’m fucking starving.
“Ace, how are… oh my goodness,” Ellen gasps, her hands coming up to
cover her gaping mouth.
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“F-fine?” she stutters. “You are not fine. Come and sit down here and let
me look at you. You might need stitches.”
“I said I’m fine.” She pales instantly. “Sorry,” I mutter. “It was a rough
night.”
“So I see. What do you need?” she asks, changing tact.
“Food. Whatever you’ve got.”
She immediately turns toward the refrigerator and pulls a load of
ingredients out.
The sound of chatter and crashing about comes from elsewhere in the
house, and as I look toward the door, I realize that the counters are full of
party food.
“Have you made all this?”
“With my own fair hands,” Ellen says, focusing on what she’s doing.
“You’re wasted here.”
“Nah, I spent too many years catering. I love looking after you guys.”
“Really?” I ask incredulously. Even our own parents didn’t want to look
after us, I find it hard to believe that a random woman wants to.
“Really. You’re not as bad as you try to make out, you know. I see you,”
she says, looking over her shoulder and winking at me.
Shaking my head at her, I allow silence to descend as she cooks and the
others get the house ready for this fucking party.
I’m in two minds as to whether I should hang around for it or disappear
for the night. I do know one thing, though—I’m not going back to the
Heights anytime soon. I still have no clue what the hell happened last night,
but I’m not risking showing my face for a while. Donny is clearly after my
blood for some reason. I know I missed a few messages from him, but
sending Bruce after me seems a little much.
“Whoa, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes this morning, brother,” Conner
announces as he and Cole join me at the table. “Remi finally seen the light
and tried to knock some sense into you?”
“Oh yeah, this was totally R… her.” Fucking pussy, I can’t even say her
fucking name.
The pain that ripped through my chest when I pulled out of her last
night once again slices me in two as I think about her.
“Trouble in paradise?”
“Like you give a shit. You were betting on me fucking up from day one.
Well, you were right, brother. Well done. I fucked it up.”
Pushing the chair out from behind me, I stalk to the door.
“Ace, your—” Ellen cuts herself off when I look up at her.
“That’s it. Run away like a fucking pussy.” Not wanting to hear any
more from him, I turn the corner. “The girl fucking loves you, man. Pull
your head out of your ass for once…” His words die as I get to the front
door and fly down the stairs.
I can’t fucking be here right now as I watch them all get ready to
celebrate her birthday. They’re all fucking delusional—Sarah for thinking
she wants a bullshit party with people she can’t stand. People who make her
feel less than she is. Ellen for thinking she can look after us like we’re her
cute little boys. James for thinking this could ever fucking work.
We don’t belong here, and we never will.
Ignoring my bike, I take off across the garden. I take the same route we
did the night we had our one and only party here, and before long the beach
appears in front of me. Finding a soft bit of sand, I drop my ass to it.
I sit there for the longest time, just watching the waves crash in on the
beach. A few people walk past, but no one really pays me any attention.
Hell, I wouldn’t if I found a guy who looked like I do right now.
My cell vibrates in my pocket. A little bit of hope races through me that
she’s going to try to fight for me, just like she did the last time I fucked up.
But that thought is shattered the second I look at the screen and find Cole’s
name staring back at me.
Cole: James wants you back before the party starts.

“Yeah, well James can go fuck himself,” I mutter to myself. All of this
is his fault.
All of it.
I lie back and stare up at the clear blue sky above me. My mind spins as
I think about our short time here and the events that led up to it.
I remember that night two weeks before Mom died like it was only
yesterday. I was doing a drop for Donny. He’d sent me to some warehouse
in the next town over that I’d never visited before. He’d told me to pull up
in the parking lot and to wait. Someone would come to take the bag and
then I was done until my next phone call.
It was an easy drop. I was relaxed and ready to head home to see what
state I might find our mother and the trailer in. The last thing I was
expecting was for a fucking ghost to appear from the shadows in front of
me.
“Son,” he said as my eyes widened and I did a double take.
It had been years since I saw him, and although he was obviously older,
I recognized him instantly.
“D-Dad?” He nodded. “But… but you’re… dead.”
An unamused chuckle fell from his lips. “Yeah, that’s what he wants
you to believe.”
“He? Who’s he?”
He leaned into me and whispered, “Give me what I need, and I’ll tell
you what you want to know.”
I should have known better than for him just to turn up out of the blue
and tell me all his secrets.
I handed him the bag, assuming that was what he meant, but it seemed
he was after more. That’s if there was anything other than a couple of bricks
in that bag. As per Donny’s rule, I never looked.
“Happy?” I asked as a cold, vacant expression washed over his face. I
remember the shudder that ran down my spine. He was meant to be my
father, yet in that moment I was more terrified than I think I’ve ever been in
my life.
“I need money. Every penny you’ve got, kid, or I’m coming after the
one weakness have left.”
 “I don’t have one. You’re going to need to try better than that,” I said,
puffing my chest out. It was almost true; I cared about very little in life.
“I’ll start with your whore of a mother. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll
move on to your bastard brothers.”
I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him that he’d never touch his own
sons. I knew he had a temper, but up until that moment I never thought he’d
hurt his own flesh and blood.
“All of you are just as worthless as her. Fucking cheap whore who
opens her legs for any bloke who looks her way.”
“What are you—”
“I’m not your fucking father, boy. I never could have fathered three
pathetic boys like you. You’re all nothing to me, fucking nothing. Now get
me what I need, or I’ll be coming back for her.”
I sit up and suck in lungfuls of air. My stomach turns over, making me
heave. Thankfully the lack of contents means there’s nothing to throw up.
“Fucking lying asshole,” I scream into the silence around us. My heart
races and my fists curl, the tidal wave of emotions I felt that night as I
stared at my dead father, hitting me. The confusion over what he was telling
me. The anger that burned through me as he spoke about those I loved like
that. The regret that I didn’t do more, that I didn’t force all of the truth out
of him.
He didn’t wait for me to give him everything I had. He had already seen
our mother and set his plan into action. I have no idea if he drove her to the
overdose or if he forced it.
There’s a chance I’ll never know.
When he’d come back, I had given him the money as requested, hoping
like hell he was going keep his promise, unaware that it was already too
late. He whispered one single name to me as he disappeared.
James.
I still don’t understand it. James wanted him dead. Why? And why
couldn’t he have found someone capable of getting the job done?
Unable to sit there any longer with my head full of questions and
wondering what kind of disaster is happening at James’ house, I push up
and make the short walk back.
I have every intention of slipping around the edge of the grounds and
disappearing into the pool house, but that’s all ruined when I find Remi
standing around the pool, dressed in a skin tight, short little black dress with
her hands on Bexley.
He’s standing in her personal space and smiling down at her like a lion
who’s hungry for his lunch as she rests her tiny hand on his forearm and
laughs at whatever dumbass comment he just made.
A red mist descends over me, and before I know I’ve moved, my feet
have carried me halfway toward them. The few people who were loitering
around jump out of my way, and a couple of members of the football team
shout the motherfucker’s name to give him a heads-up about what’s coming
for him.
I pass the screen that Sarah demanded was here so she could show cute
baby pictures of Remi—as if anyone really fucking cares. That woman’s
heart is in the right place, but she’s a clueless idiot sometimes.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” I bark, wrapping my arm around
Remi’s waist and pulling her away from his body.
The music that was booming around the yard is turned down, and more
kids spill out of the doors to see what’s about to kick off.
My skin burns the second Remi’s angry stare lands on me, but instead
of ripping me a new one like I’m sure she was intending to do, a gasp falls
from her lips.
“Oh my god, Ace.” Remi gasps. “What the hell happened?”
“Leave it,” I bark, taking a step toward Bexley.
His shoulders widen as he tilts his head up. He’s a fucking stupid
motherfucker for going up against me.
“Looks like the odds are in my favor this time, Jagger. You seem to
have got your ass handed to you. Now it’s my turn to prove you’re not as
fucking scary as you think you are.”
I take another step toward him, a growl rumbling up my throat.
“Okay everyone,” someone shouts over the noise. “Remi’s mom has a
video she’d like to play.”
Remi groans behind me, but I doubt anyone’s attention turns to the
fucking screen with Bexley and I about to go at it.
“Go on then, big man,” he taunts. “Fucking hit me.
I pull my fist back, ready to do just as he suggests when my voice from
behind me stops all my movement.
“Last chance to change your mind, Princess. If you have any doubts,
now’s the time to say.” I turn slowly, and my heart plummets.
 My video.
The one I was going to play.
The one I was going to use to ruin her.
The one I changed my mind about.
“No. No doubts, Ace. I want you to be my firrrrst,” Remi’s voice sounds
out all breathy and needy.
“You motherfucker,” Bexley roars.
Remi screams as the reality of the situation hits her. I turn to her,
wanting to tell her that this wasn’t me. That I changed my mind. I wasn’t
going to play it. I took the card out of the camera and was going to throw it
away.
The next few seconds happen so fast that I’m not entirely sure what
happens.
Bexley puts his entire weight behind the punch that comes hurtling my
way, but at the last minute a head full of brown curls flashes in front of me.
The pain from his fist never comes, but a cry of agony comes from
elsewhere.
I glance to the side to see Remi falling, her body limp as it tumbles
toward the still water of the pool behind us.
Jumping onto action, I race to catch her, but I’m too late. Her head
collides with the tiled edge and the water engulfs her.
I don’t think, I just act.
Diving in after her, I gather her body up in my arms and as fast as I can
get her above the water. By the time I reach the top step, silence surrounds
me as our entire class, including my brothers, watch in horror as I lower her
lifeless body to the ground.
Pushing her hair from her face, I drop my eyes to her chest to see if
she’s breathing. “Come on, Remi, baby.” I gently shake her body. “Princess.
I’m here. It’s okay.”
Something catches my eye, and when I look down the water running
from her body is red.
“Someone call a fucking ambulance.”
I pull Remi on to my lap and hold onto her, praying that it’s not the last
time I’m going to get the chance.

Keep reading for Remi and Ace’s story, Tame Him.

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TAME HIM

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REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 2

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 CHAPTER ONE

Remi

E verything is dark.
Heavy.
My throat burns and my limbs feel like lead. And my head...
My head pounds.
A persistent bass drumming through my skull. Ba-boom. Ba-boom. Ba-
boom.
“W-what?” I croak as I slowly peek an eye open. Blinding light assaults
me and I cry out.
“Ssh,” someone says from nearby. “You need to take it easy, Remi,
sweetheart.”
Mom.
It’s Mom.
My pulse settles at the familiar cadence of her voice, but my eyes are
having a real hard time trying to adjust to the stark light.
“You’re in the hospital, baby.” She takes my hand, giving me a point of
focus.
I turn my head slightly, trying not to worsen the dull thud vibrating
inside my head. “It—it hurts,” I say, my throat dry and sore. Widening my
eyes, I finally see her murky outline. It shimmers and stretches until I can
eventually see Mom staring back at me with tearful eyes.
 “God, I’m so happy you’re awake.”
“W-what happened?”
“You don’t remember?”
I press my chapped lips together, panic rising inside me. “I... remember
La Dolce Vita... and then...”
Nothing.
There’s nothing.
Just a dark void.
A violent shiver rolls through me. “Mom,” I whisper, “I’m scared.”
“Ssh, Remi, I’m right here.” Tears roll down her face. “Everything’s
going to be okay, baby.”
Just then, I hear movement from behind me. “Is she—”
“She’s awake, Paul.”
“Dad?” I instinctively try to look, but pain rips through my skull and I
whimper.
“Get a nurse,” Mom says. “Please. Try and relax, sweetheart. The
doctor said you could be very disoriented at first.” My eyes flutter shut as
her touch soothes me into darkness. It hurts less here, so I allow myself to
drift.
I let the void claim me.

The next time I wake, the splitting pain in my head isn’t as overwhelming. I
breathe through it as I force open my eyes and take in my surroundings.
Cold and clinical, the hospital room is all pale colors and sterile vibes. I
search for Mom, but don’t find her. I do, however, find Conner asleep in a
chair in the corner of the room.
“C-Conner?” I test my voice, shocked at the little squeak it makes.
His eyes flicker open, and he bolts upright. “You’re awake. Thank fuck,
you’re awake.”
“W-water... I need...” My eyes go to the small table.
“Here, here.” He jumps up and rushes to the side of the bed. There are
some plastic cups and a box of straws. Conner pours me some water, adds a
straw, and lowers it to my mouth.
 The icy cold liquid soothes the burning in my throat. “Thank you,” I
say, unable to believe how exhausted I am after such a menial task.
“Shit, Princess, you gave us all a scare.” Conner drags the chair over
and sits. But I’m rigid, a distant memory vying for my attention.
Princess.
Why does that sound so—
It hits me all at once.
Ace. Having sex with Ace. The way he broke me afterward. The cruel
things he said...
I whimper, tears trickling from my eyes.
“Oh, shit, Remi, don’t cry. Your mom and my uncle will be back soon.
They went to get something to eat. Your mom hardly leaves your side. She’s
been so worried.” His face is as white as a sheet. “We all have.”
“Ace—”
“Hey, now.” His expression turns grim. “Don’t you dare worry about
my asshole of a brother. He’s not important. You are. You need to get better,
Remi. You need—”
“Remi?” Mom rushes to my side. “Thank God.” She brushes the hair
from my face.
“So, I’ll just... go,” Conner says.
“Thank you for staying with her.” He gives my mom a sharp nod. But as
he walks away, I call, “Wait.”
Conner glances back. “What happened to me?” I ask.
“I...” He looks at my mom, and she shakes her head. His lips purse as
his eyes settle back on me. “It’s good to see you awake, Princess.” With
that, he leaves.
“Mom,” I sigh. “What’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?”
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t worry about that right now. All that’s important
is that you rest and get better.”
“There’s our girl.” James breezes into the room, coming over to Mom
and dropping a kiss on her head. “It’s nice to see you awake.”
My brows pinch, sending a ripple of pain through my head. I wince.
“The doctor said it will hurt for a while.”
“Is anyone going to tell me what the hell happened, or are you just
going to both keep standing there, looking at me like that?”
Mom gasps and James rubs her shoulder. They look like someone died.
But I didn’t die, I’m alive.
 I’m right here.
So the what the fuck happened?
“You were hurt, sweetheart.” Mom swallows, tears still glossing her
eyes. I notice the lines on her face, the dark shadows.
“Mom?” My voice cracks. Whatever happened is bad.
I know it is.
Dread snakes through me, making my stomach turn.
“Can you remember anything, baby? Anything at all?”
I close my eyes, searching the recesses of my mind, desperately trying
to avoid the painful memories of Ace’s betrayal. “We got mani-pedis at La
Dolce Vita. James treated us.” My eyes open and land on his. He smiles, but
it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“I think we drove back to the house and...” Hadley’s face flickers on the
edge of my mind. “Hadley was there.”
“Good, sweetheart. That’s good.” Mom covers my hand with hers,
squeezing. There’s an IV disappearing into my right hand and I’m hooked
up to various machines, but I can feel all my limbs.
“I’m okay, right?”
“We threw you a party, a birthday party at James’ house. It was a
surprise.” She says the words, but there’s nothing, not even a flicker of
recognition. “There was some trouble—”
“Trouble?” Another bolt of pain shoots through my skull.
“We should wait, Sarah, until she’s had some time.”
“Don’t do that,” I bite. The two of them pale. “I woke up in the hospital
with no memory of how I got here. I think I deserve to know what
happened.”
A machine starts to beep, and a nurse rushes into the room. “It’s good to
see you awake, Remi. Let’s see what’s happening here, shall we?” She
shoos my mom and James out of the way before fiddling with the machine.
“Your blood pressure is a little elevated. You need to try and rest.” She
flicks her eyes to my mom. “She needs to remain as calm as possible.”
“Yes, of course, sorry.”
The nurse checks my IV, tweaking something, and I start to feel drowsy.
“Will you tell me what happened?” I ask. She stills, her warm smile
settling something inside me.
“You sustained a serious head injury, Remi. There was swelling in your
brain, so the doctors placed you into a medically-induced coma to give your
brain a chance to heal.”
“A coma?”
“It’s not as scary as it sounds, I promise.”
“H-how long was I...”
“Thirteen days.”
Thirteen days... My stomach knots, and the machine starts beeping
again.
“Relax, Remi.” The nurse smiles again. “You’re in the best place, and
the doctors are confident you’ll make a full recovery. But you need to rest,
and you need to try and stay calm, okay? I’ve given you something to help
you relax.”
I nod, inhaling a shaky breath. “I can do that.”
It’s not like I’m going anywhere in a hurry.
She grabs the chart from the foot of my bed and scribbles some notes.
“The doctor will probably be along later to see you. If you need anything,
just hit the buzzer.”
After she’s gone, I let out a weary sigh.
“What is it, sweetheart? Are you tired? We can leave you—”
I want to beg her to tell me what really happened, but I can already feel
myself slipping.
“We’ll be back later, sweetheart.” I feel Mom’s fingers brush my head,
but my eyes are heavy with sleep.
I fall slowly into a dream. Everyone’s there and they’re laughing,
maniacal and ugly cackles, their fingers pointing at me.
Slut.
Whore.
Prep school pornstar.
Tears roll down my cheeks as their cruel words assault me.
And right in the middle of them, standing there like a dark angel
wrapped in danger and inked in sin, is Ace.

Almost an entire day passes before I’m lucid enough again to talk. The
doctor informed me earlier that it’s normal after a brain injury.
A brain injury?
 I can hardly believe it, except from the persistent tingle of pain in my
head, I know it’s true.
The good news is they do expect I’ll make a full recovery. The bad
news is that I still can’t remember what happened.
Mom eventually caved and told me the truth. Apparently, there was a
fight, and I got caught in the crossfire. Bexley hit me by accident and I fell,
cracking my head on the edge of the pool.
Her words felt sincere, but there’s a disconnect I can’t seem to get past.
I’m hoping Hadley will be able to fill in some of the blanks.
As if she hears my thoughts, my friend’s head appears around the door.
“I come bearing Twizzlers and Swedish Fish.”
“A girl after my own heart. Gimme the candy.” I beckon her in.
“I’m so freakin’ relieved you’re okay.” She drops into the chair beside
my bed. “You gave us all a fright for a second.”
“Worried you’d have to survive senior year without me?”
“Remi,” she chokes out, sadness washing over her.
“Too soon for the I-almost-died jokes, huh?”
Silence stretches out between us. Hadley dries her eyes and lets out a
long breath. “You’re a mess,” she says, but I ignore her.
“I need to know what happened, Hads,” I say.
“Didn’t your mom—”
“She told me what she thinks I can handle. But I need to know the
truth.”
“You can remember going to La Dolce Vita with your mom?” I nod, but
Hadley hesitates, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Hadley?” I prompt.
She gasps. “Well, she asked me to meet you at the house. I was
supposed to distract you while she helped James set up the finishing
touches for your party. But you were upset.”
“Because of Ace.” My chest tightens.
“I was hoping you might have forgotten that.” She grimaces. “You saw
Michaela in La Dolce Vita, and she said some stuff.”
“She did?” I could remember being there, but I couldn’t remember—
I suck in a sharp breath as the hazy memory fills my mind. “She said
she’d seen him.”
Pain coils around my heart. Hurting me is one thing, but giving
Michaela ammunition against me is the ultimate betrayal.
 “My mom invited her to the party, didn’t she?” Frustration burns
through me. “She invited all of them?”
I can’t see their faces, but I know they were there. It’s a strange feeling,
to know but not know, as if there’s something blocking the full memory
from revealing itself to me.
“Yeah, everyone was there. We may have turned up drunk.”
“I would have paid to see that,” I chuckle.
“Bexley was all over you like a bad rash, of course. He’s been calling
your mom every day.”
“Ugh,” I grumble.
“My sentiments exactly. If it wasn’t for him trying to wail on Ace, you
wouldn’t be here.”
“What was Ace even doing there?” It makes no sense why he’d come to
my party after he made his true feelings toward me perfectly clear.
Something passes over Hadley’s expression. “What is it?”
“What?” She blinks. “Nothing. I’m just thinking it shouldn’t have gone
down like that.”
A tingle spreads through me. She’s not telling me everything. I don’t
know how I know, I just do.
Closing my eyes, I inhale a deep breath. There’s nothing more
frustrating than people keeping you in the dark because they think you’re
not strong enough to handle the truth. But I’m hardly in a position to argue.
“You can ask about him, you know.” Hadley breaks the silence. “I won’t
judge.”
“Who, Bexley?”
“No, not Bexley. But it’s nice to know you’re still as sarcastic as ever.”
She smirks.
“Just tell me... how bad is it?”
Her expression falls, and I know she knows exactly what I’m talking
about.
Reaching over, Hadley takes my hand in hers and gives me a sad smile.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, girl. It’s bad. It’s really fucking bad. But you
can’t worry about that now. You need to get better and get out of this place,
and then we’ll deal with the rest, okay?”
“God, I hate this.” I screw my eyes shut, trying to regulate my
breathing. If I let myself get too worked up, the nurse will barge in here and
start lecturing me.
 “Hey.” Hadley squeezes my hand. “The most important thing is that
you’re okay. When I saw you lying there in Ac—” She stops herself, guilt
glittering in her eyes.
My body trembles as a memory crashes over me. It isn’t a vivid image
but a harsh sound.
My name.
A scream so full of pain and fear it makes my blood run cold.
Ace.
Mom had explained that after Bexley had accidentally hit me instead of
Ace and I’d fallen, I’d plummeted into the pool. But she never got to the
part about who had pulled me out.
“Ace saved me,” I choke out, my heart breaking all over again, “didn’t
he?”
Hadley’s smile falls as says the three little words that mean far more
than they should. “Yeah, he did.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWO

Ace

“I t’s me,” Conner shouts through the motel room door—the one I’ve
locked myself behind since being forced to walk away from the
hospital that night.
No one wanted me there. I didn’t need their words to tell me that; it was
in their eyes. It didn’t matter that it was Bexley’s fist that started the chain
of events that led to me diving in the pool to save Remi. To them, I was the
guilty one. It may as well have been my punch she was on the receiving end
of.
I let out a frustrated sigh.
Who am I kidding?
All of this was my fault.
My fucked-up revenge plan.
My fucking games.
I wanted to hurt James for manipulating our lives and trying to act like
the innocent man trying to do right by us. Well, doing right by us would
have meant we grew up with two parents instead of a mom who cared more
about her next fix than her three sons. Instead, he took all of that away from
us and ultimately landed us here.
All of this is his fault.
 We never belonged here. If he’d just left us alone, we could have
continued with our lives perfectly fine without him.
But you wouldn’t have met her. I force that thought down. She didn’t
deserve to meet me. All I’ve done is make her already difficult life worse.
I pull the door open and let my brother in.
“She’s awake again. Hadley is with her,” he says, slipping inside. I look
out at the parking lot beyond, but there’s no sign of anyone. Exactly as I
like it.
I know James is looking for me. I wouldn’t expect anything less. I
almost killed his precious Remi. I have no doubt he’s going to have
something to say about that.
Maybe he’s already put a hit on me, just like he did our father. I guess I
can only hope that they’re still as shit as they were back then, because it
seems they did a stellar job of getting rid of him.
“That’s good.” I fall back down on the bed when the spinning gets a
little too much.
Conner paces about, pulling the curtains open; I hide under my arm to
block out the light. “You need to get a fucking grip, man.” The empty
bottles of vodka littering the place start clanking as he tidies up after me.
“Fucking leave it,” I bark.
“Ace. You can’t keep this up. She’ll be coming home soon. What are
you going to do then? Camp out in her fucking garden so you can continue
stalking her?”
“Fuck. Off.”
“You’re going to have to deal eventually.”
“Whatever. Did you bring more vodka?”
“No. No, I fucking didn’t.”
“Weed?” I ask on the off chance.
“No. I’m not bringing you anything anymore. You need to sort your ass
out. Man the fuck up and come home.”
“I don’t have a home,” I bellow at him. “None of us do.”
“You need to pull your head out of your fucking ass. We have a better
home right now than we’ve ever had in our lives. So Mom or Dad aren’t
there. So it might not be where we chose. But do you know what? It’s pretty
fucking awesome. And if you don’t start making the best of it and figure out
what it is you want to do with your life instead of spending it in fucking
prison, then you’re going to regret it.”
 “What if I want to regret it? It’s better than letting that cunt buy me with
his fancy fucking school and ideas of Ivy League colleges.”
“This is fucking pointless,” he hisses. “I’m done. I’ll see you, if and
when you decide to come home and start living again.”
“I can’t go back there.” My words stop his retreat to the door.
“You fucked up, Ace. So what? You’ve done it before, and no doubt
you’ll do it again. Own it. Apologize where needs be and get the fuck on
with it. This isn’t you. Wallowing isn’t you. Go and fuck some shit up, and
then get the fuck over it.”
“I—”
“No, you’re done. I’m done with your poor excuses. Do you think Remi
is going to want you in this state?”
“Want me? She’s not going to want me in any fucking state after what I
did.” Self-hatred courses through my veins like acid.
“That girl’s a legend for putting up with your ass in the first place. She
fucking loves you, man. Fuck knows why, but she does. Now, how about
you attempt to be the man she deserves and not just the fucking waste-of-
space Heighter everyone expects you to be.”
He flies through the door, and the force of the slam that follows makes
the building shake around me.
Love me?
Remi doesn’t love me. It’s not possible.
“Jesus, fuck,” I mutter, my hand curling into a tight fist. I just got a new
one ripped by my baby brother. When did he get so fucking sensible?
Pushing from the bed, I shove my feet into my boots. If he won’t bring
me what I need, then I’ll have to go myself. I haven’t left this room in
fifteen fucking days, and I really don’t feel like doing so now, but needs,
musts and all that.
I pocket my cell and wallet before taking a step to the door. An almighty
crash has me jumping back in shock. When I look up, I find James wearing
his standard three-piece suit, but instead of the soft expression he tries to
show the world, he looks fucking murderous.
“Gotcha,” he says with a smirk as he attempts to put the door back into
place, despite it hanging from its top hinge.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
He stares at me and takes a step closer. “I think it’s time we had a little
chat, don’t you?”
 “Not particularly. I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
He laughs, but he’s far from amused. “That’s a real shame, Ace, because
I’ve got a-fucking-lot that I want to say to you.”
I roll my eyes at him, and he flies at me. Leaving my hands at my sides,
I let him take what he thinks will make this situation better. His fist tightens
in my shirt as he pushes me up against the motel room wall and gets in my
face. A warm rush of air skates over my skin, but I keep my expression
neutral. He doesn't need to know that there’s an inferno raging underneath.
“You’re a fucking Jagger, boy. We don’t hide,” he seethes. His eyes are
darker than I’ve ever seen them, and for a moment, it’s not my uncle staring
back at me but my dad.
“Who said I’m hiding?”
“It’s taken me two weeks to find you. I’d say that’s hiding.”
“If I were hiding, you’d never have found me. I’m just… chilling.”
“In the closest motel to the hospital Remi just so happens to be in?” My
chest aches at the mere mention of her name. “Don’t even pretend like you
don’t visit her when we’ve all left. I know you do.”
“So what?”
“So what? I want to know why. I get why you want to hurt me—”
“Do you?” I grit out. “Do you really?”
“You hate that I’ve dragged you here and you’re trying to throw your
weight around. Trying to prove that I don’t hold the power.”
Lifting my hands, I push at his shoulders. To my surprise, he allows me
the space and steps back. “Is that right?”
“Yes,” he sighs. “Now you need to do the right thing and own up to
your mistakes.”
“That’s what Jaggers do, is it? Admit to their mistakes?”
“If you’ve done something wrong, yes.”
“So were you ever going to apologize for having our father killed?”
All the blood drains from his face. “W-what?” he chokes out.
“Oh, you thought I didn’t know.” My lip curls with disgust. “That I
naively thought he randomly died all those years ago, just like my brothers
do?”
He opens his mouth to respond, but no words come out.
“Well, it seems you’re not the only one with secrets, does it, Uncle.” I
narrow my eyes at him. “So you tell me… tell me why you thought it was
such a good idea to leave us short of one parent and then abandon us when
the other fell apart at the seams?”
“He wasn’t the man you thought he was, Ace.” His voice is barely a
whisper.
“No? So he didn’t put food on the table and look after us?”
“No, he was a liar and an abusive motherfucker.” Anger etches into his
expression once more. “Do you have any idea what he used to do to your
mother? Did you ever wonder why she turned to drink and drugs in the first
place?”
“Do you have any idea what it was like for all of us after he was gone?”
I spit. “When she fell apart and we had to fend for ourselves? Where were
you then, huh? If you were so set on helping and getting rid of him, why
couldn’t you help us then?” I roar.
Images of my brothers curled up under their dirty, threadbare sheets race
through my mind, shivering cold because not only had they not had a warm
meal inside them, but we had no money to heat the shithole trailer we were
forced to live in.
“I tried, Ace. I fucking tried.”
“There were so many things you could have done to help. But you
didn’t. You fucked back off to your privileged life and left us to drown.”
“She wouldn’t let me.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I ask, feeling like I’ve just been slapped.
“I tried,” he repeats more clearly this time. “She wouldn’t let me.”
“She was a fucking junkie, James. What kind of power could she have
possibly had over you?”
He opens his mouth to confess but closes it almost as quickly.
“Oh no, you don’t come storming in here and not give me everything.
This is my fucking life, I deserve the truth. If it weren’t for me, those two
would have fucking starved to death along with her in that trailer. How
could you have possibly made it any worse?”
“You could all be fucking dead.” His voice is a low rumble, a stark
contrast to a few seconds ago. “I did everything I could. Am I happy that I
had to leave you there? About not being able to do more? No, no I’m not.
But I couldn’t risk the alternative.”
“This is fucked up.” I fist my hair, dragging my fingers against my
scalp.
 “You think I don’t know that? This isn’t how I wanted things to turn
out, for any of us. But you’ve got to trust me when I tell you that I did all I
could. I did what I thought was the only way to keep everyone safe.”
There’s more. I can see it in his eyes. But he’s hiding it, and it’s fucked-
up, but I don’t push him for answers. There’s clearly a reason he’s keeping
it close, and a part of me is grateful. I’m not sure I have the head space to
deal with anything else right now. Plus, I’m yet to tell him the man he
thought he had sentenced to death is still out there somewhere, living and
breathing the same air as us. Fuck, for all I know he’s in this town. He could
be watching us right now, plotting his own revenge.
The silence that settles around us is heavy with secrets. We both stare at
each other, our eyes narrowed and breathing ragged as we try to fight our
own battles and keep control. It’s the first time I see any kind of similarity
between the two of us.
Maybe there’s more to the rich, pretentious asshole than I previously
thought. Or maybe he’s just trying to make me think that. He’s the master of
manipulation, after all. Everything he just told me could be total bullshit,
for all I know.
“You need to come home, Ace,” he says much more softly than
anything else since he forced his way into my little hideout.
“Really? You want me there after everything?”
He shrugs. “I took you in knowing that this wasn’t going to be easy. If I
was going to let you fuck up and run away, then I wouldn’t have agreed to
it.”
“I filmed Remi as I took…” I trail off, not able to even say it, as regret
floods me.
“Did you intend for it to be seen by everyone?” he asks coldly,
disappointment glittering in his eyes.
“At first, yes, that was the plan. But—”
“But?”
“I changed my mind. I wanted to hurt you, not her. The kids at that
school already look at her like she’s a piece of shit on their shoe.” His chin
drops in shock like this is actually news to him.
Do him and Sarah not listen to a word she says?
“Why, Ace? Why did you change your mind?”
“Because she didn’t deserve it.”
 “I couldn’t agree more. But why? You don’t usually give a shit about
what people deserve. You wouldn’t have been working for Donny Lopez all
these years if you did.” My eyes widen that he knows that little fact about
me. He’s never even hinted before that he knew about my connection with
him or what I did.
“Because I care about her, okay? Happy now?”
“Far from it, Ace. Far fucking from it.” Lifting his hands to his hair, he
tugs. “I know you’ve been going to see her, and I appreciate that you’ve
kept your distance. It’s what she needs. She’ll be home in a few days, and I
suggest you continue to stay away. Remi’s still got a long way to go until
she’s as good as new. But at some point in the near future, you are going to
put this right. You are going to tell her the truth. You are going to apologize
on your fucking knees if you have to, because I will not have a war between
the two of you under my roof. Do you hear me?”
“Yes,” I mutter.
I don’t have a clue how I’m going to deal with things once she’s been
discharged, but there was never any doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t see
her.
That video was never meant to be played. I need her to know that.
“But before any of that,” James says, pulling me from my thoughts. His
voice is cold and void of any emotion. “You need to pull your head out of
your ass and do the right thing. I mean it, Ace. Figure out a way to fix this,
and fast.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Remi

“W hat’s up, Delores?” Conner shifts his chair back, giving the
nurse room to get to me.
“I’m all the better for seeing your face, young man. I was
starting to think your fan club had given up on you.” She winks at me.
My brow rises at Conner, who rubs his jaw. “Fan club, hey? You didn’t
tell me Cole had been around to see me.”
“Hmm, yeah. He came by a couple of times when you were asleep.”
We both know I wasn’t asleep, but that’s what Conner likes to call it.
Since I woke up three days ago, he’s been by every day.
It’s strange.
Before everything happened, there was a lot of tension between us.
He’d tried to warn me off Ace, and I’d told him he should have more faith
in his brother.
It sucked to be wrong.
“Well, you tell Cole I said hello,” the nurse goes on. “Always did fancy
myself a young man with plenty of ink... and that brow pierc—”
“Okay, Delores,” Conner jumps up, “I think we can take it from here.”
He ushers her out of the room.
“Conner...” I say, seeing right through his cover.
 “Princess...” A smirk tugs the corner of his mouth despite the guilt
shining in his eyes.
“He was here?”
He lets out a weary sigh, sinking back in the chair. “Shit, Remi, I don’t
know what I’m supposed to say here.”
“The truth might be a good start.”
Everyone has been so determined to protect me, but I’m tired of it.
“Yeah, Ace has been here.”
A small gasp leaves my lips. It shouldn’t matter, not after what he did.
But he was here...
Ace was here.
“Why?”
“Why d’ya think? The girl he...” He stops himself, shaking his head a
little. “Sometimes it takes almost losing what you had to realize you ever
had it in the first place.”
“That ship has long sailed,” I say, forcing myself to look at the ceiling.
“I know he hurt you, Remi, but you don’t know what he’s been through.
What we’ve all been through. When you’ve had to fight to survive the way
Ace has, it’s not easy to let people in.”
I make a garbled sound as my eyes cut to Conner’s. “I gave him my...”
“I know. Fuck, I know.” He grimaces. “Trust me, I wish I didn’t. Want
to know what I think?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyway.” I roll my eyes.
“You scare Ace. You make him feel. Everyone in our lives—parents,
teachers, social workers—they all gave up or walked away. But you’re
different. You stood up for him. And he doesn’t know how the fuck to deal
with that.”
Conner’s words weigh heavily on my heart. I want to believe he’s right
—to believe that Ace only did what he did because he’s scared. But I can’t
forget what he said.
“I was just a pawn in his sick game to get back at your uncle.”
“I think that’s what he tried telling himself, yeah.” Conner offers me a
weak smile. “Look, I’m not trying to tell you to give him another chance. I
wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to his sorry ass again. I’m just
saying we all make mistakes, especially those of us who were never taught
any better.”
 “You’re a good brother, Conner,” I say, because it’s easier than
acknowledging anything he just said.
Ace didn’t just hurt me the night of my birthday. He destroyed a tiny
part of my soul. And I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that.
“So, you’ve been coming around and Ace has been sneaking in. What
about that twin brother of yours?”
“You know Cole,” he says around a knowing smile. “Besides, he never
did like hospitals.”

Two days later, I’m finally allowed to go home. Mom and James insist on
wheeling me out of the hospital in a chair, as if it's my legs I’ve hurt and not
my head.
“I can walk,” I say for the third time.
“We know that, sweetheart, but the doctor said—”
“He said I have to take it easy for a few days, Mom. He didn’t say I
can’t walk to the car.”
But the second the hospital doors slide open, I realize we won’t be
walking anyway. James’ familiar town car is right outside. His driver,
William, jumps out and comes around to the passenger side. “Mr. Jagger.
Ms. Tanner.” He gives them a swift nod and looks at me. “It’s good to see
you back on your feet, Miss Tanner.”
“I would be on my feet if these two would let me.” I push out of the
chair and stand. Apart from a slight ache to my muscles from underuse, I
feel fine. “And please, call me Remi.”
“Very well, Remi.” He opens the door for me, and I climb inside. Mom
and James follow.
“I’m so happy you’re coming home,” she says, swiping a tear from her
eye.
There’s been a lot of those over the last few days, and I can’t help but
wonder if it’s because of what awaits me.
“Can I have my cell phone back now?” I ask.
She blanches, looking to James for help, something else I’ve been
accustomed to over the last few days.
“The doctor—”
 “Did not say I couldn’t check my cell phone, Mom. So unless you’re
ready to tell me what’s really going on, I’d like it back now.”
“Sarah,” James says, looping his arm around her waist. “Maybe it’s
time.”
Mom inhales a shuddering breath and my heart ratchets. “The night of
your party... right before the fight broke out and you were hurt, I’d planned
to show a video. ‘Eighteen years of Remi Tanner.’” She smiles, but it’s sad.
My brows furrow. It doesn’t sound that scandalous.
“But somebody,” she clears her throat, “must have tampered with the
laptop, because when I pressed play it wasn’t my video.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad, Mom.” I smile, but they’re not smiling
back. In fact, Mom has tears slipping down her face again.
“Remi.” James comforts my mom. “It was a tape of you and Ace...
together.”
“I don’t understand… There isn’t any tapes of me and A—”
No.
I gasp.
“H-he filmed us?”
“It would seem my sorry excuse of a nephew thought he would use you
to get to me.” James’ words barely register as I replay that night in my
head.
After my birthday, Ace had disappeared. I’d been out of my mind with
worry, so when he texted me to say he wanted to see me after Cole’s first
game, I hadn’t stopped to think he might be setting me up. Why would I?
I trusted him.
I wanted him.
I wanted him so damn much.
And I thought he felt the same.
Bile rushes up my throat as the truth falls down around me.
Ace used me.
He took something that was supposed to be special and turned it into
something ugly.
But that isn’t the worst of it.
He knew how I felt about the kids at school. He knew what I’d endured,
and he used that to his advantage.
“Stop the car,” I rush out, lunging for the handle. The car grinds to a
halt and I shoulder open the door just in time to puke all over the side of the
road.
“Oh God, James,” Mom cries. “We should have waited, we should—“
“I’m fine,” I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Remi, Ace assures me he was never going to play that tape. He was
angry and hurting and he wanted to get back at me.” James sounds almost
regretful, as if he buys his nephew’s lies.
But it doesn’t matter.
None of it does.
I’m already closing down. I feel my walls reinforce around me.
Especially the one around my heart.
“I’m ready to go now,” I say, my voice detached.
“Remi, sweetheart, we need to talk about this. We’ve already spoken
with Principle Vager, and he assured us that when you’re ready to return to
school you’ll be—”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it does. It’s your senior year.” She keeps saying that as if it
means something. As if this year should be any better than the last four I’ve
endured.
“I know Hadley is desperate to have you back, and Bexley. He’s been
worried—”
“Really, Mom?” I grit out. “You think I want anything to do with
Bexley after what he did?”
She rears back as if my words are a physical slap. “He didn’t... it was an
accident.”
“An accident that caused me to wake up in this nightmare,” I grumble.
“Although I guess I should thank him. At least while I was lying
unconscious on the ground I avoided my sex tape premiere.”
Shame and anger swell inside me until I feel like I might explode. Mom
sobs while James sits there, staring at me with pity.
“Let’s talk about it when we get to the house,” James says.
I don’t reply.
What’s the point?
Everyone at the party saw a sex tape of me giving it up to Ace. I
remember how turned on I’d been, how desperate I was to feel him inside
me.
Christ.
The things I’d said.
 The things we’d done.
I thought we were sharing something special—only to discover he
planned on sharing it with the kids in our class.
You fucking idiot. My fists press hard against my leg. I want to scream. I
want to grab the nearest fragile thing and break it, hear it shatter.
But as we approach my house, I realize it’s too late for that.
I’m already broken.
My heart is already shattered.
And I’m not sure anything will fix me this time.

The second we got home, I went up to my room and stayed there for the rest
of the day. I didn’t want to talk or share or pretend everything was okay.
Everything is not fucking okay.
Somewhere around an hour ago, Mom gave up trying to talk to me.
I need space.
I need to figure out how the hell I’m going to live this down.
A sex tape.
I bet Michaela loved that.
“Agh.” I stuff a pillow to my face, drowning out the guttural scream that
rips from my lungs.
“Remi?” Mom calls.
“I’m fine,” I shout back.
Grabbing my cell phone, I contemplate calling Hadley. When I finally
switched the thing on, I had three texts from her—one welcoming me
home, one apologizing for not telling me sooner, and the last one instructing
me not to go snooping for things I didn’t want to know.
I didn’t text back, but I did delete all my social media apps. Nothing
good can come from me obsessing over what the kids at school are saying
about me. Besides, I’ll get to hear it all in person soon enough.
“Remi, you have a visitor,” Mom calls a few minutes later.
My heart beats wildly in my chest as I sit up and try and tame my tear-
soaked curls off my face.
There’s no way in hell she’d let Ace visit, so when Conner’s head
appears around the door, I should be relieved. But I can’t deny the twinge of
disappointment I feel.
Jesus, I’m a mess.
He hurt me.
Ace hurt me in the worst possible way, and I still want him to prove me
—and everyone else—wrong.
I want him to do the right thing and fix this.
But some things are just too broken to be fixed. I need to remember
that.
“Looking good, Princess,” Conner says around a grin. “Can I come in?”
“Are you going to lie to my face again?” My brow rises.
“Ah, about that...” He slips into the room and closes the door behind
him. “They made us promise not to say anything to you. The doctors agreed
it was probably for the best.”
“Oh my God, is there anyone who doesn’t know about it?” I can’t bring
myself to say the words.
“If it makes you feel any better, your old man is out for Ace’s blood. He
already went head to head with James over it.”
“He did?”
“Well, yeah, he’s your dad. It’s kind of his God-given right to defend his
daughter's honor.”
I scoff. “He hasn’t exactly rushed to do so in the past.”
“Well, he came to the house ready to throw down with Ace. I was kind
of disappointed my brother wasn’t around to get a beating from him. I hear
there’s quite the line forming.”
“I’m glad you find this all so amusing.” I purse my lips.
“Come on, you have to admit, it is kinda funny.”
“Tell me that again when it’s your sex tape playing to the entire senior
class and your parents.”
A dark expression crosses his face. “Well, I for one didn’t look. Okay,”
he smirks, “I might have looked for a few seconds. But then I got freaked
out because I realized watching my brother and future sister-in-law go at it
probably makes me a weird-ass motherfucker.”
“Oh my God, what is wrong with you?”
“Ha, you didn’t shoot me down about the sister-in—”
“Conner!”
“What?” He gets comfy on my desk chair, kicking off his sneakers and
putting his feet on the edge of the bed.
 “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see how you are.”
“But why?”
“Because we’re friends.”
“We’re not friends.”
“Family, then?”
Disbelief washes over me, and I let out a heavy sigh. “We’re not family,
Conner.”
Part of me hoped we never would be. Because if my mom and James
took their relationship to the next level, I could find myself unable to escape
Ace.
He pouts, but I see the flash of regret in his eyes. “He did a real shitty
thing, Remi, I get it. But you haven’t seen him. You haven’t—”
“Conner,” I say firmly. I need to be stronger around these brothers. I
can’t show even an ounce of weakness, because they’ll latch onto it and use
it against me.
I realize that now.
“Did Ace ask you to come?”
“Well, not exactly, but I know—”
“You can go now.”
“Oh, Princess, come on. Don’t be like that. I came to check on you.”
“Goodbye, Conner,” I say, folding my arms across my chest. He
narrows his eyes, studying me, and then lets out a defeated sigh.
“Fine. But I’m not going to let you hide away up here for long. Take a
day, take two days, but then you pull up your big girl panties and get your
shit together. You’re stronger than this, Princess.” He puts his sneakers back
on.
“Finished?” I ask drolly.
“For now.”
“Good, then don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.”
He gives his head a little shake as he walks to the door.
“Oh, and Conner?”
“Yeah?” Hope lights up his face.
“Don’t call me Princess again.”
His amused chuckle stays with me long after he’s gone.
But it barely touches the ice around my heart.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Ace

A fter paying for the repairs to the door James smashed in, I hide out in
my shitty motel room for another two days. Only once I get word
from the nurses at the hospital that Remi is being discharged do I
decide that if she’s heading home, maybe I should as well.
So, under the cover of darkness, I leave behind the empty bottles of
vodka and take my ass back to the pool house. My brother’s bedroom lights
are on, and the temptation to go up and announce my arrival is strong. I’ve
seen Conner almost on a daily basis, but Cole has been suspiciously absent.
Conner said he’s been busy with practice or some shit. He was lying
though, I could see it in his eyes.
Cole’s angry. Really fucking angry. And when Cole is angry, shit gets
fucked up.
He’s not like me or Conner. He doesn’t go flying into a situation all
guns blazing. He sits back. He thinks. He plans. And nobody sees him
coming.
It’s unnerving as fuck.
He’s never shown any feelings toward Remi. I knew Conner liked her. I
didn’t need to learn that he’d warned her off me to know he was worried
about what was growing between us. But Cole’s just Cole. Cold and
detached at all times. I fear, though, that she might have just weaseled her
way under his skin too, and by doing her wrong, I’ve really pissed him off.
With my few belongings, I make my way to the back of the yard and
slip into the pool house.
“Motherfucker,” I grunt the second I take my first breath. It still smells
like her.
How is that even possible?
I dump my stuff and go straight for the shower. The one in the motel
was fucking shit. Standing under the spray, I let my mind wander to the
handful of good times I’ve had in this town.
All of them involve her.
Every single fucking one.
Once I’m done, I dry off and lie naked on top of the sheets, staring at
the ceiling. The last time I was here, the video was safely in my possession.
I was going to destroy that memory card. I wasn’t even going to watch it.
But I got distracted, and I don’t even remember what I did with it. I
remember taking it out of the camera, and then nothing. The next thing I
know, her breathy moans are playing out for our entire class and our
families to witness.
No one should have seen that.
No one except me should know the noises she makes as she’s about to
come. Only I should know just how her back arches when pleasure races
through her.
Fuck. The images of that night have my cock rock hard.
Ignoring the need building inside me, I dig out the last of the weed from
my discarded pants and light up. I don’t deserve anything fucking good in
my life after the shit I pulled, and I don’t care how impossible it might be
right now; I make a promise to myself that the next time I come, it’s going
to be because of Remi, not my right hand.
I groan, knowing that there’s a very good chance she’ll never talk to me
again, let alone touch me.

I live inconspicuously in the pool house for three days. I only leave when
it’s dark to sneak into the main house and silently raid the kitchen for
supplies.
I’m assuming the rest of the household don’t know I’m back, otherwise
I’m sure Conner would have come down by now and forced me to hang out
—or worse, leave.
“Oh my God,” the loud squeal has me sitting bolt upright in bed.
Ellen’s eyes are wide in fright as I scramble to pull the sheets over
myself. “Jesus Christ, Ace. You nearly gave me a goddamn heart attack.”
“I’m so sorry,” I mutter, pulling myself up so I’m resting back against
the headboard, now fully covered.
“How long have you been back?” She lowers herself to the chair in the
corner of the room. I guess she’s hanging out for a bit, then.
“A few days,” I admit.
“If I’d have known—”
“I’d have told you... Don’t feel bad because you feel the need to help. I
appreciate that you do, but I needed space.”
She nods. “Your brothers are concerned about you.”
“I’m sure they’ll get over it.”
“James is too.”
I raise a brow. That’s un-fucking-likely. All he cares about is Remi and
his reputation.
“Okay, he’s mostly just angry,” she concedes. “I’ve been worried
though. Conner told me everything that happened.”
“Of course he did,” I mutter.
“Don’t be mad at him. I bribed him with food.”
I can’t help the smile pulling at my lips at the image she paints.
“He said you changed your mind about playing the video.”
I nod, not really up for having this conversation. “It was stupid. I knew
the moment I filmed it that I wouldn’t go through with it. I just wish I’d
destroyed it sooner.”
“And what do you want now?” she asks.
Ellen is the first person to do so. Everyone else has been so focused on
me fucking up and making sure Remi is okay that they haven’t even
thought it, let alone ask it. Not that I blame them. I’m not the victim here,
Remi is. And all because of me.
My fist clenches. “I want to erase everyone’s fucking memories, so they
haven’t seen my girl like that.” I know my mistake the second the words
fall from my lips. She’s not mine anymore and probably never will be
again.
“Okay, that’s impossible. What’s the second thing on your list?”
“Make her hear me out. Make her believe I didn't mean all the things I
said and did. Prove to her that I didn’t want anyone to see her like that.”
A small smile curls at Ellen’s lips. “Good. Now stop hiding in here like
a little bitch and get out there and make it happen.” She stands, throwing
the curtains open, letting the beaming sun stream in. It’s the first time I’ve
seen it in days, and it burns my eyes. “You’re way too late for breakfast, but
once you’re dressed, come up to the house and I’ll make you lunch.”
“But—”
“No one else is here. James is at work and the boys are at school.”
I nod, the thought of good food, too much to refuse. She leaves, opening
every curtain and window as she goes. I can only assume the place stinks
after my three-day lock-in.
When I get up to the house, I discover she’s not just made me lunch but
a full-on meal. My stomach groans right on cue as she places a huge plate
down in front of me.
I can’t lie. Things do feel a little lighter with a stomach full of Ellen’s
food.
“I don’t know whether you want to know this or not, but Remi is going
back to school tomorrow.”
I sit back and allow her words to flow through me. Fuck. The thought of
her walking down the hallways with everyone laughing and joking at her
expense has red hot fury exploding within me. Blood boils in my veins as I
stand from the table.
“Ace?”
“Thank you for this, Ellen. I really appreciate it.”
I take off running from the house. Since I can’t fix things right now, I
need to do something—anything—to burn off the vortex of emotion
swirling inside me. I hit the beach and run until my legs won’t hold me up
any longer and my lungs burn with every ragged breath I take. I need a
plan. I need to figure out a way to make things better for her, but no matter
how many miles I cover, my mind is still blank.
Remi hates that school as it is. Turning up after starring in her how own
sex tape isn’t going to make her life any easier.
“Motherfucker,” I shout into the silence around me.
 This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
Once I feel like my legs will carry me again, I climb to my feet and
make the long journey home. I’m walking up the street toward James’
house when I pull my cell from my pocket and send the message I probably
should have sent days ago.

Ace: Meet me in the pool house.

It only takes me three minutes tops to be pushing through the door to

the living area of my home, but both Conner and Cole are already making
themselves comfortable in their usual seats.
“What the hell?” I ask, not expecting them to be here already.
“We’ve been waiting for you, motherfucker.”
“You knew I was out here?”
“Uh… yeah,” Conner says like I’m an idiot.
“We thought we’d just let you wallow in misery alone. We figured
you’d appear at some point.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, plus Ellen filled us in about you flashing her and giving her the
thrill of her life.”
“Fuck off.”
“Said she’s never seen such a small one.”
“What the fuck do you two want?” I ask, falling down onto the couch
and resisting the urge to break Conner’s nose.
“Us? If I remember rightly, you were the one who summoned us.”
“And you were already here, so you clearly wanted something first.”
“We know you already know, but Remi is starting back at school
tomorrow, and we want to know if you’re planning on killing anyone or…”
“Or coming back?” I finish for him.
“Yeah, or that.”
“Yeah, I’ll fucking be there.” I’d not really made any plans about
returning to school, much to James’ frustration, but there’s no fucking way
I’ll allow her to go back without keeping an eye on her.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Conner asks, concern lacing his
voice.
“You mean, is it a good idea to send her in without me watching her
back? Those fucking vultures will eat her for lunch. They were bad enough
when she was just the kid who didn’t belong. Now they’ve got some real
ammunition.”
“No thanks to you,” Conner mutters.
“How is that helpful? Trust me, I won’t forget that all of this is my
fucking fault anytime soon.”
“Good, it might stop you from doing something so fucked-up again.”
“What were you even thinking?” Cole asks, shooting up off the
beanbag. It’s the first words he’s said to me in weeks.
“I wasn’t, clearly.” Even now, I’m not ready to tell them what I know
about James. There are still too many unknowns. He might know that I’m
aware he tried to kill our father, but I still don’t know why. And, most
importantly, I still don’t understand why he wants us here.
“She has every right never to forgive you for this, but that doesn't mean
you shouldn't at least try,” Conner mutters.
“Why are you so for this all of a sudden? It was only five minutes ago
you were warning her off me.”
He shrugs. “Because despite all this bullshit, she was the best thing
that’s ever happened to you. When you were together, you were…
different.”
“Different?”
“Yeah, she softened your harsh edges. At times you even looked…
happy, I guess.”
“I’m always fucking happy.”
“Oh really?” He balks. “This is you happy?”
“Fuck off. This isn’t important. We need to think about tomorrow and
how to make this better for Remi.”
“This is your fuck-up. Why should we have to get involved?”
“Because whether you want to admit it or not, you care about her.” I
look between the two of them. “And because I’m your big brother and you
do as you're told.”
They both roll their eyes. “What makes you think we haven’t been
running interference while you’ve been gone?”
My chin drops, but I can’t find any words. Is all of this pointless? Was
my afternoon attempting to plan how to make her life easier a waste of
time? Have these two motherfuckers already been doing it?
“Well? Have you?” I ask when I eventually find my voice.
 “Of course we fucking have. No one will say anything to Remi
tomorrow, or they’re going to have us to deal with.”
Conner and Cole both sit forward. They don’t scare me, they’re still my
annoying little brothers, but I can see why the assholes in that stuck-up
school would be.
A smile curls at my lips as my eyes bounce between the two of them. I
nod, sitting back on the couch, knowing that no matter what, these two
idiots have my back.
I can see in their eyes that they’re not happy about what went down
between Remi and me, but at the end of the day, we’re a team.
And we always stick together.

I stand in my Sterling Prep uniform the next morning. It feels like months
since I put this on, not almost three weeks.
James tried to convince me to go back after he found me in the motel,
but I refused. I wasn’t stepping foot in that place until Remi did. And now
that it’s happening, it’s because of my need to keep an eye out for her. It’s
got fuck all to do with my own education.
Remi has a real shot at a future, at college. I refuse to let my fucked-up
decisions put an end to that for her.
Meeting Cole and Conner at the front of the house, I watch as they pile
into their car and wait for them to pull out of the driveway. Then I start up
my bike and follow them down the long driveway, but they head off in a
different direction than me.
They’ve got a passenger to collect.
The second I pull into the parking lot, all eyes turn my way. I couldn’t
give a fuck, they can stare at me all they like. What I don’t want is for them
to do the same when Remi turns up with Conner and Cole in a few minutes.
I was desperate to ride with them, to see her before getting to this place
and seeing the motherfuckers who roam the hallways, just waiting to make
her life a misery. But I knew I couldn’t.
I need to bide my time.
For now.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Remi

“R emi, get in the damn car,” Conner yells as they cruise beside me.
Mom had told me they were picking me up, so I’d left early.
I didn’t need them to hold my hand and babysit me.
I didn’t need any of them.
“Go away, Conner,” I shout back. Cars honk their horns as they
overtake the twins’ rust bucket.
“Motherfucker,” he groans as I quicken my pace. Right up ahead is the
point where the path splits, sending foot traffic one way and cars the other.
“It’s cute, this game you’re playing, but you’re not fooling anyone,
Remi.”
At least he heeded my words not to call me ‘Princess’ anymore. I’m
almost free of them when the brakes screech and Cole flies out of the
passenger side and jogs across the road.
“What the—"
“Let’s go,” he snaps, grabbing my arm.
“Get the hell off me.” I try to shake him off, but he’s strong. Almost as
strong as his big brother.
Conner winks as he pulls me toward the car, and I flip him off, not
appreciating being manhandled. Cole releases me and yanks open the back
door.
 “If you’re doing this for Ace—"
“We told your mom we’d look out for you, so let us do our fucking job.
Now get in the damn car.”
We’re locked in a stare-down. His eyes are dark and stormy, his jaw
clenched impossibly tight.
“We’re almost there.” Conner’s voice startles me and I blink first. “You
might as well let us take you the rest of the way.”
“Fine.” I climb inside. “But that’s it. Once we get to school, I don’t want
—"
“Yeah, yeah, we got the memo. You want to do this alone.”
I stare out of the window, watching the scenery roll by. I don’t want to
be here, I don’t want to ever step foot in Sterling Prep again, but what
choice do I have? It’s senior year, if I want to graduate and ever make it out
of this town, I have to put on a smile and finish my classes.
I have to stay the course.
By the time the school appears in the distance, my stomach is awash
with nerves.
“You good?” Conner asks me as I catch his eye in the rear-view mirror.
“What do you think?”
“I think you need to walk in there with your head held high.”
“Con,” Cole snaps.
The splutter of their car alerts everyone to our arrival, and my body
begins to tremble.
“You can do this,” I whisper to myself.
Conner and Cole make no rush to leave the car and, despite my
annoyance at being railroaded by them, I can’t deny I’m relieved to have
them both here.
“Okay, Remi, you know we’re going to have to get out eventually,
right?” That’s Conner.
“I know.”
“Cool,” he says. “Just wanted to check.”
Without a word, Cole gets out of the car. Part of me thinks he got bored
waiting for me, but then my door is yanked open and his hand appears.
Gingerly, I take it, letting him help me out.
“When shit gets too much for me, I just go inside myself where it’s
quiet,” he says before stalking off toward the building. I stare after him, but
something catches my eye.
 Ace is standing over by a big tree, watching me. My body tingles, as if
it hasn’t yet gotten the memo that we hate him. He takes a step forward as if
he’s about to descend on me, and it jolts me into action. I take off in the
direction of Hadley.
“I’m so happy to see you,” she says, but I wave her off, grabbing her
hand and pulling her inside the building.
Kids stare and some even point from behind their books, but to my
surprise, no one comments. As we reach my locker, I’m half-expecting it to
be tagged with words like ‘slut’ or ‘whore.’ But it’s exactly as I last left it.
“Okay,” I say, letting out an exasperated breath. “What is going on?”
“Your mom and James told you they’d talked to Vager, right?”
“Yeah, but we both know the kids at school usually give zero fucks
what Vager has to say about anything. He’s a mouthpiece. A puppet.” My
brows bunch as I whip around and glance down the hall. Sure enough, kids
are lingering, pretending not to watch. But one by one, as I make eye
contact with them, they all scurry off or avert their gazes.
It’s the total opposite of what I expected to happen.
“If it isn’t Vager, then who—”
A rumble of whispers grows up and down the hall, the source of their
interest moving toward me in long, sure strides. My heart ratchets, beating
wildly in my chest as Ace reaches us.
“Hey,” he says, uncertainty flickering in his frosty blue gaze.
“I’ll see you in class.” Hadley makes herself scarce.
Ace runs a hand over his head and down his neck. I’ve never seen him
look so vulnerable as in this moment.
It’s disarming, tugging at the thread I still feel twisting between us.
“You okay?” he breathes. “Fuck, Remi, I—”
“Don’t.”
I can’t do this.
I can’t stand here listening to his excuses and apologies.
Not if I want to survive the day.
“But I need to—”
A couple of kids stare as they pass us, catching my attention. I lift my
chin, staring back, daring them to say anything. Indignation burns in my
veins.
When I finally give Ace my attention again, he’s frowning. “This, you
and me,” I hiss. “It’s done. I trusted you.” My body trembles. “I trusted you
with my secrets and you betrayed me.”
I go to move around him, but Ace grabs my arm. My eyes snap to where
he’s holding me and he immediately releases me, guilt washing over his
expression. “Come on, Princess. We need to—”
“We don’t need to do anything. Stay away from me, Ace.” I take off
down the hall and don’t look back. I can’t. Because despite all his mistakes,
my heart still thinks we can trust him. It wants him to pull me into his arms
and tell me everything is going to be okay.
Maybe the accident damaged that, too.
Because Ace isn’t the hero here.
He’s the villain.
And everyone knows the villain never saves the day.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hadley asks as we approach the
cafeteria. Usually I stay as far away as possible from this place, but not
today.
Today, I’m going to walk in there with my head held high, order my
lunch, and show this goddamn school that Remi Tanner refuses to hide
anymore.
Morning classes were surprisingly bearable. My teachers welcomed me
back with the enthusiasm and compassion you might expect for someone
who spent two weeks in a coma after having starred in her first sex tape.
But by the third period, I knew something was wrong.
Sure, my name lingered on the lips of kids as I found an empty desk, but
no one laughed or pointed. A couple of girls even asked if I was feeling
better.
It was unnerving.
As if everyone was waiting for the signal to make my life a living hell.
And there’s only one person with enough power to give it.
Michaela has been pretty scarce all morning, but as we walk in the
cafeteria, I find her straight away, holding court at her usual table. She’s
surrounded by a sea of blue and white; football players and cheerleaders.
I step inside and they all look.
Every last one of them.
 Something simmers in her eyes as she glares at me. It’s messed-up, but I
almost feel a sense of relief at the shade she’s throwing my way. It’s the
most familiar, normal thing I’ve felt all day.
I break our stare and start moving. “You don’t have to do this with me,”
I say to Hadley as I make my way to the service counter.
But things just keep getting stranger.
Hayden appears, smiling at Hadley. “What’s looking good?”
“I don’t trust cafeteria food,” she says, grabbing a sub from the
refrigerator. “I stick with pre-packaged things only.”
“It’s good to see you back.” He turns his attention to me.
I glance behind me. “I’m sorry, are you talking to me?”
Hayden lets out a quiet chuckle. “We’re not all the shallow douchebags
you make us out to be.”
My brow rises. “Last year you helped Michaela break into my locker
and steal my gym kit.” I’d found pieces of it hanging in various places
around school. “Or how about the time—”
“Okay.” His hands shoot up. “I’ve made some less than stellar choices
in the past. But it doesn’t change the fact I’m happy to see you.”
“You’re not happy to see me.” Bitterness drips from my words. “You’re
trying to get into Hadley’s panties and want to score brownie points.”
“Remi.” She sucks in a harsh breath.
“I...” Hayden chokes out. “That’s not what this is.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I leave them and go check out what’s on the menu.
I’m not hungry, but it beats listening to any more of his bullshit.
With my tray in hand, I weave across the cafeteria, my sights set on
only one person. Michaela stands when she sees me, her lip twisting with
contempt.
“Sister,” she sing-songs for the entire cafeteria to hear. “You’re looking
better than the last time I saw you.”
This is it, I think. This is the moment the entire morning has been
building to.
Adrenaline shoots through my veins, my body vibrating. “Well, go on
then,” I say.
Confusion clouds her eyes. “Go on what?”
“Whatever you’ve got planned, I’m right here. Let’s get it over with.”
Her face pales, throwing me for a loop. “Remi, I don’t know what
you’re talking about.”
 Oh, she’s good.
She almost sounds convincing.
“Sure you do. The sex tape? The accident? Ringing any bells?”
“I wasn’t planning anything...” Her eyes dart around me as she forces a
smile.
My eyes narrow. What the hell is her game? I’m standing right here,
giving her a free pass, and she’s acting like I’m the one making a scene.
Something catches her eye over my shoulder, prompting me to turn
around. Conner and Cole are at a table in the back, their heads low and
expressions hard. I notice kids have given them a wide berth, leaving the
couple of tables near them empty. It’s as if everyone is scared of the Jagger
twins... scared they might—
I grumble underneath my breath as the truth hits me and take off in their
direction, dumping my lunch in the trash on the way.
“Fancy seeing you here.” Conner grins up at me.
“Tell me this isn’t what I think it is.” I grimace.
“You could’ve given that to me.” He eyes the trash can behind me.
“Conner... what is going on? Are you... babysitting me?” I’d be flattered
if I wasn’t so pissed.
“Babysitting? Don’t you usually get paid for that?” He looks at Cole,
who is as expressionless as ever.
“Relax, Prin... Remi. We’ve got your back.”
“So, you what? Issued a school-wide threat that if anyone says
something to me, you’ll hurt them?”
He shrugs. “Knowledge is power, baby.” His brows waggle. “And these
flashy fuckers have all got a weak spot. You just need to know where to
look.”
“What does that—”
“Remi?” Bexley’s voice makes my eyes shutter.
I turn slowly to see him approaching. Everyone is watching, their eyes
darting between me, the twins, and their quarterback.
“You look good.” He stops a couple of feet away.
“Yeah, no thanks to you.”
The blood drains from his face. “Shit, Rem, I didn’t...”
“Mean it? It’s a little late for that.” This isn’t like me; I don’t seek out
confrontation. But something’s changed inside me. It’s like I woke up in
that hospital bed a different girl. Broken and bitter. Anger and resentment
swarm in my chest like a storm showing no signs of letting up.
“Come on, I sent flowers. I tried to see you.” He reaches for me. “I
really am sorry.”
Conner and Cole are out of their seats in a second, flanking me.
“Relax, I’m not going to hurt her.” Bexley’s shoulders sag. “She’s my
friend.”
“Friend?” Cole grits out. “You sure have a strange way of treating your
friends.” The air crackles between them as they share a silent look.
“Cole,” I say, tugging the hem of his t-shirt. But he’s rigid, his dark gaze
burning into Bexley’s face.
Ace is scary when he’s angry, but the darkness rolling off Cole right
now is a whole other level.
“I’m sorry,” Bexley says. “That’s all I wanted to say. You were never
supposed to get hurt. That wasn’t the—” He stops himself, and my brows
furrow.
Something catches my eye beyond the door. “I’ve got to go,” I say,
rushing out of there. But when I spill into the hall, it’s empty. Except I hear
a door swing shut. I move down the hall, frantically searching for the right
door. When I reach the boys’ bathroom, I don’t hesitate.
I’m not even sure I know what I’m doing as I step inside, but I’m no
longer in control. The emotional whirlwind inside me spurs me on.
“You,” I spit at Ace. “Did you tell them to do that?”
Guilt glitters in his eyes. “It would seem I’m not the only one who has
taken a shine to you.”
“Don’t do that.” I hold my hand up. “Don’t pretend you care.”
“I do care.” He steps toward me, and I dart back.
“You don’t care. You’re incapable of caring,” I yell, tears burning my
throat. “You hurt everyone and everything around you. You’re like poison.
But you’re worse than Michaela. So much worse.” The words heave from
my chest. “Because I didn’t see it coming. I let you in. I let you take
everything from me and you broke my fucking heart.”
Tears stream down my face as all of the frustration and anger pour out
of me. “You broke it,” I whisper, folding my arms around my waist, trying
to hold myself together.
It was a mistake, thinking I could see him again and act normal.
Ace is my weakness.
 He’ll always be my weakness.
Because I so desperately wanted him to be my savior.
“Remi, baby,” he says, inching toward me again. “I fucked up. I made a
huge fucking mistake. I was blinded by hatred for my uncle and then that
dinner happened and I just cracked. But I shouldn’t have taken it out on
you. I shouldn’t have—”
“But you did.” My hand flies out. If he touches me, I’ll break.
“Tell me how to fix this,” he pleads.
I shake my head, swallowing down a fresh wave of tears. “You can’t.”
The words sound ominous.
He can’t give me back my first time.
He can’t give me back my dignity.
Ace can’t take back his cruel words after he loved me with his body.
It’s all there, a vast crater between us. And right there, in the center, is
me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Ace

I thought I remembered everything about her, but the moment she

stepped from Conner and Cole’s car and I got my first look at her, all
the air rushed from my lungs.
She’s so fucking beautiful. My chest constricts with regret. How could I
hurt the only bit of light I had in my life? And all for revenge.
What the hell was I thinking?
I knew I needed to give her space to adjust to life again, but the pull I
felt to her was too much to deny.
And apparently, she must still feel the same, because she just chased me
into the boys’ bathroom of all places. I was trying to do the right thing. I
was trying to let her find her feet. I’d already fucked up once, speaking to
her when I should have been hiding, but it seems my princess had other
ideas.
I take a step toward her and she takes another back, bumping into the
wall.
“Ace,” she warns. Her eyes are wide and full with unshed tears, but I
don’t stop. I can’t. My need for her is all-consuming.
I just need to touch her. To kiss her. It’ll make her remember what it’s
like when we’re together. I’ve always been better with actions than words. I
can show her how I really feel. How much I regret everything that went
down.
“Don’t, please.” Her voice is barely a whisper as she tries to convince
herself that she doesn’t still feel this pull between us.
“Princess,” I murmur. “I need you.”
“Well, you should have thought about that before you fucked everything
up.”
Our noses are almost touching, I’m so close. Her sweet scent surrounds
me and my mouth waters to have a taste of her. To sweep my tongue into
her mouth and claim what’s rightfully mine.
“I was a fucking idiot, Princess. Just tell me what to do. I’ll make it up
to you. Anything, please.” I hate that I’m begging. I thought I was above
begging to anyone, but it seems Remi is an exception to the rule. For her, I
literally will do anything.
“I-It’s too late, Ace.” Her breath fans my face as she talks, making me
even more desperate.
“No. Never. Not with us.” I lean forward and capture her lips.
She freezes beneath me and I lean into her, desperate to prove to her that
nothing has really changed. But she doesn’t react. She doesn’t move. She
just does nothing.
She’s either a really good fucking actress, or she’s telling the truth.
We really are done.
Finally, her hands lift, but it’s not to pull me closer or to claw at my
back. Her palms slam down on my chest and she pushes with everything
she has.
“Get the hell off me, Ace. How many times do I need to say it? We.
Are. Done. You. F-fucked. This. U-up-p.” The second I’ve given her an
inch of space, she runs.
I might have believed her if it weren’t for the crack in her voice.
“Motherfucker,” I wail into the empty bathroom before spinning and
landing my fist right in the mirror above the basins.
The glass smashes and my knuckles split, but the pain is nothing
compared to watching her walk away from me. Pulling my hand from the
mirror, I watch the shards fall. This isn’t fucking over.
This isn’t over by a long fucking shot.
I want to walk out. To jump on my bike and just ride. But I can’t. I
promised myself I would stick it out just to make sure everyone does as
they should and ignore her. Plus, the knowledge that she’s in my last class
of the day is enough to keep me hanging around.
Remi thinks she’s warning me off by telling me that we’re done, but I
don’t think she realizes that all she’s doing is setting up the ultimate
challenge.
She thinks we’re over. I’m about to prove her otherwise.

It doesn’t take much effort to make sure the only desk left available for
Remi when she gets to our last class is the one beside mine.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she fumes with her hands on her hips
when she finally arrives. She may or may not have been intercepted by
Conner to ensure she was late.
“Miss Tanner, I’m glad you’re back and feeling better, but is there any
chance you can take a seat so I can start class?” Triskin snaps when Remi is
still standing a few moments later.
“But, Sir.”
“Remi, please,” he sighs, sounding exasperated. “It’s been a long day.
Just sit down.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but to save her from getting in trouble, I
wrap my fingers around her wrist and tug until she lowers her ass to the
seat. Remi huffs as she does, so both Triskin and I know exactly how she
feels about the situation.
He sighs once again, but I just smile as I watch her pull her books from
her bag.
“Have you had a good day, Princess?” I whisper once Triskin’s back is
turned.
“Shut up.”
“That’s good. Well, I’m glad my brothers and I could help.”
“I said… Shut. Up.”
“So I was thinking—”
“Stop it,” she barks, turning everyone’s heads, including those of our
already pissed-off teacher, her way.
“Miss Tanner, I—”
 “I’m sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again.” She narrows her eyes at me and
all I can do is smile back.
“Can I see you tonight?” I whisper once Triskin is distracted.
Silence.
“Princess, can I see you tonight?” I try again, although I know she heard
me the first time because her body tensed.
Much to my amusement, she shifts in her seat and turns her back on me.
I shake my head at her attempt to block me out. It’s going to take more than
that, Princess. And saying no to seeing me would be a start.
She runs from the classroom the second we’re dismissed. I’m impressed
with her speed, but I’m confident I’ll catch up to her. I’m proved right when
I get to Remi’s locker and find her exchanging some books. “Princess.”
“Leave me alone, Ace.”
“Not possible.”
She slams her locker shut and groans loudly. “Ace, you need to sto—”
Remi spins and quickly finds herself pinned. I lean in so my breath
tickles her ear. “You were saying, Princess.”
“T-that you need to stop. Following me around like a lost fucking puppy
isn’t helping. You’re only annoying me more.”
“Is that right? So it’s my imagination that your pulse is racing right now
with me so close?” She sucks in a breath, attempting to stop her chest
heaving. “I guess your nipples aren’t hard for me either, or your pussy—”
“Ace. Enough. We are done. Over. Finished.” She smiles in
accomplishment when she manages to slip under my arm and escape.
Only, it’s not an escape if I let her go.
By the time I get out to my bike, Conner and Cole’s car is gone. I’m not
surprised, I’m sure Conner was waiting for Remi so he could get her away
as fast as possible.
Deciding against getting on my bike, I spin back and head toward where
I know Cole will be out on the field with the team.
I find myself a seat, and sit and watch as Coach makes them run drills.
It’s almost hypnotic, watching them run back and forth. No one looks my
way the entire time I’m sitting here, but still, when the practice comes to an
end, Cole breaks away from the rest of the team and comes to join me.
“I wondered how long it was going to take you.”
“I need the truth, Cole.”
“Nothing to tell, man.” His shoulders lift in a small shrug.
 “Right. I got beat within an inch of my life for some unknown reason
and you just happen to rescue me, yet I’m meant to believe that there’s
nothing to tell. Bullshit, Cole. You’ve been avoiding me. I need to know
why.”
“You don’t need to know anything.”
I raise a brow at him.
“Fine. JJ rang that night you went to the Heights. Said you were getting
off your face and would probably need a ride home.”
“You really expect me to believe that?”
“Yeah, because it’s the truth.”
“So you had no idea about Bruce?”
“Why would I know anything about him? I just came to pick up your
drunk ass.”
I stare at him, waiting for any sign that he might be lying. Donny
wouldn’t send Bruce for no reason, and then for Cole to randomly turn up
when he did. I don’t buy it.
“You’re hiding something.”
Cole rolls his eyes before stepping away. “How about you just focus on
what’s important.” He nods before turning away and jogging toward the
locker rooms.
If he thinks reminding me that I should be focusing on Remi is going to
make me forget whatever the hell is going on with him, then he needs to
think again. She might be my most pressing issue right now, but my
brothers’ welfare is important too. And I’m going to make damn sure they
don’t end up dragged into some shit I’m not going to be able to get them out
of.

I ignore the little voice in my head telling me to go straight to Remi’s house

and instead head back to the pool house. With nothing better to do, I find
myself some food since Ellen is nowhere to be seen and pull out my
homework. It’s a novelty, that’s for sure, but I need to do something to pass
the time that isn’t getting drunk or stoned.
Once again, Cole avoids the pool house, but after an hour or so Conner
appears to hang out. We play Xbox and ignore any of the important
conversations we should be having. I want to ask him if Remi was okay on
the ride home, if she said anything, but I don’t. I can tell by the tense set of
his shoulders that he has plenty he wants to say to me as well. For now
though, I’m happy to remain in ignorant bliss. Plus, I have plans to find out
for myself how Remi is.
Not ten minutes after Conner finally leaves do I pull my boots on and
head out too. It feels like forever since I’ve been able to give Remi a little
late-night visit, and my patience to be alone with her—and not in a
bathroom—has just about run out.
Not wanting to waste any more time than necessary, I throw my leg
over my bike and head off, parking a little way down her street so my
arrival doesn’t alert either her or Sarah. I haven’t been face to face with
Remi’s mom since that night and, to be honest, I can wait a little longer for
that conversation.
It’s not until I’m standing at the back of her house that I realize my
hopes of gaining easy entry to her bedroom were wishful thinking. Unlike
the other times I’ve been here, her window is shut. Glancing through the
downstairs windows, I don’t find any evidence that anyone is awake despite
the fact that there are a couple of lights on. Common sense tells me that if
she’s gone to the effort to shut her bedroom window, then the back door
will also be locked. I try a couple of the windows before I get to it, to prove
my suspicions correct.
I’m starting to think that I’m going to have to take drastic action if I
want to get into the house when I try my luck on the back door. To my
delight, when I push down on the handle it clicks open.
Oh, Princess. You’re going to have to try a little harder to keep me
away.
The downstairs is in silence as I make my way through the kitchen and
to the stairs. My heart thunders in my chest as I place my foot on the first
step and it makes a loud clunking noise. Who’d have thought entry via the
trellis and window would be the least conspicuous. I continue up, trying to
be as light on my feet as possible. It’s not the first time I’ve broken into
someone’s house, although back in the Heights I can confidently say that I
was never doing it to beg a girl for forgiveness.
By the time I get to the top of the stairs, I’m almost convinced that
Remi is going to open her door and catch me in the act, but to my surprise,
it remains shut. All the other doors are open with the lights off, making me
wonder if Sarah is even here.
I come to a stop outside her bedroom door. There was a soft glow
coming from around her curtains when I was in the garden, leading me to
think she’s awake, but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found Remi sleeping
with the light on.
With my fingers tightly gripping the handle, I inhale a sharp breath. I’ve
no idea what kind of mood she’s going to be in when I walk into her room.
After the way she acted today, I can only imagine she’s going to be pretty
fucking angry that I’m ignoring everything she’s said about leaving her
alone.
Remi is forgetting something though.
It’s impossible.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Remi

I lie here, listening to the sound of my own heart beating. Shadows dance
across the ceiling, chasing one another. It makes me think of Ace. Of
the way he tried to take control today, to get me to relent.
He doesn’t get it.
He doesn’t understand how deep his betrayal hurt me.
How can he?
Ace has never let anyone close enough to hurt him.
There’s a creak out in the hall. It can’t be Mom, she’s out of town at a
business meeting with James. She’d wanted to cancel, but I insisted she
went. I couldn’t deal with any more of her fussing.
My eyes go to the window. I’d locked it right before I climbed into bed.
The last thing I wanted was Ace showing up.
What if it’s him? I shake the thought from my head. Ace is a lot of
things, but he isn’t stupid enough to break into my house.
Oh, who am I kidding? I throw the sheet back and quietly tiptoe out of
bed. Everything seems quiet. My heart races as I press my ear to the door,
trying to hear anything.
Or anyone.
I’m about to retreat to bed when the door handle rattles. Before he has a
chance, I yank it open. “Why am I not surprised?” I grind out.
 Guilt softens Ace’s expression. “Desperate times call for desperate
measures, Princess.” He places his arm against the jamb, leaning down to
look at me. “You really should keep your back door locked.”
I feel stripped bare under this piercing gaze. “This isn’t healthy.” I shake
my head, taking a step back.
If I’m going to keep a clear head around Ace, I need space.
I need for him not to be looking at me with that puppy dog expression.
“I needed to see you.”
“What about what I need, huh? Have you ever stopped to think about
that?”
“You and me, Remi, we’re inevitable.”
“Inevitable?” I scoff, hating the way his words affect me. Hating the
way they unravel some of the steely determination inside me. “Is that what
we’re calling it? You filmed us having sex. A sex tape, Ace. What part of
that isn’t computing for you? The only inevitable thing about us is that I
should have known you would break my heart.” Turning away from him, I
force myself to swallow the building tears. But it’s so damn hard.
His big, tattooed arms slide around my waist, folding over my arms and
hugging me tight. “I’m sorry, and if I could take it all back, I would. In a
heartbeat. But I can’t lose you, Remi. You’re the first good thing in my life,
and I’ll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust.”
“Anything?” I tilt my head to look up at him. He leans in, his lips
hovering precariously close to mine.
“Why do I get the impression you’re after more than just make up sex?”
I jab him in the ribs and he falls back, grunting in pain. “Too soon?” he
stutters.
I spin around, cutting him with a dark look. “That will never be a joke
to me.” Tears sting my eyes.
“Shit, baby, I was joking.”
“Well, don’t. I trusted you with...” The words get stuck in my throat and
Ace rushes over to me, wrapping me in his arms again.
“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. And you’re right, the way I feel about
you isn’t healthy. At first, you just got under my skin. I kept telling myself
it would be a bit of fun, but as time went on, you buried yourself deeper
until you finally reached my black fucking soul.”
It’s the most real thing Ace has ever said to me.
I crave his words like I crave his touch.
 I’m not sure I’ll ever stop.
Because he’s not the only one with unhealthy feelings here.
“You make me so fucking insane,” I admit, clutching his black
sleeveless hoodie between my fingers.
Ace lowers his head to touch mine. “The feeling is entirely mutual. Can
we fool around now? I’ve missed you.” He grins, but there’s no missing the
sadness in his eyes. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.” Ace’s voice cracks
with emotion, but I can’t just roll over. I won’t.
I need answers first.
I need to know the truth.
I slide my hands up his chest, batting my eyelids. “If we’re going to do
this again, and I mean it Ace...” I lick my lips, power coursing through my
veins as his eyes drop to my mouth. “You have to go at my speed... and I
need to know everything. Every single fucking thing.”
“Princess...” His expression hardens.
Releasing an exasperated breath, I shove Ace and he stumbles back into
the hall. “What the—”
The door slams shut on him, and I drop my forehead to the wood, my
chest heaving.
“Princess, open the fucking door.”
“No, Ace. Nothing’s changed. You still won’t let me in, and I can’t do
this again. I won’t.”
No matter how much it kills me.
“It’s not that simple,” he says, his voice dropping an octave. “I’ve never
had to let anyone in before…”
Try, I want to roar. Try for me.
But I need Ace to arrive at the decision by himself. Because he wants to
change. Not because I tell him to.
“You should go,” I add when he doesn’t say more.
“If you think I’m going to walk out of here without…” Ace trails off,
and I hear his hand slam against the wall.
“Without what?” I shout, growing irritated by his games.
“Just open the goddamn door, Princess.”
“Why?” I yank it open, glaring at him. “Why can’t you just do as I ask,
for once?”
“Because I fucking need you, okay?” His chest heaves as he steps into
my space. “I need you more than I have ever needed anything else.”
 “It’s a start…” I arch a brow, his words burying deep inside me.
“Fuck, Remi. You’re really going to make me do this? Here? Now?”
I give him a half-shrug, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s your
call.”
He releases a long breath, dragging a hand over his face. “Yeah, okay.”
“No more secrets, Ace. No more lies.” One of my hands rests against
his cheek. My anger is already dissipating. I feel it melting away, giving
way to regret and frustration.
I want to hate him, I do. But how do you hate something woven into the
very fiber of your soul?
It’s like hating blood or water or air. You can hate them but, in the end,
you’re going to overlook your feelings because they’re a part of you. Vital
for your survival.
“First, you have to tell me what the hell is going on between you and
James.”
He inhales a deep breath. “I do this, and there’s no going back, Princess.
I’m never going to let you go again.”
“Technically, you didn’t let me go the first time. You—”
“Fuck, I want to kiss that smart ass right out of you.” He leans down as
if everything is fixed.
“Nuh-uh.” I press a single finger to his lips. “You have some explaining
to do, then we can talk about the rest.”
He groans, dropping his head to my shoulder. A smile plays on my lips.
Something is shifting between us. Ace always held the power, and I was
fine with that.
In some ways, I needed it.
But I hold the cards now.
Ace is at my mercy.
And I want to toy with him a little longer.
Moving around him, I close the door. His eyes track my every move.
It’s the predator within him. “You can take the chair,” I say as I climb onto
the bed.
“No fucking way,” he grumbles.
“The door’s right there. If you have a problem with my rules, be my
guest...”
“Fine, I’ll sit.” He rolls the chair right to the edge of the bed, his smile a
little too smug.
 “It’s hot in here,” I breathe, sliding my hands to my thin hoodie. “Don’t
you think it’s a little hot in here?” Pulling it off my head, I ball it up and
throw it at him.
“I know what you’re doing,” he says, rubbing his jaw.
“Who, me?” I stretch out on top of the sheets, letting my boy shorts rise
up my thighs. Ace catches one of my ankles and pulls me sharply so that
my foot is in his lap and begins massaging my toes. I smother a moan. It
feels so incredible, but I won’t give him the satisfaction.
Not yet, at least.
I shift the pillows until I’m lying diagonally across my bed.
“Comfortable over there?” Ace asks. He seems so different. So playful
and, dare I say it, happy.
“Is this real?” The words spill out, and his brows crinkle. “Or it is just
another game?”
“You think...” He swallows. “Shit, Remi, it’s real, baby. I swear to you,
everything I’ve said, everything I’ll keep saying, it’s all true.” His hand
stills as his eyes lock on mine, holding me captive. “Hurting you is the
biggest regret of my life, and I’ve done a lot of really messed-up shit,
Princess.”
“Have you ever killed anyone?”
The blood drains from his face. “When you said you wanted no secrets
between us, I didn’t think...”
“Ace.” My brow furrows.
“Fine. But you have to promise not to run out on me when I’m done?”
A dark cloud descends over him and I half-regret asking the question.
I know he’s dangerous, and I know he works for some dangerous
people, but there’s still so much I don’t know about him.
Too much.
“I promise not to run if you promise to tell me the whole truth and
nothing but the truth.”
He lets out a harsh breath. “Cruz was right about you,” he mumbles.
“Oh yeah, and what did Cruz say?”
“Later.” He brushes it off. “You’ve probably figured out by now that
Donny Lopez isn’t a good guy.” I nod. “Well, he doesn’t let just anyone
work for him. There’s an initiation process.”
My blood turns cold. “You had to k-kill someone?”
 “I had to fight someone, one of Donny’s guys. This older kid I knew
from my trailer park. Real piece of shit. He came at me like a bull out of a
gate. I’ll never forget the feel of his brass knuckles crunching against my
ribs. Fuck, that shit hurts. But I was light on my feet and quicker than he
was. I don’t know how, but I managed to turn the tables. We were both a
fucking mess, blood everywhere, broken bones... but I was the last man
standing. I thought I’d won.”
“What happened?”
“Donny shoved a gun in my hand and told me to finish it.”
My eyes almost bug out of my head as I imagine a young Ace being
forced to make a decision like that. I want him to tell me he didn’t do it, that
there’s some kind of happy ending to this story. But I know the answer.
It’s written all over his rugged face.
“I was almost fourteen, and we were all out of food. Conner was
starving and Cole was always sick. I had no choice... we needed the money.
So I pointed at his broken, bloody body and pulled the trigger.”
His words are like a gunshot to my heart. “Oh my God,” I breathe,
fighting the tears that flow down my cheeks.
“It was a test.” Ace runs a hand down his face. “It wasn’t loaded. I
passed the test and lost a piece of my soul that night.”
I scramble off the bed and crawl onto his lap. He slides his arms around
my waist, burying his face into the crook of my neck. “I didn’t kill him, but
I may as well have.”
Ace cups the back of my neck as he looks at me. “After that, I lost count
of the number of times I might have killed someone. When you run for
Donny, you quickly learn to defend yourself. I’ve never shot anyone point-
blank, but I’ve put a few bullets through guys. Same with my knife. When
it’s them or you... you do what you gotta do.”
I inhale a shuddering breath. “I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realize...”
“Still not going to run, Princess?”
“That depends on your answer to my next question. Why do you hate
James so much?”
A wall slams down over his expression, but I grip his jaw, ghosting my
lips over his. I’m not playing fair, but then Ace has never had a problem
playing dirty, either.
“When I was eight, my dad died. At least, that’s what she told us. I
never saw the body. One day he was there, and the next he wasn’t. We
didn’t have a burial. Mom said we couldn’t afford it. So we went down to
the park and stood in front of our favorite tree and said a few words. I was
so fucking angry at the world for taking him. I mean, he was my dad.
“I was surprised when Uncle James showed up a few days later. He’d
never been around much when we were kids. He and Dad shared a lot of
bad blood, and it was no secret my dad was the black sheep of the family. I
can’t remember much, but I remember him bringing this sack of shiny new
toys. Cole and Conner were so excited, but I didn’t want his crap. I wanted
my dad back.”
Ace’s body trembles and I hold him closer, letting my fingers trail up
and down his arm. “They argued. I can’t remember what about, but Mom
was crying and told him to go. We never saw him again after that. Mom
tried to keep it together, but things went to shit pretty quickly. She was
drinking more, snorting fuck knows what to get high, and then when she ran
out of liquor and drugs, she’d invite guys over and turn tricks for her next
hit.
“I had so much anger and hatred burning inside me. I hated my dad for
leaving us. Mom for not doing right by us. And I hated Uncle James for
discarding us like we were nothing but trash.”
“What happened then?” I ask when he goes quiet. He’s lost in his
thoughts. “Ace, come back to me,” I whisper.
He blinks, startled. “By the time I was fourteen, I knew something had
to change. We couldn’t rely on Mom for shit, and I wasn’t a scrawny kid
anymore. So I asked Donny for a job. And things were okay. I mean, we
weren’t living the high life or anything, but I kept food on the table and had
enough to buy Cole and Conner supplies for school. I made sure they did
their homework and didn’t act like little punks.”
“You’re a good brother, Ace.” I’ve told him before, but he should hear it
more often. The sacrifices he made, although heart-wrenching, are a
testament to his character. To how deeply he cares for his brothers.
“Yeah, well, it all went to shit.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “Right before
we moved here, before Mom...” He chokes over her name. “I saw a ghost.”
Confusion pinches my brows, and he gives me a sad smile. “My whole
life has been a fucking lie.”
“What do you mean?” He isn’t making any sense.
“Charlie Jagger isn’t dead.”
 “Charlie? That’s your dad’s name?” He nods. “But how can he not be
dead?”
“That’s the first fucking thing I thought when I saw him standing there.
I recognized him straight away. Same eyes, same slightly crooked nose.”
“You saw him?” I sound like a parrot, but nothing adds up. Instead of
getting answers, I feel like the puzzle is becoming more and more
complicated.
“Yeah, I fucking saw him,” he hisses. “And I found out what a real
piece of work Charlie Jagger is. Turns out he didn’t die... my uncle paid to
have him killed.”
The air whooshes from my lungs as I gasp. “No.”
“Yes, he made sure it was his parting words after he stole the money I’d
been saving. But that’s not all.” Pain glitters in Ace’s eyes, so intense I feel
it rolling off of him. “He said he was never my dad to begin with.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Ace

A s I say those words, it’s like an actual weight is being lifted from my
shoulders. I’ve been carrying those secrets around for too long.
“So who is?” Remi asks the exact same question I’ve been asking
myself for weeks.
I shrug. “I don’t even know if he’s telling the truth. It could be a lie to
add to all the others.”
“Ace,” Remi sighs, wrapping her arms tighter around my shoulders.
As good as it feels having her comforting me, that wasn’t the reason I
came here.
“Remi.”
“Shhh,” she says, placing her fingers over my lips. “No more talking.”
My heart damn near pounds out of my chest as she licks her lips.
Her eyes bounce between mine as she hovers dangerously close to my
mouth. I can only assume she’s trying to talk herself out of it, but I’m not
about to help her out with that. I need her lips on mine more than I need my
next breath.
I hold her tighter, hoping it’ll help her make a decision.
“I shouldn’t be doing this,” she mutters a beat before her lips press to
mine.
 Every single muscle in my body relaxes. I part my lips, desperate to
deepen the kiss. She follows my lead, but the second our tongues collide
she jumps off me like she’s just been burned.
“Remi, Princess. Come on, you’re not playing fair,” I groan, making a
show of rearranging myself in my pants so she knows exactly what she does
to me with just a simple kiss.
“Fair?” she asks incredulously. “Let’s talk about fair, shall we?”
Her eyes are still red from the tears she shed for me earlier, but as she
remembers, more fill her eyes. “You played a sex tape of me losing my
virginity at my own birthday party, Ace. How is that fair? I was already the
school outcast. What were you even thinking?”
I sink back in the chair. “I wanted to hurt James,” I say honestly, and
she gasps.
She said she wanted the truth, so she’s going to get it. “It was obvious
the first day we moved in that you were important to him. The way he
looked at you that night. It was with so much love and adoration. The exact
look the three of us should have had from our parents but never did.
“I hated you in that moment. I’d been dragged into this life. A life I
didn’t want. Forced to live with a lying cunt of an uncle who may or may
not have killed my dad.” My chest heaves with the admission. “I was a
fucking mess. I’m still a fucking mess. But something changed.”
“What?” she asks, a little hope seeping into her voice.
“You. You happened, Remi. I was meant to mess with you, hurt you,
break you and send you back on your knees crying to him.” Her eyebrows
almost hit her hairline, but I won’t stop now that I’ve started. “I wanted to
show him that he’s not the only one who can manipulate other people’s
lives. I wanted to prove to him that I had power. That I could get what I
wanted and ruin who I wanted.
“I just didn’t anticipate one thing.”
She juts her hip out and places her hand on her waist. She’s so fucking
sexy when she’s feisty. Her tank is thin enough to give me a hint of her
nipples hiding behind, and her boy shorts ride high on her thighs. Fuck,
how I’d love to rip them off her and feast on what’s beneath until she cries
my name.
My cock swells once again. “I fell for you, Princess. Hook, line, and
fucking sinker.”
“But you still went through with it.” My heart sinks.
 “If James hadn’t pulled that stunt for your birthday, I probably wouldn’t
have. But that just tipped me over the edge and I saw red. All I could focus
on was revenge.”
“So you filmed me and played it for everyone to see? I can’t believe that
even after… that, that you could be so cold, so cruel.”
“I had no intention of playing that video. I took the memory card from
the camera and was going to destroy it. I couldn’t do it. You meant too
much to me. I’d fallen too hard by that point.”
I stand, pushing the chair out behind me and stalking toward her.
“B-But it played. E-Everyone saw it, Ace. Everyone saw me naked as
you…”
“Fuck,” I roar, anger like I’ve never known before swelling in my gut.
“I know, Princess. I fucking know, and trust me when I say that I want to
kill every motherfucker who so much as glanced at that screen. What they
saw… I’ll regret it every day for the rest of my life.” The words vibrate in
my chest, a firestorm coursing through me.
I run my hand over my face and scrub at my rough jaw. “That should
have been for my eyes only. That’s why I knew I couldn’t do it. You’d
given me something precious, and I couldn’t ruin that any more than I
already had.”
“S-So how, Ace? You say you’d changed your mind but that tape was
still played. How?” she seethes.
“I don’t know, baby.”
She stops pacing when I get to her, and she allows me to back her up
against the wall. “But it played.” She loses the fight with her tears and one
drops from her eye.
Reaching up, I swipe it away with my thumb. “I know, but it shouldn’t
have.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.” I’ve played the lead-up to that fateful event over and
over in my mind. But with the alcohol I’d drunk, the coke I’d snorted, and
the beating I’d taken, I wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders.
“After we… slept together, I freaked out and left for the Heights. I went
back to where I grew up and hung out with my old friends. I thought it
would help me clear my head. Help me feel like I… belonged. I thought it
would feel like home.”
“Did it?”
 “Nope. I realized the only place that feels like home now is when I’m
with you.”
“Ace.”
I press my body against hers, ensuring she can feel what her close
proximity does to me, and rest my hand on her waist. It barely scratches the
surface of what I need from her, but I’ve got to get all of this out first. It’s
the least she deserves.
“I drank a shit load of liquor and snorted fuck knows how much coke.”
She gasps at my admission but doesn't stop me. “Then one of Donny’s guys
showed up to hand deliver a message.”
“Your face,” she says softly, as if she’s only just now remembering how
I looked that night.
“I don’t remember how the night ended. One minute, I’m getting my ass
handed to me and the next thing I knew, I woke up in fucking agony in my
bed in the pool house.”
“How?”
“Cole,” is all I say, because I’m convinced there’s more to his story
about that night than he’s letting on. “But along with the pain, all I felt was
regret. Regret for how I treated you, for what I’d taken from you, for what I
had planned next.
“I took the card from the camera I had set up.” I lean into Remi’s ear. “I
didn’t even watch it,” I breathe, making her shudder. “I don’t remember
what I did with it after that, but the next thing I know it was playing on the
fucking screen for everyone to see.”
“Just like you planned.” Disappointment swirls in her eyes.
“Yes but… I swear to you, Princess. I wasn’t going through with it. I’d
changed my mind.”
“Really?” she says coolly. “It all sounds a little too coincidental.”
“I swear on my brothers’ lives I did not set that video up. I did not want
anyone to see it.” Staring into her eyes, I silently beg her to believe me.
“Ace, I don’t—”
I don’t allow her any more words. I slam my lips down on hers and
make the most of her open mouth. My tongue dives in, in search of her
own, and, after a second, she concedes.
“I swear to you, Princess,” I whisper against her lips. “Let me prove it.
Please.”
“Ace,” she moans, sagging back against the wall.
 I kiss her so deeply, deeper than I have before. I want to give her
everything. I need to.
My hand runs up the inside of her tank until I take the weight of her
breast. Her head drops back and hits the wall behind her. As she does, a
flashback of her falling into that pool slams into me.
“Fuck,” I bark. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“I shouldn’t be letting you, more like,” she counters.
“No, you should be resting.”
Reaching behind me, I pull my hoodie from my body and drop it to her
bedroom floor, quickly followed by my boots, socks, and sweatpants. Once
I’m standing in just my boxers, I reach for her.
The second her feet leave the floor, she wraps her legs around my waist
and her arms around my neck. I hold her tight to me and breathe her in. I
don’t deserve this, but fuck if I’m going to point that out right now.
With her still clinging to me, I pull the sheets back and slide us both into
her bed. I settle us so we’re laying on our sides, our bodies pressed together
and our noses only a breath apart.
“Ace, what are you—”
“Sssh, Princess. For once, I’m doing the right thing. Please don’t fight
me.”
I pull her into me tighter, and, after only a few minutes, her breathing
evens out, telling me that I did indeed do the right thing.
I lie there awake almost all night, holding her and thanking whoever the
fuck will listen, for her allowing me this time.
She might wake up in the morning and regret every second of it or
remember all the things I confessed and want nothing more to do with me.
Either is a real possibility. But for now, I’ll just enjoy having her here,
holding me as if she needs me as much as I need her.

The sun appears through the curtains all too soon, and it’s not long later that
an alarm starts up and Remi stirs in my arms. She stills the moment
realization dawns on her that she’s not in bed alone. After a few seconds she
risks a look up at me.
“Morning, Princess.”
 Remi blinks at me a few times. “I thought it was a dream.”
I can’t help but smile at the fact that she didn’t call it a nightmare. “I
guess that all depends on what the dream was about.”
“Just that you were here, holding me.”
“Then I can confirm that it’s reality.”
She falls silent for a moment as she thinks. “All those things you said
last night… were they…”
“True?” I finish for her. “Every single one.”
“Jesus. So you really have no idea if your dad is your dad?”
As relieved as I am that that’s the first thing she chooses to focus on
after all the other confessions I gave her, I kinda hoped she might focus on
another. Like me admitting how I really feel for her. I may not have given
her those three little words, but I got damn close.
“Nope. I have no idea who to believe at his point.”
“Maybe you should speak to James about it. He might—”
“No.”
“Ace,” she says softly, placing her hot palm on my chest. “I heard
everything you said last night, and I understand your issue with him. But
aside from your dad, he might be the only one who knows the truth.”
“Maybe, but I’m not ready to go there yet. Please promise me you won’t
either.”
“Of course I won’t. Everything you told me last night, it’s between us.”
I stare down at her, the connection that’s always between us crackling
away.
“What?” she asks, her already rosy cheeks darkening under my gaze.
“I really want to fuck you.”
She bites down on her bottom lip, and it doesn’t make my situation any
more comfortable. “Well, I’m right here.”
Fuck, it’s so fucking tempting to just roll her over, rip those shorts from
her body and slide right into her. But I can’t.
Not yet.
“No.”
“N-No?” she stutters in disbelief.
I roll us over, but that’s the only part of that previous fantasy I allow to
happen. “The next time I’m inside you, it’ll be because I deserve it.
Because I’ve proved to you that I can be what you need. Not because you
feel bad about my fucked-up past.”
 “Ace, no. That’s not what—”
“I know, but it’s off the back of all of that, and I want it to be about us.”
Lowering my mouth to hers, I cut off any argument she might have. “Get
dressed. I’m taking you for breakfast before school.”
“Oh yeah?” She beams.
“Yeah, if I can’t have sex then I, at least need decent food to make up
for it.”
“Okay,” she agrees, jumping from the bed. “But I need to shower first.”
She drops her hands to the hem of her tank and pulls it up over her head.
“Join me?” she asks before throwing the fabric at my head.
I catch it, but at no point do I take my eyes off her back. “Turn around,
Princess,” I demand.
But the little minx pushes her thumbs into the waistband of her shorts
and pushes them down her legs, giving me the most perfect view of her ass.
“Fucking hell,” I groan, my already hard cock pulsing in frustration.
“Wanna see the front? Then I suggest you follow me.” She’s gone
before I blink. It’s the sound of the shower running that gets me moving.
She’s already under the spray by the time I step into the bathroom.
“Hey,” she says shyly. Her hands lift to her hair and the water streams down
between and over her breasts, her pink and pert nipples just begging to be
sucked on.
How the fuck am I meant to resist?
Fuck breakfast. I’ve just found something much more fulfilling.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Remi

I shouldn’t be doing this. But I can’t stop.

I need him.
I need Ace the way thunder needs lightning.
His piercing blue eyes drink me in as I lather soap over my body, paying
careful attention to my breasts.
“Fuck, Remi,” he breathes, torment etched into his expression.
Ace wants to do the right thing. He doesn’t want to rush me into making
a decision I’ll regret, but right now, I really, really need him to be the
reckless bad boy I know he can be.
I let my fingers glide down my stomach, shivering at my own touch.
The water makes everything so slippery, so good.
“You’re not playing fair, Princess.” The words vibrate deep in his throat.
“Maybe it’s my turn to play dirty,” I say.
His eyes grow hooded, and I can feel his thin rope of resolve slipping.
Ace makes quick work of removing his boxers and slips into the shower
with me. It’s much smaller than the one at his house. Our bodies brush up
against each other as he faces me away from him and slides his hands
around my waist.
“I’ve got you.” His voice cracks with emotion as he slowly begins to
wash me.
 “God, that feels good.” I lean my head back on his shoulder, relishing
the way his fingers dance over my skin, tracing the curves of my hip. He
lets his hand dip lower, slipping between my thighs.
“Ace,” I cry out as he rubs my clit. But no sooner has he started, that his
fingers move on to my stomach. “Hey...”
“Patience,” is all he says, continuing his thorough exploration of my
body. “I want to remember this moment.”
“Oh yeah, and why’s that?” I ask.
His lips brush my ear, sending a shiver rolling up my spine. “In case
you realize what a fuck-up I am and decide you’re better off without me.”
My heart clenches at his honesty. “Ace, I would—”
“Ssh. Let me enjoy this. I’ll never be good enough for you, Remi, but
I’ll try harder, I swear.”
I spin around and throw my arms around his neck, kissing him with
everything I have. He’s hard and ready at my stomach, and my core throbs.
“I want you,” I whisper against his lips, afraid of where this might take us.
“Fuck, baby, I want nothing more than to sink deep inside you, to feel
your tight pussy squeezing me, but I made a promise. And I intend on
keeping it.” Ace kisses the end of my nose before turning me back around.
“Now, just enjoy it,” he orders.
It doesn’t take long before I’m a breathless, writhing mess. Ace strums
my body the way a guitarist plays his instrument: with care and attention,
precision and skill.
“Fuck, Ace, I’m going to...” He grabs my face, bringing my mouth to
his. His tongue laps at mine as his pinches my clit, sending me flying off
the edge.
He dips his fingers inside me and then pushes them into my mouth,
licking them clean with me. “You taste so. Fucking. Good.”
“My turn,” I say, eager to taste him. Maybe we should wait to have sex
again, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t other things we can enjoy.
I reach around me to grab his cock, but he snags my wrist. “Not yet.”
“What the hell?” I’m about to tell him he doesn’t get to call the shots
when he pushes me up against the tiles. Taking my hands in his, he presses
my palms flat at either side of my head.
“I haven’t earned that yet,” he says, curling his big body over mine.
“Isn’t that for me to decide?” I wiggle my ass up against him, yelping as
his hand cracks against my skin. It stings like a bitch, but I can’t deny the
flash of pleasure that follows.
“Hands on the wall, Princess, and keep fucking still, got it?”
All I can do is nod, I’m wound so tight. Ace steps away from me, taking
his warmth. I glance back, but he isn’t looking at my face. His eyes are
roaming over my body as if it’s a treasure map he needs to decode.
“Eyes on the wall.” His voice is thick with lust. I feel him move closer,
and next thing I know his foot kicks mine, forcing my legs wider. “Do you
have any idea how fucking hot you look like this?” Ace trails a single finger
down my spine. My body hums with anticipation, the thrill of not knowing
where or how he’ll touch me almost too much to bear.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, and I nod. There’s a thud behind me, a rush
of warm air, then Ace is right there, his face buried between my ass, licking
at me like a man starved.
“Ace,” I cry, completely overwhelmed at the sudden intrusion. “Oh
God, what are you...” The words die in my throat as he licks me back to
front, pushing his tongue deep inside me. My legs shudder around him as I
try desperately to maintain my position. But it feels too good. His hands
curve around my hips, pulling me into him so my back is slightly arched.
“Ooooh fuck.” It comes out a breathy mess as he takes a greedy swipe
of me again before pushing two fingers inside me. “You want more?” he
asks, his rumble of laughter vibrating against my most intimate place.
It’s so dirty, but it feels so fucking good, I can’t stop him.
“Y-yes.” I barely choke out over the intense waves of pleasure rising
inside me as he works me with his fingers. He dives back in, eating me out
like he was born to do it.
“Come for me, Remi, baby. Show me how much you want it.” His
words are my undoing as I shudder around him. Pulling his fingers away, he
lets them slide between my ass cheeks, lingering there. This time, I can’t
resist glancing down at him. My brow rises and he smiles up at me with a
wolfish grin. “One day,“ his voice is a possessive growl that has my toes
curling, “I’m going to own every single inch of you.”
I don’t tell him that he already does.
“I don’t think that’ll ever get old,” I say as Ace pulls up outside Cali Soul.
It’s a little diner on the way to school but tends to attract passing traffic
rather than a local crowd, which is exactly why I chose it.
He helps me off his bike and takes the helmet. “And I don’t think I’ll
ever get used to the feel of you wrapped around me.”
“Ace...” I flush, need already building inside me again. Even after the
way he’d made come in the shower, and again before we finally left the
house.
Mom will kill me if she knows what we did up against the kitchen
counter as I attempted to make us coffee. But what she doesn’t know won’t
hurt her.
He smiles—an honest-to-god smile—as he stands and takes my hand.
“What’s good here? I’m starving.” But the way his eyes leisurely rake down
my school uniform tells me it isn’t the pancakes he’s hungry for.
I still can’t believe he wouldn’t let me touch him, but part of me loved
that he’s willing to punish himself for hurting me.
What can I say? Ace makes me crazy.
We enter the diner and a server tells us to find an empty booth. Ace
slides in right after me, slinging his arm over my shoulder, and reads from
the menu in my hand.
“I like this you,” I say, gazing up at him.
“Yeah?” He leans in, brushing his nose over mine before stealing a kiss.
“Good fucking job, because you’re stuck with me now.”
“I’ve been thinking, maybe we should talk to your uncle.” Peeking up at
him, I try to gauge his reaction. I don’t want to push, but after everything
he’s been through, he deserves some answers.
Ace is stiff, his jaw clenched impossibly tight. “Hey.” I run my hand
along his arm. “We can do it together. I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes flicker to mine, swirling with so much pain I want to take it
from him and make it my own. “Shit, Princess, you can’t ask me to...” He
drags in a shuddering breath and then says two little words that make me
believe we can weather the storm.
“Yeah, okay.”
“Okay?” Hope blossoms inside me.
“But I’m only doing this for you. To prove to you that I want to change.
That I want to be the kind of guy you deserve.”
 “Ace, that’s not—” His pierced brow quirks up, and I swallow my
protests. “Thank you,” I whisper.
The server comes to take our order and Ace orders one of nearly
everything.
“Hungry?” I ask, and his nostrils flare.
“I’m beginning to think I should have fucked you in the shower after
all. This sucks.”
My cheeks heat as I glance around to make sure no one is within
earshot. “I know something I can suck, if you want to drop this self-
punishment act you’ve got going on.” I lift a finger to my lips and draw it
into my mouth.
Ace yanks my hand away, gawking at me like I’ve grown a second
head. “Do you want me to pounce on you right here?”
“Maybe.” I grin.
“Fuck, I’ve created a monster.”
I tuck myself into his side, soaking up the good vibes between us. “Only
for you,” I let out a little sigh of contentment.
I know no one will understand why I’ve forgiven him so easily, but
sometimes love makes no sense. It doesn’t come with a set of predefined
rules or a playbook. It’s messy and raw and chaotic.
Love is about finding light in the darkness, those little slices of quiet in
the noise.
Ace Jagger might be everything I shouldn’t want, but he’s everything I
never knew I needed.
He might be cold but his touch burns.
He might be cruel but his kiss is sweet.
Ace might pretend not to care, but it’s only because he doesn’t know
how to love.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” He whispers the words against
my hair.
“Just thinking.”
“About me?”
“Always.”
“Even when you hated me?”
I tip my head to meet his eyes. “Especially when I hated you. When I
woke up in the hospital, the first person I wanted was you. But I knew what
you’d done. I knew you’d hurt me. I tried not to care... I tried so fucking
hard...”
He cups my face in his hands, his eyes brimming with guilt. “Never
again, Princess, I promise.”
“I know.”
“I came to see you... I’d bribe the nurses to let me into your room. There
was this one—“
“Delores,” I say around a smile.
“How did you know?”
“Oh, she’s a fully-fledged member of the Ace Jagger fan club.”
“Is that so?”
“We still need to figure out how the tape got out. It’s the only way
anyone will understand this.”
His eyes darken. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I don’t care what people think, but my mom, James, even my
dad, they’re not going to take it easy on you, unless—”
“I fix my mess.”
I nod. “I believe you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. But someone set you
up, Ace. Someone wanted to humiliate me at my party and destroy our
relationship.”
He goes eerily quiet, as if he’s replaying that night over in his head.
After a beat, he lets out a frustrated breath. “You don’t think I haven’t
racked my brain for an answer?” Shame clings to every word. “There was
no way for anyone to even know about the camera let alone... fuck.”
“Ace, what is it?” Dread pools in my stomach.
“After we...” He grinds his teeth. “And I left, I thought I heard
something outside the pool house, but I was too pissed to stick around.”
“You think someone was... spying on us?”
“It would make sense. If they heard everything go down...”
“Michaela.” The word falls from my mouth before I can even consider
the consequences.
“Your sister?”
“Stepsister,” I grit out. “I saw her the day of my party. She said some
things.”
“What things?”
I press my lips together, unsure whether to tell him. Everything from
that day is still hazy, but I can still remember her cruel smile as she looked
over me in La Dolce Vita.
“She said you’d told her we were done. Said she’d helped to comfort
you.”
“What the fuck?” Ace rears back, startling the server as she brings our
food.
“Is everything okay?” Her concerned gaze flicks to mine, and I nod. I
know what people see when they look at us. The big bad tattooed guy with
the prep school princess. And I suppose they’re not all wrong. But they
don’t know Ace like I do.
“Thank you,” I reply. “This all looks great.”
“Can I get you any—”
“We’re good, thanks.”
She hesitates before hurrying away.
“She was scared of me,” Ace grunts.
“A lot of people are scared of you.” I slide my hand along his jaw and
force him to look at me.
“Are you scared of me?”
I inhale a shaky breath, choosing my next words carefully. “I know
you’ll never hurt me, but I’d be lying if I said that sometimes your temper
doesn’t scare me.” His eyes shutter. “Hey,” I say. “I’m just scared that one
day all the anger and pain you feel will get the better of you... and that I’ll
lose you.”
“I don’t fucking deserve you. I have nothing to give you. I can’t even
afford to take you out, for fuck’s sake.”
“I don’t need any of that, Ace. I only need you.”
He doesn’t argue, but I can see the doubt in his eyes. But that’s Ace’s
war to fight. I can’t make him believe he’s worthy, I can only try to show
him.
“I’m probably way off base about Michaela anyway,” I say, trying to
lighten the mood. “She’s crazy, but she’s not stalker-level crazy.”
Ace throws down his silverware and sits back against the booth. “It was
her,” he says icily.
“What, how can you be sure?”
“I remember now. I woke up in the pool house in a shit ton of pain. I
was hungover, my body was broken, and all I wanted was you. She turned
up, looking for something James wanted. They were all busy preparing for
the party.”
 My stomach sinks and I push my plate of food away. “Did the two of
you—”
“What?” His face pales. “No, fuck no, Remi. I wouldn’t touch her if she
was the last fucking girl on Earth.”
“Okay,” I murmur, relief spreading through me. I’m sure I’ll forgive a
lot where Ace is concerned, but I wouldn’t be able to forgive him for that.
“I told her to fuck off, but she wouldn’t leave, kept insisting she only
needed to grab whatever the fuck James needed.”
“She did it?” I gasp, hardly able to believe it.
Michaela is a bitch, no two ways about it.
But playing a sex tape at my birthday party... I can’t believe another girl
would ever do that.
“I’m going to fucking kill her.” Anger pulses through me like wildfire,
and I leap up.
“Whoa, there, Princess.” Ace grasps me around the waist, pulling me
down. “She’ll get what’s coming to her.”
“Yeah, and how’s that?”
He looks me dead in the eye and says, “Because she messed with a
Jagger, and nobody hurts what’s mine and gets away with it.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Ace

T houghts of that bitch ruin what should be a nice breakfast with Remi.
But now I’ve remembered her trying to get into the pool house that
morning, the more convinced I am that she’s the one who stole the
memory card and attempted to make Remi’s life even harder than it already
is.
But why?
She’s already ‘stolen’ Remi’s life, as she likes to put it. What is she
really getting out of embarrassing Remi at every possible opportunity? Was
she trying to sabotage any hopes of me fixing my mess? Did she really
think that pulling a stunt like that would get me interested in her?
Un-fucking-likely.
I know Remi can sense the tension in me, but I can’t help but let that
bitch get to me. I stand by what I said. She hurt someone I care about. She’s
going to pay.
I just need to figure out how.
Remi lets out a long sigh as we approach my bike, ready to head to
school.
“What’s wrong, Princess. Didn’t you come enough for one morning?” I
joke, but when I look down at her, her lips are pressed into a thin line and
there are worry creases around her eyes.
 “What happens next?”
“Next? We go to school, possibly do some work to pass the time before
I can make you come again.” I spin in front of her, giving her no choice but
to stop. Brushing her hair from her neck, I place my lips there, breathing her
in.
Fucking hell, I’m addicted.
“As good as that sounds, I mean what happens with us? We can hardly
just walk into school hand in hand. Everyone will think I’m a right
pushover for forgiving you so fast.”
“Fuck ‘em. I really couldn’t give a shit what people think. We know the
truth.”
“I know but—”
“No buts,” I say, pressing my finger to her lips. “If anyone has
something to say about it, then they can talk to me.”
“I don’t want to be the girl who needs her big bad, scary boyfriend to
protect her, Ace.”
“Well then, tell them to go fuck themselves.”
She blows out another frustrated breath. “I really hate that place.”
“Come on, let’s go and show them that Remi Tanner can’t be messed
with. With or without the sexy boyfriend.”
“I don’t remember saying sexy.”
“Oh really.” I smirk. “Because that’s what I heard.”
“You’re a nightmare.”
“And all yours. Come on, hop on.”
She climbs onto my bike and I instantly feel at home when she wraps
her arms and legs around me.
The ride to school is short, and the closer we get the tenser Remi gets
behind me. We’re late, as predicted, and kids are busy heading toward the
buildings to get their day started when the rumble of my bike arriving
makes many of them turn to look.
We don’t lose their attention as I pull the bike to a stop and let Remi
climb off. She does so but makes no move to remove the helmet, much to
my amusement.
Killing the engine, I join her. “Come on, Princess. Let me see your
beautiful face.”
“They’re all staring.”
“What do you expect? They’re all jealous.”
 “I’m aware all the other girls want you, Ace. You don’t need to rub it in
my face.”
“Shut up,” I say, unclipping the helmet and pulling it from her head.
“The only girl I see is you.”
With my fingers grasping her chin, I tilt her head to the perfect angle
and press my lips to hers. We’re too far away to hear what anyone is saying,
but we’re close enough to hear the chatter cease for a moment or two.
“Come on,” I whisper against her lips when I pull back a little. “Let’s
show them what you’re made of.”
Every set of eyes follows us as we make our way toward the school
building but no one really says anything, they just watch with fascination.
They could all be thinking one of a million things. Most of them I
would agree with. I’m not good enough for Remi. I’m fully aware of that,
but it’s not going to stop me trying to prove my worth.
It seems that while we were both away, Conner and Cole did a stellar
job of keeping the pack tamed, because no one says anything untoward. It’s
the total opposite; when we do make it to the doors, someone actually holds
one open for us and says hello.
Remi rears back a little at the simple greeting as if she’s expecting a
punch to follow, but it never does. Whoever the girl is just smiles sweetly
and allows us to continue inside.
The same thing happens a few more times before Remi turns to me.
“What the hell is going on?”
“I have no idea. Conner’s probably been telling everyone that I’ll shank
them in their sleep if they’re not nice to you or something.”
“There’s something wrong with him. You are aware of that, right?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he was dropped on his
head as a baby. Dad used to…”
“We really need to talk to James. Get everything out in the open and get
you the answers you need.”
I swallow down the dread that thoughts of doing so drag up. I really
don’t want to sit down and have a heart to heart with the man who helped
ruin my life. But if Remi thinks it’ll help, then I’ll do it for her.
Coming to a stop at her locker, I pin her against it with my hips.
“Jesus, Ace,” she groans when my length presses against her hip. “You
really should have let me—” I cut her words off with my lips, taking the
only thing I’ll allow for myself right now.
 “Well, I guess this explains the rejection of our ride to school this
morning,” a familiar voice says behind me.
“Fuck off. We’re busy,” I grunt as I kiss along Remi’s jaw.
“How the fuck did you make this happen, bro? You got some tricks we
don’t know about, because I don’t know about this one here but I sure could
use some pus—ow,” Conner complains, I can only assume as Cole hits him.
“Shut the fuck up. Remi doesn't need to know anything about your
cock.”
“Hey, you were the one who brought it up. If she’s thinking about how
much bigger it is than Ace’s then it’s your fault, not mine.”
“Will the two of you shut the fuck up? We talked—”
“Yeah, right,” Conner snorts, but we all ignore him.
“We talked and—”
“He told me the truth,” Remi interjects. “Ace wasn’t the one who played
the tape. But don’t worry, I’ll make him pay for ever thinking he could
record it in the first place.” Running her hands up my chest she stops when
she gets to my nipple and twists it hard.
“Ow, Princess.”
“Payback,” she smiles sweetly. “Plenty more where that came from.
Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to get to class.”
She grabs her books from her locker before turning to look at me once
again.
“I think that’s your cue to walk her to class, bro. See if you can sweet
talk her into giving you your balls back on the way, eh?”
We all ignore Conner and walk away.
Remi might hold my hand and walk beside me like she belongs there,
but I can tell that she’s still got reservations about this, about going public
so soon. I guess when you’re used to being at the center of the school
gossip, whether you deserve it or not, it can get a little tiring.
“We’re almost at her classroom door when Michaela flounces into the
hallway, wearing her usual cheer uniform. Her steps falter when her eyes
land on the two of us together. Her face goes beet red as she takes in our
joined hands.
“Someone looks pleased to see us,” Remi mutters under her breath.
“She’s going to be even more pleased when she realizes what’s coming
her way.”
“What are you going to do?”
 “Not decided yet. It’s going to be painful for her, though.”
“Ace, you can’t hurt—”
“I don’t mean physically, Princess. What does she care about most?”
“Her popularity.”
“Exactly. That’s what we’re going to hit. We just need to find the right
ammunition. It shouldn’t be hard, she’s not exactly an angel.”
“You got that right.”
“Michaela, how lovely to see you,” I announce, putting a little extra pep
into my voice.
Her top lip curls up as she once again looks between us.
“You two can’t actually be for real?” she spits.
“We’re a hell of a lot more real than your eyelashes.”
Michaela’s mouth opens and closes like a fish.
“What’s wrong? You didn’t get your way and now you’re going to sulk?
Oh, boo hoo, why don’t you run home to my daddy and tell him all about it.
I’m sure he can buy you a new custom car to make you feel better.”
Dismissing Michaela, Remi turns to me and runs her hands up my chest
until they link behind my head. “Thanks for walking me to class.”
“You’re welcome, Princess. I’ll see you later.”
With Michaela still watching, I sweep my tongue into Remi’s mouth.
She eagerly joins in to give our one-woman audience a show.
After a few seconds, Michaela lets out a huff and disappears into the
classroom. Remi chuckles against me. “I think she got the message,” she
says when I pull back enough for her to be able to talk.
“Hmm… me too. Do you have any idea how badly I need you right
now?” I whisper in her ear. She shudders against me. I’m so close to
throwing caution to the wind and dragging her back to my bike to spend the
day in bed with her.
“It’s your own doing, Ace. You could have been perfectly satisfied this
morning.”
“It doesn't matter. I’d still want you all over again.”
“Mr. Jagger,” a deep voice booms down the hallway. “Please put Miss
Tanner down and get to class. You’d like to graduate this year, right?”
Rolling my eyes at Remi, I take a step back, although not before I
rearrange myself in the hope of not giving whichever teacher is walking
toward us the pleasure of knowing just how much I don’t need to be sitting
in a classroom right now.
 “I’ll see you later, Princess.”
She nods, an innocent smile playing at her lips as she watches me walk
away.
“Come on, Remi. Your education awaits.”
She enters the classroom while the teacher waits for her to do so, but his
eyes don’t leave me. He’s probably wondering what the hell Remi is
thinking, just like everyone else in this school.
I give her teacher a salute and walk off down the hallway to my own
class, which, naturally, I’m now late for.

The day drags, and it doesn’t get any better when I find Remi waiting at my
bike after our last class to tell me she’s been summoned home by her
mother. She didn’t say it, but I got the feeling that maybe word had already
got back to Sarah about the two of us. No doubt courtesy of Michaela.
“I can come with you. Try and charm her.”
“As much as I appreciate the offer, I’m not sure your smooth talk is
going to get us very far.”
“I don’t know,” I say with a shrug. “It worked pretty well with her
daughter.”
Her eyes widen in mock horror. “So you’re telling me all those
confessions last night were just lines to get in my panties?”
“Confessions? What’s my big brother been confessing? I’m not sure any
priest in the world has enough time to hear his sins.”
“Fuck off, Conner.”
“Bro, you’re leaning against my car. What the fuck do you want me to
do? Stick my fingers in my ears as I wait for you to fuck off?”
I push from his car to end his argument.
“You know that every word I said last night was the truth, right?” I
whisper to Remi so my douche of a brother can’t hear.
“I do. Just let me handle my mom. Go home and plot your revenge on
the cheer bitch.”
“Can I see you after?”
“I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea. If Mom’s pissed, the last thing
she’s going to want is you sneaking in the house.”
 “You could sneak out,” I suggest. “Then we can be as loud as we want
in the pool house.”
“Let’s see how it goes with Mom first.”
I expect her to follow me onto my bike when I climb on, but instead she
stands at the side, looking conflicted.
“Come on, Princess. What are you waiting for?”
“I think it’s probably best if I…” She gestures to Conner’s car, and my
heart sinks.
“Really?”
“Just until I’ve talked to Mom.”
“Fine,” I grumble. “Call me when you’re done.”
I wait for her to get into the car before gunning my engine and leaving
that fucking school behind.
With Conner giving Remi a ride home and Cole at practice, I walk into
what I think is an empty kitchen until Ellen pokes her head out of the
pantry.
“Have you had a good day?” she asks.
“Great,” I say sarcastically. The fact that I’m sitting here alone with the
housekeeper just about sums it up. I should be with my girl.
“Why the long face? You having a hard time after what happened?”
I smirk, amused that she thinks anyone would dare give me a hard time.
“Nah, it’s not like that. I spent last night with Remi. Things are good.”
“Oh?” Her lips curve knowingly.
“Things aren’t always as they seem.”
“I know that. It’s just that things seemed pretty bad.”
I can’t really argue with that.
“I didn’t play that tape, Ellen.”
“I believe you, and so does Remi, it seems. So what’s the issue?”
“I need to make it up to her. I ruined her eighteenth birthday. She
deserves better than that.” I let out a deep sigh. “I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my
job.” If nothing else, my little rendezvous with Bruce was warning enough,
even if I am yet to hear it from the horse's mouth. But I keep putting off that
little visit. I’m amazed he’s not forced the issue and had one of his goons
drag me in, if I’m honest. Something is going on there, and it sure doesn't
help me sleep at night. “I’ve got no money to do anything and ugh… I don’t
know. Sorry, this isn’t your issue.”
“No, but I may have a solution.”
 “Oh?” I sit forward, intrigued as to what she’s got to say.
“My brother owns an auto shop on the outskirts of town. He’s looking
for some help. Just labor here and there. It’s hard, dirty work. But it’s work,
and he pays well. Do you want his number?”
“How about the address? I’ll go there now,” I say, pushing from the
chair. There’s no time like the present to try to get my life in order and
prove to both Remi and Sarah that I’m serious.
“Sure.” Ellen shuffles off and grabs a piece of paper before scribbling
the address down. “And about your other issue with regards to her birthday.
I’ve got an idea. Leave it with me though.” She winks and heads back
toward the pantry.
“T-Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Ace. Everyone needs a little help now and then.”
After a quick stop in the pool house to change, I jump back on my bike
and head in the direction of the garage in the hope of a fresh start with a job
that’s less likely to end with me in prison. Or dead.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Remi

“C rap,” I mumble as Conner pulls up alongside my house.

“Problem?” he asks.
“Yeah, my dad is here.” I’ve managed to mostly avoid him up
until now, but I know he’s still out for Ace’s blood after what happened.
“You need me to come run interference with them?”
“No,” I sigh. “I need to handle this on my own.” I go to climb out, but
Conner’s voice gives me pause.
“Listen, what I said before, about you and my brother... I was wrong.”
Shame washes over him. “I guess part of me was jealous.”
“Jealous?” My brows knit.
“Yeah. It’s Ace. He’s the worst of us... shit, I don’t mean it like that. I
just mean... there was a girl, back in the Heights. A girl I…” He trails off.
“It’s a long story, but I guess I didn’t expect to move here and watch my
brother fall in love.”
“Ace doesn’t love me.” The words are out before I can stop them.
Conner smirks. “If that’s what you think, then you’re dumber than I
thought. I know my brother, and I’ve never seen him the way he is with
you, ever. You’re changing him, Remi.”
“I...”
“Cat got your tongue?” He chuckles.
 “I should go.”
“But me and you, we’re good, right?”
“Yeah, we’re good.” Shouldering the door, I climb out and traipse
toward the house. Being ambushed by my mom is bad enough, but my dad?
That’s a whole other headache I don’t want to deal with.
“Remi, is that you?” she calls the second I step inside. “We’re in the
living room.”
I shake my head with disbelief. We rarely use the living room, but of
course Mom would want to do this in there. Even now, appearances are still
everything to her.
Grabbing a juice carton from the refrigerator, I make my way down the
hall. The second I enter the room, I can tell it’s bad.
“How was school, sweetheart?” Mom asks.
“It was okay, I guess.”
“I had an interesting chat with Michaela earlier,” Dad says through
pursed lips.
“Really?” I balk. “That’s how you’re going to start this? Can’t you even
try and pretend you heard it from someone else, anyone else?” Betrayal
coils around my heart.
I wish I didn’t know how me and Dad got to this point, but the sad fact
is, I do.
Michaela drove herself between us and refused to budge.
And he let it happen.
“Your sister—”
“She is not my sister.” Anger vibrates inside my chest. “When are you
going to wake up and realize that Michaela hates me?”
“Now wait a second, young lady.” The vein in Dad’s head pulsates. “I
realize Michaela can be difficult sometimes, but you don’t make it easy for
her to—”
“I don’t make it easy? Me?” My jaw hangs open.
“Remi,” Mom rushes out. “Why don’t we all just calm down?” She
shoots my dad a scathing look.
“Oh for the love of God, Sarah, wake up and see what is happening
here. That thug is corrupting our daughter.”
“Thug? How dare you call Ace a—”
“He filmed you having... sex, Remi.” Disgust clings to every word. “It’s
a good thing you were eighteen, or I’d be pursuing sex offence charges.”
 “Sex offence charges...” I murmur with disbelief. “So that’s how it's
going to be now? You don’t give a crap about my life until I make some bad
choices and then you decide to actually show up and be a father.”
“So you admit your relationship with the Jagger boy is a bad choice?”
My eyes narrow. “You know that’s not what I mean. Stop putting words
into my mouth. Me and Ace have smoothed things over.”
“He took your virginity and recorded it, Remi. For God’s sake, have
some self-respect.”
“Enough.” Mom leaps up, tears clinging to her eyelashes. “That’s
enough.”
I fold my arms over my waist and let out a little huff of exasperation.
“Tell her, Sarah,” Dad says. “Tell her we don’t want her to see that boy
anymore.”
“What part of ‘I’m eighteen now’ don’t you understand, Dad? What I
do with my life and who I do it with is my decision.”
“Remi, please,” Mom begs.
“Seriously, you’re taking his side? You know how Michaela treats me at
school—”
“What on Earth is she talking about, Sarah?”
“Like you don’t know, Dad,” I grumble.
“It’s nothing, Paul. Just girls being girls.”
My eyes bug out, disbelief coursing through my veins. “Mom?”
I’ve never bothered to tell Dad about Michaela’s hate campaign against
me, but I assumed Mom had at least broached it with him.
“This is pointless.” I throw up my hands, done with this conversation.
“I’m not going to quit seeing Ace. He says he didn’t play that recording at
the party, and I believe him.”
“Are you listening to this, Sarah?” Dad scoffs. “That boy is nothing but
trouble, Remi. I refuse to sit by and watch him ruin your life.”
I leap up, my chest heaving. “That’s rich coming from you, Dad. You
swanned off with your new family and left us behind like we were nothing.
You fucking ruined my life, and I’m done. I’m so done.”
Mom calls after me, but I’m out of the house before she can catch up. I
take off running toward the beach, indignation burning through me.
Pulling my cell out of my pocket, I dial Ace’s number but it rings out.

Remi: Call me when you can.

 I swipe at the tears falling. I don’t want to cry, not over this.
Not over him.
But I can’t believe what just happened.
My relationship with my father has always been tenuous, ever since he
upped and left. But he’s never made me feel more worthless than he did just
now.
I glance back, spotting him and Mom on the terrace, searching for me,
but I don’t stop, following the beach toward school. Dialing Hadley’s
number instead, I barely manage to greet her as an ugly sob rips from my
lungs.
“Remi?”
“C-can I come hang out at yours?”
“Girl, of course. You don’t have to ask, you know that. Is everything
okay?”
“No,” I confess, all the pain and rejection of the last four years swelling
inside me. “But it will be.”
I'm done with my father.
Done pretending we mean anything to each other.
Done playing happy family to abate his guilt.
As far as I’m concerned, Michaela is welcome to him.

“I’ve got Twizzlers, Swedish Fish, Nerds, or Jolly Ranchers.” Hadley

glances back at me.
“You have a problem.” My brow rises as I suppress a smirk.
“So what? I like a little sugar fix now and again.” She bites the ends off
a Twizzler.
“I’ll take a box of Ranchers.” She throws me one and I catch it, tearing
it open.
Hadley’s room at Sterling Prep is like every other dorm room here: big,
spacious, and worth every cent of its ridiculous price tag. Each student gets
an en suite room in one of three dorm buildings situated in the grounds
behind the main buildings. Then small groups share a communal kitchen
and games room. Right now, as I stretch out in her queen-sized bed, I
almost envy her.
 “So what did you say?” she asks.
“I should have told him to go fuck himself.”
“Jesus, Remi.” She presses her lips together. “Why don’t you say it how
it really is?”
I’m distracted by the vibration of my cell. Ace’s name flashes across my
screen and relief floods me.

Ace: Got held up. You need me to come get you?

Remi: Held up where?

Ace: Don’t you trust me, Princess?

“Let me guess, your knight-in-inked-armor?” Hadley smirks and I flip

her off.

Remi: I trust you... I just don’t want you to get hurt again.

Or worse—I don’t want him to hurt someone else. But I don’t want to
give him cause to doubt my faith in him. Not when he’s trying so hard.

Ace: I’ll tell you everything later, I promise.

Remi: Okay... be safe. xo

“Geez, you have it so bad.”

“Do not.” I stick my tongue out at her.
“It’s written all over your face. Ace and Remi sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-
n-g, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carri
—”
“Stop, already. I get it. I’m worse than a lovesick puppy.”
“It looks good on you, though. He looks good on you.” She hesitates.
“But?”
“But are you sure you can trust him... after everything?”
 I let out a weary sigh. Hadley is the one person I don’t mind questioning
where my head’s at, because I know her motives are pure. She’s my friend.
She isn’t worried that Ace will tarnish my reputation or corrupt my soul.
Okay, maybe she is a little, but she’ll still be there to pick up the pieces
if it all goes to shit.
“I know what it looks like to everyone, but isn’t it part of lov...” I
swallow the words, “caring for someone about giving them another chance?
Ace knows he screwed up. And I know he’s not perfect. But neither am I.”
“I get it,” she says quietly. “You can’t help who you fall for.” Sadness
etches into her expression.
“You know, you never did tell me your story.”
“I’m still not ready to talk about it.” Hadley gives me a weak smile.
“Well, when you are, I’ll be here.”
“But you should know, I know what it feels like to be ostracized for
loving the wrong person. The only difference is you have the power to
choose for yourself, I didn’t. Don’t ever let people shame you for the way
you feel.”
“I won’t,” I say, because something tells me she needs to hear it right
now.
“Good. Besides, I need some vicarious action.” Hadley’s brows waggle.
“Details, girl. I need all the glorious details.”
“We didn’t actually... ya know.”
“Bump uglies, fuck like rabbits, have mind-blowing, earth-shattering
sex? Why the hell not?”
“Well, at first, I put the brakes on. He hurt me, Hads, he really hurt me.”
The lingering trace of betrayal clenches my heart. “I didn’t just want to
throw myself at him. But then one thing led to another and that to another
and I tried to touch him and...”
“He’s punishing himself.”
“How the hell do you know that?”
She shrugs. “I know things. Besides, Ace is a complete control freak. It
makes perfect sense that he’d forbid himself the one thing he wants more
than anything.”
“So you don’t think it’s a bit... over the top?”
“Has it stopped him touching you?”
“No.” My cheeks burn.
 “So let him do his thing. God, can you imagine how hot it’s going to be
when he finally lets it happen?”
I can now.
My stomach clenches, a shiver rippling through me.
“Man, I miss that.” She flounces down on the bed beside me, gnawing
on the stick of candy. “I miss the toe-curling kisses and butterfly-inducing
touches.”
“What about Hayden?” I nudge her shoulder with mine. “He likes you.”
“Yeah, but it’s Hayden. We’re just friends. I don’t want nice, I want
exhilarating. I want what you and Ace have.” Her eyes flick to mine.
“Well, keep your hands off my man.” Our laughter fills the room.
“What do you make of Cole?”
“Cole? No way. Don’t even think about it.”
“I don’t mean for me, silly.” But there’s something in her tone that
makes me think she’s thought about it. “He’s so broody. At practice he
barely utters a word.”
“Yeah, he’s a strange one. Him and Conner are like—”
“Water and gasoline.”
“Something like that,” I mumble.
A knock at the door startles us and Hadley clambers off the bed.
“Maybe it’s Hayden,” I tease. But the sharp intake of her breath as she
opens the door has me craning my neck to see who it is.
“Cole?” I leap up at the sight of him standing there.
“Ace asked me to stop by and make sure you’re okay.”
Hadley swoons, a dreamy expression falling over her, but it quickly
morphs into a frown. “Wait a second, how did you know where my dorm
room was?”
Cole’s expression gives nothing away. “I asked your boyfriend.”
“Boyfr—Hayden? Oh, he’s not my—”
“Don’t care.”
“Rude much?”
“You just got finished with practice?” I ask him.
“Yeah. Conner is coming to pick me up. You want a ride? We’re going
to hang out at the pool house until Ace gets back.”
“And where is that brother of yours?”
Cole’s mask slides back into place, and I know he won’t give up his
brother's whereabouts.
 “Fine. You go with Conner, I’ll speak to Ace later.”
“Or we could all go?” Hadley chimes.
“No,” Cole says as I reply, “For real?”
“Yeah, why not.” She drills Cole with a harsh look. “It’s not like I have
anything better to do.”
“You can’t come with us.”
“Cole!”
“Do you have a problem with me or something?” Hadley cocks her hip.
“Relax, Hads. Cole doesn’t mean anything by it, do you Cole?” My
eyes widen at him.
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll be outside in the lot.” He takes off and Hadley
snickers.
“He’s... interesting.”
“You’re not coming to try and—”
“What? No! I thought you might appreciate the company. Besides, it
beats another night of watching Magic Mike reruns.”
“There is something very wrong with you.”
“Hey, takes one to know one.”
“Yeah, yeah. Come on,” I say shoving my feet into my sneakers. “We
should probably go before they take off without us.”
Hadley disappears into her bathroom, and I quickly text Ace.

Remi: Coming to the pool house... bringing Hadley, hope that’s okay?

Ace: As long as she’s good hanging out with Conner and Cole, I don’t
give a fuck.

Remi: Ace, we can't just abandon her with the twins.

Ace: If she’s going to be around, it’s probably a good thing for her to
learn how to handle them.

“Ready?” She reappears, and I’m sure she’s put more makeup on. Her
lips are glossy and her eyes are smoky.
“You look... nice.”
 “Oh, don’t give me that look. It doesn’t hurt to make an effort.” Hadley
heads for the door, and I text Ace back.

Remi: I don’t think it’s Hadley we need to worry about.

Ace: What the fuck does that mean?

I smile to myself. Hadley and Cole is not a good idea, but part of me
can’t deny I’d pay to see him try to dodge her advances. She might be the
black sheep of the cheer squad, but one thing, Hadley Rexford is not a
pushover.

Remi: Nothing, don’t worry... I’ll see you soon.

His reply is instant.

Ace: I will always worry where you’re concerned.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Ace

T he gravel leading to the auto shop crunches under my wheels as I

make my way off the main road. This place is pretty much No Man’s
Land. It’s not part of the Bay, but equally it’s not in the Heights,
either.
I like it.
It fits me, seeing as I don’t really belong in either place right now.
I thought the Heights would always be my home, but after going back
there that night, I realized it stopped being that the day I left. That place will
always be in my blood, but I’m not sure I could go back to living there.
Although I have a suspicion Donny wouldn’t allow it. He runs that place,
and what he says goes. And he clearly doesn’t want me there any longer.
There are cars scattered everywhere. Some look pretty new, others even
more beat-up than my brothers’ Ford, which really is saying something. The
place is steeped in darkness, and I wonder if it’s already shut for the night
when a guy emerges from the side of the building. He’s dressed in all black
with heavy ink running up his arm. He is not at all what I was expecting.
He tilts his chin in my direction, and I bring my bike to a stop a little in
front of him before jumping off. “Hey, you Gunner?”
“Yeah, but G is just fine. Only my mom and sister call me that,” he says
fondly. “You Ace?”
 “Sure am.”
Ellen didn’t say that she was going to ring ahead, but I can’t say that
I’m surprised.
“Ellen said she might have the perfect laborer for me. I’ve been waiting
for her call.”
“So what is it you need?”
He pulls a pack of smokes from his back pocket before offering one to
me. Having run out of my own, I accept and put it between my lips to light
up.
“You any good with engines?” he asks, gesturing for me to follow him
into the shop.
“I guess. I keep this thing running and help with my brothers’ heap of
shit car.”
“We do all sorts here. But I’m looking for someone to pick up a few
hours. It’s going to be dirty work—cleaning up, making coffee, that kind of
thing.”
“Yeah, whatever you need, man.”
“Great. My last guy decided he was too good for this place and fucked
off to the military.”
“That won’t be happening here.”
“Good to know. So you grew up in the Heights, eh?”
“Born and bred.” I nod.
We chat for a bit longer. Gunner talks about his love of restoring vintage
cars and his dream of opening a chain of auto shops. We talk hours and pay,
and almost an hour later, I agree to come back tomorrow after school for my
first shift.
For the first time in... possibly ever, I feel like things are looking up.
Remi’s forgiven me, I’ve left my life in the Heights behind, and I’ve got
a proper job for once in my life. Maybe this move to the Bay isn’t so bad
after all.
Knowing that she’s going to be in the pool house waiting for me, I rev
the bike and push the speed a little higher in my need to get to her.
The sound of music spills out into the yard as I make my way toward where
they’re hanging out, and I can’t help a smile spread across my lips. When I
get to the door, I find Remi and Hadley nestled on the couch and my
brothers sprawled over the beanbags, drinking beers.
“I said you could hang out, not party without me.”
“Ace!” Remi jumps up and runs at me, the bottle of beer she was
holding crashing to the floor as she launches herself at me.
“Whoa, Princess. How much have you had?”
“I missed you,” she says, crashing her mouth to mine and sliding her
tongue past my lips.
“Umm,” I moan into her mouth.
They can party without me any time if this is the kind of welcome I get.
What I really want to do is ignore the three sets of eyes burning into us
and march her straight through to my bedroom, but I know I can’t do it
quite yet.
Instead, I spin us both around and fall down onto the couch, settling her
so she’s straddling me. Her hands are everywhere as she kisses down my
neck and starts gathering my shirt in her hands.
“Whoa, baby. At least let me have a drink before you strip me.”
“Sorry,” she breathes against me as Conner passes me a bottle over. I
take a long pull as Remi comes up for air.
Her eyes are blown and her cheeks are pink. She looks so fucking hot.
“Where have you been?” she asks.
“I got a job.”
“You had a drop.”
“A drop?” her friend asks, clearly eavesdropping our conversations.
“Fucking hell, Ace. Are you a dealer?”
Ignoring her, I focus on Remi. “Ellen’s brother has an auto shop. She
sent me there, thinking he might have a job for me.”
“And he did?”
I nod. “I’m going to be working a few shifts a week.”
“That’s… awesome.” She says the right words, but her face tells a
different story.
“What’s wrong?”
“If you’re working then I won’t get to see you.” She pouts, and I suck
her bottom lip into my mouth.
 “Just think of the fun we can have when I get back,” I breathe the words
against her lips. “Plus, I’ll have some money so I can take you out, treat you
the way you deserve.”
“Hmmm… maybe I can get on board with the idea.”
“So what’s with the school night party?”
“Blame Hads.” We both glance over at my girl’s best friend to find her
dancing with Conner. Both of them have a beer in hand and they’re sharing
a blunt as Cole silently broods from his seat.
“I miss weed,” he mutters, taking a long pull of his beer.
“How long until the season is finished?”
His response is barely a groan.
“You’d better find pleasure elsewhere then,” Hadley announces. “Come
dance with us.” She turns her back on Conner, shoving her ass into his
crotch, not that he seems to mind.
“What? You too boring to come and dance?” she goads.
Cole’s jaw pops in frustration as Remi and I sit back to watch the show.
It won’t be the first time I’ve seen my brothers with a girl pinned between
them, and I’d put money on it not being the last either.
Conner’s hands wrap around Hadley’s hips as he joins in. “What’s
wrong, bro? You too good to share now that you’re a Seahawk?”
“Fuck you,” Cole spits, draining his beer before standing up and
walking toward them. He doesn’t stop until his body is flush with Hadley.
“You want some fun? Let’s have some fun.” He waits until she’s taken a
drag of the blunt before capturing her jaw in his grip and covering her lips
with his.
“Cole,” both Remi and I bark at the same time.
“What?” he says innocently, a wicked glint in his eye. “I just needed a
taste.”
“If that shit gets in your system, you’ll end up fucking benched.”
“Untwist your panties, bro. Here.” He takes the blunt from Conner’s lips
and passes it over.
With a shrug, I take it. “Princess?” I ask, offering it to her first. She
screws her nose up.
“I’ll stick to the beer, thanks.”
Resting my head back, I take a drag as I let it flow through my system.
Remi crawls back onto my lap and runs her hands up my chest until her
forearms rest over my shoulders. Her eyes are wild as she stares at me and
smiles shyly.
“What are you thinking, Princess?”
She bites down on her bottom lip and glances at me through her dark
lashes. “Wondering what it might be like if we were both naked right now.”
She grinds her ass down on my already hard cock and I groan, equal
amounts of pleasure and frustration racing through me.
“Princess,” I warn.
Leaning forward, she presses her breasts against my chest and runs her
tongue up the length of my neck. “Let me give you what you need.”
“Soon.” It pains me to say it, but I meant what I said this morning. I
want to prove to her just how serious I am. “Nothing stopping me giving
you what you need, though.”
“Ace,” she moans when I pull her down onto me and grind against her
pussy.
“You reckon I could get you off like this?”
“Hmmm.” Her eyes flutter closed as I do it again.
Hadley giggles, but I don’t take my eyes off Remi to see what the hell
my brothers are doing to her. I’d rather not know. I’m not the only one with
a reputation from the Heights.
“You think they’d notice.” Remi looks over her shoulder and gasps, but
I’m not sure if it’s because of what she sees or what I’m doing to her.
“Ace,” she moans again. “Please.”
She’s still wearing her school uniform, and the pleated skirt that’s
fanned around my lap is the perfect cover. Running my hand up her thigh, I
slip it under the fabric until I find the soaked lace of her panties. “Fucking
hell, Princess,” I groan in her ear.
“Need you, Ace.”
Hooking my finger in the lace, I move it aside and press down against
her swollen clit.
“Oh God,” she gasps.
“Good?”
“So good.”
I move my fingers lower and she moans loudly as I circle her entrance.
My eyes flick up to what’s going on only feet away, but seeing as the three
of them are suitably preoccupied, I continue with what I started.
 As I push my fingers deeper inside, she begins to tremble above me. I
press my thumb to her clit and wrap my other hand around the nape of her
neck, pulling Remi’s mouth down to mine so I can swallow her cries. Her
hips move in time with my fingers and my cock weeps, desperate to feel her
riding me exactly like this.
The temptation to undo my pants and allow her to sink down on me
burns through me. I glance up once more. I’ve no doubt I’d get away with
it. But I can’t. I made a promise to myself and I refuse to break any more
where Remi is concerned.
I just hope Ellen comes up with something epic, and fast, so my balls
don’t explode with need in the meantime.
“Ace.” Her pussy clamps down on my fingers, telling me that she’s
close.
“Ride my fingers, Princess.” I mutter against her lips. “Show me how
much you need this.”
Remi does exactly as she’s told and starts moving faster against me until
her body locks up a second before pleasure races through her.
“Oh my God,” she pants, dropping her face into the crook of my neck.
She traps my arm between us, so I make the most of the situation and
keep moving my fingers, causing little aftershocks that have her shivering
against me.
“Ace,” she moans. “Please tell me they’re not watching.”
“Princess, I never want anyone one to see you like that again. No one
has a clue what just happened.” She lifts up and allows me to pull my arm
from between us.
Lifting my fingers, I suck them into my mouth. Her pupils dilate as she
watches me savor her.
“So fucking sweet. The next time you come, it’s going to be on my face
and without those motherfuckers in the room.”
“Are they leaving soon?” she asks, making me bark out a laugh.
“Impatient for more, Princess?”
“Always.”
“You’re fun when you’re tipsy.” I kiss the tip of her nose and lift her
from my lap so I can get us both a fresh drink. I ignore the three bodies
grinding away to the music. “Princess,” I call when I’ve got the bottles.
“Shall we?” I nod to my bedroom and she jumps up.
“What about them?”
 “What about them? They’re all old enough to make their own
mistakes.”
I close the door behind me, the solid oak heavy enough to block out
most of the noise. Remi comes to a stop a few feet in front of me and spins.
She sways slightly, and I can’t help but laugh.
Has she really only had two?
“Princess?”
“Yeah?” she whispers.
“Strip for me.”
Her chin drops, but she soon covers her shock. She lifts her new bottle
to her lips. My eyes drop to the smooth skin of her neck as she swallows.
“You want a show, Ace?” she asks, sauntering over to the nightstand
and lowering her bottle, but in doing so she bends at the waist, causing her
skirt to rise up.
“Princess. I said strip, not tease.”
“Same thing, no?”
“No. My patience won’t extend to teasing. I need my head between your
thighs. Right. Fucking. Now.”
Her cheeks heat, but it doesn't stop her hands from coming up to the
buttons of her shirt and undoing each one torturously slowly.
“Remi, baby. You’re going to need to go faster.”
“Good things come to those who wait, Ace.”
“Hmmm…”
My fingers clench around the handle I’m still holding as I resist taking
matters into my own hands.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Remi

“M orning.”
My eyes flutter open to Ace gazing down at me. “Hmm,
morning,” I murmur. “What time is it?”
“Time for me to do this.” He rolls over me, caging my body to the
mattress. I can feel him hard and ready at my core, and a bolt of lust shoots
through me.
“Do you have any idea how fucking badly I want you?” His words are a
low growl in my ear. “I can imagine you hot, tight and wet. Fuck, Remi...”
He grinds against me at a delicious angle. I’m about to tell him to just do it
when someone bangs on the door.
“Rise and shine, fuckers. We’ve got school.”
“Fuck off, Con, we’re busy.” Ace slides his tongue along the slope of
my neck as we rock in synchrony. It feels so good, but I need more.
I need—
“You’ve got two minutes before I come in there and—”
“Fuck off,” we both yell.
Ace lets out a groan, dropping his head to my shoulder. “He’s never
going to quit now.”
“It’s okay.” I loop my arms around his neck, barely able to contain my
smile.
 Last night was fun, even if it got a little wild.
“My head’s a little sore.”
“You need water and breakfast.”
“Mmm, no,” I drawl. “I need you.”
“Princess, you’re playing with fire.”
“One minute!” Conner yells, and Ace’s expression hardens.
“I’m going to fucking kill him.”
“He’s just looking out for us. We can’t miss any more school.” Not if
we want to stand any chance of graduating.
“Don’t remind me,” he grumbles, grazing his teeth along my collarbone.
“Come on, let’s go feed you before my brother bursts in here and I have to
kill him before he sees you naked.”
Ace climbs out of bed, and I delight in watching his body. His tattoos
twist and move with every flex of his muscles.
“See something you like, Princess?” he asks, catching my eye.
“You know, I never did get my birthday ink.”
“Yeah? You still want that?”
I suppress a smile and nod.
“Leave it with me.”
“I’m not sure I want to go back to the Heights though,” I blurt out. “Not
if it’s dangerous for you.”
Ace stills at my words, his eyes alight with wonder. “Come here.” He
crooks his finger at me and I go willingly, not caring that I’m half naked.
“How did I get so lucky?” Hooking his arm around my waist, Ace pulls
me close. My hands slide up his abs.
“I’m proud of you, ya know? For taking the job with Ellen’s brother.”
“Yeah, well, figured I need a legitimate way of earning some cash.”
“So long as you know I don’t need anything from you. This, what we
have, it’s enough.”
“You deserve so fucking much, Remi, and for the first time in my life, I
want to change. I want to be better.”
The honesty in his words floors me. “Ace, I—”
“Time’s up.” Conner bursts into the room. “Oh God, my eyes. My
fucking eyes.” He darts back out and laughter rumbles in my chest.
Ace, however, looks murderous. “I’ll kill him. I’ll fucking ki—”
“Relax.” I press a kiss to his jaw. “He knows I belong to you. Besides,
him and Hadley seemed to be having fun last night. And Cole...” My brows
furrow. “Do you think the three of them... ya know?”
My stomach clenches, remembering the way the three of them were
dancing together.
“Don’t know, don’t fucking care.” Ace lowers his eyes to mine and
frowns. “You like the idea of that?”
“I don’t know.” The quiver to my voice betrays me. “I guess I’m just
curious.” My eyes flare, a wildfire rising inside me.
“Fuck, Princess.” His lips glide to the shell of my ear. “I can’t stand the
thought of sharing you. You’re mine. Every. Single. Inch. But imagining
you all laid out before me, with some horny fucker watching... knowing that
they can never have you... watching me tease and taste you and make you
scream my name… I’m not going to lie, it does all kinds of crazy shit to
me.”
“Jesus, Ace,” I breathe, my body trembling with need. My fingers dig
into his shoulders as I imagine the scene he just painted.
“Seriously, bro, we need to—”
Ace cusses before storming over to the door and slamming it shut.
“We’re going to need a minute.”
“What are you doing?” I choke out.
“Need you, Princess.” His voice is raw. “Need to taste you before I even
think about leaving the pool house.” Ace lifts me up and my legs wrap
around his waist. “Bed or shower?” he asks.
“Oh my God, you’re crazy.”
“For you, always.”
Laughter spills out of me. Crazy, love-drunk laughter. “Shower. We
should probably get cleaned up, anyway.”
“Shower it is. But first, Princess,” Ace locks his eyes on me, full of
promise. “I’m going to need to dirty you up.”

“We need to talk,” I say to Hadley at lunch. The five of us are sitting in the
cafeteria, much to the dismay of our classmates.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” I discreetly flick my eyes
to Conner and Cole, who are busy looking at something on Ace’s phone.
 The three of them are a force to be reckoned with. Even in their
matching Sterling Prep uniforms they stick out. Ace is big and scary, and
the white shirt and blazer does nothing to hide his inked skin. Conner wears
his uniform with more finesse. He looks like a playful rogue, the kind of
boy who will charm the panties off you and say thanks for the ride after.
Then there’s Cole. In some ways, he looks even scarier than Ace. It isn’t so
much how he looks but his presence. There’s a darkness shrouding him that
you can’t help but be affected by whenever he’s near.
“A girl never kisses and tells.” Hadley smirks, putting a potato chip into
her mouth.
“So there was kissing?” I mean, I’d seen her kiss Cole, and Conner had
been all up in her space, but Ace dragged me off to the bedroom long before
the three of them crashed.
“The three of you didn’t… ya know?” I lower my voice.
“And if we did?”
“Hads!”
“Relax. Nothing happened really...”
I’m not convinced by her words. But who am I to judge? I let Ace get
me off while they were all right there.
I blush. “Last night was a little crazy, huh?”
“Girl, it was the most fun I’ve had in forever.” She’s wearing a secretive
smile, and I want to push her for details, but something tells me whatever
happened is going to stay between the three of them.
“So, you like both of them?”
“Maybe I just wanted to have fun and let my hair down. I spend my
days brushing shoulders with the SP elite. It’s not a fun place to be for me.
Sometimes it’s nice to just be... free.”
“You’re right, I didn’t mean to judge.”
“Because you’re one to talk.” She fights a knowing smile.
“Oh God, you saw that?”
“I didn’t see so much as hear. It wasn’t any wonder I was like a bitch in
heat.” Just then, Conner leans over and snags a handful of chips. “Pig,”
Hadley mutters, swatting him away.
“Yeah, but you love it.” He shoots her a megawatt smile. Cole isn’t
smiling though. He’s glaring at his brother with murder in his eyes.
“Just be careful,” I whisper to Hadley. The last thing we need is her to
come between the twins, not when everything finally seems good between
all of us.
“Ugh, fourth period calls.”
“Not for me, I have practice,” Cole says, standing.
“Ready for the game Friday?” Hadley gets up too.
“I guess.” He shrugs, taking off without saying goodbye.
“Is he always so—”
“Miserable?” Conner leaps to his feet and slings his arm around
Hadley’s shoulder. “Stick with me, baby. I’ll show you a good time.” He
winks at her and the two of them share a secretive smile.
“Okay, this is just weird,” I say. Ace stands up and offers me his hand.
“Bro, we’ve got a fan club.” Conner flicks his head over to where the
football team are. Bexley is in the center, glaring right at us.
Ace tenses beside me.
“Ignore him,” I say, pressing my hand against his stomach.
“I really fucking hate him.”
The scrape of Bexley’s chair pierces the air as he stands up, narrowing
his eyes at Ace.
“Ace,” I say again.
A crackle of anticipation electrifies the air, a murmur of whispers rising
as everyone waits to see what will happen.
“Come on then, Jagger.” He throws his hands up. “I’m right here. What
are you waiting for?”
My grip on Ace tightens as his body trembles beneath my fingers.
“Don’t let him bait you.”
“I was thinking,” Bexley says, “that maybe you can give me a few tips.
I heard you’re real handy at making homemade movies.”
People’s whispers turn to snickers.
“Fuck keeping the peace.” Conner steps up beside us. “Let’s just end
this now.”
“No,” Ace says. “Come on, let’s go.” He slides his hand into mine and
starts moving.
“You know, Remi, I thought you were better than this. I thought you
were better than him. But I guess, if you hang around with trash long
enough, eventually you start to stink too.”
I turn slowly as the entire cafeteria takes a collective breath. “What did
you just say to me?” I’m shaking at his words, anger licking my insides.
“You heard me.” His lip curls in disgust.
 “Hey, Bexley?”
“Yeah?” He glances at his friends with a smug expression.
“Go fuck yourself.” I storm out of there and don’t look back.
“Whoa.” Ace catches my wrist and pulls me into him. “Where you
going, Princess?”
“I hate him. I hate him so much.”
Ace pulls me down the hall and into an empty classroom. Tears burn the
backs of my eyes, but it only frustrates me all the more.
“He did that on purpose,” I cry. “He tried to use me to get to you.“
“Let him try.” Ace leans back on the edge of a desk, fitting me between
his legs.
“Why are you so calm about this?”
“Because I already won. I have the one thing he wants and can never
have. You.”
“I stupidly let myself believe that maybe things would be easier now.
But Bexley... Michaela... they’ll never stop, will they? No matter what we
do, what we say, they’ll never stop.” My eyes drop to the floor. I’m so
fucking tired of being held to these unattainable standards.
“Look at me, Remi.” Ace curves his hand around the back of my neck
and guides my face to his. “Fuck. Them. You think I don’t want to go out
there and make him bleed? You think I don’t want to ruin Michaela for
what she did? I do. I want it so fucking badly. But we have to be smart,
baby. We have to play this a little differently. I have too much to lose now.”
“Ace...” I lean in, touching my head to his. “I wish I didn’t care...”
“Caring makes you human. It makes you who you are. And I’m so
fucking gone for you, Remi, I can’t see straight.”
“Yeah?” A smile tugs at my lips. When he says things like this, it’s as if
everything else—Bexley, Michaela, and my dad—it all just melts away.
“Michaela and Bexley will get what’s coming to them, I promise.” He
kisses my forehead. “Now, are we going to fool around in here, or are we
going to go out there and show everyone that no one messes with Remi
Tanner and her very sexy, very whipped boyfriend.”
“Whipped, huh?”
“I’m pretty sure if you asked me to burn down this school, I’d do it.”
My eyes flare. “Is that a promise?”
He chuckles, pulling me closer. “My little monster. Oh, how I can’t wait
to be inside you again.”
 “Hurry up and get over yourself then, because I need you, Ace, and I’m
not sure I can wait much longer.”
“Patience, Princess.” He stands, taking my hand and tugging me toward
the door. “But I promise, it’ll be worth the wait.”

When I finally leave school, I’m expecting to ride with Conner, but there’s
no sign of his car. Ace, however, is there, leaning against his bike, my
helmet in his hand.
“I thought you had to work?” I ask.
“I do, but I wanted to give you a ride home.”
“You mean, you wanted to check up on me.” Warmth spreads through
me. Ace is so different lately. He’s still the same tough guy from the
Heights on the outside, but his walls are slowly coming down and he’s
finally letting me in.
“Is that a crime?”
“No.” I step into him, fisting his shirt. “It’s very sweet.”
“Sweet?” He jerks back, looking mildly offended. “I’m not sweet.”
“You are sometimes.” I fit my body against his, letting my lips drift to
his ear. “With me.”
“Only ever for you. I still have a rep to protect.” Amusement plays in
his voice.
“I know I sound like I’m pushing, but have you thought about when
you’ll talk to James yet?”
“I’m really going to need my balls back at some point.” He smirks.
“I just don’t want us to be blindsided by anything else. This thing
between you and James, it needs figuring out.”
“And if I don’t like what I find?”
“Then we’ll deal with it. Together.”
“Okay. I’ll tell him we want to talk. I think Ellen said something about
him working late tonight, but maybe we can catch him tomorrow.”
“Really, you’ll do it?”
“As I’m quickly learning, Princess, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for
you.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ace

“I s everything okay?” Gunner asks, glancing over at me for the third

time in the last ten minutes. His brows are drawn together, and I
know he isn’t going to take no for an answer this time.
I’ve been here about two hours, but I’ve hardly said a word. I’m too lost
in my own head, thinking about what the hell I’m going to say to James
when I get him alone.
“Yeah, sorry,” I mumble. “Family shit.”
Gunner nods, as if he understands. I have no idea how close he is with
Ellen, but I can only assume he knows at least the basics of our story.
“You enjoying life in the Bay?”
“After living in the Heights? Oh yeah, it’s like a dream come fucking
true,” I mutter, making him laugh. “This No Man’s Land is much more up
my street.”
“It doesn’t get better than this. It’s the perfect hiding place.” Something
passes through his eyes, but I’ve got enough of my own drama right now to
dive into anyone else’s.
The last thing I want to do is sit down with that asshole, but I made a
promise to Remi, and I fully intend to keep all my promises to her.
Gunner leaves me be while he continues to work on an engine. I’m glad
he’s not a talker. It’s enough having Remi wanting to know my deepest
secrets and thoughts.
The shift comes to an end and I help Gunner tidy and lock up before
climbing on to my bike to head home.
“Ace,” Gunner says just before I turn the engine. “Family can be hard.
But at the end of the day, they’ll be the ones who are there in your darkest
hour. Trust that they’re doing the right thing, whatever it may be.”
My brows pull together. “Uh… sure.”
With his words still ringing in my ears, I head home.
Sadly, when I pull the pool house door open tonight, I don’t find anyone
waiting for me. I already know that Remi is spending the night trying to put
things right with her mom. Cole’s been at practice so he could be anywhere,
and Conner… well, no one knows what the hell he does with his spare time.
I shower, washing the grease and dirt from my hands before heading up
to the kitchen to find some food, and, if I’m really unlucky, James.
“Hey, sweetie. How’re things with Gunner?” Ellen asks from her
position at the stove.
“It’s great,” I say, a genuine smile spreading across my face. I never
even considered getting a ‘real’ job when I was in the Heights. I turned to
Donny because I didn’t have any other options. It’s only now I wonder how
much he had to do with that. I was young, too fucking young to be working
for a guy like him, but he made it so easy. I needed to support my family so
I didn’t question it back then. But now I have to wonder if he had a hidden
agenda there. Just like he does now that I’m no longer required. He’s not
one to let his guys walk this easily.
“He only has good things to say about you too.”
“Have you been checking up on me?”
Her cheeks heat a little before she turns her focus back to whatever
she’s stirring. I have no idea what she’s cooking, but it smells incredible.
My mouth is watering, just sitting here.
“No, no. I check in with my brother every few days and your name just
so happened to be mentioned.”
“Right.” I chuckle.
“I’ve made bolognese. You want some before Conner appears and clears
the lot?”
“Yes, please.”
She plates me up a generous portion before dropping it in front of me
and pulling out a chair.
 “This is incredible. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Did you still want to do something nice for Remi?”
“Of course,” I mutter around a mouthful of dinner.
“Okay, so I spoke to my old boss. He’s got a beach house a couple of
towns over. He owes me a favor, but if you want it, it’s yours this
weekend.”
“This weekend?” I ask, my eyes wide in shock. “But I have to work.”
“Leave Gunner to me.” She winks.
“Is James here?” I ask once I clear my plate.
Ellen shoots me a puzzled look, and I chuckle. “Don’t worry, I only
want to talk to him.”
“I believe he’s in his office, but he’s going out soon so you might want
to be quick.”
The temptation to go back to the pool house and let him leave is strong,
but I think of Remi’s begging yet compassionate eyes as she pushed me to
find out the truth.
“Is everything okay, Ace?” Ellen asks, clearly seeing my turmoil.
“Yeah. I just need to ask him about a few things.”
Movement above our heads has me leaving the room before my brothers
appear. I head up the main staircase and come to a stop at James’ office
door. Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around the handle, but at the last
minute I change my mind. Rapping my knuckles on the wooden door, I wait
for two seconds.
“Come in,” he booms.
Blowing out a breath, I push the door open. I’ve never been in his
office. I do as much as I can to stay out of his way, so when I come to a stop
in the middle of the room, the last thing I expect to see on a sideboard is an
array of photographs of Conner, Cole and me sitting in frames. I remember
when most of them were taken. But I know for a fact that he wasn’t there.
“Where’d you…”
“What’s up, Ace?” He doesn’t look up. “I’m just heading out.”
“Oh… um… I was wondering if we could… talk.”
His chin drops as he registers what I’ve just said. “Uh… yeah, sure.
Anything serious? Problem at school?”
“No, no. Everything is fine. I just need to—” His cell ringing cuts off
my words.
 “Shit, I’m sorry. I need to go,” he says, scanning the message.
“Tomorrow after school, though? I’ll clear my schedule.”
Something glitters in his eyes. Is he… happy about this?
I watch as he collects up his laptop and cell before walking to the door.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, pausing.
“Where did you get these?”
He glances at the photographs I’m staring at. “I might not have been
there, Ace, but I was never far away.” With those words, he leaves me alone
in his office.
I walk over and take a closer look. There must be images from every
year of our lives here. Some are the three of us with Mom, others are us
alone. The most recent is from the night of my eighteenth birthday. How did
he get this?
I’m sitting on one of the couches in the field behind the trailer with a
bottle of beer in one hand and a blunt in the other; it’s not exactly the kind
of image most people proudly display of their nephew.
I’m more confused than ever as I leave his office.
I’m so lost that I don’t even notice when I run into Conner on his way to
his room. “Whoa, bro.” He whistles. “Your eyes not working or
something?”
“Huh, yeah. I’m good.”
“Glad to hear it. There’s a surprise in the pool house for you.”
“Oh?”
“You might not want to wait.” He disappears into his room with a
knowing smirk on his face.
Shaking my head, I make my way back to the kitchen. Ellen catches my
arm and hands me a note with an address scribbled on it. “You’re going to
owe me for that,” she says.
“Thank you.” I offer her an appreciative nod before moving to the door
and slipping outside.
When I reach the pool house, I open the door and poke my head inside.
Surely there can only be one thing, or person, waiting for me? But to my
disappointment, the living area is empty. Assuming Conner was just
messing with me, I grab myself a soda from the refrigerator and go to fall
down onto the couch. Only, a noise from the bedroom catches my attention.
Excitement explodes in my veins as I put the soda down and go in
search of my visitor. “Well, well, well, there seems to be a girl in my bed.”
 “I thought this kind of thing was an everyday occurrence for a bad boy
like you.” Her brow rises.
I push down thoughts of my past, although I can say with total honesty
that I’ve never found someone quite as appealing as Remi in my bed
waiting for me before.
“I thought you were spending the night with your mom?”
She shrugs. “So did I until she announced she was going for dinner with
James, so I thought I’d sneak over and surprise you.”
“Well,” I say, pushing from the doorframe and stalking toward the bed.
“I’m certainly surprised.” I run my eyes up the length of her bare legs until
I find the hem of her short skirt. It’s lifted so high that I get a hint of the
lace that’s covering her.
“Did you have a good night at work?”
“I don’t remember.”
She squeals as I dive on the bed, pulling her beneath me and fastening
my lips over hers. As I sweep my tongue into her mouth, I realize I am
grateful to James for something. If he weren’t seeing Sarah, then I wouldn’t
get this time with Remi.

Knowing we have plans this weekend makes it a little easier to refuse

Remi’s many offers of relieving me. Although I don’t tell her about Ellen’s
gift.
I fully intend on it being a surprise, which means I need to sweet talk
Sarah into allowing me to whisk her daughter off for a not-so-innocent
weekend in a hired beach house. I might refrain from mentioning my plans,
though.
“I’m meeting James after school,” I admit to Remi as we walk toward
her locker the next morning.
“You want me there?”
“I thought you wanted to be.”
“I do. I want to support you, but I understand if you’d rather I wait in
the pool house or something.”
Squeezing her hand, I turn to her. “I want you there.”
 “Okay, so we’ll head straight there and, depending on what he has to
say, maybe you can stay for dinner.”
“Let’s just worry about talking to him and finding out the truth. We can
plan whatever comes next after that.”
I can see the worry in her eyes. She knows as well as I do that James
might have things to say that I’m not going to want to hear. But she’s right.
It’s time for all the truths to be exposed. The hatred I’ve had for him isn’t
doing me any good. There’s a reason things happened the way they did, and
I need to know the truth.
“James has photographs of the three of us in his office,” I admit, much
to Remi’s surprise. “Yeah, I was shocked too.”
“See, I told you he wasn’t a bad guy.” She reaches up and brushes her
lips down my jawline. My fingers clench, my need for her all-consuming
once again.
My cock stirs. Fucking hell, this weekend can’t come soon enough.
For the first time since I started at Sterling Prep, I want the day to slow
down. I might agree that it’s time to lay all the truths out on the table, but I
can’t convince myself that I’m ready to hear them.

“You ready for this?” Remi asks, slipping her hand into mine and threading
our fingers together.
“Nope.” She chuckles lightly but doesn’t stop walking toward James’
front door. It’s the first time I’ve used it in weeks, usually preferring to slip
in the side door or avoid the house completely. It feels weird walking in like
it’s actually my home.
We stop by the kitchen and let Ellen make us both a drink.
“James is in the living room waiting for you,” she says softly, making
my stomach twist uncomfortably.
I nod, and Remi squeezes my hand in support. “You’ve got this. And if
you need to leave at any time, all you need to do is say,” she whispers in my
ear.
“Ace,” James greets as I step into the room. “Remi.” His eyes brighten
the second he sees her, and I hate the anger that still stirs within me at
seeing his adoration. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
 I don’t believe for a second that’s true. He’s fully aware of the situation
between us; there’s no way Sarah hasn’t filled him in on everything she
knows.
“Hey,” she says lightly. “I hope you don’t mind, Ace wanted me to…”
“Remi, you’re always welcome in this house, you know that.”
She smiles at him before lowering to the couch when I do, tucking
herself into my side.
“Okay then Ace, what’s this little meeting about?” His voice is all
business, nothing like the man who found me in that motel room and
threatened me until I told him what kind of man I thought he was.
That was the last proper conversation we had. It feels like a million
years ago.
I suck in a harsh breath. “I want to know the truth. Why did you arrange
for our dad to be… killed?” The word almost chokes me. “Why didn’t you
help us after, yet you took us in when we had nowhere else to go?”
His eyes flit between mine and Remi’s.
“It’s okay. She’s knows everything I do.”
“Okay.” He takes a breath before reaching forward for his glass of
scotch on the coffee table. He drains the lot before sitting back and resting
his ankle over his knee.
“Your dad wasn’t a good man, Ace. He was abusive. The way he treated
your mother. Fuck. It still haunts me.” His face pales. “But she loved him.
No matter what he did, she had an excuse.”
“You were… friends?”
“We all were. The three of us were friends since school. But she chose
him.”
Remi gasps beside me, like she’s just discovered something, but I don’t
turn to ask. I need to hear what my uncle has to say first.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Remi

A ce is tense beside me as James slowly unravels the story.

“I’m almost two years older than Charlie, but I was only in the
grade above. He was always a loose cannon, causing trouble, and I
was always cleaning up his mess. Maria was from the Heights. She didn’t
go to our school, but Charlie met her on a field trip and they hit it off. He
was in tenth grade and I was a junior. She was like a breath of fresh air.
Sweet and funny and not at all like I thought she would be.” Sadness
washes over him as he stares out at nothing, lost in his memories.
“Our parents weren’t happy about their fledgling relationship. They told
Charlie he wasn’t to see her anymore. Of course, he didn’t listen. I’d drive
him to the edge of the Heights to meet her but, more often than not, we’d all
hang out.”
Ace lets out a shuddering breath, and I run my hand over his, offering
him a reassuring smile.
“The more Charlie was around Maria and her friends, the more he
changed. By the time I left for college, I barely recognized him. But Maria
was smitten and the two of them were inseparable.
“The first time it happened, I was home over the holidays. Charlie
turned up drunk with Maria in tow. Dad lost his shit, and they had a big
fight. I tried to intervene, but Charlie turned on me as well. He said some
things and Maria... well, she got upset. I drove her back to the Heights and
when we pulled up outside her house, she kissed me goodnight. It was
innocent enough, at first. But something changed between us... something I
think we’d both been ignoring for a long time.”
“What the fuck are you saying?” Ace’s tone is chilling.
“It was only supposed to be one time. Maria was Charlie’s. She wasn’t
mine.”
“You had an affair...” Ace chokes out. “With my mom?”
But there’s something else in James’ eyes; a secret he’s been keeping. I
don’t know when I realized it, but I’m hardly surprised when the next words
fly out of his mouth.
“You asked me yesterday why I had photographs of you and the twins in
my office—”
“No.” Ace leaps up, the missing pieces of his life finally connecting.
“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare fucking say it.”
James stands, his expression full of regret. “I wanted to tell you, so
many times, I wanted to…”
“It’s you. You’re our...” Ace’s voice cracks, pain and anger rolling off
him. “No. There’s no way. You left us...”
I shoot up, wrapping my hand around his arm. “It’s okay,” I say.
I’m waiting for the blow up. For him to punch something or break
something... or worse.
But it never comes.
Anger vibrates through him, his eyes pinning James to the spot. “It’s
really true?” Disbelief coats his words.
“There’s still so much you don’t know, Ace. Charlie wasn’t a good man.
He hurt your mom, he used to—”
“Stop, just stop.” Ace rips his arms from me and starts pacing the plush
carpet.
“Ace. Son...” James’ eyes widen as he realizes his slip.
Ace freezes, glaring at his father. “You don’t ever get to call me that.
You left us. And now you’re trying to tell me that all along you were our
father? YOU FUCKING LEFT US THERE.” His roar echoes off the walls,
making my heart splinter.
“Ace...” I approach him, but he’s lost to his anger. I see it swirling
around him like a dark vortex.
 “I can’t do this.” He lets out a shaky breath. “I need to get the fuck out
of here.” Ace storms out of the room, taking the air with him.
“I, uh... I should go after him,” I say to James. Devastation is etched in
the lines of his face. I want to comfort him, to say something—anything—
to make it better.
But I can’t get past the fact that he left Ace and his brothers in that
trailer park with a mom who couldn’t keep it together long enough to do the
right thing.
“Of course. But Remi, please, I never meant for this to happen. I
thought... Fuck,” he breathes, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I’ve made a
real mess of things.”
“Yeah,” I offer him a sad smile, “you have.”
Running after Ace, I catch up with him just as he’s about to leave the
house.
“Ace, wait,” I cry.
He stalls, his hands gripping the door jamb. I can feel the pain and anger
rippling off him. Slowly, he turns around but barely meets my gaze. “I need
space, Remi.”
“I know... I do. And I want to give it to you.” I take a cautious step
forward. “But I’m worried about you. You just found out something huge,
and I don’t want to lose you.”
He tips his face to the ceiling and sucks in a harsh breath. When his
eyes settle on me again, tears burn my throat. “He’s our… father.” He
barely manages to get the word out. “I thought it was bad having a father
like Charlie… but this is worse. James knew. He knew we were his and
what our lives were like, and he did nothing.”
Without thinking, I run to Ace, throwing my arms around his neck. “I’m
sorry, I’m so, so sorry.”
At first, I think he’s not going to react, but then his arms slide around
me, crushing me to his chest. “What the fuck am I supposed to tell my
brothers?”
I hold him tighter, my heart breaking for the boy who has carried the
weight of the world for far too long.
“I’m here,” I whisper. “I’m right here.”
Ace eases back, and I’m sure I see moisture clinging to his dark
eyelashes. “I promise I’m not going do anything stupid, but I can’t be here
right now.”
 “Let me come with you.”
Indecision flickers in his icy gaze, but then a mask slides over his face
and I know I’ve lost this battle.
“I need some space, I need... fuck, I don’t know what I need, but I know
I need to go.” He starts to pull away, but I snag his arm.
“Ace, please...”
“Just trust me, Remi. I’ll be fine, I promise.”
Ace presses a kiss to my head, and then he’s gone.
Taking a piece of my heart with him.

I find James right where I left him. He’s hunched over his glass, his head
hung low. I don’t need to see his expression to know he’s filled with guilt
and shame. It lingers around him like a bad smell.
“He left?” He finally meets my gaze.
“Yes.” I take the seat opposite him. “But he seemed, I don’t know...
sad.”
“You expected him to lose it?”
“Didn’t you?”
“I think that’s partly why I didn’t tell him right away. I was worried
what it would do to him. Ace is such an angry young man.”
“Were you ever going to tell them?”
“Eventually. I’ve spent a long time waiting for this moment, and then I
got the call that Maria was dead and it was like I didn’t know what to do.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” The words fly out. Maria’s death is something
none of them seem to have dealt with. Ace barely talks about her, and I’ve
never heard the twins so much as mention their mom.
“That’s very kind of you to say.” His lips curve slightly. “But my
feelings for Maria faded a long time ago.”
“What really happened, James?”
“Me and Charlie were like apples and oranges. I was groomed for
greatness. My father was a formidable man. He constantly came down on
Charlie. Nothing he said or did was ever good enough. In some ways, he
pitted us against each other. But it was never an issue. Until Maria.
 “After that first time we...” He swallows the words. “We both agreed it
couldn’t happen again. But then time after time my brother would mess up,
and every time we’d find ourselves right back where we started. It became a
cycle neither of us could break until she announced she was pregnant.”
James gets up and pours himself another drink, perching on the edge of
his desk. “Charlie was so excited. Promised to clean himself up and get a
decent job. He started making all these grand plans for their future. I was
devastated. I think a part of me had always hoped she would leave him. But
I knew my family would never accept her, and she knew Charlie wouldn’t
survive without her. It was an impossible situation.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“She didn’t tell me, not right away. But the second I saw Ace, I knew.
God, it was so hard watching Charlie with him. My son.”
James inhales a sharp breath. “But my brother was different. Calmer. He
really wanted to do right by them. So I stepped aside. It was the hardest
thing I’ve ever done.”
“The twins?”
“Another moment of weakness. Charlie’s bad habits didn’t stay away
for long. After Ace was born, he and Maria were rarely intimate and he’d
started seeing other women. I begged her to leave him. Begged her to do the
right thing.
“When the twins were born, it was the final straw. I couldn’t stand by
any longer. She had to make a decision. Me or him.”
“She chose Charlie...” I gasp.
He nods grimly. “I stayed away after that. Of course, I checked in on the
boys occasionally. But as far as Maria was concerned, we were done. And
then one day, out of the blue, she called me. I’ll never forget the fear in her
voice.
“We met out of town. I knew it was bad, but when I saw her body... the
bruises... I’ve never felt anger like it. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to
strangle him with my bare hands for ever laying a hand on her.”
“I don’t know what to say...” Their story is far more complicated than I
could have ever imagined.
“I have carried this around for so long... I can’t deny it feels like a
weight has lifted, getting it off my chest. But it shouldn’t have happened
like this. I should have...” He stops himself. But I need to know the rest.
And something tells me he needs to purge the sins of his past.
 “What happened to Charlie, James?”
“Maria wanted to leave him. She was scared of how volatile he’d
become and suspected he knew about the boys not being his. So I made
arrangements. Everything was set, but he found out. He found out and he
threatened to...” He swallows hard, running a brisk hand over his face. “I
realized then that Maria was never going to be free. All those years I spent
wishing she’d choose me, not realizing that fear motivated her to stay.
Maria begged me to back off. She said things would calm down once I
disappeared again, Charlie would see sense. But the damage was already
done. The anger and pain I felt festered inside me, growing into some ugly
beast.
“So I paid a guy to make Charlie disappear. I didn’t want to know the
specifics. I just wanted him gone.”
A chill zips up my spine. He makes it sound like paying someone to kill
his brother is nothing, but then, I know all too well that love brings out the
crazy in people.
“I only ever wanted to keep them safe, Remi. It’s all I wanted. But in
the end, it cost me everything. Maria couldn’t look at me after Charlie’s
body turned up. I begged her to let me see the boys, to tell them the truth,
but she said if I ever came near them again, she’d tell them what I’d done.”
Pain bleeds from his words, and I want to comfort him. But it feels like a
betrayal to Ace. He still doesn’t know the whole story—he still has so much
to learn about his life.
And James has no idea Charlie is alive.
I hesitate, wondering if it’s the right thing to do. But Ace deserves to
have someone stand in his corner.
Taking a deep breath, I say, “Charlie isn’t dead.”
The blood drains from his face. “It isn’t possible.”
“It is. Ace saw him, James. Right before Maria died.”
“I... dear God. That’s how he found out? That’s how Ace knew?”
I nod, my heart aching for this messed-up family.
“But how? I saw the body, I saw...”
“Ace doesn’t know. But Charlie is alive. Which means he could come
back. He could try and hurt you. All of you.”
If Charlie is as unhinged as they both say, he could want revenge. A
violent shudder rolls up my spine.
 James makes a garbled sound in the back of his throat. “What have I
done?” he cries, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes. “I have lived with
what I did every second of every day. I thought I could bring them here and
things would get better. But Ace hated me from the minute he stepped foot
in the door, and it was like Charlie was still here, forcing a wedge between
us... but he is. He’s alive.”
“You should have talked to them. The second they got here, you should
have sat them down and—“
“Do the twins know?”
I shake my head. “Ace is trying to protect them. But maybe it’s time for
everyone to know the truth.”
“You’re right. Of course, you’re right.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach
his eyes. “There are so many things I wish I’d done differently. But I can’t
fix the past, Remi, no matter how much I want to.”
“You’re right.” I stand up. “You can’t fix the past, but you can try to fix
the future. Ace has spent most of his life feeling inadequate and abandoned.
His dad died. His mom turned to alcohol and drugs. And you left him there
to pick up the pieces, only for him to discover that everything he knew was
a lie. That kind of trauma isn’t just going to go away. He needs people to
look past the tattoos and piercings and bad choices and see the lost little boy
inside. The boy he’s too afraid to show anyone.
“He needs people to give him a chance. And he needs people to stop
letting him down.”
James rakes a hand through his hair, and for the first time, I see Ace
staring back at me. “You’re a good girl, Remi. And I’m truly sorry for
trying to get in the way of you and my son. He needs you. I fear after all
this, he’s going to need you more than ever.”
“And I’ll be there for him.” I hold my chin in defiance. “I’ll always be
there for him. The question is, will you?”

I didn’t go home. After leaving James with some soul-searching to do, I

texted Mom and told her I would be staying at the Jaggers. She was still
worried about my relationship with Ace, but I was past caring.
 He needed me, and I wasn’t about to be another person who let him
down. So I waited in the pool house, praying he’d come to me in one piece.
After a while, I gave up watching television and got into bed. I’ve been
lying here for what feels like hours, staring up at the ceiling, imagining
where he is. I want to believe Ace will do the right thing, that he won’t fall
back into old habits, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.
As I lose the fight to sleep, I whisper into the darkness, “Come back to
me, Ace.”
Almost as if in answer, I hear footsteps outside. Jolting upright, my
breath catches as the door creaks open. “Ace?” I run my eyes over his face
and down his body, looking for any signs he’s hurt.
“I’m okay.”
He doesn’t sound it.
Ace pulls off his hoodie, kicks off his boots, and unbuttons his jeans,
letting them slide to the floor. I watch as he stalks toward the bed, his eyes
swirling with indecipherable emotion.
“Where did you go?” I ask, unsure I want to know the answer.
Ace pulls back the cover and slips into bed. His arms go around my
body as he fits me against the hard lines of his. I feel him relax, the tension
seeping from his muscles as he breathes me in.
“Ace?” It comes out small.
“I’m okay,” he whispers against my hair. “I’ll be okay.”
“Where did you go?”
“Nowhere really. I just got on my bike and rode. It wasn’t until I
reached the Heights I even realized where I was going.”
I go rigid, fear trickling down my spine.
“Shh,” he soothes. “I’m okay. I didn’t stop. I doubled back around and
went down to the beach. There’s something about sitting on the sand and
looking out at the sea... It calms me.”
I ease out of his hold and crane my neck to look at him. “Did you find
what you were looking for?”
“No.” A faint smile plays on his lips.
“No?”
“You see, I realized something. I realized I had all I need right here,
waiting for me. You ground me, Remi. You.” Ace dips his head, brushing
his lips over mine. “I’m sorry I ran.”
 My hands slide up his chest as I touch my head to his. “I’m sorry your
dad is such a fool.”
“My dad... fuck, that’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Tomorrow maybe, but right now I just want to close my eyes and
sleep.” His grip on me tightens as if he thinks I might disappear at any
second.
“Sleep, Ace,” I say. “I’m right here.”
I’ll always be here.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ace

R emi falls almost instantly asleep in my arms. I, however, lie there for
hours with tonight's revelation playing on my mind.
James is my dad.
James is our dad.
How? How is it even fucking possible? So Mom was cheating with
James. That I get, especially if what James is saying about how Dad treated
Mom is true, and I’ve no reason not to believe that after meeting him not so
long ago.
There was an emptiness to his eyes that leads me to believe he’s capable
of much worse than just raising a hand to a woman. But to have two
accidental pregnancies? That’s just un-fucking-lucky. It’s almost
unbelievable, but as much as I want to call him a liar, something about it
just rings true. It just feels right. I’m almost as confused by that as I am by
the revelations themselves.
I attempt to put myself in James’ shoes. Could he have done more? Did
he make the right decision by leaving us?
I’m no closer to having any answers by the time the sun comes up.
Slipping out of bed without Remi noticing, I pull on some clothes and
silently head up to the main house. There’s a soft light coming from James’
office, hinting at the fact that he’s awake. I wonder if he’s had a sleepless
night too?
I knock on the door once, but unlike yesterday, I don’t wait for him to
reply before pushing it open. He’s laid out on his couch, a mostly empty
bottle of scotch on the table and a smashed glass on the floor.
“A-Ace?” His eyes flicker open before widening when he notices me.
“I need a favor.”
He pushes himself so he’s sitting and stares at me as if he’s never seen
me before. I get it, I’m looking at him now in a totally different light.
“Ace, I’m so sorry.”
I hold my hand up. “Not now. We’ll talk, I’ve got questions. A lot of
fucking questions. But right now, I need you to promise me that you won’t
say anything to the twins.”
“O-Okay, sure. Whatever you want.”
“When we tell them, it’ll be on my terms. I know them better than
anyone. I know how to handle them.”
“You got it.”
I hesitate, knowing that I should go to the woman herself for this, but
I’m running out of time.
“Spit it out...”
“I’m taking Remi away this weekend. We’re going to have a second
attempt at celebrating her birthday. I need you to make sure Sarah is on
board.”
“Um… yeah. I’ll do my best. She’s really not happy about the two of
you after...”
“I’m sure you have ways to convince her.” My stomach turns at the
thought.
“I’ll do what I can.” He waves me off.
I turn to leave and have the door open when my name falls from his
lips. Looking back over my shoulder, I find his soft eyes on me. It’s not a
look I’m all that used to. “Make sure she has a good weekend,” he says.
“She deserves it.”
I nod and walk from the room, taking that as his permission. Not that I
need it where Remi is concerned. She’s mine, and no motherfucker is going
to stand in my way.
When I get back to the pool house, she’s still sleeping soundly on her
back with her lips slightly parted. I strip out of my clothes once more before
crawling under the covers and starting our weekend early.
I kiss up her thigh until my nose hits the lace of her panties. She moans,
but she doesn’t move, making me think that she’s still asleep. Slipping my
finger under the lace, I pull it aside to reveal what I really want.
Reaching forward, I gently sweep my tongue along the length of her.
She tenses as her taste makes my mouth water for more. Moving my hands
under her legs, I wrap my fingers around her hips so I can pull her closer.
She moans, her hips writhing against me as I suck on her. “Ace,” she
squeals as her entire body flinches. “Fucking hell,” she pants, throwing the
covers off and staring down at me.
Her eyes are still hooded with sleep, but her lust still shines bright
within them.
“Morning, Princess,” I mutter against her, the vibrations of my voice
making her squirm.
“It sure is.”
Her fingers twist in my hair and she tugs to keep me moving.
Laughing, I go back to giving her exactly what she needs.

“Well, well, well, looks like the princess escaped her castle once again.”
“Fuck off, Conner,” both Remi and I say at the same time when they
meet us out the front of the house to head to school.
“What? Just pointing out that she might as well move in at this point.”
“Hmm… now there’s an idea.” I turn to her, running my eyes up and
down her body. “I could have you in my bed every night. Then we could
start every morning like we did—”
“Okay, that’s enough detail. Fuck,” Conner barks. “I really need to get
laid.”
“Good luck finding a girl who’s up for that,” Cole mutters.
“Oh, I don’t know. Hadley was pretty interested the other night.”
Remi and I share a look as Cole turns his back on us all and drops into
the car.
I don’t really give a shit as to what happened between the three of them
while I was keeping Remi entertained the other night, but Remi is dying to
know what went down… or maybe who.
 “I’ve got a surprise for you later,” I whisper to Remi before I pull the
helmet over her head.
“Oh yeah?”
“I think you’re going to really like it.”
“If it involves you, then I already know I will.”
I climb onto my bike, and in only seconds she’s wrapping her body
around mine.
Fuck, this weekend can’t start soon enough.
The day fucking drags. I don’t have nearly enough classes with Remi,
and too fucking many with Michaela and Bexley.
Just the sight of his face pisses me off. My fists curl every time I see
him, but I know Remi would never forgive me if I laid him out in the
middle of school and got myself suspended. What I said to her the other day
still stands. We need to go about this a different way. We need to be smarter
and hit them where it’s going to really hurt.
I’m walking around the back of the gym after our last class of the day
when her sickly-sweet perfume fills my nose. “What do you want?” I bark
before she even appears in my vision.
“Ace, play nice. I was only coming to say hello,” she purrs, coming to a
stop in front of me.
“Nice?” I ask. “I thought you were smart, Michaela. I don’t do nice.”
“Even better. I have a thing for bad, bad boys.” She bites down on her
overly plump bottom lip and takes a step toward me. “And I know that you
like to live on the wild side.”
I raise a brow. Is this bitch for real?
“Is that right?” I ask, playing with her to see how far she really is
willing to take this as an idea begins to form in my mind.
Her hands land on my chest, and I have to fight not to react and push
her away. They slide up until they’re locked around the back of my neck.
She reaches up on her tiptoes so her breasts press against me.
“So what do you say, Ace? You fancy starting the weekend right? I
know I can do things to you that others can’t.” She might not say Remi’s
name, but we both know that’s exactly who she means.
I refrain from pointing out that it’s not possible.
“How so?” I spin us until she’s pressed up against the building wall. I
stare down at her as if I might be interested in what she has to offer, but the
reality is that my stomach is turning with my need to get away.
 “I don’t have a gag reflex.”
“Is that so?”
“I could suck you so fucking deep, baby.”
“Well damn.” I fight the urge to retch. “I’ve got plans tonight, but
maybe I’ll have to take you up on the offer. I’m always up for discovering
people’s… hidden talents.” Not that I believe for one minute this is hidden
in any way. She’s probably had half of the football team’s cocks in her
mouth.
“And what’s your hidden talent, Ace?” she drawls. “Will I get to
experience that too?”
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
I push from the wall and run my eyes down her body. As usual, she’s
wearing the fucking cheer uniform. She really needs to have a day off with
this bullshit.
“I’ll see you soon, Michaela.” I wink and her pupils dilate. Fucking
hussy. Just the hint of something happening and she’s practically on her
knees already.
At least she served one purpose: I’m no longer sporting the semi I’ve
been walking around with since Remi forgave me.
Without looking back, I head toward the parking lot where I’m hoping
there’s a girl waiting for me who does things to me that Michaela never
could.

“So, are you going to tell me what this surprise is yet?” Remi asks as I pull
up outside her house.
“Nope. But I need you to do something for me.”
“Oh?”
“I need you to go inside and pack a bag.”
“A bag?” She narrows her eyes at me.
“Yep. You need enough stuff for the weekend.”
“The weekend?” A smile begins to play on her lips.
“The whole fucking weekend, Princess.”
She squeals and claps her hands together in delight.
“The quicker you get your shit, the sooner it can start, baby.”
 “Yes!” She runs toward the front door as I laugh at her excitement. She
has no idea where we’re going or what we’re doing, yet I think she’s more
excited than I’ve ever seen her at the prospect of spending the weekend
with me. Me. I shake my head. How the fuck did I get so lucky?
In less than five minutes, she’s back with a backpack over her shoulders
and climbing back onto the bike.
“Where are we going?” she shouts, but I turn the ignition and cut her
off. She’s going to have to wait.
I memorized the directions while I was in math earlier, so I don’t even
need to look at a map as we make our way out of the Bay. Her arms remain
wrapped tightly around me the entire journey, making me damn near ready
to explode with need.
By the time I pull off the main road and onto a little track that’s meant
to head to our weekend home, I’m strung so tightly that I’m not sure I’m
going to even get her through the front door.
“Holy shit,” I gasp as we round a corner and the sea comes into view
before an incredible beach house appears before us.
It’s totally secluded, built into the side of the hill with what looks like a
private beach below. I bring the bike to a stop and kill the engine. Remi is
off and has the helmet in her hands in seconds. Her eyes are wide with awe
as she looks from the exclusive-looking house and back to me.
“Here? We’re spending the weekend here?”
“Just me and you, Princess.”
“Whoa. What the hell did I do to deserve this?”
Climbing from the bike, I pull her into my arms. “You’re just you,
baby.”
Slipping my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her lips to mine. I
sweep my tongue into her mouth, tangling it with hers, but it’s not enough.
It’s never enough. “Shall we go and check the place out?”
“Um… yes!”
We walk hand in hand down the small gravel path toward the house. I’m
totally out of my depth here. I’ve never been anywhere so fancy in all my
life. I thought moving into James’ was a shock to the system, but this place
is out of this world.
I open the gate and let Remi step up onto the decking. There’s a sunken
hot tub and a pool with water so blue it blends with the sea in the distance,
so it looks like it goes on forever. There are loungers, love seats, a swing,
and the biggest grill I think I’ve ever seen.
“Ace, how the hell did you find this place?”
“I have my ways,” I mutter.
We make our way to the door and slide it open. Whoever Ellen’s old
boss is, was clearly expecting us. There’s a welcome note with the key, a
bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, and a huge assortment of fresh fruit
beside it.
“How much did this cost you?”
“It doesn't matter. Nothing matters right now but you and me, Princess.”
Dropping our bags to the floor, I pull her into my arms. “It’s just me,
you, and the sea for the entire weekend. What did you want to do first?”
She reaches up until her lips tickle against my ear. “Hmmm, I have a
few ideas, and you’re wearing too many clothes for all of them.”
I groan. My need for her is all-consuming, but I’m going to do this
right.
“Happy birthday, Princess.”
“Huh?” she pulls back and looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind.
“This is a do-over. You deserve the world, but this is the best I could
come up with.”
“The best?” she asks incredulously. “This is fucking incredible.”
I look at our surroundings, feeling totally out of place. “It really is
something.”
“You weren’t expecting this, were you?”
“I knew it was a beach house, but I had no idea it was going to be this…
flashy.”
“Well, get used to it, because it’s all ours.” I grin, trying to hide how out
of my depth I feel. “Shall we see what’s for dinner?”
“Dinner? You want to start with dinner?”
“Yep. I have a plan.” I smirk.
“A plan? You want to fill me in so I know what to expect?”
“I’m going to wine you, dine you, and then make you fucking mine all
over again.”
“Oh God,” she whimpers, telling me that she’s about as desperate as I
am.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Remi

T he beach house is incredible. I don’t know how Ace managed to pull

this off, but I can’t deny the butterflies that flap wildly in my stomach
as I watch him dig around in the refrigerator.
“Are you okay in there?” I ask.
He looks so out of place here in his ripped jeans, military boots, and a
black tank that shows off his tattoo sleeves. But I wouldn’t have him any
other way. What a person wears or how they brand their skin doesn’t define
them. I know that better than anyone.
A person’s worth is more than just designer clothes, a prep school
education, and a sizable trust fund. It’s the choices they make and the scars
they bear. It’s their integrity and unwillingness to conform just because
society tells them to.
It’s love.
Unconditional, irrevocable love.
“Ace,” I say quietly, my pulse racing and blood ringing in my ears.
He glances at me and smiles.
Oh God, that smile.
It makes me melt.
It makes me want things.
 A future and promises and a life I never saw before he barged his way
into my world.
“Yeah, Princess?”
“I’ve got something to tell you.” Nervous energy vibrates inside me,
and I curl my hand around the edge of the counter to steady myself.
“Fuck,” he breathes, running a hand over his head and down his neck.
“It’s too much, isn’t it? I didn’t know it was going to be this flashy. I just
thought it was—”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “It’s not about this... this is perfect. It’s
everything, Ace, and I’m so excited to be here with you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, unable to hide my smile. “But there is something you
should know. Two things actually.”
His brows knit, his stone mask sliding into place. My heart aches for
him, knowing that he probably expects the worst.
I hope he’ll feel differently when I’ve told him. At least, about one of
the things.
“After you left last night, James and I talked. I think he needed to get
everything off his chest and I wanted to understand his side of the story. But
I couldn’t say nothing... so I told him about Charlie being alive.”
I brace myself for the flash of anger I’ve seen so many times in his eyes,
but it doesn’t come.
“You told him?”
“He needed to know.”
“You’re right.” Ace releases a heavy sigh that I feel all the way down to
the pit of my stomach. Closing the refrigerator door, he stalks toward me,
his eyes dark and hooded.
“That’s one thing. What was the other?” His arm hooks around my
waist, drawing me close. My hands go to his chest as I stare up at him.
“That’s it? You’re not upset?”
“I told you last night, I have all I need. James. Charlie. This shit with
my mom, none of it can touch me with you by my side. So what’s the other
thing, Princess?” He drops his head to mine. “Because unless you’re about
to tell me that we’re done, nothing you say is going to matter.”
“I love you,” I blurt out, instantly regretting my timing when Ace goes
as still as a statue.
“You... love me?” The words get stuck as his breath catches.
 It’s a wonderful sight to behold, this big scary guy rendered speechless,
but I can’t deny there’s a part of me terrified that I should have waited to
confess what I’ve known for a while.
“I do.” I smile. “I don’t really know when it happened, but it did. I
know you think you’re this unloveable guy with a dark past, but I see you,
Ace. I see you.”
A beat passes, the weight of my words thick between us.
“Say something...” My voice trembles as we stand there, my heart in the
palm of Ace’s hands.
And only he can decide its fate.
“Fuck, Remi, I... fuck.”
Dejection snakes through me. He doesn’t feel the same. Ace doesn’t—
The air whooshes from my lungs as Ace scoops me up and carries me
through the beach house. “Ace, what the hell?” I shriek, hitting his chest.
“You think you can just say that to me and everything goes back to
normal?” His eyes narrow. I can’t look away. I’m lost... drowning in two
pools of crystal blue water.
I don’t even notice we’ve arrived in the bedroom until Ace lowers me to
the floor and pulls me around so that I’m pressed up against him, my back
to his solid chest.
“Oh, wow...” I flush. The bed is huge. Bigger than any bed I’ve ever
seen, draped in crushed silk sheets and facing the patio doors that open onto
a terrace overlooking the sea.
“I can’t undo what happened that night.” His voice is a soft murmur in
my ear, sending shivers zipping through my body. “I wish I could. I wish I
could turn back time and give that night a different ending. But then we
wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t be in my arms, telling me you love me.
“I’m a fuck-up, Remi. I’ll probably always be a fuck-up. But I’ll never
fuck up with you again, and I’ll spend forever trying to erase that night
from your mind, starting with right now.” Ace’s hand glides up my neck,
gently coaxing my face to his. His mouth fixes over mine, his tongue
sliding between my lips. He doesn’t say the words, but I feel his love wrap
around me and take hold.
This is how Ace speaks, with actions and touches and possessive
glances.
“Does this mean you’re done punishing yourself?” I murmur against his
lips, not wanting for a second to break the kiss.
 “Hell yes.” He turns me in his arms, cupping the back of my neck as he
traces letters of love over my jaw and down the slope of my neck.
I can feel him hard and ready at my stomach, but he isn’t in any rush to
take care of himself—it’s always about me. About him taking care of my
needs, making sure I’m satisfied.
Part of me thinks it always has been, even during the games, the
constant push and pull.
“I’m going to get you naked now, and then I’m going to spend my time
loving every single inch of you.” His thumb brushes my jaw, running over
my swollen lips. “Because I do, ya know? I love you, Remi. I love you so
fucking much it hurts.”
Ace’s eyes glitter with promise as his words bury their way into my
soul. “I don’t deserve you, but I fucking love you, Princess. And I’ll never
let anyone hurt you ever again. Myself included.”
“Ace.” His name falls from my lips in a soft whisper as I push myself
against his body. Catching my drift, he picks me up, forcing my legs around
his waist.
“I had all these plans...”
“They can wait. I need you. I need you so much.”
He carries me to the bed and we land in a tangle of limbs and laughter.
“I need you naked, now.” Ace starts stripping me, kissing my skin as he
goes. My fingers twist into the bedsheets when he closes his mouth around
one of my nipples. His warm breath against the cool scratch of the lace has
my body squirming beneath him.
“You like that, baby?” he teases. “Already wet for me?” Ace dips one of
his hands to my pussy, hooking the lace aside. His finger glides through my
wetness. “Fuck, that’s hot.”
He begins to work me with his fingers, slow and deep, mimicking the
drag of his thumb over my clit. My legs lock around him as I ride his hand,
desperately chasing the high I know is coming.
“Fuck, Remi, I can’t wait to be inside you... I don’t think I’ve ever
wanted anything as much as I do you.” The words dance over my skin as I
sing his name over and over.
“Ace, oh God, more... I need...” Everything grows small as I drown in
sensation. I can feel Ace rocking against me, the hard bulge in his jeans
rubbing on my leg, but I’m too lost to do anything about it.
But suddenly, he slows the motion, almost stopping.
 “What are you doing?” I pant, the waves of pleasure ebbing away,
leaving me frustrated.
“Patience, Princess.” He smirks, flicking my clit. Once… twice… until
I’m crying his name.
“Ace, please… I need… oh God.” Arching up, I desperately try to rub
against him, but he pulls away again.
“I like you like this. Needy for me. Desperate.” Ace nips my bottom lip,
soothing the sting with his tongue.
“I know what you’re doing.” I narrow my eyes at him.
“Me? I’m doing… nothing.” He pushes a single finger inside me, slow
and deep, stealing my breath. But it isn’t enough.
“Stop teasing me.”
“Your wish is my command.” Ace grins, kissing me so hard I’m not
sure where he begins and I end. “Come for me, Princess.” He licks inside
my mouth, his tongue darting in and out the way his fingers work me. I arch
my back, my head rolling to the side as pleasure starts to rise inside me.
Ace chuckles, tracing his lips down my neck as one of his hand
squeezes my breast. “Look at you,” he drawls. “You. Are. Mesmerizing.”
Curling his fingers inside me, I begin to tremble.
“Ace...” My fingers clutch the sheets, my body a writhing, needy mess.
His lips find my skin again, his teeth grazing the faded bite mark.
“Please,” I cry. I don’t even know what I’m asking for, everything is so
intense.
The second his teeth sink into my skin, the waves crest, crashing over
me with such force I scream his name.
“You’re mine, Remi. Always.” Ace licks the bite mark, sealing it with a
kiss before dragging his eyes to mine. “Hi.” He smiles.
“Hi.”
Suddenly, the air shifts, the pain of our past lingering on the periphery.
“Fuck,” he grits out.
“Hey.” I rest my hand against his cheek. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not, I should never have fucking—”
“Ace, don’t do this. Don’t let the past define our future.” My hands find
the hem of his tank, pulling it away from his cut abs. He takes over,
working it off his body in one smooth glide. He eases off me, shucking out
of his jeans. My eyes drop to his tented boxers as he begins fumbling
around with his wallet.
 “Wait,” I say, a slight tremor in my voice. “I don’t want anything
between us.”
“For real?” His Adam’s apple bobs against his throat, heat blazing in his
eyes.
I nod, a shiver working through me at the very idea of feeling him bare
inside me.
Hovering at the end of the bed, Ace slowly pushes his boxers down his
hips, roughly palming himself. “The things I want to do to you.”
“I’m right here.” I smirk, letting my hands trail down to the waistband
of my panties. But Ace is quicker. Diving at me, he rips them clean off me
before covering my body with his.
“You sure?”
I don’t answer with words. Instead, I dip my hand between our bodies
and grasp him, guiding him to where I need him most.
“Fuck, Remi... fuck,” he breathes, as I slide his cock over my clit,
teasing us both. “You’re going to be the death of me, baby.”
Ace grabs my hands and pins them above my head before driving into
me in one smooth glide. We both cry out as he stretches me.
“Jesus,” he chokes out.
“It feels... God...” My legs anchor around his hips, urging him to move,
and he does.
Strong, powerful strokes that I feel all the way down to the tips of my
toes.
Ace curves his hand around my throat, pinning me to the mattress. He’s
everywhere. His tongue pushed deep in my mouth, his big body pressed up
against me as he grinds into me, filling me with every thrust. My hands
fight against his hold, desperate to touch him, to feel his muscles ripple
beneath my fingers, but it only makes him go harder. Faster. Until I can
barely breathe and my vision starts to blur. He isn’t making love to me. He
isn’t fucking me. He’s branding himself on my soul, carving his name
permanently on my heart.
“Ace, it’s too much,” I whimper, completely overwhelmed by the
sensations he’s unleashing on me.
“Ssh, baby.” His mouth is at my ear, his words a hot growl. “I’ve got
you.” He releases my hands, letting me grip his shoulders as he begins to
ride me slower, deeper, until I don’t know where I end and he begins. My
legs fall to the mattress, letting his pelvis bump against my clit, sending
bursts of pleasure racking through me.
“You feel so fucking good.” He murmurs the words, painting them onto
my lips with his tongue. Our kisses grow frenzied. Hot, wet, dirty kisses as
we both race toward the edge.
“You ready to come for me, Princess?”
I mewl some inaudible reply, my heart hammering inside my chest as
Ace hooks his arm underneath my thigh and grinds into me at a new angle.
“Fuck... Fuck...” I chant like a girl possessed, a girl ready to sacrifice
herself for the cause.
“I’m close,” he rasps, “I’m so fucking close.”
Without warning, Ace pinches my clit hard and my orgasm hits, my
pussy convulsing around him as he continues to pump inside me.
“Fucking love you, Remi.” His body tenses, and I know he’s close. I
wrap myself around him, locking my ankles around his back as he jerks
inside me.
Silence settles over us, nothing but the sound of our ragged breaths and
beating hearts. “You good?” he asks, his voice raw.
“More than good.” My lips break into a full smile. “I love you, Ace
Jagger.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing that. Or having your tight pussy
wrapped around me. It feels like fucking heaven.”
“So romantic.” I roll my eyes playfully.
“If you wanted romance, Princess, you picked the wrong guy.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I lean up, brushing his nose with mine. “You don’t
do so bad.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ace

R emi falls asleep in my arms. It’s easy to forget everything she went
through not so long ago, she’s still recovering. I think this weekend
will be good for both of us.
Unable to switch off, I slip from the bed and take a shower before
pulling on a pair of sweatpants and going back to the job I started in the
kitchen. The refrigerator is fully stocked with everything we could possibly
need. I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve this, but Ellen pulled out all
the stops for this weekend.
Pulling out a couple of steaks, I leave them on the side to rest while I
make us a salad. I never enjoyed cooking when I was forced to look after
my brothers—it was just another chore that landed on my shoulders, a kid
forced to make sure everyone stayed alive and healthy. But as I stand
chopping the huge selection of vegetables I find, I discover it’s actually
quite relaxing, and knowing that I’m making it for Remi means it’s even
more enjoyable.
Fucking hell, I’m so fucking whipped.
I smile at myself, but I really can’t find it in me to care. I don’t give a
fuck that she basically holds my balls in the palm of her hand.
On the way out to the decking, I poke my head into the bedroom to find
Remi still sleeping soundly. After firing up the grill, I get myself
comfortable on one of the many loungers with a beer and stare out at the
calm sea in the distance.
I think back over my time in the Bay and all the events that led me to
this moment with Remi. I really didn’t want to move. I would have happily
stayed in the Heights, and if it weren’t for my brothers then I’d probably
still be there. Then I never would have met her. I’d have been forced into a
life of crime and under-the-radar deals with Donny. Probably would have
ended up getting Kelsey or another of the Heights hussies pregnant.
I might even have turned into a younger version of my father as I drank
away my sorrows and took out my anger over my shitty life on those closest
to me.
Fuck.
He’s not even my fucking father. He’s my… uncle.
This is such head fuck.
Once my bottle is empty, I stand, lift the lid on the grill and throw our
steaks on. They sizzle immediately and the smell makes my stomach
rumble.
After getting a refill, I lean against the railings, continuing to look out
over the view as I wait for the steaks to be ready so I can go and wake
Remi.
I’m so lost in thoughts of how I would wake her that I don’t hear
footsteps heading my way. Remi’s warm hands slip around my waist before
pressing against my abs. She rests her head against my bare back, her touch
almost burning me to the bone.
“Hey, Princess. Did you have a good sleep?”
“I did,” she mumbles, her voice still rough. “I missed you.”
Her lips press a line down my spine. My skin pricks with goosebumps
and all the blood in my body rushes straight to my cock. “You like that?”
she breathes, clearly noticing the shudder that runs through my body.
“You’re touching me. Of course I fucking like it.”
“How long until dinner?”
“Probably two minutes ago,” I admit. I’ve already lost track of time
now she’s here.
“Don’t move.” I lose her touch, but it’s only for a moment, because no
sooner has she gone than she’s back again.
Remi continues kissing, her hands tracing the lines of my abs before she
finds the V that disappears into my sweats.
 “Jesus, Remi,” I moan, when her fingers dip under the waistband,
gasping when she wraps her hands around my solid length.
My heart pounds in my chest as she slowly starts stroking me, the heat
of her front pressing against my back. “Fuck, Princess.”
“Just making up for lost time, Ace. I owe you.”
“You owe me nothing, baby. I’d make you come all goddamn day and
expect nothing in return.”
“As much as I appreciate that, it’s not necessary. I want to take care of
you too.”
“Fuck.” My head drops between my shoulders in pleasure as she sweeps
her thumb over the tip of my cock, collecting up the bead of precum that I
know is there.
I watch her hand where it disappears under the fabric of my sweats. I
really fucking want to see her hand wrapped around while she works my
length.
I push my sweats down. “Fucking hell, Princess.”
Her spare hand trails down my side. She squeezes my ass before
running it down my thigh. Catching it in my own hand, I guide her around
to cup my balls. She owns them, so she may as well play with them.
“Jesus, fuck.” Her touch is so gentle, so soft.
“Do you think anyone can see us?” she muses.
“I really fucking hope so.” The thought of someone seeing exactly what
this girl does to me turns me on more than it probably should. I want the
world to know she’s mine, and what better way than showing them how she
brings me to my motherfucking knees.
“Rem… fuck…” Tingles race down my spine, and my muscles lock up
as pleasure races through me.
I roar like a feral fucking animal when my release hits me. My chest
heaves as I fight to regain control of my heart.
“Fucking hell, Princess. That was… wow.”
“Yeah? she asks shyly.
Reaching for my sweats, I pull them up and turn on her.
“Motherfucker.” The word falls from my lips without my knowledge as
I find her standing in my tank. It’s longer on her, skimming her mid-thighs,
and the arms hang down low enough that I’m sure I’ll get a good boob shot
when she turns. Her nipples pebble under my stare and she rubs her thighs
together.
 When I find her eyes, she’s staring down at where my cock is, once
again, straining behind the fabric of my sweats. “Again?” she asks.
“Always.” I take a step toward her. “Now tell me… exactly what are
you wearing under this?”
“Ace, I—” Ignoring what she’s saying, I opt to find out for myself and
pull the neck away from her body, peering inside.
“Just how I like you. Naked and ready for the taking.”
“Down, boy,” she says with a laugh, placing her palms on my chest. “I
need food first. I’m starving, and that smells too good.”
I stare at her. Really stare at her. Her dark eyes sparkle with desire as
she looks back at me. The freckles on her nose are more prominent than
when we first met, and her hair is messed from our roll around the bed
earlier. She’s so fucking beautiful.
And all fucking mine.
Sliding my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her into my body. “I
really fucking love you, Remi Tanner.” I slam my lips down on hers before
she has a chance to respond. As much as I loved hearing those words from
her earlier, I don’t need them. I see it in her eyes every time she so much as
glances at me. I feel it in her touch, even the most innocent ones.
“Go and take a seat. I’ll finish dinner.”
“I can help,” she argues.
“No. Sit. Relax. Something tells me you’re not going to get all that
much rest tonight.” Her cheeks heat and a bolt of possessiveness shoots
through me.
I love that I can make her blush.
After plating up our dinner, I get us both a beer and serve the meal on
the outside table.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Remi says. “How did you find it?”
“I can’t take any credit. It was Ellen.”
“Ellen?”
“It’s her old boss’ or something. I told her that I wanted to redo your
birthday, give you the weekend you deserve. She told me about a beach
house, but I never could have imagined this.”
“Do you think she knows that she’s basically set up a luxury fuckfest
weekend?”
I snort a laugh and almost choke on a piece of my steak. “Fuckfest?”
She shrugs innocently. “So that’s not part of your plan?”
 “Oh, Princess. Fucking is definitely part of my plan.” I wink and she
giggles.
“You’re terrible.”
“Of course. I’m the bad boy from the Heights your mother warned you
about.”
“Speaking of my mother... does she know about all of this?”
“I have no idea. I was going to ask her myself, but in the end I figured
that James owed me a favor. I asked him to clear it with her.”
“You’ve spoken to him?”
“Briefly. I wanted to stop him from saying anything to Conner or Cole
before I figured out the best way to do it.”
“How do you think they’ll handle it?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. They’re not aware that anything was
untoward with our parents, other than them both being total fuck-ups.” That
was a given. “It really could go either way. They can both be a little
unpredictable at times.”
“I get that with Cole. He’s kinda… terrifying,” she admits with a wince.
“I know. I worry about him. His temper… well, it makes me look like a
pussy cat.”
“I can imagine.”
“He doesn’t let it out often, but when he does. Jesus,” I mutter, rubbing
at my jaw as I remember the last time it happened. “He fucks shit up.”
“Conner seems more… stable?”
“Sometimes. He hides behind his humor—or attempted humor.”
Silence settles around us as we continue eating. I can tell that Remi has
a million and one questions she wants to ask me, but for some reason she’s
holding back.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “You can ask me anything.”
“I know, it’s just…”
“Just?” I prompt.
“I’m worried.”
“About what?” It could be any number of things that has worry lines
creasing her head.
“That night you came to my bedroom and told me… everything.”
“Yeah.”
“You said you thought Donny sent that guy after you to… get rid of
you.” She swallows, fear etched into her features. “Do you think… Do you
think he’ll try again?”
I sit back, considering her question. Donny is nothing if not ruthless. I
have no doubt that if he wanted me dead he would have made it happen
before now. Bruce was a warning. A serious fucking warning. Although I
have no idea what for.
Yeah, I’d been ignoring his calls and demands for me to come to him.
But sending his henchman to go a few rounds with me seems a little over
the top for just that.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“So what happens next? You just wait to see if he tries again?”
“No. I need to see him. I was going to go before now, but with
everything that’s happened, there just hasn’t been time.”
“You’re going to… go there?” Fear swirls in her eyes.
“I have to. I need to put it all behind me.”
“You’re done?”
Sitting forward, I lace my fingers through hers. “Of course I am. I told
you, I want to do things right. I want to be worthy of you.”
“You are, Ace. You don’t need to change for me.”
“I’m not changing. I’m just doing things a little more…”
“Legally?” she teases.
“Yeah. That.”
“That was incredible. Thank you so much. Who knew you could cook,”
she says around a megawatt smile.
“I’ve been cooking for years, Princess.” The color drains from her face
as she realizes what she just said.
“Shit. I didn’t mean—”
“Shush, it’s okay.”
“So what’s the plan for the rest of the night?”
I run my eyes down her body, making her squirm before glancing over
at the hot tub. “Want to take a dip?”
“I didn’t pack my suit.”
Barking out a laugh, I pull her from her seat. “You really think that if
you had, I’d allow you to wear it?”
“Um…” She bites down on her bottom lip. “No?”
“Exactly. No.” I slip my hand under my tank and find her bare ass.
“There’s no one here but us, Princess. Clothes are most definitely not a
necessity.” I lift my tank until it clears the top of her head and leaves her
bare before me. “Now that’s more like it.”
I run my hand up her sides before taking her breasts in my hands. She
moans as I take their weight and squeeze gently.
Leaning in, I brush my lips around the shell of her ear. “You go and get
in. I’ll clean up and be right with you.”
“No, Ace. Let me—ouch,” she squeals as I pinch both of her nipples.
“Do as you’re told, Princess.”
“Okay, fine,” she mutters, rolling her eyes at me. She takes a step
toward the tub and I swat her ass.
“You’re a fucking nightmare, Ace Jagger.”
I smirk at her as I watch her ass sway. Reaching down, I rearrange my
cock that’s tenting my sweats once again.
I make quick work of getting the plates inside. Knowing she’s currently
wet and naked and waiting for me has me more impatient than I think I’ve
ever been in my life.
Dropping my sweats, I throw them in the direction of the bedroom and
step out onto the decking.
“At last. I thought I was going to have to take matters into my own
hands.” Remi’s voice is low and seductive. It fills my mind with naughty
images of watching her bringing herself to orgasm.
“One day, I’m going to watch you do just that, Princess. But not right
now.” Placing the bottles of beer I brought out with me on the side, I step
into the warm, soothing water.
Remi pushes from her seat and comes closer, her naked body hidden
beneath the water. I drop my second leg in and I’m just about to lower my
body when she stops me with her hands on my hips.
“Princess?” Her eyes are locked on my cock, her bottom lip sucked into
her mouth.
“Sit on the edge,” she demands, her voice cracked with lust.
I drop my ass to the side, powerless to do anything but what I’m told.
I’d be a fool not to with the dirty thoughts I can see glittering in her eyes.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Remi

“P rincess?” Ace’s voice is thick with lust as I drag my eyes from his
cock to his hooded gaze.
“I think I’m still hungry.” I smirk.
“Is that so?” His brow rises suggestively, and I chuckle, sinking myself
deeper in the water. Reaching forward, I slide my hand up his shaft.
Ace’s chest rumbles with pleasure as he hisses out, “Fuck.”
I’ve barely touched him yet but this—the way he responds—will never
get old.
Dipping my head, I flatten my tongue and run it along the underside of
his length before sucking him into my mouth. Ace wraps his hand around
my ponytail, guiding me down on him. I gag a little, closing my fingers
around the base of his shaft and working him with my hand as I lick and
suck.
“Jesus, Remi...” he all but growls the words. “It feels… Fuck…”
I run my tongue along the tip and back down. He tastes so fucking
good, I never want to stop. But Ace has other ideas. Releasing me, he slides
off the edge into the water, his piercing blue eyes fixed right on my face.
“I hadn’t finished.” I pout.
“There’s only one place I want to finish, Princess, and that’s buried deep
inside you. Come here.” He drops down onto the submerged seat and pulls
me to him. I fit my legs on either side of his but don’t lower myself yet. Our
eyes lock, silently saying all the things we can’t as I sink down on him
slowly.
“Fuuuuuuuck,” he breathes, gripping my hips tight. “You feel...”
“I know. God, Ace, I know.” I start rocking above him, slow, measured
circles. He’s so deep that pleasure mixes with pain in the most delicious
way.
His hand and lips are everywhere. In my hair, wrapped around my
throat, sucking my neck. I’m so lost in pleasure, I don’t even feel his fingers
trail down my spine until they part my ass cheeks. “Do you trust me?”
I nod, swallowing a whimper as he slowly works a finger into the tight
hole.
“Okay?”
Another nod as sensation overwhelms me. Ace runs his nose up the
slope of my neck, letting his lips linger at the corner of my mouth. “Now
ride me, Remi, hard and fast.”
I curl my hands over his shoulders, giving myself leverage to rise up
and drop back down, over and over, until we’re both shaking and breathless.
“I’m almost there,” Ace groans, gripping my jaw and sweeping his
tongue into my mouth.
“I need...” The words die on my lips as Ace thrusts so hard inside of me,
I shatter. “Ace, oh God, God...”
“I’ve got you, Remi. Always.” His teeth sink into my collarbone as he
rides the wave of his own orgasm.
My body sags against him, spent and sated. “You good?” he asks,
tipping my face to his.
“Better than good.” I smile.
“I might hate my unc—father right now, but I’ll always be grateful to
him for one thing.”
“Yeah, and what’s that?” I ask.
“You. Without him, I’d never have met you.”
His words make my heart sing. “I love you.” I bury myself against him,
never wanting this moment to end.
Here, nothing can touch us.
But all good things must come to an end, and soon we’ll have to leave
this place and go back to reality.
 We’ll have to defend our relationship and face the people in our lives
who want to break what we have.
But at least, this time, we’ll do it together.

After another day of bliss, we finally leave the beach house.

“Do you have everything?” he calls, and I grab my cell phone just as it
vibrates.

Unknown: I missed you this weekend.

Huh. I frown at the message.

Remi: Who is this?

Unknown: Come on, you know who it is...

Remi: Bexley? Is that you? NOT FUNNY... and don’t text me again.

Weirdo. His behavior is becoming more and more unstable. I see the
way he watches me around school, the contempt burning in his eyes. He’s
pissed that I’m with Ace. Bitter that I didn’t choose him.
Not that there was ever a choice to make.
“Princess?” Ace appears in the door and I shove my cell in my pocket,
pasting on a smile.
“I think that’s all of it. I wish we didn’t have to leave so soon.”
“Hey.” He stalks toward me, cupping the back of my neck. “Maybe we
can make it a regular thing. You know, if the job with Gunner sticks.”
“I’d like that.” I press a lingering kiss to his lips and Ace chuckles.
“Keep that up and we might never make it out of here.”
“We should probably get back.” Mom had texted me, asking us to meet
them at the house.
“What do you think they want?” Ace says coolly, and I know he’s
worried about what we’ll find when we get back.
 I shrug. “Oh, you know. The usual. Mom will tell me I need to focus on
school, and James will probably want a father-son talk about the birds and
the bees.”
“He’s about five years too late for that.”
“Five?” I gasp. “You mean, you were having sex when you were—no,
don’t tell me.” My nose scrunches. “I don’t want to know.”
“Hey,” his voice drops. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah, and why’s that?”
“Because all those other girls... they meant nothing. I might have been
your first time. But you were mine too, Remi.”
“Ace...” My voice is thick with emotion.
“Come here.” He ropes his arm around my shoulder, drawing me into
his side. “It’s you and me, Princess.” Ace guides us out of the beach house
and toward his bike.
“I like the sound of that.”

Our bubble of bliss is short-lived. The second we step foot in James’ house,
I know something is wrong.
“What the fuck?” Ace mutters from behind me. The place is trashed.
Shattered glass litters the hall, and I’m pretty sure there’s a hole in the
wall. “Is that...”
“Blood.” Ace leans in to inspect the splatter of dark red around the
edge.
A chill works its way through me. “Mom?” I yell, the same time Ace
shouts for his brothers.
“In here,” someone replies, and Ace grabs my hand, pulling me toward
the kitchen. The trail of devastation doesn’t end. Lamps are smashed and
photographs hang on the wall at weird angles. It’s like a storm swept
through the house, leaving nothing unturned.
“Oh, thank God.” Mom leaps up as we enter the room, and rushes over
to me. “You’re okay.”
Ace stiffens beside me.
“Of course I’m okay, why wouldn’t I be?” She and James share a silent
look. “What’s going on?” I ask. “What happened here?”
 “Cole, he—“
“Found out, didn’t he?” Ace’s tone turns my blood to ice.
“I didn’t tell him,” James rushes out, guilt etched into his features. “He
overheard me talking to Sarah... I tried to calm him down. I tried to explain,
but he lost... he completely lost it.”
“Fuck.” That one word from Ace’s lips makes my heart ache. “Where is
he now?”
“He left. Conner went after him, but the two of them got into it and Cole
took the car.”
“Where’s Conner now?”
“Upstairs. I tried to talk to him but he wanted space.”
“I need to find him,” Ace says. I spin around and reach for his hand.
“I’ll come with you.”
“No.” The word echoes through my skull.
“But—”
“I can’t have you in the middle of this. Go home with your mom and let
me handle this.”
“You’re going to sideline me? Just like that?” Hurt swims in my veins.
“I thought—“
“Remi, Ace is right,” James adds, drawing an invisible line in the sand
between us. “I’d feel much better knowing you and Sarah are away from all
this until we find Cole and work through things.”
“No, I’m staying.” I raise my chin in defiance. “I can wait with Conner
and—”
“Sweetheart,” Mom says with quiet resignation. “I think it’s probably
best we go. This is a family matter, and we need to respect that.”
I glance at Ace, but he’s lost in his concern for his brother.
“You really want me to go?” His eyes finally lock on mine, saying all
the things I know he’ll never tell me.
He’s sorry.
He wishes he could ask me to stay.
This is just something he needs to do alone.
“Fine,” I relent. “But you’d better call me the second you find him. I
mean it, Ace.” He finds my hands and tugs me into his arms.
“Thank you.” His lips connect with my head, and I swear I hear Mom
smother a gasp. “As soon as I know anything, I’ll call. I promise.”
 His words ease some of the dejection pulsing through me but do little to
soothe the hurt coiled around my heart.
I want to be there for him. I want to shoulder the burden he carries. But
I know this is all new to Ace. He’s so used to being the protector, the
provider. His walls are still fortified with the pain of his past. I’ve made
some progress pulling them down, but it’ll take time for him to fully let me
inside.
I have to find a way to be okay with that.
“Come on, Remi,” Mom ushers me out of the kitchen, but I can’t resist
glancing back at the last second. Ace is watching me, his cool gaze clouded
with emotion.
“If you need me...”
“I know.” He swallows but doesn’t say anything else, and I walk out of
there, hoping this isn’t going to rock the steady foundation we’ve spent the
last few days building.

When we get back to the house, I head straight for my room. The light and
airy space usually comforts me, but today I find little solace.
Throwing my bag down, I drop my cell on the dresser and let out a
heavy sigh. My eyes run absentmindedly over the collection of photographs
and souvenirs I’ve collected over the years. Movie ticket stubs, plastic
jewelry from my childhood that I can’t bear to part with, a couple of photos
of my grams, God rest her soul. It has no value, but to me it’s priceless.
But something’s missing. I lean closer, inspecting the little wire jewelry
holder. “Mom,” I shout.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Have you been in my room?”
“I was dusting earlier, why?”
“The necklace you gave me, the one with the locket. It’s gone.” She’d
given it to me on my thirteenth birthday, right after Dad left. One half held a
photo of me, and the other a photo of her. I’d never taken it off until the
clasp broke, and I never got around to getting it fixed.
“I don’t remember seeing it. Perhaps it fell down the back of the
dresser?”
 “Maybe, yeah.” I shuffle a few more things around, but there’s no sign
of it.
My cell pings and the missing necklace is all but forgotten as Ace’s
name flashes across the screen.
“Did you find him?” I rush out.
“No, but I might know where he is.”
“The Heights...” Dread pools in my stomach. “You can’t go back there.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
“Ace...” My lip wobbles.
“Me and Conner are going to drive out there and check out some of
Cole’s old haunts. I wanted to tell you...” he hesitates.
“I’m glad you did. Just be careful.” All kinds of bad things start running
through my head, but I block them out. It’s Cole. Of course Ace is going to
do whatever it takes to find him.
“Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise. Like I told you before, Princess, I have too much to lose
now.”
“Okay, text me later.”
“I will. I love you, Remi.”
“I love you too.” I hang up, flopping down on the edge of my bed.
I can’t imagine finding out my dad isn’t my dad. Sure, he’s a crap dad,
but he’s still my dad. Ace and his brothers have been through so much, have
had so much taken away from them. They deserve to find a slice of
happiness here in Sterling Bay. But life will never be straightforward for
them.
This town reeks of judgement and entitlement. If you don’t fit the mold,
you’re cast aside like faulty goods. I know that better than anyone.
As I close my eyes and drift into a mindless sleep, one thought lingers.
What if Cole does something none of them can come back from?

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Ace

T he second we walked into the house, I knew. I knew that while Remi
and I were in paradise, secluded away at the beach house, everything
had gone to shit here. I didn’t need James to tell me that. I sensed it.
Dread had filled my veins faster than I could control.
My heart aches as I watch Remi walk away with Sarah, but it’s the right
thing to do. I know she’d willingly follow me to the ends of the Earth to
help, but she doesn’t need to go to some of the places I know we might
have to, to find him.
Fuck.
Cole is terrifying when he’s angry, and I don’t mean because I’m often
on the receiving end, more so that even I don’t know what he’s capable of.
His eyes go black and this blank expression covers his face. He’s totally
unreadable, even to Conner and me. He could literally be doing anything
right now, which is why we need to find him. And as soon as possible.
With one last glance in James’ direction, I race from the room.
“I’m sorry, Ace,” he calls behind me. I know that he is. He’s just as
worried as I am, I can see it in his face, but that doesn't mean I’m going to
hang around and have a chat about it.
I race up the stairs three at a time and crash through into Conner’s
bedroom. He’s lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He doesn’t even
look over at me.
“Con? We need to go and find Cole.”
He remains as still as a statue.
“Conner?”
“You knew, didn’t you?”
“Con, don’t,” I warn.
“You knew, and you didn’t tell us. Didn’t you think we deserved to
know?” he hisses. “This is our life too. Not just yours.” He climbs from the
bed and stalks over. His jaw pops as his teeth grind in anger.
I don’t move as he stands toe-to-toe with me, anger rippling off him in
waves.
“We might be your little brothers, Ace, but we’re not fucking kids.”
“I know. I wasn’t hiding it on purpose. I needed to get my head around
it, then I was going to tell you.”
“Not good enough,” he spits. “You should have told us the second you
found out.”
I swallow, feeling guilty for not doing just that but knowing I wasn’t in
any fit state to do so then.
“What else don’t we know?” I think of Dad—Uncle Charlie, as he
apparently is.
“A lot,” I admit, much to his frustration.
His fist shoots out, connecting with my face, making me jerk back.
“This is bullshit, Ace. We’re meant to be a fucking team. We’re meant to
look out for each other, not going behind our backs and keeping fucking
secrets. Important, life-changing fucking secrets.”
I rub my jaw, giving him a free pass. It isn’t anything I don’t deserve,
but it doesn’t stop the sting. “I’ll tell you both everything, but we need to
find Cole first.”
Conner’s nostrils flare. He’s desperate to hear everything I have to say,
but he knows I’m right. I’m surprised he’s not already out looking for him,
to be honest.
“Where do you think he might have gone?” I ask as we run down the
stairs to my bike.
“Fuck knows.”
“I was hoping for some sudden twin voodoo shit.”
He gives me a side glance. “I think we both know he’ll be in the
Heights. It’s just where.”
 “Get on. Let’s go.”
Conner climbs on behind me. It’s nowhere near as enjoyable as having
Remi’s thighs around me, but there’s not a lot I can do about that right now.
I gun the engine and we fly toward our old hometown. Trepidation fills
me as I think about Donny and what his intentions are, but my focus needs
to be our brother right now. I’ll deal with Donny later.
“Where first?” I ask Conner when we come to a stop at a junction.
“The clearing? The park? The field?”
“Fucking hell, Cole.” He could be fucking anywhere.
Since the park is the closest, I head there first. The last remaining decent
park in the Heights, never destroyed by the residents of this shithole. It’s the
one place I remember coming as a kid and actually letting go and having
fun.
Conner is off the back almost before I bring the bike to a stop. He jogs
over the small hill that hides the park from us and comes to a stop. His
shoulders drop in disappointment. I don’t even bother getting off the bike,
because I know what he’s going to say.
“Next,” he says, walking back over to me.
“Okay, Heights High to check the field?”
“Yep. Let’s do it.”
I make the short journey to our old school. The place is just as run-down
and depressing as the last time I was here… which was quite a while ago,
seeing as I rarely turned up.
Leaving my bike in the parking lot, we make our way toward the
football field. Pulling my smokes from my pocket, I offer one to Conner,
who immediately pulls one out and places it between his lips, waiting for
me to pass a lighter. He doesn’t usually accept my offer and generally sticks
to weed, but today seems to be the exception.
The place is deserted, the field is empty, and the bleachers abandoned.
“Fucking hell,” Conner grunts, spinning on the spot, hoping to catch a
glimpse of Cole. “Where are you, motherfucker?”
“We’ll find him.”
Conner turns on me, his eyes sad and defeated. “You didn’t see him,
Ace. I’ve never seen him like that. Ever. It was like he was possessed or
something. This black cloud descended and he just lost it.”
I swallow nervously. This was exactly what I was hoping to avoid, but it
seems my attempt to figure out how to tell-all and stop it from happening
failed at the first hurdle.
“We’ll get him. He’ll be fine. Let’s go to the clearing. If he’s not there
then maybe we can get some of the others to help, or they might have
already seen him.”
Our journey across town takes longer than I’d like. Conner is a ball of
nervous energy behind me. Both of his legs bounce with anticipation, not
helping me focus at all.
As we pull up to our old trailer park we’re both on the lookout for his
car, but as we make our way through, it’s nowhere to be seen. Out of habit,
I park outside our old trailer and we both climb off the bike.
I’m hit with memories of my last time here. Of Kelsey—a shudder of
regret runs down my spine there—and of that fucker, Bruce. I can only hope
this trip ends a little differently.
“What are you waiting for?” Conner calls over his shoulder when he
notices that I’m frozen, looking at our old trailer.
“Nothing. I’m coming.” I shove down the bad memories.
A few people acknowledge us as we make our way out to the clearing,
but thankfully no one stops us. We don’t belong here anymore, and the
looks on a few faces as we pass make that very clear.
Conner doesn’t seem to notice as he marches toward the break in the
trees to where we all used to hang out.
There are a few people sitting around, smoking and drinking, but none
of them is Cole. I stand back as Conner walks up to our old neighbors and
asks if they’ve seen them, but I don’t need to hear their answers. The slight
shakes of their heads and the defeat in Conner’s stance tells me everything.
“No one has seen him. No one knows anything,” he says on a sigh when
he rejoins me. “Where else would he have gone?”
Shaking my head, I try to come up with any sensible answer to that
question as we make our way back to my bike.
“I never thought this place was so bad, but coming back here now… It
really is a shithole,” Conner muses as we pass each dilapidated trailer.
“Something about this place will always be home though. We’ll always
be the boys from the Heights. It’s in our blood. Fuck,” I grunt and take off
running.
“Ace,” Conner calls. “What is it?”
I come to a stop outside our old trailer. The doors and windows are all
boarded up. Apparently no one wanted to move in after I found our mother
with a needle hanging out of her arm and dead on the floor.
Reaching out, I pull at one of the loose planks of wood someone has
haphazardly nailed on. It comes away easily. I continue until I can squeeze
inside.
“You can’t be serious,” Conner says, bending down to look in.
“You wanna risk not checking?”
“Nah, bro. It’s a good shot, I guess.”
Once I manage to get myself inside, I find a similar kind of devastation
to James’. I know we left this place in a mess, but it wasn’t like this.
“Cole, are you here?” I walk down the narrow hallway, taking in the
holes in the walls and the blood stains surrounding them.
Please be okay. Please, for the love of fuck, be okay.
A whimper sounds out a second before I get to the living area, and
there, curled in a ball in front of the built-in couch is Cole. “Fuck, Conner.
In here,” I call dropping to my knees in front of my brother.
His hands are totally busted up and dripping blood onto the already
stained carpet. He’s got scratches all up his arms. But none of that shocks
me. It’s nothing I’ve not dealt with before. It’s when he looks up at me that
my world crashes to a halt.
His eyes are dark, soulless, but they’re full of tears that are tracking
down his cheeks.
“Fucking hell, Cole,” I wipe his cheeks before pulling him into my
body. He trembles in my arms as I hold him tight.
“Fuck. Is he okay?” Conner comes stumbling in and drops beside us, his
arms wrapping around both of us.
It’s a haunting image, and it’s not the first time something similar has
occurred in this hellhole of a home.
I spent countless nights with one, or both of them, in my arms as I tried
to get them to sleep, tried to shield them from the reality that was our lives.
“It’s okay,” I say, my body automatically rocking back and forth.
After long minutes of silence, Cole lets out a shaky breath. “Is it true?”
He looks up at me, his eyes begging for me to tell him that everything he
knew about his life wasn’t a lie. But I can’t.
“Yeah, bro. It’s true.”
“Motherfucker.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Grasping the backs of both of their
necks, I press my forehead to theirs.
 “It’s not your fault,” Conner says, his tone totally different from his
angry one when I first found him earlier.
Releasing them both, I sit back against the couch and they both follow
my move.
“You ready to hear all this?”
They both look a little skeptical but agree.
I tell them everything I know, everything I’ve discovered.
“This is one massive fucking head fuck, bro. Our dad is our uncle and
our uncle is our dad. Fuck my life,” Conner mutters, resting his arms over
his bent knees and dropping his head as if he needs a moment to figure it
out.
“And he’s still alive,” Cole adds.
“He was a few months ago. Fuck knows what’s happened to him since.”
“He’ll be back,” Cole says with absolute certainty.
“How’d you know that?”
“He blackmailed you for money. He’s clearly not making any of his
own. He’ll spend all of that and then come looking for some more. History
will just keep repeating itself until something changes.”
“Something has changed. We know the truth, and now we live with
James. He won’t put up with Charlie sniffing around. He got rid of him
once”—or at least, he tried to—"he won’t hesitate to do it again, and
properly this time.”
“This is fucked-up,” Conner says again, as if he just can’t believe what
he’s hearing.
Silence hangs heavy between us for achingly long minutes.
“We need to get you cleaned up,” I say to Cole when his knuckles catch
my eye.
“I’m fine, just a few scratches.”
I raise a brow at him and he shrugs. None of us are the type to make a
bigger deal out of self-inflicted injuries than necessary.
“Conner, can you take him home? Sort him out?”
“Yeah. You’re coming though, right?”
“I’ll be behind you. I’ve got something I need to do while I’m here.”
They both stare at me, I can feel the weight of it without actually
meeting their eyes.
“I won’t be long. Go straight to the pool house and I’ll meet you there.”
Getting up, I wait for them to join me.
 As I knew they would, they follow me out of the trailer. We don’t bother
putting the boards back up; anyone who’s brave enough to live in there is
welcome to it.
I throw my leg over my bike as they both climb into their car. I follow
them out until they turn toward the Bay. I go in the opposite direction and
directly into the heart of the Heights. Right into Donny’s domain to find out
the fucking truth once and for all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Remi

“S o they found him?” Hadley asks as we make our way into school.
“Yeah. Ace didn’t say much, just that they might not be in
school today.”
“You’re vibrating,” she adds, pointing to my backpack.
I dig it out. “That’s probably Ace—” My brows knit at the incoming
message.

Unknown: No boyfriend today?

“Remi? What is it?”

“N-nothing.” I force a smile, shoving my cell into my pocket. “It’s just
my mom.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine.” Something catches my eye and I grumble. “Can you believe it’s
almost Homecoming?”
“Hayden asked me.” Hadley lowers her voice.
“He did? That’s... nice.”
“It’s not nice, Rem. We’re friends. Just friends. I don’t want to go with
my friend. I want to go with...” She smashes her lips together, and my eyes
narrow.
 “You want to go with...”
“No one. I want to go stag.”
“You’re not fooling anyone.” I smirk. “The thing is, I can’t decide if
you want to be Cole’s date or Conner’s. Or maybe you want to be in a
Jagger twin sandwich?”
Her cheeks flush deep red. “Now there’s something to think about.”
“You’re so bad.”
“And late.” She glances at her wristwatch. “I’ve got to go, appointment
with the guidance counsellor,” she groans. “But I’ll see you at lunch.”
She takes off down the emptying hall. I should probably get a move on,
but I’m in no hurry to get to class. Between Cole taking off, losing my
locket, and these strange text messages, I feel on edge.
Part of me knows I should tell Ace, but I also know he has enough on
his plate. Besides, it’s probably just Bexley or one of his football douchebag
friends trying to scare me.
I round the corner and almost collide with none other than Bexley.
“Seriously?” I grumble under my breath.
“What’s your problem?” he hisses, his stormy eyes burning into me.
“Whatever, Bexley.” I shoulder past him and keep walking, but he
catches up to me, snagging my wrist.
“Remi, come on. Don’t do this.”
I whip around and glare at him. The hall is empty now, not that anyone
would dare report the Seahawks’ star player. “And what exactly is it you
think I’m doing?”
“Jagger, really? He’s trash, Remi. You can do so much better.” He
closes the space between us, crowding me against the locker.
“You need to go, now. Before I knee you in the balls again.”
His eyes flash with recognition. “Shit, you rem—”
“Remember? Of course I fucking remember. I’m not some prize to be
won, Bexley. You did a shitty thing that night...”
“Oh, and Jagger is an angel? He filmed you, for fuck’s sake. He played
the tape for everyone to see—”
“Stop. Just stop.” My chest heaves, and I don’t miss the way Bexley’s
eyes drop there. “I’m not going to explain myself to you. I never wanted
more than friendship, but that wasn’t enough for you.”
“Remi Bear, come on—”
 “Don’t call me that. And stop with the texts. It’s creepy, and if Ace finds
out...”
“What are you—”
“Mr. Danforth, Miss Tanner, I know I must be seeing things and you’re
not both standing in the hall instead of sitting in your classes.”
“Sorry, Principal Vager,” I mumble, moving around Bexley. “I’m
heading there right now.”
“Good.” He gives me a curt nod. “And Bexley, don’t you have
somewhere to be?”
“Yes, Sir. Me and Remi were just discussing some things.”
“Discuss them on your own time. You might be the star quarterback, but
football won’t get you in to Stanford, son.”
I almost snort at that. Football might not, but his daddy’s trust fund sure
will.
Vager disappears down the hall and I follow, but not before glancing
back at the boy tracking my every move.
“Stay away from me, Bexley.” I narrow my eyes. “I mean it.”

Ace is waiting for me at the end of school. Kids give him a wide berth as he
lingers by the door.
“This is a surprise,” I say, flinging myself at him. He catches me,
pulling me into his arms.
“I missed you.” Ace nuzzles my neck and I shriek, drawing the attention
of some passing kids. But they don’t say anything.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. And Cole?”
Ace’s expression hardens. “He’s in a bad place, but he’ll be okay. He’s
strong.”
“Maybe he should talk to someone,” I suggest.
“Like a shrink?” He hooks his arm around my neck and pulls me into
his side. “I’m not sure that’s the answer here. Cole is... complicated.”
“Talking about it might help.” We reach his bike and Ace hands me the
helmet.
“Cole will figure it out, Princess. When you were brought up the way
we were, trusting people doesn’t come easy.”
 “I know.” I gulp, imagining the life they’ve had. “I just... forget it, it
doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, come here.” Leaning on his bike, Ace hooks his finger into the
waistband of my skirt and pulls me between his legs. “I love that you care
so much, but there’s a long way to go before any of us get used to this life,
Princess.”
“I know.” I slide my hands up his chest, not caring who can see us. “I
just hate that you went through all that. It’s not fair.”
“Sometimes life isn’t fair. But I feel like my luck is finally turning. I
have you, a legit job… and Donny cut me loose.”
I stiffen, my eyes growing to saucers. “What do you mean, he cut you
loose?”
“I’m out. Done. My services are no longer required.”
“Just like that?” Suspicion lingers in my voice.
“Honestly, I have bigger things to worry about right now. Donny said I
can walk, so I walked. I’m done.”
I want to believe him, but there’s something in his eyes. Something he’s
not telling me.
I’m about to ask him when my cell vibrates. Before I can stop myself, I
go rigid. Ace’s brow knits as he studies me. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I muster a smile. “It’s probably just my mom.” Quickly, I
dig it out of my bag and check the screen, careful not to let Ace see.
Relief floods me when I realize it is my mom this time. “She wants to
know if you’re staying for dinner.”
“If I’m... Shit, she invited me for dinner?”
Pocketing my cell, I wrap my arms around his neck again and brush the
corner of Ace’s mouth with my lips. “Well, you are my boyfriend, and that’s
what boyfriends tend to do. They come over and have dinner with their
girlfriend’s mom and make promises not to corrupt their daughter.”
“Is that so?” His brow rises, a slow smirk tugging at his lip.
A smirk that has my stomach clenching.
“You know, I never have been very good at keeping promises.”
Soft laughter spills out of me. “Well, it’s a good thing that’s one promise
I don’t mind you breaking.”
Mom has pulled out all the stops. There’s pizza and mozzarella sticks, salad
and tater tots. I’m not sure who she thinks she’s feeding, but she gets an A
for effort.
“This looks great, Ms. Tanner, thank you.” Ace wastes no time digging
in, and I chuckle.
“Hungry?”
His eyes flash to mine and he grins. “Always.”
“You know, it’s nice to cook for more people than just me and Remi.
Perhaps, when things calm down, you can all come and I’ll make a big pot
roast.”
“That would be great.”
Mom shoots me a reassuring smile, but I can’t quite figure out if she’s
doing all this for my benefit or Ace’s.
I know Cole’s outburst yesterday worried her. It was the first thing she’d
asked me about this morning.
“How is Cole?” she asks.
“He’ll be okay.” Ace manages a half-smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“I’m sorry you had to see that yesterday.”
“I’ll be honest Ace, now I know the truth, I think James handled it all
wrong. He should have sat you down when you first got here and told you.”
“Yeah, well... I didn’t exactly make it easy for him.”
“James loves you all very much. I know he hasn’t always shown it, but I
think if you sat down and talked to him, then you’d understand things from
his point of view a little more.”
“Mom,” I snap and guilt fills her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Ace—”
“It’s fine,” he says, surprising me. “You’re only telling me what I
already know. Everything is so fuc—screwed up. Sorry about that.”
“Please, you’re not the first teenager I’ve heard cuss, and I’m sure you
won’t be the last. Remi tells me you have a job with Ellen’s brother?”
“That’s right.” He nods. “It isn’t going to make me a ton of money, but
it’s honest work. And who knows, maybe he’ll teach me a few things and I
can work my way up.”
Pride swells in my chest. Part of me knows Ace took the job to prove to
me—and everyone else—that he’s worth something. But I see the hunger in
his eyes. He wants this too. He wants to turn his life around, and that is
worth so much more than he’ll ever know.
 “Well you should be very proud of yourself, Ace.” Mom takes a large
gulp of her wine and sits back in her chair. “You know, I feel like I owe you
an apology. I was quick to judge you, and that was wrong. Everyone
deserves a chance.”
Ace looks stunned. I slide my hand up his thigh and find his own.
“I don’t even know what to say to that.” His confession hangs in the air.
“You don’t need to say anything. Just promise to always treat my
daughter with the respect and care she deserves, and I don’t think we’ll
have any problems. Oh, and birth control. For the love of God, please
always use birth control. I’m not ready to be a grandma.”
“Mom!” My cheeks burn, and I want the floor to open up and swallow
me whole.
“There is nothing wrong with taking about sex, Remi. You’re both
adults.”
“Jesus,” I murmur, sinking further into my seat. I can barely look at
Ace, but then his big hand finds my knee and squeezes.
“I can totally do that, Ms. Tanner.”
I peek over at him and he sits a little taller, a faint smile tracing his lips.
“There’s another thing you can do for me.”
I brace myself for whatever else is about to come out of her mouth.
“Anything.” Ace seems completely at ease. I don’t know whether to be
unnerved or swoon.
“Please call me Sarah,” Mom beams. “Ms. Tanner makes me feel so
old.”
Relief washes over me as we continue our meal. The three of us share
good food and laughter as Mom tells us about James' latest projects, and we
spend time telling her about our weekend at the beach house. Although we
leave out all the parts she doesn’t need to know about.
“I think that went well.” Ace presses his front up against me as I’m
washing the dishes. We insisted Mom go relax and leave the clean-up to us.
“You won her over in the end.”
“I did, didn’t I?” He slides a hand to my throat, tilting my face to his.
“Now do I get to take you upstairs and break that promise?”
My lips curve as Ace kisses me. Not that kissing ever does justice to the
way his mouth brands mine.
Ace doesn’t just kiss me—he says a thousand things with every slide of
his tongue against mine, every brush of his lips.
 “On a scale of one to ten, how dead would I be if your mom found me
eating you out right here on the counter?”
“Ace!” My stomach clenches as desire pulses deep inside me.
“You might have to hold that thought.”
His smile falls. “The fuck?”
“I think she’s hoping we’ll hang out with her and watch a movie.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“Sorry.” I dry my hands and duck around him.
Ace lets out a string of cuss words before advancing on me. “It’s a good
thing I’m in no rush for my balls back.”
“Come on, lover boy. The sooner we watch the film, the sooner we can
sneak upstairs and fool around.”

We didn’t end up going upstairs. After humoring my mom and watching a

film, Ace got a call from Conner that he was needed back at the house.
“I’m sure everything is okay,” Mom says as I check my cell phone for
the fifth time in less than an hour since Ace left.
“I hope so. I get the feeling Ace is trying to protect me from just how
bad things are with Cole.”
“I know you want to help, sweetheart, but this is something the four of
them need to figure out in their own time.”
“I know, Mom.” I offer her a smile. “Thank you for tonight. It means a
lot to me.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” She wraps me into her arms. “I only want to see you
happy, and if Ace is the boy for you then you have my blessing. Just never
feel like you can’t come to me with anything.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I didn’t know how much I needed to hear that until
now. “What will we tell Dad?”
She pulls away and shrugs. “Your father made his bed. He can rot in it,
for all I care.”
My eyes bug, and she chuckles, but it’s strained and full of sadness. “I
have spent far too long worrying about what your father thinks and far too
long not paying attention to what is going on in your life. That all stops
now, I promise.”
 “I like this you,” I say, and Mom hugs me again.
“Come on, it's late. We should probably hit the hay.”
“Okay, you had me until ‘the hay,’ Mom. Never say that again.”
“What?” She gawks at me. “I could do country. You go on up, and I’ll
lock up.”
“Goodnight.”
“Night, sweetheart.”
I leave Mom downstairs and head for my room. Moonlight pours in
through the windows, and I don’t bother to hit the light switch. After mom’s
ex disappeared, it took me a long while to feel safe in my bedroom, and I
smile to myself, realizing how far I’ve come. I no longer flinch at every
creak, or sleep with the lamp on.
It feels good to finally feel in control of my life. Of the choices I make
and steps I take.
I change into my pajamas and slip under the covers, staring out at the
vastness of the sea beyond my window.
It doesn’t take long for the pull of sleep to creep up and my eyes grow
heavy. And as I give into the darkness, I swear the last thing I see is Ace
standing outside my bedroom window.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Ace

Conner: I need you at Hayden’s now.

T he dread that was already sitting in the pit of my stomach from first
reading his message inside Remi’s house doesn't lessen any as I scan
it again and plug Hayden’s address into my GPS.
I have no idea what I’m about to walk into, but my money is on it
involving Cole.
And I’m proved right when I storm through the house in the direction of
the girls’ screams. Entering the kitchen, I find Hayden pinned up against his
own kitchen wall by none other than my brother.
“Is it not enough you take my position on the team, you want my
fucking girl too?” Hayden snarls, only feeding my brother’s fury.
By the looks of Hayden’s nose, it seems Cole has already had a pop.
“Cole, let him go.”
He turns his cold, drugged out eyes on me. “This doesn’t concern you,
brother.” His voice is emotionless. Dead. A shudder runs down my spine.
I need to get him away from Hayden—and fucking fast, before he does
something I can’t save him from.
He turns his stare back to Hayden, who mostly seems oblivious to the
serious threat in front of him. “She’s not yours. She said no, motherfucker.”
 Cole slams his head into Hayden’s nose. Blood sprays both of them but
thankfully, in Cole’s daze, I’m able to pull him from Hayden and throw him
into the corner of the kitchen.
I stand over him, waiting for him to come back to himself as Conner
comes to stand beside me.
“He’s on something.”
“I can fucking see that. His eyes are blown.”
“I tried to stop him.” Conner sounds pissed. “Told him that he’d lose his
place on the team, his future, but he wouldn’t fucking listen.”
“Just get him the fuck out of here,” I bark at him.
“You’re not coming?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’ll be right there. I just need to deal with something.”
Conner rolls his eyes at me but leans down to pull Cole from the floor.
He tries to fight, but Conner gets the better of him as he drags him from the
floor and toward the front door.
“You good?” I ask Hayden who now has a swarm of girls around him,
trying to tend to him.
“Yeah, man. I’ve been worse.”
I roll my eyes, leaving him to be molested by horny girls. Stalking from
the room, I go in search of another member of the team. It’s time Bexley
and I had a little chat, especially now I need him on my side to keep my
brother on the fucking team. One word to Coach from their captain about
whatever Cole has taken tonight, and I’ve no doubt he’ll be benched.
I don’t find the motherfucker anywhere, however someone else who’s
on my hit list finds me.
“Hey, baby. I’m so glad you came. This party is dull as fuck without
you.” Michaela’s arms run up my back, and I tense before I can cover it.
Turning, I find myself trapped in her arms. Exactly where I don’t want
to be, but exactly where I need to be.
There are a few other kids from school in the room, so I continue
forward until we’re alone. Much to her delight.
“Is that right? None of these guys do it for you?”
“Sterling Prep guys?” She balks. “Hell, no. They’re all flashy, rich
douchebags who have no idea how to handle a real woman.”
I want to laugh at the seriousness in her tone. I glance over her overly
highlighted hair, her fake lashes, dark liner and filled lips. She’s a senior,
for fuck’s sake; she doesn’t need lip filler. My gaze drops to her breasts that
are popping out of her cheer top. I assume they’re real. Surely her parents
have more sense than to have allowed her to have had them done already?
“And you think I can?”
“I know you can, Ace. I also know that your skills are wasted on the
likes of Remi. You not bored of her yet?” The words go against everything I
feel, everything I want to say, but I need to ruin this bitch once and for all.
I lean in so I’m whispering in her ear. “What do you think?”
“I think she’s a frigid bitch who probably fucks like a dead fish. I, on
the other hand, am pure class.”
I bite down on my bottom lip as if I’m tempted by her offer. I take a step
toward her, closing the space between us. Having her body pressed up
against me does nothing for me, but the little gasp that escapes her lips
clearly tells me that she’s not having the same issue.
Finding the bare skin of her thigh, I run my hand upward. Her eyes
widen at my move and her lips part when it disappears under her skirt to
cup her ass cheek. I squeeze hard and she lets out a little squeal of delight.
“Oh Ace, we’re going to have so much fun.”
I run my nose up the line of her jaw until my lips brush her ear. “Do you
like it rough, Michaela?”
She shudders in my hold. “As rough as you got, baby.”
A wicked smile curls at my lips. “And the team can’t deliver?”
“Can they fuck? They’re a bunch of pussies who think they’re God’s
gift to women.”
“So how come you hang around with them?”
“Because it gets me what I want.”
“I thought you wanted me?” I ask, pulling back to look at her.
“Of course. But there are other things.”
“Like?”
“Spend some more time with me and I might tell you.”
She lifts one of her blue painted talons and runs it over my bottom lip. I
suck it into my mouth and watch as her pupils dilate.
Putty in my fucking hands.
“We’ll set a date. I think I’m ready for a taste of what you’ve got to
offer.”
Her lips curve into an arrogant smile. “What about Remi?”
My fists curl, my nails digging into my palms, but I can’t back out now.
“What about her?”
 Delight and achievement ooze from her. “Exactly, what about her? She’s
nothing, Ace. A girl like Remi isn’t worth your time. I, however, can make
you feel so fucking good.” She wraps her hand around the back of my neck
as if she’s going to kiss me, and I stand taller.
“Have you seen Bexley?”
“Um… no, he disappeared a while ago actually. But why do you need
him when you have me?”
“Just a little business to take care of.” I unwrap her arms from my neck.
“I’ll be in touch. Be ready.”
“I’m ready, Ace. Ready and waiting.” She winks and sucks her bottom
lip into her mouth. If it’s possible, the move turns me off even more.
It’s not until I’m back in my pool house, Cole passed out in bed in the
main house, when it really dawns on me what a dangerous game I’m
playing with Michaela. But I don’t know how else to hit her where it hurts
without actually hitting her.
Grabbing my cell from the side, I shoot Remi a message.

Ace: I’ve got a plan for M. But you have to trust me. NO MATTER
WHAT.

I don’t get a reply. I’m not really expecting one this late, so I scroll
through social media for a bit before I attempt to get some sleep myself.
My bed feels cold and empty, and I hate it. I’m tempted to get on my
bike and go to Remi so I can fall asleep wrapped around her, but I don’t.
Not this time.

After spending longer than necessary convincing Cole that he was not to
turn up to school today seeing as he still had something pumping around his
system, Conner and I head out.
I take him up on his offer of picking up Remi. If I want Michaela to
believe that I’ve really got eyes for her, then I don’t need to turn up to
school with my girlfriend wrapped around me like a snake.
Girlfriend. That word still feels weird. I’ve never made anything a
permanent feature in my life before, but I can’t deny that knowing she’s
stuck with me makes me feel all kinds of fucking awesome.
The second I’m at school, I make myself scarce. Although, I do manage
to stumble across Michaela a lot. She thinks it’s fate. I know I’m playing
her.
“Ace, everyone is going to start to think you’re stalking me,” she purrs
when she just so happens to find me walking past the girls’ locker room
after school.
“Not at all. It’s good to see you though. You still up for some fun?”
“Yes,” she answers eagerly, too eagerly.
“Later. Keep your cell close.”
“Oh, I will,” she purrs. “I can’t wait.”
“Me either.”
I make a show of checking her out as I back away. “Wear that. I’ve got a
thing about cheerleaders.” I grab my junk over my pants as if the idea is
arousing me. It’s really fucking not.
“Sure thing, baby. I might not wear anything underneath.” She lifts the
hem of her skirt to show me more skin. It’s really not necessary; I already
see way too much on a daily basis.
Smiling, I slip around the corner, ready to find my bike and get to work.
My cell’s been going off all day, and I know it’s Remi and that she’s
freaking out. Pulling it from my pocket, I find message after message from
her.

Remi: Of course I trust you, but I’d rather know what you’re doing.

Remi: Ace, stop avoiding me.

Remi: This isn’t funny. Stop avoiding me.

Remi: I’m going to start removing sexual favors if you don’t fucking
reply.

Remi: Ace. This isn’t a fucking joke. REPLY!!

The stream goes on and on.

Ace: I’m sorry, baby. Everything is fine. Busy day. I’m just heading to
work. Can I see you later?

Remi: No. I’m mad at you.

Ace: I love you too. Leave your window open.

As I walk toward the pool house after work, the last thing I want to do is
put my plan into action, but I’ve set the wheels in motion now. I need to see
it through. If it turns out the way I hope, then it will be so worth it. Just the
look on her face will be everything, and the exact justice Remi deserves for
all the bullshit she’s had to endure because of her bitch of a stepsister over
the years.
It shocks the hell out of me that once upon a time they were best
friends. Remi might look hot as fuck in a cheer uniform, but I can’t imagine
her following Michaela around like a lost little puppy like the rest of the
squad do. She’s just not got it in her.
As I walk up to the door, I shoot her a message.

Ace: My pool house. Twenty minutes. You know what to wear.

It only takes me a few minutes to set everything up—thank fuck,

because the bitch is early.
Double checking that I’ve covered my tracks, I walk to the door to let
her in. As instructed, Michaela is in her uniform, and I highly suspect that
she’s bare beneath, just like she promised.
“Hey,” I say. “You want a drink?”
“Um… sure.”
I knock the top off two beers and pass one over. I don’t want to get
drunk. I need to be fully aware of everything that happens in here in the
next hour, but I’m not against taking the edge off. It might help me forget
after the event.
I keep my eyes trained on her body. “You’re looking good tonight,
Michaela.”
 “Yeah?” she asks, sauntering over to me. “You always look good. I can’t
get enough of the ink. Show me more.” Her eyes burn into my shirt as if it’s
going to evaporate at her wish.
“How about we take this into the bedroom. Relax. Get to know each
other a little better.” Any girl with an ounce of self-respect would say no
right now, but as I expected, that’s not the kind of girl I’m dealing with.
“Sure, that sounds perfect.”
I left my bed covered in clothes, so her only real option is to sit in the
chair. And, exactly as I hoped, she goes for it.
“So?” she asks, nodding at my shirt.
“Oh yeah. Whoops, I forgot.” Reaching back, I pull it over my head and
add it to the pile on the bed.
“Wow, you are fine.” If I care what this bitch thought about my body, it
might stroke my ego, but in reality, it does nothing. She’s not even in
touching distance, yet my skin is crawling with disgust.
“You got what you wanted. Now it’s time for me to have some fun.” I
take a step forward and she rubs her thighs together. “You wet for me,
Michaela?”
“Yes,” she breathes.
“Good, because we’re going to have so much fun. I guarantee that
you’re going to remember this night for the rest of your life.”
“Big promises there, Ace.”
“Oh, Michaela. I always deliver on my promises. Always.”
As I get closer, hunger explodes within me. But it’s very different to the
kind she’s feeling right now.
I’m fucking ravenous, and she’s about to give me exactly what I need.
Revenge.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Remi

I bolt upright, my eyes flying to the window. “Ace?” I whisper-hiss,

rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What the hell?”
“I needed to see you.”
The clock reads after one and the pit in my stomach deepens. “What did
you do?” I ask, my gaze narrowing.
Something’s wrong.
I know it is. If it weren’t for the dread snaking through me, I know Ace
well enough by now to know all his facial expressions.
“Do you trust me?” His voice is cold. Another warning sign.
Pushing back the covers, I climb out of bed and go to him. His dark,
sleeveless hoodie is pulled up over his head. Ominous and foreboding.
“I did... until you spent all day avoiding me and then climbed through
my window in the middle of the night after failing to show up earlier.”
Guilt sparks in his eyes.
“This is about Michaela, isn’t it?” It’s the only explanation. Ever since
he texted me two nights ago saying he had a plan, I’ve been on edge.
The avoidance tactics.
The middle of the night appearance.
It all points to her.
And honestly, I’m not sure I want to know the truth.
 He drags a hand down his face, scrubbing his jaw, and I can practically
see his brain working overtime. He’s trying to figure out how much to tell
me.
He’s trying to weigh up whether to lie or tell me the truth.
“Well?” I snap, indignation sizzling in my veins.
“At Hayden’s the other night... he and Cole got into it. Cole was in a
bad place...”
Ace isn’t telling me anything I don’t already know. Unlike his brother,
Conner actually talked to me at school yesterday.
“Ace, just get to the point. I’m tired, and I have to get up in five hours.”
“I just needed to see you,” he says again, as if it fixes everything.
Without warning, Ace pulls me into his arms, locking them tight around
my body. His face drops to my shoulder as he breathes me in.
“Ace, you’re scaring me,” I confess. It’s like having the old Ace back—
the Ace who was so cold and cruel and played games like it was an
Olympic sport.
“Just promise me, Remi. Promise me that it’s you and me...” His voice
trails off and I jerk back, tearing from his hold.
“I swear to God, Ace. If you don’t tell me what the fuck you did, I will
—“
“Just trust me.” His guilt-ridden expression softens. “You have to trust
me.”
“You’re making that a little difficult when you’re talking in riddles. Did
something happen with Michaela?” He stiffens at the mention of her name
but doesn’t answer. My blood runs cold, trickling like ice down my spine.
“I told you I had a plan...” The pain etched in his expression twists
something inside me.
“That’s all you told me, and now you’re here in the middle of the night
acting like the world is about to end. Just tell me what happened.”
“I can’t. Not yet. You just need to trust me.” A stone wall slams down
over his expression, and my mouth drops open with a sigh of disbelief.
“You’re seriously not going to tell me?”
“I didn’t come here to fight, Remi.”
Not Princess.
Remi.
The knot in my stomach tightens.
“So what did you come here for?”
 “I just wanted to see you.” His shoulders sag.
“Well, you saw me. Now you can go.” My eyes flick to the window.
“Remi, baby, don’t do this. Please.”
“You keep asking me to trust you, Ace, but it goes both ways. I know
something happened with Michaela, but you don’t trust me enough to tell
me, and that doesn’t fly with me.”
“That’s not...” Jaw clenched, he presses his lips together, swallowing
the words.
“You should probably go before my mom hears you.”
“You’re really going to kick me out?” Disappointment clings to his
words.
“You’re really going to do this?” I throw back. “We can go round in
circles all night, but it won’t change the fact that you’re choosing to shut me
out.”
“I fucking love you.” He advances toward me, grabbing my shoulders.
“Do you have any idea of how far I’d go to keep you safe? To protect you?
To make sure fuckers like Bexley and Michaela can’t touch you anymore?”
His eyes burn into mine, possessive and angry. I want to melt into his arms,
but I don’t.
Because Ace has to realize I don’t need saving.
I don’t want a bodyguard to fight my battles. I want a partner. An equal.
I want someone to stand at my side and fight with me.
He starts to lean in, his warm breath and close proximity disarming me,
but I slam my hands into his chest, forcing him to back up.
“What the fuck?” he grumbles.
“We’re supposed to be a team, Ace. Me and you. Together.”
Silence lingers between us, but it might as well be a vast ocean. He’s
already made up his mind. And I won’t back down either.
“I love you,” he says again, as if those three words are a Band-aid you
can use to patch up open wounds.
“I love you too, but right now, I don’t like you very much.”
His head hangs low, pain vibrating off him. But Ace doesn’t argue this
time. He goes to the window and climbs out, his eyes lingering on me one
last time before he disappears into the shadows like a ghost in the night.
“Don’t you think you’re being a little bit harsh?” Hadley asks as we make
our way to first period.
I didn’t ride with Conner and Cole. After Ace’s late-night visit, I needed
space, and I didn’t want to be hounded by Conner, no matter how helpful he
thinks his advice is.
“Ace has to realize he can’t always shut me out, Hadley. That’s not how
relationships work. Besides, this is Michaela we’re talking about. Just the
thought of him anywhere near her makes me stabby.”
“You don’t really think something happened between them, do you?
Ace is crazy about you, he would never do something to jeopardize that.
Not after what happened at your party.”
“But that’s the thing, Hads. Love makes you crazy.” And Ace said it
himself—he’d do whatever it takes to protect me.
“Look,” I say, stopping at my locker. “I don't think Ace would ever do
anything to hurt me on purpose, but I won’t lie that how far he’s willing to
push his moral compass in the name of revenge scares me.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She leans against the locker bank. “I mean, look at
Cole the other night. I still can’t believe he did that.”
“Really?” I raise a brow. Hadley had told me all about Cole picking a
fight with Hayden at the party, but we hadn’t really talked about it. Not
since she wasn’t in class yesterday with a stomach flu. Although, I was
starting to wonder if that was just a cover for whatever was happening
between her and Cole.
“Cole doesn’t want me, Remi,” she says with an air of sadness. “I’m not
even sure he likes me. Hayden was just an easy target.”
“What happened there?”
“Hayden got a little touchy feely. I told him to stop... Cole walked in
right at that second and just lost it. He was wild, Remi. Completely
unhinged.”
“He’s been through a lot.”
“I know,” she whispers, glancing down the hall to make sure no one is
eavesdropping. “It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
A chill zips up my spine. Ace has said before that Cole harbors a
darkness, but hearing about it and seeing it are two very different things.
“Maybe you should stay away from him,” I suggest. “Let the dust
settle.”
 She barks out a laugh. “Cole doesn’t let people get close, Remi. Trust
me, whatever happened the other week at the pool house was just some
weird twin thing.”
“Okay, whatever you say.”
Hadley rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out at me, just as an
announcement comes over the speaker.
Michaela’s saccharine sweet voice fills the hall. “Don’t forget,
Homecoming is this Friday and tickets are selling fast...”
“Ugh,” I grumble. “Did I ever tell you I hate school spirit?”
“You’re really not going to come? I got you a ticket, just in case.”
“Hads... you know I don’t do school dances.”
“Maybe you should start. You have that gorgeous boyfriend of yours to
suffer alongside you. Besides, it’s senior year, Homecoming is like a rite of
passage or something.”
“I can hardly imagine Ace wanting to go.”
Her face lights up. “But if he wanted to, you’d think about it? Please...
for me.”
“Hadley, it’s in three days. I have nothing to wear. And I’m not even
talking to Ace right now.”
I’d ignored all his texts this morning. Granted, it isn’t even first period
yet, but he’s sent enough.
“Playing hard to get, I like it.” Hadley grins and I groan, knowing she’s
completely missing the point. “I’ve got to get to class. But I’ll see you at
lunch. That’s if Ace doesn’t chase you down first.”
She takes off down the hall and I’m left with my stepsister droning on
about Homecoming etiquette.
“And don’t forget, Seahawks,” she sings, “vote Michaela for
Homecoming Queen and show your support and loyalty for your favorite
student body president and cheer squad captain.”
My stomach churns at her words. She’s so fucking fake, it makes my
skin crawl.
I’m halfway to class when Ace rounds the corner. His eyes collide with
mine and I freeze, slowly backing up. “Princess,” he says with a glint in his
eye.
It’s the same glint he gets whenever he’s about to play dirty.
Not today, Ace Jagger. I take a step back, ready to make a break for it.
 “Don’t you dare run, Remi.” His voice washes over me, pulling the
invisible thread between us taut.
I want to run to him, not from him, but I’m still pissed, and I refuse to
be the girl constantly letting people walk all over her.
Even if one of those people is my boyfriend.
He takes another step forward. “We need to talk.”
The hall is empty now, and I’m late for class. Again.
“Ready to tell me the truth?” Indecision flickers in his eyes, but he
remains silent, telling me all I need to know. I let out a heavy sigh and add,
“Didn’t think so. I need to get to class. You should probably think about
doing the same.”
He stalks closer, and I know that if he reaches me, I’ll break. Taking my
chances, I dart around him, but Ace is quicker, snagging my wrist. “Remi,
please...”
I yank my hand away and meet his defeated gaze. “See you around,
Ace.”
I walk away. Maybe I’m being foolish. Maybe I should hear him out.
But I didn’t come all this way just to have him undo all the trust we’ve
built.
My cell vibrates the second I disappear around the corner, and I know
without looking it’s him.

Ace: You can run, Princess, but I’ll always find you. You see, I love you.
I fucking love you more than I ever thought possible. And I know I
screwed up last night... I know it seems like I’m keeping secrets. But I
just need a couple more days. That’s all I’m asking...

Dragging my bottom lip between my teeth, I text him back.

Me: Not good enough.

I shove my cell back in my pocket and slip into class. The teacher gives
me a terse glare as I find an empty seat and try to pay attention.
It’s not easy.
Homecoming is in three days. Maybe that’s Ace’s master plan. He
always said we had to hit Michaela where it hurt most, but every time I
think about them in the same thought, I’m overcome with jealousy.
She’s manipulative and conniving and manages to dig her nails into
everything she sets her sights on, poisoning it with her prep school princess
bullshit.
Even if Ace’s scheme topples her off her throne, I’m not sure I’ll ever
be able to forgive him if he...
I push down the thoughts.
Ace wouldn’t touch Michaela. Hurt her, yes. But touch her, no way. Not
after everything we’ve been through.
I’m worrying over nothing.
I’m letting my hatred for her cloud my judgement.
Until she walks into the room and her eyes land right on me. Her lips
curl into a vicious smirk, a wicked glint in her eyes.
A knowing glint.
Fuck.
I’ve seen this look before. It’s the one she gave me when I walked into
Surf’s all those years ago to find her sitting next to my dad like she
belonged there.
Michaela thinks she’s won.
And I can’t help but wonder if, finally, she has.

The second the bell rings, I’m out of my seat. Michaela barely gives me a
second glance as she saunters from the room in that godforsaken cheer
outfit. Anger fuels me as I catch up to her, grabbing her arm and forcing her
to look at me.
“Excuse me, psycho...” Her eyes drop to where my fingers are digging
into her wrist. “Get your hands off me.”
“Not until you tell me what’s happening with you and Ace.”
Her eyes cloud with confusion, and for a second I feel nothing but
relief. But then her lip twists with smug arrogance. “He told you?”
I stagger back, her words like tiny knives over my skin.
“Guess he didn’t want to keep it a secret after all.” She gives me a
dismissive shrug.
 “You... you and he...” I choke out the words over the pain splintering
down my chest.
She’s lying.
There’s no way he would...
Yet her big blue eyes, eyes I’ve spent almost six years hating, sparkle
with nothing but honesty.
“What can I say?” She shrugs, flicking one of her perfectly curled
pigtails off her shoulder. “He wanted a taste of something classier.”
My stomach churns, and I almost puke right there in the hall.
Kids are watching. I feel their stares, hear their whispers. But I can’t
take my eyes off the girl who was once someone I thought I could trust with
my secrets.
“Why, Michaela? Why do you hate me so much?” Our messy history
seeps into the space between us, but she isn’t the one bleeding out.
I am.
She’s taken everything from me. My dad, my life, and now she’s taken
the one person I thought I could always count on.
Ace will tell me it’s part of his plan. He’ll feed me lies about it meaning
nothing, about it being a means to an end.
But it doesn’t matter.
I’m done.
I’m so done.
“You’re weak, Remi. You’ve always been weak.” She snarls the words.
“When we were kids you were like my shadow. It’s pathetic, really, when I
look back. You know it was my mum who suggested I befriend you. I think
she felt guilty she was screwing your dad.”
“Wh-what?” Blood roars between my ears as I desperately try not to
cry.
“Oh, you didn’t know? They were seeing each other for years.”
“No,” I whimper. “That’s not true. It can’t be.”
“He didn’t want you, Remi. Just like Ace doesn’t really want you.”
“You fucking bitch.” I lunge for her just as strong arms grab me around
the waist and pull me away.
“She’s not worth it.” Cole’s voice is a low growl in my ear. “Come on.”
He wraps his arm around me, guiding me away.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if Remi the Slut is taking turns with them all,”
Michaela calls, inciting raucous laughter. Cole tears away from me and gets
right up in her face.
I stand there, trembling, as he glares at her. He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t
move, he just stares as if he’s plotting out her slow and painful death in
vivid technicolor in his head.
“Creeper, much?” She tries to brush off the tense atmosphere, and
eventually Cole backs away, returning to my side.
“You good?” he asks.
I shake my head, wiping my eyes with the back of my blazer sleeve. “I
need to get out of here.”
“Come on,” he says. “I’ll drive you home.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Ace

I put that look in her eyes. I fucking hate it. I stupidly thought she’d trust
me to do what I need to do and not ask any questions.
How fucking delusional was I?
I throw open the pool house door and storm inside, throwing my bag
across the room with a crash and plowing my fist into the wall. Only unlike
the trailer I’m used to, it doesn’t give. Instead, my knuckles ricochet as pain
shoots up my arm.
“Motherfucker.” I shake it out, knowing that it’s the least of what I
deserve. I might not have touched that bitch last night, not intentionally
anyway, but I deserve a world of pain for even looking at her naked body.
I shudder as I remember her sitting there with her hands bound behind
her back. She’d fucking loved it and was quite obviously up for anything.
That bitch is going to get herself into some serious trouble if she’s
willing to let the likes of me tie her to a chair without any concern. What
I’ve got planned for her is child’s play compared to what some guys I know
would do to her.
I glance to my bedroom, my mind conjuring up the image of her sitting
there, her nipples hard and her pussy slick for me. She thought she looked
hot as shit, it was there in the confident tilt of her chin as I stared at her. She
thought I was getting off on her being at my mercy.
 Fucking stupid bitch.
How she could ever truly believe that I’d want her over Remi is beyond
me. She’s nothing but an evil whore. She basically admitted it to me as
well, with the way she talked shit about the people who are meant to be her
closest friends. She didn’t even bat an eyelid to tell me everything she really
thought about her squad members and the football team. It was like she
knew exactly what I wanted and laid it all out for me, ripe for the taking.
Ignoring the beer I know is in my refrigerator, I reach for the bottle of
scotch I’d left on the side that I swiped from the house a few days ago.
James has been away again on business—so much for caring about the
shitshow he caused here, because he’s not even scratched the surface of
sorting shit out with Cole yet. He’s still acting like a man possessed, ready
to explode without a moment's notice.
My fists clench with my need to make everything right for those I love,
but I’m unable to do so. That’s what I’m trying to do for Remi—get her the
justice that she deserves. But in doing so, all I’ve done is end up hurting her
more.
Twisting the cap, I throw it down onto the counter before lifting the
bottle to my lips. The first mouthful burns, but it’s exactly what I need. I’ve
been in a bitch of a mood since my first interaction with Remi this morning,
so much so that Gunner didn’t even bother asking what was up during my
shift tonight.
He gave me a job and thankfully left me to take my frustrations out on
the engine I was attempting to fix up.
I’m just about to swallow another shot of scotch when the door slams
behind me. Before I have a chance to turn around, fingers wrap around my
upper arm and I’m thrown back into the wall.
The bottle falls from my hand, smashing when it hits the tiled floor.
“Fucking hell, bro. Was that necessary?” I ask, but when I look up into the
murderously cold eyes of my youngest brother, my words falter.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he roars, his fist connecting with
my cheek.
My head snaps to the side with his force.
“You are you so intent on fucking everything up. Why?” Cole bellows.
“She’s done nothing but support you.” Crack. “Nothing but fight for you.”
Crack. “And all you do is fuck her over.” Crack. “Why?” His fist tightens
in my shirt, pinning me to the wall.
 Blood trickles down my face from his hits, but I don’t move to retaliate.
I deserve every hit and then some.
“Fucking hell, Cole,” Conner barks, racing into the pool house and
wrapping his arm around Cole’s shoulder to pull him back. “What the fuck
are you doing?”
“Teaching this motherfucker a lesson.”
“Why? What’s he done now?”
“He’s cheating on Remi.”
“You’re fucking what?” Conner roars.
“No, I’m not,” I bark at the same time Cole announces, “with
Michaela.”
“Nah,” Conner shakes his head. “There’s no fucking way Ace would
touch that piece of shit. W-Would you?” he asks me, his eyes wide as if he’s
begging me to say no.
“No, of course I fucking wouldn’t. I’m not fucking cheating on Remi,
and I’m certainly not fucking the fake cheer bitch.”
“So what the fuck is going on? Why is Michaela telling Remi that you
did just that last night?”
“Fuck.” I roll my eyes at the two of them as they stand with their arms
across their chests, waiting for my confession. “I’m taking her down, okay?
She’s hurt Remi for long enough. It’s time she got what’s coming to her.”
“And letting Remi think you’re fucking her helps with this how?”
“She’s not meant to think that. She’s meant to trust me to know what
I’m doing.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Ace,” Conner barks, his hands going to his hair.
“Do you know nothing about women?”
“No, I don’t give a shit about women. All I care about is her, and I’m
going to do whatever it takes to hurt those who try to ruin her life on a daily
basis.”
“Even if it means hurting her in the process?”
“Well, if she trus—”
“Don’t talk shit, Ace. You can’t tell any girl to trust you and then have it
look like you’re fucking her archenemy behind her back. It doesn’t fucking
work. If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it’s usually a
fucking duck.”
“I’m not fucking her,” I cry for what feels like the millionth time.
 “You know that. We know that. But Remi doesn’t, and she’s the only
one who fucking matters,” Conner seethes while Cole stares daggers into
me.
“You’ve gotta trust me. Just for a few days. I know what I’m doing.”
“Really? I beg to fucking differ, bro.”
“Whatever,” I mutter, turning my back on them and going to clean up
my face, hoping they’ll both fuck off as fast as they appeared.
When I emerge, they’ve both made themselves comfortable on the
couch and beanbag like they own the place, drinking my beers. The room
stinks of the scotch that’s still in a glass-filled puddle on the floor where it
fell.
“Make your fucking selves at home, why don’t you,” I mutter, walking
past the pair of them.
“Tu casa es mi casa,” Conner says in a terrible Spanish accent. “What?”
he barks when we both stare at him like he’s a fucking moron. “I listen in
class.”
“Where the fuck are you going?” Cole asks when I move toward the
door.
“Going to see her.”
“For fuck’s sake, just give her some space. She can’t hate you if you’re
always in her face.”
“Good. I’m going.”
“I didn’t mean that as encouragement, asshole.”
I flip him off over my shoulder and leave the pool house. I’m not
allowing her to sit at home and fester on all of this. Not when I’ve not done
anything wrong. Well, not really.
It’s still light out, so instead of going around to the back of the house
and attempting her window, I walk up to the front door and ring the bell.
The last thing I need is for Sarah to discover my secret entry and put an end
to it.
“Ace, this is a nice surprise,” she says with a smile as she pulls the door
open.
“Hi, Sarah. Any chance I could see Remi?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. She’s in her room feeling unwell. I think she’s
asleep.”
“I know, I just wanted to see her. Cheer her up a little.”
 She lets out a sigh. Obviously Remi hasn’t revealed all to her mother, or
I doubt she’d even be considering letting me into the house right now.
“Fine, but I take no responsibility for this.”
“You’re the best.”
I slip past her and make my way up to Remi’s room.
I knock, just to be polite, and push the door. Only it doesn’t move. And
I know for a fact it doesn’t have a lock; I’ve looked for one in the past to
ensure we didn’t get caught.
“Remi, Princess. Are you in there?”
“Go away, Ace,” she calls, her voice rough with emotion.
“Not until I’ve spoken to you.”
“I’m not interested. You’ve made your choice, and it clearly wasn’t
me.”
My teeth grind in frustration that she can’t just trust me. “It’s not what
you think.”
She laughs, but it’s bitter and cold. It doesn't sound anything like her
usual one that makes something inside me flutter. Nothing about the sound
right now makes me happy.
“That’s what they all say, Ace. Hell, I even remember my dad saying it
to my mom all those years ago. It’s always bullshit, yet guys seem to think
women will fall for it.”
“It’s not bullshit, Rem. I haven’t touched that poisonous bitch. I’m
doing this for you. You… you’ve just got to trust me.”
“Well, you’ve ruined that. I trusted you with my life and you hid things
from me. So I’m done, Ace. Done.”
I stumble back a little, not willing to accept her words. “Never, Princess.
We are never done.”
With one last push on her door, in the hope it’ll allow me inside, I turn
away from her. “All of this is for you, Princess. You’ll see.”
“I don’t need you fighting my battles for me,” she calls. “I just needed
you to stand by my side.” A sob erupts on the other side of the door, and it
damn near kills me.
“This isn’t over, Princess. I fucking love you too much to ever walk
away.”
She doesn't respond, and I reluctantly head back down the stairs. Sarah
stares at me as I make my way toward her, her eyebrow lifting in question.
“What did you do?”
 I shake my head. “It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that it’s all
for her. Everything is for her.”
She nods but doesn’t say anything as I let myself out of their house.
I ride around town for hours, trying to clear my head, but when I walk
back into the pool house, it hasn't helped one bit. Heading straight for my
bedroom, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling for hours, wondering if I
should have played this differently. If there was another angle I could have
taken to knock that bitch off her podium once and for all.

Remi doesn’t turn up at school on Thursday. I wait at her locker first thing
in the morning and then outside each of her classes, but she’s not in any of
them.
The other person who I really don’t want to have to look at, however,
follows me around like a fucking rash.
“I really enjoyed our time together the other night,” she says when she
finally corners me just before our last class of the day.
“Great. I’m glad you had fun.”
“It’s just such a shame you had to race off like you did. It really could
have been an epic night.”
“I’m sure it could.” There’s no enthusiasm in my tone, but she either
doesn't notice or doesn’t care.
She steps up to me and I fight not to allow my muscles to tense up at her
close proximity. One of her hands slides down my back until she grips my
ass while the other stops on my abs.
My teeth grind with my need to physically remove her, but I know I
can’t. Just one more day and this will all be over.
Just one more day.
“So, when can we meet up again?”
“I’m busy the next couple of nights. Saturday?”
“What about Homecoming? Who are you going with?”
“I’m not going to Homecoming. It’s not my kind of thing.”
“That’s a damn shame, Ace.” She pouts. “I bet you’d look killer in a
tux. I’m sure I could convince you.” Her hand begins to lower, but I catch
her wrist before she gets over my waistband. I might be on board with
playing her, but she’s doesn’t get to fucking touch me. Ever.
My balls firmly belong in Remi’s hands, not hers.
“I’m sure you could. But right now, we’re both late for class, so… Shall
we?” I gesture toward the door that most of our classmates have already
disappeared through.
“Sure. But I’m not letting you run away. You’ve given me a taste now,
Ace. I want the rest.”
She runs her eyes down my body and my stomach turns over. It’s bad
enough she’s seen me topless, she’s not getting her eyes, or hands, on any
more of me, that’s for fucking sure.
“I can’t wait.” It doesn't matter that there’s no sincerity in my words.
She still beams in delight.
Stupid bitch.
You deserve every bit of what’s coming your way.

The final class drags.

Work drags.
Everything fucking drags because she’s not by my side.
I don’t bother going straight home after work. Instead I chance my luck
with Sarah. Only this time, I don’t even make it past the front door.
Apparently, I need to give her daughter space and time to decide what she
wants, and that she’ll contact me when she’s ready.
Well, I call fucking bullshit. How can she decide what she really wants
when she doesn't know everything?
Your fault, asshole. You could have told her the whole story.
I ignore James’ calls for me to join him in the dining room for dinner as
I walk through the house. I don’t have the fucking patience to play happy
family right now. I grab a plate from Ellen as I blow through the kitchen
and take it out to the pool house with me, spending the evening alone,
sitting in the dark with the last of my weed for company. It sure as fuck
isn’t as fulfilling as having Remi beside me.
I start to think my luck is changing when I’m lying in bed later that
night, waiting for sleep to claim me, because when my cell beeps with a
message, her name lights up the screen.
Only the message I receive isn’t anywhere near what I was expecting.

Remi: Stop stalking me, Ace. It’s getting really fucking pathetic.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Remi

“R emi, sweetheart, can I come in?”

“I’m still not feeling good, Mom,” I mumble, hoping she’ll
leave me alone.
“Okay, missy, I’ve given you enough time to wallow.” She slips into the
room. “Time to come back to the real world.”
“Go away.” I pull the cushion over my head.
It’s Friday, and I’ve spent pretty much every second since my
showdown with Michaela on Wednesday locked away in my room.
It’s too much.
The things she said about my dad.
The things she insinuated about her and Ace.
I want to know exactly what happened—it burns inside me like a
firestorm—but I’m not ready to hear the truth.
Not yet.
Even if it is all another lie. Another cheap shot at trying to break me.
“Sweetheart, stop.” Mom’s fingers gently ease the pillow away from my
face. “This isn’t you, Remi. Where’s the strong, brave girl I know you can
be?”
“I’m just tired, Mom. I’m tired of the games and the lies. I’m tired of
always wondering what she’s going to say or do next to trip me up. Why
does she hate me so much?”
“That’s a question I can’t answer. But you know, I remember Michaela
when you were just little girls. She was always so quiet and wary of
everything around her. It hit her hard when her dad left.”
“I don’t remember,” I say.
“You wouldn’t. You were both so young back then. You were fierce and
stubborn. So stubborn.” She smiles wistfully, lost in the memory.
“I think I remember that. It was Michaela’s birthday. Her mom threw
her a huge party, and even though she had no dad there, I remember
thinking how many people turned up.”
It had been my birthday a few weeks earlier, and all I’d wanted was to
go to Surf’s with my mom and dad. But Dad never showed up, and I cried
during the entire meal.
“Did you know?” I ask, and Mom blinks away the tears clinging to her
eyes.
“I think part of me always knew. Of course, I had no idea it was Della
until much later. After Michaela’s birthday, the two of you were
inseparable. But something changed. You went into your shell and Michaela
emerged from hers. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but one day I
remember watching you both play in the yard and wondering when my little
girl became the quiet, timid girl. But you seemed content enough, so I
didn’t question it...”
“Mom?”
“Did you suspect anything? See anything?” Her voice cracks.
“You mean with Dad and Della? I-I don’t think so. I was so used to him
not being around, I didn’t ever stop to think he might be having an affair.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry.” Mom hugs me. “I’m so sorry. Michaela
was always so jealous. I think it started off as her armor, a way to protect
herself, but over the years, it became a weapon. I should have listened
more. I should have been there for you instead of worrying what your father
might think about his precious stepdaughter.”
The venom in Mom’s words surprises me.
“I’ll be honest, Remi, I wasn’t sad to see your friendship end. I thought
you’d escape from under her shadow, I thought you’d find new friends. I
didn’t realize how difficult life would be for you.”
“She said some really shitty things to me yesterday, Mom. And Ace is
almost positive it was her who leaked the tape at my birthday party.”
 Mom jerks back with a startled gasp. “It was Michaela?”
“We don’t have proof.” Yet, I think. Although who knows what Ace has
discovered since whatever went down between them.
I push the thoughts far from my head.
My heart aches enough without thinking about what did or didn’t
happen between them.
But Mom clearly hasn’t got the memo when she asks, “Have you
spoken to him?”
I press my lips together, shaking my head gently.
“Oh, sweetheart, you should. I didn’t want to interfere because Lord
only knows I’ve done enough of that already. But he sent you something.”
“He did?” That has my attention.
A knowing smile twinkles in her eyes. “Give me one minute.”
Mom disappears and I grab my cell, re-reading all of Ace’s messages. I
can practically feel his desperation in every word. But he broke my trust.
He broke part of us.
And I’m not sure I can just forgive him.
Not this time.
Even if it makes me stubborn and foolish.
His last text is the hardest to read.

Ace: If you want space, I’ll give it to you... but I’ll never stop loving you
Remi, ever. I can’t.

Mom reappears with a big box in her hands, and I quickly switch off my
cell.
“Calling someone?” she teases, and I scrunch my nose up at her.
“No one important.” The lie sours on my tongue.
Ace isn’t important, he’s... everything.
But my emotions are all wired wrong. The hurt and pain of my past are
inexplicably woven in the love I have for him.
It’s very confusing.
“I haven’t opened it.” Mom settles the box on the bed, pulling me from
my thoughts.
With shaky hands, I lift off the lid and dig through the layers of tissue
paper.
 “Oh my gosh,” Mom breathes as my fingers meet lace, and I gently
remove the dress from the box.
“A dress. He got me a dress.”
“Not just any dress, sweetheart. That is one perfect dress.”
She’s not wrong. I gingerly climb off the bed and move over to the
mirror, holding the dress up against my body. It’s a black skater dress with a
lace hem and matching lace Bardot bodice and off the shoulder sleeves.
It’s perfect. Pretty but not too feminine. It’s exactly the type of dress I’d
pick for myself if I had to.
“Now if that isn’t a sign of a boy in love, I don’t know what is.” She
reaches over to pick up the note inside the box and I pluck it out of her
hand.

Every girl should get one perfect dance.

Come to Homecoming with me Remi, and I’ll explain everything, I promise.
It’s you and me baby, always.
A xo

Damn him.
Damn Ace and his persistent texts and beautiful gifts and heartfelt
notes. He isn’t playing fair. Chipping away at my resolve until he thinks I’ll
crack.
“Well, don’t just stand there staring at the damn thing. Put it on.” Mom
gives me an encouraging nod.
“I don’t know, Mom. Homecoming really isn’t my thing.”
“Remi.” She stands and comes over to me, touching my cheek. “You are
a beautiful, brave, and headstrong young woman. Surely you’re not going
to let the likes of Michaela or a little fight with Ace stop you from going to
Homecoming?”
“But Ace...”
“Loves you. He loves you, Remi. It’s written all over his face every time
he looks at you. I’ll be honest with you, sweetheart, his intensity toward
you scares me a little. You’re both so young... but something tells me he
would move mountains to make you happy.”
I clutch the dress to my body. I had no intention of going to
Homecoming, but Mom’s right. I’ve spent my entire life living in the
shadows at Sterling Prep.
Maybe it's time to step into the light.
Maybe it’s my time to shine.
“Do you think I can wear my sneakers?” I ask, and Mom’s soft laughter
wraps around me like a blanket.
“Come on,” she says. “I think I might have something that will work.”

I’m adding the final touches to my make-up when I hear something outside
the kitchen doors.
My heart flutters at the prospect of seeing Ace. I haven’t texted him
back yet, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’s grown impatient and taken
matters into his own hands.
Blotting my lips one last time, I walk over to the back door and pull it
open. But there’s nothing there.
Frowning, I step outside. “Ace?” I call only to be met with silence. A
shudder rolls through me.
“Remi?”
“I’m out here, Mom.”
“What is it?” She meets me at the door.
“Nothing, I guess. I thought I heard someone...” I glance back, but
there’s nothing but the empty sidewalk and the beach behind that.
“Probably just the wind.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Are you all set? You look stunning, sweetheart.” Mom holds my
shoulders, taking me in.
My hair is in a relaxed updo, leaving a few waves loose around my face.
It draws attention to the low-cut neckline of my dress. I searched for my
locket again earlier but couldn’t find it, so I’ve opted for a plain velvet
choker. It looks killer alongside the black ankle boots Mom gave me.
Ace is going to die when he sees me.
 At least, I hope so.
My nerves only grow as Mom drives me to Sterling Prep. Homecoming
is always held in the Old Hall, one of the beautiful brick buildings on
campus. Hadley had tried to talk me into going to the football game
beforehand, but I didn’t want to sit through another game alone.
It’s going to be hard enough walking into the dance alone, but it’s
something I need to do. I can’t really explain it, but it feels like everything
has been leading to this point.
Mom stops right outside the Old Hall and twists around to me.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I give her a tight smile.
“You’ve got this, sweetheart. Gosh, Remi, I’m so proud of you. I hope
you know that.” She leans in and gives me a little hug, careful not to snag
my hair.
“Okay,” I take a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.”
I’ve arrived fashionably late, so I know Hadley is already inside. But I
don’t know if Ace is here yet.
Mom watches with glossy eyes as I climb out of the car and make my
way inside. The music is loud, drowning out the laughter and chatter of my
classmates beyond. Everyone is probably high on the win. I heard from
Hadley that the Seahawks won their game by a landslide.
“Holy crap, girl.” She spots me and hurries over. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you. Ace got me the dress.”
“No shit.” Her smile is too sweet.
“Hads... what did you do?”
“Who, me?”
“Ace called you, didn’t he?” Of course he’d had some help. I should
have known.
“If it’s any consolation, I only gave him your size and a list of do-nots.
The rest was one hundred percent all him. And the boy did good.” She
grabs my hand and makes me twirl. “He’s going to freak when he sees
you.”
“About that.” I lean in, lowering my voice. “Is he here?”
“You mean you didn’t call him yet? Remi!”
“I know, I know, I just... I feel like I’m giving in too easily again.”
“Well, if you want to drive him wild, get in there, grab the first guy you
see, and shake that fine ass all over him. Ace won’t know what’s hit him.”
 “I didn’t come to cause any trouble, Hads. I think we’ve all had enough
of that.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I came to have fun.” Her gaze drops
to her purse and she waggles her brows. “Wanna join me in the restroom for
a little pre-party pick-me-up?”
My eyes grow to saucers and she giggles. “Vodka, Remi. I snuck in a
bottle of vodka. Geez, what do you think I was talking about?”
“Sorry, I...”
“It’s cool. But come on, we need to hurry. They’re going to announce
the king and queen soon and I’m rooting for Michaela to get knocked off
her throne.”
“I think we both know that’s unlikely, Hads,” I grumble as we both walk
hand in hand to the restroom. “She’s a sure win.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugs, but I don’t miss the faint smirk on her
face. “I have a feeling the odds may be in our favor tonight.”

The student committee has gone all out for Homecoming. Blue and white
balloons decorate big round tables, and silver streamers hang from the
ceiling and wrap around the wall lamps. It’s like Seahawk school spirit
puked up all over the place. I want to hate it. Part of me does hate it, but as I
stand on the edge of the dance floor watching Conner twirl a tipsy Hadley
around like a rag doll, I can’t help but smile. Maybe it’s the vodka running
through my veins, or the fact that I feel beautiful in the dress Ace bought
me, but I don’t feel their stares or hear the hum of their whispers.
I do, however, feel the person step up behind me. “Ace—" I spin
around, the words dying on the tip of my tongue. “Oh, it’s you.”
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Bexley sneers, swaying slightly
on his feet. He’s buzzed, his pupils blown and jaw tight. “Looking good,
Remi Bear.”
“You should get lost, Bexley, before Ace—" I see him across the room,
my body humming with nervous energy.
A low growl rumbles in Bexley’s chest as he glances over his shoulder.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. You’re still going to go back to
that piece of shit after he played you?”
 “Newsflash, Bexley, even if I’m not with Ace, I’ll never be yours. What
part of that don’t you get?”
Ace starts toward us, murder in his eyes. I let out a low groan. This isn’t
going to end well.
“You should go, Bexley. I mean it.”
He chuckles darkly, leaning in. “You and me, we’ve got unfinished
business...” He leaves the warning hanging as he saunters away, hands in
his pockets, wearing his trademark entitled-asshole smile.
I turn to face the dance floor again, giving myself a second to catch my
breath. Bexley is becoming unhinged, and I know I need to tell Ace about
the texts and the fact that I’m pretty sure he’s been stalking the house.
This time, when I feel someone behind me, I don’t falter. Ace’s strong
arms wrap around me from behind, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
“Do you have any idea how good you look?”
“Do you have any idea how mad I am with you?”
“I know, Princess. But right now, I don’t want to fight. I want to dance
with the girl who owns not only my heart but my balls as well.” He slips
around me.
He looks so good in dark slacks and a black dress shirt. The sleeves are
pushed up to his elbows and he’s left his collar open, giving a hint at the ink
and muscle beneath.
He looks devastating, and my heart races in my chest that I get to call
him mine.
Even if he drives me completely insane sometimes.
“So what do you say, Remi?” He holds out his hand, nothing but love
and lust shining in his eyes. “Dance with me?”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Ace

S he tenses before me, and I already know what her answer is going to
be. I don’t want to fucking be here dressed up like an idiot, yet I am.
For her.
“Please, Princess. Everything ends tonight, and it’ll be just you and me
again.”
“It should be you and me now, Ace.”
“I just need you to trust me.”
“And I just need you to stop repeating yourself,” she quips.
Reaching out, I take her hand and pull her into my body. “One dance,
Princess. I need you.”
She shudders against me and I know I’ve got her. “One dance. And keep
your hands where everyone can see them.”
I move us as one out to the dance floor, my entire body relaxing at just
having her beside me. “Do you have to ruin all my fun, Princess?”
Lifting her arms so they rest over my shoulders, I wrap my own around
her waist, ensuring there’s no space between us. “That dress looks
incredible on you,” I whisper in her ear. I knew it would the second I saw it.
I may have had some instructions from Hadley, but I didn’t really need
them. It was like the dress had Remi’s name written all over it.
“Thank you, it’s beautiful.”
 “Not as beautiful as the girl wearing it.”
“Ace,” she warns. ‘Your smooth lines aren’t going to work.”
“That wasn’t a line, Princess. It was just the truth.”
We move together while others dance around us, but I pay them no
attention. Nor the music which has a much higher tempo to the imaginary
one Remi and I are dancing to. I’m too focused on having my girl back in
my arms.
“I’ve missed you,” I whisper, holding her a little tighter.
“Then you shouldn’t have shut me out.”
She might be holding on to me, but she’s far from being relaxed.
“I had to. You’ll understand why soon.”
I’m so lost to the feeling of her pressed up against me that I don’t notice
someone approaching.
“Um… Ace, what is this?” I bristle as the high pitch of Michaela’s
voice flows through me.
I glance over to find her wearing the smallest dress I think I’ve ever
seen and with her hand on her cocked hip.
“We’re dancing. How about you go and find someone to do the same
with. Most of the team are free. I know how you feel about them.” I wink,
remembering her words from the other night.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. And with her,” she spits,
looking over at Remi as if she’s nothing but a bit of shit on her shoe.
“Fuck you, Michaela. I’m dancing with my boyfriend.” I can’t help but
smile that she still calls me that. She might be angry, but I know I’ve not
lost her. I’m also pretty confident that she’ll forgive me once the truth is
revealed. “Go and sniff at someone who isn’t already taken.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Michaela says patronizingly. “Ace is taken. He’s with
me now. Poor, delusional little Remi,” she mutters, slipping her hand
through my arm and trying to pull me away.
I can’t help but laugh, because if anyone is delusional here it’s not
Remi.
A crackle comes over the sound system, stopping Michaela from trying
to peel me from Remi. She looks toward the stage where Principal Vager
stands with a microphone in his hand.
“In a few short minutes, we’re going to crown your Homecoming king
and queen. In the meantime, we’ve got a short video clip to show you.”
 I keep my face blank of emotion despite the fact that my insides are
having a party with what’s about to happen.
“I hope you’re ready for some Sterling Prep school spirit.” I couldn’t
have written a better script for Vager if I’d tried.
He nods his head at the IT nerd who’s in the control room, the exact one
who’s been paid a hefty sum to switch the tapes at the last minute.
The room falls silent as the projector lights up the wall. It’s fucking
huge, and the feeling of sweet, sweet victory fills my veins.
The screen crackles to life like an old home movie before our one and
only cheer bitch fills the wall before us. A collective gasp sounds out as
they get a look at their queen in all her naked glory.
“Oh my God,” Michaela screeches. “What the hell is this? Turn it off,”
she cries. “Turn it the fuck off now.” She runs for the stage as Remi turns
her eyes on me. They narrow in accusation but she already knows that I’m
behind this. She doesn't need me to confirm it.
Laughter starts up around the room and the guys start to hoot and holler
as they take in Michaela, naked and tied to the chair in my bedroom. Only
no one can see where she is, because behind her is just a cream wall. I was
quick to make sure there would be nothing to tie this to me.
“What do I think of the football team?” Her voice comes through the
speakers, repeating the question I’d just asked her. The room falls silent and
tension begins to mount as everyone waits for her answer. She scoffs and
rolls her eyes before giving her honest reply. “They’re a bunch of cockless
douchebags. They all think they’re God’s gift to football, going straight to
the NFL. Most of them can’t catch a cold, let alone a fucking football.”
The movie crackles again, cutting to another scene. She’s still bound,
but I’ve zoomed in, just to ensure everyone gets a good view.
“The cheerleaders are hairbrained idiots as well. I only hang around
them because they make me look good. It would be nice to have a fucking
intelligent conversation for once but no, hair this, make-up that. Ugh, it’s
exhausting.”
The tension in the room is palpable as Michaela continues to bash those
who are meant to be her friends.
“Turn it off,” she screams, racing toward the control room. She’ll be shit
out of luck, because those tech guys have locked themselves in, as per my
instructions.
 “Okay, okay. Everyone settle down. The show is over,” Vager booms
over the sound system. Unfortunately for him, he comes to stand right in
front of Michaela’s crotch just as I zoom in again.
The entire school erupts with laughter as he looks around for support.
It’s fucking chaos as the cheer squad moves toward their captain, their faces
furious, while Michaela rattles at the door, attempting to stop her very
public social suicide. The entire crowd seems to surge forward to get a
better look at the scene unfolding before them.
And I stand there, feeling better than I have in a long fucking time.
“Okay, let’s announce our king and queen, shall we?” Vager tries to
maintain order, despite the naked cheer captain behind his head.
Hardly anyone is paying him any attention as he reaches into the
envelope in his hand. “And your Homecoming king is…” he booms, trying
to get everyone’s attention. I see Bexley step forward out of the corner of
my eye, and a smirk curls at his lips. He seems to care more about a fucking
crown than the words that just fell from Michaela’s lips, but then, I guess
they were mostly true. He is a cockless douchebag.
“Hayden Lincoln.”
The look on Bexley’s face is fucking priceless. He’s already halfway to
the stage, ready to accept what he thinks is his God-given right. Once he
realizes he shouldn’t be moving, he very quickly disappears into the crowd
as a very shocked looking Hayden emerges, cheered on by the rest of the
team. None of which pay Bexley any attention.
Hayden climbs up on stage and accepts his crown before Vager takes to
the mic once again.
Scanning the room, I find that Michaela is still surrounded by her squad,
but it seems that the IT geeks have lost their nerve because the still shot of
her that played out at the end of the video has gone. I kinda hoped it would
stay up longer, but I guess it did its job. Everyone at Sterling Prep now
knows what a vile bitch Michaela really is.
“Lylah Donovan,” sounds around the room. The cheer squad erupts as
she emerges from helping to rip their captain a new one. She’s shocked, but
not as shocked as Hayden. She soon covers it as she laps up everyone’s
attention. I could think of much nicer girls who deserve that crown, but at
least she’s better than the likes of Michaela.
“So how about that, then.” I turn to Remi with a shit-eating grin on my
face. It falls immediately when I realize that she’s no longer beside me.
“Remi?” I call, although it’s pointless with the amount of noise in here.
Looking around, I see no sign of her, although I do catch a glimpse of
Michaela running toward the exit. “Fucking hell,” I mutter, heading off in
search of my girl.
I thought she’d be delighted to watch her archenemy crash and burn
before her eyes, but her disappearance says otherwise.
Part of me knew she’d be angry. I may not have touched Michaela, but I
stared at her naked body when I should have been focusing on my
girlfriend’s. I just hoped that the outcome would make her forget that little
fact.
I stumble across Conner and Hadley, who are still dancing despite the
fact that there’s now no music playing. “Have you seen Remi?”
“No, last I saw she was dancing with you. Did you fucking see that,
bro?” Conner laughs, pointing to the wall where the video played out.
“She had it coming.”
“Waaait…” His eyes widen. “That was—”
“So you haven’t seen her?” I ask again before he drops me in it.
“No.”
“She probably just went to the bathroom. Want me to go and check?”
Hadley adds.
“No, it’s okay. I’m probably just overreacting.”
“Because that’s so unlike you,” Conner mutters.
Turning my back on him, I continue looking for her. Pulling my cell
from my pocket, I hit call on her number, but it just rings off. I see no sign
of her, and after returning to Hadley to take her up on her offer of checking
the bathroom, we discover she’s not in there either.
“She’s gone,” I state.
“Well, go and fucking get her,” Hadley sasses with her hand on her hip.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Women are hard work,” I mutter.
“I heard that.”
“You were meant to.” I look up at my brother. “Careful she doesn’t dig
her claws in too deep.”
“This one?” Conner says, looking at Hadley with a little too much
interest twinkling in his eyes. “Puh-lease.”
Turning my back on them, I head for the exit. Wherever she is, I’m
determined to find her and tell her everything. I did all of that for her so she
no longer has to deal with that bitch. I need her to understand that.
 I slam the doors back on themselves as I walk out, leaving the drama
behind me. I’ve no doubt that people are going to be talking about this night
for a long ass time. A smile creeps onto my lips, knowing that I was the one
who dethroned the queen.
I really can’t believe no one did it sooner. The way she treats people is
deplorable.
It’s dark out with just the light of the moon guiding the way as I head
toward the parking lot. I’d put money on her going home to lock herself in
her room once again, but I’m fed up of playing these games. I’m done with
pretending to be anything but one hundred percent hers.
I’m almost at my bike when I hear raised voices. A shiver races down
my spine before I take off in the direction it came from. I round the building
as silently as I can—if something is going on, I don’t want to announce my
arrival too early.
I tell myself that I’m acting crazy. I’m not in the Heights now. People
don’t get dragged off into dark corners like it’s a normal thing here. But it
seems you can take the boy out of the Heights but you can’t take the
Heights out of the boy, because as I get closer, pressing up against the wall
in the hope of remaining hidden, my hand moves to the switchblade in my
waistband.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Bexley. I. Don’t Fucking.
Care.” I freeze at the sound of Remi’s voice.
At the sound of her shouting again, I jerk into action, racing around the
corner.
What I find before me makes me see red as I take off in her direction.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Remi

B exley’s arms cage me in against the wall as I glare up at him. “I said

back the fuck up.”
“Remi, come on. Why are you being like this?” he drawls. “We
used to be friends, didn’t we? Until Jagger—”
“You think this has anything to do with Ace?” Disbelief coats my
words. “Things went wrong between us long before he ever showed up.”
“We could be so good together.” He leans in closer, his bitter breath
wafting over me.
Bexley is on something. That much was obvious when he grabbed me
while I was standing right beside Ace. Everyone had been too busy
watching Vager about to announce Homecoming king and queen to notice
me march him out of there to give him a piece of my mind.
I thought he was just drunk, but his pupils are blown, and he’s acting
jittery, his wild gaze darting around my face and then off at nothing.
“What happened to you, Bexley?” I ask. This isn’t the boy I’d once
shared my secrets with.
“It should have been you and me.” He repeats the words again, as if it
changes anything.
“I should go before Ace realizes I’m gone.” Pushing one of his arms
away, I duck around him but Bexley snags my wrist, yanking me back. My
ankle rolls in the stupid boots I let Mom talk me into wearing, and I lose my
footing. The world tilts and I’m falling. Pain explodes in my head as it
smashes into the brick wall.
“Remi!” someone yells. “Get the fuck off her!”
“A-Ace?” I cry, bringing a hand to my head only to be met with sticky
blood.
“Fuck, man, I wasn’t… she fell. I didn’t mean… Remi?” Hands grab at
me but Ace growls, “I said, get the fuck off her.”
I can suddenly breathe again as Bexley is ripped off me.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Ace’s tone is cold, deadly. I try to
sit up, to see what’s happened, but everything is spinning.
“Remi? Oh, my God,” a familiar voice cries, and then Hadley’s blurry
face appears.
“Hads?”
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” She pulls me up and wraps an arm around me.
My vision slowly returns, and I can see now, see as Ace and Bexley circle
each other.
“You’re going to pay for that,” Bexley spits.
“I’m going to pay?” Ace chuckles darkly. “I’m going to fucking end you
for ever laying a hand on Remi.”
“Hadley, stop him, please.” A garbled cry spills from my lips as Ace
lunges for Bexley, the two of them crashing to the ground with a thud.
“She was mine,” my ex-childhood friends roars. “And you fucking stole
her.”
The two of them are a blur of fists and limbs as they roll and jostle each
other for dominance. Bexley might be a well-conditioned athlete, but Ace
fights like he always has.
To survive.
He rains hellfire down on Bexley, his fist slamming into his face, his
nose, and ribs. Bexley grunts and groans, blood trickling from his eye and a
deep split in his lip.
Ace relents, letting Bexley clamber to his feet. He glances back at me,
his expression so dark I shudder. “Is she okay?”
“She’s bleeding, and I think she might have a concussion,” Hadley says,
hugging me tighter.
“I feel...” My head rolls as I try to stay lucid.
 “Fuck,” someone else says, and Cole and Conner jog into view. There’s
no light back here, just the silvery hue of the moon. It’s ethereal,
illuminating them like three fallen angels stalking their prey.
“What the fuck?” Cole asks.
“The motherfucker was trying to hurt her.”
Conner jogs over to us and crouches down, brushing the hair from my
face. “Hey there, Princess. How are you holding up?”
“A-Ace...” my voice cracks.
“Shit.”
“Fuck,” he breathes.
“We should get her out of here.”
“No.” I grab his shirt. “A-Ace will take care of it. I don’t...” The words
are gone before I can get them out.
“You like hurting girls?” Cole’s low growl vibrates through me, and I
whimper.
“Shit, budge up, Hads. Let me get her.” My body is twisted until I’m
seated across Conner’s lap. He presses something to my head, and I wince
in pain.
“Shh, it’ll help with the bleeding until we can get you looked at.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“He’ll only lose it if I try to take her anywhere.”
“Conner,” I whisper.
“Shh, I’ve got you, Remi. Ain’t no one going to hurt you again.”
“H-he... texting me. T-think he... stalking me.”
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Did you know about this?”
“Not a word,” Hadley says. “I knew he had it bad for her, but I didn’t
think...”
My eyes are heavy, but I can just make out Ace and Cole beating the
crap out of Bexley. “S-stop.” I tug at Conner’s shirt. “Don’t let him...”
“You’re done, Danforth. I’m going to take everything you love,
everything you hold fucking dear, and destroy it. Starting with your
throwing arm.”
“N-no,” I croak, desperate for somebody to stop Ace.
I may be slipping, but I know I don’t want to be the reason Ace loses
himself.
But it’s too late.
 A loud crack echoes through the air, followed by a blood-curdling
scream... and then everything goes black.

I slowly peek open my eyes, only to be met with eyes so blue I’d know
them anywhere.
“Thank fuck, Princess.” Relief floods Ace’s expression.
“W-where am I?” There’s a thick fog clouding my thoughts.
“The pool house.” He runs a finger along my cheek, pushing the hair
from my face.
I try to sit up, but pain explodes along my forehead. “Ace?” I croak, fear
gripping my throat like a vise.
“Try not to move too quickly. The doctor said it could hurt for a little
while.”
“The doctor?”
“You don’t remember?”
I shake my head, immediately regretting it.
“James was able to call in a favor. I didn’t think you’d want to go to
hospital.”
“Hospital? What happened?”
“What can you remember?” He eyes me warily as I search the recesses
of my mind.
“It was Homecoming... we danced. There was a video.” Images of
Michaela tied naked to a chair flood my mind. “You set her up.”
His lip curves smugly. “They announced Hayden and Lylah as
Homecoming king and queen, and then Bexley—"
A pained sob slips from my lips.
“What the fuck were you doing out there with him?”
I rear back at his hostility, but Ace’s expression instantly softens. “Shit,
I’m sorry… I’m not mad, I just…”
“He grabbed me at the dance, right after Hayden got crowned king. He
said he wanted to talk. I didn’t want to cause a scene.”
“You should have told me.” His jaws clenches.
“So you could have beaten him half to death in front of the entire
school?” I tremble. “I fell, Ace. It was an accident.”
 Ace scoffs at that. “He was all up in your face, I saw him.”
I don’t argue because Ace is right. Bexley had been aggressive, and it
wasn’t the first time.
“I think he was on something.”
“Yeah.” He ran a hand over his jaw, inhaling a shaky breath. “When I
saw him with you, I lost it.”
My eyes flick to Ace’s hand, noticing his busted knuckles. “What did
you do?”
“Taught that motherfucker a lesson.” His tone sends chills zipping up
my spine.
“Did you... hurt him?”
Hazy images drift through my mind. Ace and Bexley fighting. Bexley
screaming in pain.
“I broke his arm.”
“Ace...” I sigh. “The Danforths will press charges, they’ll—”
“You think I give a shit? He’s lucky I didn’t rip off his dick and feed it
to him after that.” Ace leans closer, his eyes fixed right on me. “I wanted to
kill him, Remi. I wanted to take my knife and drive it through his fucking
skull.”
“But you didn’t...”
“No, I didn’t.” He releases a strained sigh. “I knew if I did, I’d lose you.
I’m not that guy anymore.”
“So he’s okay?” I don’t know how to feel about what happened to
Bexley.
Ace nods. “After I finally dragged Cole off him, we called 911 and
James. I knew the fucker’s old man would come ready to go after me, so I
told James he’d better do the same. James is over there right now.”
“He is?”
“Said he’ll handle everything.”
I sink back against the pillows. “I don’t know what to say. It wasn’t how
I saw Homecoming going…”
“You don’t have to say anything.” Ace brushes his thumb across the
curve of my hand. “The only thing that matters is that you’re okay.”
“You called James… You didn’t...”
“Take matters into my own hands? Trust me, I wanted to. I wanted to
end him. But like Michaela, I realized that to hit him where it hurt most, we
needed to go after his legacy. He’s out.”
 “What do you mean?”
“The team. Sterling Prep. He’s done, Princess. Rumor has it, he’s been
using for a while now. That along with how fucking weird he’s become
around you is enough leverage to make him disappear. The Danforths might
have deep pockets, but it won’t work. Not this time.”
I let Ace’s words sink in. I’d always known Bexley was a rich and
entitled asshole. Sure, we used to be friends, but things soon changed when
I got curves and grew boobs.
A tremor rolls through me as I consider what might have happened if
Ace hadn’t found me.
Ace notices and his jaw clenches. “Remi, I love you. You’re my girl. It’s
my job to protect you. I know I can be a bit hot-headed and wade into a
situation without all the facts, but I’ve lost you before. I don’t plan on doing
anything to jeopardize what we have.
“I don’t want to lose you, baby. Ever.”
“So Michaela...” Pain floods my chest. “What was that?”
“That was an error in judgement. I should have told you my plan. I
should have made sure you knew that nothing happened.”
“But it did, didn’t it?”
Guilt flashes in his eyes and I know I’m right. “How did you—”
“When you came to my room in the middle of the night, I could just tell.
I know you Ace. I see you.”
“Shit.” He sits back in the chair, running a hand over his face. He looks
exhausted, a slight bruise mottling the skin around his eye.
“Just tell me...”
“She kissed me. Fuck, I swear it wasn’t supposed to happen that way.
But she caught me off guard and before I knew it she’d—
“Okay,” I hiss. “I don’t need details. Is that all that happened?”
“Yes. Fuck, Princess, I promise. I never touched her, and I certainly
didn’t let her touch me. It was all a ruse to get her talking.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He peeks over at me, and I nod.
“What’s done is done. I don’t want to look back, I just want to put this
whole ordeal behind me and focus on the future.”
A future without Michaela on her throne and Bexley lurking around
every corner.
 “I love you, Remi. You know that, right?” Uncertainty glitters in Ace’s
eyes.
I nod, and his shoulders sag with relief. “You know, I hated the idea of
coming here, of starting a new life and leaving the Heights behind. But
honestly, it’s the best thing that could have happened to me. You’re the best
thing to ever happen to me.”
Tugging his hand, I manage to lean up and curl my hand around his
neck, drawing his face to mine. “I love you too, Ace Jagger.” My lips find
his. “Always.”

A few hours later, we’re in the pool house, curled up on the couch. The
doctor stopped by earlier to check in on me. He thinks I have a mild
concussion, but otherwise, I’m okay.
A loud knock startles me and Ace chuckles, dropping a kiss on my
head. “It’s just James, see.” I follow his finger and find his father standing
on the other side of the door.
“You can come in,” Ace calls, and James slips inside.
“It’s nice to see you up and about.” He smiles warmly. “How are you
feeling?”
“I’ll be okay. Thank you... for everything.”
“Remi, you never have to thank me, sweetheart. You know I think of
you like a daughter.” The blood drains from his face and he scratches his
jaw. “I guess I might have to rethink that one.”
I smother another chuckle. I guess it is a little weird that, if James and
my mom ever end up getting married, one day me and Ace could be
stepsiblings.
“Don’t even go there,” Ace grumbles as if he knows exactly what I’m
thinking. “I wanted you long before I found out James was my dad.”
“Yes, well,” James clears his throat, a slight flush to his cheeks. “I just
wanted to come and tell you that the Danforths won’t be pressing any
charges.” He gives Ace a pointed look.
“What?” Ace scoffs. “He got off lightly.”
“Son, you broke the boy’s arm. He might never throw a football again.”
“Do I need you to remind you that he’s been harassing Remi?”
 “You’re right.” James’ eyes go dark, and he reminds me so much of
Cole in this moment, it’s a little unnerving. “But the Danforths are a
powerful family, they could have made life very difficult for you.”
“Good thing I have you then, isn’t it?”
A beat passes as father and son remain locked in a silent standoff. James
relents first, giving Ace a slight nod. “You’re right, it is. No one messes
with the Jaggers.” His lip curves into a half-smirk.
“I’ll call Sarah and tell her you’re staying the night?”
“For real?” I can’t hide my grin.
“Something tells me Ace isn’t going to let you out of his sight, and I’m
sure we’d all feel happier knowing you’re safe.” He rubs his jaw as if he’s
not wholly convinced by the idea, but I’ll take it. I’ll take whatever I can get
where Ace is concerned. “But don’t get comfortable, it’s just for the night.
The doctor said you need to rest. I’m trusting you to do the right thing.” He
levels Ace with a hard glare.
“I’ll be the best doctor you ever had.”
Oh, Jesus.
I clench my legs together.
James shakes his head, amusement crinkling his eyes. I don’t know
when it happened, but things between the two of them seem calmer. Easier.
We watch as he heads for the door, but at the last second, he glances
back. “Oh, and before I go, I heard an interesting rumor about the dance.
Apparently, there was a video... you wouldn’t happen to know anything
about that, would you?” His brow arches, and I press my lips together,
wondering how Ace will dig himself out of this hole.
I still don’t know how I feel about the video, but I can’t deny it felt
good seeing Sterling Prep’s Queen Bee’s kingdom come crashing down
around her.
“Nope.” Ace doesn’t even bother to hide his smirk. “No idea what
you’re talking about. But given the things Michaela said about her
classmates, it could have been anyone.”
James’ eyes narrow. “Very well. I’ll leave the two of you in peace.”
“He knows,” I say the second the door closes.
“And? James isn’t going to do shit, just like Michaela isn’t going to do
shit.”
“You sound awfully sure of yourself.”
 “Because I am, Princess. I may not live in the Heights anymore, but I’ll
always be a Jagger. And I’ll always fight for what’s mine.”
My hands fist his t-shirt, pulling him down toward me. “So I’m yours
then?”
Heat blazes in his frosty gaze. “Do you need reminding?”
My lips curve into a playful smile as I grip his jaw, brushing my lips
over his. “I think that sounds like a very good idea.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Ace

G ripping Remi’s waist, I pull her so she’s laying on the couch and
climb on top of her. I’m so fucking desperate for her that I can barely
see straight. Add to that the fear that consumed me the moment I saw
his hands on her earlier, and I lunge for her like a man possessed.
My tongue licks into her mouth hungrily. I kiss her deeper than I ever
have before. I want her to feel everything she makes me feel. The fear of
ever losing her. The passion and desire I have for her. The love that
consumes me every minute of every day.
“Ace,” she moans, writhing beneath me, driving me to fucking insanity
with the way her body rubs up against mine.
Reluctantly, I pull back slightly so I can look into her eyes. At no point
have I managed to forget what we went through only yesterday. The image
of him pinning her against the wall is burned in my mind.
I cup Remi’s cheek, rubbing my thumb over her soft skin. “Are you
sure?” I hate to ask, but I’ve no idea what’s going on in her head after last
night. She might say she’s forgiven me, but I’m fully aware that it might be
because it’s the easiest of the issues to deal with right now.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Make me forget, Ace. I only want memories of your
hands on me.”
“Fucking hell, Princess,” he groans. “What are you doing to me?”
 Slipping my hands under her, I stand from the couch and pull her with
me. She immediately wraps her arms and legs around me and I carry her to
the bedroom.
All she’s wearing is one of my hoodies after I removed her dress from
her when she was out of it last night, so in seconds she’s standing before me
in just her underwear. It’s black lace to match the dress I bought her, and I
immediately regret not being able to peel it from her body last night in more
pleasurable circumstances.
“One day soon, I’m going to take you somewhere fancy and you’re
going to wear that dress again.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. And then I’m going to drive you home and treat you as you
should have been treated last night.”
“And how’s that?”
Tucking her hair behind her ear, I drop a kiss to the corner of her lips.
“I’m going to kiss you like you’re the most precious thing in the world.” I
make my way along her jaw. “I’m going to drive you crazy with my lips
and my touch.” I brush my lips across her collarbone. “Then I’m going to
slowly pull the zipper down and watch it fall from your body, because as
good as it looked on you last night, I have a suspicion that it’ll look even
better on my bedroom floor.”
“Then?” she asks, her voice no more than a breathy whisper.
I drop my lips to the swell of her breast, the exact spot when I first
branded her. I bite down and she gasps, her hands coming up to hold me
close to her.
“Oh God,” she whimpers.
“Then, once I’ve made you mine again, I’m going to kiss every inch of
your sinful body.”
“Yes.”
I drag my lips across her breast but avoid the part she wants me to touch
the most.
“Ace.” Her head drops back as I tease her.
I kiss down the valley between her breasts and drop to my knees in front
of her. I lick and nip down her stomach until I dip my tongue into her navel.
“Ace, please.”
“Patience, Princess.”
Her fingers tangle in my hair as she tries to push me lower.
 Taking the lace of her panties in my fists, I pull until the fabric rips and
they fall away from her body. Looking up at her dilated pupils, I lick my
lips, hungry for what comes next.
“You want to know what’s next, baby?”
“Yes.”
“Next I make you scream.” I push her gently, but hard enough that she
falls back on the bed with a bounce.
I stand, quickly pulling my shirt off and push my sweats down my legs
before dropping back down and wrapping my hands around her legs. I tug
until her ass is over the edge.
My mouth waters at the sight of her before me. Swollen, slick, and so
ready for me.
Throwing her legs over my shoulders, I dive for her.
“Ace,” she cries as I lick up the length of her. Her back arches as her
hips grind to try to get more.
Moaning as her taste explodes on my tongue, I plunge two fingers
inside her. “Fuck, Remi,” I groan against her as she clamps down on my
fingers, trying to suck them deeper to get what she needs.
Curling them just right, I tease her clit with my tongue until she falls
apart beneath me.
Fucking hell, I’ve missed her this week.
This is how it should always be. Just the two of us against the world.
I make a promise to myself there and then that I’m never going to go
behind her back with anything ever again, even if it is for her own good.
I need to start getting used to having someone who’s willing to stand
beside me and fight with me, because I don’t intend on letting her go any
time soon.
Kissing my way back up her body, I grip her waist and push her up so I
can settle myself between her thighs, exactly where I’m meant to be.
“I love you, Remi Tanner. I love you so fucking much. I’m never
fucking letting you go. Ever.”
I don’t give her a chance to respond. My lips crash to hers and my
tongue eagerly searches hers out to join in, which she does instantly.
With her head cradled in one hand, I guide myself to her entrance with
the other. My entire body tenses at the sensation of pushing inside her wet
heat.
So. Fucking. Good.
 “Remi, shit,” I mutter, pulling back from her lips for a moment so I can
catch my breath.
“I want to make love to you. Give you all, everything you deserve. But
I’m not sure I can keep it slow.”
“Don’t.” She reaches up and cups my cheek. “Give me everything
you’ve got, Ace. Be the bad boy you are and take exactly what you need.”
“Fucking hell, Remi. I don’t fucking deserve you.”
“Yet I’m here anyway.”
I push into her again, and her lips part as I hit her so deep. “You feel
that, baby?”
“Ace,” she moans, getting impatient.
“Me and you, Princess. Always.”
Sitting up, I slip my hands under her ass and tilt her up slightly. Then, I
take exactly what I need. Her nails scratch down my thighs as I hit her
deeper with each thrust of my hips.
“Ace. Fuck. I need… I need…”
“I know exactly what you need, baby.” I press my thumb to her clit and
she immediately falls headfirst into her release. She squeezes me so tight,
I’ve got no choice but to follow her over.
Still buried deep inside her, I drop forward and take her lips. My chest
heaves, but I’m not ready to let her go just yet.
Dropping to my side, I pull her into me and rest my chin on the top of
her head. Blowing out a long breath, I try to rid my mind of the image of
Remi crowded against the wall while Bexley glared down at her. I tense
with my need to find the cunt and to finish the job I started. My switchblade
was right there. It would have been so easy to end it all. To put a stop to his
weird obsession with Remi.
I should have fucking done more after the first time at his party. I should
have… fuck.
“Stop overthinking, Ace. It’s done.”
My fists clench against her. “I could have stopped him before it got to
this.”
“You weren’t to know this was going to happen. Besides, the fall was an
accident.”
“Still, he could have hurt you… he could have—”
“Shh.” She presses her finger to my lips. “You can’t protect me from
everything.”
 “But I want to. I need to.”
“And I love you so much for that.”
Dropping my nose to her hair, I breathe her in, reminding myself that
she’s safe and in my arms where she belongs.
It’s only a few minutes before her breathing evens out and her body
relaxes against me.
I stay there for the longest time, just holding her and listening to her
breathe. I think back over the last few weeks, wondering how I missed it.
Eventually, my stomach rumbles to the point that I can no longer ignore
it, or my need for the bathroom. Gently, I pull my arm from beneath her and
stand from the bed. Running my eyes down her curves, my cock stirs once
again. I can’t fucking get enough of her.
Regretfully, I pull the sheet over her body before turning to the
bathroom and pulling some sweats on so I can go up to the house for some
food. Remi’s not eaten all day, so I decide to grab whatever I can from the
refrigerator and bring it all back down for when she wakes.
I’ve no idea what time it is, but when I step through into the kitchen, I
find Conner, Cole and Ellen sitting around the table eating.
“Here he is, our resident superhero,” Conner announces.
“Hardly,” I mutter.
“Do you have anything I can take down for Remi?” I ask Ellen.
“Of course. Take a seat, I’ll make something up for both of you.”
“It’s okay, I can—”
“Sit,” she says, giving me her stern eye.
I do as I’m told, secretly grateful that I don’t have to do anything.
“How’s she doing?” Conner asks.
“Fine. She’s sleeping.”
“From the fact that you’re half-dressed, I’m assuming that’s not all she’s
been doing.”
“La, la, la, la,” Ellen sings from behind us.
“Sorry, Martha. We’ll keep it PG-13.”
“Appreciated.”
Silence falls over us for a few minutes before Conner says something
that has me sitting up straighter in the chair.
“You had a chance to look at Remi’s cell yet?”
“No, why?”
 “She said something about him messaging her. Stalking her or
something. She wasn’t really with it, so I have no idea if she was talking
sense or not.”
“Why the fuck are you only telling me this now?” I bark, pushing the
chair out behind me, ready to race back to the pool house to look for
evidence.
“It doesn't really matter now. He’s gone. He ain’t gonna be doing fuck
all.”
“Not the point.”
“Here you go, sweetie,” Ellen says, placing two plates with giant
sandwiches on it in front of me.
“Thank you,” I say with a smile that I don’t really feel. My expression
hardens as I turn back to Conner. “You think of anything else, you fucking
tell me, all right?”
“Sure thing, man. Now go look after your girl.”
I immediately do as he suggests and head back to the pool house. She’s
still sleeping soundly when I poke my head into the bedroom after putting
the plates down in the kitchen.
Searching for her purse, I finally find it down the side of the couch. I
pull her cell out, tap in the code to unlock it and open her messages. The top
one is from an unknown number. I open it and scroll up through the
messages.
Creepy as fuck.
I think back to the message I received from her, where she told me to
stop stalking her. That fucker was watching her. All along he was watching
her, and she thought it was me.
Fuck.
Why would she think it’s me if she suspected it was Bexley?
She should know I wouldn’t hide in the shadows. If I want something, I
fucking get it.
A shudder runs down my spine, knowing that that motherfucker had
been following her, watching her. My fingers tighten on the cell with the
need to do something about this.
But he’s gone. He can’t touch her anymore.
She’s safe.
I won’t let that motherfucker anywhere near her ever again.
Or anyone else, for that matter.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Remi

“I can feel you staring, Mom,” I sigh. We’re supposed to be watching

the film, but every five seconds I feel her gaze flick to my face.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. It’s just when I think about what could
have happened...” Her voice cracks, and I shuffle along the couch and reach
for her hand.
“But it didn’t. I’m okay, Mom. I’m going to be okay.”
“I know, I just keep thinking what if Ace hadn't got there. What if—”
“Mom, you’ve got to let it go. I don’t think Bexley would have taken it
any further. I just think he got all messed up in his head and—”
“Do not excuse him, sweetheart. He harassed you. By all accounts, he
got aggressive with you on more than one occasion. That is not okay,
Remi.” Tears stream down her cheeks. “Time and time again you tried to
tell me what that boy was like, and I was so blinded by the Danforths’
reputation—”
“Mom, stop.” I let out an exasperated breath, and she slides her eyes to
mine. They glitter regret and shame and other things I don’t want to see.
“You can’t do this to yourself. What’s done is done. I’m not sitting here
crying to myself, and you shouldn’t either.”
“Gosh, baby, you’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it.”
 “Because I’ve had to, Mom. Michaela, the kids at school, they made me
grow thick skin. And Bexley... well, I refuse to give him any more of my
tears. He’s leaving Sterling Prep. Whatever James said worked. The
Danforths feel it best that he finishes his education elsewhere. He can’t hurt
me anymore.”
“That is... good, baby, but when I think about what he could have done
to you,” she breathes, her body trembling.
“Mom.” I reach for her hand. “It’s okay.” The Danforths are rich, and in
a place like Sterling Bay, money talks. Maybe Bexley does deserve worse,
but for someone like him, taking everything from him—football, his life,
his reputation—is enough.
It has to be.
“There’s something else, Mom... something I should have told you a
long time ago.”
“Remi?” Fear washes over her, and I know this going to be a hard
conversation. But she deserves to know the truth about her ex, and I need to
cleanse that part of my life.
“This is going to be hard to hear, Mom...” I clasp her hand tighter and
take a deep breath. “But it’s about Johnny.”

By the time I finished telling Mom about her ex-boyfriend’s seedy ways,
she was a blubbering mess. In the end, I called James to come get her.
She left about thirty minutes later, wrapped in his arms, the two of them
talking in hushed whispers. They asked me if I wanted to go with them and
spend the night but the truth is, after everything, I need some space to
process.
I wasn’t lying to Mom when I told her I’m done shedding tears over
people who don’t deserve them, but it doesn’t change the fact that Bexley
harassed me and Michaela tried to destroy me. It makes me wonder what
I’ve done to deserve such a shitty life.
People talk about fate and destiny and some grand plan; well, if that’s
the case, I want a refund, because the last five years have been nothing but
heartache and disappointment.
 But I also know I’m stronger now. I know my worth and what I deserve
out of life. I have friends I trust in Hadley, Conner, and maybe even Cole.
And I have Ace.
I have a guy who will pick me up when I fall and hold me when I cry. A
guy who would start a war for me despite the consequences.
A guy I’m excited to walk into the future with.
I’m not naive though. I know there’ll be road bumps along the way. It
would be a boring kind of life if there weren’t.
Every scar on my heart, every betrayal and disappointment and
heartache, only makes me stronger.
Fearless.
It makes me feel determined to go after the things in life that I want.
No more hiding.
No more regret.
No more shame.
Our past shapes us, but it doesn’t define us.
My cell pings, and I grab it off the coffee table, smiling when I see
Ace’s name.

Ace: You didn’t want to stay over?

Remi: I just needed some space...

Ace: Are you saying I’m overbearing?

Ace: I’m coming over.

I chuckle. Ace’s protectiveness is one of the things I love most about

him, but I can’t deny I like to tease him.

Remi: Hang out with your brothers or something.

Ace: Is that code for... keep an eye on Cole?

Remi: Cole will be okay...

Ace: Yeah, how can you be so sure?

Remi: Because he has you for a brother and you’ll never let anything
happen to him.

Ace: I love you.

Remi: I love you more.

Warmth spreads through me, and I’m almost ready to ask him to come
over when I hear something in the kitchen. “Hello?” I call out, my heart
crashing in my chest.
My fingers clutch my cell phone as I search the hall for any signs of
life.
Get a grip, I scold myself. There’s nothing here. Bexley is on house
arrest until he’s shipped off to another school. He’s stupid, but he’s not so
stupid as to try anything again.
But fear snakes through me, taking root in my chest, and before I know
it, I’m texting Ace back.

Remi: I was thinking maybe you should come over after all.

Ace: Yeah? I’ll just check on the twins and I’ll be there.

I can’t help but smile when another text comes through, but my stomach
drops when I scan the words.

Unknown: Hello, Remi... it’s been a while.

The world grows small as I re-read the message. It wasn’t Bexley. All
this time I thought he’d been the one texting me, hanging around the
house... but it wasn’t Bexley.
Which means, if it wasn’t—
Someone grabs me from behind, a gloved hand smothering the scream
that tears from my lungs as I’m yanked backward.
 “It’s been a while, sweetheart.” His hot, rancid breath drifts over my
face, making my stomach churn.
“J-Johnny?” It comes out muffled as he yanks me into the kitchen.
“Figured it was time you and I had a little reunion. You’ve grown up
real nice, Remi, girl.”
I’m paralyzed with fear. It vibrates through me as blood rises between
my ears.
Johnny.
My mom’s ex.
All this time it was him.
He wrestles me into a chair as I thrash and kick, but he’s too strong, and
before I know it he’s cable tied my hands behind my back, and my ankles
together.
I take him in, the man who almost ruined mine and Mom’s lives.
Time hasn’t been kind to him. He’s a mess. Shaggy, greasy hair falls
into his eyes and an unkempt beard covers half his face. His eyes are shot,
dark circles ringing them. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s strung out on
something.
“W-why are you doing this?” I whimper, my muscles protesting at being
restrained.
“You filled out nice, real nice,” he drawls, pulling a small knife out
from behind his back.
Oh God.
My spine stiffens, a violent shudder ripping through me as bile washes
in my stomach. He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill me and nobody will
even—
Ace.
Ace is on his way over.
“You finally connecting the dots?” he asks, and my brows furrow.
“What do...” The words dry on the tip of my tongue as I narrow my
eyes at him. There’s something in his expression.
Something I recognize.
Something in the recess of my mind that I can’t quite reach.
The rumble of Ace’s bike distracts Johnny, but he doesn’t look worried.
He looks... pleased.
“Oh good, your boyfriend is here. Time to really have some fun.”
 My blood runs cold as his lip curls. He looks depraved, a monster
waiting to strike.
Ace appears at the French doors. The second he finds me, the blood
drains from his face. “Remi,” he yells, bursting through the door.
“Oh, look what the cat dragged in.”
“Y-you,” Ace staggers back as Johnny steps out from the shadows.
“Hello, Son.” The words ring in my ears as the pieces slam into place.
Ace still hasn’t realized, confusion clouding his frosty gaze.
Johnny is Charlie.
My mom’s ex is Ace’s uncle.
Fuck.
“You are not my father,” Ace snarls, his eyes darting wildly between me
and Charlie.
“That’s right, kid, I’m not. I’m your worst fucking nightmare.” He
moves behind me, gently dragging the knife along the neckline of my tank
top. My breath catches as I try to press my back into the chair, pain
ricocheting through my shoulder blades.
“Please, don’t hurt her. You can do whatever you want to me, but don’t
hurt Remi.”
“My, my, how the mighty have fallen. I’ve watched you, kid. Watched
you grow, all that anger and rage and bitterness at the world. I almost
wondered if you were mine for a second. But then I saw you chasing our
sweet girl around town and I knew there was no way in hell you could be.
Letting a piece of hot ass call the shots,” he spits out with disgust.
“Our girl?” Ace grinds out. “What the fuck aren’t you telling me?” His
gaze drops to mine, splintering my heart into tiny shards.
This will kill him.
If Ace finds out the truth, it will completely destroy him.
Maybe even us.
I smother a sob, screwing my eyes shut as I silently pray to wake up
from this nightmare.
“Tell him, Remi, girl. Tell him how I used to sneak into your room at
night and—”
Tears drip down my cheeks as my eyes flutter open and find Ace. He’s
pale, his body vibrating with rage.
“It’s you... you’re Sarah’s ex... you’re the one who... fuck.” Ace fists his
hands against his face as if he can’t handle the revelation.
 “Surprise.” Charlie presses the blade closer to my skin until I feel the
razor-sharp edge lick my throat.
“What do you want?” There’s no mistaking the tremble in Ace’s voice.
He knows one wrong move and I could be sliced open.
“The only thing I’ve always wanted... to make James pay. He stole
everything from me. Everything.” His hand trembles, the blade slashing tiny
cuts into my throat. I whimper, pleading with Ace to do something.
Anything.
“Maria was mine first. She was mine and he took her. He fucking stole
her. He ruined my life. And then, as if that wasn’t enough, he tried to have
me killed, but the fucking idiot couldn’t even get that right. I stayed gone
for a while. Let everyone think I was dead. But time is a dangerous thing.
“When I finally came back to town, I had my sights set on only one
thing—destroying him.”
“So what happened?” Ace inches closer, trying to keep his uncle’s
attention.
“Some things won’t stay buried, that’s what. Donny caught wind I
might be alive, so I had to lay low. Shoulda left town then, but I didn’t.” His
gaze burns into the top of my head. “You know, you can thank James for
everything. That’s how I met your momma. Of course, neither of them
know. I was following him one day and he led me right to her. She looked
so lost, so sad… She made it so fucking easy.”
My heart clenches at his cruel words. “And look how perfect things
turned out. Written in the stars, baby,” he chuckles darkly. “James stole
everything from me, and now… now I’ll steal everything from him.”
“You think you’re the only one he stole something from?” Ace asks
coolly.
Charlie relaxes his hand and I sag in the chair, desperate to check my
throat for damage. But my hands are still tied and Charlie is still right
behind me.
“What did you say?” he grits out, his focus solely on his nephew now.
“Yours isn’t the only life that fucker ruined. He thinks he can just do
whatever he wants, that money gives him power. But fuck that.”
Charlie edges around me. “What are you saying?”
“I’m in. Whatever you’re planning, however you want to take him
down, I’m in. But you’ve got to let her go.” Ace inches closer, keeping his
eyes firmly on his uncle. “She isn’t a part of this.”
 “Oh, you’re good.” Charlie points his knife in Ace’s direction. “You’re
real good. A right chip off the old block. You almost had—”
Everything happens in slow motion. Ace lunges for Charlie, the two of
them slamming into the wall behind me. My blood-curdling scream pierces
the air as Ace grapples to force the knife out of his hand.
“Motherfucker,” he roars as Charlie stabs him in the chest.
“Ace!” I yell, straining and bucking against my restraints.
But Ace’s hand flies to his uncle’s throat as he smashes his head into
Charlie’s nose. Blood explodes everywhere, pained grunts filling the air as
Charlie staggers back, the knife no longer in his hand.
Ace picks it up, advancing on his uncle. “I should gut you with this. I
should slit your fucking throat and feed you to the sharks.”
“But you can’t, can you?” Charlie’s blood-stained face twists into an
evil grin and he chokes out a dark laugh. “You don’t have what it takes
because of her. You’re weak... all for a piece of pus—”
Ace’s fist crashes into his face, sending Charlie flying backward. “I’m
giving you a head-start, so I suggest you start running. If I ever see you in
the Bay again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
Charlie narrows his eyes for a second and then takes off, scrambling out
of the kitchen and disappearing into the darkness.
“Oh God,” I cry, relief flooding me.
“Remi, fuck.” Ace rushes to my side, dropping to his knees and
brushing the damp hair from my face. “You’re okay, baby, you’re okay.”
“Charlie... your uncle... he’s—”
“I know. I know. Shh, here, let me untie you.” Ace makes quick work of
the cable ties, pulling me into his arms and sinking to the floor.
“You’re hurt...” I press a hand to his blood-soaked t-shirt. “It’s just a
surface cut. I’ll be okay.”
“What about him?” I flick my eyes to the door and shudder.
“If he knows what’s good for him, he won’t show his face here again.
But just to be sure...” Ace digs out his cell phone and dials 911.
I curl against him, listening as he reels off our emergency. When he
hangs up, a garbled sob spills out of me.
“I’ve got you, Remi. I’m here, I’m here.” He kisses my head, his arms
locked tightly around me as if he’s never letting go.
And I silently beg him not to.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY

Ace

M y body trembles with anger as I hold Remi to me as tight as I can.

How was any of this even possible? What were the chances?
How long has he been here watching us?
All these questions and a million more race through my mind as I try to
get my head around what the hell just happened.
The man I thought was my father was the man who had terrorized
Remi. Whether he knew then what he knows now about James and Remi’s
relationship, it’s still messed up. He only found Sarah—only found Remi—
because of James.
Fucking hell. I shake my head, realizing that I could say the same thing.
Am I as bad as that monster?
I turned up here, thinking I was going to get to spend a night in a house
alone with my girl, and I walked into… no, I can’t even think it without
wanting to go and find that motherfucker and slide his own knife straight
through his neck.
“I’m okay, Ace. You can let go. I need to check you.”
“I’m fine.” I have no idea if it’s the adrenaline or what, but I don’t feel
anything from where he caught me. I assume it’s only a flesh wound, but
really I have no idea.
 Remi tries to squirm out of my hold, her need to look after me greater
than her need to be held. I allow her to lift my shirt and she gasps when she
sees whatever it is.
“Ace,” she cries, looking around the room as if she’s no idea what to do.
“I’m going to get the first aid kit. Don’t move.”
“No. Stay here. We don’t know where he is,” I bark in a panic.
“I watched him go out the door. He’s not hiding in the bathroom.”
The sound of sirens in the distance distracts her. “They’ll be here any
minute. Just sit the fuck down.”
She drops to my lap once again and I sigh with relief. “What are you
doing?” she asks when I hold my cell in front of her.
“Calling James. He needs to know what’s going on.” He answers on the
second ring. “We need you at Sarah’s place. Now.”
“Ace, what’s wrong?”
“Just get your asses here. All of you.”
“Shit, okay. Sure, we’re on the way.” He hangs up in a rush as he barks
instructions to Sarah. I don’t give a shit that I’ve just worried him. The only
thing I care about right now is that Remi and my brothers are okay.
When the sirens get even louder, I let her up to open the door, ready for
their arrival.
Two officers come rushing in only seconds later and get their fill of the
scene they’re surrounded by. EMTs soon follow and, despite my objections,
I end up topless with one of them cleaning up my wound.
“You were very lucky here, son. Any more pressure behind this and you
could have had a serious problem.” I barely hear the words. I’m too focused
on Remi as she answers the officer’s questions on the other side of the
room.
I’m in awe of Remi’s strength as she sits there and explains everything
that happened with Charlie years ago, before moving on to the messages
she’s been receiving that she thought were from Bexley, and then tonight.
She’s so calm, so descriptive, despite what she’s been through. I swear I fall
even more in love with her right then.
As if she can feel my stare, she turns to me. A smile breaks across her
face, and I know right then that we’re going to be okay. We’ve both been to
hell and back the past few weeks but somehow, we’re going to come out of
it all stronger than ever.
 “I love you,” she mouths, ignoring the officer in front of her and
watching the paramedic cleaning me up. “You okay?”
I nod. I’m just about to return the sentiment when James, Sarah, Conner
and Cole come running.
“Oh, thank God,” Sarah cries, running toward Remi and James, and the
twins descend on me.
“What the fuck now?” Conner barks.
“Da— Charlie. He’s been stalking Remi. Did you know he was Sarah’s
ex?” I ask, turning my eyes on James, who swallows harshly.
“Charlie was Sarah’s…” He turns to look at her at exactly the same time
she does him.
I recognize the look that passes between them. It’s the same as when
Remi and I look at each other. It’s the first time I truly understand how
James feels about Sarah. “No, I didn’t… how is that even possible? I
thought he was dead. Where is he now?”
“He ran. He’s fucking lucky I didn’t kill him.”
“Why didn’t you? Cunt deserved it for this alone,” Conner mutters.
As much as I can’t deny feeling the same, I can’t put myself in prison
because of a waste of space like him when I need to be beside my girl.
“He’ll get what’s coming to him. Motherfucker like him doesn’t deserve
to share the same oxygen we do.”
“Are you okay?” Cole asks. It’s the first thing he’s said since he walked
through the door.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Looks worse than it is,” I say, nodding toward my chest
that’s now stuck together with some sutures. “You’re not getting rid of me
that easily,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood. Cole looks like he’s about to
lose his shit, and that’s the last thing any of us need tonight.
“James,” one of the officers says, clapping him on the shoulder. “It
seems like your young ‘uns have really been through it tonight. Why don’t
you take them all home? You leave this all with me.”
“You got it. Thank you.” They share a knowing look before James turns
to the three of us. “You heard the man, let’s get going.”
Pushing myself up, I walk to where Sarah is still clinging on to Remi.
“We’re all going back to James’ tonight,” I say. “Let’s go get your things.”
Because like hell am I letting her out of my sight again.
Ellen is waiting for us when we all get back with a table full of food and a
couple of bottles of wine and scotch. I can only assume that James gave her
the heads up while we were at Sarah’s.
“I’m not sure I can stomach food right now,” Remi says, curling herself
into my side.
I know exactly how she feels. “How about we just head out to the pool
house?”
She opens her mouth to answer as Conner walks in, announcing his
delight at the spread before him. Fucker’s always hungry. Cole, on the other
hand, takes one look at it and swipes one of the bottles of scotch.
“I’ll be in my room with my friend here if you need me,” he announces.
“Is he okay?” Sarah asks as we all watch him disappear.
“He prefers to deal with things on his own. He’s not good in stressful
situations,” I say, trying to make him sound a little less… weird.
Cole is just Cole, and over the years I’ve learned the best way to deal
with him is to just let him be and do what he needs to do.
“Remi, would you like anything?” Sarah asks, taking a seat at the table
beside James.
“I’m fine. We’re actually just going to…” I point to the door.
Silence descends around the room. With Remi’s bag in one hand and
hers in the other, we make our way to the door.
“Ace?” Sarah calls before we’re out of the house.
“Yeah?”
“T-Thank you. Thank you for looking after my girl.”
“Always.” I nod at her before we disappear around the corner.
“How long did you pack for?” I ask, placing Remi’s case in the corner
of my bedroom.
“Long enough.”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I duck down so she’s got no
choice but to look at me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She frowns, so I add,
“About the text messages?”
“I was worried about what you’d do, and I didn’t want to lose you.”
“What have I told you? You’re not going to lose me. Not ever, okay?”
She stares off at nothing, and I slide my fingers under her jaw, tilting her
face to mine. “Remi, baby. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I’m not sure I want to go back there.”
“Back wher—oh.”
 She offers me a sad smile that breaks my heart in fucking two. “It took
me so long to be able to sleep without barricading my own door after he
disappeared. He just walked in through the back door. I’m never going to
feel safe there again.”
“I’m sure your mom will understand that. She’ll probably agree. You
guys can find a new place.”
She looks away from me, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
“What? What aren’t you telling me?” I hate that she’s hiding how she’s
really feeling right now.
“I don’t want a new place, Ace. I want…” She blows out a breath. “I
want to be here… with you.”
“Oh,” falls from my lips before a smile pulls at the corners. “You want
to move in with me, Princess?”
She nods. “I know I’m safe when I’m with you.” The honesty in her
voice guts me.
“As incredible as that sounds, I’m not sure they’re going to be all that
happy with the idea.” I flick my eyes up to the main house.
“I don’t care, Ace. We’re both eighteen. We can choose what we want to
do. This is our life. And I choose you.”
“I choose you too, Princess.” I run my nose against hers, holding her
that little bit tighter. “Let’s just be us tonight, and we’ll worry about the rest
tomorrow.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“It’s just me and you, Princess. Always me and you.”
Dropping my lips to hers, I kiss her so deeply that there’s no chance of
her ever forgetting.
This girl owns me.
And I’ll spend my life trying to make it up to her.
Starting with right now.

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 EPILOGUE

Ace

S omething tickling across my chest wakes me the next morning. A

smile begins to twitch at my lips, knowing that it’s Remi, before
images from last night slam into me and my eyes widen in horror.
“Hey, it’s okay,” she says, soothingly.
Turning to her, I find her large eyes staring up at me.
“Everything’s okay, Ace. I’m okay.” I nod, holding her closer to me and
breathing her in.
I didn’t realize that falling in love would cause enough stress to age me
at least ten years in only a few weeks.
“I know you’ve probably got other plans right now, seeing as you’re
poking me in the thigh, but I’m really hungry.”
“Like, must eat right this minute hungry, or you could survive ten to
fifteen minutes without starving?” I ask, crawling between her legs.
Dropping my lips to her breasts, I suck one of her nipples into my mouth.
“I-I’m sure I could wait… a c-couple of minutes,” she admits as my
fingers find her center. “Ace,” she moans.
Fuck, I’ll never get enough of this. Of hearing her cry out my name.
I work her until she’s ready for me, and then I push her the final way to
her orgasm with my cock buried as deep inside her as it’ll go.
Her eyes flicker shut as pleasure races through her.
 The second she comes down from her high, I flip us over.
“Ace, what are you… oh.” She smiles down on me.
Her messed-up hair is hanging around her shoulders, her cheeks pink
from her release and her nipples hard, desperate for my touch once more.
It’s one fine fucking sight to have in a morning.
“Ride me, Princess. Then we’ll get you some food.”
By the time we shower and dress, it’s almost an hour later, but Remi
doesn’t complain. I’m sure the three orgasms I gave her helped.

When we walk into the kitchen, we find James, Sarah, Conner and Ellen all
sitting around the table, chatting.
“Good morning,” Sarah and James sing in unison like an old married
couple.
“Uh… morning,” I say, taken a little off guard by the family gathering.
It’s not the kind of thing we see in this house every day.
“Come and sit down. Ellen’s made enough pancakes to feed five
thousand, but since Conner is here, you’d better hurry,” James chuckles.
As if to prove a point, Conner loads his plate with a huge stack of
pancakes.
“Just Cole to go now,” Sarah says, almost nervously.
“Is everything okay, Mom?” Remi asks, obviously noticing her
mother’s unease.
“Of course, sweetie. We’ve just got a few things we need to talk to you
all about.”
“Okay.” Remi and I both fill our plates and tuck in.
“It sounds like he’s finally out of bed,” Conner mutters when the creak
of footsteps above us fills the room.
“I’m pretty sure he was off his face last night,” Conner mumbles around
a piece of pancake.
“Again?” I ask, concern lacing through me for my youngest brother’s
state of mind right now.
“He’ll be fine. He’s just trying to deal.” Conner nods at James, not that
it really needed pointing out. While Conner seems to have transitioned
fairly well from discovering his uncle is actually his dad, Cole is struggling
to get his head around it all.
Eventually Cole’s footsteps get louder as he makes his way toward us.
“Good morning,” James and Sarah both sing once again when he
appears around the door, looking seriously worse for wear. There’s a
fakeness to their voices which has me on edge. Something big is about to
happen, but I’ve no idea if it's a good or bad thing.
Cole stumbles toward the table and pulls out a chair. Everyone is silent
as they wait to see if he’s going to get his ass on it or fall to the ground
before he has the chance.
“Okay, so, now everyone’s here. We need to tell you something.”
Tension crackles in the air around us. Remi must feel it because she
reaches for my hand under the table.
“I received a call this morning.” James pauses. I’m about to bark at him
to hurry the fuck up when he opens his mouth again. “Charlie’s body was
found. I went in this morning to identify it. He’s gone, for good this time.”
Remi gasps, tensing in shock beside me.
“H-How?” she stutters.
“They’re not one-hundred percent yet, but my contact thinks he took his
own life.”
“Good,” I state, relief flooding me that he’s not going to come after any
of us again.
Conner’s eyes fly to mine, clearly not quite as happy about the news.
But then why should he be? He doesn't know the whole story. He has no
idea what that cunt did to my girl.
“Okay.” James looks between the three of us, gauging our reactions and
probably wondering if one of us is going to kick off. When no one says
anything more, he continues. “We’ve also made a pretty big decision, but it
affects us all, so we need to run it past you all before it’s confirmed.”
Cole blows out a frustrated breath, and Remi squeezes my hand in
support.
“We’ve decided that even though the threat is gone, it would be safer if
Sarah and Remi moved in.”
“For real?” Remi asks, disbelief filling her voice.
“Yeah. Now, we’re going to need to discuss some ground rules.” Sarah’s
eyes flit between her daughter and me. “But we think it makes the most
sense going forward.”
 “Is that all?” Cole barks before getting up and disappearing from the
room. Conner quickly races after him.
“We don’t need ground rules. We’re adults and can make our own
decisions,” Remi states, squaring her shoulders.
“We’re not going to attempt to set you up in a bedroom upstairs. We
both agreed, and I’m sure you two will think that it’s a waste of all our time.
But, you two will be sensible.” He levels us with a hard look. “There will
be no grandchildren in this house for a good few years yet. Do I make
myself clear?” James says, staring between the two of us.
“No problem there,” Remi says. “We can barely look after ourselves, let
alone anyone else.”
“I’m glad we’re all on the same page.”
“No harm in getting plenty of practice though, right?” I wink at Remi.
She blushes profusely as both James and Sarah groan, probably already
wondering if they’ve just made a massive mistake.
Keeping my eyes on Remi, I wait for her to look at me. “Me and you,
Princess. Me and you.” She beams at me and curls into my side.
Maybe the bad boy from the Heights and the rich prep school princess
weren’t such a recipe for disaster, after all.
“I love you, Ace,” she whispers against my chest.
“Love you too, Remi, baby.”
Always.

Hadley
… the night before

“You know, I didn’t think you’d come.” Hayden bumps my shoulder and I
roll my eyes at him. “You and Conner Jagger were looking pretty together
at Homecoming.”
“He’s a friend.” I shrug, curling my hands around the edge of the pier
and staring down into the dark blue abyss.
“Like I’m just a friend?”
 “Don’t do that, Hayden. Don’t overcomplicate this. We’re friends. We
have a good thing going.”
He’s one of the few friends I have at Sterling Prep, but I see the way he
looks at me, with lust and longing in his eyes. He wants me. Wants things I
can’t ever give to him.
I don’t want to cross a line we can’t come back from, not when I
genuinely enjoy his company. Like tonight, for example. We hung out at
Surf's before heading down to the pier to play arcade games. Then Hayden
managed to score us some beers and now we’re sitting on the edge of the
pier with the sea beneath us and the moonlit sky above us, and I feel free.
Well, I did until he brought up Conner.
Now, I don’t know what to feel. I like Conner. He makes me smile and
doesn’t take himself too seriously, but there’s nothing there. Not really.
Conner makes me feel good about myself, and in return, he doesn’t ask for
anything. It’s just easy. Fun.
It’s uncomplicated.
Besides, there’s another Jagger brother that makes my pulse race and
my body stir to life.
Not that I’d ever admit it out loud.
“It’s late,” I say, knowing that it’s at least a twenty-five-minute walk
back to campus.
“I’ll walk you.” Hayden jumps up, offering me his hand. His baby blues
sparkle but are dimmed by the bruising around his eyes. We haven’t talked
about what happened between him and Cole, and I’m more than happy to
keep it that way.
“You don’t need to walk me home, Hayden. I’m a big girl. I can take
care of myself.”
“I’m walking you,” he says with a little puff of his chest. Whatever. If it
makes him feel better about himself, who am I to stop him?
We walk along the beach past Surf’s before taking the coastal path. The
cool sea breeze makes my skin prickle and I zip up my baby pink hoodie,
shoving my hands in the pockets.
“Cold?” Hayden moves closer to me, and for a second I think he might
wrap his arm around my shoulder.
I’m relieved when he doesn’t.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he says. “A beautiful clear sky, beautiful view,
beautiful company.” His eyes flick to mine and I explode with laughter.
 “Seriously? That’s your line? Because I hate to break it to you, but you
really need to work on your skills.”
“Jesus, Hads, kick a guy when he’s down.” He suddenly grabs my hand
and tugs me around so that I’m standing in front of him. “I like you. You
know I do. And I know you keep feeding me the ‘we’re just friends’ line,
but I don’t want to be just friends, I want... more.” His fingers brush my
jaw, his eyes searching mine for things I know he won’t find.
Because what Hayden doesn’t realize is that I’m broken.
Tainted.
I’m so fucking lost that sometimes I don’t know which way is up.
Every day, I paint on a happy smile and play my part, but inside there’s
nothing but pain and anguish.
And a guy like Hayden, a guy who’s got a huge, bright future ahead of
him, deserves someone who can give him everything he needs.
“Hayden.” I curl my fingers around his, halting his touch. “I already
told you, it isn’t like that for me.”
“Bullshit, Hads. I feel it. It’s there... you just need to give it a chance.”
He closes the distance between us and leans down. I should stop him.
Everything inside me screams at me to stop him, but I don’t.
Because maybe he’s right.
Maybe I just need to give it a chance.
The second his lips find mine, I know it’s all wrong. “Hayden, wait.”
My hands go to his chest, trying to push him away, but he pulls me nearer,
kissing me harder, forcing something I know will never be there.
“Hayden, I said stop.” I tear away from him, my chest heaving. “I
shouldn’t have let you do that,” I say coolly.
“But you did.” He smiles weakly. “I know a part of you wants it,
Hadley, baby. You’re just scared—”
“I think we’re done here. Goodnight, Hayden.” I start backing away.
“I’ll see you at school on Monday.”
“Come on, Hads, don’t do this. It was one kiss, a little
misunderstanding, you don’t need to—”
“I said goodnight.”
Dejection washes over his expression, and I see a flash of a hurt in his
eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper into the night as I spin on my heel and take off in
the direction of Sterling Prep. I guess I can probably call it home, since I’m
not sure I have one of those anymore.
Hayden doesn’t follow me, but then, I never expected him to. He might
be a little persistent, but he isn’t like Bexley.
I shudder just thinking about what he put Remi through. To think I spent
all those nights cheering for him at games, only to discover he was a drug
addict with a problem with the word no.
Sick bastard.
Deciding to stick to the better lit path, I cross the road. There are a few
passing cars and a dog walker or two, but on the whole, it’s quiet.
I like the silence.
It’s the only time I allow myself to think about things. The things that
led me to Sterling Bay.
I’m lost in my thoughts when I notice a black figure lingering in the
shadows. A tingle of fear zips up my spine, but I shake it off. It’s Sterling
Bay, for Christ’s sake. You could walk your dog on a gold-plated leash,
wearing a dress made out of diamonds, and no one would look twice.
But there’s something about him. I can’t get a good look but—
“Cole?” I gasp.
Before I know it, I’ve diverted again, hurrying to where he’s standing.
His dark hood is pulled up, but I don’t need to see his face to know those
cold blue eyes belong to the youngest Jagger brother. He doesn’t speak as I
approach. I’m not even sure he sees me, his icy gaze cutting right through
me.
“Cole?” I say again, trying to alert him to my presence.
He startles, his eyes blinking as if he’s in some kind of trance.
“What are you doing out here? What’s wrong?” The Jagger house is on
the other side of town.
“Hadley?” He blinks again as if he’s seeing me for the first time, but
then a wall slams down over his expression and I step back, aware of the
hostile energy rolling off him.
“Cole, you’re scaring me.”
“Fuck,” he breathes, dragging a hand down his face.
It’s then I see it.
The blood.
On his hands. Dark patches splattered up his hoodie. A little streak
smudged along his cheek.
 The air whooshes from my lungs, a violent shiver rolling up my spine.
“Cole...” My voice trembles, a hundred dark thoughts running through my
mind.
“What the hell did you do?”

Continue reading for Cole and Hadley’s duet.

If you love our Rebels, then you’re going to fall hard for our Heirs.
Our new series, HEIRS OF ALL HALLOWS, is coming soon.
Check out book one FILTHY JEALOUS HEIR.

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TAINT HER

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REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 3

OceanofPDF.com
 PROLOGUE

Cole

“C ole?” I see her lips move, but I don’t hear her voice. Everything is
just a blur, a haze fueled by hate.
“What are you doing out here? What’s wrong?” This time, her
soft voice breaks through the blood whooshing past my ears.
I stare into her concerned emerald eyes before they drop to take in the
state of me. I have no clue how I look right now, but after what happened
over the past couple of hours, I’ve got a very good idea.
“Hadley?” My voice is deep and rough. It doesn’t sound like my own. I
blink at her, trying to focus on where exactly I am and why she’s here.
This is my nightmare. Why is she in it?
Every muscle in my body pulls tight as the images of what I did only
minutes ago flick through my mind like a movie.
“Cole, you’re scaring me.”
“Fuck,” I breathe, dragging my hand down my face and rubbing at my
jaw.
It’s not until she gasps in horror that I realize my mistake.
It was easy to imagine that I wasn’t sporting the evidence from what I
did. Easy to push it all aside like I do with everything that’s a part of my
past.
But she’s staring right at the truth.
 A truth I can’t taint her with.
She’s too innocent. Too pure.
“Cole...” Her voice trembles as her brows draw together in confusion.
“What the hell did you do?”
Those images flick through my mind once more as if I’m back there and
doing it all over again.
“Nothing. You need to leave.”
“I’m not leaving you here like that.”
“Hadley,” I warn, ensuring my voice is cold and menacing in a way that
usually makes people run as fast as they can. Only, Hadley Rexford isn’t
most people.
“Cole,” she warns back, placing her hands on her hips and taking a step
toward me.
“You shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t have seen me.”
“Yet, I am here, and I have seen you. So what are you going to do about
it?” she sasses.
“I… uh…” My head spins. I can barely think to form words let alone
know what I should be doing right now. Hiding in the bushes was as far as I
got.
I need to go home. I need to get rid of these clothes and pretend nothing
unusual happened tonight. I need to be in my bed so no one questions me
when the truth comes out.
“Let’s go,” she states, wrapping her hand around my upper arm and
attempting to drag me with her.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Taking you to get cleaned up.” She looks me up and down once more.
“You can hardly go home covered in…” Hadley gulps. “Looking like that.”
“Where?”
“My dorm. No one will see us.”
Unable to do anything else, I allow her hand to slip into mine and fall
into step beside her.
No words are said on the walk back to campus. I’m grateful; I don’t
have anything to say. I just need darkness… nothingness. It’s the only place
where I can find solace.
As we approach the dorm building, I expect her to walk straight through
the main entrance like normal, but at the last minute she darts into the trees.
I follow without question as we weave through the trunks before emerging
at the back of the building.
She glances at me before we step out from the shadows. She must be
able to see the question on my face because she smiles softly and answers it
for me.
“The camera doesn't work back here. How do you think we all sneak in
and out?”
I shrug, because I can’t say I’d ever thought about how any of the kids
who live here sneak out. How the other half live has never really been a
high priority of mine. Surviving this bullshit life has been top of my list.
With her fingers still laced through mine, she leads me to the back door
and up a few flights of stairs I vaguely recognize from my previous visit.
“This is me,” she whispers, coming to a stop at her door.
She reaches into her purse to get her key as I look around, ensuring that
we’re not being watched. There are plenty of kids at this school who would
love to get hold of some dirt on me or my brothers.
Thankfully, no one else is in the hallway, so as far as I know we’re not
spotted. But that doesn’t stop me darting into her room as fast as I can once
she’s opened the door.
I look around at all her girly shit and smirk. I don’t know all that much
about Hadley, but I’m as shocked as I was the first time I was here as I take
in all her pink and glittery shit.
Her bed is littered with fluffy and sparkly pink cushions, and her
shelves are covered in photo frames holding images of her and Remi, my
brother’s girlfriend, over the past few years, along with other useless crap.
“Not your style?” she asks me once I’ve finished scoping out the place
and turn back to her.
I shrug. I don’t need to tell her that I’m not a hearts and flowers kind of
guy. I’m standing here covered in someone else’s blood, for fuck’s sake.
“A-are you okay? Are you hurt?” she asks hesitantly, looking over me.
It’s the first time I’ve even thought about myself as I consider my
answer. I’m not in any physical pain—that motherfucker didn’t have a
chance. But I’m pretty sure a part of me should be hurting right now. Well, I
guess it would be if I had a heart like any normal person.
For the first time tonight, I glance down at myself. My hoodie might be
dark, but there’s no mistaking the blood that’s covering it. I lift both my
hands, holding them up in front of my face. The electric light makes the red
staining them even more obvious.
I stare at them in a daze as I think about the person it belongs to.
Worthless piece of shit.
“Cole?” she prompts when I don’t offer her an answer. “Are you hurt?”
she tries again, only slower this time, as if she’s talking to an idiot.
“No. This doesn’t belong to me.”
Her shoulders visibly relax for a beat, but it doesn't last long as she
registers my words.
“Who does it belong to?”
“No one.”
“No one?” she echoes. Her brow creases the longer she stares at me, as
if it’s going to make me spill my secrets.
Un-fucking-likely.
“You said I could clean up?” I ask, reminding her that I followed her for
a reason. It certainly wasn’t to check out her pink fucking cushions and
unicorn teddy.
“Oh, um… yeah. Go on then.” She gestures to the door. “The towel is
clean.”
Reaching behind my head, I pull my hoodie off in one move and let it
fall to the floor. Her eyes immediately drop to my chest and darken with
desire. Something stirs within me at her interest.
I remember all too well how soft her skin is, how needy she gets when
she’s turned on. But tonight is not the night for that. Although I can’t deny
that it would be the perfect distraction.
Closing the space between us, I lift my dirty fingers and brush my
knuckles over her cheek. She tilts her head toward my touch.
Slowly, I shake my head at her. “You’re playing with fire,” I warn
before turning away and marching toward her bathroom. I drop my pants
and boxers before stepping into her shower.
The water blasts cold for a few seconds, but I barely feel it. I don’t feel
anything right now. Not like I should.
It's just another reminder that I’m not like everyone else. That the
darkness inside me taints everything, makes me see things differently,
makes me act differently.
I glance at Hadley’s bubblegum scented shower gel and groan. The last
thing I want right now is to smell like a chick, but with the blood still
clinging to my hands, I reluctantly reach for it.
The second the scent hits me, my cock hardens as memories from that
night assault me. She and Conner had been dancing, taunting me, and I’d
been restless. Too fucking restless. It was just a bit of fun, but fuck if I
couldn’t do with a replay. Maybe just the two of us this time though. I’m
not really in the mood for sharing.
Ideas form in my head as I rub myself with pink bubbles, and by the
time I wrap myself in an equally pink towel my intentions are fully set in
place.
With water still clinging to my skin, I glance in the mirror to make sure
there’s no evidence from my night still on my skin. Once I’m happy, I
swipe up my clothes and pull the door open, stepping out with the billow of
steam.
The sight of Hadley with my hoodie in her hands is like a bucket of ice
water, making panic flood my chest. I throw my clothes on her bed and
stalk toward her. “Put it down,” I bark, much more forcefully than I
intended.
Her eyes widen, but she doesn't follow orders.
“I said... Put. It. Down.” I inch closer.
“I-I was going to take it to be washed.” She backs up as I get closer
until she hits the wall with a thud.
“It needs burning, not fucking washing. Especially now it’s got your
fucking DNA all over it.”
“W-what did you do tonight?”
“Nothing I have any intentions of telling you about.”
“But—”
My arm is moving before my brain has registered. My fingers wrap
around her throat, making her eyes go impossibly wide.
“Cole?” she asks, her voice cracking, which only feeds the monster
inside me.
I live for people’s fear, for their pain. It’s the only thing that makes my
life make any sense. Pain and fear, it’s all I’ve ever known. It’s who I am.
“I thought you wanted to help?” I ask, closing the space between us so
that our noses are almost touching.
“I-I do.”
“Then shut the fuck up and do as you’re told.” My voice is low,
menacing, and I don’t miss the shudder that runs through her at hearing it.
 A smirk plays on my lips as I stare at her. Hadley likes to pretend that
she’s strong and unbreakable, but I can see more. I see a chink in her armor,
and if she doesn’t play along with me then I’m going to break it wide
fucking open.
“O-okay. What do you need me to do?”
My grip tightens a little. Her pulse thunders beneath my fingers,
ensuring that my cock continues to tent the towel covering it.
“Keep your fucking mouth shut. You never saw me tonight. You walked
home alone and didn’t stop to talk to anyone.”
Her eyes narrow at me. “Is that the best way to handle this?”
The fact that she’s second-guessing me has a fucking tornado of fury
swelling within me. “Are you fucking questioning me?”
She swallows as she tries to form her words “I-I just thought that it
might be better if you were here all night.”
“You want to be my alibi? You’re willing to tell everyone, a jury, if it
comes to it, that I spent the entire night with you?”
“I—” I cut off her words. I’ve already let her say too much. She’s not in
control of this situation, I am.
“And what would you tell them we did?” I drop my lips to her ear.
“Would you tell them that we spent all night in your bed?” She shudders
when my breath tickles her sensitive skin. “Tell them that I made you come
over and over?”
“Cole,” she warns.
“Tell them that I ate you like I was fucking starved for food, that I
fucked you like a wild animal until you were raw and begging for
reprieve?”
“Oh God,” she whimpers, making my cock weep and my fingers
tighten.
“You imagining what it would be like? How I would feel, pushing
inside your tight little cunt?”
Her body sags against my hold, my hard length pressing into her hip as
my restraint starts to slip.
“How wet are you for me right now?”
She shakes her head as my fingers tickle up her thigh and under the
fabric of her skirt. “No.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me.”
“Cole, please.”
 “Please what? Please touch you? Make you come? Make you my
accomplice?”
My fingers find the apex of her thighs. Her panties are fucking soaked
for me. “Fuck, Hadley.”
Her hips thrust toward me, trying to find some friction that she’s so
desperate for.
I press harder against her and she whimpers in pleasure, her eyelids
getting heavy as she stares at me.
“Are you going to do as you’re told?”
“Y-yes. Fuck. Please.”
Releasing her, I step back. “I don’t think so. Is this for me?” I ask,
taking in the man’s shirt laying on her bed.
I don’t wait for her answer, I just swipe it up. I pause when I recognize
it as one of Conner’s.
That motherfucker has been here?
I glance back at her, but aside from the movement of her heaving chest,
she just swallows nervously. Dropping the towel from around my waist, I
tug my clothes back on along with Conner’s shirt.
“Keep your fucking mouth shut, you got it?”
“Y-yes.”
Picking up my hoodie, I shove my feet in my sneakers and wrench the
door open, leaving her shell-shocked behind me.
Thankfully, I don’t see anyone on my way out as I retrace our steps,
hoping that she’s right about the security camera.
I don’t stop until I get to the beach, where I embark on starting a
bonfire, ready to burn the evidence that tonight ever happened.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ONE

Hadley

I should know by now how quickly life can change. One day, you’re in
ninth grade with the world at your feet, and the next, you’re being
shipped off to Sterling Prep.
It’s not all bad. The dormitories are more like five-star hotels and the
food court is like something out of a fancy shopping mall. Of course, the
expensive tuition and esteemed reputation hide a darker side. Like the vapid
cheer bitches currently heading in my direction.
“Hadley,” Lylah Donovan, and newly crowned Homecoming Queen,
glares at me. “I thought we said today was high ponytail day.”
“No, you said it was and I... well, I woke up and my hair felt like a
braids kind of day.” I offer her a saccharine smile, twirling one of my pigtail
braids for effect.
“You’re so... annoying.”
“I’ve been called worse.” Way worse. But I shut down the memories.
Until two days ago, I thought the shitshow that is my life was all in the past.
I left Gravestone County. I left the whispers and stares of disapproval. Here,
I’m a good student. I get good grades and keep my nose relatively out of
trouble.
At least, I did.
 But then Ace Jagger and his twin brothers arrived at the beginning of
the semester and blew the lid off Sterling Prep’s prim and proper reputation.
My best friend, Remi, got tangled up with Ace, and now the two of
them are together. Which is practically a local scandal since Ace is the son
of crack whore and Remi is the daughter of one of the Bay’s most
influential and esteemed businessmen.
And somehow, when Remi entered the Jagger inner circle, I found
myself pulled in right along with her. Not that the boys from the wrong side
of the tracks—better known as Sterling Heights—ever really let anyone into
their circle.
Boys like Ace, Cole, and Conner Jagger don’t play well with others.
I really should remember that.
“Did you want something else?” I ask Lylah, since she’s still standing
there, scowling at me.
“I’m captain now,” she swishes her pony, “and you need to start acting
like you’re a member of this team.”
“Hey, I pull my weight.” I never miss practice, and I make an
appearance at most team socials. It’s not like I have a choice with Miss
Jones, our coach, always breathing down my neck.
“Yeah, yeah, tell it to someone who cares,” she snarls. “I don’t know
how or why you have Miss Jones wrapped around your little finger, but this
is my team now, and I’m not about to let you or your trash friends ruin
senior year.”
We’re drawing a crowd now. You’d think after two recent scandals, kids
at Sterling Prep would want life to return to normal. But no, they’ve had a
taste of blood and want more.
First, Queen Bee and Head Cheerleader, Michaela Fulton was dethroned
by none other than Ace Jagger, and then Bexley Danforth, football captain
and most eligible guy in school, attacked my best friend in a drugged out
stupor. He’s gone now, shipped off to finish senior year far, far away from
Sterling Bay and the shame he brought upon his family, and Michaela is
walking around school with her tail between her legs.
And now, kids are looking at me like they’re just waiting for the third
scandal to break.
Well, they’ll be waiting a long time. My secrets are my own, and I’m
not about to give them up for anyone. Especially Lylah Donovan and her
cheer Barbie-bitch friends.
 Some of the football players appear, pushing through the crowd as if
they own the school. Hayden, one of my only allies on the team, frowns,
glancing between me and Lylah. “What’s going on?” he asks.
“Oh hey, H.” Lylah bats her eyelashes and smiles sweetly. “We were
just talking about practice.”
His frown deepens as his eyes flick to mine.
“What she said,” I reply flatly. “It’s been great and all, but I need to get
to class.” Ignoring them, I grab the books from my locker and slam it shut
before taking off down the hall.
“Hey, Hadley, wait up.” Hayden snags my wrist and I stop, letting out
an exasperated breath.
“What, Hayden?” Turning slowly, I meet his concerned gaze.
“What was all that?” He casts his eyes to where Lylah is still standing
and glaring at me.
“Just Lylah letting me know she’s in charge.”
“Shit, I thought with Michaela gone...”
“Don’t worry about it. I can handle her.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.” Hayden rakes a hand through his messy
hair. Since I arrived at Sterling Prep in tenth grade, Hayden Lincoln has
been a good friend. But this year things changed. He no longer looks at me
with friendship in his eyes, he looks at me like I’m a puzzle to be solved, a
prize to be won... a heart to be captured.
“Listen,” he lowers his voice and steps into me, “about the other night. I
wasn’t... I didn’t...”
“It’s all good. I meant what I said, Hayden. I can’t be that girl for you.”
I’m too broken.
Too messed up inside.
“But if you just gave me a chance, I think—”
“Hayden.” I lay a hand on his arm and force a weak smile. “Trust me
when I say, I’m not worth it.”
Confusion clouds his eyes, but I don’t stick around. I take off down the
hall and don’t look back.
We’re teenagers, we all have secrets. But if Hayden knew mine, he’d
run a mile and never look back.
And now, it’s not only my own secrets I carry.
Because my best friend isn’t the only girl tangled up with a Jagger.
“Hey, how are you?” I ask Remi.
After classes, I headed straight for my dorm room. It’s been three days
since Homecoming, three days since I held my best friend as we watched
her boyfriend beat the shit out of Bexley. That whole night was a mess, and
Remi and the Jaggers haven’t been in school since.
“Okay, I guess... I wanted to come back to school today but—"
“Take your time. You went through something huge.”
“How was it?" Remi lets out a soft sigh. "What are people saying?”
“Do you give a crap?” A strained chuckle spills from my lips.
“Not really. But I want to know what I’m walking into.”
“Lylah reigns supreme. The power has already gone to her head. Vapid
bitch,” I hiss.
“Whoa, what happened?”
“Nothing really. I just... forget it. You have bigger things to worry
about.”
Remi mumbles something, but I don’t quite catch it.
“What did you say?”
“Listen," she hesitates, "there’s something I need to tell you...”
“Why do I not like the sound of this?” I sit straighter, the knot in my
stomach tightening. “Remi?” I say after a beat of silence.
“Something happened.” Her voice is barely a whisper.
“With Bexley? I don’t understand, I thought—”
Raised voices fill the line and Remi lets out a defeated sigh. “I need to
go before they kill each other.”
“They... what?” I frown. “Who are you talking about?”
“Things are a little tense right now. But I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” A trickle of fear runs down my spine.
“I will be. I’ll text you later.”
“Okay, bye.”
We hang up and I stare at my cell phone, trying to figure out what just
happened. Before I can stop myself, I’ve pulled up a text message:

Hadley: Are you sure you’re okay?

Remi: We need to talk... well, I need to talk. But not like this. I’ll see
you tomorrow at school hopefully.

My mind flashes back to two nights ago, to Cole Jagger standing in the
darkness, eyes cold and blood smeared over him like paint.

Hadley: Is everyone okay?

I want to ask if Cole is okay, but I don’t.

I can’t.

Remi: The guys are driving me crazy, but we’re okay. I promise. I’ll
explain everything as soon as I can.

Hadley: Okay xo

Throwing my cell down on the nightstand, I flop back against the

pillows and stare up at the ceiling. It’s a strange thing to be alone. So alone
you have no one to call or no family to visit. I mean, I have family—they
were the ones who sent me here. Banished me to another town so they
didn’t have to deal with me. So I know all about feeling alone... unwanted...
forgotten.
I think Remi saw that in me when I first arrived here. Maybe she took
pity on the new girl. Maybe, deep down, she saw that I didn’t fit in here
either. Sure, I wear the uniform and spend my Friday nights cheering on the
Sterling Prep Seahawks, but it’s not through choice.
It’s for survival.
Until I graduate and get the hell out of here and finally shed my tainted
skin.
Maybe that’s why I’m so fascinated with Cole Jagger. He hides a
darkness inside him, a darkness I live with every second of every day.
I close my eyes and picture his face: sharp, assessing eyes and a strong
jaw. Smooth, unblemished skin and defined cheekbones. He’s darkness and
danger wrapped up in a gorgeous face and ridiculously hot body.
But now I know his secret—well, half a secret—and I’m not sure he’ll
ever let me in.
 Exhaustion drags me under, and I let myself sink into the pull of sleep...
at least there, it's easy to forget.

“A-are you okay? Are you hurt?” I ask quietly, taking in his disheveled
appearance.
His hoodie might be black, but there’s no mistaking the blood stains. He
lifts both of his hands to his face and I catch the splashes of red.
“Cole?” I say, trying to ground him. He looks so lost. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” he replies, devoid of any emotion. “This doesn’t belong to me.”
Relief sinks into me, quickly followed by a rush of concern. “Who does
it belong to?” because if it isn’t Cole’s, that means…
“No one.”
“No one?” I repeat, a pit carving through my stomach as I frown at
him, willing him to open up and let me in.
“You said I could clean up?” He ignores my question.
“Oh, um… yeah. Go on then.” I flick my head to the bathroom door.
“The towel is clean.”
Cole reaches behind him and pulls off his hoodie in one swift action,
letting it fall to the floor. My eyes immediately drop to his chest. His
shoulders are broad and powerful, his waist lean and cut. It’s all kinds of
wrong, but a bolt of lust shoots through me.
A slow smirk spreads over his face as he closes the space between us
and runs his dirty, blood-stained knuckles over my cheek. I crane my neck
to look into his eyes and he shakes his head. “You’re playing with fire,” he
warns before storming into the bathroom.
I bend down and pick up his hoodie, my fingers trembling as they ghost
over the bloodstains.
Oh Cole, what did you do?

There’s no sign of Remi and the Jagger brothers the next morning, when I
finally make it to class. I’m late, but I didn’t sleep well, lost in a dark and
twisty nightmare. Cole. Blood-soaked clothes. A pit of dread in my
stomach.
Mr. Jennings struggles to hold my attention as he talks about finals, but
I’ll have no choice but to get focused for cheer practice next period.
“You look like crap,” Tia Henderson says, shouldering past me as we
file out of class.
“You look good too, Tia,” I reply dryly.
She glances back and narrows her eyes. “Lylah will expect you—”
“Lylah can go suck a dick,” I mumble, really not in the mood for their
crap today.
A couple of kids snicker, but Tia isn’t laughing. “You should watch your
back, Hadley. Just because Miss Jones has a lady boner for you, doesn’t
mean you're untouchable.”
“Whatever, Tia.” I move ahead of her and take off toward the gym,
ignoring her catcalls.
She’s a bitch.
Most of the cheer squad are.
But I only have to suffer another few months of them and then I’m
done.
I slip into the girls’ locker room and throw my bag down on the bench.
I’m halfway through stripping out of my school uniform when a
conversation catches my attention.
“Yeah, I heard they found a body. A dead freakin’ body.” Lylah and
some of the girls are crowded around Daria Balen. Her daddy is a cop.
“Oh my God... murder?” Someone gasps, and my spine stiffens as I
strain to hear more.
“That doesn’t happen in a place like the Bay,” Lylah scoffs. “The
Heights, sure... but not here.”
“They’re saying it wasn’t murder.” Daria purses her lips. “I heard my
daddy say they’re treating it as suicide. Guy blew his own head off.”
“Eww, gross.” A couple of girls dry-heave, and I roll my eyes. They’re
so fucking green.
“Yeah, well, it was a crazy weekend. First homecoming and the stuff
with Michaela and Bexley, and then Sunday morning, they find the dead
body. Daddy isn’t convinced though. I heard him tell my mom something
doesn’t add up...”
Their conversation is drowned out by the blood roaring in my ears.
 Sunday morning.
My heart drops as my fingers curl around the bench. “Where’d they find
him?” I ask, earning me a glower from Lylah.
“None of your fucking—”
“You know those apartments on the edge of the coastal road?” Daria
says, and I nod.
I know it all right.
It’s a stone's throw away from where I found Cole.
"Hadley? Are you okay?"
"Huh, what?" Everyone is staring at me like I've lost my freaking mind.
And maybe I have. Because Cole Jagger is a lot of things... but a murderer?
Not even Cole is capable of that.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWO

Cole

“W e’re going to school tomorrow,” Ace announces, interrupting

whatever Conner was chatting about.
I’d tuned them all out a long time ago, but that one
statement has me looking up.
“Nah, just one more day,” Conner says, lifting his bottle of beer to his
lips and draining the contents. “We’ve already had too much.”
I look at Ace, who takes a drag of his joint before blowing the smoke
into Remi’s mouth, and roll my eyes at them.
It’s easy for them, they can just walk into school almost like nothing
happened. I mean, yeah, Remi was attacked by that cunt Bexley, followed
by the man we’d all grown up believing was our father, but it’s different for
me.
My fists curl as I think about it, all the rage threatening to explode that I
mostly manage to keep concealed. I need that fucking joint. But if what Ace
is saying is true, then there’s no doubt that Coach Miller will have me drug
tested the second I step foot on Sterling Prep soil.
I can’t risk it. Football is the only thing I have. It’s my only way to
break away from our fucked-up lives and even more fucked-up past. I’ve
been told I could make it all the way. I’m not all that interested in going
there; I just want to get away.
 I want to be somewhere else. Be someone else.
Neither Ace nor Conner have asked me anything about that night. Why
would they? After we’d all rushed to Remi’s house after Charlie, our
estranged uncle, broke in and threatened her, we’d come back to James’
house. My home. Not that it feels like that. I’d swiped a bottle of liquor off
the counter and taken off to go to my room, and then resurfaced the next
morning for breakfast. Neither of them has any reason to think anything
else. Exactly as it should be.
Getting caught is one thing but dragging them down with me is another.
I may care about little in my life, but those two motherfuckers are my
weakness. It might not be obvious to anyone on the outskirts of our lives,
but I’d take a fucking bullet for them any day of the week if it meant saving
them.
“We’re going back tomorrow. All of us,” Ace states in the fatherly tone
that he uses when something isn’t up for discussion.
He might only be a year older than us, but he’s never let us forget that
he’s the one in charge. He was the one who put food on the table when our
mother was unable to do so and our so-called father was meant to be dead.
He was the one who washed our clothes and made sure we turned up to
school while he was off doing fuck knows what for Donny Lopez, the
Heights’ local crime boss.
The thought of him has my cell burning in my pocket. He’s been
relentless since the night he called me with a heads-up about the
whereabouts of Ace. He and Remi had fallen out and Ace took off to the
Heights to drown his sorrows. But Donny isn’t the kind of guy to hand out
favors for nothing. I knew what I was getting into the second I accepted his
help.
And now I’m paying the price.
Ace is free of Donny, and I’m his replacement. My brother thinks he got
let off lightly. If he knew the truth… I shudder at the thought. He’ll kill me
with his bare hands if he ever finds out I’m tied up with a cunt like Donny.
He warned us time and time again to stay away from that life. But how was
I meant to when his life was on the line?
It’s my own fault. I danced with the devil, and now I need to hold up my
end of the deal. And I will. One day soon I’ll answer the phone and do his
dirty work because that’s what I agreed. I didn’t need to grow up in the
Heights to know how this shit works.
 I’m either good for my word or I’ll be the next one found dead with no
reasonable explanation other than being a scumbag Heighter. People
probably say that it’s a miracle the three of us have lasted this long after all
the shit we’ve gotten into over the years.
“You fucking hearing this, bro?” Conner asks, punching my arm.
I look up at him, my expression hard. I raise a brow at him, but all he
does is roll his eyes and laugh.
I often wonder why I couldn’t be more like him. We’re twins, yet we
couldn’t be more different in the personality department. He’s light and I’m
dark. He’s the life and soul of the party and I’m the grim fucking reaper,
ruining everything he touches.
I lift my beer to my lips without saying a word. I don’t need to. We
might be different, but that doesn't mean we need words to communicate.
We know. We always know. Which is why I at least expected him to
question me, yet he’s made no attempt to even ask me about it. Not that any
of us want to talk about him. The cunt who killed our mother and ruined our
lives.
Whatever is playing on the TV continues, although none of us watch it.
My eyes flit to my oldest brother to find his hand disappearing under his
girl’s skirt.
Pushing from the couch, I slam my bottle down on the coffee table,
making the love birds jump, and stalk from the pool house.
It’s still early—too early for the amount we’ve drank. The sun is just
beginning to set and damn near blinds me when I look up toward the house.
Ellen, James’ housekeeper, is in the kitchen when I walk inside—no
surprise there.
“Hey, sweetie. Can I get anything for you? I was just going to bring this
lot down.” She gestures to two huge platters of food. It’s more than I’ve
seen at a party, let alone snacks for the four of us.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Unable to resist, I swipe up one of the sandwiches as I leave the room
and shove it in my mouth.
I probably should eat. I don’t remember the last time I had a proper
meal. Every day I get invited to our new family meals that James insists
on… and every day I refuse. I don’t have the patience for playing happily
ever after. It’s fucking bullshit.
 I jog up the stairs, taking them three at a time. I should probably work
out if I intend on keeping my place on the team, but I can’t be fucked with
that right now.
Instead, I push through my bedroom door and lift my hand to my shirt
to pull it off so I can shower, only the fabric doesn’t make it over my head
before I’m stopped in my tracks.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I bark, staring at the girl
lying on my bed like she fucking belongs there.
“Nice to know you missed me,” Hadley sasses.
“Get out.” I reach back and open the door I’d slammed behind me.
She pushes from her position and scoots to the edge of my bed. “Um…”
She makes a show of thinking about it, which only feeds my anger at
finding her in my space. “No.”
Swinging the door so hard its slam echoes around the room, I take a step
toward her. She swallows nervously but doesn't cower away.
Stupid, stupid girl.
“What are you doing here, Hadley?”
“Waiting for you, obviously.” She rolls her eyes. The move makes my
teeth grind and my fingers twitch.
“Why?” I grate out, already bored with this game she thinks she can
play with me.
Hadley’s not stupid, but fuck, she’s got a few things to learn when it
comes to me.
The only games I play are the ones I start. And I never lose.
“I’ve got a question I need to ask you.”
Why am I not surprised?
I take a step forward, bringing us almost within touching distance. Her
eyes hold mine, her curiosity and defiance shining bright within her green
orbs.
I close a little more space. Her sweet scent fills my nose, replacing that
of the bitter weed I was surrounded by downstairs. My mouth waters,
remembering how she tasted the last time I kissed her. Danger and
impulsive decisions. Exactly what I’m addicted to.
“Go on then,” I taunt, knowing exactly what she’s going to ask.
“Was it you?”
“You’re going to need to be a little more specific, preppy.”
“Did you k… did you kill him?”
 A smile curls at my lips. Her eyes drop to it and all the color drains
from her face, thinking it’s my admission.
It’s going to take a hell of a lot more than that to get a confession out of
me.
“How long has this been eating at you?” I ask, reaching out and tucking
a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. She tenses as I touch her, as she
should, before she recovers and squares her shoulders.
“Cole,” she warns.
“Hadley.”
“I just… I need to know.”
“What you need is to mind your own business.”
She rears back slightly at my words. “Oh, is that why you took me up
on my offer Saturday night? To keep me at arm’s length?” I don’t respond,
and it pisses her off. Her lips purse and her eyebrows twitch with a frown.
“Well?” she asks, lifting her hands to push me away, but before her palms
connect with my chest, I catch them.
She growls in frustration. It’s almost cute.
“Is that the whole reason you snuck in here? To throw around wild
accusations?”
“Firstly,” she hisses, trying to pull her wrists from my vise-like grip, “I
didn’t sneak in. The front door was unlocked, and I strolled inside.
Secondly, I don’t think my accusations are so wild, given how I found you
that night, do you?”
My chest heaves as I think back to her stumbling across me Saturday
night. Seeing anyone, let alone someone I knew, certainly wasn’t part of my
plan.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Cole, I—argh.” Her words are cut off as she falls onto the bed.
Jumping on top of her before she has the chance to scramble away, I pin
her thighs with mine and hold her arms out wide with my fingers around
her wrists once more.
I lower my face to her ear, allowing my lips to brush her skin as I speak.
“You need to be careful, preppy. Someone might overhear these accusations
and start getting ideas.”
She shudders beneath me, but it doesn't stop her running her mouth.
“Getting ideas?” A bitter laugh falls from her lips. “They’ll have more than
ideas, especially when you’re carted off in the back of a cop car.”
 “There’s no reason for that to happen though, is there, preppy?” I ask,
releasing one of her wrists and trailing my fingertip up her bare arm.
Goosebumps prick her skin and her entire body tenses beneath me as she
tries to fight how I’m making her feel. “If you believe what you’re saying,
then you know how dangerous I could be. The last thing you’d want to do is
make an enemy of me.”
My fingers find her throat, and I squeeze just a little harder than
necessary, although I’m a long way from actually cutting off her air supply.
“Cole, please,” she mouths.
“Please what? Please shut you up, or please make you feel good?”
Her eyes narrow in anger, but I know it’s fake. I can see how fast her
chest is heaving. I can feel her thighs tensing between mine, and fuck if it
doesn’t have me rock hard.
“You’re wet for me again, aren’t you?”
“Fuck you,” she spits.
I nod at her, thinking just how easy it would be to lift her skirt right now
and do exactly that. “Is that what you want? Me to fuck you?”
I drop my head once again, sinking my teeth into her earlobe.
She hisses in pain.
“You’re even wetter now, right?”
“Bite me,” she hisses.
So I do, biting down on the smooth skin of her neck and sucking hard
enough to leave a mark.
“Ouch.”
“What? I was only doing what I was told,” I say, sitting back up and
inspecting my mark before looking into her dark emerald eyes. She looks
fucking stunning like this, all splayed out beneath me and ripe for the
taking.
“Since when do you do that?”
“When it means I get my way.”
“What is it you want, Cole?”
“I don’t remember wanting anything. You were the one waiting for me
in my bedroom. Were you thinking of the last time you were up here?” I
drop my lips to her neck once more, sucking on the soft skin and biting my
way down until I hit her collarbone. She squirms beneath me but never once
tells me to stop.
 “Who says that was the last time?” My eyes flash up to hers. “There’s a
reason I had Conner’s clothes in my dorm, after all.”
“You’re lying,” I state, full of confidence that the only time either of us
have touched her was that night.
“Am I? Would you bet your freedom on it?”
I shake my head as I stare down at her. “Oh, preppy. You’re going to
regret playing with me.”
She arches her back, offering herself to me despite the fact that she’s
fully clothed.
“Do your worst, asshole. I’ve dealt with bigger monsters than you think
you are.”
A low chuckle falls from my lips as I look down at the swell of her
breasts. It would be so easy to reach out and expose her, to suck one into
my mouth and make her cry out in pleasure. “I really, really doubt that,
Hadley.”
“Try me.”
A smile curls at my lips and she attempts to swallow her apprehension.
Hadley tries to look like nothing will affect her, that I don’t scare her, but I
see deeper.
“Oh God,” she cries as I take her breasts in my palms and squeeze. Her
hips thrust as she once again arches for me.
“Not God, preppy. The Devil.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Hadley

A low growl rumbles in Cole’s chest as I rub shamelessly against him,

desperate to relieve the ache building deep inside me.
But I didn’t come here for this.
Or maybe part of me did.
Cole Jagger ignites something inside me, something I thought I’d long
buried.
“Fuck, preppy.” He massages my breasts in the palms of his hands,
dragging his thumb over my hardened nipple.
A needy whimper spills from my lips. Cole’s long fingers work the
buttons of my blouse open, his hot mouth closing around the lace shell of
my bra. “More,” I cry, the contrast between his wet tongue and the scratchy
lace making pleasure race through me.
My hands go to his head, desperate to feel his hair, but he snags my
wrists and pins them above my head. “No touching.” He growls the words
around my nipple, making me cry out again.
Cole works me into a writhing mess. His teeth graze and scrape, tease
and taste, scratch and mark.
“I need more...” The words are caught somewhere between a moan and
a plea.
 “So fucking needy.” He rolls off, glaring down at me with so much
intensity, I’m pinned in place.
“What are you waiting for?” I challenge. I know he wants to touch me
—it’s right there, etched into the dark expression on his face, the torment in
his eyes.
Cole wants to touch me.
He just doesn’t want to want to touch me.
But I’ve never been very good at being told no.
Yeah, and look where that got you. I shake off the little voice of reason.
Cole’s brows furrow, the muscle in his jaw clenched impossibly tight.
“You’re scared of me.” It isn’t a question.
“You think I’m scared of you?” His lip curls with disgust. “I’d destroy a
girl like you.”
“All I’m hearing are empty threats. You got me all worked up and now
you’re too scared to get me off.” I use his momentary surprise to my
advantage and tear my hands free from his. “If you’re not going to finish
what we started, I’ll go find someone who will. Is Conner home?” I start to
move, but Cole is on me again. He flattens his body against me and ghosts
his lips over mine. “You’re going to regret this.”
Then he’s kissing me, plunging his tongue into my mouth and
consuming me. One of his hands wraps around my throat, pinning me in
place as his other one slides between our bodies and dips them into my
panties.
“Fuck, preppy, you’re soaked.” He pushes two fingers inside me
without warning, and I smother a moan.
It feels so good... why does it feel so good?
Cole watches me with those dark orbs of his as he works me with his
long, skilled fingers. His thumb draws circles over my clit as his fingers
fuck me into boneless submission.
I hook an arm around his neck, needing his mouth again, and to my
surprise, he complies, curling his tongue around mine and kissing me so
hard I can barely breathe.
“I want to ruin you,” he whispers against my lips.
It’s a threat. But the haze of pleasure clinging to my skin, my every
thought, twists it into something tender, something addictive.
I want Cole to ruin me.
I want this broken, brooding boy to mark me and claim me.
 But I also want him to keep me... and that’s a problem.
Because Cole is different. I see it every time I look into his dark grey
eyes.
He rubs at my clit harder, stealing my breath and making my legs
tremble.
“Cole,” I pant. “It’s too much.” His touch is borderline torture, but he
doesn’t let up.
His lips trail wet, sloppy kisses down my jaw until he’s sucking at the
skin along my collarbone. “You wanted this,” he taunts. “You wanted to
play with the devil...”
“I know... God...” I cry out as he spears his fingers deeper, scissoring
them inside me.
Pain and pleasure crash over me in rapid succession, until I fly off the
edge, and Cole swallows my moans with dirty kisses.
Silence settles over us. I want to feel shame at what just happened, at
what I let happen. But I can’t find it in me to care. Cole isn’t the only one
who feeds off the darkness. My soul was dirty a long time before Cole
Jagger came into my life.
I’m wrung out. Breathless and sweaty. Cole drags his tongue up my
cheek before rolling away and leaving me cold. I fix the buttons on my
blouse and clamber off his bed. I know I’m flushed and heavy-lidded, but I
don’t want to stick around and let him ruin the lingering bliss I still feel
coursing through my veins.
Making a beeline for the door, I don’t stop until his voice cuts through
the tension crackling around us.
“What the fuck are you doing, Hadley?”
“Me?” I glance back at him. “I’m going to hang out with my friends.”
“You mean you didn’t—”
“What? Come here just for you?” I shake my ass, unable to fight the
smile lifting the corner of my mouth. “Remi invited me.”
His teeth grind together as he watches me. “This, me and you... don’t
get any ideas.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I slip out of his room and inhale a ragged
breath.
But Conner chooses that exact moment to duck out of his room across
the hall. “Hadley, baby, this is a surprise.”
“I was just giving Cole some... notes.”
 “I bet you were.” Amusement glitters in his eyes as he approaches.
“You heading to see Remi?”
I nod, and he slings his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go then.”
Conner steers me toward the stairs, but I can’t resist glancing back at Cole’s
room one more time.
Only he isn’t watching.
And I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed.

“Seriously?” Conner barks the second we enter the pool house. Ace has
Remi pinned against the wall, dry fucking her.
“Oh my God,” I chuckle, although I’m hardly surprised. They can’t
keep their hands off each other.
“Hmm, sorry.” Remi presses her hands into Ace’s solid chest and forces
him to back up. “You’re going to have to wait, big guy.”
He lets out an irritated sigh. “Fine, I need a smoke then.” Ace drops
down on the couch and Conner joins him.
“Hey.” Remi approaches as I hover. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course. I’ve been so worried about you.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Her eyes darken. “Come on, I’ll fill you
in.”
“Babe,” Ace says as we sit down, “James said to keep the details on the
down low.”
“It’s only Hadley. She won’t tell anyone.”
His cool gaze lands on me, and I hold up my hands. “I’m a closed
book.”
“Fine, yeah... whatever.”
“Ignore him, he’s just pissed we didn’t get to finish what we started.”
“Damn straight.”
She rolls her eyes. “So, it turns out Bexley wasn’t the one texting and
stalking me.”
“He wasn’t?”
It was no secret that Bexley Danforth wanted Remi. I’d watched for the
last two years as he tried everything in his power to get her to give him a
chance. But Remi wasn’t most girls.
 “It was my mom’s ex.”
“Hold up,” I frown, “I’m confused.”
“You’re not the only one, Hads.”
“He broke into the house and attacked me. Tied me to a chair—”
“Oh my God, that’s horrible.”
Her expression fell. “It gets worse.”
“You’re killing me, Princess,” Conner chimes in. “The short version: we
thought our dad was dead. He isn’t. I mean, he is now... but he was the one
texting and following Remi.”
“I thought it was her mom’s ex...”
“It was.” Conner gives me a pointed look, waiting as the truth falls into
place.
And when it does, I’m speechless.
“Your mom’s ex is your dad?”
“No, James is our dad.”
“You might have to write it down or something.” A strained chuckle
escapes my lips.
“It really doesn’t matter now, anyway. He’s dead. Ace stabbed him, but
he got away. The police found his body the next morning. They think it was
suicide.”
Everything slams into me at once.
Remi’s story.
The conversation I overheard in the girls’ locker room.
Finding Cole that night, bloody and in shock.
“Hadley?” Remi’s voice pulls me back into the room.
“I... uh... shit. I really don’t know what to say. Sorry, I guess.”
“Nah, that piece of shit doesn’t deserve your sympathy,” Ace growls.
“The way I see it, the world’s a better place without him.” His eyes flick to
Remi, and she nods.
“There’s more to the story, isn’t there?”
“Yeah.” She looks me dead in the eye, and I see the pain behind her
gaze. “There is.”
“Whoa, it’s like something out of a soap opera,” I say, accepting the beer
Conner just fetched from the refrigerator.
“I know, it feels like waking up from a bad dream.”
Ace pulls Remi into his side and kisses her head. “He’s gone, babe. And
that fucker Bexley is across the country by now. You’re safe.”
“Yeah, I know.” She stares up at him with so much love in her eyes it
hits me square in the chest.
I had that once. Or, at least, I thought I did.
Now I have a hole in my heart and darkness in my soul.
I was a mess.
“You’re a survivor, Remi,” I say.
“Not really.” She shrugs, as if everything she’s been through is nothing.
“Some girls experience much worse than I did.”
I avert my gaze, scared that if she looks into my eyes she’ll see the
truth. Uncover my secrets.
“Where’s Cole?” Ace asks out of nowhere. “I thought he’d be down
here by now.”
“Ask Hadley.” Conner smirks, and I scowl at him.
“Something you want to tell us?” The eldest Jagger brother pins me
with an icy look.
“Lighten up, Ace. Hadley knows better than to get tangled up with
Cole.”
“Yeah, Hadley, baby.” Conner moves closer, throwing his arm around
my shoulder. “You should stick with me.”
“Conner,” I warn.
I like him. I like the way he makes everything so easy. But he isn’t Cole.
He doesn’t ignite the fire inside me. And God, it feels wrong to be sitting
here, getting close to him when Cole is in the house.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Ace barks as the door opens. I don’t
have to turn around to know it’s him. I feel him, feel his ice-cold glare drill
into the back of my head.
“Look who I found.” Conner smirks at his twin, and I shrink into his
side.
“Whatever, man.” Cole stalks to the refrigerator and pulls out a beer,
leaning back against the counter.
“Did you speak to Coach?”
“Yeah. He wants me back at practice tomorrow.”
 “Good.” Ace nods. “We draw a line right here. What’s done is done.
Charlie is gone—he can’t hurt us anymore.”
My eyes flicker to Cole, but he’s wearing a mask of indifference.
“So we’re agreed? We go to school, keep our heads low, and get
through senior year.”
“Sounds good to me.” Conner relaxes back against the couch, pulling
me with him.
“And this...” Ace gestures between us. “Do I need to be worried?”
“Relax, we’re just having some fun.”
“And you?” He motions to Cole.
“Ace,” Remi says, laying a hand on his chest. “Hadley is a big girl. I’m
sure she can handle herself.”
I offer her an appreciative smile. “Conner’s right,” I add, pressing my
hand to his chest. “It’s just a bit of fun.”
“Hell yeah.” Without warning, Conner nuzzles my neck and soft
laughter bubbles inside me.
“Fuck this,” Cole grumbles. “I’ll be in my room.” He stalks out of the
pool house, letting the door slam behind him.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ace says to Conner.
“Who, me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The last thing we need is a girl coming between the two of you.”
“Hey, I’m sitting right here,” I protest.
“It isn’t like that for me.” Conner shrugs as he glances at the door.
“But you think it’s like that for Cole?” Disbelief coats Ace’s words.
Conner grins over at me and says, “I guess we’re about to find out.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Cole

A ll eyes turn on us as we pull into the school parking lot the next
morning. I don’t want to fucking be here. The lingering hangover
still pounding at my temples from the bottle of vodka I made friends
with last night isn’t helping matters.
“Hey, look. It seems we’re famous,” Conner announces as he sees our
fan club.
“Shut up, Con,” I mutter, less than impressed that we’ve got the eyes of
almost the entire school on us.
I guess any hope that we could reappear and just blend into the
background was a little optimistic. Who the hell am I kidding, we’ve got no
chance of ever blending in around here with all these rich pricks walking
around like they’re something fucking special because Daddy has an
impressive bank account.
No matter how long we’re here, we’ll always be the trash from the
Heights.
But right now, I need the limelight on me less than ever. It’s bad enough
that Hadley is questioning me and my involvement in the events on
Saturday night—events that I’m sure will be like Chinese fucking whispers
around this place before long. I don’t need anyone else getting suspicious
and looking for things they don’t want to find.
 “You need to get laid, you know that? You’re even more moody than
usual.”
I grunt a reply, because I can’t deny that he’s right. It’s just a shame that
the only girl I think of when he says those words is a girl who should be
nowhere near me. Yet, no matter how much she thinks she knows about me,
she doesn’t seem to get the hint that I’m bad news.
Conner opens his mouth to say more, but I’m already over this morning
and any other opinions he might have. I kill the engine. Dragging my blazer
and backpack from the car, I slam the door harder than necessary and take
off for the school.
When Coach had called me yesterday, he’d asked me to report to the
locker room the second I arrived today, so that’s where I head, glad to have
somewhere to be that isn’t surrounded by all these pretentious assholes with
opinions about me and my life. No matter what they think they know,
they’re wrong. I’m pretty sure there’s no one else on the planet who could
understand the darkness that lives inside me.
I ignore everyone on my way to meet Coach. Kids try to catch my eye,
but I refuse to look at any of them; a few brave girls move to walk beside
me, but one of my signature devil stares and they soon sulk away.
The second I push through the locker room door, every member of the
team turns their eyes on me. Looks like I wasn’t the only one summoned
this morning.
“Get your asses changed, ladies. We’ve got shit to be doing,” Coach
Miller barks from the doorway of his office. When no one follows orders,
he bellows a “NOW” and claps his hands.
The noise breaks the team’s stares, and one by one they all turn away
and focus on getting changed. That is, everyone but Hayden. That
motherfucker keeps his attention trained on me long after all the others are
distracted.
Bruises still darken his eyes and chin from where I took him down at his
party last week. Motherfucker deserved it, the way he was touching Hadley
when she clearly wasn’t up for it.
My fists clench as I take a step toward him. My knuckles might still be
healing from our previous meeting, but I have no problem with giving him
another reminder of what happens if he pisses me off. The movement must
be enough, because he quickly turns and pulls his shirt over his head.
 Fucking pussy. No wonder Hadley’s not interested; she wants a real
man.
Coach gives us ten minutes to be ready before he starts his speech about
how this team is more than just Bexley Danforth, and that even with him
gone, we’ve got every chance of taking the championship this year.
As I glance at some of my teammates, I don’t see the same confidence
on their faces that I do see on Coach’s. None of us are stupid—the biggest
reason this team has the rep it does was because of that asshole’s throwing
arm. Without him as our QB, this season could be anyone’s. Not that I
really give a shit. I couldn’t care less if we lift that trophy or not, I just want
to prove myself and have a shot at some kind of future that doesn’t involve
Donny and his goons, or returning to a shithole like the Heights.
Some weird, fucked-up part of me might miss that place, but it doesn't
mean I want to go back there any time soon. The night I ran there after I
overheard the truth about my life was when I really realized that it wasn’t
my home anymore. The people I used to consider family didn’t spare me a
second glance as I made my way back to our old trailer. A couple of them
watched as I stripped the boarding from the door. Back in the day, they’d
have been there to help in a heartbeat. But, after only a few weeks of living
in the Bay, it was like they’d forgotten that I was born and bred in that
place.
Going back that night fucked me up. It was a mistake, and I think I
realized that the second the car tires hit the gravel track leading to the trailer
park. I didn’t need the memories from that fucking trailer to tell me that we
were better off in our new life. Even if I didn’t want to accept it.
The things I saw in that place, the things I was subjected to... Bile burns
my throat, the breakfast Ellen made for us threatening to make a
reappearance as images of the neglect, the abuse, the torture that went on in
that trailer assault me.
“Louder this time, ladies. We’re the fucking Sterling Seahawks and
we’ve got this, right?” Coach barks before all the guys erupt in excitement.
I missed almost everything he said. I have no idea who’s taking
Bexley’s place as captain or who’s going to take his position. Although to
be honest, I also don’t give a shit. I just need to get out on that field and do
my thing, allowing every fucked-up thought in my head to disappear as I
focus solely on the game. It’s the only way I get that kind of freedom now,
seeing as Coach’s random drug tests put a stop to my pill habit.
 I wonder briefly if Conner might have hit the nail on the head earlier
about me needing to get laid. It’s been too fucking long, but almost every
one of the girls here turn me off instantly. They think they’re entitled to the
world, and that includes getting their claws into the newest bad boys to
roam the halls of this school.
All but one, a little voice screams in my head. I think back to having her
laid out on my bed last night and my cock swells. It would have been so
easy to take everything I needed. Hell knows she was ready for it. She was
so wet her juices were running down my fingers.
But I can’t.
I can’t taint someone so pure with my darkness, no matter how much I
might need her to keep her mouth fucking shut for me.

Practice is grueling, and as we stumble our way back to the locker rooms,
I’m forced to listen to the complaints of the others. Apparently, Coach had
warned us that he was about to turn the level up a little to ensure our
success minus our star QB, but as I already knew, I wasn’t listening to a
word of it.
While they all bitch like pussies, I revel in the pain. I love the pain. I
need it.
As always, I keep to myself as we head for the showers. The rest of the
team gossip about what happened at homecoming and the drama that was
Michaela being pulled off her throne, thanks to Ace. Inwardly, I smile that
such a vile bitch has been put in her place, but on the outside, my mask is
firmly in place. It stays that way until I’m pulling my pants back on and
someone asks Hayden a question that has my movements slowing so I can
listen.
“You’re holding out on us, H. How was your date with Hadley Saturday
night?”
“It wasn’t a date,” he argues.
“Well, a little birdy told me you took her down to the arcade and
finished the night with a kiss.”
My blood boils at the thought of him putting his hands on Hadley, let
alone his lips.
 “I’m not one to kiss and tell, man. You know that.”
“So you did kiss her? It’s about fucking time. You’ve been pining after
her for too long. It was getting pathetic,” someone else adds.
I can’t argue with them—he’s a lost fucking puppy following her
around with his tongue hanging out—but equally, I thought he was smart
enough to know when feelings aren't reciprocated.
“Fuck off. We had a good night is all I’m saying.”
My teeth grind. Did she find me after being with him, or did she go
back out after I’d been with her?
The thought of me leaving her that wet and needy only for her to
immediately seek him out doesn’t sit right with me, especially after her
little visit to my bedroom last night.
Having heard enough, I make quick work of pulling on the rest of my
clothes. After shoving everything in my bag, I leave my teammates behind
me in favor of finding the girl herself and getting the answers I need.
The rest of the school are still in class when I step out into the hallway. I
make my way down to the girls’ locker room and settle myself in the
shadows opposite as I wait for the cheer squad to finish up.
Commotion from the rest of the guys leaving sounds out long before the
first cheerleader emerges. Eventually Lylah and her friends follow, looking
picture perfect in their blue and white uniform, flawless makeup and
smooth hair.
Nothing about any of them is appealing in any way. The rich pricks are
welcome to these bitches as far as I’m concerned.
A few more leave, but at no point do I spot Hadley.
When the bell rings for second period and she still hasn’t appeared, I
take matters into my own hands and stalk toward the door.
The room is a mirror image of ours, only where our walls are a shade of
muddy blue, theirs are bubblegum pink. And it smells significantly better.
The space is silent as I make my way inside, looking for my target.
I start to think I must have missed her, or that she’s not even at school
today, when a shadow catches my eye. I round the corner of the lockers and
my breath catches when I find her sitting on the bench with her head
bowed, staring at her phone.
If I cared about anyone aside from my brothers the sight might affect
me, or at least make me question what I’m doing. But I don’t, so I push
forward.
 My shoes squeak on the floor and her head flies up. Her lips part in
shock as her eyes widen.
“C-Cole, what are you doing in here?” she gasps, looking around her.
As I get closer I see that her eyes are rimmed with red and that she has
tear tracks down her cheeks.
“There’s no point looking for help, everyone already left.”
“I-I wasn’t. What are you doing here?” she asks again.
“Needed to talk to you.”
“And in order to do that you had to break into the girls’ locker room?”
“I walked through the door. I’m not sure that classifies as breaking in.”
My voice is low as I close the last bit of space between us.
The second I’m in front of her, she stands, clearly not wanting to be at a
height disadvantage—although she always will be, seeing as she’s a head
shorter than me while only in a pair of sneakers.
“Whatever. Miss Jones is in her office. You need to get out of here
before she finds you.”
“Why? What do you think she’ll do?”
Her lips part, but she must decide against saying anything. We might not
have been here long, but word quickly got around that we don’t exactly do
as we’re told.
I take another step forward, forcing her to take one back in order for us
not to be pressed against each other.
“What do you want, Cole? If you’ve come to scare me into keeping my
mouth shut, then I can tell you that I’m really not in the mood for it.”
“Why were you crying?” It’s not the question I wanted to ask, but it’s
the one that falls from my lips nonetheless.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Hadley

“W hy were you crying?” Cole’s question catches me off guard,

and, for a second, I think he’s asking because he cares.
But I’m not sure Cole Jagger has the capacity to care.
Not about me, at least.
“None of your business,” I sass, drying my eyes. It’s then I realize I’m
standing in just my skirt and bra, my shirt crumpled in my hands.
“You should get dressed,” he snaps. The words are rough in his throat,
as he drags his eyes back to my face.
“Why?” My brow rises as I lower my hands. I shouldn’t provoke him,
but it’s the only way I know how to make him respond.
“Hadley, don’t play games with me, I’m really not in the mood.” Cole’s
eyes darken, hunger swirling there.
When he’s like this, wild and unpredictable, it’s easy to believe he
wants me. Wants more of this connection simmering between us.
He glances back toward where Miss Jones’ office is. The blinds are
down, but I know she isn’t in there. I lied earlier when I told him that,
because I couldn’t drag my eyes away from my phone, from the photos
littering social media. Photos I didn’t want or need to see, but ones I sat
obsessing over all the same.
 A pained whimper crawls up my throat, but I smother it, blinking back
the tears.
“What. Happened?” He growls the words, inching toward me. I step
backward, trying to keep a safe distance between us. After the heartache of
seeing my family in those photos, of seeing him, I don’t trust myself not to
do something stupid where Cole’s concerned.
“I told you, it’s none of your business, Cole. You have your secrets, I
have mine.”
“Is it Hayden?” he spits. “Did he do some—”
“Hayden? You think this is about Hayden?” Disbelief coats my words.
“It isn’t?” Confusion clouds his eyes and maniacal laughter spills from
my lips.
Because Cole couldn’t be more wrong if he tried. Hayden is... he’s no
one. A friend. A shoulder to cry on. A cute guy who dotes on me and makes
me feel better about myself.
Cole watches me through narrowed eyes until the laughter subsides and
I inhale a ragged breath.
“You should go,” I say, suddenly feeling stripped bare before him, and
not just because I’m standing here half-naked.
Sometimes it’s like he can see me, see the stain on my soul, the
darkness that lives inside the cracks of my heart.
“What’s your game, preppy?” He moves closer still, crowding me
against the wall until my back hits the tiles.
“Cole,” I warn, as if I hold any of the power here. “I’m not playing a
game.”
“No? That’s not what I heard in the guys’ locker room. I heard you gave
it up to Hayden the same night you took me back to your room and
practically begged me for it,” he sneers, sending a shiver running down my
spine.
“You think I...” I stop myself, forcing down the words. Sometimes I
really wish I didn’t care one iota about Cole Jagger... but I do.
I want to know what he’s thinking, what dark, depraved things live
inside him.
It isn’t healthy, I know that, but my mom always said I had an obsessive
personality. That once I became interested in something, I was like a dog
with a bone until I got the answers I needed.
 I want to know all of Cole’s secrets, but more than that, I want him to
share them with me.
Laughter bubbles in my chest again, and a low growl hums from Cole’s
lips.
“Something funny?” he asks, watching me as if I’m a puzzle he doesn’t
understand.
And I don’t blame him. I feel unhinged, my carefully constructed world
a pile of jagged pieces at my feet.
“I’m just thinking how much easier it would be if I liked Conner.”
Something flashes in his eyes and then he’s on me, pushing me flat
against the tiled wall with his strong body. “You want my brother?” he
drawls into my ear. “You think he could get you as wet as I can? That he’d
hurt you just the right way to make it feel good?” He grinds his knee into
my pussy and I bite down on my lip to stifle a moan.
“Cole.” It comes out shaky—a plea or a warning, I’m not sure.
But he doesn’t let up, flattening his hands against the wall, caging me
in. His warm breath flutters over my face, so close I can almost taste him.
“You want to be a little slut, preppy? First Hayden, then my brother,
now me...” He dips his head, dragging his tongue up the slope of my neck
before sucking on the same bit of skin as before, ensuring he leaves
evidence behind from this little visit.
“Oh God...”
“Nah, not God, Hadley... the Devil. You want to play with me, you
should know you’re gonna get burned.”
I’m too lost to the feel of him grinding against my pelvis, bumping my
clit, to be hurt by his words.
So I partied with him and Conner a few weeks back, got a little drunk,
and let them blindfold me and take me up to their bedroom. It was fun.
Consensual, delicious fun. It was a game... and I’d felt like the winner that
night… but now I’m not so sure. Cole must know it isn’t Conner I really
want, but he’s dead-set on denying this thing between us... I just don’t
understand why.
Without thinking, I reach out to feel him, but he snags my wrist and pins
it beside my head. “Nah ah, no touching.”
I pout, running my tongue over my bottom lip. He tracks the movement,
his lids growing heavy.
“You want me.” The words tumble out.
 “You haven’t got the first fucking clue about what I want.” His jaw
clenches painfully.
“So show me. Let me in...” I instantly want to take the words back but
they’re out now, hanging in the air between us.
Cole inhales a sharp breath. “Why are you like this?” he muses, awe and
confusion swirling in his inky depths. “Why do you let me do this to you?”
I sag against the wall as he steps back, running a hand over his head and
down his neck. My stomach uncoils, flooding me with disappointment.
“Why do we do any of the things we do?” I whisper because I can’t tell
him the truth. I can’t tell him that I’m already tainted. That the goodness
inside me died long before I ever arrived at Sterling Prep.
Cole makes me feel alive.
He shouldn’t.
But he does.
“Stay away from Hayden, preppy,” he grits out. “And stay the fuck
away from my brother.” He spins around and storms out of the locker room
without looking back.
He might not see me, but I see him.
And I’m determined to solve the puzzle that is Cole Jagger.

“Hadley, a word please?” Miss Jones beckons me toward her. I glance at a

couple of the girls from the squad and they give me a dismissive shrug.
They don’t care either way if I sit with them at lunch. It’s no secret that I’m
only on the squad because Miss Jones made it happen. But her favoritism
toward me also affords me some protection from their Mean Girl routine.
Because Miss Jones isn’t only the cheer coach, she’s Principal Vager’s
cousin.
“I’ll see you later,” I say to Marissa and Tia before hitching my bag up
my shoulder and heading toward the locker room.
The second I step foot inside, memories of Cole pushed up against me,
teasing me, assaults my mind. I force them out. Now is not the time to be
daydreaming about all the things I want him to do to me.
“Take a seat,” she says, relaxing back in her own chair. “I just wanted to
check in, see how you’re doing.”
 “Everything is fine,” I say like a well-rehearsed script.
“I heard a little rumor.” Her eyes narrow like she’s giving me the chance
to come clean. But she should know by now that I keep my cards close to
my heart.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Conner and Cole Jagger. Ring any bells?” Her brow lifts in accusation.
“We’ve been hanging out a little.” I shrug. “It’s kind of hard to avoid
them given that their brother is my best friend’s boyfriend.”
“I could see how that might be an issue.” She sits forward, folding her
arms on the desk. It barely looks used, but I’m hardly surprised; Miss Jones
runs a tight ship on and off the field.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush, Hadley. I’m concerned. The
Jagger brothers are not the kind of kids your parents sent you here to dally
with.”
“Dally with?” I balk.
“Hadley,” she frowns, “you’re here to stay out of trouble.”
Trouble.
Because that’s all I am to my parents and their friends.
My heart deflates like an old balloon.
“I know exactly why I’m here, Miss Jones. My parents exiled me here
like some... some criminal. So excuse me if I want to try and make my life a
little less sucky by making some friends.”
She scoffs. “You have friends. The girls on the squad, the team—"
“We both know they tolerate me at best.” My only real friend is
Hayden, and he’s made it clear he wants to be more than just friends.
“Look, I know it hasn’t been easy. After what happened with... well,
you were young. Impressionable. But you’re a senior now. You need to
make better choices. Your parents expect great things from you this year.”
That’s a joke if ever I heard one. They wouldn’t care if they never heard
from me again. The photos posted on social media earlier are proof of that.
No, I’m at Sterling Prep so they can ease their own guilt about choosing
their reputation over their own flesh and blood.
“Have you spoken to them recently?”
“That’s a joke, right?” My teeth grind.
At least this time, Miss Jones has the decency to look concerned.
“I suggested they call you.”
 “Well, they didn’t. And we both know they won’t. I could disappear off
the face of the planet and they wouldn’t care.”
“Hadley, that’s not—”
“True?” I bark out a bitter laugh. “Let’s not kid ourselves. I’m here so
they can tell all their friends I’m finishing my education at a private school
with an excellent reputation. And then, when I graduate, they’ll release my
trust fund so I can go to college and they can cut me out of their lives for
good.”
Pain stabs at my insides, but I don’t let her see it. I don’t let anyone see
it. Because if I acknowledge it, it’ll drag me under. The way it did before.
“I know you think what they did was unfair, but they just want the best
for you. And staying in Gravestone wasn’t a good idea.”
“Are we done here?” I snap, unable to stand her defending my parents
for a second longer.
She lets out an exasperated breath and runs a hand over her slick
ponytail. “My door is always open, Hadley. I’ve known your parents a long
time, but I’m on your side here, I promise.”
With a curt nod, I grab my bag off the floor and stand, making a beeline
for the door. But her voice gives me pause at the last second.
“I know you’re a clever enough girl to know the Jagger twins are
trouble, Hadley. All I’m saying is, don’t make the same mistake twice. High
school won’t last forever, and then you can be whoever you want to be.”
I want to tell her I don’t want to be someone else. I want to be Hadley
Dove Rexford, the girl I was before everything changed.
But she’s gone.
And the truth is, I don’t know who I am anymore.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Cole

Ace: Family meal tonight. Do not be late.

T he message sitting on my cell taunts me as I stand in the school

parking lot, waiting for Conner to pick me up.
We’ve got enough money now thanks to our new daddy to be able
to buy ourselves a decent car each, but I don’t want a cent. I look around at
the makes and models littering the lot. Audis, Mercedes, Porches… it looks
like a car dealership, not a fucking school parking lot.
Despite everything we thought we knew about ourselves, it turns out
that we’re one of them now. Here it’s all about how much money you have,
what designers you wear, and the cars you drive. We may have been
dragged from the Heights against our will, but this place could have been
our home for years.
As I sit on the steps waiting, I wonder how different our lives would
have been if James had pulled his fucking head out of his ass long enough
to do the right thing years ago. I allow myself to very briefly think about the
things I probably wouldn’t have been forced to experience, to witness, over
the years which have made me the way I am now.
Maybe I would have been more like Conner. Maybe I’d have seen more
good in people.
 But the truth is, I didn’t, and I’m nothing like my twin. He sees light and
fun; I see darkness and devastation. And suddenly learning that our rich
uncle is actually our dad does nothing to shine a light on any of that
darkness. It only makes me want to fall further into the black abyss.
He says he had his reasons; I’m sure he did, and he can tell them to
himself as he falls asleep at night to make himself feel better. But it will
never make me feel better about it.
He was the one who left me there.
He was the one who allowed me to witness everything I did.
He was the one to do this to me.
By the time the spluttering of our old Ford approaches, my fingertips
are burning with my grip on the concrete beneath me.
The abuse, the neglect… everything is his fault, and there is nothing, no
amount of money, that can change any of it.
“You all ready for the game tomorrow night?” Conner asks as if he’s got
no cares in the world as I drop down into our passenger seat.
I envy him. I wish I didn’t care. I wish I could forget our past so easily. I
wish I could forget the lies and betrayal that ended with us having to live
here. I wish I didn’t want to destroy James every time I look at him for what
he did to me. But more than all that, right now, I wish I didn’t care what had
Hadley all tied up in knots earlier. She’s his fault too. If he’d never dragged
us here, we’d never have met, and she wouldn’t be trying to dig inside me
to discover who I really am. She has no idea yet that even if she manages it
that she’ll find something so poisonous that she’ll probably regret it for the
rest of her life.
“Something like that,” I mutter in response to his question.
“You guys don’t need Bexley.”
“When the fuck did I ever say that we needed that motherfucker?”
Conner winces at my tone, holding one hand up in defense.
Both he and Ace have been walking on eggshells around me since the
truth came out, and I fucking hate it. I hate being treated like the baby of the
family, when the truth of it is that I’m only minutes younger than him, and
the pair of us are only a year younger than Ace. It’s a fucking joke. All of it.
“So you think Aaron has what it takes to lead you all the way?” he asks,
making me think of that meeting with Coach I totally spaced out on earlier.
Turns out Aaron, our second string QB, was announced as Bexley’s
replacement. It’s all anyone’s talked about all day, and every time I’ve
looked at him, I swear his head’s swollen with all the attention. He seems
like a good guy. I mean, I haven’t really spoken to him—I haven’t really
spoken to anyone since I arrived here—but he’s certainly no Bexley, of that
I’m pretty confident. Although, he is friends with Hayden, and he was
Bexley’s bitch boy, so…
I completely miss the ride home, along with anything else that Conner
might say to me. I’m too lost in my own head. It’s where I seem to
disappear more often than not these days.
It’s safe in there though. No one can say or do anything I don’t like
which might have me falling off the ledge I feel like I’m currently walking
along, just waiting to drop at any moment.
My cell vibrates in my pocket as we pull up to the house.
“I need to get this,” I say to Conner, not even pulling it from my pants
to see who it is. I already know. And it really says something that I’m more
willing to answer right now than I am to go inside and spend the evening
with my family.
“Sure.” He disappears inside and I wait until he’s long out of ear shot
before I swipe my screen and connect the call.
“Yeah,” I grunt.
“Cole, my boy. I was starting to think you were avoiding me,” Donny
says with a fake laugh.
“Nope, just laying low.” I turn my back on the house and stare out at the
calm waters in the distance.
“Well, you did good. It seems that maybe I was after the wrong Jagger
boy all this time.”
“I’m done now. You did me a favor, I came good on mine. It’s over.”
He chuckles, the sound making my blood run cold. “If you really
believe that, then you’re stupider than everyone thinks, Jagger. We’re just
getting started. I’ve got a job coming up for you. I’ll call you when it’s
ready. And, Cole? Answer your fucking phone. I’d hate to send Bruce out
again to finish off a Jagger. Properly, this time.”
My teeth grind and my lips purse. “I didn’t agree to this. You told me
one job, one job and you’d cut Ace loose.”
“Yeah well, you did such a good one that I changed my mind. That’s
what happens when you dance with the devil, boy.”
“You’re going to fucking regret this,” I seethe, my fingers tightening on
my cell until I worry it’s going to shatter.
 He laughs again, and it stirs up the darkness within me until it’s about to
erupt. “You’ve got a lot to learn, little one.”
“Fuck you, you condescending pri—” The beep from my cell alerts me
to the fact that he cut the call.
“Motherfucker,” I bellow into the silence around me. I tip my head back
and suck in a few deep breaths in the hope it’ll help calm me enough for
what I’ve got to do next.

“Ah, here he is,” Ellen sings as I wait for her to walk through the doorway
from the dining room, where she must be serving up tonight’s dinner.
I nod at her and her eyes soften in concern. It’s a look I don’t need or
want, but for some reason she never seems to get the message.
“I suggested they wait for you but…” I glance over her shoulder to find
my family already eating.
It makes me wonder if they’d even notice if I didn’t appear at all.
“Cole, get in here. We want to hear about tomorrow night’s game,”
James calls. Just the sound of his voice makes my blood begin to boil.
After everything, that asshole thinks he can suddenly just play Dad and
that we’ll all forget about the past, accept his big house and money and
move on with our lives?
It’s basically what Ace and Conner are doing, a little voice says.
I look at the two of them. Conner, unsurprisingly, is shoveling food into
his mouth at the speed of light. I have no idea if it’s because he’s always
hungry like he claims or if it’s just an ingrained thing from our childhood:
eat what’s in front of you because we have no idea when the next meal
might come.
Ace, on the other hand, eats much more slowly, seemingly more
interested in his girl sitting beside him than anything Ellen could have
dished up. As much as the sight of him all loved up makes me want to puke,
it’s also almost heartwarming, despite the fact that I don’t have one to warm
up.
Ace has had a hard few years. He willingly took on the responsibility of
making sure the three of us didn’t starve to death while our mother checked
out in favor of whatever high she could get her hands on.
 He didn’t need to do what he did—he certainly didn’t need to get
tangled up with the likes of Donny—but I understand why he felt it was his
only option. We are—were—Heighters. You want to earn decent money in
that hellhole, then there’s only a couple of places to get it, and Donny
Lopez is the one with the worst reputation and the highest prices.
Ace deserves all the happiness after all of that. It’s the reason I did that
deal with the devil to help get him cut loose. Donny was slowly sucking at
Ace’s soul; he was going to ruin any chance at happiness Ace had with
Remi, and I couldn’t sit back and watch it happen. I certainly couldn’t allow
Bruce, Donny’s right-hand man, to do what was asked of him that night.
The second Donny made the deal, I snapped his hand off. Anything to
protect my brother.
Besides, it didn’t matter if I sold my soul. I didn’t have one to begin
with. Although, that doesn’t mean I want to make it a regular thing with
Donny. I was more than happy for it to be a one-time thing like he
promised.
I should have known his word means absolutely fucking nothing.
“What are you waiting for?” James says, reminding me that I’m still
standing here, watching them.
I lift my foot; my need to go in the opposite direction and just leave
them to play happy family is strong, but when I move I find that it’s toward
the table and the vacant seat.
I sit silently as five sets of eyes drill into me.
“What?” I bark, unhappy with their undivided attention.
“We just want to know if you plan on smashing the Bulls tomorrow
night. They gave the Seahawks a hard game last season,” James says with a
reassuring pat on the hand from Remi’s mom, Sarah.
“I dunno, maybe.”
“Wow, that’s some real team spirit you got going on there, Son.”
“Don’t,” I snap, looking up into his shocked eyes. Mine narrow in
warning and he wisely shuts his mouth.
“Cole,” Ace warns, his voice deep as he stares at me.
I roll my eyes at the lot of them, accepting a plate of food from Ellen
when she reappears with it before faffing around, making sure everyone has
drinks.
It’s a fucking joke. All of it.
 I might be hungry after two long practice sessions today, but one
mouthful and I already know I can’t stomach it. Dropping my knife and
fork so that it clatters loudly against James’ best plates, I push my chair out
behind me and stand.
“Cole, what the hell are you doing?” Ace asks, his eyes wide, while
Conner stares at me in disbelief.
“You guys want to sit here pretending that all is right under this roof?
Then be my fucking guests.”
With a quick shove to the backrest of the chair I was sitting on, it
topples to the floor with a loud crash. It’s nowhere near what I need.
“Cole, wait,” a soft female voice says.
“Just leave him, Princess. There’s no point talking to him when he’s like
this.
When I’m like this? When I’m fucking like this? I’m always like this.
One wrong word or move and I’m losing my shit and causing damage that I
won’t ever be able to reverse.
I blow through the house, swiping a bottle of vodka from James’ cabinet
before making my way out to our car.
I’m flying down the driveway before I even know what I’m doing.
Before I turn, leaving the house and the people inside behind, I look in the
rearview mirror.
Standing on the steps to the house is Conner. The expression on his face
makes my chest hurt. I hate disappointing him, but it’s better he learned that
it’s all I’m capable of.
I’m sure if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t want anything to do with me
anyway. Just like Ace, he thinks he needs to protect me. They’re totally
unaware that they’re the ones who need protecting.
From me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Hadley

T he screech of tires has everyone looking over to where Conner and

Cole’s car skids into a parking bay.
“What the hell?” Remi mutters, taking off toward it. I follow, the
knot in my stomach tightening.
Cole climbs out of the car, eyes bloodshot, a cloud of weed clinging to
him. His uniform is disheveled and he looks like he didn’t get any sleep.
“Get back in the car right now and go home,” Remi hisses at him. "In
fact, no, you're not in any fit state to drive. Give me your keys."
If she’s trying to avoid a scene, she’s too late. Half the kids at school
have gathered to see what drama one of the Jagger brothers is causing now.
His eyes flick to mine and a wall slams up between us.
“Cole,” I say, stepping closer. “Remi is right. You should go before
Coach sees you like this.”
“Quit acting like you care, preppy.”
I rear back as if he’s slapped me and fold my arms around myself.
“You’re not going to cry, are you?” he mocks, his lip curled in disgust.
“Although I’m sure my brother or Hayden wouldn’t mind being your
shoulder to cry on. Maybe even both of them.”
“Cole, what the fuck has gotten into you?”
 “Leave it,” he warns Remi. “I’m late for practice.” He moves around
her, but she snags his wrist.
“Talk to me. I know things are messed up, but you can always—"
“I’m not my brother, Princess.” He practically spits the word at her as
he yanks his hand away. “I don’t need you. I don’t need any of you.”
Cole stalks off toward the building, and the other kids give him a wide
berth. He’s like a thunderstorm rolling through the place, angry and volatile
and not something you want to get caught up in.
“What was all that about?” I ask.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?” Her brow lifts. “What’s
going on with you and Cole, Hads?” The accusation in Remi’s voice guts
me. It’s like she knows we’re a disaster waiting to happen, and I hate that.
I hate that she’s written us off so easily.
“I...” The words teeter on the tip of my tongue because, the truth is, I
don’t know what me and Cole are.
“He’s in a bad place, Hads. I know you two have some weird thing
going on, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
She doesn’t realize that nothing Cole could do to me would be nearly
half as bad as everything I’ve already survived.
“I like him,” I confess. The second her expression falls, I know it was
the wrong thing to say.
“You can’t fix him, Hadley.” She lets out an exasperated breath. “Cole
is... even I don’t know what’s going on with him, and I live with him.”
I scoff at that. Remi and her mom have only lived with the Jaggers for a
few days, she’s hardly in a position to consider herself an expert. But she is
with Ace, and he is Cole’s brother. Surely, he of all people would
understand Cole?
Yet, I can’t help but think no one does.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, breaking the awkward silence. “Cole doesn’t
like me like that.” My eyes dart to the ground.
“Hey.” Remi lays her hand on my arm. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m
just worried.”
Lifting my gaze to hers, I force a smile. “You don’t need to worry about
me, I’ll be fine.” Just like I always am.
She exhales a little sigh, as if she knows I’m lying, but doesn’t push me
about it. “Come on,” she says. “We should get to class.”
There’s always a buzz in the air on game day, and today is no different.
Excitement and anticipation crackle as we move from class to class. It’s a
big deal for the Seahawks tonight against the Beaumont Bulls. Aaron
Garrick is filling Bexley Danforth’s spot as QB and captain. I like Aaron, he
isn’t as conceited and entitled as some of the other players. He’s a team
player and cares more about his teammates and friends than his own
reputation, which for the most of the trust fund kids of Sterling Prep is a
rarity.
I’m sitting in AP English when I hear a couple of girls whispering about
Cole.
“I heard Coach pulled him into his office and threatened to throw him
off the team if he doesn’t get it together.”
“Well he did show up hungover and high, what did he expect? Just
because he’s a Jagger, he thinks he can get away with murder.”
My spine goes rigid. She doesn’t know, she can’t, but the words rattle
around my skull like bricks.
Cole hasn’t admitted anything, but he also hasn’t denied it. Their uncle
Charlie wasn’t a good guy, I know that much from Remi. Not to mention
the fact that he tried to hurt Remi to get back at James and Ace.
Something tells me Charlie Jagger had whatever Cole did coming to
him... but it doesn’t change the fact that I think Cole killed him.
It should terrify me. It should make me run far, far away from Cole
Jagger and never look back.
It doesn’t.
If anything, it makes me more curious about the boy with a chip on his
shoulder and darkness in his soul. He pretends he doesn’t care, that no one
can thaw the ice around his heart, but if I’m right and he did kill Charlie, he
did it for a reason.
He did it for his family.
Cole can put up a wall and hide behind his barbed words and cruel
taunts, but it doesn’t change the fact that I see him. I see past the tattoos and
attitude and bad boy image.
And it only makes me want him more.
“Sloppy, girls,” Miss Jones yells across the gym. “Let’s go again.” The clap
of her hands jolts us into action as we move into formation.
“Coach is right. Your counts are off, your smiles are lacking, and a
couple of you need to lose at least five pounds by tonight.” Lylah Donovan
glares at us, lingering on me for a second longer than the others.
“I almost wish M was still here,” one of the girls whispers behind me.
I smother a chuckle. Lylah is no Michaela Fulton, but she’s still a vapid
bitch who demands nothing less than perfection and doesn’t care who she
treads on to get it. It’s been the same all week, her exerting her newfound
power over the rest of us.
I used to love cheer, the friendship and sense of belonging—not to
mention, the physical skill and dedication. But now, it’s just another thing I
tolerate.
“On three,” she barks, pacing back and forth. “One, two, three.”
We move through the routine with ease this time. I perform a perfect
back walkover round-off into a double back handspring before moving into
my base position ready for the flyers to do their thing.
“Better,” Coach says, approaching our formation. “Hadley, nice
handspring. Remember to keep those landings tight. Marissa, you looked a
little shaky up there,” she says to one of the flyers.
“Stomach cramps,” she admits.
“Get some Advil and see how you go. I want us game-ready by tonight,
you got it?”
“Yes, Coach,” we all murmur in unison.
“Lylah, take the cool down. I’ll be in my office.”
“Let’s go,” our leader yells.
We all fall into line, ready to stretch out our muscles.
“I heard the Bulls are itching for a fight tonight,” Tia says to no one in
particular. “My cousin knows a couple of their players and they want
retribution for last season.”
“Everyone knows the Seahawks will beat their ass,” another girl adds.
“Maybe, but we don’t have Bexley anymore. The guy was an asshole,
but his throwing arm was one of the best in the state.”
“Aaron is a decent player, and with Cole as his running back they could
be unstoppable.”
 “Yeah right.” Marissa snickers. “Have you seen the state of Cole today?
He’s hungover and high. I’m surprised Vager didn’t send him home.”
“Helps to have friends in high places, I guess.”
“My mom has already complained about them being allowed to attend,"
Tia adds. "Says they ‘tarnish the school’s reputation.’”
Blood roars between my ears as I listen to them talk about Cole and his
brothers, so full of judgement and condescension.
“Only makes them more appealing, if you ask me,” Marissa giggles. “I
wouldn’t mind taking Cole for a ride, if you know what I’m saying.”
“Quit it,” I blurt out, and the three of them stare at me like I’ve lost my
mind.
“What the hell is your problem?” Tia glowers at me.
“I’m trying to concentrate, and all I can hear is the three of you
gossiping.”
“Hadley.” Lylah’s voice cuts through the gym. “What's the problem?”
“Nothing,” I grumble, focusing on stretching out my calves.
“She’s so fucking weird.” Marissa doesn’t even bother trying to lower
her voice, but I let her jibes roll off me.
Because she has a point.
I’m not normal anymore.
Not by a long shot.

I straighten my ponytail and fix my blue and white bow. The cool fall
breeze whips around my cheer skirt, but it doesn’t faze me. When you’re a
cheerleader you get used to the short skirts and skintight outfits. My body is
curvy but lean, and I know my legs are my best feature.
“How about it, Blondie?” someone yells from across the field. “Me and
you after the game?” I turn to find a Bulls player cupping his junk for all to
see.
Gross.
A couple of the girls snicker. “Oh my God, Hadley, that’s Ben Trainor.
He’s so hot.”
“Not interested,” I say, brushing past them to go and grab a drink.
 I snatch up my bottle and take a big chug, letting my eyes drift over to
where the team is warming up. Cole stands out. I don’t know if it’s the
tether I feel in my stomach whenever he's around or just the fact that his
presence is so much more than the other guys. The tight white pants hug his
thick thighs, and the pads highlight his already broad shoulders. His face
guard hides his expression, but I don’t need to see his eyes to know what
he’s feeling. It swirls around him like a vortex.
As if he senses me, his head snaps up in my direction, but then Coach is
calling his team in for a pep talk and our connection simmers into nothing.
“It’s going to be a dog fight,” Lylah says, strutting up beside me.
“Excuse me?”
“Beaumont got word that Bexley is out and Aaron is in, which means
they’ll be all over him. He and Cole are going to have their work cut out for
them.”
I’ve never really cared much about the football team until now. I glance
back at them and search for Cole. He’s right there in the huddle, but on the
edge, as if he can’t quite throw himself fully into the fold.
I know how that feels. To be a part of something but still be on the
periphery.
“Okay, girls,” Miss Jones shouts over the noise of the crowd. “Let’s
show the crowd how it’s done.”
“Smiles on, stomachs in, and watch those landings,” Lylah hisses as she
moves ahead of us.
As the crowd grows quiet, ready for our big moment, I feel someone
watching me. I instantly find Cole—he’s sitting on the bench, head hung
low and shoulders hunched, and I realize, much to my disappointment, it
isn't him. No, whoever is watching me is behind me, across the field, where
the opposing team is gathered.
I poise my pom-poms, waiting for the opening beat. But the heated stare
never lets up.
And just as the music cuts in I swear I hear a voice yell, “You and me,
Blondie.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Cole

M y teeth grind as I listen to the asshole taunting her, but I refuse to

look up and show her that I know what’s going on. I saw her
reaction when he first called out to her; she’s not interested in a
prick like that.
She’s too good. Too pure.
So why does she seem so interested in you?
I shake that thought from my head as the music starts and try to focus
on the game ahead of us.
It’s a fucking miracle I’m even sitting here. When Coach dragged me
into his office not long after I turned up this morning, I thought he was
going to bench my ass. For some unknown reason though, he ignored the
stench of alcohol and weed that must have surrounded me like a fog and,
after ripping me a new one for my behavior, he passed me a very strong cup
of coffee and demanded that I sweat it out in the gym until I was sober
enough to go back to class.
I was grateful that he wasn’t sending me home. Not that I really feel like
I’ve got one. James’ house isn’t my home, and I don’t think it ever will be.
It’s just a pile of bricks and a roof that I’m forced to live in.
If I can keep it together enough to make it through the year and get a
football scholarship to a college, then I’ll be out of here at the first possible
opportunity. I don’t care where I go, I just know that I need to. I need to
start over where my name doesn’t cause everyone to judge me before
they’ve even met me. Somewhere people won’t know my tragic story
before I even get a chance to introduce myself. Somewhere I can just be
me. The quiet, dark, brooding asshole that I am.
The music booms around the stadium, and although I tell myself to keep
my eyes on the ground, I can’t help myself and my head lifts in the
direction of the cheerleaders. Or more so, one cheerleader in particular.
She does some elaborate somersault thing that makes my brows lift in
appreciation before she huddles with the others. I should probably be
watching the girls flying through the air, but I can’t take my eyes off her
legs. I bite down on the inside of my cheeks as I think about what it might
be like having them wrapped around my waist as I thrust inside her tight
little cunt.
My mouth waters as my cock swells. I have no doubt she’d let me. The
last two times I had my hands on her she’s been more than willing for more.
But that doesn’t mean I should take it. I might have warned her off Hayden,
but even a blind man could probably see that she’d be better off with him
than the likes of me.
It doesn’t mean I’m going to let him fucking have her, though.
“Get in here, ladies,” Coach yells over the booming crowd as the
cheerleaders bring their routine to a close.
He gives us his final speech about working as a team and fighting
together for the win we deserve before he sets us free.
“You ready for this?” Hayden asks, slapping me on the shoulder as we
head for our positions.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He gives me a hard stare, probably wondering, just like everyone else—
myself included—why I’ve been allowed to play tonight. I might be the
best running back we’ve got, and Coach might be desperate to win, but I
know there’s more to it. I just can’t figure out what it is.
The second I look up, I find the asshole who was shouting at Hadley,
the Bull’s number fifty-five, staring right at me.
I smile in return, which only makes him laugh. Naïve motherfucker.
We’re still locked in our stare-off when the whistle blows. I’m
distracted from his challenge as the game starts and we immediately take
the advantage. It’s a good start, but we all know there’s still a long way to
go.
Number fifty-five is surprisingly quiet as we play—not that I can say
the same about myself as I slam into him every chance I get for talking to
my girl like that.
My girl?
That thought makes me lose focus for the briefest of seconds, just long
enough for me not to see fifty-five decide it’s time to make his move.
His shoulder slams into me, sending me stumbling back. I manage to
catch myself before I fall on my ass. Taking a step forward, I stand chest to
chest with him, my teeth bared in anger.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” I spit.
“Oh, I am. Straight inside your cheerslut.”
“Fuck you,” I roar, and before I know what’s happening, I’ve taken him
to the ground.
The crowd erupts as I slam my fists into his stomach. “Keep your hands
and eyes off our girls, motherfucker.”
I’m oblivious to everything around me as I take out days worth of anger
on this asshole.
Hands grasp at me, but I shake them off so I can continue.
“For fuck’s sake, Jagger,” a familiar voice barks before two pairs of
hands grab my arms and refuse to let go until I’m dragged away from a
moaning number fifty-five.
My red haze lifts a little and I find Hayden on one arm and Aaron on the
other.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Aaron barks as Coach
makes his way over.
“Get your ass in the showers and cool off, Jagger. Wait for me in my
office.” His tone leaves no room for argument as I’m released and none too
gently shoved in the direction of the locker rooms.
Ripping my helmet off, I throw it at the wall as I enter. It clatters to the
ground, but it doesn't make me feel even the slightest bit better.
That motherfucker is going nowhere near Hadley. I’ll make fucking sure
of it.
Discarding my kit and pads on the floor, I march to the showers, hoping
that a cold blast of water will help to drag me from the dark cloud I’m
disappearing in faster than I know what to do with.
 I shouldn’t want Hadley, and I shouldn’t give a shit if anyone else does.
But I can’t stop myself.
My fists clench, my knuckles aching from the punches I managed to
land but equally hating that his helmet meant I didn’t get a chance to fuck
up his pretty boy face.
As I stand there with my face tipped up to the stream of water, the
sound of cheers from the stadium ring out around me. “Argh,” I bellow,
plowing my fist into the tiles in front of me over and over until I’ve coated
it red with my blood and some of the tension begins to leave my muscles.
Before the final whistle blows, I dry off and do as I’m told, taking a seat
in Coach’s office so I don’t have to look into my teammates’ eyes knowing
that I fucked up tonight.
I have no idea if they’ve won or lost, but I know if it’s the latter it’ll be
my fault. They were counting on me tonight and I let them all down. It
pisses me off that I care about that. I shouldn’t care about anything, let
alone the asshole guys on a team I never wanted to play for.
The sound of their shoes entering fills my ears, and I sink down in the
chair a second before the door flies open and Coach Miller storms in,
slamming the door loudly behind him.
“Start talking, Jagger.”
“Nothing to tell,” I mutter.
“Bullshit. I know you’re hot-headed, but you always have a reason,” he
says, as if he knows anything about me. He doesn't.
“Number fifty-five was saying some shit.”
“I don’t give a fuck, Cole. Let him say whatever the fuck he wants to
say. Let him curse you out, let him talk shit about everyone you care about.
It. Doesn't. Matter. He’s trying to rile you up, and it worked like a fucking
charm.”
“They won then, I take it,” I mutter.
“Listen, I know you’re going through a hard time. Finding out all that
stuff about your life, about your dad, it must be tough. But you—”
“You know?” I ask, gobsmacked.
“Yeah, I know everything about my boys, and that includes you. James
called me… warned me, should I say.”
“Great,” I scoff.
“Look, I know you’re angry. I get it. Having your world flipped upside
down is hard. But I need you to channel that anger into the game. Use it as
an advantage, not a way to sabotage your chance at a future.”
“I don’t need to tell you that you fucked up today. You know that
already, you’re a bright kid. But I need you to think seriously about this. If
football is what you want for your future, then you really need to consider
how you’re going to act going forward. Scouts aren’t going to be impressed
by you beating the shit out of your opponent.”
“Now, that’s enough from me. Tell me what’s going on in there.” His
chin lifts to me and I cross my arms over my chest.
If he thinks I’m going to talk about my feelings and shit, he needs to
think again.
The silence is heavy as we stare at each other, but there’s no way it’ll
break me.
The ruckus from the team on the other side of the door filters through,
and eventually, Coach caves.
“Fine. But if you ever change your mind. I’m right here.” He pushes his
chair out behind him and walks to the door. “I suggest you go and celebrate
with the rest of the team tonight. Blow off some steam. I want you to walk
back in here Monday morning with a fresh head on your shoulders.”
I nod at him, wondering if any of that is even a possibility, before he
slips from the room.
It’s long seconds after he’s left that his words hit me. Celebrate? We
won?
I stay where I am until the excitement from the locker room has died out
and I consider it safe to escape. I don’t intend on following Coach’s orders
and heading to our new captain’s house to party tonight. I don’t want to be
with people, especially those who’ll expect me to get involved when all I
want to do is hide and drown in my own misery and bullshit life.
However, those plans are shot to shit when I walk out of the office and
find two guys waiting for me.
“We thought you’d decided to move in there, Jag.”
I don’t respond. Instead I keep moving with the intentions of walking
straight past them. They have other ideas however and stand, blocking my
exit.
“Get out of my fucking way.”
“No fucking chance. We’ve got a party to attend.”
“Great, off you fucking go then.”
“Nah, man. Not without you.”
 I narrow my eyes at the two of them. What kind of game are they
playing?
“Grab your shit,” Hayden instructs.
“I’ve got a shit load of booze waiting and more pussy than you know
what to do with,” Aaron adds.
I refrain from pointing out that a few Sterling Prep sluts isn’t exactly
more pussy than I can handle after living in the Heights. Instead, the lure of
booze means I follow them out to the parking lot.
I’m glad I do, because one look around and I don’t see my car or
Conner or Ace anywhere, motherfuckers.
I don’t say anything as I climb in the back of Aaron’s car, but I keep my
eyes on both of them, trying to work out what they’re up to.
Not ten minutes later, we’re in a part of town I haven’t explored before
and pulling up to yet another fancy house with kids littering the yard.
I guess this is the Garrick house, then.
“Come on, I stashed the good stuff so the others wouldn’t find it.”
The party is already in full flow when we walk through the front door.
Heads turn our way, and kids high five Aaron and slap him on the shoulder
as he passes, celebrating his first win as Seahawk captain.
Disbelief covers more than a few faces when they notice that I’m
following, but thankfully, no one decides that now would be a good time to
try to talk to me. They all got a front row seat tonight of what happens if
you cross me.
We’re almost at the kitchen when a flash of blonde hair in the backyard
catches my eye. My steps falter as I try to get a better look at her. As if she
can feel my stare, she looks up and our eyes lock. Hers narrow in concern,
and it stirs something within me that she really doesn't want to awaken
tonight.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Hadley

E ven from my position across the yard, I can feel the anger rolling off
Cole. He’s in the kitchen with Hayden and Aaron, looking like a fish
out of water. I was surprised to see him arrive with them—surprised
he’s here at all after what happened at the game.
I don’t know what Ben Trainor said to push Cole’s buttons, but
whatever it was had unleashed the beast I know he fights to keep inside
every second of every day. Watching him beat the crap out of that
douchebag made me feel things… safe, protected. But I know it’s a
dangerous thing, letting my heart believe that a boy like Cole Jagger could
feel the same.
“Uh oh,” Tia says as we dance to the music. I’m already high, since
thankfully drug testing is reserved for football players only, and I have a
nice buzz from the sugary sweet drink one of the girls made for me.
“Looks like Marissa is making a play for Cole.”
My head whips over to where they’re standing beyond the patio doors.
Marissa is running her hands up his arm, her boobs spilling out of her
modified Seahawks tank top. Jealousy bubbles inside of me. He isn’t
encouraging her, standing there rigid and tense, but he isn’t pushing her
away either.
 And here was part of me wondering if he’d gotten into it with Ben
Trainor because he was jealous.
Stupid girl.
“Who stole your puppy?” Tia asks, flicking her perfectly curled hair off
her shoulder.
“Excuse me?”
“You look like someone died.”
“I’m fine.”
“So you weren’t watching Cole and Marissa just now?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I continue dancing to the
beat, loving the way the cool air flutters over my skin. It’s such a simple
thing, but I could stand out here all night, twirling around just to chase the
rush.
“Yeah, okay. So you won’t care that she just led him out of the kitchen. I
bet I know where they’re heading.” Her brows waggle and my stomach
sinks.
“I need another drink.”
“I bet you do.” Her knowing smirk has me on edge as I make my way
back toward the house. The last person I need figuring out there’s anything
between Cole and me is Tia.
The second I step into the kitchen, Hayden approaches. “Looking good,
Hads,” he says, letting his eyes linger on the curve of my chest a little too
long.
“Just looking for a refill,” I say, holding up my empty cup.
“Maybe you should take it easy,” he suggests.
“What are you, my dad?” It comes out more harshly than I intended,
and he flinches.
“I just care about you.”
“I know,” I whisper. Hayden has been a good friend, and I don’t want to
lose that, but I can’t give him what he wants either. “But it’s a party, I want
to relax.”
I want to get high or drunk or both. Because when I’m buzzed, when I
feel the trickle of liquor in my veins or burn of smoke in my lungs, it makes
it easier to forget.
It makes it easier to breathe.
“Just be careful, yeah?”
 Before I can answer, someone yells, “Fifty bucks says motormouth is
sucking Jagger like a champ. That oughtta shake some of that tension out of
him.”
“Excuse me.” I barge past Hayden, grab a bottle of the first thing I can
find, and take off deeper into the house. A few kids call out to me, but I
ignore them until I find Aaron’s downstairs bathroom. Locking the door, I
tear the cap off the bottle and take a long pull. The vodka burns, making my
eyes water, but I don’t stop, taking another big mouthful.
The thought of Cole with Marissa, a girl who would get on her knees for
any guy who looked her way, makes bile crawl up my throat.
It should be you.
The ridiculous words flash through my mind. I don’t want him to use
me the way most of the football players use girls, but I would rather him
take out all his frustration and anger on me than her.
I catch my reflection in the mirror. I look wild, cheeks flushed and eyes
blown. My blonde hair falls over my shoulders in soft waves and the blue
tank top I’m wearing hugs my curves. But it’s my expression that I notice
the most.
I look... sad.
“Ugh,” I scream, throwing the bottle at the wall. It shatters, clear liquid
sluicing down the Garricks’ fancy tiles.
Anger swells inside. Anger at being sent here, cast aside like I’m
nothing, anger at the knowledge Cole is somewhere upstairs with Marissa
fucking motormouth because he’s too much of a coward to admit there’s
something between us.
Without overthinking it, I storm out of the bathroom and dart upstairs,
taking two steps at a time. The place is like a mansion with at least six
bedrooms. The first two are occupied with half-naked bodies, writhing in
the dark. “Join in or fuck off,” the guy in the third bedroom barks.
I slam the door and approach the fourth bedroom. My heart is a
runaway train in my chest, pumping blood around my body so hard I can
barely hear a thing. I know, I just know he’s in there.
Wrapping my fingers around the handle, I inhale a deep breath and push
it open as quietly as possible. The room is steeped in darkness, but I find
him instantly. Cole is sitting on the edge of the bed, legs wide, Marissa on
her knees before him, fumbling with his jeans.
 “I’m going to make you feel so fucking good,” she purrs, the sound
grating on me. I smother a growl as blind rage hits me. I want to drag her
off him and throw her out of the room. But I’m paralyzed.
She slides her hands up his thighs, shaking her head to get the hair out
of her face.
Cole is as still as a statue, his eyes, two dark orbs. He buries a hand in
her hair and winds it around his fist, yanking her head back.
“Fuck, Cole, that hurt.”
“I thought you wanted to play?” His voice reverberates through me,
sending a shiver shooting down my spine.
“I’m not into anything rough.” Marissa licks her lips, completely
unaware of me standing there in the shadows. “But I’ll make you feel good,
I promise.”
I bristle at the desperation in her voice. She doesn’t want Cole because
she likes him, she wants him because he’s a football player, because having
him will boost her reputation. He’s a prize to her. A trophy.
And I hate it.
“Don’t just sit there then,” he growls. “Make me feel good.” I hear the
cruel taunt in his words, but if Marissa does, it doesn’t stop her from
yanking down his jeans, and grasping his cock in her perfectly manicured
fingers.
“Is that a... piercing?”
“Scared?” He fists her hair again, forcing her head down. She opens
willingly, letting her tongue run down his hard length.
I shouldn’t be here, watching. But I can’t stop, desire pulsing through
me.
Cole moans as she swallows him down, thrusting up into her mouth.
“Shit, Cole, take it easy,” she complains, and I smirk. Maybe Marissa
isn’t such a motormouth after all.
But my momentary smugness is short lived as she finds her flow and
Cole fucks her mouth. Hard, jerky movements that I feel all the way down
to my soul.
I can’t watch this. I shouldn’t be watching this. My hand reaches behind
me, searching for the door handle, as the room fills with his grunts of
pleasure. He looks so different. His head is thrown back, jaw slack and lips
parted.
God, he’s so beautiful.
 A tear slips from my eye as I slowly and quietly open the door. I’m
almost clear when I hear him grumble, “Fuck, Hadley, just like that.”
I freeze, my heart skipping a beat.
He didn’t just...
I stumble out of there and take off down the hall, finding solace in the
last bedroom. Dropping down on the bed, I inhale a ragged breath, forcing
myself to calm down.
Maybe I misheard him.
Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, and I only heard what I
wanted to hear.
Or maybe not.
And maybe Cole is letting Marissa get him off because he’s too much of
a coward to let me get close.
Damn you, Cole Jagger.
My head is foggy, my skin hot as the vodka floods my system. There is
something very wrong with me, I know that. It’s not normal to watch the
guy you’re crushing on get his dick sucked by another girl and feel desire
pulse through you. But I’m different now.
Irrevocably changed all thanks to my parents and their friends... and
him.
I immediately force those feelings down. If I let them in, they’ll drown
me, pull me under until I can no longer breathe.
I need to get out of here. Maybe Hayden will walk me back to the
dorms.
I move to leave the room, pulling the door open ready to return to the
party beneath us, but instead of an empty hallway I find Cole waiting for
me. Our eyes collide, his gaze dark and dangerous as he closes the space
between us.
We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, until eventually
Cole speaks.
“You think I didn’t know you were there, watching?”
“I didn’t....” Words fail me, but I steel myself and stand, meeting his
hard gaze. “Did you fuck her?”
“And if I did?” He stalks toward me, sliding his hand up my throat, his
thumb brushing over the spot where he likes to leave his mark.
“I hate you.” Tears of frustration spring from my eyes, anger churning
inside me.
 “Good,” he taunts. “You should hate me. I’ll destroy you, Hadley. I’ll
take every spec of light inside you and blot it out until there’s nothing left.”
“You think you’re the first big bad wolf I’ve ever had to deal with?” I
spit, straining against his hand. It makes his fingers tighten, forcing the air
from my lungs. But I don’t falter.
I need this.
We need this.
All the tension, the push and pull, it’s been leading to this point. I’m just
pissed it’s taken Marissa to get here.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” he asks, or sighs, the words as if
the very idea causes him torment.
“You want that? You want to spend your weekend getting your cock
sucked by girls like Marissa? Fucking girls who couldn’t give a crap about
you? Girls who couldn’t handle you?”
“And I suppose you think you can?” His lips curl with vicious intent.
I hesitate, narrowing my eyes. And then I say the two little words I
know could be the match to light the fuse. “Try me.”
“I just let another girl suck my dick, and you want me to fuck you? I’m
beginning to think you’re as twisted as me.” It isn’t a compliment, but his
acknowledgment that we’re the same, plants a seed of hope in my stomach.
“You moaned my name.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” He squeezes harder until I’m sure
he’ll leave bruises.
“You heard me.” I press my face as close to his as I can. “Right before I
left, you moaned my name. Why?”
“Just because I’m not going to touch, preppy, doesn’t mean I don’t want
to. Those cheer bitches don’t get me hard... but you, you’re something
else.” His gaze rakes over me as if he’s undressing me with his eyes.
“So I’ll just go downstairs and find Hayden then, yeah?”
His nostrils flare, anger glittering in his hooded gaze. “Don’t push me,
Hadley.”
“Or what?” I snarl the words, because fuck him. “You’ll go find another
cheerleader to help work off your tension? It should have been me, we both
know that. But if you want to keep pretending that this is nothing, then be
my guest. You might not want me, Cole, but there are other guys that do.”
“Hadley...” My name vibrates in his chest as his body trembles, but I’m
too pissed to stop. He’s dancing on a fine edge of control right now, and I
need him to fall.
I need everything he can unleash on me.
“I bet Hayden can get me off good, I bet he knows just how to make a
girl purr. I can imagine him, his fingers inside me, his—”
Cole slams me into the wall, the air whooshing from my lungs. His
chest heaves as his control finally slips away. “You want me to hurt you?”
he grits out. “Is that it? You get off on pain? Well, you asked for it, Hadley...
don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
His eyes turn black, and then he slams his mouth to mine.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Cole

H er lips part the moment my tongue teases them, allowing me entry. I

plunge it deep into her mouth, taking exactly what I need, exactly
what I shouldn’t allow myself to have.
I only went with Marissa for one reason. She could give me what I
want, what I need, without trying to get inside my head. At least, that’s
what I was telling myself at the time.
I shouldn’t have allowed her to do it, but I needed the release and I’d
told myself before even leaving the locker room to come here that I wasn’t
even going to look in Hadley’s direction. But I wasn’t intending on her
slipping inside that room to watch the show. The show where I closed my
eyes and pretended the girl on her knees was her.
I wasn’t lying a few minutes ago. The cheer squad do nothing for me.
They’re a bunch of rich, stuck-up bitches. Hadley, however, makes me need
like I’ve never experienced before.
Her taste, mixed with alcohol and weed, explodes in my mouth, feeding
the beast inside me that wants to consume her, break her, ruin her.
She knew bringing Hayden into this was a low blow, a dirty tactic in
this game we’re playing that would get her the result she wanted.
I hate that it worked. Almost as much as I love it.
 Finding the hem of her tank, I push my hand up until I grasp her breast.
She moans into my mouth as I continue my punishing kiss, gasping as I
pinch her hardened peak.
“God, Cole,” she pants. Her eyes are blown from both her high and her
pleasure, and fuck if I don’t almost fall head fucking first into them.
Leaning forward, my lips brush her ear. She shudders against me as my
breath skates down her neck. “I should do it right here. Strip you bare and
show the rest of the school that you’re just another cheerslut begging for a
taste of the big bad football player.”
“I fucking hate you,” she cries as I pinch her again, harder this time.
“And yet you’d let me, wouldn’t you? I could have you hanging over
the edge of that balcony with my cock buried deep inside you so that
everyone could see, and you wouldn’t stop me.”
The image has me rock hard, claiming her so publicly, showing the rest
of these assholes just who Hadley Rexford belongs to as I take her for the
first time.
At least by doing that, they’ll all be here to pick up the pieces of her left
behind when I inevitably walk away. Because if she has any ideas that
forcing me to do this will give her whatever fantasy of happily ever after
she might have in her pretty little head, then she’s very, very wrong.
“No,” she argues, but we both know she’s lying.
“No?” My hand slides down her stomach before dipping inside both her
skirt and panties to prove my point.
“Cole,” she gasps, but the second my fingers find her clit, her lips part
and a sigh falls from them.
“Oh preppy, there’s no point acting all innocent with me. Not when we
both know that I’ve been here before.”
Images of that night with Conner fill my mind before flashing back to a
few days ago with her writhing around on my bed, my fingers deep inside
her.
Fuck, I was so hard for her as she walked out of my bedroom. Calling
her back to me would have been so easy. But I had to keep my head. She’d
just turned up to ask me if I was a murderer. I can’t forget what she knows
and I need to do everything in my power to keep her fucking lips shut.
I push my fingers lower, finding her fucking drenched for me. “Oh
preppy, how does it feel to be wrong?”
“Fuck you,” she spits.
 Finding Hadley’s lips once more, I stop any more words falling from
her with my punishing kiss.
She complains when I pull my fingers from her panties before even
pushing inside her, but I need her away from prying eyes before I even
consider getting her off.
I might threaten to allow the rest of our class to watch, but fuck if I’m
going to let anyone see what’s about to happen between us tonight.
Having Conner in the room is one thing, but the rest of these assholes?
None of them deserve someone as pure and beautiful as Hadley—myself
included, but I’m way past denying myself. Not when she could follow
through on her threat and make use of any other motherfucker here. And
I’ve no doubt she would, just to spite me. It’s how this little game between
us works.
Dropping my hands to her ass, I lift her up the wall until her legs wrap
around my waist. My length connects with the heat of her pussy and she
gasps.
“You feel that, preppy? That’s my need to fuck that smart mouth right
off you. I’m going to fuck you so hard that you forget about anyone else’s
fucking name, let alone using them against me.”
“Yes,” she cries as I continue to grind against her.
“Fuck,” I bark, pulling her from the wall and marching us back into the
bedroom she’d just walked out of after watching someone else suck me off.
This is fucked-up. But then everything between us up until this point
has been, so why change it now?
I kick the door closed. The second it slams shut, I drop her to her feet
and pull her tank over her head. Her white lace bra taunts me, tells me she’s
too innocent for the likes of me, but I don’t let it stop me. My fingers work
the button on her skirt until I release it and allow the fabric to drop to her
ankles.
Eagerly, she kicks it away, quickly toeing off her sneakers and flicking
them across the room until she’s standing in just her bra and panties.
“Take it off,” I demand, my eyes boring into hers.
“W-what?”
“Take. If. Off.”
“But—”
“What, you thought I was going to unwrap you like a fucking Christmas
present? Let’s get one thing straight, Hadley.” My hand finds her throat
once more and she swallows hard the second I wrap my fingers around it.
“There’s no sweetness here, no tender romantic touches or promises. You
wanted me? Well, this is me, preppy. So take it or leave it.”
I release her, standing back, my arms held out from my sides as I wait
for her answer.
It would fucking kill me if she changed her mind now, but I’m not about
to let her see that.
“You’re a fucking asshole, Cole Jagger,” she says in a rush before
reaching behind her to unhook her bra and push her panties over her hips.
“Oh preppy, you’re going to need to try harder than that if you want to
offend me.”
Reaching behind my head, I pull my shirt off and drop it to the floor.
Her eyes immediately fall to my abs and she licks her lips. If she thinks
she’s going to get to touch, then she’s going to be bitterly disappointed.
Turning my back on her, I pull open the closet. I have no idea whose
room this is, and really, I don’t give a shit.
Wrapping my fingers around two silk ties, I pull them from their hanger
and allow them to weave through my fingers.
I know she’s watching my every move. My blood boils with her
attention.
Her eyes are wild as I come to stand in front of her once again. She’s
trying to figure me out, get one step ahead of me, but it’ll never work.
There’s no one out there that could possibly understand the fucked-up
darkness that’s inside me. No one.
“Cole, what are you—”
“The time for talking is over, preppy. You just need to do as you're
told.”
Her lips close like a good little girl, but I can see the defiance shining
bright in her eyes.
If she weren’t so desperate for what I can give her, then I think she
would do the exact opposite.
“Get on the bed.”
She stands stock still before me for a beat too long.
Lifting my hands, I push my palms against her shoulders and she goes
stumbling back before crawling onto the bed.
“Better. Open your legs.” She doesn’t hesitate this time. Instead, she
plants her feet against the mattress and parts her knees, showing me just
how slick she is for me.
“I think you’re enjoying this too much, preppy.”
“Do your worst, Jagger.”
Crawling between her legs, I lean over her body, taking one of her arms
with me. I wrap the soft silk ties around her slender wrist before tying it to
the bed. I repeat the action with the other until she’s totally at my mercy.
And then I stand from the bed, leaving her thrashing about and testing her
restraints.
I do two laps, watching her as anger fills her eyes and pulls at her
muscles.
“You know what I should do?” I ask.
“Just fucking get on with it?” she suggests. Her words amuse me far
more than I let on. She’s in no position to be making any demands, yet she
tries nonetheless.
“I should go and get Hayden. Show him want a dirty little slut the real
Hadley is. I could make him watch. Do you think he’d enjoy getting to see
the girl he wants ruined by me, knowing that he’d never be able to live up
to me? That he’d never be able to make you feel as good as I can?”
“Cole,” she growls, her thighs rubbing together.
“I said legs apart.”
“Sadistic bastard,” she mutters, and I can’t help but chuckle at her
attempt to insult me. “There’s something fucking wrong with you.”
“I think we both discovered that a long time ago.”
She growls in frustration once more.
“What do you want, preppy?”
“Is that a trick question?”
“Nope. I want to hear you say it.”
“Fine,” she huffs. “I want you to fuck me.”
“Just like that?”
“Yeah. That too much to ask? I thought you were man enough for the
job.”
I stop at the foot of the bed and run my eyes over her naked skin. She’s
so fucking beautiful, too fucking beautiful for the likes of me. That’s not
about to stop me, though.
Pressing her thighs as wide as they’ll go, my fingers dig into the soft
flesh of her thighs as I dive for her cunt. I lick up the length of her as her
familiar taste hits my tongue.
 “Fuck,” she cries, pulling at her restraints. Her hips leave the bed as
pleasure races through her. Tightening my grip on her to keep her still, my
fingers sink into her flesh deep enough to ensure she’ll find bruises
tomorrow. She’ll have no choice but to remember this and who she belongs
to.
“Cole,” she moans as I drop lower and circle her entrance, spearing my
tongue inside her. Her muscles tighten, trying to pull me deeper. Greedy
little bitch.
“Cole, please.”
“Please, what?” I ask against her, the vibration of my voice making her
back arch.
“Please… make me come.”
“Make you or let you?”
“Either, both. Please… Cole.”
I up my pressure and speed as I push a finger inside her. She’s so hot
and slick it makes my cock ache to be buried deep in her pussy.
“Yes, yes, yes, Cole,” she screams, but the second her body begins to
convulse I remove all contact.
“W-what the fuck?” Her eyes fly open, her dark green orbs full of anger
and frustration. “What the hell, Jagger?”
Pushing to my knees, my hands drop to my waistband. I pop the button
on my pants and push both them and my boxer briefs down over my ass.
“Cole,” she moans, her eyes locked on my length. “She wasn’t lying,”
she mutters quietly, taking in my piercing.
I take myself in hand and slowly move up and down as she watches.
“Now what do you want, preppy?”
“Y-you… inside me.”
“Are you on birth control?”
“Yes.”
I don’t respond. Instead I surge forward, finding her entrance and
stretching her open in one move until she’s full of me. My head falls back
as the sensation overwhelms me before I drop my chin and look deep into
her eyes.
“Oh shit, fuck. Cole.” Her back arches as she pulls harshly at her
bindings, trying to free herself.
“Pull as hard as you like. They won’t release you. You’re mine, Hadley.
Mine to do with as I wish for as long as I wish.”
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hadley

C ole pulls out of me before slamming back inside so hard I see stars.
The piercing in the tip of his cock drags against my walls, making
everything so much… more.
“Oh God...” I choke on the words as he rocks into me without mercy.
“Jesus, fuck, Hadley...” His fingers splay around my throat again as he
glares down at me, nipping my lips before kissing me. Hard. Deep. The
same way he fucks my body.
I’d forgotten how good this can feel, losing yourself to sensation, the
feeling of skin on skin.
“You’re so fucking tight.” Cole grips one of my thighs, spreading me
wider. It’s deeper, the tip of his cock bumping my cervix every time he
slams inside me. It shouldn’t feel so good... but it does. It’s dirty and messy
and exactly what I need to make me forget.
“Why do I want to ruin you so badly?” He murmurs the words against
my lips, tonguing my mouth. I can taste myself on him, taste the liquor on
his breath.
“Cole,” I cry, arching against him, desperate for him to reach that place
deep inside me where everything will disappear.
My family.
Him.
 The giant hole in my heart.
Cole’s eyes are black with lust as he works my body into a quivering
mess. I writhe beneath him, my hands straining against their restraints,
desperate to touch him. His tattoos come to life as his shoulders flex and
contract as he fucks me. Because there’s nothing romantic about this... it
isn’t us admitting our feelings. It’s an exorcism. A war of hearts that I know
I’ll lose. Because Cole might care about his family, he might even care
about me... but he doesn’t care enough.
Before I would have mistaken this for something else, the start of our
love story. But I’m not that girl anymore. I don’t speak in the language of
hearts and flowers and first dates, but this... this I understand.
“What happened to you, Hadley? Why are you like this?” Cole slows
his pace, grinding into me with measured restraint. We both groan, his
mouth hovering over mine as if he’s stealing the very air from my lungs.
I press my lips together in defiance. He wants my secrets, but he won’t
give me his.
It’s a game I refuse to play.
His gaze narrows, becoming even more sharp and deadly. But I see the
flash of curiosity there. Cole Jagger might be the devil in disguise, but he
still has a shred of humanity left.
“Answer the question, preppy.” His low growl vibrates all the way to
the pit of my stomach.
“Did you kill Charlie?” I blurt out.
Hissing with disapproval, Cole slams his lips to mine, kissing me with
the same ferocity as he drives into me, over and over, wrecking my body
until I’m sure it will break apart.
I should hate him.
Part of me does hate him.
But I also crave him.
I want to know what makes him tick, what caused the darkness that
lives inside him.
“Cole... stop,” I pant, as an intense wave of pleasure rolls through me.
“It’s too much...”
Suddenly, I’m worried that if I shatter, if I allow him to take this from
me—whatever it is—I’ll never get it back.
“Too late...” he taunts, licking my cheek, as he grabs my legs and forces
them around his hips. “We’re not done until you’re coming all over my
dick, screaming my name. I’m going to ruin you for any other guy, Hadley.
Hayden... My brother... Ben fucking Trainor... they don’t ever get to know
what this feels like. Ever.”
“God...” I breathe as the waves grow stronger, pulsing inside me like a
storm.
Cole dips his head, sucking and lapping at my breasts like a man
starved. His teeth clamp down around my nipple, sending a bolt of pain
shooting through me, but it quickly morphs to pleasure as he soothes it with
his tongue, and I shatter.
“Cole.... I’m... God...” The world grows small and then explodes into
bliss as my pussy clamps around him.
“Fuck, Hads... fuuuuck.”
My heart flutters at his use of my nickname as he jerks inside me.
But I stuff down the emotions.
He collapses on top of me, sweaty and spent. Reaching up, Cole
untangles my wrists and I let my arms fall to my sides, rolling the ache out
of my wrists.
The silence is deafening, neither of us sure what to say in the aftermath
of the best sex I’ve ever had—not that I have any recent experiences to
compare it to.
“Cole, I—”
“Don’t.” He rolls off me and sits up, leaving me cold. Dread snakes
through me that this was a mistake.
Of course it was a mistake. What did you expect?
Cole let Marissa suck him off and then he came and found me, and I let
him fuck me.
I practically provoked him into it.
Although I’m pretty certain he would have taken what he wanted with
or without my encouragement.
“So that’s it, huh?”
“What did you think would happen?” He glances over his shoulder at
me, eyes hard, stone mask firmly back in place.
Another shiver trickles down my spine. Cole looks at me like he doesn’t
know whether he’s going to kill me with his bare hands or fuck the air from
my lungs.
I guess we already did the second, which means I should probably get
out of here before he decides to up the ante.
 “Get dressed, Hadley,” he says with quiet resignation. Hearing him so
defeated does something to my chest, and I rub my breastbone
involuntarily.
“What really happened with Marissa, Cole?” I hate that I’m asking, but
I need to know what to expect when I see her.
“I didn’t fuck her. I didn’t even—” He stops himself. “Marissa is no
one.”
But am I? I want to ask, but I don’t. Because I know the answer. No
matter what this thing between us is, Cole won’t give in.
And I already trusted my heart to someone once before. I won’t do it
again. Not until they’ve earned it.
“I think we should have some space.” I say the words before I even
realize I’ve decided.
Cole snorts. “Now you want space?” He drags a hand over his jaw.
“Playing on the dark side not everything you thought it would be?”
I want to tell him it’s not that I’m scared of him, of being with him, but
that I’m scared of who I might become if I keep letting myself taste his
darkness.
I’d felt it just now, consuming me, devouring me. Being with Cole
doesn’t scare me. It breathes life into me.
And that’s a problem, if I want to survive the rest of senior year.
“You were right... this... us, it could destroy me. And I can’t risk that.”
Surprise registers on his face. “Yeah, it’s probably for the best. I’ll keep
your secret if you keep mine.”
“What secret?” I frown, because I haven’t revealed anything to him yet.
He levels me with an icy look and says, “You’re broken, Hadley. Just
like me.”

It’s Sunday afternoon when someone finally comes to check on me. After
the party, I’d cleaned myself up, gotten dressed, and walked out of there
without a backward glance.
I hadn’t been lying to Cole when I said we needed some space.
He made me reckless. Wild and free. And despite wanting to drown in
that feeling over and over, I knew it was a dangerous path we were treading.
So I withdrew.
I returned to my dorm room and spent the weekend watching movies
and binging on the candy stash I had locked away for emergencies.
And what better emergency than giving Cole Jagger a piece of my soul I
knew I’d never get back.
“Hadley, I know you’re in there.” Remi’s voice filters through the door.
Reluctantly, I clamber off my bed and pad over to it.
“Hey,” I say the second it swings open.
“What the hell, Hads? I’ve been going out of my damn mind.”
“I told you I was fine.”
“Which might as well be code for everything is not fine.” She frowns.
“Who do I need to hurt?”
I smile at that. Remi’s loyalty and friendship is one of the only good
things about being here. Back in Gravestone, I’d struggled to make friends.
Kids were always too intimidated by my family’s reputation. They either
kept a wide berth or tried to befriend me and use me as a stepping stone to
get to my parents.
It was nice to have a real friend. A girl friend I can trust and talk to,
unlike the shallow, fake girls on the squad.
“I just needed some space,” I admit, going back to my bed and flopping
down on it. “Twizzler?” Grabbing the pack, I throw it at her. Remi catches
it, pulling out a stick.
“How was the party?”
There’s a hint of suspicion in her voice, but I school my expression.
“It was fine. Same shit, different day.”
“So the fact that you’ve spent all weekend locked in your dorm room
has nothing to do with Marissa Farrow and Cole hooking up?”
“He said that?” I swallow the rush of emotion.
“Cole?” she balks. “No way. He’s barely said two words. But Marissa
posted a not so vague status on social media, going on about how she
bagged the most eligible player on the team.”
“Ugh,” I grumble, ignoring the cinch around my heart.
“So you knew?”
“I saw them looking cozy, yeah.”
“And that didn’t bother you?”
“If you want to ask me something, Remi, just spit it out.”
 She lets out a heavy sigh. “Did something happen between the two of
you? Because you’re here moping and Cole’s been like a bear with a sore
head all fucking weekend.”
“Cole and I have decided to keep our distance,” I say, choosing not to
tell her the truth.
It won’t do any good. Remi has warned me off Cole enough times, and I
don’t want to tarnish our friendship for no reason.
“Hads, come on, this is me,” she says, seeing past my ruse. “Just
because I’m with Ace and live with them, it doesn’t mean I’m not on your
side.”
“I know.” I force a smile. “You were right, it’s probably better I stay
away from him. It’s senior year and I need to focus on the future.”
If I want to be free of my parents, I need to secure a scholarship. I have
a trust fund that is mine once I graduate, but I want to be independent of
them.
I want to cut them out of my life the way they so easily cut me out of
theirs.
“Okay.” She eyes me with mild curiosity. “So long as you know you can
always talk to me. About anything.”
Remi doesn’t push for my story, she never does. Part of me wants to tell
her, to purge myself of the pain and heartache I carry inside me like a
cancer, but every time I go to say the words, they die on my tongue.
I’m not ready.
I might never be ready.
For now, I’ll keep my secrets close, letting them fester inside me,
poisoning my blood—my soul—with their toxicity.
Cole wasn’t wrong when he said I was broken.
I am; I’m full of jagged parts and missing pieces.
It's why I want to fix him. Because maybe if I can figure out how to fix
another lost soul...
I can figure out how to fix myself.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Cole

A fter swiping a couple of bottles from Aaron’s kitchen, I get the fuck
out of his house before I have to look at Hadley and see that broken,
haunted look in her eyes.
I know I’m partly to blame for putting it there, but I’m beginning to
learn that the darkness within her could run almost as deep as mine. She
needed that between us just as much as I did. She needed to hand her
pleasure, her pain, over to someone else so that she didn’t have to think
about it just for a few minutes.
The image of her writhing on the bed beneath me fills my mind, the heat
of her pussy as it sucked me deeper, the little noises she made as I pushed
her closer and closer to falling over the edge.
“Fuck,” I mutter, reaching down to rearrange myself in my pants.
I knew I made a mistake the second I allowed Marissa to lead me up the
stairs, but my need to forget about the world and the bullshit around me was
too much to deny. I figured I could let her blow me, imagine it was
someone else and everything would be fine. Not good, not earth shattering,
but fine. And I was right, because there was nothing exciting about being
alone in that room with Marissa until I felt Hadley join us.
To start with, I wondered if she really did want to join in, but I soon
learned it was her jealousy that forced her to stand there and watch as her
teammate wrapped her lips around my cock.
If she was any good, I might have let her continue, but seeing as she
sucked like a fucking dead fish, it wasn’t all that much of a disappointment
when I pushed her to the floor and stalked out of the room after someone I
knew would rock my world in a way Marissa would never be able to.
I have no idea where I am, but I don’t give a shit.
I shove one bottle in my pocket and twist the top off the other before
taking a huge mouthful. I don’t feel the burn. I’m too fucking numb.
Everything about the past few days has been fucked-up. It only seems
right that I continue it.
I have no idea how long I walk for, but the first bottle is long empty as I
stumble my way down onto the beach. Finding a secluded spot—not that
there’s any other fucker around anyway—I pull out the other bottle and
repeat my earlier actions.
I rest back against the sand dune and stare up at the star-filled sky above
me, wondering why I didn’t at least try to find some weed, or anything,
before leaving the Garricks’ house.
I blow out a breath and run the events of the past few weeks over in my
head.
My uncle is my fucking dad, and the man I thought was my dad… I
can’t even go there. It’s bad enough that Hadley keeps bringing it up,
questioning me about it. Why the fuck did she have to be there that night?

I don’t remember finishing the bottle, but the next thing I know, the sun is
burning my eyelids and warming my skin.
Dragging my eyes open, I blink against the bright morning sun and find
that I’m still clutching last night’s empty bottle like a fucking addict.
Pulling my arm back, I launch the fucking thing across the beach. I hate that
I’m becoming more and more reliant on it to get through my shitty life. I’ve
experienced firsthand what that poison does to people yet still, I can’t stay
away from it.
Maybe I’m just destined to go down the same road as her, or worse…
him.
 For years I’ve been forced to look at the same darkness every time I
stare at myself in the mirror. It’s one of the reasons I’ve found it hard to
accept that he was never our father in the first place. I know it’s true,
though. It’s true, and I’m just the black sheep with that cunt’s darkness
wrapped around my soul. Him and all the other assholes who thought they
could walk into our trailer over the years and take what they thought they
were owed.
I have no idea if the majority of them knew I was there or not. She
might have, but she sure didn’t care as she turned our trailer into a fucking
crack den with a revolving door.
It’s hard to forget the couple who did know I was there.
My stomach turns over as I remember their dirty faces, their harsh
words, their threats.
I should have been at school like all the other kids. I wanted to be, but
Ace refused to let me. He said I wasn’t well enough, that I was too weak. I
remember begging him to let me go with him and Conner, knowing that I
had a hell of a lot more energy for school than I did for the assholes I’d
have to endure that he knew nothing about—or if he did, he never let on.
My stomach turns once more and before I can control it, I throw up on
the sand beside me. The remainder of last night’s vodka burns in a way it
didn’t on the way down until my stomach is empty.
Pushing to my feet, I stumble down the beach until I find something I
recognize in the distance.
Surf’s.
It’s the place the team goes to almost every day after practice to do…
well, whatever it is they do. I was invited, but I think they soon got the
message that off the field, I wasn’t willing to spend time with any of them.
I’d much rather be alone in my room than listening to their lies and bullshit
as they try to convince themselves that they’re God’s gift to women and the
game. So what, their parents have money? It doesn't make them any better
than anyone else. Pricks.
I’m walking up the steps to the promenade, knowing the way home
from here even with my fuzzy head, when my cell rings. Pulling it from my
pocket, I find Donny’s name flashing on my screen. Not wanting to deal
with him, I reject the call.
I soon find that he’s not the only one who’s been trying to get a hold of
me because I’ve got missed calls and messages from Ace, Conner, and
Remi. It’s not unusual that I don’t sleep in my own bed at night, but this
seems a little extreme.
I wonder if they were at the party last night. If Hadley has told them
what happened with Marissa and then her and they just want to chew me
out for it.
Rolling my eyes at their need to stick their noses into my life, I go to
lock it and pocket it again, only Donny’s name once again flashes up.
Persistent cunt.
“What?” I bark.
“I’ve got a job for you.”
“Not interested.”
“You know that’s not how it works… defying me won’t end well for
you, Cole.”
I inhale a sharp breath.
Fucking great.
“What do you need?” I ask after a long pause, knowing it’s the only way
I’m going to get rid of him.
“I need you in the office in twenty.”
“Twenty? It takes longer than that to get to the Heights from here, let
alone your office.”
“Well, then, I suggest you get moving. This is time sensitive.”
I hang up, pocket my cell and pick up the pace a little. Not because he’s
waiting on me as such, but because I know he won’t bat an eyelid about
touching those I care about should I not do as I’m told.
This is what happens when you make a deal with the devil, that little
voice says in my head again.
The house is in silence when I eventually make my way up the drive
and pull my car keys from my pocket. I jump inside and floor it back the
way I came, needing to get this over with as soon as possible.
The Heights is the same as ever as I drive through the dark and rundown
town. The streets are littered with last night’s partiers in varying states of
dress and sobriety. I shake my head at the lot of them, wondering at what
point people decided this was a decent way to live their lives.
I might have spent the night drunk on the beach, but at least I kept to
myself. Whereas these lot are making it their sole intention to cause as
much trouble as possible.
 I watch as one group of guys throw a brick against a boarded-up liquor
store as they try to get inside to continue their party. There are times when it
feels like a million years ago that this was my life, yet other times, I can’t
help feeling like it’s where I belong. I’m no different to those guys. I break
the law often without batting an eyelid. Hell, I’ve probably done a hell of a
lot worse than they ever have. I push the memories down. The reminders of
my past don’t have any use to me now.
I’ve got a job to do, and then I’m going home to sleep until I’m forced
out of my bed.

The job was a simple delivery and nothing half as dramatic as Donny made
out on the phone.
He handed me a bag and an address and then I dropped it. Simple.
He told me not to look inside—as if he thought I had any fucking
interest—and I didn’t. I couldn’t give a fuck about his business. In an ideal
world, I’d want nothing to do with it, but this isn’t an ideal world. In order
to protect Ace, here I am, working for the devil himself.
Guilt twists my stomach as I think about what I’m hiding. Ace will kill
me with his bare hands when he learns that I’ve got myself tangled up in
that life, but there wasn’t any other way, and Donny made sure of that.
Men like him always get their own way, and this is no exception.
“Where the hell have you been?” Conner asks the second I get to the top
of the stairs that lead to our bedroom.
“Out.”
“No fucking shit, asshole.”
“We’ve been calling you.”
“I know. I was… busy.”
“Busy? Dipping your cock in Marissa again?” he asks, a smirk
appearing on his lips. “I didn’t think you were one for the hussy
cheerleaders.”
“Maybe last night was an exception,” I mutter, stalking toward my
room. “How do you know, anyway?”
“How do I know?” he asks, his eyes widening as if I can’t possibly be
asking that question.
 “Marissa’s been bragging about snagging the most eligible bachelor on
the team all over social media. Everyone at Sterling Prep knows she’s
already been through the team at least once, and you were the only one
left.”
“Fucking loud-mouthed bitch.” I continue forward, swinging my door
open and marching inside.
“You enjoyed it then?”
“Do yourself a favor, Con. Keep it in your pants when she’s around. Not
fucking worth the energy of unzipping your pants.”
His laughter rings out long after I slam the door in his face.
“Nice talking to you too, bro,” he calls, but I’m done with him. I’m
done with people in general.
Stripping down to my boxers, I crawl into my bed and almost instantly
fall asleep.

“Fucking hell, he is alive. Look,” Ace mocks on Sunday night when I invite
myself into his pool house.
“Fuck off.”
“Jeez, Marissa must have worked you over good and proper to have you
sleep away the weekend.”
“Can you stop talking about fucking Marissa? She’s no one. Not even
worth the effort of thinking about.”
“Jesus, what crawled up your ass and died?”
“Nothing. I’m just not in the mood.”
“You spoken to James?” Ace asks while Remi stares at me as if she can
see more than I’m allowing her to.
“No, why would I have spoken to that lying cunt?”
Ace’s eyes widen in shock. “He just wants to talk to you, try to clear the
air.”
“The air’s fucking clear as far as I can see. He’s a liar, and I want
nothing to do with him.”
“Cole…”
“No, don’t Cole me. I have nothing to say to him.” He’s the reason I am
the way I am, he’s the reason I saw the things I did, experienced the things I
did. All I’ve got to do is get through the next few months, then I’m fucking
out of here and away from him and the money he tries to buy us over with.
“Have you spoken to Hadley?” Remi asks, her soft voice immediately
changing the atmosphere in the room.
“What? No. Why would I have spoken to her? What the fuck is this,
twenty questions? I’ve been in my room all weekend. I haven’t seen or
spoken to anyone.”
Okay, so it’s not entirely true, but like fuck am I telling them that.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hadley

I stare at the message, unblinking and paralyzed.

No.
It can’t be.
He isn’t supposed to contact me, that’s what the agreement said.
The contract.
A shudder rolls through me, but a bitter laugh spills from my lips.
It’s ironic that two days after I finally choose to let another person
inside me, when I finally push past all of the pain and self-loathing and
emptiness and let myself forget... he texts me.
Timothy Davenport.
Just seeing his name in the chat box sends my heart into a tailspin. Not
because I want him still, I don’t... but because our lives are still inextricably
linked.
As long as I remember what happened—and I’ll never forget—I’ll
never truly be free of Tim.
Yet, Cole makes me feel free. He makes me feel like it’s okay to have
this darkness inside me.
He makes me feel like me again.
Not the tainted version; not the version ostracized for loving the wrong
person or making mistakes.
 I blink, tears dripping onto the phone screen. Wiping them away, I
inhale a thin breath and read the message again.

Hi, how are you?

Four little words that shouldn’t affect me so much. But they do. They
reach inside me and grasp my heart in a vise of agony.
I don’t reply.
I can’t.
But the message displays that little green tick that lets him I know I’ve
seen it.
Dammit.
And damn him.
It’s been more than two years since I last saw or spoke to Tim. After
everything happened, my family all but locked me in my room until it was
time to ship me here. He wasn’t allowed to call or visit, and he shouldn’t be
texting me now.
My finger hovers over the trash can symbol. I should just do it. I should
delete the four little words that hold so much power over me and then block
him on social media.
But those four little words don’t only wreck me, they reignite something
I thought I’d lost.
Hope.
No, Hadley, this isn’t a reconciliation. It will never be that.
I hit delete and shove my cell in my blazer pocket. If I don’t hurry, I’ll
be late to practice and then Miss Jones will be on my back, digging where I
don’t need her to be digging.
Steeling myself, I dab my eyes one more time before hitching my bag
up my shoulder and taking off toward the main cluster of buildings.
There’s a chill in the air, a reminder that the balmy fall days are giving
way to the crisper days of winter. I love the sun, the heat on my skin, the
sand beneath my toes, but there’s something about winter. The milder,
usually wetter days resonate with something inside me.
By the time I reach the girls’ locker room, most of the squad are already
changed out of their uniform. Lylah is holding court, a harem of girls
hanging on her every word. Her eyes snap to mine and she glowers. “You’re
late.”
 Rolling my eyes, I throw my bag onto the bench and begin stripping out
of my clothes. She continues her story, but I’m too zoned out to listen, still
playing Tim’s message over and over in my head.
Why now?
After all this time?
Their dulcet tones blend into white noise until a name catches my
attention.
Cole.
“Come on M, you can tell us what happened,” Lylah teases, but it isn’t
playful. It’s vicious in intent. “Did you ride Jagger like the slut we all know
you are?”
My blood boils, and my fingers tighten around the Seahawk
emblazoned tank top in my hand.
“You’re just jealous, Ly,” Marissa shoots back.
I can’t resist peeking over them. Marissa wears a knowing smirk, and I
want nothing more than to storm over there and slap it right off her pretty
face.
“Well, yeah. That boy is fine, and something tells me he’s bad. Oh, so
bad.” Lylah’s eyes flare with lust.
God, they talk about him like he’s a piece of meat. It makes me sick.
“Give us something... anything...” Lylah pouts.
“Okay, okay, fine.” Marissa beckons them closer, and all I catch of her
whispered words is, “piercing.”
Their eyes widen with surprise and they fall about in a fit of giggles.
“Lucky bitch,” Lylah grumbles, her words drenched in jealousy.
“I’m hoping for round two,” Marissa says. “We have unfinished
business, if you know what I’m saying.”
I think I’m going to puke.
A storm wells inside me, stealing the air from my lungs.
I hate that she’s talking about Cole like that, intimately and with
ownership.
But most of all, I hate that there’s some truth to her story.
Damn you, Cole Jagger.
It only reaffirms my decision to put some space between us. I’m already
in over my head, and now I know how good he feels moving above me,
inside me, I want more.
I want everything.
 But I can’t lose myself to a boy.
Not again.
Not when it ended so badly the first time.
And Cole has the power to destroy me. I felt it the first time he kissed
me, and he confirmed it when he slammed inside me and fucked me until I
was a boneless, breathless mess.
“Hadley?” someone hisses, and my head whips around to find Lylah
glaring at me. “I said are you almost done? We’re waiting.”
“Yeah... I... I’ll be right there.”
“God, she’s a fucking weirdo.” She marches out of the locker room with
the rest of the girls following her.
No one stops to ask how I am.
No one lingers to wait.
Because to them, I am no one.
But I’d rather be no one than one of them.

The week doesn’t get much better.

I avoid Cole—not that it takes much effort, given the fact that he barely
looks twice at me. And I avoid every message Tim sends me, and there are
a lot.
Eight in total. Each more desperate than the one before.

Please, Hadley, I just want to talk.

Hadley, I know you’ve read my messages. I’m not asking for anything,
just a reply. Please.

And my personal favorite.

I miss you.

I need to block him. I should have done it the first time his name
popped up in my chat box. But I can’t do it. Instead, I punish myself with
his words, his confession. I lie in my dorm room every night, obsessing
over every single word, wondering what he’s thinking, what he’s doing.
And I sink further into the dark waters surrounding me.
I can’t help it.
By the time Monday rolls around, I’m hardly surprised to find Remi
waiting for me as I leave the dorm building.
“We need to talk,” she says, leveling me with a hard look.
“I’m fine.” The lie rolls off my tongue as I take off toward the school.
She falls into step beside me, grabbing my arm.
“Just wait a second, okay?”
With a small sigh, I stop and turn to meet her conflicted gaze. “I’m—”
“Fine, yeah, I got it. Except I know you, Hadley, and something is going
on. I know I said I wouldn’t push, but I’m worried. This isn’t like you.”
“I just have some stuff going on.”
“You can tell me, I won’t judge. Whatever it is, I’ll keep it between us.”
“I...” I could tell her about Tim at least. But I’m scared if I unlock that
box I will never be able to close it again.
Seeing his name, reading his words… it was muddying my mind. I was
back in sophomore year, just a girl head over in heels in love with a boy. A
girl who didn’t realize that her world was about to be obliterated in the
worst possible way.
Emotion rushes up my throat, making my eyes sting.
“Hadley, please...”
I clutch my stomach, a wave of nausea crashing over me.
“I’m not feeling so well. I’ll call you later.” I slip around her and hurry
back toward the building. A couple of girls eye me as I brush past them,
racing to my room. I just manage to get inside and into the bathroom as my
breakfast makes a reappearance.
Sinking to my knees, I hug the toilet bowl.
When there’s nothing left to purge, I grab a towel and wipe my face.
Sweat coats my skin and my stomach vibrates with pain.
Anger wells inside me.
Two years.
Two years, I’ve had this under control.
Without thinking, I dig my cell phone out of my pocket and pull up the
chat box. My fingers fly across the screen.
Do not message me again.

I hit send, and before he can reply, I open his profile and find the block
option.
The relief is instant, even if the ache in my chest is still there.
Over time, that will disappear, like it did before.
My phone vibrates and panic floods me, but it quickly melts away when
I see Remi’s name

Remi: Are you okay? And please don’t say you’re fine... I’m not an
idiot. I know there’s something going on with you.

Me: I think I have a stomach flu. I’m going to stay in bed and try and
sleep it off.

Remi: And the other thing...

Me: I don’t want to talk about it, not yet. But l’ll be okay, I promise.
And thank you... you’re a good friend, Remi.

I switch my cell off and clamber to my feet. After brushing my teeth

and washing my face, I strip out of my uniform and pull on an oversized
Seahawks t-shirt and crawl into bed.
If I was normal, if I had a family who loved me, I would text my mom
and tell her I felt sick. She’d reply with some words of love and
encouragement and a stern reminder to look after myself.
But I’m not normal, and I don’t have a family anymore.
Tears prick my eyes, but I don’t fight them this time. I let them fall, let
them consume me until I’m crying fat, ugly sobs.
I cry for what I’ve lost.
For what I could have had.
For what I’ll never have.
I cry for Tim and Cole and myself.
I cry until there are no tears left.
Then I drift into a fitful sleep, hoping that peace will find me.
The next morning, I feel ready to brush myself off and focus on the things I
can control.
But the universe isn’t done playing with me, because the first person I
bump into on my way to first period is Cole.
“Fuck,” he grunts as my elbows catches his stomach.
“Crap, I’m sorry.” I crane my neck to look at him.
His eyes narrow, the constant storm within them swirling dangerously.
He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t say anything. We both just stand there, the air
crackling around us.
“Are you ready?” I blurt out, desperate to break the tension.
Cole frowns.
“For the game on Friday, I mean?” My tongue darts out to wet my lips,
and his eyes fall to my mouth.
“Yeah, I guess.” He drags a hand over his jaw, still watching my lips. Is
he imagining kissing me, like I am?
Heat pools deep in my stomach as memories of our night together flood
my mind.
I smother a whimper. He’s too close, too… too everything.
“I should go,” I say, going to move around him.
“Wait.” He side steps, blocking my escape. “You okay?”
Am I?
“I’m fine.” The squeak to my voice betrays me.
“Remi said you’ve been...” He trails off.
“I just had some stuff going on, but I’m fine now.”
The crease in his brows deepens, but he doesn’t reply. Instead, he gives
me a small nod.
“I’ll see you around, Cole.” I force myself to move this time. Because if
I don’t, I’ll say something I can’t take back, do something I can’t undo.
I keep walking, resisting the urge to glance back. To meet his piercing
stare as he watches me walk away.
And he does.
I feel his murky eyes on me the entire time.
Watching me.
Stalking me.
Tracking me.
Cole is a predator.
But I’m not sure I’m strong enough to be his prey.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cole

“W hat have you got for me?” I ask Christian as I close the door to
the IT room he’s currently alone in.
He turns away from the screen he was staring at, and I swear
he’s about a second away from shitting his pants as I take a step toward
him.
“I... uh… shit,” he mutters under his breath.
“Spit it out. Have you got what I need or not?”
“N-no.”
“No? I didn’t pay you to say no.”
“I-I couldn’t find anything. Her transfer files are all blacked out. I can’t
get around it.”
“Fuck,” I bark, running my fingers through my hair.
As the days have gone on, I’ve watched Hadley from a distance get
sadder and sadder. Usually, I wouldn’t notice anyone else's mood bar my
own dark one, but there’s something different about her and seeing her
obviously hurting does something to me. Something I don’t want to accept
or acknowledge, but fuck, I can’t get rid of it.
“Did you find anything?”
“Nothing that you couldn’t find yourself from a quick Google search.”
 “Brilliant. Well, you were a fucking waste of time then.” I’d asked
Christian, seeing as he’s clearly willing to break the rules.
He helped Ace and I cover up a little prank a few weeks back. We’d tied
Bexley to the volleyball post and gotten Christian to circulate it around
social media without any trace back to us. He was also the one who
hijacked the homecoming video for Ace, the night he finally knocked
Sterling Prep’s Queen Bee off her pedestal. Although Ace still denies all
knowledge. He might have convinced Vager and anyone else who’s asked,
but Conner and I know him almost better than he knows himself.
“I tried, I really did, but someone really wants to keep whatever it is
hidden.” The panicked expression on his face amuses me. It’s like he’s
actually scared for his life.
Part of me wants to scare him more, but I don’t really have the energy to
make an IT nerd wet himself during third period.
“I appreciate it,” I say before spinning and leaving him to do his thing.
Instead of heading to my class late, I turn toward the library. It seems
I’ve got more of my own research to do.
I find a quiet corner and pull my cell from my pocket. I type the same
thing into the search bar that I have been all week.
Hadley Dove Rexford.
I’ve been digging for days, but all I’ve managed to unearth is what
everyone already knows. She’s from a wealthy family in Gravestone
County and she’s an only child. Image search shows them as the perfect
family at events, flashing their wealth around with their designer clothes.
There are a few others that regularly appear in images—family friends, I
guess, but there’s one guy who makes me suspicious. There’s only one
interesting fact I’ve managed to dig up, one which I intend to ask her about
very soon.
I open everything I can, but nothing I find screams scandal or secrets
and it makes me even more curious about what Hadley is hiding.
Now I’ve had a taste of her darkness, she can bet that I’m going to keep
digging until I unearth the truth. She knows mine, so I figure that it’s only
fair I know everything there is to know about her.
The rest of the day passes as any other this week. Hadley ignores me
whenever we pass in the hallway despite the fact that I know she’s watching
me out of the corner of her eye. She avoids all of us at lunch, and just like
every other day, I see the concern on Remi’s face for her best friend.
By the time I’m in the locker room that evening, listening to Coach’s
pep talk to hype us up for the game ahead, I’m about ready to admit that I
miss her in some fucked-up way.
We lost our away game last week, putting our chances at the
championship at risk. I can see the pressure and tension pulling at everyone
around me. They’re desperate to prove that we don’t need Bexley to lead
this team to victory, and as much as I don’t want to give the prick the
satisfaction, I can’t help but wonder if his throwing arm was the best thing
about this team. He might have been a smug fucker, but he was a skilled
one at that.
As ever, Coach’s pep talk is like water off a duck’s back. The others
latch onto his every word like he’s God or some shit. I’m too focused on the
game ahead, or more so my plans for the party tonight to pay any attention.
It’s not until a roar of excitement sounds out around me that I attempt to
look like I’m with them.
We run out onto the field while the girls shake their pom-poms for the
crowd. My eyes zero in on one of them, but even out here tonight, she’s not
her usual self. Her happy, preppy façade is long gone.
By half time the crowd is going crazy with the advantage we’ve
managed to pull back after initially being down.
The cheerleaders are almost at the end of their routine when something
goes wrong. I have no idea what it was, but it’s clear that it was Hadley’s
fault. Lylah, Tia and fucking motormouth Marissa immediately turn on her.
The looks on their faces might break a weaker member of the squad, but not
Hadley. I watch as her shoulders widen as she holds her own against the trio
of bitches.
Pride swells within me as I continue watching her stand up for herself.
“You hoping for a repeat tonight, man?” Aaron asks when he sees what,
or who, is holding my attention.
“Erm…I don’t know what—”
“Marissa, man. Word has it that she sucks like a fucking vacuum
cleaner. I’ve also heard that she’s not finished with you.”
 I groan. It’s not the first time I’ve heard similar words since the party at
his house. I’ve even heard it from Marissa more than once. She seems to
think that since she’s had a taste of my cock she now owns me or some shit.
It’s my own fault, I know that. I shouldn’t have broken my rule about
giving into a cheerslut, but I did, and now she’s stalking me, offering herself
up to me as my punishment.
“Nah, I’m done with her. She’s all yours if you want her.”
He blows out a breath. “Might as well, seeing as Hayden’s already
marked Hadley as his.”
My chest puffs out, ready to fight at his words.
“Has he?” I ask, calmer than I feel.
“Yeah, he’s been hard for her since she transferred. Thinks it’s only time
until she realizes what’s in front of her.”
“That right?”
“I don’t know, man. Just telling you what I hear.”
I want to ask him more, but our time comes to an end, and before I
know it, Hadley has disappeared from the field entirely as the game restarts.
We lose our advantage and almost lost the entire game, no thanks to my
ruined focus. I hate myself for it, but my eyes keep drifting to where she
should be to see if she’s returned.
“Get your head in the game, Jagger,” Coach calls minutes before the
final whistle blows.
Thankfully we make our last play and manage to scrape by for the win,
but it’s by the skin of our teeth.
“Sloppy, girls. Very fucking sloppy,” Coach chastises once we’re back
inside the locker room.
Not interested in having a dressing down from him, I rip my kit off and
head for the showers.
“What’s the matter, Jagger? Too good to hear what your coach has to
say about your piss poor performance tonight?”
“I know exactly how I performed. I don’t need you telling me about it,”
I mutter, walking away from him and blasting myself with cold water.
By the time the rest of the team join me to clean up for tonight’s party,
I’m done and ready to get the hell out of this place. I drag on some clean
clothes and head for the door before Coach drags me into his office to rip
me a new one.
 There’s only one person I want to talk to tonight, and she’s the one
who’s going to be giving the answers, not me.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter when I pull the door open and find none other
than Marissa waiting for me, still in her cheer uniform with her foot
propped up against the wall behind her.
“Cole, wait up,” she calls when I turn and walk away from her.
Any girl with an inch of self-respect would take that as a hint. Not
Marissa.
“Are you heading to Hayden’s party? I thought we could ride together.
Maybe make a pit stop on the way, if you know what I mean.” I jerk away
from her when she slips her hand under my shirt.
“Get your hands off me, Marissa.”
“But I thought—”
“You didn’t think, that’s the problem. I pushed you away, or have you
already forgotten?” I ask, walking faster to get away from her.
“No, I just though—”
“A bit of advice… Stop thinking,” I bark over my shoulder before
digging my car keys from my pocket and dropping down into the driver's
seat.
Yeah, I’m going to the party, but like fuck am I going anywhere with
her.
I slam the car into drive and take off before she can ‘think’ again and
come chasing after me.
Hayden’s house is already full, despite the fact that the team aren’t even
here yet.
The second I walk inside, a sea of blue and white fills my vision as I set
out on my mission to find the one girl I do want.
“You got here quick,” Remi says when she spots me.
“I wasn’t in the mood for an ass kicking.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” she argues.
I lift my brows. She’ll happily admit that she knows fuck all about
football, so I don’t expect her to understand just how bad my performance
was tonight.
“Where’s Hadley?” I ask, much to her surprise.
“Um…” She hesitates as if she doesn’t want me to know. “I don’t think
she came.”
“So where is she?”
 “I don’t know. At her dorm? Why?”
“No reason.”
I spin away from her, ready to go and search her out even if it means
going to her dorm.
“Cole.” Remi’s warm hand wraps around my forearms and immediately
stops me. “Please, don’t hurt her.”
A wicked smile pulls at my lips. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Princess.” I
wink before pulling my arms from her grasp and heading for the door
almost as fast as I entered.
I make a pit stop at the store before parking by the school dorms and
heading around the back, just like Hadley showed me so no one knows I
was ever here.
The hallways are empty, exactly as I expected. It’s Friday night; if
they’re not at Hayden’s party then I’m sure they’re at another somewhere.
Coming to a stop outside her door, I lift my hand and rap my knuckles
against it.
There’s a rustling inside but no response.
I knock again, hoping that she’s not going to make me go to any
extremes like breaking into the administration office to steal a key.
“Hadley,” I warn, my voice low.
“Cole?”
“Open the fucking door, Hads. Don’t make me break it down.”
“You wouldn't.”
“You sound awfully sure about that. Care to keep hiding and test it out?
I’m sure Mommy and Daddy would love to receive that bill.”
The mention of her parents gets her moving and tells me a lot about her
secrets.
“What do you want?” she snaps, holding the door open no more than
two inches and peeking through the gap.
“Not to hang out in your hallway, that’s for fucking sure.” I press my
palm to the wood and push it open. She has no choice but to stand back and
allow me to walk inside.
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be celebrating your win and
getting sucked off by some cheerslut?”
“Careful there, Hads. I’ll start thinking you’re jealous of them soon.”
I turn on her and she immediately backs up against the door she’s just
closed.
 “I’ll never be jealous of them.”
“Good, they’re not worth it. What did Lylah say to you tonight?” I ask,
thinking back to their argument.
“Nothing worth repeating.”
I study her for a few seconds, taking in her oversized Seahawks hoodie
and long, bare legs.
“You wearing anything under that?”
“If you came her for a quick fuck, you can think again.”
“I actually came for more than that, but now that you mention it...”
Her lips purse in frustration.
“What. Do. You. Want. Cole?” she spits. She tries to look angry, scary
even, but all it does it make her even more attractive. Her fire calls to the
frozen parts deep within me.
“Party for two?” I say, holding up the bottle of vodka and the large
packet of Twizzlers in my hand.
She glances at them. Her lips part, I’m assuming to tell me to go to hell,
but then she changes her mind.
“Only because you brought Twizzlers.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Hadley

C ole is in my dorm room.

Again.
I’d almost ignored him, but then he’d mentioned my parents and I
knew... I knew he was here for some reason other than the party for two
he’d suggested.
“Make yourself comfortable,” I grumble, watching with disbelief as he
drops onto my bed and kicks off his sneakers.
He doesn’t bother asking for a glass, just uncaps the vodka and drinks it
straight from the bottle. Barely flinching after two long pulls, he offers it to
me.
I hesitate, because getting drunk with Cole is probably the worst idea I
can think of. But he’s here, in my room, with a knowing look in his eyes
that has butterflies flapping in my stomach.
A couple of swigs to take the edge off won’t hurt.
I snag the bottle from his hands and our fingers brush, sending shivers
up my spine. He frowns, his dark gaze fixed on where our skin touches. I
snatch my hand away and bring the bottle to my lips. The liquor burns,
making my eyes water and stomach tense, but I don’t complain.
“What are you really doing here?” I ask him again, hoping that I’m
wrong about my suspicions.
 “I found out something interesting today.” He opens the packet of
Twizzlers and pulls one free, teasing his lips with it. For a split second, I’m
jealous. I’m jealous of a stick of candy being so close to his sinful, delicious
lips.
You’re pathetic.
“You did? That’s... nice.”
“I thought so too, Hadley Dove Rexford.”
My brows crinkle. It’s not scandalous that he’s learned my middle
name, but it is odd since I’ve never told a soul about it.
But before I can ask how he knows, Cole climbs off the bed and prowls
toward me. “What are you hiding, Little Dove?”
My eyes screw tight as I inhale a sharp breath.
Dove.
Tim used to call me that.
“And here I thought you were different,” he says in a low voice. “But
you’re just like all the rest of them. Daughter of a wealthy businessman,
heir to an empire. I should have known you were—”
“Don’t.” The word rips from my lungs. “You don’t know the first thing
about me.”
Cole’s eyes narrow, glistening with suspicion. “I know you’re hiding
something. Your transfer file is sealed.”
“You stole my transfer papers?” I gawk at him.
“I didn’t steal anything. I paid some tech geek to hack the school
database.” Cole sucks the end of the Twizzler with slow, meticulous
precision before biting the end off.
“Why?” I swallow, my throat dry.
It’s not the important question here, but I need to know why Cole went
to such lengths when we’ve barely said two words to each other over the
last few weeks.
Now he’s too close. To me... to the truth.
This is bad.
So fucking bad I can hardly breathe.
He teases the stick of strawberry candy against my thinned lips. “Tell
me your secrets, Little Dove.”
“Cole...” My voice wavers.
“You should have graduated last year. Why didn’t you?”
Fuck.
 Fuck.
Fuck.
I curl my hand, pressing my nails into my palm, trying to appease my
racing heart. “Cole, please don’t do this.” Tears spring from my eyes.
“I won’t ask again, Hadley.” The air thickens with his anger.
He’s angry at me?
But I didn’t lie.
He knows me... he knows the girl I am now.
I lift my chin in defiance. Cole might be looking at me like he’s one
second away from forcing the truth out of me, but it will be nothing to the
way he looks at me if he discovers the truth.
I need to distract him, flip the tables somehow.
Steeling my spine, I reach for him, curling my fingers into the
waistband of his jeans. “Did you really come here to unearth my secrets, or
did you come here for something else?” Batting my eyelashes, I gaze at him
with reverence.
“Your attempt at distracting me, won’t work, Little Dove.” He growls
the words, but I can see his thin rope of control fraying as I dip my fingers
under his t-shirt and meet warm skin.
Cole hisses as I paint circles on his stomach. “You’re playing a
dangerous game,” he warns, but it’s coated in lust.
“Or maybe I’m playing exactly the game you hoped I would.”
I push myself into his strong body, forcing him to track backward. I
don’t stop until Cole hits the edge of the bed.
But he isn’t stupid. He sees my intention and grabs me, flipping us so
quickly that before I can blink, I’m pinned underneath him on the bed.
“Who’s the guy, Hadley?”
“G-Guy?” I choke out, because he can’t know about Tim. There’s no
way... not unless...
“I Googled you. Your life in Gravestone makes some of the kids here
look like peasants.”
“You don’t understand...”
“I know what I saw. You, your rich as fuck parents, and that house.
Fuck, it makes James’ house look like a shack. And let’s not forget about
Timothy Davenport.” The way he spews Tim’s name makes my stomach
roil. “He your ex?”
 He knows. Cole knows the truth, because he sees things. He watches
and observes and makes connections other people might not make.
Fuck.
“Hadley, don’t push me.” The words vibrate in his chest as if he’s about
to snap.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“He’s older, right? A junior at Gravestone University?”
I nod, because there’s no point in lying.
Cole knows.
He knows my real name, where I come from. He knows that I’m older
than my senior classmates because my parents thought it would be a good
idea for me to retake sophomore year.
He knows about Tim.
But he doesn’t know everything.
He can’t, I remind myself.
Because there’s no trace of it, my parents made damn sure of that.
“Did he hurt you?” Cole’s hand slides to my throat, stroking my skin as
if I’m precious. But his tender touch doesn’t last long as he wraps his
fingers around my neck.
“You really want to know all this?” I deflect, trying to scramble for a
way out.
It’s too much.
Cole.
Tim.
Tim.
Cole.
They couldn’t be more different if they tried. Two guys never destined
to meet somehow colliding right in front of me.
I close my eyes, wanting to escape this nightmare.
“Look at me, Little Dove.” Cole squeezes my throat until my eyes pop
open. “What happened?”
“Why is this so important to you?”
He considers my words. A beat passes, and another. And then Cole
gives me something I never thought he would.
The truth.
“Because I need to know what made you this way.”
Connection.
 We all strive for it. To relate and understand. To feel a part of
something. To feel normal.
But I’m not normal.
And neither is Cole.
We’re products of our pasts.
Slaves to the darkness forced upon us.
I don’t know the Jagger brothers’ whole story but I know enough to
know their life in Sterling Heights wasn’t easy.
“It ended badly,” I admit, because it’s the most I can give him. “My
parents thought it would be better if I got some space. Start over.”
“They shipped you here because you got your heart broken?” He raises
a brow.
“I think it was easier than dealing with me. I kinda lost it for a little
while.”
Cole studies me, trying to peel back my secrets, layer by layer.
“Satisfied?”
His eyes flash, and I instantly realize my mistake. “I think I changed my
mind.” He grinds out, rolling his hips into my pelvis. I smother a whimper,
pressing my hands to his chest.
“No,” I say. This can’t happen, not here. Not after already giving him
more than I was willing to.
“I think you’re lying, Little Dove.” Cole dips his hand between us,
finding my bare legs. “I think if I slide my fingers between your pussy I’ll
find you wet for me.” He does just that, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
“Fuck, you’re soaked.”
My cheeks heat.
Cole slides off the bed, dropping to his knees. His hands run up and
down my thighs, grazing my damp panties. I drag my bottom lip between
my teeth to stifle another moan as he slides them off my legs. But I’m
weak. Weak for his touch. Weak for the way he makes me feel.
Weak for him.
He reaches to the side of me, grabbing the Twizzler packet. I can’t see
what he’s doing, but the second I feel the cool stick of candy on my clit, I
cry out. “What are you—”
“Shh.” His tongue flattens against me as he drives two fingers inside
me.
 “Oh my God...” My body bows, searching for more. Desperate to
shatter apart.
But just as waves begin building deep inside of me, Cole rocks back and
peers down at me. “You taste so fucking good.” He rips the end off the
Twizzler with his teeth and takes his time chewing it, his eyes so dark he
looks soulless.
“I think I need another taste.” He doesn’t break eye contact as he runs
the remaining candy stick through my folds and pushes it inside me. It’s so
dirty, so fucking wrong, but I can’t tear my eyes off him as he brings it to
his lips again and chomps on the thing as if it’s the best meal he’s ever had.
Jesus, this boy.
This dark, depraved boy.
“Cole...” I shudder, needing him to finish what he started.
“You want more?”
I nod. I’m so high on him, I don’t even know what I’m agreeing to.
He dives at my pussy, eating me like a man starved. He licks the
strawberry scent off my skin, plunging his tongue deep inside me, making
me cry out with pleasure.
The drag of his thumb is brutal against my clit, sending me into a
tailspin. I can’t breathe... I can’t think... I can barely see past the intense
bolts of pleasure firing off around my body like rockets.
I’m almost there, ready to fall headfirst into an ocean of pure bliss,
when Cole crawls up my body, kissing me so hard I gasp around his tongue.
He fingers me with slow and lazy thrusts, keeping me on a thin ledge of
control.
“Cole...” I plead.
“Why did you push me away after the party?”
It’s the last thing I expect him to say with his fingers buried deep inside
me, but the flash of vulnerability in his eyes tells me this isn’t a joke.
“I...” He curls his fingers and I moan.
“You were saying?” A wicked smirk tugs at his mouth.
“You know why, Cole.”
Because this isn’t healthy.
It isn’t normal.
He killed someone and I… I kept his secret.
If I can do that, what else would I be willing to do for the broken boy
from the Heights?
 Cole attacks my mouth, his tongue setting a punishing pace that his
fingers mimic. I don’t know if he’s angry because of what I said or
everything I didn’t say, but he finger fucks me like he hates me, kisses me
like he wants to suck the very life force from inside him.
And in the midst of this madness, I find peace.
All the pain and heartache and bad memories melt away as pleasure
floods every inch of my body.
“Cole... God...” I scratch at him, trying to get him to let up, just for a
second so I can catch my breath. But he... Doesn’t. Stop.
Not until I’m a boneless heap on the bed, my heart racing and my body
aching.
He pulls away and rolls to the side, slipping back on the bed. Grabbing
the bottle of vodka, he tears off the cap and downs a quarter of the thing
before working another Twizzler from the packet and shoving it in his
mouth. “I’m never going to look at one of these again without remembering
how you taste,” he says, and I let myself sag against the mattress,
wondering how I ended up here.
Miss Jones is right.
My problems started with a boy... and all my problems continue to
revolve around a boy.
But things with Cole are different.
We’re not seduced by promises of a bright future. We’re anchored to the
sins of our past, fighting to stay afloat.
And somewhere, in the midst of the dark waters circling us, we found
each other to cling onto.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Cole

“S o, Little Dove, are you ready to talk yet?”

She looks up at me with her large, sated green eyes and I don’t
need her verbal answer to know that she’s not.
Whatever she’s hiding, she’s holding onto it tight, and unfortunately for
her, it only makes my need to know stronger.
I should leave it be, walk away and carry on with my own life.
Only I can’t.
I shove another Twizzler in my mouth, hating that it only tastes of sweet
strawberry and not her.
“Make yourself comfortable, why don’t you,” Hadley mutters once her
head has come out of the clouds.
“Cheers.” I nod, taking another swig of the vodka and settling myself
against her headboard, my cock quite obviously tenting my pants.
“What will it take to make you leave?” she asks, sitting on the edge of
the bed, keeping her back to me.
“More than you’re able to do, Little Dove.”
Reaching out, I walk my fingers up her spine. I might not be able to see
her skin, but I know it’s covered in goosebumps from my simple touch.
“So what, you thought you’d come and spend the night? We’re not
allowed to have—”
 “You think I follow the rules?” I laugh. “Hadley, Hadley, Hadley, I
thought you knew me better than that.”
“I do, but—” She stops herself, her body tensing as if she doesn’t want
to admit that she knows me better than anyone else in this godforsaken
town.
“Yet, you let me in, and you let me touch you. You should be scared of
me, Little Dove.” Sitting forward, I push myself so I’m behind her, my
thighs encasing her ass. A shudder rolls through her at my closeness and
some wild part of me settles at having the contact.
“I’m not scared of you, Cole. You can do whatever you want to me.”
“And why is that? Because it can’t possibly hurt as much as your past?”
She tenses and I slip my hands under her shirt. She seemed to think it
was a good tactic to use her body as a way to distract me from getting what
I came here for. We can both play dirty, Little Dove.
My palms slip up her warm, smooth stomach until I find her bare
breasts.
“Oh,” she gasps when I cup them in my hands. Her head falls back and
rests against my shoulder as I keep massaging her.
“Why are you still in high school? Why didn’t you graduate like you
should have?”
“My…” I pinch her nipples as punishment when she hesitates. I might
have let her off easy last time, my own need for her getting too much to
bear, but this time, I’m focused. I’ve had my taste, so it’s time to get the
information I'm craving. “My parents thought it best if I redo sophomore
year when I started here.”
“What happened to your sophomore year at Gravestone Academy?”
She swallows loudly, the movement in her slender neck forcing my lips
to inch closer. I fist her hair with one hand and tilt her head to the side to
give me all the access I need.
I run my tongue up the taut skin.
“Cole,” she half moans, half warns. “I… I can’t…” she stutters as my
lips ghost over her, touching her but only enough to drive her crazy.
“You’re wet again for me, aren’t you, Little Dove?”
She shakes her head, lying to me once again.
“I warned you about lying. Tell me the truth. Do you want me again?”
“Y-yes,” she breathes after a beat.
 Dropping my hands to her thighs, I push them wide before allowing my
fingers to slowly skim down her soft legs to where she wants me.
“You’re not playing fair.”
“When did you ever expect me to? Why did they send you all the way
over here? Why not to one of the many pretentious prep schools closer to
home?”
My fingers move over her already soaked and parted lips. She gasps at
the sensation.
“Give me what I want, and you can have what you need.”
“Or I could just do it myself,” she suggests, moving her hand from
where it was burning against my thigh.
I snag her wrist almost immediately. “Do that and this whole experience
will be a whole lot less pleasurable for you, Little Dove.”
This time when a shiver runs down her spine, I know it’s not with desire
but a little of the fear she says she doesn't feel when I’m around.
“Seducing you, making you need my touch like a junkie who needs
their next hit, isn’t the only way to do this.” Shifting slightly, I pull my flip
knife from my waistband.
“Oh my God, Cole,” she whimpers when I hold it in front of her and
expose the blade.
“Torture comes in many forms. I can deliver it in pleasure so at least
when I walk out of here with all your secrets you’ll be satisfied, or I can
leave you crying in pain. Your choice.”
“You’re fucking crazy, you know that?”
I lick up her neck again until my lips are at her ear. “I’m more than
aware. And you only make me worse.”
“We shouldn’t be doing this. We’re a train wreck waiting to happen.”
“We? You say that like we’re a thing… an item. We’re not anything,
Little Dove. We’re just two broken souls fighting their way through their
own darkness. But the thing about darkness is that it’s addictive. Coach has
made sure I stay away from any real hard addiction I might have had, so it’s
time I found another.”
My teeth sink into her neck before my tongue laves over it, easing the
sting. The need to mark her, claim and consume her burns through my
veins. And when I pull back and see the teeth marks I left behind on her
skin, something inside of me explodes, my restraint shattering. “And I think
you’re the perfect one.”
 “Cole.” She squirms against me as I bring the blade closer.
“Give me what I need, and this will be over quicker.”
“And then what? You’ll leave me alone? I give you all my dark secrets
and we’re done?”
I think about her question for a few seconds, not liking the way it makes
me feel.
“I think we both know that we’ll never be done. You need this as much
as I do. This feeds that darkness in the depth of your soul just like it does
mine.”
She flinches when the cool metal of the knife hits her cheek.
“Cole,” she warns once again, as if just hearing my name and the fear in
her voice would stop me. All it does is get me fucking hard for her.
“Now, let’s try this again. Why here? Why Sterling Prep?”
“They’re ashamed of me and wanted me out of their lives.”
“Better, Dove, better. And dear ol’ Timmy?”
“I… it was a secret. We shouldn’t have been together.”
“Because he was older?”
“Partly. The details don’t really matter.”
“They do,” I state.
“Well, you’re going to be disappointed then, because you’re not getting
them.”
A growl that even I don’t recognize rumbles up my throat at her refusal.
“That’s where you’re very much mistaken, Hadley Dove Rexford.
Everything matters to me. Every single last detail.”
“Why?”
“Because it does.” My addiction to her, my need to know every single
thing about her was already out of control before this little visit, but now I
know he was a part of her leaving, I need to know if he hurt her, because if
he did, well… I won’t hesitate in making sure it doesn’t happen again.
I pull the neck of her shirt away from her body and place my knife
against it. It almost instantly parts.
“Cole,” she gasps as I continue down, slicing it clean in two.
“I’m sure Daddy can buy you a new one. They seem to have more
money than sense, after all.”
“I don’t take any more than necessary from them. I want nothing to do
with them.”
 As much as I want to know about her parents, it’s Timothy that I want
answers on right now. I need to know if he laid a finger on her and how
badly I’m going to need to hurt him in return.
The fabric falls open, exposing her naked body beneath. She doesn’t shy
away from the fact that she’s bare while I’m sitting here fully clothed.
She owns it, and fuck if it doesn’t make my cock weep for her.
“Did he hurt you?”
“Physically? No.”
“Emotionally?”
“What do you think?” she spits as I trail my knife down between the
valley of her breasts before circling her navel, hoping the whole time that I
leave evidence of my journey on her skin.
“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking.”
“He never meant to hurt me. Things just… got out of control.”
“How?”
“It got too serious too fast. We were forbidden. We shouldn’t have gone
down the road we did. I, for one, was certainly too young for it.”
“So you were found out and shipped here just for a forbidden
relationship?”
“Yes,” she breathes.
“If you think I believe that’s all there is to it, then you clearly must not
know me all that well.”
I drop one hand back to her center. She soaked the sheet beneath her
with her need to be touched by me, and I can’t help but groan as I rub at her
swollen clit.
“Do you still talk to him?”
“We’re not allowed contact.”
“But you’re all the way over here. How would they know?”
“He… he’s still there.”
“They didn’t banish him too?”
“Nope.”
Fuck. That’s gotta hurt.
“Cole, please.”
“What do you need, Little Dove?”
“You. I… I need you to make it stop.”
I’ve no idea if she means that she wants me to stop torturing her or to
make her forget—either way, I oblige.
 I place my knife down, working her clit with one hand and then
dropping lower with the other so I can push two fingers inside her.
Her entire body sags back against mine as I play her to orgasm.
“Cole, oh God. Cole,” she cries as her body convulses.
My cock aches for her. But I can’t let myself get inside her again. I fear
that if I do it again, my addiction is going to become more dangerous than it
already is.
She twists in my arms, throwing her legs over one of mine. My eyes
drop down her body and my chest swells at the faint red scratch marks
running down her torso before she tucks her face into my chest. The move
probably wouldn’t mean much to others, but to me, it feels more intimate
than what I just did to her.
“So tired,” she whispers, nuzzling against me.
With my arms around her waist, I move us both back until I can lie her
down on her bed. She immediately curls into me, her arm locked tightly
around my waist, her nose just a whisper from mine but her eyes already
closed.
“Please,” she whispers. “Don’t leave me.”
I have no idea if she’s already asleep or not, but those words hit me like
a baseball bat. She has no idea what she’s asking for, keeping the likes of
me around.
If she thinks I’ll protect her, then she’s very much mistaken… because I
have no chance of protecting her from myself.
“Hads?” I whisper, testing the water, but she never responds.
I take her in as she sleeps. She’s so fucking beautiful. Too fucking
beautiful.
Her long, light lashes rest down on her cheekbones, and her full pink
lips are parted just slightly. I lick my own, remembering just how sweet
they taste, before dropping my eyes down her sinful, curvy body.
Fuck, without even trying she brings me to my fucking knees.
Reaching down, I drag the sheets up and reluctantly cover her to stop
her getting cold. But I don’t get up, not yet.
Instead, I allow myself a few minutes. Just a short amount of time to
pretend that we’re both normal. Just a boy and a girl in bed after a night of
fun.
I think of my knife lying at the end of the bed. Probably not most
teenagers’ idea of fun, but fuck if it didn’t get Hadley wet.
 I have no idea when it happens, but with her warmth pressed up against
me and her scent filling my nose, I drift off to sleep easier than I have in
years.

Fuck.
I wake with a start as a hand drifts across my stomach. The sensation of
skin on skin has my eyes wide open and my heart trying to pound out of my
chest.
“Fuck. Fuck,” I breathe, looking around the pink room as my racing
heart starts to calm.
I’m not in the trailer. I’m not a kid. And it’s just Hadley touching me.
Lifting my hand, I rub it down my face.
I have no idea what time it is, but outside is dark and the building is in
silence.
Slipping my cell from my pocket, I see that it’s just gone three AM. I
just slept for more hours at once than I have in… for as long as I can
remember.
Gently, I lift her arm from me. I immediately miss her contact, but I
know I can’t stay. I can’t be here when she wakes and possibly gets the
wrong idea.
I slide from the bed, thankfully without waking her, and shove my feet
into my sneakers, ready to slip out of her dorm room hopefully as unnoticed
as I arrived.
I’m just about to turn for the door when the photographs on top of her
chest of drawers catch my eye.
Almost all of them are of her and Remi. Absolutely no parents in sight.
She really must hate them.
I know I shouldn’t, but after checking that she’s still soundly sleeping
behind me, I begin pulling open each drawer and rummaging around in the
hope of finding some of the answers that she won’t give me herself.
I’m knuckles deep in her panty drawer when she moves in the bed
behind me.
Knowing that I’m pushing my luck and probably about to be caught, I
wrap my fingers around one pair and shove them in my pocket before
silently leaving her room and swiftly escaping the building.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Hadley

C ole knows too much. He knows about Tim, about my parents. He

knows that I’m still hiding something.
But I’ll never tell.
No matter what he does to me, what cruel pleasure he thinks he can
torture me with, I’ll never utter the words.
Because saying them makes them real. And if I’m going to survive
senior year, I need them to stay on the edge of my conscience, where they
belong.
After our fucked-up night together, I’d woken to an empty bed. I’m still
lying here, contemplating everything that’s happened. I’m not surprised
Cole left. The second he lets down his guard and starts to let himself get
close, he pulls away again.
I throw back the covers and sit on the edge of my bed, stretching my
arms and legs. The delicious ache radiating through my limbs reminds me
of what we did last night.
What you let him do.
I’m about to head into the bathroom when something catches my eye. I
traipse over to the dresser and run my finger over the pink polka dot panties
hanging out of the top drawer.
 “What the hell?” I yank open my drawer, panic rising inside of me. The
second my fingers graze the small wooden memory box, relief floods me.
But something is wrong. I never leave the drawer open. Ever.
Cole.
He wouldn’t...
But he would.
Cole would think nothing about snooping through my drawers if it
served his purpose.
Fuck.
Did he see it?
Did he look inside?
A wave of nausea crashes over me and I stagger back, dropping onto the
edge of the bed.
If Cole did see the contents then he knows... and if he knows...
My heart gallops inside my chest, making everything grow small. I
clutch the box, curling my free hand around the edge of the bed. “Breathe,
Hadley. Just. Breathe.” I try to force myself to inhale deep, calming breaths.
The panic attack ebbs away, but then the tears hit.
I allow my grief to consume me. If I try to shut it down, I know it’ll
only bite me in the ass when I least expect it.
I’m still sobbing when my cell phone starts vibrating. Leaning over, I
grab it. It’s Remi. I could ignore her and text her later, but I don’t want to
give her reason to worry any more than she already does.
Taking a deep breath, I blink away the tears and answer.
“Hey.” I wince at how fake it sounds.
“What happened?”
“Nothing, I’m fi—”
“Seriously, Hadley. You are not fine. Talk to me, please.”
“Do you want to hang out today?” I blurt out, because I don’t want to
argue with her but I’m not ready to come clean, either.
Although if Cole knows the truth, there’s no saying he won’t tell her and
everyone else my secret.
“You could come over? Ace has work so we could chill in the pool
house.”
“Sure,” I say. Maybe I'll see Cole, and maybe I’ll be able to confront
him about what he did or didn’t find in my drawer.
 “Awesome.” Remi lets out a small shriek of excitement. “I’ll ask Ellen
to make us pizza or something. And cookies, definitely cookies. She makes
the best double chocolate chip cookies. I swear, they’re like little bites of
heaven.”
I chuckle. “Sounds good. I’ll walk, so it’ll take me a while.”
“Just a second.” The line goes silent. “You don’t need to walk,” Remi
says when she comes back.
“I don’t?”
“Conner can give you a ride.”
“Wait, I’m not sure that’s—”
“He’ll be there in twenty minutes. Wait out front.”
“Fine,” I grumble, wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.
At least it’s Conner and not Cole, because although I need to find out
what he knows, I’m not sure I’m ready to face him yet.

“Hadley, baby, fancy finding you here.” Conner pushes from the car he
shares with Cole and moves toward me. “Remi said you needed a ride.”
“I could have walked.”
“I was out. Besides, it’s no hardship, giving a ride to a pretty girl.”
Conner makes a show of pulling the door open and bowing.
“You are such a dork,” I mumble as I slide inside.
“But the ladies love it.” He winks before slamming it shut. I can’t help
but roll my eyes.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe he and Cole are twins. Cole is so
brooding and dark, constantly surrounded by shadows. Yet Conner is the
sun, warm and radiant. You can’t help but be infected with his light.
“How is that brother of mine?” he asks the second he climbs inside.
“How should I know?”
Conner smirks. “Still playing that game?”
“Game? There is no game.” The lie sours on my tongue, because
everything about Cole is a game.
A game where your morals are the strategy, your body is the weapon,
and your heart is the battlefield.
Most girls would have surrendered by now.
 So why haven’t I?
“Keep telling yourself that.” He backs out of the parking lot and follows
the coastal road toward the Jagger house.
“You know, I might not be on the team, but I still hear things.”
“What things?”
“Just things.” He grips the wheel tighter. “So you didn’t see my brother
last night?”
I narrow my eyes. If Cole or somebody else already told him I had and I
deny it, it makes me a liar. But if I tell him and he doesn’t know the truth...
I decide to hedge my bets. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Conner’s chuckle fills the car, and I sink back against the seat, closing
my eyes. It’s too early to be caught in the middle of the Jagger twins.
“Whatever you say, Hadley, baby. Whatever you say.”
Thankfully Conner doesn’t try to push me for answers I don’t have, and
before I know it, we’re rolling to a stop outside the huge house. Of course,
it’s nothing compared to my parents’ house back in Gravestone.
“Home sweet home,” he murmurs, cutting the engine. “Remi will be in
the pool house. Maybe me and Cole will come hang out later. We could
have some fun again.”
I slide my gaze to his. “Don’t do that.”
“What?” He shrugs. “I’m serious.”
My body heats, remembering the way it had felt to be at their mercy. It
isn’t something I want to repeat in a hurry, not now me and Cole are... well,
whatever it is that we’re doing.
“Conner, I like you, I do, but...”
“You prefer Cole’s brand of fucked-up?” His brow quirks, but I find no
malice there, only mild curiosity.
“I... I really don’t want to talk about this.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. The good guy always finishes last, huh?”
“Conner...”
“Relax, I’m kidding. Cole is going through some stuff, fuck knows he
won’t talk to me about it... but maybe, he’ll talk to you.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I say quietly.
“All right then, maybe you can suck—”
“Thanks for the ride, Conner.” I shoulder the door and hurry from the
car, his laughter following me.
 I avoid going into the house and snake around the side of the property,
slipping through the gate into the yard. Sure enough, I spot Remi through
the windows. She sees me and waves but doesn’t bother getting up.
“Hey,” I greet her.
“Sorry, I would have gotten up but I’m a little sore, if you catch my
drift.”
“Too much information.” Dropping down on one of the chairs, I kick off
my sneakers and fold my legs under my body.
“Ace is insatiable. He asked me to do this thing—”
“Remi, I love you, but I really don’t want to hear the ins and outs of
your sex life.”
“But who else will I tell?” She pouts. “Fine, I’ll be quiet if you tell me
what happened between you and Cole last night.”
Crap.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
“Nothing happened, I have no idea—”
“He left the party to go look for you.”
“He did?”
“Aha, I knew it. Something is going on. You’ve been holding out on me.
Spill...” Her eyes glitter with anticipation.
“It’s complicated.”
“Well, yeah, it’s Cole. I won’t lie, it still makes me uneasy thinking
about the two of you together, but you should have seen him, Hads. The
second he realized you weren’t there, he changed.”
I don’t want to hear her words, but I do. They sink inside me, coiling
around my heart and taking hold.
“He turned up at my dorm room,” I admit. Because what’s the use in
lying? She knows something is going on, and if she’s right, Cole isn’t
exactly trying to hide it either.
“And...” She claps her hands together.
“I thought you were uneasy about this?”
“I was... I mean, I am. But you’re both adults and honestly, I’m worried
about Cole. He’s more withdrawn than ever. And I know Ace is at a loss
about how to reach him. Since they found out the truth about James being
their dad, and then all that shit with Charlie... it’s like he’s completely
checked out.”
The truth teeters on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t tell her.
 I won’t betray Cole.
Not that I even know the truth... well, not all of it.
“So, what happened?”
“We... uh... talked.”
God, why is this so hard? She’s with Ace. He’s a Jagger, so Remi is well
versed in bad boys with a bad attitude. But Cole isn’t like his brothers, we
both know that.
He’s dark and depraved, and maybe even a little crazy.
“Hadley Rexford, are you blushing?”
“What? No!” But I am. I feel the heat tingling underneath my skin,
remembering how it had felt to be completely at Cole’s mercy as he trailed
his knife over my skin.
“You know, I heard Marissa says he’s got a Prince Albert piercing.” Her
brow quirks up suggestively.
“I am not discussing this with you.”
“Oh my God, he has, hasn’t he? Did it hurt? Or does it make it feel
better?”
“Remi!” I grab a cushion and bury my face in it.
“Come on, give me something... anything...” Her laughter is like a salve
to my pain, and I peek out over the top of the soft material.
“It was... nice.”
“Nice? Oh my God... you couldn’t think of a better word?”
I roll my eyes, fighting a smile. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Well, you should, because something tells me Cole would be a freak
between the sheets.”
If only she knew the half of it.
“Come on.” She gingerly stands. “Let’s go see if Ellen is finished
baking the cookies.”
We walk over to the main house in comfortable silence. The sugary
sweet smell of melted chocolate fills the air and my stomach groans.
“Girls, just in time.” Ellen, the Jaggers’ housekeeper, wipes her hands
on a towel. “Let them cool first. The pizza is in the refrigerator for later. I’m
off for the day now. Stay out of trouble.” She winks.
Remi stands up on a stool, wincing a little, and I wonder exactly what
Ace did to her.
“Maybe you should try some ice,” I tease, and she flips me off.
“Very funny.”
 “Do I smell cookies?” Conner breezes into the kitchen, shooting me a
smirk. Damn him. He’s such a flirt.
Unlike his brother, who is a locked box.
Remi smacks his hand away as he dives for the cooling rack. “They’re
not ready.”
“They look pretty ready to me.” They start wrestling over the gooey
cookie in his hand, and I smother a chuckle.
This is nice.
Normal.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I announce, my words falling on deaf
ears.
Slipping out, I make my way down the hall.
I can’t help but think how much Remi has changed since Ace arrived in
Sterling Bay. She used to be like me: lost and alone, just trying to fight
against a riptide full of vapid bitches, elite play boys, and prep school
bullshit. Now though, she’s happy.
I want that.
I want to remember what it’s like to feel something other than constant
numbness.
After washing my hands, I steel myself to go back to Remi and Conner.
But when I open the door, Cole forces me right back inside.
“What the hell are you doing?” I snap, gulping when I see the heat
blazing in his eyes.
“Hello to you too, Little Dove.” He gives me a wicked smirk and my
heart skips a beat.
Crap.
I’m in so much trouble.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Cole

“W hat are you doing here?” I growl, pushing Hadley back inside
the bathroom I watched her disappear into, only a few minutes
ago.
Her eyes flash with defiance and my cock immediately begins to
harden.
I’d laid in bed staring at the ceiling for hours after sneaking back into
the house sometime after dawn this morning. Memories of our time
together, of the things she admitted to me, were on repeat in my head as I
tried to figure out how she ended up here, only to find out she was shipped
here by her parents. But I know there’s more to it. I know she’s still keeping
secrets.
At some point, Conner had come in, probably to tell me about
whichever girl he hooked up with at last night’s party, but I feigned sleep
and thankfully he left not long after he pushed the door open.
I feel guilty for shutting him out. As far as he’s concerned, it’s always
been the two of us. He thinks we’ve got some kind of twin connection that
makes him aware when there’s something up with me. I see it differently,
however, because all the times I was left at home in our trailer, forced to
witness and experience the things I did, he had no clue. He never came to
my rescue because he ‘felt what I felt’ or whatever bullshit he thinks.
 The truth of it is that no one knows what I’ve been through. No one
understands. Not Ace, not Conner, and certainly not our so-called father.
The anger I was already feeling swells inside me as I stare into her dark
green eyes.
“I’m just hanging out with my friend,” she seethes through pursed lips.
“Problem?”
Her eyes sparkle with challenge and I take a step forward, squashing her
between my body and the wall at her back.
“Yes. This is my house.”
“Is it, though? I thought it was James’?”
My teeth grind at the mention of his name. He’s the one who made me
this way when he made the decision to let a strung-out druggie keep him
away from his kids. If he’d done right by us all those years ago, I might not
be like this.
Broken…
Dark…
Bad.
“Why. Are. You. Here?” My hand skims up her body until I can wrap it
around her throat, needing to feel her pulse, her fear beneath my fingertips.
“Ellen made cookies. Maybe you should have one. Sweeten you up a
little.”
“I’m plenty sweet, Little Dove. And I have a suspicion that you like the
way I taste.”
“I wouldn’t know. You don’t let me touch you.” Her eyes narrow as if
she’s trying to figure me out.
“Maybe we should fix that right now.”
Her chin drops in shock.
“What, you don’t want to? You don’t want to return the favor I’ve done
for you multiple times now?”
Her lips part once more as she fights to find the words she wants to say
to me.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
Her question gives me whiplash.
“This morning. You were going through my panties. Did you find what
you were looking for?”
The fear in her eyes tells me that I could well have been on the right
lines with my snooping this morning.
 “And what if I did?”
She swallows nervously. “I…”
“Why don’t you just tell me, Little Dove? You know I won’t quit until I
know every single one of your secrets.”
As I talk, I pop the buttons of her blouse, exposing her pink lace bra
beneath. Her arms flinch at her sides—she’s desperate to reach out and
cover up, but like a good little girl, she knows who’s in charge here.
“I don’t owe you anything, Cole.”
“Maybe not, but we both know I’m going to find out. So you might as
well make it easy for me.”
She tilts her chin away from me, exposing the length of her neck.
Unable to resist temptation, I drop my lips to it, sucking the soft skin into
my mouth until I know that I’ve marked her.
“Cole.” My name falls from her lips as a moan, but the second her body
locks up tight I know she didn’t mean to say it.
“See, you can’t resist.” I lick a line up the length of her neck until I’m at
her cheek. “Now, get on your knees.”
Her eyes flash with heat. Heat that I already know she doesn’t want me
to see. But she seems to forget that when it comes to her, I see everything.
“Just let me out. Remi will be wondering where I am.”
“I’m sure she’ll figure it out.”
“But—”
“Don’t even try telling me that the idea isn’t getting you wet right now.”
“Cole.” Her voice is no more than a whimper as she looks up at me with
her hungry eyes.
Sliding my hand around the back of her neck, I thread my fingers into
her hair and tilt her head back.
“Answer me.”
Her lips still remain shut, so I find out for myself.
“What the—fuck,” she gasps when I push my hand into her pants and
find her soaking for me.
“Oh, Little Dove, the idea of sucking me off does turn you on.”
“Fuck you,” she spits, still trying to appear unfazed by me despite the
evidence to the contrary that is currently coating my fingers. “Oh God,” she
whimpers when I rub at her clit.
“Ready to admit it yet?”
“Never.”
 “It might be in your best interest to tell me the truth, Little Dove.
Otherwise I can make things very, very frustrating for you.”
“Nothing you do means anything, Cole.”
I can’t deny that her words don’t sting. Out of everyone I’ve ever met,
Hadley has somehow wormed her way deeper. She’s somehow lodged
herself inside, and for some fucked-up reason her opinion matters. How she
feels matters, so for her to admit that I’m nothing to her… well, it stings.
Although not enough to stop this fucked-up thing we’ve got going on.
“We’ll see about that.”
Ripping my hand from her pants, I lift my fingers to my lips and suck
them into my mouth. Her pupils dilate as she watches me, her tongue
sneaking out and running along her bottom lip.
“You want to taste yourself, Little Dove?”
Before she has a chance to answer, I pull my fingers from my mouth
and push them past her lips.
“Suck,” I demand.
My cock throbs as she does as she’s told before licking at my fingertips.
“Fuck. Knees, now.”
I push her down, but it doesn’t take much effort to make her drop. She’s
more willing than she’s letting on.
She looks up at me with her huge eyes and I almost break. Damn her.
Damn her and her innocent face, well-hidden secrets, and fucking darkness
that I want to drown in.
Gritting my teeth, I force my mask to stay in place. I can’t afford to let it
slip, especially not with her. “I’m waiting.”
My words force her into action and her slender fingers immediately
reach out and start fumbling with my pants button.
In seconds she’s pushing the fabric down my hips. My cock springs free
and her eyes lock on it as if it’s the most fascinating thing she’s ever seen.
“Never seen a piercing before?”
Her eyes flash up to mine, curiosity filling them.
“It made it feel better, right? Better than him?”
She closes her eyes as if the mere suggestion of her ex causes her pain.
“Tell me about him.”
Choosing to ignore me, she leans forward and licks at the head of my
cock.
 “Fuck,” I grunt, lifting a hand to rest against the wall to hold me up.
One simple touch and my knees are already threatening to buckle. I’ve got a
feeling that when she wraps her lips around me it’s going to blow my
fucking mind.
I almost take a step back, refusing to let her continue, knowing that if
this happens I’m going to lose another piece of myself to her.
But then she does it again and I’m lost to the sensation, too desperate to
feel what else she can do.
Her eyes hold mine, achievement making them glitter. She might be on
her knees right now, but there’s no denying that she has all the power.
Lifting her hand, she wraps it around my length, working me as she laps
at my cock, teasing the piercing and holding off from giving me what I need
the most.
She smiles at me, telling me that she knows exactly what she’s doing.
“My patience only lasts so long, Little Dove. You might be in charge
right now, but I can take it back at any second.”
I slide my fingers into her hair and grip, forcing her forward so she has
no choice but to take me in her mouth. Her wet heat surrounds me and I
fight the moan that wants to fall from my lips as she sucks me deep.
Gripping her tighter, I pull her head back, only to push her farther down
my shaft the next time.
The need to push all the way inside is all-consuming, but she isn’t one
of the sluts from the Heights, and more than that, I don’t want her to think
that’s all I think she is. I should, but I can’t.
She’s Hadley, and as much as I might not want to admit it, she’s more.
She deserves more.
Hell, she deserves a hell of a lot more than to be on her knees in this
bathroom with my cock between her lips, but I’m a fucking greedy asshole
sometimes and there’s no way I was letting her out of this room without
taking something from her.
She might think she can just walk in here because her friend lives here,
but she needs to remember that this is my house too.
“Fuck, Hadley,” I grunt as she willingly takes me deeper so I hit the
back of her throat.
My hips flex, my need for release overriding my restraint, and she gags
on my length. But at no point does she let up.
I stare down at her, committing the image to memory.
 “Fuck... fuck.” My grip on her hair tightens as my balls draw up. “Yes,
Hadley, Fuck.” My cock twitches violently before I come down her throat.
She doesn’t falter as she swallows it all down.
I’ve barely finished when I pull her from the floor and slam my lips
down on hers, my tongue slipping inside her mouth and claiming her. I can
taste myself on her tongue, and it only makes my kiss more ferocious.
My hand slips back inside her pants and I rub at her clit until she’s
forced to rip her lips from mine so she can drag in the air she needs. She’s
about to fall when I drag my fingers away and force them inside her mouth
instead.
“What th—” she mumbles around them, her eyes narrowing, anger and
frustration swirling within them.
“You’re right,” I say, tucking my cock away and zipping up my pants.
“You should probably get back out there before Remi comes looking for
you.”
Unlocking the door, I head out, leaving her a panting mess behind me.
“Mmm… these smell amazing,” I say, snatching up two of the freshly
homemade cookies that Hadley had mentioned earlier.
The second I lift one to my mouth, however, all I smell is her. My cock
swells once more, knowing the state I left her behind in. It would have been
so easy to bend her over and slide into her pussy.
But that would have given her what she wanted when she’s yet to give
me what I need.
She might think she’s an equal opponent in this game we’re playing, but
I’m determined to prove to her that she’s wrong. There’s only one winner,
and there will only be one loser.
“Where’s Hadley?” Remi asks, her eyes assessing me as if she’ll be able
to read the answer. She should know by now that I give nothing away.
“Hadley’s here? I had no idea.”
Conner glances up at me with a knowing smirk plastered on his
irritating face.
“Right, so you didn’t just see her go to the bathroom?”
“Nope. No idea what you’re talking about.”
At that moment, footsteps sound out from behind me and when I turn, I
find a flustered looking Hadley walking into the room.
“What happened to you?” Remi asks, accusation dripping from her
words.
 “I… um… I think there’s something wrong with the lock on the
bathroom door.”
Conner barks out a laugh while Remi just rolls her eyes at the two of us.
“We’re going to hang out in the pool house. You coming, lovebirds?”
My teeth grind, ready to rip my brother a new one, but I don’t get a
chance to say anything because Hadley blows past me.
“Let’s go,” she says, threading her arm through Remi’s and all but
dragging her from the kitchen.
“Bring the food,” Remi calls behind her.
“What the fuck are you playing at, bro?” Conner asks, shaking his head.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Grab the cookies… but try to
avoid eating them all.” I smirk, swiping the pizza from the side and walking
to the doors that the girls just disappeared through.
Normally, I’d avoid this in favor of my own company, but knowing how
needy I just left Hadley means I’m more than willing to continue our
afternoon together.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Hadley

“I think Ellen has ruined me for all future pizzas.” Conner makes a
show of licking his fingers, shooting me a flirty wink.
My cheeks pink and I dip my head, trying to think about
anything except the ache deep inside me. But it’s not quick enough, and I
catch Cole scowl in my direction.
Sweet baby Jesus, these boys will be the death of me.
Conner hasn’t stopped teasing Cole about our bathroom indiscretion—
not that we’ve admitted anything.
“We should go out,” he announces, “see what mayhem we can cause.”
“Nah,” Ace says, pulling Remi on top of his big body. “I’m happy to
stay in.”
“Dude, you can fuck your princess all night. Come on, we never just
hang out anymore.”
“We’re hanging out right now.”
“You know what I mean.” Conner balls up a napkin and throws it at
Ace.
“You went to that Halloween thing with Cole the other weekend.”
My head snaps up at that, and Conner chuckles. “What, baby brother
didn’t tell you about our little trip back to the Heights?”
 “I’m not his keeper,” I say, feigning indifference despite the knot in my
stomach.
“I wouldn’t mind being leashed to you, Hadley, baby.” He winks.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, brother.” Cole growls the words,
tension crackling around us.
“Relax,” Conner grins, “I’m just busting your balls. We all know you’re
not interested in steady pussy.”
My stomach dips, heat spreading through me.
“Conner, stop.” Remi scolds him, and I shoot her an appreciative
glance.
“Fuck it.” Cole shoots to his feet. “Let’s go out.”
“For real?” Ace gawks at him like he’s grown a second head.
He shrugs. “Beats sitting listening to Conner attempt to push my
buttons. By the way, fucker, it’s not working.”
“We’ll see.”
The two brothers share a long look.
Remi shakes her head as she clambers off Ace’s lap. “Try living with
them.”
“Seriously,” Conner snorts, “you spend most of your time here, fucking
my—"
“Conner,” everyone but me shouts.
“Okay, okay.” He holds up his hand. “So where are we going? We could
go to Surfs?”
“I’d rather not,” I say. Most of the football team and cheer squad will
probably be there.
“What about the pier?” Remi suggests. “There’s the arcade and a diner.
Could be kind of fun to watch me and Hadley beat you at air hockey and
foosball.”
“You think just because we’re from the Heights we’ve never played
foosball?” Ace ropes his arm around Remi’s neck and pulls her back against
his chest. “We should make a little wager.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” He smirks. “Winner gets—”
“Orgasms?” Conner explodes with laughter and Cole grumbles
something beneath his breath, while I stand there trying not to think about
the ache between my legs.
 As if he knows exactly what I’m thinking, Cole stares at me, through
me. A shiver runs up my spine, the invisible thread between us pulling taut.
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Ace grumbles as he grabs his keys. “We’ll take
the bike. Meet you there.”
“Sure thing,” Conner says. “I’m sure Hadley won’t mind riding the two
of us. I mean, riding with the two of us.”
I dip my head and follow Remi out of the pool house, but not before I
hear the sound of skin hitting skin, followed by Conner’s yelp.
I smile to myself. I can’t help it.
The Jagger twins might like to think they’re the ones under my skin, but
I can’t help but think the feeling is entirely mutual.

The ride to the pier is surprisingly quiet. Cole is driving, his hands tight
around the wheel, while Conner plays with his cell phone.
“Ugh,” Cole grumbles. “I didn’t think it would be this busy.”
“It’s busy all year round,” I say. The cooler temperatures mean little in a
place like Sterling Bay. Kids have money to burn and the pier is one of the
places they can do it.
Cole pulls up along a brand new Porsche and Conner lets out a low
whistle. “I’m thinking it’s time we talk to James about getting us an
upgrade.”
“Fuck that, I don’t want his money.”
“You sound like Ace,” Conner says.
“I mean it, Con. If you want his blood money, then have at it. But I’m
—” Cole catches my eye in the rearview mirror and presses his lips into a
thin line, swallowing whatever he was going to say.
Conner lets out a heavy sigh. “You need to let this thing with James go
before it eats you up. He’s trying his best. Now come on,” he shoulders the
door, “I’m ready to beat your ass at foosball since I can’t play real football
for shit.”
He gets out of the car, leaving me with Cole who shows no signs of
moving.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
 The air grows thick around us as Cole continues staring out of the
window.
“Cole.” I shuffle forward and rest my hand on his shoulder. His own
comes down on mine roughly, but he doesn’t reply.
“I’m here... if you want to talk, I’m here.”
“Come on,” he finally says. “We should go.”
I release a small breath and climb out of the car. Kids eye me, but it’s
nothing compared to the way they look at Cole and Conner and their rust
bucket of a car. Guys are wary and girls are drooling. I don’t blame them.
Even in their ripped jeans, hoodies, and worn sneakers, the Jagger twins are
gorgeous.
“Hadley?”
I wince at the sound of Hayden’s voice. Of course he’d be here.
“Hey,” I say, turning to meet his inquisitive gaze.
“You came with Jagger?”
“I... yeah. Conner, Ace, and Remi too.”
“Cool.” There’s no malice in his words, only soft resignation. “Tell
Jagger I said hey.”
“I, uh... yeah, okay.”
What is happening right now?
“I know things have been weird between us lately,” he adds, “but I'll
always be here for you, Hadley. If you ever need to talk.”
“Thanks.” I nod. “I appreciate that.”
“Hadley, baby, let’s go,” Conner yells.
“I should—" I thumb over to where they’re standing, watching us.
“Yeah, sure thing.”
I walk away from Hayden and toward Conner and Cole, and although
he didn’t say anything untoward, I can’t help but feel a line was just drawn
between us; that in some strange way, Cole just claimed me as his without
even realizing it.
Foolish Hadley.
Cole didn’t claim me.
I gave myself willingly.
Whether or not he decides to keep me is another thing entirely.
“No way, no fucking way.” Conner slams his hands against the foosball
table, making the whole thing shake and rattle.
“Sore loser.” Remi grins at him. “Now you have to go get us
milkshakes.”
“I preferred my orgasm wager,” he mumbles, making a nearby couple
usher their kids away.
I smother a chuckle, watching him stomp off like a petulant child.
“Cole, you want to play?” Remi asks. He’s been quiet since we got here.
Perched on a stool, he watches me.
“Cole,” she hisses, and he finally slides his narrowed gaze to her. “I said
do you—"
“I heard you,” he grunts.
“So fucking answer her next time.” Ace scowls. “Come on, babe, I want
to check out that game over there.”
“What game?” Remi frowns.
“That one.” He flicks his head to what looks like the emergency exit.
“I don’t—”
He silences her with a hard look, and she melts against him. “Oh.”
They leave us to go find a quiet corner to make out in.
“Do you want to play?” I flick my eyes to the foosball table, but Cole
just continues staring at me.
“What?” I finally ask, growing restless under his heated regard.
He slides off the stool and stalks toward me until we’re chest to chest
and the edge of the table bites into the back of my thighs. “Just wondering
what it’d be like to bend you over this and fuck you.”
“C-Cole,” I whimper, biting my lip.
“We should take a page out of Ace and Remi’s book and go find
somewhere quiet to—”
“Where’d everyone go?” Conner’s voice is like a bucket of ice water,
and Cole instantly jerks away from me. I release the breath caught in my
throat and turn to Conner.
“Hmm, thanks.” It comes out a little shaky as I take my milkshake.
“What’s going on?” He eyes me and then glances at Cole.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, right. And Ace and Remi are where exactly?” He slides the
tray onto the high table.
“Probably fucking out back.”
 I flinch at Cole’s crass words.
“And you two,” Conner wags a finger between us, “were what? Talking
strategy?” His brow rises.
“Con,” Cole warns.
“Tell you what, how about a little wager of our own. You win and I’ll
stop busting your balls about whatever is happening between you two, but if
I win, I get to take Hadley out on a date.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say, ignoring the way my skin heats at his
challenge. “I’m not going to let you—"
“You’re on.” Cole’s words rattle around my skull.
He took the bet.
“Don’t I get a say in any of this?”
“No,” they both snap in unison.
With a low groan, I hop up on the stool trying to process how I feel
about this. It’s obvious Conner is trying to push Cole into admitting there’s
something between us, but will Cole really let Conner take me out?
And if he will, what does that mean for us?
Gah.
These boys drive me insane.
Just as they’re about to start, Cole pauses, digging out his cell phone.
He checks the screen, frowns, and then shoves it back in his pocket.
“Problem?” Conner asks.
“Nothing that can’t wait.” He drops the ball onto the table and the two
of them begin to battle it out. Conner scores first, making Cole bang his fist
against the edge of his table. But he quickly recovers, taking the next two
points.
“Oh, you think you’re so fucking slick, Mr. Football Hotshot,” Conner
taunts as he twists and pulls his players.
The ball sails past Cole’s defensive line and into the hole. “Fuck,” he
grits out, raking a hand through his hair.
“Final point wins. I’m coming for you, Hadley, baby.” Conner winks at
me before dropping the white ball in the center.
My heart gallops in my chest as I watch them duke it out. One boy
wants to win the right to keep his secrets, and the other wants to win the
right to... date me.
But it’s a ruse. It has to be. Conner doesn’t like me like that, he can’t.
 I can’t deny that part of me wants Cole to lose though, just to see what
he’ll do.
Conner takes a shot, cussing when he misses. Cole quickly capitalizes,
methodically working the ball up the table to take his shot. “Yes!” he yells
when the ball sails into the hole.
Disappointment wells in my chest.
“Ahw, don’t look so glum, Hads.” Conner shoots me a knowing smile.
“There’s always next time.” He says the words as if he expects I’ll be
around a lot.
It shouldn’t fill me with so much hope.
But it does.
Because I came to Sterling Prep with no one in my corner, just a boat
load of regrets and bad memories.
“Hey.” Ace and Remi reappear. Her hair is windswept and her lips are
swollen, and I’m pretty sure Ace has a hickey on his neck.
“Good time?” I smirk at her and she flushes.
“We... uh, that new game was pretty good.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was an excellent ride.” Conner snorts.
Cole is quiet again, glancing discreetly at his cell phone. His expression
darkens and then he stiffens and says, “I need to go.”
“Go? But we only got here an hour ago.”
“I need the car,” he says to Conner. “Can you make sure Hadley gets
back okay?”
He doesn’t even look at me.
After all the progress I thought we’d made, it hurts.
“Sure, but what’s the emergency?”
“Team stuff.”
My ears perk up. “Maybe I should co—”
“No,” he barks. “You should stay here with Conner.”
“What’s really going on?” Ace pins his younger brother with a hard
look.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
Something passes between the two of them, but then Cole takes off,
disappearing into the sea of people all out enjoying a Saturday afternoon at
the arcade.
“Should I be worried?” Conner asks Ace.
“I don’t know, maybe.”
 Remi throws Ace a questioning look but he leans down, whispering
something in her ear. She nods and then snags Conner’s arm and starts
pulling him toward a grabber machine.
“Can we talk?” Ace asks me the second they’re out of earshot.
“Umm, sure.”
“You and my brother, what’s going on there?”
“I... we... I’m not sure.”
“But you like him?”
I nod, chewing the inside of my lip, because Ace Jagger is scary as hell.
“I need you to do me a favor.”
“Okay.” My brows knit, not liking the sound of this.
“I need you to find out who has been calling and texting Cole.”
“Wait a minute, you want me to spy on him?”
“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
“I...” Shit. I can’t do this, can I?
I’m already keeping Cole’s darkest secret, and now Ace wants me to
snoop around, digging up even more.
“Cole is going through some stuff and I’m worried he’s fallen in with
some bad people... because of me.” His expression falls, and I see nothing
but pain in his eyes. “He’s completely shut me out, Hadley, but you’re
different. You reach him in a way that no one else does.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I murmur.
“Don’t sell yourself short. Just because my brother has a funny way of
showing he cares, doesn’t mean he doesn’t.”
I can’t argue with that, so I press my lips together.
“You’ll do it? For me?” Ace offers me a weak smile. “So I can help
Cole get out of whatever mess he’s in?”
I know I should say no... I know I should stop myself from getting any
deeper with the Jagger brothers.
But of course, I say yes.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY

Cole

“C ole, it’s so good to see you,” Donny drawls, but before I get to say
anything, or even look up, one of his goons steps toward me,
driving his fist into my stomach.
“Aw fuck,” I grunt, the force of the hit stealing the air from my lungs
and bringing me to my knees. “Fuck you,” I spit when I come to my senses.
The only reason I’m here is because he threatened my family once again.
“That’s no way to greet your boss now, is it?”
“You’re not my boss.” I fight to get back to my feet, but Donny isn’t
having any of it.
Hands wrap around both of my upper arms and I’m hauled up and none
too gently thrown onto the seat in front of his desk.
“No, you’re right. I’m not your boss. It’s worse than that. I own you,
boy.”
“I did what you wanted,” I spit. “We’re done.”
“You see, that’s where you’re wrong. You seem to think life is that
simple. Well, how about I teach you a little lesson.” One of his goons steps
up to me once again on Donny’s demand and backhands me across the
head.
“You are mine, Cole Jagger. You got yourself into this to save your
brother. Getting out isn’t going to be as simple.”
 My eyes hold his dark, hard ones. Dread sits heavy in my stomach and I
hate myself for ever thinking that I could do one job for this asshole and we
would all be free. I might have rescued Ace from his dirty clutches, but it
seems that in the process, all I’ve managed to achieve is to condemn
myself.
“I need you to drop this off,” he says, dumping an ominous black bag on
the desk in front of me. “Here.” He slides a piece of paper across the dark
wood.
“A drop?” A bitter laugh falls from my lips. “All this for a fucking
drop? You’ve got plenty of boys out there capable of doing this. Why did
you need to drag me all the way from the Bay?”
His lips purse and his teeth grind. I know I shouldn’t poke the bear, but I
can’t help it. This shit is ridiculous.
I could still be at the arcade with Hadley right now. My thoughts make
my breathing falter.
I might have won that bet against Conner, but it’s clear to see who the
fucking loser is here. He’s probably having the time of his life with her right
now.
My fists curl in my lap as images of him touching her, kissing her fill
my mind. Motherfucker.
“You needed a reminder of where your loyalties lie, boy. It’s not with
your brothers, and it’s certainly not with the girl.”
A growl rumbles up my throat. The thought of him even knowing that
Hadley exists turns my stomach.
“Leave them out of this.”
“All you’ve got to do is what you’re told. It’s really not that hard.”
My eyes narrow on him. The words I desperately want to say to him are
right on the tip of my tongue, but I know it’s pointless. It’ll only end up
getting me killed, and then what? He’ll go after Conner? Like fuck will I
allow that to happen. He’s not like Ace and me; he couldn’t handle this shit.
“Fine,” I spit.
“Good boy.” The patronizing tone of his voice has fury swelling in my
stomach. My fists clench once more as I stand. “Now, what do you do when
I call?”
I hold his stare, not willing to play his little game.
“You answer the fucking phone. Take this as your last warning. Now…
fuck off.”
 One of the goons grabs the bag while the other drags me from the room
before throwing me out of the door. The bag follows, colliding with my
back as I stumble, trying not to hit the floor.
“I’ll be in touch,” Donny bellows before the door is slammed shut so
hard the floor beneath me vibrates.
Snatching up the bag and the piece of paper with the address that
fluttered to the ground a few feet away, I march from the building, not
giving his henchmen guarding the door a second glance as I make my way
out to the parking lot.
Dumping the bag in the footwell, I shove the key into the ignition and
turn it a couple of times to get the heap of shit to start.
Conner is probably right—we should just accept the car James has
offered us time and time again since we moved, but everything feels wrong
about accepting anything from that prick.
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I go to open the GPS, but I make the
mistake of opening the messages from Conner.
“Motherfucker,” I grunt, staring at image after image of him and Hadley
having fun together.
Anger swirls in my belly that I forced that to happen. She should have
been smiling at me like that, not him.
My free fingers wrap around the wheel with a painful grip as I scroll to
the last image. It’s a selfie of the two of them with Conner kissing her
cheek.
It’s not the first time he’s put his lips on her, but I was there when it
happened last time. I had some kind of control over the situation. Now, with
me in the Heights and them in the Bay, anything could be happening. And if
it does, it’s all my fault, because I left her horny as fuck after our time in the
bathroom.
“Fuuuuck” I cry, slamming my palm down on the wheel. I need to get
back before it’s not just her cheek that’s felt that motherfucker’s lips.
Reversing out of the lot, I follow the GPS instructions to the other side
of town. I make the drop—it’s easy and quick enough—before I find myself
heading back to the bay.

Cole: Where are you?

 My eyes keep flicking to my cell to see if he’s responded, but the
message goes unread. I know I probably shouldn’t go straight to them when
I’m feeling this angry, this out of control, but I need to know that he hasn’t
stepped in and taken my place, relieved Hadley of the tension I instilled
within her earlier.
When I pull up at the house, Ace’s bike is in the driveway, but there’s
no way to tell if Hadley and Conner are here. Taking the stairs two at a
time, I reach for Conner’s bedroom door first. Without thinking, I throw it
open, half expecting to find them rolling around in his bed.
“Fuck,” I breathe, relief filling me when I step into the room and find it
empty. “Fuck,” I repeat, lifting my hands to my hair and pulling. She’s
driving me crazy, and it needs to stop.
It needs to fucking stop.
I make a pit stop in my room to change my shirt before heading out to
the pool house. The main house seems empty—even Ellen isn’t in the
kitchen, although I do find some cupcakes sitting on the side, one of which
I steal as I pass.
I know someone is inside before I even look up. The bass of the music
fills the backyard. Glancing up, I find the pool house illuminated, and as I
step up to the doors, the four of them are hanging out with beers in hands
and smiles on their faces.
They look happy. Too fucking happy.
I drag my eyes from Ace and Remi to the other ‘couple’ taking up
residence on the small beanbag. Hadley is crushed up against Conner, her
bare legs thrown across his lap where he’s drawing circles on her upper
thigh as they talk.
My chest heaves as I fight the need to go racing in and rip her from him.
He has no right to touch her like that. No right to touch what’s fucking
mine.
That thought hits me like a fucking truck, stealing the air from my lungs
and making me stumble a little on my feet.
I’m about to take off, needing to unleash some of the anger that’s
coursing through my veins on something other than my brother, but just as
I’m about to turn away, she looks over her shoulder.
Our eyes connect and hold as something crackles between us.
Her lips part, although I’m not sure if it’s in shock or because she wants
to say something. Apologize for cuddling up to Conner, maybe.
 He must sense something has changed, because after a second, he
follows her stare and finds me.
“Get the fuck in here,” he barks. I don’t hear it over the music or
through the door, but I can read it.
Reaching out, I rip the door open and step inside.
All eyes turn on me. I feel their attention burning into my skin as I stare
at the happy couple on the beanbag. The music lessens until the only thing I
can hear is the blood rushing past my ears.
My fists clench. My need to reach out and pull her from his body is all-
consuming. But I can’t. I have no more claim over her than Conner does.
“What’s wrong, bro? Cat got your tongue?” Conner teases, making my
teeth grind. He’s knows what he’s fucking doing, and fuck if I’m not
playing right into his hands.
Ripping my eyes from his, I turn to Ace. “You got anything to drink?”
“Yeah, in the kitchen.” I nod at him and spin on my heels, marching that
way to find what I need to help numb the feelings exploding within me
faster than I can stamp them down.
I find a bottle of vodka, and with my back to them all, I twist the top
and drink down damn near half without so much as coming up for air.
A shadow falls over me, and for a beat, I think it might be her. That is,
until I look up and find my older brother staring daggers into me with his
shoulders pulled tight like he’s ready to fight.
“Where have you been?”
I stare into his cold blue eyes and push from the counter, puffing out my
own chest, ready to take him should he decide to beat the information out of
me.
“Out.”
His lips thin in frustration.
“Where?”
“None of your business.”
“Bullshit. You were in the Heights, weren’t you?”
“So what if I was?”
I might have my back to the others, but I can feel their stares burning
into me, waiting to see what’s going to happen.
He takes a menacing step toward me, but I refuse to back down. Most
people are scared of Ace, but I’m not one of them.
 “Please, please tell me you’re not doing what I think you are,” he all but
begs.
A little guilt trickles through me, but I push it away. I refuse to feel
guilty when what I’m doing is saving his ass and allowing him to have time
with his girl. We both know that he’d be dead by now if I hadn’t made that
deal with Donny.
I knew what I was doing that night, and now I need to accept the
consequences. I might not care about all that much in life, but I sure as fuck
will put my brothers’ lives ahead of my own.
Ace closes the space between us, tension crackling as he waits for me to
admit what he clearly already knows.
“I’m waiting.”
“Fuck you, Ace. You’re not my fucking father.”
His jaw pops, the muscles in his neck straining.
“Stand down, Ace,” Conner instructs, walking over to join us in the
hope of diffusing the situation.
“Not until he tells me the truth,” he growls.
“There’s nothing to tell.” I tip the bottle to my lips, but it never makes it
because Ace’s hand connects with the glass and sends it scattering across
the pool house, vodka flying from the neck.
One of the girls screams, although I’m not sure which one, and I don’t
get a chance to look because Ace’s fists curl in my shirt, pulling me to him
so we’re nose to nose.
“Ace, put him down,” Remi begs, but other than a flicker of emotion
across his face, he shows no other sign that he’s heard her.
“Tell me you haven’t gotten involved with Donny?”
“Ace,” I say on a sigh, trying to look bored by all of this, when in reality
all I want to do is scream the truth at him.
“Tell me.”
I tilt my chin up, defying his order, and he sees red.
His fist collides with my jaw, snapping my head to the side.
I stretch my neck, waiting a beat for the pain to subside before I fly at
him.
“Fucking hell,” Conner barks over the sounds of our grunts and groans
as we fight.
His fist connects with my nose, spraying blood over both of us, and I
retaliate by driving my knee into ribs, forcing him to double over in pain so
I can get the upper hand.
“Fucking stop it,” Remi squeals, coming to stand between the two of us.
“Move her out of the fucking way,” I bark at Conner, who’s standing
and watching the show, knowing that it’s better to just let us fight it out than
it is to intervene.
This isn’t the first time the two of us have gone at it, and I’m sure it
won’t be the last.
“No, enough,” she tries again. “You win, all right? He’s down. Leave it
there.”
I look at Ace, who’s managed to sit with his back resting against the
cabinets as he clutches his ribs.
His eyes shine with challenge. He might look like he’s lost, but I know
him better than that. He’s firing up for round two.
“This is nothing to do with you,” I spit at Remi, knowing that it’ll only
fire him up more.
“Don’t fucking speak to her like that, asshole.”
“Fuck you, Ace. I’ll do what I like.”
He roars like a fucking wild animal before launching himself off the
floor and colliding with me. My back hits the counter and I swear I hear
some kind of crunch as we fall to the floor.
Not allowing it to stop me, I flip Ace over, sitting on his stomach and
pinning him to the floor. I pull my arm back, ready to land a punch, when a
voice makes me stop right at the last minute.
“Cole, stop. Please.” Her soft voice is like ice water over the raging fire
that’s out of control within me.
I open my mouth to respond, but I don’t get a chance because her
delicate hand lands on my shoulder and totally disarms me.
“Let’s go,” she whispers in my ear so only I can hear.
Brave girl.
Brave fucking girl.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Hadley

“I s your dad home?”

Cole flinches at the word, and I immediately regret it. “James. I
mean, is James home?”
“He’s away. He and Sarah are always fucking gone lately.” Part of me
wonders if it's because they can’t stand the atmosphere since the truth came
out.
“Come on, then.” I take his hand and tug him toward the house. He’s a
mess, blood trickling from his lip, a cut in his brow. But Cole barely seems
to notice, his head hanging low, anger rippling off him as we make our way
inside.
“Do you know where the first aid kit is?”
He shrugs.
“Go up to your room and get cleaned up. I’ll find something to work
with.”
Cole takes off, but not before grabbing a bottle of liquor off the drinks
cabinet.
Just what he doesn’t need—more alcohol.
I root around in some of the kitchen cabinets before trying the
downstairs bathroom, where I find a small first aid kit. Steeling myself, I go
in search of Cole.
 I know the Jagger brothers are a force to be reckoned with, especially
Cole and Ace, but seeing them fight like that was like nothing I’ve seen
before. They were both so angry, so lost and desperate. Whatever is going
on between them has been brewing for a while, and something tells me Ace
is feeling a whole lot worse than Cole is right now. He cares, that much is
obvious. It’s why he pushed Cole.
As I finally move down the hall, a voice stops me in my tracks.
“Hadley?”
I turn to find Remi standing there.
“Where is he?”
“I sent him up to his room.”
Her lips curve, and I realize how that probably sounded.
“You know what I mean.”
“Are you okay?” she asks, coming closer.
“Are you?” I can see the tears streaking down her face.
“Ace is... I’ve never seen him like that before. He’s worried about Cole,
we all are.”
“I know.”
“You’d tell me, right? If you knew something about what’s going on
with him, you’d tell me?”
“Remi, don’t do this...” I release a shaky breath.
“So you do know something?” Betrayal flashes in her eyes, but it
quickly dissipates. “Sorry, that isn’t fair. I’d protect Ace no matter the cost
too, always.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to end up in the middle of all this. But Cole
is...”
“Yeah,” she gives me a sad smile, “I know. But he’ll be okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like he’s finally letting me in,
and then, other times, the walls feel so reinforced it’s like I’ll never break
through.”
“You will...” She reaches for me, squeezing my hand. “You already are.
I saw the jealousy in his eyes when you were with Conner. He hates the
easy friendship the two of you have.”
“I’m not sure me and Conner are friends, Rem.” I let out a strained
chuckle.
“Sure you are. These Jagger boys don’t let just anyone into their inner
circle, but here we are. Both of us.”
 Her words affect me far more than they should. I don’t want to get too
used to this, to being one of them. Because when the truth comes out, and it
will eventually, the shit will really hit the fan.
And I might lose Cole for good.
My stomach twists at that thought.
“What’s wrong?” Remi asks.
“Nothing, I’m fine. But I should probably go find him before he does
any more damage.”
“Just be careful, okay? I know how hard it is to love a Jagger. And I fear
Cole is the darkest of the bunch.”
She’s not wrong about that.
“I can handle Cole, Remi.” I ignore her comment about loving a Jagger,
because that’s not what Cole and I share.
Isn’t it? I push the confusing thought down with all the other shit I’d
rather not think about.
“Do you really think we’d let you do this if we didn’t think you could?”
She offers me another sad smile. “Go, help him. If you need anything—"
“I’ve got it, thanks.”
As I walk away, I feel Remi’s eyes follow. I want to believe that she’s
right, that Cole needs me. But as I climb the stairs, the thud thud thud of my
heart in my chest is a harsh reminder that nothing about me and Cole Jagger
is simple.
And the secrets we both keep might just destroy us.
The door to his bedroom is ajar, so I slip inside. I don’t expect to find
Cole half-naked, checking his cuts and bruises in the mirror. He doesn’t
acknowledge me at first, and it stings, knowing he can dismiss what he feels
for me so easily.
My eyes run over his body, lingering on the dragon tattoo that snakes
along one side of his ribs and curves around his back. There’s a wicked
looking moon nestled in the tail, all angry blues and silvers, and I want
nothing more than to trace my fingers over the stunning artwork.
“You’re the moon and Conner’s the sun. Why?” I’ve seen Conner’s
version of the tattoo.
“You know why,” Cole replies without lifting his head.
Placing the first aid kit on the dresser, I approach him, unable to resist
the urge to reach out and trail my fingers over his warm skin. “It’s
beautiful.”
 “You have a warped perception of beauty, Dove.”
Not Little Dove.
Just Dove.
I want to ask why he’s changed his nickname for me again, but I
swallow the question because Cole’s glaring at me through the mirror as if
my sole purpose on earth is to torture him.
Our eyes hold, the connection between us crackling like a live wire.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Dove,” he says quietly.
“I’m not playing, Cole. I’m here to help.”
“Help... you want to help me.” He finally turns on me, snagging my
hand and keeping it pressed to his ribs. “There’s only one thing I need from
you.” He sneers the words, but I don’t cower. Cole needs this. He needs to
feel in control when everything else around him is falling apart.
I know, because I needed it too once. Now... now I don’t know what I
need. Everything is confusing and the lines are blurred.
Especially when they come to Cole Jagger.
I swallow, averting my eyes. Everything about him is so... much, that I
need to sever the connection for a second.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” he murmurs, and I’m almost certain I hear
a beat of sadness in his voice.
Grabbing the first aid kit, I pull out a wipe and some gauze. “This is
becoming a habit,” I say, trying to break the awkward silence that has
descended over us. But Cole remains silent, letting me clean up his cuts.
When I’m almost done, I let out a weary sigh.
“Who’s Donny, Cole?” I start to dab his final cut, the one in the pillow
of his bottom lip, but he grabs my hand, a low growl vibrating in his chest.
“Someone you never need to know about.” His eyes darken.
“Cole... don’t do that, don’t shut me out. Is it something to do with Char
—”
“Don’t. Just don’t.”
“Don’t what? Care?” I snatch my hand away, heaving a ragged breath.
“Because it’s a little late for that. You think I don’t know you’re messed up?
You think I don’t know I should walk away and never look back... I know,
Cole. Yet, I’m still here. I’m right here. All you have to do is—”
Cole’s hand shoots out and he grabs me, yanking me into his chest. My
hands fly out to steady myself, but it’s a futile cause because the second his
mouth smashes against mine, I’m gone, lost to his pain, his ferocious kiss.
 His hand trails up the side of my neck, closing around my throat and
holding me right where he wants me. I’m used to his possessive touch, but
with his anger racing through him, his grip is tighter than usual, to the point
I’m sure it’ll leave bruises. “This needs to end, Dove. It needs to end right
fucking now.”
“So walk away,” I say between kisses. Hot, wet, dirty kisses. It’s like
he’s trying to fuck my mouth, climb inside me and never leave. I can feel
his blood coat my lips, taste it on my tongue. It should freak me out, but it
doesn’t. It’s like he’s giving me a piece of himself.
Cole doesn’t walk away. He starts clawing at my clothes as if they
offend him. He doesn’t bother unbuttoning my shirt, just tears it apart,
buttons flying everywhere. His big hands cup my breasts, squeezing enough
to make me whimper with the heady mix of pleasure and pain.
“You and me, Dove, we’re broken. You think I don’t know...” He leans
in, pressing his face right against mine, his lips to my ear. “But I do.
Something happened with that fucker Tim, and it broke you. Tell me what
happened, Dove. Give me all your secrets.”
Cole strokes my throat tenderly, but I know it’s a trick. He’s not playing
nice, he’s letting me know who holds the power here.
I narrow my eyes and tip my chin in defiance. “Tell me who Donny is.”
“That’s not how this goes, Dove.” His fingers tighten. “What.
Happened?”
“Fuck you,” I hiss, and he squeezes tighter again, making white spots
flicker across my vision.
I jab my elbow into his ribs, and he jerks back, giving me enough room
to escape. I put some space between us, needing to catch my breath.
“You’re playing with fire.” He snarls the words, cracking his neck from
side to side. He wants to fight, to hit and hurt and maim, and my heart
breaks for the beautiful broken bad boy from the Heights. Because there’s
no way someone is born this way. They’re made. A product of their past.
The things they’ve seen, the things they’ve experienced... the things they’ve
done.
“What happened to you, Cole?” I whisper.
“I could ask you the same thing, Dove.” He stalks closer, but I don’t
run.
I can’t.
I won’t.
 Cole might not believe we’re destined for something better, but I do. I
still have hope that one day, we won’t have to live in the shadows anymore.
“I’ll ruin you, Hadley. Whatever good is left in you, I’ll ruin it all.”
I look him dead in the eye, stuffing down all the pain and heartache.
“Do your worst.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Cole

H adley’s gasp of shock fills the room as I grab her by the throat once
again and pin her back against the wall. Her chest heaves, her breasts
swollen, spilling out of the lace trying to contain them.
Reaching behind me, I pull out my knife. “I need to hurt someone,
Dove. I need it.”
She must see the flash of metal in my hand, but she doesn't look at it.
Hell, she doesn't even really look scared. “So… hurt me.”
“But—”
“You can’t do it, can you?”
My lips part to respond, but I can’t find any words.
“You can deny it all you want, but you feel something. You’re feeling
something right now and you hate me for it.”
“Shut up.”
A small smile of achievement twitches at her lips.
“Just shut up.”
“Why? Can’t handle the truth? Well, let me fill you in on something I’m
sure you’re already well aware of. You don’t get to choose. In life, shit just
happens that we have zero control over. And this, this right here, us…
whatever this is, I didn’t choose it any more than you did. But that doesn’t
mean I can fucking stop.”
 I bare my teeth as I stare at her, desperate to make her stop, to stop her
saying all those words that are so fucking true they affect me all the way
down to my toes.
I never got a choice. Everything was forced on me.
“But I’m here right now by choice. I could have left, but I didn’t.
Because you’re hurting. Now you get to make a choice.”
I quirk a brow at her.
“You get to decide what happens next. Want to kill me? Fine. It’s not
like anyone would really notice.” Pain flashes across her face, only feeding
my need to know her secret. “Want to fuck me? Then what are you waiting
for? I’m right here for the taking.”
“What happened with Conner?”
“Conner? You want to talk about Conner?” She lets out a small sigh.
“Did. Something. Happen?” My teeth grind at the idea of the two of
them together, my grip on my knife tightening, my control slipping.
“Would you really care?” Indignation flares in her eyes. “Maybe I
should have let something happen… Conner doesn’t want to hurt me.”
I lift my knife, and this time her eyes focus on it. “No, he only wants to
hurt me.” The blade slices through the front of her bra with ease, allowing
her breasts to spill out—but not before I nick her skin. A small droplet of
blood appears and my eyes focus on it, regret mixing with my need to hurt
someone.
She wants to shout at me, I can see it swelling in her heated eyes, but
she doesn’t.
“So stop giving him the power to,” she says, like it’s an easy thing to
fix. But every time he so much as goes near her, I swear he’s doing it on
purpose to push my buttons. A pathetic attempt to make me pull my head
out of my ass.
“I would, but she keeps running to him.” I crash my lips to hers before
she even manages to think about a response. Forcing my tongue into her
mouth, it duels with hers as we both try to take what we need. My hands
lift, pushing her ruined bra from her shoulders and letting it hit the floor
before I take her breasts in my hands.
Her groan of pleasure vibrates through me, making me impossibly hard
for her. My fingers twitch to push her to her knees, to take from her like I
used to take from the girls in the Heights, but she’s not them. The need to
push my cock past her swollen lips, to watch her take it all while tears
stream from her eyes is almost too much to bear.
“Fuck,” I bark, pulling back from her, dropping my knife to the floor
and lifting my hands to my hair.
Spinning around, I find the bottle of vodka I swiped from downstairs,
twisting the top, I take a generous shot, followed swiftly by another.
It doesn’t help one bit.
“Fuuuuuck,” I shout into the silence of my room.
I know she’s exactly where I left her—I can feel her stare burning into
my back, but she doesn’t move.
Not yet, at least.
Long seconds pass as I stare down at my feet, my shoulders drop in
defeat.
I’m such a fucking mess.
She breaks the silences after long, excruciating minutes, her voice
making me flinch. “Tell me what you need.”
“More than I’m willing to take.”
“Says who? You think I can’t handle you, Cole? You’re wrong.” She
walks up to me, her tiny palms slamming down on my shoulders, forcing
me to act. Her green eyes stare up into mine as if she can read all the pain
within them as she dares me to take what I need. To use her.
“Use me, Cole. Take what you need. Make it all disappear.” This time
when she hits me, it’s with her curled fists as they rain down on my chest.
“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” I growl, my fingers wrapping
around her wrists and stopping her movements.
“Don’t I?” she sasses, and fuck if it doesn’t make me want to take
everything she’s offering.
As if she’s bored of waiting for my answer, her arms drop and I release
her, flinching when they skim over my stomach before stopping at my
waistband.
We both watch as she undoes the button and lowers the zip before her
hand disappears inside my boxers.
A growl of pleasure erupts from my throat at her hot, gentle touch.
“Hadley.”
She works me gently within the confines of my clothing before I can’t
resist helping her out. I push my pants and boxers down my thighs,
allowing her to properly take my length.
 She smiles at the sight and it nearly undoes me on the spot. Without
missing a beat, she drops to her knees and leans forward, licking the tip.
My jaw clenches, and I have no choice but to reach out and place my
palm on the wall to help hold me upright. I watch as her lips part and she
sucks me deep into her hot mouth. It almost burns but fuck, it’s so fucking
good.
The darkness within me begins to abate as she takes over every one of
my senses and thoughts.
My hips surge forward, forcing the head of my cock to hit the back of
her throat. She startles, splutters a little, but she doesn’t pull back. Instead,
one of her small hands runs up my thigh and snakes around to my ass so she
can pull me closer. It’s the first time I’ve allowed her to touch me but fuck,
I don’t have it in me to make her stop.
Fuck. This girl.
I can’t take my eyes off her as she takes me deeper with each one of my
thrusts. By some fucking miracle, I hold back a little, but it takes every tiny
bit of restraint I have not to fuck her throat like a man possessed.
“Do you know how fucking beautiful you look right now?”
She doesn't respond to my words. Instead she just continues, her nails
beginning to dig into my ass and giving me the bite of pain I’m so addicted
to. I shouldn’t need it after the beating I took, but I barely feel that. All that
exists is her and what she's doing.
My spare hand threads into her hair, holding her tighter until the tears
that were filling her eyes spill over.
“So fucking beautiful.”
My fingers tighten, but this time I don’t take more. Instead I pull her
from the floor and throw her onto my bed.
“There’s only one place this ends tonight, Dove.” Kicking off my pants,
I fall on top of her, caging her in with my hands either side of her head.
“With my cock buried deep inside you, my cum dripping from your pussy,
and you screaming my name so everyone knows exactly who owns you.”
Her eyes flash with indignation, but she doesn’t respond. My lips drop
to her neck, sucking on the soft, sweet skin before sinking my teeth in.
She squirms but does nothing to attempt to stop me.
I tease her nipples, making her back arch before descending to her core
and sliding my hand into her skirt, my fingers parting her to find her soaked
for me. “Oh, Little Dove. Did you like having your mouth full of my cock?”
 “Cole,” she warns as I tease her.
My fingers work her almost to the point of release before I stop, pull my
hand from her and force my fingers into her mouth.
Her eyes widen in shock, but she doesn't fight me.
“Suck,” I demand, and her lips lock around my digits. I damn near come
on the spot.
Standing from the edge of the bed, I pull off her remaining clothing and
stare down at her.
She’s so fucking beautiful, and although she might be broken in her own
way, it’s not enough to ever be bad enough for the likes of me. She deserves
a decent guy. Someone who can treat her with gentleness, with care. Not
someone like me who wants to break her down even more than she already
is.
She’s made it clear she’s not interested in spilling her secrets, but that’s
not going to stop me. This thing between us won’t stop until I know the
truth and I know exactly who I need to hurt for making her this way.
“Last chance to run, Hadley.”
Her eyes hold mine for a beat before they drop to where I’m slowly
working myself, imagining what it’s going to be like as I sink deep inside
her once again.
“Never. You don’t scare me, Cole,” she repeats.
I might hate the broken within her, but her strength? That, I’m in
fucking awe of.
Dropping to the mattress, I force her knees wide and stare down at her
swollen pussy.
“I’m going to taste you later,” I warn, but right now, I need this too
fucking badly.
I run the head of my cock through her wetness before surging inside her.
She stills and cries out at the sudden invasion, but I don’t allow her any
time because I’m too fucking desperate to be surrounded by her. To be
consumed by her. To be lost to her.
I slide my hands under her ass and watch as I pull out of her before
slamming back in.
“Cole,” she cries, her back arching and her fingers fisting the sheets
beneath her.
“That’s it, Little Dove. Let everyone know who’s doing this to you,”
 “Oh God, oh God,” she whimpers as I pick up my pace. My vision blurs
as the sensation takes over and I put all my focus into giving us both what
we need.
My muscles pull tight as I slam into her, my release right in touching
distance.
Our chests heave, our skin coated in a sheen of sweat as she continues
to cry out my name. My chest swells every time I hear it, knowing that
Conner is probably listening from his room next door.
She’s mine, motherfucker. All fucking mine.
Dropping my fingers to her clit, I pinch hard, finally allowing her to fall
over the edge. Her pussy squeezes me impossibly tight as she cries out one
final time, milking my own release out of me. I tip my head back and groan
as the sensation floods me.
The past vanishes. My pain disappears and the future blurs so that only
this exists. Just the two of us and just this pleasure we’ve managed to find
within all our darkness and shadows.
“Fuck,” I pant, falling down beside her.
“Yeah,” she agrees, her own breathing erratic after her high. “I guess I
should go.” Her body stiffens as if she’s about to get up, and without
thinking, my arm flies out and locks around her waist.
“Stay. Just for a bit.”
She turns rigid under my hold, but it doesn't deter me.
I pull her tighter, tucking her hot little body against mine.
I can’t explain it—I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m trying not to
think about it. All I know is that I can’t let her leave yet.
I just … I just need to hold her.
“Cole?” she asks, clearly as confused by my actions as I am.
“You told me to take what I needed, so I am.”
“Okay,” she breathes.
The heat of her skin burns into me, her scent fills my nose, and her
calming, yet broken aura surrounds me. By some miracle, I find myself
drifting off to sleep.
I tell myself that it’s probably the vodka and the beating, but even I
know that I’m probably lying to myself.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Hadley

I wake confused.
Slowly peeking an eye open, I glance around the unfamiliar room,
relief and trepidation trickling through my veins when I realize where I
am.
Cole’s room.
And the boy in question is beside me, his arm slung over my hip as he
snores softly.
God, he looks so vulnerable in this moment. It steals my breath away.
It’s hard to believe that this Cole is the same Cole with barbed words
and a rough touch. But I know better than anyone that what you show to
others is not always what you feel inside.
I’ve spent two years pasting on a smile and trying to fit the mold carved
by the rich kids of Sterling Prep. They sense something about me and keep
their distance, but they don’t question it. Because I play the part. It’s easier
that way.
Unlike Cole and his brothers, who won’t bend for anyone. They’re
unapologetic and stay true to who they are.
I envy them.
In some ways, I envy Cole.
 But I know that just because he’s true to himself, it doesn’t mean he
isn’t a mess inside. Darkness bleeds from his pores, lingering around him
like a storm cloud. I know Cole is damaged.
The same way I’m damaged.
I lie there watching him, enjoying a rare moment of quiet. Once he
wakes up, I know he’ll freak out and either leave or make me. I should
probably hate him for that, or at the very least resent him.
But I don’t.
I just wish he’d let me in, that he’d trust me enough to confide in me.
Like you are with him? I force the little voice down.
I trace the bruises and cuts on his face with my finger, and he stirs,
leaning in to my touch. “Hadley,” he murmurs and I still, my heart beating
wildly in my chest.
“Cole?” I whisper, but he doesn’t reply, still sleeping soundly.
I like the idea that he’s dreaming of me far more than I should, because
falling for someone like Cole Jagger is a bad idea. But how do you stop
someone from coiling themselves around your heart with every touch and
kiss and heated stare?
You don’t.
Part of me has been Cole’s since that night I found him, lost and alone
under the streetlight.
I gently brush the strands of hair off his face, but this time, he does
wake. His hand snaps out, grabbing my wrist. “What the fuck are you
doing?” His voice is an icy growl.
“C-Cole, it’s me.”
He blinks, recognition glittering in his eyes. Slowly, he relinquishes his
grip on me. “Hadley?”
“It’s me.” I gulp at the anger in his eyes, relieved when it softens.
“Hadley?” he croaks again, as if he can’t quite believe it.
“I can go.” I bolt upright, suddenly overwhelmed. “We fell asleep and I
just woke now and I didn’t know—”
Cole chuckles, he actually chuckles, and I realize it’s the first time I’ve
ever heard him laugh.
“What?” he frowns up at me.
“You laughed. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before.”
Rolling his eyes, Cole loops his arm around me and pulls me back
down. “Shh, woman. It’s too early for this.”
 I want to ask what this is, but I don’t. I simply take comfort in being in
Cole’s arms. He snuggles closer, our bodies pressed together.
We lie like that for what feels like hours. I think he’s fallen back to sleep
until I feel his lips against my collarbone. Hot, wet kisses. He rocks against
my ass, his cock thick and hard. Liquid lust courses through my veins as I
tilt my neck, giving him better access. Neither of us speaks. He gives and I
take. Or maybe it’s the other way round.
It doesn’t matter though.
It doesn’t matter when one of his hands snakes around my body and
finds my breasts, nor when the other dips between my legs, strumming my
clit in lazy circles.
It doesn’t matter when he shifts down the bed, lifts one of my legs
slightly and slides inside me.
It doesn’t matter because Cole doesn’t speak to me with words, he
speaks to me with actions. And every thrust, every groan and kiss and lick,
tells me everything.
Cole needs this as much as I do.

The next time I wake, I’m alone and Cole’s side of the bed is cold. But I
don’t freak out. He didn’t disappear in the middle of the night, and he didn’t
kick me out when he realized I was still here.
Instead, he’d given me one of the most intense orgasms of my life.
There was something so intimate about him fucking me from behind as we
lay on our sides. No words, no eye contact, just our bodies giving and
taking what they needed.
I must have fallen to sleep straight after we cleaned up.
And now he’s gone.
Sitting up, I tame my hair out of my face before climbing out of bed.
There’s a knock at the door so I grab the first thing I can find and pull it
over my head.
“Just a second,” I yell, rooting on the floor for my panties. “Okay.”
“Hey.” Remi pokes her head into the room. “Everything okay?”
“Hmm, yeah. I think so.”
 Her brow rises suggestively, a faint smirk gracing her lips as she takes
in the state of me.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” I murmur.
“It smells like sex in here.”
She’s right. It does.
My cheeks pink as I toy with the hem of Cole’s t-shirt.
“His clothes look good on you.”
“I just grabbed the first thing I could—”
“Sure you did. You should totally wear that to breakfast.”
“Remi...” I warn, because I’m not sure what game she’s playing.
“It’s okay. He’s down there. He and Ace smoothed things over. At least,
I think they did. They didn’t try and kill each other over the pancakes, so
I’m taking that as a win.”
“Cole’s down there?”
She nods around a smile. “And he seems... different. I don’t know what
you’re doing to him, but keep it up.”
I flush harder, thinking of last night and again this morning. “I’ll be
down in a second.”
“Okay. And Hads?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
Her words make my tummy clench.
Remi leaves me alone and I stand in Cole’s room, unsure how to feel.
Until another knock startles me, lurching my heart into my throat.
“Yeah?” I call, and it opens.
“Hey...”
For a moment I think it’s Cole. I think he’s come to check on me. But it
isn’t.
“Wrong twin, sorry.” Conner offers me a tight smile.
“What? No! It’s just been a strange morning.”
A knowing smile plays on his lips, but he doesn’t tease me, and I’m
thankful. His eyes slip down my body. “My brother know you’re wearing
his clothes?”
I glance down at the black t-shirt. There’s a skull with worms and
spiders clawing out of the eye sockets printed on it.
It couldn’t be more Cole if it tried.
“I…”
 “Relax. It looks good on you.”
“So people keep telling me.”
“You hungry? Because if you are, you should probably come down
before we eat all the food.”
“You came to get me?”
“Well, no. I came to grab my cell from my room, but I figured I’d see if
you were okay after last night.”
“I’m okay.”
“Good, that’s good.” Heavy silence envelops us.
“I really need a girl’s minute, Conner,” I say.
“Bathroom?” he asks, and I nod.
“I’ll wait right out here.” He steps back and closes the door, but I’m
aware of him watching me.
I stare at myself in the mirror for long minutes, running the events of the
past few days over in my head. The faint bruises around my neck catch my
eye and I lift my hand to run my fingertip over them. My tummy clenches
in desire at remembering just how his possessive touch feels. He might say
that I’m his addiction, but he’s very quickly becoming mine as well. It’s
dangerous. Very dangerous.
When I’m done and have found some toothpaste to swill my mouth
with, I slip into the hall.
“You waited,” I say, finding Conner still standing there.
“I did.” He rubs his jaw. “Ready?”
Am I?
He doesn’t give me a chance to decide. Grabbing my hand, Conner pulls
me toward the stairs. “Time to face the lion’s den, Hadley, baby.”

The smell of bacon hits me first, and my stomach grumbles. But it’s Cole's
heated stare that makes my pulse race as he runs his eyes down my body,
lingering on my bare legs.
“Shit, Con,” Ace says. “You didn’t think to tell her to get dressed?”
He smothers a chuckle, moving around me to take a seat at the island.
“Wait, is that Cole’s—”
 “Ace,” Remi snaps, and I stand there, wondering what the hell is going
on.
“I... morning.” I swallow, hovering awkwardly on the fringe of their
family breakfast.
“Don’t just stand there, come eat,” Remi says, shoving a piece of bacon
into her mouth.
Conner taps the stool beside him, and I lurch forward, trying to ignore
the nerves zipping through me. It’s like they’re all waiting for something to
happen...
I have to walk right around Cole to get to him, but he’s no longer
looking at me. Instead, his eyes are fixed on his plate and he’s breathing in
short, sharp bursts.
I’m almost clear of him when I peek up at Conner. But he’s not
watching me, he’s looking at his brother, smirking.
“Con,” Ace warns, the air charged.
“Seriously, you guys,” I finally say, tired of the games. “What’s going
—”
A hand shoots out and wraps around my waist, pulling me back. Conner
chuckles. “I knew it, I fucking knew it.”
Glancing back, I meet Cole’s narrowed gaze. “Hey,” I say, warmth
spreading through me at his display of ownership.
“You’re wearing my t-shirt.” He breathes the words against my cheek.
“Yeah, I just grabbed the first thing I saw and then Conner came and—”
“It looks good on you.” His hand slips underneath it, brushing my bare
thigh. My eyes flutter closed as I stifle a moan.
His other hand knocks my hair over my shoulder, his eyes locking on
my neck before they darken and he swallows harshly. I know he’s looking
at the same marks I was not so long ago.
“Shit, Dove. I—” His words are cut off by Conner, but Cole’s eyes don’t
leave me for long seconds as regret floods him.
“Jesus, I need to get laid,” Conner grumbles and Cole’s head whips up.
“Relax, bro. I didn’t say I needed to get laid with your girl. Because she is,
isn’t she?”
“Conner...” It’s Remi this time.
“This looks great,” I blurt out, breaking the weird silence. “Did Ellen
make it?”
 “No, it’s her morning off,” Remi says. “So I made this one help me,”
she tips her head to Ace, “as punishment for last night.”
“About that, Hadley,” he says. “Sorry you had to see that.”
Cole’s grip on me tightens, and I figure I’m eating my breakfast
standing here.
Remi slides me a plate, and I load it with bacon and a couple of
pancakes. Cole doesn’t ask, just flips open the syrup and drenches my food
in the stuff.
“Thanks,” I say drolly, and he grumbles.
“Just eat the damn food, Dove.” His voice trails off at the end, so I
know no one hears his nickname for me. But I like that. I like that it’s just
ours.
Ace, Remi, and Conner pretend not to watch us, but they suck at
discretion. I’d feel silly if it wasn’t for Cole’s hand on my hip, the way he
hugs me to his side while he eats his food.
Instead, I like it.
I more than like it.
Part of me loves that, in this moment, it feels like I’m a part of their
family.
That I’m his.
Until my eyes meet Ace’s across the counter, and he asks me a silent
question. One I can’t accurately answer yet, even if I’m almost certain I
know what the answer is.
It’s a harsh reminder that although Cole’s walls came down a little last
night, he’s still keeping secrets.
And so am I.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Cole

I don’t need to look over to know who’s just knocked and walked in. I
sense it.
“I need you to stop looking at Hadley like you want to fuck her,” I
state, my eyes still locked on the ceiling.
“Oh yeah?” The amusement in his voice makes my fingers curl into
fists. “And why’s that?”
“You know why.”
He mumbles as he thinks. “Nope, sorry, bro. It doesn't seem like I do.”
Pushing from the mattress, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed,
planting them on the floor. “Just stop it.”
“Why?” he taunts, his eyes narrowing on mine.
“Because you’re not going to get to fuck her,” I seethe.
I watch as he stalks across my room and drops down into the chair by
the window after tossing off the pile of clothes.
“That’s a damn shame. I bet she’s mind-blowing in the sack. That night
wasn’t—”
I growl, my lips pursing as I push from the bed and take a step toward
him.
I might have only got into it with Ace last night, but I don’t have any
qualms about taking this motherfucker to the ground as well.
 “Don’t even think about that night,” I warn.
He relaxes back and looks out the window. “Can’t help it. The noises
she made, how she tastes.” He’s out of the chair before he even realizes I’ve
moved, and I have him pinned up against the wall.
His eyes flash with achievement and I curse, realizing I’ve been fucking
played. “You gonna admit it yet?”
“Nothing to admit.”
“You’re even more fucking stupid and delusional than I thought. One
too many hits to the head with a fucking football, if you ask me.”
My grip on his shirt tightens.
“Admit it.” My eyes narrow, but he isn’t done. “You want her. All. For.
Yourself.”
I shake my head, unable to accept his words. “She’s too good for me.”
“Can’t argue with that. It’s not going to stop you though, is it?”
“It should.” I release him and take a step back, my fingers threading into
my hair and pulling until it hurts.
“Maybe I should take her out on a date, show her how it’s meant to be
done. Hell knows you wouldn’t know romance if it hit you in the face.”
“Don’t you fucking—” I march straight back over to him, pressing my
brow against his.
“Why not? You don’t want to date her, and she’s too fine to be alone.”
He pushes back. “Or you could wait until Hayden or another member of the
team decided to make a play for her.”
My teeth grind, knowing that he’s right.
“I don’t date, Conner. You know this.”
“Yeah, you’ve also never had a girl like Hadley following you around
like a lost puppy.”
“She’s not lost,” I argue, but the words taste bitter as I say them. We
both know they’re not true.
“Okay, so how about this? You do the right thing by the end of the
week, take her out, treat her right, or I’ll do it in your place, and I can’t
guarantee how the night will end, because we both know that all the preppy
girls want a taste of this.” He grabs his junk and smirks.
“You’re a fucking idiot,” I mutter, spinning away from him and pacing
the room.
Take her out or lose her to my brother of all people. Fuck that.
“So, what’s it to be, little brother?”
 “Don’t go anywhere fucking near her,” I grate out, keeping my back to
him.
“Exactly as I thought. Now, if you need help planning the big night, just
ask the expert.”
“Expert?” I laugh. “Remind me, how many girls have you dated
exactly?” His face pales at the reminder and I mentally kick myself for
bringing her up.
“More than you,” he spits before blowing through the door like a
fucking whirlwind. “Oh,” he says, poking his head around the frame, “Ace
wants to talk to you. Sounded important.” He disappears once again, but his
voice rings out loud and clear before he slams his bedroom door. “That shirt
looked better on her, you fucking pussy.”
I look down at the shirt Hadley wore to breakfast this morning and
chastise myself for pulling it on the second she left.
Something weird happened last night. When I woke and found her
beside me this morning, something changed, something huge. It felt like I’d
given a part of myself over to her. It’s scary as fuck and threatens to make
me forget everything. But I can’t. The risks are too huge.
I need to remember that she knows my secret. If she wanted to, she has
the power to end me.
Ripping the shirt from my body, I throw it on top of the pile of dirty
clothes now in a heap on the floor.
I can’t allow her to crawl her way into my head like Ace did Remi. I’ve
watched how painful that can be, and I have no interest in dragging her into
a life she doesn’t deserve.
As if to prove my point, my cell starts ringing on my nightstand. I don’t
need to look to know who it is—the ringtone says it all.
The devil is calling.
Well, you’re shit out of luck today, boss.
With a sigh, I drag on a new shirt and go in search of Ace, who I’m sure
is about to rip me a new one. We might have got out our frustrations via our
fists last night, but it didn’t fix anything by far.
I’m still hiding the truth, and he’s still naively trying to protect me. I
admire him for it, but I fear it might be a little too late. He brought Donny
into our lives all those years ago when he couldn’t see any other way; he’s
unlikely to leave anytime soon when we—I—have so much to offer.
 I lift my cell to my ear as I walk through the empty house and listen to
his voicemail.
“Have you forgotten about the consequences, boy?”
A shiver runs down my spine. As much as I might want to ignore him. I
know I can’t. He’s not bluffing, and he won’t stop until he gets what he
wants.
I pocket my cell and push it down.
As I expected, I find Ace alone in the pool house.
“Where’s Remi?” I ask, finding it odd that she’s not here. She’s always
here. Not that it’s an issue. I kinda like that we’ve got a sister now too. Hell
knows, she helps to soften Ace’s rough edges a little
“Taken Hadley back to the dorms.” My breath catches at even the
mention of her name. My eyes fly to his, wondering if he saw it. The small
smirk playing on his lips tells me that he did.
Sadly, he hasn’t got me here for relationship advice—not that I’d take
any from him, knowing just how messy things have been between the two
of them since we arrived in Sterling Bay.
“What has Donny got you doing?” he asks, cutting straight to the point.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie easily as I fall down onto
the small beanbag Conner was occupying with my girl last night. My girl.
I ignore the increased beat of my heart at those two words and focus on
the issues at hand.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Cole. I know you better than you know
yourself.”
“Well then you’d better fucking look again, because you’re talking
shit.”
“So where did you disappear off to yesterday?”
“A team thing.”
“A team thing?” he repeats, his brows almost hitting his hairline.
“Yeah, things are heating up with the season. Aaron wanted to—”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” I taunt, sitting up straighter.
His lips press into a thin line as the muscle in his neck pulsates with
frustration.
“Cole,” he says with a sigh. “I can’t protect you if I don’t know what
the fuck is going on.”
 “Who said I need you to protect me? I’m a big boy, I can look after
myself.”
He stares at me, and I hate that he’s seeing the weak little boy that I
used to be. But that was before. Before I was forced to endure the things I
did. Things that I’ll never tell him or anyone about. The things that changed
me, turned my heart black and ruined my soul.
“But you don’t have to. We’re a fucking team, Cole. We do this
together.”
“Together?” I snort.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Ace glowers.
“Is that what you were thinking when you went up against Bruce that
night?” The second he registers my words, I know I made a mistake.
“Is that how you knew to turn up that night? Was it a set-up?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shrug. “I came looking for
you and found you half fucking dead.”
His jaw ticks with anger and his fists clench. I understand his need. I’d
much rather fight this out than fucking talk about it.
“Are we done?” I ask, pushing from my seat and taking a step toward
the door. I need to get out of here before one of us does or says something
we’ll regret.
“Not even fucking close, bro.”
I wave him off and go to the door nonetheless. He might not have
finished talking, but I sure have.
“Cole?” he barks before I disappear from his sight. “Don’t be a hero.
You’re no good to any of us dead. Especially Hadley.”
“Motherfucker,” I mutter, my fists clenching, my nails digging into my
palms as I walk away.
My cell continues to ring long after I’ve locked myself back in my
bedroom.
I don’t give a fuck about Donny’s warning. I’m no one’s bitch.
I do things my way, not his.

“Someone suck you off last period or what?” I ask, dropping down into the
passenger seat of our car and finding Conner with a shit-eating grin on his
face.
“Nah, although I could have done with the entertainment. It was boring
as fuck.”
“So, what’s with the face?”
“I just realized something.”
“Go on,” I mutter, already dreading what’s going to come out of his
mouth.
“We’re already over halfway through the week, and as far as I know,
you’ve barely spoken to Hadley, let alone asked her out on a date.” He rubs
his hands together. “Time’s running out, bro, before I show her who the real
man of the two of us is.”
“Shut the fuck up and drive.”
“So you’ve got a plan?”
“You think I’d tell you if I did?”
“No, ‘cos I’ll probably tell you it’s a fucking terrible idea and give you a
better one.”
“Whatever.”
I stare out the windscreen as he backs us out of the space and then
leaves Sterling Prep behind us.
He’s not wrong, Hadley and I have barely said five words to each other
since she left Sunday after breakfast. It wasn’t my intention, but the second
I saw her Monday morning standing beside my locker like she was waiting
for me, I kinda freaked.
That feeling I’d felt when I woke up Sunday morning, that I’d given her
a piece of me, returned full force, and instead of stepping up to her and
being the decent guy she deserves, I barked at her to get out of my fucking
way, traded up my books and stormed off toward my first class.
It was fucked up, I knew that as I was doing it. But I refuse to
acknowledge that she affects me in any way. She’s a means to an end. It’s as
simple as that. I need to buy her silence. Hadley knows too many of my
secrets, while I’m here vulnerable and waiting for her to make the call that
could end my future before it ever gets started.
She acts like she doesn’t care about what she discovered that night, but
how can she not? I know she’s broken, haunted by what she holds close to
her chest from her past, but she can’t be that screwed up that she can see
past my… misdemeanor. Can she?
 The fact that I don’t have the answers to those questions irritates the shit
out of me, and as Conner drives us home, a plan forms in my head.
He wants me to date Hadley, he’s got it. Maybe a change of tack will get
me the results I need.
Thankfully, Ellen is nowhere to be seen when I step into the kitchen
once we’re back. So I wait for Conner to grab an armful of food and
disappear up to his room, and then I set to work.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Hadley

I ’m lying on my bed, contemplating whether to eat a handful of Swedish

Fish or a Twizzler, when my door flies open.
“Cole?” I scramble off the bed, my heart in my throat. “What the
hell?”
“Come on,” he jerks his head, “we’re going out.”
“Out?” I balk. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?” Marching toward
him, I grab his arm and yank him inside, slamming the door closed. The last
thing I need right now is someone reporting me to the RA.
“You can’t just wander into the dorms whenever you like.”
“I didn’t wander,” he smirked. “I used my key.”
“Key? Forget it,” I shake my head, “I don’t want to know.” Stepping
back, I put some distance between us.
“Come on, Hadley, come out with me.”
“You haven’t uttered a single word to me all week and want me to just
—”
Cole crowds me against the wall, his eyes fixed on my lips. His hand
slides to my throat, holding me there. “I thought about you a lot.”
“Cole...”
“Don’t try to tell me you aren’t at least a little bit interested, Dove.” He
leans in, running his nose along my jaw. “God, Hadley you smell so fucking
good.”
“You should go.” I steel myself. After Saturday, I thought I was finally
getting somewhere with Cole, but then he completely shut me out all week,
dodging me at every turn.
“Seriously?” His brow quirks up. “But I made plans.”
“Plans?”
“Yeah. Conner said—”
“Wait a second. You’re doing this to prove something to Conner?”
Unbelievable.
“Fuck that. I’m doing this for you.” Cole presses his hand flat against
the wall beside me. “I tried all week to get you out of my head. But you’re
in deep, Little Dove.”
“So you want to take me out?”
“Don’t get your hopes up, it isn’t dinner at The Blue Bay.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” I study him, noticing the slight flicker of
vulnerability in his eyes.
“You should know me well enough by now that you know I don’t do
anything I don’t want to.”
“If I come, and I haven’t decided yet, where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.”
I tap my lips, pretending to consider his offer. Of course I already know
that I’ll go with him. But I want to see him squirm a little first.
“Hadley...” His tone is impatient.
“I’ll need to change.” My eyes drop to my school uniform.
“Be my guest.” Cole flops back onto my bed. “You can give me a
show.” A rare smile tugs at his mouth, and he looks so boyish it makes my
heart flutter.
“Do not move.” I go to my closet and start pulling out some clean
clothes. When I glance back, Cole is sucking suggestively on a Twizzler. He
shoots me a knowing smirk and my tummy clenches violently.
Damn, this boy.
Slipping into the bathroom, I quickly change and tame my blonde hair
into a messy bun. When I step back into the room, Cole is at my dresser.
“Looking for something?” My pulse ratchets.
“Just stretching my legs.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’re lying.”
 He steps toward me, taking the air with him. “Takes one to know one,
Dove.” His hand brushes my collarbone, sending shivers zipping through
me. “Why do you trust me, Hadley?” The intensity in Cole’s eyes pins me
to the spot.
“I don’t know... I guess something inside me recognizes something
inside you.”
“You like the pain,” he says as if he’s got me all figured out.
“And you like the control.” I stare back at him, unwavering. “You don’t
scare me, Cole.”
“I should,” he says, before grabbing my hand. “Come on, before I
change my mind and fuck you right here, against your wall.”

Cole is quiet on the ride to wherever we’re going. I crank the window down
and let the frigid November air blast my face. When I look over at him, he’s
watching me with a strange expression. “What?” I ask.
“Enjoying yourself?” He quirks a brow.
“I like the feeling.” My lips curve, but he doesn’t reply so I change the
subject. “How much longer?”
“Not too long.”
I notice we’re driving out of Sterling Bay along the coast. Cole doesn’t
stay on the main road though, pulling off down a dirt track leading to the
beach.
“What is this place?”
“You’ll see, come on.” He climbs out and goes around to the trunk,
pulling out two bags.
“Are we burying a dead body?” The words just spill from my lips as I
join him. “Oh my God, I didn’t mean—”
“Relax. Nobody is dying tonight.” He thrusts a bag at me and takes off
toward the sand. It’s almost dark, that time of the evening when the sun
gives way to the moon. Light gives way to darkness.
A shudder rolls through me and I shuck further into my hoodie to stop
the bite of cold air.
“Cole, wait up.” I stumble after him, wondering just what kind of date
this is before instantly correcting myself. Because this isn’t a date.
 Is it?
We’re in a secluded part of the Bay. Steep, grassy banks create a natural
windbreak, but it’s still cold. I lose Cole in the shadows for a second, my
heart galloping in my chest, but then I spot him, and I can hardly believe
my eyes.
He’s pulling a blanket out of his bag and fighting against the gentle
wind to lie it down on the sand.
“Need a hand?” I ask, approaching him.
“I’ve got it.” And he does, adding big stones to each corner of the
blanket. Then he sets about placing the two camping lights down.
“Who knew Cole Jagger could be romantic?”
“I’m full of surprises,” he grunts, dropping down on the blanket. He
stares up at me, asking me a silent question, and I join him.
“This is... wow. What’s in the other bag?”
“Take a look.” I drag it toward me and open it.
“Ellen’s cookies?”
“There are some sandwiches too, and some other shit I found in the
refrigerator.”
“I’m impressed.” I grin, but a gust of wind whips around us, and my
teeth chatter.
“Shit, maybe I didn’t think this through.” Disappointment etches into
his expression.
“No, it’s perfect. Just a little cold.”
“Hold that thought.” Cole jumps up and disappears. A minute later, he’s
back with a pile of driftwood in his arms. He lies on his stomach next to
me, meticulously arranging the branches into a stack. Then he tears off
some of the paper towel lining Ellen’s cookie container and sets it alight,
piling it underneath the stack of branches.
“Won’t it go out?”
“Patience,” he says, taking a small thin branch and holding it above the
flame. It catches fire and he uses it to set a couple of the other sticks alight.
When he’s happy with his progress, he rolls onto his back and folds his
arms behind his head.
“What other skills are you hiding, Cole Jagger?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” He smirks, and I roll my eyes. “I come
out here sometimes. I found it once when I was driving. It doesn’t get as
busy as Sterling Bay.”
 “What is this place?”
“I don’t think it has a name. It isn’t part of the Bay but it isn’t the
Heights either. At least, I don’t think it is.”
“So it’s No Man’s Land?”
Cole shrugs.
“What was it like?” I ask, lying on my side with my head propped on
my fist. “Growing up in the Heights?”
“It was just normal, ya know? I didn’t know any different.”
“Is it really as bad as everyone says?”
Cole’s brow lifts, and I regret how judgmental that sounded. “Sorry, that
was—”
“It’s okay. I get it. To everyone else the Heights is this crime ridden
cesspit of corruption and drugs, and I guess it is like that. But it isn’t all
bad.”
“Even the nice places have their not so nice parts.” I know that all too
well.
“Exactly. Something can be good and bad. Take you, for example...”
His fingers walk up my stomach, toying with the neckline of my hoodie.
“Cole.” My breath hitches, and he isn’t even touching me, not really.
He curves his hand around my neck, bringing my face down to his. His
tongue snakes out, licking the seam of my lips. “Do you want to be bad
with me, Dove?”
My fingers twist into his hoodie, but I don’t answer him. Instead, I pour
all my feelings into the kiss, letting my tongue tangle with his as we devour
one another.
But it isn’t enough for Cole, and he rolls me underneath him, pressing
me into the sand. “Tell me you’re mine,” he says, surprising me.
My brows furrow. There’s something in his expression, something I
can’t quite place. “Say it, Dove,” he growls, letting his lips trail down my
jaw and along the curve of my neck.
“Why?” My skin burns for him.
I burn for him.
But I need more.
I need to know this means something to Cole, the way it does to me.
“Because you’re not Hayden’s or Conner’s or any other fucker’s who
thinks they can have a taste of you. You’re mine, Little Dove...” The sheer
possessiveness in his voice shoots a thrill through me.
 “And what about you, Cole?” I lift my chin a little. “Are you mine?
Because I don’t like sharing either.”
He doesn’t answer, just stares at me in that predatory way of his.
“Fuck,” he murmurs under his breath, and then he’s kissing me,
grinding his body against mine in the most delicious way.
But as quickly as he starts, he stops.
“Cole?” I breathe, suffering whiplash from how quickly he swings from
hot to cold.
“Just give me a minute.” He drops back onto the blanket, blowing out
an exasperated breath. “I didn’t bring you here for this.”
“You didn’t, huh?” I smother a giggle.
“Well, not just that.”
“So, let’s eat.” I throw him a bone because something huge just
happened, and as disappointed as I am that he stopped, part of me loves that
he did.
His eyes flare with hunger.
“Eat the food, Cole.” I give him a pointed look.
“Okay, okay. First we eat, and then we—”
“Talk?” It’s my turn to smirk.
“Yeah, we can do that.”
We work in silence, unpacking the containers of food. My stomach
grumbles and Cole’s head whips up.
“What? I’m hungry.” I shrug.
“You should eat more.”
“I have to watch what I eat for cheer.”
“Fuck that. You’re perfect, you don’t need to—what?”
“You think I’m perfect?” I swoon. So. Freaking. Hard.
“You’re not so bad, Rexford.”
“So now we’re on a last name basis? Or is that just your way of
covering the fact that you think I’m perfect?” A big smile splits my face.
“And this is why I don’t date,” he groans.
“You’ve never dated, ever?”
“Do I look like the kind of guy who dates?”
“You look like the kind of guy girls want to date.” I raise a brow.
“Yeah, well, most girls just want their shot with the bad boy.”
“Well, I hope you know that’s not why I’m here,” I say quietly, barely
able to meet his eyes.
 Cole reaches over, gripping my chin. “Yeah, you’re different, aren’t
you?” The air crackles between us. “Tell me what happened with Tim...
please.”
“Cole, don’t do this. You have your secrets and I have mine.”
“Maybe I don’t want to keep secrets anymore. Maybe I want to share
them. Maybe I want to finally let somebody in.”
His admission stuns me. “Cole?” It comes out shaky.
“A secret for a secret, Dove. What do you say?”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Cole

M y heart pounds wildly in my chest. I can’t believe I just let those

words pass my lips. I’ve never told anyone any of the dark things I
keep within before. I’ve never felt the need to. But staring into her
mesmerizing green eyes, I have the burning urge to lay all of my truths out
for her.
The chances are that if I do that, if I tell her about all the ugliness within
me, she’ll run faster than she thought possible to get away from me.
Or she might understand it. Embrace it, a little voice says in my head.
I already know that she harbors some kind of darkness, her own
personal daily torture. She understands it. She gets it.
Gets me.
“O-okay,” she whispers, her voice already cracking with uncertainty.
“I can assure you, Dove, that whatever you’re hiding isn’t as bad as
what I am.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Her voice is so quiet that I almost don’t hear it,
but what I do hear loud and clear is the pain within it.
It guts me.
My fists clench in my need to go and hurt every motherfucker who
wronged her. Every cunt who thought they could use her in whatever game
they were playing.
 “You want me to go first?”
“No, if we’re doing this then I need to get it out.”
“Okay.” I lie down on my side and pull her into my body.
She shivers, but I’m no longer sure if it’s because of the cold or because
of what she’s about to tell me.
As she prepares what to say to me, I can’t help that my mouth waters for
the information she’s about to confess. I just hope it’s what I need.
“Tim…” she starts, and I fight not to smile. “We were together from…
well… I was too young, let’s put it that way. We shouldn’t have been
together, we knew that if we got caught things would be bad, for both of
us.”
She falls into thought, and I can’t help but fill the silence. “Why
couldn’t you be together?”
“Where I’m from things are… different.” My brows pull together, but
she doesn't wait for me to say anything this time. She continues of her own
accord. “Certain things are expected of us. Plans and promises that were
made long before we were old enough to make our own decisions.”
“What, like arranged marriages and stuff?” I ask, because she isn’t
making any sense.
“Hmm, I guess you could say it’s a bit like that. Tim was already set to
be engaged to another girl, but we… we made a mistake.” Hadley inhales a
sharp breath. “When we were caught, we brought shame down on our
families.”
“So, you were shipped here?” I think back to some of the things she’s
said in the past.
“Yep.”
“But what about those plans? Didn’t your parents have those for you?”
The words are like ash on my tongue, because the idea of Hadley being
promised to some rich preppy guy makes me want to hurt someone.
“They did, but after everything that happened, no one wanted me. I
was… tainted, ruined. I wasn’t the prize that I once was, and I’d
embarrassed my family.” She drops her gaze and whispers, “I might as well
be dead to them now.”
Her body continues to tremble and tears fill her eyes, but at no point
does she let them drop.
“What happened to him?” I fight the urge to pounce on her and force the
truth out of her, the parts I know she’s still hiding. But for some unknown
reason, I don’t.
“Nothing. He got to continue at college and carry on with his life.”
“How is that fair?” I ask, my muscles tensing in frustration.
“How is anything fair?” She shrugs, and although I have to agree with
her, I hate it. “So what about you? What do you need to confess?”
I stare at her, there’s still more to this story than she’s willingly telling
me, but I can tell that she’s confessed more than she’s happy about.
“What do you want to know?” I ask, spinning it back on her. There are a
million things I could confess, but I need to know what she wants to hear.
Her lips part, and without missing a beat, she asks me the one question I
was hoping she wouldn’t.
“Who keeps calling you, and where do you keep disappearing off to?”
“Agh, Dove,” I complain, falling onto my back and staring up at the
twinkling stars above us in the inky black sky. “Going right for the big
questions, huh?”
“Are you going to tell me?”
I can hear the doubt in her voice. She thinks I’m about to back out of
our little deal. It makes me wonder if that’s why she only told me half a
story just now.
“Donny,” I confess. “Donny Lopez. He runs an… organization in the
Heights.”
“An organization?” she asks.
“Of sorts. He has his hand in most of the dealings that go on in the
Heights, but his biggest earner is the movement of drugs and guns.” She
gasps, although I’m not sure if it’s because she wasn’t expecting it or
because I’ve confirmed her suspicions.
“And you work for this Donny guy?”
I blow out a slow breath. “Not by choice.”
“So why?”
“Ace,” I admit.
“He got you into this?” The anger in her voice makes me smile. Even
knowing what kind of man I’m tangled up with, she wants to fight for me.
“In a way, but it’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Go on.”
“Ace got tangled up with Donny years ago. Our dad had… I mean
Charlie,” I correct, because even now, even though I know the truth, it’s still
a mind fuck that James is our dad and Charlie was our uncle. “He died, our
mom was a mess, and someone needed to take charge and make sure the lot
of us didn’t die of starvation. Most people go one of two ways in the
Heights. They either get addicted to something, or they supply those who
are. He knew that the only way for a kid to earn enough to keep the roof
over our head was to go to Donny.
“Ace already had a reputation by then, so Donny gave him a chance. He
ran for him for years, even after we moved here, although by then, Conner
and I thought he was done. He’d met Remi. He was changing, softening,
but it turned out that Donny never let him go. He was too valuable.”
“You took his place?” She guesses correctly. “You took his place so that
he’d be safe and could be with Remi.”
I shrug. “He tried getting out, but Donny wasn’t having any of it unless
he could get something out of it. He set Ace up and called me to come and
rescue him from what could have been the beating of his life. By doing so,
he’d pulled me in. A favor for a favor.”
“What did he ask you to do in return?”
“I think you already know the answer to that, don’t you?”
“Charlie?” she whispers.
I nod. “Apparently, Donny had wanted him for years after he
disappeared with a shipment. When he got word that he was back in town,
he knew it was his time to strike.”
“Why you?”
“Why not me?” I shrug. “Donny knows everything that goes on in that
hellhole. I have no doubt he knew the entire time who our father really was.
He knew that I’d have willingly done what I did.”
“So that was it then, a favor for a favor?”
“Yeah, so you’d think. Turns out that’s not really how it works with men
like Donny.”
“Fucking hell, Cole.”
She moves closer, her hand brushing over my stomach and slipping
under the fabric of my hoodie and shirt so she can find my skin. She settles
her head on my chest as I shift my arm to hold her to me.
“You’re the only one who knows. You weren’t meant to see me that
night, Dove.”
“But I did.”
“And now I’ve dragged you into this mess.”
“I think you’ll find I came willingly.”
 “You shouldn’t. I might not know much in life, but I know that I’m
going to hurt you, whether it be accidental or not.”
“You can’t possibly know that, Cole. You’re not the cold, scary person
you believe you are.”
“Aren’t I?” Something in my voice makes her look up at me.
“No. Deep down, you’re just like me.” My brows draw together for her
to continue. “You're just lost, hurt, fighting to stay above water.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “That’s one way to explain it.”
Reaching up, she presses a kiss to the underside of my jaw.
“I don’t deserve this, Dove. I don’t deserve you.”
“I beg to differ.”
She continues kissing a trail toward my lips. By the time she gets to
them, she’s straddling my waist, the burning heat of her pussy causing my
cock to swell as thoughts of burying myself deep inside her fill my mind.
Her lips brush mine once, twice, three times, but unable to allow her the
control to tease me, my fingers thread into her hair and I pull her down so
she has no choice but to kiss me properly.
My tongue pushes past her lips and encourages hers to join—not that
she needs a lot.
Her hips grind as her hands explore the lines and indentations of my
chest and stomach.
“Cole,” she moans against my lips, the movement of her hips getting
more and more erratic.
“You gonna come, Little Dove?”
“Fuck, Cole. I need you,” she moans, making my grip on her hips
tighten.
“Take what you need. Let me see you shatter.”
“Oh God,” she moans as I press my now fully erect cock against her
sensitive core.
I keep her in place and watch, utterly fascinated as she uses my body to
take the pleasure she’s craving.
As she gets closer, her lips part and her head falls back. I run my eyes
down the slender column of her neck, over her hoodie that hides her
mouthwatering curves and down to where we’re connected.
In my head we’re both naked and I’m watching her impale herself on
me, but as much as I might need that right now, it’s not happening tonight.
 I want to prove to her, to myself, that just for once, I can do the right
thing.
“Oh God. Yes, Cole.”
Moving my hand up, I slip it inside her hoodie and tank until I find her
already peaked nipple and pinch hard. Her entire body quakes as her
orgasm rips through her. She cries out my name, breaking the silent night
that surrounds us.
Her breathing turns ragged and when she looks back down at me once
her release has subsided, her eyes blown with desire.
“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.”
A shy smile pulls at her lips as her cheeks heat. “T-thank you.”
“Oh, Little Dove. You’re more than welcome.”
She chuckles, and the sound of her joy makes my chest ache in a way
I’m not sure I’ve felt before.
“I didn’t mean that, you idiot. I meant thank you for telling me, for
trusting me.”
“You too. Your story makes me want to hunt Tim down and hurt him a
little less than I did when you left me guessing.” She tenses at my words. “I
won’t,” I say. “Unless you want me to.”
“I don’t think I need to tell you that there’s a lot more to the story than
what I told you. The place I come from, it’s… different. Dark. I never want
to go back there.” Hadley shudders, and I wonder what the fuck has her so
scared.
“It’s okay,” I say, squeezing her thigh in support. “You don’t need to tell
me any more tonight.”
She moves from my lap and once again falls down beside me.
“I haven’t uttered a word about what happened in that place since the
day I moved here. The only person who knows some of it is Miss Jones.”
“Not even Remi?” I ask. I’m shocked, because I thought they were
closer than that.
“Nope. Never. I feel guilty about it, but talking about it all… it’s just too
painful. The memories are bad enough. I need to pretend that I left all that
behind when I was shipped out of Gravestone, that it doesn’t exist here in
Sterling.”
“I should take you home,” I say after a few seconds of silence.
“Already?”
“It’s nearly midnight, Dove.”
 “Oh.”
“Come on, let’s tidy this up. If you’re lucky, I might give you a
goodnight kiss.”
“Oh yeah?” She looks up at me, a wide smile covering her face and her
eyes softer than they have been all night.
Maybe opening up to Hadley and letting her into my dark heart won’t
be so bad, after all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Hadley

C ole gives me a ride back to the dorms and we make out in his car like
regular teenagers. It’s nice... normal.
It’s also late, and if either of us get caught, we’ll be hauled in
before Principal Vager in the morning.
“You should go,” I say, trying to break free from his kisses, but Cole
grips my neck tighter, trailing his lips up and down my jaw.
“I’m not done with you yet.”
“Cole...” I gasp as he sucks the skin just beneath my ear. “Seriously, we
need to—”
“Yeah.” He sighs. “You’re right.” Releasing me, he stares at me with
blown pupils.
I can’t help but be affected. I did that to him.
Me.
The prim and proper girl from Gravestone County.
I’m not that girl anymore though. She died a long time ago when my
family decided I was tainted goods.
As if Cole hears my thoughts, he brushes the hair from my face and
says, “Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not good enough, Dove.” He
kisses me again before shoving me gently over to the passenger seat.
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow?”
 “Yeah.” He watches me climb out. I don’t want to go, but I can’t exactly
ask him to stay.
Besides, despite the fact that he finally opened up to me tonight, I don’t
think we’re quite at the stage of planned sleepovers yet.
Cole is... complicated, and I know there’s so much more to the boy with
darkness in his heart and pain in his soul.
I glance back one last time, knowing that I’m walking a dangerous line.
He killed someone. But he did it to save Ace. And Charlie wasn’t innocent
—he was, by all accounts, a very bad person.
I’m aware this isn’t a normal response to murder, but I haven’t been
normal since my parents forced me to make a decision that forever changed
me.
I’m different now.
Intrinsically altered.
Maybe I am bad... or dark... or whatever you want to call it, but I can’t
feel sorry for a man like Charlie Jagger.
I won’t.
Slipping inside the building, I tiptoe down the hall. It’s quiet, and I
make it to my room unnoticed. I know I should probably change out of my
sand-ridden clothes, but I leave the hoodie on, loving the way it smells of
me and Cole.
Within seconds of slipping under the covers, I fall asleep.

Something startles me and I open my eyes, searching for the sound.

My cell phone.
It’s my cell phone.
Fumbling on the nightstand, I snatch it up. “Hello?”
“Hadley?”
“Remi?” I sit up. “What is it, what’s wrong?”
“Is Cole with you?”
“No.” I rub my eyes. “What time is it?”
“A little after two.”
“He didn’t come home?” My stomach sinks.
“Conner seemed to think you were together.”
 “We were, but he gave me a ride back to the dorms about midnight. Are
you sure he’s not there?”
Dread snakes through me. If he’s not at the house... Oh God, Cole. What
did you do?
“Hold on a second, Ace wants to talk to you.”
“Y-yeah, okay.”
There are some muffled voices, and then Ace’s gruff voice fills the line.
“Hadley?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“We, uh, we went to the beach and... hung out.”
“The beach?” Disbelief coats his words. “Never mind. Did he seem
okay?”
“He was fine...” I hesitate, and it’s enough for Ace to say, “Hadley, what
aren’t you telling me?”
“N-nothing.”
“Listen, I know my brother. And I know he’s involved in some bad shit.
But I can’t help him unless I know what and who he’s tangled up with. If he
told you anything... I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t really fucking worried.”
Crap.
If I don’t tell him and something happens to Cole, I’ll never forgive
myself. But if I tell Ace and Cole is okay, he’ll never forgive me.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
“Hadley, please...”
I make a snap decision. “It’s Donny.”
“I knew it, I fucking knew it,” he breathes. “Thank you.”
“You’ll make sure he’s okay?”
“I’m leaving right now.”
Relief floods me. I know Cole will be pissed, but I won’t stand by and
watch him potentially get hurt when I can help. I care about him too damn
much for that.
“Hads?”
“Yeah?” I say to Remi.
“Thank you. I know it isn’t easy to betray their trust.”
“He’ll hate me for this.” A shudder rolls up my spine.
“He’ll come around. Besides, better to hate you than end up hurt... or
worse.”
 “How do you do it?” I ask her.
“Do what?”
“Love a Jagger?”
“Honestly, it’s not something you choose. It chooses you. Try and get
some sleep, we have school tomorrow. Ace will bring Cole home safe, I
promise.”
“Okay,” I lie, because I know sleep won’t come easy tonight. Even if
Cole is okay, I just betrayed him.
And I know him well enough to know he’ll make me pay for it.

The next morning, I wait at Cole’s locker to explain. But he never shows.
Instead, Remi collars me.
“Hey.” She grimaces.
“He’s okay?” Remi had texted in the night to say Cole was home and
safe, but she’d kept things vague.
From her pained expression, I know whatever went down isn’t good.
The knot in my stomach tightens.
“Yeah, Ace was on his way out to look for him when he rolled up at the
house.”
“Had he been to see Donny?”
“Says not. He said he gave you a ride home and then went back to the
beach to think.”
“So he wasn’t with Donny? Oh God.” I clutch my chest. “So it was all
for nothing?”
“Hey, it wasn’t for nothing. Ace needed to know for definite that Cole is
involved with Donny.”
“I betrayed him.” A shiver rolls up my spine.
“Hadley, it isn’t like that. Donny isn’t someone you mess around with.
He’s a serious player. Cole could end up hurt. You did it to protect him.”
“He won’t see it like that.”
She narrows her eyes. “So make him.”
“He did it for Ace, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. And Ace is cut up about it. They almost got into it again.
Cole took off with a bottle of vodka. I hope he doesn’t show up wasted, or
else Coach Miller will bench him for sure.”
Of course, it’s game night. It’s so easy to forget all the mundane stuff
when I’m with Cole.
“He needs football,” Remi goes on. “It’s his shot at getting out of here.
Getting away from Sterling Heights and his past.”
The idea of Cole leaving makes my heart sink, but I know she’s right.
He deserves a shot at something better. And he’s good, really good. If only
he can stay sober and out of trouble.
“I need to find him,” I say, desperate to explain.
“Maybe you should give him some time to cool off.”
“No, I need to—”
I sense him behind me. Turning slowly, I open my mouth to speak, but
he flies past me, not sparing me a second glance.
Instead, he walks right up to Marissa and smacks her ass. She yelps but
quickly schools her surprise, falling against his shoulder as they whisper to
one another.
“Did he just...”
“Yeah, he did.” Remi lets out an exasperated breath. “It’s Ace and
Michaela all over again.”
But I refuse to be treated like no one, not after I spent the entire night
awake, hoping and praying he wasn’t lying in some ditch with a bullet hole
in his chest.
Storming toward them, I practically shove Marissa aside. “We need to
talk.”
“Actually, Hadley, we don’t need to do anything.”
Marissa and her crew burst into fits of giggles. I shoot them a hard look
and they at least have the decency to stop.
“Please, Cole. You at least owe me the chance to explain.”
He steps forward, backing me into the lockers. “I don’t owe you
anything, traitor.” His words are a low growl only meant for my ears.
“I can explain, if you’ll just—”
His hand collides with the locker, the sound reverberating through me,
and I flinch. One of our audience gasps, but I don’t know who since I can’t
tear my eyes away from Cole.
On the face of it, he’s pissed. But I see the hurt in his eyes. He thinks I
betrayed him, but he doesn’t understand my motives, not yet.
 “Cole,” I say again, reaching for his school shirt. But he jerks away as if
my touch disgusts him.
“You think I want you? Used fucking goods. Did you let Timmy fuck
you like a whore? Did you suck his cock nice and deep while he whispered
sweet nothings in your ear?”
Someone gasps again, but I barely hear them over the roar of blood
between my ears. Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but I won’t cry. I won’t
give him the satisfaction.
“You think I want you?” He leans in, a cruel smirk tugging at his mouth.
“You’re a decent fuck, but you’re clingy as shit.”
Marissa snickers. I know it’s her, because it grates on me like nails
across a blackboard.
She and her friends aren’t the only ones watching. Everyone’s stopped
to see Cole humiliate me.
“Still want me now?” He snarls the words. “Still wants to ride my cock
like a—”
“Enough,” Conner barks, storming over to us. “You need to stand down,
bro.”
“Or what?” Cole stands up to him, the two of them matched in height
and strength. The air crackles with tension, kids salivating at the prospect of
witnessing a Jagger showdown.
“You’re going to regret this,” Conner says, and I can’t help but think
he’s not talking about Cole squaring up to him.
“You’re welcome to her, bro. I’m done with the lying bitch.”
Pain lances my chest. But even now, even after his verbal tirade and
public berating, I still want to make him hear me out.
“Cole,” I start, but Conner pulls me away.
“Come on, Hadley, baby. He’s not worth it.”
I glance back to find Cole watching me, but his eyes are no longer
burning with jealous anger. They’re burning with contempt.
And I put it there.

“Here.” Conner offers me a bottle of vodka. “You look like you could use
that.”
 I unscrew the cap and take a long pull on it, almost choking from the
afterburn.
“Thanks,” I say.
“My brother is an asshole.”
“I hurt him.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t excuse what he just did back there. He completely
humiliated you.”
“You don’t need to remind me. I was right there.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really, but something tells me you’re not going to let me off that
easily.” I glance over at him and Conner grins.
“You know me too well.”
“What happened to Cole, Conner?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you were raised in the Heights but you’re not...”
“A miserable bastard?” He chuckles.
“I was going to say you’re not broken.”
“I think we’re all a little broken, Hadley. We just deal with it
differently.”
“You use humor as a defense mechanism.”
“And the winner is... Hadley Rexford.” He fakes applause and I roll my
eyes.
“Case in point.” I level him with a hard look.
“Cole feels a lot more than he lets on. If anything, I’d say he feels too
much. When we were kids, he was always getting sick. He spent a lot of
time at home with our mom. Back then, I used to think he had it lucky. But
as I grew up, I realized we were the lucky ones. We got out of that hellhole.
But Cole was there, seeing and hearing things no kid should ever see or
hear.”
“Has he ever talked to you about it?” Because I get the feeling there’s a
lot more going on than Conner or Ace know.
“This is Cole we’re talking about.” He frowns. “We might be twins, but
it ends with our DNA.”
“You’re his brother. He loves you.”
“I don’t doubt it. But loving someone because they’re your blood is
different to choosing to love someone.”
“What happened last night, Conner?”
 “Ace ripped him a new one. Took Cole all of two minutes to work out
you’d ratted him out...”
Guilt swells inside me. “It wasn’t like that.”
“I know that and you know that, but Cole isn’t you or I. His brain is
wired differently. The way he sees it, he trusted you with something and
you broke it.”
“What do I do?”
“Usually, I’d be the first one to tell you to push him. But this time, I
think it would be best if you give him some space. Cole doesn’t let anyone
in, Hadley, but he let you in. That kind of trust isn’t going to be rebuilt
overnight.”
I sag back into the worn leather. “Is being a senior supposed to be this
hard?”
“It’s life. Shit happens and then you die.”
Laughter spills out of me, but it feels good.
“Thanks, Conner, for everything.”
“You’re my brother’s girl,” he says with complete conviction. “He
might not realize that yet, but he’ll figure it out. Until then, I’ve got your
back.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Cole

M y vision blurs as I watch Conner wrap his arm around Hadley’s

shoulder and lead her away from me.
How fucking dare he? This has nothing to do with him. This
isn’t his fight, his issue, yet he thinks he can squeeze himself between us.
“Hey, Cole,” a sickly-sweet voice says behind me before a warm hand
slides across my stomach and Marissa appears at my side. “Need someone
to work out that tension?”
“Fuck off,” I grunt, pushing her away from me. I hear the crash of her
colliding with the lockers and all I do is smile. It’s the least she deserves for
the way she treats people.
You’re one to talk, a little voice says in my head.
A trickle of regret races through me. That wasn’t how I wanted to deal
with that situation with Hadley, but one look at her and the depth of betrayal
I felt just took over.
I knew something was very, very wrong last night because the second I
pulled up at the house sometime before three AM, Ace came rushing out of
the house as white as a sheet.
Before I’d managed to turn the engine off, he’d ripped the door open
and all but dragged me out.
“Are you okay?” he barked.
 “Yeah, why?” His eyes were blown with anger, and as I glanced around
I found Conner and Remi looking at me with the same concern on their
faces.
“You’re a fucking stupid son of a bitch, do you know that?”
And it was that moment I knew. He finally had confirmation of what he
already suspected, and there was only one way he could have gotten it.
It had barely been hours since I’d admitted the truth to her, and the first
thing she did was go running to Ace—the one person I was trying to keep
out of all of this.
Fury like I’d never felt slammed into me. The only thing I could think
about was getting back in the car and hurting her the way she had done me.
I trusted her.
I fucking trusted her, and she smashed it in the blink of an eye.
None of us got a wink of sleep. By the time Ace’s grilling had stopped,
the sun was beginning to rise.
I tried to go to bed, to forget that a new day had begun and hide from
the issues facing me, but I couldn’t. It was game day. My only way out of
this life. My only chance at a future.
So I showered, dressed in my bullshit uniform and allowed Conner to
drive us to school as usual.
No words were said between us the entire journey until we were parked
up in the lot.
“She’s trying to protect you, bro. She cares. Don’t make this harder than
it needs to be.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, shouldering open the door and storming toward
the building where I knew she’d be.
“Fuuuuck,” I bark into the silence of the locker room. First period
started a few minutes ago and Coach Miller is thankfully nowhere to be
seen.
I need to go to class, but I know she’ll be there and all I can think about,
all I can picture, is getting her back to her dorm room and showing her just
how impressed I am by her little stunt. I pace back and forth for the longest
time, desperately trying to get a hold of myself. It makes no fucking
difference, and when I do finally wrench the door open and storm down the
hallway, my head is still as fucked as when I entered.
I pull the classroom door open and step inside. Every single set of eyes
lifts to mine—all except one.
 “Mr. Jagger, how nice of you to join us,” the teacher snaps, but I ignore
her as I march toward my seat.
My entire body screams at me to walk back out as fast as I entered so I
can go and find her and take what I need, but it’s too late now. It’ll be
reported to Coach that I skipped and that’ll be my game over.
I fall down into my seat and stare ahead at the board. I don’t get any
books out, I don’t make any effort to get involved. I’m merely present.
The rest of the day continues in a similar blur until I find myself in the
locker rooms getting a pep talk from Coach before he releases us out onto
the field.
My hands tremble, knowing that she’ll be out there firing up the crowd
in that little cheer uniform I’m so desperate to rip from her body. She might
have missed a day at school, but she’d never get away with missing a game.
“Go on then, ladies. Get out there and smash it,” Coach yells, and the
rest of the team cheer and shout along with him as they run out toward the
field.
“Jagger, a word.”
I groan, desperate to get out there and focus on something besides the
need for revenge that’s been running around my head all day.
“I need your head in the game tonight, son.”
“It will be.” He raises a brow at me, clearly unconvinced by my words.
I’m not surprised. I’ve heard the rumors that have gone around today.
Everyone knows how I spoke to Hadley earlier and everyone has avoided
me since, even my own family. The rest of the team knew something was
up long before I walked into the locker room with this angry cloud over my
head.
“You don’t need me to say it, but if you fuck this up, Cole, it could be
the end. Every game there are scouts out here looking for their next big
player. You’re good, good enough to have a real shot at this, but you’ve got
to get out of your own head.
“It’s hard, I know. I’ve been there. I get it. But you’ve got to decide
what’s the most important thing in the next forty-eight minutes: whatever is
going on in that head of yours, or your future.”
He slaps me on the shoulder and sends me on my way.
“Everything okay?” Hayden asks when I come to a stop beside him.
“When is it?” I mutter, but with the roar of the crowd and the music he
clearly doesn’t hear me.
 “Good. Great. We’ve got this tonight, yeah?” He holds his fist out for
me to bump, and reluctantly, I do.
The crowd gets even wilder as we take to the field. I keep my eyes on
the ground, not wanting to look to where the squad are jumping around,
doing their well-rehearsed routine, but as the music comes to an end, I find
my eyes betraying me and I look over.
The second I look up, I find her eyes locked on me, a deep frown
between her brows and dark circles around her eyes. She looks as exhausted
as I feel.
Good. It’s the least she deserves after what she did to me.
I watch as Lylah and a couple of the others walk over to her. It looks
like Lylah attempts to get into it with Hadley, but instead of letting her spit
whatever abuse she has, Hadley flips her off and marches away.
Pride washes through me as I watch her stand up for herself, but it’s
soon washed away and overtaken by the hate, betrayal and anger that’s been
engulfing me all day.
By some miracle not only do we win the game, but I manage not to get
sent off. I feel Coach’s hard stare throughout the entire forty-eight minutes,
and I’m well aware that his half-time pep talk about keeping our heads in
the game was solely aimed at me, because he watched me make more than
one dirty tackle in my need to hurt someone.
By the time the final whistle blows, I’m more than ready to get the hell
out of here and get drunk, the lure of vodka and numbness too strong to
ignore, and I march off the field long before the celebrations have finished.
I shower and dress without talking to anyone—not that any of my
teammates even try. Even Hayden and Aaron keep a wide berth of me, for
which I’m grateful because I really don’t need either of them trying to
befriend me right now.
Conner is already waiting for me at the car when I get out into the lot.
“Good game, bro.”
I grunt in response.
“Not sure how you were lucky enough to stay on the field, though. Are
you trying to ruin everything?”
“Shut up, Con. I don’t need a fucking lecture.”
“Well you might want to prepare yourself because you’ve got one
coming.”
 I drop onto the passenger seat as he starts off on a speech about the
opportunities I’ve got and how I need to pull my head out of my ass and
talk to Hadley, apologize to her about the way I spoke to her earlier.
I hear some of the words, although most are a blur as he drives up
toward the destination for tonight’s party.
The beach.
It’s the last fucking place I want to be after spending last night on one
with Hadley, but it’s this or go home alone, and I know for a fact Conner
isn’t going to turn the car around and allow me to do that.
Once we’ve parked up, I climb from the car and leave Conner behind.
“That’s it,” he calls behind. “Run away, you fucking pussy.”
My teeth grind and my fists curl, but I don’t look back. I focus on the
crashing waves in the distance and just keep going until my feet are at the
edge of the water.
I stand there staring at the moon for the longest time as kids’ laughter
and joy sounds out behind me. No one comes to talk to me. Even Conner
and Ace avoid me.
When my need to drown it all out gets too much, I walk toward the
stash of alcohol before taking a bottle to a secluded dune a little down the
beach.
I drop down, pain shooting up my back, but I ignore it as I twist the top
of the bottle, my mouth watering to feel the burn. The burn that tells me
nothingness is coming.
My escape.
My relief.
I chug down half of the bottle without batting an eyelid before falling
back on the sand and allowing it to fill my veins.
What I really need is some pills, weed, fucking anything, but I promised
both Ace and Conner that I’d knock it off and I really want to keep at least
one fucking promise.
Every time they look at me, all they see is a fuck-up, and I hate it. I hate
that they don’t see how broken I am… that they don’t see the pain and
secrets I hide.
I’ve got a real shot at something, but if I’m not careful, I’m going to
sabotage it before it’s even begun thanks to my fucked-up past and even
more fucked-up head.
 I’ve no idea when it happens, but with the vodka in my system and the
distant sounds of people enjoying themselves, I manage to fall asleep.
It’s not until a panicked yet familiar voice hits my ears that I come back
to myself.
“Cole. Cole. Wake the fuck up, we need to go,” Ace says.
Ripping my eyes open, my breath catches at the look on his face.
“W-what’s wrong?” I croak out.
“I-I don’t know, but it’s Hadley. We need to go now.”
“Fuck.” My heart jumps into my throat at the thought of something
happening to her. I might want to hurt her for what she did, but that doesn't
mean I actually want her hurt.
I scramble from my makeshift bed and leave my half-empty bottle
behind with no thought to how much I might need it in the coming minutes.
“How’d you—” I don’t get the question out. Ace knows where I’m
going with it.
“She called Conner, and Conner called me.”
I run after him, stumbling around in the sand in my need to catch up and
find out what the hell has put that look on his face.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Hadley

“H adley, look at me.” Conner cups my face in his big hands. “What
happened?”
“I-I...” The words get stuck over the ugly sob that tears from
my throat.
“Shit, you’re shaking. Come here.” He wraps his arm around my
shoulder, pulling me close to his body. My teeth chatter as I fight the tears
crippling me.
“Fuck, where are they?” he mumbles.
But I’m too lost in my own thoughts to pay him any attention.
My upper arm hurts. It’s already bruising from where he grabbed me...
the man in the ski mask.
God, I’d been so scared as he threw me against the wall and held the
knife to my throat.
“Tell your boyfriend he’d better fall in line if he doesn’t want to be
fucking a corpse,” he’d rasped against my ear as his hands clawed at my
body as if it was his to touch.
Bile rushes up my throat and I retch. Conner relaxes his hold on me.
“Fuck, Hadley, talk to me. I can’t help you if—"
“Cole...” I whisper. I need Cole. I need to warn him. My fingers dig into
Conner’s stomach as I fist his t-shirt.
 Headlights light up the darkness surrounding us, and Conner scrambles
to his feet, flagging down the car. Doors open and slam, and then footsteps
grow louder.
“Hadley?” Remi’s voice grounds me and I lift my head, meeting her
concerned gaze. “What happened?”
“I-I...”
“I think she’s in shock,” Conner says.
“Where is she?” The anger in Cole’s voice makes me tremble.
“You need to relax,” someone says, but I’m starting to crash.
“Conner,” I croak, “I don’t feel so good.”
“Shit.” He crouches down and brushes hair from my face.
“Maybe we should take her to the ER.”
“No,” I breathe. “I just need to rest.”
And forget all about his rancid breath and the feel of his weight pressed
up against me as he taunted me.
Another shudder rolls through me and Conner cusses under his breath.
“Someone help me get her,” he says, and it’s Ace who helps lift my
limp body off the cold ground.
“Who the fuck did this to you?” Cole gets right in my face, and for a
second, I see two dark eyes staring at me through the ski mask. “Please,
don’t hurt me,” I whimper.
“Fuck, Dove... I wouldn’t... Fuck,” he roars, and Ace slips around me,
shielding me.
“You need to back off. She’s scared and in shock. Conner and Remi can
take her back to the house. You can come ride with me and sober the fuck
up.”
“Whatever.” He storms off toward Remi’s car.
“Take her,” Ace says to Conner who has a vise-like grip on my waist.
“We’ll meet you at the house.”
“Don’t let him do anything stupid.”
They share a lingering look and then Ace is gone.
“Come on, Hads.” Remi slips my arm over her shoulder. “You’re safe
now.”
I must fall asleep, because the next thing I know, Remi is gently shaking my
arm. “We’re here,” she says.
“W-What?”
“At the house. Come on.”
“Your mom—"
“They’re out of town again.”
I nod, following her out of the car. My legs are still like jelly, but
Conner is there to catch me. He guides me into the house and straight into a
room with a big plush sectional. “Here, sit down. I’ll get you—”
“No,” I grab his hand, “don’t leave me, please.”
“You stay with her,” Remi says. “I’ll go.”
“Ready to tell me what happened?”
“There... there was a man. He had a ski mask on, came out of nowhere.”
“Fuck.” Conner runs a hand down his face. “What were young doing
out there all alone?”
“I just needed some air. I went straight back to my dorm room after the
game. I didn’t feel like going to the party. Sometimes I walk the grounds of
the school, when I need to think... I like looking at the stars...”
After tonight though, they would only ever remind me of him. He’d
tainted something beautiful.
“We should call the police—”
“N-no, you can’t.” I claw at his t-shirt.
“Okay, easy.” His hands cover mine, holding them still. “No authorities.
Did he say anything?”
My gaze drops.
“Hadley?”
The slam of the front door echoes through the house and heavy
footsteps sound in the hall.
“Fuck. Wait here, okay?”
As if I can go anywhere. I’m barely holding on as it is.
I kick off my sneakers and fold my legs underneath my body. I can’t
stop shivering, can’t shake the memory of his knife pressed dangerously
close to my neck. My fingers drift there, feeling for any damage. There
might not be a physical mark, but some scars are invisible, and I know this
is something that’s going to stay with me for a long time.
Sobs rack through me. Donny did this. The man Cole works for. The
man Ace used to work for. I knew he wasn’t a good person, but I didn’t
think—
Raised voices beyond the door catch my attention.
“You need to calm down,” Ace says.
“Calm down? Someone put their hands on my fucking girl. You’re
telling me if that was Remi you wouldn’t be out there right now, ready to
end whoever hurt her?”
“Cole, think this through. She’s in shock. She doesn’t need any extra
stress right now. We don’t even know what happened.”
“She said a guy jumped her.” That’s Conner. “He was wearing a ski
mask.”
“Motherfucker.” Someone punches the wall.
The door flies open and Cole steps inside. “I need you to tell me what
happened.”
“Cole, I don’t think—”
“Out. Get the fuck out,” he barks at Ace.
“It’s okay,” I say, peeking around Cole to meet Ace’s concerned gaze.
“I’ll be okay.”
“Conner stays,” he replies, “and you don’t leave this fucking house. I
mean it, Cole.”
“Yeah, bro, I got it.” Conner nods at them. “You and Remi don’t need to
worry.”
The air shifts around us, thick and heavy with Cole’s anger. He’s
shaking, his fists clenched painfully at his sides.
“What. Happened?”
I steel myself to recount the story, but as I try to say the words, my body
begins trembling violently.
“You need to ease up, bro.” Conner joins me on the couch. “Look at her,
she’s terrified.” He slides his arm around me, and I take comfort in it. I wish
it was Cole, more than anything I wish he were the one holding me, but I
can see how volatile he is.
And he probably still hates me after I betrayed him.
Tears stream down my face. I can’t stop them; it’s too much.
The anger swirling around Cole like a storm cloud.
The knowledge that I might have ruined everything between us.
The guy who attacked me, his dark eyes and careless touch.
“H-he said that I was a warning...” I lock eyes with Cole. I know the
second he realizes what I’m saying, because his entire body tenses.
 “What did you say?”
“Bro. Back. Off.”
“He did this because of... me?”
I flinch, and Cole cusses under his breath. “Tell me, Dove... did he hurt
you because of me?”
“I-I think so...”
Cole roars, and it’s so guttural and full of pain I want to go to him, but
I’m rooted to the spot, unable to move as my sobs continue racking my
body.
“Shit, man, I think she’s going into shock.” Conner rubs my shoulders,
but it only makes me cry harder.
“Do something,” Cole’s voice cracks. “I can’t stand it. Make her stop.”
“Cole, that’s not—”
“Just do something Conner, I’m begging you.”
He lets out a pained sigh, his touch growing slower as his fingers trail
up and down my spine. His hands lingers on the hem of my sweater,
slipping underneath.
“Is this okay?”
My eyes grow wide as his hands splay across the small of my back. He
searches my eyes for approval.
“I—”
“It’s okay,” Cole grits out, and my gaze slides to his. He’s barely in
control, the blacks of his eyes blown with a potent mix of lust and anger.
“C-Cole?” I choke out.
“It’s okay, let him do this for you. I-I can’t...”
I realize then that Cole is scared of hurting me. The bruising on my neck
might have long faded, but I still have his fingerprints on my thighs. We
both know what he’s capable of, and he doesn’t trust himself right now,
even with me.
My heart soars, my breathing slowly returning to normal as Conner
begins gently stroking my skin. At first, there’s nothing sexual about it. But
as my panic attack subsides, a new sensation washes over me.
“Fuck, she’s so soft,” Conner breathes, letting his hand dip around to
my stomach. I stifle a moan as he tickles my ribs, my eyes still fixed on
Cole.
His breathing is shallow, his eyes burning with contempt, and jealousy...
and lust.
 “What do you need, Dove?” he asks me, softer this time. So soft it
makes my tummy clench.
“I-I want it to go away.” The feel of his body, the knife pressed against
my throat, the way he sneered at me as he ran his hands up my body.
“Cole, maybe you should—”
“Kiss her,” he orders.
Conner lets out a small hiss before sliding his eyes to mine. Torment
glitters in his gaze. He wants to kiss me, to help me, maybe even keep me
for himself, but he doesn’t want to make things any more confusing than
they already are.
I know then that Conner isn’t like Cole and me. He’s a good person with
a deep sense of right and wrong.
“You have to say the words, Hadley, baby,” he whispers, but I’m
already leaning in.
A low groan vibrates deep in Cole’s chest as he watches his twin brother
kiss me. It’s wrong and messed-up, but the second his tongue slips past my
lips, I drown in him.
“Fuck.” Cole moves closer, his heated stare making my skin tingle.
“Hold her throat,” he orders. “She likes that.”
Conner’s hand slides along the side of my neck and he gently closes his
fingers around my skin. It’s different to Cole—he’s different—but it doesn’t
matter. Because feeling his touch, focusing on the way he kisses me, slowly
erases all memory of the man in the ski mask.
I press closer to him, and he rasps, “Fuck, baby, you taste so good.”
Conner breaks the kiss to tug my hoodie up over my head. His eyes
shine with lust as he takes in my tiny body. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
My eyes flick to Cole. He’s dropped into the chair, but his jaw is still
clenched, his eyes so dark they look soulless.
I want to ask what he’s thinking, how far he’s willing to let this go. But
I don’t, because all thoughts fly from my mind as Conner dips his head and
closes his mouth around the lace shell of my bra.
“Oh God,” I cry, the scratch of material and Conner’s hot breath against
my nipple almost too much.
“Fuck, Hadley...” he groans, switching to my other breast and sucking
and biting me over my bra. “This needs to go, now...”
I slide my fingers into his hair. I feel drugged, like I’m having some
kind of out of body experience. The way Cole is watching me is as erotic as
the way Conner is touching me. He flattens me against the corner of the
sectional and starts tugging at my jeans.
“You sure?” He glances at his brother, but Cole doesn’t respond, just
sits watching.
Stalking.
“Shit, she’s soaked.” Conner runs two fingers along the seam of my
pussy over my panties.
“You want his fingers inside you, Dove?”
“Oh God, Cole,” I cry as Conner keeps rubbing me.
“Or maybe you want his cock?”
Pressing my lips together, I swallow the moan building. He’s taunting
me. Punishing me for last night.
But two can play at that game. I pull Conner down on top of me, kissing
him with every single emotion I feel.
Hatred.
Self-loathing.
Grief.
Guilt.
Loneliness.
Shame.
I pour it into every stroke of my tongue, every slide of our lips. Conner
responds, letting his hands run over my body as if he owns me, as if I don’t
already belong to the boy sitting in the chair. The boy with cruel words and
a dark heart.
“Fuck me, Conner,” I whisper. “Fuck me until I forget.”
His body stills, his eyes dilated and skin flushed. “Hadley?” He blinks
down at me as if he can’t quite believe I said the words.
But before I can reply, he’s ripped away from me and Cole looms over
me with a murderous expression.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY

Cole

M y hands grip her waist and I lift her to her feet. She gasps in
surprise, but she refuses to look at me—that is, until my fingers
thread into her hair and forcefully pull her head back so she has no
choice but to do so.
Fear, shame, and lust shine back at me.
My heart beats wildly in my chest as I try to imagine what happened to
her tonight.
And all because of me.
My teeth grind and my jaw pops as I think about another man touching
what’s mine without permission.
Our eyes hold. Tension crackles between us. Her chest heaves, her
breaths racing past her parted, swollen lips. Swollen from his kiss. Not
mine.
I thought it was a good idea. I thought that I wouldn't be able to refrain
from hurting her, thinking she needed a gentle touch. I forget that Hadley
isn’t normal. She isn’t like everyone else. She’s like me. Her darkness needs
feeding, and although she might have been eager with Conner, I know that
I’m what she really needs.
She needs my touch, my darkness, my punishment.
“Leave,” I bark, not taking my eyes away from Hadley’s.
 “Cole, I don’t think—”
“I said leave.”
“But—”
“I won’t do anything she doesn’t want.”
His eyes drill into me, but I still don’t rip my gaze away from Hadley’s.
He hesitates. Not because he wants to continue. I know he only did what
he did because I asked it of him. If I weren’t here, I have no doubt that he
wouldn’t have laid a finger on her.
“Hadley, I’ll be right outside the door. You need me, you call me,
yeah?” When she doesn't respond, he prompts her again.
“It’s okay, Conner. We need to do this.”
Silence descends as he closes the door behind him and leaves us alone.
The last time it was just the two of us, I’d just confessed one of my darkest
secrets and trusted her wholeheartedly.
Then she ruined it only hours later.
My grip on her tightens with my need to punish her.
“Did you enjoy that?” I ask, my voice low and menacing.
“Cole, don’t, please.”
“Was his touch what you needed?”
“You know it wasn’t.”
Our breaths mingle as we stare at each other, unmoving.
“You were hurt tonight because of me.” She swallows, fear lacing
through her eyes as she remembers. “And I want to do the exact same thing.
You betrayed me, Dove. You have no idea how badly I want to hurt you for
that.”
“Do your worst, Cole. I’m not scared of you. Hurt me. Punish me.”
My jaw pops as I fight my need to throw her over the couch and do just
that.
Pulling her hair harder, her lips part in shock, giving me the access I
need. I slam my mouth to hers, my tongue diving past to find hers. She
moans the second we connect, her body going lax against me.
Snaking my hand around her back, I pop open her bra before cupping
one of her swollen breasts in my palm. “Did his mouth feel good on you?” I
mutter against her lips. When she refuses to answer me, I tug.
“Y-yes.”
“Did he get you wet?”
“N-no. Y-you did.”
 A growl rumbles up my throat.
“You w-watching. Your orders.”
“Fuck, Little Dove. And what about now? Are you wet for me now?”
I slide my hand down her stomach and straight inside her panties,
finding her soaked for me.
A smile curls at my lips as I spread her juices all over her clit.
“You asked him to fuck you.” I push two fingers inside her as I say the
words. “Would you have let him?”
“Yes,” she answers honestly on a gasp.
“Why?”
“Because you would have told him to.”
I shake my head at her. “Where did you come from, Little Dove?” It’s a
rhetorical question and she must realize it because she doesn't even attempt
to answer it.
How did I find a girl as dark and fucked-up as me, who embraces
everything I ask of her, accepts everything I do to her?
“Cole?” she whimpers, her body now trembling for a very different
reason.
“I’m so fucking mad at you.”
“Good, because right now, I fucking hate you.”
Her face is deadly serious as she spits the words at me, and I have no
doubt that she’s telling the truth.
Her eyes hold mine. She’s daring me, taunting me.
Pulling my fingers from inside her, I release her hair and rip her panties
from her body. Gripping on to the back of her neck, I push her to the end of
the couch before forcing her to bend over the arm.
My palm connects with her ass cheek with a crack. She cries out in
shock, but it’s laced with lust. She needs this as much as I do.
Palming her ass to ease the sting, I eventually pull it away and revel in
the sight of my handprint on her flawless skin.
She doesn’t fight. She just complies, lying there with her branded ass
and soaked pussy on full display for me.
“You’re going to feel this long after the pain from his touch has faded,”
I promise.
“Yes,” she cries, sounding as impatient as I feel.
Ripping open my pants, I shove them down my hips just enough to
release my cock. Stepping up to her, I run the head against her clit. She
trembles at the contact, a low moan rumbling up her throat.
“I’m going to fuck you hard and deep, but you’re not going to come.
You got that?”
“Y-yes.”
“You betrayed me, and I’m going to show you just how seriously I take
that. Your pleasure is mine now, Little Dove. You only get it when I say you
can have it.”
“Cole, please. I need—”
“No,” I bark, my palm connecting with her ass cheek. A loud slap rings
out around the room and when I move my hand away, I find a glowing red
print on her ass.
A little bit of the anger, the betrayal I feel lessens as I stare at that mark.
“I tell you what you need.”
Without warning, I slam into her. Her pussy ripples around me at the
invasion and her back stiffens.
“Fuck,” she barks, but I don’t give her a chance to get used to me.
Instead, I pull almost all the way out before thrusting back inside her, harder
than before.
“Cole,” she cries.
One of my hands grips on to her hips to hold her in place as her feet
start to leave the floor with the force of my thrusts, while the other goes
back to her head. I push her down, burying her face in the cushions, my
rage taking over.
“Oh God… God… yes...” Her muffled chants fill the room as I punish
her.
“Louder. Let him know who fucking owns you, Dove.”
“Cole,” she screams as I release her hip and redden her cheek once
more.
“Fuck. Yes,” I grunt, taking exactly what I need from her.
Releasing her hair, I slip my hand around her neck and pull her until
she’s standing, her back to my front. I squeeze enough to make her see stars
but nowhere near enough to cut off her air supply.
“Cole, I need—”
“What have I told you about what you need?” I groan in her ear, the
deepness of my voice making her entire body tremble.
“Please, Cole. Oh God…,” she gasps as my other hand skates up her
stomach and pinches her nipples.
 “Why should I let you come, Little Dove? You don’t deserve it.”
“Nor do you, but you’re going to take it anyway.”
“Damn fucking right I am.”
The beginnings of my orgasm start to tingle at the base of my spine, but
I’m not ready for this to be over. I don’t want to let her go. I don’t want to
deal with everything that led up to this right now.
I just want this. This meeting of darkness, exorcizing of demons, the
forgetting about the bullshit outside of us connecting, melding into one.
I slow my movements, delaying the inevitable, but it’s pointless. I’m too
far gone already. My lips find her shoulder and I pepper kisses over the
smooth skin before I sink my teeth into her.
“Fuck,” she cries, the bite of pain making her body tense.
“Who owns you, Dove?”
“You do,” she whimpers, barely holding on.
“Louder. I think Conner might need a reminder.”
“You, Cole. I’m yours.”
“He was so fucking hard for you, imagining how you might feel
wrapped around his cock. But he won’t get to find out, will he?”
“No,” she confirms.
“Why?”
“Because I’m yours, Cole. Yours and only yours.”
“Good girl.” My hand descends until I find her clit. I pinch it. “Come.”
“Cooole,” she cries, her body quaking as her orgasm slams into her.
She clamps down on me so hard that I have no choice but to follow her
over the edge, filling her with everything I have.
“Fuck,” I pant, wrapping my arms around her limp body to stop her
from collapsing on the floor.
We stand there together for the longest time as our breathing returns to
normal and the events of the night settle around us.
“Cole, I–”
Her words are cut off as I press two fingers to her lips. I have no idea
what she wants to say, but now isn’t the time.
“Can you stand?” I ask.
When she nods, I release her, but I don’t go far.
Pulling my shirt from my body, I make quick work of slipping it over
her head before I pull my pants up over my hips, although I don’t bother
doing them up.
 “What are you—” She gasps as I knock her off her feet and gather her
against my chest.
She looks up at me with her wide green eyes. There are a million
questions within them, and I’m sure many are right on the tip of her tongue,
but thankfully, none of them pass her lips as I walk us toward the door.
She gets the hint when I come to a stop in front of it and she reaches out
to twist the knob.
Conner is right there, exactly as he promised he would be. Our eyes
lock, an understanding passing between us.
“I didn’t need the reminder,” he says. “I’m fully aware who she belongs
to.”
“Good.”
“You okay, Hads?”
“I will be. Thank you,” she says sincerely, staring Conner right in the
eyes. She might look confident after what happened, but I see the slight
blush that hits her cheeks.
“Anytime.” He winks and she tenses in my arms.
“Let’s hope it’s not necessary again, huh?”
“You never know with this asshole,” he says nodding to me.
“I’m taking her upstairs. Tell the others that she’s okay.”
“Don’t worry, they know she’s in safe hands.”
I nod, quickly taking off for the stairs that will take us away from our
audience. I stalk through my bedroom and carry her into the bathroom.
Dropping her feet to the floor, I knock the toilet lid down and settle her
on top of it. “Okay?”
She nods but no words pass her lips, although when I stand, her eyes
run down the length of my torso. I’m already hard again, but she’s
exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open.
“Soon,” I promise her, tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
Turning my back on her, I begin filling the bath and pour in some of the
girly pink bubble bath Ellen insisted on buying for us.
“You’re drawing me a bath?” she asks, her voice soft and unsure.
“No.” Turning around, I stare her dead in the eyes. “I’m drawing us a
bath.”
Her lips twitch with the beginning of a smile, but she’s soon distracted
when I toe off my boots and drop my pants and boxers. Taking Hadley’s
hand, I tug her up gently, gripping the hem of my shirt and peeling it off her
body.
The angry bruises on her upper arms taunt me, making my teeth grind,
and I desperately try to temper the rage coursing through my veins.
Some fucker touched her… hurt her… Bile races up my throat and I
swallow it down.
“I’ll find whoever it was,” I promise her.
“No, Cole. I can’t lose you,” she says in a panic. “You need to find a
way to get out. You can’t live like this. He’ll come for you next.”
I hear every word. I know how true they are, but me making promises
that I can’t keep isn’t going to help either of us right now, so instead of
responding, I take her hand in mine and step into the hot water, encouraging
her to follow my lead.
For once, I’m going to do something right and look after my girl as she
deserves to be looked after.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Hadley

I wake with a start. Fear trickles through me, but I instantly relax when I
find Cole sleeping soundly beside me.
You’re okay.
My thoughts go to last night. The attack... everything that happened
after.
God, Cole had fucked me until I could barely stand. But I’d needed it.
We’d needed it.
A delicious shiver works through me as I push back the sheet and try to
wiggle out from under his arm.
“Running from me already, Dove?”
“I need to pee. I’ll be back.”
Cole releases me and I fight a smile, remembering how gentle he’d been
with me last night. He’d cleaned and massaged and kissed every inch of me
he could reach and then wrapped me into a fluffy towel and carried me to
bed. Then he’d pulled me into his arms and told me to sleep.
And I had.
For the first time in a long time, no monsters found me because Cole
was there to keep them at bay.
Pulling on a t-shirt, I slip into the bathroom. My body aches but in the
best kind of way, and I’m hardly surprised to see bruises around my hips as
I hitch the t-shirt up. But they don’t bother me. Not half as much as the ones
dotted around my arm.
A shudder rolls through me as I fight to keep images of the man in the
ski mask out of my head.
“Hadley?” Cole calls, and I hurry to wash my hands.
“Coming.”
I pad across the room, falling back into bed beside him. “I thought
you’d gone.” He nuzzles my neck and a sense of peace washes over me.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say. But what are we going to do about
Donny, Cole?”
“We are going to do nothing, but I won’t let anyone hurt you again, I
promise.” He kisses my shoulder.
“But—
“Shh.” He pushes a single finger against my lips. I peek up at him but
he’s already asleep again. His arm is slung possessively around my hip and
his legs are tangled with mine, if anyone saw us now, they’d assume we
were a couple in love.
My heart squeezes as it hits me that I want that. Because I’m completely
and utterly gone for this broken boy from the Heights.
I just hope that underneath all his darkness, he feels the same.

Are you okay?” Remi asks as we lie on my bed. It’s Sunday evening and
I’ve finally returned to the dorms.
She asked me to spend the weekend at the pool house, but I didn’t think
that was a good idea. Not after everything.
The guys didn’t like it though, and after Cole almost blew a gasket, I
relented and stayed.
The four of us had hung out in the pool house. Conner made himself
scarce, but Cole reassured me that he was okay.
It had been nice, normal even. We didn’t speak about the attack or
Donny again. But I couldn’t stay at the Jaggers’ forever.
Not unless I wanted Miss Jones to get wind of my absence, since she
was so invested in my life.
 Cole had wanted to bring me back, but Ace didn’t think that was a good
idea, so we agreed Remi would come back and make sure I was okay.
I’m relieved that he conceded. Now the weekend is over, I need some
space from Cole, from the things he makes me feel, the things I let him do
to me.
We didn’t talk about us or what happened. We didn’t even have sex
again. It was like Cole was afraid to touch me.
And honestly, I’m not used to gentle Cole.
Everything feels different, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
“Want to talk about it?”
“I think there’s something wrong with me,” I confess.
“Because of your feelings for Cole?”
“It’s not normal, the way we are with each other.”
Even if this morning, cuddling in his bed, had been totally
swoonworthy, it had also been strange to not have the push and pull, the fire
burning between us.
“I used to think the same thing about me and Ace.” She shrugged. “But
then I realized love isn’t always defined by a set of rules. It’s messy and
hard and it hurts... fuck, it can hurt so bad. But you know Cole would never
hurt you, right? He just doesn’t know how to love properly. You need to
teach him,” she says, as if I have the answers.
I don’t.
Because I’m too broken.
My heart is no longer whole. It’s all jagged edges and gaping holes.
When I’m with Cole though, I can breathe easier. He makes me feel like it’s
okay to bask in the darkness.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I say, pretty certain I know what’s coming.
“What happened Friday night with them?”
My cheeks flush as I remember how Cole had punished me while
Conner stood on the other side of the door, listening.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Remi adds.
“No, it’s not that. I just... it’s hard to explain.”
“Do you want them both?”
“What? No! That’s not it at all. I like Conner, but he isn’t...” I trail off,
searching for the right words.
“He isn’t the one your heart wants.”
 “Yeah. I like Conner but I feel something else for Cole.”
“Is it something to do with what happened to you before you came
here?” she asks quietly.
“Remi,” I sigh. I really don’t want to get into this with her, not today.
“Sorry, I’m just trying to understand. We’ve known each other over two
years, yet I still feel like I know nothing about you.”
“We all have secrets, Remi.”
“I know and you’re entitled to keep yours. I just hope you know I’m
always here. I might be with Ace now, but I was friends with you long
before the Jaggers turned our worlds upside down.” She shoots me a warm
smile, but it morphs into a grimace.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Ugh. Period cramps. Guys have it so fucking easy.”
I tense.
“What is it?” She frowns.
“I don’t know.” But there’s something niggling the back of my mind,
and I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and sit up.
“Hads?” she asks as I move over to the desk where I keep a calendar.
“Huh.” My stomach drops as I note the date.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” She gets up and joins me.
“I’m late.”
“Late, what do you—shit, you missed your period?”
I nod, fighting the urge to puke all over her.
This cannot be happening.
“It’s probably all the stress. You’re on the shot, right? Can’t that stop
your periods altogether?”
I nod again. “It can, but I’ve always been regular.”
“So it’s probably nothing,” she suggests.
“I have a doctor’s appointment at the end of the month.”
“Don’t panic, you probably got your dates messed up or something.”
She goes back to the bed, but I’m rooted to the spot, disbelief coating every
cell of my body.
I can’t be pregnant.
I just can’t.
“Promise me you won’t breathe a word of this to Cole.”
“Jesus, Hadley, what do you take me for? He would totally freak.” I
pale and she winces. “Shit, that came out wrong. I just mean...”
 “It’s okay.” I don’t need her to tell me that. “I just can’t go through this
ag—” I immediately stop myself but it’s too late. Remi is gawking at me.
“What do you mean?”
“N-nothing. Forget it.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out, Hads.”
“It’s not what you think, I promise.” The words sour on my tongue.
She eyes me carefully. “Maybe we should sneak out and go to the store
to buy a test? So you at least have peace of mind.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m sure you’re right, it’s probably nothing.”
I think she’s going to push, but instead she says, “Are we watching a
film then, or what?”
And just like that, all the awkward tension melts away.

We spend the evening watching films and eating junk food. Living in the
dorms at Sterling Prep can be pretty lonely, especially for a girl like me, so I
appreciate Remi’s company.
“That’s Cole.” Her fingers fly across the screen. “He’s itching to come
over, but I told him to stay put. Ace is picking me up soon. He’s taking me
out.”
“Ooh, hot date?” I tease.
“Actually, he’s taking me to finally get my birthday tattoo.”
“You’re going to the Heights?” I balk.
“Relax, we’re going to his boss’ shop. There’s a spare room there, and
we hang out sometimes. Cruz is meeting us there.”
“Just be careful, okay?”
Sympathy fills her eyes. “We could have gone to the authorities.”
“No, we couldn’t.”
“Yeah, you’re right. But Ace is working on Cole to tell James. He can
help.”
“He is?” My eyes grow to saucers.
“Well, yeah. Cole can’t keep working for Donny, Hads. It’s too
dangerous. And James—”
“What?” I ask, sensing there’s a story there.
 “It doesn’t matter. James has money, and lots of it. If anyone can get
Donny to back off, it’s him.”
“You really think he’ll help?”
“Cole’s his son. He’d do anything for him.”
Her words gave me some reassurance, but I’ve been disappointed
enough in life to know not to get my hopes up.
“Ace is on his way. Are you sure you’ll be okay?” I nod, but she
frowns. “Maybe I should stay.”
“Go, I’ll be fine. I’ll lock my door right behind you. Besides, it’s a
Sunday evening. No one is going to get past security.”
But as I say the words, I can’t help the shiver that runs through me. The
man in the ski mask had grabbed me on the edge of campus. I’d wandered
too far. I’m safe in the building. There’s CCTV, despite the many blind
spots kids use to sneak their friends in and out.
“I don’t know...”
“Remi, go. I’m fine, I promise.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I am, now go.”
“Okay. Lock the door behind me. And no late-night strolls.”
“I promise. Now go, before that boyfriend of yours comes looking.” I
give her a smile.
“Fine, I’m going.”
“And don’t you dare breath a word about this to Ace.”
“Cross my heart.” She ghosts an X over her chest. “Tomorrow, we’ll
sneak to the store and buy a test.”
Oh God.
I nod, because it’s all I can manage. Remi finally leaves and I lock the
door behind her, letting my head fall against it.
I know I should be worried about being here, alone, but all I can think
about is the fact that I might be pregnant...
And if I am, what the fuck am I going to do?

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Cole

I wasn’t impressed when Remi bulldozed my plans to take Hadley back

to the dorms after her spending the weekend with us. I wasn’t all too
happy about her going back in the first place, but I at least wanted to be
the one to take her.
I still have no idea which cunt jumped her, but I have every intention of
finding out.
Donny has been calling me all weekend, just like he has been since my
last visit to his lair, but I have no interest in being his bitch any longer. The
only thing I know for a fact that I want in my future is my girl.
Yeah, I’m still pissed that she told Ace my secret practically seconds
after I confided in her, but I do understand why she did it. If it were Ace in
trouble and I knew Remi had information on what he was up to, I wouldn’t
stop until she told me everything she knew.
I spend all Sunday night staring up at my ceiling with my cell in my
hand. I want to call her to make sure she’s okay, that she’s still safely tucked
up in her room where no motherfucker can get to her in the hope of getting
to me.
Ace thinks our best port of call is James. I, however, disagree. I don’t
want him anywhere near my business, and I want to owe him even less. Ace
thinks that with a big enough check, James could get Donny off our backs
for good. I think he’s being naïve. It’s like he’s been whipped by Remi and
forgotten what men like Donny are like. He’s ruthless and won’t stop until
he gets what he wants. He might be motivated by money, but he doesn’t
need it.
He wants us, end of.
It’s personal, and I can’t help but think we’re paying for the sins of the
man we once called our dad.
Either way, Donny has shown that he’s not messing about by laying a
hand on my girl. I just fear what comes next if we keep ignoring him.
I shouldn’t have listened to Ace, but then, I don’t really have any other
option. I can hardly go to him and beg like a little bitch for him to stop.
The second the sun comes up, I unlock my cell and call her number.
“Morning, Little Dove.” My voice sounds weird even to my own ears.
It’s lighter than it usually is, knowing that I’m about to hear her down the
line.
Fuck, I’m turning into a right pussy.
“Morning,” Hadley croaks.
“Did you sleep okay?”
“Uh… not really. I prefer being beside you.”
“Then you should have stayed.”
She sighs. “I can’t hide at your place forever. Someone would have
noticed in the end, and I can’t have anyone telling my parents that I’m not
toeing the line.”
“About that…” I start.
“Please, Cole. It’s Monday morning. The last thing I need to talk about
is them and my old life.”
“I know but—”
“I know, you want more. I’ll tell you more, I promise, just… not yet.”
“Okay. So… what are you wearing?”
“You’re a fucking nightmare. I need to get ready for school, I don’t have
time for phone sex.”
“Who said anything about phone sex? I just want to picture you in bed.”
“I’ll see you soon. Please, try to stay out of trouble.”
“I’ll do my best, Little Dove.”
She hesitates on the other end of the line, and I’m about to ask what’s
wrong when she finally hangs up. I hate the thought of her being there and
worrying that something else is going to happen, but aside from being here
with me, she’s in the safest place she can be. There’s security and CCTV;
Donny would be fucking stupid to break into school dorms. I might have
figured out a way to get a key to the place, but I had plenty of insider
information.
I’m dressed and ready for school in record time.
Not wanting to wait for Conner to finally roll out of bed, I storm into his
room.
“Jesus, who set your ass on fire this morning?” he mutters as I burst in,
finding him sitting in bed on his cell.
“Nothing, I just want to—”
“Ah, you’re missing your Little Dove already?”
“Fuck off.”
“You’re aware that you’re almost as whipped as Ace, right?”
“Nah, man. You of all people know that things aren’t quite like that with
us.” None of us have talked about what happened on Friday night, and
although I convinced Hadley that Conner is okay after what went down
between them, to be honest, I’m not so sure.
He likes to put a brave face on things, but I can only imagine how he
really feels about watching Ace and then me find a girl. It must bring back
things that he’d rather not think about.
“You really expect me to believe that?”
“I let you kiss her…strip her…” Anger wells inside my chest, but I
force it down. He was only doing what I asked of him.
“It wasn’t like that. I’d do anything for you, your girl too, and you
fucking well know it.”
I swallow. I fucking know it. All I can hope is that he doesn't have to do
more than he should because I know that if something were to happen to
me, if Donny were to come after me and succeed, he’d put his own life
aside to make sure Hadley was looked after. He loves her. Not in the same
way… but fuck.
“You okay? All the color just drained from your face.”
“Y-yeah, I’m good. Just want to get going. So move your ass, yeah?”
“Sure thing, lover boy.” I flip him off as I back out of his room and go
to see what Ellen has whipped up for breakfast this morning.
I’m not sure if it’s my warning or the scent of Ellen’s frying bacon. but
not ten minutes after I left him does Conner appear in the kitchen, looking
to fill his stomach.
 “Come on then,” he says after he’s finished his second plate. “I thought
you wanted to check on your girl.”
“Let’s go.” He doesn't need to ask me twice.
I shoot Hadley a message once we set off to tell her we’re on our way
and that I’ll walk to meet her.
Something I’m not used to twists in my stomach as we get closer to
school, and I start clenching my fists, but unlike usual, it’s not in
preparation to fight.
“Fuck, are you nervous?” Conner asks, after glancing over at me a few
times.
“Fuck off. It’s just Hadley.”
“Hmm.”
Every few minutes he flicks a glance at me, but I school my reactions to
the fact that we’re almost there in the hope that he can’t read deeper.
“I’ll see you later, yeah?”
“Sure thing, man. Say hey to Hads for me.”
“Con?” I ask, turning back before I disappear between the buildings
where she’ll be waiting for me. “Thanks for the other night. I know it
was… well yeah. I just want you to know that I appreciate it.”
“Uh… sure. I’ve got your back, always.”
I nod at him and continue toward my girl before I show too much
affection for my idiot twin brother.
As I emerge from the building, I spot her blonde hair at the entrance.
She notices me a second later and begins moving toward me.
She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes, not like it usually would when
she sees me.
Something inside me twists uncomfortably knowing that she’s still
suffering after the other night. I know it’s to be expected, but I can’t help
but want my usual Hadley back. I hate that she’s lost some of her fire
because of me.
“You should have waited inside. It would have been safer,” I say as she
steps into my arms. She reaches up on her tiptoes, her lips a whisper from
mine, but she doesn’t kiss me immediately.
“I was safe, Cole. I was right under the CCTV camera.” Her lips brush
mine, driving me crazy.
Not happy with her game, I wrap the length of her ponytail around my
fist and tilt her head up to me.
 “Kiss me,” I demand, not that I give her a chance not to as I slam my
lips down on hers. “I missed you last night,” I mumble into her mouth.
“Aw, my big bad Cole Jagger was lonely.”
“Too right. I didn’t have this hot little body to slide into whenever I so
desired.” She tenses in my arms, probably wondering why I didn’t do just
that over the weekend. “Come on, Little Dove. A new school day in hell
awaits.”
“Do you really hate it here?” she asks as she slips her hand into mine
and falls into step beside me.
“I don’t know, it sure has some benefits.”
“Oh yeah?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into my body. “Have I
told you how hot you look in that cheer uniform?”
“No, I don’t think you ever mentioned it.”
“Hmm, we might have to rectify that.”
I stop, pushing her up against the building beside us and caging her in
with my arms either side of her head.
“You, Hadley Rexford, look hot as fuck in your cheer uniform.” I run
my nose down the length of hers.
“You don’t look so bad out on the field yourself.”
“You watch me?”
“You know I do.”
“Is everything okay?” I study her. “You seem… distant.”
“I’m fine.” It comes out tight. “Things are just a bit intense right now.”
“You mean me?”
“Yes and no. I mean, not this,” she says, gesturing between us. “I…
just… everything. Friday night was a lot to take in.”
“Trust me, I know. I promise that I’m going to keep you safe though.”
“You can’t promise that, Cole. You can’t keep your eyes on me every
minute of the day.”
“I’ll do my best.” Finally, I lean forward and capture her lips. We make
out at the side of the building until the bell rings, signaling that we should
be heading to class.
“Let’s skip. We could go to the beach and spend all day doing this.” I
press my body into her so she has no choice but to feel what she does to me.
“We can’t. I’ve already skipped enough this year.”
I groan, knowing that she’s right but not wanting to agree with her.
 “After school?” I ask.
“Um… I’m hanging with Remi after practice.”
“Okay, well after that?”
“I’ll let you know.” She takes off down the hall, leaving me standing
there, gawking after her.
Let me know… what the fuck does that mean?

The day drags, and knowing that I’m going to get to see her at lunch means
that English Lit drags even more.
The second we’re free, I’m heading for her locker. Hadley’s last class
was right down the hall so I expect her to beat me there, but when I arrive
she’s nowhere to be seen.
I wait a few minutes before someone else appears.
“Where’s Hads?” Remi asks, looking around much like I did.
“I don’t know. You meant to be meeting her?”
“Yeah.”
Remi spins on the spot, searching through the crowds loitering in the
hallway.
By the time she’s facing me again, she’s got her cell in her hand and hits
call on Hadley’s number.
I wait as she listens, but at no point does she speak.
“It just keeps ringing out.”
Remi’s brows draw together with concern, but I refuse to allow myself
to feel it.
“She’s probably been pulled in for a last-minute practice by Lylah.”
I follow Remi down to the gym, but it’s empty. We check the cafeteria
but again come up short.
“Okay, I’m starting to worry now,” Remi admits after we finish
checking in the classrooms we know she’s been in today.
“Let’s go to her dorm. If she’s not there then…” I trail off.
She’ll be in her dorm. She has to be. She’s probably forgotten a book or
something.
Our fast pace soon turns into a run as we get closer to the dorm building
and we make quick work of getting inside and racing up the stairs to her
room.
“Hadley?” Remi calls, pounding her fists into the door.
“Out of the way,” I say, pulling her key from my pocket. Remi looks at
it in shock, but she doesn't say anything.
The door swings open and we’re greeted by her empty dorm room.
“Cole, something’s not right here. Hadley doesn't just disappear.”
Dread sits heavy in my gut, but I still refuse to acknowledge it. There
has to be a good explanation for this. There has to be.
That thought is halted as my cell buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and
find a name that I really don’t want to see scrawled across the screen.
My curiosity has me opening the message. Donny usually calls. He
never texts.
My hand trembles the second the words appear on the screen. I want to
scream, I want to hurt someone, I want to do… anything. But all I do is
stand there, staring in utter disbelief.

It looks like I have something that belongs to you.

A photo of Hadley tied and gagged appears under the message and my
stomach turns over.
“Cole, what’s… fuck.” Remi rips my cell from my hand and stares
down at it much like I just did.
“Oh no. No, no, no. This can’t be happening.”
My lips part but no words come out.
“We’ll find her. Everything will be okay.”
“How can you say that?” I ask, but my voice doesn't sound like my
own.
“Because it has to be. She thinks… fuck, Cole… Hadley thinks she
might be pregnant.”

Keep reading for Cole and Hadley’s story, TRUST HIM.

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TRUST HIM

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REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 4

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 CHAPTER ONE

Hadley

M y eyes strain against the darkness. Light streams in through a small

crack in the windows that look as if they’re boarded up. I pull
against the bindings around my wrists and ankles, fear races up and
down my spine.
“Ugh,” I cry into the silence.
I’m alone.
I’ve been alone since they brought me here after swiping me from
school. From what I can make out, it’s some kind of abandoned trailer.
Tears pool in my eyes again, but I blink them away. Crying isn’t going
to get me out of this mess. Although, right now I’m not sure anything is.
I’m bound and alone, and everything hurts.
If only I hadn’t lingered after practice. If only I had followed the other
girls back to the main school building, then maybe he wouldn’t have
snatched me.
The man in the ski mask had come out of nowhere and grabbed me
from behind, jabbing me with something sharp before pulling me down the
hall and out of the emergency exit just as the world went black.
I woke up in the back of a van with nothing but a headache and my
hands tied.
 The door creaks open and I hold my breath, pressing myself into the
chair as if it might somehow make me disappear.
Footsteps sound on the rickety floor, and eventually a man emerges
from the dark shadows.
“Hadley, it’s nice to meet you.”
“I wish I could say the same,” I spit at Donny Lopez. I don’t need an
introduction to know who this man is.
“I’m sorry for the theatrics, but it seems those Jagger boys have trouble
following simple instructions.” He scrubs his jaw. “I needed... how do you
say, some gentle persuasion.”
I press my lips together, swallowing the urge to scream.
This can’t be happening.
I can’t be here, at the mercy of Sterling Heights’ drug lord. Yet, that’s
exactly where I am.
Oh, Cole, what have you gotten me into?
“You are quite the enigma.” He paces the small space before me.
“Hadley Dove Rexford, only child of Harrison Theobald Rexford and
Tamara Marilyn Rexford.”
My blood turns to ice, the color draining from my face.
He knows who I am, where I come from.
“What I can’t quite understand, though, is why Mommy and Daddy
shipped you off to Sterling Prep.”
Relief slams into me, but it’s short-lived when I remember that I might
be pregnant.
“Please,” I whimper, “let me go.”
“You think I want to do this?” Donny crouches down to look me in the
eye. “You think I want to hurt young, naïve girls? I take no pleasure in it.
But the Jaggers must be taught a lesson. You cannot make deals with the
devil and expect to just walk away.
“He killed him, you know. Your boyfriend murdered his uncle in cold
blood.”
My breath hitches at the bluntness of his words. “It was a test. A test
Cole passed with flying colors.”
Bile rushes up my throat as I stare into his soulless eyes. I thought Cole
had darkness inside him, but Donny makes him look like a teddy bear.
There isn’t even a glint of remorse or shame in his hard stare for the life he
chooses, the lives he destroys. It’s too late for a man like him, but it isn’t
too late for Cole, no matter what he’s done. He deserves more, so much
more than a world that, until now, has chewed him up and spit him out.
My heart clenches but I sit straighter, refusing to cower.
Donny steps back, rubbing his jaw. “The sooner your boyfriend sees
sense, the sooner this will all be over.”
“What will you do to him?”
Donny clucks his tongue. “It’s not what I will do to him, but what he
will do for me. I’ll have my men bring you some water.” He slinks back
into the shadows, and I sag against the chair. My back aches, and my wrists
are sore from the restraints. I don’t know how long I was out for after the
man in the ski mask grabbed me, but it’s getting dark, so I’ve been gone a
few hours.
Cole will know I’m missing by now. Everyone will. I can’t help but
wonder if my parents will care... they sent me to Sterling Prep without so
much as a second thought. I’d embarrassed them, brought shame to the
family name. I was no good to my father now.
Used goods.
That’s what he’d called me.
A fresh wave of pain crashes over me, but this is different—this is
betrayal of the worst kind. Betrayal by those who are supposed to love you,
no matter what.
You get one family in life, and mine decided to cast me aside and exile
me to Sterling Bay.
I know exactly what they’ll think when—if—they find out about this.
They won’t care.
Because I may as well be dead to them.
Bitter laughter crawls up my throat and spills from my lips. In some
ways, my parents are as bad as Donny. Sure, they don’t deal in drugs or
guns, but they bargain with secrets and money. People like my father, the
elite families of Gravestone County, are only concerned with two things,
reputation and the size of their bank accounts.
I should feel lucky I’m free of them, of the life they had all planned out
for me. But I’ll never forget what they did to me. The pain, the gaping hole
in my heart, will forever bind us.
They broke me.
Irrevocably changed me.
 And now... well, now I’m pretty sure I’m in love with a murderer. But I
read somewhere once that lost souls call to other lost souls. They seek each
other out like glimpses of light on the horizon.
Maybe I was always supposed to come to Sterling Bay. The same way
Cole was always supposed to escape his life in the Heights.
Maybe we were fated to meet, to save each other.
I cling to the thought as the fight slowly leaves my body and I finally
succumb to the darkness.

I wake with start, the icy fingers of fear wrapping around my throat as I try
to swallow. It’s dark still. Darker than before. My mouth is dry and my head
pounds.
“Hello?” I croak, aware of someone in the trailer with me.
“Boss said to bring you this.” Ski mask man steps forward. His face is
no longer obscured, but part of me wishes it was. An angry, jagged scar
runs across his eye and down the side of his face. His eyes narrow when he
notices me staring. I instantly avert my gaze.
“You should drink something.” He uncaps the bottle and advances
toward me, but I slam my lips together.
He drugged me.
There’s no way I’m drinking anything he—
“Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.” He almost sighs the
words, but I refuse to mistake the softness in his voice for regret.
Turning my head, I avoid his proximity until he roughly grabs my face
and squeezes my cheeks together, forcing me to open my mouth. He pours
the water in, not caring that I can barely swallow.
“Fucking stubborn bitch,” he murmurs.
The second he backs up, I heave a deep breath, aware that my school
shirt is wet. His eyes go to my chest, making bile rush up my throat.
He licks his lips, openly gawking at me. “Shame the boss said we could
look but couldn’t touch.”
Oh God.
I screw my eyes shut, trying to take myself to another place.
Somewhere—anywhere—better than this. But it’s futile. The stale air
permeates my thoughts, anchoring me to the cold, dank trailer.
He watches me for a few more seconds before slowly retreating. “Ain’t
nobody to blame for this but Jagger,” he says.
“What will happen to him?” The words fall from my lips.
“Your boyfriend will fall in line or suffer the consequences.”
A shiver runs through me. Cole did all this to save Ace, to protect his
brother... it doesn’t seem fair.
But I know all too well that life isn’t fair. It’s cruel and hard and messy.
I’m only eighteen, but sometimes it feels like I’ve lived too much life for a
young girl.
My stomach aches and I want nothing more than to rub it, to place my
hand there and settle the nerves wreaking havoc inside me. But the second
my mind goes there, I think of the baby that may or may not be growing. If
I’m pregnant, I can only be six or seven weeks at the most.
Tears well in my eyes. A baby is the last thing I need, the last thing Cole
needs, but I can’t deny the rush of love I feel. After everything I survived at
the hands of my parents, it feels like a second chance.
A shot at doing things right.
My captor clears his throat, yanking me back to reality with a thud. My
head snaps up in his direction, and he shoots me a dirty smirk. “Who
knows, maybe if Jagger fucks up, you and I will get to have some fun after
all.”
The memory of his knife at my throat, his body pressed close to mine,
floods my mind. I would rather die than become his plaything.
Cole will come.
I want to believe the little voice. But when you’ve been betrayed by
everyone you ever cared about, it’s not easy.
“See you soon, pretty girl.” He slips into the shadows and the trailer
door creaks open before slamming shut and plunging me into darkness once
more.
I’m so cold and tired, still weary from whatever drug he gave me. But I
can’t slip under again. Not if I want to survive this. I need to stay awake. I
need to be ready for when someone comes for me. Because I have to
believe they will.
I have to believe that Cole and his brothers are out there, looking for
me.
Because if they’re not... then I have nothing.
No hope.
No one.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWO

Cole

M y eyes are still locked on the image of Hadley on my cell, and just
one word repeats in my head.
Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant.
My hand trembles as the world around me tilts on its axis.
This can’t be happening.
It has to be a dream. Or at the very least, one very sick joke. A way of
getting back at me after her attack. She’s punishing me, showing me just
how much I needed to get out of the life I’ve found myself in.
But I know it’s neither of those things.
This right now is very much real.
The fear that’s lacing through my veins. The panic that’s squeezing my
chest to the point I’m struggling to drag in the air I need. It’s all very real.
And the photograph before me? That’s equally as real.
That motherfucker has my girl.
He could… he might… “Fuuuuuuuck,” I scream, launching my cell
across the room.
“You need to come right now.” The sound of Remi’s equally panicked
voice fills my ears, and when I look up, I find her eyes wide and face pale
as she holds her cell to her ear.
“We’ll wait here. Be quick. Please,” she begs down the line.
 She hangs up and drops her arm, letting it dangle uselessly by her hip.
“Ace is coming. We’re going to fix this, Cole. We’re going to find her
and everything will be okay.”
Her words register in my head, but I can’t make myself believe them.
Donny has her. Nothing about this is okay.
“Y-you said…” I stutter but soon trail off, not able to even say the
words.
“I don’t know, Cole. She told me last night that her period is late. It-it’s
probably just a false alarm but…” It might not be.
She doesn’t say the words, but I hear them loud and clear nonetheless.
Stumbling back, I hit the wall with a thud before sliding down until my
ass collides with the floor.
I shouldn’t just be sitting here. I should be out trying to find her, to save
her, but as my head continues to spin, I can’t get a grip on reality, let alone
consider what my first move might be.
He could have taken her anywhere.
She could already be… “No, no, no,” I chant, needing to hear the
words. He wants me, not her. Killing her wouldn’t get him what he wants.
He’s just trying to draw me in.
He’s planned this. Knowing Donny, he’ll have planned it well. We need
to go in with a plan of our own, one that’s going to result in all of us
walking away unscathed while Donny dies a slow and painful death for
trying to mess with us.
I have no idea how much time passes as I sit there with my forehead
resting on my arms, but eventually I hear two pairs of feet race our way
before both Ace and Conner come barreling into the room.
Lifting my head, I find their wide-eyed, panic-stricken faces, but unlike
me, they seem to be holding it together.
“Where’s the picture?” Ace asks the second he comes to a stop, clearly
knowing what he’s doing.
Remi hands him my cell, which she must have collected from wherever
it landed after I launched it. I’m surprised the damn thing still works.
“Motherfucker,” he grunts—I assume at seeing Hadley bound, gagged
and completely useless—but the next words out of his mouth make me
think he’s already got a plan. “You two, pack her a bag, whatever you think
she might need, and get to the house. You,” he states, looking down at me.
“You’re coming with me.”
 I scramble to get to my feet. “W-where are we going?”
“To go and get your girl back.”
“But where? How?” My heart pounds. “She could be anywhere.”
“Yeah, but she’s not, is she?” My brows pull together at the riddle he
seems to be talking in. “Are you just going to stand there looking confused,
or are you coming?”
After giving Remi a kiss to her forehead and throwing his bike keys at
Conner, he takes off.
“Please be safe,” Remi calls after him.
“Always. I love you, Princess.” If the situation were any different, I’d
expect Conner to say something about Ace’s show of affection for his girl.
As it is, when I glance at him, he just slaps me on the shoulder in a way of
support before pulling a terrified Remi into his arms as I race off behind
Ace.
I catch up with him as he exits the building.
“You got the car keys?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, let’s go.”
The two of us sprint toward the parking lot, and before I even get a
chance to think, Ace is in the driver’s seat and wheelspinning the heap of
junk out of Sterling Prep.
“You gonna tell me where we’re going anytime soon?” I ask as he
makes a sharp right, throwing me into the car door.
“How closely did you look at that photo Donny sent?” His voice is so
steady and calm. I wish I knew how that was possible in this situation. I feel
like I’m about to explode at any minute.
“Not very close. I got the gist of it pretty damn fast, though.”
“Look again,” he demands, passing my cell back over.
I do as he suggests and fight against my need to crush it to tiny pieces
when the image of her fills the screen once more.
There should only ever be one reason why she’s bound and gagged, and
it has nothing to do with Donny or any motherfucker other than me.
The only person’s mercy she should ever be at is mine, but she should
know that only pleasure will come out of it.
Ripping my eyes from Hadley, I look at her surroundings.
“Motherfucker,” I grate, now seeing all the things I missed before. “So
she’s in our old trailer. What are you suggesting we do exactly? He’ll be
expecting us. We can’t just march in and demand her back.”
“I haven’t entirely figured that out yet,” he admits with a heavy sigh.
“And here I was, thinking you knew what you were doing,” I mutter.
“I’m sorry, but this isn’t exactly a daily fucking occurrence for me. We
just need to get there, is all I know.” He takes another corner way too fast,
but I sense it coming this time and hold on as he leans into it. “We’ll go
around the back, get a sense of what’s going on, and then we’ll make a
plan.”
I want to cuss and shout that he doesn't have anything better, but I know
he’s right. We can’t possibly make a plan until we know what we’re dealing
with.
The rest of the drive toward Sterling Heights is in silence. The tension
and anticipation in the car is so thick it’s hard to breathe, but I use it to fuel
me. I channel it into my determination to get Hadley out of this in one
piece.
Every part of me screams to go running in there, but I know I need to be
smarter if I don’t want to get us all killed.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“This is all your fault,” I grate out.
Ace glances over at me. “You really want to play that game right now?”
“I need to blame someone,” I mutter, once again beginning to lose
control.
“Yeah, well try looking a little further afield than this car. I only did
what I had to do to keep us alive. Our parents are the ones who fucked this
all up.”
Ain’t that the fucking truth.
“You still want to go to James with this?”
“I don’t fucking know what to do about this right now. This is a fucking
mess.” Anger fills his tone, and while I know that he’s pissed I took his
place with Donny, I suspect he’s angrier with himself for putting me in that
position in the first place.
“If that cunt had just done what he should have from the very
beginning, then none of this would have happened,” I muse.
“It’s too late now, Cole. What’s done is done.”
“For you, maybe,” I mutter, but I soon slam my lips shut when he looks
over at me.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
 “Nothing. Forget it.”
“Fuck that, Cole. What don’t I know?”
“Nothing. Go down that way,” I say, pointing down one of the various
tracks that lead to our former trailer park.
He glances over, his eyes telling me that this isn’t over. As far as I’m
concerned, it is. I have no intention of ever telling anyone the things that
still haunt me from our childhood. No one else deserves to have that
fucked-up shit in their heads.
Ace pulls the car to a stop and kills the engine far enough away that no
one would hear us coming.
“What the fuck are you waiting for?” I bark at him when he remains in
his seat.
“Pass me your cell again.”
I do as I’m told, and he stares down at the image in silence for a few
seconds.
“What?”
“Nothing, let’s go and see what’s going on.”
We jump out of the car before climbing the bank that will allow us to
see the trailer park in the valley below.
The second our old home emerges before us, we both notice the issue.
“Where the fuck is it?”
“Motherfucker,” I roar.
“We should have known it wasn’t going to be this easy.”
My eyes lock on the patch of land where our old, dilapidated trailer
used to sit. Nothing else has changed, but our home, the only evidence we
ever existed here, is gone.
“Now wha—” My words are cut off as Ace waves his arm in front of
my face before pointing across the park.
“See him?” he whispers.
I narrow my eyes in the direction he’s looking, and after a few seconds,
movement in the trees catches my eye. “They’re waiting for us.”
“So what’s the plan? She isn’t here, so it seems pointless going down
there and getting ambushed,” I point out.
“But then how are we going to find out where she is? They’re the only
fuckers who know. We need them to lead us to her.”
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
 Ace blows out a slow breath that only succeeds in filling my stomach
with dread. “I think that I should go down there. Let them catch me in the
hope they’ll take me to the same place. You can follow.”
“Just like that?” I don’t like it, at all, but we’re running out of time.
“Do you have a better fucking suggestion?” he snaps.
“Beat it out of him and leave the fucker fighting for his life?”
Ace eyes me for a second. “You really think that just because he’s the
only one we see, he’s the only one down there? Donny knows what we’re
capable of. He’s got his best guys down there waiting for us.”
“Great,” I mutter.
“Exactly. That means they’re not surrounding her. He’s probably left her
wide open. We find her, it should be fairly straightforward.”
“Ok, great.” Sarcasm drips from my words. “Off you go then.”
He turns to look at me once more, shaking his head. “I know you’re
getting impatient. Trust me, I understand, but we need to do this smart, not
fast.
“The longer they wait, the more they’ll start to believe we’re not
coming. They’ll get bored, impatient… tired. We need everything to our
advantage right now, not to mention that when the sun sets, it’ll make my
arrival more of a surprise. I’m more than willing to take down a few fuckers
if I can.”
“So we just sit here and wait until the sun sets while fuck knows what is
happening to Hadley?”
“He won’t touch her.” Ace levels me with a serious look.
“You sound awfully confident about that.”
“I know Donny,” he says. “I know how his mind works.”
“And if you’re wrong?”
“Then it’s just something we’ll have to live with.”
“I need her fucking back, Ace.”
“I know, man.” He reaches over and squeezes my shoulder. “Trust me, I
get it. And we’re going to get her back. Hadley is stronger than this, and
lucky for her, we’re better than Donny fucking Lopez. You don’t work for
that cunt for as long as I have and not learn a few of his tricks.”
The next couple of hours are up there with some of the longest of my
life as we watch Donny’s guys below do exactly as Ace predicted. They get
bored and start wandering around instead of hiding in the shadows like he
guessed they would.
 They expected us to turn up before now.
“Why don’t we own a sniper rifle?” I ask. It’s not really a serious
question, more just something to fill the painful silence around us. “It
would have made this so much fucking easier.”
“Probably because I don’t really want to spend the rest of my life locked
up for armed murder. That something you’re interested in?”
I swallow nervously. I could already be put away for a long time if the
truth were to ever surface. And for all I know, every motherfucker down
there knows my secret. Another reason why killing them off one by one
seems appealing to me right now.
“No one would know it’s us.”
Ace narrows his eyes at me. “You’re fucking serious.”
“Oh, so you wouldn’t be saying the same if it meant getting Remi back
in one piece.”
“Fuck me, Cole. You really fucking love her, don’t you?”
“I… uh…” My chest tightens.
“Yeah, don’t worry, bro. It takes a while to get used to.” Silence falls
between us as I try to accept his words, but much like everything else that’s
happened in the couple of days, they just don’t register.
I don’t think anything will until I can pull Hadley into my arms once
more, knowing that she’s okay.
“Right. I’m done waiting. Shall we?”
Ace pushes from the ground and holds the car keys out for me. “You
know where to wait, yeah?” I nod. “Don’t follow too close. You give
yourself up, and all this is fucked.”
“I won’t. I got this.”
“Good. I’ll see you at the other end, brother.” He pulls me into a hug. I
expect it to be a quick one, but when he holds me a little longer than I was
anticipating, I start to wonder what he’s really trying to tell me with his
unusual show of affection.
“Take those motherfuckers down.”
“As many as I can.”
He disappears into the undergrowth as I fall down into the driver’s seat,
ready to go and park up in a layby that will give me the perfect vantage
point to see everyone who enters, and most importantly, exits, the trailer
park. I’ve just got to hope that the vehicle I choose to trail holds my brother
and leads us both to my girl.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Hadley

I have no idea how long I’ve been here when the door creaks open again.
“And stay the fuck down,” someone yells as a body is thrown inside
the trailer.
“A-Ace?” I let out a sob of relief—until I get a look at his mangled face.
Blood seeps from a gash in his eye, and his lip is swollen and sore.
“Oh my God,” I breathe.
“It looks worse than it is.” He crawls toward me on his knees, and it’s
then I realize that his hands are also bound.
“Why is he doing this?”
“Because he’s a piece of shit.”
“Is Cole—”
“He’s right behind me, but don’t worry, he’s our escape plan.”
“No,” I cry. “He can’t take them on by himself.”
“Hey, this is Cole we’re talking about.” Ace’s eyes bore into mine. His
intensity should scare me, but oddly, it grounds me. “He’ll figure it out. Are
you okay? They didn’t...”
“The guy who took me… he gave me something. I woke up in a van.
But they didn’t hurt me, not really.”
“Thank fuck.” He breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m going to see if I can get
these cable ties off.” Ace twists and turns, trying to see his wrists. “Shit,
they’re on tight.”
“What time is it?” I ask.
“About eight.”
“How did you find me?” I ask, watching him struggle against his
restraints.
“I recognized the trailer in the photo Donny sent Cole.”
“He sent him a photo?”
“Yeah. But when we got to the trailer park to check it out, it was gone.”
“Gone? But how—“
“Donny must have had it towed here. He owns the Heights. No one
would have batted an eyelid.”
I try to process everything Ace is saying, but it’s a lot.
Cole is out there. He came. But the relief I feel is nothing compared to
how terrified I am that he’ll get hurt.
Silence falls over us. Ace is sagged against the counter. I can just make
out his profile in the shadows.
“I’m sorry you got caught up in all this,” he says.
“It’s not your fault.”
“It is... I should have paid closer attention, forced Cole to tell me what
he was—”
“Ace, stop. People choose their actions. Nobody forced Donny to do
this, just like nobody forced Cole. He did what he did because he cares
about you, because he wanted you to have a shot at something different.”
“Yeah, but fuck, he’s my brother.” Pain twists his features. “It’s
supposed to be me protecting him.”
“So this is where you lived, huh?”
It doesn’t resemble a home now. It’s trashed and smells like something
died in here.
I shudder, hoping it didn’t.
“Yeah,” he answers. “Although so much has happened since we left, it
doesn’t really feel like home anymore, ya know?”
Everything goes quiet again, until Ace says, “He’s different with you. I
don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother care about something other than me,
Conner or football. Can I ask you something?”
“Okay.”
“Do you love him?”
 “I...” I press my lips together to give myself time to formulate a reply.
But how do I even begin to put into words what Cole and I share?
“It wasn’t supposed to happen. I just saw something in Cole...
something I can relate to.”
“I know that feeling. Remi knocked me so hard on my ass I still have
bruises.” He chuckles. “Cole isn’t like most people, Hadley. He keeps a
wall up.”
“I know.” Because I do too.
“He’s going to be in a dark place after this,” Ace sighs. “Just promise
me, whatever happens, you won’t give up on him. He needs you.”
Ace’s words wrap around my heart, but then I imagine Cole’s face when
he finds out I might be pregnant.
“Hadley?” Ace asks when a whimper spills from my lips.
“I’m okay.” The lie sours on my tongue.
“I know you’re scared, but just hang in there. Cole is coming, I
promise.”

The minutes drag, each one longer than the last.

“Where is he?” Ace grunts from the shadows.
“Maybe they got—“
“No, Cole wouldn’t let that happen. Not when you’re in here.”
I’m about to ask him what he means when I smell something. Tipping
my face up, I sniff the air, panic snaking through me when I smell burning.
“Ace....”
“Yeah, I smell it. Fuck,” he grumbles. “Okay, we need to get out of
here.”
An amber glow penetrates the boarded windows, making everything
look ethereal.
“The trailer is on fire,” I cry. “Oh God, what are we going to do?”
“Hadley, I need you to calm the fuck down. It could be nothing.”
“Nothing? Nothing?” I shriek as smoke begins to fill the trailer.
“I need to get out of these fucking cable ties.” Ace begins to shuffle on
his knees. “Can you see anything that might help?”
 “I can hardly see you.” I cough and splutter as the smoke thickens,
invading my senses. My eyes water, overpowered by the smell, and my
lungs burn.
“Try not to breathe it in,” he orders, still rooting around the trailer.
But the more I panic, the more I suck in greedy breaths.
We’re going to die here.
The thought slams into me like a bolt of lightning. I’m never going to
get to tell Cole how I feel about him. I’m never going to find out whether
I’m pregnant or not. I’m never going to get to live.
Tears stream down my face as I start to drown in a trailer full of smoke.
“Hadley, I can’t see you. Just stay calm, okay? Cole will—“
“HADLEY?” a voice roars.
“Cole, thank fuck.” The words catch in Ace’s throat, and he starts
choking.
The door is wrenched off its hinges and Cole’s silhouette fills the space.
He looks like a dark angel against hell’s inferno.
“Get Hadley,” Ace yells. “I can make it out.”
I can see the inky night beyond Cole’s shoulders, but exhaustion weighs
heavily in my body.
“Cole,” I croak, as the world starts to fade. My body slumps forward as
I desperately try to stay lucid, but strong arms catch me.
“I’ve got you, Dove.”
But I lose the fight, and darkness engulfs me.

“She needs a hospital.”

“No, no fucking way. We need to end this, and now.”
Cole and Ace’s voices flit through my groggy mind. I try to open my
eyes, but it’s safer here. Fingers gently brush my face and I turn into their
warmth, wanting more.
“She’s coming to.”
Cole.
It’s Cole.
But just as I reach for him, my body begins to crash again.
“She needs a doctor.”
 “So we get her a doctor. But not a hospital. She wouldn’t want that.”
“Fine, we take her to James’ house. Ellen might be able to help us.”
My body sinks further and further into the abyss, and the last thing I
hear is Cole.
“Don’t leave me, Dove. I need you.”

My eyes flutter open and relief slams into me.

I’m okay.
Everything aches and my throat is dry and sore, but I’m okay.
I’m alive.
“C-Cole?” I rasp, but it’s Remi who rushes over to my side.
“Hadley, thank God. I was so scared...” She stops herself. “You’re okay,
Hads. You’re going to be okay.”
I go to lift a hand to my head but feel the sharp pinch of an IV running
into my skin.
“The doctor said fluids would help.”
“D-Doctor?” I try to sit up, but the room spins.
“You need to relax.” Remi gives me a reassuring smile. “You’ve been
through some major trauma.”
“Cole, where’s Cole?”
“He’s... he’s not in a good place.” Her expression darkens. “Ace is
trying to talk him out of doing anything stupid.”
“I need to see him.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good—“
“Remi, please.” Tears prick my eyes as I clutch her hand. I can’t explain
it, but I need to see Cole myself.
“Okay.” She lets out a resigned sigh. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Remi hesitates, and I ask, “What is it?”
“I told him. I’m sorry, but when we realized you were gone, I
panicked.”
My eyes shutter as I inhale a sharp breath.
Cole knows.
He knows I might be pregnant.
“Maybe seeing him isn’t—“
 The door opens, and Ace peeks inside. “It’s good to see you awake.”
I nod, because it’s all too much.
The kidnapping. The trailer. The fire.
We could have died.
But as Ace stares back at me, I feel a strange sense of comfort. He gets
it. He was there.
He almost died too.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I say, my voice cracked with pain.
“Cole wants to know if he can see you?”
“Okay.” The word falls from my lips.
“You sure?” Remi asks, and I nod. “We’ll be right outside.” She
squeezes my hand before walking over to Ace. The two of them leave me
alone, and, seconds later, Cole appears.
The sight of him has fresh tears burning the backs of my eyes.
“You’re okay,” I say.
He steps into the room, closing the door behind him. “Isn’t that
supposed to be my line?” There’s no hint of softness in his face, no relief in
his eyes. Instead, anger bleeds from him.
“Cole, I—“
“Shh.” He reaches me and brushes a finger down my cheek. I watch
with awe as he studies my face, imprinting it to memory as if it might be the
last time he ever sees me.
Panic begins to churn inside me.
He doesn’t ask about the pregnancy, and I don’t have the courage to
bring it up. But it hangs in the space between us.
“I’ll never let another person hurt you, Dove,” he says quietly, his eyes
burning with contempt. “He’ll pay for this. They all will.” Cole’s dark gaze
lingers on me for a second longer and then, before I can formulate a reply,
he turns away from me and stalks out of the room.
I want to go after him, to beg him not to do anything reckless, but fear
paralyzes me.
Remi rushes into the room, her eyes wide with fear. “What happened?
What did he say?”
“He’s going after them,” I say, a shiver racing down my spine.
“Ace won’t let him do anything stupid.”
But as she reaches my side, taking my hand in hers, I see the truth glitter
in her eyes.
 Remi knows as well as I do that Ace won’t be able to stop Cole.
Someone hurt the people he cares about. Someone hurt me.
Cole won’t stop until Donny Lopez is no longer a threat.
He won’t stop until he’s dead.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Cole

“L et’s go,” I bark at Ace as I slam the door, cutting me off from
where I really want to be.
“W-what?” he stutters, his eyes going so wide I fear they’re
about to pop out.
“Let’s fucking go.”
“Cole, I really don’t think—”
“Come with me, or I go alone. The choice is yours.” I stand toe-to-toe
with him, waiting for him to make a decision. I could really use his backup
with this, but I won’t bat an eyelid about doing what needs to be done
alone.
“Fucking hell, Cole.”
“What? If we don’t do something, this is going to get worse. That
motherfucker isn’t going to stop until he’s dead and buried, and you know
it.”
“No, no, no,” Conner starts, but I tune him out. He doesn't get this, but I
know Ace does. I can see his hunger, his thirst for Donny’s blood. It runs
almost as deeply as it does for me.
“What if they come for Rem—”
“Let’s go,” he spits before I even get to finish the sentence.
“Ace, what the fuck?” Conner shouts, starting to get a little irrational.
 “Conner, just—”
“I’m coming.”
“No you’re fucking not. Stay here. Look after the girls.”
His brows rise in frustration. “You trying to say I’m not good enough
for this?” His face starts to turn red with anger.
“No, I’m saying we need someone we trust with them. We can’t leave
them here alone.”
He calms a little, but he’s clearly not happy. Not that I give a shit. The
fact that that cunt is still breathing means we’ve waited too long to do this.
“What’s going on?” Remi asks, slipping from the room Hadley is inside
of.
“Cole and I are going out. We won’t be long.”
Concern washes over her face, but before she can say anything, Ace
pulls her into his arms and slams his lips down on hers.
“You trust me, right?” I hear him murmur to her.
“Of course, but—”
“We’ll be back before you know it.”
“Ace, please. Don’t do this,” she begs.
“Conner,” he says, nodding to his girl. Without missing a beat, Conner
wraps his arm around Remi’s shoulder as tears begin to pool in her eyes.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too. We won’t be long.”
He backs away from her, and for a second I think he’s going to crumble
at the devastated look on her face—that is, until he checks that both his gun
and knife are in place in his waistband and he spins away from his girl. But
not before both Remi and Conner share a look. One that is full of doubt and
fear. Still, it’s not enough to stop either of us.
“Come on then. It’s time to take out the trash.”
He doesn't give me a chance to go for the car. Instead he climbs onto his
bike and waits for me to join him.
My fingers wrap around the handrails at the back with a painful grip. I
want it to be that cunt’s throat, not just Ace’s bike.
“I hope you’ve got a fucking plan,” Ace mutters before revving the
engine and speeding off down the driveway.
Every muscle in my body begs for me to look back at the house, but I
can’t. If by some miracle she’s at a window and I see her, I’ll crumble.
Walking into that room and seeing her so weak and vulnerable on the bed
was bad enough, but I knew I needed to see her one last time before I went
to face the devil.
He tried to fucking kill her. Ace too. He was going to leave them in the
middle of that field while the trailer burned to the ground around them.
My need for any kind of drug I can get my hands on to wipe that image
from my head races through my veins, but I can’t lose focus. Not yet.
The time is coming when I’m going to be able to dive headfirst into the
darkness that’s threatened to consume me the past few hours.
Watching the flames lick at our childhood home, hearing the crack of
the fire as it threatened to take away two of those I care about most in the
world.
If I had been just a few minutes later. If I’d have lost them as I trailed
their car. If they’d have spotted me.
So many variants of what could have happened run around my head, but
there’s one question that cries loudest. Why did I get involved with Hadley,
knowing this kinda thing could have happened? How could I be so fucking
selfish to bring her into this fucked-up life I’m a part of?
Then there’s the other issue that I’m refusing to even acknowledge, let
alone accept. I can’t think about the future right now. I just need to focus on
what has to happen tonight before the people I love start getting taken away
from me, because that is where this is going. I’d bet my own life on that.
Without telling Ace where to go, he drives straight back to the Heights,
and in what only feels like a heartbeat, he pulls up into the parking lot of
Donny’s place.
As we sit there looking at the dark building we both know so well, I
wonder if I’m meant to be nervous, scared even. But I don’t feel any of that.
My heart beats wildly in my chest as my fingers clench. Anticipation
zips through me, and the adrenaline from knowing what my intentions are
for the next few minutes has excitement filling my belly as I climb from the
back of Ace’s bike.
I don’t bother waiting for him. I’m too impatient. Instead I march
toward one of Donny’s goons, waiting by the back entrance to the building.
There isn’t usually one there, so I can only assume he’s waiting for our little
visit.
“I didn’t realize that tonight was going to be a family affair,” he says
when I’m close enough to hear his muttered words.
 Assuming he means Ace, who’s jogging to catch up with me, I nod my
chin at the door and wait for him to allow us entry.
“They’re on their way, boss.” The goon says into his mic as we step
inside the building.
I don’t look at Ace. I don’t need to. He’s walking right beside me,
shoulder to shoulder, ready to fight this out together.
The three of us might be fucked-up in so many ways, but our loyalty to
each other is something that can never be questioned.
If one of us is down, we fight together. To the end. Although that’s
never been tested like I fear it might be tonight.
We’re buzzed through the next set of doors. I’m expecting to find two
guys in the hallway before Donny’s office as usual, but they’re nowhere to
be seen.
I assumed they’d strip us of our weapons and send us in with nothing
but our fists to fight with.
I’d like to think it’s Donny being naïve, but that’s not how he works.
We might be walking in here without so much as a plan, but he’ll be the
opposite. He’ll have preempted every single one of our moves.
He thinks he knows us, knows what we’re capable of. I really fucking
hope that we’re about to prove him wrong.
We both come to a stop outside Donny’s closed office door. We glance
at each other briefly, the only communication we need to know that we’re in
this together, before Ace raises his foot and slams his boot into the wood.
The door flies open, and we find exactly what we were expecting,
Donny behind his desk, pretending to be the most powerful man in the
world. Someone is sitting in the chair before him, but I pay him little mind
as I walk into the room, Ace right beside me.
Donny shows no sign of being surprised to see us—Ace, who he left to
burn. He barely even spares us a second glance. His eyes mostly remain on
the man in the chair.
“Well, well, well, this really is a special occasion, isn’t it?” His eyes lift.
“Good to see you’re safe and alive, son,” Donny says to Ace, his voice
dripping with disappointment.
“I’m not your fucking son,” Ace spits.
“No, you’re right. You’re his.” Donny nods to his other visitor, and it’s
only now that I pay him any attention.
 Both Ace and I step forward, and my eyes widen when I discover that
the man sitting in the black suit holding Donny’s attention is none other
than James.
What the fuck?
“Boys, it’s good of you to join us,” James says, his voice hard, cold,
totally unlike anything we’ve heard from him since moving to the Bay.
Movement behind us alerts me to the fact that Donny’s goons are hiding
in the shadows, but I don’t turn. I don’t want them to be aware that I know
they’re there, waiting to jump in to protect their boss.
“What are you—” Ace starts, but James doesn't let him finish.
“Protecting my own.” James looks from Ace directly to me. He nods
once, and my lips curl.
He moves faster than I thought he was capable of, Ace and I do the
exact same thing, and seconds after James’ gun sounds out, so do ours.
His two goons don’t stand a chance. Both of them hit the wall before
slumping to the floor. One of them groans in pain, but the other is already
dead. Donny, however, is staring at James with wide eyes as blood spews
from his chest. His hand covers the gunshot wound, but it does nothing to
keep him from bleeding to death.
“You think you hold all the power? Think you can run rings around my
boys and hurt those they care about? You are fucking wrong,” James spits,
standing from the chair he was still lounging in, tucking his gun back into
his waistband. “You might think your name earns you respect, and I’m sure
it does with some. But not as much as mine. This is over. You’re done,
Lopez.”
Donny’s eyes still remain trained on James, the life is quickly draining
out of them—although not quite quick enough, because his arm lifts, the
flash of metal catching my eye a second before I fire off my second shot of
the night, straight through Donny Lopez’s head.
That was for Hadley, you motherfucker.
“Boys,” James says, nodding at both of us. He moves toward the door,
stepping over one of the bodies on his way out.
Ace and I fall into step behind him, but not before we exchange a
confused look.
Why was he here? How did he know?
Nothing is said as the three of us make our way outside.
 The goon who was at the entrance is long gone. It’s a shame. I can’t
help feeling like I could add another body to the count we’ve already
clocked up tonight.
James comes to a stop in the middle of the lot and turns to us. His eyes
soften as he takes us both in, but they linger on Ace a little longer than me.
It’s understandable—his face is black from the fire and he’s sporting a
swollen eye and split lip.
“How’d you…”
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is that it’s over. Fresh start
from here on out, yeah?”
I open my mouth to respond, but I have no words. I’m too fucking
stunned that James had that in him in the first place.
“T-thanks, I guess,” Ace mutters, sounding as confused as I feel.
“Go back to your girls. They need you. Both of you. Go, I’ll take care of
this.” He nods at us, spins on his heels and marches toward the Town Car
hidden in the shadows.
“What the fuck was that?” I whisper, more to myself than Ace, but he
responds nonetheless.
“I have no fucking idea. But we should do as he says. They’re going to
be going out of their minds right now.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Hadley

V oices startle me. I strain to listen, but they’re muted, and I can only
make out the odd word.
Donny...
James...
Dead.
Part of me wants to rip out the IV and go and see what’s happening, but
I’m too exhausted and weak to move.
It’s late, long past midnight. Remi said Ellen’s doctor friend wanted to
take me to the ER and get me checked out, but Remi and Conner had
managed to talk him out of it. I must have been out of it because I can’t
remember anything.
The door creaks open, and I half expect to see Remi, but Cole stands
there, his expression hard.
“You’re okay,” I breathe.
He steps into the room, giving me a small nod. “How are you feeling?”
It comes out clipped.
“Tired, a little sore... nothing that won’t heal in a few days. What
happened with Donny?”
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Cole perches on the
edge of the bed, but he doesn’t look at me.
 Part of me wonders if he can’t, now he knows I might be pregnant.
“What does that mean?” I ask, forcing down the building tears.
“It means he’s no longer a threat.”
“Did you—”
His eyes snap to mine, pinning me to the bed. He looks so haunted... so
lost. I want nothing more than to reach out and hold him, but I sense his
hostility from here.
“You’re safe now, that’s all that matters.” He gets up, running a hand
down his face. Cole looks like something out of a horror movie. Blood
stains his hands and smoke and dust cling to his hoodie.
He moves to the door, but I blurt out, “Wait.”
Releasing a strained breath, Cole slowly turns around to face me. “You
should get some sleep.”
“Stay with me.”
“Hadley, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
Hadley.
Not Dove.
God, a name shouldn’t hurt so much, but it does. Because I don’t need
Cole to say the words to know that he’s pulling away. There’s already a
sheet of ice between us, and I hate it.
I hate that we’re over before we ever really got started.
Tears run freely down my cheeks, because I can’t hold in the pain any
longer.
I almost died tonight.
I almost never got to say the words.
And now Cole is taking away that choice again.
And yet, I can’t let him go. Even though I know he’s about to break my
heart, I still can’t set him free.
“Please, Cole. I need this.” My voice cracks.
His eyes shutter, his Adam’s apple pressing against his throat.
“Just hold me, please.” He winces at the desperation in my voice, but I
don’t care. I’ll beg until he can’t refuse me because I can’t accept that this is
it.
Letting out a small groan, Cole yanks off his hoodie and t-shirt, a cloud
of dust and soot rising from the fabric as he does so, then unbuttons his
pants, letting them slide to the floor. Without a word, he climbs into bed
beside me and hits the lamp switch, plunging the room into darkness.
 We lie there, silent and still, until I can’t take it anymore.
“Thank you.” I sniffle as the tears begin to subside. His body vibrates
with anger, but I don’t let it deter me as I reach for him. “You saved me,
Cole.”
“No, I didn’t,” he grits out. “If it wasn’t for me, you would never have
been on Donny’s radar. This is… All. My. Fault.”
“No,” I argue, but his expression is unmoving as I peek over at him.
“Go to sleep, Hadley.”
“But—“
“Sleep,” he orders, “or I’ll leave.”
Pain coils around my heart. Cole has already pulled away. He might be
here physically, but emotionally he’s gone.
I know I shouldn’t say the next words, but if I don’t, I might never get
to. And he should know.
Cole should know that he’s worthy of something good.
“I love you, Cole Jagger. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I
do.” I peek over at him again, but he isn’t looking at me, and it hurts. It
hurts so much that I feel my chest crack wide open.
“Don’t do this, Cole, please. It’s over, you said it yourself. Donny isn’t a
threat anymore.” I lean my head as close as I can to him, but the IV makes
it difficult to move. “I love you, Cole. Are you listening to me? It’s you. I
love you.”
Finally, Cole turns to meet my pleading gaze. Hope blossoms in my
chest as his lip curves slightly. “I don’t love you, Hadley, I can’t.”
“W-what?” My lip quivers as my brain tries to process what he just said.
I knew he would do this.
I’d known it the second he’d stepped into the room, yet I can’t stop the
feeling of complete despair that rips through me.
Cole doesn’t love me back.
Even though he knows I might be growing his child... he doesn’t want
me.
“You heard me,” his teeth grind, “I don’t love you.”
“B-but... you need me.”
“I don’t need you, Hadley. I need what you can give me. Hurting you
gives me an outlet, a release. But what we have? It’s not love. It can’t ever
be love. It’s wrong. Dirty. It’s a fucking disaster waiting to happen, and I
should have never have let it get this far.”
 “You’re lying.”
God, why can’t I just let this go? He’s said his piece. He’s punched his
fist through my chest and pulled out my broken, bloody heart.
“Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want me.” My body trembles
violently as I spit the words at him. “Look me in the fucking eye and tell me
I mean nothing to you.”
Cole climbs out of bed and looms over me, driving the final knife
through my chest.
“I don’t want you, preppy. I never did.”

By the time the sun filters in through the blinds, I feel weak with
exhaustion. But after Cole had broken my heart, I’d cried myself into a
restless sleep.
When I needed him most, Cole decided to walk away.
A knock at the door sends my heart into my throat. “Yeah?” I call.
“Hads?” Conner pokes his head inside. “How are you feeling?”
“Maybe ask me again later.” I grimace, and he slips into the room.
“Let me guess, my brother—“
“Please, can we not talk about Cole.”
“Uh, sure. Do you want anything? A fresh drink? Breakfast? I make a
mean pancake. Ellen taught me and everything.”
He looks so pleased with himself I can’t help but smile.
“I’d really like to get this out.” I lift my hand.
“Doc should be along soon. James just spoke to him.”
“He did?”
“Well, yeah. It’s James’ house, or did you—“
“No, of course. I just... it doesn’t matter.”
A dark expression crosses Conner’s face as he comes over to the bed
and sits down on the end. “How are you feeling, really?”
“Like I got kidnapped by a drug lord and then almost killed in a trailer
fire.”
“Fuck, Hadley...” He grimaces.
“You asked.”
“Yeah, I know. If it’s any consolation, I’m really happy you’re okay.”
 “It is, thank you.”
“And Col—“
“We’re not talking about him, remember?”
“My brother is a stubborn asshole, but he’ll come around.”
“Have you seen him?” I can’t resist asking. Even though I’m so angry
with him right now, it doesn’t stop me from caring.
“Not since last night. Ace talked to him though. He’s...” Conner
hesitates.
“Yeah.”
My heart aches.
For Cole.
For me.
For the baby that might be growing inside me.
For Ace and Remi and Conner.
I even feel sorry for James.
This family is so broken, so lost. I’d wanted to help. To reach Cole in a
way they hadn’t been able to. But everything is different now, and
something tells me things will never be the same again.
“Hadley?” Remi calls, and Conner goes to open the door.
“The patient is awake.” He shoots me a playful wink.
“The doctor just got here. I wondered if you wanted some moral
support.” She gives me a knowing glance.
“Yes,” I say. “That would be nice.”
“I’ll leave you two girls to it then.” Conner salutes and slips around her.
“Hey, it’s good to see you awake.”
“I barely slept.”
“I’m sorry.” Her expression falls.
“It’s not your fault.”
Remi pulls out the chair and wheels it over to my bed. “So I was
thinking... you should tell the doctor you think you might be pregnant.”
“Remi...”
“I know, I know. It’s the last thing you want to deal with. But you can’t
pretend it’s not happening either. I heard James mention some blood tests.
He could easily run the test discreetly.”
“What’s the deal there, anyway?”
“He’s a family friend. I get the impression this isn’t the first middle-of-
the-night house call he’s made.”
 “I guess it helps to have friends in high places.” My family has a doctor
on retainer. Along with a lawyer, a publicist and various other staff.
Maybe there is more to James Jagger than meets the eye.
“Do you know what happened last night?” I ask.
“Ace wouldn’t tell me. He just said that we didn’t need to worry about
Donny anymore.”
“So he’s gone?”
She nods, her eyes clouding.
“You know what gone means, right?”
“He kidnapped you, Hadley, and then tried to kill you and Ace. Donny
Lopez is not a good person.”
“I know, but you’re okay with it? Knowing Cole and Ace—“
“James was there.”
“What?” I shriek.
“I overheard him and Ace talking. I think he...” She trails off, and my
eyes bug out.
“Holy crap.”
“You can’t tell anyone, Hadley. Not a soul.”
“Who am I going to tell? You’re all I have.”
“Not true.” Her expression softens. “You have me and Ace, Conner...
Cole.”
“I don’t have Cole, Remi.”
Maybe I never did.

I skip school the next two days.

After James’ doctor friend came by the Jaggers’ and removed my IV, I
had told him about my missed period. He agreed to do the test since he was
taking a blood sample.
I’d convinced Conner to give me a ride back to the dorms after that.
Ace and Remi didn’t want me to leave. Even James had asked me to
stay a little longer. But I needed space.
I couldn’t be under the same roof as Cole and not be with him.
It was killing me.
 So I’d left and hidden out in my dorm room for the next two days. Remi
and Conner check-in constantly, but they are honoring my request for some
space.
My cell vibrates and I half expect to see one of their names. But it isn’t.
I snatch it up and answer it. “Hello?”
“Hadley, it’s Dr. Miles.”
“Hello.” My stomach twists.
“We’ve got the blood results back.”
“Okay...”
“Everything looks fine.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“It is.” He lets out a steady breath. “The pregnancy test also came
back.”
Blood roars between my ears as I wait, the room growing small around
me.
“It’s positive. You’re pregnant.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck!
“O-okay. Thank you.”
“Your levels put you at about six weeks, so it’s still very early. I
recommend booking an appointment with your regular doctor to discuss the
next steps.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you.”
He says goodbye and hangs up.
But I just sit there, staring at nothing, his words echoing around my
head.
I’m pregnant.
Six weeks pregnant.
And it’s Cole’s baby.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Cole

I stare at the sky above me, watching the clouds moving in the wind as
the alcohol flows around my system, numbing everything I feel.
It’s the only way I can cope right now.
Forgetting is the only way I can deal, because acknowledging what
happened, what is happening… I just can’t do that.
The image of Hadley tied up inside that burning trailer is imprinted in
my mind. If I manage to get any sleep, it’s all I dream of—only in my
slumber, I don’t get to her in time. Instead of pulling her out alive, I’m
forced to lift her lifeless body and carry her out of there so she can have a
proper resting place, not be forced to end her days as a pile of ash.
When I’m awake, the fear in her eyes haunts me. The smell of burning.
The acrid taste of destruction.
It’s the only thing I can think about.
It was all my fault. All of it. And no matter what anyone says, I can’t
forgive myself for putting the people I care about in that position.
Hadley could have died. Ace could have died. Hell, even James could
have died. And all because of me. Because I’m too much of a fuck-up to do
something decent with my life.
I lift the bottle to my lips once more and swallow down liquid that I’m
long past tasting.
 I have no idea what time it is, but the sun is beginning to set behind the
dark clouds that taunt me.
It was raining an hour or so ago, but I didn’t move. A little rain is the
least I deserve.
The others got up and went to school this morning. Even James left the
house to go to work. I know they’re giving me space, but at the same time I
can’t help thinking that they’re looking straight through me. Almost as if I
did die and I’m no longer here.
No one listened to me when I demanded that Hadley stay here so we
know she’s safe. No one seemed to care when I didn’t turn up for school
this morning.
Everyone just seems to have checked out… or is that me?
I rest my head back and close my eyes, but it doesn't last long. The
second I feel myself start to succumb to my exhaustion, that image is there
again. It feels so real, like I can actually feel the weight of her in my arms.

I wake with a start, my heart thundering in my chest. Ripping my eyes open

to focus on the clouds once again, I’m confronted by the sight of three sets
of concerned eyes staring down at me, scaring me almost as much as the
dream.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, lifting the bottle back to my lips.
“I think you’ve had enough, don’t you?” Conner asks, reaching forward
to take the bottle.
“Fuck you. You have no idea what it’s like.”
He lifts a brow. I know he’s still angry that we left him behind with the
girls, but quite frankly, I don’t give a shit. I’m barely holding it together as
it is, the last thing I need is the added image in my head of almost losing
him too.
“This isn’t going to help,” Ace says, joining in with Conner. He walks
around the lounger I’m slumped in and prises the bottle from my fingers
before throwing it across the yard until the glass shatters against the wall of
the pool house. “That isn’t how you deal with this.”
“No? Care to tell me how I should then, big brother?”
 “I can’t. Only you know that. But hiding your head in the sand, running
away from real life isn’t it.” He narrows his eyes, saying a million things to
me without actually speaking the words.
“Fuck you, Ace. You have your girl to lose yourself in when shit gets
hard.”
“So could you, if you pulled your head out of your ass. She’s in her
dorm waiting for you. All you’ve got to do is talk to her.”
I look away from him, unwilling to hear the words let alone think about
what they mean.
Hadley doesn’t want me. How could she, after everything I’ve put her
through?
I know they say that people do crazy things for love, but I stick by what
I said to her the other night. That isn’t what this is.
Is it?
I wouldn’t know love if it slapped me in the face. Everyone who was
ever supposed to love me screwed me over.
I’m unworthy. Unlovable. I accepted that a long time ago.
I’m just a person—a body—that people use to forget. It’s the way it’s
always been. Pleasure to bury the pain. It’s all I’ve ever known, all I ever
saw as a child, and my relationship with Hadley isn’t anything different.
We’re both lost, both hurting, both trying to outrun pasts and nightmares
that continue to haunt us no matter what we do.
That’s not love. It’s just another addiction.
I’m addicted to the release, to the way she makes me feel. The way she
makes me crave her like no other.
Movement at my legs makes me look up, and I find that Remi has
wedged herself on the edge of my lounger. Her eyes are soft, sympathetic.
Whereas my brothers like to take the hard line with me, I feel that what’s
about to come out of her mouth is going to be very different.
She reaches for my hand and squeezes gently. “She needs you, Cole.”
“Trust me, she really doesn't,” I spit. How can she possibly need me?
Because of me she was kidnapped, almost burned alive. And even before
that, the two of us were so wrong, so toxic that it never could have lasted.
Our sex life involved my knife, for fuck’s sake. That shit isn’t normal.
“She does, more than you could possibly know. More than she
understands. Please, Cole. You can’t have forgotten what I told you.” Her
eyes bore into mine. I know exactly what she’s asking, but I refuse to even
think about it.
Ripping my eyes from hers, I stare at the still water of the pool and try
to forget about the person we’re talking about.
“What did you tell him?” Conner asks, trying to stick his nose in.
“Nothing,” I bark. “She told me nothing.”
“Please, don’t do this. You’re both falling apart in front of our eyes,”
she begs, her grip on my fingers getting tighter as she says each word.
“It’s what I deserve. Excuse me.” Pushing from the lounger, I turn my
back on the three of them and storm inside.
“What are we missing here?” Conner asks, but I don’t hang around to
hear Remi’s answer.
“Cole, would you like any—”
“No,” I bark at Ellen as I march through the kitchen.
“When was the last time you ate?” she calls out to me as I continue
through the house.
I have no idea. The only things that have passed my lips the last few
days are alcohol and weed. Exactly as it should be in my quest to forget.
The sun has long set, and I’m beyond drunk when there’s a knock at my
bedroom door.
I don’t respond, but that doesn't mean I expect whoever it is to get the
message and leave. That’s not how we do things. I don’t, however, expect to
see the head that appears when my lack of response is ignored.
“What do you want?” I bark at James when he invites himself inside
and sits in the chair at the other side of the room.
“I think it’s time we talked, don’t you?”
“No,” I say bluntly, keeping my eyes anywhere but on him.
“Cole, I know everything came as a bit of a shock.”
“A shock?” I ask. “I thought you were just our uncle who didn’t care
about us. Then suddenly I’m meant to just accept that you’re not our uncle,
but our fucking father?”
“I know. I know. But you have to trust me when I say that I’d have done
everything so differently if I had the chance.”
“Trust you?” I balk. “Fuck off. You could have done something. You
could have taken us away any time you wanted, but no, you left us there.
You left me there to be…” I trail off, not wanting to go down that road on
top of everything else.
 “I couldn’t go behind your mother’s back.”
“Why? You didn’t care about going behind Charlie’s all those years
before.”
“Cole,” he growls. I ignore his warning. If he wants to come in here and
talk, then we can fucking talk. But then he says five little words that make
my blood turn to ice.
“I know what you did.”
I shake my head, thinking that I must have misheard. “What?”
“I know about Charlie.”
My chin drops. That can’t be possible. “How?”
“How do you think it got covered up so easily? Donny certainly wasn’t
going to help keep your name clean.”
“But—”
“I saw you leave the house that night, Cole. Deny it all you like, but we
both know the truth, don’t we?”
I shake my head, because he can’t know the truth.
He can’t.
“You know nothing,” I say.
“That’s what you’d like to think, but it’s simply not true.”
“Whatever. I’m done with this conversation.”
I swing my legs from the bed, and my fingers are wrapped around the
door handle when he speaks next.
“Go and see Hadley, Cole. Stop punishing yourself for something you
couldn’t have stopped.”
“That’s just it though. I could have stopped it. I shouldn’t have gone
anywhere near her in the first place.”
“We can’t help who we love, Cole. I know that better than anyone.”
I have the door open when he says, “I think it would be best we kept
your secret between us, don’t you?”
Without answering him, I fly through the house and across the
backyard. I need to get away from that house, from everyone who thinks
they know what’s best for me.
They can’t possibly know what I need right now. None of them are in
my head, none of them fucking understand.
Apart from her.
I walk along the beach until I’m forced up a path that I know will take
me to the dorms.
 I tell myself over and over to turn back, but because I’m unable to stop
causing myself even more pain, my feet continue forward until I’m standing
in the trees that surround the building and looking up at her window.
Hadley’s light is on, but there’s no movement inside, although I know
she’s up there. Fucked up, I know, but I can feel her. It makes it a little
easier to breathe, knowing she’s close. Although I have no intention of
getting any closer. I shouldn’t even be here, but my self-punishment knows
no bounds.
I have no idea how long I stand there for, willing her to come to the
window just so I can see her face. But when there is movement and a figure
does appear, it’s not her. It’s a guy.
My fists curl so tight that my nails dig into my palms to the point I
swear I must draw blood. Stumbling back, I crash into a tree before sliding
down until my ass hits the cold, damp ground beneath me.
My eyes remain on her window, hoping for a glimpse of the
motherfucker I’m going to have to kill next. But I never find out.
The next thing I know, the sun is burning through my eyelids, and when
I drag them open, I find myself curled up on the ground, still facing her
window.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Hadley

E verything is a mess.
I can hardly focus in class, I’m lying to Miss Jones and the team
about why I can’t practice, and Cole barely looks twice at me.
Donny Lopez is gone, but the scars of that night are still there. I wake in
the middle of the night, clutching the sheets and soaked in sweat. I can still
taste the acrid smoke, feel the heat closing in around me. Sometimes, I
dream we don’t make it out, that the flames engulf us, burning the skin and
flesh from our bones.
A shudder rolls through me as I shake off the memories.
“Hey,” Remi approaches me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.” I hitch my bag up my shoulder and keep walking, but she
falls into step beside me.
“Any morning sickness?”
“Remi!”
“What?” Guilt flashes in her eyes. “No one can hear us.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Hadley, I know things are—”
“No, you don’t. Look,” I stop in front of her, “I know you’re only
worried, but I need to deal with this on my own.”
“Hads, come on, I just want to help.”
 “But you can’t.” A heavy sigh escapes my lips. “No one can. I’ll see
you around, Remi.” I take off before she can stop me.
I don’t want to talk about it.
Any of it.
I just want to survive the day, go back to my dorm room, and do it all
over again tomorrow. But as I round the corner, Miss Jones spots me.
“Hadley, my office.”
Ugh.
This is the last thing I need, but I know if I try to evade her, it’ll only
make it worse in the long run. I keep my head down as I follow her down
the hall and out of the other door, toward the gym. A couple of girls shoot
me a scathing look as I enter the locker room, but I let it roll off my back.
I have bigger things to worry about.
“Come in,” she says, dropping into her chair.
Closing the door, I take a seat. “What’s up, Miss J?” My smile feels all
wrong.
“I could ask you the same thing. You’ve missed practice all week.”
“I told you, I pulled a muscle.”
“I know. But I see things, Hadley. I hear things. Something is off with
you, and I’m worried it has to do with Cole Jagger.”
“It doesn’t,” I blurt out.
Her brow lifts. “I haven’t seen the two of you together since Monday.
And then you missed school Tuesday and Wednesday. If something
happened with—”
“It didn’t. I was sick Tuesday and Wednesday. Really sick. I think it was
bad chicken from that diner downtown.”
“And now you’ve pulled a muscle?”
“I’m sorry, Miss J, I just haven’t been feeling one hundred percent, so I
didn’t want to do more harm than good.”
“I’m glad you took the initiative to give yourself some time to
recuperate. But I get the feeling you’re not telling me the whole story.”
This is my chance. But I’m not sure how she’ll take the news that I want
to quit the team. It was part of my terms of enrolment here—I would join
the cheer team so Miss Jones could keep an eye on me, and my parents
could ease whatever sliver of guilt they had over shipping me off to a new
town.
 Taking a deep breath, I choose my next words carefully. “Since it’s
senior year and I want to focus on my future, I think I should prioritize my
classes.”
She steeples her fingers, leaning forward slightly. “What are you
saying?”
“I want to quit the team.”
“Hadley, that’s not—”
“Look, I know you promised my parents that you’d keep an eye on me.
And you still can. We both know my heart isn’t in cheer. The girls don’t like
me, they tolerate me at best. And to be honest, I’m struggling to keep on top
of everything.” I throw that last line in, hoping she’ll feel sympathetic
toward me.
“How long have you felt like this?”
“I never wanted to join the team, Miss J. It’s nothing personal, but cheer
was part of my old life, in Gravestone.”
“I see.” She studies me. “Your father won’t—”
“My father isn’t here,” I hiss, immediately lowering my voice. “Sorry,
it’s just a sore subject. I’m eighteen, shouldn’t I be allowed to make some of
my own decisions? I’ve followed the rules, I’ve tried really hard to—”
“Okay, okay.” She holds up her hands. “I get it, I do. I know your
parents can be difficult...”
That is an understatement.
“They just wanted to know you were happy here.”
She’s deluded. My parents didn’t care about what I wanted. They still
don’t. My father likes control. He likes a tightly run ship, and I veered off-
course.
“I’ll do whatever you want me to,” I plead. “I’ll check in regularly, or
take extra credit, but I can’t do this anymore.”
“You really don’t want to be on the squad anymore?”
“I don’t.”
“I want bi-weekly meetings. I need something to tell your parents.”
“Consider it done.”
“And I’ll be asking all your teachers for regular reports.”
“Fine.” God, she’s as bad as them. I’m not a child anymore. I’m
pregnant, for God’s sake. Growing another life inside me.
Emotion overwhelms me, but I force it down. I can’t break, not now.
Not in front of Miss Jones. She’ll never let me leave without answers if I
start crying.
I stand, desperate to get out of here.
“I meant what I said last time we talked, Hadley. My door is always
open.” Her smile is sincere, but her words can’t be trusted. Not when she’s
on their side.
“I’ll see you in two weeks,” I say, hurrying out of there... and running
straight into Marissa.
“What’s your problem?” she sneers.
“Leave it, Marissa.” I barge past her.
“Just because Cole decided to dump your pathetic ass, doesn’t mean you
have to take it out on us. We’re supposed to be a team.”
I shoot her a scowl over my shoulder and say, “Not anymore.”
And then I get the hell out of there.

I manage to get through the day. Every time someone shouts in the hall or
accidentally bumps into me, I recoil, panic flooding me. Until I remember
I’m safe.
Donny is gone.
He can’t touch me anymore.
There’s a big game tonight, but I only feel relief that I won’t have to be
there. I’m not sure I could face Cole.
But as if the universe thinks I haven’t had enough to deal with lately, as
I exit the building I almost collide with him.
“Shit,” he groans, tensing the second he realizes it’s me.
“I, uh... sorry.” I brush the stray hairs from my face and hover
awkwardly.
There was a time I would have moved closer, seeking out his darkness.
But everything is different now.
He’s different.
I’m different.
“How are you?” he asks.
“I’m okay.” Liar. “I should go.” I thumb toward the path that leads to
the dorm buildings.
 “Hadley, wait,” he calls after me, the sheer desperation in his voice
reaching something inside me.
“Yeah?” I ask as I glance back.
Our eyes connect, jolting me with electricity. Cole looks as bad as I feel.
His eyes are ringed with dark circles and his skin is pale, and he looks like
he’s living on as little sleep as I am.
Everything becomes white noise around us, the laughter and chatter,
footsteps on the pavements, the purr of expensive cars roaring to life. It all
drowns out until I can hear nothing but the thud of my heart against my
chest.
“Nothing,” he finally says, dashing the foolish flicker of hope I’d felt at
hearing him call after me.
Doesn’t he realize he only needs to say three little words to fix this
mess?
To fix us?
Without another word, I turn away and take off toward my dorm
building. I won’t beg him to love me, not again. Not when I know that
sometimes love isn’t enough.
It wasn’t enough for me and Tim, and it isn’t enough for me and Cole.
Maybe that’s my destiny, to never be quite enough.
Tears sting eyes, but I try to keep them at bay. Once I’m in the safety of
my room, I’ll let myself break. Only as I reach the building, another voice
calls out to me.
“Hadley, wait up.”
“Not now, Conner.” I hurry toward the door, desperate to get inside.
“Just give me a second, please.”
I scramble to get my key out of my bag, but I’m not quick enough.
Conner snags my wrist and pulls me gently back. “I just want to talk.”
Slowly, I lift my face to his.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, concern shining in his eyes. “Tell me what
happened.”
The dam breaks and tears roll down my cheeks.
“Fuck, Hads, come here.” He pulls me to his chest, hugging me tight.
“Shh, I got you. I got you.”
But it shouldn’t be Conner consoling me, it should be Cole.
“Tell me what you need?” He coaxes me from his chest and holds me at
arm’s length. “Tell me who I’ve got to hurt?”
 I manage a small smile at that. Conner always makes it so easy. “I need
sleep. I’m so exhausted,” I admit, instantly feeling like a weight has been
lifted.
“You’ve been having more nightmares?”
I nod. Conner knows all about my haunting dreams, because he stopped
by to check on me the other night.
“Come on, sneak me in and you can sleep.”
“Conner, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking.” He gives me a small smile. “I’m offering.”
“But—”
“Hey, it’s no strings attached, okay? You shouldn’t be alone right now,
and lucky for you, I don’t mind taking an afternoon nap.”
“Thank you,” I say, because the thought of getting some decent sleep is
everything. “I might snore.”
“I think I’ll live. I’ll even let you hog the covers.”
“Conner...” I pale.
“Relax, I’m joking. I just want to help, I promise.”
“Why?” I ask. “Why are you doing this for me?”
“Because I can.” He shrugs. “Because you shouldn’t be alone. And
because my brother can’t be who you need him to be right now.”
“It’s that simple, huh?”
“It only needs to be complicated if you make it complicated.”
I hesitate, because I know this is a bad idea. But I need to sleep. I need
to close my eyes and know that someone is watching out for me. And
Conner is a good person. He’s kind and funny and he doesn’t take life too
seriously.
“Okay,” I blurt, forcing all my reservations to the back of my mind.
“Atta girl.” He grabs my hand and pulls me around the side of the
building.
“Thank you.” The words fall from my lips.
“For what?” He frowns as we approach the back entrance.
“For being you. You’re a good person, Conner.”
His brows furrow, just for a second, and then his expression morphs into
a grin. “I think there’s a compliment in there somewhere, Hadley, baby, but
you know what they say about the good guy, right?”
“No, Conner. What do they say about the good guy?” I find myself
grinning back. But then his expression hardens again.
“He always finishes last.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Cole

I close my eyes as she walks away from me, her scent filling my nose and
my muscles aching to reach out to stop her.
She’s like a fucking angel. So good, so pure, yet so untouchable.
Unable to resist, I turn and watch her walk away.
Like this, I can imagine that everything is as it once was. That things are
our usual brand of fucked-up, and I can let myself into her dorm later to do
wicked things to her. But I can’t.
I lost that right when she told me she loved me and I threw it back in her
face.
Stumbling back against the building, I watch her hips sway as she
makes her way toward the dorms. I pull a cigarette from my pocket,
wishing it were more than just nicotine. Even more so when I watch Conner
catch up with her and wrap his arm around her shoulder. My teeth grind and
my fingers clench with my need to walk over and rip her out of his hold.
She’s mine. Motherfucker.
But I can’t. I can’t claim her. It’s too late for all that.
It’s game night. The only reason I turned back up at school. And I can’t
stand here watching them, going after them, when I’ve got a job to do. I
might not have listened to many people in the past few days, but the threat
from Coach that my already questionable position on the team would be
gone if I didn’t get my ass to practice, to get ready for tonight was one thing
that got me moving.
It’s an away game. The last thing I want to do is get on a bus and leave
Sterling Bay for a few hours. The only thing that makes it better is that I
know she’ll be there. We might have barely said two words to each other
this week, but just knowing she’ll be in the stadium, unable to leave, to
walk away from me, settles something inside me.

The second I walk into the locker room, Hayden is right there, just like he
was when I appeared for practice the other day.
The moment I locked eyes on his smile, I knew it was him. He was the
motherfucker who was in Hadley’s room. He’s the one who’s been keeping
her company.
How I didn’t wrap my hands around his neck right there and then was a
fucking miracle. But Coach’s warning rang loudly in my ear and I barge
past him, hardly satisfied with the smarting of my shoulder where we
connected when it should be my fists aching from teaching him a lesson
about going near my girl.
Practice is brutal, although I’m not sure if that’s because I’m off my
game or Coach has stepped it up a level. I’m not exactly with it, even I
know that I’m not in top form.
“What?” I bark at Hayden as he stands there with his arms crossed in
front of him. Aaron quickly joins him.
“Can you handle tonight?” Aaron asks.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I hiss.
“You’re a fucking mess, Jagger. How Coach hasn’t benched you, fuck
only knows. You’re a fucking liability.”
I take a step forward, my muscles tense, ready to fight. There might be
two of them, but it wouldn't be the first time I’ve started something where
the odds weren’t in my favor.
“Ladies, get your asses ready for the bus. We have a hard night ahead of
us,” Coach barks when he finds the three of us ready to go at it.
Aaron backs down almost immediately, but Hayden holds his ground.
“I’m fucking watching you,” I grate out.
 “Me?” he asks with a laugh. “That’s fucking rich. You’re the one who
needs to watch their back.”
A smile curls at my lips. He has no idea who he’s dealing with here. I
could snap him in two before he even saw it coming.
“Fuck. Off.”
He looks me up and down, his lip curling in disgust, but he does take a
step back.
The journey is fucking torturous. Everyone around me seems excited,
whereas all I can think about is the fact that I’m sober, which means the
memories come thick and fast. And it’s not just of that night now. All sorts
of memories hit me, from that first night Hadley found me covered in
Charlie’s blood, to our ‘date’ on the beach where I opened up for the first
time in my life and, for a very short time, let her in.
Pain lances through my chest as I remember that night. The way she
looked down at me, the passion, the hunger, the awe, the… love that poured
from her eyes.
I rub at my chest. The pain gets worse with every day that passes.
Glancing back at the minivan behind us that’s filled with our squad, I
wonder if she’s back there as miserable as I am right now.
I can’t imagine she’d be anything but. Hadley hates those girls on a
normal day, let alone now. I rest my head back and close my eyes, but I
don’t sleep.
I can’t.

The game is tough, and, in the final minutes, we lose. I watch as the home
team and their crowd cheer and celebrate their last second win, but all I can
do is stand and stare at our disheartened cheer squad. A squad that is minus
Hadley.
Why didn’t she come? Is it because of me?
My mind takes me back to her door room the day we found her missing.
“She might be pregnant.” Remi’s words slam into me like a truck.
I have refused to acknowledge what they might mean, but as I stand
here now, I wonder if that’s the reason she’s not here.
 Remi has tried to talk to me, but I push her away before she even gets
close. Is that what she’s been trying to tell me, that I’m going to be a father?
“Fuck,” I mutter, ripping my helmet off and running my hand down my
face.
I can’t. I can’t be responsible for someone else, for someone so helpless.
If she is p-pregnant, then she needs someone better than me to look after
her. Someone like… someone like Conner.
Fuck.
I won’t follow the rest of the team to the commiseration party tonight.
The only party I want to be a part of is a party for one with a bottle or two
of vodka, or the pills I keep stashed away in my room just in case shit gets
too hard to deal with.
The second we’re back at school, I march toward the car that’s waiting
for me.
It’s mine now. James rocked up the other day with two brand new
Nissan Skylines. Conner beamed from ear to ear and snatched the key from
him faster than I thought he could move. I, however, turned my back on the
whole situation and returned to my bedroom.
The second car still sits in the driveway unused. I refuse to accept his
money. He might have helped us out with Donny—how the motherfucker
knew what was going on, I have no idea—but I refuse to take his guilt
money.
I might live in his house, but that’s as far as this goes. The second I get
into college, I’m out of here, and I won’t be looking back. DNA is as far as
my connection with him goes.
Shoving the key in the ignition, I twist it and wait for the car to come to
life. It turns over and spits a little, but the piece of shit refuses to start.
“Not now, motherfucker.” I slam my hand down on the wheel, throwing
myself back in the seat.
I don’t need this right now.
I blow out a calming breath, hoping a gentler approach might work.
She’s old, she needs to be treated with care. “Come on, please,” I beg.
Holding my breath, I turn the key once more. By some miracle, she comes
back to life, and, with a relieved sigh, I make the journey back home.
The house is in silence—exactly as I’d hoped—as I make my way
through to the kitchen. There are a fresh batch of cookies on the side. I pile
a few up in one hand, swipe a bottle of vodka with the other and go to my
bedroom to hide out.
Stripping out of my clothes, I head straight for the shower to wash
what’s left of our loss tonight off me. Our opponents’ locker room was shit,
and the showers were even worse.
I turn the water as hot as it’ll go and stand under as it scalds my head
and shoulders. I barely feel it. The loss isn’t important—it doesn’t matter to
me like it does the others. I couldn’t give a shit about winning the
championship. All I want is a future. A future away from the Heights, away
from the Bay, away from my past and my nightmares.
The thought of walking away and leaving her behind, though? That
makes me stop and question everything. Can I really imagine a life without
her? I may have only known her a few months at most, but she’s different to
everyone else I’ve ever met.
She sees me in a way that no other does. She accepts me, broken,
messed-up bits and all.
Is there anyone else out there who could ever do that? Look past the shit
I’ve done, both to others and her, and still claim to love me?
I shake my head as the burning water continues to rain down on me.
The guy in her dorm room, and then Conner with his arm around her
earlier.
It hits me.
It was him. It wasn’t Hayden. It was Conner.
“Motherfucker,” I yell, planting my fist into the tile beside me.
Before I know what I’m doing, I’m out of the shower and dragging on
the clothes I discarded when I walked in.
The house where tonight’s party is being held is only a short distance
away, and in minutes, I’m pulling up alongside the other cars lining the
street.
Music booms from inside long before I’ve even made it to the front
door. There are kids everywhere, but I don’t see any of their faces. I’m too
set on locking eyes on the one I want.
People say things to me, but the words pass me by. I’m not here for
small talk or to party. I’m here to settle something.
I see his hair first out in the garden. He’s surrounded by others, but
when I glance around them, I don’t see Hadley’s platinum hair, so I
continue forward.
 “What the fuck?” Conner barks as he stumbles forward from where I
pushed him from behind.
“Something you need to tell me, brother?”
Gasps and screams sound out around us, but when I look over my
shoulder, I notice that people have started to back away. They know we can
be volatile. Word spreads around this place quickly, so I’m not overly
surprised.
“Uh…” He hesitates, and it pisses me off that he thinks he can get away
with this.
“You seem to have taken something that belongs to me.”
“I don’t know what you’re… Oh.” He swallows nervously, and it’s all I
need to know he’s hiding something. I know his tells, I’ve watched them for
years.
The fact that he thinks he can go behind my back like this and get away
with it is almost more unbelievable than him doing it in the first place.
“It’s not like that, bro.”
“So you didn’t spend the night with her?” He swallows once more.
“And you didn’t pull her into your arms earlier and guide her up to her
room?”
“Y-yes but—”
A roar rips from my lips, and before I know I’ve so much as pulled my
arm back, my fist connects with his nose. There’s a loud pop before blood
explodes across both of us.
He retaliates much faster than I give him credit for, and the second his
fist leaves my eye socket, I feel it starting to swell.
“You’re a dumbass motherfucker, you know that?” he taunts me as we
dance around each other.
“Tell me you haven’t touched her,” I demand. “Tell me nothing has
happened.” He pales slightly, his steps faltering. “You fucking…” My
words trail off as I launch at him, my fist reigning terror down on his face
and torso. He fights back to begin with, but he must realize that he’s in the
wrong here because he gives up.
“Cole, for fuck’s sake.” The familiar voice breaks through my haze, but
it’s not enough to make me stop.
It’s not until hands wrap around my upper arms and I’m physically
pulled back that I do.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ace barks in my ear.
 “He’s fucking her.”
“What?” Ace, Remi and Conner all snap at the same time.
“He’s fucking her.”
“No, he’s not. Don’t be stupid,” Ace says throwing me to the ground
and standing between us.
“He spent the night with her. He went with her earlier. Ask him where
he was during the game, go on.”
Ace’s brow raises in Conner’s direction.
“Yeah, okay,” he relents, “I was with Hadley, but I haven’t been fucking
her.”
“Something has happened though, hasn’t it?”
He looks away from me for a beat before wiping at the blood trickling
down his chin. “Yeah, but not because she wants me. It’s because she needs
you, and you’re not fucking there. Pull your fucking head out of your ass
and go and get your girl, Cole. Quit being such a fucking pussy. She doesn’t
want me. For some fucked-up reason, she wants you. She needs you. Now
do the right fucking thing, or walk away for good and let her live her life.”
I stumble back, his words floating around my head.
Let her live her life.
Not without me, she isn’t.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Hadley

I t’s late, but I can’t sleep.

I’m not surprised though.
I slept soundly earlier, curled around Conner like a spider monkey.
No monsters had found me, and I’d woken two hours later feeling better
than I had all week.
It probably should have felt wrong, to be using Conner that way, but I
need someone... and he’s the closest person to Cole.
When he holds me, it’s almost like Cole is holding me.
Almost.
God, I’m messed up.
Nothing makes sense anymore.
My hand flattens against my stomach. I’ve had a nagging twinge all
day. It isn’t pain as such, just a dull ache.
But I’m sure it’s nothing.
The nausea is the worst. I haven’t actually been sick, but the feeling
never abates. It was taco day in the cafeteria yesterday, and I thought I was
going to puke right there in the line. I grabbed a bag of chips instead and sat
outside in the chilly air, trying to shake off the feeling.
I don’t know how long I lay here, still and silent. My thoughts drift to
another life, a better life. Where Cole isn’t broken, and I’m not tainted. A
future where we can love each other without repercussion. A future where
we can raise our baby with love and security.
But all too quickly, the fantasy bleeds into something violent.
Monstrous flames engulf the image of the three of us, burning us to nothing
but ash and smoke.
Tears roll down my cheeks. The pain I’ve carried since being sent to
Sterling Bay bends and shifts, growing into something darker. If my parents
hadn’t exiled me, I wouldn’t be here now, heartbroken and lost, scared and
lonely.
But then you wouldn’t have met Cole.
My cell vibrates and I lean over, snatching it off the nightstand.

Unknown: Hadley, please... we should talk.

Panic slams into me as I quickly type a reply.

Me: Who is this?

Unknown: Tim.

I bolt upright, staring at his name.

Me: How did you get this number?

My parents confiscated my old cell phone, replacing it with a new one.

As far as I’m aware, they monitor my calls—not that there have been many
over the last couple of years.

Unknown: It doesn’t matter. We need to talk.

Me: You need to stop, Tim.

Unknown: Come on, Dove... you owe me this.

 Anger explodes inside me, and I let out a frustrated cry. I owe him?
What the hell does that mean?

Me: Don’t ever contact me again, or I’ll tell my parents. And that
won’t end well for anyone.

I stare at the screen, waiting. But no reply comes.

Thank God.
Turning it off, I shove it under my pillow. I thought Tim would stop, I
thought he would take the hint that I can’t ever let him back into my life.
Curling into a ball, I inhale a shaky breath. I must have been a horrible
person in a past life to deserve so much pain and heartache.
I find little peace in the darkness, my tears like a symphony to the
desolation I feel inside. My eyes flutter closed, and I hope sleep will find
me, but the rattle of my door startles me. I freeze, my heart beating wildly
in my chest. There’s only one person who would let himself into my dorm
room in the middle of the night.
Cole appears, like a dark prince sent to collect my soul.
But I know it’s already his.
“What are you doing here?” I sit up, trying to dry my eyes.
“You weren’t at the game,” he says with next to no emotion.
“I quit the squad.”
His eyes narrow. “Are you fucking Conner?”
“Excuse me?” A hand drifts to my throat as I swallow a fresh wave of
tears.
He stalks toward me, his expression menacing. “Are. You. Fucking. My.
Brother?”
“You think I...” I inhale a shuddering breath, anger filling every jagged
crack of my heart. “You cast me aside like I was nothing, and you have the
balls to stand there and ask if I’m sleeping with Conner, of all people?”
“I saw him. I saw the two of you—”
“What did you see, Cole?” I yell, getting in his face. “Did you see him
comforting me? Holding me while I broke because of everything that
happened? Did you see that?” I slam my hands against his chest. “You left
me, you fucking abandoned me when I needed you most, so don’t you dare
stand there and accuse me of being in the wrong here.”
 Cole’s eyes glitter dangerously. I don’t see his hand before it snaps out
and grabs my throat. “Don’t play games with me, preppy. He’s my brother,
my fucking twin. And if I find out something happened between the two of
you, I’ll kill him.”
“Fuck. You.” I spit the words. For a second, Cole looks completely
shocked, but his mask of surprise morphs into one of pure rage as he hoists
me against his body and marches over to the nearest wall. My back slams
against it, knocking the wind clean from my lungs.
“You drive me in-fucking-sane,” he growls against my lips, trying to
kiss me. But I turn away, trying to deny him.
“I hate you,” I seethe.
“No you don’t. You hate that you don’t hate me.” He holds my neck
tenderly, stroking my pulse point with his thumb as he stares down at me.
Tears stream down my face as I splinter apart at his confusing touch, at
the torment in his eyes. “I wish I’d never met you,” I whisper.
He stills and then pounces, pressing his lips hard against mine, his body
crushing me. “Take it back,” he growls, plunging his tongue into my mouth.
“Never,” I say, grabbing his face and taking control.
We kiss like animals, wild and uninhibited. Liquid lust courses through
my veins, numbing all the pain and heartache until I’m drowning in Cole, in
his feral kiss and ferocious touch.
His fingers dig ruthlessly into my ass as his tongue fucks my mouth
without apology. Nothing about this is a reconciliation. It’s an exorcism. We
both push and pull and fight to expel every bad memory, the self-loathing
we live with day in and day out, the regret we harbor.
Cole claws at my pajamas, literally shredding the material from my
body. I scratch and pull at his hoodie, needing it gone, needing nothing
between us but skin.
“Fuck, Hadley,” he rasps as I bite his neck, not caring if I draw blood or
not.
He fists my hair, pulling sharply, and I whimper. “Do that again and I’ll
punish you.” Dark intention swirls in his eyes.
I bare my teeth and snarl.
“It’s like you were fucking made for me.” His expression softens just
for a second, but it soon slides away when he rips his jeans open and shoves
them down his hips.
 Cole doesn’t give me any warning as he slams inside me, making us
both cry out. My hands curl around his broad shoulders, holding on as he
fucks me hard against the wall.
“This is mine,” he grits out, his jaw tight.
“God, it’s—” The words get stuck as he pounds into me.
“Feel that?” He slows, rolling his hips in a circle, grinding against my
clit. “Your pussy knows who she belongs to.”
My inner walls clench around him at the dirty words. “Harder,” I pant.
“Make it hurt.”
His eyes flash with something, but I close mine, refusing to deal with
whatever crisis of conscience Cole might be having. I need this.
I need it so badly.
Cole digs his fingers into the flesh of my hip, holding me still as he
continues fucking me into oblivion. Pleasure rushes through me as my
orgasm crests.
“Yes, Cole,” I cry. “Oh God, yes.”
His mouth latches onto my neck, sucking hard, hard enough to break the
skin. But I’m flying so high, I don’t care.
“Fuck, Hadley, you feel so fucking good.” His pace becomes erratic as
he chases away his own demons.
Reaching between us, he pinches my clit hard and another orgasm
crashes over me. “Fuuuuuck.” He jerks inside, instantly stilling.
“Cole?”
He staggers back, my body sliding down the wall as he pulls up his
jeans. “We shouldn’t have—”
“It’s okay, I’m only about seven weeks—”
“Don’t.” His eyes dart away from me.
“We need to talk about this, Cole.”
“I-I can’t.”
I lean down and pick up my shredded pajamas, trying to cover myself.
“This is happening. We can’t just pretend—”
“I said don’t.” His eyes snap to mine, and what I see there makes me
shudder.
“I know you’re scared.” I take a step toward him, clutching the torn
material between my fingers. “I am too, but we’ll figure it out.”
“We?” He sneers, dodging my reach. “There is no we.” Cole pushes a
hand into his hair and tugs with frustration.
 “We both know that’s a lie, Cole.” I fight every instinct I have not to
beat his stupid stubborn ass.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You feel something for me.” That’s why it had hurt so much when he
walked away after I told him l loved him. “I know you do. We’re having a
baby, Cole. A baby. We need to figure this—”
“I can’t do this,” he grits out. “I can’t... fuck. I need to go. I need—”
“Cole, please.” He's already at the door, fumbling with the handle. “Just
talk to me.”
But I’ve lost him. Again. He manages to yank the door open and slip
into the shadows before I can stop him.
Damn you, Cole Jagger. Damn you to hell.

The weekend brings a small reprieve. I can avoid the world and hide in my
dorm room.
Which is exactly what I do.
Breaking out my secret stash of candy—avoiding the pack of Twizzlers
—I laze in bed all day, watching back-to-back Channing Tatum movies.
Remi calls, but I let it ring out. After another run-in with Cole, I need space.
But no sooner have I hit play on the fourth film than there’s a knock on
my door. Reluctantly, I go and open it. “Conner?” I gasp, taking in his
broken face. “What happened?”
“One guess.”
Dread snakes through me. “Cole?”
He nods. “We got into it over... well, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He’s the one with the problem. He’s been like a bear with a
sore head all weekend. Wouldn’t happen to know anything about that,
would you?” His brow lifts, and I blanch.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t. I’m assuming you gave yourself that hickey?”
Amusement plays on his face as I yank my collar up.
“I...”
 “Hey, no judgement.” Conner holds up his hands. “I hope the two of
you sort out your shit, I do. But I won’t lie, Hads, I’m worried about him.
Really fucking worried.”
“Yeah,” I say around a weak smile. “Me too.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Cole

I shouldn’t have done that Friday night.

Any of it.
But she drives me fucking crazy.
Add in the vodka and the stress of the defeat that I told myself I didn’t
care about, and things got out of control. The truth was there could have
been scouts there, and fuck if I don’t need to think about my future now
more than ever. I was a fucking mess. I mean, I still am. A couple of regrets
aren’t going to sort me out, but even I know that I can’t keep this shit up.
Just like regretting ignoring her ever since isn’t going to make anything
better or my impulsive need for her any easier.
I see the way everyone in this house looks at me. The worry etched into
Ellen’s face every time she tries to get me to eat something. The fear I see
written in every one of Ace’s features. He’s done everything he can to make
sure Conner and I have had everything we need, and he thinks I’m going to
ruin everything. I might. But that was a risk he was always taking.
“I’m so fucking glad the holiday is here,” Remi says on Wednesday
night, lying on Ace like he’s a fucking mattress. “You looking forward to
your first Thanksgiving in the Bay?” she asks him, although she glances at
both Conner and me too.
 “Family meal? Oh yeah, I can’t fucking wait,” I mutter, earning me a
scowl from Ace.
“I thought you said you were going to try,” he warns.
“I said I’d fucking attend. I don’t ever remember saying I’d try to enjoy
myself.”
“Well, I can’t wait,” Conner chimes. “Have you seen the size of the bird
Ellen wrestled into the house? It’s going to be fucking epic.”
“Do you ever think about anything but your stomach?” Remi asks,
rolling her eyes at Conner.
“Yeah, my cock gets a lot of attention.”
“Conner!” Remi gasps as Ace throws a cushion at him.
“Really? From what I can tell, it’s had no real attention since we moved
here,” I mutter.
We still haven’t talked about Friday night—or anything, actually.
Tonight is the first time I’ve hung out with them like we used to, and it was
only because Remi practically begged me to join them.
“I have options.”
“Fuck off. No Bay girls will go anywhere near your tiny cock. They
have standards around here.”
“Remi and Hadley don’t seem to have an issue slumming it with you
two,” Conner mutters. My spine stiffens at the mention of her name.
Remi promised me we wouldn’t talk about it. It was the only reason I
agreed to come down here, but it seems that my idiot twin brother didn’t get
the memo.
“Fuck you, man.”
“Nah, I’m not that desperate, bro.”
I flip him off as he relaxes back with his beer.
“So what’s she doing for Thanksgiving? Heading home?” he asks me,
the twinkle in his eye telling me that he’s trying to piss me off.
“I highly doubt that,” I scoff, desperately trying to cover up how just
thinking about her makes me feel.
“Why?” both Remi and Conner ask simultaneously.
I understand why Conner has no idea, but it still surprises me that Remi
has no clue about Hadley’s secret past.
“No reason,” I mutter.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Conner asks, suddenly sitting forward.
“She’s spending the holiday alone in the dorms?”
 “I’m sure she’s not alone,” I say, but the ache in my chest doesn’t like
the idea of her being there in her room while most others have gone home
to their loving families.
“That’s bullshit.” Conner pushes from his beanbag. “I’m not having
that.”
“What are you suggesting?” Remi asks as the ball of dread in my
stomach grows.
“Let’s go get her. She’s one of us, she shouldn’t be alone.”
“Conner,” I growl, pushing to stand before him.
“What?” he asks. “You going to hit me again for being her friend? For
supporting her after you abandoned her?”
My fingers curl, but I don’t move my arms from my sides.
“I’m right, and you know it.”
My teeth grind. I hate the thought of Hadley being alone. But her being
here? I already can’t think of anything worse than a bullshit family meal
tomorrow. Having her here too… I’m not sure I’ll survive it.
“Do what the fuck you want, but don’t expect to see me.”
I blow out of the pool house to the sound of the three of them calling
after me.
I might agree with them, but that doesn't mean I need to join the Hadley
welcome party.
Swiping the first bottle I find, I walk straight out the front door and
toward the beach.
Why James keeps restocking his liquor cabinet is beyond me. It’s like
he’s asking me to get shitfaced every other day.
I’ve just twisted the cap off the bottle of whiskey when my cell starts
ringing in my pocket. My heart jumps into my chest for a beat before I
remember putting that bullet through Donny’s fucking head, and I relax
slightly. No one else ever rings me, and both Conner and Ace know when to
leave me alone.
Pulling it from my pocket, my brows pull together when I find Coach’s
name staring back at me. I guess it has been a few days since he attempted
to rip me a new one for my behavior.
“Coach,” I bark down the line the second the call connects.
“Cole, how are you doing?”
“Uh… yeah, you know.” He doesn't, but what exactly am I meant to
say?
 “Good, good. Listen, I have some good news for you.”
“Oh yeah?” I say, but I don’t think it’s with the enthusiasm he was
expecting.
“I’ve just got off the phone with a scout from Colton U.” I sit a little
straighter as his words register in my brain. “They’re interested in you next
year.”
“For real?” Colton U has a pretty incredible team, although it’s in state
and I was hoping I might be able to get a little further afield.
Although… my thoughts wander to Hadley and our baby.
Our baby.
It’s the first time I think of the huge elephant between us as that.
Fuck.
My heart begins to race as I start to picture what our future could look
like. Am I capable of something as normal as that?
“Yeah, for real,” he mocks. “He wants to know if you’d be up for going
to have a look around, meet him, see the team perform in a few weeks?”
“Uh…”
“This could be the break you need, Cole. This could be the beginning of
the future you want.”
Something starts to tingle within me. Hope, maybe. It’s a weird feeling,
one I’m not all that used to.
“But…”
“I know you had your sights set on moving as far away from here as
possible. I know things are… unusual with James, but do you really want to
move that far away from your brothers? From Hadley?”
My breathing falters at the mention of her. I wasn’t naïve enough to
think that Coach didn’t know that something was going on between the two
of us. It seems that gossip spreads just as quickly around Sterling Prep’s
staff as it does its students.
“I don’t know,” I say on a sigh. “It might be worth a look, I guess.”
“That’s the spirit. What are Ace and Conner considering?”
“Um…” I hesitate, realizing that I have no idea. With all the bullshit
that’s been swirling around us since we moved here, none of us have really
had a conversation about what the future might look like for each of us. “I
don’t know.”
“Well, maybe it’s time you all sat down and thought about it. You have
got a bright future ahead of you, Cole. You just need to start believing in
yourself and look at what’s to come, not what you’ve left behind.”
I nod despite the fact that he can’t see me.
“Think about it, yeah?”
“I-I will. Thank you.”
“Any time, Cole. Take a few days off to recharge, think about how you
want your future to look, and we’ll talk about this again next week.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Cole. Try to enjoy it.”
“You too, Coach. T-thank you,” I say again, needing him to know that,
although he drives me crazy riding my ass, I appreciate the time he’s taken
out of his life to try to fix me. It’s more than most have.
As I lower my phone, thoughts of my future have me pulling it back up
once again. I open my photo app and scroll through the couple of photos I
have of Hadley and me together. I’m even smiling in a few of them. I
look… different. I look almost happy.
Locking my cell, I shove it into my pocket and pick the bottle back up. I
don’t deserve her. She’s destined for great things, not to be stuck with a
fuck-up like me. My child doesn’t deserve to be stuck with me.
No matter how much I might crave her, how much my darkness needs
the light she brings into my life, I care enough about her to know that I need
to let her go, no matter how much it might kill me.

I spend most of the night down on the beach. I expect someone to come and
find me eventually, but as the sun begins to rise over the horizon, I’m still
alone.
I can only assume that Remi and Conner succeeded in their mission to
get Hadley to spend the holiday with us, and the thought of walking into the
house and finding her making herself at home is almost enough to stop me
returning. But I know I can’t hide forever.
Somehow, I need to figure out how both of us are going to continue
forward with our lives interlaced as they are.
With the empty bottle in my hand and the sun rising behind me, I make
my way home. Ellen is already pottering around in the kitchen, but I don’t
go in to see what she’s doing. Instead, I head straight upstairs.
 The guest room door is closed when I get to the top, and my heart jumps
into my throat. She’s in there. I can feel it.
My fingers flex, my need to push it open and to find out if I’m right
almost getting the better of me.
I’m still hovering when a door opens behind me and a sleepy looking
Conner stumbles out of his room with his hair all over the place and
wearing only a pair of boxers.
“Mornin’,” he mutters, heading straight for the bathroom. He doesn’t
close the door behind him. Instead just stands there in front of me while he
takes a piss.
“Are you going to do the right thing at last?” he asks, looking between
me and the closed door.
“I am doing the right thing.” Spinning on my heel, I push my own
bedroom door open and quietly close it before falling back against it.
Every muscle in my body aches to go and find her. To crawl into bed
with her and feel her warm skin against my own.
But I can’t.
I’ve already caused her enough pain.
I can’t do it anymore.
For the first time in my life, I’m going to put someone else first and do
the right thing.
Even if it kills me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hadley

I shouldn’t have come here.

But when Conner found out I was staying on campus alone over
Thanksgiving, he invited me to join the Jaggers for the weekend.
I’d said no, of course, but then he called Remi and the two of them had
persisted until I’d finally caved.
I didn’t really want to be alone, but now I’m here, hiding in the Jaggers’
guest room, and Cole is avoiding me.
He’s done the same all week, barely looking twice in my direction and
dodging me at every turn. He missed all our shared classes, and if he saw
me in the hall, he doubled back and went the other way.
My family doesn’t want me.
Cole doesn’t want me.
And I’m stuck spending Thanksgiving with a family I don’t belong to...
and probably never will.
Heavy footsteps in the hall catch my attention, and I hold my breath. I
don’t know how I know, but I know it’s Cole. I sense him. Feel his pain and
torment through the door.
The footsteps slow, making my pulse speed up. I can imagine him on
the other side of the door, at war with himself over whether to barge inside
or walk right on by.
 My heart sinks when the footsteps keep going. He’s digging his feet in
and staying true to his stubborn nature.
I let out a heavy sigh. Today we have to face each other. We have to sit
at the table with his family and say thanks for all the things we’re grateful
for.
It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Cole hates James, and he resents his brothers for accepting the truth that
James is their father. A father who abandoned them, leaving them with a
junkie mom and a deadbeat dad.
And as much as it hurts to admit, he doesn’t want me here.
I throw back the sheets and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. The
lingering nausea slams into me and I take a deep breath, trying to keep the
little bit of food I ate yesterday inside.
When it passes, I slip into the small bathroom attached to the Jaggers’
guest room and clean up.
Remi is waiting for me when I reappear.
“I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to see how you are?” Hurt shines in
her eyes, and I hate that I put it there.
“I’m sorry for shutting you out, I just...”
“Hey,” she comes over to me, reaching for my hand, “it’s okay. You’re
going through something huge. I just want you to know I’m here for you,
whatever you decide.”
I wince at the suggestion in her tone, as if there is any other option
besides keeping the baby.
“Everyone is downstairs waiting.”
“Everyone?” My brow lifts, because I know Cole won’t be there.
“Give him time.” Remi offers me a sad smile.
“Yeah,” I say, because I don’t want to make this any more awkward
than it already is.
But the truth is, I’m not sure time will fix any of this.
Cole isn’t ready to be a father, and if—when—my parents find out
about this, they will cut me off for good. Goodbye trust fund, goodbye any
hopes of a secure future.
Tears pool in my eyes.
“Hey,” Remi says, pulling me into her arms. “It’ll be okay, Hads.”
I wish I could believe her.
It’s strange, watching the Jaggers celebrate Thanksgiving. Remi’s mom,
Sarah, wears a permanent smile as she helps Ellen prepare the food. The
two of them laugh and joke, acting as if nothing is wrong. But it occurs to
me that maybe they’re just used to the tense atmosphere hanging over us as
we all take our seats at the table. It’s beautiful, adorned with dried flower
arrangements and deep gold place settings, and taking centerstage is a
turkey big enough to feed a family of twelve. Although, with Conner’s
never-ending appetite, I’m hardly surprised they went big.
“This looks amazing, Sarah and Ellen. Thank you,” James says, taking
his seat at the head of the table.
I hover, unsure of where to put myself, but a hand lands on my shoulder,
urging me to an empty chair. I glance back to find Conner grinning at me.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Hadley,” he says.
“Yeah, you too.” I manage a weak smile.
Ace and Remi sit opposite us with Sarah between them and James,
leaving an empty chair beside me for Cole. But there’s no sign of him.
“Did you talk to him?” James asks Conner, who nods.
“He’s—”
Silence falls over the table as Cole stalks into the room. He looks like
shit, his eyes bloodshot and skin sallow.
“Thank you,” James says as Sarah pats his hand, something akin to
relief glittering in her eyes.
Remi’s mom is cool. The way she’s accepted Cole and his brothers and
all that comes with loving a Jagger… Not to mention the fact Ace and Remi
are as good as step-siblings. But nothing was going to tear them apart, not
James or Sarah. I envy the way they support their kids. Something tells me
there isn’t much they wouldn’t forgive.
That’s how it’s supposed to be, isn’t it? A parent should love their child
unconditionally.
Not mine, though.
They cast me aside the second I stepped out of line. Emotion threatens
to cripple me, so I reach for the jug of water and pour myself a glass,
drinking it down.
“Cole,” Sarah says. “Are you joining us?”
 He’s just standing there, staring at us like we’re everything that’s wrong
with the world.
“Col—” Ace starts, but he finally moves, taking his seat beside me. I
risk peeking up at him, but his eyes are set ahead, staring at nothing.
“Okay, then. I can now declare this meal open,” James jokes, clearing
his throat when no one but Sarah laughs. “I know this is new, for all of us.
But I just wanted to take this opportunity to say I’m thankful for this. I
realize I have made mistakes and I have a lot to make up for, but the fact
that you’re here, where you belong…” He runs his eyes over each of his
sons. “Well, it’s more than I could have ever hoped for.
“Now, I don’t want to put you all on the spot, but would anyone else
like to say what they’re thankful for?”
Ace glances at Conner, who glances at Cole.
“Maybe I should go first,” Remi’s mom says, beaming over at James.
“I’m thankful for family. For my beautiful daughter.” She gazes warmly at
Remi, who blushes and grumbles, “Mom.”
“I’m sorry I embarrass you, sweetheart, but it’s true. I know I haven’t
always been the mom you need or deserve, but I’m so proud of the young
woman you’ve become.”
“Thank you.”
“She is pretty awesome,” Conner smirks, and everyone chuckles.
Everyone except me and Cole. He’s silent and still beside me, a dark,
angry thundercloud over what should be a happy occasion.
“What about you, Conner? What are you thankful for?”
“Me?” He balks, as if he can’t believe Sarah cares. And my heart aches,
thinking that this could be the first time they’ve had a proper Thanksgiving.
As shitty my parents have been to me, I can’t say I had a bad childhood.
I didn’t.
I was doted on, given everything a girl could ever want. We always
celebrated holidays as a family, usually with the other founding families of
Gravestone County.
“I’m grateful for Ellen and her amazing skills in the kitchen. You should
totally give her a raise.” He winks at James.
“Anything else?” Sarah prompts.
“I’m grateful that we’re here.”
Cole stiffens beside me, his anger palpable.
 “I’m grateful that we’re not eating microwave meals, celebrating
Thanksgiving like it’s just another day.”
Sarah stifles a sniffle and James pats her hand. “Ace, would you like to
go?”
He runs a hand down his face. “I’m thankful for Remi.” The way he
looks at her twists my stomach.
“I love you,” she mouths.
“Cole, what about you?”
The air crackles as we wait. He’s so still, so quiet, that for a second, I
think he’s going to answer. But then his chair flies backward and he leaps
up.
“I can’t do this.”
“Cole, Son, please—”
But Cole takes off, all but running from the room.
“I’m sorry,” Sarah says. “I shouldn’t have—”
“It’s not your fault,” James says, staring longingly at the door his son
just flew through.
“I’ll go talk to him.” Ace starts to get up, but I stand quickly.
“I’ll go.”
“Hadley, I’m not sure that’s—
“I’ll be okay,” I say to him, careful to avoid James’ and Sarah’s heavy
stares.
I’m not sure what they know about Cole and me, but I can’t not go after
him.
Without another word, I excuse myself and take off toward the kitchen
where Cole headed.
I’m almost at the back door when an unexpected voice stops me in my
tracks.
“Hadley.”
I turn to find James Jagger standing there, concern etched into his
features. The resemblance between him and his sons is subtle, but it’s all in
their eyes. The way they look at you, it feels like they’re searching your
soul.
“Mr. Jagger,” I say.
“You and Cole... you’re...”
“It’s complicated.”
 “I suppose it is.” He runs a hand over his neatly trimmed beard. “Cole is
a complicated young man. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for a girl such as
yourself to be—”
“Stop.” My hand shoots up. “With all due respect, sir, you know nothing
about me. And if you don’t mind, I’d really like to make sure Cole is okay.”
He studies me for a second. “Of course. I’m sorry I interfered.” Hurt
flashes across his face, and I let out a heavy sigh.
“I know you’re worried about him. We all are. But I can handle your
son, Mr. Jagger.”
“It would seem I underestimated you.” The hurt in his expression turns
to respect. “We’ll save you both a plate of food.”
I give him a sharp nod before taking off into the Jaggers’ yard to find
Cole.

I find him down at the beach. For a second, I simply watch him. Watch the
way he lies back in the sand, staring up at the thick clouds.
Slipping off my sneakers, I sink my feet into the cold sand and pad
toward him.
“Go away, Hadley.”
“No,” I say, sitting down beside him.
“Why?” he grits out, pushing up onto his elbows. “Why do you keep
doing this? I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve anything good.”
Taking a deep breath, I say, “You asked me once what I was hiding...”
“No, Hadley. I don’t want to know.” His eyes slide to mine, and what I
see there guts me.
He’s so lost.
So broken.
And I don’t know how to reach him anymore. But maybe if I share my
deepest, darkest secret with him, he’ll understand. He’ll see that we’re the
same.
“I need to do this, Cole. Not just for you, but for me too. It’s time.”
My body trembles as I pluck up the courage to tell him what I’ve never
told another. “Tim was my first boyfriend, my first love. But he was older,
so he insisted on taking things slow. Where I come from, things are
different. Gravestone County is steeped in history and tradition. Tim was
born to follow in his father’s footsteps, to graduate high school and go to
Gravestone University.
“Our families are good friends. Two of the five founding families of
Gravestone. We spent a lot of time together growing up. I always thought
that one day he’d be mine. But then I found out his father had already
handpicked the girl he would marry.”
“What the fuck?” Cole grates out, and I lift my eyes to his, nodding.
“I told you, things in Gravestone are... different. Anyway, he tried to
break it off. He knew that if our families found out, shit would hit the fan.
But I couldn’t let go. I couldn’t...” Memories wash over me.
“We slept together. I gave him my virginity, thinking that it would bind
us together.” Bitter laughter spills from my lips. “But afterward, he
completely changed. I was devastated. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep... my
parents banned me from seeing him. Said I’d jeopardized everything. But I
didn’t care about their stupid traditions. I loved Tim. I wanted to be with
him.
“Then, I found out I was pregnant. I remember it so clearly. Our driver
was taking me to school, and I puked all over the pristine leather seats. I’d
assumed it was all the stress, but two weeks later, when it hadn’t stopped,
my mom finally dragged me to our family doctor, and he confirmed it.”
Cole begins to shake, but he doesn’t say a word. He just sits there,
watching me, his eyes as dark as the night.
“My father was beside himself. I’ve never been so scared. He
practically locked me in my room while he said he would handle it.” Little
did I know, his version of handling it was very different to mine.
“I thought he was going to speak with the Davenports and insist Tim did
the right thing by me...” I swallow the lump in my throat, dragging in a
shaky breath.
Cole watches me, his eyes drilling into the side of my face. Silent tears
track down my cheeks, and I’m not sure I can say the next words.
But then Cole is there, sliding his fingers under my jaw and looking at
me with so much love, I want to fall headfirst into the darkness with him.
“It’s okay, Dove. You can trust me.”
My eyes flutter shut as I say the words.
Words I’ve kept locked away for two and a half years.
 “They forced me to have an abortion, Cole.” I look at him, shame
burning into every inch of me. “T-they made me kill my baby.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Cole

F uck.
Her tear-filled eyes bounce between mine as she waits to see how
I’m going to react.
“Dove,” I breathe, watching as she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth.
I don’t have any words. What the hell is anyone meant to say when
someone tells you something so heartbreaking? I could hear her shattering
apart as she said the words, I felt her pain as she relived what happened to
her before she was shipped here.
Our gaze holds until all I can think about is trying to take her pain away,
to do anything to give her the escape she must be so desperate for.
Before I even know I’ve done it, I move forward, and my lips are
brushing against hers.
“Cole?”
“Shhhh,” I soothe against her lips. My hand cups her jaw, my thumb
caressing her cheek as I sweep my tongue past her lips.
She moans when I find hers, and eagerly returns my kiss.
As gently as I can, I push Hadley back so she has no choice but to lie
down. Resting on my elbow, I continue to kiss her as tears continue to run
down her cheeks. “Hadley,” I murmur, refusing to pull my lips from hers.
She must be feeling the same, because her fist curls into my shirt and tries
to pull me on top of her, but I know I can’t.
I can’t get swept up by her and her pain.
“Fuck, Little Dove.” I pull back and rest my forehead against hers. Her
eyes remain closed as I stare down at her. Both our chests heave as we try to
catch our breaths. “Hadley look at me,” I demand.
She tries to turn her face away, but I’m not having it. I might be
addicted to her defiance, but now isn’t the time for it to show its face.
“Please,” I breathe, softer this time.
Her eyelashes flicker before her green depths appear before me. They’re
dark, tired, and full of the shadows that haunt her.
“I’m so sorry.”
She shakes her head.
“Thank you for telling me.”
Hadley pushes her palm to my chest, forcing me to back up. I move
aside and allow her to sit. She wraps her arms around herself and stares out
toward the ocean.
“I hadn’t even accepted it before they’d shipped me here. I was just
meant to restart my life without anyone, and as if nothing ever happened.
“I was broken, Cole. Totally fucking shattered, and they just turned their
backs on me.”
Shifting closer, I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her closer
to me, hoping that she can find some kind of support in my touch.
She blows out a long, shaky breath. “They’ll never accept me again.
Me, us. Any of it.”
“You don’t need people like that in your life, Dove.”
“Maybe not, but who else do I have? My life has just been turned on its
head once more, and I have no one to turn to.”
“You have… us. You’ve got us, Dove. I know it might not mean like
much. We don’t exactly have a lot to offer, but we’re here.”
“Are you, though?” she asks, looking at me for the first time since I sat
up. “Are you here? With me? Or are you running scared?”
“I’m… Fuck.”
I drop my head, desperately trying to come up with the words she
deserves to hear from me but as always, failing miserably.
“I told you that I loved you, Cole, and you turned your back on me, just
like they did. All you need to do next is tell me to get rid of—”
 “No,” I snap. “No, don’t. Don’t even say it,” I say in a rush.
Reaching out, I tuck a loose lock of her hair behind her ear.
“Y-you… you want this?” she asks, her brows pulled together like she
can’t even believe the words she’s saying, let alone that I might agree with
them.
“I’m a mess, Hadley. I don’t need to tell you that. You’ve witnessed it
firsthand time and time again.” I clench my fists as images from my past
flash through my mind.
“You’re not the only one who was let down by their parents. Our stories
may be different, but they both ended with two broken people who don’t
know which way is up.
“The thought of looking after you terrifies me, but another, someone so
vulnerable and dependent… fuck, Hads.”
“I know,” she says, reaching out and wrapping her small, warm hand
around my tight fist. Her touch instantly relaxes me, and I blow out a
breath.
“I lied to you.”
“I know,” she says simply. “I’ve never needed your words, Cole. I see
more than you think I do. It’s why I pushed you.”
“Shit. No one else has ever…” I trail off, not all that confident with this
emotional conversation.
“I know,” she says again, proving that she’s right. She doesn't need my
words. Just like I don’t need hers. I know how she feels, what she needs,
when she hurts. It’s almost like she’s an extension of me. I’m also all too
aware that all the pain she’s been through recently is because of me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Silence stretches between us as we both focus on the waves crashing up
onto the sand before us.
“What now?” she says after what feels like the longest silence of my
life.
“Now? I don’t know. What do you want?”
“You,” she says, making my breath catch.
“But—”
“Don’t argue with me and tell me that you’re not good enough or that I
deserve better. That’s bullshit, and you know it. I know you, Cole. I see
your darkness, I embrace it. And one day I hope you’re brave enough to
share more about it with me. But you are good enough. You do deserve to
be loved, to have a future. One that’s hopefully full of happiness and family
and all the things you’ve missed out on.”
I nod at her, unable to say anything else with the emotion clogging my
throat.
I want to tell her everything, like she just did me. But I’m not there yet.
I can barely think about some of the things that went on in that trailer, let
alone talk to another person about it. Even Hadley.
“We should probably go back up. Conner might have eaten the entire
turkey by now.”
I chuckle at her, and she smiles back at me. It’s still so full of pain and
regret, but there’s also hope in there. Hope that maybe everything will be
okay in the end, that we’re not too damaged to actually have a shot at
something.
“I’m sorry I accused you of fucking him.”
“I get it, Cole. I know how it could have looked. But you need to know
that your brother is more loyal than you give him credit for. The whole
time, he only had your best interests at heart. You’re so lucky to have him.
Ace too.”
“I know. Come on then,” I say, pushing to my feet and holding my hand
out for her.
The second she’s on her feet, I pull her into my body so we’re chest to
chest and look down at her.
Her blonde hair blows lightly in the breeze, and the usual sparkle is
returning to her eyes.
I can’t help but smile down at her.
“You blow me away, you know that, right?”
“I’m just me, Cole.”
“Yeah, and that’s a fucking incredible thing.” I brush my lips over hers
once again before tugging her gently along behind me.
Voices coming from the living room sound out when we step into the
kitchen.
We’re not even halfway through when Ellen comes rushing in with a
tray full of empty glasses. “Ah, there you are. Is everything okay?” she
asks, looking between the two of us with her brows pulled together.
“It will be. Can you do me a favor?” I ask before leaning in to whisper
in her ear.
“Of course. Give me, say, ten minutes.”
 “Sure thing. We’ll just…” I point to the door and give Hadley’s hand a
squeeze.
As we come to a stop in the living room doorway, all conversation
pauses as everyone turns to look at us.
I swear everyone holds their breaths as they wait for one of us to say
something.
“I’m sorry for ruining dinner,” I say. The words are almost painful to get
out, but I know that I need to start trying—in more ways than just with
Hadley.
“It’s no problem, sweetie,” Sarah says, a slightly-too-wide smile
plastered on her face.
She and Remi might have moved in a few weeks ago, but she still has
no idea how to deal with the three of us. It’s almost amusing.
“You two good?” Conner asks, nodding at our joined hands.
“We’ve got a long way to go yet. I think I’ve probably got a few more
apologies to make.”
Hadley snorts beside me, and I can’t help but smile. It feels really
fucking good after the past few weeks.
“Well, are you going to join us?”
“No, actually. We’re just going to spend a bit of time together. We’ll
come join you later?”
“Sure, you do what you need to do,” James says, his eyes holding mine.
I nod before tearing my eyes away from him and turning back to my
girl.
“You’re all set up,” Ellen says as we leave the living room.
“Thank you, Ellen. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime, Cole. You know that.”
“What have you done?” Hadley asks as I lead her outside.
“Wait and see.”
We step out of the doors and round the corner toward the pool when she
stops and gasps.
“Oh, Cole,” she sighs when she takes in our little Thanksgiving for two.
Ellen moved the outside table into a secluded spot under the gazebo,
turned on the lights that James has around almost the entire yard, and set up
the heaters beside us. There are even candles twinkling in the center of the
table.
“I can’t take any of the credit, apart from asking Ellen to do it.”
 “It’s the thought that counts.”
I take her over to the table and pull her chair out for her.
“Drinks?” Ellen asks, rushing over to help once we’re settled.
“Soda?” I ask Hadley.
“Please.”
“Two sodas, please.”
“No beer?” Ellen asks, looking a little confused.
“Not tonight. I think it might be time I had a bit of a detox.”
“You can drink, I don’t mind,” Hadley says once we’re alone again.
“No, it’s okay.” Reaching over the table, I twist my fingers with hers.
“What were you planning on doing today if you hadn’t been dragged here?”
She smiles at me, telling me that my suspicions are correct—she didn’t
come here of her own free will.
“I’d have sat in my dorm room, eating my way through my candy
stash.”
“The Twizzlers?” I ask with a wink.
Her cheeks immediately darken as she remembers. “No, for some
reason I’ve been avoiding them.”
“Weird,” I muse, “because I’ve been craving them really fucking bad.”
“Oh yeah?” She giggles, making my chest constrict as a weird feeling
flows through me. Is that… happiness? I have no idea, but whatever it is, I
want it to happen again.
Ellen brings out our drinks followed by our reheated dinner.
“What are you grateful for, Little Dove?” I ask before either of us have
picked up our cutlery.
She thinks for a few seconds before her lips part with one simple
answer.
“You.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hadley

“T his is nice,” I say as we lie on Cole’s bed. After our Thanksgiving

meal for two, we hung out with everyone for a while.
No one asked what had happened. They simply laughed and
talked as if everything was fine.
It isn’t.
But we’re here, together, so it’s a step in the right direction.
Cole’s hand is splayed over my stomach, warming me from the inside
out. He’s pulled up my t-shirt to feel my skin.
“Tell me again how big it is?”
“The size of a raspberry.”
He shuffles down the bed to bring his face level with my navel. “A
raspberry, huh?” Without warning, he blows raspberries there and I clutch
his hair, soft laughter bubbling inside me.
God, it feels good to be with him like this.
I stroke his hair while he peppers kisses along my curves. “I still can’t
believe there’s a baby growing right inside here.” Awe lingers in his voice.
“It’s still really early days, Cole. I won’t be in the second trimester for at
least another month.”
“I know. But you feel okay, right? You don’t have any pains or
anything?”
 I fight a smile. “Apart from the never-ending nausea, I feel okay.” Ellen
had gone to so much effort and I’d barely touched my food.
Cole moves back to lie beside me. “Coach called me last night... he said
there’s a college interested in me.”
“What?” My eyes widen. “That’s amazing, did he say where?”
My heart drums wildly, because this is huge for Cole. But I can’t deny
the stab of worry I feel. If Cole goes off to college, I’ll be alone again.
I brush off the thoughts. Cole deserves this. He deserves to know he’s
worth something.
Something good.
“Colton U. I looked it up. It’s only a couple hours away from Sterling
Bay.”
“I’m so happy for you.” I throw my arms around him and hug him tight.
“You deserve this, so much.”
He pulls back to look at me. “You really believe that don’t you?”
“Of course I do. Everyone deserves a second chance, Cole.”
Silence settles between us. His eyes flash with torment, but I don’t push
him. Whatever demons he needs to exorcise, Cole has to do it on his own
terms.
So I wait.
And wait.
Eventually, he lets out a strained breath. “I killed him, Hadley. I put a
gun to his head and I...” Cole shatters in front of me. He grabs his hair and
tugs, trying to fight the tears pooling in his eyes.
“Shh.” I pull him to me. “It’s going to be okay. Everything will be
okay.”
Hearing Cole break is one of the most heart-wrenching things I’ve ever
experienced, and I’ve lived through a lot.
We lie like that, him curled around me, seeking comfort, for what feels
like hours.
Eventually, he inhales a ragged breath and peeks up at me. “Sorry about
that.”
“Don’t ever be sorry, Cole. Not with me. I meant what I said to you. I
love you. I’m head over heels in love with you. Nothing you say or do is
ever going to change that. Just promise me that if things get to be too much
or too hard, you won’t shut me out. Because I’m not su—”
“I promise. I want to let you in.”
 I reach out and smooth my finger over his brow. “You know you can
talk to me about anything, right?”
He frowns for a second before a look of pure horror washes over him.
“I’m not ready. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready.”
“That’s okay, I just want you to know I’m here.”
“I don’t deser—”
I push my finger against his lips. “No more of that. This is a fresh start,
for both of us.”
His eyes drop to my stomach, and he splays his hand there again. “For
the three of us.”
My heart.
It’s so full it feels like it could explode.
There is so much we still have to talk about, decisions we need to make
about the future. But for now, I’m happy to just enjoy this and take comfort
in the fact that Cole is here.
He’s here.
Donny Lopez is no longer a threat. James seems set on finally doing
right by his sons.
And we’re having a baby.
A baby.
Every time I think about it, I’m overcome with a sense of sheer panic.
But there’s something else too. Something under all the disbelief and
confusion and fear. Something that makes me wonder if this is my second
shot at doing things right.
I’ve lost everything—my family, the boy I thought I’d have a future
with—but now I have something to care for, to nurture and love.
They say when things get dark and you feel like there’s no way out, you
need to look for the small flickers of light.
Maybe this is our sign.
Our hope.
Our salvation.

The next afternoon, we’re sitting in the pool house. The guys are eating
leftovers while I suck discreetly on ice chips.
 We decided last night, in the cover of darkness, not to tell them about
the baby yet. And I swore Remi to silence. But it doesn’t stop Cole rubbing
my stomach every time he’s near.
“Stop,” I hiss when he starts doing it again.
He nuzzles my hair, sending shivers shooting through me.
Cole is different. Something changed yesterday. I know it isn’t an
instant fix, but it doesn’t stop me soaking up this side of him.
“I need to get laid,” Conner grumbles, flicking his eyes between Ace
and Remi, who are also curled up on the couch together, and me and Cole.
“Don’t you have a booty call list?” Remi asks, stuffing another cookie
in her mouth.
“I have... options.” He smirks, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and I
feel a pang of guilt.
“Maybe you should go back to the Heights and—”
“Leave it,” he growls at Ace.
“What?” Remi gawks. “Why would he do that?”
“There was a gi—”
“Ace, I’m serious, bro. Don’t make me beat your ass.”
“Think you could take me?”
“Don’t you know it’s the happy, smiley ones you need to watch? We
might seem chill, but inside we’re a ticking time bomb of rage.”
Ace frowns before exploding with laughter. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
Conner flips him off.
“You should tell them,” I whisper to Cole. He hasn’t said a word about
Colton U being interested.
He ignores me, sliding his lips against mine. I melt against him, our
tongues tangling together. It’s the first time he’s ever kissed me like this in
front of them, and my heart soars.
Someone clears their throat and I start to break away, but Cole curves
his hand around the back of my neck and keeps kissing me. Claiming me.
When I told him last night that I loved him, he didn’t say it back. And
part of me wonders if it’s because he’s not sure if he feels the same or
because he doesn’t know what love is supposed to be like.
But this kiss?
This kiss tells me everything I need to know.
He feels it.
Even if he can’t say the words.
 Cole shifts over me, pressing me back into the chair, and Conner cusses
under his breath, making him tense. He presses his brow to mine, and I
smile.
“Hi,” I say.
“Guess we got carried away, huh?”
Pressing my hand against his face, I breathe him in. “We can finish this
later.”
His eyes flare with heat, and he lets out a muted groan.
“If you two are—”
“Yeah, yeah,” Cole grits out, dropping back into the chair and
rearranging me on his lap. I curl into his chest, meeting Remi’s amused
gaze.
“What?” I mouth, and she shakes her head playfully.
“So, there’s something I want to tell you all.” Cole’s grip on my waist
tightens and I rest my hand over his, letting him know I’m right here.
“Whatever it is, we’ve got your back.” Ace nods.
“It’s not bad...” He stumbles over the words. “Coach called and, well, I
guess there’s a college interested in me.”
“Holy shit, Cole, that’s huge.” Remi beams.
“Yeah, I mean... it might not work out. I might not be what they’re
looking for...”
“Fuck that,” Conner says, “of course they’ll want you. This is a good
thing, bro. Own it.”
“Yeah, but college. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
“You deserve this,” I say, kissing his jaw.
“Hadley is right,” Ace adds. “Donny is gone. He can’t hurt us anymore.
We need to draw a line and move forward. I’ve got a good thing going with
G at the auto shop, Conner is... well, he’s Con—”
“Hey, I have prospects.” Conner flips him off, but Ace ignores him,
keeping focused on Cole.
“And you have football. You just need to keep your head down and stay
focused.”
Remi catches my eye, and I see all the questions running through her
head.
What about the baby?
Do we have a plan?
What about my future?
 I avert my gaze, ignoring the trickle of dread. It’s a baby, not a life
sentence.
Maybe I can go to Colton U with Cole. If I can save enough of my
allowance from my parents, I might be able to make it work. Because once
they find out, I have no doubt they’ll cut me off for good.
“Hey, what’s up?” Cole brushes my cheek with his nose.
“Nothing.” The lie sours on my tongue.
Cole’s future is just getting started... a baby will only hold him back.
Won’t it?
“I’m not feeling so good,” I climb off his lap, avoiding his narrowed
gaze. “I think I’m going to lie down for a little bit.”
“Are you okay?” Remi asks. “Should I come with you?”
“I’ll be okay. I’ll see you all later.” Without another word, I hurry out of
the pool house and dash across the yard to the house. James and Sarah are
at some luncheon today, so the house is empty as I make my way upstairs.
I reach my room and hesitate, glancing down the hall to Cole’s. Part of
me wants to go in there, but I decide against it and slip into the guest room.
Suddenly, everything feels too much. It’s like I can’t breathe.
Climbing gingerly on the bed, l lie down and grab a pillow, clutching it
to my chest as I try to regulate my breathing.
We can figure this out.
But what if we can’t? I try to ignore the little voice, but it only grows,
getting so loud I screw my eyes shut and try to block it out.
I don’t hear the door open or Cole enter the room until he’s looming
over me like a dark storm cloud.
“Dove?” he chokes out, and I open my eyes. “What the fuck just
happened?”
“I... nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me, just don’t. Not after everything.” Hurt flashes across
his face.
“I’m freaking out,” I admit.
“Okay.” His brows crinkle as he sits on the edge of the bed.
“You have a bright future ahead of you, Cole. If things go well with
Colton U, that could be your ticket out of here. Your ticket to something
better. You don’t need me and—”
“Stop,” he grits out.
 “I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go without us.” Well, I would,
but I can’t tell him that. “This is my problem, not yo—“
“Hadley, I said stop.” His eyes turn black as he pins me to the bed with
a hard stare.
“B-but—”
“You really think I’d abandon you like that?”
“I-I don’t know. This could be the start of everything for you. You don’t
want me and a baby holding you back.”
“I need you, Dove.” The words are simple, so pure, and relief washes
over me.
“You do?” I sit up, bringing my face to his.
“Yeah, I do. I thought you might have figured it out by now.”
“Figured what out?” I say, because I need to be sure.
“I love you, Hadley. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I
fucking love you. And when I think about going off to college and playing
ball, it scares the shit out of me.” He slides his hand to my neck. “I can’t do
this, I can’t do any of it without you by my side. So yeah, I need you, Dove.
I need you so much that the idea of not having you with me makes it feel
like I can’t breathe.”
“But the baby...” I say, because I need time to process everything he’s
just said to me.
Cole loves me.
He. Loves. Me.
“We’ll figure it out. Once I know what Colton U has to say, I’ll talk to
James. He’ll help, I know he will.”
“You hate James.”
“Yeah, but I’ll do this for you.” Cole lowers his face, brushing his
mouth over mine. “There isn’t a single thing I wouldn’t do for you.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cole

“P ack your stuff up,” I say, my forehead resting against Hadley’s.

She stiffens in my hold, her eyes going wide at my words.
“You’re kicking me out?”
“Yep,” I state, releasing her and standing from the bed.
“Cole, I thought—”
“Hurry up.”
Her lips open and close as she watches me pick up her bag that’s sitting
on the floor.
“Uh… okay…”
She rushes around for a few seconds, collecting up the bits she’s left out
before coming to join me.
“All that you just said. Didn’t you...” she trails off.
“Mean it?” I ask, twisting the fingers of my free hand with hers as I tug
her from the room.
She goes toward the stairs, but I go in the opposite direction and head
for my room.
I don’t give her a chance to argue. Instead, I pull her through my open
door, drop her bag to the floor, and back her up against the wood.
As I stare deep into her eyes, my heart beats wildly in my chest. “I
meant every fucking word of it.” My lips brush hers—gently at first, but
before long our lips part and our tongues join in.
The belongings she was holding fall to the floor at our feet as I hitch her
leg up around my waist.
“Cole,” she gasps when my length presses against her.
“Fuck, Hadley,” I moan, my teeth grazing down her neck as her hands
disappear under my shirt, her nails scratching down my back.
My cock hardens at the thought of stripping her naked and feasting on
her body.
“Cole, please,” she begs.
My hands still on her ass. I know what she wants. Fuck knows I want it
too, but…
“What’s wrong?” she asks, sensing that something isn’t right.
Pulling away, I look into her hungry eyes before taking a step back to
run my hands through my hair.
“Cole… I thought you said you wanted this.” Concern covers her face
as her brows draw together.
“I do. Fuck, Hadley. I do, so fucking bad.”
“So what’s the problem?” she asks, pushing from the wall, closing the
space between us.
I run my eyes down her body, desperate to feel it pressed up against
mine.
“I’m…” My eyes find hers once more and my words falter, not knowing
how to explain to her how I’m feeling, how terrified I am.
“Don’t hide from me, Cole. Not when we’re just starting to get
somewhere.”
My lips part, but the words get stuck on my tongue.
“Don’t you want me?” Her fingers wrap around the bottom of her loose-
fitting dress and she pulls it up and over her head. In seconds, the fabric is
in a pile on the floor and she’s standing in front of me in just her underwear.
“Shit, Dove. I always want you.”
My eyes dart around her naked skin, not knowing which bit to focus on
first. Her full tits strain against the lace of her bra, desperate to be released.
I follow the lines over her body, down over her smooth stomach, trying
to imagine how she might look in a few months, swollen with our baby. My
heart pounds in my chest at the thought of her carrying our baby, growing a
tiny person we made together.
A part of the two of us is right there, inside her belly.
 A child who will never experience what we both did as kids. It’s our
chance to really start over, to be the people we really want to be.
We might be young, but standing here now, I know we’ll figure out a
way to do it.
I’ll give up my football dream and get a job. I’ll do anything to make
sure the two of them are happy and have everything they need.
“So what’s the problem?” Hadley closes the space between us and
reaches out, running her fingers over the obvious erection that’s tenting my
pants.
My breathing catches as she squeezes gently. “Fuck,” I hiss, starting to
lose the grip I had on my restraint.
“Talk to me, Cole. Tell me where your head’s at.”
“I… I’m scared.”
Her eyes soften slightly at my words.
“Trust me, Cole,” she says with a nervous laugh. “So am I. But I need
you. I need this, and I know you do too.”
“I don’t want to hurt you. Hurt our baby.”
“Aww, Cole.” Her hands cup my face as she stares into my eyes with so
much love that it makes my chest ache.
She loves me.
Me.
I shake my head slightly, still unable to believe it despite the fact she’s
said it a few times now.
“Our little raspberry is safe. You won’t hurt him, or me. I promise.”
“Him?”
She shrugs. “It just felt right.”
Our breaths mingle as we stand there, staring at each other for long
minutes.
“I promise, you won’t hurt us. I need you, please.”
She grips the bottom of my shirt, and with a little help from me she
pulls it over my head. The second she releases the fabric, her hands land on
my skin, exploring every inch of me.
Her touch burns, but in such a good way.
“Fuuuck,” I groan when she drops to her knees and starts working my
belt free.
I can’t take my eyes off her as she pulls it free of my pants, placing it on
the floor before opening my fly and pushing the fabric to my hips.
 My cock springs free, bobbing before her. Her eyes lock on it, and she
licks her lips.
“How long have you had this?” she asks, lifting one finger and teasing
the piercing through the tip.
“Almost a year.”
Her eyes flick up to mine and her brow creases, probably wondering
what kind of person pierces a seventeen-year-old. It’s just another reminder
of how different our lives have been.
“In the Heights, you can get whatever you want. No questions asked,” I
explain.
She nods, her eyes dropping once more, but she doesn’t say anything.
Instead, she leans forward, teasing me with the tip of her tongue.
“Hadley, fuck.” My fingers thread into her hair as I gently pull her
forward, needing much more from her.
“Take what you need, Cole. Don’t hold back. I want all of you.”
“Dove,” I warn.
“I mean it, Cole. I can handle it. I need it. Make me yours. Mark me,
ruin me, break me.”
“Fuck, Little Dove. You don’t know what you're asking for.”
“Don’t I? You’ve already shown me that side of you. The knife, the
Twizzlers. I need it all, Cole.”
My fingers tighten in her hair to the point it must sting, but all she does
is smile.
“What the fuck are you waiting for?” I bark, my voice rough, giving
away exactly what I need.
I move her forward, her lips part, and she hungrily takes me to the back
of her mouth.
“More,” I demand, pushing deeper.
She shifts a little on the floor, getting a better angle before she takes me
even farther into her throat.
Her eyes remain on mine, and I watch as tears pool at the corners of
them. But they’re not the kind I hate seeing, they’re the kind I love.
The kind I want to drown in.
“So good,” I groan as she pulls back but immediately sucks me in again.
“So fucking good.”
Her mouth is so hot, so wet, so fucking perfect that my orgasm
approaches faster than I thought possible.
 “Dove, shit. I’m going to…” It’s as much of a warning as I can manage
before my release slams into me. At no point does she pull back. Instead
she swallows everything I give her as her tears finally fall.
The second I pull away, I lift her to her feet, crash my lips against hers
and wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs.
“I fucking love you, Little Dove,” I mutter against her lips as I walk her
back toward the bed.
I might have just got the release I was desperate for, but it’s barely
scratched the surface of what I need right now.
“Strip,” I demand, releasing her and taking a step back.
I kick off my pants, watching her remove the little clothing she has on.
Biting down on my bottom lip, I run my eyes over her skin.
All the evidence from her ordeal with Donny has now gone, leaving her
skin flawless and perfect. Although, I have every intention of ruining that in
a few minutes.
By the time she walks out of this room again she’s going to be wearing
every kind of reminder she might need of who she belongs to.
I can already picture the bruises on her hips from my hold and the bite
marks I intend to leave on her neck and breasts.
My beautiful Little Dove. How I love to ruin you.
“On the bed. Hands behind your back.”
She does exactly as I ask, only instead of sitting there looking innocent,
the little minx places her feet flat on the bed and spreads her legs wide,
showing me exactly what I’ve been missing out on.
“Hadley, Hadley, Hadley.”
I walk around the bed like a lion would his prey, just watching her
watch me.
My cock aches once again for her. Any memory of my recent release is
gone. The only thing I can think about is sinking deep inside her, reminding
her who owns her.
“Cole,” she warns, her voice cracking with desperation.
“What do you need, Little Dove?”
“Y-you. Only you.”
“Good. But I want more. Tell me exactly what you want me to do.”
She hesitates for a second. “I want everything, Cole. Whatever is in
your head right now. I want it, and then some. I want you to eat me, fuck
me, punish me, hurt me. I want it all. I want you.”
 “Fuck.” This girl brings me to my fucking knees.
My discarded belt catches my eye.
“Everything?” I ask, just to confirm she’s saying it because she means
it, not because she thinks it’s what I want to hear.
“Everything,” she breathes, her eyes dropping to where I’m palming my
cock.
“Lie back, arms above your head.”
The sheets rustle as I bend down for the belt, and when I look back at
her, I find her exactly as I requested.
Crawling onto the bed beside her, I wrap the length of the belt around
her wrists before tying the other end to the bed.
“You’re totally at my mercy,” I tell her.
She thrashes about on the bed, testing her restraints, but she goes
nowhere.
“Does it get you wet, knowing that I can do anything I want to you and
you can’t do anything about it?”
“Yes,” she moans.
Getting off the bed, I stand at the bottom and wrap my fingers around
her ankles and tug until her arms are straight.
“My bed has never looked better.”
“Cole, please.” Her back arches, her thighs rubbing together
impatiently.
I crawl over her body, and my thighs pin her to the bed. With my
forearms on either side of her head, I lower my face until my nose is a
breath away from hers.
“Hey,” she says with a seductive smile.
“Hey.” Our eyes hold, the anticipation of what’s to come crackling
between us. “How loud do you think I can make you scream?” I ask with a
smirk before slamming my lips down on hers and forcing my tongue into
her mouth.
I pour everything I feel for her into our kiss. My passion, my need, my
desperation. I bare my soul to her in the only way I can. I know she’s
desperate for all my truths, but at this moment, this is all I can give her.
One day I’ll tell her the real horrors of my past, but right now, I’m going
to focus on showing her exactly how good our future could be.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Hadley

C ole’s heavy-lidded gaze burns over me. I can feel it everywhere,

branding my skin as he runs his eyes down my body. His tongue darts
out as he licks his lips.
He’s a predator, ravenous and walking a fine line of control, and I’m the
prey, weak and vulnerable, about to be overpowered.
But I don’t feel even an ounce of fear.
Liquid lust drenches my insides, coiling my stomach into a tight ball.
“Cole,” I breathe. I’m stretched out before him, tied to the bed and
completely at his mercy.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
He needs it.
We need this.
“The things I want to do you, Dove.” His knee hits the mattress as he
leans forward and runs a hand from my ankle to the back of my knee.
Shivers skitter up and down my spine as my breath catches in my throat.
I don’t think this will ever get old, the way he touches me and gives me
what I need.
Cole slides off the bed and latches his mouth on my pussy, giving me no
warning. My body arches, pleasure flooding my veins. He uses his fingers
to spread me open and spears his tongue inside me.
 “Oh my God...” I barely get the words out, it’s so intense, so dirty.
His thumb rolls over my clit in perfect synchrony with his tongue until
I’m a writhing mess beneath him.
“Cole, it’s...” I strain against my restraints, desperate to touch him.
“Scream for me, Dove,” he chuckles, lapping at me like a man starved.
My body begins quivering, my orgasm hitting so fast I don’t see it
coming until I’m screaming his name.
Cole glides up my body, letting his rock hard cock tease my pussy. But
he doesn’t thrust, just lazily drags it through my wetness as he kisses me,
letting me taste myself on his tongue.
“You feel like heaven.”
His body is pressed impossibly close to mine. He’s all hard lines and
I’m soft curves, but we fit. Like two pieces of the same puzzle, we meld
together.
“I love you, Hadley.” He nudges his nose against mine before kissing
me.
“Cole... I need you.”
He works a hand between us and grasps himself, slowly working
himself inside me. We both groan, but then Cole is kissing me, pushing his
tongue deep inside my mouth as he fucks me with shallow, measured
strokes.
“Cole...” I urge, trying to lift my hips and encourage him to go deeper...
harder.
I’m not used to this Cole.
It’s strange.
Nice, but strange.
“Please,” I beg, my voice thick with lust. “I need—“
“Shh.” He kisses me again, curling his tongue around mine as he
continues to rock into me. “I know what you need, Hadley. I’ll always
know.”
One of his hands closes tenderly around my neck as he rides my body
with impressive restraint.
“Cole... stop teasing me and—“
His brows furrow. “Just let me do this, please.”
It’s then I realize he really is scared.
Cole is holding back.
There’s something so sweet about it, emotion floods me.
 “I promise you, you won’t hurt him.”
He stills, swallowing hard as he stares down at me. “You’re sure?”
I nod.
His expression softens, but his eyes turn a shade darker as he thrusts
forward, filling me to the hilt. It’s intense, his whole weight pressing me
down as our bodies slide together.
“You feel so fucking good.” Cole dips his head, licking the slope of my
neck before biting down hard. I cry out, so lost to the pleasure that I’d let
him devour me whole if he wanted.
He doesn’t go harder though, or faster, just continues the slow, deep
rock that renders me a boneless mess.
“You’re mine, Dove.” He lifts his face to mine. “Every single piece of
you.”
I nod.
“Say the words,” he demands.
“I-I’m yours,” I moan as he fills me once more.
Beads of sweat trickle down the valley of my breasts and Cole leans
down, licking them clean. He lets his tongue trail over my nipples, teasing
and tasting.
It’s a sensation overload as I’m pinned beneath him with nowhere to go.
“I could spend my life doing this,” he rasps against my lips, as if he’s
feeding me the words. “And it would… Never.” Thrust. “Be.” Thrust.
“Enough.”
Pleasure builds inside me, starting like a slow wave, growing into
something that crashes over me with such ferocity I can hardly breathe.
“Cole, God... it’s... yes...”
His movements grow jerky, as if his control is slipping. He hooks his
arms under my thighs and spreads me wide, slamming into me. His chest
vibrates with a deep growl.
“Fuck, Hadley...”
“I know,” I whimper.
He finally snaps, fucking me so hard I see stars. I feel him jerk inside
me as he buries his face in my shoulder, sucking the skin enough to leave a
mark.
Reaching up, Cole unties my wrists and pulls them down, looping my
hands around his neck. “Was that... okay?” he asks.
“Okay?” I blanch.
 “Yeah, I’ve never...”
“Made love?” I fight a smile. But when he doesn’t answer, a look of
disbelief glittering in his eyes, I lean up to kiss his jaw. “It was perfect.”
I hadn’t been expecting him to be so gentle, but soft Cole was
everything.
“I love you, Cole Jagger.”
“I think you’d better show me how much.” He smirks.
“What did you have in mind?”
“We already made love, Dove.” He dips his mouth to my ear. “Now, it’s
time to fuck.”

I wake plastered to Cole’s chest. Brushing the damp hair from my face, I
smile. Last night was amazing. Cole spent hours loving me, finding new
ways to make me scream his name. By the time I fell asleep, I was
exhausted but more in love with him than I ever thought possible.
Being in Cole’s bed is my new favorite place, and I know it’s going to
be hard to leave once tomorrow rolls around.
Everything feels different now, good different, but a part of me is still
hesitant. Cole still has secrets, ones he isn’t ready to share with me yet.
I just don’t want the past to stand in the way of our future.
My hand traces his abs. His body is a work of art, dark and intricate ink
highlighting his shredded muscles. I’m swirling my finger over his dragon
tattoo when his hand closes over mine.
“Is this real?” he asks.
“Does this feel real?” I lean over, kissing the corner of his mouth.
He cups the back of my neck, holding me there. “I don’t think I can ever
let you go.”
“I have to go back to the dorms tomorrow.”
“Good thing I have a key then.”
“Cole...” I scold, despite the flutter in my stomach.
“I was thinking...” He swallows nervously. “Will you come with me
when I go check out Colton U?”
“You want me to come with you?”
He nods.
 “I’d love to.”
Relief washes over Cole, making my heart so full. “I never thought this
would be an option for me,” he admits.
Pressing my hand to his cheek, I smile up at him. “You deserve this,
Cole, but your brother was right. You need to keep your head straight.”
“I will... I’ll try.” Determination glitters in his gaze. “I want to make this
work, Hadley. I want a future with you,” his hand drifts to my stomach,
“and our baby.”
Everything I’ve endured the last three years melts away as a boy with
pain in his eyes and hate in his soul shows me the kind of love and
acceptance that my family couldn’t.
“Hadley?” he asks when I don’t answer.
“Thank you, Cole. For everything.” I snuggle closer, needing a second
to catch my breath. His arms slide around my body, and I close my eyes.
We might be broken.
We might be facing something life-changing.
But we can do it... together.
Because sometimes the brightest stars are born out of the darkest
moments.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s our time to shine.

I should have known that the second things calmed down, the universe
would throw me another curve ball.
I’ve only been back at my dorm an hour when my cell phone starts
ringing.
The sight of my father’s name sends chills through me. First Tim, now
the man who banished me here like I was nothing more than dirt on his
shoe.
For a second, I think about not answering it. But Harrison Rexford
doesn’t call for pleasantries. He calls for business, for things which require
his attention.
Does he know?
The thought flickers through my mind, but I dismiss it. My father is
many things, but he’s not psychic. There is no way he can know about the
baby.
I swear the ringing grows more persistent, and I take a deep breath
before finally hitting answer.
“Hadley, must you keep me waiting?”
No “How are you?”
No “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Just straight to the point as always.
“I was...” I swallow the excuse on the tip of my tongue. “Hello, Father.”
He gives me an indignant huff. “I spoke with Valerie. She said you quit
cheer.”
Thanks a lot, Miss Jones. I should have known I couldn’t trust her.
“I need to focus on other things, and I don’t enjoy it anymore.”
“Our agreement was—”
“I know what our agreement was, but this is my senior year. I don’t
want to spend it part of a team I don’t enjoy being a part of. Besides, the
football season is almost over.”
“Very well. Your mother is most concerned, but so long as everything
else is in order. Your college applications?”
“Almost done,” I lie.
“Cutting it a little close, aren’t you?”
“I have time.”
The plan was always that I would attend Gravestone University, like my
parents and their parents before. But I’m tainted now. My father would
rather lie to his friends and say I’m off chasing my dreams than admit the
truth.
“I don’t know what the delay is. We talked about this. UCLA, USC, or
Stanford.”
I purse my lips, irritation rippling up my spine. He doesn’t want me to
tarnish his reputation, but he wants to keep a hand in my life.
I’m eighteen now, I don’t need to follow his orders. But I have to think
smart. Right now, I have an allowance, not to mention the sizable trust fund
waiting for me when I graduate, although I like to think of it as a ‘keep
Hadley quiet’ fund.
“I know what we talked about, Father. I was there, remember?”
His sharp inhale tells me I’ve surprised him. I’ve surprised myself, but I
have bigger things to worry about now than continually disappointing him.
 “Is there anything else?” I ask when he doesn’t reply. “I have some
homework to finish.”
“No, that was all. I’ll await confirmation that your college applications
have been sent. Your mother says hello.”
I swallow the lump in my throat but don’t reply.
“Very well. Stay out of trouble, Hadley. I didn’t make a sizable donation
to that ridiculously expensive school for you to make an even bigger mess
of your life.”
He hangs up and I clutch my phone, silent tears streaking down my
cheeks. I wish I could cut him out of my life as easily as he did me.
I might hate him, but he’s still my father, my blood. Nothing I do will
ever change that.
But family isn’t always blood. Sometimes it’s the people you choose.
My hand glides over my stomach. My baby is still just a collection of
cells, merging and growing. But it’s my shot at a family. Unconditional
love.
And with Cole by side, we can be happy.
We can be whole.
It may only be a dream now, but I want it to come true.
I want the happily-ever-after.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Cole

“C ole, this is Chris Haughton. He’s the scout I was telling you about
from Colton U.”
I rub my sweaty palms down the front of my shorts and hold
one out when the man standing beside Coach, assessing me, lifts his.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Cole.”
“Y-you too, sir,” I stutter, feeling totally unprepared for this.
When I turned up at practice Tuesday morning, Coach dragged me into
his office to talk about our phone call the previous week. He’d warned me
that the scout was planning on coming to meet me sometime soon, but he
didn’t give me a day.
As I look between the two of them now, I wonder why Coach didn’t
want to tell me that it was going to be today. Did he think I’d fuck it up if I
knew?
Things have changed. Coach might not have noticed yet, but getting
into a decent college was suddenly about more than just my future. It was
about two other people, two way more deserving of a good life than me.
“I’ve been watching you play for a few weeks, son.” I cringe, thinking
of my less than gentle games of late. “I think you’ll fit in well at Colton U.
We could really use a running back with your passion and determination.”
Passion? Sure, I’ll go with that.
 “That sounds incredible,” I say, a weight I didn’t know was pressing
down on my shoulders suddenly lifting.
Previously, I knew I wanted out and football was the way to get it, but
now it’s more important than ever.
I’m having a kid. I’m gonna be a fucking dad, and I refuse to be a loser
like the one I grew up with, or the distant one my real one turned out to be.
If we’re doing this, then I want to do it properly.
I want to be there for all of it. The good, the bad and the ugly. Because
Hadley and I, we’re it. We’re a team, and we’re doing this together.
“I’m glad. Have you ever seen the Colts play? Been to the stadium?” he
asks as we walk toward the bleachers.
“No, never. I’d love to, though.”
“We’re playing Saturday. You think you could get out to watch?”
“Yes,” I say, possibly more excitedly than I ever have in my life. “I
mean, yeah, I should be able to.”
He chuckles at me. “Great. How about you come to the game, have a
look around campus, get a feel for the place. I can get you in the locker
room, meet the team if you like.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sounds great.” I fall silent as I try to process everything
he’s telling me. “I’m sorry, I’m totally overwhelmed right now.”
“I get it, son. This is a big moment. One you’ve probably been
dreaming of your whole life.” I nod at him, because he doesn't need to
know the truth. That my nights are filled with nightmares, not dreams. He
doesn't need any reason to change his mind about this right now. “Here’s
my card,” he says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black card
with the Colts horseshoe on it. “Let me know if you can make it this
weekend.”
After telling Hadley about the possibility, we sat together on my bed
and looked up the university. We looked at the team and I tried to picture
myself running out onto a field wearing black and listening to the crowd in
the one-hundred-thousand capacity stadium.
We looked at courses, discussed what our majors might be, and had our
first serious conversation about what our future together might look like.
I expected her to tell me that she had a college lined up. Her parents
seemed to have a plan for her, so I was expecting something to be in place,
but it seems she’s as clueless about her future as I am. The only thing we
agreed on was that wherever we end up, we’ll be together.
 “Thank you.”
His hand lands on my shoulder, and I immediately stiffen at his
unexpected touch.
“You should get back out there,” he says, seemingly unaware of my
reaction to him.
Pushing from the bench, I pocket his card and jog over to where the
guys are running drills. I pass Coach who nods at me as I join in before he
heads over to Chris.
They fall into easy conversation, and I wonder if they actually know
each other, if Coach had anything to do with this.
I start sprinting, and the next time I look over, Chris is gone, and Coach
is standing alone, watching us.
All the guys moan around me at the intensity of the session, but I barely
feel it. I’m too lost in my head, trying to imagine a future for me, my girl,
our baby, and Colton U.

“Hey,” I say, pulling Hadley into my arms. She’s been waiting for me on the
benches in the last of the day’s winter sun while I finished up practice.
“Mmm, you’re so warm,” she says, nuzzling into my neck.
“If you’re cold, you should have gone in.”
“I like the fresh air,” she argues. “I feel like I’m always stuck in my
dorm room with a window that hardly opens.”
“I wish you could move in with us.” I don’t realize the words come out
loud until she turns to stone in my arms. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“I know,” she says on a sigh. “One day, Cole. One day, it’ll just be us.”
“I can’t wait.” My hold on her tightens and I drop my lips to her hair.
“How about a whole weekend?”
She pulls back, and her huge green eyes stare up at me. “What about a
weekend?” she asks hopefully.
“That scout I told you about was at practice just now. He invited me to
spend the weekend at Colton U. You down for it?”
“The whole weekend?”
“Yep. I was thinking we could head up after the game Friday night and
spend it together.”
 “In a hotel?” she asks, her eyes darkening.
“In a hotel,” I confirm. “Can you get away?”
“Yes. I’ll figure something out. Oh my God, I’m so excited. A whole
weekend with no school, no Sterling Bay, no one else apart from you.”
“Sounds like heaven to me, Little Dove.”
She stretches up on her tiptoes and brushes her lips against mine.
A feeling I’m becoming more and more used to tightens my chest
before warmth seeps through my entire body.
“I’m starving,” she whispers against my lips.
“Let’s go get dinner then. What does the raspberry desire?”
“Pizza. And ice cream,” she adds quickly. “Lots and lots of ice cream.”
“Let’s go then.”
We spend the night like any other young couple. I pick a diner on the
outskirts of town in the hope we don’t bump into anyone we know, and we
eat our body weight in pizza and ice cream as we talk about the gossip
that’s been whispered down the hallways at Sterling Prep, along with our
upcoming trip.
Every time one of us mentions it, Hadley’s face lights up. I didn’t
realize quite how much she disliked it here. I’ve always been very vocal
about not wanting to be here, but she’s just got on with life like she belongs.
It’s only as she’s started opening up that I realize she’s just been playing a
part this whole time. It’s another thing that I think helps bind us together,
and it helps me understand the connection that Remi and Ace found almost
immediately after we moved. They see that in each other too.
“I wish you could come up and spend the night,” Hadley sighs when I
pull up in front of her dorm building later that evening.
“I can. I’ll just sneak back in later.”
“We can’t, Cole. If we get caught…”
“Then what? What are they really going to do?”
She turns as white as a sheet. “They’ll call my parents. I can’t, Cole. I-I
can’t…”
“It’s okay. I get it.”
“He called me,” she admits.
“Who? Your dad?”
“Yeah. Miss Jones went running straight to him to announce that I’d
quit the squad.”
“But I thought—”
 “Yeah, me too. But she’s in their back pocket. I have no idea what the
connection with them really is but… ugh. It was the reminder that I needed.
We need to be careful. If they get even a whiff of this, they’ll probably drag
me back kicking and screaming and lock me in a basement or something.”
She tries to put some humor into her words, but I see right through
them. She really is worried.
“I won’t let that happen, Dove.”
“But—”
“No,” I interrupt. “No one is taking you away from me ever again.”
“You promise?”
“I promise, Hadley. It’s me and you now.”
“I love you, Cole,” she says, staring up at me like I’m the most
incredible person she’s ever met. And just like every other time she’s done
it, I want to tell her that she’s wrong, that I’m not the person she thinks I
am. I have to keep reminding myself that she already knows the person I
am. She knows more about me than anyone else, even with the darkness
I’m still holding within me.
“I love you too, Little Dove.” Reaching over the console, I wrap my
fingers around the back of her neck and pull her lips to mine.
We make out in my car for over an hour before she finally breaks away,
telling me that she really does need to go inside. Reluctantly, I let her go.
I don’t drive away until I know she’s safely inside, and even after she
disappears, I still sit there for a few minutes, trying to get my head around
everything that’s happened and how it led us here.
As I’m running up the stairs to my bedroom, I pull my cell from my
pocket and find a message waiting for me.

Dove: Thank you for tonight. I can’t wait for the weekend ;)

My fingers fly over the keys, typing out my response.

Cole: Me either. I’m still hard.

Dove: You’re such a guy.

Cole: And you love it. What are you wearing?

Dove: Nothing. About to shower.

The image of her standing naked with her cell in her hand fills my mind.
I can’t help reaching down and palming my cock over my pants.

Cole: I knew I should have snuck back in. My hand isn’t going to cut it.
Picture?

I smile to myself. I’m joking, I think. I don’t actually expect her to send
me anything, but when the next message comes, I almost drop my cell to
the floor.
“Fuck me,” I grit out.

Cole: You fucking slay me, Dove. Friday night can’t come soon enough.

Dove: Do not touch yourself. Save it for me ;)

“Fuuuuuuck.” I immediately lift my hand from myself, doing as I’m

told.

Cole: Oh Little Dove, do you have any idea what you’ve just started?

Dove: I have a clue. You’re welcome xo

Laughing to myself, I drop my cell to the bed and fall back.

How many hours away is Friday night, exactly?

I keep my promise, as hard as it was. Pun intended.

By the time Friday night’s game comes around, I’m damn near
desperate to get my hands on my girl. I know she’s feeling the same, I see it
in her eyes every time I’ve looked in them, felt her desperation in her kisses
in the few moments we’ve stolen together since the other night.
 The crowd roars as we take to the field for tonight’s game. The division
is coming to an end, and although we might be sitting in second position,
there’s still a lot to play for. Especially tonight, as West Bank currently
holds the top spot. If we beat them, we’re one step closer to the playoffs.
The playoffs that I haven’t been interested in until my chance at a future
began to turn into a reality. Suddenly, I want to win, I want to taste that
victory so I can join the Colts—or another team, if that doesn’t work out—
and know that I really am bringing something to the team. That I was good
enough to be a part of a winning team, and I’ll be good enough to join
them.
My chest puffs a little, knowing that while I’ve been drowning in life
and expelling my frustrations in the field, someone has been watching,
picturing me as part of a bigger team, thinking of my future when I’ve been
unable to.
I scan the crowd. I know she’s here with Remi, Ace and Conner, but
although I can’t see her, I can feel her. I know she’s watching me right now,
and I can’t help but smile to myself.
In just over an hour, the two of us are going to be in the car and heading
toward the hotel James booked for us.
Only a few weeks ago, I never would have thought I’d have asked him
for anything. But I know I don’t have the resources to give Hadley what she
deserves, so I forced myself to do the one thing I swore I wouldn’t. I went
to him for help.
He’s booked us into a hotel that I never would have been able to afford
myself and ensured that Hadley has the best weekend away. The weekend
that she deserves, after all the bullshit I’ve caused her.
I can still picture the look in his eyes as he turned to me after agreeing
to my plan and told me that he was proud of me.
I hate to admit it, and I probably won’t ever out loud, but I got a little
choked up.
Maybe Ace and Conner weren’t wrong to accept this new life as easily
as they did.
Maybe the Bay and James aren’t all that bad.
Right before the whistle blows, I find her in the crowd, her eyes trained
on me as if she was waiting for me.
“I love you,” she mouths. All I can do is shake my head in disbelief as
the whistle blows and I turn my attention to the game. Just over an hour,
then my entire focus can be on my girl.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Hadley

T he second Cole’s eyes find me, I know he sees what he failed to

earlier.
“Fuck.” He strides toward me. “My number. You’re wearing my
number.”
I bought the jersey a couple of days ago. I wanted to surprise him, and if
the look in his eyes is anything to go by, it worked.
Leaning up, I move my lips to his ear. “And I’m not wearing anything
underneath.”
He pulls back, meeting my gaze. His brow lifts, and I chuckle. Cole
glances around and discreetly slips his hand underneath the jersey, their
coolness making me shiver. But it’s nothing compared to how they feel
gliding over my breasts.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he groans.
“Maybe.” I smirk. “Just a little bit.”
“How am I going to drive us to Colton U now?”
“Just think of how much fun it’ll be when we get there.”
His eyes flash with hunger and he breathes, “Fuck.”
“Hey, man.” Ace and Remi approach us. “Congratulations, you were on
fire.”
“It was a good game.”
 “Don’t sell yourself short.” A look of pride washes over Ace. “You did
good.”
“All set for your big weekend?” Remi asks, and I bury myself into
Cole’s side.
I can’t wait to spend the weekend with him, away from Sterling Bay and
prying eyes. Of course, Miss Jones thinks I’m spending the weekend with
Remi.
“Don’t forget to lay low,” I say. “I need her to think I’m—”
“Got it. You don’t have to worry. We don’t plan on leaving the pool
house all weekend.” She trails a finger up Ace’s bulky arm.
“Hey.” Conner jogs up to us. “What’d I miss?”
“Nothing much,” Ace replies. “Just telling Cole how proud we are.”
“Actually, you didn’t say it,” Cole grumbles, but there’s laughter in his
eyes.
“Well, we are.”
“Too fucking right. This is your time, bro. The Colts are a good team,
this is a huge opportunity.”
“Con, you don’t know the first thing about football.” Ace frowns.
“I know stuff.”
“You googled them, didn’t you?” Remi chuckles, and Conner blushes.
“I was doing some research, yeah.”
“I appreciate it,” Cole says. “I do. But we have to...” He flicks his head
to a car I don’t recognize.
“Cole?” I ask, noticing Ace and Conner’s amused expressions.
“Surprise,” he says around a meek smile.
“Surprise? What is this?”
“It’s a Nissan Skyline, Hadley, baby.”
“Con,” Cole warns.
“Come on,” Remi says. “We should leave them to it. Enjoy the
weekend, but be safe.”
“We will.” I shoot her an appreciative smile.
They take off, leaving us alone in the emptying parking lot. Cole takes
my hand and starts leading me to a car that looks suspiciously like Conner’s
new one. “I hope you like it.”
“Like it?” I gawk. “It’s amazing. But why do you—”
He shrugs. “I thought it was time.”
 “You did?” I stare up at him. This is huge. Cole has always been so
adamant he wanted nothing to do with James’ wealth.
“Yeah. It was just sitting there, so I figured we could ride in style.
Besides, we can’t turn up at the fancy hotel he booked in my rust bucket.”
“You let James book the hotel?”
“I didn’t let him... okay, I kind of did.” He takes a step toward me,
crowding me against the side of the car. “I want this weekend to be
perfect.” His intense gaze pins me to the spot. “I want to show you how
serious I am about us.”
Looping my arms around his neck, I lean up. “You don’t have to change
for me, Cole. Ever.”
“And that means so fucking much, Dove. But I want to look after you
and our baby. Until we figure things out, James has the means to help me do
that. I told you, I’ll do anything for you.”
“Even bury the hatchet with James?”
“Even that. I’m not saying things will ever be fully okay between us,
but I’m willing to try.”
I nod, overwhelmed at his declaration. Just when I think Cole can’t
surprise me anymore, he does.
“I want to wait to tell them, though,” I say. “People are going to...” The
words dry on my tongue.
“I don’t give a fuck what people say. We’re eighteen. We graduate in
five months. What we do with our lives is nothing to do with them.”
“Remi knows,” I remind him.
“Yeah, and I’m glad you have her to talk to.”
“We haven’t really...”
“Hey, that’s okay too.” He brushes his lips over mine. “I know you’re
scared, I am too. But I’m right here, and I promise I’m not going anywhere,
okay?”
“Okay.” Relief sinks into me.
I kiss Cole, pouring every ounce of what I’m feeling into every slide of
my lips. He presses me back into the car, letting me feel the outline of his
hardness.
“If we don’t go soon,” he rasps, “there’s a good possibility I’ll fuck you
right here, over the hood of my car.”
My tummy clenches at his words. But it would seem Cole has more
restraint than I do. He kisses the end of my nose and says, “Come on.”
Opening the door for me, he waits as I climb inside.
The leather seats are soft and comfortable, and everything looks
expensive. It’s a strange feeling. I grew up wanting for nothing, but now I
have nothing. Cole had nothing, and now, if he accepts James’ help, he’ll
never want for anything.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asks as he slips inside.
“Nothing.” I smile.
“Ready?” His eyes search mine, and I grin.
“Ready.”

Colton U sits somewhere between Fresno and Monterey Bay, against the
backdrop of the Diablo Mountain Range. The town itself is small, a couple
miles out from the campus, but from all the big houses and expensive
boutiques, it’s clearly a wealthy place.
When we finally pull into the parking lot for The Grand Hotel, my
mouth hangs open.
“This is where we’re staying?”
“Guess so.” Cole is pale as he takes in the hotel. It’s by far the biggest
building on the block, standing proud against the inky night sky.
“We can go stay somewhere less—”
“No, we’re doing this.” He runs a hand down his face. “Come on.”
We climb out of the car, and Cole fetches our bags from the trunk. The
hotel reception is a rich mix of deep golds and reds and has a 1920s feel
about it.
We look completely out of place, me with my jacket and Seahawks
jersey, leggings, and boots, and Cole in his ripped jeans and black hoodie.
The receptionist smiles at us all the same.
“Welcome to The Grand Hotel. How can I help you?”
“Uh, we have a booking under the name Jagger.”
“Let me just check that for you.” She does something in a computer and
then pulls an envelope out of a box. “Your uncle said you’re here visiting
Colton U?”
“We are,” I answer, noticing that Cole is awfully tense.
 “It’s a great school. Right, I have you on the sixth floor for two nights.
You’ll find everything you need inside, but if you have any questions or
need extras don’t hesitate to call us.” She pushes the envelope across the
counter. “Enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you.” I snatch it up and gently pull Cole toward the elevators.
“Okay?” I ask him once we’re inside.
“I will be once we’re in our room.”
I smother a chuckle. It’s cute seeing him so out of his depth, but my
laughter dies when I see the heat in his gaze.
“Cole?” I croak.
“I hope you didn’t want to go out, because all I can think about is
stripping you naked. Except for my jersey, that can stay.” His eyes glitter
dangerously. “I’m going to taste every inch of your skin.”
A garbled whimper slips from my lips as I silently will the elevator to
hurry up. The doors eventually ping open and Cole takes over, pulling me
down the hall toward our room. I press the keycard against the pad, and it
clicks open. But I don’t even get to see our surroundings. Cole has me up
against the wall and his mouth on mine the second we’re inside.
“Do you have any idea how hard it’s been, waiting for this?” He kisses
my mouth, letting his lips trail over my jaw and down my neck. I bury my
fingers in his hair, scraping his scalp. It feels so good. It always does.
“We haven’t even explored the room,” I say—not that I care.
“We have plenty of time for that, Little Dove. Right now,” his hand
dives for my leggings, yanking them down my legs. He goes for his jeans
next, popping the button and shoving them down his hips, “I need you,
Hadley. I always fucking need you.”
“So take me,” I sass, need burning me from the inside out.
Cole presses his head to mine, hoisting my body up and caging me
against the wall. “I love you, Dove. So fucking much.” He slams inside of
me and we both cry out, and then he spends the night showing me exactly
how much he loves me, all over the expensive hotel room.

The next morning, I wake with a huge smile on my face. We finally made it
to the bed, a trail of devastation left in our wake. Cole had been insatiable. I
don’t know whether it was the high from the win, or coming to visit Colton
U, or the fact that he’d been completely overwhelmed when we arrived at
the hotel. Whatever it was, I wasn’t complaining.
“Good morning.” His gravelly voice sends shivers running through me.
“Morning.” I snuggle closer to his body. “I could get used to this.”
“How are you feeling... after last night?”
“I feel perfect. Stop worrying.”
“About you? Never.” Cole kisses my hair. “What time is it?”
“A little after eight.” I push up on my elbows to look at him. “Are you
excited about today?”
“I’m not sure excited is the word I’d use.”
“It’ll be okay, you know. You deserve this.”
“I know, but I think about all the kids who have worked their asses off
for a shot at something like this. I haven’t exactly taken things seriously.”
“Most kids our age haven’t lived the lives we have. It doesn’t matter
what you have or haven’t done. What matters is what you do from this point
forward. If you want a better future, you have to work for it.”
“Yeah, but James—“
“It isn’t your fault your dad is filthy rich, and nobody will think any less
of you for letting him help you. After everything you’ve been through...” I
hesitate, because I don’t want anything to ruin this weekend.
“People take one look at me and see trailer trash. It’s just how it is.”
My heart aches for him. I reach out, stroking his face. “You are so much
more than that, Cole. You’re strong and loyal, and you protect those you
care about.”
He wants to argue, I can see it in his eyes. But Cole presses his lips
together, swallowing whatever he wants to say.
“Coach believes in you, the scouts at Colton U believe in you. I believe
in you. You’ve just got to believe in yourself.”
“You’re fucking amazing, you know that, right?” He curves a hand
around my neck and leans down to kiss me.
“I try.” I grin against his mouth.
My cell phone vibrates and I shuffle to the edge of the bed, sitting up.
“It’s probably Remi wanting an update,” I say as I open the message.
But it isn’t Remi.

Unknown: I just want to talk, Hadley...

 “Hadley, what is it?” Cole asks.
“N-nothing,” I force a smile. “Remi just wants to know if we got any
sleep.” The lie coils around my heart.
I don’t want to lie, but if I tell Cole the truth about Tim, it’ll be a dark
cloud over the weekend. And I can’t do that to him.
Not when he’s already questioning being here.
I pretend to type a quick reply and hit delete. “I told her a girl never
kisses and tells.” I lie back down beside him, trying to ignore the message.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He studies me.
“I’m starving.” The nausea seems to have passed, and now I want to eat
everything in sight.
Cole lays a hand on my stomach. “We should feed him.”
“Yeah,” I say.
“Just five minutes. I like being here with you like this.” He lets out a
small sigh. “It’s like I can finally breathe.”
I decide then that I can never tell him about Tim. I’ll have to change my
number, work out a plausible excuse with my parents. Maybe I should tell
them Tim is harassing me? No, that might cause more harm than good.
If I ignore him, he’ll go away.
But as Cole wraps his big, warm body around mine, a little voice in my
head tells me Tim isn’t going anywhere.
Which means I won’t be able to hide this forever.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Cole

H and in hand, we walk around campus with the warm winter sun on
our backs and the crunch of the fallen leaves beneath our feet.
Despite my nerves about this visit and the reality that I’ve got to start
thinking seriously about the future, I think this could be one of the best days
of my life.
My fingers squeeze Hadley’s a little and she looks up at me. There’s a
softness to her eyes that’s not usually there, and her smile is easier than
normal. I know it’s because we’re out of the Bay and away from the
monsters that haunt her.
I smile back at her, loving that we’ve been able to have this time
together, but I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.
I think back to the way her entire body tensed up when she checked her
cell this morning. Her explanation about it being Remi would have been
fine, if it weren’t for her obvious hesitation and panic.
Every fiber of my being wants to believe her, wants to trust her. And
while my heart is totally on board with that plan, my head is screaming that
something’s not right, that I need to question her. But if I do that, it’s going
to ruin our weekend. If I start accusing her of hiding things from me, then
all the good that getting away has done for her will be shattered.
“So what do you think? Do you feel at home here?” she asks.
 “I never thought I’d say it, but I kinda do. Something about this place
just feels so…” I trail off, not able to find the words to describe how I feel
being here.
“Right?”
“Yeah. I’m not sure the Bay will ever truly feel like home, and the
Heights… we stopped belonging there the second we left. But this place? It
could be that for me.”
A wide smile spreads across her lips, but her face falls the second her
cell pings with another message.
Something uncomfortable twists inside my chest, but I keep the feeling,
the suspicion, from my face.
“Are you going to get that?” I ask when she makes no move to pull it
from her purse.
“Nah, it’ll just be Remi. She can wait until later. Where do you want to
go next?”
I check my own cell for the time, noting that we’ve still got an hour
before I agreed to meet Chris for the stadium tour. “Food?”
“Yes. What about the diner we passed that had those huge milkshakes?”
“Whatever you want.”
Spinning around, we head in the opposite direction to find the diner.
We order burgers and fries each along with two huge milkshakes.
Hadley’s eyes light up like it’s Christmas morning when the shakes arrive,
and she immediately dives in.
Leaving her to it for a moment, I head for the bathroom. As I return to
the restaurant, I spot her sitting in our booth with her head in her cell and
her brows drawn in concern.
I slow my steps, studying her for a few seconds in the hope that I find
some answers. But other than her obvious worry, I don’t discover anything.
“Everything okay?” I ask, returning to my seat and sliding my
milkshake in front of me.
She startles, looking up at me with wide eyes, and rushes to shove her
cell away. The move does nothing for my suspicions. “Yeah, yeah.
Everything is good. Oh look,” she says, her eyes widening once again
despite the huge lunch we had earlier.
The server places two huge plates down and Hadley dives in. I want to
say it’s because she’s hungry, but I fear she’s just trying to avoid my eyes
and the question on the tip of my tongue.
The Colts’ stadium is bigger and grander than anything I’ve seen before—
not that I have a lot, or any, experience with college football. I stare up at
the impressive building in complete awe.
“Oh my God, can you imagine playing here?” Hadley asks as we walk
up to the main entrance. “All those people watching you, cheering for you.
It blows my mind.”
“You’re telling me,” I mutter, continuing forward toward a guy I
recognize.
“Cole, it’s so good to see you again,” Chris says, holding his hand out in
greeting.
“Hey, it’s good to be here. This is Hadley, my g-girlfriend.” I don’t
mean to stumble over the word, but as it sticks in my throat, I realize that
it’s the first time I’ve referred to her as such. It’s weird as fuck.
She glances at me for a beat before turning to Chris. “This place is
incredible. How many people does it hold?” she asks. She knows the
answer, we both looked it up together, but I appreciate her distraction
technique as it starts Chris off on his speech.
We walk past huge trophy cabinets that proudly display all the Colts’
achievements over the years, along with a wall of fame showing numerous
ex-Colt players during their impressive NFL careers.
The fact that this is happening to me feels totally surreal. If they accept
me, if I do well here, literally anything could happen. It’s a sobering
thought.
Could I really go from my bullshit life in the Heights all the way to the
NFL?
I guess only time will tell.
Chris walks us around, talking about all things football and what my
future college career could look like if I were to become a Colt for a good
thirty minutes before he shows us to some seats to watch tonight’s game.
“I’m sorry, where’s the bathroom?” Hadley asks before we find our
seats.
“Just down there on the left.”
“Thank you.” I give her hand a squeeze and watch her as she makes her
way there.
“So what do you think?” Chris asks, turning back to me.
 “I think everything looks and sounds incredible. I can’t quite get my
head around it all, to be honest.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in, and how big a decision it is.” I refrain from
telling him that I don’t have teams fighting over me right now and that this
is currently my only option.
“It is. But I feel at home here. Something feels right.”
He nods, his lips curling at the corners at my words. “That’s really great
to hear, Cole. I think you could do really well here. What about your girl?
What are her plans?”
“Uh…” I hesitate, not really having an answer for him. “It’s all up in the
air right now.”
“It’s still early days, you’ve both got time.” There’s some commotion
down on the field, making him look over his shoulder. “I should get down
there. I’m glad you came out today, Cole. If you have any questions or
concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
“I will, thank you so much.” With one final handshake, he disappears
off toward the field.
With the beginning of the game still a few minutes away, I head toward
the bathroom to wait for Hadley so we can go and get drinks—and, if I
know her at all these days, more food.
I only have to wait a minute or two before the bathroom door is pulled
open and she steps out, although what I’m not expecting is to see tears
filling her eyes.
“Hads, what’s wrong?” I ask, rushing to her and taking her hand in
mine.
“It’s nothing,” she says, waving me off. “Isn’t the game about to start?”
“I don’t give a shit about the game if something is up with you,” I state,
possibly a little too harshly.
“Honestly, it’s nothing. I’m just feeling a little emotional.”
I narrow my eyes at her, and she plasters a smile on her face. “If
something was going on, you’d tell me, right?” I ask, giving in to my
suspicions.
“Of course. Honestly, there’s nothing you need to worry about.”
She blinks as she says it, severing our connection for a beat, and it
makes my heart drop into my stomach.
She’s hiding something.
 The roar out the crowd sounds out from behind me, forcing us to return
to our seats.
“Would you like a drink?” I ask once she’s settled.
“Uh…” Hadley looks down to where the teams are getting ready. “I
don’t want you to miss anything.”
“I won’t. Soda?”
“Please. Thank you,” she says softly.
I walk away but stop when I’m just out of sight. Sure as shit, the first
thing she does is pull her cell from her purse.
A fire that I’m all too used to begins to crackle inside me.
Who’s she texting, and why is she hiding it from me?
I run through a handful of names, including Hayden and that douchebag
who was interested from our game the other week. One thing I know for
sure is it’s not Remi.
“Here,” I say, handing over her drink once I rejoin her.
“Thanks. You’ve been ages, I started to think you weren’t coming
back,” she says with a laugh.
“The line was long,” I lie. In truth, I ended up pacing up and down in
front of the stall as I willed the anger crackling within me to die the fuck
down. The last thing we need is to have this out here.
I want to enjoy this weekend, but I fear I’m not going to be able to keep
a lid on this long enough for us to return to the Bay.
My eyes remain on the game, but when the final whistle blows, I realize
that I didn’t really see any of it. I do, however, know that Hadley’s cell went
off twice. I also know that she’s desperate to check it.
“That was incredible. The roar of the crowd… can you imagine being
one of those players down there?” Hadley asks excitedly as we make our
way out of the stadium.
The Colts won by a mile and the crowd around were on fire as they
cheered on their team.
“I really can’t. It must be mind-blowing to know that so many sets of
eyes are on you.”
“I guess you’ll soon get used to it. Hopefully you’ll get to find out this
time next year.”
A little excitement pushes my dread aside from a few moments ago.
Could that really be me down there next year, playing in white and black?
 “What about you? How do you feel about this place?” I ask as we make
our way back to the hotel.
“I like it. You were right earlier, it does feel like it could be home.”
“So you think you could raise our baby here?”
“I really do,” she says with a wide smile. “It’s mind-boggling, isn’t it?
This time next year you could be a Colt and I could be watching you with
our baby.”
“Jesus,” I mutter, panicking slightly at the picture she paints. “Do you
think we’re actually capable of looking after a baby?” I ask with a laugh,
only half joking. I barely feel like I can look after myself most days.
“I’m sure it’ll be like riding a bike.”
“Hmm… I’m not sure about a bike, but I know something I want to
ride,” I say, dropping my face to her neck and breathing her in.
“I guess it’s a good thing we’re here then,” she says, nodding to the
building before us.
“Perfect timing.”
I drag her inside, and in seconds we’re alone in the elevator.
“I like being away from everyone else,” I mutter as I brush my lips
down her neck.
“Mmmm,” she moans. “Me too.”
Before our hotel room door has even closed behind us, I spin her back
against it. Taking her wrist in my hand, I press it against my already hard
cock.
“Cole,” she gasps.
“I need you.”
“God,” she moans as I slip my hand up her shirt, finding her lace-
covered breast. “Hold that thought. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“I don’t need anything right now other than you naked.”
“Trust me. I think you’re going to like it.”
Pressing her palms to my chest, she pushes until I back up.
“I’ll be like, two minutes, tops.”
After dropping her purse on the desk, she rummages in her case before
pulling something out and rushing to the bathroom.
My eyes narrow on the door, wondering what she’s up to, but I don’t get
to wonder for long because her cell pings once again.
I know I shouldn’t do it, but before I can even attempt to talk myself out
of it, my hand is in her purse and my fingers wrap around her cell.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Hadley

T he second I step back into the bedroom, I know something is wrong.

Cole is clutching my cell phone like it's a ticking time bomb.
“Cole?” I frown. “W-what’s wrong?” I ask, because I want to
believe he wouldn’t snoop through my messages. I want to believe he trusts
me enough to let me tell him my secrets when I’m ready.
But I know...
From the dark cloud hovering over him, I just know he’s seen
something.
“He’s been texting you?” His icy tone sends chills through me.
The ground disappears from beneath my feet, and I wrap an arm around
my waist to hold myself together. “It’s not what you think.” I inch closer.
“No? So you’re telling me that fucker Timmy hasn’t been sending you
messages begging for you to talk to him?” He stands, a menacing shadow
looming over me.
His eyes finally flicker to my body, noticing the silky babydoll I’m
wearing. It was supposed to be a surprise. I wanted to wear something sexy
for him. But he’s staring at me like I’m the devil incarnate... like he hates
me.
Oh, Cole.
 I let out a weary sigh. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to
worry. I didn’t want to ruin the weekend.”
A weekend that had, until now, been perfect in every way.
“You’ve been texting him?” His eyes glitter dangerously as he prowls
toward me. I stand my ground. Just because things have been good recently,
doesn’t mean I don’t know Cole is always one breath away from blowing
up. His darkness will always be there, lingering beneath the surface just
waiting to break free.
Craning my neck to look into his eyes, I reach out for him. “I haven’t
even replied to the last few.”
He snags my hand before it touches his face. “Few? You mean there’s
more?” he grits out, his body vibrating with anger.
I suck in a shaky breath. “He’s been texting me for a while,” I admit
because there’s no use trying to withhold the truth now he knows. “I told
him to stop and he did, for a little bit, but he just started again.”
Cole knocks me back into the wall, slamming his hand beside my head.
“All this time you’ve been texting him?”
“He’s been texting me, Cole. Not the other way around.” I keep my
voice even, knowing that if I argue, if I say the wrong thing, it’ll only make
it worse.
His hand flies to my throat. Pinning me in place, Cole gets right in my
face. “You played me, Little Dove. All this time you told me it was me you
wanted, me you loved...”
“I do love you. I love you so much.”
“Enough to lie to me?”
“I didn’t lie. I just omitted the truth. But yeah, I’d lie to you if I thought
it would protect you, if I thought it would prevent... this.”
I can already feel the wall growing between us. Cole is pulling away.
He’s shielding himself from me, and I hate it.
Maybe you should have told him, a little voice whispers, but I ignore it.
Telling him would have only resulted in the same reaction, or worse.
“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But I knew it would only make you
angry. Tim is no one to me. I told him to stop texting and then I deleted his
message. Just like I delete every message he sends.”
“Do you still want him?” Cole asks icily, his fingers squeezing harder.
Not hard enough that I can’t breathe, but hard enough that it hurts. Tears
sting my eyes.
 “Cole, please, I didn’t—”
“I trusted you. I trusted you, Dove, and this... this is how you repay
me?” he spits.
“You want to hurt me.”
Cole’s eyes flicker with surprise.
“You do, don’t you? You want to hurt me. So do it. Do it, Cole,” I snap,
“because I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t lie, and I didn’t
cheat. But I can’t control what other people do. Yes, Tim texted me. Yes, I
replied, but only to tell him never to message me again. I didn’t tell you
because I knew you’d act like this. I knew it would ruin the shaky trust
we’ve built, and I’m sorry.”
“You drive me in-fucking-sane.” His teeth grind together. “And you’re
right, I want to hurt you. I want to punish you for lying to me, for betraying
me.” Cole presses his brow against mine, so hard my head bangs the wall.
But I don’t whimper. I don’t even flinch.
Cole was never taught how to love, how to deal with his emotions. He
needs this, the way a child needs to throw a tantrum to get their point
across.
So long as he comes back to me, so long as after he’s doled out
whatever punishment he thinks I deserve, Cole lets it go, I can deal.
I have to.
Because loving a boy with darkness in his soul requires a certain kind of
love back.
His eyes burn into mine, dark and angry and volatile. I feel his body
tremble as I gingerly fist his hoodie. “Make. It. Hurt.”
“Fuck...” he hisses sharply. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“Yeah, I do. You need this, Cole.”
“I-I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Yes, you do.”
He needs the control, the sense of power. And I just need him.
It’s a dangerous combination.
“Cole—”
“Shut up,” he growls. “Just shut up.”
I’m completely caged against the wall, his body pressed up on me, his
hand still around my throat. Yet, I wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else.
I love Cole, and, deep down, I know he loves me. He wants to hurt me
because I hurt him.
 “Get on the bed. Face down, ass up.”
Shivers skitter down my spine, making my stomach clench.
He releases me and I slide down the wall before shouldering past him
and walking over to the bed. His hungry gaze follows me. It’s a heady place
to be, knowing I hold the power to unravel Cole.
“On the bed,” he snaps.
My knees hit the mattress as I crawl forward. He sucks in a sharp
breath, and I know he’s realized I’m not wearing any panties.
I look over my shoulder, watching as he undresses. Hoodie and t-shirt,
boots, jeans. He’s so beautiful it hurts. Our eyes collide, and I flinch at the
hatred there.
Cole loves me, I don’t doubt that, but in this moment, he hates me.
Maybe even hates himself.
“Hands flat on the mattress, head down, and don’t fucking move.”
My breath hitches at the dominance in his voice, and I brace myself for
whatever he has in store.
Everything grows quiet, making the hairs along the back of my neck
stand at attention. Without warning, his hand comes down hard on my bare
ass, making me yelp. Cole grabs the flesh, squeezing hard enough to leave
finger marks.
“The things I want to do to you, Dove.”
I swallow the tears burning my throat, focusing only on the need
coursing through my veins.
Cole leans over me, dragging his hard cock through my ass cheeks.
“Ready to play?” he breathes against my spine, and a full body shudder rips
through me.
He withdraws, leaving me cold. The silent anticipation heightens every
sense. I can taste lust on my tongue and hear my heart pounding in my
chest.
I gasp when something cool connects with the bottom of my spine.
“Stay still, Dove.” The sound of my new babydoll tearing fills the air,
and I don’t need to turn around to know he’s slicing it apart with his knife.
Cole covers my body again, letting the flat of the knife drift over my
collarbone. I gulp, barely able to breathe.
His hand snaps around my throat and he yanks me up so I’m on my
knees, my back to his chest.
 “Do you have any idea the lengths I would go to for you? You’re mine,
Hadley. Mine,” he growls. “But maybe you need a reminder.” Dragging the
tip of the knife down my chest, he circles my nipple. Pleasure drenches
every nerve ending. Something so dangerous shouldn’t feel so good. But it
does.
“C-Cole,” I whimper, needing more.
“Such a bad girl.” He twists my face and kisses me hard, overpowering
me with his tongue and teeth. Pain lances through my chest and I tear away
from him, watching through wide eyes as he carves the letter C into the
curve of my breast.
“Now everyone will know who you belong to.”
Blood seeps from the small cut, and I lift my eyes back to his.
“If he ever comes near you, I will kill him.”
It’s a promise.
One he seals with a bruising kiss while smearing his fingers in the blood
and rubbing it over my nipple.
“You’re crazy,” I say, breathless.
“Crazy for you. Only ever you. Now hold on, Dove, I’m going to fuck
you until you remember who you belong to.” Cole grabs the back of my
neck and forces me down. The bloodstained knife lands on the bed beside
me and then his hands are gripping my hips as he slams deep inside me.
I cry out, over and over, as he rides my body hard and fast, giving me no
time to catch my breath. But this isn’t about my pleasure, it’s about his. His
hands are cruel, squeezing and pinching, and his thrusts are sharp and
deadly, not quite reaching that place I need him.
“Cole, please...” I beg, trying to rock back against him to ease the
building ache inside me.
“You lied to me, Dove. Now you have to pay.” He pulls out of me and
slides back in. It feels so good... but it isn’t enough. My orgasm hovers just
out of reach.
Cole is relentless, pounding into me like I’m nothing more than a warm,
willing body.
And maybe I am.
Maybe the brokenness in me needs this as much as the darkness in him
needs it.
Cole changes the angle, grinding into me and finally giving me what I
need. Pleasure builds deep in my stomach, making me pant. I’m almost
there, ready to fall headfirst in the sensations rippling through me. But at
the last second, Cole pulls out, groaning loudly as he spurts hot jets of cum
all over my ass and pussy.
“For real?” I hiss, glancing over at him.
He lifts a brow and shrugs. “Now we’re even.”
“Even?” I gasp, because what the actual fuck?
He chuckles darkly as he climbs off the bed and scoops up his t-shirt,
throwing it at me.
I clean myself up, shame burning through me. “You’re a real piece of
work, you know that?” I pull the rumpled bed sheet around my body as I
stand.
“Takes one to know one.”
“Seriously? I already told you I didn’t text Tim back, except for telling
him to leave me alone. If I thought my parents wouldn’t turn up asking
questions, I’d change my number. But I don’t want them sniffing around.”
Tears pool in the corners of my eyes. “I just let you...” The words get stuck
in my throat as emotion crashes over me.
I’m a mess. Emotionally and physically.
I have a C carved into my chest and bruise marks on my hips, and Cole
is standing there like it means nothing.
“I love you, Cole, I do. But sometimes you’re a clueless fucking idiot.”
I storm into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it before I let the
tears fall.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Cole

I stand, staring at the bathroom door as a truckload of shame and regret

slams into me.
“Hadley,” I breathe, reaching out as if I’m going to open the door,
but I know it’s the wrong thing to do.
She told me to hurt her, but I took it too far. Even I know that.
“Fuuuuuck,” I cry out, my hands going to my hair and pulling until it
hurts. But I already know it’s not going to cause me anywhere near as much
pain as I just caused Hadley.
Finding my discarded clothes, I pull on my boxers and pants before
walking over to the door.
I press my ear against the wood, and the most heartbreaking sound fills
my ears. Hadley’s sobs. Something inside my chest cracks wide open.
I did that.
I caused that pain.
My fists curl at my sides, my nails digging into my skin. “Hadley,” I
call out, my voice soft, the anger that was within it only minutes ago long
forgotten.
Silence greets me.
The terrified, traumatized look on her face as she ran from the bathroom
banished the fury that exploded within me at discovering she’s been texting
him.
I saw red. The thought of her being taken away from me after
everything we’ve been through. The image of her running back to her old
life, the wealth, the privilege, fuck, even now it sends a shot of anger and
desperation straight through me.
“Hadley, please. I’m s-sorry. I went too far. I’m sorry.”
The silent seconds tick by before her shaky voice filters through the
door.
“Just go, Cole.”
“Go?” I ask, shocked by her request, although really, after what went
down, I shouldn’t be. I don’t really want to be with myself right now, so I
can’t imagine how she feels. “Go where?”
“I don’t care. Just… just away from m-me.” Her voice cracks, making
my chest ache.
Dropping my forehead to the door, I drag in two deep lungfuls of air as I
try to get my head together.
“Hadley, please. Just come out, talk to me. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not enough, Cole. Just leave.”
“Fuck,” I bark, slamming my fist down on the door. Her scared shriek
comes through, and I curse myself once more for fucking this up.
I shouldn’t have looked. I knew that before I did it. I should have trusted
her. Trusted her to do the right thing, to tell me when she was ready. I
should have believed that when she told me she loved me that she meant it.
But I didn’t. I shattered all of that with one bad decision and my need to
make her hurt like I hurt.
Pushing from the door, I shove my feet into my boots and pull my
hoodie on.
“This isn’t over, Hadley. You can’t hide in there forever.” My warning
hangs heavy in the room for a beat, but when she doesn’t respond, I wrench
the door open and storm through it.
I’m out of the hotel and halfway down the street before I so much as
look up. My head spins, my chest aches while her scent continues to taunt
me.
My fingers twitch to feel a bottle, and my body craves the mind-
numbing bliss I find at the bottom of one. I look down the street, searching
for somewhere I can get something.
 There’s a blue neon sign for a store up ahead. I have no idea what the
store is, but I go that way. I need to forget the last thirty minutes of my life.
I need to push aside what a total fuck-up I am.
Hadley deserves better than me. I’ve said this from the beginning. I’ve
tried to tell her, show her, but she’s always fought back.
Until tonight.
The doors to the store open as I walk up to them and make my way
directly to the back, knowing that what I need will be waiting there for me.
My mouth waters to feel the burn of the vodka—hell, whatever I can get
my hands on—but as I come to a stop in front of the bottles. I pause.
Tipping my head up to the ceiling, I close my eyes for a beat.
I can’t do this.
If I turn to alcohol right now, what is that showing Hadley? It just
proves I’ve been right all along.
“Fuck,” I breathe, looking forward once more and backing away from
the bottles that call to me.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I mutter when I back right up into someone, causing
them to drop whatever was in their hands. Packets fall to the floor, but I
don’t hang around long enough to help out.
Coming to a stop at the counter, I find more alcohol tempting me from
the top shelf. I should have brought some weed. The pills I hide at the back
of my nightstand for when I’m desperate. But I didn’t. I came here with my
ultimate addiction. I didn’t think I’d need another.
Thoughts of Hadley still locked in the bathroom hit me, and before I
know what I’m doing I’ve got a packet of smokes and a lighter in my hand
and I’m ripping off the cellophane as I walk out of the store.
I hate smoking. I might be more than willing to get fucked up on every
other kind of drug, but smoking is different. It doesn’t take me away from
anything. It doesn’t dull my pain.
But right now, while I force myself away from the lure of vodka, it’s
going to have to do.
I need to do something. My fingers need to be busy. I need to feel that
burn.
Finding a small park, I fall down onto the cold, damp grass and lie back.
The smoke plumes above me as I chain smoke cigarette after cigarette.
They do nothing. Abso-fucking-lutley nothing.
My body craves more. But I can’t.
 I can’t give into the darkness.
I need to prove that I can fight it. That I can be a decent human being.
The last thing Hadley needs tonight is for me to turn back up to our
room strung out on something because I can’t deal with the consequences of
what I did to her.
I squeeze my eyes shut as the image of her with blood running down her
chest slams into me.
I cut her. I fucking carved into her flawless skin like a selfish
motherfucker in my need to own her.
No girl should have to deal with that level of fucked-up.
Especially not when she’s… fuck… pregnant.
I sit up, my chest heaving as realization washes through me.
What if I hurt…
I drop my head into my hands.
I’m so lost. So fucking lost. I have no idea which way is up or what I
can even attempt to do to fix it. Can it even be fixed?
Blowing out a breath, I dig into my pocket for my cell.
My thumb hovers over Hadley’s number. My need to know that she’s
okay almost has me attempting to call her, but I know it’s pointless. She
wouldn’t pick up even if there was a problem.
It makes me question why I did as she said and walked out. I should
have waited, proved to her that I was in this for good, that I was sorry I lost
control.
Lowering my thumb, I hit call to someone else who might be able to
talk some sense into me.
“Bro, how’s it going? Thought you’d been too deep in Hadley to come
up for air, let alone call me.”
“Shut up, Con.”
“Shit, what’s wrong?”
I blow out another breath as I try to figure out what the hell to say. I can
hardly tell him the truth. He’ll have me fucking committed if I admit to
carving my girlfriend up while I fucked her. A shudder runs up my spine at
the thought.
“I fucked up.”
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re calling me for girl advice?”
“I… I don’t know why I’m calling you. I just need… fuck, I don’t even
know what I need.”
 “Okay, okay. How bad are we talking? Like, she caught you checking
out another girl's ass, or you had your tongue down another girl's throat,
bad?”
“If that’s the scale then she caught me with my cock in her ass.”
“Fuck, man. What did you do?”
“The details don’t matter, Con. I did something I shouldn’t have, lost
my temper. I… I took things too far. She’s locked herself in the bathroom
and is refusing to come out.”
“Just make her come a few times, she’ll get over it.”
“Didn’t you hear me? She’s locked herself in the bathroom, dumbass.”
“Okay, okay. So you need to lure her out. What does she like? Get all
her favorites, then do whatever you do that makes her squeal like—”
“Okay,” I cut him off. I don’t need to know that he listens while I make
Hadley scream.
“Seriously though, bro. I want to know what you do. I want to make
someone make that noise.”
“Get a girl and I might tell you,” I mutter, already knowing Conner
would probably shit a brick if he knew the truth about what goes down
between me and Hadley. He might talk a good game, but he forgets that I
know his previous experiences and the girl he’s pined after for… well,
forever. He might plead otherwise, but he hasn’t got his dick wet since we
moved to the Bay, and I can’t see that changing anytime soon while he’s
still got a Heights girl stuck in his head.
“Killjoy. Just go and turn on the Jagger charm. You’ve clearly got some,
because you snagged her in the first place.” I’m pretty sure that had nothing
to do with charm, but I don’t burst his bubble. “Go and remind her why
you’re both perfect for each other.”
I nod to myself.
“You still there?”
“Yeah, man. Thanks.”
With an idea brewing in my head, I dump the packet of smokes in the
trash and make my way back to the store, staring down the candy aisle.
By the time I’m back in the elevator and heading for our room, I’ve got
two full grocery bags in my arms and I’m ready to grovel on my knees if I
have to.
I might have been gone less than an hour, but it was enough time to tell
me just how much I need her. How badly I need her to forgive me for what I
did.
I might not be good enough for her, but that doesn't matter right now
because I’m the one she’s chosen, and I need to prove to her that she made
the right choice.
Shuffling both bags into one arm, I manage to pull the keycard from my
pocket and tap the screen to unlock the door.
The room is still empty when I push inside, and my heart jumps into my
throat that she might have left. But once my initial panic subsides, I spot my
car keys still on the desk where I left them and her bag on the floor.
Looking around the room, I find the bathroom door now ajar. I want to
march in and demand she listens to me, but then my little shopping spree
would have been pointless. As quietly as I can, I set everything up before
stripping down to my boxers and crawling onto the bed and hoping that she
doesn’t take too long to emerge.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Hadley

I peek around the door to find Cole sitting on the bed, eyes closed, his
head resting against the wall. There’s a bag of candy and snacks
sprawled out in front of him.
“Hey,” I say.
His eyes snap open. “Thank fuck.” Relief washes over him as he runs
his eyes over my face and down my body. I’ve wrapped the fluffy hotel
robe around myself, but it doesn’t stop him from checking me over.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be.” I swallow around a small nod as I step into the room.
“Pregnancy hormones.” My shoulders lift in a small shrug.
“I fucked up.” Cole swings his legs over the bed, his head hanging low
as he looks up at me through his thick lashes. “I’m sorry.”
“We let it go too far.”
He inhales sharply. “I let it go too far.”
“No, this isn’t all on you. I told you to hurt me... I just didn’t think...”
He stands up and comes toward me. I flinch as he pulls the robe open
slightly to see his handiwork. His jaw clenches. “Fuck, Dove, I—“
“Don’t. It happened, it’s done.” I bat his hand away and pull the robe
tighter.
 Awkward silence descends over us. Cole looks gutted, his skin pale and
eyes glittering with shame.
I press my hand against his cheek. “You have to trust me, Cole. This
can’t work if you don’t.”
“I know, fuck, I know. But I knew something was wrong. All day, I
watched you act skittish every time your cell vibrated.”
“I was only protecting you, protecting us.”
He covers my hand with his and brings it to his lips, brushing my
knuckles gently. “I see that now.”
“This is new, for both of us. I promise to try harder, but you have—“
“I will, Hadley, I swear. The second you flew into the bathroom, I knew
I’d fucked up. I wanted to hurt you, but not like that. Never like that.”
“Where’d you go?” I’d heard him leave and return.
“To the store. I needed something to take the edge off.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” I eye him carefully. He
doesn’t smell of liquor or weed, but Cole has gotten good at covering his
tracks since being on the team.
“I bought some cigarettes, but they didn’t help.”
“You don’t smell like smoke.”
“I ate a packet of gum and drank a bottle of water before coming back
here.”
“So what’s all that?” My eyes dart to the mess on the bed.
“I thought it might cheer you up. I got your favorites… Swedish Fish,
Twizzlers… there’s even a cookie sandwich.”
A faint smile tugs at my lips. “And the fact that you’re half-naked?”
Cole looks at me with heat in his eyes. “I thought we could finish what I
started.” He smirks, and I want to be angry with him, but all the ice around
my heart has slowly melted away.
Cole might be messed up, but so I am.
“You did, huh?” I arch a brow, fighting a smile. “And if I wanted to eat
my bodyweight in candy and watch a movie instead?”
Surprise registers on his face, and I love that I can still affect him. “You
really want to do that?”
I nod. “I’m a little sore... from before,” I admit, dropping my gaze.
Cole’s finger slips under my jaw and tilts my face to his.
“I’m sorry.”
 “I know.” Lacing my arms around his waist, I lean in and let my lips
glide over his. Cole is as still as a statue, his apprehension swirling around
us.
“Cole,” I whisper, “this would be the time to kiss me back.”
“Yeah?” The uncertainty in his voice makes my heart clench.
Cole is such a paradox.
“Yeah.” I grin, touching my head to his. “Kiss me, Cole Jagger. Kiss me
like you love me.”

I wake cocooned in Cole’s arms. After he’d kissed me, his apology seeping
into every stroke of his tongue, every slide of his lips, we’d rented a movie
off the pay-per-view channel and gorged ourselves on candy.
It would have been easy to let him touch me again, to finish what he’d
started, but the truth was, we needed a moment of normalcy.
At some point during the movie, I’d shed the robe, pulling on Cole’s t-
shirt instead, and curled into his side and fallen asleep.
Damn Tim for almost ruining everything. I’m going to have to talk to
my parents if he continues. Surely they will understand if I change my cell
number.
You don’t need their permission. I push the little voice down. If I start
disobeying them now, it’ll only cause more problems.
It’s always been easier to go along with their plans than fight them on
anything. Besides, I know the lengths my father is willing to go to uphold
his reputation and our family’s name.
My hand slips to my stomach instinctively. I can hide the pregnancy for
a few more months. It’s not like they come to visit. By the time I’m really
showing, it’ll almost be graduation.
I leave Cole sleeping soundly as I slip out of the bed and pad into the
bathroom. Checking my reflection, I can’t help but take a peek at Cole’s
handiwork. The small C is a little red and tender, but it’ll heal. I run a hand
through my messy bed hair, smiling at myself.
We had our first big fight last night, but we came out the other side. To
anyone else, it might be fucked up but, to me, knowing Cole the way I
know Cole, I call it progress.
 Gingerly, I lower myself to the toilet, wincing when a pain shoots
through me. Shaking it off, I pee, but something doesn’t feel right.
I tear off a handful of tissue paper and wipe, gasping at the sight of the
bright red blood.
No.
No.
No.
It can’t be.
I grasp some fresh tissue and wipe again, hoping I’m seeing things.
There’s so much blood.
“Cole,” I yell, fear paralyzing me. “Cole.” My voice cracks, tears
stream down my face.
This can’t be happening.
Cole bursts into the room, his eyes going straight to my hands.
“Hadley?” he croaks.
“I’m... bleeding,” I breathe, the words splintering my chest wide open.
“I don’t understand.” His eyes fill with unshed tears. Even though his
brain hasn’t yet processed what’s happening, his heart knows.
It knows I’m losing our baby.
“What do I do? Shall I call 9-1-1?” He fists his mouth, his eyes
glistening with pain.
“No, there’s nothing they can do. Not if—“
“No, don’t say it. Don’t you dare fucking say it. I’ll drive you to the
hospital,” he says, storming out of the bathroom while I sit there, unable to
move. My stomach already feels empty... I feel empty.
Cole rushes back into the room with a bunch of my clothes in his arms.
“The nearest ER is only a ten-minute drive. Do you think you can get
dressed?”
“Cole, there’s nothing—“
“Don’t tell me there’s nothing we can do. Don’t tell me that.” His fist
collides with the counter. “I need to do this, Hadley.”
“Okay... let me get cleaned up and we’ll go.” It’s pointless, I know that.
But Cole needs this. He needs to feel in control.
“Thank you,” he exhales, placing my clothes on the side of the bath.
“I’ll get our stuff together.”
I give him a weak nod and wait for him to leave before trying to clean
up. I pad my panties with toilet paper, knowing that it isn’t enough.
 When I’m dressed, I step back into the room. “I’m ready.”
Cole has our bags packed. He strides over to me, cupping my face
tenderly. “It’s going to be okay, Dove. I know it.”
My heart breaks all over again.
This will kill Cole, and part of me isn’t ready to lose him. So I paste on
a weak smile and say, “I’m sure it is.”

Cole managed to get us to the hospital in record time. He may have run a
few red lights to do it, but he had nothing but steely determination in his
eyes as he maneuvered the unfamiliar streets of Colton.
By the time we reached the hospital, my leggings were soaked with
blood. Cole rushed inside to get me a wheelchair, and now we’re sitting in
the ER, waiting to be seen.
Cole clutches my hand in his, holding on as if it’s his lifeline. I feel
numb, completely and utterly numb.
I can’t help but think it’s the universe’s way of saying we’re not ready—
that I’m not ready. But it doesn’t ease the ache I feel in my heart.
I thought I’d lost Cole once, but we worked our way through that.
We won’t survive this, though.
He’ll blame himself.
When the doctor makes him understand what I failed to, he’ll blame
himself and then he’ll pull away. And I’ll be alone again.
Maybe it’s better that way.
Maybe Cole and I are destined to drown in the darkness, not live in the
light.
Silent tears drip down my cheeks.
“Hadley?” A nurse with kind eyes looms over us.
“Yes,” I say.
“Why don’t we get you somewhere a little more private and we can see
what’s happening.”
But the sympathy in her eyes tells me she already knows.
“Okay, thanks.”
Cole shoots up and she adds, “Maybe Hadley would like some
privacy?” She asks me quietly.
 “No, he can come.”
Cole expels a sigh of relief, wheeling my chair behind the nurse as she
leads us down a long hall, into a side room.
It’s cold and clinical—four walls, one bed, a trolley filled with an array
of medical supplies.
She grabs a roll of white paper towels and covers the bed with it. “Hop
on up, sweetheart.”
Cole helps me onto the bed, treating me like a fragile bird. His hands
tremble as he strokes my arm. “It’s going to be okay,” he says, as if he
thinks saying the words will make it come true.
I don’t have the heart to tell him it won’t.
“You think you’re about eight or nine weeks?”
I nod. “I have my first appointment with the OB-GYN next week.”
“Okay, we’re going to arrange an ultrasound and some blood tests. I’m
going to get you some sanitary towels and some water. I’ll be right back.”
She leaves, and the air turns cold, sending a shudder through me.
Cole leans against the wall, his gaze hard and unwavering
“Cole...” I reach for him. “We should probably prepare for the—”
“Don’t, please don’t. Everything will be okay. It has to be.”
I smother the rush of tears, turning my head to the side. I need to be
strong for him, for myself.
The next hour passes by in a blur. The doctor visits and performs the
ultrasound. He points out the sac. The tiny white mass that was supposed to
be our baby. Then, after what feels like a lifetime, he snaps off his gloves
and looks at us both with apologetic eyes and confirms what I already
knew.
Our baby is gone.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Cole

T here was nothing you could have done.

Sometimes these things just happen.
It wasn’t the right time.
Everything happens for a reason.
The words of the doctor and nurses we saw this morning run around my
head as we make the silent drive back to Sterling Bay.
This weekend was meant to be amazing. It was meant to show us what
our lives could be like once we graduate, but instead, everything has turned
to shit.
Hadley’s concerned stare burns into the side of my face, but I don’t turn
to look at her. I can’t. All of this is my fault.
All of it.
If I didn’t lose control last night, then none of this would have
happened.
They can tell me all they like that there’s no reason, but I know the
truth. I caused this.
I did this.
I remember how I forced her against the wall, how hard my hand
connected with her skin as I spanked her, how hard I fucked her as I tried to
punish her for lying to me.
 Turns out that all I was doing was punishing myself, because as I did
those things, I was ruining the only good thing I have in my life. The only
thing that makes me think I can change my life.
My lifeline.
My redemption.
“Cole?” Hadley breathes, and my entire body tenses. It’s not the first
time she’s tried to talk to me since we stared at that screen and were forced
to look at the evidence for what I was refusing to accept.
I killed our baby.
Hadley was nurturing it, loving it and protecting it, and I ruined
everything.
“Don’t. I can’t.”
“I hate seeing you like this,” she whispers. “Stop blaming yourself. This
is no one’s fault. You heard the nurse, one in five pregnancies end like this.
It’s just one of those things.” Her voice cracks at the end, making pain shoot
through my heart as if someone’s just shot me.
“Stop,” I snap. “Just fucking stop.” I hate that she knows exactly how
I’m feeling without me having to say anything to her.
“Cole, we need to—”
“No,” I bellow. “We don’t need to do fucking anything. It’s done. It’s
ruined. It’s fucking dead.”
Finally, as the traffic slows to a stop, I turn to look at her.
Her eyes are red-rimmed from crying, and they only fill with more tears
as she looks at me. “W-what are you saying, exactly?”
I blow out a breath, trying to figure out what I need to say, what I
should be thinking right now, but I can’t get a grasp on anything. All I feel
is pain, grief, despair.
“I’m taking you back to the dorms.”
“What?”
“I… I just can’t right now.”
“Cole, please,” her voice quivers, “I need you.”
“Yeah, well. I don’t need you. Call Remi or something.” Her gasp of
shock rings throughout the car, but I refuse to take the words back.
All of this, everything Hadley has been through over the past few
weeks, is all my fault. It’s finally time I do the right thing.
The tension in the car is unbearable by the time I pull up at the front of
her building.
 “Please don’t do this, Cole. Just come up. We don’t have to talk, I just
need—”
“I don’t give a shit what you need. Just go.”
My grip tightens on the wheel, my knuckles turning white. I focus on
them instead of Hadley’s shaky breathing as she tries to decide what to do.
She wants to push me, I know she does. But equally, she knows me
better than anyone and she knows I’m not going to bend right now, no
matter how much she might beg me.
“Okay,” she finally whispers. “You know…” she trails off, clearly
changing her mind about what she feels she needs to say to me. Instead,
when she speaks again, her voice is harder, like she’s found some strength.
“Thank you. For everything.”
Without another word, she pushes the door open, grabs her bag from the
trunk and walks into her building without so much as a glance back in my
direction.
“FUUUUUCK,” I shout the second she’s out of my sight, my palm
raining fury down on the wheel before me.
My head falls back against the headrest as I scream out my frustration.
Movement at the building's stairwell window catches my eye. Knowing
she’s watching me, I throw the car into drive and speed away from her. My
heart shatters even more the farther I get.
I abandon the car in front of James’ house. I don’t even remember if I
kill the engine, I just step out and walk away.
Forgoing the house, I make the pool house my first port of call, hoping
that Remi is going to be inside.
Ripping the door open, I find the living area empty. Not thinking, I
march straight to the bedroom and fling the door wide open. “Fuck,” I bark,
finding my brother’s naked ass staring right at me.
“Fucking hell, Cole,” he snaps, scrambling to cover the two of them. It’s
not necessary, my vision is blurry and dark. I’m barely seeing anything
right now.
“Remi, you need to go to Hadley. Now.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” she asks, sitting up so she can see me over
Ace’s shoulder. “Shit,” she gasps when her eyes land on me.
“She needs you. You need to…” I trail off, my voice cracking, knowing
that I can’t be the one to comfort her right now, or ever.
 Spinning on my heel, I march out of their love shack as fast as I entered,
only this time it’s to the sound of their voices as they call out to me to wait.
I have no intention of talking to anyone right now. I just need it all to
disappear. I need all the pain, and grief, and the fucking ache in my chest to
leave.
I blow through the house, ignoring Ellen as she tries to find out if I had
a good weekend.
No. No, I didn’t have a good fucking weekend.
The only thing I stop for is James’ liquor cabinet. It’s fully stocked, as
always. The stupid cunt keeps filling it up despite the fact that I empty it on
almost a weekly basis. Any decent parent would clear this house out,
knowing just how dependent I’m becoming on the shit.
With an armful of whatever I can carry, I head for my room. That little
packet of pills I thought of yesterday are calling to me.
They are exactly what I need.
They’ll quiet the voices in my head.
They’ll make me forget.
They’ll make everything easy. Make everything go away.
And if I’m lucky, none of it will ever come back.
The contents of my drawer hit the floor, and I smile as I pull the baggie
from the back.
My perfect poison.
They've been sitting there, waiting for me to need them. My last stash
from the Heights. I can only hope that they’re as good as they were sold to
me.
Twisting the cap off the first bottle, I fall down onto my bed. After
chugging down half the contents without so much as feeling it, I tip the pills
into the palm of my hand. “To oblivion,” I announce to no one as I lift the
lot to my mouth and swallow them down with the remainder of the first
bottle.
My stomach swirls as it tries to cope with the sudden barrage of alcohol,
but after a few minutes, it starts to take effect and I reach for the second.
Everything I touch turns to hell. I ruin everything, taint lives, take lives,
hurt those I love.
It’s time for the torture to end.
It’s not until the third or fourth bottle that everything starts to get hazy,
but finally, it comes.
 The crash of the bottle as it falls from my hand and lands on the floor
feels like it’s a million miles away as I float into nothingness.
A place where pain, death, and ruined lives doesn’t exist.
A place where I don’t need to worry what I’m about to fuck up next.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Hadley

“H adley, thank God.” Remi rushes into the room and I close the door
behind her. “What happened?”
“It’s gone...” I whisper, sliding a hand to my throat. The
words are painful to say, but nothing compares to the pain of the loss I feel.
“Oh my God,” she breathes. “I’m so, so sorry. Tell me what you need.”
“I just want to sleep.” But I can’t. Every time I close my eyes, I see
Cole’s soulless gaze, I hear the devastation in his voice.
“Come on, lie down. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thank you.” I go to the bed and lie down. Remi lies beside me, letting
silence envelop us. “Do you want to talk about it?” She eventually breaks
the thick silence.
“There’s nothing to say. It wasn’t meant to be. Cole?” I ask, changing
the subject because I’m not ready to talk about it. “He told you to come?”
“Yeah, he was—”
“Broken, he’s broken. And it’s all my fault.”
“No,” she grabs my hand, “you just said it yourself, it wasn’t meant to
be.”
“He won’t come back from this.” I whisper the words, knowing that if I
give them meaning they’ll be real, and my heart isn’t ready to accept what
my head already knows.
 Our baby wasn’t the only thing I lost today.
“He will. He just needs time.”
“You didn’t see him, Remi. It’s not like before when Donny...” I trail
off, not wanting to go there. “I thought that was bad, but this... this will
push him right over the edge.”
“Don’t say that. He’ll be okay.”
“He won’t.” Tears trickle down my face. “He thinks this was all his
fault.”
“W-what?” She looks at me and I turn onto my side, careful not to move
my legs too quickly.
“There’s some stuff… stuff I need to tell you.” My eyes shutter, but
when they open again, Remi is staring back at me with nothing but love and
understanding.
“Whatever it is, I’m here.”
“My parents sent me here because I fell in love with the wrong boy. His
name was Tim.”
“Go on...” she encourages.
“Where I come from... it isn’t like here. Gravestone County is steeped in
history and tradition. Tim was set to marry another girl.”
“Marry?” Her brows draw together.
“It’s a long story, but let’s just say that in a place like Gravestone, your
destiny is decided long before you’re born.”
“And what about you?”
“I was to be promised to someone else. My father hadn’t brokered the
arrangement yet.” I was too young. But I hadn’t been too young to fall in
love with Tim.
“We had sex. It was our first time, and I got pregnant.”
“Oh my God.” Remi pales. “What happened?”
“I tried to make my parents understand how we felt about each other.
But they were having none of it. A teenage pregnancy would bring shame
to our family. Not to mention the fact that we’d jeopardized Tim’s future.
He was a freshman in college, and I was a sophomore in high school.”
“A sophomore?” Confusion clouds her eyes. “But you started here as a
sophomore.”
I nod slowly, hating the guilt that snakes through me. “I stayed back a
year.”
“Wow, okay... wow. And how did I not know this again?”
 “Because I didn’t want anyone to know. It would have only led to
questions I didn’t have answers for.”
She gives me a sympathetic smile. “What happened to the baby, Hads?”
“They... they made me get rid of it.”
Remi gasps, but it doesn’t compete with the pain lashing at my insides.
“They made me kill my baby, and then they sent me here.” I say the
words, but it’s like it isn’t me. Because no one can survive this twice... the
world isn’t that cruel and unfair. Is it?
“And Tim?”
“They forbade me from seeing him again. My parents kept me under
house arrest until they sent me here.”
I realize how fucked up it sounds—because it is fucked up. But it was
my life. The nightmare I have to carry with me always.
“You must be... I don’t even have words.”
“I’m okay. I’ll be okay.” I have to be. Because I realize now that I don’t
want any ties to them. From here on out, I’m no longer their daughter.
Consequences be damned.
“As soon as we graduate,” I say, “I’m going to leave.”
“L-leave? But where will you go?”
“Somewhere far away from here.”
“He needs you, Hads. He isn’t thinking straight right now, but once the
dust settles, Cole will come around.”
“I let him hurt me, Remi.”
“What?” She pales.
“The way we are together... intimately. It’s not normal.”
“We all like rough sex every now and again, there’s nothing wrong—”
“Not like this. This is different.” I gently pull down my tank top to
reveal Cole’s brand.
“What the fuck is that? Is that a .... no, he wouldn’t.”
“He did. It was punishment. Tim’s been texting me, says he wants to
talk. After two years, he wants to talk.” I laugh bitterly, my insides twisting
violently. I feel empty, hollow. Completely numb. “Cole found out.”
“Holy shit, Hadley, that’s intense.”
“He’s not like normal people, Remi. There’s this darkness that lives
inside him. I think something happened to him when he was younger.”
She considers my words for a minute and then lets out a soft sigh. “I
didn’t want to believe it... but I think you’re right.” The truth echoes around
us and then she says, “So Cole got rough and thinks he had something to do
with you losing the baby?”
I nod again, because I can’t talk over the deluge of tears.
“Oh, Hads. Come here.” She shuffles closer, wrapping her arm around
me, and lets me cry.
I cry until there are no tears left, and my eyes are sore and my body is
exhausted.
“Sleep,” Remi soothes. “I’ll be right here.”
My eyelids grow heavy as I finally let go of the last few hours. I let it all
drift away until there’s nothing left but me and a dark abyss.
And maybe that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Conner

M y cell ringing cuts through the music blasting in my ears. Ripping

my eyes from my English Lit assignment, I turn to look.
My brows pinch when I see Remi’s smiling face looking back at
me.
“What’s up, Princess?” I ask the second the call connects.
“Conner,” she says in a rush, panic filling her voice. I sit forward,
sliding my laptop from my legs, ready for what she’s about to say. I already
know it’s nothing good.
“What’s wrong?”
“A-are you at home?”
“Yeah, why?” I swing my legs from the bed, ready to run to the pool
house for whatever has that fear in her voice.
“I-It’s Cole.”
“What?”
“Something’s happened with Hadley. Please can you go and check on
him.”
“Yeah, I’m going now.” I keep my cell to my ear as I race for the door. I
want to say everything is fine, but since the second I heard Remi’s voice,
dread settled in the pit of my stomach, telling me there’s something very
wrong with this situation.
 “Cole?” I shout, my fist raining down on his bedroom door. “Cole? You
in there?”
No answer.
“I’m coming in,” I warn, although I already know it’s not necessary. I’m
not about to catch him doing something he wouldn’t want me to see.
Twisting the handle, I push the door open. My heart hammers in my
chest as an empty discarded bottle of vodka comes into view, quickly
followed by another.
Lifting my eyes, I find his hand hanging limply over the side of the bed.
“Fuck. Cole,” I cry, flying into the room.
My cell slides from my hand, but I don’t feel or or hear it as it hits the
floor. Remi is still on the line and I know she’s going to be saying
something, but I don’t hear anything but the blood rushing past my ears as
sheer panic and fear engulfs me.
“Cole, COLE!” I scream, dropping to my knees beside him.
He’s white as a sheet, but when I touch him, his skin is still warm.
“What the fuck have you done?” I bark at him, although I already know
I’m not going to get a response.
Glancing around the bed, I find more empty bottles before my eyes land
on a baggie. My teeth grind.
He promised. He fucking promised me that he was done with this shit.
In the bottom are two little pills, but I fear there were a hell of a lot
more when he got his hands on it.
“Cole, wake up. Please, just fucking WAKE UP!” I shake him, hoping
this is a really bad nightmare and he’s just wasted. But I know he’s not. I
feel it in my gut.
“HELP,” I bellow into the silent house. “Help me.” I’ve no idea if
anyone is in or if anyone can hear. Pressing my fingers to his neck, I try to
find a pulse.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I chant when I don’t find one straight away, but after
taking a calming breath and trying again, I find a faint trace of one.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? You selfish fucking cunt.”
“Conner, Conner, Conner?” Remi’s voice finally breaks through my
haze.
To start with, I look around, thinking that she’s here, but then I
remember my headphones.
“He’s… he’s taken something. He’s out cold. I need… I need to call…”
 “Fuck. Call an ambulance right now. We’ll meet you at the hospital.”
She hangs up and I look around for my cell to make the call that could
save my brother’s life. But before I remember where the fuck it’s gone,
footsteps pound up the stairs.
James comes flying through the door. “What’s… fuck.” His eyes widen
at the sight of Cole before he pulls his cell from his pocket and makes the
call I failed to.
“They’re on their way. What’s he taken?”
I lift the baggie up for him, and after inspecting the contents, he pockets
it.
“Come on, let’s get him downstairs so they can get to him quicker.”
James scoops Cole up into his arms as if he weighs nothing, which we
both know isn’t true. He’s got at least twenty pounds on me, and I’m not
exactly small.
I stare at the two of them as James moves for the door, and although this
situation is fucked up beyond belief, a little part of my heart slots back into
place, seeing James step up to be the father the three of us need.
We might like to think we’re tough, all too happy to take on the world,
but the truth is, we need someone. We’ve been taking care of ourselves for
too long… Ace has been taking care of us for too long.
Ace? Where the fuck is Ace?
I follow them out of the room, almost standing on my cell as we leave.
Locating his number, I hit call, but he doesn’t answer. “I’m going to find
Ace,” I shout at James as I take off in the other direction.
My body screams at me to stay beside Cole—he needs me, but he needs
all of us.
We’re a fucking team. We do the hard shit together.
I crash through the pool house door, making Ace look up from whatever
he’s reading. “Con?”
“It’s Cole.”
“Shit.” He’s off the couch in a beat and following me out of the door.
By the time we approach where James is waiting with Cole still in his
arms, the sirens of the ambulance are getting closer.
“Let’s get him outside,” Ace says, helping James take Cole’s weight.
As they step out the front door, the ambulance comes to a halt and two
paramedics jump from the front.
 I watch in a daze as they get Cole in the back and start working.
Everything aside from what they’re doing ceases to exist. Everything blurs
around me, and all I can feel is the racing beat of my heart.
What happens if he doesn't make it? What am I meant to do then?
The realization of how serious this could be slams into me like a
fucking truck, and I stumble back. My feet hit the steps leading to the house
and I fall down on my ass, not even feeling the pain I’m sure followed.
Tears burn my eyes as I continue to watch the EMT’s work. They check
his vitals, do all the things I’m sure they need to do, but he doesn’t move.
He doesn’t do anything but lie there completely helpless as I feel a part of
me slipping away.
Why didn’t I know something was wrong? I’m meant to feel these
things. We’re meant to be connected or some shit. I didn’t even know he
was home.
I was too distracted, my music was too loud. I was… “FUUUUCK!” I
roar, the tears I’ve managed to hold so far falling as I finally allow myself
to break.
I can’t lose him. I can’t fucking lose him.
“Conner, it’s going to be okay, Son. I’ve got the best medical team in
the state waiting on him. Everything is going to be fine,” James says,
pulling me into his arms and holding me tight.
It’s the weirdest feeling. No one has held me like this in… fuck, I don’t
even know how long, but it’s been a lot of fucking years.
Unable to hold it together even a little bit, I sob into his chest.
“Come on, we need to go. He’s going to need us there when he wakes
up,” Ace says, sounding way too put together. Although when I pull myself
from James and take in the harrowed look on his face, I know it’s all a
front.
He’s crumbling as fast as I am.
He wraps his arms around my shoulder, and the two of us follow James
toward the car.
“Wait, one of us needs to go with him. He can’t be a-alone.”
“I’ll go,” James states, leaving little room for argument.
I want to tell him no, that it’s not his place. It should be one of us. But
as he looks between the two of us, all my fight falls away.
He looks devastated, and right now, he just needs to be the father he
should have been all this time.
 I nod. “Go. Tell him we’re right behind him.”
“I will.”
“Give me your keys,” Ace demands, taking them from me when I pull
them from my pocket, never more grateful for the fact I’ve got a decent car
to drive and don’t have to worry about the thing starting.
Ace immediately goes for the driver’s side. I don’t even bother trying to
argue. I don’t have it in me.
The silence is heavy as we make our way out of the drive until Ace’s
deep, grief-stricken voice fills the space around me.
“What happened?”
“I… uh… I don’t know. Remi called me. Said something had happened
with Hadley and that I needed to check on Cole. That’s how I found him.”
“Fuck,” he barks, stuffing his hand into his pocket and pulling his cell
out. “Fuck,” he roars. Glancing over, I see his screen filled with missed
calls. “Fuck, it was on silent.”
He finds her name and immediately hits dial.
The call connects through the car, and Remi’s fearful voice rings out
loud and clear.
“Ace?”
“We’re on our way to the hospital.”
“Oh my God,” she whimpers.
“Is… is he?”
“He’ll be fine,” Ace states like he has all the answers, which of course
he doesn’t.
“We’re on our way too. Ten minutes out.”
“We’ll see you soon.”
His thumb hovers over the end call button, but he changes his mind at
the last minute. “Princess?”
“Yeah.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Ace. Now hurry.”
On any other day, their declaration of love would bring on a wave of
jealousy that I feel like I’m constantly battling with when I see my brother’s
happy with their girls. But right now, I barely even register their words.
“I should have gone and checked on him. Fuck. I just thought…”
“I know, Ace,” I say, knowing full well that when Cole is in that kind of
mood the best thing to do is just give him space. He never could have
predicted this.
Neither of us say anything else as Ace runs light after light, getting us to
the hospital in record time.
The second we pull up, I spot Remi and Hadley hovering by the main
entrance, waiting for us.
He kills the engine and we both run.
He scoops Remi up in his arms seconds before I do the same to a
terrified looking Hadley.
I feel better the second she’s in my arms. She might be Cole’s girl, but
there’s something about her that touches a part of me too. She’s really
something special, this one.
“He’s going to be okay, baby.”
She stills at my words and pulls her tear-stained face from my shoulder.
“I was… I was p-pregnant.” My eyes widen in shock, her words taking
a few seconds to register.
“Was?”
“I-I lost it. Just one of those things. But he thinks… fuck.” Her
expression falls. “He thinks it’s his fault.”
“When did this happen?”
“This morning in Colton. I’ve never seen him like that, Con. He was…
he just… he totally lost it.”
“It’ll be okay,” I repeat, pulling her back into my arms. “I’m so sorry,
Hadley. I’m so fucking sorry.”

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Hadley

I t’s been hours. The five of us—James, Remi, Ace, Conner and I—
haven’t left the family waiting room, desperately awaiting news from
the doctors working on Cole.
All Conner managed to tell me was that Cole was unresponsive when
they brought him in.
I’ve been through some horrific things in the last few years, but nothing
has come close to how I felt hearing the words.
Cole OD’d.
He took a lethal concoction of pills and liquor...
He wanted to die.
I can’t comprehend that. No matter how dark my life has gotten, I have
never wanted to end it all.
I guess we’re not all the same, after all.
Conner clutches my hand in his. He’s been my rock, holding me
together while I broke for the boy who will always own a part of my heart
—even if he no longer wants it.
Ace has barely said one word the entire time we’ve been here. I know
he blames himself. He’s Cole’s big brother, the person who raised him. He
feels a deep sense of responsibility toward his brothers. Remi is nestled into
his side, whispering words of reassurance and love into his ear.
 Unlike the four of us who are glued to the uncomfortable plastic chairs,
James hasn’t stopped pacing. He’s the epitome of calm and collected. I’ve
only ever seen one other person handle a crisis with such composure and
confidence.
My father.
Only, James does it out of love. He has the best doctors in there working
on Cole and has insisted on complete discretion. Unless the Jaggers want
someone outside of the five of us to find out about this, they won’t.
He’s protecting Cole’s future—
God, what if he doesn’t make it?
I force the thoughts down. He will. He has to. Because a world without
Cole Jagger is a world I don’t want to be in.
I struggle to withhold the tears threatening to fall, a strangled whimper
escaping my lips.
“Shh, Hads,” Conner soothes, slipping his arm around me. “He’ll be
okay. Cole will come through this.”
I want to believe him, but after everything we’ve been through, I’m not
sure I can.
“He was so broken, Conner,” I whisper. We’re sitting away from Ace
and Remi.
“He called me, you know?” he says, glancing down at me. “When you
guys had the fight, he called me asking for advice.”
“H-he did?”
“That’s how much he loves you, Hadley. Cole doesn’t ask anyone for
advice, let alone me.”
“It’s not enough.”
“Hey, don’t talk like that. Cole will survive this, and the two of you will
work it out. He’s got too much to lose.”
He’d already lost so much, though. Cole isn’t like Conner. He doesn’t
cling to everything good in the world. He drowns in the darkness.
I snuggle into Conner’s side and try to settle myself. So long as the
doctors are in there, Cole has a shot.
But when I see a man in scrubs approaching us, the world begins to tilt.
Conner grips my arm tighter, his whole body tense.
“Cole Jagger’s family?” he asks and James nods, raking a hand through
his salt-and-pepper hair.
“How is he?”
 “He’s stable. Given the number of pills he consumed, we had to pump
his stomach and start him on fluids to flush out his system. We’ve sedated
him so he’ll be out for a while. He’s a very lucky young man. If you hadn’t
found him so quickly, I’d be delivering some very different news right
now.”
“Thank you, doctor.” James holds out his hand, and the two of them
shake. “When can we see him?”
“He’s being transferred to a private room now, and then the nurse will
come and take you to him.”
James nods. “Thank you again, for everything.”
The doctor nods before leaving us.
“Thank fuck,” Ace breaths, hugging Remi tight.
“See, told ya, Hads,” Conner whispers against my hair. “He’s okay. He’s
going to be okay.”
Tears of relief slip down my face. Cole is alive... but I know he’s far
from okay.

I stay with Cole. After we all visited him, stood by his bedside, hardly able
to believe what he did, the others finally left.
Conner offered to stay, but I needed to be alone with him. I couldn’t
explain it, but going home without him was not an option.
James arranged it with the nurses. They wheeled in a cot for me to sleep
on, but sleep doesn’t come easily. I have been sitting here for the last hour,
holding Cole’s hand and crying silent tears for him. Us. The life we created
and lost.
We’re young, too young to raise a child. But it doesn’t stop the
emptiness. For those few hours in Colton, we’d imagined a better life for
ourselves. And we’d wanted it.
I’d wanted it.
“I need you, Cole,” I whisper to the silence. “Please...”
Despite the wires and tubes, he looks so peaceful. And a part of me
hopes he’s in a deep dream where no monsters can hurt him. Kissing his
hand, I gently tuck it back into his side and slump back on the cot.
 A tsunami of emotion rises inside me, threatening to pull me under.
Uncontrollable tears flood my eyes as my body wracks with despair.
I shouldn’t have let everyone leave. I thought I wanted to be alone, but
now, sitting here, I can’t stand the silence. The endless desperation.
My cell phone taunts me, and I reach for it just as the door creaks open.
“Conner,” I gasp.
“I couldn’t just leave you here alone.” He steps into the room, closing
the door quietly behind him. “It didn’t feel right.” His eyes are bloodshot,
and I know he’s been crying as well.
“I’m glad you came,” I sniffle.
He doesn’t say another word as he crosses the room and drops to his
knees in front of me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
I don’t know how long we sit there, holding each other, purging our
souls of all the confusion and grief and pain, but after a while, he holds me
at arm’s length, giving me a weak smile. “You should have called.”
“I was going to.”
“Good. I know you’re Cole’s, Hadley, but I will always be here for you.
No matter what.”
“T-thank you.” His admission sends a fresh wave of emotion crashing
over me.
“Come on, let’s try and get some sleep. You’re no good to my brother
exhausted.” He gets up and toes off his sneakers, shuffling behind me on
the cot and lying down.
I stare at the sliver of space beside him and he chuckles. “I don’t bite,
promise.”
Laying on my side, I lift my feet and let Conner cover us with the thin
blanket. I’m not sure sleep will find me, but I close my eyes anyway.
Conner’s right, we need to be strong for Cole, for what comes next, once he
wakes.
“Sleep, Little Dove,” Conner whispers and my eyes go wide.
He knows.
Conner knows what Cole calls me.
It should freak me out, but for some strange reason, it doesn’t. I love
Cole, part of me will always love Cole. But I also care about Conner. He’s
been there for me when his brother couldn’t be.
They’re twins, they share an unbreakable bond. So I guess it is only
natural I feel something for both of them.
 “Sleep,” he says again, as if he knows my thoughts are going haywire.
“This doesn’t mean anything, Hads... he’ll understand.”
“I know.”
And weirdly, I do.

When I wake, Conner is already up, sitting in the chair beside Cole’s bed.
“Morning,” he says.
“Morning.” I sit up and rake my fingers through my hair. “Anything?”
“Not yet. But the nurse came by and said his vitals are good.”
“She was here?”
“You were out for the count.”
My cheeks pink. “I didn’t mean—“
“Relax, Hads, you needed it. How do you feel?”
“Okay, I guess. I’ll feel better when he wakes up.” I ignore the pit in my
stomach.
“I got coffee.” Conner flicks his head to the table.
“Thanks.” I reach for it and take a sip. It’s only tepid, but it’s better than
nothing. “Did you get any sleep?”
He shrugs. “A little. I just kept thinking about finding him...” Conner
inhales a sharp breath, and a violent shudder rips through me.
“He’s going to be okay,” I say.
“Yeah. But I’m still going to kick his ass when he’s healthy.” He
chuckles softly, and some of the tension in the room melts away. “James
and Ace want to come by soon. Are you going to be okay if I go home and
get a shower? I need to wash eau de hospital off me.”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
Conner stands. “I’ll be back later, okay?”
I nod. “Thank you. For last night.”
“Anytime.” He smiles. “If he wakes up while I’m gone, I give you
permission to smack him upside the head.” Conner winks before ducking
out of the room.
After using the small bathroom to pee and finger-brush my teeth with
some cold water, I take up position in the chair next to Cole’s bed.
 He still looks peaceful, the gentle rise and fall of his chest a reassuring
reminder that he’s okay, even if he’s still out cold.
I take his hand in mine, smoothing my thumb over his skin. “I wish I
knew how to fix you,” I murmur, swallowing the lump in my throat.
His hand twitches and I sit bolt upright. “Cole?” I gasp.
His fingers flex again as his eyes begin to flutter open.
“Oh my God,” I breathe, relief like I’ve never known slamming into me.
“H-Hadley?” he croaks, barely lucid.
“I’m here, I’m right here.” Happy tears burn the backs of my eyes.
“W-what happened?”
The nurse had warned us that when he woke he might be disoriented.
But the thought he might not remember, that he might have to relive all the
pain again, guts me.
“You’re in the hospital.” I lean forward and gently brush the hair from
his eyes. “I’m so happy you’re okay.”
“I feel... fuck...” His voice is rough.
“Shh, I’ll get the nurse. Wait here.” I go to get up, but his fingers tighten
around mine. Glancing down, our eyes lock, and I know.
I know from the agony in his gaze that he remembers.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Cole

E verything feels… weird as my body emerges from what feels like the
deepest sleep of my life, and that’s saying something because I hardly
ever sleep properly, unless I’m off my face on liquor and drugs.
My body is heavy, like my limbs are melded into a mattress that also
doesn't feel like my own.
The only things that are familiar are the voices and the warm hand in
mine. She’s here, wherever here is. My little dove. My saving grace. The
only little bit of light in all my darkness.
Hearing her tell me that I’m in the hospital and that I’m going to be
okay is the strangest thing.
I have no memory of… anything, actually. Everything is hazy. It’s like
it’s right there, almost within grasp but just out of touch.
Why am I here? Why wouldn’t I have been okay?
Confusion swirls around my fuzzy brain, and I fight to try to reclaim
some memories. Needing more than the darkness surrounding me, I put
every bit of energy I can find into opening my eyes.
The second I find her concerned green eyes staring back at me,
everything I’ve been trying to remember slams into me like a truck.
Colton.
Tim.
 My knife.
The blood.
More blood.
The hospital.
Our baby.
A whimper rips from my throat as I remember the doctor telling us that
he was sorry but our baby was gone.
I killed it.
Just like I kill everything good in my life.
Then I remember the bottles. The pills. The need for the darkness.
Fuck. I did this.
I put myself here.
Ripping my hand from Hadley’s, I go to lift it to my face, but something
stops me. Looking down, I find an IV disappearing into my skin.
My fingers twitch to pull it out, to rip it from my body and to storm out
of this place, but then Hadley places her hand on my shoulder, and I make
the mistake of looking into her exhausted and haunted eyes. All my fight
leaves me.
My lips part to say something, but what the hell do I say after
everything I’ve put her through?
I walked away from her because it was the best thing I could do for her,
yet here she is by my side, insisting on supporting me.
“Ah, look at you,” a strange voice says, dragging my eyes from Hadley.
I find a plump nurse walking toward me with the biggest smile on her face.
If It’s meant to be contagious then it doesn't work on me, because smiling is
the last thing I want to do right now. “I just knew you’d have gorgeous eyes
when you finally opened them.” She hesitates as if she’s waiting for a
reaction, but when she doesn’t get it, she reaches down for a clipboard and
starts reading.
“When can I leave?” I bark.
The nurse startles at my cold voice but schools her features by the time
she turns to look at me. “The doctor will do his rounds in a few hours,
sweetie. He’ll be able to give you a better idea.”
“I want to leave now.”
“N-now?” she asks, like it’s the most absurd thing she’s ever heard.
“Yes. Now.”
“Cole, please, don’t do this,” Hadley begs, but I refuse to look at her.
 “I’m fine. Clearly I fucked up something else, seeing as I’m still here.”
Both the nurse and Hadley gasp at my words.
“Cole, please. Just do what you’re told for once and stay put.”
My teeth grind as her words rattle around my head. There’s a huge part
of me that wants to do everything she tells me, she’s that important to me,
but there’s still a nagging part that wants to get the hell out of here.
“I need you to stay here, just for a little bit. I need to know you’re
okay.”
Glancing at her pleading eyes, my jaw pops with frustration. With a
sigh, I fall back on the bed and let the nurse do what she needs to do.
“All your vitals are looking good. You were very, very luc—”
“Don’t,” I bark. “Don’t tell me that I was fucking lucky. If I were that,
then I wouldn’t have found myself here in the first place, would I?”
The nurse pales before rushing out, probably about to demand that
someone else deals with the psycho in whatever room I’m in.
I see Hadley’s lips part out of the corner of my eye, and I know that
she’s about to rip me a new one.
“I need a drink,” I tell her, cutting her off before she even starts.
If she were anyone else, she’d refuse to do anything for me right now,
but that’s not who she is. The second I ask, she jumps up and grabs me a
cup of water with a straw.
The moment she places it to my lips, I greedily swallow down the lot.
My throat fucking kills, my stomach too. Everything, actually.
I have so many questions. I might remember the alcohol and the little
packet of pills in the back of my drawer, but how did I end up here? Who
found me? How close was I to succeeding?
Did I really want to die? That question is the loudest as I try to get my
head around my impulsive decision to fill my body with that much poison.
Hadley’s stare drills into me after she places the empty cup back down.
She doesn’t offer me anything else, and I can’t say I’m surprised. I don’t
really want to be nice to me right now, so she sure has no reason to.
I’m shocked she’s even here after the way I treated her. After what she’s
already been through.
“You can leave, you know. I don’t expect you to be my nurse or
anything.” I keep my eyes closed as I say the words, but that doesn’t mean I
miss her gasp.
 “You really are fucking clueless, you know that?” she snaps, but I don’t
have it in me to reply. Instead, I allow the darkness to consume me once
more.

When I come back to, however long later, I wonder if the whole thing was
just a really bad nightmare, but then I hear voices, their words flowing
through me, and I know it was very much real.
“What was he like, when he woke?” Remi asks.
Hadley blows out a breath. “A prick.”
“He should be groveling at our fucking feet after putting us all through
that,” Ace mutters, the anger in his voice clear.
I clench my fists, but unlike last time, there’s no hand in mine, no
support from the girl I know is sitting beside me.
Why didn’t she leave? I gave her permission to.
Dragging my eyes open once more, the electric light from above burns
into them and makes me wince.
“Cole, you’re awake,” Remi says, pushing to a stand and racing over.
Her eyes are soft and full of tears as she takes my hand in hers.
My muscles tense, my need to pull away from her strong, but I know I
need to suck it up. I’ll only be here a short time and then I can lock myself
away in my room, away from all their attention and sympathetic, concerned
eyes.
Ace comes to stand beside her, his arm wrapping around her waist, but
he makes no move to comfort me.
His cold, angry eyes find mine. He might be holding it together, but I
see the storm brewing inside. “If you weren’t in the hospital right now, I’d
have a go at trying to kill you myself,” he growls.
“Ace,” Remi gasps, placing her hand on his chest. “Take it easy, he’s
been through hell.”
“I’ll show him fucking hell,” he mutters to himself before falling back
down on the chair and refusing to look at me.
The tension in the room grows thick, to the point that I’m on the verge
of kicking them all out, when the door opens once more and Conner walks
in.
 Our eyes hold, an understanding passing between the two of us.
“Could you… uh… give us a few?” he asks the others. Ace and Remi
get up almost instantly, but Hadley is a little less keen to leave my side. “It’s
okay, Hadley baby. We just need to talk.”
I keep my eyes on my brother as she finds her sneakers and walks up to
him.
Conner’s arms instantly wrap around her before he whispers something
in her ear.
Jealousy swirls around in my gut as I watch the two of them together.
She’d be so much better off with Conner. He’d treat her right, make her
laugh. Do all the normal things that boyfriends do. He certainly wouldn’t
carve his initial into her chest and fuck her so hard she miscarries their
child.
The darkness that landed me here in the first place descends over me. I
try to fight it, but it’s getting harder and harder to keep at bay.
Conner kisses Hadley’s head, and my fists clench around the sheets
beneath me, desperate to rip his hands from her.
It’s my fault things are so familiar between the two of them. Hell, she
kissed him first. Maybe she should have been his all along.
Eventually she follows Ace and Remi from the room, leaving the two of
us and a fuck load of tension.
“You want her,” I state.
“Cole,” he breathes, shaking his head and coming to sit beside me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“T-tell you w-what?” I stutter, really hoping he’s not about to bring up
the one thing I really don’t want to talk about.
“That Hadley was pregnant.”
All the air whooshes from my lungs as I stare down at the IV in my
hand. “What good would it have done?”
“I don’t know. Just… got it off your chest. I know you’re hurting, Cole.
But what happened, it’s really not your fault. Hadley doesn’t blame you, so
you need to find a way to—”
“Did she tell you what I did to her?”
“She didn’t tell me, but…” He hesitates, and it makes me look over at
him.
He’s pale, really fucking pale, and it makes me wonder what the hell
he’s about to admit.
 “I saw… fuck,” he barks, standing and pacing the small room. “We both
slept in here last night… on there.” He nods to the cot that’s been pushed
against the wall. “That wound on her chest… tell me you didn’t…”
“You saw her naked while I was lying here, half dead?” I fume.
“What? No, of course not. She was wearing a tank, and when she turned
over… that’s not the point. It was a C, wasn’t it? And you put it there.”
If I could disappear into the mattress then I would, but while I’m
attached to machines, I can’t exactly hide from this.
“Yes, okay.” My jaw clenches, “I did. Things got… out of hand. I told
you that on the phone.”
“I thought you had an argument, Cole. Not that you carved her up like a
fucking butcher.”
“I… shit. I lost control. I found out she’d been texting her ex and things
just…”
“Got out of control. Yeah, I fucking got that. You need some fucking
help, bro. All this anger, this hate. I don’t fucking get it.”
“Why would you? You weren’t there. Neither of you were.”
“What do you mean?”
My heart begins to race, and my palms sweat. Why the fuck did I say
that?
Blowing out a breath, I look away from Conner’s probing eyes. “What
do you think happened while you and Ace were at school all day?”
“Uh… you hung out at home, slept, watched TV. I don’t know. I never
really thought about it.”
“Exactly. You never really thought about it. You have no fucking clue
what it was like for me while the two of you goofed off and enjoyed school
life. No fucking idea.”
“So tell me. Make me understand.”
My chest heaves as I fight to drag in the air I need. The room begins to
grow hazy, and my head starts to ache.
I blink, once, twice, then the third time I swear I drift off.
“I need you to leave,” I manage to force out before the darkness returns.
“I need all of you to leave. Especially her.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Hadley

“W hat do you mean, he doesn’t want to see me?” I can barely get
the words out.
“I’m sorry,” Conner says, reaching for me, but I dodge his
advances.
“He doesn’t know what he wants. I’m going.” I try to move around him,
but Conner tackles me, hugging me close to his body. “He was pretty clear,
Hads. He doesn’t want to see any of us.”
“B-but—” A garbled sob spills from my lips, but it isn’t hurt I feel, it’s
frustration.
I knew... just knew Cole would do this.
My cell vibrates, and I pull it out of my pocket.
“Who is it?” Conner leans over, but I can’t respond. Tim’s name taunts
me, sending chills down my spine.
“Is that him?”
“I’m done. I’m so fucking done.” My fingers claw at the back cover of
my cell, tearing it off. I rip out the battery and then the SIM card.
“Whoa, Hads, what are you—”
I drop them on the floor and begin stamping. In my flats, it’s a futile
attempt, but I’m so angry I can hardly think straight.
“You could have just blocked him.”
 “It doesn’t matter. He’ll always find me.” It’s what people like Tim and
my father did. “I should have done this a long time ago.” I bend down and
retrieve the badly damaged components and stuff them in the nearest trash
can, along with my cell.
“Better?” Conner eyes me carefully.
“Much.” I nod. “Although I might need you to take me to buy a new
cell phone.”
“Come on,” he chuckles. “I know just the place.”

Two hours later, I’m the owner of a shiny new cell phone complete with a
brand new number my parents and Tim will never know.
It feels liberating. Scary, but liberating.
My father will cut me off after this, but I don’t care. I’m done still being
his puppet.
They banished me here with little thought to my feelings. Now, it’s my
turn to cut them off.
“You okay?” Conner asks, noticing my frown.
“Yeah.”
“Are you worried about what your dad will say?”
I let out a bitter laugh. “I have no one, Conner.”
“Not true,” he says as we sit eating a batch of Ellen’s cookies at the
breakfast counter in the Jagger house. “You have me and Ace and Remi,
and my stubbornly stupid brother. We’ve got you, Hadley, baby.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, stuffing another cookie into my mouth.
Putting my cell in the trash had felt amazing, but I’d been high on
adrenaline and anger. The reality was, though, that without my parent’s
money, I have nothing.
Dread snakes through me. What the hell am I going to do? I can’t rely
on getting a scholarship, and even if I do, I’ll still need money.
“I need a plan,” I say.
“A plan?”
“Yeah. It’s almost the holidays, and I still haven’t applied for college. I
was waiting to see if Co—” I stop myself. I’d been putting off applying
because I didn’t want to be the dutiful, docile daughter my parents expected
me to be. And then when Cole had mentioned Colton U, I had looked up
their admissions.
But now, I was adrift again.
Lost in a sea of uncertainty.
“What are your plans?” I ask Conner, realizing we’ve never once talked
about it.
In fact, we’ve never really just talked.
Guilt hits me. He’s been such a good friend to me and I’ve been... so
self-absorbed.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt out, and his brow furrows.
“You’re going to have to be a little more specific.” He grins.
“You’ve been a good friend to me, Conner. And I don’t even know what
your plans for after graduation are.”
“It’s no big deal.” Conner shrugs. “You’ve had a lot going on.”
“Yeah, but I should have—”
“We’re not doing this. I don’t give to receive.” A smirk tugs at his
mouth. “Besides, the pleasure of your company is reward enough.”
My cheeks pink, and I feel it again, the lingering connection between
us. It doesn’t burn as bright as what Cole and I share, but it is there.
“I know you’re his, Hadley,” he says, as if he can hear my thoughts
again.
“How do you do that?” I gawk at him, ignoring the insinuation behind
his words. “You always know what I’m thinking.”
“Your eyes give you away, every damn time.” He gives me a sad smile.
“Does it cross my mind that you could’ve been mine... sure it does. But you
and Cole share something I’m not sure I’ll ever understand. I know there’s
more to your story, Hads. I just wish he was...” Conner trails off, averting
his gaze.
“Yeah, me too.”
“You know, he said some things earlier. Things that maybe, deep down,
I always knew but didn’t want to believe.”
“About when he was younger?” I ask, my heart breaking all over again.
“Yeah.” Conner runs a hand down his face. “Fuck, what if... he should
hate us. We left him there, with our junkie mother and her revolving door of
deadbeat Johns.”
“It’s not your fault.”
 “Isn’t it?” Pain etches into every line of his face. “If something did
happen, and fuck, I think it did, then we left him there... we....”
“You were only kids, Conner.” I reach across the counter and cover his
hand with mine.
“I’m his twin. I should’ve known. But Cole was this sickly, quiet kid, I
just thought...” He blanches.
“You need to talk. All of you. When Cole is better and out of the
hospital, you need to sit down as a family and talk.”
“Yeah... you’re right. But what if he—”
The desperation in his voice makes my heart clench. “Cole loves you,
Conner,” I say. “But he’s in pain. It’s why he needs control.”
“I’ll fix this.” His jaw clenches, and I offer him a sad smile.
“I don’t think it works like that, Con. Cole doesn’t need you to fix
anything, he just needs you to be there when he’s ready to fix himself.”
Realization dawns in his eyes. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“Good.”
Because something tells me Cole is going to need all the help he can
get.
Whether he wants it or not.

The next day, I go back to school. I can’t sit in my dorm room dwelling on
everything, and I know I need to respect Cole’s wishes to stay away from
the hospital. No matter how much it hurts.
People stare as I move through the halls and sit in class, trying to focus
on anything but their curious gazes and incessant whispering. I don’t know
what James told Principal Vager, but I catch the words “accident” and
“recovering” in more than one hushed conversation.
At lunch, a couple of the girls from the squad try and ask me what
happened, but I murmur some incoherent response and hurry away. I’ll
never give up Cole’s secrets. Not to these people. People who are interested
in scandal and gossip. They don’t care about Cole and his brothers. All they
care about is what juicy story they can get their hands on next.
I’m heading to fourth period when Miss Jones collars me in the hall.
 “Hadley, my office,” she says with a neutral expression. My heart sinks
as I reluctantly follow her. If I don’t, she’ll only haul me in front of Vager,
and I can do without that.
The second I enter the room, my worst fear is confirmed.
“Your father would like to talk to you.” She motions to the phone on her
desk.
“I...”
“He’s concerned. We both are. Take the call, Hadley.” She gives me a
pointed look, one that tells me I’m not escaping her office without at least
hearing my father out.
“I’ll give you some privacy.”
“No,” I say. “You should stay.” She needs to hear this too.
Her brows knit together, but she stays, lingering by the door as I pick up
the receiver. “Father,” I say.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me, Hadley?” His tone reflects the
lack of emotion in mine.
“Actually, there is.” I inhale a deep breath. “I’m cutting myself free.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Father. I’m done. I absolve you of your parenthood.”
“Don’t be such a drama queen, young lady. This is ridiculous. Now tell
me why you’ve been ignoring my calls.”
“I’m done,” I repeat. “You made it perfectly clear that I was no longer a
part of your family when you made me murder my baby and banished me
here.” Pain threatens to overwhelm me as I dredge up all the emotion I’ve
kept locked away for so long.
Miss Jones sucks in a harsh breath, but I don’t meet her eyes. I can’t,
not yet. Not until I’ve got the rest of the words out.
“You broke me, Father. You turned me into a girl I barely recognize. A
girl with pain in her eyes and darkness in her heart. And I will never forgive
you for that. Ever. So I think it’s best we part ways now, before you hurt me
again.”
“Oh for goodness’ sake, Hadley, you were just a child. You had no right
thinking you could raise a baby. Besides, Tim couldn’t stand by you, you
know that. I made a choice any sane father would.”
“It was not your choice to make,” I shriek, shaking violently. “It was my
body, my baby. And you took it from me. But I will never allow you to take
anything else away from me. I. Am. Done.”
 “Are you forgetting who pays your tuition? Who will pay your college
tuition?” he seethes. “You need me, Hadley. Don’t bite the hand that feeds
you.”
My stomach knots, because I know he’s right. Without him, I have
nothing. But I’d rather have nothing than have everything at a price I’m
unwilling to pay for a second longer.
“I’ll figure it out. Goodbye, Father.” I hang up without waiting to hear
his reply.
Pressing my hands against Miss Jones’ desk, I drag in a ragged breath.
“H-Hadley?” she says, and I wince, forgetting for a second that she was
in the room with me.
Turning slowly, I meet her glossy eyes.
“Is it true?”
“Every word.”
“I had no idea. I mean, I knew you and Tim were... but your parents
didn’t tell me.”
“Of course they didn’t.” I let out a resigned sigh. “They didn’t want to
taint the family name.”
“You’ve carried this all by yourself?”
I nod, smothering a whimper. I can’t let it in. If I do, it will consume
me.
“I’m so sorry, Hadley. I thought I was doing the right thing, I thought I
was... helping. They were worried and I... I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Miss J.” It isn’t, not really. She didn’t know the
truth, and I didn’t tell her. She had aligned herself with my parents because
that’s what adults usually did. They sided with their own.
“Let me make it up to you.”
I frown.
“There are only five months left of senior year. I’m sure we can figure
something out. Maybe I can speak to James Jagger, too.”
“James?”
“He managed to get those boys of his into the school. I’m sure he could
work his magic again for you.”
“Oh no, I think you have things wrong.”
“So, you and Cole Jagger. You’re not... together?” A knowing glint
flashes in her eyes.
“I don’t know what we are right now.”
 “He seems like a very complicated boy.”
Understatement of the century.
“Have you forgotten you warning me to choose my friends more
wisely?” I can’t help but throw her words back at her.
“Maybe I was too quick to judge. Besides, it makes a lot of sense now.”
“What does?”
Miss Jones smiles warmly. “Lost souls usually find comfort among
other lost souls.”
I can’t help but smile back.
Because she’s right.
Before meeting Cole I was a lost soul. But then I was found.
He found me.
The real me.
And I don’t ever want to go back to being lost again.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Cole

I don’t expect it, but everyone listens to me.

After Conner closed the door behind himself, I don’t see anyone
else aside from the nurses and the doctor who insist on continuing to
check on me, despite the fact that I keep telling them that I am fine.
It’s the truth… almost.
My head is a fucking mess, but that’s nothing new, and my body… well,
a few days in bed will sort that out, I’m sure. All I want to do right now is
get the fuck out of here, but then I remember where I live and I wonder if
being here is actually the lesser of two evils.
Here, the staff can keep my visitors at bay. I can hide. But at home I get
none of that. If they all decide they want to talk to me, force me to admit
things that I’m not ready for, then I’m not going to be able to stop them.
“Hey, sweetie,” the plump nurse sings as she pokes her head into my
room. “You’re looking brighter.” She shuffles into the room and closes the
door behind her. “I’ve got some good news for you.”
I stare at her waiting for the inevitable.
“You’re being discharged later. But,” she adds, making me want to
groan, “you’ve got an appointment with an incredible counselor first.”
“For real?”
 “For real.” She winks. “Cole,” she sighs, taking a seat beside me, “you
tried to take your own life. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. You don’t seem
like the kind of guy who does that.” My brows rise. So maybe she has been
paying attention. “You clearly have things going on. Things that you need
to get off your chest. Faye is lovely, one of the best we have. I think you’re
going to really like her. Anything you tell her is confidential. Just… let it all
out.”
She checks me over before asking if I need anything and then leaving
me to my own company once again.
The thought of talking to someone about everything terrifies me, and as
much as I want to refuse and continue to bury my issues as if they don’t
exist, I know that’s not healthy.
I think of those I’ve banned from this room. My brothers, my… dad.
Hadley. They’d all want me to do this. They’d all beg me to do anything to
make this better.
But the question is, can I do it? Can I force out the words that I need to
expel past my lips and relive the horrors of the past?

It’s over five hours later when I finally get dressed and prepare to head
home. Although it’s the last thing I want to do after the session I had with
Faye earlier.
For the first half of our session, I refused to let anything out. I answered
her easy questions about me and how I ended up here, but when she started
digging into the darker roots of my issues, I clammed up. It was a habit.
Survival. But eventually she managed to begin scratching the surface.
I’m not ashamed to admit that when she left, I bawled like a baby. It
was either that or fuck the room up, and I really didn’t have the energy for
the latter. So when the first wave of emotion hit me, I allowed it to consume
me.
I sit on the edge of the bed, exhausted after getting dressed, and push
my feet into my boots. I have no idea if I came in fully dressed or if
someone brought all this stuff in with them, but either way I’m grateful not
to have to wear the hospital gown home.
 A knock sounds out around the room. I call out for whoever it is to
enter, but I don’t look over my shoulder, expecting it to be a nurse to tell me
that my ride is here.
They wanted to call James, but I refused and told them that they either
called me an Uber or I was walking. I think they knew as well as I did that
that was a lie. I’m not sure I’d make it out of the car park, let alone all the
way home.
“You ready to get out of here, Son?”
Motherfuckers.
“Why are you here?” I ask, still refusing to turn around.
“I’m here to take you home.”
“But I told—”
“I know what you told them, but that’s not happening. Come on, let me
help you.” He goes to wrap his hand around my upper arm to help me to my
feet, but I drag myself away from his touch.
“I don’t need your help,” I spit.
“Okay, fine.” He backs up, and I attempt to get to my feet. But my
knees don’t do all that good a job of holding me up, and I stumble a little.
“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” His hands once again hold onto me, but this
time I’m not stupid enough to refuse the help. “We should get you a
wheelchair. “
“No. I’m walking out of here.”
“Okay,” he concedes, probably knowing that it’s not an argument he’ll
win.
The walk out to James’ car is like the longest of my life. Every foot I
put in front of the other feels like the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
I’m totally wiped by the time I fall down into the backseat.
“Cole, it’s so good to see you up and about,” Jeeves says from the
driver’s seat. I nod at him but keep my mouth shut as I rest my head back.
I sense James join me, but as surprised as I am that he didn’t choose to
sit up front, I don’t turn to look at him.
The weight of what I just put everyone through presses down on me. I
didn’t mean to hurt any of them. I just wanted… no, I needed it to all go
away, just for a little bit.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“I know, Son. I know.” His hand squeezes mine. “Just rest. You’ve only
done half the journey so far.”
 I follow his instruction, slumping down in the seat a little and closing
my eyes.
The next thing I know, James’ hand is on my shoulder as he gently
shakes me awake.
“Cole, we’re home.”
I blink a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the sunlight before
glancing over at the house. I expect to find a welcome party waiting at the
door, and I’m almost disappointed when I don’t see anyone. It seems they
really did take my warning seriously.
I take two pathetic steps toward the house before James’ arm once again
wraps around my waist to help me.
“I think I’m going to be okay.”
“Okay. I’m right here.”
I nod at him but continue forward at the pace of a slow tortoise. The sun
has started to set by the time I push through my bedroom door.
I half expected to find the evidence of my little depressing party for one,
but all I find is a tidy bed with new sheets on it. It also smells fresh, nothing
like the sterile scent that’s filled my nose for the past few days.
“This is different,” I say, falling down onto the black and white sheets.
“I can’t take any credit. It was all Remi and… Hadley.” Sadness washes
through him as he says her name, but it’s nothing compared to the pain that
spears through my chest at hearing it.
Kicking off my boots, I rest back against the pillows and reach for the
bottle of water that has been left on the nightstand for me.
Part of me hopes James will make his excuses and leave, but he doesn’t.
Instead he drags the chair over and sits down beside me.
“I understand why you didn’t say anything. Trust me, I do. But I wish
you’d have told someone about what happened before you… took matters
into your own hands.”
I shrug. I don’t have an argument for what I did. Talking to someone in
that moment wouldn’t have helped.
“I’m really sorry, Cole. I know how hard it is to lose something like
that.”
My eyes meet his, the pain in them obvious.
“Things were never meant to turn out like this. I never wanted to hurt
the three of you the way I have. I wanted to be your father, I was desperate
to do right by your mother and be the man you needed. But it wasn’t that
simple.”
“Charlie,” I mutter, disgust filling my tone.
“Yeah. I did what I thought was best for you, I promise you. He was…
evil, although I don’t think I need to tell you that. I thought he was going to
hurt the four of you. No, I didn’t just think it, I was convinced. I had to
protect you all.”
“And what about when you thought you’d killed him?”
“Your mom refused to let me help. I was desperate to be the father I
thought I could be once Charlie was gone. But she wouldn’t have it. She
threatened to take you all away from me for good.
“Every single day I wish it played out differently. I think of all the
wrong decisions and moves I made. But it’s pointless, none of us can
change the past.”
“Don’t I fucking know it,” I mutter, looking away from him and to the
sunset outside the window.
“I’m here, you know. For whatever you need. If you want to talk, or just
need some company… Anything, Cole. I just want to do right by you.”
I nod at him. I might not have wanted to see it, but I’m starting to
believe that maybe he’s not all that bad after all.
“How did you know about Donny?” I ask. “How come you were there
before Ace and I got there?”
“I always knew you were involved with him. Ace too. I have contacts
that keep me informed about my boys. I’ve always known what the three of
you have been up to. But that night, Conner and Remi told me what was
going on before anyone else had a chance to give me a heads up.”
“Snitches.” I might have been angry if I’d learned this before now. But
like James said not so long ago, it’s in the past, and there’s nothing we can
do to change that. Donny is dead, and that part of my life is over.
“What did you think of Colton U?”
I push thoughts of how it ended up with us here and focus on the reason
I went in the first place. “Yeah, it was good. I think I could see myself
there.”
“They’re a great team. And the college is fantastic too.”
“I… I think I’m going to apply. See how it goes.”
A smile twitches at James’ lips. “Good for you, Son. I’m going to let
you get some sleep. But if you need me, just shout. I’m working from home
for the foreseeable future.” He squeezes my hand before pushing from the
chair and walking to the door.
“Thank you, D-Dad.” His entire body locks up at my final word.
“Anytime. Anything, Son. I’ve got your back, no matter what.” He
looks back over his shoulder and our eyes connect. Emotion clogs my throat
as I stare back at a pair so similar to mine. I haven’t wanted to accept it
before now, but maybe there are more similarities between us than I’ve let
myself see.
“Get some rest. I’ll get Ellen to make a decent dinner for you. I’ve got
my cell if you need me.”
I lie there staring at the ceiling, running the events of the last few days
over and over in my mind.
I fucked up, I know that. I fucked up over and over. No wonder
everyone did as I suggested and left.
My fingers slip inside my pocket and I pull my cell from it. It’s dead,
seeing as I had no power bank in the hospital. Rolling on my side, I plug it
in and wait for it to light up.
A few messages from the team come through, plus another from Chris
at Colton U asking if I enjoyed my weekend and if I had any questions. But
there’s nothing from my brothers, or, more importantly, Hadley.
Finding her contact, I hesitate with my thumb over the keys. What the
hell do I even say to her after everything?
Had I not had that session with Faye earlier where she allowed me to
openly talk about how I felt about mine and Hadley’s unhealthy
relationship, I might not be even considering doing this right now. But the
ache in my chest won’t abate, and I know it’s because of her.
In the end I go with something simple.

Cole: I’m sorry, Little Dove.

I hit send and wait. But the message doesn’t ever show as read.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Hadley

C ole doesn’t come back to school all week. It’s Friday, and tomorrow,
the team are playing their rivals, Sterling Heights in the regional
finals. Everyone is surprised they made it, since they never do. But
word is they want to go all the way this year.
And the Seahawks are missing their star running back.
I haven’t spoken to Cole, and despite Remi and Conner’s pleas for me
to visit him, I’ve yet to go.
Cole needs to heal. He needs to figure out what he wants and what he’s
willing to do to get it.
A piece of me will always love Cole, but I have to look to the future.
Now I’ve finally cut the ties with my parents and I’m free of Tim, I need to
decide what to do with my life.
Miss Jones came good on her word and arranged for me to work some
shifts at a coffee shop downtown. I met with the owner yesterday and she
told me to come in for a trial today, so after school’s out, I change into
something casual and start the twenty-five-minute walk into the Bay.
But when I reach the parking lot, I spot Conner standing there, leaning
against his shiny new car.
“This is a surprise,” I say, approaching him.
“I couldn’t let you walk to your first day.”
 “Conner, you didn’t have to—”
“Just get in the damn car, Hads.” He opens the door, waiting for me to
slide inside. It’s similar to Cole’s car but has different paintwork and a
lighter interior.
“How are you feeling?” Conner asks the second he climbs inside.
“It’s only serving coffee. I think I’ll survive.”
“Dove has jokes.” He smirks, but I avert my eyes “Shit, sorry. I didn’t
mean to—”
“It’s fine. How is he?”
“He’s... Cole. But he’s different, ya know? I think he’s finally realized
he needs some help. He’s seeing a counselor, so at least he has someone to
talk to.” I hear the pain in Conner’s voice.
“He’ll talk to you when he’s ready,” I say.
“Yeah, maybe. So tomorrow’s game—“
“I’m not going to the game, Con.”
“That’s not what I was going to ask you. Some of our old friends are
coming back to hang out after. I was hoping you might want to come?”
“At the house? Are you sure that’s a good idea, with Cole still
recovering?”
“Actually, he’ll be at the game.”
“He’s playing?” I gasp.
“No, silly. No way Coach Miller would allow it. But Cole wants to be
there to support the team, so we’re all going.”
A pang of dejection shoots through me. Not so long ago, I was one of
them. The Jagger brothers, Remi…and me. But now I’m back to being on
the periphery.
“That’ll be nice,” I say quietly.
“You could always come—”
“No, the four of you should go. Cole doesn’t want me around, and I get
it. I’m a trigger.”
“Hadley, that’s not—”
“It’s okay.” My lips curve into a sad smile. “Some things aren’t
supposed to be.”
“You really believe that?” Conner side-eyes me as he tries to find a
parking spot near the coffee shop.
“I’m tired, Conner. I’m tired of always being disappointed, of being
abandoned. I keep telling myself it’s not me, that’s it just life testing me.
But honestly, I don’t know how much more I can take. All I want to do is
get through the rest of senior year, graduate, and then get far away from
here.”
“You’re really doing it, huh? You’re going to apply to go to school out
of state?”
“I think so.”
I’d met with the guidance counselor this week to go over my options.
She’s concerned about my recent absences and the fact that I’ve quit the
cheer squad, but my GPA is good, and I have options. I’ll need a full ride to
even stand a chance of making it work, but Miss Jones has offered to help
me with the applications.
Conner cuts the engine and twists his body to me. “I know he hurt you,
and I know he doesn’t deserve you to give him another chance, but this time
is different. If you just—”
“Conner, stop. I care about Cole, I do. But I’m beginning to wonder if
what we had was ever real love. I’m glad he’s okay, and I really hope he
finds what he’s looking for. But I think we’ve all learned that I’m not it.” I
shoulder the door and climb out, not stopping when he calls after me.
Tears prick my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. Cole isn’t the only one
changed by everything that’s happened. I am too. I can’t really explain it,
but since losing the baby, since losing Cole and cutting off my parents,
something has shifted inside me.
The future isn’t going to be easy. I have no family, no trust fund or
allowance. But I have my fight and determination.
I’ve survived too much to give up now.
Cole Jagger might have broken my heart, but I’m still standing.
I’m still here.
And I have to believe there’s something better out there for me.

Java Beans is a popular spot with the elite of Sterling Bay. The place is full
of immaculately dressed couples looking to sample one of the nine specialty
coffees, young professionals meeting after a long day at the office, and even
a student or two, huddled over their laptops while sipping on their iced
mochas.
 Hilary, the owner, spent an hour with me earlier showing me the ropes,
but since it’s getting quieter, I’ve been going at it alone for the last thirty
minutes. Delivering orders, collecting empties, wiping down tables, and
straightening furniture. It’s all fairly simple stuff, until I learn the cash
register next week. But keeping myself busy, having something new to
think about, is a good thing. It takes my mind off the constant heartache.
“Easy, right?” She winks as I shoulder the swing door to drop off a tray
of used mugs.
“I think I’m getting the hang of it.”
“Yeah, you are. Me and Jeb are very impressed.”
Jeb is the twenty-something guy working the cash register.
“Valerie was right about you.”
“Thank you.” I manage a small smile.
“It’ll get quieter from here on out. Jeb will run you through the closing
down procedures. I’ll be in the office doing the accounts, okay?”
“Sure thing.” I wipe my hands on a towel before going back out front.
Java Beans is the kind of place you instantly feel at home. All the
furniture is one-off pieces, tub chairs, and armchairs, soft velvet couches,
and plenty of cushions and blankets. The decor is bright and airy and the
counters and display cabinets, showcasing Hilary’s homemade cakes, are an
elegant mix of glass and gold. It’s really something, and I easily lose myself
in cleaning up after the last few customers.
I linger by the cash register while Jeb empties and wipes down the
coffee machine.
“We do this every night,” he says, “but you’ll soon get used to it.”
Jeb isn’t much of a talker, so I don’t push. I’m just happy to be here,
taking the first step to my newfound independence.
This is a good thing.
Cole will get better and go off to Colton U, and I’ll leave California
behind. And we’ll both find ourselves. Find happiness. But no matter how
much I tell myself that, it doesn’t stop the knot in my stomach every time I
think of him, lying there in that hospital bed.
Twenty minutes later, and we’re almost done.
“Okay, Hadley, so I’ve got you down for tomorrow afternoon, two until
six, and then we’ll figure out your regular shifts.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I go to leave, but Hilary calls
after me.
 “Almost forgot,” she says, thrusting an envelope at me. “Tips.” I take it
with a smile.
“Thank you.”
The second I’m outside, I peek inside, hardly able to believe my eyes
when I count fifty dollars.
“That good, huh?” a voice asks, startling me.
I look up to find Ace and Remi standing next to her car.
“What are you guys doing here?” I stuff the envelope in my purse.
“We wanted to celebrate your new job.” Remi comes over and,
surprising me, pulls me into her arms. “I’m proud of you,” she whispers.
“It’s only a coffee shop.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” She gives me a pointed
look.
“We were hoping to get a free coffee,” Ace says, “but I guess we’ll have
to wait until your next shift.”
“Babe.” Remi bats his chest. “Behave.”
“Joke. I was joking. Jesus,” he mumbles.
“You seriously came to see me?”
“And to see if you need a ride back to the dorms?”
“Did Conner send you?” My brows furrow. I expect this kind of thing
from him, but from Ace and Remi... I don’t know what to say.
“No, he didn’t send us.” Remi looks mildly offended. “We wanted to
come.”
“Thank you.”
“We were thinking we could go get something to eat, if you’re hungry?
Ace knows this great little place on the edge of town.”
“I don’t know, I’d planned on heading back to the dorms and watching a
movie.”
“Oh, come on. We haven’t hung out properly in forever.”
“I can take off and leave you two girls to do your thing.”
“No,” I say. “You don’t need to do that. We can all go eat.”
Remi is happy. She got her happy ending, I can’t resent her for that. She
deserves it. They both do.
“Yay.” She laces her arm through mine. “It’ll be great, you’ll see.”
Dinner with Ace and Remi isn’t as half as bad as I thought. He’s his usual
quiet self, happy to let Remi do all the talking. She even eats from his plate,
choosing his bacon and cheese fries over her own. They’re so in sync it’s
fascinating to watch. He tracks her every move, and she gravitates to him
like they’re magnets.
And I realize maybe they are.
Maybe they have found the other half to their souls.
I can’t shake the sadness I feel. But I’m okay. It’s just hard seeing what
I could have had with Cole.
“I’m going to take a piss.” Ace shoves out of the booth and disappears
toward the back of the diner. Remi watches him go, lust glittering in her
eyes.
“Down, girl.” I muster a smile.
“Sometimes I have to pinch myself that he’s mine.”
My expression falls and she blanches. “Crap, me and my big mouth.”
“It’s okay. You’re happy. We don’t all need to be miserable.”
“Have you spoken to him?”
“You know I haven’t.”
“You could always call—”
“No, I couldn’t.”
“He’s doing better. I mean, he’s still Cole, but I think he knows he really
screwed up.”
“It was a cry for help, Remi.”
“Yeah, I know.” But it could have ended so differently. If Conner hadn’t
found him, Cole could have—
I stop myself from going there.
“Did Conner tell you about the party tomorrow?”
“Yes, and I told him I think it’s a bad idea. Cole doesn’t need to be
around that right now.”
“It’s not going to be anything crazy, just a few of their friends from the
Heights. And James is going to be there.”
“He is?” I find that hard to believe.
“Well, I imagine he and my mom will make themselves scarce, but
yeah, they’re not going anywhere.”
“That’s good. He needs a good support network. He needs to know he’s
not alone.”
“You still care.” Sadness washes over Remi’s expression.
 “Of course I still care.” I probably always will.
“So fight, Hadley. Fight for him.” She reaches across the table and grabs
my hand. “Show Cole that you’re not going anywhere. He’s going to try,
Hadley. He knows he’s got too much to lose. He needs you, you know he
does.”
The desperation in her eyes guts me. I want to tell her I’ll fight, that I’ll
stand by his side and help him deal with everything.
But the truth is, I don’t think I have anything left to give.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY

Cole

O ur game against the Heights was about the only thing I’d been
looking forward to when we were dragged here by James all those
months ago, and now I’m going to have to sit on the sidelines and
watch the two rival teams battle it out.
I should be up there. I should be part of my team.
My team. I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve ever referred to the
Seahawks as that. But I guess it’s what they are. I’ve been playing for them
all season, and fuck if I don’t want them to beat the Sabers.
I glance to my left to find Conner intently watching the game, before
finding Ace and Remi on the other side of me.
As glad as I am to be out of the house and doing something normal once
again. I can’t miss the huge void right now.
Hadley should be here.
Even if she doesn’t want to talk to me, she shouldn’t miss this game just
because of me.
The crowd around me roars in delight as Aaron makes a touchdown,
putting us ahead, but I still struggle to really get into it.
I miss her. Really fucking miss her.
I’d hoped that talking about her with Faye might help me put things into
perspective. I didn’t need her to tell me that the times Hadley and I spent
together weren’t always healthy. It doesn't take a shrink to figure that out.
But it was us. It was our brand of fucked-up, and it worked for us.
What’s really not working right now is her avoiding me and things that
might involve me.
“Did you ask Hads about tonight?” I ask, leaning over to Conner so he
can hear me.
He glances over and my heart sinks. He doesn’t need to say the words, I
can see the answer in his eyes.
A part of me hates him right now. I know he’s been hanging out with
her. I don’t need his silence to tell me that, or the fact that he often returns
smelling like her perfume.
I know nothing is going on.
I trust him more than I do myself most days.
Part of me can’t help thinking that she’d be better off with him anyway.
But I know that’s not what it is between them. Conner’s just doing what he
does and looking after everyone around him. He’s always been the same,
especially when it comes to girls. He finds a broken one and spends all his
time trying to fix her. He just always gets sidelined as the best friend, and I
feel for him. He jokes about the nice guy always finishing last, and I can’t
help but agree with him, because so far, he has come last.
“I’m sorry, bro. I really tried.”
I fight to keep the words in, but it’s futile. “Try again. Please. I really
need to see her.”
He nods at me as another round of cheers erupt around us and our eyes
are forced back to the field.
The Sabers weren’t meant to get this far, let alone hold their own
against us. I have no idea what’s changed this year. Maybe Nate Jenner,
their captain, was right, and he did have the skills to take them all the way.
It certainly wasn’t the case when I was there.
It’s a close game, but by the time the whistle blows the Seahawks take
the win. The crowd goes crazy, celebrating the fact that we just secured our
place in the championship game. While everyone around me is on their feet,
screaming for their beloved Seahawks, I sit back and watch.
Every member of the team runs at Aaron until he vanishes under a pile
of bodies, whereas the Sabers try to console each other. Nate, on the other
hand, launches his helmet to the ground in frustration before storming past
the rest of his team and disappearing toward the locker room. His guys
watch, but no one is fast to follow him. They all know what his temper is
like. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of him right now, that’s for
sure.
As the cheering begins to die down, I turn to Conner. Only, the seat he
was in only minutes ago is empty.
Reaching over, I slap Ace’s shoulder. “Where’d he go?” I shout.
“No fucking clue. You’re in the fucking finals, man.” His hand clamps
down on my shoulder in celebration.
“Can’t say I had a lot to do with it,” I mutter.
“You were part of getting them here. You deserve to celebrate tonight as
much as anyone.” He pales at the suggestion of celebrating.
“Soda only,” I grimace, “I got the memo, don’t worry.”
Ace soon shot down any possibility of us going to the party tonight. I
told him that I could handle it, but he point-blank refused and instead
arranged for some of the Heights guys to come back to James’ to catch-up.
I can’t say I’m all that bothered. There’s nothing all that special about a
Bay party. Unless Had’s is there to lock myself in a bedroom with.
I bite down on my cheek as I think about the first time I got inside her.
Fuck, that was hot.
My cock swells at the memory of her tied to that bed, writhing for me
where she was so desperate.
Reaching down, I rearrange myself.
I might have promised everyone that I’ll stay sober tonight, and that’s
fine. I can deal with that. But I could really do with getting fucking laid.
I’m having major withdrawals from my one hardcore addiction. Not
even being able to see her, hear her, is driving me fucking crazy. It’s why I
demanded that Conner get her to our place tonight. I just need to fucking
see her. To know that she’s okay, that she’s dealing with all of this.
That unread message still taunts me on my cell. Time and time again
I’ve gone to send another. But what’s the point? It’ll just be another one that
gets ignored.
Thoughts of her texting that fucker Tim back torment me. Why did she
reply to him, yet she won’t me?
My fists clench at my sides. I hate myself for getting worked up over
this. I need to stay calm. The last thing I need is for things to get out of
control the first time I do see her, and I ruin everything all over again.
I need to do better. I need to be better, for her.
 Seeing as Conner has fucked off with his car, I’m forced to hang around
with Ace and Remi to wait for the Heights’ lot to emerge from the locker
rooms.
A few of them who were in the crowd come over to talk to Ace, but I
keep myself hidden in the shadows, not wanting the endless questions about
why I didn’t play tonight.
Before long, Nate, Levi and Jayden walk our way with a few others
behind them.
“Ace, my man,” Nate shouts, pulling him in for a hug and slamming his
fists down on his back. “How’s life of wealth and privilege? Looks like it’s
doing you good.” He turns to Remi and runs his eyes down her body.
Ace’s shoulders tense, before his palm connects with Nate’s shoulder.
“Eyes elsewhere, motherfucker.”
“All right, keep your panties on. Fuck. You’ve changed, man.”
I step from the shadows before Nate says something he might regret.
“Ah, here he is. Football’s gift to the Sterling Seahawks,” Nate
announces. Ace has already prepped them on what’s going on with me in
the hope we can have a night without having to talk about it.
“Nate, how’s it going, man? Jay, Levi.” I nod at my two old teammates
before they stick their fists out for me.
“What are we waiting for? We’re ready for our repeat trip to the
palace,” Nate jokes.
It seems like a lifetime ago that they all turned up for Ace’s party when
we first arrived. The house was fucking trashed that night, yet James totally
let it go. Maybe I should have figured back then that he wasn’t so bad.
I shrug the thoughts off. Things have changed a lot since then. Hell, one
look at Ace with Remi cuddled into his side says everything.
“Where the hell is Conner?” Remi asks, looking around when I join her
and Ace at her car for the trip back to the house.
“Fuck knows, he disappeared straight after the game. Didn’t say a
word.”
Ace and Remi share a look.
“What? What’s the look for? What’s he doing?”
“Nothing we need to worry about, I’m sure. Come on, get in, the soda’s
waiting.”
“Ha ha. Funny.”
“Oh my God,” Remi whines, dropping her head into her hands when we
pull up outside James’ house.
“She’s not really… fucking hell, she is. Your mother is so fucking
clueless sometimes, Princess.”
I stare out the window to see Sarah standing at the front door, dressed to
the nines waiting to invite everyone in.
“What does she think this is, a fucking tea party?” I mutter in
astonishment.
“Excuse me,” Remi says, jumping from the car before it’s even stopped.
We both watch as she marches up to Sarah and starts waving her arms
around in frustration.
“Shall we head around the back?” The rumble of engines sounds out
behind us.
“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.”
Remi joins us once she’s successfully managed to make Sarah go inside
and hopefully hide for the rest of the night. I understand why they wanted to
be here, even more so why they warned us about having a raging party. But
that’s not what this is. Even Heighters can behave themselves sometimes. If
we say it’s a quiet one, then a quiet one it is.
We direct everyone around to the backyard. Everyone pulls the chairs
and loungers around the firepit that Ace immediately begins lighting while
Ellen emerges with a tray of… fucking hell… appetizers.
She passes the tray around like we’re at a dinner party while a couple of
the guys dump a cooler beside the chairs and start passing out beer. They
hungrily clear Ellen’s tray, much to her delight, and she goes rushing off for
more food.
Well, this is the weirdest fucking after game party I’ve ever been to.
A little guilt nags at me that all of this is for my benefit, but as I look
around at everyone laughing and enjoying themselves, I can’t find it in me
to care.
The only thing I really care about right now is that one person is
missing.
Grabbing a soda from the side, I fall down into a lounger slightly away
from the others and just watch as they all catch up on their lives.
 It’s good. It’s nice to see some of the old guys. Conner and I saw them
all at Halloween, but everyone was mostly fucked-up by the time we turned
up.
Remi glances over at me, concern filling her eyes when she finds me
alone with only my soda for company. She’s just about to come over when
she suddenly stops, pulls her cell from her pocket and lifts it to her ear. She
listens and then spins on her heels and heads around the side of the house.
I leave it a couple of minutes, telling myself it’s probably just Sarah
being weird again, but when she doesn't return, my curiosity gets the better
of me and I make my way around the house to see where she’s disappeared
to. But as I turn the corner, I grind to a halt, hardly able to believe my eyes.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Hadley

“H mm, Hadley,” Hilary says as she wipes down the counter. “There
seems to be a gorgeous boy outside, waving at you like an idiot.”
My head whips up, and I see Conner grin.
Oh, dear God.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, my cheeks pinking.
“Sorry?” she chuckles. “Don’t be sorry. If I had a guy who looked like
that waiting on me, I’d be trying to duck out early.”
“I would never—”
“Relax, I’m joking. You should go invite him in. The coffee machines
are all off, but I’m sure I can find him a soda and a muffin.”
“Oh no, that’s okay.” I try to shoo him away, but he plants himself
against his car and folds his arms over his chest.
Groaning, I rub my temples.
“If you don’t invite him in,” Hilary gives me a pointed look, “I will.”
“Fine,” I hiss, wiping my hands on a towel. Yanking the door open, I
raise a brow. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, Hads.” He steps toward me.
“Conner,” I sigh. “Seriously, you can’t be—”
“Your boss seems nice. Oh wait, I think she’s... yup, she’s inviting me
in.” Slipping around me, he disappears into the coffee shop.
 I traipse after him, wondering when life got so complicated. All I
wanted was to come to work then go home and think about anything but
Cole and the party at the Jaggers’.
“You made this?” Conner already has half a muffin stuffed in his mouth.
“Hadley, baby, have you tried one of these? I swear to God, it’s like—”
I clap my hand over his mouth, and Hilary laughs. “I’m sorry about my
friend, he has zero manners.”
“Friend, huh?” she smirks.
Conner peels my hand away. “Unlucky for me, she fell for the wrong
brother.”
“Sounds complicated.”
“Not really.” Conner shoots me a knowing wink. “But I was hoping to
steal Hadley away. I mean, if that’s okay with you?”
“Conner,” I snap.
Hilary chuckles again. “It’s fine, go be young and reckless. What are the
young folk getting up to these days?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Conner winks at her, and I swear to God,
Hilary giggles.
I quickly grab my purse and usher him out of the shop. “I can’t believe
you just flirted with my boss.”
“Jealous?”
“You’re insufferable.”
“I can’t help it if the women love me.” Something dark flashes in his
expression, but he recovers, grinning at me as he opens the car door.
“I’m going back to the dorm.”
“I know.” His lip curves.
“I mean it, Conner. I told you I’m not coming to the party.”
“Relax, I know. I just didn’t want you walking back alone. You can
never be too careful.”
Knowing he won’t budge, I slide into the car and buckle up. Conner
joins me a couple of seconds later, and the engine purrs beneath us.
“I really love this car,” he murmurs, and I roll my eyes. “What? She’s a
beauty.”
“It’s a car.”
“You say car, I say exquisite machine.”
“You’re so freaking weird sometimes.”
 The scenery spins, turning into the familiar coastal road leading to the
school, but Conner takes a turn.
“Hmm, where are you going?”
“Don’t you trust me, Dove?” He grins.
“No, no I don’t. And I really wish you’d stop calling me that.”
His expression falls. “He needs you, Hadley.”
“Conner, you promised...”
The last place I want to go is to the party. I’m not ready... I’m not sure
I’ll ever be ready.
Over the last few days, I’ve pushed everything that happened down. It’s
a survival instinct. Now I have no financial cushion, I’m alone in the world.
I can’t afford to lose myself again, not now. Not when I’ve come so far.
“Please, Hadley. I wouldn’t do this unless—“
“I hate you.” I turn away from him, touching my head against the cool
glass.
I don’t hate Conner. He just wants to fix his brother, and I get it, I do.
But I can’t be that for Cole again.
He lets out a heavy sigh, and says ten little words that make my heart
sink, “I’ll take that, if it means you’ll hear him out.”

I don’t get out of the car.

It’s silly, I know. But it’s like being here, in Cole’s territory, the very
place he tried to... I can’t be here.
“I need you to take me back, Conner,” I plead.
“Just give him ten minutes, please, Hads. For me.”
“I can’t.” I blink away the tears threatening to fall. “You shouldn’t have
brought me here.” My voice cracks, and I sense Conner’s panic.
“Hey, are you okay?” His hand lands on my arm. “I didn’t want to upset
you.”
“I just can’t,” I repeat the words, trying to breathe deeply to get air into
my lungs. I feel like I can’t breathe, imagining Cole lying there, lifeless on
his bed, surrounded by pills and liquor.
“Just breathe,” he says, stroking my arm. “I need you, out front now.” I
don’t know who he’s talking to, but I really hope it isn’t Cole.
 “Hadley, look at me.” Conner slides his hand under my jaw and tilts my
face to his. “You need to breathe.”
“I-I can’t... my lungs, they feel—“
The driver’s door opens and Remi appears. “What the hell happened?”
“I think she’s having a panic attack.”
“Get out, let me sit with her.”
Conner eases me back into the seat and switches with Remi. “Hey.” She
takes my hand in hers. “It’s me. Want to tell me what’s happening?”
I sniffle, trying to catch my breath. “I-I can’t go in there. Not where
he...”
“Shh, Cole is okay, Hadley. He’s out back, laughing and joking with
Ace and the guys.”
“H-he is?” I drag in a ragged breath, and she nods.
“He still has a long way to go, but Cole made a mistake. He knows that.
He was hurting. He didn’t really want to... die.”
Pain flashes through me as I sob harder.
“Hey, come here.” Remi leans over and pulls me into her arms. “I’m
right here. Let it all out.” She rubs my back in soothing circles.
“I didn’t want to come here. I’m not ready.”
“I know.” Remi holds me at arm’s length. “And I’ll kick Conner’s ass
for bringing you here. But now you are here, do you want to come inside?
We can hang out in the main house, we don’t even have to—”
Movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I turn
slowly to find Cole standing there.
A shiver runs through me and Remi murmurs something under her
breath. “Maybe I should take you home.”
But I can’t tear my eyes off Cole. He looks good in his ripped jeans and
Seahawks jersey. There’s a five o’clock shadow over his jaw, and his eyes
burn into me... but something feels different.
The electricity I’ve always felt around Cole is still there, but it’s running
on a lower frequency.
“I...” I should go. Far, far away from here.
Away from him.
But I can’t do it. I can’t leave when he’s standing there, looking at me
with so much regret and shame it steals my breath all over again.
“It’s okay,” I say to Remi. “I’ll be okay.”
 “I’ll be right here if you need me... well, not right here, but you know
what I mean.”
“Thank you.”
She gives me an understanding smile and climbs out of the car, making
her way over to Cole. Remi says something and Cole nods, anguish written
all over his face. She disappears into the house, and he just stands there.
I suck in a shaky breath, waiting. My skin vibrates, my stomach a tight
ball of nerves. Cole eventually moves, slowly walking toward the car. With
every step he takes, my chest constricts.
He folds his big body into the car and lets out a small breath. “Hi,” he
says, tension swirling around us.
“Hi.” I wind my hands together, needing the distraction.
“How have you been?”
“Okay, I guess.”
It’s like we’re strangers, reuniting after a long time apart. Awkwardness
seeps into the space between us. And I hate it. I hate what we’ve become to
each other.
“You look good,” I say, wanting to fill the silence.
“I’m... shit, Hadley. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” He goes to reach
for my hands but quickly stops himself. “I need you to know I didn’t do it
because I wanted to...” He can’t say the word, and I’m relieved. “I just
needed it to stop. The pain and disappointment, the constant feeling of
never being good enough. I needed it all to stop.”
“I lost him too, Cole.” My voice wavers.
“I know. Fuck, I know. And I hate that I wasn’t there for you, that I
didn’t step up when you needed me most. But I think losing the baby... well,
it unleashed a lot of stuff I haven’t ever dealt with. And I lost it there for a
second. I let myself drown because it was easier than trying to stay and
fight.”
“Conner says you’re seeing a therapist?”
“I am. Faye, she’s a real hoot.” A faint smile traces his mouth. “We’ve
talked a lot the last week.”
“That’s good.”
“She’s helping me understand things. The way I hurt those around me
instead of letting them in.”
“I’m really glad you’re getting the support you need.”
 “I still need to work through a lot of stuff, but I’m trying. I’m trying,
Dove.” This time Cole does take my hand in his. He threads our fingers
together and I feel him relax.
It hurts so much, the intimacy, the distance between us. Nothing is the
same now. We’re not the same. We went through something huge, and
things can’t just go back to how they were before. They shouldn’t either,
because what we had before was toxic, built on pain and darkness.
“I’m glad you came. I texted you...” he trails off.
“I got rid of my old cell phone.”
“You did?” His brows bunch together.
“Yeah, I finally cut my parents out of my life. Tim too. I’m done with
them.”
“I had no idea.”
“I guess Conner and Remi didn’t want to meddle.” Although, that’s
exactly what Conner did tonight.
“You didn’t want me to have your new number?”
“I... I thought it was for the best if we both have some space.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He releases my hand as if I’ve burned
him.
“Cole, I lost our baby. And instead of being there for me, you OD’d.”
The words get stuck in my throat, and the color drains from his face.
“I fucked up.”
“Yeah, you did. But this isn’t even about me. It’s about you, about you
dealing with your past and figuring out what you want.”
“You, Hadley. I want you. I love you, Dove. I love you so fucking
much.” The desperation in his voice is like a bullet through the heart. I want
to reach for him, to wrap my arms around him and tell him we’ll get
through this.
But there is no us anymore.
There’s just Hadley and Cole and a boatload of regret, shame, and
heartache.
“I can’t do this again,” I say, unable to meet his eyes.
“W-what are you saying?” he chokes out.
“I’m so happy you’re okay, Cole. I am. And I hope that therapy helps
you come to terms with everything. But this, us... it’s not healthy. The way
we use each other to escape. It was never going to end well.”
“You regret being with me?”
 The shock in his voice forces me to meet his eyes. “God, no. I will
never regret it,” I stress. “But I’m different now. I need to focus on what the
hell I’m going to do now I have no family, and you need to focus on your
future. You are so close to making something of yourself, Cole.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to walk away and just pretend it’s over.”
“Cole, please don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.”
He starts clawing at his t-shirt. I frown, gasping when I realize he’s
pulling a silver chain out. “I got this for you... for us. See, it’s a pair of
angel wings. For the baby.” He lifts it over his head and holds it out to me.
“I thought you could take one half and I could take the other.”
Tears well in my eyes, but I swallow them down. “You got this for me?”
“Yeah. You should have something to remember him. Here.” He
unclasps the chain and detaches the wings, sliding off one half. “I’ll keep
this half, but I'd really like it if you took the other.” Cole holds out the chain
and I take it with shaky fingers.
“I-I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything, Dove. I wasn’t there when you needed
me, and I will never forgive myself for that.”
I touch the small angel wing, feeling a strange sense of peace wash over
me. “Thank you.” Slipping it over my head, I press it to my chest. It feels
right somehow.
“You’re still going to walk, aren’t you?” The pain in his voice guts me,
but I have to do this.
I have to stay strong.
Pressing my hand to his cheek, I lean in, allowing myself one final kiss.
“I am. It’s over. Goodbye, Cole.” My lips linger. “I hope one day all your
dreams come true.”
Hurrying from the car, I’m almost out when his voice gives me pause.
“You’re wrong, you know.”
I steel myself before glancing back.
“You say what we had was unhealthy, Hadley, but you are the best thing
to ever happen to me. I know I fucked up. I know I let you down. But I’m
not about to let you just walk away from this because you’re scared.”
“Cole, that’s not—”
“Don’t worry,” he says around a weak smile. “I’m not going to kidnap
you like Conner. But you told me to go after my dreams. Well, you’re it,
Dove. I want you, plain and simple. But I respect your decision to walk
away. Just know that, one day soon, when I’ve figured some shit out, I’ll
come after you. Because you and me, Hadley… this isn’t something I can
just walk away from.”
“Goodbye Cole,” I say, because I can feel my resolve slipping. But it’s
all just words. Empty promises.
Hurrying from the car, I take off down the Jaggers’ drive, but I don’t
miss Cole’s final words.
“You’re mine, Hadley Dove Rexford. Don’t forget it.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Cole

I ’ve been through some shit in my life, but watching her walk away from
me last night was by far the most painful.
When I dropped into the car and looked into her eyes, I swore I saw
some hope in there. But the more she talked, the more she closed down, and
I had no choice but to let her follow through on her words of us being over.
Pain rips through my chest even after all these hours later. She might be
convinced that we’re done, but I’m not. There’s one thing I’m sure of in
life, and that’s Hadley was made for me. It might take some time, but I’m
determined to show her that we’re meant to be. Soul mates, written in the
stars, all that and more.
Blowing out a breath, I watch the clouds race across the sky outside my
window as I prepare for what I’m about to do.
One of the things I’ve talked to Faye about at length the past few days is
my need to put the past behind me where it belongs, and a huge part of
being able to deal with all that is talking about it. It’s time I stop hiding
from those who love me. It’s time to tell Ace and Conner everything. James
too, but I figure I’ll start with my brothers and work up to him.
We’ve been getting on better and better since I returned from hospital,
but we’ve still got a long way to go. I think we’ll get there, though. He’s
proved time and time again in just our short time here that he’s got our best
interests at heart, and I’ve got to trust that he does.
Swinging my legs from the bed, I make my way to Conner’s door. I
know he’s in there, I’ve heard him crashing about.
“Con, can you come down to the pool house?”
His footsteps get louder before he pulls the door open. He looks at my
face and his own pales slightly. I have no idea what he must be able to read
right now, and I don’t have the energy to worry about it. I just need to do
what I need to do.
“Is everything okay? Is Hadley okay?”
“Yeah, as far as I know everyone is good. I just need to talk to you and
Ace.”
“Okay,” he says skeptically, shoving his feet into his sneakers and
following me down the stairs.
“Get decent and get out here,” I call through to Ace and Remi’s
bedroom.
The door opens immediately, and Ace walks through. “We’re dressed.
We don’t just fuck all day long, you know?”
“Really? I ask while Conner scoffs behind me and falls down onto the
beanbag chair.
Remi appears seconds later and looks between the three of us with
concern pulling at her brows.
“Is… everything okay?”
“Yeah, can you all sit down. I need to talk to you about something.” My
voice comes out a lot stronger than I was expecting, because my insides feel
like jelly.
“Do you want me to go?” Remi asks, thinking that I might just want my
brothers.
“You can stay. I have no doubt that what I’ve got to say you’ll hear
second-hand anyway. You’re one of us now. I trust you.” She smiles at me
and lowers herself beside Ace on the couch.
I hesitate. I don’t want to sit, but I don’t want to stand either.
“Cole, what the fuck is going on?” Ace asks, sitting forward, resting his
elbows on his knees as he watches me walk back and forth.
“I need to tell you both something, something that I’ve kept to myself
for years, and it’s slowly been eating away at me. It’s the reason…” I blow
out a long breath, saying the words I’ve been repeating all morning over
and over in my head.
My eyes catch Conner’s, and an understanding passes between us. He
knows where this is going from what I said in the hospital.
“When we were younger, and you both went off to school and left me at
home… I wasn’t spending the day watching TV and eating snacks.” Ace’s
lips part, but no words follow. “I don’t need to tell you about the kinds of
men Mom had back to the trailer so she could get what she needed. Well,
some of those men didn’t want Mom as payment for—”
The noise that rips from Ace’s throat is like nothing I’ve ever heard
before. He stares at me for a beat, his eyes wide and his jaw dropped. All
the color drains from his face before he drops his head into his hands.
Glancing at Conner, my chest tightens as I find his eyes full of unshed
tears.
“Ace, please, don’t blame yourself,” I say, surprised at the weight that
feels like it’s been lifted from my shoulders. “I know you made me stay
there because you thought you were doing the right thing. And under any
other circumstances it was where I needed to be. I was a sickly kid, we all
know that, but—”
“I left you there. I left you there to be…” he trails off as Remi rubs his
back.
Walking over, I drop down on the coffee table before them. Remi takes
my hand, and after a second Conner joins us, but he doesn’t take up the
spare spot on the couch. Instead, he sits beside me and wraps his arm
around my shoulder.
“Ace,” I say, reaching out for his shoulder. “It’s okay.”
“Bullshit. None of this is okay. I was meant to be looking after you, not
leaving you to be…” He pushes to stand and pulls me into his arms.
He holds me for long seconds, his body trembling with his pent-up
anger before he releases me and storms from the pool house.
“Ace,” Remi calls.
“Just give him a few minutes, Princess,” Conner whispers.
Spinning, I fall down beside Remi and pull her onto my lap. She has
tears streaming down her face, and if I’m being honest, I could use her
warmth right now.
She wraps her arms around my neck and snuggles into my chest as
Conner joins us, gathering us both up in his arms.
 “How bad, Cole?” he asks after long minutes. “Like, how far did
they…”
Our eyes meet, and he sucks in a breath. The answer must be written all
over my face. “Everything.”
“Fuck. How didn’t we know this?”
“I didn’t want you to. I was ashamed. Disgusted. It wasn’t until I was
older that I even really understood… and by then, I couldn’t deal with it. I
also knew that it would kill Ace. He did everything for us, and yet that shit
was still happening.”
“Does Hadley know?” Remi asks, her soft voice making my heart
constrict, not to mention hearing her name.
“I haven’t told her specifically, no, but she knows something
happened.”
“Fucking hell. No wonder you’re so screwed up,” Conner says.
“Yeah, thanks for that, bro.”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You know I love you beyond words.”
“Yeah, yeah, so you keep telling me.”
“While you two share the love, I’m gonna go…” Remi pushes from my
lap and disappears out the door to find Ace.
Both Conner and I fall back on the couch and put our feet up on the
coffee table.
“Well, that was depressing for a Sunday morning.”
“Try living with it.”
“Fuck, I didn’t mean…”
“Con, it’s fine. Well, it’s not. It’s fucked-up, but it is what it is. It’s done.
It’s in the past. It’s time to embrace it for what it is and try to stop it from
ruining the future.”
“The future? You going for it at Colton U?”
“Yeah, I think I am. It felt right, ya know? Like it could really be home.
What about you?”
“I guess I’d better go pull out my Colton application,” he jokes.
“Seriously, what are you thinking? You’re the smart one, you should
have a plan.”
He smiles, telling me that he has more plans than he’s telling me about.
“I’ve got options.”
“Well, you need to decide soon. Applications are due in a few weeks.”
“Yeah, I got plenty of time. What about everything else?”
 “You mean Hadley, right?”
“Yeah. I need to know if I can swoop in yet… ow,” he complains,
rubbing the spot on the back of his head that my hand just collided with.
“Hands off my fucking girl, asshole.”
“Been there, done that… ow. Seriously, cut that shit out,” he moans,
edging away from me.
“Me?” I hiss. “Hadley is mine. You need to fucking remember that. Go
find your own girl.”
“I’m only busting your balls, bro. Hads is my sister, same as Remi.
What I really want to know, though, is what you’re going to do about
getting her back, because I fucking miss her, and I know for a fact that she
misses your moody ass.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, fuck knows why, but… ow. She’s alone now, Cole. She needs
you to pull your head out of your ass and fight for her.”
I nod, knowing his words are true. It’s what I need to do and what I
fully intend on doing. “I’m out. I need to talk to James.”
“Shit you gonna tell him what you just told us?”
“Sure am. Got a few other things to talk to him about as well.” With a
wink, I walk out of the pool house. Ace and Remi are curled up together on
one of the loungers, Remi successfully distracting him with her tongue
down his throat. I smile at them, but I can’t deny that I’m not engulfed with
jealousy.
I had that, and I fucked it right up.

The conversation I have with James, although a long time coming, is much
easier than I was expecting. I opened up about the past, and, much like Ace,
he blamed himself. I wasn’t quite as insistent that it had nothing to do with
him, because really, he could have rescued us. But the past is the past, and I
need to start leaving it there.
He agreed to look into the couple of requests I had for him. If he was
surprised by them, he didn’t show it. I wonder if he’s got a better read on
me than I thought he had.
 I reluctantly went back to school on Monday. It was exactly as I was
expecting, full of suspicious, intrigued stares and whispers behind my back.
James did as he promised and kept the details of my… accident, under
the radar. But kids talk, and people soon started putting two and two
together. Thankfully, though, most of them are scared of me, so all gossip
stopped when I walked into a room or down the hallway.
My biggest issue was Hadley. She avoided me for the most part, or at
least it felt like she was. But when we did cross paths, I couldn’t help my
body craving her, my muscles desperate to reach out and pull her to me.
The sadness that was in her eyes gutted me, but anytime I took a step
toward her, she spun on her heels and marched in the other direction.
Conner filled me in on the details of her split from her parents, so I
know she has the weight of the world on her shoulders right now. I just
hope James makes good on his word and manages to do what I’ve asked of
him. Her life shouldn’t be any harder than necessary. She deserves so much
better than the hand she’s been dealt.
“Yo, bro. You taking a shit?” Conner calls through the gap in my
bathroom door not long after we’ve got back from school Thursday
evening. Coach has let me back to training, and seeing as the final game is
this Saturday, he’s really putting us through our paces.
“No, asshole. I’m in the shower,” I bark back.
Ignoring me, he pushes the door open and strolls in as if I’m not
standing here naked.
“Do you mind?”
“Not really. I’ve seen your tiny cock plenty of times. Listen…”
Groaning to myself, I turn my back on him and continue what I was doing.
“Hadley just texted me.” I still at the mention of her name. “Yeah, fucker. I
thought that might get your attention.
“Go on.”
“She needs a ride home from work tonight. Thing is, I’m really busy
with homework and shit, and I’m not going to be able to make it. So I was
wondering if you…”
“I’m there. What time?”
“Forty-five minutes. Give that a good clean, you know, just in case.” He
nods toward my junk with a smirk.
“Get the fuck out, asshole.”
 He holds his hands up in surrender. “I’m going, I’m going. Does she dig
the piercing? I might think about…” He ducks out of the room just before
my shower gel collides with his head.
“That nearly hit me,” he complains.
“It was meant to,” I shout back with a laugh.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Hadley

“K eeping up?” Jeb asks me as I lean against the service counter to

catch my breath. The afternoon rush finally seems to be slowing.
“Is it like this every Thursday?”
“It’s always our busiest day of the week. Don’t ask me why, but people
love their coffee and cake on a Thursday.” He gives me a rare smile. “Why
don’t you get those tables cleaned off, and I’ll deal with this mess.”
With a nod, I set to work, cleaning, spraying and fixing the tables. I’ve
worked every afternoon for three hours after school. It isn’t much, but it’s a
start. And the tips are surprisingly good.
I’m straightening out a table when a hand lands on my shoulder.
“Conner, I told you—” The words die on my tongue as I come face to face
with Tim.
“What are you doing here?” I blurt out.
“It’s good to see you too, Dove.” He flashes me a blinding smile, but I
don’t return it.
“You shouldn’t have come here.”
“We need to talk.” His expression turns grim.
“I have nothing to say to you.” I glance around, but it’s quiet, except for
a couple of customers deep in their own conversations. “This is my place of
work, Tim. You have no right coming in here like this.” My body trembles
and I step back, putting some distance between us.
“You owe me ten minutes at least.” His tone is sharper, and part of me
wants to ask what the hell his problem is, but I’m at work. Not to mention,
the rest of me just wants to get far, far away from him.
I can’t put my finger on it, but something feels off.
“How did you know where to find me, Tim? Did you speak to my
parents? Because I—”
“A mutual friend.” He winks, then crowds me against the table,
grabbing my arm. “We need to talk. Let’s go.”
“Get the hell off me,” I startle, yanking my arm free.
Jeb notices and rushes over to us. “Hadley, is there a problem here?”
“Tim was just leaving, weren’t you?” I narrow my eyes.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to—“
“Oh, big guy.” Jeb pulls to his full height. “Either you can leave
peacefully, or I can call the police and have your ass arrested.”
“Fine.” Tim releases me with a sneer. “I’m going.” He storms out of the
shop and takes off down the street.
“Guy troubles?”
“I... I’m sorry about that.” I hug myself tight.
“Are you okay?” He touches my arm, and I flinch. “You look like
you’ve seen a ghost.”
He doesn’t know the half of it.
Tim is here, in Sterling Bay.
Another shudder rolls through me.
“Look, why don’t you take five, catch your breath. I’ll manage out
here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Go. And if he comes back, I’m calling the police, okay?”
I nod, relief settling into my bones. I’m safe here. Jeb will look out for
me, and maybe I can call Conner to give me a ride back to the dorms.
But then what?
Tim could still be out there, watching me. He obviously knows where I
work, does he know where I live too?
Oh God, what am I going to do?
Telling myself not to panic, I take some calming breaths. Conner will
give me a ride back to the dorms, and then tomorrow, I’ll tell Miss Jones.
She’ll know what to do.
At least, I hope she will.

Two hours later, we’re done. Hilary is out of town for the night, so she
asked me to stay with Jeb to close up.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks, surprising me.
Jeb hadn’t said anything about what happened when I’d slipped back
into the shop after taking five minutes.
“Not really.”
“Understood.” He flicks the light switches.
“You’ve got a ride home?”
“To the dorms, yeah.”
“What’s that like, boarding at the school? Although I imagine it’s more
like a five-star hotel.” He smirks.
“It’s... okay, I guess.” The lie rolls off my tongue.
I’ve never liked being there. It’s closer to a prison than a hotel, but I
don’t tell him that. But it’s all I have now.
“I’ll wait with you until your friend gets here.” Jeb pulls open the door
but quickly staggers back. It isn’t until he’s falling that I realize that Tim is
looming over him.
“Jeb!” I shriek as his body lands with a resounding thud. He groans, and
then nothing.
“Oh my God, what did you do?” I back up, fear trickling down my
spine.
“None of this would be happening if it wasn’t for you.” He shuts the
door and hangs the ‘closed’ sign before twisting the blinds.
My eyes dart between him and Jeb, who is still out cold on the floor.
The gentle rise and fall of his chest gives me some reassurance, but nothing
about this is good.
“Tim, this is crazy... you’re scaring me.”
He prowls toward me with a menacing smile. “Innocent little dove. But
you aren’t so innocent, are you?” He spits the words. “Did you really think
you could abort my baby and get away with it?”
 “W-what?” Emotion slams into me. “I didn’t... that’s not what happen
—”
“DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME,” he roars, the words reverberating
deep inside me. “I know the truth. I know everything.”
“But that’s not what happened. My parents, they—”
“Hid you here so I couldn’t get to you.”
A strangled laugh spills from my lips but quickly dies as he grabs me
around the throat and pins me to the wall.
“You couldn’t be more wrong if you tried,” I spit. “My parents weren’t
hiding me. They banished me here because of you!”
For a second, his mask of rage slips, confusion clouding his eyes. But
then it’s gone, replaced with nothing but burning hatred.
“You should have told me,” he hisses.
“They wouldn’t let me. They told me you wanted nothing to do with
me, that I jeopardized everything. They even made me sign a contract.”
“A contract?”
“Yes, your parents and my—“
His grasp on my throat tightens. “Stop fucking lying. You killed my
child. My. Heir. You think you just get to walk away from that?”
My vision begins to dim. He’s squeezing so tight, and it hurts. God, it
hurts.
“Tim, please,” I croak, trying to claw at his hands, but he presses his
body against mine, caging me in.
“I’m going to destroy you, Dove. Pluck every feather from your wings
so no one ever wants you again.”
Bile rushes up my throat at his cruel, callous words. This isn’t the Tim I
once knew.
This is a monster.
And I’m his prey.
“Tim, please.” I can barely get the words out as I desperately fight for
breath.
My eyes flutter shut as my body gives up, the haunting fingers of
darkness edging into my consciousness.
This is it... the thought surfaces. I’ve survived so much, but, in the end,
it’ll be Tim, the first boy I ever loved, who destroys me.
Like a dream, I slowly sink into the abyss.
“Hadley, NO!”
 I hear him, but it’s too late. I’m slipping under.
“Hadley, Dove, I’m here, I’ve got you.” Strong arms envelop me,
pulling me down.
“Dove, stay with me, please... I need you, I need you so fucking much.”
“C-Cole?” My eyes flutter open, finding dark, stormy ones staring down
at me.
“Hadley?” Relief washes over him. “You’re okay?”
“T-Tim, he’s—”
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. He’s not going to hurt you anymore, I promise.”
Cole flicks his head to the body on the floor.
“Is he... dead?” Fear chokes me.
“Not yet, no.” Protectiveness glitters in Cole’s eyes. “When I saw him
in here, with his hands around your throat... fuck, Hadley, I almost—”
“But you didn’t.” I press myself closer to him, needing to know this is
real. Needing to know that Cole is here.
“Ugh, what happened?”
“Jeb,” I cry, and Cole lifts me off his lap, leaning me against the wall,
before going to check on him.
“It’s going to hurt for a while,” he says, helping Jeb to sit.
“Cole?” Conner’s voice rings in my ears and then he’s there, rushing
into the shop. “Hadley, baby, what the fuck?”
“It’s a long story.” I grimace.
“I’m beginning to think you attract trouble.”
“Not now, Con.” I rub my head, still feeling woozy.
“Dad’s on his way with Ace and Remi,” he says to Cole. “What are we
going to do with him?” Conner motions to Tim who is out cold, a trickle of
blood running off his brow.
“We’ll wait for Ja—Dad.”
My heart swells.
“Come see to...”
“Jeb,” I croak.
“You got it.” Conner kisses my forehead before going over to Jeb.
“Okay?” Cole asks me.
“I think so.”
His eyes shutter as he pulls me into his arms. “I love you, Hadley. I love
you so fucking much.”
 “I love you too.” I cling to my beautiful, broken boy. “Thank you for
saving me.” Easing back, I look him in the eye.
“You saved me too. I hope you know that, Dove.” He pushes the hair
from my face, leaning in to brush his lips over mine. “Is this okay?”
“Yes,” I sigh. “Kiss me, Cole.” My fingers curl into his hoodie.
“Hadley? Cole?” Remi yells. “Oh God. Tell me he isn’t—”
“Dead?” Conner growls. “He should be.”
She rushes to my side. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.”
“Thank God Cole got here in time. We came as quickly as we could.
Ace and James are—”
“Fuck,” Ace barks as he steps into the coffee shop.
“This is Jeb, Dad.” Conner helps him to his feet. “He works with
Hadley.”
“I’m Mr. Jagger.” He holds out his hand and Jeb stares at it. “I’ll have
my boys drive you to the ER and get that looked at.”
“Shouldn’t we call the police?”
“I’ll handle everything. Don’t worry.” He squeezes Jeb’s shoulder.
“Ace, Conner...”
“We’ll see you back at the house, okay?” Remi gives me a reassuring
smile.
Conner leads Jeb out of the coffee shop, and Ace and Remi follow.
James closes the door before rolling up the sleeves on his sweater.
“Cole, help me move Mr. Davenport into a better position.”
How does he know Tim’s name?
“Cole?” I gasp.
“Just trust me, okay?” He kisses my forehead before going to help his
dad. They sit Tim up against a couch, and James taps his face.
“Uh… what...”
“Mr. Davenport. So nice of you to join us.”
I watch dumbstruck as Tim startles. “Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m someone who could make life very difficult for you.” James
glowers at him.
Tim goes to climb to his feet, but the sound of a pistol loading makes
him freeze.
“I’d think really hard about whether you want to do that.” James nudges
the barrel of the gun against Tim’s temple. His hands shoot up in surrender.
 “Easy, I’m not looking to—”
“Good, that’s very good. Hadley, would you come here please?”
Cole gives me an encouraging nod, and I climb to my feet. Gingerly, I
walk over to them, letting Cole tuck me into his side.
“It’s going to be okay, Dove,” he whispers against my hair.
But everything is still hazy, and I don’t understand what’s happening
right now.
“Now, Mr. Davenport, I’m almost certain my son would like to see you
with a bullet through your skull for touching his girl, but lucky for you, he’s
recently learned the art of self-restraint. I, however, have not.
“But since your history is with Hadley, it seems only right that she gets
to decide how we deal with you.”
The air is sucked from my lungs. Is he saying what I think he’s saying?
Surely not.
Surely Mr. Jagger isn’t actually talking about killing Tim?
But as I think the words, I know they’re true. The Jaggers aren’t a
normal family, not by any means. And something tells me there is far more
to James Jagger than meets the eye.
“Hadley?” he says softly. “This is your decision. I can make Tim go
away, or we can send him back to wherever he came from with a stiff
warning never to return.”
“Hadley, babe, come on. It’s me,” Tim implores. “We had something
once, didn’t we?” Fear is etched into every line on his face, and I want to
bask in his terror for what he has done.
But can I do it?
Can I give James the order to kill him?
Seconds tick by, my heart beating harder as they pass. My palms are
sweaty and blood roars between my ears as I choose between life and death
for a guy who just tried to hurt me.
A whimper spills from my lips as I bury my face in Cole’s shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he says, hugging me tightly. “He walks.”
“Are you sure, Son?” James asks.
“He walks on one condition, if you ever step foot in Sterling again, I
will kill you. You don’t contact Hadley again, you don’t come find her, you
don’t even think about her, asshole. Are we clear?”
Tim mumbles something inaudible.
 “I’ll see that Mr. Davenport is accompanied back to Gravestone County.
Take care of your girl, Son.”
There’s a commotion and then the door opens and closes, followed by
deathly silence.
“It’s safe to come out now.” Cole coaxes me out of his arm.
“What was that?” I tremble. James acted like he knew Tim, and the way
he talked about Gravestone... but it doesn’t make any sense.
“I wish I knew. But you’re safe, and that’s all that matters. Tim won’t
ever hurt you again.” He cups the back of my neck, pressing his head to
mine.
“I know,” I breathe.
And I do.
Because Cole Jagger doesn’t just love me.
He would kill for me.
But tonight, he chose something else.
He chose to rise above his own demons and do the right thing, and that
one small action has me falling in love with him all over again.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Cole

T he image of Tim’s hand around my girl's throat taunts me as I drive

Hadley back to her dorm building.
I know I did the right thing, despite the fact that my body was
screaming for me to kill the motherfucker for thinking he had any right to
touch what’s mine.
I might have taken matters into my own hands with Charlie and Donny,
but this wasn’t my fight. It was Hadley’s, and I had to follow her lead. I also
needed to show her that I was different now. That I was able to rein myself
in and keep control.
My knuckles are white with the grip I have on the wheel, but I’m in
charge right now. I know what I’m doing.
“Are you okay? You’re pretty quiet over there.” Reaching over, I find
her hand, desperate to feel her touch but equally knowing that she might not
want it.
She let me kiss her in the coffee shop but I’m not stupid enough to think
that was because she wanted to. She was scared, terrified, and I was there.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I’m fine. Just… shocked, I guess.”
“Is that the first time you've seen him since…” I trail off. She doesn’t
need me reminding her about the past. It’s not like it’s something she’s
going to forget anytime soon.
 “Yeah, well… he came in earlier. Jeb got rid of him.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“And say what exactly? I called Conner for a ride, hoping that I could
avoid him.”
“If he wanted to see you, he’d have just come back. And he did.”
“I know, it was stupid to think I could outrun him.”
“He’s gone now.” James will take care of it, I know he will. “It’s over.”
She lets out a small sigh.
“Everything is going to be okay, you know that, right?”
“Is it?” Sadness bleeds into her expression. “Everything I once knew is
over. I’ve got nothing and no one. I have no idea what I’m going to do
when I graduate, if any colleges will even want me. Ugh,” she groans. “My
life is such a fucking mess.”
Twisting my fingers with hers, I lift her knuckles to my lips.
“Hey, everything is going to be okay. You’re strong. So fucking strong,
you’ll figure this out.”
“I’m glad someone has some faith in me.” She pulls her hand from mine
and curls up in a ball on the passenger seat. It guts me that I can’t do
anything to help her right now.
Silence once again falls over the car until I pull it into a space outside
her building. I kill the engine, half expecting her to jump out and run at the
first opportunity, but she doesn’t. Instead, she turns to look at me.
I allow her a second or two to study me before I turn to look into her
tired green eyes. Her breath catches as our all-too-familiar connection
holds.
“W-why did you come tonight and not Conner?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “He was meddling again.”
She shakes her head, but I don’t miss the small smile that appears on her
lips at the thought of him.
“You’ve really got him under your spell, you know that, right? If it
weren’t for me, you would stand a chance with him.”
Her smile spreads. “Nah, we’d never be a couple. He’s just not…”
“Not…”
She hesitates, moving her gaze to look over my shoulder. Reaching out,
I take her chin between my fingers and move her so she has to look back at
me.
“He’s not you,” she breathes.
 Her honesty wrecks me. It’s exactly what I want to hear, but at the same
time, it’s exactly what I don’t need.
I miss her so fucking much it hurts. But I stand by my promise to her.
I’ll wait as long as I need to make her mine again.
“Hads, I—”
“Do… do you want to come up?”
I look over to the building, desperate to go inside with her, to have her
all to myself for as long as she’ll allow me.
“Um…” My need to do the right thing stops me from jumping from the
car like a man possessed and dragging her up to her room.
“Come on.” She shoulders the door and waits for me at the trunk.
The second I join her, she slips her hand into mine and, side by side, we
walk through the main door.
“Won’t you get in trouble for having me here this late?”
“What are they going to do? Tell my parents?” she asks, but although
she’s trying to stay strong about everything, I hear the waver in her voice.
“Hads, I—”
“Don’t, please. I didn’t ask you to come up to talk about all of that.”
“No? So why did you?”
We come to a stop at her door and she looks up at me through her
lashes. My cock jumps at the sight, and I’m unable to keep wicked images
filling my mind.
She pushes her key into the lock, and I follow her inside.
“Hadley?” I ask when she just stops in the middle of her room and turns
to look at me. “What are we doing here?”
“Make me forget, Cole.”
“Dove,” I sigh, stepping up to her and wrapping my hand around the
back of her neck, dropping my forehead to hers. “You can’t ask me things
like that.”
“Why? Don’t you want to?”
A pained laugh falls from my lips. “More than you could possibly
imagine. But you’ll regret it in the morning.”
“Would I?”
“You know you would.”
“And what if I tell you that I was wrong? That all that stuff I said in
Conner’s car wasn’t true.”
 “I’d tell you that you need to be honest with me. You know how I feel. I
love you, Hadley. I need you.”
“I love you too, Cole. I never stopped.”
She closes the space between us, her soft curves pressing temptingly
against my body.
“But—”
Two of her delicate fingers press against my lips. “No buts, Cole. Kiss
me, please.”
“Fuck, Little Dove.”
I brush my nose against hers, our eyes locked in our standoff. I’m
worried that if I do this I’m not going to be able to stop, to be able to walk
away again.
“Please, I need you.”
Her whispered voice is the last straw, and I crash my lips to hers in a
bruising kiss before spinning her and pressing her back up against the door.
A moan rumbles up her throat as my tongue tangles with hers and my
hand slips up inside her tank.
“Yes, Cole. God, I’ve missed this,” she moans as I move my lips to her
jaw.
I lick up the column of her neck, savoring her taste before sucking the
skin into my mouth hard enough to give her a taste of the pain she loves so
much.
Hitching her leg around my hip, I grind my hardness against her.
“Oh God, more, Cole. Please.”
Gripping her thighs, I pull her from the wall before throwing her down
on the bed. I watch her bounce before dragging my hoodie over my head
and dropping it to the floor.
Her eyes drop to my chest, her tongue coming out and licking across her
bottom lip.
“Look all you like, but you’re not going to get to touch.”
“W-what?”
“You want to forget. Let me give that to you.”
“But—”
“Ah ah, no buts, remember?”
She sits up to argue, and I take the opportunity to pull her tank off her
quickly, followed by her bra.
“Lie back. Let me take care of you.”
 As I crawl over her, my tongue sweeps into her mouth once more before
I tease a trail down her body until I drag her jeans down her legs and settle
myself on my stomach between them.
My eyes linger on her core for a couple of seconds before I lift my gaze
up her body and find her eyes staring down at me.
My breath catches and my chest constricts at everything her eyes are
telling me. But I refuse to allow myself to believe that she might be willing
to give us another chance. It was only days ago that she was telling me we
were done.
I need to take this for what it is. She needs me, and I’m more than
willing to be able to give her the escape she craves, even if it leaves me
feeling more lost than ever when she makes me walk away.
With my tongue on her clit and my fingers deep inside her, she’s crying
out my name in record time.
I retrace my steps back up her body once she’s come down from her
high and claim her lips once more. She moans when she tastes herself on
my tongue, and it makes her even crazier as her nails scratch down my
back.
Her fingers tickle around my stomach and over my abs, but the second
she hits my waistband, my hand wraps around hers.
“I meant what I said. We’re not going there.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m fucking addicted to you, Little Dove.” His fingers trace
the angel wing on my chest. “If I get inside you, I’m never going to be able
to watch you walk away again.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off. “Now’s not the time to
make a snap decision because you want to escape, Hads. Tonight sucked, I
know that. But just because I happened to be there, doesn't mean I expect
this. I heard every word you said to me the other night, and I understand. I
do. It’s killing me, but I get it. This thing between us, it’s been… intense.
Incredible, but intense. I get your need to have a breather.”
She sits up as if she’s going to leave me alone, and I tighten my hold on
her. Despite everything I just said to her, I’m not ready for this to be over.
“I’m just going to the bathroom.”
With one more kiss, I let her climb from the bed and shamelessly stare
at her naked ass as it sways toward the bathroom.
 She stops in the doorway and looks over her shoulder at me. Her eyes
are still full of heat, and there’s a small smile playing on her lips.
I swear to fucking God, the sight turns my world upside down for a
second.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” she says when she emerges and rummages
around in one of her drawers for a shirt to pull on. I can’t help but smile
when she finds one, because it’s one of mine. “There’s a good chance I’ll be
kicked out and living in a squat by the end of the semester.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I say, holding my hand out for her so she
can come and lie with me.
“No?” She snorts. “I have no way of paying for this place. Hell knows
my few hours at the coffee shop aren’t going to cut it.”
“I’m so proud of you, Dove,” I tell her, staring deep into her eyes so she
has no choice but to believe me.
“As much as I appreciate that, it’s not going to get me very far.”
“Conner told me about what you did. I’ve spoken to James.”
“Cole, no,” she argues.
“Shhh, Dove. It’s all okay. He’s going to take care of everything. You
don’t need to worry about being kicked out.”
“I can’t take his money, Cole.”
“Maybe not, but I can. He owes me, remember? Please don’t argue
about this. No matter what happens from here with us, I need to know that
you’re looked after, that you're safe. I’ve put you through too much not to.”
Tears fill her eyes as she looks back at me. “It was all worth it.”
I quirk a brow. “Really?” I ask, thinking of all the shit she’s had to deal
with because of me.
“Yeah, I think so. Maybe it’s true what they say, there’s always a light at
the end of a very long and dark tunnel.”
I rest back against her pillow, thinking of her words. “Yeah, maybe.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Hadley

I don’t see Cole on Friday. The team has extra practice before the
championship game tomorrow in LA. Conner told me Coach Miller has
agreed to let him play, but I can’t help but wonder if James has
something to do with it.
“Hey, there you are.” Remi appears, looking flushed.
“What’s wrong with—”
I notice Ace slip out of an empty classroom and take off down the hall.
“Were you two just... in a classroom?”
“Shh, we were just fooling around. We both had a free period.”
“Oh my God, you’re crazy.”
“I just can’t get enough of him. He’s working longer hours at the auto
shop and absence is definitely making my heart grow fonder.”
“Your pussy too, apparently.” I smirk.
“Hadley Rexford, did you just say pussy?” Her eyes are as wide as
saucers.
“What would you have me call it?” I shrug.
“Lady garden. Va-jay-jay. Hoo-haw. Cooch. Beaver.”
“Okay, okay, I get it.” I snort, fighting a smile. This is nice. Normal. It’s
a ray of sunshine after a devastating storm.
We both laugh as we walk down the hall and out of school.
 “How are you, really?” Remi asks.
“I’m okay. Part of me still can’t believe Tim was here, but after the last
few weeks, nothing seems impossible anymore.”
“You’re so strong, Hadley. I don’t know how you do it.”
I clutch my necklace, glancing at the ground. “I don’t have any choice.”
It’s either let myself drown or try and stay afloat.
“Things can only get better. Only one week left of the semester, and
then it’s the holidays. You’ll come, right? My mom really wants you to be
there, and you know Conner and Cole do too.”
“I don’t know...”
“Still having second thoughts about Cole?”
“It’s complicated. I think space will be good for us.” But as I say the
words, my stomach sinks.
Being in Cole’s arms again last night felt amazing. The desperate
loneliness melted from my bones, and I felt nothing but love and warmth.
But is it really that simple?
Can we really go back to how things were without dealing with
everything that’s happened?
“This is just my opinion, so feel free to completely ignore me. But life
is short, Hads. After everything you’ve been through, aren’t you stronger
together than apart? No one is going to judge you for forgiving him and
giving him another chance. And if they do, then that’s on them. You did a
brave thing, cutting off your parents. But don’t cut Cole off too because you
think it’s what you're supposed to do.”
“You’re really Team Hadley and Cole, huh?”
“You mean Team Coldley? Or maybe we should call you Team Hole.”
“Please don’t.” I grimace, but Remi chuckles.
“Conner would love that. Oh, speak of the devil, here he is, at last.”
He saunters over to us. “You know it’s getting pretty depressing, finding
two hot chicks waiting at my car every day after school when I can’t bone
either of them.”
“You did not just say that.” Remi slaps his shoulder.
“What?” He looks confused.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “I need to get to the coffee shop.”
“You’re sure you want to go there today, after... you know.”
“Yep. I need to look forward.” Besides, Tim is gone. James has
reassured everyone he won’t be a problem anymore. Part of me wants to ask
what exactly that means, but the other part isn’t sure I want to know.
If I thought Cole was an enigma, he has nothing on his father. James
Jagger is a man full of secrets and mystery that would seemingly do
anything to protect his sons and the girls they care about.
I still can’t believe he has offered to pay the remainder of my boarding
fees. It’s too much, but I know there’s no use in arguing. He’s a Jagger, after
all, and I know just how stubborn they can be.
“Whatever you say, Hadley, baby.” Conner opens the car door, and
Remi climbs in.
“Thank you,” I say. “For everything.”
“Always.” Understanding passes between us. “Listen, I know you said
you didn’t want to come, but I did a thing. I got you a ticket for tomorrow’s
game.” He pulls it out and passes it to me. “You should be there. Regardless
of what happens with Cole, you should be there.”
Tears burn the backs of my eyes. “I’ll think about it,” I choke out.
It would seem I have a lot to think about.

“Hey, Hilary,” I say gingerly when I arrive at the coffee shop. “How’s Jeb?”
“He’ll be okay. Your friends took good care of him, but I told him to
take the day off. I would have preferred you do as well.” She gives me a
pointed look.
“I’m okay.”
“Do we need to talk about what happened?”
“Tim won’t be a problem anymore.”
“Oh, I know he won’t. I had an interesting chat with Mr. Jagger earlier.”
“You did?” My body tingles.
“He stopped by to offer to pay for the repairs.” She glances to the
busted door. “He also wanted to personally reassure me that it won’t happen
again.”
“I can’t believe he did that.”
“You know, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him before, but I’ve
heard of him. He’s a real charmer. You take help where it’s offered,
sweetheart. It was clear from how Mr. Jagger spoke of you that his family
clearly cares about you. And from the little Valerie told me, I know you
need this job.”
“I do.” I nod.
“You’re a good kid, Hadley. Smart and helpful. But I see the sadness in
your eyes. It’s impossible to miss.”
“I—”
“It’s okay, we all have our story to tell. I just wanted you to know, I’m
here. If you ever want to talk, I’m here. And if you need to pick up some
extra hours to save for college, I’m sure we can figure something out.”
“Wow, thank you. That’s...” Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I don’t
know if James planted the seed or Miss Jones, but it feels like Hilary is on
my side. After everything, it means a lot.
It means the world.
“Hey,” her eyes light up as something catches her attention over my
shoulder, “isn’t that your super-hot friend?”
“Hilary!”
“What?” she shrugs, moving over to the door. “I can appreciate a good-
looking guy.”
“He’s in high school.”
“He won’t be forever though.”
“Oh my God,” I breathe, hardly able to believe my ears.
“Hello again,” she greets Conner.
“I hope it’s okay I’m here. I’ve been having cravings for more of those
cakes.”
Hilary blushes, and I roll my eyes. “You were supposed to go home,” I
scold him.
“I gave Remi a ride to the auto shop and then had the urge for coffee
and cake.”
My eyes narrow. “That’s all you came for?”
I wouldn’t put it past Cole to ask him to come keep an eye on me.
Just then, my purse vibrates. I pull out my cell phone and scan the
message.

Cole: If Conner becomes a nuisance just let me know and I’ll cut him
loose.
 Irritation floods me, but it quickly melts away. Cole sent him. He
couldn’t be here himself, so he sent Conner. I want to be mad, but I can’t.
“The boyfriend?” Hilary asks and Conner snickers.
“It’s complicated,” I say again.
But I’m beginning to wonder if it really needs to be.
“Grab a seat,” she says to Conner. “I’ve been experimenting with new
flavors and I think you could be just the person I need to test them.”
“Hell yeah.” He beams, dropping into the first available chair. The shop
is much quieter on a Friday afternoon, people preferring to drink and eat at
one of the lavish restaurants or bars littering downtown Sterling Bay.
“Seriously?” I raise a brow and he shrugs.
“What?”
“Forget it,” I grumble. “I need to work.” Waving him off, I go to walk
away, but his voice gives me pause.
“Come tomorrow, Hads. Please.”
I suck in a shaky breath. Of course he had an ulterior motive for being
here, to crack my resolve until I say yes.
“Say yes, you know you want to. It would mean so much to—”
“Fine.” The words leave my lips in a puff of air. “I’ll come.”
The second I say it, the tension melts out of my body, and I realize Remi
is right. Life is short, and we’ve both already been through so much.
Maybe it’s finally time to put the past behind us.

“I’m so excited you’re here.” Remi says as we take our seats in the Falcon
Field stadium. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Butterflies flutter wildly
in my stomach as I desperately search the field for Cole. Ace and Conner
flank us, with James and Sarah on the other side of Conner. Pride radiates
from them. This is a big deal for Cole, we all sense it. But it feels even
more important given the fact that two weeks ago he overdosed. I don’t
know what’s happening with Colton U, I haven’t talked to him about it, and
Remi and Conner say they don’t know anything. So this game could be vital
for his future.
“My heart is beating so hard,” I admit to Remi.
 She grabs my hand and squeezes it. “He’s going to be so pumped that
you’re here.”
I didn’t tell him. When I’d texted him earlier to wish him good luck I
didn’t tell him I was going to be here and he didn’t ask. I want to surprise
him, to show him that I’m also prepared to fight for us.
“Maybe I should have told him?” My eyes find him, drinking in the
sight of him warming up with his teammates. He, Hayden and Aaron jostle
each other, the three of them laughing.
“You made the right call. He’s going to be blown away when he realizes
you’re here.”
He won’t spot us up in the bleachers, among the thousands of fans who
have travelled out to Norwalk, California to see and support both teams.
But I’ll be waiting for him afterward, ready to tell him how proud I am.
“God, I’m so nervous.” Anticipation skitters up my spine and Conner
wraps me into a side hug.
“You have nothing to worry about, Hadley, baby. Our boy’s got this.”
Cole glances up, his eyes running over the crowd, and my heart stops. I
think back to the night I found him in the shadows, stunned and covered in
blood. So much has happened since then, to both of us. We’ve been through
so much pain and heartache. It makes me so happy to watch him down on
the field, no longer the boy on the fringe, but a part of the team.
A Seahawk.
A fighter.
A survivor.
We’ve spent so long fighting to stay afloat, but maybe we don’t have to
anymore. Maybe together, we can find peace.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Cole

T he whole night has been unbelievable. From the size and sheer noise
of the crowd, to the buzz of the game, to the incredible high of our
win, it’s been more than I ever could have imagined, and it makes me
ever more excited about the secret I’ve been keeping from everyone the
past week or so. The only thing missing is Hadley. Conner told me he’s
asked her time and time again, Remi too, but she was adamant that she
wasn’t coming.
Even if there’s no future between us, I want her here for this. She’s been
such a huge part of my life the past few months and I want to celebrate with
those I care about, those who encouraged me to even be here tonight.
The atmosphere in the locker room is electric as we all shower and
dress, ready to greet our families. Seeing the guys’ smiles is infectious, and
I find myself joking along with them.
I might have never wanted to join the Seahawks when I was first
dragged to Sterling Bay, but somewhere along the way, I became a part of
this team, or more so, they became a part of me. And winning tonight just
seals that deal. I always hoped that football would be my future, and the
fact that it looks like it’s going to be blows my mind.
Eventually, we all make our way out of the locker room to be greeted by
the crowd of Seahawks fans who travelled to support us.
 The roar as the door opens knocks me off-kilter a little. Even knowing
we just won, I can't quite get my head around it all.
One by one, the guys around me get swallowed up into the crowd. I
look around, hoping to spot my family, but there are so many people I don’t
find them straight away.
“Cole.” Conner’s loud shout fills my ears, and I turn in the direction it
came from to find him beaming back at me. He fights his way through the
crowd and pulls me into a hug.
“Bro, that was fucking incredible,” he shouts, bouncing up and down
with me in celebration.
“It was something else,” I agree, laughing at him.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he whispers.
My heart damn near stops as I pray that he’s about to tell me what I
want to hear.
I turn to look at where he emerged from the crowd, hope bubbling up
inside me. But I don’t see her, and disappointment floods me that I’ve
jumped to conclusions. Then the front of the crowd parts, and I find the
most beautiful sight.
Hadley wears my number as she smiles at me. Excitement fills her eyes,
but I don’t miss the flicker of concern that darkens them as our stare holds.
“Surprise,” Conner says beside me, but I pay him no attention as I walk
toward my girl.
“You came,” I breathe, the noise of the crowd surrounding us
disappearing as I approach her.
My eyes flicker over her face, taking in all of her features, as if trying to
convince myself that she’s actually here.
“I did. Congrats, champ.”
“You came,” I repeat, making her chuckle.
Her head tilts to the side as she studies me, a small, shy smile playing
on her full red lips. “Cole?”
“Fuck.” I step up to her, my hand slips around the back of her neck, and
I pull her lips to mine.
Nothing else except the two of us exists in that moment.
I forget where we are, what we just achieved.
The only thing I can focus on is the heat of her lips against mine and the
softness of her body as I press mine against hers.
 “Hadley,” I whisper against her lips before teasing hers with my tongue,
testing the waters. I have no idea if she came here for this, but fuck, I need
it. I need to celebrate with my girl so fucking bad.
Her lips part, allowing me entry, and I breathe a sigh of relief as my
tongue glides against hers.
“I love you, Little Dove. I love you so fucking much,” I whisper,
pulling back from her kiss and resting my forehead against hers.
“I love you too, Cole.”
Emotion clogs my throat, hearing the words I’ve craved so many times
since everything went to shit. “Tell me you came for me, not just the game.”
Her delicate fingers brush up my chest until she rests her arms over my
shoulders. “I didn’t just come for the game.”
“Fuuuck,” I groan, wanting nothing more than to lift her and find the
nearest wall to press her up against to take what I need.
“I hate to break up this little love fest, it’s seriously cute and all, but I’m
fucking starving. Ow,” Conner complains when someone hits him.
Both of us laugh at his antics and regretfully pull away from each other.
“You staying tonight?”
“Sure am. I’m not your only surprise, either.” I think of the room I’m
sharing with Hayden and Aaron, and I hope like fuck that she’s got another
one waiting for us.
“Hadley,” I say again, like I can’t actually believe she’s here.
“Come on, let’s go eat. We’ve got the whole night ahead of us.”
She laces her fingers with mine and turns toward the others. My eyes
drop to my number on her back and my cock swells.
I remember the last time I found her in my jersey, and I can’t help but
wonder if she’s wearing anything beneath.
I step up behind her, pressing my hand to her stomach and my cock
against her ass. “What’s under here, Dove?”
She flashes me a seductive smirk. “You’ll have to wait to find out.”
“Fucking killing me here,” I mutter into her ear, sending a shiver down
her spine.
The five of us follow James and Sarah out of the stadium and to a grill
that James has chosen for the night.
I look around at the interior, glad he’s learned his lesson from trying to
take us all for a meal at The Blue Bay like he did for Remi’s birthday. This
place is much more down to earth, and they serve extra-large portions,
which keeps Conner happy as he stuffs his face with the biggest steak I’ve
ever seen before requesting the dessert menu like he’s just eaten a snack.
“There’s something wrong with him,” Hadley comments beside me.
“I heard that, Dove.” He gasps in mock horror, covering his heart like
she just offended him.
“You were meant to.”
“Fucking hell, it’s like four against one now. What was I thinking?” he
asks no one in particular, looking at the four of us.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll manage to snap up some poor,
unsuspecting girl one day,” Ace says.
An unintelligible grunt comes from Conner.
“You know it’s not actually true what they say. If you don’t use it, your
cock won’t actually fall off.”
“Fuck off. I don’t think I like you being all happy.”
“Boys,” James says, looking between the three of us, amusement
dancing in his eyes. “Maybe tone it down a little.” He nods to Sarah, who’s
sitting there with her cheeks burning tomato red. “You’ll get there one day,
Son. It’ll be worth the wait.” James winks while Conner’s chin drops.
“What? It’s not… I… fucking hell. Where’s my ice cream?” He
searches for our waitress while we all laugh at his expense.
Much to Conner’s relief, the conversation turns away from his non-
existent sex life and back to tonight’s game.
I sit back, enjoying getting to relive it from their point of view as I run
my fingers up and down Hadley’s bare thigh.
“Did you wear this just to tease me?” I ask, tugging at the hem of her
short-as-hell skirt.
“Me?” she asks innocently. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“So what’s next then? We all going to celebrate elsewhere?”
“Yeah, a hotel room,” I say, not taking my eyes off Hadley.
Embarrassment colors her cheeks at my words, but she doesn’t chastise
me. I know she’s as desperate to be alone as I am. I don’t need to run my
finger over the damp panties to know that.
“Before Sarah and I head to the hotel bar and the five of you go do
whatever teenagers do these days,” he lifts his glass high in the air, “I just
want to make a short toast. I’m proud of you, Cole. We all are. You deserve
great things, Son. Here’s to the future… to Cole.”
“Cole,” everyone joins in, and Hadley grins up at me like a fool.
 “Oh great,” Conner grumbles. “So these four are all going to go and
lock themselves in their rooms, and I’ll do what?”
“The hotel has pay-per-view. I’m sure you’ll find some company on
that.”
“You can come hang with us,” Remi says, much to Ace’s annoyance.
“We’ll get a movie or something.”
“Yeah?” he asks, perking up a little.
“I feel bad for Conner,” Hadley whispers as we make our way out of the
restaurant and toward the hotel.
“You’ll be telling me you want to invite him with us next,” I say,
turning to look down at her with a raised brow.
“No, no. I don’t feel that sorry for him.”
I can’t help but laugh as I pull her into my side, my hand clamped
possessively around her hip.
Fuck, I can’t wait to finally make her mine again.
Thankfully, the hotel is only a short walk. James and Sarah wish us all a
good night before heading for the bar while the five of us step into a waiting
elevator.
The second we’re inside, I slam my hand down on the button for the
floor I’m staying on before backing Hadley up against the wall, ignoring the
complaints from around us, mostly from Conner.
Wrapping my hand around her thigh, I hitch her leg up around my
waist, sliding my palm down to her bare ass and grinding my length against
her.
“Cole,” she groans when I drop my lips to her neck, teasing her with
almost kisses to her soft skin.
“Fuck pay-per-view, this is cheaper.”
Flipping him off over my shoulder, I continue until the elevator dings
and the doors open.
I pull her out and drag her down the hallway, away from our spectators.
“Wait, this isn’t my floor.”
“No, but it’s mine, and I want to grab my stuff before you distract me
too much.”
“Okay.”
She stands in the doorway while I collect up everything I brought with
me and stuff it none too carefully into my bag before turning my back on
the room and gathering her up into my arms and allowing the door to close
behind us.
“Where are you?”
“Up. Come on.”
Knowing that I’m not going to be able to spend any more time in an
elevator with her without doing something I’ll regret, or that others won’t
want to see, I opt for the stairs.
“Your room is on the top floor?” I ask once we’ve climbed way more
flights than I was expecting.
“I told you I had a surprise. Only the best for the state champion.” She
winks, tapping the keycard to the little pad and pushing inside her room.
Only, it’s not a room. It’s an entire fucking suite.
“Whoa,” I breathe, walking into the room and dropping my bag to the
floor. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Impressive, right?”
“Yeah, but how? You don’t have…” She steps up to me, her hands
brushing around my sides and coming to rest on my stomach.
“I had some help from someone else who wanted you to enjoy
yourself.”
“Oh?” I ask, spinning in her arms so that I can look at her.
“Yeah, although I think my intentions for the room were probably
different to his.”
“Oh yeah? Tell me more,” I demand, walking her backward until she
hits the wall.
“I thought that we’d have some celebrating to do.”
“You didn’t know we’d win.”
“I was optimistic, but that wasn’t what I meant.”
“No?”
“I’m…” She swallows nervously.
“Dove?”
“I’m done fighting, Cole.” My fingers wrap around the back of her
neck, my thumb brushing over her jaw. “I miss you so much. I need you. I
need us. Can we—”
I don’t let her finish her question. Instead I answer it with my lips
against hers as I press her farther back into the wall so she can feel just how
on board I am with everything she didn’t get to say.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Hadley

C ole touches me like I’m fragile glass, ghosting his fingers over my
jaw as if he’s scared I might disappear at any second.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “I’m right here, and I’m not going
anywhere.”
His hips pin my body against the wall, letting me feel his need for me,
for this, but he doesn’t kiss me.
“Cole,” I breathe.
“Shh, I just want to appreciate this moment.” His eyes run over every
inch of my face, dropping to the jersey covering my body. Without
speaking, he dips his fingers beneath the material and finds the button of
my skirt. The denim falls down my legs, and I kick it free.
“Much better.” He grins, letting his hand trail up my thigh and over my
lace panties. “Seeing you wear my number… it does all kinds of weird shit
to me, Dove.”
“It’s not your number anymore.” I bat my lashes. “You’re not a
Seahawk now.”
“It doesn’t make you any less mine though.” He finally leans in,
capturing my lips in a bruising kiss, giving me what I need. Our tongues
tangle together while Cole’s fingers paint lazy circles over my lace-covered
pussy.
 “I’m going to spend every second of every day making it up to you.” He
says the words between kisses. Dirty, wet kisses that have me grinding my
body shamelessly against him. “I’ll never hurt you again, Dove, I promise.”
“Never?” I press my head back into the wall to look him in the eye.
His brows lift, and I smother a smirk. “Maybe,” he adds. “If you beg for
it.”
I whimper as his hand slides up my throat and squeezes gently. Cole
leans in, nipping my bottom lip. “I love you, Hadley. I love you so fucking
much it scares the shit out of me.”
The air crackles with his confession.
“We can be scared together,” I reply, pressing my hand to his cheeks.
“I’m yours, Cole.”
His hands go to the hem of my jersey, pulling it from my body. He dips
his head, kissing the faint mark over the curve of my breast. His initial. His
brand. I think I’ll have a tiny scar there, a permanent reminder that I belong
to this beautiful, broken boy. But even if I didn’t, Cole’s name is carved on
my bones and woven into the very fabric of my soul. I thought our love was
unhealthy, toxic and dangerous, and maybe it was for a while, but we can
learn to love together.
He steps back, unbuttons his jeans, and pushes them down over his hips.
My mouth waters at the sight of him. Thick and hard, the glistening ball
through the tip. He palms himself roughly, yanking his t-shirt off with his
other hand. I let my hand slide down to my panties and dip them inside.
“God, Hadley, you look so fucking good.” He jacks himself harder, his
jaw clenched with concentration. “Take them off for me, Dove. Let me see
that pretty little pussy.”
My stomach clenches violently at his dirty words. His hooded eyes burn
into my skin as I hook my fingers into the elastic and push them off my
hips. My skin is covered in gooseflesh, the anticipation so thick I can
almost taste it.
Cole dives at me like a man starved, kissing me... devouring me. Our
teeth clash and tongues fight, licking and teasing.
“I will never get enough of you, Dove.” He breathes the words into me
like a promise.
“Good,” I sass, “because I will never want anyone else except you.” My
nails rake over his shoulders, pulling him closer.
 Dropping his hands to my ass, Cole lifts me against the wall. My legs
lock around his waist as he pushes gently inside me.
“Is this okay?” he asks, and I nod.
“I need you, Cole.” I need him so much I feel like I’ll combust if he
doesn’t—
He goes deeper, stealing my breath, and we both cry out.
“I’ll go slow,” he says, setting a torturous pace. “You feel like heaven,
Dove.” Cole touches his brow to mine, forcing me to look at him as he
rocks into me over and over. My body begins to tremble, overwhelmed by
the feeling of him moving inside me, of the way he’s watching me. As if
I’m the most important thing in the world and he’s been put on earth to love
and protect me.
“You and me, Hadley...” he groans, burying his face into my shoulder as
his movements grow jerky.
Cole’s fingers clamp around my hips, bouncing me on his cock,
changing the angle until I’m crying his name.
“Fuck, Dove... fuck...” he growls, and I know he’s close. But it’s too
late. My world grows small and then shatters as pleasure crashes over me,
and it’s all I can do but hold on and wait for him to follow.
“Mine,” he whispers against my skin. “Mine... mine... mine.” Cole stills
as he jerks inside of me.
Cradling me against his body, he carries me over to the bed and lies me
down.
“We should get cleaned up,” I say.
He smirks down at me and replies, “I’m not done with you. Not by a
long shot.”

It’s late, that quiet and still time between twilight and sunrise. I’m curled up
against Cole’s body, exhausted and content. After making me come three
times, he carried me into the shower and worshipped every inch of my skin
all over again.
Tonight will go down as one of the best nights of my life. There are still
things we need to talk about, college, the future, the miscarriage… but for
now, I’m happy reveling in the present.
 “This is nice,” I say.
“Yeah.” He’s quiet.
Too quiet.
“Cole?” I peek up at him. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Something flickers in his eyes. “Wait here, okay?” He slides out from
under me and climbs out of bed. I can’t help but watch as he pads across the
room to his bag. It’s dark, only the sliver of moonlight illuminating his
profile.
When he returns, I sit up, noticing the bundle of things in his hands.
“What is all this?”
He places it on the bed to one side and beckons for me. “Come here.”
I scooch to the edge of the bed and he pulls my legs over the side,
nestling between them. He’s on his knees, his eyes almost at my eye level.
“You’re kind of freaking me out,” I admit.
“I didn’t know if you’d come today. Even though I really, really fucking
wanted you too, I didn’t know if you would. But I brought this just in case.”
He hands me the bundle of material and I stare down at it.
“What is it?”
“Take a look.”
Carefully, I unfold it, my brows crinkling. “I don’t underst—” I suck in
a sharp breath. It’s a Colton U jersey. “You got in.”
Cole nods, swallowing hard. “Nothing is official yet, but the spot’s mine
if I want it. And I do. I want it, Dove.”
“Oh my God.” I launch myself at him. “This is amazing. I’m so proud
of you.”
“You didn’t look at the rest.” His hand curves around the back of my
neck, pulling me away.
I hadn’t even noticed the scroll. Pulling the ribbon free, I uncurl the
paper. “It’s an application form.” My eyes scan the words.
“Not just any application form. It’s your application form for Colton U.”
I look up at Cole, but something catches my eyes, and it’s only then that
I realize he’s down on one knee... holding a ring.
“C-Cole?”
“I know we’re young, and I know I’m fucked-up... but I love you,
Hadley Dove Rexford. You make the world a better place. You make my
world a better place, and I want a future with you. I want you by my side at
Colton U. I want you in my bed at night. I want the first thing I see in the
morning to be your face. I just want you, Dove.”
“Cole...” I say again, because I don’t have words... I don’t have
anything. He’s proposing. Cole Jagger is on his knees, asking me for
forever.
“This is crazy,” I breathe.
“I want you to know I’m serious about this, Dove. I’m serious about
you.”
I slide off the mattress and push my body between his and the bed.
Cupping my face in his hands, I smile despite the tears rolling down my
cheeks. “Cole, this is huge.”
His brows furrow. “I thought all girls want a ring.”
“They do, when the time is right.”
“And the time isn’t right?” He doesn’t sound angry, just confused.
“We have so much to look forward to… graduation, college, moving to
a new place. I don’t need a ring to know you love me, Cole.”
“You don’t want to marry me?”
“One day, maybe. But I don’t want you to give me a ring because it’s
what you think you should do.”
“I want you, Hadley,” he says with conviction.
“And I want you, so much. But we have time.”
“Huh.” Cole lets out a small breath. “I got the ring now,” he grabs my
hands and pushes it onto my ring finger, “so you might as well wear it.”
“Cole!”
“It doesn’t mean anything. Not if you don’t want it to.”
I glance down at my hand, and something inside me melts. The ring is
perfect. Simple yet beautiful. A small diamond set in a white gold band. I
love it. And I love that Cole is ready to take this step... but I don’t want us
to rush into something we’re not ready for.
“Cole, I’m not sure—”
He presses a finger to my lips. “Just wear it for now, see how it feels.”
Oh God. He’s not playing fair. He looks so happy, so at peace. I can’t
take that away from him.
“Okay, just for a little while,” I say, knowing full well the ring will still
be there come tomorrow. “You really want this? Me and Colton U?”
Brushing my nose along his jaw, I kiss the corner of his mouth. “You’re
going to be a hotshot football player, and I’ll be—”
 “Mine. You’re mine, Hadley. I don’t want you there with me, I need
you. It’s either you come with me or I come with you. But since you still
haven’t made any real plans—”
“Hey, I have plans.”
He gives me a pointed look, and I poke my tongue out at him.
“There’s something else,” Cole says. “We need to talk about your living
situation.” His expression turns serious.
“I thought you said James would cover the final semester?” I hate the
idea of taking his money, but it’s either that or I’m out on the streets.
“And he will.” Cole plucks his wallet off the nightstand and pulls out a
key. “But I want you to have options.”
“Options?” I gasp. “Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
“A key to the house.” He folds it into my hand.
“A ring and a key... Cole, this is a lot.” My heart gallops in my chest.
“I’m a lot, Dove. Surely you know that by now.” He smirks. “I spoke to
James and he agreed it made sense for you to be able to come and go as you
please. We want you to feel part of the family because you are, Dove. I
hope you know that.”
“But I can still keep my dorm room?” Because God, this is a lot to get
my head around.
“Yeah,” he grumbles. “If I had my way, I’d move you into my room
tomorrow. But I know you’ll probably want your own space. So this is a
compromise. You take the key, I let you keep your room on campus.”
“You’ll let me keep it, huh?” My brows quirks up and I fight a smile.
“This is me trying, Hadley.” Cole’s eyes turn black, sending a bolt of
lust through me. “But don’t make any mistake, Dove. You are mine. If you
want to run, it’s too late. Because I will chase you to the ends of the Earth,
and even then I’d never stop.”
“Cole...” I stare down at the ring on my finger, the key in my hand.
After the miscarriage, I thought I’d lost everything. My shot at
happiness. At something to call my own. But Cole is offering me a future.
A future we can build together.
And even though it’s crazy and we’re young and we’ll probably make
more mistakes along the way, I want it.
I want it all.
Because even the darkest souls deserve their moment to shine.
Even the blackest of hearts deserve to love…
And be loved in return.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Cole

“I t’s Christmas!” a loud voice booms, dragging me from a peaceful

slumber with my girl tucked against my body.
I drift back off, thinking that was a dream, but then the bed starts
moving.
“Wake up, motherfuckers. It’s fucking Christmas.”
Dragging my eyes open, I find Conner bouncing on our bed like he’s a
fucking five-year-old with a beaming smile on his face.
“Con, you fucking serious?”
“As a fucking heart attack. It’s Christmas, we’re going to be eating
actual food, not the tinned shit we used to, and we’ve got presents. Like
actual wrapped-up fucking gifts with bows on top.”
I can’t help his excitement seep into me a little. Glancing to my left, I
find Hadley staring up at my idiotic brother with an equally wide smile on
her face. That is, until his final comment registers and a little sadness finds
its way in.
“Wait, you didn’t have—”
“It’s in the past, Dove,” I whisper as our guest continues bouncing. “Are
you done yet?” I bark, equally as excited as I am pissed off with his
intrusion. This isn’t exactly how I’d planned on starting our first holiday as
a couple.
 “Nope, and I won’t be until you two don the Christmas sweaters I so
thoughtfully bought you and get your asses downstairs.”
Before I know what he’s doing, he’s bent down and is peeling the sheets
back from the two of us.
“Conner, what the fuck?” I shout, doing my best to cover up Hadley’s
naked body.
“What? I’ve seen the goods before. Nothing new there.” He winks at
Hadley and my fists curl.
“That was before. Now get the fuck out.”
“And it’s not like I haven’t seen yours. I probably played with it more
than mine when we were kids.”
“What the utter fuck?” I balk at him. “That’s just fucking weird. Get the
hell out.”
“Fine,” he spits, his shoulders dropping slightly as he jumps from the
bed and stalks to the door. “You’ve got ten minutes. And no calls for God,
please, just because it’s his birthday.”
“It’s not God’s birthday, you fucking idiot.”
By the time he’s gone, and I look down at Hadley. Her entire body is
shaking with laughter.
“I’m glad someone finds him funny.”
“He’s really something else. We need to find him a girlfriend, though. I
feel kinda sorry for him now we’re together and Ace has Remi.”
“Good luck with that,” I mutter, rolling out of bed to use the bathroom.
“What’s that meant to mean?”
“He’s still pining after a girl in the Heights. No one else stands a
chance.”
“How don’t I know about this?” she asks, following me and standing in
the doorway.
“He doesn’t talk about her.”
“Who is she?”
“Do you really want to talk about Conner, or are you going to come
shower with me?”
She rolls her eyes and steps into the room and then my arms as I back
up toward the shower.
“Shower, obviously,” she says with a smile. “I just worry about him.”
“He’s a big boy, he can deal.”
 “I know but—” I cut her words off with my lips, plunging my tongue
into her mouth so she can’t say any more on the subject. If she wants any
more details, then she’s going to need to ask him. I’m not spilling any of his
secrets.

By the time we make it downstairs, we are well past the ten-minute warning
Conner gave us, but when we find him shoveling waffles like he hasn’t
eaten all year in the kitchen with everyone else, I understand why he never
came to find us.
“At last,” he says with a roll of his eyes when we take a seat.
“Waffles?” Sarah asks, lowering two plates in front of us.
“Thank you. This smells incredible.”
“Waffles are tradition for me and Remi, so we thought we’d continue.
Did you three have any Christmas traditions as kids?”
Ace snorts in disbelief while my eyes widen.
“Sure did, Sarah. We always played the exciting game of trying to guess
what was in the mystery can that we’d pushed to the back of the cupboard
every year after the label fell off.
“If we were lucky it was custard, unlucky it was dog food that one of
the neighbors gave us out of pity.”
Her chin drops at Conner’s words, and although I want to tell her that
he’s joking, sadly, he’s not. Although he is exaggerating about the dog food,
as far as I know.
“Oh, well…” She looks between the three of us awkwardly. “Are there
any traditions you’d like to start, seeing as this is hopefully the first of many
family Christmases we’ll have together?”
Ace shrugs while I shake my head, Conner, on the other hand, has
plenty of suggestions.
“I didn’t see a box big enough under the tree that might be hiding my
stripper.”
“Conner,” we all bark simultaneously.
“What? I’m joking, obviously. Just keep the food coming and I’m all
good,” he says, reaching out for another waffle.
 Once we’ve eaten, we move through to the living area where Sarah,
Remi and Hadley set up a huge Christmas tree covered in white and gold
twinkling lights and decorations. It’s really quite something.
Sarah and James both happily hand out gifts until each of us has a little
pile to open while the two of them stare at us all with wide smiles on their
faces.
I sit back and watch as Ace and Conner open theirs. I love seeing their
eyes light up at the simplest of gifts.
Conner wasn’t lying this morning. We’ve never had this, and, although
annoying as fuck, I totally understood his excitement. Just opening a new
set of boxers is a serious improvement on our childhoods.
The gifts are all simple and understated, and I think there’s probably a
very good reason for that. They know this is beyond what we’re used to,
and anything extravagant would blow our minds. But this Christmas isn’t
about money, or expensive presents. It’s about family. Just a few months
ago, I’d have laughed if someone would have told me I’d be sitting here
now enjoying this, but I am. At some point, this place became my home,
and the people around me became an extension of my family.
“One more gift left,” James announces, turning to Sarah who stares at
him with love pouring from her eyes. It would be sickening if I wasn’t
already aware that this is probably how I look every time I glance at
Hadley.
My girl’s hand slips into mine, and I feel the brush of the ring I gave her
only a week ago against my finger.
I know it was crazy, but I promised myself that if she ever decided to
give us a second chance I wanted to prove to her just how serious I was, and
I couldn’t think of anything more serious than asking her to be mine
forever.
She smiles up at me as if she can read my thoughts, and I drop my lips
to her forehead right as Sarah gasps in surprise.
Turning toward my father, I find him on one knee before the woman he
loves.
“Oh my God,” Remi whispers as she looks between the two of them.
“Sarah, you’ve become an invaluable part of my life, my family, and I
can’t imagine a day here without you by my side. Would you do me the
honor of agreeing to be my wife?”
 Tears stream down Sarah’s cheeks as she agrees, and, after dropping to
her knees with James, she allows him to slide the ring onto her finger.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it,” she says before James sweeps her up
into his arms.
“Aw,” Hadley whispers beside me, curling into my side.
“That was romantic and all, but you do realize that Ace and Remi are
now officially going to be brother and sister?” Conner announces.
“Step,” Remi barks. “And Conner?”
“Huh?”
“Shut the fuck up,” we all say at the same time before launching
cushions at him.

“I’d like to say a few words before we dive in,” James says, pushing his
chair out and standing at the head of the table.
Conner’s face drops as he continues staring at the bird in the center of
the table before slumping back in his chair in disappointment.
“Only a few months ago, all our lives changed forever. While the three
of you came here kicking and screaming, or should I say fighting, I got
everything I’d ever wanted.
“I spent my whole adult life wanting to finally get the chance to be your
father, and despite the awful events that got you here, I couldn’t be more
grateful to finally have this chance.
“I know things haven't been easy. The past few months have been
challenging for all of us in more ways than one.” He looks around the table
at each of us. “But I hope that as we move into the new year, we’ve all
turned a corner.
“The five of you have exciting times ahead of you. Ace with your job,
Cole with your new team and college, and Conner with whatever you
decide to do. I know you’ll make me proud, Son,” he says looking around
the table, “and I just want you all to know that I couldn’t be prouder of the
adults you’re quickly becoming.”
“So as my soon-to-be bride said earlier,” he grabs his glass and lifts it
into the air, “to our first of many family Christmases. Conner, you may now
eat.”
 Laugher erupts from the table as James tilts Sarah’s head his way and
captures her lips with his. Following their lead, I do the same with my girl.
And when I pull back, I find Ace followed suit too, leaving Conner alone
with his bird.
“At least she doesn't talk back,” he mutters, cutting himself off a huge
piece and dumping it on his plate.
“This time next year, bro. You’ll see.”
He grumbles something in response, but I don’t catch it.
Everyone dives for the food, but I stay put, just watching their
happiness and excitement.
“Dad?” I say, making everyone stop moving.
“Yeah, Son?”
“Thank you.” The words reverberate deep inside me. “You didn’t have
to put up with the three of us after the drama we brought on you, and I want
to say, for the three of us, that we really appreciate everything you’ve done.
Hell knows we’d all be dead or in prison by now if it weren’t for you.”
“Speak for yourself,” Conner mutters.
“To James. For taking in his delinquent kids and mostly not regretting
it.”
“To James.”
He smiles at me, and I can’t help but return it before we begin our feast.
Hadley’s hand lands on my thigh as she leans into my ear. “I’m so proud
of you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s really not. What you just said made his entire year, not just his
Christmas. I love you, Cole Jagger.”
“I love you, too, Little Dove. Now eat, before there’s nothing left,” I
joke, turning back to the table and filling my plate.
Her stare remains on me for a beat before she follows my lead.
There’s no doubt about it, Hadley Dove Rexford saved my life this year.
It might not all have been easy going, but she saved me, and I’ll spend
every day for the rest of my life showing her just how much that means to
me.

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 EPILOGUE

Cole

“Y ou ready to party Heights style?” I ask, pulling Hadley into my

side as we head toward Nate’s house where tonight’s party is
being held. She looks a little apprehensive, but she doesn’t need
to be. Heights might be a scary place to people who aren’t used to it, but
she’s a Jagger now. No one would dare say or do anything to her.
Just like at Halloween, there are kids everywhere, all more than ready to
see in the New Year and put the old one in the past.
As relieved as I am to forget about the last few months, I can’t regret
any of them. They’ve helped make me who I am today, with my girl at my
side and a bright football future ahead of me.
Over the holidays, Hadley and I filled in her Colton U application. She’s
still not one hundred percent on what she wants to do, but she’ll get there.
All I know is that Colton would be stupid not to have her—not that I’m
going to give them a choice, because there’s no way I’m spending another
day without my girl at my side.
She’s spent the entire holidays at the house with us, but she’s already
warned me that when school starts back up she’s going to be spending some
time in dorms. I’ve told her I’ll allow it, but I must admit that I’m ready to
lock her up in my bedroom to stop it from happening.
 The front door opens and Nate, Levi, Jay and a couple of other members
of the team come spilling out.
“Oh look, here he is, the newest Colt who’s going to take the NFL by
storm one day.”
They all come over and pull me away from Hadley so they can
congratulate me, although I don’t miss the jealousy in their eyes. Nate
might be the only senior, but I can’t imagine him heading off to college at
the end of the year. But then, I never really thought I’d get this opportunity,
so I guess crazier things have happened.
I look back to check on Hadley and find her with Remi, Ace and
Conner. Happy that she’s entertained, I turn my attention back to the guys to
answer all their questions.
As we make our way inside, we turn toward the main living room while
Nate tells the kids who are occupying the couches to fuck off so we can all
get comfortable.
Hadley falls down onto my lap with her soda while I place mine on the
coffee table.
I know I could handle a drink now without going off the deep end, but
while I don’t feel like I’m missing out without it, I figure why bother. I’m
more than happy to let Ace, Conner and the girls enjoy themselves tonight
while I stay sober to drive us all home. I’ve told Hadley time and time again
to have a drink, but she point-blank refuses, wanting to support me. I
couldn’t love her any more for it, although I hate that she might be missing
out on some fun because of my stupid decisions.
With my arm possessively wrapped around Hadley’s waist, I watch the
others shoot the shit as the alcohol flows and they get more and more lit.
Everything is great, until a shadow falls over our group and the
conversations pause for a beat.
Looking up, I find Warren Kraven glancing around us all with Kennedy
Lowe tucked into his side. His arm is locked around her waist, clearly
showing exactly who she belongs to. And there’s no question in my mind
who that not-so-subtle message is for.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her since we left, and my eyes automatically
find Conner on the other couch to see his reaction to her. As far as I’m
aware, he hasn’t seen or heard from her either.
His eyes narrow on the two of them as the muscle in his jaw starts to
pulsate.
 Looking back, I immediately see what I missed the first time, a dark
shadow beneath her eye which certainly doesn't look like it’s from a lack of
sleep over the holidays.
“What’s wrong? You’ve just gone really tense.”
“You know Conner’s girl?” I say around a tight expression.
“Yeah,” Hadley breathes, already turning to look, guessing what I’m
about to say.
“Well, that’s her.”
“Oh.” She looks between Kennedy and Conner, her own shoulders
tightening, clearly able to see what I can in my twin brother. “Things are
about to get interesting, aren't they?”
“It’s the Heights,” I mumble. Shit always gets interesting.”

Conner

My heart slams against my ribs as I look up into her light blue eyes. My
breath catches as I realize that I was not prepared in the slightest to see her
again, despite the fact that I hoped she’d be here.
I’d hoped to see her at Halloween. It’s the reason I even suggested Cole
and I went to the party that night. But I was disappointed.
I know she was mad when we left, but I wasn’t expecting her to
disappear from my life the second we stepped foot outside the Heights.
It hurt.
It really fucking hurt.
She’d always been my girl. My best friend. And she just cut me out of
her life like I meant nothing. Like I hadn’t cut out my own heart and
stomped all over it just so she could find her own happiness months before
that.
My fists curl at my sides as I study her. Her makeup is the same, the
heavy eyeliner she always loved firmly in place along with her dark, stained
lips. I run my eyes down her body, over the small black dress she’s wearing
that shows off what she always used to try to hide, and the ink that covers
her left arm, although I swear there’s more than there was the last time I
saw her.
It’s not until I find her eyes again that something explodes within me.
She’s done a fairly good job, but even the best makeup artist would struggle
to cover the black eye she’s trying to hide.
My gaze turns to her boyfriend, Warren, another old friend.
It was always the three of us growing up. Despite the fact that Warren
was in Ace’s year at school, he just connected with Kenny and me.
His eyes narrow on mine when he senses my stare, and I swear his grip
on Kenny tightens. Surely, he can’t be feeling threatened by my presence. I
haven’t spoken or even seen either of them since the summer. As much as I
might like to steal his girl from him, I’m sure the reality of that happening
the first time we see each other again after this long is unlikely.
Ripping my eyes away from the couple, I stare at the coffee table in
front of me. I don’t miss my brother’s burning stare, but I can’t look up at
him. He’ll see too much, and the last thing any of us need tonight is me
getting into it with someone who was meant to be my best friend over the
state of my girl’s face.
She’s not your fucking girl.
Shaking my head, I push from the couch and stalk from the room in the
hope of finding something stronger than the beer someone handed me when
I first walked in.
We’re meant to be celebrating tonight. It’s a new year, one where our
lives are going to change forever as we finish high school and embark on
our first steps toward our futures, and all I want to do is walk out and forget
it’s even happening.
How can looking at one person change everything so fast? I was
pumped to be here tonight. To show Remi and Hadley just a bit of our old
lives, to feel like the old me once again.
But it’s too much.
All of it is too fucking much.
I find a bottle of vodka in the kitchen and twist the top. The first swig
burns, but even with the strength of it, I fear it’ll never remove the image of
her attempt to hide that bruise.
“Are you okay?” A soft hand lands on my upper arm, and when I turn, I
find Hadley staring back at me with concern filling her eyes.
 “Yeah. I’m great, it’s New Year’s Eve.” But despite the effort I put into
my words, they fall totally flat. Hadley’s face drops, telling me she didn’t
miss it either.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“And ruin your night as well? No, I really fucking don’t.”
She smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Well, I’m here if you
need it. Anytime.”
“I know. Thanks, Hads. Things are just…”
“Complicated?” she asks with a knowing glint in her eye.
“Yeah. Something like that.”
She squeezes my hand. “If it’s meant to be, then it will be.” She smiles
once more before disappearing into the crowd.
I stay where I am, downing a little more of the vodka before wandering
through the house to see what trouble I can find—or more specifically,
who’ll be the first to offer me a joint. But as I step into the dining room, I
find two figures in the shadows. I recognize them instantly and freeze in the
doorway, hoping that neither of them see me.
Kennedy’s small body crashes back against the wall as an oomph falls
from her lips.
Not wanting to get caught watching them, I step from the room, lifting
the bottle that’s still in my hand to my lips.
After only a few seconds, footsteps rush my way before Kenny emerges
from the room. Before I know what I’m doing, I wrap my hand around her
upper arm and turn her to face me.
“What—” My words falter at the tears pooled in her eyes. “Shit.”
With her arm still in my grasp, I pull her from the house and into the
trees at the bottom of Nate’s backyard.
“Is he hurting you?” I bark, not bothering with any of the pleasantries
that would probably be appropriate for how many months have passed since
we breathed the same air.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her voice cracks, giving
her away. Not that I need it to. I’ve always been able to read her, and right
now she’s lying through her teeth.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Kenny,” I shout, making her cower a little,
and the bottle that was in my hand shatters against one of the trees behind
her.
“I-I’m n-not,” she whimpers.
 I step up to her and she takes one back, her eyes locked on the dirt
beneath our feet, not willing to allow herself to show me everything she
knows I’ll be able to read in her eyes.
“Kenny,” I warn, although my voice comes out softer this time. It has
the desired effect; her eyes find mine.
She still feels the pull that was always between us, I can see it as I stare
at her. I can feel it tugging me closer to her.
“You’re lying to me. Why?”
“You need to go, Conner. If he…”
“If he what?”
She shakes her head. “It’s nothing. This isn’t your life anymore. You
shouldn’t even be here.”
“Yeah, well, I am. I’m here now, so tell me the fucking truth. Is he
hurting you?”
Her lips slam closed, and she once again looks away from me.
Reaching out, I cup her cheek, forcing her eyes back to mine as I wipe
my thumb over the makeup covering her bruise.
She winces, and it guts me that she’s in pain.
“He did this, didn’t he?” I stare into her eyes, desperate for her to give
me the truth, just once.
Her lids lower, severing our connection before she nods just once.
I don’t recognize the roar that rips from my throat at her confirmation.
My knuckles connect with the tree trunk she’s leaning against, but I don’t
feel anything. I’m numb, lost to the fury at knowing that motherfucker
dared to lay a finger on her.
“I’ll kill him. I’ll fucking kill him for hurting you.”
“No,” she cries, and it’s not until her voice breaks through my red haze
that I realize she’s curled in on herself, shaking in fear.
“Oh fuck, Kenny.” I gather her in my arms and sink to the floor with her
as she cries.
“I’ll make this fucking right. I promise you. I’ll make it right, or I’ll
fucking die trying.”
With her in my arms, I feel more like myself than I have in months. I
can’t deny that I am living the life in Sterling Bay, and that James has given
us things that we never could have dreamed of while living here. But I’ve
never forgotten the girl I left behind. She might have forgotten me the
second I moved on, but I never did.
 I always thought Kenny was my future, my forever, but it seems that as
my addiction to her grew, hers was going in a different direction. Toward
Warren.
Sirens in the distance are the first warning sign that something is about
to go wrong. For as much crime as there is in the Heights, there are hardly
ever any sirens or flashing lights due to the fact that no one ever calls the
cops. We deal with our own issues and are brought up to believe that only
pussies call the authorities.
Blue flashing lights join the sirens, and Kenny tenses in my arms.
“We should move.”
“I can’t. Not yet.”
“Conner,” she sighs, but successfully removes herself from my lap.
I want to argue, but my cell starts ringing in my pocket. Pulling it out, I
find Ace’s name flashing on the screen. “What?”
“We need to go now,” he barks down the line.
“I-I can’t.”
“Conner, none of us want to get dragged into any of this. Get your ass to
the car now.” The line goes dead.
“Ken—” I look around. She was just right there in front of me.
“Kenny?” I call, but there’s no sign of anyone. “Fuck.”
I take off for the street where Cole parked his car, continuing to look
over my shoulder in the hope of seeing her, but I never do.
“Where the fuck did you go?” Ace snaps at me when I drop into the
backseat beside him before Cole wheelspins off as a stream of police cars
pull into Nate’s driveway.
Some New Year’s Eve party.

The five of us ended up bringing in the new year in the pool house, but
while my brothers enjoyed it, losing themselves in kisses with their girls, I
couldn’t get the image of Kenny’s terrified eyes and the dark bruise marring
her face from my mind.
I don’t get a wink of sleep. I’m too worried about where she might have
gone and what might be happening to her.
 Warren didn’t see me leave with her, but that doesn't mean he doesn’t
know. People did see us, and something tells me that he won’t be too happy
about it.
The sun is barely up the next morning, and I’m pacing back and forth in
my room, scrolling through my old contacts and trying to figure out who
would be the most helpful in tracking her down.
Stopping on Levi’s name, I tap out a message asking if he has her
number when the sound of the doorbell ringing pierces the silent house.
Everyone else is probably fast asleep. I left Ace and Cole partying with
their girls and I heard James and Sarah come in sometime before three AM
this morning.
Ripping my door open, I make my way down to see who else is awake
at this time on the first day of the year, but nothing could prepare me for
what I find when I open the front door.
“Fuck, Kenny,” I gasp, rushing forward to help take her weight from
Jay. “What the hell happened?”
“I have no idea. I found her like this. I didn’t know where else to take
her where she’d be safe.”
Taking her lifeless body from Jay, I lift her into my arms, taking in her
swollen, bruised and bloody face and ruined clothes.
“I’ve got this.” I give him a stiff nod. “You did the right thing.” I kick
the door closed without inviting him in and carry her up to my room.
Laying her down on my bed, I brush her hair from her battered face.
“What the hell did he do, Kenny?” I whisper, desperate to pull her into my
arms to keep her safe but terrified I’ll hurt her. “I’ll fucking kill him for
this,” I whisper, repeating my promise from last night.
No one does this to my girl and gets away with it.
I might be seen as the light-hearted one, the goofball, the clown… but
make no mistake, I’m still a Jagger after all.

Need more of Conner Jagger?

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TORMENT HER

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REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 5

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 CHAPTER ONE

Kennedy

M y eyes flutter open, pain radiating through every part of my body. I

groan, trying to adjust my eyes to the soft amber glow flickering
around the room.
“W-where am I?”
I search my memories for a clue of where I might be. The walls are a
light gray, and the furniture is black wood. It’s tidy, clean.
It’s definitely a boy’s room.
My hands fist the sheets, and something pinches in my skin. “W-what?”
“Try to relax,” someone says softly, and I twist my head slowly to find a
man standing there. “Hello, Kennedy. I’m Dr. Miles.”
“W-what happened?”
“We’re not sure.” His lips flatten into a grim line. “What can you
remember?”
“I-I don’t know.” I close my eyes, willing the memories to surface.
There was a New Year’s Eve party at Nate Jenner’s house. He’s captain of
the football team at Sterling Heights, my high school. I was with Warren,
my boyfriend.
Just the thought of him makes me flinch.
The Jaggers were there. Ace, Cole... and Conner. He tried to talk to me,
but then the police arrived, and I ran.
 “I don’t remember,” I croak, because after the hazy memories of fleeing
the party, there’s nothing.
“Okay, try to relax.” He checks a small machine I’m hooked up to.
“What’s that?”
“It’s monitoring your blood pressure and heart rate.”
“Sorry, but where am—”
The door flies open, and Conner Jagger stands there. My childhood best
friend. His face is pale, his bright blue eyes wide and skittish.
“Kenny,” he breathes, “thank fuck.”
“I thought I told you to wait outside.” The doctor gives him a
disapproving look.
“I just need to see her, please.”
“Two minutes,” he says. “I need to speak with James.” The doctor turns
to me and smiles. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
I nod, because it’s all I can do.
Conner is here and I’m... I’m at the Jaggers’ house. I don’t know how I
know, but I do.
But not only am I at their house… I’m in Conner’s bedroom.
It’s the only explanation that makes sense.
The doctor leaves us and Conner approaches the bed. “What the fuck
happened, Kenny? Because I’m trying really hard to figure out an
explanation for this,” he motions to me lying in his bed, battered and
bruised, “that doesn’t end with me driving to the Heights and—“
“Stop.” The word falls from my lips, and Conner halts, a heavy frown
falling over his face.
“Kenny?” God, the vulnerability in his voice guts me. Conner and I
have history. We were childhood friends... the kind of friendship that you
think will never fade.
But it did.
It faded.
And now we’re no one to each other.
So why the fuck am I here?
“What are you doing, Conner? Why am I here?”
“He brought you here... you don’t remember?” His eyes narrow.
“He?” Fear trickles down my spine as my fingers twist tighter into the
sheet.
“Jayden.”
 “Jayden?” I balk. He plays on the team with Nate. I know him from
school, but we’re not friends.
He is friends with Conner and his twin brother, Cole, though.
A memory floods my mind.
Shouting.
Pain.
Someone cradling me against their body and reassuring me that
everything was going to be okay.
“Kenny?” Conner’s voice is a quiet whisper as tears roll down my
cheeks.
“You need to go.”
His expression hardens. “What?”
“Please. I need you to go.”
The memories come thick and fast now, slamming into me like a
wrecking ball.
Warren’s cruel words, his callous touch. His bitter breath fanning my
face as he...
I screw my eyes closed and focus on my breathing.
“Kennedy, please—”
“JUST GO!” I scream, pain ripping through every inch of me.
The blood drains from Conner’s face and his lips part to say something,
but the door opens again.
“Everything okay in here?” a girl I vaguely recognize asks.
“I need him to leave,” I say to her, hoping she might understand.
“I’m not going, Remi. You can’t—“
“Conner.” She reaches for his arm, gently touching him there. “Let’s
give Kennedy some space. She’s been through a lot.”
“I...” He glances back at me. “You really want me to leave?”
I nod, blinking away the tears.
Conner runs a hand down his face, letting out a small hiss. “Fine, but
this isn’t over, Kenny.” He barges past the girl and disappears into the hall.
She doesn’t leave, though. Closing the door, she gives me a weak smile.
“How are you feeling?”
“Confused, sore...”
“I’m Remi, by the way. We didn’t get introduced at the party.”
I’ve heard her name around school. She’s the girl who tamed the
infamous Ace Jagger, Conner’s older brother. He was kind of a big deal
before the three of them left Sterling Heights and moved to the Bay.
“Kennedy. But everyone calls me Kenny.”
“Do you... want to talk about it?”
Pressing my lips together, I shake my head.
Where would I even start?
“Okay, I get it, I do.” She hesitates, and I hope she’ll say goodbye and
leave me alone. I can’t do this, not now.
Not ever.
But she surprises me by saying, “Don’t be too hard on him. He’s been
going out of his mind since you got here.”
My defenses go up, and I want nothing more than to tear out the IV,
grab my clothes, and get the hell out of here.
I don’t, though.
Grinding my teeth together, I swallow all the things I want to say.
She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know what happened between
Conner and me and Warren.
Or maybe she does, a little voice whispers, but I tamp it down.
“I’ll let you rest.” Remi is reaching for the door handle when I find my
voice.
“Remi?”
“Yeah?” Hope flashes in her eyes.
“Keep Conner away from me.”

“I’ve recommended to James that he take you to the hospital.” Dr. Miles
smiles, but I don’t return it.
“No, not gonna happen.”
“Kennedy, you were beaten and sexually assault—”
I flinch, pulling the sheet over my body. Dr. Miles returned twenty
minutes ago. He removed the IV and said he’d treated what injuries he
could. I have a busted lip, a nasty black eye, bruised ribs, bruising around
my throat and hips, and some other cuts and scrapes. But it isn’t the external
injuries he’s concerned about.
It’s the ones he can’t see.
The ones I refuse to confide in him.
 “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Doctor, I do. But I’m
fine.”
“Kennedy, whoever hurt you needs to be—”
“I said I’m fine,” I snap.
He lets out a weary sigh. “Okay, okay. I’m going to write you a script
for some pain meds, and emergency contraception should you need it—”
“I’m on birth control.”
He nods. “Your blood work will be back in a couple of days.”
“Thanks.” I hesitate. “You haven’t told anyone about... you know?”
“Ellen—”
“Ellen?”
“The Jaggers’ housekeeper. She and Remi were present while I
performed my initial observations.”
Shame burns through me. They both saw what he did to me. It makes
sense why Remi was so nice to me earlier.
“You don’t need to worry. They understand that this is your story to
tell.” He gives me a weak smile. “And James is happy for you to stay here
until you figure things out.”
“Great.” I smile tightly.
I have no intention of staying. Part of me still doesn’t understand why
Jayden brought me to the Jagger house in Sterling Bay in the first place. He
could have taken me to Shelbie’s house, or the emergency room in the
Heights.
But no, he brought me to the one place I would never have chosen to
come myself.
Even though I know I can’t go back to Warren, not after this, I know I
can’t stay here either.
Once again, I’m lost and alone.
My parents died when I was young, and I moved in with my great aunt.
But she got sick right before the summer and died. With nowhere to go,
Warren and his dad had taken me in. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than
the alternative.
I’m still only seventeen, a minor. And I have nothing.
No one.
My life is a fucking mess.
“Okay, I think we’re all done here.” The doctor looms over me. “I know
it feels desperate right now, but there are people out there who can help you.
Counselors—”
“I’m good. Thanks, doc.” I can’t disguise the sarcasm in my voice.
Counselling won’t help someone like me. Someone bound to a life of
heartache and pain.
“Very well. Goodbye, Kennedy.” He hesitates, the anguish in his eyes
obvious. He’s a doctor. His job is to help people, to make things better. I
guess James Jagger pays him a hefty fee to make house calls, especially one
like this. But when you’re one of the richest men in Sterling Bay, it’s
probably pocket change.
I just don’t understand why. Why has he gone to all this trouble... for
me?
The reason stares back at me as Dr. Miles opens the door.
“Conner,” he sighs. “She specifically asked for you to—”
“I’m not in the room,” he argues. “But she can’t stop me from standing
outside my own bedroom door.” His eyes flash to mine, and I cuss under
my breath.
He isn’t going to make this easy.
He’ll never let me just walk out of here.
I need a plan.
But right now, I can hardly move, so I’ll have to give myself some time
to recover first.
“I just want to talk,” Conner says over the doctor’s shoulder.
“Well, I don’t.” I let out an indignant huff.
“Conner.” It’s a female voice, but it doesn’t sound like Remi.
Jesus, what is this place? A hotel for stray kids?
The second the door closes, the silence is deafening. I don’t want
company, but being alone brings its own nightmares. No matter how hard I
try to keep them at bay, the memories infiltrate my mind.
Screwing my eyes shut, I try to think of something—anything—but
what happened.

“Warren, you’re hurting me.”

His grip on my hair tightens. “Hurting you? I’ll fucking kill you if I find
out anything happened with you and Jagger.”
 “It... it didn’t,” I breathe, clamping my hands around his, trying
desperately to claw his fingers from the hair at my scalp.
Warren shoves me into the wall, the air whooshing from my lungs. “I
saw the two of you.”
“Talking,” I implore, holding up my hands as a shield. “We were just
talking.”
“And what did you tell him, Kenny? Ay? What the fuck did you tell
him?” His eyes are wild, spittle flying from his lips.
When he’s like this, it’s impossible to get through to him.
“I-I didn’t tell him—”
His hand wraps around my throat, squeezing so tight I see stars.
“Jagger’s still got a hard-on for you. Everyone knows it. Well, let’s see if
he’ll still want you when I’ve ruined you.” He starts clawing at my clothes,
my breasts, my pussy. His touch is cruel. Rough and painful.
“Warren, please. Let’s just forget about tonight. I’ll make you feel good,
baby. I’ll make you feel so good.” I try to kiss him, but he pins me in place,
slamming my head against the wall. Pain ricochets through my skull as
stars swim across my vision.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” He chuckles darkly before dragging his
tongue up my cheek. “And when I’m done with you, Conner Jagger won’t
ever look twice at you again.”

I wake with a start. My breathing is ragged, my pulse drumming in my ears.

It’s dark, the room still and quiet.
There isn’t a part of me that doesn’t ache or hurt. But the pain is already
less intense. Hopefully, it means I’m healing fast and can leave here soon.
Something shifts over in the shadows and I freeze, fear choking me.
“H-hello?” I manage to say.
“It’s me.”
I strain against the darkness to find Conner sitting there, his expression
haunting.
“You’re watching me sleep? Really? That’s messed up,” I sneer.
“Kenny, please... I just needed to know you were okay.”
“I will be when I get out of here.”
 “And go where? Back to hi—”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare.” Anger bubbles up inside me.
He drags the chair closer, his eyes fixed right on mine. “What
happened?”
I know then that he isn’t going to let this go.
Conner is going to push and push, until eventually I snap.
“I was attacked.” The lie rolls off my tongue. “After we talked, I started
walking home and someone must have...” I trail off.
“You’re saying you don’t know who did this?” His eyes narrow.
“It’s the Heights. Shit happens.” I shrug.
“Kenny, come on. I saw the bruises at the party. You don’t have to lie to
me. I can protect you.”
“Protect me?” I balk. “You think you can protect me?”
“Yeah. I have resources, money... you can stay here and we can—”
“Conner, stop. Just stop. This isn’t a fairy tale. You don’t get to ride in
on your white horse and rescue me. This is my life.”
“Kenny, please, just think about it. You don’t have to go back to him.
Not if he’s hurting you.”
My heart thunders in my chest. It would be so easy to say yes, so easy
to let him try and fix this... but the harsh reality is, Conner is the reason I’m
in this situation in the first place.
This is all his fault.
And I’ll never forgive him for it.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWO

Conner

K enny doesn’t say anything else. Instead, she turns her eyes away
from me and focuses on the wall, attempting to block me out.
I sit there for a few minutes before my need to move, to do
something, gets the better of me.
“This is fucking bullshit, K.” I push from the chair and storm from the
room.
I want to sit beside her and comfort her. Be her shoulder to cry on. But
for that to happen, she needs to stop shutting me out.
The door slams behind me, and I fall back against it.
Not a second later does Cole’s bedroom door open and a blonde head
pokes out.
“Is she okay?” Hadley asks, concern for Kennedy pulling her brows
together.
“Fuck knows,” I spit. Some people might be affected by the harshness
of my tone, but not Hadley. She knows me, or more so Cole, better than to
be threatened by us. She’s the bravest fucking girl I know.
“You just need to give her some time, some space.”
I lift my hands to my hair and pull until it hurts. I don’t want to give
Kenny those things. I want to pull her into my arms and tell her that it’s
going to be okay, that all she needs to do is tell me the truth and I’ll make
sure that motherfucker isn’t able to touch her, or another woman, ever
again.
I trusted that fucker with her. Kenny was the single most important
person in my life aside from my brothers, and I trusted him with her.
What a fucking idiot I was.
"I don't fucking want..." My words trail off as Hadley's eyes soften.
"I know, Con." She reaches out and gently pulls my arms down before
taking my hands. "I know you want to fix things... her. But you can't. Not as
easily as you think you can. Just do as she says, let her heal, then maybe
she'll be more willing to let you in."
I stare into Hadley's eyes, I want to believe what she's saying, that
Kenny will open up once she's feeling better, but something tells me that
this isn't going to be as easy as that.
The Kenny lying in my bed right now is different from the girl I
remember. The light and sparkle that was once in her eyes has gone. I
fucking hate it, and I know he's the reason.
Thoughts of him have my grip on Hadley tightening.
"You should go back in there." I nod to the door she appeared from.
"Things might be okay with Cole and me now, Conner. But that doesn't
mean I'm no longer your friend."
"I-I know," I manage to get out through the emotion clogging my throat.
"Why don't you go and get some air. You've been standing out here all
day. Get something to eat, maybe. I know you haven’t had anything yet.
Ellen made cookies," she sings. And while I can't deny that they sound
tempting, the last thing I want to do right now is eat cookies and pretend
like everything is okay, because it's fucking not. Nothing is okay while my
girl is laying battered and broken in my bed and I'm not beside her.
"Hads?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you try to talk to her? See if you can get through to her? I need to
know if what I fear happened actually did happen."
"I can try. But if she doesn't want you to know, then you need to respect
that."
Releasing her hands, I spin away from her. I might know that she's right
but that doesn't mean I need to accept it.
Looking at my bedroom door once more, I do something that I haven’t
done since I first brought her up here however many hours ago. I walk
away.
The second my feet hit the ground floor my arm flies out, knocking the
vase and full bouquet of flowers from the top of the dresser. The vase
smashes as water splashes everything.
Watching the pieces clatter to the ground doesn't make me feel any
better.
"What the hell was..." Ace comes to a stop when he sees me standing
there with my chest heaving. "You need to calm down."
"Don't fucking tell me what to do," I bark, taking a step toward him, not
stopping until my chest is brushing his.
He doesn't so much as flinch as he waits for me to take out my
frustration on him.
"Conner. My office. Now!" A booming voice fills the silence around us
as Ace continues to hold my eyes, daring me to do my worst. "Conner?"
James says again, finally breaking through my haze.
I take a step around Ace, whose concerned eyes follow me, but I don't
look back. Instead, I start up the main staircase, storming toward James and
letting myself into his office.
By the time he follows me in, I've fallen down on his couch with my
legs stretched out before me and my head resting back on the cushion as I
stare at the ceiling.
Dad closes the door before coming to join me. He doesn't say anything,
but I know he's looking at me. His attention burns my skin.
"Talk to me, Son."
"Nothing to say."
He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, let's do this a different way. Who is
she?"
I think for a few seconds, the silence stretching out between us. "She's...
she's everything."
"Okay."
I keep my eyes on the ceiling as words start to tumble from my mouth. I
have no idea if he wants to know what I've got to say, but now I've started, I
can’t stop.
"She's been my best friend for... well, forever. We met in pre-K, and
until I moved here, well..." I trail off, not really needing to say the words.
"She's got a boyfriend. Warren.” Warren Kraven. His name is like ash on
my tongue. “He was our friend too. They got together a few months before
we moved here. I thought she was safe."
"You're saying he did this?"
Dragging my head from the cushion, I stare into my father's eyes. "Yes."
"And you know that for a fact?"
"Well... no, but—"
"You can't start accusing him—going after him—without any evidence,
Son."
"Who said I was going to..." His brow lifts in accusation, and I trail off.
"I won't let him get away with this."
"I'm not suggesting we do. But you need to know for sure first."
"She said it was a random attack. She's lying."
"What makes you think that?"
"That fact that I know her better than I know myself."
James nods, accepting my words. "No man should ever hit a woman.
You get me the evidence, and it'll get sorted."
I narrow my eyes at him, wondering who the fuck our father really is.
We were under the impression he was just a businessman, but as time goes
on, he only seems to get a shit ton more complex.
"What do you want to do now?"
"Now?"
"Well, I'm assuming you don't want to send her back?"
"Fucking right I don't."
"Does she have any family?"
"Just an aunt, but she's clearly doing a shit job of looking after her."
"Okay, so should I call social services or..."
"No, she stays here."
James leans forward, his elbows on his knees, his fingers steepled.
"Here?"
"I mean, yeah... no... I don't know. But she's not going into the system,
and she's not going back there. That's all I know."
"When is she eighteen?"
"Next month."
He nods.
"Why? What are you thinking?"
"Leave it with me.” A faint smile traces his lips. “I have some favors to
pull."
 "What does that mean exactly?"
"It means exactly what I said. Leave it with me."
"So now what?"
He shrugs. "You said you know her better than anyone, so I guess only
you know the answer."
He pushes from the couch, pulls his cell from his pocket, and has it to
his ear before walking from the room, leaving me surrounded by his walnut
office furniture and fancy fucking books.
Needing to get out of the room, I follow his lead, but not before a bottle
of amber liquid catches my attention on one of his shelves.
"Fuck it," I mutter, swiping it from its place. If it's hidden up here then
it's got to be the good stuff.
As I hit the bottom of the stairs, I glance to my right. It would be so
easy to march back up there and demand she talk to me, but I know it's not
going to get me anywhere. I wasn't lying when I said I know her, and one
thing I know is that she's a stubborn ass.
With the bottle in my hand, I make my way out the front door before
dropping down onto one of the stone steps.
I twist the top and lift the glass to my lips. The first shot burns, but I
instantly know that this isn't cheap stuff. It's so fucking smooth.
Pulling the bottle back, I look at the label. It's Macallan, but other than
knowing it's expensive shit, I don't know much more about it. We didn't
often find bottles of the good stuff lying around in the Heights.
I have no idea how long I sit there watching the sun go down, sinking
into the ocean on the horizon, but my ass is numb and my head is spinning.
I was hoping that the whisky might have helped to remove the images
my imagination have been conjuring up since I pulled Kenny into my arms
when Jay first dropped her off. The thought of him touching her, hurting
her...
My teeth grind and my grip on the bottle tightens with my need to go
and find the motherfucker and teach him a lesson of my own.
But James is right. I need to know for sure it was him.
I assume that no one knows I'm here, so when the front door opens and
Hadley steps out as if she's expecting to see me, I wonder just how good my
hiding spot was.
I should have gone down to the beach, but I didn't want to go that far
away in case she needs me.
 A sad laugh rips from my lips. She doesn't need you. She doesn't even
want you near her.
I tip the bottle to my mouth once more.
"Whoa, where did you get that?"
"James' office."
"Do you know how much a bottle like that costs?"
I shrug. "Don't care. How is she?"
"Hurting. Scared… lost."
I blow out a frustrated breath.
"It's going to take time, Conner."
"I don't want fucking time," I slur. "I just want..."
"I know, Con. Do you want to talk about her?"
I shake my head. I can't let myself go back there. I can't allow myself to
think that we could ever be a possibility. She didn't want me back then, so
why should I think now is any different?
"This is all my fault," I admit.
"How? This isn't on you, Con."
"I pushed her to him."
"What?"
“I…” I drop my head into my hands as I remember the day I told her
she should give Warren a chance as clearly as if it were yesterday. It just so
happens to be the day she crushed my heart and ruined me for anyone else.
"Did she say anything else? What happened? What he did?"
I glance over just in time to see a guilty look spread across her face.
"Tell me, Hads. Please."
"Conner," she says, reaching out and taking my hand in hers. "I can't.
What she told me, she told me in confidence. She needs friends right now,
not more people she can't trust. You just need to—"
"Give her time," I mutter to myself. "I know, you said that already."
"It's the only thing you can do. You push too hard, and you might lose
her for good. You want to help her, you need to do as she asks."
I blow out a long breath. "Well, you were a lot of fucking help," I
grumble. It's meant to come out lighthearted, but from the pained
expression on Hadley’s face, I fear I might have missed the mark.
"You need to sleep that off," she says, standing and plucking the almost
empty bottle hanging from my hand.
 "I would if I didn't have a girl in my bed who doesn’t even want to look
at me."
She opens her mouth to respond, but I beat her to it. "Don't say it, Hads.
Don't say it."
She gives me a small smile before slipping back inside the house,
leaving me alone once again with my imagination, guilt, and anger.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Kennedy

I feel like an exhibit at a zoo. First the doctor, then Conner and Remi.
Then another girl called Hadley tried to talk to me. She knew my secret.
I don’t know if Remi told her or she could just sense it, but I saw the
sympathy in her eyes, the understanding.
It didn’t make me want to open up, though.
It made me want to crawl under the bed sheets and never resurface.
I don’t want to be here.
I don’t want to be here, and yet I have nowhere else to go.
That’s what my life has come to.
I turn my head and take a shuddering breath. What I really want is a hot
shower and some clean clothes, but it’s late, and my body is beginning to
shut down.
When I hear another knock at the door I brace myself for Conner’s face,
but it isn’t Conner at all.
It’s his father.
James Jagger.
The guy who takes in waifs and strays like he’s the Pied Piper of
Sterling Bay.
“Can we talk?”
“It’s your house.” I shrug as he slips inside.
 The door clicks shut, the sound reverberating through me.
“I debated giving you some more time, but I figured I should probably
introduce myself. I’m—”
“James, yeah. I know who you are.” It comes out cold, but he remains
unaffected. I suppose moving Ace, Cole, and Conner into his house and
revealing that he was their father instead of the piece of shit they grew up
with had toughened his skin.
The Jagger brothers aren’t exactly an easy bunch to win over.
“Conner tells me the two of you are friends.”
“Were,” I correct. “We were friends.”
“You live with your aunt in the Heights?”
My jaw clenches as I try to swallow down the flash of pain. “She, uh...
she died. Right before the summer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Where do you live now?” My brows furrow, and
he smiles. “Sorry, I don’t mean to question you like this. I’m just
concerned. You’re a minor still, Kennedy, and I want to know you’re safe.”
“I live with my boyfriend and his dad.”
“I see.” His expression hardens.
“Are you going to call the authorities?” My hands twist together in my
lap.
“I would prefer not to.”
“Why?”
“Because my son cares about you, and I made a promise to do right by
them.”
“What does that mean?” My voice quivers.
“It means you can stay here for as long as you need to.”
“I can’t stay here,” I blurt out.
“I thought you might say that. What will you do? Go back to Warren?”
His brow lifts, but I don’t find any judgement there, only sympathy and pity
I don’t want to see.
“I... no, I don’t know.”
“I know you told Conner you were attacked, but we’ve had our fair
share of family drama over the last few months not to recognize a cry for
help.”
“I’m not... that’s not what this is. I didn’t ask Jay to bring me here.”
“Kennedy,” he lets out a soft sigh, raking his fingers through his salt and
pepper hair, “that’s not what I mean.”
 “O-oh.” I hate that I sound so weak, but despite not wanting to stay
here, I know that I can’t go back to Warren. Not after what he did. I’d rather
run. I’d rather pack a bag and take off.
“Look, I sense there is a story there between you and my son. That is
yours to tell, so I won’t push you for the details. But I also won’t send you
back to the Heights until I’m confident you have a safe place to stay. I
spoke to a couple of friends, and there’s another option, if you want to hear
it?”
Hesitating, I stare at him. Then I whisper, “Okay.”
“Hadley, Cole’s girlfriend, boards up at the school. There’s a spare room
in her dorm building. It’s yours if you want it. Principal Vager is willing to
talk to Sterling Heights High to see if you have enough credits to graduate
high school. If you do, you can transfer, finish classes at Sterling Prep, and
graduate in May.”
“You managed to organize all that in less than a day?” Disbelief coats
my words.
“I have... connections,” he says cryptically.
Connections and a fat check book.
“Why?”
“Because I’ve made enough mistakes with my boys. I won’t make the
same mistake twice,” he says as if it’s that simple.
Everyone had heard the recent rumors that Conner and his brothers were
in fact James’ kids, but none of us know the history there. I know the boys
suffered at the hands of their mom, though, and although it devastated me
when Conner left, I can already see he’s better off here.
“I can really stay at the school?” I ask, hardly able to believe what he’s
telling me. But then reality crashes over me.
I can’t go to Sterling Prep. I’m not like the kids who go there. I’m not
rich. I don’t drive an expensive car or wear the best designers. Unless I try
and sneak into Warren’s and get my stuff, I have nothing but the clothes
folded neatly on the chair.
I’m from the Heights, where life is hard and you do what you gotta do
to survive.
There’s no way I can go to Sterling Prep, no matter how tempting his
offer is. Besides, Conner will be there. It’ll mean seeing him day in, day
out.
 “It’s a lot to process. Why don’t you take some time to think about it.”
James gets up and moves to the door.
“Wait,” I call after him. “What happens if I say no?”
“You’re a minor, Kennedy.”
It’s a threat.
One I don’t need explaining.
He’s prepared to help me, but if I choose not to accept his offer, he
won’t hesitate to call the authorities.
Fuck.
“Get some rest. We’ll talk again soon.” He slips out of the room, and,
once again, I’m alone.
I know James means well, but he doesn’t understand the consequences
for a girl like me to attend a place like Sterling Prep. Besides, Warren won’t
just cut me loose. He’ll come for me eventually.
But I can’t deny that no matter how much I would rather not be here, it’s
the safest I’ve felt in weeks. Warren is volatile and possessive. I never know
which version of him I’m going to get. It’s exhausting, constantly living on
edge, waiting for his barbed words and cruel touch.
Maybe staying in Sterling Bay is the better option.
But as I close my eyes and Conner’s face fills my mind, I know I’d only
be trading one nightmare for another.

I jolt from a restless sleep. My breath hitches at the sight of Conner

standing over me.
“Kenny,” he slurs. “You’re awake.”
“Yeah, asshole, because you woke me.”
“I just needed... shit, babe.” He lets out a small breath and the bitter
scent of liquor invades my senses.
“You’re drunk.”
“Shh.” He presses a finger to his lips and smirks. “Don’t tell anyone. I
told Hadley I wouldn’t drink any more.”
“What is she? Like your keeper or something?” Anger ripples through
me, but I can’t help it. I’m powerless here. Just like I was powerless to stop
Warren.
 His expression falls. “You’re different.” He reaches out and ghosts his
finger over my nose. I lay rigid on the bed, hardly able to breathe. His touch
is soft and tender... cautious. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Well,
maybe once. “But you look and feel just the same.”
“Conner...” I sigh, and for a split second, I contemplate taking what he’s
offering. His comfort, his friendship. But I can’t. I can’t forget.
I won’t.
“Get the fuck away from me,” I hiss, and he staggers back, collapsing
into the chair.
“You hate me.” His frowns deepens. “Well, join the fucking club. I did
this. Me. I’ll never—”
“Conner?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Shut up.”
“I wish... I wish things were different. I wish I’d never left and you
were...” he trails off, and I’m too chicken shit to ask what the hell he’s
talking about.
He’s drunk.
I know they say people speak the truth when they’re drunk, but I also
know you can’t trust people when they’re liquored up.
Deep down, I know you can’t trust anyone.
Guys will tell you what you want to hear, shower you with compliments
and sweet nothings, and then once they’ve taken what they want, they’ll
crush your heart with their bare hands.
“You can leave now,” I snap when he starts making himself comfortable
in the chair.
“Can’t.”
“Conner, this isn’t going to work for me. I need you to—”
“Go, yeah. Got the memo. You hate me. You never want to see me
again. Well, guess what, babe?” He leans forward, swaying gently. “I don’t
fucking care. I’m not leaving until someone removes me. So you’re stuck
with me.”
“I’ll go then.” I sit up, crying out when pain splinters through me.
“Shit, K,” Conner leaps up, rushing to my side. His hand slides over my
shoulder and our eyes connect. The air crackles, thick with the ghosts of our
past. Emotion shines in Conner’s ocean blue eyes, but I know it’s only guilt.
But then his gaze drops to my lips and he swallows as if he’s imagining
kissing me.
Strangled laughter bubbles in my chest. I’m losing my mind. That or
I’m still high on the pain meds Dr. Miles gave me. Conner doesn’t want me.
He never did. That’s why I’m lying here broken and bruised, on the inside
and out.
“Kenny,” he whispers as if my name is sacred. It does strange things to
my heart, but I silence her. It doesn’t matter if his touch is gentle or his
words are kind. Conner left me. He pushed me into Warren’s arms and...
He. Left. Me.
“Get the hell away from me.” I use all my might to shove him away.
Conner stumbles back, shock etched into his expression. “Sorry, I didn’t
mean—”
“Whatever, Conner. Just go.”
He narrows his eyes with defiance. “I’m not leaving. I can’t.”
“Fine.” Indignation burns through me. “But I’m done talking.” Turning
my face away from him, I close my eyes and hope sleep will come easily
while knowing that it won’t.
Silence engulfs us as I lie there, still and unmoving. I can hear Conner,
every gentle inhale and exhale.
After a few minutes, I think he’s fallen asleep. But then his voice
pierces the darkness.
“I’m sorry, Kenny. I’m really fucking sorry.”

The next time I wake, Conner is gone. I should feel relieved, but part of me
can’t help but feel disappointed.
I test the waters and sit up. Everything hurts, but I persevere. I need to
get up today. I need to put on a brave face and show Conner and everyone
else that I’m okay.
Maybe then James will let me leave without a fight.
A knock at the door makes me groan.
“Yeah?” I call.
“Hey, it’s me.” Hadley appears. “I brought you some supplies.” She
slips inside and places the piles of clothes and toiletries on the desk. “I
figured we’re about the same size.”
“Thanks.” I give her a tight smile.
“Listen, I just wanted you to know that I won’t tell anyone.”
My lips purse. When she’d stopped by last night, I hadn’t really told her
anything. She’d deduced what had happened and I didn’t deny it.
What was the point?
Girls knew. They had some kind of weird female intuition about these
things. I’d known the second she stepped into the room.
“So you and Remi haven’t been talking about what happened?”
Accusation clings to every word.
“Kennedy, we’re not your enemies.”
“But you’re not my friends either,” I sneer. “You don’t know me. You
don’t know what I’ve been through, what I’ve survived. Just because
you’ve fallen for all... this.” I throw my hands up. “Doesn’t mean I’m
looking to be the Jaggers’ next charity case.”
She gives me a sad smile. “They just want to help.”
“Yeah, well I don’t need anyone’s help.”
Hadley’s breath catches and regret slices through me. But it’s just too
much. Being here. Conner. His dad.
Her standing there, looking at me with pity in her eyes.
“I’ll go.” She turns to leave, but I call after her.
“Wait. I’m sorry, okay? It’s just a lot. I’m not used to...”
“People caring.”
It isn’t a question, and there’s something in her expression that tells me
she knows exactly what I mean.
Maybe I was too quick to judge her.
“Thank you,” I force out. “For the things.”
“Anytime.” She smiles wider. “Ellen is making breakfast if you want to
join us.”
“Is Conner—”
“He’s hungover in bed. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I tried to keep
him away.”
“You knew?”
“I found him in here this morning and managed to drag him to one of
the guest rooms. You were sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
A faint smile traces my lips. I would have liked to see her manhandle
him out of the room.
 “You two are close, huh?”
“Me and Conner? We’re... friends.”
It’s not what she says but what she doesn’t say that piques my interest. I
don’t push, though. I’m not sure I want to know.
“He really won’t be there?” I ask, because I can’t remember the last
time I ate something homemade.
“I don’t think he’ll be surfacing anytime soon.”
“Okay, then. Maybe I’ll come.”
“I’d like that, Kennedy.” Hadley smiles, and this time it doesn’t make
me bristle. “We all would.”

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 CHAPTER FOUR

Conner

I ’ve woken up a couple times in the past few hours when people come
up and down the stairs, but every time I’ve opened my eyes, the room
was spinning and my head was pounding.
This time, everything hurts a little less. Well, everything aside from my
heart. That motherfucker is still aching, knowing Kenny is broken and
bruised and trying to push me away.
I blow out a long breath and fall onto my back.
I try to swallow, but my mouth is as dry as a fucking desert. I look at the
nightstand and sigh when I find a glass of water and a box of Advil waiting
for me.
“Hadley,” I breathe, a small smile playing on my lips. I have a vague
recollection of the scent of her perfume last night. I guess that explains why
I woke up in one of Dad’s guest rooms after falling asleep in the chair in my
bedroom.
I swallow down two pills before sinking back into the bed. My stomach
grumbles, but I’m not sure I’ve got it in me to drag my ass all the way to the
kitchen. So I lie staring at the ceiling, trying to come up with a plan.
I need Kenny to talk to me. I need to know the truth about how she
ended up as she did, and I need to put a fucking bullet through someone’s
head for ever laying a finger on her.
 My thoughts are cut short when a knock sounds out.
“Come in,” I call, hoping it might be Hadley with food. I’m
disappointed when a figure steps inside and I find Dad standing at the side
of the bed, dressed as if he’s just emerged from a meeting.
“I hope that bottle was worth it. I’d been saving it for fifteen years for a
special occasion.”
“Shit,” I groan, pushing back into the pillows, wishing they’d just
swallow me whole.
The mattress compresses as he joins me, but he doesn’t say anything for
a long second.
“Did you know Kennedy’s aunt died?”
That gets me moving, and I sit bolt upright in bed. “No, I had no idea.”
“Over the summer, apparently.”
“Shit.” I drag a hand down my face. “Where has she been living?”
“With Warren.”
My entire body tenses and my fists curl at just hearing that cunt’s name.
He did this. Kenny might be protecting him for some fucked-up reason,
but I know this was because of him. I don’t need the evidence that James
seems so insistent on.
“What?” I seethe, panic trickling through me. “She can’t go back there.”
James swallows nervously. I’ve never seen him anything but sure of
himself, even with the fucked-up situations we’ve brought upon him since
we arrived. The sight has dread settling in the pit of my stomach.
“I’ve arranged a place for her to stay, but she needs to agree.”
“A place? Where? Here?” My mind reels.
“No, Conner. Not here.” He grimaces. “I don’t think that would be the
best idea for the two of you, would it?”
“I wouldn’t have an issue.”
“I know, but this isn’t just about you.”
I sigh, sitting back against the headboard and resting my arms over my
bent knees.
“I’ll offer Kennedy everything I can because I know it’s what you want,
but she’s going to need to be willing to accept the help. Which also means
you need to be ready to accept whatever decision she comes to. Even if she
decides to go back.”
"Never."
 "Conner." He releases a long breath. "I know you want to protect her,
but you can't. This is her life. You need to let her make her own decisions."
"This is bullshit." I jump from the bed, ready to go and lock her in my
fucking bedroom if I have to.
"Conner," he repeats, "stop trying to fix everything. You can't. Not this
time."
"Fuck that. I can fix this, I can go and find—"
"Don't even think about it. You turning up to fight for her honor isn't the
way to deal with this."
"How the fuck would you know?" I bark, frustrated with being told
what to do. "You’ve never even lived in the Heights. You have no idea how
shit works there. If we don't deal with him, it'll just keep happening.” And I
refuse to let that happen. “He'll come for her, wherever it is she might go.
And if by some luck he doesn't, then he'll just start on some other innocent
girl. I'm not fucking having it."
"You need to keep your head, Son. She needs you here protecting her,
not out there trying to fight her battles for her."
"She doesn't want me here. She's made that more than clear. But I need
to do something... I have to."
I pull on last night's clothes, not missing the scent of alcohol that wafts
from them as if I’d poured as much over myself as I did down my throat.
"Do not go to the Heights, Conner. He'll be waiting for you."
"I don't give a shit. I can't just sit here, waiting for her to go back to
him."
"Conner," he calls as I fly out of the bedroom and down the stairs. I
glance at my closed bedroom door, my body aching to walk inside and see
her, but I don't. I'm not sure even she could talk me down from this right
now.
It's so late that the sun is already starting to set when I rev the engine
and wheelspin out of the driveway. I don't look back, but something tells me
that I'm being watched by more than just my father. That suspicion is
confirmed only two seconds later when Hadley's name appears on the
screen on my dash.
I reject the call and turn the music up as I make the journey back to the
Heights, ready to do what I should have done two nights ago when I first
saw Kenny with a bruise on her cheek.
 I'm at the trailer park in record time. I bring the car to a stop in front of
Warren's trailer and jump out.
I don’t bother knocking, if the motherfucker's in here, then he'll have
already heard my arrival. I yank open the front door. The stench of stale
sweat, dampness, and weed hits me, and I have to fight not to heave as I
step inside.
Warren's dad is passed out on the couch with a cigarette still hanging
from his lips and an empty bottle clutched to his chest.
Still a worthless piece of shit then.
I consider taking the lit cigarette from him to stop him setting the place
alight, but seeing as it would probably do everyone a favor if he did burn it
to the ground, I leave it where it is and turn toward Warren's bedroom
instead.
Pushing open the door, already knowing that he's not inside, I take a
look around. It isn’t exactly what I was expecting. It's tidy. The bed’s made
as if it hasn’t been slept in for days. My eyes narrow as I search for
something, anything that might help me. Warren was always a messy shit,
worse than the three of us put together, so the clear units and lack of
clothing littering the floor have suspicion racing through me.
Not finding anything that might lead me to him, I turn to leave, pulling
my cell from my pocket as I go.
I hit call on Jay's number, hoping that he'll be able to help me. He
answers the call after only two rings, but I can barely hear him through the
chaos in the background.
"Where the hell are you?" I shout down the phone.
"Fight night," he bellows back.
Something, excitement maybe, trickles through my veins.
"Where?"
He rattles off an address, and, before he's even finished, I'm back in my
car and heading his way.
The thought of a Heights fight night has my fists clenching with my
need to hurt someone. The image of Kennedy's swollen and bruised face
pops into my head and my taste for blood only gets stronger.
As I pull up to the warehouse where tonight's fight is, I find it deserted.
If I didn't know better I'd think Jay had given me the wrong address.
I park a little down the street before taking off on foot and head around
the back of the building.
 Just like I expected, I find a couple of guys standing guard at the door.
"Well, fuck me sideways. If it isn't Conner Jagger. To what do we owe
this pleasure?” Jake announces as I approach.
I fist bump both of them before cutting short their attempt at small talk
and inviting myself inside.
The roar of the crowd fills my ears and the scent of sweat, blood and
victory fills my nose.
I glance around at the crowds of people before I find Jay and Levi over
in the corner, talking to a few guys I don't know.
"Jagger, my man. How's it going?" Jay asks, clearly already a few
drinks gone.
"You know where I might find Warren?" I ask, cutting straight to the
point. "Tell me he's here," I demand, cracking my knuckles.
"Nah, man. Not seen him since New Year's Eve."
"You here to get in the ring?" Levi asks, cutting off any more questions
I might have for Jay.
"Nah, I'm not here for that."
"You sure? There's a lot of money in here tonight."
"You've seen where I live now. I don't need to fight these motherfuckers
for money."
It's a low blow, but it's true. There may have been times in the past
where I didn't know any other way to get some extra cash that we
desperately needed. But now, all I want is vengeance for my girl.
"Fair play."
"Where's Nate?" I ask, looking around for their captain.
"Didn't you hear?" Levi asks. "He got arrested on New Year's for
possession. He's got a one-way ticket straight to juvie."
"What?"
"I know. Some fucker squealed on him. Hence the cops. He's fucking
livid. I'd hate to be whoever was on the end of that phone call when he's
back, because he'll cut off their balls and—"
"Okay, Levi. We all have imaginations," Jay says, turning me away
from him.
"Why are you here, Conner? You don't belong here anymore."
I look around, and I can't help feeling like what he's saying is true.
"I need to find him, Jay. You fucking saw the state of her. He's not going
to get away with that."
 He blows out a breath. "How is she?"
"About as good as can be expected. I'm worried she's going to run back
to him."
"You can't let her do that."
"I'm fucking trying, but she won't listen to me. She barely lets me in the
fucking room."
"Just give her some time. What she went through… it must have been
brutal."
My fists curl and my shoulders tense as I imagine that motherfucker’s
hands on my girl.
"Levi's right. You need to get up there."
Jay nods over my shoulder to one of the rings.
"I haven’t fought anyone in—"
"Yo, Daz," Jay calls, totally ignoring my argument. "Jagger wants in."
"Uh... I'm not sure I—”
"Sure thing, man.” He nods. “It's good to see you, Jagger. It’s been too
damn long. I've got a slot up next if you want it."
"Um..." I hesitate, looking back to a couple of guys dancing around each
other in the middle of the crowd, blood trickling down their faces and
bruises marring their torsos.
"Fuck it," I say, taking off after Daz when he turns to leave.
This could be the worst fucking idea ever.
Or it could be exactly what I need.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

Kennedy

A fter an uncomfortable breakfast with Hadley, Remi, and the Jaggers,

I’d quickly retreated to my room and hid for the remainder of the
day.
Conner didn’t try to see me again. In fact, I was pretty sure he’d gone
out as soon as the sun sank into the horizon.
I haven’t heard him come home, yet.
The silence taunts me as I lie here, staring at the ceiling. It’s been hours
since I ate or drank anything. Hadley tried to bring me something earlier,
but I refused to answer the door. I couldn’t take any more of their pitiful
gazes, the thick silences. I knew they meant well, but it was a lot.
They’re a lot.
I’m not used to having people interested in my life.
It’s almost one in the morning, everyone will be sleeping. It’ll be safe to
go down to the kitchen and help myself to a drink and a snack. Maybe one
of those cookies the housekeeper baked earlier. I’d smelled them, the sugary
sweet goodness wafting up the stairs. But not even the promise of home
baked cookies was enough to lure me from the sanctuary of Conner’s
bedroom.
Pushing the sheet off, I pull on one of the oversized hoodies Hadley left
me and slip quietly into the hall. Darkness greets me, and I let my eyes
adjust before tiptoeing down the stairs.
The Jaggers’ house is so big I feel lost creeping down the hall to the
kitchen. It’s an impressive room, a big, open plan space that overlooks the
massive yard. The pool house stands in the distance, and a pang of jealousy
hits me. I’d discovered earlier that Remi and Ace stay out there.
It’s worlds away from my home in the Heights. Not that I have a home
anymore. Not really. I haven’t since my aunt died and the bank took the
house. Warren’s dad’s place has never felt like mine.
The light from the refrigerator is glaring as I peer inside, searching for
something to eat. Grabbing a soda and some leftover chicken, I close the
door and place it down on the counter when a noise catches my attention. I
freeze, fear trickling up my spine.
You’re okay, I silently remind myself. You’re safe here.
“Hello?” I squeak, alerting whoever it is to my presence. The last
person I expect to see enter the room is Conner.
He grinds to a halt, his eyes widening. “Kenny?” he chokes out.
It’s then that I see his face, the blood and cuts.
“Conner, what the hell?” I rush over to him, but he stops me short.
“I’m okay.”
“But you’re hurt.” God, those words twist something inside me.
“I’m okay, I promise.”
“Where were you... no, Conner.” Panic rips through me.” Tell me you
didn’t go after—” I press my lips together and swallow his name.
This is bad, really fucking bad.
“I couldn’t just do nothing.” He stares at me with an intensity that sears
my skin. It’s as if he’s memorizing the lines of my face.
It makes my heart clench, but then I remember how we ended up here,
and any regret I feel turns to anger.
“You shouldn’t have done—”
“Don’t worry,” he spits, “I didn’t find your precious fucking Warren.”
“You didn’t?” Relief sinks into me, but it isn’t for the reason he thinks.
“I met Jay and Levi at the old warehouse out by the docks.”
“You were fighting?” Everyone knows about the underground fighting
ring in the Heights. We’d followed the circuit over the years for Conner’s
fights. But I thought—hoped—he’d stopped.
“I needed to burn off some steam.” His jaw tenses.
 “Come on.” I take his hand, ignoring how it feels to touch him again,
and lead him over to the breakfast counter. “Sit.”
He climbs onto a stool and lets out a weary sigh.
“Sore?” My eyes run over the ugly cut underneath his eye and the deep
split in the pillow of his lip. He’s a mess, but it isn’t just the cuts and
bruises. It’s his gaze. The sparkle is gone, and he has dark circles
shadowing both of his ocean blue eyes.
“I’ll live,” he murmurs.
“First aid kit?” I ask, and he motions to the cabinet beneath the sink.
I locate it and fill a bowl with some warm water. “This might sting.”
Gently, I clean the dried blood off his face, ignoring the wild flutter of my
heart.
Conner sinks into my touch, the tension melting away as I work in
silence to tend to each cut and graze.
I don’t need to ask him why he did it. The answer swirls around us like
a storm on the horizon. He’s like this... because of me.
Because he needed to do something, anything, to feel better.
The shame I feel is almost suffocating.
When I’m done, I wash my hands and clean up the supplies. I’m about
to take the first aid kit back when his hand snags my wrist. “Wait,” he
breathes, the air crackling between us. “Just tell me the truth, Kenny. Tell
me what happened, please.”
The pain in his voice coils around my heart, sucking the air from my
lungs.
He knows.
Conner knows what happened, but he needs to hear me say it. He needs
me to trust him with my truths.
But I can’t do it.
I can’t admit it out loud.
Because admitting it means it happened.
Admitting it makes me a victim, and I refuse to be that girl.
We stare at one another, and I swear I can feel his warmth wrapping
around me like a blanket.
Growing up, Conner was always my protector, my knight-in-shining-
armor. There wasn’t anything his touch or smile or reassuring words
couldn’t heal. But we’re not those people to each other anymore.
I’m not his.
 And he’s not mine.
“Conner, I—“
“Shh, Kenny.” His hand curves around the back of my neck, pulling me
down until our heads are touching and our breaths mingle.
“Con...” My voice wavers, and I’m not sure what I’m asking him.
“The thought of anyone hurting you... it fucking kills me, babe. But
knowing he hurt you, knowing that I trusted him with you, and he—“
I slide a finger to his lips, forcing the words back in.
Because I can’t do this.
Not now.
Not ever.
“I’ll survive,” I whisper. “I’ll be okay.”
A shudder rolls through him as he inhales a ragged breath, screwing his
eyes shut. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
The words reverberate inside me.
Words can’t fix this.
They can’t fix us.
“Yeah,” I reply as I start to pull away. “Me too.”
“Kenny, don’t.”
“You should get some rest, Conner,” I say, fighting back the wave of
tears threatening to fall. “That’s going to hurt tomorrow.”
Abandoning the soda and chicken, I turn and retreat toward my room.
But as I reach the stairs, I’m almost certain I hear his voice.
“Not as much as losing you.”

“So, what do you think?” Hadley asks me as I take in the dorm room.
Except, it doesn’t really resemble a dorm room at all. It’s more like a five-
star hotel—not that I’ve ever been to one. The carpet is thick and spongy
beneath my feet, and the furniture looks expensive and complements the
pale beige walls.
It’s a far cry from Warren’s bedroom in his dad’s trailer.
“Kennedy?” she asks, and I blink over at her.
“It’s... nice.” The word comes out tight.
 “You have your own bathroom, and there’s a communal kitchen down
the hall, but I never really go in there.”
“Yeah, I’m not going in there either.”
She offers me a reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay, you know. I’m right
next door, and the girls aren’t that bad if you keep to yourself. At least you
have a few days to settle in before school starts.”
As if I can forget.
The last place on Earth I want to go is Sterling Prep, but I don’t have
much of a choice.
“Kennedy,” James Jagger steps into the room, taking the air with him,
“this is Valerie Jones, the school guidance counselor and cheer squad
coach.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kennedy.” The woman steps forward.
“Hey,” I inch back. There’s something about the way they’re watching
me that rubs me the wrong way, like I’m a caged animal about to bolt.
Hadley moves closer to me, offering me another smile.
“It’s okay,” she says softly. “Miss J is good people.” Something passes
over her face.
“I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know my door is always
open. Principal Vager would have been here to welcome you, but he’s
currently out of town.”
“I... uh, okay.” This is awkward.
I don’t want to be here.
But I don’t want to be back in the Heights, either.
“Well, I’ll let you get settled in. You’re in good hands.” She flicks her
gaze to Hadley. “When the semester starts, I’ll check in again, okay?”
I nod. It’s all I can manage.
“You’ll be okay?” James asks.
“We’ll be fine, thank you,” Hadley answers for me.
“Very well. You’re welcome at the house whenever you like, Kennedy.”
“Thanks.”
Relief seeps into me as they leave, closing the door behind them.
“You okay?” Hadley eyes me carefully.
I give her a half-shrug. “Could be worse, right?”
“The Jaggers are... a lot. I learned that the hard way. But they mean
well.”
“You’re telling me,” I grumble, running my finger over the sideboard.
 “Shall we unpack and get you settled?”
My brow arches as I glance at the one bag of things I have, most of
them hand-me-downs from Hadley and Remi. When I lift my eyes to hers
again, a knowing smile tugs at her lips.
“Actually, I have a better idea.”
My brows pinch, and she chuckles. “Come on, trust me. It’ll be fun.”
Hadley makes for the door, but I hesitate. I forgot how to have fun a long
time ago.
“Kennedy?” she asks.
“Nothing.” I force a smile, because Hadley is the one person I do feel
comfortable with here. I can’t really explain it, but I sense she has her own
story to tell. There’s something in her eyes, a shadow of pain I recognize.
“We don’t have to—”
“No, let’s go.” I stand taller. I won’t hide, not when I did nothing wrong.
But I can’t deny that as I follow Hadley out of the room, part of me
wants to run away from here.
From Warren and the Heights.
From James Jagger and his overbearing family.
But most of all, from the first boy I ever loved.
The only boy.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Conner

I t's been four days and Ellen has changed the sheets, but if I position
myself just right, I can still smell her on my pillow. I know I'm a sad
motherfucker, but since she left the house and Hadley got her settled in
the dorms, I've been warned to stay away and let her find her feet.
I've done it, but it's fucking bullshit.
She's in a new town, at a new school, and there's nothing I can do to
help her.
Hadley keeps assuring me that she's fine, that she's taking care of her.
And while I'm grateful, it's not fucking good enough.
It should be me. I should be the one looking after her, making sure she's
settling in okay and getting her ready to start at Sterling Prep today.
I remember what it was like on our first day, with all the stares and
gossip directed our way. I want to shield her from that. No one would dare
even look twice at her if she turned up with me. As much as I love Hadley,
I'm not sure her presence beside my girl will have the same impact as her
turning up with three Jaggers.
Pulling on my uniform, I wonder how the holidays passed by so fast.
When I ripped this off at the end of last year, it felt like it would be forever
before I put it back on, but standing here now, even with everything that’s
happened, it feels like I barely blinked and it's time to go back to school.
 I don't hate Sterling Prep. I never have, unlike my brothers. I've always
enjoyed school, and from the moment James announced that we'd be
attending, a part of me was excited about the challenge. Life at Sterling
Heights High was irritating at best. Some of the teachers tried their best, but
mostly their efforts to actually teach were impeded by the morons in class,
who were more interested in getting high and wasted than learning anything
that might improve their future.
I've always found school fairly easy. While others got frustrated and
gave up, I craved more. I also knew it was my way out of the Heights if I
wanted it. I just needed to somehow graduate with a decent GPA, not
something very many do from Sterling Heights High. Sterling Bay Prep,
though… that's an entirely different story. They pride themselves on
sending their students to Ivy League colleges every year, and while my
aspirations might not be quite that high, the chance of getting accepted to
somewhere decent makes all of my previous years worth it.
We can all say many things about James. Yes, he fucked up. Yes, he
could have helped us a lot sooner. But I can't help thinking that, really, he
swooped in when we needed it most, at the turning point in our lives when
we need to make decisions about our futures.
Cole is off to Colton U to be their next star running back. As far as I
know, Hadley is following right behind. Remi and Ace both have plans for
their future, although I'm fairly sure college isn't part of Ace's. He tolerates
school at best, so there's no way he's doing another four years of full-time
education, no matter how many times Remi might try to convince him. Me,
on the other hand… I've got a pile of application forms sitting on my desk
that I really need to send. I filled them all out last year, but the thought of
actually mailing them terrifies me, for some reason.
We've just found our feet in the Bay, and here we are already planning
our futures away from it. I look at the envelopes just sitting there as I walk
toward the window and stare out.
A knock sounds out, but I don't say anything—Cole will walk in
regardless. And, two seconds later, he does. I don't turn around, but the
quiet creak of the bed tells me what he's doing behind me.
"Excited to go back?" he asks, making my brows pull together. I'm not
sure I've ever heard him sound excited to go to school, but there's definitely
something lighter in his tone than usual.
 "Something like that," I mutter, turning around and finding exactly what
I expect, my twin brother making himself at home on my bed with his
hands behind his head. "Get your fucking shoes off," I bark, knocking his
feet off the sheets.
"Jesus, who's twisted your panties?"
"No one," I grunt, dropping down into the chair. I rest my elbows on my
knees and drop my head.
"Ah, I see. Missing your girl?"
"I'm not sure I like you this happy, you know."
He chuckles, which does nothing for my irritation.
"Go and cheer someone else up. I'm not in the mood."
"Maybe not, but I'm meeting Hadley before school, and I have it on
good authority that Ken—"
"Let's go," I bark, pushing from the chair and stalking toward the door.
"You coming or what?" I ask when he makes no move to follow.
"Yeah, I'm with you." I look back over my shoulder as he climbs from
my bed. His eyes roam my room for a beat before landing on the pile of
applications. "You know you actually need to send these to be accepted,
right?"
"Fuck off," I grunt, walking out to the hallway, assuming he'll follow.
"You know," he says as he joins me in my car. "I never thought I'd be
the one with a plan for the future while you were fumbling around like an
idiot."
"I'm not fumbling."
"Oh no? So why haven't you mailed them?"
"I was going to, and then Kenny turned up and..." I trail off. My excuse
is bullshit, and I'd be an idiot to think that Cole is buying any of it.
"She's hardly been taking up all your time."
"Thanks, asshole. I don't need you telling me that."
"I'm just saying. It takes minutes to mail them. Why haven't you?"
What if she leaves? What if she goes back to him? The words are right
on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow them down. I know it's stupid to hold
off because of Kenny—it's just another excuse I'm adding to all the others. I
just need to man up and accept that we've only got a few months before all
our lives change once again.
I blow out a sigh. "I'll send them after school."
 "Good. I'll beat your fucking ass if you miss the deadlines because
you're being a pussy."
"I preferred you when you didn't talk much."
"And I prefer you when you're not sulking, but we can't always get what
we want, can we?"
"It seems not."
"She'll come around, Con.” Cole offers me a tentative smile. “She's just
been through hell. The last thing she wants is to let another guy close."
"I'm not just any guy though, am I?"
He shrugs. "Fuck knows, Con. We left her behind and look what
happened. She probably thinks you're just as bad as them, that you care as
little."
"That's bullshit."
"Yeah, well, I haven’t figured out a woman's head yet, and I doubt that
you will either, so just go with the flow."
"And now he's giving me girl advice. Fucking priceless," I mutter while
he barks out a laugh.
"It's amazing what regular pussy can do for a guy."
I slam my foot down on the brake a little too hard when we come to an
intersection.
"What the fuck did you just say about Hadley?" I snap, turning to look
at him.
He shakes his head at me. "Fucking hell, Conner. She's really got you
whipped, huh?"
"Hadley isn't just a piece of ass, she's..." I trail off, thinking of his girl.
"I'm more than aware, hence the ring on her finger."
"I still can't believe you did that," I say, pulling out slowly, much to the
irritation of the guy behind us.
"Neither can she, but she's yet to take it off, so I think she's warming to
the idea." He smirks.
"You're fucking nuts, bro."
"Meh, life's fucking good right now. Might as well enjoy it before the
next surprise slams into us."
"I'm happy for you—you know that, right?"
'We'll get you your girl, Con. Just give it some time." He reaches over
and squeezes my shoulder in support. Although I appreciate the gesture, I
can't help feeling like it might be a lost cause. Kenny isn't the girl I
remember. She changed during our time apart, and I'm not sure if the new
Kenny and I have any kind of connection at all.
The rest of the journey to school is in silence. The closer we get, the
more Cole starts to fidget beside me. Back in the day, I'd think he was
itching for a fight, but now things are very different, and the only person he
wants to get his hands on is his girl.
"You know you only just saw her yesterday, right?"
"Yeah, which means it's been over twelve hours since..." He glances at
me and trails off.
"No need to be embarrassed now, I heard what you were doing. Other
side of the wall, remember?"
"Sorry," he mutters, although the shit-eating grin on his face says that
he's anything but sorry.
"I need to get laid."
"You keep saying that, but we all know it's not happened since you've
been here."
"I—"
"Go on, lie to me. I dare you." He pins me with a look that has me
slamming my lips shut.
He's right, and the smug motherfucker knows it.
It's not that I've lacked offers since we moved here. The problem is
quite the opposite. The good little girls of Sterling Prep started throwing
themselves at us from the first moment we pulled up in this very parking
lot. I could have fucked my way through both the senior and junior girls by
now if I wanted to, I have no doubt. Problem is... none of them were her.
Kennedy Lowe.
She fucking ruined me, and she has no idea.
"Come on, we don't want to miss them."
"I thought we were meeting them?"
"Meeting them... intercepting them... same thing, right?"
"Shit," I mutter as I climb from the car.
Thoughts of Kenny in a Sterling Prep uniform fill my mind, and my
nerves about how she'll take seeing me are replaced by anticipation.
I follow Cole toward the dorms, my excitement about seeing her again
after hiding here for the past four days has almost got the better of me by
the time we come to a stop by the entrance.
"Conner, chill the fuck out. You're practically bouncing."
 "I am not," I argue.
Cole rolls his eyes at me before they light up at something—or should I
say someone—over my shoulder.
Turning, I watch as Hadley walks through the front door. The second
she spots Cole, she takes off running in our direction and jumps into his
arms. Instantly, the sound of their kiss fills my ears, but I'm soon distracted
when someone else walks out of the main doors.
Kenny looks around for a few seconds giving me a chance to look her
over. Her hair falls around her blazer-covered shoulders and has a slight
curl at the ends, and I wonder if she’s trying to hide the numerous piercings
she has in her ears. Her face is clear of the dark makeup she usually applies,
but she’s left her nose stud in. Thank fuck, because it’s sexy as hell. I also
notice her lingering bruises are lighter than a few days ago. She looks so
fucking beautiful, I can hardly take my eyes off her.
"Kenny," I breathe, desperate to know how she's going to react to me.
Her entire body tenses as she hears my voice, making dread settle into
my stomach.
Any hopes of her being as excited to see me as Hadley was Cole are
immediately squashed. I don't need to see the look in her eyes when she
turns to me to know that she'd rather I wasn't here right now.
I don't let that stop me, though.
"Looking good, Kenny. You are rocking the schoolgirl look," I
announce, walking up to her and running my eyes down the length of her
body. She might not have her skirt rolled up to the point that I can see her
ass, like many of the other Sterling Prep girls, but that doesn't matter to me.
She could be wearing a trash bag and she'd still have my temperature
soaring. "Excited about your first day?" I ask with a wide smile on my face,
lacing my arm through hers. But she doesn’t return my smile.
In fact, she doesn’t seem happy to see me at all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Kennedy

“W hat the hell are you doing?” I seethe at Conner.

Hadley and Cole give us space, too busy wrapped up in one
another.
Traitor.
I knew I couldn’t trust—
“Conner.” Her voice cuts through the tension swirling around us. “You
need to back off.”
His expression falls. “W-what? I just want to—”
I yank my arm free and put some space between us. It’s bad enough I’m
dressed in this god-awful uniform, but now Conner is looking at me like
I’m all his dreams come true.
“Kenny, I just thought—”
“Thought what, huh? Thought that I need you to swoop in and save me?
Newsflash, asshole. You’re too late.” Tears sting my eyes, but I force them
down.
I won’t cry.
Not over Conner and his self-righteous attempt at fixing this. Fixing me.
I take off toward the school building. He calls after me, and I hear
Hadley and Cole try to talk him down, but I don’t turn around.
I can’t.
 I need to lock down my emotions and be strong if I’m going to survive
the next five months here.
Five months, fuck.
Maybe I can get a job and save enough cash to leave. I turn eighteen
soon, it isn’t like James Jagger or the guidance counselor can do anything
then, if I decide to up and run.
Who am I kidding?
No one in Sterling Bay is going to give me the time of day, let alone a
job. They’ll take one look at my tattoos and piercings and close the door in
my face.
Conner, Cole, and Ace don’t realize how lucky they are. They have a
right to this life. It’s in their blood. But me? I’m a Heighter through and
through. I don’t have any secret relatives waiting in the wings to rush in to
save me.
Hadley catches up to me, grabbing my arm. “Would you just slow down
a minute?”
“What?” I narrow my eyes at her. “So Conner can ambush me again?
No thank you.”
“Kennedy, he didn’t—”
“Look, I appreciate what you’re doing. I get that the two of you share
some weird bond.” I don’t know why, but the words make my stomach
twist. I like Hadley, mostly, but a part of me doesn’t like that she’s close to
Conner. “But this,” I continue, “us being friends… it isn’t going to work if
you always side with him.” My eyes flick over to where Cole is leading
Conner down a different path toward school.
Thank God.
“Kennedy, that’s not fair. He’s my friend and you’re—”
“Not?” I raise a brow.
“I’d like to think we could be.” Hadley offers me a sad smile that
softens something inside me.
What is it about her?
“I didn’t know Conner would be here this morning. I thought Cole and
Ace would keep him away.”
“You promise?”
She nods. “But it’s school. You’re going to have to face him eventually.
Unless you plan on hiding out in the girls’ bathroom the whole time?”
The thought has crossed my mind.
 Maybe this whole thing is a bad idea. So what if I don’t get my
diploma? It’s not like my future is paved with opportunity. Girls like me
don’t make it far.
“I just need some time,” I lie, because Hadley is looking at me like she
needs answers. Answers I don’t have.
After the other night in the Jaggers’ kitchen, when I’d found Conner
beaten and bruised, we hadn’t talked again. I moved into the dorms, and
he’s given me space.
Until now.
But Hadley is right, there’s no escaping him. Every day, I’ll have to face
him. His infectious smile and playful laughter. Conner is good. Always has
been. Even when he lived in the Heights, he had this way of brushing off all
the crap. Like a rainbow after a storm, Conner had this way of making
everything feel better.
But that was before.
Now I’m broken, worn down by cruel words and heavy fists. My heart
is battered and bruised, and my soul is no longer pure.
And although I know Warren is to blame, that he’s the one who made
me this way, a part of me will always hold Conner responsible for walking
away.
So it doesn’t matter how happy he is that I’m here, or how much he
wants to fix things... he can’t.
Because some scars are simply too deep to erase.

The second we step inside the building, it’s like someone hits the mute
button. Everyone eyes me with a mixture of curiosity and disapproval. I
know what they’re thinking—the new girl might wear their uniform, but
she isn’t one of them.
She never will be.
I’d felt the stares and heard the whispers as we left the dorm and made
our way toward the school building, but it had been easier to ignore them
out there.
Now it’s impossible to shake it off.
 “Ignore them,” Hadley says under her breath, clutching my hand tightly
and gently tugging me toward a row of lockers.
But three girls—cheerleaders, if their outfits are anything to go by—
intercept us.
“Who’s your new friend?” the ringleader asks with a saccharine smile.
“Leave it, Lylah.”
“What?” She frowns. “I’m just being nice.”
“Sure you are,” Hadley grumbles, and I sense there’s some bad blood
between the two of them.
“I heard they were letting more Heights trash into the school,” one of
the other girls sneers, looking me up and down.
I bristle, my spine snapping straight. Hadley shifts slightly, putting
herself between me and them. Everyone is watching now, waiting to see
what the new girl from the Heights will do.
“Don’t be a bitch, Marissa,” Hadley snaps.
“Me? You’re the one slumming it with—” Her eyes widen a fraction as
something catches her attention behind us.
I don’t need to turn around to know Cole and Conner just arrived. I can
feel him, feel the invisible thread linking us, pulling taut.
Remi steps up beside me, drawing a line between us.
Us and them.
The Heights and the Bay.
The air crackles with anticipation.
“Walk away,” she says. “You don’t want to start something you can’t
finish.”
Lylah and Marissa glower at us, weighing up their options. For a
second, I think they’re going to go all in, but then Lylah lets out a strained
laugh.
“Come on, girls,” she says, flicking her hair over one shoulder. “They’re
not even worth it.”
Indignation trickles in my veins, but I don’t move. I don’t do anything.
Because if I do, I know I’ll only prove them right.
Not that I give a fuck what they think about me.
As if she’s waved some magic wand, everyone disperses, and I release
the breath I was holding.
“You good?” Remi asks.
I nod. “Thanks for that.”
 “Lylah Donovan is a grade-A bitch.“
“Remi,” Hadley warns.
“What? It’s true.”
Ace swaggers over to us, slinging his arm over her shoulder. “Making
yourself at home already?” A hint of amusement plays on his lips.
I flip him off. “She started it.” It’s a petty comeback, but it’s not even
first period and I already feel like I want to scratch my skin off.
I don’t belong here.
I’m not sure I belong anywhere anymore.
He pulls Remi off down the hall, leaving me with Hadley. Conner and
Cole are nowhere to be seen, and I’m relieved he’s giving me space.
“So what’s their story?” I ask Hadley, waiting as she trades some
textbooks.
I don’t have a locker yet, or books, or anything really. But I guess that’s
what happens when you’re transferred to a new school overnight.
I still don’t know exactly how James Jagger pulled it off, but I know
there’s more to him than meets the eye.
“Who? Lylah and Marissa?” I nod and she continues. “I was on the
squad with them. But we were never friends, not really. Marissa and Cole
—“
“Hold up, you’re saying Cole had a thing... with her?”
“It’s complicated.” Her expression sours. “Anyway, I quit the squad and
that was that.”
“Should I be worried?”
“About them?” Hadley shakes her head. “Nah, they’re all bark and no
bite. Besides, they know what happens when they come after the Jaggers or
anyone they care about.”
“You’re kidding me?” I fight a smile.
“I’m not.” She lowers her voice. “Michaela Fulton was the Queen Bee
until she went after Remi and Ace intervened. He totally humiliated her at
Homecoming, and now she spends most of her time hiding out in the girls’
bathroom.”
“Interesting.”
Conner and his brothers had been popular at Sterling Heights.
Especially Ace. Everyone knew he was running for Donny Lopez. I even
heard a few rumors that he and Cole had something to do with his recent
disappearance. But they’re just kids... and Donny Lopez is—was—this big
crime lord with a whole bunch of criminals working for him, protecting
him.
“What class do you have first?” Hadley asks, pulling me from my
thoughts.
“AP English.”
“Come on, I’ll walk you.” She motions down the hall and I follow,
ignoring the way everyone watches me.
This is nothing compared to some of the things I’ve survived.

I make it through morning classes. The constant whispers and stares soon
got old. There had even been one or two suggestive notes from guys in
math, but I kept my cool.
Hadley meets me right outside the door, ready to take me for lunch. Part
of me wants to make a dash for it and run back to dorms, but she laces her
arm with mine and starts guiding me through the sea of bodies.
“Do we have to do this?” I protest. “I’m not even hungry.”
“The sooner they get used to seeing you around, the sooner all this,” she
elbows a couple of people out the way, “will calm down.”
“Why is this so important to you?” I ask as we join the lunch line.
Hadley lets out a small sigh. “Because believe it or not, I get what it’s
like to be the new girl, the odd one out.”
I find that hard to believe, but whatever.
“Just because I come from money doesn’t mean I have it easy.” Her
expression falls. “My family sent me here, and now we don’t talk
anymore.”
“What do you mean, they sent you here?”
“It’s a long story, one I might tell you someday. But just know that the
Jaggers… they’re all I have too.”
I’m about to reply when I hear a familiar high-pitched voice.
“Is it me, or did they forget to take out the trash today?” My eyes collide
with Lylah’s and she smirks.
“What did you say?” Anger ripples up my spine, making my insides
vibrate.
 “You heard me.” She steps forward. “First the Jagger brothers, and now
you.”
“If you’ve got a problem with me—”
“Kennedy, leave it,” Hadley says firmly. “She’s not worth it.”
“Of course, you would take the stray under your wing. I guess it’s true
what they say, like calls to like.”
Hadley flinches. “Just leave it, Lylah. You’ve made your point.”
“I always knew there was something about you. You’re trash, Hadley,”
she sneers. “We all know you were fucking both brothers. But what I can’t
quite figure out is if you let them take turns or—”
I see red, and, before I know what I’m doing, my fist slams right into
Lylah’s perfectly symmetrical face. She staggers back, her banshee-like
screams filling the air, and then she lunges for me. We tumble to the floor in
a tangle of limbs.
“You crazy bitch,” she shrieks, trying to claw my face off. She must get
me a couple of times, because I feel a warm trickle of blood run down my
cheek.
“Fuck you,” I seethe, grabbing a fistful of her hair as I slap her hard.
Someone yells, a collective gasp echoing through the cafeteria, but then
strong arms are yanking me away.
“Easy, babe.” Conner’s words hit me as he starts dragging me away.
Cole is already shielding Hadley, glaring at Lylah and her crew with a
murderous glint in his eye.
“What on Earth is going on here?” a loud voice booms.
“Oh shit, Principal Vager.” Conner finally releases me. As he grabs my
hand, his eyes find mine. “Wanna face the music or run?”
I glance back over my shoulder and see Lylah in a man’s face, waving
her arms maniacally and pointing in our direction.
Crap.
“It’s your call, Kenny,” he says, his eyes boring into mine.
Without overthinking it, I smirk. “Run.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Conner

"R un." The second the word falls from Kenny’s lips, I thread my fingers
through hers and together we take off.
Laughter erupts from her, and I can't help but smile at hearing her joy, at
hearing the old Kenny that I remember so well.
We're still running as I pull my key from my pocket and unlock my car.
"Quick, get in," I shout.
The reality is that no one is behind us, no one probably really cares that
we've just run, but I'm enjoying the adrenaline pumping through my veins
so I continue with the act.
We both drop down into my car at the same time and I bring the engine
to life before speeding out of the lot.
"Oh my God, I can't believe we're skipping on my first day," Kenny
shrieks.
Glancing over at her, I find her resting back in my passenger seat with
her feet up on the dash and her pleated school skirt sitting high on her
thighs.
My mouth waters, but I force myself out of the gutter and just focus on
what she's giving me right now.
My friend back.
 "I can't believe you expected anything else. We might be in the Bay
now, but some things never change, K."
"Yeah, so I see." She looks over at me and our eyes connect for a brief
moment before I'm forced to look back at the road. "You're still as big a
goof as ever."
"I'm awesome, why would I change?"
She throws her head back once more and laughs, and I feel a little of the
weight that’s been pressing down on me since she arrived in my life lift. It's
a good feeling.
"Where are we going?" she asks once she's calmed down.
"Hmm..."
"What do you get up to for fun in this town?"
"I… uh..." I try to think of what we've done that's been fun here that
doesn't involve getting drunk or being at a party. "I know just the place."
I drive us toward the ocean and pull up in the parking lot closest to the
arcade.
"Come on then," I encourage when she remains in her seat as if she's
changed her mind. My heart sinks, thinking that she's going to tell me that
this was a mistake and demand I take her back. But thankfully, after a
second, those aren’t the words that fall from her lips.
"We can’t go in there like this," she says, looking down at her uniform.
"Yeah, you're probably..." My words trail off as she sits forward and
shimmies her blazer down her arms before unbuttoning her shirt. "Kenny?"
My voice is so low I'm not sure she hears it, until she turns to me with
mischief dancing in her hazel eyes.
"It's okay, I'm not planning on going in there in my underwear." She
laughs, throwing both her blazer and shirt into the back of the car and
allowing me to see that she's wearing a tank.
Can't lie, I'm totally disappointed.
"You got anything else to wear?"
"Let me check." I walk around to the trunk and pop it open.
I rummage around until I find a clean t-shirt. It's not until I drop my
school shirt into the trunk that I realize she's joined me.
Looking over, I find her eyes locked on my torso and her teeth gnawing
on her bottom lip.
"See something you like?" I ask, trying to keep my voice light despite
how her heated stare is making me feel.
 "Nah, you really need to cover that shit up."
I splutter a laugh. "This... shit?" I ask, pointing to my abs. A memory
slams into me of her tracing along the lines with her black painted nail all
those months ago, and my cock twitches to life in my pants. What I
wouldn't fucking give right now to feel her hands on me. "Good to see you
haven’t lost your sense of humor."
Pulling the fabric over my head, I close the trunk and step toward her,
only she's no longer looking at me but at something over my shoulder.
"Wait here."
Before I have a chance to respond, she's halfway across the parking lot.
Resting back against my car, I watch her legs as she walks inside the
small store, a smile curling at my lips. This is what I want with my best
friend being in the Bay. Fun and laughter. Not her ignoring my existence as
if I mean nothing.
She's back in a flash with a wicked smile playing on her lips.
"What have you done?" I ask, pushing from the car and stalking toward
her as she pulls a bottle of vodka from her purse.
"Seems my fake ID works here too." She twists the cap and
immediately lifts the bottle to her lips. She swallows a shot before passing it
over.
"You're going to get me in so much shit, K."
"Meh, what's new?" she asks with a laugh. "Come on. Ready to show
me a good time, Jagger?" She takes off toward the arcade and I'm powerless
but to follow her.
I drink down two more generous shots before passing the bottle back.
She does the same before tucking it into her purse, and we go inside.
The noise of the games fills my ears, and, along with the alcohol
quickly making its way around my system, I instantly feel lighter, like
everything is going to be okay.
Something has been missing for me in the Bay ever since we moved
here, but it feels like I've finally found it. Because although Kenny’s arrival
was dramatic, more dramatic than it needed to be, I know I’ve found my
missing piece.
"Where to first?" I ask as she looks around.
"Bumper cars," she squeals and takes off running.
We both climb into separate cars, and, just like that, I'm a twelve-year-
old boy with an infatuation for my best friend as we whip around the track,
her desperately trying to get away from me but failing miserably as I bump
into her over and over.
She throws her head back, laughing as if she has no care in the world,
and I can't help but join her.
Fuck the Heights and the shadows that darken both of our pasts. Fuck
school and the cheer bitches who don't think she's good enough for this
place.
This right here is how it's meant to be.
We're both still laughing as we climb out of our cars. Kenny makes sure
no one is watching us before pulling the bottle out and taking another drink.
"We should probably get some food, unless you were planning on
getting shit-faced," I say, refusing her offer of more. I want to be able to get
her back to her dorm in one piece once we're done here.
My heart constricts with the realization that our time together isn't going
to last forever.
"Yes, food." She takes off around me and darts toward the food stands.
"What's good?"
"Hot dogs?"
We eat, we play, and we laugh. We laugh so fucking much my cheeks
hurt. It’s just like old times, and I can't wipe the goofy smile off my face,
something that Kenny notices, pointing it out every time she looks at me.
I can't help it. This right now is everything. It's what I imagined every
time I've seen Ace and Cole with their girls.
It was always meant to be me and Kenny, and even though I pushed her
in another direction, I always hoped she'd come back to me. We were
written in the stars or some shit. I was sure of it.
"I need to pee," she announces, swaying slightly on her feet as she
heads toward the bathrooms. I watch her the whole way, not really
believing the U-turn she's made today. I want to think this is it now, that
she's forgiven me and is willing to rekindle our friendship, but something
tells me that this is just a small reprieve from her anger.
Nothing with us has ever been that simple.
Resting back against the wall, I pull my cell from my pocket. As
expected, I find messages and missed calls from Hadley and Remi, there are
even a couple from Cole and Ace.
Ignoring the messages, I hit dial on Hadley, knowing that she'll probably
be going out of her mind.
 "Where the hell are you?" she barks the second the call connects.
"Hey, sis. It's nice to talk to you too."
"Don't try to be all cute, Jagger. Where is she?"
"Are you actually accusing me of taking her somewhere and hurting
her?" I ask, shocked by her accusation.
"No. I know you won't hurt her. I'm more worried about you holding her
against her will."
"Jesus, Hads. What do you really think of me?"
"Well, prior to meeting Kenny, I thought you were the nice one. But she
brings something out in you that makes me worry. And I hate worrying.
Your twin causes me enough, I don't need you on my plate too."
"I never asked you to worry about me," I snap, getting a little pissed off
that she feels like she needs to baby me.
"Conner, it's not like that and you know it. So, where are you?"
"I've locked her up in a basement. You'll never find her."
"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously, where are you?"
"At the arcade," I relent.
"Oh," she breathes, as if she's shocked we're doing something so
normal.
"We're just having some fun. Forgetting about shit."
"Okay, that's... g-good."
"Yeah, it is. It really fucking is. Now, are you done with the
interrogation, Mom?"
"Yeah, we're good. Just..."
"What?" I ask when she trails off.
"Don't push her too hard. Follow her lead, yeah?"
"I'm not a fucking idiot, Hads. Give me some credit."
"I know you're not. She's just... she's not in a good place. I don't want
you to think that just because things are okay right now she's put it all
behind her."
Irritated at her assumptions, I bark, "Whatever," into my cell and hang
up on her.
The rational side of me knows that Hadley is just looking out for Kenny,
and a huge part of me is grateful that she's got someone on her side who can
help her when she refuses to let me in. But at the same time, I'm pissed that
Hadley doesn't trust that I know how to deal with Kenny. It was just the two
of us for years. I know her better than I know myself. I'm the last person
anyone needs to be worried about when it comes to hurting her.
I'm still staring down at my cell when Kenny returns.
"What's wrong?" she asks. When I look up, I find her brows pulled
together in concern. "Are we in shit?"
"Probably, but no, that was just Hadley ripping me a new one."
"Why? You haven’t done anything wrong."
"She's just overprotective."
"Fucking tell me about it. What's her story, anyway?" Kenny asks as she
falls into step beside me.
"Not my story to tell, K. If she wants you to know, she'll tell you
herself," I say, not that I know the details anyway. Only Cole knows the
whole truth.
"Okay, fair enough. But... Lylah said something earlier."
"Lylah is a lying bitch," I snap.
"Yeah, I got that, but..." She hesitates, and my stomach clenches
uncomfortably, knowing what's going to come next. "She said you and
Cole... shared her."
I laugh. I can't help it.
"Okay, good to know."
"No, K. It's not like that. She's Cole's girl."
"So nothing has happened between you? The three of you?"
"Well... uh... yeah, something did. But it's not as bad as you're probably
thinking."
"Right," she mutters before falling silent.
I want to tell her everything, make her listen, but I know Kenny well
enough to know that she doesn't want to hear it right now.
Neither of us says anything about where we're going, but after a few
minutes we step down onto the beach. Kenny kicks off her shoes and socks
and wiggles her toes in the cool sand, sighing in delight.
Unable to resist, I reach out and thread my fingers through hers as we
walk. She tenses and my heart sinks, expecting her to pull away from me.
After a beat though, her hold on me tightens and we continue forward.
We're both silent, but that's okay. I might have a million and one
questions for her, but right now, I'll settle for just her company. Hell, I'll
always settle for that.
 "I thought I'd hate this place. But... it's not so bad, I guess," she admits,
coming to a stop and looking back up at the lights of the Bay twinkling in
the distance.
The sun is beginning to set, the evening drawing in, and even I can
admit that the place looks kinda pretty right now.
"Yeah, it's not a bad place to be. You could be really happy here, K."
"Maybe."
Pulling her fingers from mine, she drops down onto a dry bit of sand
and pulls the bottle from her purse once more. She downs what remains
before wrapping her arms around her legs.
"Everything's going to be okay, you know," I say, dropping down beside
her and ensuring our shoulders touch. I'm not ready to let her go yet.
"Maybe."
"You're not alone now, Kenny," I say, pressing my hand gently to her
shoulder and encouraging her to lie back.
She stares up at the sky above while I roll onto my side, preferring to
look at her.
"Whatever happens from here on out, you're one of us. I've got your
back."
A shiver rolls through her and I reach out, wrapping my arm around her
waist and pulling her up against me.
Her scent fills my nose and her curves align with my hard planes,
making my teeth grind as desire washes through me.
She gasps as we connect, and her eyes fly to mine. Something crackles
between us, my heart thunders in my chest, and I lose all my restraint as I
drop my lips to hers.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Kennedy

C onner kisses me. It starts off slow. Tentative. As if he’s been waiting
for this moment his entire life and he’s worried he’ll mess it up.
The thought is like a punch to the stomach. Conner wants me... he
wants me, and yet he pushed me into Warren’s arms.
I’m so confused, so overwhelmed by the feel of his lips tracing mine,
his warm, liquor-scented breath fanning my face, the way his body feels
pressed close up against mine.
“Conner,” I whimper. “We shouldn’t—“
“Just give me this, Kenny, please...” His eyes flicker with intensity as he
dives back in, sweeping his tongue into my mouth.
It’s too much. His touch, his kiss. I’m a sixteen-year-old girl again,
crushing on her best friend. I kiss Conner back, letting my tongue slide
against his as I fist his t-shirt and pull him closer. I can’t remember the last
time I was kissed like this.
Memories slam into me. Me and Conner. Me and Warren. Soft touches
morph into painful ones, and my breath catches as I start to drown in
darkness.
“Conner, stop.” I slam my hands into his chest, trying to breathe.
“Kennedy?” His expression falls. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
 “I-I can’t do this...” Shoving him off me, I sit up, dragging in a shaky
breath.
It was silly to think we could just go back to being Conner and
Kennedy.
We can’t.
“Is this about him?”
“Don’t, okay?” I snap, unable to look at him, despite the way his eyes
drill into the side of my head. “Just don’t.”
“So that’s it? Something happens between us and you run scared? That’s
bullshit, and you know it, K.”
I finally lift my gaze to him. “This was a mistake.”
Hurt flashes over his face. “A mistake... nice, real fucking nice.” Conner
runs a hand over his jaw, letting out a frustrated breath. “I get that he hurt
you. I get that things are—"
“That’s just it, though. You don’t. You don’t have any idea what life has
been like for me since you left. You moved here and found this new life,
and I...” I swallow the words, because saying them only gives them power
over me.
Conner nudges my shoulder gently with his. “Talk to me, I’m begging
you, just—"
“We should go.” I stand. “It’s getting late, and Principal Vager will
probably haul us into his office first thing in the morning. I need to sleep off
this hangover.” A faint smile traces my lips, but he doesn’t return it.
“Yeah, whatever.” Conner clambers to his feet, brushing the sand off his
jeans. “You know, K, I wasn’t the only one who flaked out on our
friendship. I might have moved out of the Heights, but I wasn’t the one who
walked away.”
He takes off toward the parking lot behind the pier.
“Wait,” I call after him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Conner doesn’t slow down though, and I have to break into a jog to catch
him. “Con, I said wait—"
“You’re right,” he grits out. “We should get back.”
My hand finds his and I tug sharply. “Not until you tell me what you
meant just now.”
“It doesn't matter.” His expression is a stone mask.
“Conner...”
“Kennedy...”
 We stare at one another, unwilling to bend. But the longer he denies me,
the more I want to push.
“You’re acting like I ditched you, when we both know that you walked
away from me long before you left the Heights.”
Bitter laughter rumbles in his chest. “What was I supposed to do, K?
You were his. You were with him. I didn’t want to get in the way of that. So
yeah, I backed off. But I never walked away. I was always there.” He gives
me a sad smile.
“Always there? You left the Heights, never to be heard from again.”
Conner frowns, and dread snakes through me. “What are you talking
about? I texted... you said—“
Reality crashes down around me.
No.
It can’t be—
“Kenny?” Conner’s hands grip my shoulders as he dips his head to look
me in the eyes. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“You texted me?” My body begins to tremble.
“Of course I did. You were my best friend and I was in a brand new
place, starting a brand new school.” A sheepish expression washes over
him. “I needed you. I won’t lie, it fucking stung a lot when you told me not
to text anymore.”
I jerk back as if he’s slapped me. “Conner, I didn’t—"
“It doesn’t matter,” he grinds out. “We should go.”
He takes off toward his car...
And this time, I let him go.

We don’t speak on the ride back to the dorms. Conner is sulking, and I’m...
I don’t even know what I am anymore.
When he reaches the campus boundary, I say, “Stop here.”
“No way, K, I can drive you to—"
“I said stop here.”
Letting out a hiss of disapproval, he cuts the engine. “Look, I—"
“Thanks for today,” I cut him off. “It was fun, just like old times.” The
words are like shards of glass in my throat. “But maybe this isn’t such a
good idea.”
“This?” he balks.
“Yeah, you and me hanging out, pretending everything is fine when we
both know it’s not.”
“Kenny—"
“Goodbye, Conner.” I grip the door handle. “I guess I’ll see you
around.” Shouldering the door, I hurry from the car. I feel his eyes follow
me, but I don’t look back. I can’t.
Today was a mistake.
For a second, I’d believed that maybe things could go back to how they
were. But it was a lie. A stupid, foolish lie I’d tried to tell myself.
Just like all of this is a lie.
I don’t belong at Sterling Prep. It isn’t the answer to all my prayers.
It’s a temporary fix.
A Band-Aid.
Warren is quiet now, but he’ll come for me.
You don’t just walk away from someone like Warren Kraven. This is
probably all part of his sick plan to break me even more than he already
has.
I can’t forget that.
I can never forget that.
It isn’t until I’m finally inside my dorm room that I realize that I’ve left
my blazer and school shirt in Conner’s car. But I can’t worry about that
now.
A soft knock at the door alerts me to Hadley’s presence. I contemplate
not opening it, but in the end, I do. Because despite how jealous I’d been
earlier at discovering she and Conner had had a thing, she’s the only friend I
have right now.
“You’re okay,” she breathes the second I pull the door open.
“Yep, all good here.”
“I can’t believe you did that.” Hadley slips past me without invitation.
“It’s no big deal.” I shrug, closing the door since it looks like she’s
staying. “I’ve cut class plenty of times.”
“I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about Lylah... the way you just
went at her.”
I shrug again. “She was being a bitch.”
 “Yeah, but no one’s ever...” Her expression softens, and I realize she's
referring to the fact that I stood up for her.
Or at least, I can see how it might look that way.
The truth is, the second I heard Lylah suggest Conner and Cole were
sharing Hadley, something in me flipped. Jealousy had burned through me
like wildfire, and I’d been spurred on by nothing but anger and regret... and
a flash of possessiveness that I hadn’t expected.
Conner wasn’t mine.
Maybe he never had been.
We’d been friends. That was all. Yet, hearing Lylah say those things... I
couldn’t stand listening to them.
“What?” Hadley asks, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Nothing.” I purse my lips, giving her a little shake of my head.
“It wasn’t just about me, was it? It was Conner too.”
“It’s late, I’m tired, and I really don’t want to do this right now.”
“Kennedy,” she lets out a soft sigh, “it’s not what you think, I promise.
I’m with Cole. I’ve always been Cole’s.”
But something did happen with her and Conner, I can see it in her eyes.
The same way I saw it in his.
The need to know burns through me like acid in my veins. Did they
sleep together? Does she know how it feels to be close to him? Skin on
skin, hands touching and bodies pressed together?
It shouldn’t gut me the way it does, but it’s there, a giant pit in my
stomach.
“You should go,” I say, motioning to the door.
“Okay.” Hadley takes a resigned breath. “But I’m not going to let you
push me away that easily. You need a friend, Kennedy Lowe, and that
friend is me.”
I’d laugh if it weren’t for the serious expression on her face. So I opt for
arching a brow. “Is that so?”
“Yup. So sleep it off, and I’ll see you in the morning.” Hadley reaches
the door. “Oh, and Kenny?”
It’s the first time she’s used my nickname, and I have to admit it sounds
a little strange coming from her lips.
“Yeah?”
“Whatever did or didn’t happen with me or Conner doesn’t matter,
because his heart... well, something tells me that belongs to you.”
 She gives me a weak smile before slipping into the hall, leaving me
more confused than ever.

The next day, I leave for school before Hadley arrives. It’s a bitch move, but
I can’t face her, not after last night. I need time to figure some things out—
mostly what she said about Conner.
It makes no sense. I mean, I know he’s always loved me—we were best
friends. But something doesn’t add up.
The second I step foot in the school building, Principal Vager appears,
as if he were lying in wait. “Miss Lowe,” he barks, “my office.”
With a muffled groan, I dutifully follow him down the hall. Inside his
office, I sit quietly, waiting for him to rip me a new one.
“I was disappointed we didn’t get to have this chat yesterday. But seeing
as you and Mr. Jagger decided to cut class—”
“That was all my idea,” I blurt out. “After the tussle with Lylah, I
needed an escape route—”
“And Conner just happened to be there?” One of his bushy brows hits
his hairline.
“Yep.”
“Miss Lowe,” he leans forward, steepling his fingers, “I cannot have
you assaulting other students—”
“Assault?” I balk. “She called Hadley—”
“Miss Lowe.” His hand collides with the desk. “Enough. When I agreed
to your transfer with Mr. Jagger, I was assured that you would blend in. You
barely managed to make it through your first morning.”
I sink into the chair, feeling his disappointment from across the desk.
“Sterling Prep prides itself on providing a safe and enriching atmosphere
for its students. We have had enough issues with the Jagger brothers, let
alone you.”
“Me?” I sneer. “You mean a girl from the Heights?”
“That’s not... I didn’t mean that.”
“Sure you didn’t. You think I don’t know what everything thinks about
me? They take one look at me and cast their judgements. Nothing is going
to change that.”
 “You can change that, Kennedy. You can prove them wrong.”
I press my lips into a thin line, hating that he’s right.
“I agreed to this because I want to help. No one should have to—” He
stops himself, and I wonder just how much James told him.
The thought makes me wince.
“But you need to play ball, Kennedy. Go to class, keep your head down,
and stay out of trouble. Do you think you can do that?”
“I guess.” I shrug.
“A little enthusiasm would go a long way. It isn’t a bad school. You just
have to give it a chance.”
“And Lylah and her pack of wolves?”
“Miss Donovan has been reprimanded.”
“She has?” I did not see that coming.
“A couple of witnesses came forward to give their version of accounts.
They corroborated Miss Rexford’s statement that you were provoked.”
“I... I don’t know what to say.”
“Perhaps you should rethink the way you see our students, Miss Lowe.
The way I hope they will rethink the way they see you.”
“Is that all?” I ask, desperate to escape his office. It feels like the walls
are closing in around me, and I’m worried he might start quoting
motivational words at me next.
“For now.”
I grab my bag and make my way to the door, but his voice gives me
pause.
“Oh, and Kennedy?”
“Yeah?”
“Miss Jones will see you in detention after school.”
“But I thought you just said—”
“We have a zero tolerance policy for violence at Sterling Prep. I expect
you to check in with her every day after class. It’ll give the two of you a
chance to talk.”
Gritting my teeth together, I yank open his door and step into the hall.
Just when I thought that maybe, just maybe, this place wasn’t as bad as I
thought, he goes and drops that bombshell.
Fuck my life.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Conner

T he second I step foot into school, I'm summoned to Principal Vager's

office. I'm hardly surprised, but everyone is talking like I killed
someone, not just skipped out on a day. I wasn't even the one who hit
anyone.
His door is closed, and I'm instructed to sit and wait. Only, I'm too
restless to do so, so instead, I pace back and forth in front of his assistant’s
desk, much to her irritation if her burning stare is anything to go by.
Nothing I did last night helped to shift the big black hole of regret and
confusion that swirled around me from our conversation.
My fists clench as I think about what she said about me walking away
from her. I'd never fucking walk away from her. Everything I've done has
been for her. Every-fucking-thing. I ripped my own heart out, thinking that I
was doing the best thing for her, and all it's resulted in is her hating me.
My teeth grind and my jaw ticks as I continue pacing.
It was all for her. All of it. And all I got in return was a message telling
me to stop contacting her after all the years that had passed between us.
All I ever wanted was for her to be happy.
Vager's door opens and I pause in my pacing right as Kenny emerges.
She looks exhausted. Her bruises from New Year are almost gone now,
although she has fresh scabs on her cheek from her fight with Lylah
yesterday. But what makes my heart sink is the darkness of her eyes. Did
she sleep at all last night?
Our eyes hold for a beat before I step toward her. I reach out, ready to
take her cheek in my hand, to connect with her in some way, but her body
tenses and it's like she puts up an impenetrable wall between us.
My hand drops to my side and my shoulders slump. "Ken—"
"Don't," she snaps. "We've got nothing to talk about."
My chin drops at her cold words. She makes the most of my shock and
takes off. Her arm brushes mine as she passes, but even in my state, I still
feel that spark of electricity when we touch.
"Mr. Jagger. Shall we?" Vager says, breaking through the silence and the
blood that's rushing past my ears at her dismissal.
Regretfully, I follow him to his office and fall down onto one of the
seats. I haven’t been in here since the day we started. Shit, that seems like a
million years ago now.
"I expected better from you, Conner," Vager reprimands as he lowers to
his chair, rests his elbows on his huge mahogany desk, and steeples his
fingers.
"Well, then maybe you don't know me very well."
He reaches out and slides a piece of paper in front of him.
"Your teachers seem to have a good impression of you." His eyes flick
over the paper. "And your GPA is impressive."
"Thanks," I mutter, not really all that interested in hearing about my
performance. I know all this shit. People might not think it when they look
at me, but I work fucking hard for it.
"Have you mailed your college applications?"
Those envelopes still sitting on my desk taunt me even from here.
"No, not yet."
"Why not? The deadline is approaching."
"I'm aware."
"Where are you hoping to go?"
"I'm sorry, is this meant to be a guidance counselor meeting or an ass-
ripping for skipping yesterday?"
"Uh..." He hesitates, his eyebrows almost hitting his hairline. "I like to
think of it as more of a reality check."
"With all due respect, I know all about reality. We shouldn't have
skipped yesterday, I'm aware. But Lylah got her claws into someone I care
about, and my loyalties lie with Kennedy. Always."
"Understood. Keep a close eye on her. She needs to fit in here, not paint
a target on her back. I don't want to have to go to your un—” he corrects
himself, “father and tell him that I'm no longer able to help."
My brow rises. Is he threatening to go against James Jagger? I might not
know all that much about our illusive father yet, but I do know that he's not
a man you say no to.
"Kenny will fit in just fine. You just need to keep your zoo animals in
order. Cage them, maybe. Are we done? Only, I don't want to be late to
class. Got to keep that GPA up, right?" I smirk at him as I push to stand and
back toward the door.
"We are. Send those applications, Conner. I know it's a big step. But
you'll regret it if you miss the deadline and have to fight for a place. Despite
some obvious things since you started here, any college would be lucky to
have you."
I tilt my chin, the only thing I'm willing to give him to show I heard his
words before spinning on my heels and marching toward statistics.
Kenny and I don't have many classes together, so the only time I get to
see her is at lunch or in the few minutes we get as we move between
subjects.
Each time I spot her across the hallway, her head is down as if she's
trying to vanish into the crowd. I have no idea if she's trying to hide from
me or just everyone, but all she's achieving is pissing me off.

"I need you to do something for me," I bark at Christian, the IT nerd who’s
done Ace’s and Cole’s dirty work in the past. As predicted, he’s sitting at a
computer during lunch.
"Great," he mutters under his breath, but I catch it.
"Careful, or I won't make it worth your while."
"What do you need?"
"Kennedy Lowe's schedule."
"That it?"
"Yeah."
In only minutes he's printing it out for me.
 "Appreciate it, man." I slap him on the shoulder, probably a little harder
than he was expecting, before stalking out of the room, staring down at the
piece of paper and discovering where she's going to be last period.
I slip out of my class a little early. Thankfully, my teacher doesn't even
bat an eyelid, other than to look slightly terrified of me as I march toward
her.
I know Ace, Cole, and I have a rep around here, but I can't help thinking
that it's a little over the top, for me especially. I haven’t exactly lived a life
on the edge. I've saved most of the drama for Ace and Cole. My
indiscretions don't go much further than occasionally getting high, and
fighting. That doesn't mean I'm not as capable as them though.
I'm standing directly opposite her classroom door with my back and foot
resting on the wall behind me. A few kids emerge. A couple bother to look
up, but most just ignore my existence—fine by me.
I spot her head behind the crowd, and just like earlier, she's staring at
the floor, hoping to become invisible. It won't work though, especially with
me. I'll always see her.
"K," I say, stepping up to her and stopping her exit. She pauses, her
shoulders dropping in defeat, but she should realize that it'll take more than
that to get rid of me.
She looks up slightly, her gaze running up my body as if she's
committing it to memory before her tired eyes meet mine.
Kenny sighs. "Excuse me," she whispers, stepping around me but not
getting very far before I reach for her.
I hold her stare, silently begging her not to do this, not to shut me out
and send me away again.
Most of yesterday was so incredible. I had my girl back again, but then I
fucked up. I shouldn't have kissed her. I knew that even as I was doing it,
but my pull to her, as ever, was too strong. It was why I had to back away
when she chose Warren over me. I couldn't just hang around and watch him
with the girl I always thought should have been mine.
"K, please. Don't do this."
"Will you get out of the fucking way?" someone from behind her barks,
and it's not until then that I realize we're totally blocking the doorway.
Reaching out, I wrap my hand around her forearm and tug her out of the
way. She doesn't see it coming and stumbles in front of me until she crashes
into my chest.
 Steadying her, I wrap my arm around her waist, pressing her into me
tighter. My temperature spikes a few notches at having the length of her
body pressed up against mine, but I only get to enjoy it for a second or two,
because the moment she comes back to herself, she tenses and fights to get
out of my hold.
"Get off me," she barks, slamming her palms down on my chest.
"K, chill out."
"No, I will not fucking chill out. Get off me," she repeats, her voice
lower and more threatening than before. Not that I could ever find anything
about her scary... well, maybe aside from how she's the only girl who's ever
had the ability to shatter me.
So maybe I should be scared of her. Terrified, actually.
Unable to do anything but what she demands, I reluctantly release her.
"Are you..."
"I need to go," she says, spinning to get away from me.
"I just want to talk," I call, racing after her.
"Yeah, well, I don't. I've got nothing to say to you."
Her words are like a knife through my chest.
"Kenny, please. Stop shutting me out."
"I'll do what the hell I want," she barks, continuing toward the dorm
buildings.
I follow her, despite the fact that she clearly doesn't want me to.
When we get to the entrance, she turns, pinning me with her narrowed
eyes. "Following me around like a lost puppy isn't going to help, Conner.
Nothing is going to happen here. Nothing ever should have happened here.
All of it was a mistake."
"No, you don't mean that. You—"
"Like hell I don't. You need to leave me alone. I'm only here because I
have no other option. The second I'm eighteen, I'm out of here and you'll
never see me again."
Before I find the words to respond, she's gone.
I take a step forward, but I stop myself at the last minute. The worst
thing to do right now would be to continue to follow her.
"I'm sorry, Con," a soft voice says, coming up behind me.
I don't turn to look at Hadley. I can't. She'll see the pain in my eyes and
want to help, but this situation is totally helpless right now. Nothing me or
Hadley can do will fix any of it.
 "Whatever," I mutter, turning and walking back toward school so I can
find my car and get the fuck away from this day.
"Conner," she calls.
"I'm fine, Hadley. You know me, I always finish last." I choke out the
final words, and I can only hope that I'm far enough away from her that she
doesn't catch it.
The second I'm in the car, I head for home, ignoring anyone who so
much as looks my way.
Stripping off my uniform, I pull on a pair of sweats and head for a room
I've made use of a few times since we moved here when I've had no other
way of blowing off steam.
I connect my cell to the wireless speakers and allow the heavy beat of
Imagine Dragons to fill the room, forcing me out of my own head.
Stepping onto the treadmill, I up the speed until all I can think about is
moving my legs fast enough and the burn in my lungs. I've never really
been into sports, not like Cole. But exercise has always been my release.
That and fighting, I just promised Ace and Cole I'd try to stay away from
that as much as possible. Although I can't deny that I could really do with
laying into some guy right now and feeling the sting of my knuckles.
I glance at the state-of-the-art home gym James set up but seems to
never use and realize something is missing. Something I think I'm going to
need if Kenny and I keep playing this game we seem to have got ourselves
trapped in.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kennedy

“H ey,” I say to Hadley as she reaches me.

“Hi yourself.” She smiles. “How were classes this morning?”
“Okay, I guess.” My shoulders lift in a half-shrug. “Have you
seen Conner?”
“Hmm, yeah. We had third period together.”
“Cool.”
She eyes me suspiciously. “Why?”
“No reason.” My cheeks pink, and I want to kick myself for asking. It’s
been three days though, and I’ve hardly seen him around school.
I mean, I get it. I told him I didn’t want him following me around like a
lost puppy, but I guess I didn’t actually think he’d listen.
What did you expect would happen?
I shove down the thoughts and paste on a smile. “Are we doing lunch?”
Her expression falls. “Actually, I told Cole I’d meet him and—"
“Of course. It’s totally fine, I can handle the school cafeteria by
myself.” Except, I already know I’ll probably spend the next fifty minutes
on my own in the bathroom or some quiet stairwell. I heard the library is
nice. Maybe I’ll go there.
“Kenny?” Hadley pales. “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I can tell Cole
I‘ll see him late—"
 “No, don’t do that. I’ll be fine. Lylah’s barely looked my way, and it’s
Taco Thursday. Who doesn’t love tacos, right?” My smile is too forced, too
bright and cheery for a girl like me. But Hadley doesn’t push, and I don’t
admit the truth—which is that I’m not ready to go solo at Sterling Prep.
All week, despite our conversation after I skipped out with Conner on
Monday, Hadley has been right there at my side. Even if, at first, I didn’t
want her there. We’ve hung out at lunch and after school in the dorms. But I
get it, she doesn’t want to babysit the new girl forever.
“Go,” I say. “Tell Cole I say hey.”
“You’re sure?” I see the flicker of excitement in her eyes.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“We’ll hang out tonight, I promise.”
Nodding, I watch as Hadley skips off down the hall toward her
boyfriend.
I’m still standing here when my cell starts vibrating. For a second, hope
floods my chest. Only a handful of people have my number, since the
Jaggers had to get me a new phone. And seeing as Hadley was just here,
and I can’t imagine Ace or Cole texting me, it can only leave one other
person.
But disappointment washes over me when I see the familiar number. It’s
not Conner at all, it's Shelbie, one of the only girlfriends I had at Sterling
Heights.
I store her number and then re-read the message.

Shelbie: Hey, Levi gave me your new number—says he got it off

Conner. What’s up with that, by the way? Anyway, I just wanted to
check in and see how you’re doing? I still can’t believe W did that.

Me: I’m okay. Staying in the Bay for a while, until stuff blows over.
Have you seen W around?

Shelbie: No. It’s like he just vanished. Even his old man came around
Joker’s asking after him.

My spine stiffens and I move down the hall, away from the stream of
kids all making their way to the cafeteria.
Me: He did?

Warren’s dad is a mean drunk but spends most of his time either passed
out or in his armchair watching ESPN, drinking whatever he can get his
hands on. So I’m surprised to hear he’s worried about Warren.

Shelbie: I was there helping my dad out when he showed up. No one
has seen or heard from Warren since New Year’s Eve.

I don’t know whether to be comforted by that fact or concerned. Her

family owns Joker’s, one of the few bars in the Heights. It’s notorious for
being a spot where all kinds of bad shit goes down. I’ve been there with
Warren a couple of times.

Me: Okay, well if he does show up, can you let me know?

Shelbie: Of course. Stay safe, Kenny.

The fact that she isn’t pushing me for an explanation makes me wonder
just how much Jay told her. I know it was him who brought me to the
Jaggers’ house.

Me: Yeah, you too.

But then something hits me. Shelbie didn’t say she asked Levi for my
number. She said he gave it to her.
Conner did this.
He made sure I had another friend to talk to.
Before I know what I’m doing, I double back and march toward the
cafeteria. We need to talk—I need to apologize. So he kissed me? It doesn’t
have to be a big deal. We were friends long before anything else.
I’m almost there when I spot him, only he isn’t alone. He’s talking to a
girl, one I don’t recognize. She gazing up at him like he hung the fucking
moon, and Conner is smiling back at her.
 Jealousy zips through me as I watch them, coiling around my heart and
turning my blood to acid. I can’t hear them from where I’m standing, but I
don’t need to. Their expressions tell me everything I need to know.
Spinning on my heel, I hurry away from the cafeteria and don’t stop
until I’m out of the building. The frigid air instantly hits me, making me
inhale a sharp breath. But it does little to erase the image of Conner flirting
with the cute blonde. She’s everything I’m not. Prim. Proper. With virgin
skin and a pristine smile. Probably with a rich daddy and a trust fund that
will make most people green with envy, too.
And here I was, about to apologize to him.
Maybe he’s done me a giant favor. Nothing can ever happen between
me and Conner. Because too much already has.
I wasn’t enough then for him, and it looks like I’m not worth fighting
for now, either.
I stand out here, in the chilly air, until lunch is over and class calls.
I tell myself I don’t need anyone.
Least of all Conner Jagger.

The next day at school, Hadley doesn’t abandon me at lunch. Instead, she
invites me to sit with her, Cole, Ace, and Remi, and surprisingly, I find
myself saying yes. Conner is nowhere to be seen, and neither is the girl I
saw him with.
Not that I care.
“So, how was your first week, Kennedy?” Ace asks me.
I shrug. “It’s... school.”
“You ain’t wrong there.” He smirks, digging into his salad. It sucks,
playing fifth wheel, but I don’t let it faze me.
I woke up feeling stronger today, determined not to let Warren, or the
likes of Lylah and Marissa—or even Conner, for that matter—dictate my
life. I’m here, I might as well make the most of it.
“So, what is there to do for fun on a weekend around here?”
Hadley and Remi share a glance, but I ignore them, focusing on Cole.
He’s a Sterling Bay Seahawk, he must know where the rich kids of the Bay
like to party.
 “I heard Aaron is having a party tonight.”
“Nice, are we going?”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Hadley says, and it’s my turn to
frown.
“Relax, Mom. I just want to embrace my new life here. Is that such a
bad thing?”
“Are you sure that’s all this is about?” She gives me a pointed look, and
I glower.
“Fine.” I press my hands against the table and stand. “Won’t give me the
deets, I guess I’ll have to go get them myself.”
“What is she—”
Remi’s words are drowned out by the roar of blood in my ears. I don’t
have a fucking clue what I’m doing, but all I know is I can’t sit here,
pretending that everything is okay, any longer. I need to do something—
anything—to give me back some degree of control over my thoughts and
feelings.
Scanning the cafeteria, I spot the football team huddled at their usual
table. I know it’s them because despite the season being over, most of them
are still wearing their Seahawks jerseys. The cheerleaders are close by, but I
pay them no attention as I saunter right up to the guy holding court.
“Excuse me,” I say.
“Yeah?” He flicks a brow at me. He’s cute, in that All-American boy-
next-door kind of way.
“Are you Aaron?”
A couple of his guys snicker.
“That’s me. You’re the new girl, right?”
“Kennedy, but my friends call me Kenny.”
“Kenny, you say.” He gives me a tentative smile. “What can I do for
you?”
“I heard you’re having a party tonight.”
A couple whisper, taking bets on whether I’ll end up under Aaron
tonight.
“Guys,” he clips out, shooting them a warning look. “Excuse my
friends, they’re assholes.”
I can’t help but laugh at that.
“So, the party...”
 “Yeah, I’m having a thing. Nothing crazy, just the guys, some of their
girls. You should come. I invited Cole and Hadley. Ace and Conner, too, if
they’re game.”
I internally flinch at the mention of his name but paste on a smile. “So
I’ll see you there tonight?”
His asshole friends are high-fiving now, but I block them out.
“Uh, yeah, I guess.” His gaze rests over my shoulder and a trickle of
awareness shoots up my spine.
Sure enough, when I glance behind me, Conner is standing at the table I
just left, watching me.
“Are you two—“
“Nothing.” I smile wider, smothering the flash of pain I feel. “We’re
nothing.”
“Yeah, well I guess I’ll see you tonight then.”
“Hey, Kenny,” one of the other guys says, “if Aaron won’t take you for
a ride, I’m more than happy to—“
Rolling my eyes, I walk away, leaving Aaron to slap his friend upside
the head.
“Slut,” someone coughs, and my eyes snap to the table Lylah and
Marissa are sitting at. Anger courses through my veins, but I know I need to
keep my cool, so I flip her off with a salty smirk.
Eat that, bitch.
Their gasps roll off my back as I exit the cafeteria out of the other door
so I don’t have to survive one hundred and one questions from Hadley and
Remi.
Besides, Conner is with them now. And something tells me their table
isn’t big enough for the both of us.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hadley asks me for the twentieth time.
“I need to do something. I can’t just sit in this room, forever wallowing.
It’s just a party—what’s the worst that can happen?” She gives me a pointed
look, and I shake my head a little. “You need to learn to relax,” I say.
“I know what you’re doing.”
 “Me? I’m not doing anything. Sterling Prep is my new home, I might as
well try and fit in.”
“So this has nothing to do with the fact that Conner’s been talking to
Aimee Simson?”
“Aimee who now?”
“Cute little blonde about yay high.” She holds out her hand, one of her
brows arched.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The conviction in my words
masks the pit in my stomach.
“They’re just friends. She’s a junior and Conner’s been helping her with
math.”
“Good for him.” I shrug, sifting through the limited choice of clothes I
have for tonight.
I bought a few new outfits when Hadley dragged me to the mall last
weekend, but I didn’t want to take more from James Jagger than absolutely
necessary.
Settling on a denim skirt with a black crop top and a few bangles I
managed to score from the only thrift store in Sterling Bay, I start changing.
“Umm, do you want some privacy?”
“I’m not hiding anything you haven’t already seen.” I shimmy out of
my school skirt and pull on another. It hugs my ass and sits high on my
thighs, almost too high. Once I have the crop top on, I stand in front of my
mirror. It’s been a long time since I showed my stomach. Warren never
liked me to show too much skin whenever we went out, which was less and
less recently.
“Kenny?” Hadley asks, her eyes catching mine in the mirror.
“I’m good.” I force a smile, swallowing the lump in my throat. Warren
isn’t here. He doesn’t get to say what I wear or who I talk to.
“You don’t have to do this,” she adds.
But I turn to her and flick my long blonde hair off my shoulders,
knowing she can’t ever understand how significant this moment is.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I do.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Conner

"W hy aren't you fucking ready?" I snap, barging into Cole's room.
"Because it's just a party. I barely want to go, let alone turn up
early."
"But—"
"But Aaron was flirting with Kenny earlier. Yeah, I saw."
"Right? So let's fucking go."
"Conner," he sighs, pocketing his cell and sitting forward on his bed.
"I'm far from an expert here, but you need to look less fucking keen, man.
You're even turning me off with this sad puppy dog act."
My chin drops. "What the fuck, bro?"
"What? I'm just being honest."
"But—"
"Just chill the fuck out, yeah? Kenny loves you, it'll be fine."
"No, no she doesn't. Right now, Kenny hates me, and can't stand to be in
the same room as me."
"Just let her do her thing. She's been through hell and is in a new place.
It can’t be easy for her.” He narrows his eyes. “Let her find her feet. Don't
find them for her. Let her flirt with who the hell she likes, but just make
sure she knows that you'll be the one there at the end of the night when she
needs you."
 "You're saying I should let her do whatever with whichever asshole she
chooses?"
"She's not yours, Con. You aren't letting her do anything. She's her own
person."
"And you'd be okay if I gave you the same advice about Hadley?"
"Right now, no. We're in a totally different place than you and Ken. But
a few months ago, yeah. Hell, I let you put your hands on her."
"You trust me. You knew I'd never do more than you were happy with.
Those pricks could do anything. Ugh," I groan. "Why is this so fucking
hard?"
"Welcome to my world, man. Best you learn now that you'll never
figure her out. But forcing her to do anything is not the way."
"Okay, great. Are you done with this little pep talk now? Can we go?"
"Hell, yeah. I'm desperate to get my hands on my girl. Last time we
were at Aaron's I tied her to..." He trails off when my eyes widen. "Forget
it."
"No, no. I think I need to hear this."
"And get you more frustrated than you are now? Nah, I'm not sure that's
a good idea. Maybe while Kenny's finding her feet, you should fuck out
some of that tension."
"You're suggesting I..."
"Why not? Gotta happen sometime, man."
"You make it sound like I'm a fucking virgin," I grumble as I follow him
out of his room and down the stairs.
"Well, you pretty much are. You know it grows back, right?"
"Fuck you, bro. Fuck you." I storm past him as he chuckles at me. "I
should break your nose for that."
"I'd like to see you try."
I spin, narrowing my eyes in his direction, my fist curling with the
temptation. "I'm driving. Get the fuck in my car," I bark and back up to the
front door.
"You're so easy to rile up. Shame you're not such an easy lay. You're
picky as fuck, you know that, right?"
"Shut up. Just shut the fuck up."
The second the engine is on, I turn up the volume on ‘Better Now’ by
Post Malone to drown out whatever Cole might feel he needs to add to our
previous conversation.
 Thankfully, he keeps his mouth shut the whole way, although when I
glance over at him, I don't miss the smirk playing on his face.
I much preferred him when he was a grumpy fucker.
We might be early, but the street leading up to Aaron's house is already
lined with cars.
"You ready for this?" Cole asks when he meets me at the front of the
car.
Looking over, I don't miss the concern in his eyes. I know he's worried
about me fighting again. I assured him that the other night was a one-off. I
just have to hope I wasn't lying.
As we move toward the house, the sound of the pounding bass from the
speakers someone has set up somewhere makes the ground vibrate beneath
us.
"Fucking hell, we celebrating something tonight or what?" Cole asks,
looking around at the chaos.
There are kids everywhere. Some I recognize, many I don't.
"Fuck knows. But I feel like I'm missing something."
"We both know what you're missing," he mutters, but it's not quiet
enough, because I hear it loud and clear.
"Ow," he complains when I turn and plow my knuckles into his upper
arm. "I was fucking joking."
"Whatever."
As we enter the house, Cole turns left toward where the team is
congregated whereas I go toward the kitchen for a drink. I don't intend on
getting fucked tonight, but one or two now to take the edge off is
impossible to resist, especially after Cole's bullshit.
So what if I'm fussy? So I don't want to stick it in some random girl
when I could have my girl?
Only she's not your girl, is she? And she never has been.
"Fuck it," I bark to myself, grabbing a bottle of beer that's sitting on the
side.
I knock the top off and turn around, taking in the view across Aaron's
open plan living space.
The speakers are sitting against the far wall, the space between me and
them full of dancing and grinding bodies.
Jumping up on the counter, I tip my bottle to my lips and down half the
contents.
 My eyes find Hadley's blonde hair and I soon find my brother at her
back, grinding against her ass.
I watch them for a minute or two. They've both got smiles playing on
their lips as they move together, before Hadley spins in his arms and
reaches up to press her lips to his.
Something tumbles in my chest and my stomach knots as I watch them
together. I'm not jealous. Well... I'm not jealous that Cole snagged Hadley.
She was always meant to be his, no matter how many times I might have
wondered over the past few months what might have happened if things
went my way. I'm jealous of what they've found together. Of that
connection that I can almost see crackling between them every time they
look at each other.
I finish my bottle, swallowing down the emotion those two cause within
me.
"Conner!" someone squeals, dragging my eyes away from the happy
couple. Looking to my left, I find Aimee stumbling her way over, clutching
a small bottle of vodka to her chest.
I inwardly groan. Aimee has made it more than clear that she's
interested in me helping her with more than just her math. But it seems she
doesn't take my polite rejection seriously, because she tries to tempt me
every time she sees me… which seems to be more often than necessary.
She trips over her own feet in her haste to get to me, and I just about
manage to jump down in time to catch her.
"Whoa." I take the bottle from her hand. "I think you need to slow down
a little."
"I'm good," she says, looking up at me and batting her eyelashes. Her
small hands run up my chest and lock behind my neck. "You're so hot," she
slurs.
My lips part to respond, to once again let her down gently, when
movement over her shoulder catches my eye.
"Fuck," I breathe as my eyes lock with Kenny's before they drop down
her barely clad body.
My mouth waters in a way that was all too absent when Aimee moved
toward me in her tiny dress. My cock starts to swell as I imagine ridding
Kenny of the few clothes she’s wearing. Until someone steps up behind her.
Aaron wraps his arm around her waist, encouraging her forward. She
pays no attention to whatever he's saying to her, because her eyes are
shooting daggers at Aimee's back.
He swipes a bottle of vodka from the side and passes it to her. She
wastes no time in twisting the top and lifting it to her lips.
She downs half of it almost without blinking before lowering it when
Aaron steps into her personal space and leans down to say something into
her ear.
Aimee's body presses against my front, but the heat of her skin does
nothing for me.
Kenny smiling up at Aaron, however, ignites a fire inside me that I have
no chance of extinguishing any time soon.
Before I know what's happening, Aimee is up on her tiptoes and her lips
are brushing against mine.
My eyes widen in shock right as Kenny glances over. If she's affected at
all by seeing another girl attached to my face, then she doesn't show it.
She's either a much better actress than I ever remember her being, or
she's not lying and there really is nothing between us anymore.
My body acts on instinct and my lips move against Aimee's. I shouldn't
do it, deep down I know that, but the hurt that's been only getting worse
since Kenny first woke up and ignored me is starting to get too much to
bear.
Her tongue passes my lips right as Aaron leads Kenny toward the
dancefloor.
She doesn't even fucking look back.
Anger erupts to the point at which my head starts to spin, and I pour
every single ounce of it into Aimee's kiss. My hand threads into her hair and
grips harshly. Her actions still for a beat, but it doesn't stop me.
It's not until her hand slips under the fabric of my shirt and her
fingertips brush over my abs that reality slams into me.
"I'm... I'm sorry," I mumble against her lips, carefully pushing her away.
The move is way gentler than I want it to be, but none of this is Aimee's
fault.
It's mine.
All of it is mine.
"Conner, don't you..." she trails off, tears already starting to fill her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Aimee. I shouldn't have..." I don't hang around long enough
to finish the sentence. Instead, I march to the edge of the dancing couples
and look for Kenny and Aaron.
 I find them almost instantly. His face is tucked into the crook of her
neck, her head is thrown back, and his hands are so high on her legs he's
almost exposing her ass to the entire room.
Oh, no. No, no, fucking no.
Before I think about my actions, I'm right in front of the two of them
and pulling her out of his hands.
"Conner," she screeches, her eyes wide in shock. "What the hell are you
—argh," she screams as I lift her from the ground and throw her over my
shoulder.
"Let's go."
"Conner, my ass," she screams, desperately trying to cover herself up.
"You didn't give a shit a second ago when Aaron was about to lift your
fucking skirt around your waist," I grate out.
"Will you just put me down?"
"So you can suck face with that asshole? No fucking chance, K."
She lowers her hands in defeat and I take pity on her, covering her ass
with my palm. Her bare skin burns against mine.
She stills for a beat and I expect her to rip me a new one for touching
her ass, but she doesn't. She just continues to demand I put her back down
while kicking her legs about wildly.
It's not until we're standing beside my car that I do as she demands and
place her back on her feet.
"What in the ever loving fuck, Conner? I was just having fun."
"With that prick?"
"He's not—" Ignoring her argument, I pull the passenger door open and
practically push her inside. "Oh sure. I'll get in. Asshole," she mutters as I
slam the door behind her and jog around to the driver's side.
"What the hell are you playing at?" she screeches. "I just want to party,
have some fun."
"You can do that with me," I fume.
"This is a fucking joke." She spins, pulling at the door handle to escape.
"Let me the fuck out."
"Sorry, I can't do that."
Slamming my foot down on the accelerator, I speed out of the space and
down the street.
Her scent fills the small space around us and my cock swells at knowing
she tastes just as sweet.
 I glance over when she huffs and twists away from me. Lifting her arm,
she tips her bottle to her lips—I didn't even realize she was still clutching
that thing.
Allowing her to stew beside me, I stay silent. But I'll only give her so
long before we finally have this out.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kennedy

W e ride in thick silence for a while. I don’t know where Conner’s

taking me, and I don’t care. I’m too angry to ask. I’m too angry to
do anything besides down the bottle of vodka I snagged from the
party.
He kissed her.
Conner kissed Aimee.
I don’t even know who she is, not really, and I already hate her. She
touched something that doesn’t belong to her, and although she probably
has no idea what she just got in the middle of, I can’t help but want to go
back to the party and ruin her pretty little face.
She kissed him.
No, he kissed her.
“God, I hate you.” The words fall from my lips.
A low growl vibrates in Conner’s chest as he sharply steers the car off
the road and into a rest area. His hands grip the wheel as his breaths come
short and sharp. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so worked up.
“Con—”
“Just don’t, Kenny, I can’t even look at you right now.”
His words cut deep, making my anger detonate. “Look at me? I wasn’t
the one with my tongue down another girl’s throat,” I seethe.
 “She kissed me,” he grits out, narrowing his eyes. “Anyway, what the
hell do you care, K? You made it pretty clear where we stand. You pushed
me away, remember? So the way I see it, maybe I should go back there and
fuck—”
I slam my shoulder into the door and wrench it open. I can’t be trapped
in here with him. It’s too much.
He’s too much.
“Kenny, what the fuck?” He scrambles after me but I’m already
marching into the thicket. I don’t know where the hell I’m going, all I know
is I need to get away from him.
But Conner gives chase. Of course he does.
He’s like a bad smell you can’t get rid of.
“Go away, Conner,” I yell over my shoulder, swaying slightly as the
vodka and fresh air hit me.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” His voice cracks with frustration
but I don’t stop, despite the fact that I can’t see my way as the trees grow
denser.
“Kennedy, I said stop.” Conner finally reaches me, snagging my wrist.
“No.” I bat him away. “Don’t touch me. Don’t you dare fucking touch
me. Not after you kissed her.”
He inhales a deep breath, his eyes shuttering as he mutters something.
“Thought you didn’t care?”
“I don’t.”
“No?” He inches closer, but I dart back. “So you didn’t care when I slid
my hands into her hair and kissed her back?”
I press my lips together, swallowing the truth. I don’t care. At least, I
shouldn’t.
So why do I want to rip his dick off and feed it to him for letting her
kiss him?
Because you’re fooling yourself. It’s Conner. It’s always been Conner.
But I can’t tell him the truth. I won’t. He doesn’t deserve it.
“No?” he taunts, getting right in my face. I try to move away but there’s
a huge tree trunk behind me. Conner pins me there, his hands sliding to
either side of my head. He leans in impossibly close. “So you wouldn’t care
if I go back to the party and finish what she started?”
“Fuck you.” My hands fly into his chest, but he’s like a wall of muscle.
 “That can be arranged.” He smirks. Conner Jagger actually has the
audacity to smirk at me, like this is all some game.
Well, he’s about to learn that I’ve had to grow up a lot since he left the
Heights, and in order to survive, I’ve learned how to play dirty.
“Kiss me, Conner,” I breathe, batting my eyelashes at him, letting my
fingers curl into his t-shirt.
His eyes widen with surprise before simmering with hunger. He wants
me. Conner wants me.
The thought both thrills and terrifies me. Because the truth I’ve been so
scared to admit to myself since waking up in Conner’s bed is that I want
him too.
I never stopped.
“K?” Awe coats his voice as he moves in, following my lead. I wait
until our lips are brushing and he’s distracted. Raising my knee, I slam it
hard, right into his—
Conner moves at the last second and I fall forward, losing my balance.
“As dangerous as ever, I see.” He stares down at me with a smug
expression, and I want to claw it from his face.
“How did you know?”
“Have you really forgotten?” Conner offers me his hand, and reluctantly
I take it. But he uses it to his advantage, pulling me up and slamming me
against the tree again. The air whooshes from my lungs.
“I taught you that move in ninth grade.”
“No you did—”
Fuck.
He did.
I remember now. We spent hours perfecting it. It was the first time we
kissed. It had taken us both by surprise, so much so we never spoke about it
again.
“I can’t believe you forgot.” Hurt flashes in his eyes. “What are you
doing, K?” he asks me so softly, I almost forget the real reason we’re out
here.
“I don’t know, okay?” The words fly out. “I don’t fucking know.”
Conner’s hands dive for my hair, holding me in place, and then he’s
kissing me, deep, intrusive strokes of his tongue against my mouth. I gasp
around him, overwhelmed at the feel of his lips on mine.
And then reality hits.
 “Get the fuck off me,” I snap, hitting him. My palm collides with his
cheek so hard the crack echoes through the trees.
“You hit me,” he says icily.
“Yeah, well you kissed me after kissing some tramp.”
“You’re fucking insane.” His eyes pin me to the spot. I feel like I can’t
breathe. My heart is beating too hard and my skin feels too tight on my
bones. The air around us is charged with anticipation.
I don’t know who moves first, but we crash together in a blur of tongue
and teeth.
“Fuck, K, you taste too fucking good,” he rasps against my lips as my
fingers claw at his t-shirt, trying to find the waistband of his jeans.
I don’t know what’s happening... but what I do know is that if Conner
doesn’t touch me soon, I’m going to combust.
He must sense my thoughts, because one of his big hands glides up my
body, squeezing my breast through my crop top.
“Shit, babe, you grew up.” He trails his lips down my jaw and I drop my
head back, giving him more skin to work with.
He feels too good, kissing me, touching me. I rub shamelessly against
him as I unbutton his jeans and dip my hand inside, gripping his rock hard
cock.
“Fuuuuck”, he pants as I start pumping him slowly.
“Touch me,” I beg. “I need you to touch me.”
“Shit, K, yeah. Yeah.” His hand dives under my skirt, finding my
soaked panties. “Jesus, babe, you’re killing me.” Conner hooks them to one
side and pushes two fingers into me, giving me what I need. His thumb
circles my clit, making me cry out.
“Shh, babe.” He kisses me hard, plunging his tongue into my mouth and
mirroring the way he spears his fingers deep inside me.
It takes less than two minutes for me to come apart.
“Holy shit, that was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I need more,” I admit, my eyes heavy with lust. “Fuck me, Conner.”
Make it all go away.
He blinks at me as if he can hardly believe his ears. But then he dives
for me again, kissing me into oblivion.
I hitch my leg around his waist and Conner gets the hint, lifting my
body up against his. The tree is rough against my shoulders and back, but I
don’t care. I need him. I need him like I need my next breath.
 My hand reaches for his cock, trying to guide it to my entrance. But
Conner stills.
“Condom?”
I shake my head. “I need you, now.”
He presses me further into the tree, thrusting up in one smooth stroke.
Our cries of pleasure fill the air. Conner’s fingers dig into my hips,
anchoring my body on his.
“You feel amazing.” His jaw clenches as he drags his cock out of me
and rocks back in, filling me to the hilt. “I want to go slow, to savor it, but
fuck, babe, I’m not sure I can.” His voice trembles as if he’s holding on by a
thread.
“So don’t,” I taunt.
I don’t want soft Conner. I want angry Conner. I want the guy who will
make me forget. Who will fuck me so hard I can’t remember my own name.
I squeeze my walls, pulling him deeper into my body. It feels incredible.
“Do that again,” he drawls, holding me atop of him, watching where
we’re joined together.
I tense, circling my hips, grinding on him.
“Fuck, Kennedy. I need—” He slams into me, groaning loudly.
“Yes,” I cry. “Again.”
Conner’s thin rope of control snaps and he begins fucking me
mercilessly against the tree. I rake my nails down his back and he squeezes
my hips until I know it will leave bruises. We kiss and bite, lick and nip.
Conner sucks my neck with so much force I feel the blood vessels burst,
and I squeeze my pussy so hard around him he cusses into the night.
It’s a battle.
A punishment.
It’s two people taking what they need with no consideration for the
consequences.
“Fuck, babe, I’m going to come.”
“Not without me you’re not,” I pant.
He chuckles. The sound is like music to my ears, but then Conner is
sliding his hands between us to pinch my clit. It’s the push I need to go
flying over the edge. Pleasure crashes over me with such force, I bury my
face in his shoulder, riding the devastating aftershocks.
“Fuck, K... fuuuuck.” Conner jerks inside me, his head dropping to
mine. “That was amazing. You’re amazing.”
 But I’m already coming down from our moment of insanity.
What the hell did we just do?”
“Babe?” Conner eases back to look at me. Whatever he sees there
makes him frown. “You good?”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Conner pulls out of me and tucks
himself back into his jeans. My legs are weak as I stand and try to clean
myself up.
“Here.” He digs around in his pocket and finds me some tissue. “It’s
clean.”
I grimace, taking it from him.
Ever the gentleman, Conner turns around to give me some privacy.
“Okay, you can look now,” I say. He turns around and lets his eyes roam
over my body.
“How is it possible you get more beautiful every time I see you?”
“Conner...” I sigh.
“Oh no, I don’t like that look,” he says around a half-smile. “Is this the
part where you tell me this was all a big mistake and that you’ll go back to
ignoring me on Monday?”
“I... honestly, I don’t—” It comes out quiet.
His expressions falls. “It could be worse, I guess.”
“This, us,” I reply, “it’s complicated.”
“You think I don’t know that? I dragged you from the party to talk. I
didn’t expect... this.”
My brow lifts. “And you think I did?”
But it’s done now. We can’t take it back, and even if we could, I’m not
sure I want to.
“Oh shit, K, your neck.” Conner brushes the hair off my shoulder. “I
didn’t realize I was—”
“Relax.” I brush his hand away. “I’m fine.” Besides, the hickey is
nothing compared to the scratches I can feel on my back and the bruises
coming on my hips.
“I was too rough.” Conner’s eyes glitter with concern.
“I’m fine, I promise.”
Relief settles over him. “Come on,” he offers me his hand, “let’s get
back to the car before someone finds us out here.”
I take it, reveling in the way his skin feels against mine. It shouldn’t feel
so good, none of this should. But it does.
For as much as I don’t want to admit it, it feels like coming home.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Conner

T he second we're in the car, I slam it into drive and reach for her hand
again. I need it. I need the connection so fucking badly.
I want to say I regret what happened in those woods, but I can't. It
felt too good.
Kissing her, feeling her body tremble beneath my hands, sinking so
deep inside her... I shift in my seat as my cock swells once again.
I clear my throat in an attempt to cover up my uncomfortable situation,
but it does the opposite and turns her eyes directly on to me.
"Issue?" she asks, almost shyly, which doesn't help.
"Yeah," I snap, feigning anger. "I can still fucking taste you. It's driving
me crazy."
"Oh," she breathes.
Coming to stop at an intersection, I release the wheel and tug my jeans
down a little to relieve the pressure, refusing to release her small hand that's
clamped in my other. I'm not letting her run again. Our time isn't over yet.
She giggles beside me, and when I turn to look at her, I find the most
incredible sight. Her smile.
"I'm glad you find this amusing."
She shrugs. "You've only got yourself to blame."
"How'd you figure that? I didn't make you come out dressed like that."
 "No, but you kissed Aimee. You think I wanted to be grinding up
against Aaron?" She slams her lips shut the second she realizes she just said
those words out loud. "Shit."
"Were you playing me, K?"
"More like giving you a taste of your own medicine."
"You told me you didn't want me. I'm free to kiss whoever I damn well
please."
"Oh really?" Her eyebrows shoot up in shock.
"Yeah. I'll go back now and continue what we started if you like. I know
she was up for it, she purred like a fucking kitten when I pushed my tongue
into her—"
"Stop. Just stop, okay?"
"Why? Jealous?"
She silently fumes beside me, attempting to tug her hand from mine so
she can turn her back on me, but she's unsuccessful.
Tension crackles around us for long minutes as she stares out the
window and I smirk to myself. If she wants me to believe her when she says
that there's nothing between us, then she needs to start acting like it as well.
"You missed the turn," she snaps, still refusing to look at me.
"No, I didn't."
"But dorms are... I'm not going back to the party, Conner. Not after the
way you—"
"We're going to mine."
"What? No, we're not—"
"Quit arguing, K."
"But..." she huffs.
"You're not running from me tonight, and you're not hiding in your
dorm. I dragged you out of that party to talk, so that's what we're gonna do."
"We're gonna talk. In your... bedroom?" Finally, she turns to look at me.
Fire burns brightly in her eyes, but I'm pretty sure it's not anger about me
kidnapping her. There's only heat staring back at me.
"Tell me what you want, K."
"I... I don't want to talk, Con."
"Fuck," I groan, pushing my accelerator lower and forcing the car to jolt
forward.
The second the car comes to a stop outside our house, I'm out and
pulling her door open.
 "Come on." Reaching inside, I take her hand and all but drag her up to
my room, I only pause to swipe a bottle from James' constantly stocked
liquor cabinet. It's like he wants us to get shit-faced. Not that I'm about to
argue.
She happily trails behind me until she's in my room. Then she grinds to
a halt with her muscles pulled tight.
"What's wrong?"
She shakes her head. "N-nothing." Her fear-filled eyes are locked on my
bed, and I swallow down my disappointment that she's about to turn and
run.
"K?" I whisper, stepping in front of her and cupping her cheek in my
hand.
She still refuses to look at me, so I lower down a little and find her eyes
myself. I gasp when I find them full of unshed tears and pain.
"Talk to me, K. Please," I beg.
"I-I can't." She steps back from my hold and I suck in a breath as I
prepare to watch her run through the door and away from me. Only that's
not what she does. Instead, she rips the bottle from my hand and twists the
cap.
I watch with concern as she swallows large mouthfuls as if it's water. It's
like watching Cole when he’s in one of his dark periods.
"Okay, I think that's enough," I say, taking the bottle back and tipping it
to my own lips before placing it on the nightstand by my bed.
"This room," she breathes, her voice cracking with emotion. "The last
time I was in this room I was..."
"It's okay, you don't have to talk. We can just hang out, watch a movie?"
I suggest, even though it pains me to do so.
Kenny laughs, although it holds no happiness. "I don't want to watch a
movie, Con." She glances up at me from under her lashes. She looks so
vulnerable, so scared that it totally disarms me.
"You're going to need to... I don't want to as—" My words are cut off by
her lips and turn into a low groan of approval as her tongue finds its way
into my mouth to search out my own.
My fingers slide into her hair, allowing me to deepen the kiss and take
everything I've been craving since the second I pulled her into my arms the
morning Jay turned up with her on my doorstep.
 "Kenny," I moan against her lips as I spin around and walk her
backward toward my bed.
The second her legs hit the mattress, I lower her down, crawling over
her body so I don't break the kiss.
Her hands slip under my shirt. My entire body shivers with her burning
touch before she drags it up my body. Reaching behind me, I grab onto the
back and pull it off, only leaving her lips for the briefest of moments so the
fabric can pass.
"Fuck, do you know how long I've waited for this?" I whisper against
the bruised skin of her neck, before licking over the spot.
"Conner," she warns, and I once again prepare myself for her to put a
stop to this. My body tenses, ready to fall down beside her and watch her
leave. But that's not what she's thinking. "If you're going to try to make love
to me then I'll go back and find Aaron." Hearing her mutter his name while
she's beneath me on my bed makes something snap inside me.
"Aaron? You want fucking Aaron right now?" I ask, sitting up as the
anger I felt watching him with his hands on her floods back.
"No, Conner. I want you. I want you to fuck me so hard I don't even
know my own name. But if you can't manage that because you want to
whisper sweet fucking nothings in my ear, then I'll just..." She pushes up on
her elbows as if she's about to crawl out from under me, but she doesn't get
the chance.
My fingers wrap around her throat and I push until she has no choice
but to fall back onto the mattress.
Her eyes widen in shock but darken with desire until the hazel is
replaced by black.
With my hand still holding her captive, I reach for the bottle and down
two shots. I don't need to look at her to know she's watching my every
move. My skin burns wherever her eyes land.
I take another shot in my mouth, but I don't swallow this time. Instead, I
fold back over her, press my lips to hers and let her take it from me. I lick
across her cheek and down her neck, where it spills over, before sinking my
teeth into her soft flesh.
"Yes," she cries out.
"You want me to fuck you like I hate you, K?" My eyes meet hers and
an understanding passes between us. She knows I'd never deny her of
anything she needs. She nods just once to confirm before I wrap my hands
around her small top and rip it from her body.
My mouth drops to one of her breasts as I settle myself between her
thighs. My hand slides up to her hip, pushing her skirt up and pinning her to
the bed with an unforgiving grip.
I suck, bite and lick at her breasts until she's crying out my name and
writhing beneath me. Her nails claw at my back with such force I start to
wonder if she's drawing blood.
"Conner, more. I need more."
Reaching for the bottle once more, I finish what's left—much to her
frustration—but I don't let it bother me. She wants me to show her just how
fucking angry I am at her for avoiding me since she arrived, then she's
going to fucking get it.
Her skirt and panties are gone in seconds and thrown somewhere across
the room before I wrap my hands around her thighs and push them as wide
as they'll go.
"Conner," she cries out, attempting to move in my grip, but I'm having
none of it.
"Don't ask for more than you can handle, babe," I taunt before diving
for her pussy.
I lick from her entrance all the way up to her clit and circle it.
"Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she screams. A smile pulls at my lips at her
reaction.
Her fingers twist in my hair, and the longer I tease her, the more I think
she's going to rip it from my scalp, but even the pain that shoots down my
spine from her frustration isn't enough to allow her to fall over the edge.
Every time I sense her get close, I pull away and change the speed or the
pressure.
"You're a fucking asshole, Conner," she screams when I pull back once
more. "Conner," she cries as I sink my teeth into the flesh on her thigh and
suck hard, branding her, marking her. Once I'm happy it'll last a while, I
push from the bed and stand at the end.
I run my eyes up her body. Her skin is covered in a sheen of sweat, and
her chest is heaving. She's got marks all over her neck, chest and thighs
from both my mouth and fingertips, and I fucking love it.
If any other fucker manages to get anywhere near her, he's going to
know she belongs to someone. Just a shame I can't put my actual fucking
name on her.
Mine.
"Conner?" Her voice is weaker than just a few moments ago. Does she
really think I'd be able to stop right now even if I wanted to?
My hands drop to my waistband and I eagerly push the fabric from my
hips while toeing off my shoes.
I don't miss her gasp when she gets a look at me. It's been a few months
since she's seen me like this and I've gained a few tats—much like she has
—and added a few pounds of muscle.
Wrapping my hand around my length, I tug a few times as we stare at
each other.
"Hands and knees," I demand, my voice deep and rough. I barely
recognize it. In reality, I don't want her turning away from me, but the risk
of kissing her once again and this turning into something she doesn't want is
simmering right there on the surface.
I want to tell her how much I've missed her, how much I've needed her.
How much I fucking love her. But I can't. I understand her need for actions
over words, so I just need to make sure she feels every fucking thing I want
to tell her with every thrust of my hips.
She flips over immediately and lifts her ass for me.
"Fuck, you look good like that."
I climb on the bed behind her, still with myself in hand, and run the
head through her wetness. When I get to her entrance, her muscles try to
drag me in.
"Greedy girl," I mutter, before my palm connects with her ass.
"Fuuuck," she cries out as I soothe the sting with a gentle caress.
"Regretting rejecting me yet?"
"Fuck no. Give me everything you've got."
Unable to deny her, I thrust and fill her to the hilt. She surges forward,
her head slamming against the headboard as my cock teases her cervix.
"Yes, Conner. Fuck me. Fuck me until none of this exists."
And so I do.
Over and over.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Kennedy

I wake with a start. A wall of heat is plastered behind me and an arm is

slung possessively over my hip. I lie there, still and unmoving, trying to
catch my breath.
It’s just Conner.
But that’s the problem. I’m at the Jaggers’, in Conner’s bed, with him
holding me like I’m the most precious thing in the world.
Emotion rushes up my throat and I swallow it down, blinking away the
tears I feel collecting behind my eyes.
We spent the night wrapped up in each other. He was insatiable. It was
like he couldn’t stand not touching me. Even when our bodies were
exhausted, Conner still reached for me and made me come around his
fingers as he stared deeply into my eyes.
It had been intense.
He was intense.
Then we’d fallen asleep without talking. I knew Conner wanted to say
things, things I wasn’t ready to hear. But he’d respected my wish to not talk.
And now I was here, wrapped in his arms as if everything was okay.
Gingerly, I lift his arm off me and slide out of the bed. My body aches
but in the best kind of way. Sometimes, with Warren, I wouldn’t be able to
move the next day. But it never felt good.
 Conner stirs behind me and I freeze, holding my breath, waiting for him
to settle back down. He does, so I tiptoe around his room, pulling on one of
his t-shirts. It’s early, a little after seven, but I need to get out of here.
It burns through me like acid. If I’m here when Conner wakes, he’ll
want to talk. He’ll want to make this a big deal, and it can’t be. Because
although I don’t regret what happened between us last night, I know he’ll
want more than I can give him.
I gather up what’s left of my clothes and pull on what I can. It’s early,
hopefully no one will be up because I’m not sure I can handle all the
questions.
Glancing back at Conner one last time, I imprint the image of him
sleeping. He looks so peaceful it cracks something inside me. This is what
my life could have been. Waking up loved and cherished, safe and
protected. Conner always made me feel so special. It was him and me
against the world.
Until everything changed.
We’d had this stupid pact. I’d made him promise that if I hadn’t lost my
virginity by the time I turned seventeen, he would be the one to take it. It
had been the best night of my life. He’d been so gentle with me, treating me
like fragile glass... until my body stretched and got used to him. Conner had
spent one whole night loving me, tracing every inch of my skin with his
fingers and tongue. At one point, I was sure I’d died and gone to heaven
because nothing could feel that good.
Yet, with Conner, it did.
But it had freaked us both out a little. Being with him was so easy, as
easy as breathing. Sex changed our friendship. It wasn’t supposed to, but it
did. Conner grew awkward around me and I didn’t know how to tell him
that I wanted more.
I hadn’t expected Warren to announce he was into me. He and Conner
were good friends, and it was weird. I thought if I just got a little closer to
him, Conner would get jealous and claim me as his own.
He didn’t.
He stepped aside and let Warren pursue me. I was devastated. I thought
we’d shared something special, and Conner just handed me over to Warren
like it meant nothing.
Tears prick my eyes as I stand there, watching the boy I’ve loved since I
was a child, sleep. Things could have been so much different after that
night. Our friendship could have grown and flourished into so much more.
But Conner didn’t want me. He didn’t fight for me or claim me. He
simply stood by and let Warren take me as his own.
He condemned me to months of hell.
I can’t just forget that.
I won’t.
Slipping into the hall, I duck into the bathroom and try to clean myself
up. My skin is flushed and my hair is a mess. There are bite marks and
hickeys dotted over my neck, and when I lift Conner’s t-shirt and inspect
my body, I wince at the bruise marks all over my hips and thighs.
Conner didn’t do anything I didn’t ask for. I wanted this. I needed it. His
touch, no matter how rough, will always be twenty times softer than
Warren’s.
Splashing some water on my face, I clean off the make-up and finger
brush my teeth with some toothpaste. When I pee it stings a little, but it’s
nothing compared to what I’m used to.
The house is still quiet when I slip back into the hall. The prospect of
the twenty-five minute walk back to campus doesn’t fill me with
excitement, but it’s better than staying here and doing the awkward morning
after thing.
I reach the stairs just as a door creaks open. Fear trickles down my spine
as I try to press myself into the wall.
“Sneaking out?” Cole’s voice is cool.
“I...” Words fail me.
“Sounded like you and my brother made your peace last night.” His
brow arches.
My body heats at his words, and I smother the whimper in my throat.
Cole heard us.
Of course he did. I wasn’t exactly quiet.
“I just need some time... to think.”
“A little late for that, isn’t it?” Cole is pissed. And I get it. He and
Conner are twins. He’s protective of his brother.
“I’m just going to go.” I start hurrying down the stairs.
“Kenny, wait.”
I glance back at the softness in his tone.
“I’ll give you a ride. Just let me grab some clothes.”
 I want to tell him no, that I don’t need his charity. But the alternative is
doing the walk of shame through their rich neighborhood.
“Fine,” I say.
“Meet me outside, at the car.”
“You won’t tell him?”
“No.” Cole’s jaw clenches. “But you and I are going to have a little
talk.”

The air in Cole’s car is thick and heavy as he backs out of the Jaggers’ huge
driveway.
“You hungry?” He eyes my bare legs poking out of Conner’s oversized
t-shirt.
“I’m okay, thanks.” I just want to get back to my dorm room and sleep
off the bad decisions and reckless mistakes I seem to keep making.
“Conner will kick my ass if I don’t feed you.”
“Cole, honestly, I’m not—”
“Just humor me.”
Cole hits a drive thru and gets us breakfast. I pick at my bagel while he
devours a wrap.
“Thanks,” I say, licking my fingers.
“What happened with Warren, Kenny?”
I inhale a sharp breath. “I...”
“Look, we all know that piece of shit hurt you. But what I can’t quite
figure out is if it’s been going on for a while. And if it has, why didn't you
call Conner?”
Disbelief coats my laughter. “I get that you’re Conner’s brother, Cole,
but seriously? Go fuck yourself.” I turn to the window, wishing I could
escape.
The car grows small around me. I’m so tired of everyone assuming they
know what happened or thinking that I should have asked for help.
I had no one.
After Conner left and my aunt died, Warren was the only person I had,
and he’d done a stellar job of making sure I had nowhere else to turn.
 “Shit, Ken, I didn’t mean... fuck.” Cole’s hand collides with the steering
wheel, making me flinch.
“It’s okay,” I sigh, sliding my eyes to his. “I know you care about him.”
“And he cares about you. It’s always been you, Kenny. He’d kick my
ass for telling you this, but Conner hasn’t looked twice at any girl since we
got here.”
The air whooshes from my lungs. Cole is staring at me like I’ve lost my
mind, but I’m stuck on the part where Conner hasn’t been with anyone else.
“But... why?” I croak.
It doesn’t make any sense.
He stood by while Warren staked his claim on me, and then he up and
left the Heights without looking back.
He left me there... with a monster.
Cole’s stare is back on the road, but I can see his eyes crinkle with
confusion.
“Are you really that blind?” he hisses.
“Whatever, Cole.” I huff.
I can tell he wants to say more, but, thankfully, he doesn’t.
By the time we reach my dorm building, I can’t wait to get away from
him.
All the emotion I felt in Conner’s arms as he kissed me is gone,
poisoned by the pain of our past.
Eight months isn’t even that long ago, but it feels like eons. I’m not the
same girl as I was back then. I’m hardened, all jagged edges and hidden
scars. Even if Conner does want to pick up where we left off almost a year
ago, I can’t.
Because that girl is gone.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say, shouldering the door open.
“Kennedy, wait.” I glance back and his expression hardens. “I know my
brother, Kenny, and I know he isn’t going to let you slip through his fingers
again.” His cool gaze burns into me. “A word of friendly advice—you need
to decide what you want. Because this? What happened last night? Conner
isn’t cut out for that life.”
My body vibrates with anger, but I press my lips together, swallowing
the barbed words I want to spit at him.
How dare he?
How fucking dare he?
 “Goodbye, Cole.” I climb out and slam the door, and I don’t look back
as I take off toward the building.
Cole lets me go.
Just like his brother.

After taking a shower and washing away Conner’s scent, I pull on a clean t-
shirt and some booty shorts and lie on my bed. He’ll be awake now. He’ll
know I left.
But will he understand?
Emotion swells inside of me again. It would be so easy to let myself fall
under his spell, to give myself to the boy with eyes the color of the ocean.
But I can’t.
I just can’t.
A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts, and, for a second, I
think it’s him. My heart hammers in my chest, disappointment washing over
me when I see it’s Hadley.
“You left,” she says around a sad smile.
“I didn’t want to do the awkward morning after.”
“He’s a mess.”
My heart twists but I say, “It’s for the best.”
“Is it? Maybe if you just talked to him, maybe if you—” Her eyes take
me in and she gasps.
“Kennedy, what did he do?” She’s staring at my neck and thighs.
“I...” I feel naked. Stripped bare in front of this girl who has history
with Conner. Who’s friends with him.
“Did he hurt you?”
“What? No. No, Hadley. It wasn’t like that. We just...”
But she’s right. It had hurt... and I’d wanted it to.
“You need to talk to him, Kennedy. I know you’re scared, I know the
two of you have history, but Conner isn’t like Ace and Cole. You have to
know that. This will crush him. When he realizes—”
“Stop, okay?” I heave a ragged breath. “Just stop.”
Silence fills the space between us as Hadley stares at me with pity. She
doesn’t understand. She can’t, but she wants to.
 “For what it’s worth, I think you’re making a big mistake. Conner cares
about you so freaking much. All you have to do is let him in and give him a
chance.”
A reply bubbles up my chest, but I force it down.
Hadley says he cares. Cole too. But the harsh truth is that for as much as
Conner might care now...
He didn’t care enough then.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Conner

I come to with memories of the night before playing out in my mind and
a raging hard-on. Despite the insane number of times I came last night,
it seems my body still craves her. I'm not surprised, I've waited long
enough.
With thoughts of how well we fit together, how right it feels when we
connect filling my mind, I once again drift off. I'm not sure if it's from the
alcohol or just pure exhaustion. I'm not complaining, whatever it is.
I have no idea if I fall back to sleep for five minutes or five hours, but
the next time I wake, I'm much more alert.
Moving my arm, I search her out, ready to pull her hot little body back
into mine to give her the wake up she deserves, but I'm only met with cold
sheets.
My eyes fly open, confirming what I already know.
She left.
No. She didn't just leave. She snuck out.
After the time we spent together, she just walked away.
Anger surges through me, turning my blood to lava.
Throwing the covers back, I climb naked from my bed and start
searching the floor for my cell.
 I don't find anything of hers left behind—not that I'm expecting to. I
already knew. I felt it.
Shoving my hand in my pants pocket, I pull out my cell and wake it up.
But all I find staring back at me is a handful of messages from Aimee that I
don't even bother opening.
"Fuck," I roar, kicking the pile of clothes at my feet, although it does
very little to settle the storm brewing inside me.
Finding her contact, I hit call.
It rings, and rings and rings. It doesn't even go to voicemail. It just cuts
off.
I don't even realize that I've pulled my arm back, and it's not until my
cell collides with my bedroom door that I even register that I've thrown it.
Pacing back and forth, I try desperately to tamper down my growing
need to storm over there and have it out with her. The crack of my knuckles
fills the air as I try to convince myself to do the right thing.
She doesn't want to talk. I understand that, but right now, I'm not
fucking happy about it.
I thought we'd made some progress last night. I thought it might have
been the start of her letting her walls down.
How fucking wrong was I?
My heart twists in my chest, a pain lancing through me that I'm
becoming all too used to.
A soft knock on the door has me pausing with my back to it.
"Fuck off," I bark, not wanting to see anyone unless it's Kenny, and I
already know it's not her. I know when she's near, I feel it.
She isn’t in this house. She's run as far and as fast as she could.
Am I that fucking unlovable that she couldn't even wait until this
morning to pull the plug?
There's another knock before the door is pushed open.
"Conner, are you—"
"Leave me alone, Hads," I snap.
"What's wrong?" Hadley asks, totally ignoring my request and instead
stepping inside, despite my tone or the fact that I'm still naked. I turn away
from her and stare out of the window. "Where's Kenny?"
"Gone," I spit.
"But, I thought—" Hadley starts, but I cut her off.
 "Yeah, me and you both." I blow out a defeated breath, my shoulders
lowering and my head dropping.
"I'll go see her, make sure she's okay."
"I thought... I... we..."
"I know, Con," she says sadly, stepping up to me and pressing a kiss to
my shoulder blade. "It'll be okay, you'll see."
"How? How is this going to be okay? She couldn't even bear to see me
this morning."
"I'll talk to her."
I don't respond. Part of me wants to tell her not to bother, that Kenny
isn't interested in talking, but another, more insistent part is desperate for
Hadley to go and plead my case. It seems I can't do it with words or actions,
so someone else might as well have a shot.
It isn’t until she's closing the door that I look over my shoulder. Our
eyes connect for a second and a sad smile pulls at her lips.
Grabbing a pair of boxers, I make my way to the bathroom. I hate to
wash away Kenny’s lingering scent, but I can hardly spend the day with it
reminding me of what we had for those few hours.
The hot water does little to soothe my muscles or to loosen me up at all,
and by the time I get out, I'm still as furious as I was when I stepped inside.
"Morning, sweetie," Ellen sings when I enter the kitchen a few moments
later. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Nothing," I mutter, walking to the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle
of water.
"N-nothing? Are you okay? Are you sick?" Her concerned eyes burn
into my skin, but I don't look up at her.
"No, I'm not sick."
With my bottle of water in hand, I walk back out and return to my
bedroom. Although I regret it the second I step inside and am hit with her
scent again. It's even worse when I throw myself on my bed, because it's
almost like I'm surrounded by her.
I hit play on ‘Throne’ by Bring Me the Horizon and drop my cell to the
bed as I stare at the ceiling.
I try to think about anything but last night. I attempt to focus on what
homework I've got to do, I think about the future and those applications still
taunting me from my desk. I think about anything but Kennedy Lowe, the
girl who still owns my heart…
 But every single thought somehow leads back to her.

My fists are curled in frustration and my need to expel some of my pent-up

aggression. I'm biting down on the inside of my cheek when my bedroom
door flies open sometime later.
"What the hell did you do?" Hadley shrieks, storming toward the bed.
Her eyes are dark and wild, and her lips are pressed into a thin line.
Great, now she's pissed at me. I roll my eyes at myself. Can I do nothing
right where women are concerned?
"I have no idea what you're—"
"Have you seen her?"
"What? Who? Kenny? You know I haven't. She'd fucked off before I
woke up."
"Yeah, I'm not surprised. What exactly did you do to her last night?"
"Uh..." I hesitate. We had sex, a lot of sex. But surely that's not what
Hadley is referring to?
"She's black and blue, Conner. Covered in fucking bruises. How could
you?"
My chin drops in shock at her judgement.
“That’s a bit rich, isn’t it? Seeing as I know the things you and my
brother get up to behind closed doors.”
Despite my joke, Hadley’s face remains stiff. I've never seen her look so
furious before. She's shaking with anger.
"We just—"
"How could you do that after everything she's been through?"
"I don't know what... we just fucked, Hads."
"Yeah, and just how fucking rough were you?"
"I… uh... I only did what she asked of me," I confess, remembering her
demands for more.
"You hurt her, Con. Really hurt her.”
Guilt washes through me. I didn't mean to hurt her. "I didn't... I'd
never..."
Hadley turns damn near purple before me as her anger begins to boil
over.
 "He raped her, Conner. And then you just go and..." Her eyes go wide as
she registers what she just said. "Fuck, I—"
My stomach turns over and I look away from Hadley for a beat,
convinced I'm about to puke on the floor.
"No. You're lying," I whisper, unable to accept her words as pain splits
my chest in two.
There's no fucking way it was that bad. She'd have told me.
"Conner," Hadley breathes, sympathy oozing off her.
"No, he beat her…” Bile rushes up my throat. “He didn’t… he
wouldn't... No. Just. No."
"Conner," Hadley repeats, this time reaching out to me, but I flinch
back, reality crashing down around my feet.
"He... he raped her?" My voice is barely audible, but I know she hears
me because her face drops.
"I'm sorry. Fuck." She drops her head into her hands and shakes it back
and forth. "I shouldn't have said that," she confesses.
"So you're lying. He didn't—"
"No, he did.” Hadley’s eyes fill with tears. “And I'm pretty sure it wasn't
the first time either."
I storm past her, unable to deal with what she's trying to tell me, and
plant my fists into my wall. It hurts, but it's not enough. Marching through
the house, I don’t stop until the door to James' gym swings back and
collides with the wall behind it.
Pulling my shirt over my head, I drop it to the floor and fly at my new
addition. The red and black punching bag hangs right in the middle of the
huge room.
Pain ricochets up my arm as my fists split against the soft leather, but no
matter how hard I hit it, I know it's never going to be enough. Nothing aside
from it being that motherfucker's face will ever be enough.
My hits come hard and fast as sweat begins to coat my skin and my
chest heaves to drag in the oxygen I need.
When I've got nothing left, I wrap my arms around the bag and lean into
it. Emotion clogs my throat and tears burn my eyes.
I should have known.
Why the fuck didn't I know?
If only she’d told me, I would have gone easier.
No wonder she ran at the first possible opportunity.
 The roar that rips from my throat doesn't even sound like it belongs to
me as it echoes off the mirrored walls.
"Conner?" Hadley's soft, concerned voice hits my ears and I wince. She
wasn't meant to see that.
"You need to leave." My voice is hollow. I've got nothing left to give,
and I fear what she might be about to witness if she hangs around.
"Go and talk to her. Please, Conner. You both just need to be honest
with each other."
"No, what I need is for you to fucking leave and to keep your nose out
of my business."
"You want to hurt someone?" she taunts, walking closer. "Hurt me all
you like, Conner."
I sense her stop right beside me, and I turn toward her before I realize
what I'm doing.
My eyes meet her determined ones, but they don't have any effect on the
eruption of emotions warring inside me.
"I'm not going to hit you, Hadley."
"I meant with your words, asshole. You've got something you need to
get off your chest, then I'm your girl. Come on."
"Stay. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Business."
I barge past her, my shoulder slamming into hers as I pass. Swiping my
shirt from the floor, I pull it on before heading straight out to my car.
I can't be here right now. Although, I'm not sure I can be anywhere, to
be honest.

I drive for hours before I pull over into a rest area so I can get out to take a
piss.
Once I'm back in my car, I pull my cell from my pocket and stare down
at the texts and missed calls. There are ones from Ace, Cole, Hadley, even
James, but still nothing from Kenny.
My stomach twists to the point at which I worry I might be about to
puke as I think back over last night. The way she let me treat her.
I push the door wide and retch, but nothing comes.
I ignore all the messages apart from one.
Levi: Unit 6. The Docks. You in?

My hand trembles as I stare down at his words.

They're vague, but I know exactly what he's asking me. Just like I know
there's only one answer.

Conner: On my way.

I restart the car and spin it around so I can head toward the Heights. My
grip on the wheel tightens as I imagine my already busted up knuckles
making contact with some asshole’s face.
Maybe that will make me feel better. The punching bag in the gym sure
did shit all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kennedy

C onner gave up.

It’s what I want... what I thought I wanted. But I can’t deny as I
search the halls for him on Monday that I find the pang of
disappointment festering inside me.
I know I deserve it. After our amazing night together, I freaked and ran.
Again. But he still doesn’t know the truth about Warren.
Not the whole truth, anyway.
“Hadley,” I say, spotting her down the hall.
“Oh, uh, hi.” She keeps walking. “I’ve got an appointment.”
“You have?” I frown, falling into step beside her. “You didn’t wait for
me this morning.”
“I had to come in early.”
A tingle zips up my spine as I take in her skittish expression. “Are you
okay?”
“I’m fine.” Her smile is strained.
“I haven’t seen Conner, is he—”
“I really need to go, Kennedy, but we’ll catch up soon, okay?”
I watch her walk away, my brows furrowing. That was weird. And then
it hits me, she’s taking his side. My stomach sinks. I thought Hadley got it,
that she understood.
 I should have known better.
Hitching my bag up my shoulder, I double back around and head for my
next class. When I enter the room, Marissa glares at me. I ignore her,
dragging my ass to my desk. It’s next to the window, which is where I
spend the next thirty minutes staring, unable to focus.
Pulling my cell out, I discreetly cradle it in my lap, finding Conner’s
number. The urge to text him burns through me, but as I read all his
unanswered texts, guilt gnaws at me. He’s angry. But so I am I.
It’s like I’m two people—the Kennedy who wants to forgive and forget,
and the Kennedy who can’t let go. If Conner had never left the Heights, if
he’d claimed me as his own, I would have never ended up with Warren. I
wouldn’t have lived the last six months of my life in sheer terror.
At first, it was all new and exciting. Warren was insatiable, constantly
touching me and kissing me. It was heady to know a guy like Warren
wanted a girl like me. But it quickly became suffocating. School had ended
by then, and Conner was around less and less.
The first time he physically hurt me was right after Conner left. I’d been
upset, and Warren had gotten so angry.
A shudder rips through me as I force the memories back in their locked
box. Something catches my eye out of the window, a trickle of fear racing
down my spine, but when I glance up, there’s nothing there.
“Miss Lowe, are you with us?” The teacher quirks a brow at me.
“Yes, sorry.”
Marissa and her friends snicker, throwing shade my way. Stupid bitches.
All they have to worry about is getting mani-pedis and what outfit to wear
at the next party. They don’t know what it’s like to be so scared you can
hardly breathe.
I bet they’ve never laid there at night with tears streaming down their
cheeks while the guy who’s supposed to love them fucks them so hard they
can’t walk for two days straight.
I bet they haven’t perfected the art of covering up bites and bruises so
that people don’t ask too many questions.
They have friends and families and trust funds. Hopes, aspirations, and
dreams.
I stopped dreaming a long time ago.
Hadley never showed. I didn’t see her after school, and she never waited
this morning. I can’t shake the feeling I’ve been dumped for Team Conner.
It sucks, but it’s nothing new. I’m used to being alone. Like in the
Heights, people knew what Warren was doing—they had to—but no one
ever tried to intervene. They never tried to help me. Sure, Shelbie had given
me a place to stay a couple of times when it got really bad, but every time
she watched me go back to him, as if there wasn’t another option.
Maybe there wasn’t.
Maybe this, being here in the Bay, is just a fantasy, a dream, and the
reality is that soon I’ll wake up and everything will go back to how it was
before.
Shaking off the grim thoughts, I file into the stream of kids all headed to
first period. It feels pointless being here, like I’m playing at someone else’s
life.
I sense Conner before I see him. A warm current trickles up my spine
and I turn slowly, finding him in the crowd. My stomach churns and I gasp
as I take in his bruised face. It’s worse this time. One of his eyes is almost
closed thanks to the swelling, and there’s a nasty cut on his lip.
Before I know what I’m doing, I’m moving toward him. “Conner,” I
breathe. “What did you do?”
His eyes meet mine, but the boy I once loved more than anything isn’t
staring back at me. This is a stranger. His expression is dark, his gaze dead.
“So now you care?” he grits out.
“You were fighting again?” My fingers itch to touch him, to trace the
ugly, tender skin. But I hold back. Anger swirls around him like a vortex,
making the air hard to breathe.
“Conner, you can’t go back there. It isn’t—"
“Fuck you, Kennedy. Fuck. You,” he seethes, getting in my face. “Why
the hell should I tell you anything when you’re the one keeping secrets?”
“I...” Realization slams into me and I stagger back a little. “You... k-
know?”
His eyes shutter as he drags in a ragged breath.
“But how?”
Another bolt of realization hits, followed by a sinking feeling.
Hadley.
She told him.
It all makes sense now.
 Betrayal snakes through me, coiling inside my chest until I feel like I
can’t breathe. I should have known I couldn’t trust her.
People are watching. I feel their stares burn into my back as I remain
trapped in Conner’s icy gaze. His injuries are even worse up close.
“You can’t keep doing this,” I whisper.
“Why?” he spits. “Because I’m weak? Because I’m the brother that
always finishes last?”
“Conner...” I gasp. “You know that isn’t true.”
“Do I? You picked him... after we...” He can’t even say the words. “You
picked him. I thought you were my girl. And then you went and crushed
everything by choosing him.”
“I didn’t... that’s not what happened.” I can still remember it as clear as
day. After we had sex, Conner freaked out. He pulled away. “You changed
after we...”
“I’d just taken my best friend’s V card, the girl I was head over heels in
love with who had no fucking idea how I felt.”
“What?” I rear back, his words like a wrecking ball to my stomach.
Conner loved me.
He loved me.
But it makes no sense. He pulled away, acting all weird. It had been the
single best night of my life and then—
Oh God.
“Hey.” Conner hovers awkwardly, his eyes darting around me.
“Hey,” I say, butterflies fluttering wildly in my stomach. I can still feel
his lips on my skin, his weight pressing me into the mattress. Heat rushes
into my cheeks.
“So, I... we should probably talk.” He runs a hand over his head and
down the back of his neck. He’s nervous.
Oh God, he’s going to tell me it was a mistake.
I feel sick.
“What’s there to talk about?” I force a smile. “It was just sex, Conner.
You’re my best friend and you did me a favor. Now I don’t have to worry
about my first time.”
“Just sex?” His eyes flash with something, but then he’s smiling at me
in that goofy way of his. “Uh, yeah, right. I’m glad to be of service. Anytime
you want to do it again, just holler.”
 “Ew. Gross.” I nudge his shoulder with mine, laughing. Can he hear the
moment my heart breaks? Sex was supposed to bring us closer, but there’s
this new distance between us. And I hate it.
His eyes are heavy on my face as he opens his lips to say something—
“Kennedy, Jagger.” Warren saunters over to us, shooting me a wolfish
grin. “What’s up?”
“N-nothing,” I rush out. “We were just talking. I was just thanking
Conner for uh... a little problem he helped me with me.”
“Yeah.” He stands. “That’s me, helpful guy.”
“You seem uptight, dude. You need to get laid,” Warren chuckles. “I
saw Jemma Standing checking you out in math.”
Jealousy burns through me as I watch Conner out of the corner of my
eye.
“Jemma’s okay, I guess.” He shrugs, his gaze darting to mine.
What is happening right now?
“We should all go out. The four of us,” Warren suggests, and I want the
ground to open up and swallow me whole.
“You and Kenny?” Conner asks coolly, and Warren shrugs.
“Stranger things have happened.”
“You... loved me?”
“Are you that fucking blind, Kenny?” The words are barbed and lethal,
cutting me wide open.
“But you just let Warren move in on me. You stood by and did
nothing...” But as I say the words, I know they’re a lie.
“You told me it was just sex. You said that, K. You broke me.” He jabs
his fingers at me, hatred swirling in his eyes. “You did that.”
“I didn’t—"
“Conner, let’s go,” Ace calls from down the hall. His voice is like a
bucket of cold water and I stagger back, bumping into someone.
“Hey, watch it,” the guy hisses.
“Sorry,” I mumble.
Conner starts to leave, but I call his name. His eyes slide to mine and
what I see there will haunt me for the rest of my life.
I watch as he walks away from me.
Taking the jagged shards of my heart with him.
The rest of the week isn’t much better. Conner is like a ghost in the halls at
school. If he sees me, he turns around and goes the other way. Hadley
barely looks in my direction, and Cole, Ace, and Remi all give me space.
I never felt a part of their inner circle, but I didn’t feel pitted against
them. Now it feels like a line has been drawn, and I’m on one side and
they’re on the other.
I barely sleep. Every night, I lie there replaying that conversation over
and over in my head. I’d been so certain Conner was going to tell me it was
a mistake, that he didn’t want to ruin our friendship, that I’d beaten him to
it.
I’d lied.
The truth taunts me. It haunts my broken sleep and torments my mind.
He loved me.
Conner loved me. And yet, I’d ended up with an abusive, narcissistic
psychopath.
It changes things... and yet, it doesn’t.
Conner had a hundred chances to fess up, to fight for me. But he didn’t.
He simply stood by and let Warren claim me.
Something bangs against my window, and my heart leaps into my
throat. Padding over to it, I pull open the curtains and search the ground
below, half-expecting to find someone there throwing stones. There’s
nothing.
Strange.
It isn’t until I inspect the glass closer that I notice the tiny splatters of...
blood. A shiver runs through me as I once again search the ground below.
I finally spot the blackbird, lying there at a funny angle. Poor thing. It
must have flown right into the window and snapped its neck.
At least its end was quick and painless.
At least it is at peace now.
Unlike me, who is stuck in the worst kind of hell.
I sink down on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. It’s Friday night, and
everyone else will be with their friends, hanging out at the pier or at
someone’s party. My cell vibrates and I snatch it up.

Unknown: It’s Levi. I’ve tried getting a hold of Ace or Cole but they’re
not responding. Conner turned up at fight night again… but he’s out of
control. They need to come now before he does something he’ll regret.
 Panic roots me to the spot. He’s there, again. I jump out of bed and
shove my sneakers on while texting him back.

Me: We’ll be there. Just don’t let him get hurt, Levi. Please.

His reply is instant.

Unknown: You’d better hurry.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Conner

T he first crunch of bone under my knuckles instantly helps to tamper

down the anger that's been threatening to bubble over all week.
I did my best to avoid her, but I knew it couldn't last forever.
Our very public argument in the school hall plays out in my mind once
again.
I'd admitted I loved her, and she just looked at me with furious,
confused eyes.
Just like she did back then after our relationship changed forever.
She didn't fight. She just walked away at the first possible opportunity.
Crack.
My knuckles collide with the guy’s jaw.
Oomph.
He groans, and I use his moment of distraction as he spits out a
mouthful of blood to plow my fists into his stomach, making him double
over in agony.
But it doesn't help.
The images are still there. The rejection still stings just as badly.
This guy isn't enough.
He's too easy.
I need a challenge. Something to distract me from my reality.
 After another five minutes, I have the guy on the ground while the
crowd around me goes wild, but I don't feel any sense of achievement.
My ribs smart and my jaw aches a little where he got two pathetic hits
early on.
But it's not enough.
"Someone sure pissed you off, eh?" Daz asks when he comes over to
congratulate me.
"Yeah. I want another," I demand.
"Nah, man. You know the rules."
"Fuck the rules. Give me another fight. A fucking decent one this time. I
want someone who knows what they're doing."
"Conner," he warns.
"Darren," I counter, narrowing my eyes at him. "I'd hate to have to tip
off the wrong people about where this is happening tonight."
His angry eyes bore into mine. Back in the day, what I just said would
have been an empty threat. Daz and I were tight. He delivered me what I
needed when shit got to be too much, and I brought in more money than
any other fighter. It was a win-win. But since we moved, he has no idea
how to take me, what I'm capable of, and whether my threats are real.
"You wouldn't be so stupid."
"Want to try me?" I ask, stepping up to him, my bare, sweaty chest
bumping into his.
Daz was one of the best back in the day. If this were a year or so ago, I
have no doubt he'd take me down. But that was then. Now he's had one too
many concussions and a wife and kid at home.
"Fine. But if you get yourself killed, I want it noted that this wasn't my
fucking idea." He looks at Levi and Jay, who have walked over to see
what's going on.
"Dude, you can't let him go again," Levi says, concern lacing his voice.
"Fucking watch me," I seethe, walking away in the hope of finding a
drink.
"You want to try to stop him, be my guest," I hear Daz mutter as I get
farther away. I don't give a shit what he thinks. I need this. I need the focus,
the pain, the distraction.
I find myself a bottle of vodka and tip it back.
I don't feel the burn.
Fuck, I don't feel anything.
 The minutes tick by as the alcohol starts to take effect. I don't drink
enough to hinder my fighting but enough to fire me up. I have no idea who
Daz is going to pair me up with next. I don't really give a shit, but I need to
be ready.

It's another thirty minutes or so before I'm called back into the ring. I'm still
pumped and ready, and as I stand there waiting to see who my opponent is,
I ignore both Levi and Jay who are standing behind me, trying to convince
me to give it up and go home.
I shake my head and block their voices out.
No one here understands.
Every time I close my eyes, all I see is Kenny laid out beneath me with
my fingers wrapped around her throat, my fingertips digging into her hips.
Only in a heartbeat, everything flips in my head and she isn’t willing, and
I'm not me. Instead, she's struggling, and I'm that fucking monster, Warren.
Anger swirls through me, my fists curling as I imagine what I'm going
to do to him when he finally crawls out of the hole he's hiding in.
My shoulders tense as I imagine snapping that motherfucker's neck like
it's nothing more than a twig.
No man should ever force themselves on a woman. But my girl? My
Kenny?
No. No, fucking way.
The crowd starts to get louder, and when I drag my eyes up from the
concrete at my feet, I find a guy I recognize from my time in the ring before
we left the Heights. I've never fought him before, and for one very good
reason. He's fucking huge.
He steps forward, snarling at me as he approaches.
"You think you're good enough, boy?" he taunts.
I shake my head. He can try to intimidate me as much as he likes, but he
doesn't have the images inside his head that I do.
"Try me," I spit as Daz steps toward us.
Movement on the edge of the crowd catches my eye for some reason,
and I momentarily look up. A shiver of awareness trickles down my spine
and I eagerly search for the head I thought I just saw.
 He's here. That motherfucker is here.
I'm still searching for another glimpse of him while starting to think I'm
imagining it when Daz starts the fight.
I only realize he's done so when a fist lands in my face.
Stumbling back, I collide with some of the crowd who happily push me
back into the firing line.
I've been blindsided, and for a few minutes, I don't stand a chance. No
matter what I do, what move I make, I can't get an advantage.
My lip splits, my eye swells, and I'm sure at least one rib cracks as he
gets in hit after hit before I manage to take some kind of control back.
Suddenly, the tables flip. With Warren's smug fucking face in my mind,
I see red. If that motherfucker is here, then I want him to witness what’s
coming his way, because I will catch up with him at some point, and I will
fucking end him.
The minutes feel like seconds as we continue to throw punch after
punch at each other. The crowd continues to shout and scream for us as the
fight goes on and on, both of us fairly evenly matched.
Seeing as it's my second of the night, despite the fact that the first one
was a walk in the park, my muscles start to tire and my movements begin to
slow although my head screams to continue.
Thankfully, I’m not the only one who starts to tire. I manage to get the
upper hand when he makes a rookie mistake. I fly at him, desperately
needing to take him to the ground. And I'm just about to when his fist
connects with my temple and everything goes black.
I feel myself go down. I wince in pain as I crash against the cold
concrete at my feet.
The crowd roars in excitement before everything goes silent. I have no
idea if I lie there for thirty seconds or thirty minutes, but at some point,
hands grip me under my arms and I'm dragged away from the ring.
Voices sound out around me. I want to say I recognize them, that they're
familiar, but I can't quite get a grasp on reality.
I'm dragged to somewhere quiet before being lifted onto a softer
surface.
I want to open my eyes to see who it is looking after me, to discover
who the voices belong to, but I can't. I have no idea if that's because they're
swollen shut or just because I'm too exhausted, but no matter how hard I try,
I can't open them. I can’t move anything.
 I'd have thought that not being able to move might make me panic. But
in that moment, I don't care. I don't care about anything other than ensuring
that I win my next fight and that the bloody body at the other end of my
fists belongs to Warren.
Something soft and warm is pressed to my eye as a hot hand slips into
mine. Tingles race up my arm and my heart skips a beat that it could be
Kenny. But I know it's wishful thinking. She doesn't know I'm here. And
even if she did, I doubt she'd care.
She shouldn't care. Not after the way I treated her.
My head falls to the side and I dry heave over the edge of whatever I'm
lying on as those mixed images fill my head again. One second, I'm seeing
everything I've ever wanted, Kenny lying before me, and the next, I'm him
and I'm forcing her to do things she doesn't want to do.
I heave again, but nothing comes up and all that fills my mouth is the
coppery taste of blood.
I spit it out before everything goes black once more.
Only this time, I'm not alone.
She's there, sitting on the edge of the bed with a warm cotton ball,
cleaning up my cuts and quietly chastising me for my reckless actions.
She tells me everything I want to hear, along with what an idiot I've
been.
I cling to it like it's reality, even though deep down, I know it's not.
If I'm lucky, when I wake I'll find Levi or Jay—or both—tending to my
wounds with much less care than she would. Reality is, they’ll probably
throw a bottle of vodka at me, rip me a new one, and mention a few times
how they were right and I was wrong before disappearing to leave me to
deal with my own bad decisions.
"Let's get him out of here." I know that voice.
I know. I should know... "Cole?"
"Yeah, you stupid motherfucker. I came to peel you off the fucking floor
before you ended up dead. What the fuck were you thinking? You promised
us you wouldn't do this again. That the last time was a one-off."
"I lied," I groan as Cole and another take an arm each and begin to
guide me from wherever I was resting.
My eyes barely open, but it's enough to let in the stark electric light and
make me wish I could go back into the darkness.
 My ribs scream as they manhandle me. I want to demand they let me
go, but I know that if I do, I'd just end up in a pile on the floor. They're
taking more of my weight right now than I want to admit.
The noise of the crowd cheering for another fight that must be
happening fills my ears for a few moments before the brisk air of the
January night hits me and wakes me up more than before.
I moan as every single part of my body aches with the cold. A shiver
rips through me. The sweat that was coating my body now turns my skin to
ice.
"Quit being a fucking pussy. You put yourself in these kinds of
situations then you need to be man enough to deal with the consequences."
That's Ace.
Fuck. Neither of them should be dealing with me like this. They both
have their girls and much better things to do with their Friday night.
"I could have taken him. I should have taken him."
"Bit late to try to be the big man, don't you think? You lost, bro. You
lost bad."
A car door opens before they none too gently push me into the back
seat. I don't even attempt to stay upright—I already know my ribs won't
allow it—but what I don't expect is to find a soft, warm pillow for my head.
I snuggle into whatever it is, already feeling entirely too comfortable
when I should be in agony.
I'm just about to open my eyes to see who it is when everything once
again goes black.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kennedy

“H ow is he?” Hadley’s head appears around the door. I didn’t even

hear it open.
I’m exhausted.
After getting Levi’s message, the night had been a blur.
I’d called Hadley and asked for Cole immediately. He told me they’d
handle it and hung up. But I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. I hadn’t
even realized what I was doing until I spilled out of the building and saw
Cole’s car.
He’d come for me, and I’d never been more grateful.
But all the relief left me when I saw Conner lying there, bloody and
bruised and barely conscious. We managed to get him home and I cleaned
every cut and bruise, refusing to let anyone else touch him.
That was about four hours ago. I haven’t left his side since.
“He’s in and out.” Whatever Ace gave him earlier seemed to help. He’d
practically force fed his brother the pills, but they settled him.
“You should try and get some sleep. I can sit with him.”
“I’m okay.” I glance at Conner again. He’s a mess. A broken, bloody
mess... and all because of me.
Guilt gnaws my insides. I should have talked to him, I should have let
him in. But I didn’t know he’d do this.
 “I’m so sorry.” Hadley slips into the room, gently closing the door. “I
didn’t mean to tell him. We got into it and it just came out. I never meant to
betray—”
“It doesn’t matter.” All that matters is that Conner gets better and never
does this again.
“If I’d have known he would do something so stupid, I would never
have...” She trails off, staring at Conner. “James is going to pitch a fit when
he sees him. Sarah too.”
“Are they always away so much?”
“Yeah, they go out of town a lot on business. I think it’s James’ way of
trying to show the boys he trusts them.”
“That seems...”
“Backward. Yeah, tell me about it.”
We share a small smile. “I am sorry,” she says.
“I know. I’m to blame as much as you are. I should have told him the
truth. I let him...” I swallow the words, trying to fight the memories of him
fucking me into oblivion.
“For what it’s worth, I get it. I know what it’s like to need the pain, the
hurt... I shouldn’t have interfered.”
I feel stripped bare under her sympathetic green gaze. “I still can’t
believe he did this,” I say, changing the subject.
“Conner loves deeply, so it only makes sense he would feel deeply. He
found out the girl he loves was hurt, and he couldn’t fix it. You hurt, he
hurts. It’s not that hard to believe.” She gives me a small smile. “Are you
sure you don’t want to get some rest?”
“I’m okay, thanks.” I want to be with him when he wakes.
“I’ll be just down the hall if you need me.” Hadley leaves me alone, and
I get up and kick off my sneakers, climbing gingerly on the bed beside
Conner. A small groan vibrates in his throat as I press my body as close to
his as I can get without hurting him.
“K?” he whispers, but he sounds asleep.
“Shh, Conner.” I rest my hand on his arm. “I’m right here, and I’m not
going away ever again.”
Light flickers across my face as I crack an eye open. “What the—”
Memories of the night before slam into me one after another.
Conner is still sleeping soundly beside me. I ghost my fingers over his
face. The bruising looks worse today, but some of the swelling has gone
down.
“Why?” I whisper, my heart breaking all over again. “Why, Conner?”
“You should see the other guy,” he croaks.
“Conner, thank God.”
“I thought I was dreaming. I felt you... and I thought I was dreaming.”
“I’m right here.” I can’t resist pressing a kiss to his temple.
“Did I die and go to heaven?” A hint of a smile plays on his lips. “Fuck,
that hurts.”
One of his eyes is swollen shut and the other is smattered with dark,
ugly bruises.
“Why would you do this to yourself?”
“Because I needed to do something, K. I wanted to kill him. I would
have... but he wasn’t there so...”
“You let someone beat you half to death?” Disbelief coats my words.
“I wasn’t supposed to lose.”
“Conner...” I pull away, only for him to wrap an arm around me and
tuck me into his side.
“Fuuuuck,” he hisses with pain.
“Maybe I should—”
“Don’t you dare.” He sounds tired, but there’s a playful lilt to his voice
that makes my heart swell.
Even in the darkest of skies, Conner finds a way to shine.
“I was so scared when I saw you lying there,” I admit. “I thought you
were...” My voice cracks.
“Shh. I’m okay. I’ll be okay. It hurts like a bitch now, but it’s worth it.
Having you here, like this.”
“I’m sorry.” I force the words out over the lump in my throat. “I’m so
sorry I didn’t tell you. I just couldn’t find the words... and I hated you. God,
I hated you for leaving me with him and turning your back on me.”
With gritted teeth, Conner manages to shift slightly so we’re face to
face. “I would never turn my back on you, K. You mean too fucking much
to me. But after I got your message asking me to leave you alone, I figured
I’d finally lost you.”
 “I didn’t send you a message, Conner.”
“So who—” His expression darkens as he sucks in a harsh breath.
“Warren.”
“He must have seen it and replied to you. He often went through my
phone.”
“Fuck, babe, why didn’t you reach out to me? It almost fucking killed
me, leaving you. But you chose him. After we... you picked him.”
“I didn’t.”
“W-what?” He blinks, wincing with agony. “What the fuck are you
saying, K?”
“It was you, Conner.” I offer him a sad smile. “It was always you.”

After my confession, Conner held me until he fell back to sleep. I finally

crept out and got showered and changed into some clean clothes courtesy of
Hadley. Now I’m sitting in the Jaggers’ kitchen, eating pancakes, while
Ellen tends to Conner.
“Are we all going to ignore the fact that Con is upstairs, pissing blood?”
Ace snarls the words, his anger swirling around us. “And my money is on
you being the cause.” His icy glare cuts me to the bone, but I stand my
ground.
I deserve his wrath, but he doesn’t know the whole story.
I just don’t know if I can tell them yet.
“Ace, relax,” Cole says, surprising everyone.
“Don’t tell me you’re siding with her? Conner was fine before she
showed up and started messing with his head.”
“Ace,” Hadley warns. “There are things you don’t understand.”
“Hadley’s right, babe. You need to calm down.”
“Calm down?” he roars, slamming his fist against the counter. The
plates jangle and rattle, and Cole’s juice almost spills but he snatches it up
just in time. “He could have gotten himself killed.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” I say, my heart beating hard in
my chest. “I—”
“What? You what, Kennedy? Spit it out, because I’d love to hear all
about how you screwed my brother ov—”
 “Warren raped me.” The words pierce the air like a gunshot.
“Fuck,” Cole hisses.
“Warren didn’t just beat me that night... He... he raped me.”
Remi’s eyes shutter as she inhales a sharp breath. Hadley offers me a
sad smile. But Ace... Ace looks murderous.
“It wasn’t the first time,” I swallow the lump in my throat, “but he’d
never lost it like that before...”
“He... raped you?” Ace looks repulsed.
“Babe.” Remi lays her hand on his arm.
“I didn’t want anyone to know. Especially Conner.”
“I told him,” Hadley admits. “l let it slip, and I guess he couldn’t deal.”
“Really?” Ace hisses. “Fuck, Hadley. What were you thinking?”
“You need to back down, brother.” Cole moves to her side. “This isn’t
Hadley’s fault. Just like it isn’t Kennedy’s fault. The only person to blame
for any of this, is that piece of shit Warren.”
“Look, I’m—”
“Kennedy, dear,” Ellen appears in the doorway, “he’s asking for you.”
“We can talk about this later,” I say, unable to meet Ace’s murderous
stare.
“Go,” Hadley says. “We’ll check in later.”
I don’t hang around, taking the stairs two steps at a time.
Outside Conner’s room, I give myself a second to catch my breath. I
know there’s no going back now. Seeing Conner lying there like that, not
knowing if he was dead or alive, has only cemented what, deep down, I
already knew.
I still love him.
Part of me never stopped.
But somewhere along the way, love turned into hate, and the lines
between our friendship began to blur.
I don’t knock, slipping inside.
“Hey.” He gives me a crooked smile. “I missed you.”
“I was barely gone an hour.”
“What were you all talking about?”
“You, mostly.” My heart is so heavy at the mess I’ve made. “Ace isn’t
happy with either of us.”
“He’ll get over it. Come here.” He pats the bed and I go to him. “I don’t
know what Ellen gave me, but I can’t feel my face.”
 “That’s a shame.” I smile, gently stroking his jaw. “Because I really
wanted to do this.”
Closing the space between us, I let my lips brush over his with the
faintest touch. Easing back, I giggle when his hand curves around my neck,
capturing me there.
“Not so fast, Lowe. I’m not done with you yet.” Conner kisses me
deeply, letting his tongue slide against mine. I can taste the coppery residue
of blood, feel the swelling in the pillow of his lip, but I don’t care, and
neither does he.
“Fuck, Kennedy. I could die a happy guy right now.”
“Don’t ever say that.” I gently swat his chest.
“Too soon?” He chuckles, but then his expression turns somber. “This,
K... this is how it’s always supposed to be between us.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You and me both.” The sadness in his words hit me, because no matter
what we say or do from this day forward, it will never erase everything
we’ve been through.
“What happens now, Conner?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Every bone in my body hurts, and when I
breathe it feels like my lungs are on fire, but waking up with you next to
me, holding you in my arms… it makes it all fucking worth it.”
“You’re crazy, Conner Jagger.” I grin down at him because this guy, this
big-hearted goofball, knows exactly what to say to make a girl feel special.
He reaches for my face, cupping my cheek. “But seriously, K. It’s you
and me now. After I kill that motherfucker for ever laying a hand on my
girl, we’ll ride into the sunset and live happily ever after.”
His eyes dance with humor, his mouth tipped in a playful smirk, but his
cold tone makes a shiver run up my spine.
He’s joking.
It’s supposed to be a joke.
Only part of me isn’t sure it’s a joke at all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Conner

K enny stayed at the house with me all weekend. She was the perfect
nurse, bringing me food and drinks whenever she thought I needed
them and making sure I took the pills Ellen left out for me.
Aside from the fact that I could barely move, and when I did my body
screamed in agony, it was the perfect weekend. I had my girl by my side,
and she was promising to never leave. Although we both knew that she
couldn't keep that promise. Monday was approaching faster than I was
ready for, and I knew she'd have to go back to the dorms instead of skipping
out on class here with me like I wanted.
It wasn't until late Sunday night that the knock came on my bedroom
door and Hadley poked her head in to tell me that Cole was taking them
both back.
I felt like a pussy as I gripped onto Kenny's hand, not wanting her to
leave, but a huge part of me was worried that once she had a little space,
she'd change her mind and cut me out again.
We can't continue on this carousel we've found ourselves on. It's
exhausting. She opens up a little and I think I'm getting somewhere at last,
only for her to slam the door shut not long after.
I promised Ace and Cole that I wouldn't fight again the first time, but
I've been back twice since then, and almost gotten myself killed. I've got to
keep my promise this time. I refuse to be the one to put that concerned look
in their eyes. They're meant to be living the life right now in the Bay with
their girls, not worrying about me and my bullshit.
But the only way I can keep that promise is if Kenny talks to me, if she
comes good on her word and this really is the beginning of something for
us.
I need her.
I always have. And I don't think that's ever going to change.
Staring up at my bedroom ceiling, I’m not sure I have the energy to
even get out of bed for a piss. Everyone aside from Ellen is out. James and
Sarah jetted off the other day for some business trip, and everyone else is at
school.
They'll have just started fourth period.
I blow out a breath and push myself to sit up. It hurts less than it did a
couple of days ago, and I can at least stand now without my eyes filling
with tears.
There's only one person who holds the power to make me cry in this
world, and it's not the motherfucker who put me down on Friday night.
I make it to the bathroom to do my thing. I should shower, but I had
help with the last one I took and I don't want to do it alone. Although I'm
more than capable, it doesn't sound half as enjoyable as having Kenny rub
me down.
As I pull the bathroom door open, the waft of freshly baked cookies hits
my nose, and my mouth waters. Unable to resist, I embark on the long-ass,
painful task of getting myself down to the kitchen.
Ellen knows I can never refuse one of her cookies.
I wonder halfway down if that's why she's made them, to lure me out of
my pit, as she put it the last time she came up with supplies for me.
"Ah, here is he." She shoots me a knowing look. I've been played. "Take
a seat. They'll just be a minute to cool a little. Would you like a glass of
milk?"
It makes me feel like a five-year-old, but I don't care because I agree,
greedily gulping down the white stuff when she passes it over.
I devour six cookies before she cuts me off.
"I'm sure your girl wouldn't be happy if I allowed you to ruin your
physique." She eyes me with a wink as she deposits the remaining cookies
into some Tupperware.
 "You don't need to worry," I say, tapping my hand to my stomach and
instantly regretting it when pain shoots out from my ribs. I thought I'd
broken at least one, but when James’ doctor friend made yet another visit to
the house to check on me, he confirmed that they were just bruised,
although even days after I'm not sure I believe him.
She shakes her head and chuckles at me as she begins cleaning the
already spotless and clean kitchen once again.
"You owe that girl, you know that, right?"
"I do," I agree. I owe her more than anyone realizes. If it weren't for her,
then I probably would have ended up hurt fighting long before now.
"So what's the plan? Once you're moving a little easier, of course."
"I... uh..."
"Oh, come on, Conner. I know for a fact that you've got a better
imagination than that."
"Kenny has never been one for grand gestures. She's a quieter,
understated kind of girl."
"So do something understated. I know you might want to climb up on
the school roof and declare your love..." I raise a brow at her. "You would,
and you know it."
"Yeah, okay, you got me."
"But do something that'll mean something to her. She's been through
hell. She has no family and is stuck with this crazy lot—"
"Hey," I complain.
"Oh, come off it. You're the craziest one of them all." She laughs.
"You know, I used to like you, Martha," I say with a wink using the
nickname I gave her when we first arrived in the Bay.
"Just think about her, not you. You'll come up with something. And if
you need anything, you know where I am."
"Thank you, Ellen. I have no idea how we'd have survived without you
these past few months."
"Oh, I'm sure you'd have managed."
I give her a grateful smile before making the slow climb back up to my
bedroom.
By the time I fall back on my bed, it feels like it was hours ago that I
had that conversation with Ellen.
Grabbing my cell from my nightstand, I find five missed calls from
Kenny, but before I call her back, I glance at the time and realize that she'll
be back in class already.
I opt for a message instead.

Conner: You've got a date on Friday night. Dress casually. He'll pick
you up at 7 x

Excitement trickles through me that I'm going to get to spend some one
on one time with my girl in a few days. I might even be able to convince the
others to leave us alone for the entire weekend so we can make up for lost
time.

I make my way down to the pool house in time for everyone to appear after
school’s finished, getting comfortable on the beanbag and blasting Bring
Me the Horizon through the wireless speakers.
"Well, well, well, look who's feeling better," Ace says, walking through
the door a few minutes later.
"Where's Remi?" I ask, looking around for her as if she's about to
appear out of nowhere.
"She's gone out with Hadley and Kenny. Apparently, Kenny has a date
Friday night and the girls insisted that she needed a new outfit." He rolls his
eyes at their antics, but, as ever when he thinks about his girl, his features
soften.
Remi is hands-down the best thing that could have ever happened to
Ace. While Kenny might have saved my life time and time again, Remi
most definitely saved Ace's ass from the state pen.
"Soda?" he asks, pulling the refrigerator open and reaching inside.
"Yeah. I brought a tub of cookies," I say, nodding to what's left on the
counter.
"Wow, I'm honored you saved us some."
"I owe you," I whisper.
"Fucking right you do, bro. Here." He throws me a can before falling
down on the couch. "Now," he starts, cracking open his drink and taking a
swig, "what the fuck are we going to do about that cunt?"
 He doesn't need to say his name. I instantly know which cunt he's
talking about.
I was so proud of Kenny when she came back up from breakfast and
told me that she'd given them all the truth about the reason behind what I
did. Although I’m still pissed she couldn't have just told me herself to begin
with.
"No one knows where he is," I admit, the words like molten lava in my
veins. "I've been asking since Kenny arrived. It's like he's fallen off the face
of the Earth."
"He'll have to show up eventually. I'll speak to a few people. The second
he does, we'll be on him."
"As much as I appreciate your support, bro, you don't need to get
involved."
"Like fuck I don't. He hurt one of us. He deserves everything that’s
coming for him."
"I..." I trail off when Ace's eyes lock with mine. It might have been my
girl he messed with, but Ace feels it almost as if it were Remi. "Thanks,
man."
"That fucker won't be able to take another breath by the time we're
finished with him."

"You're aware that she's seen you at your lowest, right?" Cole says, falling
down onto my bed while I rummage through my closet for something to
wear tonight.
"Don't care. It's our first date."
"Really?" he asks, his brows lifting. "You've been inside her—a few
times, if the noises that came out of this room the other week were anything
to go by."
"I don't give a shit. I want to do this properly, treat her right. She
deserves it."
"You're gonna fuck her though, right?" he asks with a smirk. "You can't
go to all this effort and not give her what she really needs."
"What the hell do you know about what she really needs?"
"Because, dipshit, that's what every girl needs."
 "You have taken Hadley out on a date, right?"
"Sure, I took her to the beach that night after you told me to."
"Fucking hell, Cole. How did you manage to snag a girl like Hads?"
"Because I make her scream like no other, motherfucker."
"Yeah, about that. You promised me that you'd tell me what you did to
make her squeal like she does when I had a girl. So... I'm waiting."
He laughs and scoots to the end of my bed. "Not yet, little bro. Your
innocent ears aren't ready. Once you've mastered the vanilla shit, come give
me a holler."
"Fuck you, man," I call out as he walks out of my room. I don't miss
him flip me off before he disappears around the corner. "You won't tell me,
I'm sure your girl will."
He laughs before his door closes and I turn back to the clothes hanging
before me.
Irritating myself with my indecision, I drag a navy Henley from a
hanger and pull out a pair of light, ripped jeans.
I drag it all on, run my fingers through my hair, and head out, ready to
give my girl a night out that she more than deserves. As I make my way
down the stairs, I text her to let her know I'm leaving. Every day they're
easier to maneuver, I'm sure by the end of the weekend I'll be running down
them like usual.
She replies immediately, telling me to wait in the car and that she'll
meet me there. I feel like a kid at Christmas as I make my way to the dorms.
Excitement flutters in my stomach, knowing that we're going to be able to
spend a normal night together without all the bullshit and secrets that have
surrounded us up until this point.
Only two seconds after I pull up out the front of her building, the door
opens and she steps out. I have to give her a double-take, because I swear
I've never seen her looking like she does now.
"Fuck, babe. You look..." I trail off as she drops down onto the
passenger seat, because I'm literally speechless.
"I'm glad you like it. I missed you," she whispers, leaning over the
center console and brushing her lips to mine.
Every concern I've had this week about her pulling away again settles as
I deepen our kiss, threading my fingers into her hair.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kennedy

“H mm, Conner, what is this place?” I stare over at the restaurant

with its pristine windows and gold and black awning. There’s a
handful of wrought iron tables out front, gold cushions on the
chairs, and candles flickering in the dark.
“It’s a restaurant.” He frowns at me before climbing out of the car.
I meet him at the hood. “I can see that, but why are we here?”
“It’s supposed to have the best pizza in town.”
My eyes slide to the restaurant again. It fits right in, nestled amongst the
row of expensive boutiques and stores. My stomach sinks as I glance down
at myself and back up.
“You don’t like it?” Conner’s expression falls, and I feel like a total
bitch.
“It looks expensive.”
“Money isn’t an issue.”
“I’m not sure I’ll—”
“Don’t say it.” He crowds me against the hood of his car. “You look
beautiful, K. It’s just a restaurant. I wanted to bring you somewhere nice
before we go to the movies.”
“The movies?” My face lights up. That sounds more like my thing.
“What are we seeing?”
 Conner leans in, lowering his head to mine. “I know what I’ll be
watching. You.”
“You did not just say that.” Laughter bubbles in my chest as I slide my
hands over his shoulders.
“It’s the truth. I’ve waited a long fucking time for this, babe.” The way
he says babe makes my insides flutter.
I ghost my fingers over his jaw. His cuts and bruises have mostly healed
now. James insisted Conner stay at home for the week. I know the two of
them had a big chat about things, but he hasn’t been very forthcoming about
the details.
I know he probably doesn’t want to make me feel any guiltier than I
already do.
“I would have been happy with burgers from Surfs.” It’s about the only
place I really feel comfortable at in the Bay. Even if it’s usually full of
stuck-up bitches like Lylah and Marissa.
“Let me have this, babe. Our first proper date.” He captures my lips in a
bruising kiss that steals my breath and makes my blood run hot. I’ve been
worrying all week that Conner won’t want me after I confessed everything
to him. But this kiss, every slide of his tongue and press of his lips, is full of
promises and things to come.
A shiver runs through me as Conner nibbles on my bottom lip. “I love
you, K.”
My breath catches and he chuckles, touching his brow to mine. “I don’t
need you to say it back yet, but I need you to know that there has never
been another girl for me.”
His admission slays me.
We’ve wasted so much time, been through so much to get here, but
when Conner looks at me like this, it’s like time hasn’t really moved
forward and we’re just two friends—two best friends—falling into
something more.
Yet, I can’t say the words. They’re there, teetering on the tip of my
tongue, but I can’t say them.
“It’s okay,” he breathes before pulling away. “Come on, I’m starving.”
Conner snags my hand and leads me toward the restaurant. I try to push
down the little voice in my head whispering that this is nothing more than a
fairytale.
And everyone knows fairytales don’t come true.
“You want popcorn?” Conner asks.
“Popcorn? I couldn’t even manage dessert.” Delucca’s pizza was, in
fact, the best pizza I’d ever tasted. At first, I’d been uptight, sitting there
among Sterling Bay’s finest, but Conner made everything so easy. He didn’t
care that people watched us out the corner of their eyes, judging my tattoos
and piercings. He only had eyes for me.
After his confession, it had been a little intense.
So I was looking forward to the movie. A chance to be with him without
any pressure.
“You are not going to eat all that,” I say, eyeing his gigantic tub of
popcorn.
“Sure am.”
“It doesn’t make any sense… you eat and eat and eat and still look
like... that.”
“Like what you see?” His brow quirks up.
“Careful, or your head might not fit through the door.”
“Can I ask you something?”
My body tenses.
He’d kept the conversation over pizza safe. We talked about school and
our favorite childhood memories. We didn’t talk about Warren or anything
like that. But I knew he had questions.
How could he not?
“That depends... I don’t want to ruin what’s been a great night so far.”
Conner’s expression slips, but he masks it with a warm smile. “You’re a
lot thinner than you used to be. Is that because—“
“You just watched me devour an entire pizza.”
“I know. But I worry about you. I will always worry.”
“I guess it just happened. It’s hard to remember to eat when you’re
constantly worried about...” I trail off, really not wanting to do this now.
“I’m sorry.” His jaw clenches. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. I’m... honestly, I don’t know how to feel. I never
thought I’d escape, Conner. I thought that was my destiny.”
“Fuck, Kenny.” Pain etches into the lines of his face “I know you don’t
want to talk about it. But one day, I want to know. You can trust me with
your secrets, babe. I hope you know that.”
 I press up on my tiptoes to kiss him and say, “Thank you,” because it’s
all I can give him right now.
We find our seats in the back row and get comfortable. Conner slings
his arms around my shoulder, and I love how safe he makes me feel.
“You’re supposed to be watching the movie,” I whisper.
“I told you, I only want to watch you.”
“You are such a goofball.” I lean over to kiss him, but Conner catches
me off guard by plunging his tongue into my mouth. I moan at the sudden
intrusion. A low growl rumbles in his chest.
“Fuck, K,” he breathes as I run my hand along the inside of his thigh.
No one can see us back here, secreted away in the shadows. I press closer,
thankful that it’s a double seat.
“I think I’m hungry again.” I whisper the words against the corner of his
mouth.
“Yeah?” It comes out shaky as his eyes glitter at me.
“Yeah.” I palm his cock through his jeans. He’s so hard, a thrill shoots
through me. One-handedly, I manage to flick his jean buttons open and
push my hand inside.
“Whoa, K, easy.” He tries to snag my wrist, but I wrap my hand around
him and start pumping slowly.
“Fuuuuck,” he hisses, burying his face in my neck.
A heady sense of power surges through me. With Warren it was always
forced, he never let me just take the reins, but as I jack Conner harder, he
lets me control everything.
“Shit, babe,” he pants quietly, “keep that up and I’m gonna come all
over myself.”
I give him a wicked grin. “I can probably help with that.”
I yank his jeans down as far as I can get them and lower my head,
running my tongue over his slit, tasting the bead of pre-cum there. Conner’s
fingers go to my hair, but he doesn’t force my head down or try to set the
pace. He lets me suck him like a popsicle. With slow, deep licks, I rub my
tongue up and down his velvety shaft before taking him in my mouth.
He fists my hair, thrusting up so I take him deeper. For a second, I
panic, thinking he might be about to turn the tables, but then I realize this is
Conner, and that I’m making him feel good.
Too good.
 I circle my slim fingers around the base of his shaft and pump hard as I
continue licking and sucking, hollowing my cheeks to take him deeper.
“Kenny, babe.” It’s a strained whisper, but I don’t stop. I want this.
I want him.
Conner’s legs lock up as he spurts hot jets of cum down my throat. I
swallow it down, licking every last drop. When I sit back up, he’s staring at
me with awe through heavy-lidded eyes.
“Nice and full now?” He smirks.
I brush my lips over his, letting him taste himself on me, and whisper,
“For now. But I’m sure you can find a way to fill me up later.”
Need pulses between my legs, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to wait. I
drop my eyes, looking up at him through my lashes, as I drag my bottom lip
between my teeth.
It’s my attempt at being coy, and I half-expect him to dive for me. But
he does the complete opposite, wrapping his arm around my waist and
hugging me into his side. Conner kisses my head and whispers, “Thank
you.”
Thank you?
That’s it?
I just gave him head at the movies and he... thanks me.
Dejection snakes through me, and for the rest of the movie Conner
doesn’t touch me.
He doesn’t even kiss me.

By the time we leave the movie theatre, I’m trying to tell myself that I’m
worrying over nothing. Conner clutches my hand as we walk down the
street toward his car. He’s smiling, he’s happy...
So why did he turn so cold with me after I made him come?
Maybe I’m imagining it. He probably didn’t want to get me all worked
up in a movie theatre full of people.
He probably wants me all to himself.
Conner opens the door for me and I start to climb inside. But he snags
my arm, leaning down for a kiss. “Thank you for tonight.”
 “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” I ask, the dejection I felt earlier
melting away.
“Come on, it's late. I should get you back to the dorms.”
“Dorms?” I blink at him. “Oh, okay.” That horrible sinking feeling is
back.
“Well, yeah, I just thought... I mean, you can come back to the house,
but I didn’t know if you—”
“Whatever, I don’t want to be a burden.” I skip past him and climb
inside, pulling the door shut.
I don’t know what happened. One minute, everything was great, and
now there’s this vast ocean between us.
It doesn’t make sense.
Unless...
He changed right after I touched him.
A shiver runs through me. Is he repulsed by me? Did it make him
realize he doesn’t want me now that I’m tainted?
Bile washes in my stomach, and I press my head against the cool glass,
waiting for Conner to get inside the car.
When he does, he takes the air with him.
“K,” he says, and my eyes slowly slide to his. “I’m sorry. Of course you
can come back to the house. I just thought—”
“Are you having second thoughts?” I blurt out, pain lancing my chest.
“What?” He balks. “You think... No. No, Kenny, why would you even
say that?”
“You’re not… repulsed by me?” The words hurt to say.
“Babe,” he leans over the console, curving his hand around my neck, “I
love you. I meant what I said, Kennedy. I meant every single word.”
“So it’s not me?” I hate the vulnerability in my voice, but I’m not sure I
will survive if Conner rejects me after everything we’ve been through.
“Of course not. Shit, babe. Come here.”
He holds me tight.
I want to believe him, I do, but something still feels off.
“Why don’t we go back to the house, and I’ll raid Ellen’s secret cookie
stash and we can get into bed and watch a movie.”
My brows furrow. It isn’t quite what I had in mind, but I can’t deny that
the idea of falling asleep in Conner’s arms makes me feel all squishy inside.
 Conner pulls my hand onto his knee as he fires up the engine and backs
out of our parking spot.
“I can’t believe you’re already thinking about food again.”
“I’m a growing boy.” He shoots me a playful smile, one that makes me
feel like everything will be okay. It’s just new for us both. We have history
—messy, painful history. It was never going to be easy.
We ride the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Conner grips my
hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the curve of my skin. His touch is soft
and comforting, like a warm blanket I never want to come out from under.
The road leading to the Jaggers’ house is dark and quiet, nothing but the
odd passing car. Their house comes into view in the distance just as an
almighty bang goes off and Conner loses control of the car.
“Hold on,” he grunts, trying to bring it to a steady stop on the side of the
road.
I grip the seat, breathing a sigh of relief when it rolls to a stop.
“What was that?” My voice quivers.
“I think we blew a tire. Fuck.” He rakes a hand through his hair. “I’ll
call Ace and see if he can call G.”
He tells me that G is Ace’s boss. He owns his own auto shop just
outside the Bay. He also has a tow truck.
“Wait here.” Conner climbs out to inspect the tire. When he comes
back, I can hear him on the phone with Ace.
“Yeah, okay,” he says, hanging up.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, G is going to get here as quickly as possible. Ace is drunk, so
he’s going to ask Cole to get you and take you to the house.”
“I don’t mind waiting with you. I’m sure we could find a way to keep
ourselves entertained.” I walk my finger up his arm as I lean in and kiss the
corner of his mouth.
“Kennedy, I—”
“Shh.” I climb onto his lap, straddling him. “It’s dark, no one can see.”
“Babe, Cole will be here any—”
“We have time.” I press a finger to his lips. “I’m right here, Conner. All
you have to do is take me.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Conner

I stare at Kenny as she holds her arms out at her sides. "K," I sigh, my
eyes holding hers. I hate the hurt that fills them. Guilt swamps me. I put
that concerned, vulnerable look on her face… but I don't know what
else to do right now.
I'm terrified.
More terrified than I have been in my entire life at the thought of
touching her and allowing it to go too far.
What if I'm too rough and I mark her again? What if I hurt her and it
makes her think of him? What if...
My head spins with possibilities, all of which end with her hurting and
me being the cause.
I refuse to be anything like that cunt.
I want her safe. I want her happy. I just... I just want her. And if that
means I need to sacrifice my needs to ensure her happiness, then I will.
Every day of the fucking week.
"What, Conner? What is the problem?" Her voice cracks and pain fills
her eyes.
"It's nothing,” I say, trying to make my voice as light as possible. “Let's
just get this fixed and we'll go watch that movie."
"Fuck the movie, Conner. I don't want to watch another fucking movie."
 "Okay, we don't have to. We can do something else."
Her lips press into a thin line. "Something else?" she snaps. "Like what,
a board game?”
My eyes drop from hers as my chest constricts. "I—"
"You said you love me. You said you're not repulsed by me. Why can’t
you touch me? It’s not like we haven’t already done it all. So what's the
problem?"
"There's not—"
"Bull. Shit," she spits, making me feel like a piece of shit for not being
able to give her what she needs. "You didn't have a problem when you
fucked me like you hated me. Where's that guy gone?" Her brows rise and
her hands land on her hips as she waits for my response.
"I never hated you, K."
"That's not..." She blows out a frustrated breath and tugs at her hair.
"That's not what I meant. Fucking me like you hate me doesn't mean you
actually hate me. Jesus, where's the guy who had so much fire he left
fingerprints on my hips last week? Where's the guy who walked headfirst
into a fight that nearly got him killed?"
"He's not the guy you deserve, K."
"Who the fuck are you to tell me what I deserve?"
I open my lips to respond, but I don't get a chance to form any words.
She climbs off me and out of the car.
She marches away from me and I panic. We're not all that far from the
house, but it's pitch black out here. Anyone could pick her up and do... a
shudder ripples through me at the thought.
"Kenny, wait." Running after her, I wrap my fingers around her wrist
and pull her back into me.
"What?" she barks, narrowing her eyes at me. "You want me all of a
sudden?"
The heat of her body seeps into mine, and my need to lean down and
kiss her is all-consuming.
I step into her farther, forcing her to step back until she's pressed up
against the driver's door.
"Conner," she breathes, her body crushed between me and the car.
My hand lifts, cupping the side of her neck. Her pulse thunders beneath
my touch.
"I need you, Con. I fucking need you."
 My lips crash to hers, my tongue pushing past her lips to tangle with
hers. She moans into my kiss, her body going lax in my hold.
Her hands slip under my shirt, her nails raking down my back and
making me shudder as desire washes through me.
Lifting her leg, I wrap her thigh around my hip and grind into her. She
cries out in pleasure as my fly presses against her clit and her head falls
back against the car with a bang.
"Oh fuck."
My hand slips around to the front of her throat and I squeeze lightly, but
the second I do the image that's been haunting me since I discovered her
secret slams into me and I have no choice but to back away.
His face fills my head, mixing with the bruises, the pain, the cries.
"Fuck," I bellow, turning my back on her.
"Conner, what the—" Her words are cut off as a car pulls to a stop
behind mine, the headlights illuminating both of us.
"You can't touch me, can you?” she whispers, her voice cracking.
Guilt consumes me, washing through me like a tsunami and threatening
to drown me. I don’t want to hurt her, yet that’s all I seem to be doing right
now.
"What the hell is going on?" Cole shouts.
"Nothing. Your brother is a fucking pussy and a hypocrite, that's all."
Her voice is hard once more, not willing to show Cole the vulnerable side
she showed me.
"Oh, not much then," Cole mutters lightheartedly.
"Is there a party tonight?"
"Uh... yeah. At Hayden's, why?"
"Take me there. I need someone to fuck me. Unless you fancy it. Invite
Hads to join if you like. It's not only you two that get to share your toys."
"Uh..." He hesitates. I don't need to turn around to know he's staring
daggers into my back. "Con?"
"Just fucking take her home."
"Okay, sure."
"And Cole?" I ask, finally spinning around to face him. "Touch her, or
let anyone else do so, and I'll fucking kill you."
"That's fucking rich, seeing as you got all up in Hadley's business,"
Kenny barks over her shoulder as she storms toward Cole's car. She rips
open the passenger door before dropping down and cutting herself off from
me.
He shakes his head. "You need to get your shit together, bro. You want
her, then you need to start proving it."
Without saying another word, he climbs back into his car and disappears
with my girl sitting beside him.
"FUUUUCK," I roar into the darkness. My hands fly to my head, my
fingers twisting in my hair and pulling until the biting pain makes it feel
like it's about to come clean out.
Why is that so hard?
I want her. I want her so fucking bad.
But all I can see is her bruises, her pain, and him.
Him.
That cunt needs to die for ever laying a finger on my girl. But now, even
without his presence, he's coming between us and fucking up our lives.
He shouldn't have that kind of power over us.
No one even knows where the fuck he is, yet he's controlling our lives.
"I'm coming for you, you motherfucker," I warn no one, feeling the need
to put the threat out there in the world.
The crack of a twig to my right causes my head to snap to the side, but
just like every inch of this road, it's in total darkness. Even if there was
someone out there, I'd never see them.
The sound of another engine approaching drags my mind from the
shadows seconds before a tow truck pulls up in front of my car.
"G?" I ask when a guy dressed in oil-stained clothes drops down from
the driver's seat.
"Yeah."
"It's this one," I say, pointing to my blown-out tire and standing aside so
he can do his thing.
"Okay, let's get her hooked up and go fix her up."

It's almost three hours later when I finally get back to the house with a new
tire. Thankfully the rim wasn't damaged too bad, so G was able to just put a
new tire on for now.
 I run up the stairs before flinging my bedroom door open in the hope
she'll be here, but as I step inside, I find it empty.
A noise coming from another room catches my attention, and I march
toward Cole's bedroom, giving his door the same treatment as I did my
own. Only when I look inside, his isn't empty. He's rolling around in bed
with Hadley.
"Ever heard of knocking, asshole?"
"Where is she?" I ask, ignoring the fact that they're clearly in the middle
of something. If I'm not getting any, then they can suffer along with me.
"I think you should just give her some space, Con. She was pissed."
"Where did you take her? Because I swear to God if you took her to that
fucking party to—"
"She's at the dorms," a soft voice interrupts before she sits up behind
Cole with the sheets clutched to her chest.
I breathe a sigh of relief, but I don't relax, not even a little bit. "Okay,
good. I'm go—"
"Cole's right, Con. You need to leave it for tonight."
"But—"
"You hurt her. Just let her cool down and talk to her tomorrow."
"This is fucking bullshit," I spit, spinning on my heels and kicking
Cole's bedroom door so hard that it ricochets off the wall and slams shut
behind me.
I gaze at the stairs. It would be so easy to jump back in my car and
demand she talks to me. But how would that help? I'm still not going to be
able to give her what she needs.
Slamming my bedroom door shut, I fall down on my bed. All she
wanted was for me to fuck her, to make her feel good. It shouldn't be this
hard.
I close my eyes and allow myself to drown in darkness and regrets for a
few minutes.
I must drift off, because the next thing I know there's a knock at my
door and Cole lets himself in. "What's going on, bro?" he asks from the
chair, his eyes drilling into me, but I refuse to even open mine to look at
him.
"Nothing," I grunt, not willing to talk about my fucked up issues right
now.
"I've never seen her that angry. What did you do?"
 "It's what I didn't do that's the issue.” I release a heavy sigh.
'What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
My lips part to respond, but I can't find any words.
"You don't have to tell me, but I can't help if you don't."
"She... she wanted me to fuck her while we waited for you."
"And this is a problem why? Worried I'd rock up and watch?"
"I just... I couldn't."
"Aw, your cock scared of the dark?" he laughs.
"This isn't fucking funny, asshole."
"I'm sorry. What's the problem? Your girl is offering herself to you on
the side of a dark road and you can't perform... why?"
"You don't need to paint the picture. I get it." I was there, for fuck’s
sake.
"I'm glad you do, because I'm fucking clueless here."
"I keep seeing him," I snap.
"Uh... okay. Well... I didn't see this coming. You've spent so much time
pining after Kenny that I didn't even consider that you might swing the
other way."
"What? What the fuck are you talking about?" I ask, sitting upright and
looking directly at him.
"You said you saw him so I just thought..." He trails off as I lift my hand
to my face and scrub it over my jaw.
"I see Warren," I confess, hating how his name tastes on my tongue.
"All I see is him hurting her. Then I remember how I treated her, the bruises
I left, and I just freak out."
"Oh... okay, that makes more sense... I guess."
"It makes no fucking sense, Cole. I want her. I need her... so fucking
bad. But every time we get close, I shut down. I'm so fucking terrified of
hurting her, of reminding her of him."
"That'll never happen, Con. No matter how rough you might treat her,
you're you. You're not a monster. You're not him."
"But I hurt her."
"If you're worried about delivering pain during sex, then you're talking
to the wrong guy here."
The memory of what Cole did to Hadley before Christmas fills my
mind.
"How do you live with yourself?"
"I make her come, again and again, and again. It softens the guilt."
"You're fucked up. You know that, right?"
He gives me a half-shrug. "Takes one to know one, bro."

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Kennedy

I lie awake, anger and frustration swirling in my veins.

I knew Conner couldn’t touch me. Deep down, I knew it the second
he tucked me into his arm after I made him come.
It hurts. It hurts so fucking much.
Does he think I’m damaged goods now?
I blink away the tears. I won’t cry, even if my soul weeps.
Part of Warren’s cycle of abuse was to grind me down, to call me ugly
and worthless. He made me feel like I was disgusting. Nothing more than a
body to please him. A toy to play with. So it’s hard to put into words how it
feels to be rejected by the boy who says he’s always loved me. It plays on
every insecurity I have.
The darkness engulfs me and I let it. I lie there, still and unmoving, my
breaths coming in short, sharp bursts as I try to rein in the emotional storm
raging inside me.
My body is still worked up from earlier. It’s angry, yes, but there, under
the surface, it’s needy. Desperate to feel some kind of connection. Some
kind of release.
Damn you, Conner.
Just then, there’s a creak by my door. I tense, holding my breath,
watching through wide eyes as it begins to open. My heart is in my throat,
blood roaring in my ears.
“Conner?” I hiss at the sight of him standing there. “What the hell are
you doing?”
“We need to talk.”
“Talk? You want to talk?”
Unbelievable.
I don’t want to talk. I want him to show me that he feels the same as I
do. I want him to show me he loves me still, despite everything that has
happened.
He closes the doors and slowly stalks toward the end of the bed. I notice
the second he sees my short pajamas. His eyes flare, drinking in my bare
legs.
“Fuck.” He swallows, rubbing his jaw.
“Unless you’re going to grow some balls and fuck me, you should
leave.”
“Kennedy, come on, that isn’t fair.”
“Fair?” I balk. “You think any of this is fair? I didn’t ask for this to
happen, I didn’t ask for any of it.” I know I should probably give him a
break. He didn’t ask for any of this either, but I’m so tired of hurting, of
feeling unloved, used and abused. I just want to be safe in his arms.
“Shh, babe.” His expressions darkens. “I know you didn’t, I know—”
“Don’t,” I breathe out as he starts to come toward me. “Unless you’re
going to give me what I need, just don’t.”
Conner’s eyes screw closed as he inhales a ragged breath. “I want to,
fuck I want to. More than anything.” His voice cracks. “But you’ve got to
let me work through some stuff.”
When his eyes open again they glitter with guilt and regret. “I love you,
K. So fucking much. But I need time.”
Conner’s eyes slip down my body again, and I can feel the shift in him.
He wants me, he just can’t see past everything.
An idea sparks in my head. Maybe he just needs a little push in the right
direction.
Sliding my hand to my bare stomach, I trail my fingers around my navel
and down to the waistband of my shorts.
A low growl vibrates in his chest as he inches closer. “Kenny...” It’s a
warning, but I don’t stop.
 I glide my hand up my stomach, pushing my pajamas away to reveal my
bare breasts. Conner’s breath catches in his throat and he swallows roughly,
unable to take his eyes off my body.
“What are you doing?” he grits out.
“If you won’t touch me, then I’ll just have to do it myself.” I squeeze
my breast, arching into my touch. It feels good, and heat pools deep in my
stomach. But it’s not enough. I need more.
I need Conner.
“Stop.” It’s a pained sigh. His eyes are hooded, heavy with lust.
“You want me,” I whisper. “I know you do.”
“Fuck yeah, I do. I want to feel my cock in your tight little pussy.” He
palms himself through his jeans. “I want to watch you ride me, K, taking
my cock like a champ.”
“Conner...” I breathe, a flash of lust rolling through me.
“But I can’t...” His head hangs low. “Just give me time. Please.”
“If you can’t help me, Conner... there’s the door...” My hand slips into
my pajama bottoms. Shivers run through me as my warm fingers meet my
sensitive skin.
“Fuck,” he grits out. “Fuck.”
“Con—”
“Take them off,” he commands, his voice all deep and growly. It sends
bolts of desire through me, pinning me to the spot.
I lick my lips as I push my shorts and panties off my hips and wriggle
them down my legs.
“Let me see.” His eyes are blown with lust, his jaw slack with
fascination.
I bend my knees a little, letting my legs fall to the side.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” He drags his thumb over his bottom lip,
watching me. Stalking me like a predator toying with its prey.
Liquid lust courses through my veins. The way he says the words gives
me no doubt he means it, but my heart is heavy, knowing he still can’t touch
me.
“Touch yourself for me, K. Show me how you like it.”
My fingers slide between my pussy lips and I gasp at the sensation.
“Fuck yeah.” Conner snaps his belt open and unbuttons his jeans,
pulling his cock free. It’s hard and heavy in his hand, and I want nothing
more than to feel it inside me.
 “Push two fingers inside your pussy and ride them.” He closes a fist
around his cock and starts pumping slowly.
My head falls back on a whimper as I follow his instructions, finger
fucking myself.
“Eyes, K. Give me your eyes.”
My body coils tightly at the sheer lust in his voice. But it’s nothing
compared to what I see in his hooded gaze when my eyes find his staring
down at me.
“Fuck, babe. Do you have any idea how hot you look right now?
Imagine me, Kenny, imagine me riding your tight little body. My fingers
digging into your hips, your legs wrapped around my waist. I’m so fucking
hard for you, babe.”
“Con...” I breathe, pushing my fingers deeper, curling them inside and
rubbing the spot I know will make me shatter.
“Touch your clit. Make yourself come. Now.” The words tear from his
lungs in a grunt of sheer need.
I press my thumb down on my clit and an intense wave of pleasure
crashes over me, my body quivering as I cry out his name.
I’m barely aware of Conner moving closer, until warm jets of cum hit
my legs and stomach.
My eyes catch his and he grins. “Don’t make any mistakes about you
who belong to, babe. You’re mine.” Conviction rings in his voice as he
leans down and traces his name on my stomach with his own release. “I just
need some time.”
“O-okay.” I’m breathless. Overwhelmed and confused.
But he’s looking at me like I’m the most precious person in the world,
and I realize that as long as he keeps looking at me like that, we can get past
this. As long as he’s here, with me, that’s all I need.
I can wait.
Conner tucks himself back into his jeans and says, “Don’t move.”
I can’t even if I want to, too boneless and weak from the intense orgasm
that wracked through me.
He disappears into my small bathroom and returns a minute later with a
washcloth. Dropping to his knees, Conner cleans the sticky cum off my
body, before leaning in and pressing a single kiss to my hip bone. “I love
you, K. Never forget that.”
 “Then why can’t you touch me?” The words are out before I can stop
them.
Conner lets out another pained sigh before toeing off his sneakers and
joining me on the bed. He rolls me onto my side and tucks me against his
big strong body, my back to his chest. “I want to. I want to so fucking
much. But the idea of him hurting you... of me hurting you. Everything is
messed up in my head, K.” His body vibrates with anger as he pulls me
closer, tucking his chin into the crook of my neck. “We’ll figure it out,
babe. I promise.”
A feeling of contentment spreads through me. I’ve never had this
before. Safety. Security. I’ve never laid next to a guy and felt like he’d
protect me with his last breath.
Conner makes me feel the way all girls dream of. Special... Precious...
Loved.
As I close my eyes and let myself drift, I tell myself it’s enough.
Because it should be.

When I wake, Conner is gone and the bed is cold. I push up onto my elbow,
scanning my room, but there’s no sign of him. No sneakers on the floor or
hoodie hanging on the back of my chair. I vaguely remember him taking it
off sometime in the middle of the night.
Dejection creeps into my veins, tamping down the happiness I felt when
I’d fallen asleep.
But then I spot it. An origami flower on my desk. A smile tugs at my
mouth. It had been Conner’s thing back when we were kids, to leave me
paper flowers. It was goofy and cheesy, but it made me smile every damn
time.
This morning is no exception.
My phone vibrates and I scramble to reach it.

Conner: Didn’t want to get caught. I’ll see you later?

Me: Maybe. If you’re lucky.

 Gah. I want to be angry with him still, but he makes it so hard. He’s
scared, I get it now. I asked Conner to hurt me and then he found out
Warren had raped me. It’s messed up.
I messed up.
Another text comes through, and I smile when I read it.

Conner: You think I’ll ever let you run from me? You’re mine, K.
Always.

God. He’s so good at this, at telling me how he feels. Conner wears his
heart on his sleeve, unafraid to reveal his true self. It’s admirable and totally
swoon-worthy. But he harbors a darker side. I’ve seen it. Felt it quivering
under the surface. The fighting, the way he’d fucked me into oblivion that
night. Conner Jagger might be the good brother. The joker. The one with the
big heart and even bigger smile. But even Lucifer was an angel once.
I toy around with my reply. It would be easy to tell him I love him, that
I always have. But something holds me back. A little voice telling me not to
fall too deep yet. Not until he can get over what happened. So I settle on
something playful. Something that I hope will give him the nudge he needs
to claim me in all the ways I want him to.

Me: Prove it.

I add a winking emoji for some extra sass. I can picture his smile as he
reads it, hear his smooth laughter. It’s like falling all over again with him. I
want to believe it’s real, I want to throw caution to the wind and give him
my heart, but it isn’t whole anymore.
It’s broken.
I’m broken.
I think I’ll always need something from him he might not be able to
give me.
Pain.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Conner

"T he girls just left," Cole says, standing in my bedroom door.

I'm once again on my bed, staring at the ceiling. It seems to be my
favorite place these days as I attempt to search for the answers I need to fix
me.
I hate myself right now. My girl needs me, and my head is too fucked
up to give it to her.
All she wants me to do is make her feel good, but the second I even
think about touching her, that image pops up. And it doesn't matter what I
do, I can't banish it.
"Okay, great. I'll meet you downstairs in a few." I don't look at him, I
can't, because I know that all I'll find staring back at me is pity.
I got back here in the middle of the night and was forced to listen to him
and Hadley as he gave her what she was screaming for, while being
swarmed with guilt that I wasn't able to do the same for Kenny.
She was right there before me, ready for the taking, begging for it. It
should be so easy, so natural. But I couldn't, and she had to settle for her
own touch.
My cock swells as the memory of watching her fingers slide deep inside
her pussy fills my mind.
 "Things still rough?" Cole ask, clearly not getting the clue about fucking
off and leaving me alone.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"You went to see her last night though, right? You used the key?"
"Yeah," I sigh.
"And?"
Sitting up, I push from the bed and walk to the window, staring out at
James' perfectly tended to yard beneath. My body aches with my need to
release the tension that’s pulling at every single one of my muscles. I may
have come last night, but it was nowhere near as satisfying as I needed it to
be. My hand will never replace hers.
"I didn't fuck her, if that's what you mean," I bark, embarrassed that
we're even having this conversation.
"Did you talk?"
"Kind of," I admit with a wince.
"So she understands?"
"I don't know, Cole," I shout, spinning away from him and holding my
hands from my side. "I don't fucking know anything right now aside from
how fucked my head is. Let's fucking go."
I shove my feet into my sneakers and barge past him when he continues
to block half my doorway.
He follows me down the stairs and out of the house. Just as I step down
to the gravel of the driveway, Ace appears around the corner.
"Ready?" he asks.
"Yes."
"I'm driving," Cole announces and the three of us pile into his car.
"They suspect anything?" Cole asks Ace while I stare out of the window
at the passing scenery.
"Nah, I don't think so. Remi was just excited to have a day getting
pampered."
When I left Kenny last night, I had a message from Ace telling me that
we were all going to meet the boys in the Heights this afternoon to try to
find out about Warren's whereabouts. We didn't need the girls knowing or
trying to get involved, so we booked the three of them into the spa for the
day.
"Yeah, Hads was pretty stoked. You heard from Kenny?"
 "Yeah, but I said it was a surprise. I'm not sure she's really a spa kind of
girl."
"She'll love it. Plus, it'll give her some bonding time with Remi and
Hads," Cole says, glancing back at me in the mirror.
"Sure Con would rather have bonding time," Ace mutters from the
passenger seat, making my body lock up.
Cole's looking back at the road, so I don't get to shoot him a begging
look not to say anything, but thankfully he doesn't. It's bad enough he
knows about my issue. I don't need every fucker knowing.
Sliding lower in the seat, I rest my head back. My eyes automatically
close. I really need some more fucking sleep, but I know it's pointless. The
second sleep claims me, all I see is him and her.
The journey to the tattoo studio seems to take fucking forever, but that
might just be because I'm torturing myself in my own head.
"They better know where this motherfucker is," I say, cracking my
knuckles as we walk toward the door to the apartment above the studio.
"If they don't, they will. We'll find him."
My need for his blood is getting uncontrollable. The second I see his
smug fucking face, he is done.
Despite the fact that it's barely lunch, the second we fall down onto the
guy's couch they throw bottles of beer at us—well, not Cole, seeing as he's
still sober after his little incident.
Ace and D start catching up like this is any other fucking day and that
we're not here to find out the whereabouts of the motherfucker who's been
abusing my girl.
The image of him with his hand around her throat slams into me.
Tipping my bottle to my lips, I down the lot in the hope it drowns out the
images so I can focus on ending all this.
"Chill the fuck out, bro," Cole says, slapping my thigh and thankfully
dragging me from my head.
"You got anything for us or what?" I bark, looking between D and Cruz.
"Nah, we're waiting for Jay and Levi," Cruz says, checking his cell for
the time. "Little shit said he was going to be here twenty minutes ago.”
It's another ten minutes before they both finally walk through the door.
"About fucking time," I mutter, now finished with my third bottle. All
eyes turn to me. "What?" I bark. "I want this motherfucker."
 "We don't know anything," Levi says, falling down onto the couch
opposite me.
"What? I thought you..." I trail off, my teeth grinding in frustration. "Do
you actually have anything new to tell us?" I push from the couch and begin
pacing, needing to do something to work out the tension.
"He has been seen." Those words stop me in my tracks.
"So where the fuck is he?"
"We don't know where he went, but one of the guys swears they saw
him driving out of town the other day."
"So he's gone?"
"Don't know."
"Jesus fucking Christ, this is pointless. Give me your keys," I demand,
holding my hand out to Cole.
"No."
"No?"
"You've been drinking. I'm not letting you anywhere near a car, bro."
"But I need—"
He stands so we're toe to toe. "We know what you need. We want it too.
But we need to be smart."
The two of us stare at each other as everyone else stops talking.
I crack my knuckles and flex my neck.
"Go on, then,” he says. “Hit me if you think it'll help."
"Cole," Ace warns, probably sensing that I don't need any kind of
encouragement right now.
My chest heaves as I try to ignore the little voice in my head that
screams at me to lash out.
"Come on, I know you want to. It's not like you can take it out on—"
"Conner," voices shout as my knuckles connect with Cole's jaw.
He stumbles back, his hand lifting to his face, but before I can follow
him Ace and Cruz stand in front of me like a brick fucking wall.
"Enough," Ace barks. "This isn't the answer, and you fucking know it."
His palms land on my chest and he pushes me back.
My jaw ticks as we stare at each other. He's not really the fighter out of
the two of us—well, not the trained one—but I know that he could take me
down with his sheer power.
"Go on. I dare you to try it," he seethes.
I step up to him, our chests touching as I breathe in his face.
 "You want vengeance for your girl, I get it. I really fucking do, bro. I
might not have done it myself but I'd have ended Charlie for what he did to
Remi in a heartbeat. I fucking get it. He will pay for this. But you lashing
out at everyone isn't going to help it happen any faster. So. Stand. Down."
His eyes don’t leave mine as he speaks to the others. "Is that all you've
got for us?"
"Yeah."
"And you couldn't have told us that over the fucking phone?"
They mutter a few things, but my head spins and the words pass me by.
All I want to hear is an address and they don’t have one, so I'm not
interested in anything else they might have to say.
"Right. Let's fucking go."
Ace grips on to the back of my neck and pushes me toward the door.
"What now?" Cole asks once the three of us are back in his car.
"Let's go for a drive, see if it inspires us."
Cole's eyes meet mine in the mirror. I know he's not mad I hit him,
although I also know he's planning payback.
Bring it fucking on.

We find nothing, no sign of Warren or his piece of shit father. The trip was a
fucking waste of time, and I'm more irritated than ever when we finally get
back to the house and head for Ace's pool house for a drink.
"Here," he says, throwing me a beer and Cole a soda.
"You haven't got anything stronger?"
"Not yet, no. The girls will be back soon—Remi's just messaged to say
they're leaving. Kenny will want you sober.”
Will she? Maybe being off my ass drunk might help things. I know it's
wishful thinking, though. That cunt's images are even stronger once my
head is swimming with alcohol.
Thirty minutes later we're still no closer to having a plan, but right on
cue Remi, Hadley and Kenny walk toward the pool house.
My eyes fall on my girl, who's wearing a pair of ripped black skinny
jeans and an oversized hoodie. There's nothing overly sexy about the outfit,
but the way she wears it… fuck me. My cock swells to the point I have to
reach down and rearrange myself as I run my eyes down the length of her.
The image of her on her bed last night hits me and only makes the
situation worse. When I make it back up to her face, I find her cheeks pink
and desire filling her eyes.
She's thinking about it too.
The second Hadley is in the room, she's in Cole's arms and he has his
tongue deep in her mouth.
"Princess, what's wrong?" Ace asks, concern filling his voice, so much
so it drags my attention from Kenny.
"We need to show you something."
Ace and I share a look, Cole is too distracted to even come up for air as
we follow the girls back out of the pool house.
"Who the fuck—" Ace barks as we round the corner to find Remi's car
with ‘Heights Slut’ keyed in the side of it.
"Lylah," Remi spits.
"For real?" I ask, not thinking that bitch had it in her.
"She and Marissa were at the spa. You should have seen the way they
looked at us with their noses in the air."
Ace's lips part but no words come out as he looks between the car and
Remi in shock.
"They'll get what's coming to them," Kenny pipes up, and it's only now
I realize that some of the darkness that's in her eyes is anger.
"No, K. Don't do anything stupid."
"What? Those stuck-up bitches need teaching a lesson."
As much as her need to fight for Remi and Hadley makes my cock hard,
she really needs to stay away from Lylah. She's already got her in trouble at
school once, she doesn't need to be hauled back into Vager's office any time
soon. We're all meant to be keeping our heads down, not willingly sticking
them above the parapet.
"I'll call G. He'll get this sorted. Then we'll deal with those bitches," Ace
threatens, pulling Remi into his side and turning his back on the car.
They disappear toward the pool house, leaving Kenny and me standing
awkwardly on the driveway.
"So... did you have a good day?"
"Uh... yeah. I mean, it was different."
"Drink?" I ask, not knowing what else to say.
 "Sure." I gesture for her to go ahead when what I really want to do is
pull her to me, but I don't want to start something I can't finish.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kennedy

I t’s the first time being with Conner, his brothers and the girls that I feel
part of their group.
The spa had been... interesting.
I’d never seen anything like it. It was one of those ultra-modern and
luxurious places with rose gold accents and lots of mirrored glass. Remi and
Hadley had told me to relax and enjoy it, but being primped and preened by
a stranger wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time.
Conner doesn’t seem to mind, if the way he keeps sniffing me is
anything to go by.
“You’re smelling me again,” I whisper.
Cole and Hadley are practically dry fucking on the chair while Ace and
Remi are on the other end of the couch, making out. Music blasts out from a
speaker as the six of us sit around, drinking and shooting the shit.
“You smell good enough to eat.”
My eyes lift to his, glittering with challenge. I let my hand slide up his
thigh toward his crotch, but Conner snags it before I get close enough to
touch.
I pout dramatically as he chuckles, taking a long pull of his beer. The
liquor—champagne at the spa, and the couple of beers I’ve had since
getting here—courses through my veins, giving me a nice buzz.
 I settle back in Conner’s arms, watching Cole and Hadley as they
whisper to one another. He’s got her anchored on top of him, his hand
splayed on her neck. It’s such a possessive gesture, one that makes my
tummy clench with jealousy. She cups his face, leaning down to kiss him
again.
“So, whatever did happen between you three?” The words spill out like
ice cold water.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Cole glares at me.
Sitting straighter, ignoring Conner’s groans of disapproval, I meet
Cole’s death stare with my own.
“Something happened between the three of you, right?”
“Kennedy, it isn’t what you think.” Hadley gives me a look, silently
telling me to drop it. But now I’ve asked, I want to know.
Did she sleep with him?
Did Conner and Cole fuck her into oblivion?
Did he give her what she needed?
“You really want to know?”
“Cole,” Conner barks.
“She asked, bro. Maybe she’s hoping for a little twin action herself?”
Hadley glares at her boyfriend.
“Relax, Dove, you know I’m a one woman man. But Kenny has a right
to know what went down. Don’t you think, bro?”
Conner goes rigid beside me. “This is bullshit, K. You don’t need to
know—"
“I want to.” I meet his gaze. “I want to know.”
He lets out an exasperated breath.
Ace and Remi watch the four of us with confused expressions, and it
occurs to me I’m not the only one who’s in the dark here.
“Cole was trying not to give into his feelings for Hadley, so the two of
us tried to give him a little push.”
“You slept together?” I ask.
“What? No! It wasn’t like that. We kissed. It drove Cole insane, but he
was still being a stubborn ass so we took things a little further.”
“And...” My brow arches, red hot jealousy burning me from the inside
out.
“We blindfolded Hads, took her upstairs and let her think we were
both... touching her.”
 “But you weren’t?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Have you met Cole?” he chokes. “The
second I touched her, he told me to fuck off. I was drunk, I passed out and
he... well, whatever the fuck happened between them.”
“Is that true?” Hadley gasps, looking between the twin brothers. “But
you let me believe that I... that we...”
“Sorry to disappoint, Hadley, baby.” Conner chuckles darkly.
I swat his chest.
“Hey, what was that for? You weren’t even here when it happened.”
“So?” I scowl. “It’s a shame Cole has Hadley,” I remark, knowing how
much my next words will piss Conner off, “or I could have used him to give
you a nudge.”
Our eyes hold, simmering with heat.
“I have no plans to share you, babe. Ever. So get that fucking idea out of
your head.”
“I don’t know what the fuck just happened,” Ace says, “but I need some
alone time with my girl.” He pulls Remi up and the two of them take off
toward their bedroom.
“Maybe we should make things even,” Cole suggests. Hadley starts to
protest, but he grabs her face and pulls it down to his, whispering something
to her. She softens under his touch.
When she looks back at me, her eyes glitter with mischief.
“I don’t like that look, Hads.” Conner grits out. “What are you up to?”
Completely ignoring him, she stands up and beckons for me. “Come
dance with me.”
“Dance?”
Hadley winks and things slowly fall into place. “Oh, you want to
dance.” I get up on shaky legs, swaying slightly as the liquor in my blood
goes to work.
Cole taps a button on his cell and the music gets louder. Hadley threads
her fingers with mine and pulls me against her body.
A growl sounds out behind us, but I have no idea which twin it came
from. Possibly both.
We move in time with the music, our hips rolling together.
Hadley leans into me, her fingers brushing my lower back, her gentle
touch sending goosebumps racing across my skin.
“How long until one of them loses control?” she whispers in my ear.
 I want to laugh, but I fear it might ruin the moment.
“Shall we find out?”
“Sounds like my idea of fun. Turn around.”
I spin until I’m facing both of them, but my eyes only search for
Conner’s. My breath catches at their darkness. His chest heaves up and
down as he watches Hadley’s hands wrap around my hips, and even from
here, I can tell just how hard he is beneath his jeans. My mouth waters to
get a taste of him, to feel him pushing past my lips and hitting the back of
my throat until he’s the only thing I can think about.
“Just go with it. It’s driving them both crazy,” Hadley whispers against
my ear, pressing a soft kiss to my neck. Shivers roll through me at her
gentle touch. Her hands slip under my shirt and graze across my stomach.
My heart thunders in my chest, my core slick from her touch, but mostly
from his stare as he enjoys the show.
She kisses me again before making a show of licking up the column of
my neck as her hands slip higher, halting on my ribs.
Conner’s fists clench, but his body doesn’t move. For a second, I think
he’s stopped breathing, but then I see the exaggerated rise and fall off his
chest once again. Hadley kisses my shoulder, trailing her tongue over my
heated skin, nipping me with her teeth. I’ve never been kissed by a girl
before, but it feels good.
I loop an arm around her neck, lean my head on her shoulder, and twist
my face toward her as if I’m about to accept her kiss. But then I sense Cole
move behind her. She moans against the curve of my neck, and I wonder
what he's doing to her.
I want Conner to do the same, to come over here and claim what’s his.
But, despite the desire in his eyes when I meet them once more, that’s not
what happens.
“Out.” Conner’s voice pierces the thick air.
Cole chuckles. “About fucking time.”
My back goes cold as he pulls Hadley away. I don’t glance back to see
them leave. I can’t. I’m trapped in Conner’s hooded gaze.
The door clicks shut, lurching my heart into my throat. He stands,
stalking toward me with a dark smirk. Excitement pings around my body.
This is it. He’s going to finally give in to what we both crave.
What we both need.
“Con—”
 He slams his mouth down on mine, crowding me against the wall. Fire
ignites in my stomach as I pull him closer, rubbing myself shamelessly
against him.
Conner pulls back, his eyes wild. “No one, I mean no one, gets to taste
these lips except me.”
Lust and liquor swim in my veins as I lean forward, trying to kiss him
again. But Conner leans just out of reach.
“Hands on the wall,” he commands.
Like a good girl, I obey, too drunk on him.
Dipping his head, he flicks his tongue over my pulse point before
dragging it up the slope of my neck. I whimper his name, so relieved at his
change of heart.
“More,” I cry.
“Just let me do this,” he breathes, and it sounds pained.
Conner paints letters of love over my skin, my jaw and mouth, neck and
collarbone. It feels amazing, a gentle storm building inside me.
But it isn’t enough.
“Conner, please.”
His hand slides down my waist and lingers at the waistband of my
jeans. He freezes, making my heart sink into my toes.
“Hey.” I reach for him, cupping his face. “It’s okay, babe. I’m okay.
And I want this. I want you.” My eyes plead with his, but I know the second
the spell is broken.
He looks away, letting out a frustrated sigh.
“I... I can’t, K. I’m sorry, I just can’t.”
I want to disappear.
I want to sink into the wall and disappear.
But the pain in his eyes makes me steel my spine and force down the
dejection I feel.
“Come on,” I say, trying to make it sound as light as possible. I know
that I’m not the only one hurting here, and I don’t want to make him feel
any worse than he already does. “Let’s go to bed.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” He can barely look at me, and it
breaks my heart all over again.
Sliding my fingers under his jaw, I grip his chin and force his eyes to
mine. “To sleep, Conner. You just have to hold me.” The words are like acid
on my tongue. I don’t want to spend another night in his arms without
feeling him inside me, but I will.
If that’s what it takes to help him get over this, I’ll do it.
He hesitates, so I make the decision for him. Taking his hand, I pull
gently. “Come on. I’m tired anyway.”

Waking up in bed without Conner is becoming a pattern. But the second I

open my eyes, I know he’s not there. I push back the sheets and go to the
window, searching for any signs of him.
The house is quiet as I slip into the hall. I’m yet to have the full tour, but
I figure there are only so many places he can be hiding.
Tiptoeing downstairs, I listen for any signs of life. A gentle thud thud
thud catches my attention, and I follow it toward the back of the house to
the basement door. Gently opening it, I creep down the stairs, only to be
met with the familiar grunts of Conner.
He’s in the middle of the room, beating the shit out of a punching bag.
Sweat glistens over his hard abs and ripped muscles with every punch.
Black shorts hang low on his hips, drawing my eyes to that delicious V on
either side. God, he’s beautiful.
My beautiful, broken boy.
I sit down on the step and watch him, not alerting him to my presence.
He jabs the bag hard, in a quick combination of punches. One two. One
two. One one two. He ducks and dodges, staying light on his feet. I’ve
forgotten how good he is at this. How natural he makes it look.
I’m so lost in his body moving and twisting, the way the layer of sweat
shimmers on his tanned skin, that the bloodcurdling roar he lets out startles
me.
Pain hangs in the air. He’s hurting... and it’s all my fault.
“I know you’re there, K.” His head hangs low, refusing to look at me. “I
felt you the second you opened the door.”
“You did not.”
“Did too.” He finally turns, giving me his eyes. “You should be asleep.”
“I woke up and you weren’t there.”
“I just needed to burn off some steam.” He gives me a half-shrug.
 I get up and approach him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, I fucking don’t.”
“Conner, come on... it’s me. I know I should have told you—”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything, K. That’s the shitty thing. I want to
be mad at you for not telling me, but it changes nothing. That fucker still...”
He swallows the words.
“Tell me what I can do?” Because seeing him like this, lost and afraid
and angry, is almost too much to bear.
“There’s nothing, Kennedy. I just have to figure this out on my own.”
Pain lashes my insides. He’s going to shut me out again. Well, fuck that.
And fuck him.
Without warning, I throw my arms around him and kiss him hard.
“What the fu—”
His words are swallowed by my tongue plunging into his mouth.
Conner wants to keep me at arm’s length, but I refuse to accept that’s how it
has to be.
Even if I have to keep playing dirty to show him.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Conner

H er tongue sweeps into my mouth, and my shock at her move is

exactly what she needs to take advantage of the situation. She walks
me backward until my back hits the cool mirror behind me.
I know she's trying to understand, but every time I look at her, all I see
is disappointment staring back at me. I know that she'd have wanted me to
wake her and take my frustrations out on her, but I can't. So instead, I
slipped out of bed not long after the sun rose and came to make use of my
punching bag instead.
The tension within me dissipated with every punch I landed. My
muscles began to relax every time a bolt of pain shot up my arm.
I lost myself in my movement, in the rhythmic thud of skin hitting
leather over and over.
Until she turned up.
The second her eyes landed on me, my skin tingled with awareness and
it ruined all the good my workout had done.
The tension was back, the fear was back. The images were back.
"K, what are you—"
"Just shut up, Conner. Shut. Up." Her hand presses against my mouth to
ensure I do as I'm told.
 My chest heaves as we stare at each other, the air between us crackling
with tension and explosive chemistry that I'm terrified to give into.
She raises a brow. "You good?"
I nod once, although my real answer is going to depend on what she's
planning.
She takes one step back, wraps her fingers around the hem of my shirt
that I told her to sleep in last night, and pulls it from her naked body in one
smooth move.
"Fuuuuck," I growl, taking in her perfect body. Her tits are round and
full, her nipples pink, rosy, pert, and just begging to be sucked on. Her waist
is tiny before her hips flare out, perfect to hold onto as I... I shake the
thought from my head. I can't go there. I can't lose myself in my
imagination or I'll ruin whatever her intentions are.
"Do you know how hot you looked doing that?" She flicks a glance over
her shoulder to the punching bag.
A smile curls at her lips when she looks back at me and finds a smirk
playing on mine.
"Yeah?" I ask. "Giving you ideas, huh?"
"Too right." She steps up to me. "The way your skin glistens, it makes
me want to run my tongue over every inch of you."
My mouth waters and I swallow, her eyes dropping to where my Adam's
apple bobs.
"It makes me want to find every single way to make you feel good. To
make you forget about everything." Her eyes hold mine. "Everything apart
from the two of us. Because when we're together, the rest of the world
shouldn't exist."
I part my lips to respond, but she places two fingers against them and
shakes her head.
"Don't talk. Don't think. Don't do anything."
One second, she's gazing up at me, her breasts brushing my chest with
her closeness, and the next she’s dropping to her knees before me and
pulling my shorts over my hips.
"Ken—" Her eyes fly to mine, cutting off my warning.
"What did I just say?" She quirks a brow and I slam my lips shut.
My head falls back against my mirror, my eyes closing as her small
hand wraps around my hard length. My teeth grind as the sensation of her
starting to jack me off flows through me.
 "Just relax. I've got you," she whispers before the gentle lick of her
tongue makes my hips thrust forward.
"Ken—"
"Trust me, Con. I won't let you do anything I don't want."
My jaw pops as I try to keep my head and allow her to do this. My fists
clench, although I'm not sure if it's with my need to slide my fingers into
her hair and pull her closer, forcing her to take me in her mouth, or to pull
her away.
My head is so fucked up.
But the second she does slide forward, capturing me with her hot,
velvety tongue, all thoughts fall from my head.
"Yessss," I hiss, and I swear she smiles around me.
Unable to keep my eyes closed and only imagining exactly how she
looks right now on her knees before me, I drag my head forward and stare
down at her.
"Fuck, Kenny."
"It's okay," she whispers once she's pulled back.
"I know. Fuck, I know. Keep going."
She flashes me a wicked smile and takes me back in her mouth.
"I'm not going to last," I admit with a wince.
"You don't have to. You don't need to impress me, Conner. You just
need to be you."
"I love—fuuuck." My words are lost as I hit the back of her throat. She
takes me deeper than she did in the cinema, and in only a few seconds I
shoot my load down her throat.
I stare down at her in total awe as she wipes her thumb across the pillow
of her bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth.
Slowly, she pushes to stand, her body brushing mine and making my
cock stir back to life. Her fingers grip my chin and she squeezes until my
bottom lip pops out.
"Now," she says, staring right into my eyes and not allowing me an inch
of room to argue. "Now it's my turn."
Reaching up, she sucks my bottom lip into her mouth and runs the tip of
her tongue along it. Then she sinks her teeth into the soft flesh.
My eyes widen in shock as the bolt of pain goes straight for my cock.
She pulls back slightly. "You don't have to fuck me. You don't even have
to touch me. Well, not with anything other than your tongue. Okay?"
 She doesn't wait for a response. Instead, she starts walking backward.
Her hips sway and her tits bounce until her calves hit the edge of the weight
bench and she lowers down to sit on it.
She rests back on her palms and opens her legs wide.
"What are you waiting for, Jagger?"
"I..." I hesitate—not because I'm scared, but because I'm fucking
speechless. "You're fucking amazing, you know that, right?"
She shrugs one shoulder and waits.
Dropping my shorts, knowing they'll only irritate the shit out of me, I
kick them off and walk over to her.
"I fucking love you, Kennedy Lowe."
I drop to my knees, keeping my hands locked on my thighs, and run my
nose through her folds, breathing in her sweetness.
My mouth waters for a taste of her, and, without thinking or worrying
about anything, I lick up the length of her, allowing her taste to explode in
my mouth.
"Yes, Conner. Yes," she cries, her back arching as her head falls back in
pleasure.
I up the pressure on her clit, circling it and sucking it into my mouth.
My cock aches with the need for another release, so instead of touching
her, I wrap my fist around my length and bring us both to climax together.
It's not as incredible as being buried deep inside her, but fuck it's good.
Her entire body trembles as she comes down from her high. I sit back
and wipe my hand across my mouth as her head comes up.
Her eyes sparkle with achievement, and her cheeks, neck and chest are
red with her pleasure. Unable to resist. I reach out, wrap my hand around
the back of her neck, and pull her lips to mine.
"I love you. Fuck, I love you."

I felt a little lighter after our moment in the gym, but things were far from
normal despite the fact that we were a little more relaxed in each other's
company.
We spent the day doing our homework and avoiding talking about the
elephant in the room. I could see the questions in her eyes every time she
looked at me, but thankfully, she must have decided that she'd pushed me
enough for one day.
I reluctantly suggested that she head back to the dorms with Hadley
once the sun started to set, knowing that I wouldn't be able to cope with
another night of her being so close and not being able to do what she
expects of me.
It was eating me from inside out, and the second she left, I got in my car
and headed to the address Daz had sent me an hour before.
My promise to everyone that I wouldn't fight again rang out loud in my
head, but I needed the release more than I needed to pacify everyone. I'd
deal with them when they saw the bruises in the morning.
The fight was easier than the previous one, and my opponent wouldn't
have stood a chance with me on a normal day, let alone one where I hated
myself more than ever before. I was out for blood and there was no way I
wasn't walking out that building with my head held high.
Thankfully, neither Jay nor Levi were there, so no one was able to
snitch on me. It wasn't until I met Cole in the hallway this morning that
anyone had any idea about what I got up to the night before.
His face dropped the second his eyes locked on the glowing bruise on
my cheek.
"Leave it," I growled, pushing past him and out to the car.
I didn't need to hear it. I was well aware of what I was doing and that
they didn't like it, but fuck them. This is my life, my issues, my fucked up
head.
Thankfully, he left it, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. I could see
almost as much concern in his eyes as I did in Kenny's. I fucking hated it.
Hated their pity.

"I thought she was going to pounce on her," Hadley says as I walk up to
where she and Remi are standing, looking out over the parking lot after
school.
"What's going on?"
"Kenny and Lylah."
"Tell me she didn't," I growl.
 "She didn't touch her, don't worry, caveman," Hadley says, placing her
hand on my arm reassuringly. "Ah speak of the devil." I follow Hadley's
gaze to find Kenny's dark stare locked on where she's touching me.
Hadley quickly removes her hand. I hate that Kenny might have an
issue with Hads after what happened—or didn't—with her, Cole and me. I
sure didn't have an issue with watching her with Hads on Saturday night.
Just the memory of them dancing together gets my blood pumping.
I might need to have a conversation with Cole about that happening
again once I've got my shit together, because damn, it was fucking smoking.
"You talking about me?" Kenny says, looking between the three of us.
"Yep, just telling your man here how you wanted to rip Lylah's eyeballs
out earlier."
"Too damn right. She's a fucking..." Kenny's words trail off as the
cheerleaders spill from the main entrance.
"You miss them?" Remi mutters to Hadley.
"Oh, every fucking day," she replies sarcastically.
Lylah breaks away from the group as they hover by the benches. I have
no idea if she's actually planning on heading over here. I'll give her credit if
she is, because I didn’t think she was stupid enough to walk up to my girl
and expect not to have her ass handed to her.
"Conner." Her eyes lock with mine as dread races through me. "I
thought you were the Jagger with taste," Lylah breathes, coming to stop
before me and placing a hand on my chest. "I need to ask you a favor."
"The answer is no," Kenny spits, stepping forward.
"I'm sorry, I was talking to Conner."
Kenny growls, and I can't help but smile at her protective streak.
"K, it's okay," I whisper, wrapping my hand around her wrist and
attempting to pull her back to me.
But she's too quick.
She pulls her arms from my grip and flies at Lylah, who screams like a
little bitch, successfully turning all eyes on us.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Kennedy

“W hat did you say, you fucking bitch?” I’ve got a handful of
Lylah’s hair as I yank her toward me. Her pained shrieks fill the
parking lot as kids begin to gather around us.
“You heard me. You’re fucking trash, Kenny.” She spits my name as if
it’s acid on her tongue.
“Fuck you.” I shove her hard, hoping she’ll go down, but she manages
to stand her ground. “Like you’re any better, going around keying people’s
cars.”
“What are you—“
But I don’t wait around to hear her excuses, getting right in her face
instead. “You think I’m no good just because I don’t live in a nice house or
drive a flashy car?” Anger vibrates deep inside me. “You might walk
around in designer clothes with your perfect hair and make-up, but you’re
just a nasty soul in a pretty package.”
“Y-you can’t say that to me.” Her lip quivers. “You’re nothing and
I’m...”
“Trash?” I quirk a brow, feeling smug. I’m about to walk away. I’m
about to do the right thing when she grabs me from behind and scratches
her manicured nails down my arm.
 I spin around and fist her crisp white school shirt. “I tried being nice. I
was going to walk away and let you keep your dignity, but now I’m gonna
have to teach you a lesson.”
Someone snickers off the side, and I think it’s Cole.
“You don’t have the balls,” she sneers. “My daddy is—”
Clenching a fist, I cock my arm back and throw it forward, but my body
is lifted off the ground at the last second as I’m yanked away from her.
“Conner, what the hell?” I thrash against him as he throws me over his
shoulder and marches off toward his car.
“Good luck with that, bro,” Cole yells after us.
“Put me down,” I hiss. “Put me down right this—” He slides me onto
the hood of his car, caging me there with his big, annoyingly ripped body.
“I’ll fucking kill her,” I breathe. “I hate her. God, I hate her.”
“Babe, relax.” He nudges his nose up against mine. “She’s no one.”
“She looks at me like I’m dirt on the bottom of her shoe.” I’m not
ashamed of where I come from. The Heights is my home. Sure, it hasn’t
always been rainbows and roses, but it’s still my home.
My gaze drops to the ground, but Conner slides his fingers under my
jaw and tilts my face back to his. “Fuck her. She doesn’t matter, K. None of
them do.”
His words soften something inside me, but I’m still fuming. “The three
of you make it look so easy.” Sure, they stay true to who they are, but the
Bay suits them.
I’m not sure I’ll ever belong here.
“Where’s all this coming from? My Kenny wouldn’t cower to those
shallow bitches.”
“Hey, I wasn’t cowering.” I glower at him. “If you’d have let me at her,
I would have made a pretty little mess of her face.”
He curves his hand around my neck and leans in close. “My little
fighter.”
I fist Conner’s shirt, letting my lips brush over his. “Maybe we should
have a little one on one. Just the two of us.” I lift a brow, watching eagerly
as his pupils dilate.
“Fuck, K, you drive me insane.”
“Yeah? Prove it.”
Conner attacks my mouth with hot, wet kisses. His tongue wraps around
mine as he possesses me with nothing more than his lips and his hand on
the back of my neck.
Someone wolf whistles and he cusses against my smile. “Come on,” he
rasps. “Let’s get out of here.”
Conner picks me up and carries me to the door, yanking it open and
sliding me inside. Excitement zips through me. I don’t know if it’s the
adrenaline from going head to head with Lylah or the endorphins from
Conner’s possessive kiss, but I feel giddy.
I feel like this is it.
This is the moment we finally lay our ghosts to rest and move forward.
Conner climbs inside the car and grips my hand in his, heat zinging
between us.
“Yours or mine?” His voice is thick with lust.
“Mine, it’s closer.” Not that he’s supposed to keep sneaking in and out,
but we’ll figure out something.
Conner takes the road around the perimeter of campus, cussing when
my building comes into view. Security is outside with Principal Vager.
“Fuck,” I bark, sinking back against the chair.
“Wait,” Conner’s eyes twinkle with mischief, “I have an idea.” He does
a U turn and takes the smaller road cutting through the trees flanking the
campus perimeter.
The car rolls to a stop.
“What is this place?” I ask, glancing up at the leafy canopy. There's a
gate up ahead, wrapped in heavy duty chain links secured with a padlock.
“An old access road, I guess. Come here.” Conner shoves his chair back
as far as it will go and pulls me onto his lap. My legs fall on either side of
him, my skirt riding up my thighs.
“Jesus, you’re beautiful.” He scoops my hair off one shoulder and
pushes my blazer off before popping the buttons on my shirt.
“Here?” I raise a brow, desire swirling in my stomach like a firestorm.
“It’s just you and me, babe.” He leans forward, dipping his tongue
between my cleavage and up over the curve of my breasts. “You have no
fucking idea how many nights I’ve dreamed of this.”
My hands slide to his cheeks, holding him there. “Conner,” I whisper.
“Yeah, babe?”
“Make me feel good.” My voice cracks with need. “Make it so the only
thing I can think about is you.”
 Hesitation flickers in his eyes, and, for a second, my stomach sinks. If
he rejects me now, I don’t know what I’ll do.
But my worries all melt away when he gathers my hair in one of his big
hands and guides my face to his, capturing my lips in a bruising kiss.
Conner doesn’t just kiss me, he explores my mouth like he’s plundering the
ocean. Deep, erotic licks. My hips rock gently, desperate for some friction
where I need him most. I can feel him, hard and ready, and the thought of
having him inside me again makes me shiver with anticipation.
“Look at you,” he drawls, staring at me with hooded eyes.
My hand fumbles to the side, locating the recline lever, and Conner falls
backward a little. “That’s better.” I smirk.
I finish unbuttoning my shirt until the flat of my stomach is exposed.
Conner watches with fascination as I touch myself, running my fingers over
my cool skin. Leaning back against the steering wheel a little, I dip my
hand under my skirt and slide my fingers into my damp panties.
“Don’t you want to know how I feel?”
I’m daring him.
Pushing him to the brink.
But I can’t stop.
I need this.
We need this.
“Kenny,” he warns, his voice laced with pain.
“I want it, Conner. I want to feel your fingers inside me. Reaching for
his hand, I guide it to where I need him most.
He sucks in a harsh breath when I hook my panties aside, letting the tips
of his fingers meet my wet folds.
“Fuck, K, you’re soaked.”
“Only ever for you, Conner.”
He touches me, hesitantly at first, dipping one finger just inside me. It
feels like heaven, and it’s not nearly enough.
“More.” I clench, trying to pull his digit inside me.
“Such a greedy girl,” he taunts, rubbing his knuckles over my clit.
“Oh God,” I hiss, my head rolling back as a burst of pleasure shocks
me.
“You want my fingers, K?”
Lips pressed together, I nod.
“You going to come for me like a good girl?”
 Another nod.
Every hair on my body is electrified, my heart pounding in my chest.
He’s teasing me. Tormenting me. He’s pushing me to the edge of insanity.
“Conner,” I beg.
He slides one finger inside me to the knuckle and just holds it there.
“You want more?”
“Y-yeah.”
My skin is hot, and I feel like I’m burning up. I roll my hips, impaling
myself on his thick digit.
Conner’s eyes are transfixed on my pussy, at the place where his finger
disappears. He slowly works two more inside me, filling me so full my
breath catches. Swiping his thumb over my clit, my breathy moans fill his
car.
“That’s it, my greedy girl. Ride my fingers. Show me how you like it.”
And I do.
I rock backward and forward, over and over, lost to the sensations
flowing through me.
My hand snakes out, finding his cock, and I palm him roughly. “Shit,
K.”
“Put it inside me, Conner. Give us what we both need.” I sound
drugged, high on sex chemicals.
“Fuck,” he rasps as I squeeze him again. “Yeah, okay. Okay.”
Sweet relief flows through my body. I pull myself off his fingers, diving
for his jeans. Between us we get the buttons undone in record time. Conner
lifts his ass up slightly so I can free his glistening cock. Taking him in my
hand, I pump him a couple of times before rising up on my knees.
“Wait.” He freezes. “Let me. Lean back again.”
My brows furrow but I obey. I’ll do anything if it means he rewards me
with the one thing I want most.
Conner jacks himself a couple of times before guiding himself to my
slick pussy. But he doesn’t push inside me. Instead, he glides the head along
my slit. Up and down, back and forth.
It feels divine, so dirty and right.
“Oh God, yes,” I cry when he circles my clit. “It feels so good, Con.”
So fucking good. “Just me and you, yeah?”
I watch him, concentration etched into the lines of his face as he nods.
He’s fighting some mental war, I see it in his eyes. But at the same time,
he’s hungry for more.
Hungry for me.
“I want it, Conner,” I urge him. “I want to feel you inside me.”
“Shit, K, yeah. Just let me...” He takes a deep breath, slowly pressing
his cock against me. He doesn’t push inside, just stays there.
My body is paralyzed. I can’t breathe. I don’t want to break whatever
spell he’s under. He needs this. Conner needs to be one hundred and ten
percent in control.
My core throbs, desperate to feel him. But he doesn’t move.
“Conner?” I ask, silently praying he can see this through.
“Just give me a minute.” He breathes out through his nose, letting the
tip slowly sink inside me.
A whimper of relief spills from my lips, but it’s drowned out by the
sound of his fist against the car window.
“Fuck,” he yells. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
I grab my shirt and blazer and slink off his lap, curling myself into a ball
on his chair.
“It’s okay,” I say softly.
“It’s not okay. Nothing about any of this is okay. He raped you. He
fucking raped you, and every time I try to...”
“This was a mistake.” The words gut me, but I realize it’s the truth. I
just didn’t want to believe it.
Conner isn’t ready.
Maybe he’ll never be ready.
“Let’s just go to yours.” I try to disguise the heartache in my voice. “We
can watch a movie or something?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll take you back to the dorms.” He
doesn’t look at me as he adjusts his clothing and seat and starts backing out
of the concealed road.
“Conner, please...” I lay my hand on his, but he knocks it off.
“Just don’t, Kennedy.” He sounds so defeated. “Just don’t.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Conner

T he second Kenny's feet are on the ground, I floor the accelerator. She
barely has time to close the door. I don't look in my mirror as I fly out
of the parking lot. I can't. I can't see the look of disappointment, of
pity, that I know is going to be on her face.
"Fuuuuuuck," I scream, my palm slamming down on the wheel.
Why can't I get fucking past this? Why can't I just be the man she
needs?
Emotion clogs my throat as anger swirls around me like a thick fog.
I don't have a destination in mind. I just drive, hoping that at some point
my need to go and rip someone's skin from their bones starts to fade. I
know it won't matter even if I did that, because it would be some innocent
guy I got my hands on, someone who doesn't deserve the wrath for what
that cunt did to my girl.
I'm hardly surprised when I pull into our old trailer park right as the sun
is beginning to set. It's the first time I register what the time is and just how
long I've been driving for.
My fingers are wrapped around the wheel so tightly that they actually
ache when I kill the engine and let go.
The spot where our old home used to be still sits empty, although there
does seem to be the remains of a bonfire in the middle of the concrete slab.
But that’s not what captures my attention.
It’s the Kravens’ trailer.
The lights are on, and eager anticipation floods me. Maybe my luck is
about to change.
Without thinking of the consequences, I throw my car door open and
march toward it. Music seeps out through the thin walls, and, when I twist
the handle, it opens easily.
A cloud of smoke hits me the second I pull it open. It's a mix of
cigarette smoke and weed, the latter making my mouth water for a hit. I
could really fucking do with that right now.
Pulling myself up, I step inside and look around my dank, disgusting
surroundings. This trailer was always a shithole, but right now it's even
worse than ever. The smoke only masks the smell of piss that seems to
permeate the air as I step farther inside, making my stomach turn over.
Despite the fact that I'm expecting to find someone, the sight of
Warren's dad slumped on the couch still startles me slightly.
"Whar ya doin..." he slurs at me, the cigarette in his hand dropping to
the floor as his eyes find mine.
"How could you?" I fly at him. My fist clenches in his dirty wifebeater
as I pull him from the couch and get right in his face. Although I regret it
the second he breathes out and I damn near heave at the stench of his
breath. "You're fucking scum, you know that?"
He shrugs, lifting his bottle that he's managed to keep hold of in his
hand. It collides with the few teeth he's got left before the majority of what
he tips out dribbles down his chin and onto my hand.
"You fucking knew what he was doing to her, didn't you, you piece of
shit."
"His girl, his business."
"Motherfucker," I roar, pulling my arm back and slamming my fist into
his face.
His legs immediately give out, but I'm not letting him out of this that
easily. He can't sit by and allow that shit to go on under his roof.
His nose shatters, covering both of us in blood, his eyebrow and lips
split open, but I don't stop. I can't. I'm lost to the beast inside me that has
been begging to get out since I learned the truth. This might be the wrong
cunt, but it's as close as I'm going to get until I find his motherfucking son.
 Eventually, I let him drop to the ground, but only so I can take care of
his ribs. I kick him over and over. To start with, he grunts in pain, but after a
while he falls silent.
It's not until a car backfires outside that I manage to emerge from the
haze I'd lost myself in and back away from his body.
There's some shouting, I have no idea if it's directed at me, but I don't
hang around to find out. Without knowing if he's dead or alive, I run from
the trailer, jump in my car, and speed out of there in the hope that no fucker
who gives a shit saw me.

I feel more relaxed when I pull up at home, ignoring the guilt gnawing at
my stomach. Cole's car and Ace's bike both sit in the driveway. I look up at
the house, wondering what my chances of getting inside unnoticed are.
On a normal day, I'd say high, but while I'm covered in that cunt’s
blood, something tells me that I'll be spotted.
Fate for being a total fucking fuck-up.
I lock down images of Kenny from earlier. I couldn't deal with that back
then, and I certainly can't right now.
Taking my chances, I get out and march toward the side door in the
hope that I can slip inside unnoticed.
"Conner, is that you?" Ellen calls out the second I'm inside the house.
How'd she do that?
"Yeah, I'm just going for a shower."
"Okay, sweetie. I've made cookies."
My stomach growls at the thought and I run up the stairs, hoping that if
I'm quick enough they'll still be warm.
Voices sound out from Cole's bedroom, but I slip into the bathroom
before anyone emerges.
Ripping off my blood-stained, sweaty clothes, I turn the shower on as
hot as it'll go and step under the spray.
It burns the second the water hits my skin, but I don't turn it down. I
deserve the pain. I need the pain.
Tipping my head back, I let the water rush over my face, hopefully
washing away the evidence of what I just did.
 The image of his lifeless body pops into my head, but I push it away. So
what if it killed him? Motherfucker deserved it.
But while that may be true, killing his father is a sure-fire way to get
Warren out of hiding.
Reaching out, I rest my palms on the tiles and let the water rain down
on my back.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to forget about him, but instead images of
Kenny come rushing back.
I can see her sitting astride my lap almost as clearly as if it's happening
right now. I picture the way her tiny hand brushed down her stomach and
pushed inside her panties.
"Fuck," I groan, my cock swelling.
She was so tight, so fucking tight and hot as she greedily sucked my
fingers into her pussy. But that was nothing compared to when I pushed the
tip of my cock to her entrance.
"Fuck," I bellow, my already busted up fists landing on the marble tiles
before me, pain shooting down my arm right to my shoulder.
Why couldn't I do it? We were right there. All I had to do was sink
inside her. Instead, I'm the pussy who only got the fucking tip in.
I'm a fucking embarrassment to mankind.
My cries echo around the bathroom as I rain fury down on the wall. My
blood coats the tiles, but I don't stop. I can't. I need it so fucking bad.
Tears stream down my cheeks, but they're washed away, along with the
blood that turns the water pink.
"Conner, you okay, bro?" Cole shouts through.
Angrily, I wipe at my cheeks, ashamed that I've allowed myself to fall to
this level of desperation.
"Y-yeah. I'm good."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." Just trying to work through my shit via my fists, not my cock.
Why can't I fuck this anger out of my system just like everyone else
does? I should be able to lose myself in my girl and forget about all this
bullshit.
I have no idea how long I'm in that shower, but I assume that Cole's
fucked off because he doesn't say anything else.
I wipe away the evidence of my meltdown and step out, wrapping a
towel around my waist and gathering my clothes in my arms, ready to toss
them in the garbage because I already know that amount of blood isn't
coming out of them.
The hallway is quiet when I pull the door open, and I breathe a sigh of
relief when I step out and find no one waiting for me.
I'm amazed Cole believed me, even I could hear the pain in my voice
when I responded to him.
I soon realize I'm right when I step inside my room and find Hadley
sitting on the edge of my bed with a concerned expression on her face.
"Hey," I say sadly, dropping the bundle of clothes behind me in the hope
she doesn't see the blood.
"Hey. Cole wanted to kick the bathroom door in. I managed to talk him
out of it. He's gone down to the gym."
"Great," I mutter, walking to the window and turning my back on her.
"We're worried about you, Con." Unable to keep the distance between
us, she walks over and stands beside me.
"You don't need to be. I'm fine."
"Conner," she says on a sigh, and I immediately know that I'm not
getting out of this.
Her fingers brush my hand until they twist with mine and grip tightly.
She turns so she's facing me and rests her ass on the windowsill.
"We care too much to let you deal with this alone."
"Cole told you." It's not a question. I can see the answer in her eyes.
She winces. "Yeah."
"Well, great. Don't tell me Ace and Remi know too."
"No, Con. We wouldn't betray you like that. Cole's just worried. Wanted
my advice."
"Well, go on then. I'm waiting."
I keep my eyes locked out the window, unable to look at her while she
discusses my issue.
"Honestly, I don't really have any, other than you need to take the
pressure off yourself. None of this is meant to be easy to deal with. If we all
just got on with shit like everything is normal while our lives fall apart, then
we wouldn't be human."
"You do."
"Really? Conner, you saw me at my lowest. Cole too. You know for a
fact that we didn't handle shit well."
 "So what are you suggesting?" My eyes come to hers, narrowing in
desperation. I need someone to give me the answers right now. I need
someone to fix this. I need to stop hurting Kenny like this.
"Just take every day as it comes. Kenny loves you. She'll stand beside
you while you work all this out."
"And if she doesn't?" I ask, hating the vulnerability that creeps into my
voice. I'm well aware that while I've told her over and over again that I love
her, she's not once said it back. Sure, I see it, or at least I think I do, in her
eyes. But I need more.
"Her loyalty isn't in question here, Conner. You're it for her. Just give
yourself time and trust her to know what she wants, what she needs. She
won't let you do anything she's not happy with. But also, you need to trust
yourself. You're a good person, Conner. The best. You'd never hurt anyone."
I almost choke on nothing at her words. If only she knew what I did
tonight.
"Someone you care about, I should say. We've all seen you in the ring.
You've got a mean left hook."
A laugh rips from my throat, and it feels so fucking good after the last
few hours.
Tugging on her hand that's still attached to mine, I pull her into my
chest and wrap my arms around her shoulders. Dropping my lips to her hair,
I kiss her, needing her to know how incredible she is.
"Conner," she mutters against my chest after trying to pull away but
finding herself unable to because her embrace, her support, feels too good.
"Uh huh?"
"Let go, you're wet."
"Hmm... shouldn't that be my line?"
"Fucking hell," she laughs, swatting my chest playfully.
"You are though, right? I mean look," I gesture to my naked chest. "I'm
practically naked right now."
I drop my hands to the top of my towel as if I'm going to rip it off, and
she runs to the door, laughing and covering her eyes. "Don't even think
about it, Jagger."
"Your loss. It's so much bigger than Cole's."
"It's good to know you haven’t lost your sense of humor," she says,
stopping in the doorway and turning back to me.
"Nah, I'll always be funny, Hads. It's who I am."
 "Funny. Riiight."
Shaking my head at her, I lift my hand to push my wet hair out of my
face.
"Seriously though, you know where I am if you need me, right?"
I nod at her before she disappears down the stairs. Probably to find Cole
and to let him do fuck knows what to her in the gym, exactly as they
should.
Falling back onto my bed, I stare at the ceiling once more.
Time.
Is that really the answer to all my issues?
And if it is, how much is necessary? Because I'm already bored of
waiting.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Kennedy

I can’t believe we’re back to this. Conner avoiding me and me growing

more anxious by the minute.
After he dropped me back at the dorms Monday night, I haven’t
seen him. He texted yesterday to apologize and say that he needs some
more time.
Then today, when I texted earlier suggesting we do something fun with
our Friday night, like head to the pier or hang out at the pool house, he said
he had a family thing.
Irritated, I dial Hadley’s number. She answers on the second ring. “Hey,
you.”
“Hey, have you seen—”
Laughter sounds in the background, laughter I’d know anywhere.
“I was going to ask if you’d seen Conner, but I guess you’re part of their
family now.” I can barely contain my hurt.
“Kennedy, it isn’t even like that.”
“No? So why the fuck am I sitting here alone, and you’re there with my
boyfriend? Can I talk to him?”
“I...” The line goes quiet, and I hear muffled voices.
“K?” The agony in his voice cuts through me like a blade.
 “Where are you? What’s going on?” I hate the insecurity in my voice,
but this back and forth is driving me crazy. If Conner can’t be with me yet, I
understand. What I don’t understand is why he has to continually push me
away.
“My dad and Sarah wanted to celebrate their engagement. It was kind of
last minute.”
“You’re all there?” Without me? I swallow the words.
Of course they are. Remi lives there, and Hadley stays over there more
than she does here.
“I didn’t think...”
“Yeah, no. Of course. You should go be with your family.” The word is
like ash on my tongue.
“Kennedy, wait—”
“It’s fine, Conner. I get it. I’ve got to go.” I hang up and curl into a ball,
letting the tears fall.
He says he loves me. He says that he wants me, that he needs time.
So why does it hurt so much?
My cell vibrates and I read his message.

Conner: I swear it was a last minute thing. I didn’t mean to upset you.
I’m sorry, K... for everything. Why don’t you come over when we’re
done? We can hang out?

I stare at his words, wishing they would ease the knot in my stomach.
I’d suggested that earlier and he’d blown me off. I don’t want a pity invite.

Me: I have a ton of homework. Find me when you’ve sorted your shit
out.

I don’t, but he doesn’t need to know that. Powering off my phone, I pull
the covers over me and close my eyes.

I wake with a start. It’s dark, the silvery hue of the moonlight trickling in
through the blinds. My clock reads a little after midnight. I must have fallen
asleep.
Rubbing my eyes, I turn my cell back on and wait for it to power up.
There are no messages.
Nothing.
The wind howls against my windows outside. I heard we were due for a
bad storm. Something crashes against the glass, and my heart lurches into
my throat.
I clutch my phone, contemplating calling Hadley to see if she’s back.
But I know she’s probably still at the Jaggers’. For all I know, Conner and
Cole are keeping her company.
Jealousy burns through me. He says they only kissed, but I don’t know
if I believe him. Conner and Hadley share a special bond, anyone who
knows them can see that.
But is it more than just friendship?
God. I feel like I’m losing my freaking mind. Is this what it feels like to
be in a normal relationship?
The constant self-doubt and questioning every little thing?
Not that I’m even sure that’s what this is.
Another crack at the window has my pulse spiking. I turn on the lamp
and throw back the cover, padding across to the window. Pulling the blinds
apart, I peer into the darkness. The trees behind the building bend and bow
with the force of the wind, a loose branch striking the glass.
It’s just the wind.
I take a deep breath, my mind playing tricks on me as the trees begin to
shift and shimmer into crooked fingers and eyeless monsters. For a second,
I even think I see someone standing down there. But when I blink, the
figure is gone, and I know I need to stop letting my mind run away with me.
Flicking the blind back in place, I climb back in bed and burrow
beneath the covers.
Wishing more than ever that Conner was here.

Monday rolls around, and I don’t see Conner all morning.

“Hey,” Hadley joins me at my locker, “how are you?”
 “How do you think?” I slam it a little too hard, and the echo
reverberates through me.
“Listen, about Friday... I had no idea Conner had—”
“Look, Hadley. It’s obvious you and Conner share some kind of bond.
You were friends first, right, so I get it. Your loyalty lies with him.”
“It isn’t like that.” She lets out a small sigh. “I want us to be friends, I
do. But he’s going through some stuff—”
“You think I don’t know that?” I narrow my eyes at her, when
realization sinks into me. “You know, don’t you?”
“I swear Conner didn’t tell me. It was Cole.”
“Great, that’s just great.” I bet Ace and Remi know, too. I bet they all
sat around talking about it, because they’re family...
And I’m not.
“I need to get to class.” I shove past Hadley, but she grabs my arm at the
last second.
“You’ll get through this. Conner just needs time.”
“Whatever.” I shirk her off and take off down the hall.
Lylah and Marissa give me a wide berth, but I barely notice them, too
lost in my own misery. I’m almost at my next class, when I pass the library.
Something catches my eye and I peer inside.
Conner is huddled close with Aimee as he goes over her notes with her.
She giggles at something he says, and he smiles.
He fucking smiles.
He’s just tutoring her. But it’s too much. His friendship with Hadley. His
arrangement with tutor girl. I’m beginning to think the problem isn’t what
Warren did to me.
It’s just me.

“This is new.” Cole approaches me as I sit outside in the bitter wind. The
storm passed, but the wind is still brutal.
“I needed some air.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
“What do you want, Cole?” I release a strained breath.
 “Just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing? Ask if my ass of a
brother has managed to get over himself yet?”
“Do you think I’d be sitting here if he had?” My brow lifts.
“Touché. If it’s any consolation, he’s as miserable as you are.”
“I’m not—” I swallow the words, because he’s right. I am miserable.
And hurt. And pissed.
“Look, a little word of advice? My brother has a big heart. Sometimes it
gets in the way.”
“I’m done putting myself out there, Cole. I can’t keep being knocked
back. It’s killing me.”
“Shit, Kenny. I didn’t—”
“It’s fine. Maybe it’s better this way.”
“Do you really believe that? You and Conner have that childhood
sweetheart thing going on. You’re destined or some shit. But it might take
more than a gentle push to make him see what’s right in front of him.”
“And if I can’t do it?”
“Then are you prepared for someone to swoop in and steal him out from
under you?” He points to the library window, and right there are Conner
and Aimee again.
“He’s doing her a favor because he’s a good person. But she’s reading
too much into it. Are you really going to stand back and—”
“I get your point, Cole.” Irritation skitters down my spine.
“Good. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
“Do you think he’s still fighting?”
A tight expression falls over him. “I know he is.”
“When’s the next one?”
“Wednesday, I think. Why?”
“Can you take me there?” An idea starts forming in my head.
“I’m not sure that’s what I had in mind when I said you needed to fight
for him.”
I roll my eyes. “Can you help me or not?”
“Fine. Wednesday. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Good. And don’t tell anyone else, I don’t want him to know.”
Cole stands, jamming his hands in his pocket. “That’s the Kenny I
remember.”
“My plan hasn’t worked yet.”
 “It will. Conner’s worried about hurting you. He’s worried about losing
control. You need to show him that it’s okay. That you can handle it.”
I give him an understanding nod.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He steps away but thinks against it and turns
back to me. “And Kennedy?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re one of us now, and we always look after our own.”
Cole’s words stay with me long after he’s gone.

By the time Wednesday night rolls around, I’m a nervous wreck. I saw
Conner and Aimee together again today. She touched his arm as they shared
another joke.
I swear I growled like a feral dog as I watched them. Conner had
spotted me and tried to talk to me, but I didn’t stick around.
I needed to keep my resolve if I was going to do this.
Checking my reflection in the mirror, I tighten my ponytail and braid
the ends. The leggings hug my legs like a second skin, and the oversized
sweater hangs off one shoulder, kissing the curve off my butt where it meets
my thighs. I look cute, feminine even. But I’m still me. I still have the
tattoos and piercings and the big chunky earrings in my ears.
Butterflies flap wildly in my stomach. This could all go wrong. Conner
could take one look at me and tell me to leave.
But Cole is right. I have to do this.
I have to fight for him.
For us.
Grabbing my small backpack, I shove my keys and lip gloss inside and
head out to meet Cole.
“This is the master plan?” His eyes skirt over my body.
I flip him off. “It’s an underground fight ring, what would you have me
wear?” Yanking open the door, I slide inside his car.
“Something a little more tempting?” He ducks inside.
“Just drive, Cole.”
We ride in thick silence. I feel Cole’s eyes flick to me a few times. He
does it again, and I finally cave.
 “What?”
“I’m just trying to figure out how this happened. Shit, K, you’re so
strong.”
“People change.” I don’t look at him. I can’t. “I always thought me and
Conner would end up together. It’s all I ever wanted. Then after we slept
together, he pulled away.”
“Yeah, because he’s a fucking pussy.”
My lip quirks at that.
“Warren started paying me attention and Conner seemed to encourage
it. I thought he wasn’t interested. Then your mom died and everything
changed.”
“When did it start... you know... him hurting you?”
I shrug, fighting the wave of emotion rising inside me. “It wasn’t like a
switch went off or anything. It was gradual. He was always intense. Didn’t
like me being around other guys. Wearing anything too revealing. I thought
he was being protective. For a while it was nice, ya know? Like I was the
most important person in his life.”
“Motherfucker.” I glance over at Cole. He’s white knuckling the
steering wheel, his teeth clenched painfully tight.
“It’s okay, Cole. I’m okay.”
“Nothing about this is okay, Kenny. Not a single fucking thing.” He
slams his fist against the wheel, making me flinch. “Conner will fix this, I
promise you. He’ll fix it. And if he doesn’t,” his eyes lock on mine, “I will.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY

Conner

S weat trickles down my spine as the guy Daz thought would be a good
match for me bounces in front of me, his fists pulled up to his face,
ready to make his next move.
I know I shouldn't be doing this. But fuck what everyone else thinks.
That last message I got from Kenny on the weekend repeats over and
over.
She wants me to sort my shit out, but how can I do that when he's still
walking around somewhere like he did nothing wrong?
The guy in front of me suddenly morphs into Warren, and I take him by
surprise. My fist connects with his ribs, forcing his arms to drop so I can
move in on his face.
My heart races, adrenaline pumping as I tell myself that this is him. This
is the motherfucker who needs to pay for fucking everything up.
I trusted him with Kenny. I only ever wanted the best for her. If I had
any idea that he'd...
The roar that rips from my throat is one I barely recognize as I continue
laying into this guy. The crowd goes crazy as I take the upper hand. But
after a minute or two, I discover why Daz thought putting the two of us
together would be a good idea, because somehow, he manages to turn the
tables.
 My eye burns when he gets a solid punch in before another splits my lip
wide open.
Twisting my head to the side, I spit the blood that pools in my mouth.
But as I do, my eyes find someone I wasn't expecting standing right at the
front of the crowd.
Kennedy.
My entire body stills for a beat. A beat too long, because it gives my
opponent the advantage. This is exactly why she shouldn't be here. This is
one of the reasons this shit stays underground.
The guy’s fist connects with my jaw, snapping my head to the side, but
now I have another reason to fight.
Adrenaline like I've never felt before races through me. My muscles that
were starting to tire wake back up, and my need to put him down takes on a
life of its own.
I turn on him and don't stop until he's on the floor and I'm being
declared the winner, but I don't hang around for the celebration. I've got
someone else who needs my attention more.
Her eyes go wide as I storm up to her, but I see the darkness within
them as she drops them down my naked chest.
Wrapping my bloody, dirty hand around her wrist, I drag her through
the crowd—which parts like the Red Sea—and I don't stop until the door to
tonight's makeshift dressing room has slammed behind me.
My hackles rise and my anger swells before I turn on her. She gasps at
the look on my face. I understand why. I barely know myself after a fight,
let alone one she put herself near.
"You shouldn't be here," I roar.
"Yet, I am." She smiles at me and tilts her head to the side in an attempt
to be cute. Any other day, the move might make an impact, but not right
now.
"You shouldn't be here. You told me—"
"Fuck what I told you, Conner," she seethes, stepping up to me and
slamming her palms down on my chest, forcing me to back up. "Fuck all of
this. This is bullshit."
"It's not bullshit. It's my fucking life, Kenny."
"Yeah, and you're fucking it up right now."
"You think I don't know that? You think I want to do this?" I lift my
busted hands up between us. Her eyes soften slightly, but she by no means
backs down at the sight of my blood.
"I don't know. You seem to do it a lot for someone who claims not to
want to and keeps promising his brothers that he’ll stop."
"I don't know what else to do. I can't..."
"I do," she states, as the weight of her body crashes into my chest. She's
tiny, but she takes me by surprise and I stumble back until I slam up against
the wall. The air rushes from my lungs and my back smarts from the rough
concrete it's pressed against. But I don't get a chance to recover, because
she's on me.
Her fingers slide into my hair, pulling my face down to meet hers before
her lips crash to mine. She doesn't hesitate as her tongue pushes inside my
mouth, searching for my own.
I want to fight her, to push her away. I'm covered in blood, sweaty,
disgusting, but one taste of her and I lose all sense of what's right and my
arm wraps around her waist, pulling her body tighter against mine.
Her hand releases my hair and slips down my body. She trails her
fingertips over my abs before digging her nails in and scratching upward.
"Oh fuck," I grunt into her kiss, my cock swelling faster than I can
control.
"You need the pain, Con. I can give you that. Trust me to give you what
you need in the same way I trust you."
"Oh shit." My head bounces off the wall, a sharp pain ricochets down
my neck, but I forget all about it as her tongue laves at the spot on my neck
she just bit.
"You just fucking bit me."
"I can do a lot worse than bite, babe. Wanna try me?"
My response dies as she pushes her hand past the waistband of my
shorts and grasps my length.
My eyes shutter, but I just about managed to keep them on her as she
kisses and nips down my body.
Each sting of her teeth feeds that feral beast inside that keeps
demanding the pain, the punishment, the torture.
She keeps going until she's kneeling on the dirty floor. She stares up at
me, her face now smeared with blood and dirt, but none of it seems to faze
her.
Reaching out, she rubs at my hard cock through the fabric.
 "You need to let go, Conner." Her eyes find mine and all I see within
them is love and concern. "Fighting like this isn't going to give you what
you need. I, however..."
She has the waistband of my shorts in her tiny fists before tugging them
down my hips. My cock springs free and she wastes no time in wrapping
her fingers around it and sucking the length deep into her mouth.
"Fuck. FUCK, Kenny."
Her spare hand slides up my thigh, wrapping around to my ass, and she
squeezes, she squeezes so fucking hard, digging her nails in with such force
that I have no doubt she draws blood.
The crest of my orgasm mounts as she continues sucking me as deep as
she can at this angle.
Consumed by pleasure, my arm reaches out and I twist my fingers in
her hair.
Her eyes lift to mine and I panic, but as I start to release her, her hand
clamps mine in place as she shakes her head slightly, somehow managing to
get my cock even deeper.
"Fuck, K. I'm gonna..." And then she's gone, leaving me standing there
with my shorts around my ankles, my chest heaving and my cock about to
explode.
"You're not coming in my mouth tonight, Con. No fucking way."
"But..." My argument fades away as she lifts her sweater and throws it
across the room. Her bare tits greet me, and I bite down on my bottom lip at
the sight, causing more blood to pool in my mouth. But she's not done.
Only a beat later, she pushes her thumbs into her leggings and shimmies
them and her panties down her legs.
"K, anyone could walk in right now," I warn, knowing there's no lock
on the door.
"So? No one will hurt me with you here," she says, so matter-of-factly it
makes my chest ache.
She steps up to me once again, her bare breasts brushing my chest as her
hand grasps my cock once more.
"Now," she breathes in my ear, "where were we?"
She jacks me slowly, ensuring that my earlier release stays just within
reach.
"Kenny," I warn, my head spinning with need for what she's offering but
also with the knowledge that those images that haunt me will only stay
away for so long. "I don’t—"
A loud slap fills the otherwise silent room. My eyes go wide as my
cheek burns.
"Did you just..." I trail off as she walks backward with a shrug, her hips
swaying and her tits bouncing.
"Yeah,” she taunts, “and what are you going to do about it?"
I'm on her before I know I've moved. My fingers fist her hair, pulling
her head back so I can attack her lips. Her nails claw up my back as she
climbs my body like a fucking tree until her legs are around my waist and
my cock is teasing her entrance.
"Fuck me, Conner. Fuck me so hard so I never forget you were there."
She tugs my hair, her strength making it sting as she pulls my head back
and stares into my eyes.
"Take. Me. Now."
With a roar, I surge forward, unable to do anything but what she
demands.
"Conner," she cries, her own head falling back as the heat of her walls
surrounds me, burns me, pulls me in.
"Fuck, Kenny."
"Move, Conner. Move. Please."
Taking her ass in my hands, I circle my hips. I watch as she cries out in
pleasure. Her cheeks are red, the flush spilling down her neck to her chest.
She's captivating.
Completely and utterly mesmerizing.
Her eyes crack open when she realizes that I've stopped moving.
They're dark and full of hunger.
"Fuck me," Conner. "Take what you need and give me what I need."
Her nails claw across my shoulder blades as she drops her face to the crook
of my neck and bites down on my skin.
"Fuck, Kennedy."
I pull out of her and she tenses, but I don't disappoint her. Instead, I
thrust back inside.
"Oh God, Conner. You feel so good. So fucking good," she breathes in
my ear. "Keep going. I want to come all over your cock." Her lips kiss
every bit of skin she can reach as I continue thrusting inside her.
All I can think about is her, the pain and pleasure as they mix together
threatening to consume me. Her cries of pleasure and begs for more fill my
ears and make me desperate. I want to hear her scream, I want to hear her
lose control and cling to me as she falls.
I want to make her shatter.
It's a freeing feeling. One that I've been so desperate for.
I piston my hips faster as my orgasm approaches. Her muscles pull me
tighter, milking it out of me until I snap.
Slipping my hand between us, I find her clit and pinch.
"Conner," she screams as she clamps down on my cock so tight that I
have no choice but to fall. Thankfully she's right there with me.
"Oh fuck," I roar, dropping my head to the crook of her neck and riding
out the release I've needed for weeks. "I love you, Kenny. I love you so
fucking much," I whisper once the last wave has subsided.
I don't move. I can't. The feeling of her wrapped around me. Being skin
on skin. It's too much.
"Conner, look at me. Please."
Unable to deny her, I pull my face free and look into her eyes. Whatever
she sees makes her gasp before she lifts her hands and wipes the tears from
my cheeks that I didn't even realize had fallen.
"Conner," she breathes, her brow creasing as we continue to stare at
each other.
"Thank you," I whisper, but I feel like a fucking tool when all she does
is throw her head back and laugh.
For those few seconds, I feel like a fucking king. That is, until I unwrap
her legs from my body, allow her to stand on her own, and take a step back.
Then reality comes crashing down. She's covered in smears of my
blood, dirt from the floor and my touch. The fear that I'm becoming all too
familiar with starts to claw inside me.
"Conner, no," she warns, clearly seeing what's happening in front of her
eyes. She takes both my hands in hers and presses the length of her body
against mine. "I wanted that. I wanted you. Do not twist this into anything
else."
"Kenny," I breathe, dropping my forehead to hers and closing my eyes
for a beat. "Do you have any idea how incredible you are?"
She shrugs. I hate that she can't see what I see.
"You fucking slay me, K."
"You're pretty awesome too, I guess."
 "You guess?" I ask, a smirk pulling at my lips. "Did you not see me just
win out there?"
"I did, babe." Her eyes darken as she thinks back, putting ideas in my
head that I don't need while standing in this disgusting attempt at a dressing
room.
"Get dressed," I demand.
"But—" she starts to argue, but I cut her off.
"This isn't over, K. But in order for that to happen, we need to get out of
here. Anyone could..." I glance at the door as voices pass by.
"Uh... yeah, you're probably right."
"Probably right? I'm always right."
She shakes her head at me and laughs.
Barely two minutes later, we're walking out of the building. I've got
Kenny pulled into my side as tight as I possibly can.
She turned up here to fight for me. My chest swells, warmth running
through my veins. She did that for me, for us.
Now I've just got to hope that she's managed to rid me of the demons
that were haunting me every time we've been together. Although, I fear that
might be wishful thinking.
"So what now?" Kenny asks, her hand locked in mine as we head back
toward the Bay.
"Now? We're gonna clean up, and then we're going to do it all over
again."
"We are, huh?
“Probably a few times." Dropping her hand to my thigh, I brush it up
until she has no choice but to wrap her fingers around my hard length.
I don't need to look over to know she's smiling.
"You weren't expecting much sleep tonight, right?"
"Nah, it's overrated if you ask me."
With a laugh, I press the accelerator a little harder, desperate to continue
with our night.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Kennedy

“S eriously, we’re both happy for you, but can you cut it out?” Cole
eyes me through the rearview mirror. Conner doesn’t pull away
though, kissing and sucking the slope of my neck as one of his
hands hovers dangerously close to my panties.
“Let them be,” Hadley says with a hint of amusement. “I think it’s
cute.”
“Cute?” Cole balks. “They’re practically fucking on my back seat.”
“Trust me, bro,” Conner lifts his head, “you’d know if I was inside her.”
“Conner.” I swat his chest, but my indignation melts away as he attacks
my mouth with big, wet, open-mouthed kisses.
“Fuck’s sake,” Cole grumbles, “I think I liked him better when he
couldn’t get it up.”
“Heard that,” Conner murmurs against my lips.
I’m too happy to care. Last night, after we’d cleaned up, he drove us
back to his house where we spent an inordinate amount of time in the
shower before we’d slept tangled together.
Hadley lent me one of her spare uniforms to wear so we didn’t have to
stop by my dorm this morning.
Conner and I may have struggled to get out of bed.
 He was like a different person. I saw glimpses of my old Conner, my
best friend, my sun, but it was more than that. This Conner was possessive
and hardly able to keep his hands off me—and I loved it.
“Okay, kids, we’re here.” Cole brakes hard, sending Conner flying into
the back of Hadley’s seat.
“Seriously?”
“Figured you needed to cool off. You don’t want to give Mrs. Hoddle a
heart attack with that raging boner you’ve been sporting since breakfast.”
I snicker, catching Conner’s attention.
“I don’t know what you’re laughing at.” His eyes darken with desire.
“It’s all your fault.” He closes the distance between us, brushing his lips
over mine. A shiver runs through me. “Later.” He breathes the word. “Later
I’m going to fuck you until you can’t remember your own name.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Shit, K.” He steals another kiss.
“Maybe we should cut class and find somewhere—”
“Let’s go, lovers.” Cole bangs the steering wheel before climbing out of
the car. Hadley follows him.
“I guess we should go.” I pout.
“Six hours.” He brushes his nose over mine. “We can do that, right?”
“Consider it foreplay.” Batting my eyelashes, I smirk.
“I love you, K.” His expression sobers. “And I’m sorry it took me so
long to pull my head out of my ass.”
“We’re here now, that’s all that matters.” The three little words he wants
to hear teeter on the tip of my tongue. But before I can get them out, Cole
bangs the window.
“Fucker,” Conner grumbles.
“Come on, we should probably go.” I twist to exit the car, but he curves
his hand around my neck and crashes his lips to mine.
He’s claiming me. Reminding me who I belong to.
Conner is promising me his heart.
And I want it.
I want it all.
Conner: I can’t stop thinking about being inside you.

My cheeks flush, my core throbbing as I sit in class, discreetly reading his

message.

Me: You’re not making this any easier.

Conner: Sneak to the bathroom and I’ll meet you there.

Me: I can’t just sneak out...

Although the idea is tempting. It isn’t like class really matters now.
Most kids have applied to college and have enough credits to graduate.

Conner: I want you riding my cock, babe. I need it... come on. You
know you want to.

Me: I fear I’ve created a monster.

My smile is so wide it hurts. But everything is perfect.

Conner: Are you really going to make me sit here in math, trying not to
jerk myself off because you won’t break a rule or two? My girl never
used to care about the rules... come on, walk on the wild side with me,
K...

It’s true, I didn’t. But that was when we were kids, attending Sterling
Heights. It isn’t like this place. Besides, I don’t want to get into trouble and
cause Mr. Jagger any more problems.
I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting with myself. It’s so tempting...

Me: You want me? Come get me...

“Something funny?” Mr. Hadish calls from his desk.

 “No, sir.”
“Cell phone away, please. Before I confiscate it.”
“Yes, sir.” I slip it in my blazer pocket and pretend to be taking notes
like the rest of the class.
I don’t expect to see Conner appear around the door five minutes later.
“Mr. Jagger.” Hadish sits back in his chair. “To what do we owe this
pleasure?”
“I need Kennedy Lowe to come with me, sir. Family emergency.”
All eyes turn to me, and Conner shoots me a knowing wink.
“Do you have a pass from the office?”
“No time, sir. There’s been a bit of an accident.”
“An accident, you say?”
Conner flicks his head to my bag, widening his eyes. I begin to pack
away my stuff, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
“We really need to go, sir.”
I hurry toward him, keeping my expression indifferent. “I’ll get the
notes off Joshua.” I motion to some kid shifting in the front.”
“Jackson, my name is Jack—”
“Thanks, I owe you.”
Conner lets me past and I slip into the hallway.
“Now just wait a minute—”
“No can do, sir. If we don’t go... Martha will be in great peril.”
“Martha?”
Conner closes the door behind him, cutting off the teacher’s concerns.
“What the hell?” I hiss.
“You can thank me later.” Conner grins, grabbing my hand. “Preferably
on your knees with my cock in your pretty little mouth.”
“You’re crazy.” I shake my head, fighting the urge to rub my legs
together.
“Newsflash, babe, I am. Crazy for you.” He starts pulling me down the
empty hall. But instead of guiding me in the direction of the entrance,
Conner opens a door and pokes his head inside. “Coast is clear, come on.”
It’s a storage closet, full of redundant school supplies, old chairs and
tables.
He spins around and locks the door. “Now, where were we?”
“Something about you wanting me to ride your cock?” I sass.
 “That can wait.” He smirks, leaning in to lick a path from my throat to
my ear, eliciting a shiver down my spine. “First, I need to eat.”
Conner slides down my body and lifts one of my legs over his shoulder.
“Are you wet for me, babe?”
“Always,” I whimper as he leans in, running his nose along the seam of
my pussy through my panties.
“I’ve imagined this. Imagined dragging you into an empty classroom,
laying you out on a desk and spearing my tongue inside you. Do you want
that, K? Do you want me to fuck you with my tongue?” He pushes two
fingers inside me without removing my panties.
“Y-yes.” The words get stuck as a bolt of pleasure hits me.
“We have a lot of making up to do, babe. Good thing I’m up for the
challenge.” He finds the elastic of my panties and pulls hard until the sound
of ripping fabric fills the room.
“Con—”
His name gets stuck in my throat as he takes a big swipe of my pussy,
flattening his tongue against my clit.
“Oh, fuck.” My head rolls back against the wall with a thud.
Conner chuckles, spearing me with his tongue. “You taste like heaven,
babe.” He licks and nibbles, teasing me as he plunges two fingers deep
inside me and rubs my front walls in a way that has me gasping for breath.
“It’s... God...” I can hardly find words as he continues his assault on my
pussy.
Carefully sliding my other leg over his shoulder, Conner pushes my
thighs wider, fully baring myself to him. “Look at you,” he croons, before
taking another greedy swipe.
I balance precariously over his shoulders and against the wall as he
fucks me with his tongue and fingers, alternating the thrusts. My skin
vibrates with pleasure, my mind swimming with endorphins.
It feels amazing. Forbidden and dirty. But oh so right. He spreads two
fingers between my folds and tongues my clit in relentless circles, until my
legs are shaking and I’m crying his name in a string of breathy moans.
“Give it to me, K. Come all over my tongue.” He spears it inside me
again, pinching my clit, and I shatter, my fingers digging into his scalp as
he laps up my juices.
Slowly lowering my legs to the floor, Conner works his way up my
body, kissing me deeply. He pushes two fingers into my mouth. “Suck.”
 I lick them clean, letting out a sigh of contentment.
“You look so fucking beautiful like this.” Conner cups my face, rubbing
his thumb along my cheek.
“Now it’s your turn,” I say huskily, dragging my finger down his
stomach.
“Not so fast.” He snags my wrist and brings my hand to his crotch.
“You were a bad girl, leaving me to deal with this all by myself in class.”
I can’t resist squeezing his cock through his pants.
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Turn around and bend over that desk.”
My brow quirks but I comply, liquid lust swimming in my veins.
“Hands flat on the desk.” His voice is rough, cracked with need. “Bad
girls deserve to be punished. But the question is... what should I do to you?”
His hand slips under my pleated skirt, baring my ass to him. His palms it,
squeezing and massaging the flesh there. It feels so fucking good. I yelp
when he brings his hand down hard, striking me.
“What the fuck?” I hiss.
Conner leans over me, covering me with his big, strong body. His lips
caress my ear but his hand remains on my ass. “Did it hurt, baby?”
“You know it did.”
“So I probably shouldn’t do this, then?”
Crack.
The motion jolts me forward, my skin stinging.
“Fuck, Conner, that was—”
“Shh, baby. Take it like a good girl and you’ll be rewarded.” He slides a
finger through my ass cheeks and dips it inside my pussy. A soft moan
escapes my lips.
“If you want more, keep your hands on the desk and don’t fucking
move.” His tone is sharp, harsh even. But I know it’s a game. All part of
Conner’s need for control.
He whacks me again, but this time I swallow the cry. It hurts, it hurts so
fucking much, but I can’t deny that the way he rubs his warm hand over the
tender skin feels good.
“So fucking strong,” he murmurs to himself, lost in whatever thoughts
are running through his head.
I glance over my shoulder, watching as he unbuttons his pants and frees
his heavy cock. Conner palms himself a couple of times before running it
through my ass cheeks. He’s almost at my entrance, teasing me with the tip.
 “Conner,” I beg, a deep ache beginning to build inside me again.
“Shh, baby.” His palm collides with my skin again and my head falls
onto my hand as I bite back the sting of pain. But then Conner is there,
gently massaging my pussy with the head of his cock.
“Do you want this?” he grits out.
I nod, my eyes heavy with lust as I look back at him.
“You want me to impale you with it?”
“Oh God, yes...” I lick my lips. I’m no longer Kennedy. I’m reduced to
nothing more than a collection of sensations and feelings.
“What would you do for it?” He smirks, nudging my clit, making me
mewl.
“Anything, I’ll do anything.” I’ll fall at his feet and pray, if that’s what it
takes.
“Say it.” His hand runs up my spine, grabbing the back of my neck.
Conner yanks me up. “Say the words, K.”
I don’t even need to ask what he’s referring to.
“I love you,” I breathe.
His expression softens as relief washes over him. “You love me, babe?”
“You know I do.”
“Good girl.” He grins. “Now, it’s time for your reward.” Pushing me
back against the desk, Conner gives me no warning as he slams inside of
me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Conner

H er walls ripple around me and every muscle in my body relaxes. This

is exactly where I needed to be. Fuck class and AP math. Fuck
school. I just need my girl.
My temperature soars as I think about those three little words she just
said to me.
I knew she felt them. I could see the truth every time she looked at me,
every time she tried to 'fix' me, but for whatever reason, she was keeping
them locked down. Well, no longer. This is it now. This is us. No secrets, no
hidden pasts, just us.
"Fuck, Conner," she screams as I slam balls deep inside her, taking her
as I should have been all this time, giving her what she needs.
I won't lie—as I drove us home last night, there was a part of me that
was worried what happened was going to be a one-time thing. That once the
adrenaline from the fight and finding her there subsided, my fear was going
to come racing back as strong as ever. It was threatening to in that dressing
room when I saw the state of her covered in my blood.
"Kennedy," I growl, my release beginning to show its face. It might
have only been a few hours since I woke her with an orgasm followed by
one of my own, but I need this so fucking bad. It's like she's woken me up
and I suddenly need everything I've missed out on in the past few weeks all
at once. "Are you going to come, K? You gonna come all over my cock?"
"Yes, yes."
Reaching around her, I tease her clit with my fingertips, making her
pussy clamp down.
"Fuck, you feel so good wrapped around me." My grip on her hair
tightens as my thrusts get more and more erratic.
"Come, K. Come right fucking now." I slam into her one last time as my
orgasm rips through me. A guttural roar follows my release, as I forget
where we are or who could possibly overhear us.
"Conner," she screams right alongside me as my cock jerks inside her,
filling her with everything I have.
Long seconds pass as we come down from our highs, the only sound
audible in this relatively small closet is our heaving breaths.
"Well, that was better than the shitty poem we were meant to be
studying," Kenny remarks.
"I'm glad I could entertain you." I pull out of her and help her stand. She
spins in my arms, and, after brushing her hair from her face, I pull her into
my body.
"Not sure I had a choice." She smiles up at me with so much love in her
eyes that my knees threaten to buckle.
"We should get out of here."
She glances around at our surroundings. "Yeah, you're probably right.
Pretty sure this is out of bounds."
"I wasn't talking about the closet, K."
Her lips form a cute little O. "Con, we can't skip."
"Like fuck we can't. I'm not letting you out of my sight for a good few
hours yet." I lean forward so my lips brush her ear, delighting in the way
she shudders in my arms. "You can't tell me you want to go back to class
with the evidence of what we just did running down your thighs."
She sucks in a shocked breath as I reach between us and finger her
soaked, swollen pussy.
"You feel that?" I ask, rubbing our combined juices around her clit.
"Yes," she breathes.
"You want to sit at your desk, remembering how you ended up like this,
or do you want to go home and relive it? Again, and again, and again." I
suck her earlobe into my mouth and bite down.
 "M-maybe you’re right."
"Damn right I am. I'm not letting you out there without any panties.
This is mine, and mine only." I cup her, my middle finger slipping inside
her.
"Are we leaving, or are you taking me again? Because..." She grinds
down on my fingers.
"Let's go." I pull up my pants and allow her a few seconds to right
herself before I take her and drag her out of the closet and then out of
school.
"I need food," I state as I back out of the space.
"Why am I not surprised." She chuckles.
"Burgers? Then we can pick up supplies for the rest of the day."
"Supplies? What the hell are you planning?"
"Nothing that involves leaving my bedroom."
"I've created a monster," she mutters.
"Oh, babe, I'll make it worth your while, don't you worry."
I pull her closer and hold her tight as I drive to the burger place on the
other side of town.

"Shit, K. I didn't mean to..." My words trail off as I stare down at the
bruises on her hips.
"Con," she says, her voice low and husky. Reaching out, she tucks two
fingers under my chin and lifts my face to hers. "I love them."
"But they must hurt." She shakes her head, a coy smile playing on her
lips.
"I would have told you if they did. Trust me." I nod, desperately
wanting to believe her and push away the final few ghosts that are haunting
me. "Now, were you in the middle of something?" she asks, raising a brow.
I rip my eyes from her and run them down her naked body. Her chest
heaves, her rosy pink nipples needing to be sucked on despite the fact that
I’ve only just finished with them.
She notices my stare.
"Touch them," I demand.
 She doesn't even hesitate to follow my order. Her arms lift and her
hands cup her full breasts. A soft moan falls from her lips.
"Pinch." She does.
"Oh God," she moans, her head tipping back.
Desire from watching her pleasure herself has my cock impossibly hard.
"More, Conner. I need you."
Pushing her thighs wide, I stare down at her. Pink, glistening, and just
begging to be eaten.
"Fuck," she cries when I latch onto her clit. Her hands dive into my hair,
pulling at the lengths to drag me even closer.
"You taste so sweet," I murmur against her, knowing that the vibrations
of my voice will drive her crazy.
"More."
Sliding two fingers inside her, I find that spot that sends her to heaven
and don't stop until she's screaming.
The second she's done, I crawl up her body and claim her lips. Her nails
claw at my back as she tastes herself on me before she grabs my ass and
pulls me closer to where she needs me.
"Fuck me, Conner. Fuck me like you do in all your dirty dreams."
"You know about my dreams, babe?"
"I know about mine. I'm only assuming what yours are filled with."
"Fucking hell, you're perfect." I slide inside her, feeling at home once
more, but I don't do as she said. I don't fuck her. This time, I take things
slower, more gentle.
"Conner Jagger?" she asks. I pull my face from the crook of her neck,
where I was peppering her skin with kisses. Our eyes meet and something
crackles between us. "Are you making love to me?"
"Hell yeah, I am."
"Oh God." A ripple of pleasure rushes through her entire body. "I could
die a very happy girl right now," she whispers.
"Well, don't, please. We've got so much more of this to come.”

"Where are you going?" I ask when Kenny swings her legs from the edge of
her bed. I refused to let her up once I came inside her again, and we've
spent the past thirty minutes making out like teenagers as we roll around on
my bed.
I'm beyond hard for her again—obviously—but I think she probably
deserves a bit of a break.
"The bathroom, Con. Don't look so worried." Reaching back, she runs
her fingers over my cheek, her eyes softening. "I'll be right back."
"Okay."
When she does return, I'm sitting up in bed, the sheets pooled around
my waist and the TV on.
"I thought we could watch a movie, dive into the snacks."
"You're hungry? Of course you are," she mutters, reaching down to grab
one of my discarded shirts and pulling it over her head.
"You look hot in my clothes, K."
She smiles, but something on my desk catches her eye. When I follow
her stare, my stomach drops.
Plucking the envelopes from their hiding place, she holds them up to
me.
"Shouldn't you have sent these already?"
I swallow down my anxiety. "Yeah, but I haven't. Whatever. Come back
to bed, babe," I say in the hope it puts an end to the conversation.
"Nice try. Why haven't you sent them?" Excuses balance on the tip of
my tongue, but I know she'd see right through them. "Con, there are some
incredible colleges here. They'd be lucky to have you."
"Hmm... seriously, come here. I miss you." Pushing the sheets lower in
the hope my body will tempt her, I wait for her to decide.
Thankfully, she puts them back where she found them, but it seems it's
not the end of the conversation.
"What are you scared of?" she asks, coming to lay in front of me, her
hypnotizing eyes staring into mine.
"I—" The emotion in my throat cuts off my words. "I don't know what I
want. It's a big decision, potentially a big move. I just... don't know."
She smiles at me softly. "You don't think that's how everyone is feeling
right now?"
I shrug. "We were never meant to have these kinds of options. I never
thought I'd even apply, let alone..." I trail off.
"You deserve this, Conner. You deserve everything your new life can
give you. Don't run away from what could be the beginning of the rest of
your life. We'll post them tomorrow, together," she states, making my chest
ache.
"What about you?" I ask, lacing my arm around her back and pulling
her closer so our bodies are pressed together.
"Me? I don't even have a home, Con. You really think I've put any
thought into my future?"
"You do have a home," I argue. "Right here is where you belong."
"James might have helped me with school, but I can't expect anything
else from him."
"He'll do whatever I ask of him. He owes me. You want to go to college,
we'll make it happen."
"I'm not sure it's for me. And I'm sure you don't want me following you
like a lost puppy."
"Are you kidding? I would love to go together. We really could make up
for lost time then. Get an apartment together. Be like, a real couple."
"You're such a goof," she laughs, wrapping her hand around the back of
my neck and brushing her lips against mine.
After a few minutes we both rest our heads on the pillows, our noses
only a breath apart.
"Does it hurt?" Kenny asks, running her fingertip over my bruises.
"Not as long as you're touching me." She smiles at me before her face
drops.
"What? What's wrong?"
"What really happens now?"
"We finish school and plan our future."
"I'm eighteen in a few weeks, Con." I know what she's worried about,
but James isn't going to cut her off just because of her age. What I said
earlier is true. He'll help her as long as I ask him to.
"I have no home, no family, no nothing."
"You have a home and a family here. What more could you want?"
She swallows nervously and I hold her tighter. "He's going to come
back, you know that, right? His disappearing act, it's not going to last
forever."
The image of Warren's dad slumped on his trailer floor hits me.
"What?" Kenny asks, her voice quivering, I have no idea what she can
see on my face, but I know I can't keep this from her. I still have no idea if I
left him breathing or not.
"I... I think I might have killed his dad."

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Kennedy

I stare at Conner, my body vibrating at his words. “You did what?”

“The other night, after we... I went to the Heights. I was so fucking
angry, K. I didn’t even think about it, I just acted on impulse. I wanted it
to be him. I wanted it to be Warren, but he wasn’t there.”
“Conner...” My heart splinters, my pulse racing dangerously. “We need
to call someone. We need to find out if he’s okay.” Panic swells inside me
as I scramble off the bed to find my cell phone.
“Fuck,” he murmurs, tugging the ends of his hair. “I fucked up, I’m
sorry, I—”
“Shh.” I lift my finger at him as I dial Jay’s number. He answers on the
second ring.
“Yeah?”
“Jay, it’s me, Kennedy.”
“Kenny?” Surprise coats his voice. “How are—”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Okay.”
“Can you go check on Warren’s dad for me? I think he might be hurt...”
“What the fuck?”
“I can’t explain everything right now, but can you do it for me? Please. I
wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
 “Yeah, yeah, okay. I’ll head over there right now.”
The relief I feel barely touches the dread sitting heavy in my stomach.
“Call me when you get there. And Jay, be careful.”
I hang up, glancing back at Conner. He sits on the edge of the bed, the
blood drained from his face.
“Jay is going to go over there.”
“I didn’t mean... I was just...”
“Shh.” I go to him, letting him wrap his arms around my waist. “I’m
sure it will be okay.”
“What if it’s not? What if I... killed him?”
My eyes shutter as I inhale a ragged breath. Steeling myself, I gaze
down at him, brushing the hair out of his eyes. “Then we’ll figure it out,
together.”
“Yeah?” Hope sparkles in his eyes.
“Yeah. It’s you and me, Conner. Nothing will ever change that.”
He pulls me down on his lap, kissing me hard. I feel the tears streak
down his cheeks. “I just lost it,” he whispers against my lips. “I just saw red
and lost it.”
“Shh.” Touching my brow to his, I stare at his crushed expression. “You
should have told me.”
“I know, fuck, I know, but I just... I pushed it down and told myself
everything would be okay.”
“We’ll figure it out.” Silence envelops us as we sit there, waiting for Jay
to call.
When my cell finally rings, we both startle. My fingers tremble as I
bring it to my ear.
“Jay?”
“He’s okay. He’s passed out with a bottle of vodka, and I’m guessing
from the fresh sutures and bandages that someone stitched him up. But he’s
still breathing. Should I be worried?”
Relief slams into me as I mouth, “he’s okay,” to Conner. “No, but thank
you though. Was there any sign of Warren?”
“Nothing, but I told Conner I’d let him know the second we see or hear
anything.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“Kenny?” he says just as I’m about to hang up.
“Yeah?”
 “Everything is okay, right? Conner isn’t—”
He knows. Jay knows what happened.
Shit.
But he helped me. He helped Conner. He gets it.
We can trust him—I hope.
“He’s okay,” I say, admitting nothing aloud. “Thanks again.”
“Anytime.”
We say goodbye and hang up, and I throw my arms around Conner.
“He’s okay. He’s okay.”

The next morning, I wake before Conner. He looks so peaceful, lying there.
I don’t have the heart to wake him.
Gingerly climbing out of bed, I pull on the pajamas Hadley lent me last
night and grab one of Conner’s hoodies before slipping into the hall.
I follow the smell of coffee and pancakes, arriving in the kitchen. “So
you’re alive then?” Cole arches a brow, amusement playing on his lips.
“Alive? Why wouldn’t she be alive?”
My heart jumps into my throat at the sight of Mr. Jagger.
“I... uh, good morning.”
Cole silently chuckles and I discreetly flip him off, as his dad acts as if
it’s just business as usual.
“Is that son of mine coming down for breakfast?” he asks.
“I... he’s sleeping.”
Wow, this is awkward. I assumed he was out of town again. Sarah too.
But here he is, smiling at me knowingly.
“Relax, Kennedy. It’s good to see you here. We’ve all been worried
about Conner.” He and Cole share a look.
“He’s okay,” I say. “I think we’re going to be okay.”
“I’m pleased to hear it. Although I’d appreciate it if you could give him
a push to send off those college applications before he misses all of the
deadlines.”
“I’m working on it.” I accept the mug of coffee Hadley hands me.
“Thanks.”
She gives me a warm smile.
 “We’re actually going to Colton this weekend to check out some
apartments. You guys should come,” she says.
“Yeah?”
“Sounds good to me,” Cole agrees.
“Do you have plans for after graduation, Kennedy?” James asks.
“I haven’t given it much thought.” I can’t afford tuition, and my grades
aren’t good enough for a scholarship.
“Well, you should think about it. I imagine Conner will want you close
by, whenever he figures out his plan.”
I duck my head, heat creeping into my cheeks.
“Speak of the devil,” Cole says.
I feel Conner before I see him. He wraps an arm around my waist and
lowers his mouth to my ear. “You were gone.”
“I needed coffee.” I lift my mug.
“It’s good to see you smiling, Son.”
“Yeah, well, I have a lot to smile about.” He nuzzles my neck, and I
elbow him in the stomach.
“Conner, we have company.”
“So?”
“Interesting fact, Dad.” Cole smirks. “Ask Conner how classes were
yesterday.”
“Oh dear Lord, what happened now?”
“Trust me, Dad,” Conner says, “you don’t want to know.”
“Please try and avoid stirring anymore trouble with Principal Vager. He
already gets enough of my money.”
“At least we’re graduating soon,” Cole says, “and then you’ll be free of
us and all the drama that comes with us being here.”
“Cole,” sadness clings to James’ words, “you know I don’t feel like
that.”
Hadley catches my eye, and I know I’m not the only who feels like a
voyeur looking in on their intimate moment.
“Something smells good.” Ace and Remi enter the kitchen through the
back door. They’re already dressed for school.
“Hmm, pancakes?” Remi goes straight for the plate. “Where’s my
mom?”
“She’s still sleeping. We had a late night.” James tugs at his collar.
“Whoa, too much information.” Remi balks.
 “Thank fuck we’re in the pool house,” Ace grumbles.
“Yes, well... I should probably be going. I have a breakfast meeting. Try
and stay out of trouble please.”
“Roger that.” Conner salutes his dad, tucking me into his side as he
guides me over to the kitchen island.
James leaves and Cole lets out a heavy sigh. “Is anyone else picturing
all kinds of wrong things right now?”
“Do you think my mom is okay?” Remi frowns. “She doesn’t usually
miss work.”
“Maybe she can’t walk.” Conner howls with laughter.
“Oh my God, don’t say that.” She gags. “Why would you say that? Now
all I can think about is them... doing it.”
“James and Sarah, fucking in a tree... f-u-c-k—”
I clap a hand over Conner’s mouth, fighting a smile. He’s happy this
morning, lighter. Hopefully it means we’ve turned a corner. Although as I
sit there with my boyfriend’s brothers and their girlfriends, eating breakfast,
I can’t help but think it’s the calm before the storm.
Because nothing this good lasts forever.

We manage to stay in school for the whole day. We spend every second we
can making out, in the hall up against the locker banks, in the cafeteria to
the moans and groans of Cole, Ace, and the girls. Conner even sneaks us
into the closet again and makes me come all over his tongue.
Lylah and Marissa and their bitch crew watch us, their lips twisted with
disgust. But I ignore them. Nothing is going to spoil this.
Hadley waits for me at the end of the day to walk back to the dorms
together.
“Are you excited about the weekend?” she asks me.
“Yeah, I’m hoping it’ll give a Conner a push to make a decision about
college.”
“You know, he’s probably waiting for you to figure out what you want.”
“College isn’t in the cards for me, Hads.” My stomach knots. “I can’t
afford it.”
“You know James would—”
 “He’s already done too much. I can’t take anything else from him. It
doesn’t feel right. Besides, I’ve never really wanted to do the whole college
thing. I think I’ll be happy getting a job, or maybe doing something
vocational at community college.”
“I love working at Java Beans. Maybe I can ask Hilary if she could find
you a couple of shifts?”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I wouldn’t mind. Besides, it would be kind of fun to work together.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I grimace. It isn’t that I don’t want to work and earn my
way, but I know what people around the Bay think when they see me.
We reach our dorm building. “I was thinking we could hang out later?
Cole mentioned they’re having a guys’ night, so I invited Remi over. She’s
going to sneak some wine coolers in and a batch of Ellen’s cookies. It’ll be
fun.”
“Maybe. I was going to catch up on some schoolwork.”
“Seriously, Kennedy? You just told me you don’t care about college.”
“I didn’t say that.” Not exactly.
“I’d really like it if you came. I know Remi would too.”
My brows pinch. I’m not sure about that. She and I haven’t always seen
eye to eye since I arrived in the Bay.
“Remi is good people, Kennedy. You can trust her.”
“I’ll think about it.” We make our way upstairs, but the second I spot
my door, my spine goes rigid.
“Kennedy?” Hadley asks when she realizes I’ve stilled.
“My door is open.”
“Huh, that’s weird. Maybe you left it unlocked by accident.”
“No, I didn’t. I specifically remember checking it.” I creep forward, my
heart thundering in my chest.
“Maybe we should get security?” she suggests, but I’m already at the
door. There’s no sign of forced entry. I push it open and slip inside.
Everything looks untouched. My bed is still half-made and clothes strewn
around the floor. I never claimed to be tidy.
“Anything?” Hadley moves up behind me.
“Everything looks okay,” I say, checking my sparse belongings. But
when I pass the bathroom door, something catches my eye.
I nudge open the door and gasp.
“Kennedy—what the hell is that?”
 “Watch your back, trailer trash.” I read the red lipstick message smeared
across the glass mirror hanging above the sink.
“Oh my God, she’s a crazy fucking bitch.” Hadley leans closer. “She
even kissed the mirror.”
Sure enough, there’s a perfect red kiss just beneath the message.
“Lylah.” I spit her name, feeling anger explode in my veins.
“I’m going to call Conner.”
“No,” I snap.
“No?” Hadley frowns.
“I don’t want to give her the satisfaction. She’s never going to stop,
Hadley. The only way I’ll win is if I ignore her.”
“Yeah, I get that, Kennedy. But she broke into your room. That’s
serious.”
“For all I know the RA probably let her in, or she sweet talked someone
into giving her a spare key.”
“She’s such a bitch.”
“Yeah.” I inhale a deep breath.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call Conner?”
“No,” I rush out.
He’s finally in a good place, I don’t want to burst his bubble. Besides,
it’s just words. I’ve dealt with worse, much worse.
I grab some paper towels, run them under the faucet, and start cleaning
the glass. A sense of resolve washes over me as the red smudges finally
disappear.
Nothing is going to ruin this weekend.
Nothing.

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 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Conner

"W hat do you think?" I ask as we sit on a bench that looks out over
Colton U's main buildings.
Since the moment we drove into town, I understood why Cole felt so at
home here, because I did too. It's not as flashy as Sterling Bay, and the
people aren't so wealthy and pretentious. It's relaxed, homey even.
"It's nice."
"It's nice, is that it?" I ask with a laugh, but it's forced at best. Kenny
isn't herself today. I can't quite put my finger on why. She keeps telling me
that she's fine, but she's not. She's worried about something.
"It's a nice place; the college looks incredible. It would be a great place
to live if you decided to go here."
"What about you?"
"Conner," she sighs. "This isn't about me. I don't have prospects like
you. You decide what you want, what will make you happy, and I'll just tag
along, I guess."
"You make it sound like a chore."
She turns to me, placing her warm hand on my thigh. "It's not a chore,
Conner. I want to be wherever you are. It's just a big step, I guess. Having
to uproot my life once again is daunting."
 "Everything is going to be okay, K." I wrap my arm around her shoulder
and pull her into my side, kissing the top of her head. "As long as we're
together. Everything is going to be okay."
Silence falls over us. It's not awkward, but it's not entirely comfortable
either. It's a far cry from the fun-loving Kennedy I was enjoying so much
yesterday.
It's just the reality of the future, I tell myself, although there's something
deep down that knows that’s bullshit. I know Kenny. I know her better than
I know myself at times, and something is going on.
She shivers in my arms. "Shall we go and get a coffee?"
"Yeah, that sounds good. How long until we meet Cole and Hadley for
dinner?"
I pull my cell from my pocket and check the time. "Two hours."
"Okay." Hand in hand, we walk back along the track until we find a
coffee house and slip inside.
"Do you think everyone will think I'm a pussy if I follow Cole here?"
"You're really considering it, huh?"
"Yeah, I think so. I mean, I haven’t visited any other colleges yet, I just
went off their websites and reputation for my applications. Where I go isn't
really an issue. When I was in the Heights, I wanted to get as far away as
possible, but now, I feel like I've got a family, a proper home for the first
time, and a big part of me doesn't want to lose that."
"That's understandable. It's a great college. I'm sure no one would think
you followed. It offers you great opportunities as well."
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they say. We need to get
you an application." All the blood drains from her face at my comment.
"I... I don't think it's for me. I might look at community college or
something. This..." she gestures outside the window. "I don't think it's my
thing."
"You're just scared, K. Apply, there's no harm in trying. You'll only
regret it if the deadline passes and you didn't at least give it a shot.
"Yeah, okay. Maybe."
She reaches for her mug and lifts it to her lips, effectively cutting off
our conversation.
Silence falls over our table, and the dread I've been feeling all day
returns. It's like Kenny built up a wall overnight, and I'm starting from
square one again.
 We sit and watch the students and locals who come in and out of the
coffee shop until it's time to go and meet the others for dinner.
I'd wanted to take Kenny out, just the two of us, but Hadley had other
ideas and insisted we double date, or whatever the hell it is.
I was reluctant to agree until she mentioned she'd booked a table at a
steakhouse and that the plates were bigger than I could even imagine. That
convinced me that maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
I know things are a little strained still between Kenny and Hadley. I see
the way Kenny looks between Hads and me when we joke and laugh
together. Despite the fact that she now knows exactly what went down that
night, she still seems threatened by our closeness. I just hope that as time
goes on, she realizes that there really isn't anything between us because my
heart has only ever known one girl, and that’s her. Hadley is as good as my
sister, there's no other way to describe how I feel about her. There's no risk
of us ever taking things too far. Been there, done that, almost got a black
eye from Cole to show for it.
Thankfully, Cole and Hadley have had a much better day than we have.
It's clear by the wide smiles on their faces as we meet them out the front of
the restaurant, but as we sit down and they start excitedly talking about the
apartments they visited and show us pictures they've taken, it's more
obvious than ever that things are off between Kenny and me.
We should be that excited about our futures. Kenny should be excited to
really embark on a life that she gets to choose, but she seems totally
dejected. Even as Hadley shows her image after image on her cell, her smile
and excitement are fake.
Her dejected attitude totally kills my appetite, and I even struggle to
finish my steak, much to everyone's surprise. I'm just not feeling it. All I
want to do is get Kenny back to her room and hope that things improve, that
she'll return to her normal self once it's just the two of us behind closed
doors.
By the time we leave the excited love birds in the elevator to find our
room a floor below theirs, I'm damn near desperate for Kenny to tell me that
everything is okay.
As the day has gone on, I’ve felt her slipping further and further away
from me.
Pushing open our hotel room door, I let her go through. But the second
we're both inside, I snag her wrist and push her up against the wall. My hips
pin her in place as my arms cage her in.
"K, I'm worried about you. Talk to me please."
"You don't need to be worried, Con." Her eyes soften as they look into
mine and I begin to relax. "I just... I know it's stupid, but I feel like I'm
being left behind. You three have these insane lives ahead of you and I
just... well... don't."
"K, babe, you can have anything you want. Your past, where you come
from, what you've been through… it doesn't have to define your future, the
rest of your life. It's okay to break free from it and want something better."
"I know that, I do. I don't know, I'm just being silly. I'm just a bit
hormonal or something, I don't know."
"A lot has happened, K. There's nothing wrong with feeling anxious
about the future. But I'm here, whatever you decide, whatever you want, all
you've got to do is tell me and we'll face it together. We're a team, you and
me. We face the future together."
She swallows almost nervously before nodding. Her lips curl into a
smile which is the most genuine I've seen all day. I can't help but return it.
"We're good, yeah?"
"Yeah, Con," she says, lifting her hand to my cheek. "We're good. I love
you."
My chest constricts. It's the first time she's said the words since we were
in the storage closet at school on Thursday. I was starting to think she only
said it because I demanded it of her. I don't realize how much it was
bothering me until I hear the words.
"I love you too, babe. Want me to show you how much?"
I brush my lips against hers, pressing her harder into the wall so she has
no choice but to feel what her closeness does to me.
"That would be nice."
"Nice?" I chuckle. "Is that your word of the day or something?"
"Less talking, Con. More action, eh?"
Lifting her, I wrap her legs around my waist and pull her from the wall.
"Better?" I ask, squeezing her ass in my hands and plunging my tongue
into her parted lips.
"Uh-huh."
I lower her down on the bed and crawl over her body, not breaking our
kiss for a second.
 "I'm going to fucking devour you," I warn against the soft skin of her
neck.
"Ah, so that's why you left some dinner. Saving room?"
"No, I was worried about you. But now I know you're okay, I'm
suddenly ravenous." I pull the neck of her shirt down and nibble on her
collarbone. "Clothes are in the way."
Lifting her, I push her jacket from her shoulders before pulling her t-
shirt up and throwing it across the room.
"Better," I whisper, staring down at her lace-covered breasts.
I push her shoulders a little harsher than probably necessary and watch
as she falls back down, her chest heaving temptingly.
"Fuck, you're so beautiful, K."
"Con, please don't just sit there staring."
I nod and jump from the bed.
"Wait... what?” She frowns. “That wasn't what I meant."
"Babe, you're half-naked on the bed, I'm going nowhere." I strip out of
my own clothes in record time before wrapping my hands around the
waistband of her leggings and pulling them, her panties and her boots off
her legs.
Launching myself on the bed, I lie down beside her.
"Up you go." I tilt my chin in the hope that she gets my intention.
"Up..."
"I wanna eat you out, K. Get up here and ride my fucking face."
"Oh, okay, yeah." Her cheeks flush, and it's so fucking cute I can't stand
it.
Reaching out, I grip her hips and lift her over me. The second her pussy
is above my mouth, I push my tongue inside her.
"Oh fuck."
"Hold on, babe. Things are about to get wild."
Her fingers wrap around the headboard as I lick up to her clit. Her
thighs tremble on either side of my head and my grip on her tightens as I
lower her even more, sucking her into my mouth, nipping at her sensitive
skin with my teeth until she screams.
"Fuck, that was intense," Kenny whispers as she comes down from her
high.
"Fucking right."
 She crawls down my body until the heat of her pussy burns my length.
"Now it's my turn." With a sexy wink, Kenny takes my length in her fist and
guides me to her entrance.
We both groan as she sinks down as far as she can go, impaling herself
on my cock.
"So good. So fucking good. This feeling will never get old."
"Conner," she cries, circling her hips, making sure I hit that magical
place deep inside her.
"Ride me, babe. Let me see you take what you need." And she does, she
lifts almost all the way off me before dropping back down, making her eyes
roll back in pleasure.
"Lose the bra. I need to see all of you."
Kenny does as she's told, and in seconds she's totally naked before me,
her tits bouncing as she rides me.
"I must have died and gone to fucking heaven," I mutter, my eyes
locked on her.
How was I so lucky to get this after all the ways I've fucked up?
We both come simultaneously before she falls down onto the bed, a
boneless mess. But I don't let up, I roll straight on top of her and kiss her
until she's writhing beneath me, desperate for another release.
Pushing her legs wide, I slide back inside her heat. I keep it slow this
time, neither of us needing to race toward our climax. It's about more than
pleasure. It's about us and our connection.
"I love you, Con. I need you to know that I really love you."
"I know, babe." I rub my thumb over her cheek as a tear falls from her
eye.
"Babe, please don't cry."
"I'm sorry, it's just... all this. You, us, it's... everything. I love you so
much, Conner."
"It's how it always should have been, babe." We kiss until our releases
roll through us. It isn't as violent as the first, but it's no less intense.
We finally fall asleep in a tangle of limbs sometime before two a.m. and
after countless orgasms each. I drift off feeling happier and more hopeful
than I have all day.
We're okay. Kenny is okay. We're going to be okay. Whatever the future
holds, we'll face it together as one.
 I squeeze her tighter right before I drift off, whispering how much I love
her before darkness and exhaustion claims me.

I awake with a start the next morning. I don't know why, but something
doesn't feel right.
Pushing up on my elbow, I look at the other side of the bed. It's late
enough that the sun is already high in the sky and lighting up the room,
allowing me to see that it's empty.
My eyes lift to the bathroom, assuming it's where she must be, but the
door is open and there's no noise coming from inside.
"K?" I ask, but only silence greets me.
My heart starts to race as dread once again settles in my stomach.
We're in a hotel. She can't just leave.
Pushing from the bed, I don't get any further than swinging my legs
over the edge, because there's a note on my nightstand.
Plucking it from the side, I unfold it and stare down at her handwriting.
My heart drops into my feet and my world turns upside down.

I love you Conner.

I always will.
But I can’t do this.
I’m sorry.
Kx

Keep reading for Kennedy and Conner’s story, Temper Him

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TEMPER HIM

OceanofPDF.com
REBELS AT STERLING PREP BOOK 6

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ONE

Kennedy

M y body trembles as I sit here, watching Conner sleep. He looks so

peaceful, so innocent. I trace the profile of his face, imprinting this
moment and one of the best nights of my life to memory.
Conner loved me again and again, showing me just how good it could
be between us.
But this is it.
I know I can’t stay a second longer, even though I never want to leave.
Forcing myself to stand, I glance at Conner one last time. “I’m sorry,” I
whisper, silent tears trickling down my cheeks.
Backing away slowly, I tiptoe across the room and drop the handwritten
note onto the nightstand. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but when you
love someone, you make sacrifices for them.
You protect them.
And there isn’t a single thing I wouldn’t do for the boy sleeping soundly
in that bed.
Conner Jagger isn’t only my best friend, he’s my everything. My small
slice of heaven in a world full of darkness and pain.
My hands tremble as I open the door and slip into the hall. It’s late, the
middle of the night, so I don’t meet any other guests as I make my way
downstairs. Every step away from our room is like another shot to my heart,
and I know by the time I make it out onto the sidewalk, there will be
nothing left.
I scan the reception, hoping to avoid a scene with the night worker.
Thankfully, it’s empty and I hurry past the desk. But I pause at the last
second.
Maybe I don’t have to do this.
Maybe if I just tell Conner what’s happening, he and his brothers and
James can figure out a different way.
No.
I owe them this.
They’ve been nothing but good to me since I arrived in the Bay.
I won’t be the reason their lives are thrown into chaos again.
Drying my eyes with the back of my sleeve, I take a shuddering breath.
I can do this.
It’s nothing I haven’t endured already before.
Conner saved me, but now it’s my turn to save him and his family.
As I step outside and let the darkness swallow me, I tell myself I’m
okay with that.

“Kennedy, thank fuck.” Warren stalks toward me, pulling my shivering

body into his arms. I go rigid, silently willing my heart to calm down.
His touch is like ice, freezing me from the inside out, but I force myself
to stay still, to accept his offer of comfort.
Not that his arms ever made me feel safe.
“I’ve missed you, baby. I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He holds me
at arm’s length, his eyes moving over my face and down my body.
Something flashes in his eyes and I wonder if he can smell Conner on
me, but then his expression morphs into one of relief. “Jagger?” He spits the
word.
“Sleeping.”
“You did good, baby. So good.” He curves his hand around my neck and
kisses my forehead. “Let’s get you home, shall we?”
Home.
 The word is like a knife to the stomach. But I try to make my face say
otherwise as I muster the best smile I can. “I’d like that.”
Warren doesn’t let me go, guiding me to his beat-up Chevy. The streets
of Colton are quiet, no one around to witness my escape.
Not that it matters.
When Conner wakes up and sees my note, everything will change.
Pain coils around my heart, and I smother a whimper. Warren glances
down at me but I pretend not to notice, keeping my eyes on the sidewalk.
“In you go, baby.” He opens the door and coaxes me inside. The second
the door closes, the air leaves my lungs and everything grows small around
me. The urge to run saturates my veins.
I can’t do this.
I can’t go back there...
But I have to.
This is bigger than just me now.
Tears threaten to fall again, but I blink them away, desperately trying to
get a rein on my emotions before Warren climbs into the car.
His door opens and he folds his big body inside. Letting out a steady
breath, he turns to me, a wolfish grin tugging at his lips. “Back where she
belongs,” he murmurs, roughly grabbing my hand pulling me along the
bench to him. “These last few weeks have been... shit, Ken, you really
scared me there for a second.”
“Y-you left me.” I force out the words.
“I know.” He exhales again, banging his fist gently against the steering
wheel. “But it’s okay now. I’m here, and you’re safe. And I’m never letting
you go again.”
Warren stares down at me, his expression one of dark promise. For a
second, I think he’s going to kiss me; to my relief, he doesn’t.
He fires up the engine and the car rumbles to life. “Ready?” he asks me,
and I nod.
Even though I’m silently screaming “No.”

The ride back to Sterling Heights feels like forever. Warren keeps my hand
in a death grip, refusing to let me go. He’s quiet, stewing on whatever
thoughts are running through his mind.
The air in the car is thick, and I find it hard to breathe. Or maybe that’s
just fear as we get closer and closer to the Heights.
“You know my old man has been real worried about you too, baby.”
I freeze at the mention of Warren’s dad.
“Got himself into a right state about it.” He squeezes my hand so tight I
have no choice but to meet his gaze.
“He did?” I play dumb.
“Yeah. Had one too many and got into a fight with a door, stupid
fucking idiot.” Something in his tone tells me he doesn’t believe a word of
it, and my stomach clenches in fear for Conner.
“Is he okay?”
“He’ll live.” Something flashes in his eyes.
“Warren, the road.” I need him to stop looking at me. I can’t breathe
with his evil, soulless gaze trained on my face, searching for my sins.
“Relax, baby,” he chuckles. “I know this place like the back of my
hand.” Warren lets the car swerve a couple of times, laughing as my hands
grip the dashboard to steady myself.
He’s crazy.
Completely and utterly certifiable.
I steel my spine, pressing my lips together. My heart beats wildly
against my chest, making me a little light-headed.
It’s still the middle of the night. Conner won’t wake up for at least
another four hours. He won’t know I’m gone.
“Baby, what is it?” Warren’s thumb jams against the soft flesh of my
cheek.
“I’m just tired,” I lie.
It’s something I’ll need to be good at if I’m going to stand any chance of
surviving this.
As Warren navigates the familiar streets of the Heights, I try to
assimilate all my memories of the last few weeks and lock them away
tightly in the recess of my mind where he’ll never be able to corrupt them.
By the time the car crawls down the road winding through the trailer
park, I feel better.
Stronger.
I feel ready to endure this nightmare.
 So long as I’m here and Warren is mollified, Conner is safe. His family
is safe.
It’s enough.
It has to be.

There’s no sign of Mitch, Warren’s dad, as we enter the trailer. It reeks of

sweat and liquor, the smell almost overpowering as I fight the urge to retch.
“Come on, baby.” Warren drags me toward his bedroom, and it takes
everything I have not to tear out of his grip and run.
I can do this.
All I have to do is separate my mind and body.
Warren’s room is tidy, a damn sight different to the rest of the trailer. He
wastes no time dragging his hoodie and t-shirt off his body, revealing his
muscular arms and broad shoulders. His stomach is shredded, tanned taut
skin pulled over his long torso.
He grins. “I’ve missed you, baby.”
Bile rushes up my throat, but I swallow it down.
Oh God. This is happening.
This is really happening.
Memories of the last time we were together assault my mind. Angry
words and clenched fists.
“Hey, Ken, what is it?” He crosses the small room to me. “What’s
wrong?” He cups my face almost tenderly. But Warren doesn’t know how to
be soft. It’s all a game, an act, his messed-up brain tricking him into playing
a role.
“I told you, I’m just tired.” The lie sours on my tongue as I try to meet
his stare.
“You’re safe now, baby. I’m not going to let anything hurt you again. I
promise. Come on, let’s go to bed.”
My eyes flutter closed of their own volition. When I force them open
again, he’s still watching me, still staring at me like I’m the thing he both
loves most in the world... and hates.
But Warren doesn’t know how to love.
I learned that the hard way.
 He starts undressing me, meticulously stripping the clothes from my
body as I stand there, rooted to the spot.
“So fucking beautiful.” His fingers brush the curve of my breasts,
lingering. I glance down to find him staring at the little cluster of bite
marks.
Fuck.
My blood turns to ice.
“I can—"
“I’ll never let him hurt you again, baby. Never.”
Warren scoops me up in his arms and carries me to his bed, pulling back
the covers and laying me down. His touch is all gentle and wrong. At least
when he’s hurting me, I know where I stand.
My body begins to tremble again as he climbs in beside me and pulls
me into his arms.
“Baby, you’re shaking.”
“I-I’m cold.”
“Come here, I’ve got you.” He rolls me over, tucking me against his
chest. His arms tighten around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.
His body plastered against mine has me biting my cheek. I can feel him
hard and ready at my back.
Oh God... this is really happening.
“Fuck, I’ve missed this.” He says the words so softly it would be easy to
believe them—if he hadn’t destroyed my soul time and time again.
We lie there in heavy silence. For a second, I think Warren has fallen
asleep. But then his fingers begin to brush my stomach.
Fear grips me in a chokehold as I silently pray that he won’t try and take
it any further.
I’m not ready.
Not now, not tonight.
Not when Conner was inside me, loving me, less than a few hours ago.
Tears roll down my cheeks and this time, I let them. He can’t see me,
and I can’t hold them in any longer.
Warren presses a kiss to my shoulder. “Baby?” he whispers, but I don’t
answer.
Hopefully, he’ll think I’ve fallen asleep.
Hopefully, he’ll give me time to readjust to being back.
“Ken?”
 I hold my breath, willing him to stop. His hand slides down to my navel
and I want to claw my skin off at his touch. He glides lower, covering my
pussy with his hand. “I’ll never let him touch you again, baby,” he
murmurs, and I can’t figure out if he’s talking to me or himself.
“You’re mine, Kennedy. Mine. And I’ll never let you out of my sight
again.”

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 CHAPTER TWO

Conner

T he note flutters from my fingers as disbelief washes through me.

No.
I'm dreaming. I have to be.
My fists curl, my nails digging into my palms, but the pain shooting up
my arms tell me what I don't want to accept.
I'm awake, and this is real.
"NOOO." The roar that rips from my lips doesn't sound like my voice as
it echoes around the empty room.
Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around the first thing I can. I pull at the
lamp on the nightstand so hard that the cable rips from the back seconds
before it shatters against the opposite wall, the ceramic base falling to the
floor into jagged shards, just like my fucking life.
It does fuck all to help the crater of darkness that's opened up inside me.
The nightstand is next, followed by every piece of furniture in the room
that's not nailed down.
My chest heaves and my breaths race past my lips as I continue to rain
havoc down on the room.
I don't stop until there’s a knock at the door.
"Sir, is everything okay?"
 I ignore them. Instead, I reach for my boxers and sweatpants and pull
them up my legs.
Blood drips from my knuckles from where they collided with the wall,
but I don't feel the pain. All I can feel is my heart ripping in two.
After last night, how could she just walk away like that? How could
she...
"Warren," I breathe, realization slamming into me.
There's no way she'd have walked away from me. Not while we're here.
She wouldn't.
I fall down on the edge of the bed, surrounded by destruction as all my
concerns from yesterday come rushing back.
She was so distant, so... not herself.
This was why. She knew she was going to do this.
My fists curl once more.
I'm going to kill that motherfucker. Blood roars in my ears so loud that I
don't hear the hotel room door open or people rush inside.
"Sir. Sir. Sir..." It's not until someone waves in front of my face that I
realize there are people standing before me.
Two security guards and a sheepish looking hotel worker stare down at
me as if I'm about to explode any second.
"We need you to come with us, sir."
The two massive guys take an arm each and I'm practically dragged out
of the room and toward the elevator.
"You can let go, you know," I seethe, ripping my arms out of their hold.
They're both silent behind me as we descend through the hotel, heading
for wherever the fuck they're taking me.
The elevator doors open and I'm pushed out.
"What the fuck?" I look up the second the voice hits my ears to find
Cole and Hadley staring at me with their chins dropped. "What the fuck
have you done?" Cole asks, stepping forward and releasing Hadley.
"Let's go," one of the security guards bark. "Officers will be here
shortly."
"Officers? Conner?"
"Just leave it," I growl at him, allowing the guards to pull me down the
hall.
"Cole, do something," Hadley shrieks before his footsteps follow us.
 I fall down into a chair in an office and immediately drop my head into
my hands.
"Call off the police. We'll cover the cost of whatever he's done." Cole
says more, but I tune him out, preferring to drown in my own misery.
The door eventually closes before I feel Cole’s stare turn on me.
"Talk."
"Fuck you," I bark.
"Nah, you're good. I'm kinda worn out from last night, if I'm honest.
Thought you would be too after a night with your girl."
My teeth grind as his attempts to get me talking begin to work.
"Shut up, Cole."
"No can do, motherfucker. I need to know why James is going to have
to dig you out of this shit."
"She's gone, all right?" I shout, standing with such force that the chair
clatters to the floor behind me. "She's fucking gone."
I look up at Cole as the color drains from his face.
"Gone? Gone where?"
"Back to him," I seethe.
"Fuck off, no she hasn't. You're jumping to conclusions."
"Am I? She left a fucking note. She's gone."
"A note telling you she was going back to that fucker?" Confusion
clouds his eyes.
I think back to the words on that piece of paper and my stomach turns
over. "Basically."
His shoulders tense and his lips press into a thin line. "Well, let's go and
fucking get her back."
"I..." I trail off, the realization slamming into me that going back might
be what she wants.
Staggering back, I collide with the wall and slide down until my ass hits
the floor.
My world spins.
She's gone.
The one thing—the one person—I've wanted more than anything has
just walked away like what we had meant nothing.
"You're giving up?" Cole asks, disbelief coating his words.
"I don't know what the fuck I'm doing, Cole. Everything since she
turned up has been fucked up beyond belief. She didn't even want to be in
the Bay. She was only there because Jay thought it was the best place to
leave her after what happened to her on New Year’s."
"You really think she didn't want you? You're fucking delusional, man.
That girl loves you."
"Does she?" I ask, jumping to my feet and stepping into his space.
"Does it fucking look like she loves me?" My voice is so low that I'm not
even sure if he hears it.
"If he's involved in this, then she didn't go voluntarily, and you know
it."
"Well, it doesn't look like she tried to fucking stop it." My hands slam
against his chest, and he takes a step back, but I don't allow him any space. I
need this right now. I need to fight to help numb the pain.
"I know what you're doing."
"Yeah? So give me what I need."
He shakes his head.
"You're different, you know that? She's turned you into a fucking
pussy," I seethe, getting so close our noses are almost touching.
"Jealous?"
That one word is like fuel on the fire already raging inside me.
Wrapping my fist around Cole's shirt, I pull my arm back. I'm just about to
throw my first of many punches when the door opens.
"Conner," Hadley gasps, her soft voice the reality check I need. I release
Cole and turn my back on both of them. "It's okay. Conner's just venting."
"It's James. He says it's urgent."
Tension crackles around the room before Cole's voice cuts through the
silence.
"Yeah. Yes. Yes. Okay. We're coming back now. Okay."
Spinning on my heels, I pin him with a look. "What the fuck was that?"
"We need to go home. Shit's going down."
"What shit?"
"I don't know, he refused to tell me until we're there."
"This to do with K?"
"I assume so. He's paying for your damages. Get fucking dressed and
meet us at the car."
Thirty minutes later, I'm walking toward Cole's car. He already has the
engine running and ready to leave. I throw my bag across the back seat
before falling down and tipping my head back.
"Everything's going to be okay, Con," Hadley soothes.
"Shut up."
"Conner," Cole growls.
"What? You wanna get back out and teach me a lesson on how to talk to
your girl?" I ask, lifting my head and locking my eyes with his. "Then let's
go, motherfucker."
He shakes his head at me, looks back to the road, and floors the
accelerator. "You're a prick."
"Fuck you."
The drive back to the Bay is silent and tense as fuck. My fingers drum
on my knee the entire time with my need to do something to expel the
energy that's buzzing inside me.
I need to break that motherfucker's neck.
The second Cole's car rolls to a stop outside the house, I jump out,
jogging up the stairs and ripping the front door open.
"He's in his office. What the fuck is going on?" Ace asks the second I
step inside, as if he was waiting.
Ignoring him, I storm past, my shoulder colliding with his as I pass.
"I'll ask Cole then, eh?"
Two sets of footsteps follow me up the stairs, but neither of them says
anything as I swing Dad's office door open without knocking.
"Son, thank you for—"
"Where the fuck is she?"
He looks at me from his desk, his face as always a mask of calm. How
can he always be so unaffected by everything?
"Take a seat, all of you."
"What the hell is going on?" I demand, refusing to follow orders when
the other two drop to the couch on the opposite side of his desk.
"I received something this morning. Something of concern." Dad's eyes
flick to Cole for a beat before coming back to mine. "It seems someone has
been looking at us a little too closely. They know... some things that I'd
rather they didn't."
"You want to stop talking in fucking riddles?"
Dad's eyes once again find Cole. "I'm sorry, Son. It's time."
 Cole nods once, swallowing almost nervously before he looks at Ace
and then me. "I killed Charlie," he blurts.
I take a step back. "You what?" I ask, not believing what I'm hearing.
"After we found out what he'd done to Remi and Sarah. I… I killed
him."
"But you came home with us," Ace says, staring at Cole like he
suddenly doesn't recognize him. "You went to bed,” he adds.
"I went back out. Donny tipped me off as to where he was, and I put a
bullet through the cunt’s head."
My lips part, but I find I don't have any words. Instead, I back up until I
find a chair.
"You killed him?" Ace repeats.
"He touched your girl, Ace. He ruined our lives. Fucker deserved it."
"I can't deny that. But you fucking killed him. You risked everything for
that cunt."
"Yeah, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"Okay." I hold up a hand to cut them off. I can't deal with the fact that
my twin brother killed the man we thought was our dad but was actually
our uncle right now. It's too much. All of this is too fucking much. "What
the hell has this got to do with Kennedy?"
“What I received this morning was a threat. A threat which I believe
came from Warren."
My chin drops once more.
"I'm going to fucking kill him." I'm at the door in a heartbeat.
"Conner, no," Dad's voice booms, halting my movement. "I'm afraid it's
not that simple, Son."
"Why the fuck not? He doesn't get to blackmail us. He's nothing but a
fucking rapist. Scum like him don't deserve to breathe our fucking air."
"I couldn't agree more. But it's not just Cole's... indiscretion that he
knows about."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you can't go in there all guns blazing, because we're likely to
be the ones who lose. He knows too much."
"Too much of what?"
"Things I can’t tell you right now."
"But it was okay to tell us that our brother is a murderer,” I snipe.
"You need to trust me."
 "Trust you? He's got my fucking girl, and the last time she was
anywhere near him, he..." My stomach turns over before my fist connects
with the wall. "I won't let you stop me from protecting her."
"Conner," he breathes. "Trust me when I tell you that your safety is at
the top of my priority list right now. Yours and hers. If you go storming in
there, you're going to cause more harm than good."
"So what am I meant to do? Wait for her to be delivered here again,
black and blue? Or worse..." I shudder, not even wanting to think about it.
"He needs to be fucking taken down."
"He will be, Conner. But it needs to be my way."

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

Kennedy

I wake suddenly. My body is frozen in place, Warren’s big, tatted arm

roped around my waist.
Anyone else might think it’s a sign of affection, but I know better.
He is literally caging me to the bed with his big body, holding on for life as
if he plans to make good on his promise to never let me go again.
Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but crying won’t get me anywhere.
Gingerly peeling his arm off my body, I manage to slip out of Warren’s
grasp and climb out of bed. I need to pee, and then I need to figure out what
the hell I’m going to do.
But as I slip out of the bedroom, pain racks through me. Conner will
know by now. He’ll know and he’ll hate me for it.
I swallow a fresh wave of tears. I have to do this. I have to protect
Conner and his family or it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.
I always knew getting out of the Heights was nothing more than a
dream. This—the Heights, this stinking rotten trailer... Warren—it’s my
destiny.
And there’s no escaping destiny.
No matter how hard you try.
“Kennedy?” Warren’s dad, Mitch, squints at me through bloodshot eyes.
“Didn’t expect to see you here again.”
He drags his body over to the breakfast counter and uncaps the bottle of
whiskey on the side, taking a long pull.
Just the sight of him standing there in his dirty wife beater and baggy
pants makes me want to vomit.
“Seriously, old man.” Warren appears and ropes an arm around my
neck, pulling me back to him. “Where’d you go?” He nips my neck,
sending a shudder through me.
“I needed coffee.” I motion to the coffee pot.
“Make me one, yeah?” Warren slaps my ass before padding over to the
threadbare couch. “You should try one, Mitch. Fuck knows, you might like
it.”
“Quit bitchin’. There’s nothing wrong with a little pick-me-up before
breakfast.”
“Speaking of breakfast,” Warren adds, “be a good girl and run to the
store for us? There’s some cash in my wallet. Actually,” a dark expression
washes over him, “I’ll drive you.”
The seed of hope withers and dies in my chest. For a second, I thought
Warren might let me go alone. But I see the possession in his eyes as he
stands and grabs his keys.
“Get me a bottle,” Mitch says.
“Get your own bottle, old man.” Warren holds out his hand to me. I
drain my coffee and slide my palm against his. His touch is all wrong, but I
swallow down the painful memories.
Warren is a predator. If you show even an ounce of fear, he’ll pounce.
The second we step out of the trailer, I inhale a deep breath, relishing
the cool air. Inside the trailer it’s like a cesspit, but out here it’s fresh and
clean, even if there’s a permanent hint of weed in the air.
“In you go.” Warren yanks open the door and waits for me to climb
inside.
He’s relaxed, too damn relaxed. His composure unnerves me. I know
Warren well enough to know he’s stewing, biding his time until he punishes
me for leaving him.
“What are you in the mood for?” he asks, grabbing my hand and
keeping it in his as he backs out of the small parking spot beside the trailer.
“I don’t mind. Whatever you want.”
 His eyes glitter with approval. Warren likes it when I put him first. He
needs the validation, the power.
“I’m in the mood for pancakes and bacon. Maybe some French toast.”
“Whatever you want,” I say, trying to keep my voice even.
“I’m so happy you’re back where you belong, baby. You had me so
worried.”
My spine stiffens at his words. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been
waiting for.
The moment he unleashes his fury at me.
The air crackles. My heart beats wildly in my chest and I hold my
breath, waiting...
But nothing comes.
Instead, Warren lets out a shaky breath. “You really fucking scared me,
Ken.” He finds a parking spot and cuts the engine. “When I woke up and
you were... gone, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t mean it, baby. I didn’t mean
to hurt you. But you just made me so fucking angry.” His body vibrates as
he white knuckles the steering wheel. I don’t move.
I daren’t.
The air has been sucked clean from my lungs, fear trickling up and
down my spine.
“I love you, Kennedy.” His gaze slides to mine, trapping me in his
darkness. “I love you so fucking much. I don’t know what I’d do if you left
me. I’m nothing without you, baby. Nothing. Come here.” He yanks my
arm sharply and my body falls into his. He roughly grabs my face and leans
down.
“The thought of just losing you... it makes me feel unstable,” he grits
out, his eyes so dark they swallow me up.
“I’m right here.” I force the words out over the lump in my throat. “I’m
right here.” Pressing my hand to his cheek, I hope it’s enough to pacify him.
But Warren grips my chin and before I can stop him, crashes his mouth
down on mine. His tongue plunges past my lips, almost choking me, as he
kisses me angrily.
It hurts, his grip on my face, his deep, unrelenting licks. I can’t breathe,
and tears trickle down my cheeks as I try to claw at his chest to get him to
let up a little.
“Fuck, Ken, you get me so fucking hard.” He rasps the words against
my lips, finally letting me up for air. The sound of his zipper makes all the
hairs along the back of my neck stand to attention.
“I need your mouth on me, baby.”
I stare at him, disbelief shooting through me. “H-here? But we’re in the
middle of the store parking lot.”
“No one can see. And if they can, that’s on them. I need you, Kennedy.”
He grabs my hand and forces it to his hard length. My stomach churns and I
have to fight the urge to gag.
“Wrap that pretty little mouth around me, baby, and show me how much
you’ve missed me.”
I’m going to puke.
Right here, all over him, I’m going to expel my morning coffee.
Oh God.
This can’t be happening.
What did you think would happen?
“We should wait until later,” I rush out, forcing a smile. “Where we can
have some privacy.”
His eyes narrow dangerously. “Feel that.” He thrusts into my hand. “I’m
hard for you now. You got a problem suck—"
A knock at the passenger window startles us, and I glance back to find
Levi Miller frowning.
“Fucking cockblock,” Warren grumbles, fixing his jeans.
I scooch over and open the door. “Levi, what a surprise.” My eyes
widen as I climb out, hoping he’ll understand.
“Kennedy? What are you—"
“Hey, Miller. What’s up?” Warren comes around to us and hooks his
arm around my shoulder.
“Nothing, man. Just wanted to say hey is all. Will I see you at school
tomorrow?” I can read between the lines of his question, but I don’t have
the chance to tell him I’m not sure because Warren beats me to it.
“Of course she will. Why wouldn’t she be?” he says coolly.
“I... uh, no reason.” Levi smiles. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yeah, see you.” My heart deflates as he walks away. I want to yell at
him to stay, to take me with him and keep me safe. But people are reluctant
to get all up in other people’s business in the Heights. I know Levi and
Conner are friends, and maybe he’ll call or text him after seeing me, but
I’m under no illusions that he’ll try to intervene. It’s just not how things are
done around here.
 “What’s his problem?” Warren asks as he guides me toward the store.
“Who, Levi?”
“Yeah,” he grunts. “I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”
“I think he was just surprised.”
“Surprised? Why the fuck would he be surprised? It wasn’t like you
were gone forever. I always knew you’d come back to me.”
I don’t say anything else. Warren is angry, his mood deteriorating by the
second.
We grab everything we need to make breakfast and join the line. The
cashier smiles at Warren, her cheeks flushing as she blatantly checks him
out. There was a time when I’d feel a pinch of jealousy, but now all I feel is
numb. I wish she’d flirt with him, bat her eyelashes and try to catch his
attention. But Warren only has eyes for me as we load our groceries onto
the conveyor belt.
“Did you find everything you were looking for?” she asks Warren.
“Yeah,” he says, not taking his eyes off me. “I found it.”
The knot in my stomach tightens at the double meaning.
“Okay, all done. That’s twenty-one dollars and ten cents.”
Warren pulls some bills from his wallet and hands them to her. “Baby,
pack the shit,” he says, a little too forcefully for being in public.
The cashier notices and shoots me an apologetic smile.
We leave the store in a hurry. Warren’s grip on my hand is too tight, his
pace too quick. I stumble alongside him, trying to keep up.
By the time we’re in his car, the air is so thick I struggle to breathe.
“What is it?” I ask quietly. “What’s wrong, babe?”
His hands come down hard on the steering wheel, making me flinch.
A beat passes. And another. The air turns even thicker as we sit in
silence.
Warren’s mood is dark, like a black thundercloud circling overhead.
“Warr—"
“Shut up,” he says. “JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP.”
I press myself against the seat, trying to disappear.
Time seems to roll by slowly, every minute longer than the last.
Eventually, Warren jams the key in the ignition and fires up the engine. The
backfire of his rust bucket of a car reverberates through me, but still I say
nothing.
 “Jagger thinks he’s so fucking smug,” he mutters to himself. “I’ll show
him. I’ll fucking show him.”
My body trembles at his tone. He isn’t angry… he’s furious. It bleeds
from him, poisoning everything around him.
And I know it’s only time before I’ll be infected too.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Conner

A n incessant ringing drags me from the darkness. Aside from the

irritating noise, the only thing I notice is the pounding of my head.
What the fuck hap—fuuuuck.
I sit up so fast that the room spins and my stomach turns over. Throwing
the covers off, I fly out of the room and land on my knees as I hug the toilet
bowl and empty what little I have in my stomach.
She's gone.
She's fucking gone, and that motherfucker has her.
Thoughts of what he could be doing to her right this second have me
heaving into the bowl once more.
James said to trust him, that he knows what he's doing. But how am I
meant to do that when I know what Warren is capable of?
I remember her cuts and bruises all too well from when Jay dropped her
off here on New Year’s. Warren and I might have been friends for years, but
even back then, I knew there was something odd about him. He was too
inquisitive, too perceptive. Sometimes more than Cole. I figured it was just
who he was. He never really gave me a reason to question his weirdness.
Now though? Now I want to kill the motherfucker for ever breathing the
same air as my girl, let alone laying a finger on her.
 "Whoa..." Cole says, appearing from his room with Hadley hot on his
heel. "How's the vodka the second time around, bro?"
"Fuck you," I groan, dropping my forehead to the seat.
"We'll get her back, man. James knows what he's doing."
I push to my feet, not sparing a thought for the fact that I'm butt fucking
naked. My hands slam down on Cole's chest. "What the fuck?" I bark.
"Suddenly you fucking trust him now?"
"Yes," he states, his eyes drilling into mine. I'm vaguely aware of
Hadley slipping into the room and circling around me, but I pay her no
mind.
"And you'd be happy to wait on him making a move if some cunt had
Hadley? Some cunt who'd already raped her, multiple times, and almost
fucking killed her?"
Cole pales before me. He doesn't need to say the words for me to know
what he's thinking. I can read it in his eyes.
"I think you know what I would do. But this is bigger than just Kenny."
"Yeah, it's about fucking you... again," I seethe.
"The fuck? You think I wanted any of this?"
"You fucking killed Charlie and didn't tell us. You let us think..." I shake
my head. I don't really know what I thought. I guess I stupidly believed that
he'd taken his own life or whatever the police report said. I don't know why
I didn't even consider looking closer at my twin. "You fucking killed him
for touching Remi, yet you're happy to let Warren near Kenny. You're a
fucking hypocrite."
"You think I'm happy about this? You think I don't want to go there and
get her back for you? Fuck, bro." His hands lift to his hair and he tugs as if
he's in pain.
"Con, please put this on," Hadley says, shoving a towel in front of me.
I take it from her and wrap it around my waist, not that I really give a
shit right now. She can fucking stare all she likes.
"Fuck this." My shoulder slams into Cole's as I storm past him and back
to my room.
"Conner?" Hadley's soft voice makes me pause for the briefest second.
No, fuck her too. There's no way she was in the dark about this shit.
"Just leave him, Dove."
"But..."
 I slam my bedroom door, effectively cutting off whatever else they had
to say.
"Ow, fuck," I mutter, my toe connecting with something sticking out
from under my bed, reaching down, I pull the half-full bottle out and twist
the top.
Perfect fucking timing.
Ripping the towel from my waist, I throw it across the room and freshen
up my mouth with my new friend.
I have no idea how long I lie there, but the bottle is almost empty when
my cell rings again, reminding me of what woke me up in the first place.
As I snatch it up, my heart jumps into my throat. It could be her. I tried
her cell over and over yesterday, but as I expected all I got was an
automated woman telling me the line was disconnected. Motherfucker
couldn't even leave me with the lifeline of her voice on her voicemail
message.
Disappointment soon washes through me when I see Levi’s name
lighting up my screen.
"What?" I bark, pressing it against my ear.
"What the fuck is going on? I've just seen Kenny with Warren at the
store."
My grip on my cell tightens, and I have to really restrain myself from
not launching it across the room and watching it shatter before me, just like
my fucking heart.
"I don't know," I finally grit out.
"Has she... has she... left you?" he asks hesitantly.
"If you mean is she no longer here, then no, she's fucking not."
"But—"
"I don't have any fucking answers for you, man."
"Conner, there's no way she'd go back to him."
"Yeah, well, seems like none of us knew her very well, doesn't it?" I
spit, my head spinning again.
Did she go back voluntarily? I really fucking hope not, but that doesn't
change anything. She's still fucking there, with him.
"Con, she wouldn't."
"Do me a favor, yeah?"
"Sure, anything."
"Keep a fucking eye out for her."
 "Yeah, man. Goes without saying."
"Appreciated." I hang up before he says anything else. I can hardly tell
him that Cole killed the man we thought was our father and somehow
Warren found out and is now blackmailing us. Motherfucker's got a fucking
death wish if he thinks he can pull this off. Does he have any idea who he's
messing with?
My need to drive to the Heights and put an end to this once and for all
pulls at my muscles. But I know Cole is right, I need to trust Dad. I have no
idea what the fuck he's hiding, but clearly Warren knows something he
doesn't want to be exposed and I just have to trust it's for the best. Because
if it's not, all hell's gonna break loose if I discover he willingly left her there
longer than absolutely necessary.
Unable to sit still, I pull on some sweats and make my way down to my
punching bag. It's the closest thing I've got to that fucker’s face right now.

"I think you've had enough, bro," Ace says from behind me where I'm
searching through the cupboards in the pool house, looking for more
alcohol.
"That's where you're wrong. Ah-ha," I sing, pulling out a new bottle of
vodka that was hiding behind a lot of other shit.
I make a show of twisting the top and swallowing down more shots than
I should probably drink in one go.
"Getting fucked up isn't going to make this situation any better."
"You think I don't fucking know that? Nothing aside from slitting that
motherfucker's throat and taking back what's mine is going to make this any
better."
"Jay called me," Cole announces, making me groan. "Says the cunt's
been parading her around the trailer park like he fucking owns her."
My teeth grind and my fists clench. What fucking game is he playing?
"He's got a death wish," Ace mutters, pulling a six-pack from the
refrigerator and throwing a can at both Remi and Hadley. He ignores Cole,
seeing as he's still playing at being sober.
"You got any weed in this place?" I ask Ace.
"If I say yes, are you going to make me regret it?"
 "It could be worse, I could be asking for some blow."
He shakes his head at me in disappointment. "What?" I bark.
I'm getting fucking sick of them looking at me like they don't
understand me right now. I know for a fact that if it were their girls in
Kenny's position they'd be fucking shit up.
"Just get the damn weed, Ace," Hadley calls, thankfully helping me out.
"Thanks, Hadley baby. At least someone understands me." I blow her a
kiss and she smiles sympathetically at me.
In seconds, Ace is throwing me a baggie of weed.
"Thank you." I make quick work of rolling a blunt and lighting up.
"Fuck yes," I groan as I take my first hit and blow the smoke slowly out
through my nose.
Walking over to the couch, I hold my hand out for Hadley. "Seeing as
you're the only one on my side," I mutter around the blunt hanging between
my lips.
"That's not fucking true, bro," Cole mutters, watching as I pull his girl
up and offer her a hit.
To my surprise, she takes me up on it.
"That's good shit," she says to Ace.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull my cell out and hit play on my music
app. "Dance with me, Hadley baby."
She smiles up at me as I pull her into my body. Cole's eyes burn into my
back, but I ignore the moody motherfucker. I need this right now, and he
can take a running jump if he doesn't like it.
Walking us over to where I abandoned my bottle, I swallow down a few
more shots before returning my attention to the girl in my arms. I spin her
around, making her laugh. The sound almost makes me feel better as I
imagine it being Kenny.
While Cole continues glaring at us, Ace crawls over to Remi and
captures her lips.
Fuck, I need my girl right now.
Pulling Hadley tighter against me, I roll my hips against her, reveling in
having her heat against me.
I take another hit before placing the blunt in the ashtray on the bookcase
beside us and running my hands down Hadley's back.
She tenses in my hold a little, but she doesn't stop me. She's always
understood me and known what I've needed.
 "You can be honest with me," I whisper in her ear. "You wanted me
first, right?"
She throws her head back and laughs. I'm not sure how much she's had
to drink, but clearly it's enough.
Her body continues to move against mine, and it feels too fucking
good. Her scent is so fucking good. I mean, it’s not the one I crave, but still,
it’s fucking good.
My hands drop lower as my nose runs up the length of her neck.
"Conner," she warns as my hands glide over her ass. "I know you're in
self-destruction mode right now, but is this the way you really want to go?"
"I need—" My words are cut off as Cole comes to stand at Hadley's
back.
Lifting my face from the crook of her neck, my eyes lock with his dark
ones. He's angry, really fucking angry, but that's nothing new.
"Get your fucking hands off what's mine, bro. Unless you don’t want
your cock attached to your body."
"Just having some fun. Right, Hadley baby? Wouldn't be the first time,
huh?"
"Yeah, do you remember how that night ended?" Cole points out,
spinning Hadley around and slamming his lips down on hers. His palm
finds my cheek and he slaps me gently before flipping me off and backing
her into the wall.
I watch as she wraps her leg around his hip so he can grind into her
before glancing at the other couple on the couch about two seconds away
from fucking in front of the lot of us.
"Fuck this. I'm out," I announce, not that anyone hears. They're all too
lost, exactly as I should be right now.
I swipe my blunt and bottle from the side and blow through the door,
wondering what the fuck I'm meant to do while waiting for Dad to sort out
whatever the fuck he needs to.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Kennedy

“K ennedy?” Shelbie hurries over to Warren’s car. “What are you—"

A low growl vibrates in his throat, and she smothers her
surprise at my return.
“It’s good to see you,” she says.
“I trust you’ll look out for my girl, Garret?” Warren kisses my hair and I
press a hand to his chest, hoping he won’t make a scene.
After we’d gotten back from the store yesterday, I cooked the Kraven
men brunch and then washed the dishes. Anything to avoid being close to
Warren. I’d half expected him to pull me into his bedroom and make me
finish what he’d started in his car, but to my surprise, he hadn’t.
We spent the day watching movies, him holding me as if I was the most
precious thing in the world. As if he couldn’t quite believe I was back.
But I know it’s all a game. He wants to lure me into a false sense of
security before he pulls the rug out from beneath my feet.
“You know it.” Shelbie flashes him a saccharine smile, but he doesn’t
notice.
“I should probably...” I flick my head to the school building.
“Have a good day, baby.” He brushes his mouth over mine, letting his
tongue slide between my lips. I breathe through my nose, kissing him back,
trying to play the part.
 He has to believe me.
He has to think this is real.
To my relief, Shelbie clears her throat, giving me an excuse to break the
kiss, much to Warren’s annoyance if the little huff he makes is anything to
go by.
“I’ll see you after school,” I say, shirking out of his hold.
“I’ll be right here, waiting.” The veiled threat coats his words.
Shelbie laces her arm through mine and we walk away, Warren’s eyes
following me the entire way.
“Is he still watching?” I ask her as we reach the door.
She glances back, nodding. “He’s getting in his car. And… he’s gone.”
I exhale a shaky breath.
“What the hell happened? I thought you were—"
“Shh,” I hiss, noticing a few people look in our direction. Unlike the
halls of Sterling Prep, it’s easier to blend in here. There’s no uniform, so
everyone is free to wear whatever they want, within reason. Not that
Principal Henderson ever enforces the rules. Sterling Heights High is like a
jungle—everyone’s out to prove something, and only the strongest survive.
“Kennedy.” Levi Miller and Jayden Hollis approach us.
“Uh, hey,” I murmur, feeling the icy fingers of shame claw at my throat.
I can’t look at Jayden despite the way his eyes burn into the side of my face.
“We need to talk,” Levi says.
“I...” I look to Shelbie, hoping she might intervene.
She doesn’t.
“Go ahead, I’ll see you in class later.” She walks off down the hall,
leaving me alone.
Except I’m not alone.
And Levi and Jayden are looking at me like they’ve seen a ghost.
“What the fuck, Kenny?” Jay hisses.
“Relax, man.” Levi presses his hand on his best friend’s chest, forcing
him to back off. “Let her explain.”
“Explain?” I balk. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
“Kenny, come on.” He sighs. “We just want to help. Conner is—"
“Don’t.” I jerk back. “Just don’t.”
“I called him,” Levi admits. “I saw you and panicked, and I thought...
he said you left.”
“I don’t belong there.”
 “Bullshit,” Jay scoffs. He’s usually so much lighter than this. In fact,
now that I think about it, he reminds me a lot of Conner. Always laughing
and joking. But not today. Today he looks positively pissed.
“You need to relax.” Levi levels him with a hard look.
“I need to relax?” he seethes. “You weren’t the one who found her...”
His eyes flick to mine and my chest tightens.
I hate that he saw me like that... broken and beaten.
Shame burns through me, but I don’t lower my eyes. I can’t be that girl
here—weak and afraid.
“Talk to us. What’s that piece of shit got on you? Because if you just
talk to Con—"
“I appreciate your concern, I do. But do me a favor and stay out of my
business.” I barge past them, unable to stand their pity stares for a second
longer.
Foolishly, I’d thought being at school would give me a reprieve from
being with Warren, but now I’m not so sure. Not if Levi and Jayden are
going to be there at every turn.
I’m about to duck into my first class when a familiar voice booms,
“Miss Lowe, my office please.”
Great.
Just what I don’t need.
A morning visit with the principal.

Principal Henderson likes to think he’s down with the kids, but the truth is,
behind his back everyone calls him Principal Horse’s Son. He has a bad
case of buck teeth and a strange shaped head that makes him resemble
something akin to a horse caricature.
He also has a bad case of the sweats.
“I must say, Kennedy, this is a surprise.” He dabs his glistening
forehead with a paper towel, motioning for me to take a seat. “When
Principal Vager called me to say things weren’t working out at Sterling
Prep, I was... disappointed to say the least. It isn’t every day our students
get the opportunity to attend SP.”
“I thought I’d be okay to come back.”
 “Of course, of course.” He relaxes back in his chair. “It’s senior year,
Kennedy. The hard work is just about done, graduation is in sight. We are
more than happy to see you finish up the semester here.” Something flashes
in his eyes, and I can’t help but think he isn’t being entirely straight with
me.
“Principal Vager called you?” I ask. “On a weekend?”
I’d been gone less than seventy-two hours. There’s no way Vager could
have known... not unless someone told him.
James Jagger.
Damn him. Even now, he’s still trying to look out for me.
But to what end?
“He was concerned, Kennedy. We both are. Look, there’s still a few
weeks until your birthday, if you need to—"
“I’m fine,” I say firmly, not liking where this conversation is headed.
Henderson won’t call the authorities, not if it means Child Services
swoops in on the school. So the fact that he’s even suggesting it puts me on
edge.
“You’ll be staying with the Kravens?”
I nod, squirming in my seat.
“Very well. But I want you to know my door is always open. Or you can
speak to Mrs. Farn, the guidance counselor.”
“Thanks,” I force out, because there’s no way I’m heading to the
guidance counselor’s office anytime soon. “Can I go now?”
He steeples his fingers, regarding me for a second. I think he’s going to
say something else, but at the last second he lets out a long breath.
“Get out of here. Just promise me you’ll remember what I said.”
I grab my bag and stand. “I will.”
My gaze lingers for a second on the man who means well but doesn’t
have any idea what it’s like to be a teenager growing up in the Heights.
He watches me walk out of his office for what we both know will be the
last time.

“Kennedy, over here,” Levi calls across the cafeteria. The place is a
goddamn zoo. Someone has hooked their cell phone to a mini speaker,
blasting music into the room. There’s a thin haze of smoke coming from the
far corner over by the huge sash windows, and the smell of days old
meatloaf permeates the air.
Before attending Sterling Prep, this place was all I knew. I mean, we
were all aware of the rich, prissy school in the Bay, but we didn’t know.
Now that I’ve experienced it, I realize that the education system is
failing here, letting kids run supreme with little respect for the rules and
regulations. Teachers would rather turn a blind eye than try to actually do
their job. It’s a joke. One that’s going to bind most of the kids here to this
life... this place.
I ignore Levi, following Shelbie to the lunch line.
“I heard she came crawling back.” The girls behind me don’t even
bother trying to be discreet. “Warren told Kevin she cheated on him.”
“Is that why she left?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t believe he’s taken her back. She’s not even
that pretty.”
My head whips around, staring down the ringleader. Tamsin Becker,
junior and wannabe Queen Bee smirks at me. “Oh hey, Kennedy, didn’t see
you there.”
Like fuck she didn’t.
Her friends all stifle their giggles.
I dig my nails into my palm, forcing myself to calm down. Heights High
and Sterling Prep might be worlds apart, but their brand of bitch is still the
same.
“Relax, Kenny, she’s not worth it,” Shelbie whispers in my ear as I
continue to glare at Tamsin.
“Something you want to say to me?” I grit out.
She thinks she knows me. She thinks I’m just some girl who dared hurt
a guy like Warren. She doesn’t know. Even though she’s seen me around
school countless times sporting a bruise or two, wearing a ball cap pulled
down low over my face, it’s easier to label me the bad guy than accept
what’s staring her in the face.
The way women put other women down sometimes is sickening.
My body trembles as Tamsin and her friends continue gawking at me.
“Kennedy,” Shelbie says again, and I finally jolt out of the standoff.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I roll my shoulders and let out a small breath.
 The girls move on to their next target while Shelbie casts me a
concerned glance. “You know how she can be.”
“She’s a fucking bitch,” I snap a little louder than intended.
Shelbie snickers at that. “You’re not wrong there. I heard you got pulled
into Henderson’s office?”
“I guess it was silly to think I could just slip back into class unnoticed.”
We move down the line, helping ourselves to the least offending looking
items.
“FIGHT!” someone yells, and all hell breaks loose over by the tables.
Shelbie rolls her eyes, completely unaffected. “Just another day in
paradise.”
Eventually a teacher wades in and tears two guys off each other.
“Mr. Kulick is a brave guy,” she snorts. “Miller is watching you.”
“Ugh,” I grumble. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Don’t you?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Her expression softens. “He’s worried. We both are.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“You have your cell phone?”
“I...” I hesitate and she sees it.
“That asshole took your cell?”
My shoulders lift in a small shrug as I try to avoid her gaze.
“Kenny, that’s messed up.”
“I know what I’m doing, Shelb. You don’t have to worry about me.”
But as I say the words, pain coils around my heart.
I thought I knew... the second I saw Warren’s text message—his threat
—I thought I knew. But now I’m here, and Conner’s not, and everything
feels wrong.
Tears sting the backs of my eyes, but I lock down the emotion rising
inside me. You can’t show weakness in a place like Heights High.
“Come on,” Shelbie says, paying for my lunch. She doesn’t even ask,
she just does it.
“I’ll pay you back,” I whisper as we weave through the crammed tables.
We manage to find an empty one near the back. It’s quieter over here.
“You don’t have to sit with me, you know.”
She scoffs. “Like I’m going to leave you to the wolves.” Her eyes flick
to the girls watching us.
 “Is it crazy I’d forgotten how much it sucks here?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She smirks, something over my shoulder catching
her attention. “It’s not all bad.”
I glance back to find Levi and Jayden stalking toward us. Without a
word, they sit down.
And just like that our two becomes four, and I realize that maybe I’m
not alone after all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Conner

I stretch my legs out before me as Mr. Triskin chats away about... fuck
knows what he's talking about. My head pounds, reminding me just how
much I drank yesterday. I probably should have stopped earlier, but fuck
that. I'd left both Ace and Cole deep in their girls when there was a chance
another guy had his hands on mine.
Only the knowledge that I'd probably have killed myself if I got behind
the wheel last night stopped me from driving straight to the Heights and
doing what needs to be done.
My patience is being tested in a way I've never experienced before, and
I don't fucking like it. I want to believe that Dad is doing the right thing,
that he knows what he's doing. But without any information, I'm finding it
harder and harder to trust him.
I don't even really fucking know him.
It didn't really bother me before, but after how cagey he was yesterday,
I'm starting to wonder who our father really is. On the face of it, he appears
to be the perfect businessman. He has the money, the swagger, the power.
But is it that simple? The fact that he's currently being blackmailed by a
teenager sure points to it not being quite so black and white.
Ignoring what's going on around me, I stare out of the window, wishing
that all of this is one really bad fucked-up nightmare and that she's going to
walk past any minute, teasing me with her curvy, inked legs poking out
from under her pleated skirt. I close my eyes, picturing her crawling up my
body with her shirt wide open and her cleavage on display for me.
My cock swells as the memory of her hands running up my body hits
me.
Fuck, I need her.
My head hangs back as I fight the groan that threatens to erupt.
"Mr. Jagger, are you with us this morning?"
I drag my head forward and stare daggers at Triskin. Am I here? No, no
I'm fucking not.
"Yeah, please continue." I smirk at him and wait for him to turn back to
his board and resume whatever it was he was talking about as my cell
buzzes in my pocket.
The second he does, I pull it out and unlock the screen.

Levi: She's at school.

My teeth grind. Does he really think he can take her back and act like
everything is fucking normal? Nothing about this situation is fucking
normal.

Conner: How is she?

Levi immediately starts typing and my stomach churns. If he replies that

she's covered in bruises, I'm going to lose my shit right here.

Levi: I don't know. She seems okay, I guess. Quiet. Unsure.

What the fuck does that mean?

Conner: HAS HE HURT HER?

Levi: Not as far as I can see.

 I blow out a long breath. That's good... I think. But Warren's not stupid.
He wouldn't let her walk back into Heights High sporting a black eye and a
cut lip.
Just as I'm putting my cell back into my pocket, it buzzes again.

Levi: What are you going to do?

Isn't that the million-dollar question.

"Mr. Jagger, what are you doing?" Triskin barks across the classroom
seconds after my chair legs scrape across the floor and I begin marching
toward the door.
Fuck this.
I never should have turned up this morning.
"I'm out."
I don't hang around for his response. Instead, I just blow through the
classroom door and storm down the hallway.
Levi's seen her and I fucking haven't. I don't give a shit that he doesn't
think she's hurt. I need to see it with my own eyes, and I know exactly
where she is.
Unlike this morning, when I drop down into my driver's seat I don't
question whether I should be driving or not. Instead, I rev the engine and
wheelspin out of the parking lot, the gravel flying out behind me.
I don't bother putting any music on, instead driving to the Heights in
silence with only my depressing thoughts rattling around my head, letting
my anger consume me.
The last time I was at Heights High was when we were looking for Cole
when he vanished all those months ago, but just like that night, it's still as
fucking depressing as I remember.
The buildings are dark and covered in years worth of graffiti. The
parking lot is full of beat-up old bangers like the one Cole and I used to
drive, making my Skyline stand out like a sore fucking thumb.
I find a spot at the very back of the lot under the cover of some low
hanging branches and kill the engine. I have no idea if I'll see her from here,
but other than sneaking my way inside, it's the best chance I've got right
now.
There’s still thirty minutes before kids start emerging, so I sit back and
pull my cell out.
Cole: Where the fuck are you?

Ace: Where are you?

Hadley: Please don't do anything stupid.

I shake my head at the three of them and close down my messages. My

brothers are a pair of fucking hypocrites. If Remi or Hadley were being
treated like this, they’d rain hell down on whoever was responsible. Shit,
they both did after Hadley was taken. They killed Donny fucking Lopez
without so much as breaking a sweat. Yet here I am, missing my girl, and
Warren Kraven is still fucking breathing.
How is that fair?
Is it because, like always, I'm the forgotten one? Don't they like Kenny
as much as they do Hadley? What the fuck am I missing here?
I just hope that I fucking find out whatever it is soon, because I'm
already beginning to lose my fucking mind.
As the minutes pass, a few kids start to spill out of the buildings. But it's
not until a very familiar car pulls to a stop out the front of the main
reception that I really sit up and pay attention.
His door opens before the motherfucker who's eluded me all these
weeks steps out like he owns the fucking place.
What was wrong with his hiding place? Couldn't he have fucking stayed
there? Or died there? Whatever.
Warren looks around and I sink down in my seat a little, although I have
no idea why. If he so much as lays eyes on the car then he's going to know
I'm here. No other fucker would be likely to park a two-hundred-thousand-
dollar car in Heights High parking lot.
Seemingly happy with his surroundings, he walks around to the hood
and rests his ass back as he waits with his arms crossed over his wide chest.
My fists curl with my need to go over there and wipe the smug look off
Warren’s face. I might not be able to actually see his face right now, but I
know the cunt is smiling. He thinks he's won. He's got the girl, and as far as
he can tell I've done fuck all about it.
I have done fuck all about it, I tell myself.
My nails dig into my palms until I draw blood.
 A huge part of me wants to storm over there and take matters into my
own hands, but I know I need to do as Dad says and wait. Warren might
have piled on a few pounds since I last saw him, but I know I could still
take him. He was always a slow fighter, something I'm not sure he'll ever
shake.
I've got my hand on the door when Cole's face pops into my head.
"Fuuuuck," I scream, my palm slamming down on the wheel.
The last thing I want is him going down for killing Charlie, but my
fucking girl shouldn't be paying the price right now.
A door opening catches my eye and I squint to see if she's there as a
stream of kids spill out.
My breathing is shallow as I wait for her to emerge, but the second I
lock my eyes on her blonde hair, all the air rushes from my lungs and I
swear the world around me stops turning.
She's so fucking beautiful.
Kennedy is wearing a pair of baggy jeans and an oversized sweater. It's
not her style at all; it covers up all her gorgeous curves and her ink. It hides
who she really is, how incredible she is.
Fury swirls around in my chest, my need for vengeance once again
almost getting the better of me.
Her face is hard, her expression neutral as she gets closer to Warren. He
on the other hand pushes from the hood and pulls her into his arms as if he
hasn’t seen her in weeks, not merely a few fucking hours.
She doesn't relax in his hold at all, and it tells me everything I need to
know about her willingness to be here right now.
My teeth grind so hard I swear I'm about to crack enamel as he leans
down to capture her lips with his. My stomach twists and I turn to the side
to heave, but I'm unable to rip my eyes away from the car crash that's
happening before me as he runs his hands down her back and grips onto her
ass, pulling her body flush with his.
Bile burns up my throat, but even as he releases her and opens his
passenger door so she can climb in, I don't stop staring at them.
He looks around once more as he walks to his side of the car, but once
again, he misses me. Fuck knows how with the hate stare I'm drilling into
him.
With one final glance around, he drops down and starts the car. The
thing splutters a bit before he puts his foot down and disappears from the
lot.
I'm just about to start my engine to follow when a hand knocks against
my window, scaring the ever-loving shit out of me. "Motherfucker," I
mutter through heaving breaths as Jay pulls the back door open and Levi
drops into my passenger seat.
"Well, well, well, fancy seeing you here."
"Fuck you, Levi. You damn near gave me a heart attack."
"For a stalker, you're a really shit one, you know that?"
"I needed to know she was okay."
"I told you she was."
"No offense, but I still needed to see it with my own eyes."
Levi stares at me, but if he's offended he doesn't show it. "Let's get out
of here. You remember where I live, right?"
"You gonna tell me what the fuck is going on?" I ask, pulling out of the
space I was hiding in.
"Don't know fuck all. One day he’s in hiding, the next he’s parading
your girl around the place. Fuck knows what he's playing at."
"Helpful," I mutter, taking the next left toward Levi's house.
I've been to his place a few times, but I haven’t been inside for years.
After the accident he was involved in, his house became out of bounds. I
got it; things were seriously tough for him after that. Makes me wonder
why he's okay with it now, though.
The second we pull up outside, he turns to me.
"If you see my mom, it's probably best you just ignore her."
He doesn't give me a chance to respond. Instead, he just climbs from the
car, quickly followed by Jay, leaving me wondering what the fuck is going
on.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Kennedy

“F ucking waste of space,” Warren grits out as we enter the trailer to

find Mitch passed out on the couch.
“Maybe you should check on him.”
“Nah, let him rot for all I care.”
“Warren!” I know things are bad between them, but it’s still his dad.
“If you want to play nurse, by all means...” He glances over at the couch
with disdain. “Be my guest.”
With a little huff of frustration, I go and check on Mitch. He’s
facedown, half hanging off the threadbare couch. But his chest is moving,
and I can hear the liquor sloshing around in his stomach every time he
breathes.
Fetching the bucket I know they keep under the basin, I place it down
beside him.
“You know it’d do us a favor if he choked on his own tongue.” Warren
stalks toward me, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Then we’d have this
place to ourselves. Just you and me.” His eyes darken with lust, and I fight
the wave of fear rising inside me.
I knew this would happen.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful, Ken.” He brushes his knuckles over my cheek.
“What did you do today?” I ask, trying to distract him.
 “You really want to talk now? If I didn’t know better, baby,” his brow
rises, “I might think you’re trying to avoid me.”
“What?” I frown, shaking my head. “Of course I’m not. I just... I have
cramps.”
“It’s shark week?”
“Seriously?” I hiss.
“What?” Warren chuckles, and it makes his eyes crinkle. It almost
makes him look like the boy who asked me to be his last year. The boy
before all... all this.
Warren has always been intense. Possessive with a quick temper. But it
wasn’t always bad. I didn’t always have this giant pit in my stomach,
waiting for the next time he loses it.
When I think back, things deteriorated right around the time Conner’s
mom died and we found out they were moving to Sterling Bay with James.
Warren started to explode at the smallest thing. He’d be fine one minute and
the next he’d lash out. It only got worse as time went on. He’d love me one
second and then punish me the next. Fists, teeth, hands, Warren knew all the
ways to make it hurt.
“PMS is the worst,” I say, hoping to God my period comes soon.
“Aww, you need me to look after you?” Warren smirks. “I know just the
thing.”
“Later, yeah?” I muster the best smile I can. “I need to start preparing
dinner.” Moving around him, I inhale a shaky breath, but Warren snags my
wrist, yanking me back to him.
“Did Jagger hurt you, baby? Is that why you’re stalling?”
Oh God.
My stomach twists.
“Warren, I’m not—"
“It’s been weeks, baby. I need you, Ken. Don’t you want me?” He leans
down, ghosting his lips over mine.
“You know I do.” The words splinter my already fractured soul.
I don’t want Warren.
I never did.
But I was hurting and confused, and I wanted to make Conner jealous.
And then it was too late and I couldn’t find a way out.
It’s a fucking mess.
 Me and Conner. Me and Warren. Conner and Warren. Three lives
inexplicably tied together. Three lives that should never have crossed.
We let Warren into our friendship. We did that. And once his claws were
in, he only dug deeper and deeper until his hands were wrapped around my
throat and his barbed threats were under my skin.
It’s clear now that Warren wanted what Conner had.
He wanted me.
And now he has me, I’m not sure he’ll ever willingly let me go.
He kisses me, hard and without warning. His tongue plunges into my
mouth and curls around my own, forcing me to join as I grip his muscular
arms, trying to keep some shred of control.
“Bedroom, now,” he growls against my lips, the anger in his words
reverberating through me.
“O-okay.” I force the word over the lump in my throat, my heart
breaking clean in two.
I knew what coming back here meant, yet, deep down, I hoped there
would be a way out of it.
Inhaling a deep breath, I center myself, mentally preparing myself for
what’s to come.
You can do this. You don’t have any choice.
I take a step, but Warren grabs me again. “Fuck it,” he says, snapping
his belt with one hand. “I can’t wait. Get on your knees, baby.” His eyes are
blown with lust.
“H-here?” I balk. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s made me do things in
front of his unconscious father, but I still don’t want it to be like this.
“Get on your fucking knees, Ken. Now.” He fists my hair and pushes
me to the floor. I swallow a whimper as his grip tightens in my roots. “Now
open up like a good little girl.” He’s already pumping his angry cock.
Tears leak from my eyes as I lose the fight to maintain composure.
I don’t want to do this... because I know if I do, I’ll be forever tainted.
Conner will never want me again.
The realization slams into me with such force, I retch just as Warren
thrusts into my mouth, the intrusion unexpected and unwelcome.
“Fuck, that feels good. Suck me, baby. Take all of me.” He thrusts
harder, hitting the back of my throat and making my eyes sting. I try to
breathe through my nose as he fucks my mouth with brutal strokes. Tears
run down my cheeks, mixing with the saliva pooling in my mouth and
running down my jaw.
I’m a mess. A broken, tear-stained mess. But he doesn’t stop. He just
keeps going, stopping every now and again to let me catch my breath.
His hand reaches for the neckline of my sweater, yanking, and I wonder
what the fuck he’s doing until he rips his cock from my mouth and sprays
jets of cum all over my chest.
Warren pulls me to my feet, tracing his name in the sticky mess all over
my skin. “Mine,” he rasps, all heavy-lidded and breathless. “You’re fucking
mine, Kennedy.”
He grabs the back of my neck and kisses me hard. It’s over as quickly as
it started, and he shoves me away. “Go take a shower, you’re a fucking
mess. Then put on something sexy, we’re going out.” He tucks himself back
into his jeans, watching me.
I nod, too disgusted with myself to reply. As I walk away, only one
thought fills my mind.
Forgive me, Conner.

Warren brings me to Joker’s. The second we step inside the dingy bar,
Shelbie spots me and rushes over to us.
“Hey guys,” she says. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” There’s a silent
question in her eyes, but I discreetly shake my head.
“I need to go speak to some people,” Warren says. “Hang out with
Shelbie for a little bit.”
His words are like music to my ears. “Of course.” I smile, and it’s the
most genuine smile to cross my expression since fleeing the hotel room in
Colton.
“Tell Dakota I’ll take a beer,” Warren barks at Shelbie before walking
away.
“Oh my God, I’ve been so worried.” She pulls me into a hug. “Are you
okay?”
“I guess.” My eyes dart to the floor.
“Kennedy, what did he do?”
 “It doesn’t matter.” I fix another smile. “I’m here now, and it beats
being holed up in the trailer.”
“Come on.” Shelbie motions to the long counter at the back of the room.
“Did you eat already?”
“No, Warren seemed in a hurry to get here.” I scan the room. It’s quiet,
a few mean looking guys occupying one of the booths. There’s an older
couple eating wings at another table. Warren is at the back in one of ten
booths, but whomever he’s meeting is obscured.
“Hey, who is that?” I ask Shelbie.
“Beats me.” She shrugs. “You know the kind of people that roll in and
out of here. Hey, Dakota, Warren wants beer. And put through a basket of
bacon and cheese fries for me and my girl.”
“Put it through yourself.” The woman smirks.
“I thought you loved me.” Shelbie pokes out her tongue and chuckles.
“Oh, I do, but it doesn’t stop you being a pain in my ass.”
Dakota is her cousin. Her older and much wiser cousin. She doesn’t take
any shit from the guys who frequent the bar, and they know not to mess
with the Garret women. Shelbie’s dad might be rough around the edges, but
he looks out for the girls in his life.
Dakota brings us two sodas and a basket of fries. “Kennedy,” she says
coolly. She never has been fond of me. I don’t know why, and I don’t ask.
“Hey, Kota,” I say. “Thanks for this.”
She gives me a sharp nod before taking Warren his beer.
“She really doesn’t like me, huh?”
“Oh don’t mind her, it’s just her asshole-o-meter.”
“Warren,” I say flatly, and Shelbie nods.
“He gives a lot of people the creeps.”
“Yeah, I know.” He doesn’t just give me the creeps, he makes my skin
crawl.
“Are you ready to talk about it?”
“Shelb...”
“I know, I know. But you got out, Kennedy. I just don’t understand why
you—"
“Because this is my life, okay? I can’t stay there and pretend to be one
of them.” The lie coils around my heart. “They’ll all be going off to college
and embarking on their futures, and I’m just supposed to what? Sit around
and wait to be left behind again?”
 God.
Why did it have to hurt so much?
Living with Warren is my worst nightmare, but at least I know what to
expect. In a really fucked-up way, it’s stability. But now I’ve experienced
life with Conner and his family, I know there’s something better out there.
I’ve had a taste of it, and I want more.
God, I want so much more.
I want it all—the comfortable life, the safety and security, the
contentment. I want the happily-ever-after. But the harsh reality is, so long
as Warren is breathing, so long as he exists in this world, I will never be
free.
I was foolish to ever think I could be.
He knows things. Things about me, about the Jaggers. He knows how to
play on people’s fears and exploit their weaknesses.
And Conner Jagger will always be my weakness, the way I will always
be his.
“Kennedy?” Shelbie says with an air of concern.
“Sorry.” I blink at her. “I’m okay. I’m okay.” Repeating the words
doesn’t make them hold any more conviction.
Because the truth is, I’m not okay.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Conner

L evi's house is eerily quiet as we step inside.

"Drink?" Levi asks, leading us both through to the kitchen.
"Sure," I mutter, my eyes flitting around the place as we walk past
the living room door.
I'm not really one to believe in weird vibes and shit, but something isn't
right here.
He pulls the refrigerator open and throws a couple bottles of beer to us.
Twisting the top, I down the lot in one in the hope it washes away the
image of Warren kissing my girl like he owned her that seems to be
permanently etched onto the insides of my eyelids.
"What's the plan then, aside from stalking her like a creep?" Levi asks,
coming to join us at the breakfast bar.
"Right now, I don't have one. He's blackmailing us."
"Oh shit, for real? What's he got on you?"
"It's not me," I sigh. "If it were me, I wouldn't bat an eyelid at going
after the motherfucker. Nothing he could do to me would be worse than
taking her."
"So it's Cole," Jay says, correctly guessing the only other person I'd lay
down my life for.
"Sadly."
 "Bro, we’ll look out for her the best we can, but if he's going to pull
something like he did before then there's not much we can do about it."
"I know," I mutter. He’s right. But right now, I'm just glad Warren is
allowing her out for others to see. He could quite easily hide her away, then
none of us would know what he's doing to her. We already know what he's
capable of; who knows what other evil things he has up his sleeve for when
he realizes that I'm not just going to bow down to him?
Levi tries changing the subject, but I can't focus on whatever it is he's
chatting to Jay about. My head is still firmly in that parking lot.
"Can I use your bathroom?" I interrupt when my need to get away
becomes too much.
"Sure, it's right down the hall, third on the right."
I nod at him and head in the direction he just said.
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I read through more messages from
Cole, Ace and Hadley. Something tells me that they don't have much faith
in my ability to control myself. I mean, I get it. I'd raise hell if it would get
Kenny safely home where she belongs, but right now, I need to remember
that getting her back puts others I love in danger. I can't risk losing anyone.
Without replying to any of them, I angrily shove my cell back into my
pocket then reach out and swing the door to my right open.
I realize my mistake the second the baby pink walls hit me. I lean
forward to close the door again, but a body curled up on the floor beside the
perfectly made twin bed catches my eye. My breathing falters when I
recognize the woman as Levi's mom.
She doesn't so much as flinch at my interruption, but when I look closer,
I see an empty bottle of something still in her grasp. She's totally out of it.
I quickly look around the room as I close the door. It looks like the
person it belongs to has just gone to school. There are even some discarded
clothes draped over the chair in the corner. But the reality is that Levi's little
sister isn't just at school. She's gone. And she has been for a few years now.
Silently, I close the door and turn toward the correct one this time.
I take a piss before sitting on the edge of the bathtub and dropping my
head into my hands.
Anger swirls inside me, fueling my need to storm over to Warren's
trailer and rip him limb from limb for trying to take away my girl. My need
for vengeance eats at me, and I fear that if this goes on too much longer
then I'm not going to be able to stop myself. My patience only goes so far
when it comes to Kenny. I really fucking hope Dad knows that.
I have no idea how long I sit there, but eventually I pull myself together
and make my way back down to the kitchen.
"Everything okay?" Levi asks, his brows pulled together in concern.
Maybe I really was gone a while.
"Yeah. Where's Jay?"
"He had to go, his sister called."
"Right." I sit back down, but really I know I need to leave. I just don't
want to go back to the Bay knowing that the other half of my soul is here in
this shithole.
Thankfully both mine and Levi's phones buzz simultaneously and gives
me the perfect excuse to stay.
We both stare down at the same message. The address staring back at
me ignites butterflies in my belly.
"You in?" Levi asks hesitantly.
"Fuck yeah I'm in. I fucking need this."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," he mutters as I crack my
knuckles, already more than ready to go up against whoever Daz thinks is
good for it tonight.
"I guess I'd better feed you then," he says, turning to the refrigerator.
"Nah, let's go and get pizza or something," I suggest. This house is
depressing as fuck, and I can't imagine that Levi really wants to be here any
more than I do, despite the fact that it's his house.
"Even better idea. You can drive."
We head to the other side of the Heights, closer to where tonight's fight
is being held and hopefully far enough from where Warren might be. I'm all
for being here and being close to Kenny, but I don't need him to know I'm
sniffing around. Not yet, at least. I'm not ready for Cole to go down for
first-degree murder.

"You don't need to do this, you know. You've got nothing to prove," Levi
says as I hand him my shirt, ready to get into the ring.
 Tonight's warehouse is just like all the others I've fought in over the
years. Dark, damp, and smelling like stale sweat and death. It suits my
mood perfectly.
"I do. That motherfucker needs to know what's going to happen when I
get my hands on him."
"I think he's probably already aware. He's a stupid motherfucker if you
ask me. He knows what you're capable of."
"Yeah, which is why I know he's got a plan. He could never take me,
even when I tried training him."
"Yeah," Levi mutters, concern flashing across his face.
The guy Daz matches me up with is brutal. I have no idea where he
found him but fuck, he gives me a run for my money.
I might win, but it's not by much, and by the time I stumble out of the
ring after being declared the winner, I'm feeling every single punch he got
in.
"Fuck, I knew you shouldn't have fought tonight," Levi chastises,
wrapping his arms around my waist and helping me toward the exit.
"No, that was exactly where I needed to be," I correct him. I needed the
pain. I needed to expel some of the energy that's been festering inside me
for the past few days.
"You sure you're okay to drive?" he asks the second I rip my car door
open and all but fall inside.
"Yep, more than capable. You want a lift?"
"Nah, you’re good. I'll make my own way."
"You sure?" I ask, not really wanting to abandon him but more than
ready to fall into my bed.
"Yeah, fuck off and sort yourself out. Your brothers are going to have a
shit fit when they see you."
"They can fuck off," I mutter, revving the engine and pulling my door
closed.
Levi gives me a wave as I pull out of the lot and I make quick work of
getting the hell out of the Heights. The turn toward our old trailer park
taunts me as I pass. It would be so easy to head down there and go and
knock on that cunt's door.
I almost do it. But at the last minute, I remember Dad's words and tell
myself once again that I need to trust him. I have no reason to think he's
going to screw me over with this, no matter how much waiting fucking
blows. He's proven again and again since he took us in that he wants to do
right by us. I have to cling to that and have faith. What else have I got right
now?
Thankfully, I manage to get to the bathroom to shower and then to my
bedroom without being intercepted. I'm amazed I achieve it after the
number of messages I've received since I skipped out on school earlier, but I
figure they're both too deep in their girls to care about what I'm doing right
now.

The gasp that falls from Aimee's lips the next afternoon when she sees me
reminds me of how my face looked when I stared at myself in the mirror
this morning.
Both Ace and Cole tried to rip me a new one for fighting—again—but
with the situation as it is, neither really had a leg to stand on. They've both
done enough fucked-up things over the years; me fighting is a drop in the
ocean.
Aimee, however, looks really concerned.
"Conner, this is like the sixth time you've turned up at school like this,"
she says softly, her eyes bouncing from one cut to the other.
"It's nothing," I snap, really not needing my tutor girl giving me grief
over my shitty decisions.
"I'm just worried about you. This isn't you, it—"
I turn to look at her sitting beside me at the library table. It's where we
meet three times a week so I can help her with her math, but unlike every
other time we've done this, today I really don't want to be here.
"This isn't me?" I bark. She sits back a little, her eyes widening at my
tone. "You don't fucking know me, Aimee, so don't even try. You've lived
here in the Bay for your entire happy, privileged little life. Not all of us are
that fucking lucky."
I stare at her as her eyes fill with tears, and I immediately feel like an
asshole.
"I-I'm sorry." She pushes her chair out quickly, ready to flee, but I'm
faster. I wrap my fingers around her wrist and pull her back down.
 "No, I'm sorry. That was out of line. I'm sorry." My hand falls to hers
and she squeezes, although she soon stops when I wince in pain.
"I'm sorry." She lifts my hand so she can inspect my knuckles. "I'm just
worried about you, Conner. You're better than this."
"Trust me, I'm not."
"You are," she breathes, her voice too soft, too sweet, but I already feel
like a cunt for barking at her so I can hardly tell her to shut up.
"Shall we?" I gesture toward her textbook, hoping it will make her stop
looking at me the way she is.
"Conner." She laces her fingers with mine as her other hand lands on my
thigh. "I really like you, I think you know that. Let me help, please." Her
hand begins to move, and for a second it feels so good that I let her. But
right before she touches where she shouldn't, I reach out and stop her.
"We've got work to do."
I pull my hand from hers and twist away, dragging the book between us
and picking up a pen.
She's a sweet girl. Using her right now would be so easy, but I can't. My
life is already a big enough mess…
I don't need to make it any worse.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Kennedy

I ’m barely functioning.
Between Warren’s constant attention, his clingy, obsessive mood
swings, and Jayden and Levi’s big brother routine around school, I’m a
wreck.
But I stuff it all down, paste on a smile every morning, and kiss Warren
on the cheek like the dutiful, doting girlfriend I’m supposed to be.
Thankfully, my period came and I’ve been able to avoid his advances.
But it doesn’t stop him from using my hands and mouth at his every whim.
I feel so dirty, so used and worthless. I keep telling myself I’m doing it
to protect Conner, to keep his family safe, but the lines between reality and
fantasy are starting to blur. I’m starting to lose myself again...
And I hate it.
It’s Friday, and the permanent knot in my stomach is bigger than ever.
The weekend should be something to look forward to, but instead it fills me
with dread. I’ll have no school to escape to. No Levi and Jayden or Shelbie
in my corner.
I’ll be all alone with Warren and Mitch—not that he’s any use. He’s
hardly been sober since I got back, preferring to chase away his demons at
the bottom of a bottle.
“You’re quiet,” Warren says, gripping my knee a little too tightly.
 “Just thinking,” I murmur, watching the boarded buildings and graffitied
walls roll by. The Heights in all its rundown, impoverished glory is worlds
away from the Bay, despite only being a twenty-minute ride along the coast.
There’s no swanky beach houses and gated communities here. There’s only
crime and drugs and things that go bump in the night.
“Shark week about done?”
Warren’s crass words make me flinch, but his fingers sliding up my
thigh make my stomach churn.
Please God, no. Not here. Not before school.
“Almost,” I sing, forcing a smile.
“Fuck yes. I’ve got plans for you this weekend, baby. Big plans.” He
grabs his junk and shoots me a wolfish smile that makes me want to gouge
my eyes out and puke at the same time.
Thankfully, Heights High comes into view and with it, the streams of
kids filing through the gate.
“I never liked this place,” Warren muses. “At least you’ve only got a
few weeks left.” He finds a parking spot and cuts the engine. “And then
you’ll be free and we can start planning our future.” He says it as if we
actually have options.
Warren graduated last summer, and, like most kids who manage to get
their diploma from Heights High, he’s still here, earning money the only
way he knows how—through back alley deals and the odd hacking job.
Warren is a whizz on computers. Like, insanely good. If he didn’t live in the
Heights and have Mitch for a dad, he could probably have gone to MIT or
something. But kids from the Heights don’t soar high. If they’re lucky, they
might get a full ride to a decent college out of state, but even that’s unlikely.
“Yeah.” I struggle to keep the defeat out of my voice.
“Hey, Kennedy, look at me.” He tugs my hand sharply and I lift my eyes
to his. I’m like a marionette, a slave to his strings. “I’ll take care of you,
baby. You know that right?”
Pressing my lips together, I nod.
“Good girl.” His thumb finds its way to the pillow of my lip. He pushes
slowly, forcing the digit inside my mouth. If kids walk too close to his car,
they’ll see us like this.
They’ll see him degrading me.
“Suck,” he orders.
My eyes flutter shut as I close my mouth around his thumb and obey.
 “God, I wish I could fuck your pretty little mouth again.”
Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but I don’t allow them to fall. The
longer I’m with Warren, the easier it is to shut down my emotions. Soon
there will be nothing left, and I’ll be dead inside.
Conner had slowly begun to bring me back to life, but I realize now
how foolish that had been. It’s only going to make everything hurt that
much more this time around.
Finally, he pulls his thumb out and I inhale a shaky breath.
“Listen, I have a thing to take care of later. I might be late.”
“What thing?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.” He smirks.
“It’s okay, I can catch a ride with Shelbie. I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“You’ll come straight home?”
“Where else would I go?” I shrug. “You know,” I hesitate, “it would
make life easier if you give me my cell phone back.”
“Already on it,” he says.
“Yeah?” A seed of hope takes root inside me.
“I’m getting you a new one. But you’ll have to wait until your
birthday.”
A new phone. Which probably means he’s put a tracker on it to monitor
my every move.
“Thank you.” I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes.
“I don’t want to keep you caged up like some animal, Ken. But after
what happened... I need to be able to trust you, baby.”
He talks like I was the one who beat myself half to death. But that’s
Warren; he doesn’t think like most people. He’s paranoid and highly strung,
and where I’m concerned he’s borderline psycho with stalker tendencies.
“You can trust me,” I say.
A knock on the window startles me and I turn to find Shelbie grinning
at me.
“She’s really starting to fucking annoy me.” Warren is referring to the
fact that she’s personally escorted me from his car every morning.
It’s weird—I wouldn’t have called Shelbie my best friend before I went
to the Bay, but since returning, she’s been nothing but rock solid. It’s a
small mercy in this nightmare I’ve found myself in.
“So I’ll see you later at the trailer?” I lean over to kiss his cheek, but
Warren catches my neck and plants a big, sloppy kiss on my lips.
 “I want to come home and find you naked and waiting for me, okay?”
“Mm-hmm,” I mumble, reaching for the door. “Have a good day.”
“Hey, girl. Warren,” Shelbie clips out.
“Garret, always a pleasure.”
Giving him a small wave, I slam the door and enjoy the smell of
freedom.
“You seem different.” Shelbie regards me for a second before looping
her arm through mine.
“I’m okay,” I lie.
Because I don’t have the heart to tell her that she’s right.
I am different.
I’m slowly withering away.
The longer I stay in the Heights with Warren, the more pieces of my
heart will rot.
Until eventually, there’s nothing left.

“We need to talk,” Levi says, sliding his tray onto the table.
“Take a seat, why don’t you,” I quip as if he and Jayden haven’t sat with
us for the last four lunchtimes. We don’t talk much, not really. We eat our
questionable lunches, Shelbie occasionally teases Jayden about whatever
drama he’s managed to get himself tangled up in, and then we go our
separate ways. I have one class with Jayden, two with Levi, and homeroom
and the rest of my classes with Shelbie. Between the three of them, they’ve
managed to cover most of my schedule.
Before I would have said it was unnecessary, but now there’s something
comforting about knowing they have my back. In an odd kind of way,
having Levi and Jayden around makes me feel close to Conner.
“Is Warren picking you up from school?”
“I’m riding with Shelbie today, why?”
“Good,” he murmurs. “That’s good.”
“Okay, what am I missing?”
He and Jayden share a look. Jayden shrugs, and Levi lets out a long
breath.
“After class, head to the swimming pool locker rooms.”
 “What?” I hiss with disbelief. No one goes in the pool house. It’s been
out of bounds for years. The pool was deemed unsafe so they closed the
entire building. It’s sat there empty ever since.
“It’ll be open. You can walk right in.”
“Yeah, but why would I want to do that?”
“Just make sure you’re there, Kenny.” Levi grumbles, but Jayden’s eyes
give them away.
“Conner,” I breathe. “No, he can’t. He can’t risk it.” I lean across the
table. “You have to tell him not to come. I mean it, Levi. Promise me.”
“Have you met Jagger?” he scoffs. “He’ll do what he wants with or
without our help. We figured at least this way, he shouldn’t get caught.”
“He’s really coming here?” I don’t know how to feel about it. On the
one hand I’m so fucking relieved. But on the other, I’m terrified. He’ll
know. He’ll take one look at me and know I’ve let Warren touch me.
“Yeah. You need to head straight to the pool house after class,” Levi
whispers. “Take the back path and you should be undetected.”
“I...” Do I really want to do this?
Do I really want to betray Warren and risk seeing Conner?
I shouldn’t. But I need a chance to explain. I need a chance to
apologize. I just need to see him, even for a few minutes.
Guilt rises inside me like a tidal wave. I’m doing this to protect Conner
and his family, but part of me had wondered if they would all write me off.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” My voice trembles.
“It’s pretty simple, K,” Levi scoffs. “You go easily, or you don’t and
Jagger chases you down. He’s determined to see you, whether you play ball
or not.”
A shiver runs down my spine at his words. Conner is pissed. He has to
be. I left like a thief in the night. Even though I had good reason to, he
won’t see it like that.
Because he loves you.
I shut down the little voice.
I can’t be weak, not now. Not when there’s too much at stake.
“Hey,” Shelbie says, covering my hand with hers. “It’ll be okay,
Kennedy.”
I want to believe her, I do. But seeing Conner again, staring him in the
eye after everything that’s happened... I’m not sure I’ll survive it.
By the end of the day, my heart is a runaway train in my chest. I barely
heard anything the teacher said in last period, the roar of blood in my ears
so loud everything else is white noise.
The hall is chaos as I file out of the classroom. Levi catches my eye,
giving me an encouraging nod. I’m surprised he isn’t personally walking
me to the pool house, but I know we need to be discreet.
Shelbie, however, does intercept me. Lacing her arm through mine, she
says, “So I’ll hang around in the library, and if Warren suspects anything,
we’ll tell him I had to finish a paper.”
“Okay.” The knot in my stomach is so tight I feel a little nauseous.
“Hey, it’ll be okay, you know?”
“Will it?” My palms grow slicker with every step. We slip out of the
back exit and loop around one side of the building, cutting across the path
to the abandoned pool house.
Conner is in there. I can feel him. My heart pounds harder in my chest
and my steps falter.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” I grab Shelbie’s arm, grinding to a
halt.
“I know you’re scared,” she says softly, her eyes alight with sympathy.
“But it’s Conner, K. He would never hurt you.”
I nod despite the way my stomach churns.
“Go,” she encourages. “You got this. Just don’t be too long. We don’t
want to make Warren suspicious.”
I nod again, dragging in a calming breath.
Shelbie doesn’t follow this time. I walk the last few steps alone, until I
reach the doors. Sure enough, I find them unlocked and slip inside. I’ve
only been in here once before, when Conner and I were in ninth grade. We
skipped class once and hung out in here.
Finally, I reach the locker room doors.
Here goes nothing.
I push it open and step inside and his head snaps up. His eyes are dark
and bloodshot, and his jaw looks painfully clenched.
“You came,” he says flatly, so devoid of emotion it breaks my heart all
over again.
“Yeah,” I say.
He stands up, taking the air with him. “We need to talk, K.”
“Yeah.” My stomach twists violently. “I know.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Conner

I t's been six days since I’ve been close to her, since I looked into her
eyes, since her scent filled my nose. I don't know what I really expected
her to look like when I saw her again. Part of me wanted her to be a
mess, to obviously regret every second of what's happened this week, but
another part of me, the nicer side, wanted her to be happy, to know that at
least one of us wasn't dying inside.
But as she walks toward me, she almost looks just like the Kenny I
remember so well. Her complexion is light, her clothes are normal, but it's
not until I look right into her eyes that I find the real truth. And what I
discover has all the air racing from my lungs.
I'm not the only one suffering here. And it fucking kills me.
Anger explodes within me. At her for putting us both through this. At
Warren for being the cunt who has manipulated all of us. At James for not
fixing this sooner and allowing me to take back what’s mine. At myself for
waiting six fucking days to be standing in front of her.
"Why?" The word falls from my lips and echoes around the cold,
abandoned locker room.
This isn't what I wanted. I didn't want my anger to get the better of me; I
wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her that everything is going to be
okay. But right now, seeing that look in her eyes, I'm not sure I can do it.
 "I didn't have a choice, Conner."
"Bullshit," I snap, my hands coming up to tug at my hair painfully. "You
always have a choice."
She shakes her head, not even bothering to try to defend her actions.
"You could have spoken to me, told me what was happening. You could
have spoken to Dad, Cole, Hadley, Vager, FUCKING ANYTHING," I
scream at her, my need for her to know just how badly this is ripping me
apart inside is too much to contain. "But you did none of those fucking
things."
I blow out a long breath, turning my back on her, much like she did to
me in Colton on the weekend.
"Instead, you snuck out in the middle of the night, pretending that you
don't want me anymore. That's fucking cold, K."
"I-I didn't—"
"Have a choice?" I boom. "Yeah, I got that fucking memo."
I spin back to her, the devastation now clear in her tear-filled eyes.
"I was living a lie with you, Conner. We both know that. I don't belong
in the Bay, at that school. I'm a Heights girl through and through. This is my
home, where I should be."
"You mean you should be with him?" I seethe, closing the space
between us. "You think you deserve to be with that psychotic cunt?" She
flinches at my harsh words, but we both know she can't argue with them.
We've both experienced what it's like to be on the wrong end of his fists.
Okay, so I might not have been the one with the black eye, but seeing what
he did to her, hurt me just as much as it did her. Only, my injuries weren't
visible to anyone else.
"I-I don't—"
"Don't even think about trying to fucking defend him, K," I roar, closing
the space between us until she's got no choice but to start backing up if she
doesn't want us to collide—which apparently she doesn't. The sight of her
keeping space between us is another stab to my already battered heart.
Her jaw drops, but only a gasp passes her lips when she bumps up
against the lockers.
"Has he touched you?" I growl, needing to know exactly what I'm
dealing with here. Has he just taken my girl to torture me, to prove a point?
Or is there more to the deranged psycho?
"Don't... don't do this."
 Red hot fury explodes in my stomach and seeps into each one of my
veins at her words, at the panic on her face.
"Has he hurt you again?" My eyes flick over her exposed skin, but other
than the dark circles under her eyes, I see no evidence of anything being
wrong.
Not happy with that, seeing as she's wearing a huge fucking hoodie, I
reach out and rip it from her, leaving her standing in just her tank.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
I scan her skin for bruises, for anything, but I find nothing.
Stepping right up to her, my hand wraps around her throat and I hold
tight enough to feel the thundering of her pulse beneath my fingertips.
"Conner?" she breathes, her eyes barely able to hold mine. I have no
idea what she can see within them, how out of fucking control I look right
now, but I don't care.
"Has he touched you?" I breathe, my voice low and haunting.
"N-no, not yet, not really."
"Don't answer me in fucking riddles, K. Has he touched what's mine,
taken what's mine?" We're so close my nose brushes against hers and the
heat of her body burns into mine.
My muscles ache to pull her into my arms, to tell her everything is
going to be okay, but nothing about this is okay. And before I can even
consider what comes next, I need these answers.
I might just be torturing myself, because really, none of it matters, but I
need to fucking know.
"No, he hasn't… Not yet."
A growl rumbles up my throat at her admission.
"But he will. I can only put him off for so long."
"You gonna give it up to him?" I regret the question the second it falls
from my lips, but it's too late now. It's out in the open and hanging between
us.
"What? No. Don't be so ridiculous. I don't want him anywhere near me,
but I can't do much about it, can I? Is it true, Conner?"
"Is what true?" I ask, feeling like I've just been slapped with the subject
change.
"What he's got on James. Is it true?"
I narrow my eyes at her, wondering how much she knows, how much
Warren willingly told her, or if he's filled her full of lies and bullshit. My
money would certainly be on the latter.
"That all depends on what he's told you."
"He... he wants to hurt you, all of you."
"You think that’s news to me, K? He's been doing that since the day he
asked you to be his. Ripping my fucking heart out and parading it around in
front of me. He's fucking sick."
"You think I don't know that? I experience that every day, every time he
looks at me, every time he forces me to—" She slams her lips shut,
realizing what she was just about to admit.
"When he forces you to do what, K?"
She shakes her head.
"You want to be all noble and protect me? Then you need to start by
telling me the fucking truth," I shout at her, getting right in her face, but she
doesn't flinch, she doesn't cower. Not to me, anyway. She knows me better
than to be scared of me.
"You know damn well that he wouldn't let me get away with putting
stuff off. So no, he hasn’t gotten between my legs yet, but he's had me on
my knees like the little fucking slave he seems to think I am." Her anger is
palpable, and I use it to feed my own.
Images flash through my mind, ones that should never, ever be there,
and my body trembles with my restraint.
Kenny's eyes widen as my grip on her throat tightens, but I don't move.
I can't. I'm too fucking broken.
"Conner," she breathes, and the sound of her soft, concerned voice
shatters me.
"I fucking hate you right now, K. I fucking hate you," I seethe, but my
actions betray my words as my lips slam on hers and my hand releases her
neck in favor of allowing my fingers to thread into her hair.
Her lips part for me instantly and my tongue sweeps out in search of
hers.
The second I taste her, everything inside me relaxes slightly. It doesn't
make any of it go away—my anger, my need for revenge are still there,
simmering right under the surface—but she allows me to focus on
something else, if only for a few seconds. She gives me exactly what I've
been craving since the moment she walked out of that hotel room and away
from me on the weekend.
 I drop my hands to her hips and lift her until she has no choice but to
wrap her legs around my waist and feel what she does to me. Even while
I'm hating her, I can't stop wanting her.
I grind my hips against her pussy and a moan rips from both of us.
My hands are everywhere, caressing, squeezing, teasing, but it's not
enough. It's never e-fucking-nough with Kenny.
But then I make one fatal move.
I release her lips in favor of kissing down her neck, and it gives her the
time she needs to think, to process what's happening here. I know exactly
when she shuts down; I feel it, and not just in the way her muscles go rigid
in my hold.
Pulling my face from her neck, I look at her. Tears stream down her
cheeks, her dark makeup getting washed away with them. "I can't do this,
Con. I can't lose myself in you again."
"Bullshit. This is me. Fuck, K. This is us." I cup her cheeks in my hands
and stare into her eyes. "I need you so fucking bad."
A hiccup erupts from her throat as she tries to keep it together, but I see
the storm behind her eyes. I see her breaking apart on the inside just like I
am.
"I know. But I can't."
"You can, babe." I drop my forehead to hers. "It's just me. Just me and
you."
"Yeah, but when I walk out of those doors, it won't be. It'll be me and
him, and I can't, Conner, I just can't." Her voice cracks, and I know that I've
lost her.
Reluctantly, I allow her legs to drop until she's taking her own weight
once more and I step back. It fucking rips me apart inside to do so, but this
isn't just about me.
A roar rips from my throat a second before my fist slams into the locker
beside her head.
She screams, and all the fight leaves me.
"Shit, K. I wouldn't," I shout.
"I know," she says sadly, “you just startled me. "I... uh..." She looks
over her shoulder at the door, and I swear to God my world stops spinning.
"I really need to..."
"Go back to him," I finish for her.
"It's not like that, and you know it."
 "Do I?" I sigh as she starts to back away from me. "I love you, K. I
fucking love you."
"I know." Those two words gut me. The fact that she doesn't say it back
shreds me to fucking pieces.
I watch her go, but the second she has her hand on the door, ready to
push it open, I stop her.
"Wait." I push my hand into my pocket and pull out something I’m sure
will mean nothing to her. "Here."
I drop the small origami flower into her hand and then turn and walk
away myself, knowing that I can't bear to watch her do it to me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kennedy

“F eeling better?” Warren asks me the moment my eyes open.

I take a second, pressing a hand to my stomach. “Still a little
nauseous.”
I hadn’t even had to lie.
When Shelbie had dropped me off at the trailer yesterday, I’d spent
almost two hours puking into the Kravens toilet bowl. That’s how Warren
found me.
I blamed the school’s Taco Friday. Surprisingly, he bought it. He’d held
my hair back and then stripped my damp clothes from my body, lowered
me into the tub, and washed every inch of my skin. I was too weak to argue.
Too broken to fight off his touch when he slid his fingers between my legs
and made me come.
But the guilt came thick and fast, and he’d barely gotten me to the bowl
before I puked again. By the end of it, I was so weak I could barely stand.
Warren tucked me into bed with a hot water bottle and some ice chips and
let me sleep.
Only, sleep didn’t find me. I lay there, pretending. It was easier than
trying to keep him at arm’s length.
I couldn’t do it, not after seeing Conner. Not after hearing the pain in his
voice and feeling the anger in his kiss.
 He hates me.
Conner hates me, and I don’t blame him.
But I also know he loves me. That’s why he’s hurting so much. Because
I’ve broken his heart.
I’m a fucking mess.
But I can only pacify Warren for so long. He’s already growing skittish.
Soon he’ll want me to prove my loyalty with not only my words but my
body. And I’ll have no choice but to obey.
Because Conner confirmed what I already knew—Warren has the
Jaggers running scared.
“Why don’t you have the morning in bed? I want to hit the gym and run
a few errands. We’re going out tonight, so you need to feel better.”
“Out?” The hairs along the back of my neck tingle.
“Party at Macker’s place.”
“A party? I’m not sure—"
Warren’s brow quirks up, and I swallow my protests.
“I’m sure I’ll feel better by then.”
“I’ll bring you one of those iced latte things you like.”
“Thanks.” Because iced latte fixes everything.
He brushes the stray hairs from my face, gazing down at me as if I’m
the most precious thing in his world. “I love you, baby. Everything I do is
for you, you know that, right?”
“I know.” The words gut me.
“Okay.” He leans in, kissing my forehead. “Rest up, and I’ll see you
later.” Warren climbs out of bed and pulls on a t-shirt.
I wait for him to leave, burying my face in the pillow the second he
does.
A party?
I don’t want to go to a party. Least of all at Kian Macker’s house. He
graduated last summer with Warren and is the closest thing he has to a
friend. But he’s a real creep. Throws these parties out at his house that
overlooks the ocean. He isn’t rich by any means of the word, but money
comes easy to a guy with zero morals and connections in all the wrong
places.
I could run. I could pack my sparse belongings into a bag right now,
steal some of the cash I know Warren keeps in an empty tin in the food
cabinet, and go.
 But I can’t risk him assuming I’d gone back to Conner. And even if he
knew I hadn’t, I wouldn’t put it past Warren to punish Conner and the
Jaggers anyway.
I’m stuck here.
So long as Warren is alive and breathing, I have no way out.
Tears sting my eyes, but they don’t fall. My armor is already
strengthening, sliding into place around my heart. Warren can take my
body, he can use me as a punching bag and try to break my spirit, but he
will never have the one thing he truly craves.
My love.

Music pumps through the house, rattling my bones. Warren keeps me

tucked into his side as we move deeper into the fray.
A couple of guys tip their Solo cups at Warren, but no one tries to stop
him. The air is thick with smoke. Cigarettes, weed, who knows what else.
The smell is overpowering, and I lift my arm to my nose to try to breathe
easier.
“Kraven, my man. You came.” Kian is sprawled out on the couch, a
half-naked girl I don’t recognize in his lap, her eyes rolled back and her
hips undulating as he blatantly finger fucks her.
“Hey man, you want a taste? She’s fucking dripping.”
“Nah, not right now.” Warren chuckles, yanking me closer to drop a kiss
on my hair.
“She’s a pretty little thing. But I bet she doesn’t suck dick like Felicia.”
The girl moans, too high off her face to realize she has an audience.
“Yeah, get it, Leesh,” someone yells, and the room cheers as her moans
grow closer together.
Kian chuckles, nuzzling her neck from behind as he rips down her lacy
tank and fondles her breasts. “Come on, man. You know you want to.” His
brow lifts at Warren.
I peek up at him to find his eyes blown with lust, and my stomach
clenches so violently I think I’m going to puke.
“Nah man, she’s all yours for now.” His grip on me tightens, but I can
feel his hunger bleeding out of him.
 Go, I want to whisper. Go fuck her and leave me alone.
But I know he won’t. Even if he does get with some other girl, he’ll
always come crawling back... because they’re not me.
Warren pulls me down onto one of the chairs, wrapping his arm firmly
around my waist. My skirt rides up my thighs a little. I hadn’t wanted to
wear it, but he insisted. Said he wanted to show me off.
His fingers brush my knee, casually at first, but as we watch the girl
lose herself in pleasure, his touch creeps higher and higher.
“Warren,” I hiss, and he chuckles.
“Doesn’t it get you hot, watching her?” he whispers against my ear.
“Look at her slick pussy, babe. I could slide right in there and she wouldn’t
even know what hit her.”
His fingers trace my inner thigh, and my body betrays me. His touch
repulses me, but I can’t deny watching her ignites an unwelcome fire in my
belly.
God, I miss Conner. I miss his touch and kiss, the way he treated me
with such passion and desire. He would never force me to watch such
debauchery.
But I am here, and the music is pumping through me and the weed
assaulting my senses, and if I close my eyes and shut it all out and just
feel... I can almost—
No.
No!
What the fuck am I thinking?
I don’t want to do this.
Snatching Warren’s hand away, I thread our fingers together. “Not
here,” I say over my shoulder, forcing myself to placate him with a kiss.
The girl’s moans fill the air, her orgasm swirling around us.
“We should have some fun with her,” Warren suggests.
“I don’t share,” I snap.
“No... I guess you don’t.” There’s something ominous in his tone.
Something dark and wicked.
“Drinks, man.” Another guy appears, handing each of us a bottle of beer
and catching Warren’s eye for a beat. I sniff it, inspecting the contents.
“It’s just beer,” he says.
“Drink it,” Warren orders. “Mal knows not to fuck with me.”
 I take a long pull, desperate for something to take off the edge. Kian has
already disposed of the girl, and I spot her in the corner, snorting a bump of
coke. Her drugged eyes meet mine, and for a second I see myself in her. A
shudder rips through me and I drop my gaze. She’ll find no sympathy here.
I don’t have any left to give.
Warren and Kian fall into easy conversation while I sip my beer. The
other guy, Mal, keeps the drinks flowing.
I try to keep an eye on what I’m drinking, but every time I stop, Warren
gives me a little nudge.
A silent order.
He wants me to relax, to let my guard down.
But to what end?
Some time later, everything is a little blurry, and there’s a new girl
dancing, putting on a show for Kian.
“Is that Zoe?” I ask Warren.
“Zoe?”
“Yeah, Jayden’s sister. Isn’t she like, fourteen or fifteen?” The way she’s
working her body would suggest otherwise.
“Does it matter? She’s obviously here looking for a good time,” he
replies dismissively.
Kian watches Zoe hungrily. I realized some time ago that this room is
invite only. Kian has a guy on the door letting people in and out. There are
only a few of us here, and it feels intimate somehow, like this is Kian’s den
and we’re his subjects.
“You ready to play, man?” he asks Warren.
“Play?” I say, but it comes out slurred.
“Yeah, baby. I told you, we’re going to have some fun.”
“F-fun?” The icy claws of fear wrap around my throat. “But we’re
having fun. We’re at the party.”
“Oh, Kennedy, so naïve.” Warren kisses the end of my nose.
“Leesh, get over here and help my guy and his girl enjoy their night.”
“W-what?” I murmur, confusion clouding my head. Everything feels
wrong, like I’m underwater and can’t break to the surface.
“Warren?”
“Shh. Relax, baby. I’m going to take care of you.” His fingers slip
inside me, white hot pleasure racing up my spine. I moan loudly and
someone grunts, “Fuck, that’s hot.”
 “Get over here, you little slut. Come kiss my girl.”
The girl from earlier stands over me, her eyes like two pinholes as she
grins down at me. “I’ll make it so good.” Her mouth is on mine before I can
get my head around what’s happening.
I try to resist, but my body feels lax, and Warren’s arm traps me in place
as he continues finger fucking me. It feels so good... it’s not supposed to
feel good.
I’m not supposed to feel like this.
One of his hands flies out and grabs her throat, and she chokes into my
mouth.
“Shh, baby,” he croons into my ear. “This is all for you.”
For me?
I-I don’t understand.
But I can’t think straight, let alone piece together the puzzle Warren is
spinning. I ride his hand, my body moving involuntarily as it chases the
release it knows will come.
“I’m going to fuck her, and you’re going to watch,” Warren spits.
“You’re going to watch me fuck her until she’s begging for me to stop, and
then when I’m done, you’re going to lick my dick clean.”
He roughly grabs my chin, yanking my face around to his. “I think you
need a little reminder of who you belong to, baby.” His fingers stop
moving, and I let out a needy whimper as I realize that he’s not going to
give me the release that’s in touching distance.
“Off,” he grits out, shoving me off his lap. I topple to the floor, and the
girl practically clambers over me to climb on Warren’s lap and sink down
on his cock.
“Fuck, yes,” he grunts, locking eyes with mine as I sit there, tears
streaming down my cheeks.
“Let me fuck her,” Kian says, despite the petite blonde now sitting in
his lap. “I’ll make it hurt,” he promises.
“Touch her,” Warren sneers, “and I’ll gut you like a fish.”
Kian lets out a maniacal laugh. “She’s off-limits, got it, man. Whatever
you say. She’s good, right? So fucking tight.”
He’s no longer talking about me; he’s referring to the girl riding Warren
like her life depends on it.
I swallow the bile in my throat as I try to break free of his hard stare.
But he has me ensnared. Trapped. And although he’s not touching me, he’s
determined to make it hurt.
“Come here.” He beckons me with a tilt of his chin, and despite the fact
that I know nothing good is going to come of it, my body follows orders.
His fingers dig into my jaw and he forces me to watch him fuck the
whore on his lap.
“You see that, baby? That should be yours.”
“What the fuck?” someone roars, and I glance up to find Jayden
standing in the doorway, a murderous expression on his face. “Zoe?”
Her eyes widen with horror. “J-Jay?”
“What the fuck are you doing with my sister, Macker? My kid sister.”
Kian holds up his hands slowly. “She came here looking for a good
time.”
“So you thought you’d just—"
“Relax.” Levi appears, his eyes catching mine. The blood drains from
his face when they move past me to Warren fucking the girl as if we’re not
all here.
He mumbles something to himself before turning his attention on Zoe.
“Zo, let’s go. Now,” Levi barks, and she reluctantly clambers to her feet.
“Call me,” she says to Kian over her shoulder.
“Go get in the fucking car, now.” Jayden pushes her out of the room, a
chill zipping through the air when he settles his gaze back on Kian.
“Lay a single finger on my sister, and I’ll kill you.” He takes off after
her, leaving Levi behind.
“You need to rein in your boy, Miller.” Kian scrubs his jaw.
“It’s his sister, man. She’s barely fifteen.”
“People know what they’re getting into when they turn up here.”
“Yeah, well next time, shut the door in her face.” Levi hesitates.
“Something else you need?” Kian asks over the sound of skin slapping
and Felicia’s moans.
When Levi’s sympathetic gaze flicks to mine, I want the ground to open
up and swallow me whole.
I want to go with him.
But we both know I can’t.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Conner

"G etanswer
your ass to my house now," Levi barks down the line the second I
my cell. Music booms in the background, telling that he's at
some Friday night Heights party.
"Is she okay?" I ask in a rush. We all know too well the kind of shit that
goes down at some of those parties.
"Can you get there or not?"
"Y-yeah, I'm leaving now. Tell me she's okay."
"She'll be fine."
"That's not what I fucking asked." I hang up and march to the pool
house doors.
"What's going on?" Cole asks when I have my fingers wrapped around
the handle.
"Nothing," I mutter, pushing the door open and not bothering to look
back. I know exactly what I'll see: Hadley grinding her drunk ass down on
his denim-clad cock. Lucky motherfucker. Ace isn't in a much different
position either.
"We'll come."
"No," I shoot over my shoulder. "I think you've already done enough.
Don't you?"
 Before he gets a chance to respond, I blow through the door and allow it
to slam behind me.
There was never a question as to whether I would forgive Cole for
killing our 'father.' I couldn't give a shit about the man who ruined our lives,
but what I can't get over right now is the fact that he lied to both Ace and
me about it. As far as I was concerned, Cole and I didn't have secrets, and
yet he fucking kept something so huge from me. All the while that cunt
Warren has been walking around knowing all about it and planning how to
fuck us up.
The drive to Levi's seems to take longer than any other time I've made
this exact same journey to the Heights.
It's nearing midnight. The roads are dead, and the only light comes from
my car and the moon shining through the trees. It's eerie as fuck and only
makes the fear that's quickly filling my veins get worse.
What the hell has happened that Levi would call me there in the middle
of the night? I swear to God, if Warren has so much as laid a finger on her
I'll fucking kill him before the sun comes up, consequences be damned. I
love my brother, I'd hate to see him go down, but maybe he should have
considered that possibility before putting a bullet through that piece of shit's
head.
As I wheelspin around the corner that leads to Levi's driveway, I pull up
behind his car right as his brake lights illuminate and he brings it to a stop.
My car has barely stopped moving when my feet hit the ground and I
run toward him.
"What's going—fuck," I bark, seeing my girl passed out in the backseat
of his piece of shit car.
I rip the door open and take her in my arms. Her short skirt has ridden
up around her hips, revealing her black panties, and her tank's lifted,
showing off her toned stomach, but other than being a little exposed I can't
see any evidence of him hurting her.
Carefully, I right her clothing and slide her into my arms, clutching her
to my chest and breathing her in.
"What the fuck happened?" I snap at Levi as I follow him into his house
with Kenny limp in my arms.
"Party at Macker’s, that's what happened."
"That fuck took her to Macker’s?" That sleazebag has a reputation that
puts most of the Heights to shame.
 "Take her to my room, first on the right. I'll get her a glass of water and
pills. I think she's going to need them."
My lips part to ask more questions, but my priority right now is looking
after Kenny.
I race forward and kick open Levi's bedroom door before laying her on
his bed and sitting down beside her.
She's totally out of it.
My heart crashes against my ribs as I stare down at her. She's got
makeup smeared all over her cheeks with tear tracks streaked through it.
"What happened tonight, babe?" I ask softly, trying to wipe the mess
from her cheeks with my thumb.
She doesn't respond. She can't.
Levi's footsteps sound out behind me before he closes the door and
walks over. He places a glass of water and a box of Advil on the nightstand.
"I grabbed these from the bathroom," he says, passing a packet of face
wipes over to me before he drops down into the chair by the window.
"What happened?" I ask again through gritted teeth.
"You really want to know?"
No, I really fucking don't. "Yes."
Levi blows out a long breath before glancing at Kenny and then back to
me. "He had her drink spiked. Fucked one of Macker’s sluts in front of her
and then..."
"And then?"
His expression tightens. "She wants you to know the details, she can tell
you, man."
"Jesus fucking Christ." I scrub my hand down my face, all kinds of
crazy-ass ideas filling my mind about what he could have forced on my girl.
"Where is he?"
"I made sure he took enough of whatever they were lacing the drinks
with to knock out a small horse. He won't be waking up for a few hours
yet."
"This is seriously fucked up."
"You fucking think?"
"She's gonna be okay, right?"
"Yeah, though I suspect she’ll have a killer hangover in the morning."
"I can't let her stay here. I can't let him keep doing this to her."
"Then fucking don't. Find a way to end this... to end him."
 My fists curl with my need to do just that. "It's fucking coming. I just
need to make sure he can't hurt anyone else first."
"We need to get her back before the sun comes up. If he thinks she went
anywhere but home he's gonna be on the warpath. You can both stay in
here. I'll crash on the couch." He pushes from the chair and walks to the
door.
"Lev?"
"Yeah?"
"Did he... did he let anyone else..." I trail off. He doesn't need me to
spell it out for him.
"Not that I know of, but I had to leave in order to deal with him."
I nod and he pulls the door open before I call for him again. This time I
look over my shoulder and catch his eyes when he does the same thing.
"T-thank you."
He nods, accepting my appreciation before pulling the door closed
behind him and leaving me alone with my girl.
Twisting around, I pull her boots from her feet and quietly drop them to
the floor before toeing my own off. I pull out a couple of the wipes Levi
handed me and make quick work of cleaning up her face until I reveal my
gorgeous girl beneath, and then I crawl onto the bed beside her.
There are so many things I want to say to her, want to ask her, but I
can't. Well, I could, but it's not going to get me any of the answers I so
desperately need right now.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pull her into my body and drop
my lips to her forehead.
"I've got you, babe. You're safe now." My voice cracks with emotion.
She might be safe right this second, but I know Levi is right. We need to
deliver her back before sunrise, and then she's once again going to be at his
mercy.
Part of me hopes that the quantity of drugs Levi gave him tonight will
finish him off, but another part would feel cheated if that were to happen. I
want to be there, watching as the life drains from his eyes. I want to be the
one who delivers the final blow and puts an end to the cunt that's tried to
ruin my girl's life time and time again.
The sound of her shallow breathing is the only noise that fills the room
as the minutes tick by. She sleeps soundly in my arms, but I have no chance
of shutting off. I've got too many ideas running around my head about what
she might have endured tonight. I know I should probably be relieved that
she isn’t covered in blood and bruises, but we both know that the worst pain
is often on the inside.
My hold on her doesn't falter, but all too soon the sky begins to turn
orange as the dawn of a new day begins.
I want to lift her into my arms, place her in my car and run away with
her. We could drive out of the Heights, past the Bay and just disappear
together.
But where would that leave us? Where would that leave my dad and my
brothers?
Warren isn't likely to give up that easily. He would haunt us wherever
we went, and we would be constantly looking over our shoulders, waiting
for him to show his face.
I force out a long breath and Kenny groans in my arms.
"K, babe?"
Her eyelids flicker and my breathing ceases as I wait for her to wake up
and look at me.
I know the second reality slams into her because her entire body tenses
before she attempts to curl herself into a ball.
"Babe, it's okay. You're safe. I've got you."
"C-Conner?" she croaks. The little bit of hope I hear in her voice rips
my heart in two all over again. I thought walking away from her the other
day was bad, but that's going to pale in comparison to what this morning
has in store for us.
"Yeah, babe. I'm right here."
"Oh my God," she sobs, burying her face in my chest, her entire body
trembling as her memories hit her.
I rub my hands up and down her back as she cries, wishing I could take
her pain away and make it mine, anything to make all of this more bearable
for her.
"Do you need a drink, some pain meds?" I ask once she's calmed down
a little.
"Y-yeah. I think I might be dying." She tries to force some amusement
into her voice, but it falls very flat.
"Here, hold your hand out." I watch as she downs the entire glass of
water and throws back the pills. "You want to talk about it?" What little
color she did have in her face immediately drains away.
 "Where are we?" she asks, avoiding my question.
"Levi's bedroom. He got you out and called me."
"He's a good guy." I nod. "But what about—"
A soft knock on the door cuts off her question. I'm glad, because I really
don't want to hear that motherfucker's name fall from her lips.
"I'm sorry, but we really should get you back," Levi says to Kenny.
Her entire body sags at his words. "It's not over then?" she asks no one
in particular.
"I'm so sorry, babe."
"Don't. It's not your fault."
"Where is he?"
"He should be passed out at Macker’s still, but he won't be forever, and
he's going to want to know where you are."
"Great."
"Do you remember last night, Ken?" Levi asks her, and she immediately
tenses.
"Y-yeah."
"I… I was hoping maybe you wouldn't."
"Life's not that kind. Can I use your bathroom before we..."
"Sure." He directs Kenny down the hall before stepping into his room
and changing his shirt. "She okay?" he asks as I shove my feet into my
sneakers.
"What the fuck do you think?"
"You can't come, you know that right?"
"Fuck that, man. I'm not losing out on any time with her."
His eyes find me. "But... if he sees you..."
"Then we need to make sure he fucking doesn't."
The second Kenny reappears from the bathroom, I drag her into my side
and don't release her until Levi pulls to a stop in front of the Kraven trailer.
I hate to let her go. It physically fucking pains me to do so, but I know I've
got no choice.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kennedy

“I need to go,” I whisper, the words slicing me open.

Conner grips me tighter, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I
can’t.”
“You have to, Con. Think of your brothers... your family.” If anything
was ever to happen to them because of me, I couldn’t live with it.
A guttural roar fills the car as Conner’s fist smashes against the back of
the seat.
“Easy, man,” Levi says, twisting around to look at us. “She’s right, you
need to go before somebody sees us.”
Conner hesitates, looking right into my eyes. “I fucking hate this, K. I
—"
“I know. But we don’t have any other choice.”
I slide to climb out of the car, wanting to save us both the heartache of
goodbye, but Conner grabs my arm and pulls me back. His mouth crashes
down on mine, hard and bruising.
“Dude, we need to go,” Levi grumbles, but Conner doesn’t let up. He
slides his tongue against mine, kissing me the way only he can.
“Conner,” I breathe, finally tearing myself away.
“Fight, babe. Promise me you’ll fight.”
 “I—" I think better of replying, opting for a small nod instead. The truth
of the matter is, I’m not sure I have much fight left inside me. After last
night, the way Warren demeaned me in front of Kian and his friends, not to
mention the fact that he slipped me something in my drink, I know it’s only
a matter of time before he hurts me again. Or worse.
“Go, before I do something I’ll regret.”
Part of me wants me to beg him to. We could take off, just the two of us.
Leave Sterling and never look back. But I can’t ask him to do that, to leave
his family, his brothers. I won’t.
Gingerly, I climb out of Levi’s car and walk the short distance to
Warren’s trailer. When I reach the door, I glance back and meet Conner’s
dark gaze. Seeing him is both a salve to my heart and a knife to my chest. I
know Levi meant well, pulling me out of the party before something really
bad happened, but now I have to cover my tracks with Warren. Besides,
every time I see Conner, another piece of me dies inside.
I slip into the trailer unnoticed. There’s no sign of Mitch, but his
bedroom door is closed, so hopefully he made it to bed last night.
Toeing off my sneakers, I tiptoe to Warren’s room, relieved when I find
the bed empty. It’s still made, no sign that he was ever here. I quickly strip
out of my clothes and slide under the covers. He’ll have to come back here
eventually, and when he does, I don’t want to give him any suspicions.
I drift in and out of sleep, dreaming of Conner. My knight in shining
armor, my protector. He’s defending me from a faceless monster, something
that lurks in the shadows and sets my teeth on edge.
When I hear the front door slam, I jerk awake.
“Kennedy?” he yells.
“In here.” I yawn, pushing up on my elbows.
“Fuck, babe. You’re here, thank fuck.” He roughly tugs at the ends of
his hair. “I woke up and you weren’t there and I thought—"
“I got a ride home with Jayden and Zoe.”
“You did?”
I nod. “You were... distracted.”
“Fuck,” he hissed, catching my meaning. “She was nothing, baby. Just a
bit of fun.”
“You fucked her while forcing me to watch. That’s low, even for you.”
The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
 Warren stalks closer, dropping on the edge of the bed. He reaches for
me, tracing his finger along my jaw, and I flinch at his touch. “I only
wanted to make you jealous, baby. To make you feel even an ounce of what
I felt while you were with...” He can’t even say Conner’s name, but his
anger and jealousy are tangible. Thick and cloying, it hits me like acid.
“She was nothing but a drugged-out slut, baby.”
I refuse to look at him, claiming this moment as my own.
“Fuck, Kennedy. It was supposed to be a bit of fun. If Miller and his
fucking sidekick hadn’t showed up, I had big plans for the three of us.”
My stomach churns, and I work to keep last night’s alcohol in my
stomach.
“What time did you get back here?” He eyes me with suspicion.
“I don’t know. I was pretty out of it. Thanks to you.” I glower.
“You’ve taken a little G before, baby. It was only supposed to get you in
the mood.”
“You fucking drugged me, Warren,” I spit.
“Watch your fucking tongue.” He grabs my cheeks and squeezes my
lips. It hurts, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of crying.
“So that’s what last night was? Punishment?” My stomach sinks. I knew
it was, but it worries me that he’s finally talking about Conner. He’s
obviously past the relieved doting boyfriend stage.
His eyes shutter and roll slightly.
“Warren?”
He’s weak. Still coming down from the drugs in his system. Now would
be the perfect time to end this. If I had a knife or gun, I could blow his
brains out or gut him like a fish, and I doubt he’d even put up a fight.
But I don’t... and I can’t.
I’m not that person—I’m not a killer.
Although sometimes I wish I was.
Defeat trickles through my veins. This is my life. It could be worse, I
guess. After Conner left, and the abuse got bad, I was all alone. I didn’t
know how good it could feel to have another person love you, to want to
make you happy.
I know now, and Warren can’t ever take that from me.
Conner loves me, and it’s that thought I’ll cling to when things get hard
and it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
Warren is grumpy all weekend. He slept off his high most of yesterday, and
today we’ve mostly been curled up in bed.
But he still hasn’t taken me.
It’s like a game.
Like he wants me totally unaware of when and how it will happen.
It’s unsettling.
I make us all a pot roast. Cooking was always my reprieve before, and I
fit right back in at the small cooktop.
If you look past the dingy trailer, Mitch’s unkempt appearance, and
Warren’s increasingly deteriorating mood, it almost feels like a regular
Sunday dinner.
The three of us eat in an uncomfortable silence. Warren looks up at me
every few minutes and I can’t help but feel like he’s got a million questions
right on the tip of his tongue. But at no point does he say anything.
Well, not until we’ve finally finished.
“We’re going out tonight.”
“I—"
He silences me with a hard look. “Consider it an early birthday
present.” A wicked grin tugs at his mouth, and suddenly, I’m not hungry
anymore.
“That was some good shit,” Mitch says, draining a beer. “It’s good to
have a woman back around the place.”
God, his words make my skin crawl.
There’s still some faint bruising around his eye from where Conner
attacked him. I probably shouldn’t care more than I do. Mitch might be an
alcoholic, but he stood by for months, watching and listening to his son beat
and berate me. In my book, he’s just as bad. Maybe that’s why Warren’s
mom left them all those years ago. She got out when she could.
Lucky her.
I collect up the dishes and start washing them. Warren sneaks up behind
me, sliding his hands down my waist and grabbing my ass. I freeze, holding
my breath as he lets his fingers dip into the cut-off material.
“Warren,” I hiss, shame burning through me. Mitch is right there at the
table.
 “Shh, baby.”’ He nips my ear. “Let me make it up to you.” The tips of
his fingers sink into my pussy, and I clutch the edge of the counter at the
sudden intrusion.
“Who owns this pussy, Kennedy?” His thumb finds my clit, circling,
and my body starts to betray me.
“I—"
“Say. It,” he growls in my ear.
“Y-you do.” The words shred my insides. “You do.”

I know where Warren has brought me the second the car comes to a stop
outside an old warehouse.
“You’re fighting?” I ask. As far as I’m aware, Warren hasn’t fought in
months.
“No, we’re just here for the show,” he replies with a smug grin. One that
has my heart in my throat.
Fight night isn’t the kind of place you bring your date, not without good
reason.
What the hell are you up to, Warren?
He grabs my hand and pulls me to the door, mouthing some secret
password at the guy standing guard. He lets us past, and the nasty air hits
me. Blood, sweat... sex. It all mixes together to create a cloying smell.
There’s already a fight in progress, the sounds of fists cracking and men
grunting filling the air.
Warren doesn’t make for the main crowd, all gathered like hungry
wolves circling for the kill. Instead, he pulls me over to the wall, secreting
us away in the shadows. From here, we can just see the makeshift ring. It’s
been slightly raised to give everyone a better view.
“Warren, what are we doing here?”
“You’ll see.”’
Fear slides down my spine. There’s only one reason he’d bring me here,
and I don’t want to believe it.
Snagging his arm around my waist, Warren backs further into the wall
until we’re completely cloaked in darkness. My skin tingles with
trepidation, my heart beating so hard I feel a little lightheaded.
 He wouldn’t bring me to fight night without good cause.
Without—
Conner.
My world falls away as the boy I love steps into the ring. The crowd
goes wild, the noise deafening. I feel Warren grow rigid behind me, his grip
on my hip painful.
He dips his ear to my mouth. “Do you still want him, baby?” His hand
slides down to the waistband of the skirt he insisted I wear. “Does seeing
him like this get you wet?”
Oh God.
This is his grand plan.
Maybe it was his plan all along.
I press my thighs together, trying to keep him out, but it’s futile. His big
fingers sink into my panties and find my pussy.
The fight starts, and I’m powerless but to stand there watching the boy I
love while the boy I hate finger fucks me into submission. By the time I
clench around his digits, coming in intense waves, Warren is hard at my ass.
I feel his cock digging into me, grinding against me.
And I know.
He’s not going to let me off this time.
For a second, I think about screaming. I think about letting all the pain
and fear and anger rip from my lungs and alerting the crowd to my
predicament. But I can’t do it.
I can’t betray Conner and his family.
Warren picks me up like a rag doll and spins me around, pressing me
against the dirty wall. His fingers are wild and callous as he pushes and
pulls at my skirt, my panties. He grabs my tear-stricken face, forcing me to
look at him.
“I want you to watch him, Ken. Watch that fucker bleed while I fuck
him right out of you. You think I don’t know he touched you? You think I
don’t know that you let him inside this greedy little pussy.” He drags his
cock through my wetness. “I know everything. Every single fucking thing.
And now it’s time to pay, baby.” He slams inside me, and I swallow a
pained cry. I hate that he takes me bare—he always has, but if I’m forced to
do this, I’d much prefer there be a barrier between us.
It hurts. It hurts so fucking much as he fucks me with abandon. He
grabs my throat, pinning my head in place, giving me no choice but to
watch as Conner unleashes on his opponent. A whimper of pain spills from
my lips and Warren chuckles darkly, licking the tears from my cheeks.
“Fuck, you taste good,” he grits out, fucking me like he hates me.
And maybe he does.
But his hate is laced with his fucked-up brand of love, the two
inexplicably linked.
What I feel for Warren is darker than hate.
And I realize in that moment that this is never going to end. Either
Warren will kill me...
Or I’ll have to kill him. If only I could.

The next day at school, I’m numb.

I barely slept a wink, too sore and broken to find peace. Warren didn’t
have that problem. The second his head hit the pillow, he was out like a
light.
I guess sweet victory did that to a guy.
He’d won.
He’d finally broken me.
The only thing that could have made last night worse was Conner
spotting us in the shadows. And even then, I would have found comfort in
his eyes as Warren brutalized me against that wall.
He’d made me bleed. When I fled to the bathroom after we got back to
the trailer and I scrubbed my skin in the shower, I found cuts and bruises on
my thighs and hips.
Totally defeated, I’d slid down the wall until my ass hit the shower tray,
insides sore and tender with every movement, and sat there and cried into
the stream of water.
I’m exhausted, and I don’t want to be in class.
But it’s better than being at the trailer.
“Kennedy? Oh my God, what happened?” Shelbie rushes over to my
side and I burst into tears.
She pulls me into a quiet recess under the stairs. “Did he... hurt you?”
I nod, trying desperately to swallow the fresh waves of tears.
“That piece of shit.”
 “Kenny?”
Levi’s voice makes me steel my spine. I quickly dry my eyes, not
wanting him to see the truth.
“Oh hey, Levi,” I say.
His eyes narrow. “What happened?”
“I just got upset about what happened on the weekend,” I lie.
They’ll both think I mean the party at Macker’s.
“Shelb, give us a second?”
She glances at me and I nod. “I’ll wait outside class.”
“Thanks,” I sniffle.
As soon as she’s gone, Levi pulls something from his pocket. “This is
for you.”
“W-what?”
“Conner—"
“No, Levi,” I blurt out. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” He gives me a sympathetic smile. “He needs this,
Kenny. Something tells me you do too.”
I clutch the phone to my chest like it’s my lifeline.
“If Warren finds out...”
“You’ll have to make sure he doesn’t.”
I nod.
He’s not going to budge.
But he doesn’t know the truth.
Levi doesn’t know that after last night, Conner will never want to look
at me again, let alone want me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Conner

Conner: K, talk to me please.

I stare at my most recent message and pray that I'm going to see those
bouncing dots telling me she's typing.
But she never does.
I know she's read it. The little green checks taunt me.
But she never fucking replies.
My fist slams down on my desk with such force everything rattles. My
pens roll off the edge and the paperwork tucked against the stack of books
falls over.
The college crest on the envelope catches my eye.
How the fuck am I meant to even think about my future when
everything I want is stuck in the Heights with no signs of a way out?
Swiping the stack of papers, I storm out of my room and dump them in
the trash in the kitchen. I've lost track of the dates, so I'm sure most of the
deadlines have already passed anyway.
Ellen isn't anywhere to be seen, but there is a tray of freshly made
cookies on the side. Stacking the lot in one of my hands, I grab a soda with
the other and make my way back upstairs.
Hadley gives me a double take when I meet her halfway up the stairs.
 I know I look better than I did a couple of days ago after getting back
from that fight, but I'm still a fucking mess. At least my outside now
matches the fucked-up inside.
Her eyes scan my face for a second before they drop to the cookies.
"Hungry?" she asks, her voice soft and full of sympathy.
I shrug, not really in the mood for a heart to heart.
Sidestepping her, I move to pass, but before I do she reaches out and
places her warm hand on my forearm.
"James is going to fix this," she says confidently, her voice full of a
positivity I haven’t felt since that night in Colton.
"Is he?" I ask, hating the defeat in my tone. "It's already been too long.
He's doing fuck all. He's not even here." I throw up my arms in
frustration. Dad is so fucking concerned about Kenny that he's not even in
the Bay right now. He and Sarah fucked off a few days ago and we haven’t
seen or heard from them since. Some fucking father.
"Yes, Conner. He is. You have to trust him."
"Like I trusted Cole?" I hiss.
"They just did what they thought was best."
"Stop defending them, Hads. They're liars."
"They—" I cut her a seething look and she slams her lips shut. "Shutting
us all out won't help, Conner."
I want to argue with her, but I don't have the energy. Instead, I continue
up the stairs and allow her to head down to wherever she was going.
Gently stacking my cookies on my desk, careful not to break any, I
reach for the cell in the hope she might have replied.
I know I should be expecting it, but my heart still drops when I don't
find anything.

Conner: Please, I need to know you're okay.

Nothing.

Conner: I'll turn up there to find out myself if you don't reply.

My heart races as I wait. Surely that will get some response out of her?
But this time it goes unread. It’s to be expected—it's not like she can sit
with her new cell in her hand, freely replying to my messages—but still, it
hurts.

As the week goes on, reminders of what the weekend brings seem to be
everywhere I turn.
Sterling Prep apparently holds an annual Valentine's Day dance, and the
hallways are an explosion of heart banners and invite posters to attend.
All anyone is talking about is who their date is, what they're wearing,
and what kind of car Mommy and Daddy have hired to ensure they arrive in
style. Every time Aimee looks at me, I can see the hope in her eyes that I'm
going to ask her to be my date, and every time we part and I haven’t so
much as mentioned it, I see a little more of the sparkle in her eyes die. I
want to feel bad. But I don't. She's even more delusional than I thought if
she's really holding out hope of me attending the party, let alone with her.
It's bullshit. All of it.
But as the days pass, I even begin to see some of the same excitement
bleeding into my home.
Ellen's cookies suddenly turn into heart shapes, and even Cole knocks
on my door to ask my opinion on what he should get for Hadley.
"You're fucking with me, right?" I ask him as he holds out two images.
"No, I can't decide. Red or black."
"It's fucked up that you think it's okay to let me choose Hads’ sex
clothes," I mutter, my eyes scanning the sexy lace outfits on the pages
before me and imagining what Kenny might look like in them.
"You're right. I should just get both. One for Valentine's Eve and one for
the actual day."
"What have you done with my asshole brother who doesn't give a shit
about anything or anyone?"
"Got hit by Cupid's arrow, man. You know how it is." The look on my
face must say everything, because he winces. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"
"It's fine. Just fuck off out of my room."
He nods and does as I suggest, leaving me with my fucking heart-
shaped cookies.
 Resting back in my seat, I think about the party that I know will be
thrown down on the beach in the Heights tomorrow night.
While the Sterling Prep kids are planning a night full of love and
happily ever afters, the Heights kids are preparing for their annual anti-
Valentine's Day of debauchery.
I need to be there. I need to see her.
Levi messages every day to assure me that she's okay, but no matter
how many times he tells me that, the ball of dread only ever gets bigger in
my stomach.
Friday night was fucked up, and I have no reason to believe that it's
going to get better anytime soon.

Smoke bellows from the huge bonfire on the sand as I drive toward the
beach. Both Levi and Jay told me not to come tonight. They both know
what kind of shit is likely to go down, and while I might agree that I
probably don't need to witness it with my own eyes, there’s no fucking way
I'm sitting at home and waiting for one of their phone calls to come so I can
rescue her again.
I want to be right here waiting.
I leave my car in a secluded, tree-covered lane at the other end of the
beach. The woodland between here and where the party is being held is the
perfect hiding spot.
Checking my cell one more time, I climb from the car, but still, there's
nothing from her.
Anger swirls around me like a firestorm that she can't so much as reply
with a simple 'I'm okay.' I'm fucking dying inside, not knowing what's
happening to her on a daily basis. Doesn't she fucking know that?
By the time I get to a clearing that gives me the perfect view of the
beach below, the party is in full swing. Music booms from a huge pair of
speakers that have been set up and the bonfire roars high into the inky night
sky.
There are kids dancing, drinking, making out everywhere, but for the
longest time, I don't see the one person I came for.
 I start to think that Levi and Jay were wrong and that she's not going to
be here, but about the same time I'm getting fed up with waiting, a couple
appears from one of the dunes.
It might be dark and I might not be able to make out any of their
features, but I know it's her the second she emerges. Every single cell in my
body knows. The tether that has always been between us pulls tightly.
She looks up and scans the party before her, almost as if she feels the
same pull to me, but her eyes never find mine.
My heart sinks with the thought that he might have finally broken her,
that he's somehow been able to sever the connection the two of us have with
his quick fists and even harsher words.
Anger trickles through me as my fists curl with the burning need to go
down there and throw his piece of shit, worthless body right in the center of
the fire and watch him committed to hell where he belongs.
My cell vibrates in my pocket, but I can't risk pulling it out and alerting
anyone to my hiding place.
I know it's not Kennedy; she's standing right in front of me without a
cell in her hand. Anyone else is going to have to wait.
She's the only one that matters right now.
Someone hands them both a drink, and, without thinking, Kenny lifts it
to her lips and seems to down the lot.
Disbelief floods me that after what happened to her last weekend she'd
accept a drink from anyone, that she would trust anyone. But no sooner has
she finished that first one then she takes another and proceeds to down that
one as well.
My nails dig into my palms as I try to come up with a plan. I need to get
her out of there unnoticed. I need her by my side where I know she's safe.
More and more kids descend on the beach. Some disappear into the
woods beneath me, mainly for some privacy if the noises that float up to me
are anything to go by.
As time goes on things begin to get wilder. Couples—or groups of
people—get more adventurous and don't bother venturing into the darkness
of the woods before stripping down and getting dirty on the sand. But at no
point does Warren release my girl from his grip or allow her out of his sight.
It's fucking infuriating and starts to make me think I'm going have to
take a few more risks than I wanted to get to her.
 Thankfully, after another thirty minutes, I watch as some topless girl
stalks her way up to Warren and presses her quite obviously fake tits against
his chest.
He's off his face, that much is clear from here, so I know it's only a
matter of time before he's going to end up out cold or so distracted that he
won't miss Kenny being by his side. Or at least, that's what I'm hoping.
It seems like an eternity as I watch Warren attempt to get Kenny to play
with him and his new slut, but despite the number of drinks I've seen her
put away, she resists even as he drags both of them back into the shadows
not that far from me.
Sensing my opportunity, I make my way down to them. Twigs snap
under my feet and leaves rustle, but I just have to hope he's too far gone to
notice any intrusion.
When I get to them, I have to fight the bile rising in my throat at the
sight of Warren with his tongue down the random girl's throat while Kenny
stands there looking anywhere but at them.
Silently, I step up behind her, wrap my hand around her mouth and my
arm around her waist, and yank her back into the darkness.
I run as fast as I can with her thrashing about in my arms until I'm
confident that we're far enough away from that motherfucker that he won't
be able to hear her if she screams.
Coming to a stop, I spin her around and press her up against a tree.
Her eyes are wide with fear, but the second they lock onto mine they
soften.
"Conner," she breathes, her voice cracking with relief.
But I fear that with the storm raging inside me, that relief might be a
little misplaced.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Kennedy

“C onner,” I breathe again.

He’s here.
He’s really here.
Everything is a little blurry, the liquor in my veins numbing me from the
events of the night so far.
The anti-Valentine’s Day bonfire takes place on a quiet stretch of the
beach. It’s always a big event in the Heights. Anyone who’s anyone comes
down here to get high or drunk or both, and to find someone to lose
themselves in for the night.
“Warren—"
“Don’t say that fucker’s name,” Conner growls, clenching his fist.
“Y-you’re here.”
“Shit, K, how much did you have to drink?”
Not nearly enough, I think.
“You shouldn’t be here, Conner.”
Anger flashes in his eyes as his hands go to the wide tree trunk behind
my back. He leans down, putting us face to face. “I’ve been trying to
contact you all fucking week.”
“I-I know.” My eyes drop to the ground, but Conner grips my chin,
lifting my face back to his.
 “Talk to me, K. Please.” His eyes shutter as he inhales a ragged breath.
The sound of skin slapping skin fills the air and I wince, wondering if it’s
Warren and the girl he dragged out here with us, or one of the many other
couples that disappeared into the darkness over the course of the night.
When Conner’s eyes snap open, they’re completely black. “Kenny, tell
me what’s going on. I’m begging you.”
“I... he...” I don’t want to say the words, but one of Conner’s hands
winds around the side of my neck, stroking my pulse point as if he’s
coaxing them right out of me.
“Did he touch you?” It’s a low growl, and Conner’s body begins to
tremble. His fingers splay around my throat as he pins me to the trunk.
“Kennedy, answer me. Did you let him touch you?”
“You think I could stop him?” Tears leak from my eyes. “He took me to
the fight night last Sunday.”
“You… you were there?” His eyes go wide.
I nod, trying to smother the pain bleeding from my pores. “He...” I
inhale a shuddering breath.
“What, Kenny?” he grits out. “What did that motherfucker do?”
“H-he made me watch you fight while he...” I can’t say it. The words
die on my tongue right along with my heart.
“He fucked you there? At the fight?”
A whimper spills from my lips as Conner tears away from me and
buries his face in his hands. My knees buckle and I reach out for the tree,
holding myself up.
“That’s why I didn’t reply... I couldn’t...”
“I’ll kill him.” Conner’s eyes burn into mine, his expression deadly. “I’ll
fucking kill him.”
“No, no, you can’t.” I throw myself at him, wrapping my body around
him like a blanket. At first Conner doesn’t respond, just stands deadly still,
his chest heaving between us.
“I’m sorry,” I cry into the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m
sorry.”
His arms wind around me for a second, but then he untangles me from
his body. The dark expression on his face sends shivers down my spine.
“You need to go,” he breathes.
“W-what?” Pain lances my chest.
“I can’t even fucking look at you right now.”
 “C-Conner? It’s me. It’s Kennedy.”
The words sound so stupid. He knows it’s me. He just sees me
differently now, like I knew he would.
A girl’s moans pierce the air and he flinches, cussing under his breath.
“He’s out there right now, balls deep in some other girl and you’re just
what... going to go home with him and let him fuck you with her cum still
on his dick?”
I try to smother another whimper, but it escapes my lips as I clutch my
throat, trembling.
“Are you just a whore now, K?” Conner stalks toward me, contempt
burning in his eyes. “Do you like it? Do you like letting him take what he
wants from you? Is that why you left me, babe? Because I didn’t treat you
like a whore?”
He trails a finger down my cheek, dragging it through my salty tears.
“Conner, don’t...”
“Don’t what, babe? Don’t treat you like that?” He leans in closer,
brushing the shell of my ear with his tongue. “But it gets you wet, doesn’t
it?”
My fingers twist into his t-shirt. “N-no, that’s not true.”
“Are you sure, babe? Because I can feel your heat from here. I bet if I
slide my fingers inside your pussy.” His hand dips between us and he hikes
up my skirt, tearing my panties aside and lazily sliding his fingers through
my pussy.
“Jesus, K, you’re fucking soaked.” He doesn’t sound pleased about it,
he sounds disgusted. “You lied, babe. You do like it.” He nips my earlobe,
sending a bolt of pleasure through me. “You like being treated like a whore.
Is that what you want? Do you want me to go fuck some other girl and then
come back here and fuck you? See how it makes you feel, knowing my dick
was inside some other pussy first?”
“Fuck you, Conner.” The palm of my hand collides with his face. “Fuck
you.”
The world stops, and we stare at each other for a moment. Disbelief
shines in his eyes, but then his lips twist with wicked intent.
Conner’s body knocks me back against the tree as he wraps a hand
around my throat and kisses me hard. I gasp around his tongue as he
plunges it into my mouth until I can’t breathe. I claw at his back, at his
shoulders, trying to get him to let up. But then he pushes two of his thick
fingers inside me and I go lax in his arms.
“God, Conner,” I cry, as he works me with his fingers, spearing them
inside my pussy and stretching me.
“I’m going to fuck him out of you, K. When I’m done, you’ll only ever
remember me.”
“Y-yes.” I swallow as he devours me with his lips, his tongue and teeth.
He scrapes and bites, kisses and sucks. It feels so good, and I don’t realize
he’s jacking himself off until I feel the angry head of his cock bump against
my clit.
“I need you, Conner...” God, I need him so much.
He tears his fingers out of me and forces them into my mouth. “Taste
yourself, whore,” he demands, and I suck them clean.
I try to reach for his cock, but Conner shoots me a wicked grin. “You
think you get to touch me after you let him fuck you?”
“C-Conner...”
“Turn around.”
My brows furrow.
“You think I want to look at you?” he spits. “I said turn the fuck
around.”
Tears spill down my cheeks as I stand there, my head fuzzy from the
liquor, my heart in tatters from the dark expression on Conner’s face.
“Conner, I don’t—"
He grabs me roughly and spins me around, pushing me up against the
tree. The air whooshes from my lungs as a tremor of fear shoots through
me.
He won’t hurt me.
Conner loves me.
He loves me.
But he’s hurting, and now he wants me to hurt.
And I wish I could blame him, I wish I could make him into the monster
here... but I can’t.
His hands tug and pull at the material covering my ass. He grabs a
handful of flesh, squeezing hard. Slick fingers slide between my ass cheeks,
teasing the tight hole. “Has he taken you here, K?”
I shake my head, unable to fight the tears now.
 “Maybe I should then.” One of his fingers breaches the entrance and I
cry out, the sting too much.
To my relief his fingers move, gliding around to my pussy. He spears
them deep inside me a couple of times, making me moan.
“I want you to scream, baby. When I’m fucking you, I want you to
scream my name so everyone knows exactly who you belong to.”
Conner slams inside of me so hard my breath catches in my throat. He
isn’t soft or gentle, he doesn’t love me with his body. He fucks me.
Conner fucks me like he hates me.
And it occurs to me that maybe he does.
He holds my hips firmly in place, leaning over my body slightly to kiss
and lick the skin along my shoulder. “Did he fuck you like this, K?”
“N-no,” I cry. Because it’s the truth. Nothing Warren can do to me will
ever hurt as much as this moment.
But despite all the pain and heartache I feel, Conner works my body
into a needy, breathy mess.
My womb clenches with every thrust, my skin vibrating and drenched
in pleasure. He slides a hand around my stomach, finding my clit and
rubbing so hard and fast I see stars.
“Come, babe. Come all over my cock so later when he fucks you, he’ll
know I was here first.”
I smother another whimper, too lost to the intense sensations coursing
through me. Conner folds his body over mine, pressing me painfully against
the tree.
“Mine, K. This,” he cups my pussy right where he’s fucking me, “is
mine.”
I’m boneless, hardly able to stand as he continues driving into me. My
stomach coils tight but my orgasm doesn’t come. I’m too on edge, too up in
my own head.
“God, K, you feel so fucking good.” Conner ruts into me, pinching and
flicking my clit with cruel abandon until I’m a writhing mess beneath him.
“I’m close, babe. I’m so fucking close.”
I feel him grow harder inside me, and sheer panic fills me. What if
Warren knows? What if he takes me later and realizes?
Oh Conner, what have you done?
I brace myself for him to come, but at the last second he grabs my hair
and forces me to my knees, growling, “Open,” just in time to slide his cock
into my mouth, hot jets of cum spurts down my throat.
Conner holds me there, his fingers buried deep in my hair as he stares
down at me. His hand slides to my mouth as he pulls out and tucks himself
back into his shorts. “I love you Kennedy, so fucking much.” He presses his
thumb against my bottom lip. “But I really hate you right now.”
“I know.” My eyes flutter shut, tears still streaking down my cheeks.
I want to say something, anything to fix this. But the truth of the matter
is that until James handles his business, we’re stuck here.
Conner lets out a guttural roar, his fist flying into the trunk behind me.
“Fuck,” he grunts, “fuuuuuck.”
My body trembles, crashing fast.
His eyes finally lower to mine, and what I see guts me.
Conner doesn’t only hate me.
He hates himself.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Conner

O ur eyes hold for a beat. Every part of my body screams at me to take

her in my arms and run, but I know I can't. The sounds of others
enjoying themselves around us ring out, reminding me of just how
fucked up this situation is. He could be mere feet away, balls deep in that
whore, while I treated Kenny in exactly the same way.
"I-I can't fucking do this," I say quietly. It's more for myself than it is for
her, but she gasps as if she hears me anyway.
Spinning on my heels, I force myself to run through the darkness before
I do something that's going to cause more harm than good.
Once I'm out of the darkest part of the woods, I pull my cell from my
pocket.

Conner: I need you to keep a close eye on her. I just left.

Levi: What the fuck did you do?

Guilt swamps me as I read his words. What the fuck did you do?
The words I spat at her, the way I touched her… it comes back to me
and I retch. I'm no fucking better than him.
Bile burns up my throat as I replay it over and over in my head.
Conner: Just look after her.

I rip the car door open when I reach it and drop into the driver's seat.
My roar fills the small space as my hands slam down on the wheel.
All I want is my fucking girl in my arms, beside me, safe.
Pulling my cell back out, I find her new number.

Conner: I'm sorry.

Tears burn my eyes and emotion clogs my throat, but I refuse to allow
myself to succumb to it. Instead, I use it to feed my anger as I start the car
and race back toward the Bay. Ellen let it slip earlier that Dad is heading
back tonight, and I want to be there waiting for him.
I'm done watching Kenny get hurt for the sake of whatever he’s hiding.
It's time to get some answers.
It’s time to end this fucking thing for good.
His car isn't in the driveway when I get back, but that doesn't stop me.
I run up the main staircase, grateful that no one intercepts me, but I
shouldn't be surprised; they're all celebrating Valentine's the way it should
be, not with a fucked-up encounter in the woods.
I shut down the memories of tonight as I let myself into Dad's office.
As always, it's tidy as fuck with not so much as an out of place piece of
paper on his desk.
What does this motherfucker actually do?
I take a seat behind his huge mahogany desk and start pulling drawers
open. If he's as shady as I’m starting to believe he might be, then I doubt
he's going to leave anything incriminating around.
I've trashed every drawer and cupboard in the room by the time the door
is pushed open.
I look up from the pile of folders I'm surrounded by, I'm sure looking as
guilty as a toddler who's been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
"Conner," Dad growls, his eyes scanning the destruction.
"I'm done, Dad. I'm fucking done. He's hurting her. He's fucking..." The
words get stuck in my throat.
"I know, Son. I know. I'm so sorry," he says, his face twisting with his
admission.
 "You fucking know, and you're standing by and letting it happen? I
fucking love her, Dad. Fucking. Love. Her."
"I know. But you're not going to find any of the answers here." He steps
over a pile of papers I'd thrown across the floor and makes his way to his
chair.
"I need something. You need to tell me something. What do you even
do, Dad?" I seethe, standing to my feet and stalking toward him.
"Take a seat," he instructs.
"I'd rather stand." I hold his eyes, showing him that I'm not scared of
whatever it is he has to say to me. Right now, I don't give a shit what he
does, so long as he can get K out of this mess.
"As you wish." He leans forward, resting his elbows on the edge of his
desk and watching me as I pace back and forth. "There's a lot you don't
know."
No fucking shit.
"The Jaggers... there's a history that goes back a long way. It's
complicated, it's corrupt, and whether we like it or not, we're connected to
some very dangerous men."
My lips part, but I can't figure out what I even want to say to that.
"One of the reasons I didn't fight to get you all out of the Heights sooner
—when I should have—was for fear of dragging you into all this. Charlie
had walked away, but I didn't have a choice. He always thought I was
destined for all the incredible things our father handed down to me, but he
didn't know the truth. He had no idea what the 'business' was, and that I
never wanted anything to do with it."
"So why do you have anything to do with it?"
He chuckles, but there's no humor in it. "I didn't have a choice. My
name, the fact that I was the oldest. Since the day I was born, it was
expected of me to step into my father's shoes when the time came."
"I don't get how this ties to Kenny."
"I work for a lot of dangerous people, Conner. I know things—I'm
trusted with things—that should never see the light of day and—"
"Warren knows them."
"Some of them. Him knowing about what Cole did is a drop in the
ocean compared to what else he's unearthed. If it were to be exposed, none
of us would live long enough to even appreciate the hellfire that would be
coming our way."
 My mouth opens and closes like a fucking fish as I stare at him.
"How'd he find out?"
"Honestly, Son, I don’t know. I'm better than that. I cover my tracks too
well to allow a piece of shit like him to find it. But he knows enough to
know I can't risk it. I can't risk all your lives because of one jumped-up
asshole who thinks he can play us."
"What's his deal? He can't just be so obsessed with Kenny that he's
willing to do all this."
"He's got his own secrets too, Conner."
"Secrets that you know, I assume."
He doesn't confirm my suspicions, but he doesn't need to.
"So these people you work for, are they some kind of cult or gang or
something?"
"That doesn't matter right now."
"You said that you had to take over because you were first born and all
that bullshit. Does that mean Ace—"
"It means nothing right now, Conner. What I've told you needs to stay in
this room. Once this is all over, I'll talk to the three of you about our
heritage and where you really come from. Because the reality is, you're all
far from the Heights boys you think you are. But right now, that little
cocksucker and your girl need to be our priority."
"Tell me this is coming to an end soon. I can't sit back and watch him
hurt her much longer."
"Sit back?" he asks, one brow lifting. "Where were you tonight,
Conner?"
I blow out a breath as we stare at each other. "Clearly you already
know."
"I've got men all over the Heights, watching them. I know every single
time you set even a foot on Heights soil, Son."
"Great."
"I've let it go, for now. But you need to know that people's lives are at
risk every single time you feel the need to go to her. And I'm not just talking
about mine and yours, I'm talking about your brothers, Sarah, Remi,
Hadley, everyone. This might sound like some action thriller movie, but I
can assure you it's not. The threat is very, very real, and these people will
not spare a second thought at putting a bullet through all our heads."
 I nod at him, my head spinning. I feel like he's told me a lot but nothing,
all at the same time. I turn to leave, knowing from the narrowing of his eyes
that I'm not going to get anything else from him.
"Kennedy's birthday," he says when my hand touches the door handle.
"Her friend is going to plan a party at the bar. That's our night. That's the
night you get your girl back."
I want to ask more, but I know it's pointless. He'll tell me the details
when he thinks I need to know them.
"I hope you're right, I hope I really can trust you," I mutter before
ripping the door open and storming out.
The slam of my bedroom door echoes around the silence of my room. I
fall down on my bed, trying to get my head around everything that's
happened tonight, all the while trying not to let my mind wander to what
might have occurred after I walked away from her.
She went straight back into his arms, I have no doubt of that. But did he
know I was there? Did he know she was with me? And if so, how exactly is
he going to punish her for it?
My stomach turns over once more, and I'm just about to run to the toilet
when my cell vibrates.

K: I know. Me too.

"Fuuuuuuuck," I scream. I need to do something, but what can I do.

What the fuck is going to make this any better?
I jump from the bed and strip out of my clothes on my way to the
bathroom. I turn the shower on as hot as it will go and stand under the
stream, allowing the water to burn my skin.
I need the pain. I just wish I could take hers away, because I already
know that what I can do to myself pales in comparison to what she's going
through right now.
When I get back into my bedroom with my skin still tingling in pain, I
know that there's no way I'm going to be able to wait until her birthday. I
know it's selfish when I'm putting others at risk, but as far as I see it right
now, Kenny getting hurt worse than she already has been is the biggest risk.
He took her to my fucking fight and forced himself on her. She might
not have admitted to anything else or been showing any other obvious
injuries, but I'd be stupid to think that it wasn't happening and that it's not
immediately about to get worse.
Grabbing my cell from the bed, I start a group message.

Conner: I need you to organize something for me. I need to see her for
longer this time. Somewhere private.

Levi: You're playing with fire, man.

Shelbie: I'm on it.

Jay: Whatever you need.

A smile twitches at my lips. I have no fucking clue what I'm going to

do. All I know is that I need to make up for tonight.
She deserves more than how I treated her. More than my anger.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kennedy

A dark thunder cloud hangs over us most of the weekend. Every time
Warren looks at me, I swear he knows.
It’s not possible. He was too drunk and high to know who or
what he was fucking at the party, let alone that Conner was there.
Conner.
My heart cracks into tiny shards, remembering how angry he’d been
with me. The rough sex didn’t bother me, I could handle that. Hell, I liked
that. It was the things he said, the pain glittering in his eyes as he stared at
me.
After he’d abandoned me in the woods, Levi had found me and took me
back to the party. Warren had come out of the tree line a while later, the slut
hanging off his arm. He took one look at Levi and almost lost it.
But Levi hadn’t backed down this time. He’d railed Warren for leaving
me alone in the woods, and then he’d offered to drive us home.
To my disbelief, Warren had agreed.
As soon as he’d passed out, I’d tiptoed out of bed and retrieved the cell
phone Conner had given me, burying it in the hidden zip compartment of
my toiletry bag and shoving it in my drawer of the dresser.
I hadn’t checked it since.
“Babe,” Warren calls, sending a shiver down my spine.
 “In here.”
He pads into the bedroom, narrowing his eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Just some homework.”
“Homework? Babe, it’s almost March. Graduation is—"
“Right around the corner, yeah.”
“Listen, I’m going out.”
“Out? But you just got home.” He’s only been hanging out with some of
the guys that live in the trailer park, but I know he’ll expect me to be
concerned.
“I’ll be back later.” He drops down on the bed and pulls me into his
arms. “I can make it up to you. I was an ass at the party.”
I tremble, but it’s not for the reason he thinks. “You were wasted.”
“Yeah, but it’s not an excuse, baby.” He kisses me. “You just make me
so damn crazy. I’ll do better, I promise.”
I can’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth, but I nod all the same.
“Is your dad—"
“He’s over at Hilda’s.” Hilda is Mitch’s lady friend, and when he’s
sober enough to make the short trip to her trailer, she cooks for him.
If he’s out, that means I’ll be alone. Maybe I can call Conner. Butterflies
flutter in my stomach.
“I’ll see you later, okay? I won’t be too long.”
I don’t know whether Warren is starting to trust me or if this is just
another test, but I’m not about to ruin the opportunity to be alone.
Forcing my eyes shut, I ghost my lips over Warren’s, trying to resist the
urge to gag.
“I’ll see you later.” Breaking away, I smile.
“Okay. And don’t forget what I said about tonight. I’m going to make it
up to you, baby. You’ll see.”

I watch through the blinds as Warren’s beat-up car takes off down the drive.
When I lose sight of it, I hurry to retrieve my cell phone and power it up.
There are three messages, all from Conner. I don’t even bother reading
them, just hit call.
“K?” he breathes.
 “It’s me.” Tears prick my eyes.
“Thank fuck. Are you okay? I’ve been going out of my damn mind.”
“I had to hide my cell phone, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Shit, K. I should be the one who’s sorry. What I did to you—"
“Don’t,” I rush out. “I didn’t call to make you feel bad. I just needed to
hear your voice.”
“Is he...”
“He just left.”
“Fuck.” His voice cracks. “What happened after the party? Did he...?”
“Levi gave us a ride home and Warren passed out. He’s been grumpy all
weekend. I’m worried he knows something.”
“He doesn’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” I ask.
“Because I am. I love you, K, you know that, right? I need you to know
that.”
“I know, and I love you too. So much.”
“Fuck.” Something crashes in the background. “I fucking hate this.”
“Me too,” I whisper, my heart splintering. I’m worried that if this goes
on for much longer, there won’t be anything of my heart left for Conner to
save.
“I promise you I’ll get you out of there, with or without my dad’s help. I
fucking promise.”
“O-okay,” I say, because I know he needs to hear the words.
“You’ve just got to hold on a little longer, okay? Can you do that for
me?”
The tears threatening to fall spring free, streaming down my cheeks.
“Shit, K, don’t cry. Please, babe, don’t cry.”
“I’m trying, Con. I’m really fucking trying. But when he comes back,
he’s going to...” The words get stuck over the lump in my throat.
“Listen to me. Nothing he does to you is going to change how I feel
about you, okay?” Conner inhales a shuddering breath.
“Okay.”
Relief sinks into me. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear those
words until he says them.
“We’ll get through this, right?” I ask quietly. Because something tells
me Conner isn’t going to let me go without a fight, and the truth is, I don’t
want him to.
 I want to keep him and his family safe, but I don’t want it all to be for
nothing.
“I’m arranging something.”
“Conner, no,” I blurt. “It’s not safe.”
“I need to see you, K. After what happened between us, I need to look
in your eyes and know you’re okay.” He hesitates for a second. “Just give
me this, please.”
My breath hitches. “Okay.”
“Good, that’s good. Shelbie will tell you the details.”
“Shelbie?” I balk.
“Yeah, we can’t do this alone, babe. And she cares about you. Levi and
Jayden too.”
His words warm something inside me. Before Conner came back into
my life, I’d felt desperately alone. Shelbie had been there, but not like she is
now.
Conner’s right, I do have people in my corner, and I know it’s all
because of him.
“I should probably go.” Dread fills my stomach at the thought of
hanging up.
“Try and text me later.”
“I’ll try. But if I don’t, tomorrow.” It’s school; I can try to sneak my
phone with me.
“I love you, K. Never forget that.”
“I love you too, Conner.”
I just hope it’s enough to get us through this.

“For fuck’s sake, she’s like an annoying fly you can’t get rid of,” Warren
grumbles as he pulls into the school parking lot, a loud rumble of thunder
overhead not helping the tension in the enclosed space.
I barely manage a reply. When he’d returned last night, Warren had
made good on his promise to make it up to me. His touch had been soft and
generous, making me want to puke more than once. I’d hated every second
of it as he tried to make love to me in his own sick, sadistic way.
“Don’t be mean,” I finally find my voice. “Shelbie’s good people.”
 “More like a pain in the fucking ass.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I shoulder the door and climb out.
“Hey, Kenny.” She beams. “How was your weekend?”
“It was okay.” I give her a tight-lipped smile.
“Warren,” she clips out.
“Garret.”
“So, I wanted to invite Kennedy over after school.” She glances from
him to me and back again. “If that’s okay?”
He shrugs. “I’ve got some shit to take care of anyway.”
“You’re sure?” I narrow my eyes. He’s making this too easy.
“Babe, go. Braid each other’s hair and watch Magic Mike or whatever
you girls do when you get together. I’ll pick you up from there when you’re
done.” It isn’t a question.
“Really?”
Warren’s brows pinch. “Unless you don’t want to go?”
“No, no, I want to.” Hope spreads through me. “I just...” I bite my lip.
Why am I arguing the point?
Warren is giving me a free pass to hang out at Shelbie’s place, and I
managed to sneak the cell phone Conner gave me into my school bag.
Today is a good day.
“So I’ll see you later?”
Warren ropes his arm around my neck and pulls me flush against his
body. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too.” My lips curve as I smother the contempt I feel at the
words.
“Call me when you’re done.”
For a second I think he means from my secret cell, but then he adds,
“I’m sure Shelbie will let you use her phone.”
“Of course.” My friend nods eagerly.
This is happening.
He’s really going to let me go with her.
“Have a good day.” He slaps me on the ass as I turn to join Shelbie.
“Oh my God,” she breathes.
“I know.” We share a secret smile and head for first period.
Conner: I wish you were here right now. We could sneak into that
storage closet...

I bite my lip and squirm on my chair.

Me: And...

Conner: Do I need to spell it out for you, K?

Me: You might need to.

Conner: Fuck, I need you. I always need you, babe.

The final bell rings and the class breaks into chaos as kids jostle to get
out first. I hang back, packing my few supplies into my bag. I quickly text
Conner back before going to meet Shelbie.

Me: I’ll call you later.

Conner: You’d better.

I practically skip out of class.

“Someone’s happy,” Shelbie greets me.
“Conner and I were texting.”
“Of course you were.” She laces her arm through mine. “Come on, let’s
go.”
We make the short ride to Joker’s in Shelbie’s car. It’s actually her dad’s
car, so she doesn’t get to use it all the time, but thank God she does today
because rain lashes down on the windshield as we make our way to her
place.
“Home sweet home.” There’s a slight tightness to her words.
Shelbie and her dad live in the apartment over the bar, but since he’s
always working, she spends a lot of time up there alone.
“Come on.” She motions for me to follow.
As I expect, the apartment is empty when we file inside.
 “You want something to eat? Drink?”
“Just a soda.” I scan the apartment. It’s nothing fancy. There’s an old
leather sectional dividing the living area from the kitchen. The walls are a
pale grey littered with posters and MC paraphernalia. It’s messy, not
unclean, but it lacks a woman’s touch.
“You want to go to my room? Or we can sit out here.” Shelbie looks a
little nervous, and I realize she might think I’m judging her.
“You know I live with an alcoholic and his psychotic son, right? This
makes their trailer look like the Four Seasons.”
Relief seeps into her expression. “You think?”
“Never be ashamed of where you come from, Shelb. I’m not.”
“Yeah, you’re right. You’re totally right.” Her expression softens. “Do
you want to talk about it... about what happened, I mean?”
“No, I really don’t.” I blow out a long breath. “I just want to enjoy this.
Thanks, by the way, for inviting me here. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Actually,” guilt flashes in her eyes, “I did.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Conner

A s I drive toward the Heights, I'm more nervous than I've ever been in
my life. It's ridiculous, I'm only going to see my girl, but after all the
bullshit, the thought of having her alone without the threat of being
caught or sneaking around in the shadows has me feeling the pressure.
I want our time together to be perfect. I want to treat her how she should
be treated, but I have no idea where her head's at with all this shit, and I fear
that no matter what I do, I'll fuck it up. I've already spent too much time
dealing with my own issues and fucking things up for us. I want all of that
behind us. I want it just to be us and our future.
My palms are sweating against the wheel as I pull up into a dark lane a
short walk from Joker’s. We all thought it was probably for the best that I
don't just roll up to the front of the place and announce my arrival for
everyone to see.
I throw a couple of mints into my mouth and run my hand through my
hair before I push the door open and step out. We're in the middle of a
storm, so I'm going to be drenched by the time I get there, but I really don't
give a shit. I'll walk to the ends of the earth in this downpour if my girl is at
the other end.
Both Levi and Jay are sitting out the front in Levi's car when I slip
around the back of the building as we agreed. They're both heading inside
in a bit to be our lookout in case Warren turns up early. They nod at me as I
slip into the shadows to the backdoor Shelbie should have left open for me.
My hand trembles as I reach out to pull it open, and I can't help
laughing at myself. This is ridiculous, it's just Kenny, I tell myself, but it's
pointless. The nerves only get stronger as I climb the stairs.
I rub my hands down my pants and blow out a breath before lifting my
hand and knocking three times.
Footsteps get closer as my heart rate increases to the point I wonder if
I'm about to pass out.
"Hey," Shelbie says, pulling the door open with a wide smile on her
face. "Everything is ready for you." She winks at me as she slips from the
apartment. "I'll knock if there's an issue."
"Thank you, Shelbie. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."
She chuckles. "No problem. Go get your girl."
My heart tumbles at her words, and I race through the door to do exactly
as she suggested.
"Conner," Kenny all but screams as I slam the door closed behind me. I
barely get a chance to register that she's moving before she launches herself
at me. Her arms lock around my shoulders and her legs wrap around my
waist as she holds on for dear life.
"Hey, babe."
"I thought she was joking, I didn't think..." she trails off as her voice
cracks with emotion.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm here." With my fingers in her hair, I manage to guide
her face away from the crook of my neck. Tears track down her cheeks and
her bottom lip trembles as she tries to contain herself.
"I'm sorry, I just... I didn't really think..."
"Shhh," I soothe. "I don't know how long we've got," I say honestly,
hating that I need to bring our reality into this.
"I'll take whatever I can get right now." Her lips slam down on mine and
her tongue slips inside my mouth. I don't react for a second, shock,
desperation, everything just overwhelming me for a beat, but it's long
enough for her to realize and to pull back.
"Conner?" she asks, her brows drawing together in concern. She tries to
unwrap herself from my body but my hold tightens. There's no way I'm
letting her go until I have to. "Fuck, you don't want me."
"What? No, of course I do."
 "But you didn't—" Regrets from our last encounter crash into me. The
things I said that night, the way I insinuated that I might not want her. I
slam my lips on hers, cutting off what she was about to say as I walk us
across the living room until I get to the open door that I hope like hell leads
to Shelbie's bedroom. I need to show her that night was a mistake, that I
want her. That I need her.
"Never think I don't want you," I murmur in her ear as I climb onto the
bed and lay her out before me. "All I can think about is this all being over
and having you back in my bed with me. About kissing you, touching you,
making you come over and over." I unzip her hoodie and trail my lips over
her collarbones and to the swell of her breasts.
"Conner," she moans beneath me, arching her back, offering me more.
Reaching behind my head, I pull my school shirt off in one smooth
move and throw it to the floor, desperate to feel her skin on skin with
nothing between us. Sitting her up, I tug her hoodie down her arms before
pulling her tank over her head. Slipping my hand around her back, I flick
her bra open and peel it away from her body.
"Fuck," I breathe. "You're so fucking beautiful."
I stare into her eyes as I lay her back down, wishing it would just be us
from here on out. I force myself to block out reality, because I know all too
well that we'll be back to it long before we're ready to be. Instead I revel in
this little bit of time we've carved out together.
Dropping my lips to hers once more, I kiss her like I'm going to die
without her, pouring everything I feel for her into it. My pain, my desire…
my regrets.
"I love you, K. I’m so sorry. I love you so fucking much," I whisper
against her skin as I drop my lips to her breasts, sucking one nipple then the
other into my mouth, making her cry out in pleasure. My mouth waters to
suck on her skin, to leave little reminders that I've been here, that she's
mine, but the little voice that won't leave me reminds me that I can't. We
can't leave any evidence that we were together.
I crawl lower down her body, kissing every bit of skin I find until I hit
the waistband of her jeans. I pop the button and pull, needing her bare for
me.
She lifts her hips to help me, and in seconds the fabric is free of her. I sit
back on my haunches and look her over. She's so fucking perfect, I can
barely stand it.
 Her chest heaves, her rosy pink nipples rising and falling in quick
succession, teasing me. The ink on her arms flexes as her fists clench in the
sheets beneath her, her impatience getting to be too much. I run my eyes
down to her slim waist, her full hips, and then the place that has my mouth
watering for her.
Wrapping my fingers around her ankles, I spread her legs wide and
plant her feet on the bed, opening her up for me.
Her pussy is swollen and slick.
"What do you need, K?"
"Conner," she moans, her hips grinding in her need for friction.
"Tell me, babe. I'm not giving you anything until you tell me."
"You, Conner. Always you." I quirk a brow and wait for her to be more
specific. "Your mouth, your fingers, your cock. All of it, Conner. Please."
Her voice is almost begging. "All of it, Conner. Make it all go away and
replace it with nothing but you."
"Fuck." How am I meant to deny her anything when she talks to me like
that?
Pressing my palms against her inner thighs, I spread her wider and dive
for her pussy. I lick up the length of her as she squirms beneath me. "That
what you need, babe?" I keep my voice low, allowing the vibrations from
each word to drive her crazy.
Her fingers thread into my hair and she tugs me closer to ensure I give
her what she needs. Circling her clit with my tongue, I vary the speed,
knowing that it's only going to drive her higher.
"Conner," she squeals when I slow down once again. "Please, Con. I
need—"
"I know what you need." I circle one digit around her entrance, smiling
as she desperately tries to suck me in deeper. "But you're not getting it, yet."
"God, Conner," she cries, her back arching as I slide two fingers deep
inside her, finding her g-spot. I rub at it while my tongue continues to circle
her clit. Her grip on my hair is almost painful and I watch as her eyes slam
shut and her head thrashes about as her release gets within touching
distance.
"Yes, yes," she cries. Just before I know she's going to fall, I can't help
myself and my teeth graze her clit, ensuring the bite of pain will send her
higher. "Conner," she screams as her entire body locks tight for a beat
before she begins to convulse around me.
 I don't stop until she's ridden out every second of her release.
"Fucking love watching you lose control," I admit, crawling back up her
body and crashing my lips to hers. She moans when she tastes herself and I
lick deeper into her mouth, ensuring that I'm searing myself into her soul so
she remembers this long after we've parted. I need her to have something to
latch onto when shit gets hard.
There are only a few days until her birthday. I know this is all coming to
an end, but those few days must feel like a lifetime to her right now, being
locked inside that trailer with that monster.
"Conner, I need more. I need to feel you inside me, please. I need you to
show me. I-I need you to show me that you meant what you said."
As I pull back from her, a frown forms on my brow as I try to work out
what she means. "Shit, K. I wouldn't lie to you about that," I say, realizing
what she's talking about. "I want you. No matter what." I brush my thumb
over her bottom lip before climbing from the bed to show her just how true
those words are.
I toe my shoes off and drop both my pants and boxers to the floor.
Taking myself in hand, I show her exactly what she does to me.
I jack myself a couple of times, ensuring she's watching me. "Just you,
babe. No one else does this to me. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is ever
going to change that."
She nods, watching me with hooded, desire-filled eyes.
Reaching down, I slide my hand into my pants pocket and pull out
something that I hate to use with her, but I know we'd be reckless if we
didn't.
She doesn't notice right away, and my heart slams in my chest, not
knowing how she's going to react to me putting a barrier between us, but I
know it's the right thing to do.
The most important thing about right now is us being smart. That cunt
has already proven that he's too clever for his own good, despite the fact
that he's fucking stupid for thinking he could go up against James Jagger—
or at least I fucking hope it's a stupid move and Dad is as trustworthy as he
makes himself out to be.
Her gaze remains locked on my cock as I crawl back on the bed
between her legs. It's not until I lift the packet to my mouth to rip it open
that her eyes follow my movement.
 Her lips part in shock before disappointment washes through her. It
damn near kills me to see it, but I stand by my decision to protect her.
To protect us.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kennedy

M y entire body goes rigid when I spot the foil packet between
Conner’s fingers, and my breath hitches as my eyes dart from his.
“Babe, look at me.”
Shame burns through me.
He wants a barrier between us... because of Warren. Because my body
belongs to another guy, even though my heart belongs to Conner.
“K, look at me. Please.” Slowly, I lift my eyes to his. “It’s not what you
think.”
My brow arches with accusation.
“I swear, babe. But it’s the smart thing to do, you know it is.”
Tears prick my eyes and Conner leans over me, sliding his hand against
my cheek. “Don’t let him in here with us, I’m begging you.” He kisses me
softly, as if he’s afraid I might disappear. “It’s only you and me, K. I
promise.”
I let out a small breath, touching my head to his. “You’re sure?”
Uncertainty fills my voice, and I hate how weak and insecure Warren has
made me.
“Let me love you, babe. That’s all I want.”
A faint smile traces my lips as I nod. “I want that too.” I want it so
much, my heart crashes against my chest. Conner leans back on his
haunches to roll on the condom. But I don’t overthink it. He’s right; I want
nothing else to exist in this moment except me and him.
Conner flattens himself against my body, sliding his arms under my
thighs and spreading me wide, allowing him to glide right inside.
“Oh God,” I cry out, overwhelmed at how incredible it feels. He’s so
deep, so hard and desperate for me.
He hisses sharply once he’s fully seated inside me. Our eyes lock, a beat
passing. “I love you, Kennedy Lowe. I love you so fucking much. Nothing
—nothing—will ever change that.” Conner pulls out and slams back inside,
hitting my cervix. I smother moan after moan as he rocks into me with
strong, powerful strokes. He drops one of my thighs and slides his fingers
between our bodies, feeling where we’re joined. “Feel me, babe. Feel me
fucking you. I own this pussy, K. It’s mine.” He assaults my clit with such
ferocity, I crash over the edge without warning. Pleasure sparks through my
body, down to the tips of my toes.
“God, Conner, it’s...”
“I know, babe, I know.” He continues rocking into me, chasing his own
release. Plastering his body to mine, Conner kisses me hard, plunging his
tongue into my mouth and devouring me. We’re so close it’s hard to know
where he ends and I begin, but I love it.
I love him.
So much I feel like my heart will explode right out of my chest.
This is how it should be—him loving me without limits, me willingly
handing him my heart and soul.
“I’m so fucking close, babe. You feel incredible.” His hand glides up
my body and wraps around my throat tenderly, holding me as if I’m the
most precious thing in his entire world.
I want to be.
I want to be his stars and moon.
“Conner...” I cry as another orgasm hits. He follows, jerking inside me
as he groans against my lips.
“I love you,” he breathes. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
My laughter fills the tiny space between us. “You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for you, K. Only ever you.” Conner wraps his arms and legs
around me, trapping me in his embrace. He rolls us onto our sides, grinning
at me like a goofball. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I return his grin.
 “There’s my girl.” He captures my lips in a slow, toe-curling kiss.
“This... this is what I want,” I whisper, the weight of my words
threatening to make the walls of our temporary sanctuary crumble.
“You have me, babe. Every last piece.” He traces his fingers over my
heart.
Silence settles over us as our time together slowly runs out.
For as amazing as this moment is, it isn’t reality. It’s a dream. A
bittersweet fantasy that has to end.
“I wish this didn’t have to—"
“Shh.” He presses his thumb to my lips. “Just pretend with me for a
little while longer.”
We lie there together, skin touching, hearts beating, pretending that this
is forever.
The knock at the door startles me, my heart lurching into my throat.
“Relax,” Conner chuckles, kissing my head. “It’s just Shelbie.” He
climbs out of bed and pulls on his clothes before padding over to the door.
“Yeah,” he says. “Okay.” The tightness in his voice has me bolting
upright.
He closes the door and turns around, his expression making my stomach
sink. “We have a problem.”
“Warren.” His name is like a gunshot to my heart.
“He’s in the bar.”
“Shit.” I leap from the bed and begin pulling on my clothes. “You have
to go,” I rush out. “Go, Conner.”
He crosses the room and pulls me into a bear hug. “It’s okay, babe.
Everything is going to be okay. Shelbie isn’t down there, so he doesn’t
know. Get dressed and take a minute.” He cups my face, his blue eyes
calming the storm raging inside me.
“You’re sure?”
“I covered my tracks, I promise. Clean up, and Shelbie will take you
down to meet him.”
“What will you do?” My bottom lip trembles as pain splinters through
me.
“Don’t worry about me. Now go.” He gives me a little shove toward
Shelbie’s bathroom.
I hurry inside and quickly clean myself up. There’s a bunch of girly
products on the counter so I spritz myself with some perfume and steal
some toothpaste to finger-brush my teeth. I hate washing Conner off my
body, but if Warren even so much as gets a whiff of a guy on me, I don’t
want to think about the consequences.
For either of us.
Warren isn’t stupid. He knows the only guy I’d risk everything to be
with is Conner.
When I slip back into the bedroom, he’s right there, pulling me into his
big, strong arms.
“Soon it’ll just be you and me, K. We’ll take off, just the two of us.”
“Where will we go?”
“Anywhere you want, babe. The world is our oyster. You’ve just got to
hold on a little while longer.”
“Okay.” I loop my arms around his neck and hold on tight, trying to
draw on his strength.
“Guys.” Shelbie’s voice filters through the door, and I take a shuddering
breath.
“I love you,” I say, my heart breaking as I force myself out of Conner’s
arms.
“Soon, babe.” His voice cracks as he lets me go. “Soon.”

“I can’t believe he’s here,” I say as I follow Shelbie down the steps and
around the back of the bar.
“Really?” she sneers. “Because I totally saw him pulling this kind of
stunt. I just hoped he wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I swallow hard.
We left Conner upstairs to sneak out once Warren sees me and realizes
I’m fine.
Except, I’m not fine.
I’m a bag of nerves at the thought of Conner anywhere near him.
“Hey.” Shelbie grabs my arm and looks at me. “You’ve got this,
Kenny.”
I nod. It’s all I can manage.
“Come on, before he tears up the place looking for you.”
 We slip into the bar and Warren instantly sees me. I plaster on my best
smile and walk toward him. “This is a surprise,” I say, leaning up to kiss
him.
“I got impatient.” He hooks his arm around my waist and pulls my body
flush with his. “I missed you, baby.” His teeth graze my ear and shudders
roll through me. He’s high and horny. I can smell the weed on his breath.
“Couldn’t even let me keep her for a couple of hours?” Shelbie says
lightly.
“What can I say, I’m a needy guy.” His grip on my hip tightens.
“Well, now you’re here, why don’t I order us all something to eat, on
the house. I’m sure my dad won’t mind.”
“You hungry, baby?” Warren breathes the words against my neck,
making my stomach clench violently.
“I could eat,” I say with as much indifference as I can muster.
“Cool, let me grab some menus. You guys find a booth.”
Joker’s is quiet, but Warren chooses the booth most sheltered from
prying eyes.
“We don’t have to stay.”
“It’s all good, baby.” He relaxes against the curved backrest.
“What did you do today?” I ask.
“A little bit of this, a little bit of that.” He smirks, letting his hands
wander precariously close to my pussy. I have my jeans on, but it doesn’t
stop him pawing at me.
“Warren,” I hiss, trying to swat him away, “people can see.”
“No one’s watching you, baby. I could make you come all over my
fingers right here and no one would stop me.”
“Hey.” Shelbie appears with the menus and I force Warren’s hand away
under the table. “Is everything okay?”
“Just my girl. She can’t keep her hands to herself. Isn’t that right,
babe?” Warren chuckles darkly, and for a second, I wonder if he knows. He
never calls me babe... but Conner does.
Shelbie throws me a concerned look, but I discreetly shake it off.
He can’t know.
Conner said he covered his tracks, and I believe him.
Warren is just trying to freak me out.
“So, K,” Shelbie says, changing the subject as we peruse the menu. “It’s
your birthday on Saturday. Are you excited?”
 “I... uh, I guess.”
It’s not like my life will suddenly change because I’m an adult in the
eyes of the authorities. I’ll still be stuck here, under Warren’s control.
Waiting for what Conner just promised me.
Soon.
James Jagger will come through. He has to.
“What looks good?” I try to turn their attention back to the menu.
“The Joker burger is amazing,” Shelbie grins, “but it’s huge. We could
go halves?”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“Warren?” she asks.
“Just get me a basket of fries and a beer.”
“Uh, sure. I’ll be right back.”
“You’re not hungry?” I ask him, surprised.
“Oh, I am.” He grabs the nape of my neck and pulls my face down to
his. “Just not for burgers and fries.”
“Warren.” I try to wiggle free but he plunges his tongue past my lips.
His grip on my neck is like a vise as he plunders my mouth.
Flattening my hands against his t-shirt, I manage to break away and
inhale a ragged breath. “You’re high,” I remark.
“And you’re fucking delicious. Let’s go to the restroom.”
“What? No! This is Shelbie’s dad’s place. We can’t.”
“Can’t?” His brow rises. “Or won’t?” Anger flashes over his face.
“What has gotten into you?”
I brace myself for one of his tantrums, silently praying it doesn’t come.
But I won’t let him do this to me, not here. Not after Conner just loved me
the way he did.
Warren stares at me, his gaze dangerous and haunting. But then his
angry mask falls away and a goofy grin tugs at his mouth.
“Nothing, baby,” he croons. “I’m just horny, and you look so fucking
good. Good enough to eat.”
“As soon as we get home.” I bite back the bile that claws up my throat
as I say the words.
But it’s nothing compared to the fear that races down my spine when he
says, “I might not be able to wait until then.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Conner

"W here the hell have you been?" Cole barks, inviting himself into my
room only seconds after I crash through the door.
"Fuck off," I grunt. I don't need to look at him to know that his brows
are pulled together in concern. Unlike my twin, who's tried—and succeeded
—to do it time and time again, I've never shut him out. Not like this.
Part of it is to do with the colossal secret he kept about Charlie, but as
each day passes, I realize I care less about that. That cunt needed wiping off
the face of the Earth, so really, Cole did us all a favor—I kinda wish he'd go
pull the same stunt on Warren, if I'm being honest. Right now, I just don't
want to talk about it. I don't want them knowing what risk I'm putting us all
at because I can't stay away from Kennedy, because of my need to ensure
she's safe. I don't want him or any of them to look at me with disappointed
eyes because I couldn't last a few days, especially when I know for a fact
that they wouldn't be able to do it either.
"I was out," I seethe, dropping to the end of my bed with my back still
to him. I rub my hand down my face but almost instantly regret it.
I can still smell her.
Images of our time together hit me. The devastation on her face when
she saw the condom. I'd hurt her with that move. I knew there was a chance
I would, but we had to. I also knew that there was no way I couldn't
properly make her mine once more. No more fucked-up rough sex against a
tree. I needed her to know that everything I'd said to her was real, that
beneath my anger was still me. Even if it seems harder and harder to find
myself these days.
"Conner," he sighs, correctly assuming where I was. "You're going to
get us all locked up or killed."
"It won't come to that."
"Are you sure? James seems pretty concerned, and nothing ever rattles
that motherfucker."
"Yeah. I'm fucking sure. Now, are you done?"
"No, James has been looking for you all night. He wants us all in his
office."
"Brilliant. Let's fucking go then. Call Ace," I demand, storming past
him, shoulder checking him as I head for Dad's office.
"Nice," Cole barks after me. "I was merely the messenger."
Shaking my head, I ignore him and continue forward, storming into
Dad's office much as Cole had to me only minutes ago.
"Tell me you have good news." I fall down onto his couch and stare at
our father.
“Conner,” he seethes, his voice low and slightly terrifying. “I explicitly
told you to stay out of the Heights. Where were you tonight?”
I’ve never seen him angry, and the fact that he’s not shouting right now
makes the whole thing even more scary.
This is the man who knows everyone’s secrets. Who apparently lives his
life on the dark side.
“I’m pretty sure you already know,” I say, resting back on the couch and
stretching my arms out like his anger doesn’t affect me.
His eyes hold mine, frustration swirling within them. They’re the same
blue as Ace's, so vivid you wonder if they can possibly be real. His hair is
dark, flecked with grey at the side. And just like Cole, he never shows his
emotions. He just assesses everything, takes it on board, and figures out
how to deal with it without causing a fuss. I guess it's those skills that got
him whatever job he's doing.
He opens his mouth to speak, and I damn near hold my breath, wishing,
praying that he's going to say this is over and I can drive straight back to the
Heights and get my girl.
 Clenching his fists, he swallows, his face still a mask of calm despite
the storm raging inside because I keep defying his orders. "Not so much as
news. More like the plan."
"Saturday night?" I ask in a rush, relief already beginning to flood me.
"Wait for the others and I'll tell you what I can."
"How about you just cut the bullshit and tell us everything?"
"Son," he sighs. "Trust me, if I could and if I thought it would help, I
would tell you everything. But right now, you just need to focus on
Kennedy."
"I really fucking hate secrets and lies." I pin him with a look.
"I know. But unfortunately, that's not how this world works."
"This world? Are you in some weird cult or something?"
A smile twitches at Dad's lips, and part of me expects him to confirm
what I've just said. It sure would have all of this make sense if it did.
"No, Conner, it's not a cult. It's—" His words are cut off as Ace and
Cole come barreling through the door.
"You called," Ace sings. Motherfucker is high, and he's got bite marks
down his neck.
I roll my eyes at him. At least one of us is having fun, I guess.
"Saturday night," James starts, forgetting that we were in the middle of
a conversation. "Everything is planned for Saturday night.”
Ace sits up, suddenly looking sober. "Yeah?" he asks, rubbing his hand
across his face.
"I wasn't going to tell you, because you do not need to get involved with
this. But I know the second you," he pins me with a hard stare, "get any
clue that this is happening, I'm not going to be able to stop you. So I only
ask you to do one thing."
I sit forward, waiting to hear what he needs from me for this to end.
"I need you to get Kennedy out of there. Do not get involved with
anything else, no matter what happens," he warns. “I mean it, Son. You get
Kennedy, and then you get the hell out of there.”
"Done."
"Wait," Ace says, holding up a hand. "What the fuck is going to
happen? You can't just send us there to snatch a girl without telling us the
whole plan."
"Can't I?" Dad asks, one brow lifting, almost in amusement. "I need you
to trust that right now, I'm doing the best thing for all of you. The time is
coming where I'm going to have to let you in on all of this, but that time is
not right now."
Ace's face twists in confusion. I, however, let it roll off me. I'm
beginning to get used to Dad's mysterious non-explanations. I'm sure that
once this is all over and my girl is in my arms I'll be desperate to know the
truth, but he's right. She's the priority here, not whatever secret world he's
hiding.
I shake my head at this whole situation. I thought our lives were meant
to get less complicated when we moved to this part of town. Cleary fucking
not.
"Are we done?" I ask, needing to get the fuck out of his office and away
from everyone so I can continue drowning in the reality that is my life right
now.
"I'll let you know the times when I have more information."
"Great. I'm out."
I'm almost at the corner that leads to our bedrooms when Ace's voice
rings out.
"Con, wait."
I pause, but I don't really want to. I've done my best to avoid the pair of
happy couples around the house. The sight of them is just too much right
now.
"What?" I bark.
"Here." He passes me a blunt when he gets to me, which somewhat
makes up for things.
"After school tomorrow, the three of us are going out."
"What? Why?"
"Because I fucking said so. You need to get out of your head, and you
need to stay out of the fucking Heights." He pins me with a look.
I want to argue that he'd never leave Remi, but I know it's pointless to
even try.
"What are we doing?" I ask, my voice flat, totally uninterested in
whatever plans they have.
"It's a surprise," Cole says, appearing at Ace's shoulder with a smile.
"Great. Can't wait."
I turn my back on them and disappear into my bedroom.
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I find nothing from Kenny before I
drop down on my bed and close my eyes. I wish I hadn't seen Warren
pulling her into him and putting his fucking lips on her the second she was
in the bar earlier.
My fists curl with my need to end him. I might just have agreed to only
get K out on Saturday night, but Dad is stupider than I thought if he really
thinks I'm not going to go after that cunt myself.

"Karting?" I ask Ace and Cole, who stand either side of me with smiles
playing on their lips.
"Yeah. You used to love it as a kid."
Understatement of the century. "We went once," I argue, remembering
the time Charlie took us for mine and Cole's birthday. For some reason, he
actually treated us to a day out. Looking back now, I wonder what was in it
for him.
"Yeah, but it was great fun."
"Fair enough," I mutter.
"Thought you could outrun a few of your demons."
"I'm not sure that’s possible while he's still breathing."
"Saturday, bro," Cole says, slapping me on the back. "Saturday night
your girl will be back in your arms and in your bed, and you can fall asleep
with your tiny little coc—"
"Ow," he complains when I slap him across the head. "Was that
necessary?"
"Yeah, we all know mine is bigger than yours, so quit trying to convince
anyone otherwise." I lean into him and lower my voice. "Even Hadley
knows."
I move before he can get to me and laugh at the look on his face.
"You motherf—"
"Shall we have this out on the track, children?" Ace asks, an amused
smirk playing on his lips.
"Fine. But you're going to fucking lose," Cole seethes as he passes me.
"See you at the finish line, motherfucker."
"Maybe this was a terrible idea," Ace mutters to himself as I catch up to
him.
 "Nah, bro. I really appreciate it. Just don't get bitter when I beat your
ass."
The place is deserted, and I soon realize that Ace and Cole had planned
it that way so we didn't have to deal with anyone else. There are only three
karts on the track, and, after making our selections, we buckle up.
"Get ready to lose, assholes," I announce as we stare at the traffic lights
in front of us, ready to floor it to the first bend.
The second the green light shows, I put my foot to the floor as a surge
of adrenaline races through me. A smile pulls at my lips as I look to my left
to see Cole laughing to himself.
Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea on their part. I don't need them to tell
me that I've been a miserable fuck the past couple of weeks. I feel it in
every fiber of my being, but I needed this. I needed them to stand beside me
and show me that not everything is shit, and hopefully we can stand
together on Saturday night and put that motherfucker in the ground where
he's supposed to be.
I have no idea how many races we do or how long we're out on that
track. All I do know is that by the time we're done, I'm covered in a sheen
of sweat, my heart is racing, and I can't stop smiling. It's a good fucking
feeling.
But the second I step out of the kart, having pulled off yet another win,
reality comes crashing down. I'm here enjoying myself while she’s...
"What the fuck is that look for?" Cole asks, his eyes assessing me. "You
just won... again."
"Have I, though?" I ask, throwing the helmet to the ground and storming
off the track and away from both of them. If I'd won, my girl would be here
to celebrate with me, not stuck somewhere against her will with fucking
Satan himself.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kennedy

I spend the week sneaking my cell phone into my school bag so I can text
Conner throughout the day. After an amazing night together at the bar, I
can’t let go. I know it’s risky, I know Warren will probably do
something awful if he finds out, but I need that link to him.
It’s that simple.
When I’d gotten that text from Warren, telling me that if I didn’t come
back to him, he would ruin the Jaggers, I’d only had one thought in mind.
Save them.
I would happily sacrifice myself if it meant Conner and his family were
safe.
But now I see love doesn’t make you weak, it makes you strong. It gives
you something to fight for.
Otherwise, what’s the point?
After everything we’ve been through, Conner and I deserve our shot at
happiness. We’ve just got to get through this.
Whatever James has planned, I hope it hurts. I hope Warren suffers even
a fraction of the pain I have at his hands.
I force those thoughts out of my head. He might own my body, but my
heart is in a steel cage he won’t ever unlock. I’ve gotten good over the last
few days at pacifying him, letting him use my body to fuck away his anger
and frustrations. I don’t even cry anymore. Because I know the end is in
sight. I know that after the weekend, I’ll be free.
And hopefully Warren will be gone. Forever.
It’s my birthday tomorrow, and I’ll be eighteen. An adult in the eyes of
the authorities.
I can pack a bag, leave the Heights, and never look back.
But I can’t leave Conner.
I won’t.
I lost him once...
I won’t lose him again.
“Miss Lowe, are you still with us?” The teacher’s unamused voice
startles me and I bolt upright.
“Sorry, sir.”
“Please try to stay awake in my class.”
A couple of girls snicker and I shoot them daggers. They soon avert
their eyes.
It’s last period, and with every second that ticks by the pit in my
stomach carves a little deeper. Warren will probably already be waiting. He
hasn’t let me out of his sight much since Monday.
Part of me wonders if he senses something.
The familiar vibration of my cell phone against my palm is a welcome
reprieve from my thoughts.

Conner: I can’t wait to give you a birthday kiss.

Me: One isn’t good enough, I want eighteen.

Conner: How about one for every second I’ve loved you?

My smile grows. Even in our dire situation he still finds it in himself to

be a giant goofball.

Me: That’s a lot of kisses.

Conner: You haven’t seen nothing yet. Try to text me later.

Me: You know I might not be able to.

Conner: I know... but try. Love you, babe. So much.

The final bell rings, and the class breaks into chaos. I quickly text
Conner back before packing away my belongings and throwing my bag
over my shoulder. I’m not eager to get outside to Warren, but I am eager for
this day to be over, because it means we’re almost at the finish line.
Thank God.
Shelbie meets me outside class and we leave together. But she doesn’t
take off; instead she sticks to my side as I cross the parking lot to Warren’s
car.
“Shelb, what’s going on?” I ask, feeling dread snake up my spine.
“You’ll see.” She shoots me a conspiratorial smile.
“Baby.” Warren pulls me in for a hug, nuzzling my neck. “Did you have
a good day?”
“It was okay, I guess.”
“Did you tell her?” His eyes go over my head to Shelbie.
“Tell me?” I frown. “Tell me what?”
“So, I thought,” Warren walks his finger along my collarbone, “you
might like to have a girls night with Shelbie tonight.”
“You did”? Hope unfurls in my stomach, but it’s laced with fear.
“What’s the catch?”
“Catch? Baby, I’m offended. I need to go out of town for the night. My
old man has a date with Hilda, so you’ll be home, and since it’s your
birthday tomorrow, I figured it would be nice for the two of you to hang.
You can get pizza, drink some of those shitty mixer drinks you like, and
watch some girl porn.”
“Girl porn?” Shelbie chokes out.
“Yeah, you know, like Magic Mike or that Fifty Shades crap.”
“You know what Fifty Shades is?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he snarls at her.
Shelbie shrugs. “I’m just surprised is all.”
“Did you know about this?” I ask Shelbie, who doesn’t seem the least
bit surprised Warren just invited her over for a girls night.
“Yeah, he called me.”
“You called her?” Now I’m the one gawking.
 “I’m just full of surprises, baby.” Warren gives me a rare smile before
kissing me hard while his hands grope my ass and thighs as if we’re not
standing in the middle of the school parking lot.
Shelbie clears her throat after a minute or so, and thankfully it’s enough
to make him break away.
“Are you sure about this?” He’s never let me have anyone over to the
trailer before.
“It’s your home as much as mine, Kennedy.” He brushes the hair off my
face and pushes it behind my ear, staring at me with a raw intensity.
“Well, in that case, I would love for Shelbie to come over for a girls
night.”

The second we get back to the trailer, I slip into the bathroom and text
Conner. It’s dangerous, but I want to let him know I’m okay, and that
Shelbie is coming over, so he doesn’t spend all night worrying about me.

Me: Warren’s out tonight so Shelbie is coming over for a girls night. I’ll
call if I can.

His reply is immediate.

Conner: You’d better.

Conner: In fact, I could sneak over and steal a birthday kiss.

Me: You can’t! If anyone saw you...

I can’t bear thinking about it.

Conner: Yeah, you’re probably right. But it doesn’t mean I won’t be

thinking about the next time I’m in your arms.

Me: You giant goofball.

Conner: Only for you, K. Only ever for you!

Fighting a smile, I stuff the cell into my bra and slip back into the
bedroom. There’s no sign of Warren, so I grab a load of clean laundry and
hurry to the dresser, pretending to put it away while I stash the phone in its
usual hiding place.
“Ken?” he yells, and I flinch.
“Coming.”
Taking a deep breath, I run a hand through my hair before going to find
him. He and Mitch are talking.
“Hey,” I say. “What’s going on?”
“He isn’t sure he wants to go to Hilda’s, but I told him he needs to stay
clear of the trailer.”
“It’s my fucking trailer, kid.”
“Kid? Really old man? Who pays the rent? Who pays for the electricity
and makes sure there’s food in the cupboards?”
The air crackles as son and father square off with one another.
“Hilda has invited you over, so I suggest you take a shower, put on a
nice shirt, and go keep the woman happy. If you can manage to get it up.”
Warren chuckles, but Mitch looks murderous.
“You’re an evil son—”
“Yeah, yeah. Save it for someone who cares.” He walks away from him,
toward me. “You all good?”
“Yeah.” I smile, but it’s at odds with the knot in my stomach. “I don’t
have to—”
“Shh.” He kisses my forehead. “It’s almost your birthday, you deserve
this.”
His mood swings give me whiplash, but I can’t deny I feel a flicker of
excitement at the thought of spending the night with Shelbie instead of him.
“Where are you going anyway?”
“Business calls,” he says cryptically, tapping the end of my nose.
I want to ask what business, but something tells me I don’t want to
know.
“I’ll miss you,” I add for effect.
“Not as much as I’ll miss you, baby.” He slides his lips over mine,
plunging his tongue deep into my mouth. “Make me something to eat
before I leave?”
 “Of course. What are you in the mood for?”
“That thing you do with the chicken tenders and pasta.”
“Coming right up.” I go to move around him, but he grabs my arm. “I
love you, Kennedy.”
“I know.” I flash him a bright smile, but I don’t say the words back.
This time, I can’t.

Two hours later, Shelbie arrives. Warren still hasn’t left, but Mitch slipped
out a little while ago. He didn’t look happy about it, but Warren insisted he
go and stay gone. Tonight, I have the entire trailer to myself, and I intend on
making the most of it.
“Holy crap, Shelb,” I say, eyeing her bags. “What did you bring?” It
looks like she’s staying for the week, not one night.
“I may have gotten a little carried away.” She gives me a sheepish
smile. “It’s been a while since I had a girls night. Actually, I don’t think I’ve
ever had one.”
“There’s a first for everything,” I say. “Dump all your stuff over there
and I’ll get us some drinks.”
“Oh wait.” She pulls out a bottle of cheap champagne. “Happy birthday,
Kennedy.”
“Thank you.”
“What the fuck, Garret. I said a night, not the month.” Warren eyes her
bags.
“It’s mostly snacks and pamper stuff.”
“Just as long as you’re not trying to smuggle a boy in there.” He smirks
playfully as he says the words, but it doesn’t ease the knot in my stomach.
He’s being nice.
Too nice.
I don’t like it.
“You girls going to be good?” he says. “Lock the door behind me, and
don’t answer it for anyone except the delivery guy.”
“Geez, Dad, I think we’ve got it.” Shelbie snickers, and he flips her off.
“We’ll be fine,” I say. “Shelbie has her cell if anything goes wrong,
which it won’t.”
 He regards me for a moment, his intense gaze searching my face.
“Warren?” I breathe.
“Yeah, baby?”
“What are—"
He dives for my mouth, capturing my lips in a bruising kiss. “I love
you, Kennedy. I love you so fucking much.”
I can’t say it back.
Not now, not when I’m so close to breaking free from his chains.
“Okay, lovebirds, break it up.” Shelbie has perfect timing as ever.
“She’ll be here when you get back. Now go, shoo. We have girl porn to
watch.”
Warren chuckles at that. He seems lighter, less intense than he has done
all week. It’s unnerving.
But he reluctantly releases me and says, “Have fun. I’ll be home first
thing tomorrow.”
Shelbie comes around to me and laces her arm through mine as we
watch Warren leave the trailer. The second the door closes behind me, she
turns to me and says, “For a second there, I thought he was never going to
leave.”
“I can’t believe it,” I whisper, still staring at the door.
“Well, believe it, babe. Because dickface is gone and we’ve got the
entire place to ourselves. Although I might have to crack open a window.
This place smells worse than the bar.”
“You get used to it after a while.” It no longer knocks the air from my
lungs when I come inside. But it’s always there, lingering.
“Aren’t you going to call Conner?”
“Later. I want to give it some time so we know Warren is definitely
gone.” I peek out of the window, watching his car disappear down the
graveled track.
“Suit yourself. Let’s order pizza, then I’ll do your face mask and give
you a manicure.” Shelbie pulls out her cell. “Pepperoni?”
“I’m fine with whatever.”
She taps a few buttons. “Done. Now, where was I?” She starts rooting
through one of her small bags, pulling out nail polishes and an array of
makeup.
“Hmm, Shelbie, what is all that stuff?”
 “Some of us have to work hard to look this good.” She smirks. “Just let
me have this.”
“Fine.” I hold up my hands with a little chuckle. She grabs what she
needs and sets about cleansing my face before slapping on the thick cooling
mask.
“We let them set for thirty minutes then wash them off.”
I catch a glance of myself in the mirror. “Sexy,” I tease.
“Conner won’t know what’s hit him.” She winks, and my heart
contracts at the mention of his name.
“I think I’ll call him.”
“Well, duh.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad.”
“Babe, you’re so gone for that boy it’s not even funny.”
“He’s just so—”
“Annoying?” Amusement sparkles in her eyes.
“Hey, that’s my—” I stop myself, the knot in my stomach twisting.
“Boyfriend?”
A quiet knock at the door catches my attention. “That can’t be the pizza
already.” Dread slithers through me as I approach the door, nervously lifting
my hand to the face mask covering my skin.
“Maybe it’s Mitch,” she suggests.
“He wouldn’t knock, it’s his trailer.” I peer through the window and my
eyes widen.
Ripping open the door, I yank Conner inside and hiss, “What the hell
are you doing here?”
He gives me an easy smile which soon turns into a smirk as he takes in
my face and holds out a small gift box. “Happy birthday, K. You’re looking
good.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Conner

M y heart is in my throat as Kenny pulls the door open and allows me

to slip inside.
I shouldn't be here, that much is obvious, but I needed to see her
before tomorrow. I still have no idea what the hell is going to go down, but
it's going to be over. And that knowledge makes me breathe a little easier,
makes every single one of my steps that much easier to take.
No one saw me as I slipped through the darkness to get here. Well, at
least I don't think they did. There's no way to know for sure. But K is worth
the risk.
It's her eighteenth birthday tomorrow, the day she gets her freedom
back. The day that motherfucker hopefully gets what's coming to him.
She stares up at me as she closes and locks the door behind me. I
expected her to be happy, to greet me with open arms and a wide smile, but
all I've got are hard eyes, a frown, and a comical face mask.
"You shouldn't be here," she damn near spits at me.
"And miss you looking so sexy? I wanted to see you before your
birthday." I drop my face to the crook of her neck so my lips brush her skin.
"I wanted to give you your present."
"Conner," she half moans, half warns.
 "It's okay. You've already told me he's out all night. It's safe." I slide my
hand under her shirt and rest it on her ribs, right beneath her breast.
"Con, it's never safe. Warren, he..." I wince the second his name falls
from her lips.
"He's not going to find out.”
"He knows everything,” she argues.
"It's not stopped you before." I kiss up the length of her neck until the
tip of my nose traces the shell of her ear. Her entire body shudders beneath
me, telling me that I'm currently winning. "Be reckless with me, K. Let me
fuck you right here, in his home where he thinks he has control."
"Oh God," she whimpers. "You shouldn't be here," she tries again, but
her voice is low and breathy and her body arches into me, accepting
everything I have to offer.
"Let me make you mine. Right here." I press the length of my body
against hers, pinning her to the wall and allowing her to feel what her
presence alone does to me. "I'm so hard for you, babe."
"Okay, I'm just gonna go..." a familiar voice says from behind me. I
knew Shelbie was here. Hell, she's part of the reason why I am. I already
knew she had a night to herself before she called to tell me, because Shelb
had already given me the heads up.
"You don't have to run on my account," I murmur against K's neck as
my labored breaths race over her skin, making her tremble with need.
"Yeah... I came for girl porn, not actual porn. I'll just be down there."
Her footsteps trail off.
"You were going to spend the night watching porn?" I ask, pulling back
from her and looking into her eyes.
The most incredible smile spreads across her lips before she tips her
head back and laughs. The sight almost brings me to my fucking knees.
"No, babe. We were going to watch Fifty Shades."
"Hmm." I nuzzle her once again, not able to get enough of her scent.
"So, porn then."
"It's not porn," she argues. "It's romance."
"Maybe we should re-enact it then, because I fucking love you, babe."
My hands drop to her thighs and I lift her against the wall. Her legs wrap
around my waist, ensuring my cock lines up perfectly with her scorching
pussy, and I slam my lips down on hers.
 "Fuck, I missed you," I mumble against her lips, not caring that the face
mask mushes between us.
She moans in response, her hands slipping under my hoodie and
pushing upward.
Helping her out, I reach behind me and pull it from my head.
"Mmm... better," she moans, running her eyes over my skin. She stills
for a beat with her hands on my chest and looks back up at me again.
"What?" I ask, concern racing through me that she's heard or seen
something—or worse, that she wants to stop.
Lifting her hands, she cups my cheeks. "You haven’t been fighting. You
don’t have any bruises."
A smile twitches at my lips. "I'm saving myself for tomorrow night,
babe. Nothing is going to stop me from getting you out of there in one
piece."
"Oh Conner," she sighs, her eyes going all soft.
"Tomorrow night, I'm going to carry you out of that place, put you in
my car, and take you home, where you belong. Then I'm going to spend all
night—probably all weekend—making up for lost time and showing you
just how much I love you. Because this," I gesture to our surroundings,
"means nothing. It changes nothing. You are mine, Kennedy Lowe, and no
one is going to change that."
I slam my lips to hers in a bruising kiss. My need to possess her, claim
her, mark her, make her mine floods me. My fingers curl around the bottom
of her shirt before I pull it up her body, leaving her in just her white lace
bra.
Her skirt is already around her waist, allowing my frantic fingers to find
her panties and tear them in two.
"Conner," she gasps when the sound of ripping fabric fills the trailer.
"I'm not sorry." I drop her lower, allowing her to flick open my fly and
free my cock. I find one of the condoms I dropped into my back pocket
before I left the Bay and hold it up to her mouth. "Open," I demand, making
her a part of using it.
I know she doesn't want to—hell, I don't want to use one. I want nothing
between us ever again, but right now, this is our only option. Come
tomorrow night, she can ride me bare for the rest of our lives.
She bares her teeth before ripping the packet open and pulling the
condom out.
 A growl rips up my throat as her small hand wraps around my hard
length. "K, fuck."
She jacks me a few times, her eyes locked on mine.
"Kenny," I warn, already well over the point of losing control and just
slamming into her.
My rough voice seems to pull her from her trance. She makes quick
work of rolling the rubber down me, my teeth grinding the entire time
before I'm able to lift her once more and pin her to the wall with my hips.
"Are you wet for me, K?"
She nods.
"I haven’t even touched you and I bet you’re fucking dripping."
"Conner," she groans. "Please, I need—" A loud cry falls from her lips
as I slam inside her. "Yessss," she hisses as her walls tighten around me, her
muscles pulling me deeper.
My fingers tighten on her ass as I pull her from the wall a little,
changing the angle and ensuring I take her as deep as possible.
"So good, K. Always so fucking good."
I pull almost all the way out, watching where our bodies are connected.
My cock glistens with her arousal, proving me right. She was soaked for
me.
"You're so beautiful. So fucking beautiful. And so fucking mine." I
surge forward on the final word, making sure she feels it as well as hears it.
"Yes, Conner. Yes."
Her nails scratch at my shoulders and down my upper arms as I take her
harder, pushing her closer to the edge.
Her tits bounce in the confines of her bra, but it's not enough. I don't
want her hidden from me. Slipping my hand around her back, I pinch the
clasp and pull it from her body. Her hard, pink rosebud nipples appear
before me, just begging to be sucked into my mouth.
Leaning over her, I do just that, sucking hard and circling the tip of my
tongue around the peak.
"Oh God, Conner. Oh God, oh God," she chants as her muscles start
rippling around me, telling me that she's close.
"Come, K. Come all over my cock." I bite down on the fullness of her
breast and her orgasm crests at the pain.
"Conner," she cries, pulsating around me, her body flooding with
pleasure.
 "Fuck yes, give me everything you've got, K."
My hips get erratic as I slam into her limp body, chasing my own
release.
Tingles race down my spine and my balls draw up. I pull her from the
wall and crash my lips to hers as my cock jerks.
A roar of pleasure rumbles up my throat, but she swallows it down.
"Happy birthday, babe," I say, peppering her face and jaw with kisses.
We’re a sticky mess, but I don’t give a fuck. I needed this. Needed her.
"That was my present?" she asks, raising a brow.
"What could possibly be a better gift than me?"
"Chocolate?"
"You wanted chocolate instead of my cock?" I ask, a smile tugging at
my lips.
"I mean... both would be nice."
Laughing at her, I find her lips once more and kiss her until we're both
breathless, my cock once again hard for her.
"Guys, can I come out yet? It's gone very quiet."
"Fucking hell," I groan, dropping my head to K's shoulder. "I want you
again so bad. It's never going to be enough with you, K. Never."
"Tomorrow, Con. Tomorrow night you get everything. Forever."
I pull back and look at her, needing to know she means every word she's
saying.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Oh shit, fuck. Sorry." We're interrupted as Shelbie walks around the
corner. "I thought... shit. Fuck."
"It's okay, we're done," Kenny says, disappointingly.
"Not by choice," I mutter, lowering her legs to the floor and tucking
myself away after pulling the condom off.
"Can you pass me my clothes?" Kenny asks Shelbie who, with her hand
clamped over her eyes, blindly reaches for them by her feet. "You can look,
Shelb. Conner's decent."
"You're not."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure you've seen a pair before,” I snicker.
Shelbie groans but does look at what she's doing to pass Kenny’s top
back to her.
"Thank you."
 K pulls it on but forgoes the bra so I get the torture of seeing her still
stiff nipples pressing against the thin fabric.
"Shall I just leave?" Shelbie offers when she must notice what has my
attention.
"No, no,” Kenny answers. “We're having girls night."
"Yeah," I say. "I was really looking forward to my face mask and getting
my nails painted."
K slaps me gently on the shoulder. "God, I love you," she says, allowing
me to pull her into my body once more and kiss her.
A knock sounds out at the door, and she tenses in my arms.
"Chill, it's just the pizza guy," Shelbie says, crossing the room to answer
it.
Kenny's muscles remain locked tight until she sees the boxes in
Shelbie's hands.
"Oh, I'm starving. Pass it over."
"Why am I not surprised?" K rolls her eyes at me.
"Neither of you are coming anywhere near this until you wash up. I
know where those fingers have been," Shelbie says, looking between the
two of us.
"Fine." Grabbing K's hand, I pull her toward the bathroom to clean up...
or to get her a little bit dirtier to really build up her appetite.
By the time we emerge, Shelbie has already eaten through almost an
entire pizza.
"Thank fuck. If I have to keep comfort eating while you guys do that
and I don't, I'll be the size of a house."
"Aw, Shelb," I say, dropping down onto the couch and pulling K onto
my lap. "You missing out on some action?"
"Fucking right," she grumbles.
"You want me to put in a good word with Levi and Jay? I hear they're
flying solo."
"What?" she gasps, her cheeks glowing red all of a sudden. "I might be
desperate, but I don't want to look desperate. I'll just have to put up with
your homemade porn for a while."
"Hmm... about that..." I twist K on my lap until she's straddling me.
"Conner," she warns, but the heat in her eyes tells a different story.
Just a few more hours and this is going to be it. K and me against the
world.
 "So," she asks, dragging me from my thoughts. "Did you actually bring
me a present that's not attached to your body?" She looks over her shoulder
at the small box I placed on the counter when I entered and lifts a brow.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Kennedy

“G o look,” Conner says around a knowing smirk.

I climb off his lap and retrieve the box, butterflies fluttering in
my stomach.
“Get over here, Lowe,” he adds.
“If that’s a ring, I’m out of here,” Shelbie grumbles, sending my heart in
a tailspin.
Conner wouldn’t...
Although Cole did. I’ve heard Hadley say it doesn’t mean anything, but
we all know she doesn’t take it off because secretly, she wants that.
She wants to be his.
“Relax, Shelb.” Conner lets out a nervous laugh. “It’s not a ring... yet.”
My eyes almost bug out, but then he pulls me down on his lap,
capturing my lips in a passionate kiss.
“One day, K,” he whispers, his hand curling around the back of my
neck, anchoring us together.
Shelbie fake retches and we both chuckle. “Sorry,” I say.
She waves me off. “At least one of us is getting some. So what’s in the
box?”
I flip the lid, frowning. “It’s a... what is it?”
 Conner plucks the key from the velvet cushion and grins. “This is the
key to our future.”
“Okaaaay.” My brows furrow. “Still not following.”
“It’s the key to our brand-new camper. Well, brand new to us... it’s
actually a heap of junk that I intend on restoring with Ace and G at the
shop. But it’s ours.” He shrugs. “I thought we could take it cruising over the
summer. Just you, me, and nothing but the open road.”
“You bought us a camper?”
Conner nods.
“Holy crap, that’s so cool,” Shelbie says, and I’m glad she’s answered
him because I can’t find my voice.
A camper.
He bought us a camper.
“Babe, you’re looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.” It’s
Conner’s turn to frown.
“I... a camper?”
“Yeah?” His eyes cloud with uncertainty. “I thought it would do us both
good to get away from Sterling. Just the two of us... if you want to, I mean.”
“Yes,” I breathe, throwing my arms around his neck. “Yes, I want to.”
“She said yes!” Shelbie shrieks with amusement, and I flip her off over
my shoulder.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
“Believe it.” Conner peppers my mouth with tiny kisses. “I want us to
enjoy each other, K. I want us to heal.”
His words hit me right in the chest. He did this for me.
“I love you.” I squeeze tighter. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, babe. And after tomorrow, it’s just you, me, Betty, and
the rest of our lives.”
“Betty?” I gawk at him.
“Yeah, our camper.”
“You named our camper Betty?” Soft laughter bubbles in my chest. He
is such a goofball.
My goofball.
And I wouldn’t want him any other way.
“Oh my God, you can’t stop smiling.” Shelbie arches her brow as I walk her
to the door.
“He’s just so...” I can’t even put into words how I feel about Conner.
“You’re so freaking lucky. Makes all this worth it.” Her expression falls.
“Shit, that was a stupid thing to say. Me and my big—”
“Shelb, it’s fine. Besides, you’re right.” Knowing this will all be over
soon and that I’ll be with Conner makes me feel like I can survive anything.
One more day.
I only have to get through one more day.
“You sure you don’t want me to stay?” Shelbie asks, lingering in the
doorway.
“I told you already, I’ll be fine.” Besides, I don’t want her to be here if
Warren comes back early. Who knows what kind of mood he’ll be in.
“So I’ll see you at the party tomorrow?”
Nervous energy zips through me. “Yeah, okay.”
“Hey, it’ll be okay.” She reaches for my hand and squeezes. “Just think
of Betty.” Shelbie winks before skipping off down the gravel path. I watch
her disappear into the darkness and then I close the door, sliding the
deadbolt in place.
Conner only left an hour ago, but I already miss him. Part of me wants
to leave now. To beg him to come get me and take me far away from here.
But I know James Jagger has a plan, so I need to be patient.
One more day.
Trying to push all negative thoughts out of my head, I clean up the pizza
boxes and empty cans of soda before switching off the lights and going to
my room. Mitch must be staying over at Hilda’s, but—unsurprisingly—I
feel safer in the trailer alone than I do when he’s here.
He knows how Warren treats me. He knows, and he’s never once tried
to stop him. But I feel an immovable sense of sadness for him too. His wife
is gone. He obviously never got over the heartache, and Warren as his son
isn’t exactly a consolation prize.
I change into my pajamas and brush my teeth before combing out my
hair and braiding it loosely over one shoulder. Then when I’m ready, I go to
my drawer and pull out my toiletry bag. Hopefully Conner will still be
awake. I want to tell him how much my gift meant.
But when I open up the bag and rummage inside, horror washes over
me.
 My cell phone is gone.
Fear snakes through me as I pull out the entire contents of the small bag.
The rational part of my brain knows it’s gone, but the irrational part, the
part trembling with terror, needs to be sure.
“Where the hell is it?” I mutter to myself, throwing myself on the floor
to make sure it hasn’t fallen out in the drawer.
I’m so lost in the frenzy that I don’t hear the door open. I don’t see
Warren looking over at me until it’s too late.
“Looking for something?” he snarls, his eyes pitch black.
“You took it.”
“Kennedy, baby, when are you going to learn?” He leans down and
grabs my arm, wrenching me to my feet. Pain ricochets through my
muscles, but I swallow the yelp in my throat.
“Do you think I’m an idiot?” His body cages mine against the wall, his
warm, bitter breath fanning my face. “Do you think I didn’t know that you
and that fuck Jagger have been sneaking around? I know everything,
Kennedy. Every-fucking-thing. And you played right into my hands, baby.”
“Y-you set me up. You—"
He fists my hair, yanking me up until my body hangs in front of him,
the tips of my toes scraping the carpet.
“W-Warren.” My fingers claw at his hand, trying to loosen his death
grip on me.
“You’re tainted goods, baby. Why do you think I’ve been sticking it
elsewhere?” He cups me roughly, scratching the skin there.
I bite down on my lip to stop myself from crying out. It hurts. But it’s
nothing compared to what I know is coming.
“Why?” I finally cry out.
“Why?” he seethes. “WHY? Because James Jagger and his good for
nothing sons deserve to know what it feels like to have everything ripped
away from them.”
“W-wha—" Warren shoves me hard and I crumple to the floor, breaking
my fall with my hands and knees.
“What do you—" He backhands me so hard my head feels like it snaps
from my neck, agony shooting through my jaw and into my spine.
“I should do it now.” Crouching down, Warren runs a finger down my
cheek, through the river of silent tears cascading down my face. “Shit, you
look good like this, baby.” He grabs my hair again, holding me in place.
“It’s a real shame to dirty you all up before your birthday, but you make me
so fucking mad, Ken.”
“I-I’m sorry.” Survival mode kicks in. This time feels different. He’s
unstable, anger swirling around him like a devastating storm. He wants my
pain, my tears, and my blood.
He wants to make me hurt.
Only, I’m not sure I’ll survive if he unleashes hell on me tonight... and I
don’t mean metaphorically.
One more day.
That’s all I had to get through. But he knew. All along Warren knew,
and he waited, biding his time until this moment.
He tsks, spittle flying into my face. “You’re not sorry, you’re just
scared, aren’t you, baby? I could squeeze the life out of you right now,” his
fingers wrap around my throat, “and nobody would know. Jagger thinks
you’re safe and sound enjoying girls night with that dumb bitch Shelbie,
Mitch is getting his dick sucked nice and deep by Hilda, and Daddy Jagger
thinks you’re strong enough to take whatever I have to give. I mean, why
else would he have sent you back to me? He can’t care about you that
much, can he? If he’s willing to sacrifice you for his beloved sons.”
He shoves me again, and I land sprawled over the bed. Warren closes in
behind me, pressing the length of his body up against mine. When I feel his
hardness at my back, I almost puke. I can’t go through this again.
I can’t.
If he takes me like this, so angered and volatile, I won’t survive. My
body might, but my heart will be shattered into irreparable pieces.
Intrusive fingers dance up my inner thigh, grazing my pussy. I clamp
my legs together, trying to force him out. I’d rather take the physical
beating than let him rape me.
“Don’t play hard to get, baby. You gave Jagger your greedy little pussy
without putting up a fight. It seems only fair I get a taste too.”
Bile washes in my stomach.
But I can’t give up.
One more day.
I only have to get through one more day.
“I won’t let you do this, Warren,” I say over my shoulder, trying to
disguise the tremor in my voice.
 “You think you can stop me.” His fist flies toward me and for a second,
I think I must be dreaming. That this is all some nightmare I’ll wake up
from. But the crunch of bone on bone, the flash of sheer agony radiating
through my eye socket, tells me otherwise.
This is real.
And there’s no escaping.

“What do you mean, you can’t come over to get ready?” I can practically
hear Shelbie’s pout over the line.
It’s almost noon on Saturday. My eighteenth birthday. The day I’m
supposed to be celebrating. For more reasons than one.
But it’s impossible to feel anything but bone-deep dread as Warren
watches me like a hawk from the couch.
After his tirade last night, he left me cold and alone on the bed. I could
barely move, every inch of me sore and tender.
I fell asleep in the same position he abandoned me. When I woke up
some hours later, there was a glass of water and some pain pills on the
nightstand, but no apology.
We’ve crossed a line. I feel it hanging in the air like a storm on the
horizon. I need to warn Conner, but Warren hasn’t let me out of his sight.
“I... Warren wants to take me for dinner first. He’s got the whole thing
planned.”
“Did something happen?” she whispers.
“Yeah, he says it’s a surprise.” I reel off the words like a well-rehearsed
script. Part of me wants her to figure it out, but the other part is too scared
about what might happen if she does. “So we’ll see you there,” I add with
as much conviction as I can muster.
“Kenny, if something happened, you can tell me... give me a sign or
something and I’ll—"
“Yeah, okay. See you later... Bye.”
Hanging up is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I don’t know
what else to do. As long as Warren is here with me, he isn’t out looking for
Conner.
 Although I can’t help but think he’s lying in wait for the real
showdown...
My birthday party.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Conner

T he second I wake up, I reach for my cell. I was expecting some

messages from K after I left yesterday. She’d had the whole night to
herself, so there would have been no reason why she couldn't have
called if she wanted.
My stomach knots with the dread I fell asleep feeling.
Everything is okay, I tell myself. All of this is going to be over today.
I'm going to get my girl back.
I want to say the dread is replaced by excitement at that thought, but it's
not. We've still got a long way to go until I can have her back here in my
arms.
The knot only gets tighter when I see I don’t have a message or missed
call from her.
Opening our conversation, I tap out a message.

Conner: Happy birthday, babe. I can't wait to celebrate with you later.
Love you x

I stare at it, waiting for it to show as delivered. But it never does.

Finding another number, I hit call and lift my cell to my ear.
"Shelb, you heard from K?" I bark the second the call connects.
 "Morning, Conner," she groans, her voice rough with sleep. "No, not
yet. What time is it?"
"Almost lunch."
"Shit. I'll call her. Give me a few."
She hangs up on me before I can respond. The move pisses me off, but
mostly I'm relieved that K has Shelbie in her corner.
I stare at the minutes as they pass on my cell, waiting for her to call
back.
When her name appears, I'm so quick to answer it that I fumble and
drop the fucking thing to my lap.
"Is everything okay?"
"I don't know. She sounded... weird."
"Fuck. I need to—"
"No, Conner. We've got a few hours until the party. Just sit tight and do
what you need to do to get her back. You go running in now and you'll
likely ruin everything and make all of her suffering pointless."
I nod, knowing that she's right despite how much I hate it.
"Conner?" she barks, reminding me that I didn't actually answer.
"Yeah. You're right."
"I know. Do you know what time you're going to be there yet?"
"No, we're going to get the lowdown later, apparently." Whatever the
fuck that means.
"Okay, well you know where I am if you need me."
"Just... keep an eye on her... on them."
"You got it, Con. This is going to end today. Everything is going to be
fine." Shelbie says those words like she's convincing herself more than she
is me. I appreciate them though.
"I know. Thanks. I'll see you in a few hours." I hang up and throw
myself back on my bed and let out a heavy sigh.
Please, for the love of God, let this come to an end today.

Dad paces back and forth behind his desk while the three of us watch him.
"I hope you know that if I thought there was a way to keep the three of
you out of this then I'd be doing it."
 "There isn't one. Tell us the plan," I damn near shout at him.
The party is starting in less than an hour now, and I'm starting to lose
my patience and my grip on reality.
"Okay," he breathes, running his hand down his face. "In two hours
time, you and some of my guys are going to gate crash that party."
"Your guys?" Ace asks incredulously.
"Just listen to him," I snap.
"My men are going for Warren. All you three need to do is get Kennedy
out of there."
"Sounds simple enough," Cole says, rubbing his hands together as if
he's more than ready for a fight.
"I wouldn't assume that. Warren is... smarter than he looks. He's found
things out that most don't even know to look for."
"Are you going to tell us what this stuff is anytime soon?" I ask, getting
more and more pissed off with all his secrets.
"I will tell you what you need to know once this is over."
"What we need to know? That's bullshit. We deserve to know
everything."
"I can't put you all at risk like that. I need the three of you to trust me
when I tell you that everything I do is to protect you."
"Whatever," I say, waving him off, already fed up with his bullshit
secrets and excuses. "We leave in an hour, yes?"
"Yes."
"I'm going for a shower."
I storm out of Dad's office, ensuring the door slams back against the
wall so they know just how fucking pissed off I am.
I go straight for the bathroom and lock the door behind me.
My chest heaves as my heart slams against my ribs. I need this fucking
over now.
I strip down and stand under the shower before turning it on. The blast
of water is the shock I need to drag myself out of my head and focus on
what's coming.
I'm getting my girl back today.
With a towel wrapped around my waist and my clothes in a bundle in
my arms, I make my way back to my bedroom.
I groan when I find Cole sitting in the chair by the window, waiting for
me. Why am I not surprised?
 "You need to trust him."
A laugh falls from my lips, but there's no humor in it.
"You're fucking kidding, right? You haven’t trusted him since the day
we moved here, and now you're telling me to. Fucking unbelievable."
"What else have we got, Con?"
My teeth grind as I stare at him, but I don't have an answer.
I have trusted him. I've trusted him every second since K disappeared
from that fucking hotel room. I've trusted that he's doing the right thing
despite the hell she's living through right now. It would fucking help if he
could give us some more fucking information. We might know that he's got
intel on the fact that Cole killed Charlie, but there’s much more to it than
just that.
"Get dressed, we're leaving in fifteen." With that, he walks out of my
room. It hardly seemed worth him waiting for me just for that.
Rolling my eyes at his retreating back, I swing my door closed behind
him and find something to wear. Something that's going to make it easy to
throw my fist into that cunt’s face at the first opportunity I get. Fuck letting
Dad's men go for Warren. That motherfucker is mine.
Twenty minutes later and we're in my car, music on full blast in an
attempt to distract myself from what's about to happen as we fly toward the
Heights, hopefully for the last time in a while.
This place might have been my home for almost all my life, but I'm
beginning to hate the place more and more.
"Shit," Ace barks from my passenger seat, reaching out to turn my
music down as we drive past the graffitied 'Welcome to Sterling Heights'
sign.
I look in my rearview mirror to see what he's spotted, to find two cop
cars following us. "Fucking hell. Now is not the time for this shit." I slow
down a little, but after a minute or two, it seems that they're content on just
following us to hell.
"They'd better not follow us all the way or they might get more than
they anticipated," Cole mutters from the back seat.
But they do. They follow us the entire way to Joker’s.
Ace and I glance at each other when we pull into the parking lot and the
two cop cars do the exact same thing.
"Do you think—" I start but am interrupted by Cole.
"They're to do with James. Yeah, I do."
 The three of us watch as the officers get out of their cars, all of them
fully armed, as if they're about to walk headfirst into a war zone.
I guess we are.
"So, we’re assuming they’re the backup then?" Ace asks as my grip on
the wheel gets so tight my knuckles turn white.
Inhaling a calming breath through my nose, I blow it out past my lips as
the image of my fists connecting with Warren's face fills my mind.
That motherfucker has played all of us for too long.
The fact that I once called him my friend has disgust filling my veins.
"Yeah. Let's end this motherfucker."
"Con, James said—"
"I don't give a shit what James said. That cunt is mine."
I push the door open and climb out. As predicted, the officers nod at me
as I walk around the trunk and head toward the bar.
The party is in full swing, the music blasting out into the parking lot as I
step up to the doors.
I glance back over my shoulder to find both Ace and Cole flanking my
side, then the officers—who I can only assume are bent as fuck—behind
them.
I suck in a sharp breath and reach out for the door. Ripping it open, I
take my first step into the bar.
As if I'd timed it, the song that was booming comes to an end and the
place falls silent as almost everyone in the bar turns our way.
Chins drop and eyes almost bug out as we step farther inside. I start to
scan the crowd to find my target, but I don't need to look far because people
in front of me part and Warren appears as if from nowhere, but I don't see
K.
"Well, well, well, you took your time, didn't you?" he asks, looking
down at his watch. "The party started an hour ago.”
"Where is she?" I growl, my eyes holding his and my fists curling at my
sides.
"Why, you want to fuck her again? You might as well, it's not like I
want to. She's used goods. Dirty," he spits, making me see red, but I keep
myself locked in place for now, until I know where she is and that she's
safe. "She's fucking useless too. It's only any good when I force her."
"You fucking cunt," I growl. "Where is she?" At my question, Kenny
comes stumbling through the crowd as if someone just pushed her.
 "Conner," she breathes, looking up at me with a wince.
My heart jumps into my throat, and my nails pierce the skin of my
palms. The anger I've barely been managing to contain all these weeks
bubbles over.
She’s got a fucking black eye and a split lip.
"You motherfucker," I roar, flying toward the cunt who thinks it's
acceptable to put his hands on a woman.
My first hit feels just as satisfying as I hoped it would. His nose
crunches against my knuckles as it explodes with blood.
"Conner," Kenny screams from behind me as I continue laying into
Warren.
I get him to the floor, but hands grab both of my arms.
"Kennedy, we need to get Kennedy," Ace growls in my ear, but we're
too slow, because some guy I vaguely recognize from Heights High steps to
me as all hell breaks loose around us.
I shoot Shelbie a look. "Get her the fuck out of here," I shout before the
guy lunges for me. Thankfully, Cole and Ace release me in time.
Men shout and grunt as they're all dragged into the fight, girls scream,
and furniture gets broken as the brawl continues. I have no clue where my
brothers go, and I have even less of an idea as to what the officers are
doing, but more importantly, I've lost fucking Warren.
I try looking around as I push the guy away from me and into a nearby
table before another comes at me.
Getting a few seconds of relief, I back away from the groaning guy at
my feet and race toward the bar where Shelbie is. "Where is she? Where the
fuck is Kenny?"
Tears are streaming down Shelbie's cheeks and my heart damn near
stops beating as realization hits me. "I... I don't know, Conner. She was right
beside me and then... and then she wasn't. I don't know," she sobs.
"Fuck," I bellow, running back into the thick of it to find Warren.
But as expected, he's nowhere to be seen either.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kennedy

“W arren, just stop... please...” The words die on my tongue as he

yanks me toward his beat-up car.
“Let’s see how Jagger likes it when I disappear with his
favorite toy,” he sneers, yanking open the trunk. “Get in.”
“W-what?”
“You heard me. Stupid fucking bitch, get in the trunk.”
“No, I’m not get—"
He grabs me and folds me in his arms. I kick and scream, I even bite
down hard on his arm, but he’s too strong and I feel a little woozy from
where he hit me earlier.
“We can do this the hard way,” he growls, “or we can do this the really
hard way.”
The venom in his voice sends chills down my spine and my body goes
limp. I can’t win here, and no one is coming to save me. We left a war zone;
people fighting and wrecking Shelbie’s dad’s bar.
I curl into a ball, dragging in a big lungful of air.
“Good girl.” He curls his fingers over the edge of the trunk. “Happy
birthday, baby. This will be one you’ll never forget.”
Everything goes black, the slam of the trunk like a gunshot to my heart.
He’s lost it, completely and utterly lost it.
 I sensed it last night when he found me looking for the cell phone.
Warren is unhinged, driven to the brink of madness. I thought it was about
me, that I’m his trigger, but it’s not. It’s the Jaggers.
He wants to hurt them. He wants to hurt Conner. And I’m Conner’s
weakness.
Tears leak from my eyes as the car rumbles to life beneath me. Panic
floods me as I try to keep calm.
Warren planned this whole night. From setting me and Conner up last
night, to the party, to snatching me before Conner or his brothers could get
to me. He wanted Conner to witness my injuries, just like he wanted Conner
to watch me disappear.
Oh God, Conner.
Pain rips through me. He’ll be beside himself, and it’s all my fault. I
should have fought harder, given Shelbie some sign to raise the alarm.
It occurs to me that Warren is covering his tracks by making me ride in
here. He doesn’t want me to know where we’re going, which means maybe
he plans on me making it out of this alive.
Or maybe it’s just all part of his sick and twisted mind games. He wants
me to think I stand a chance when in fact, I don’t. He could be driving me
to my death right now and I don’t even know.
Fuck.
My chest burns. I’m pretty sure he cracked a rib last night. The ugly
bruise matches the one around my eye.
I smother a whimper. Crying isn’t going to get me out of this.
I’m not sure anything will.

What feels like a lifetime later, the car finally rolls to a stop. I have no idea
how long we’ve been traveling; I’m pretty sure I was in and out of
consciousness.
The trunk opens and Warren’s dark eyes glitter dangerously back at me.
“Out,” he barks at me the way a man might talk to his dog.
I gingerly climb out, my ribs smarting as I lower myself onto the
ground.
 “Where are we?” I ask, my eyes straining against the darkness. There’s
a building behind us. A warehouse maybe. But it’s so dark it’s hard to make
out any landmarks or distinguishing features.
“Doesn’t matter,” Warren says, grabbing my arm and shoving me
forward. Fire ignites in my muscles as they protest at his rough treatment.
It might be dark, but Warren has no issue navigating his way around. He
brings me to a door and yanks it open, pushing me into the dark abyss.
There’s a cloying smell in the air, but I can’t quite point my finger on it, my
senses all out of whack. The air is stale though, as if the place doesn’t get
much ventilation.
“What is this place?”
“Your worst nightmare.” He almost laughs the words, making fear sit
heavy in my stomach.
The narrow hall eventually widens into a cavernous room. There’s a
sliver of moonlight streaming in through a hole in the roof, casting an eerie
hue around the place. Warren finally releases me and stalks past me. He
must hit a switch because a lamp flickers to life and my eyes finally adjust
to what is an abandoned warehouse of some sort. There’s some empty racks
and crates lying around, but that’s not what catches my eye.
“What is that?” I can’t disguise the tremor in my voice as I move closer
to the cage. It’s in the corner of the room, taunting me.
Warren comes up behind me, running a hand up my spine and lowering
his mouth to the shell of my ear. “It’s your birthday present, baby. Don’t
you like it? I had it made special just for you.”
Bile rushes up my throat, and I puke all over the floor. This is
happening... this is really happening.
“Please, don’t,” I cry, tears stinging my eyes.
He grabs the nape of my neck and shoves me forward. “In you go,
bitch.”
“Warren, please—" He pushes so hard I fall to the floor with a thud.
Pain shoots through my bones as I choke back a sob. “Please, don’t do
this.”
“Oh, but I am.” He crouches down, locking the door. “You see, the
Jaggers took something from me. And now I’m going to take something
from them.”
“P-please, Warren, you don’t want to do this.”
“You don’t know what the fuck I want, Ken. You never did.”
 “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to pull the plug and watch the Jaggers unravel. Then I’m
going to deliver you to Conner piece by bloody piece.”
Bile crawls up my throat again, but I manage to swallow it down this
time.
“So what are you waiting for?” I scream. “If you’re going to kill me,
just do it. JUST DO IT AND PUT ME OUT OF MISERY.” My chest
heaves with the weight of my words. I can’t do this. I can’t be kept here like
an animal. I’d rather die.
Warren cocks his head and studies me, but then he clicks his tongue.
“You’re not getting out of it that easy, baby. I want to have some fun first.”

I don’t know how long I lie here in the cage. Warren disappears now and
again, and I drift in and out. The floor is cold and hard beneath me, and the
pain in my ribs is getting worse. I don’t complain, though. We’re beyond
any civility.
Earlier, Warren pushed a bowl of water and crackers into the cage. Not
only does he have me penned up like an animal, he’s treating me like one.
But I sipped the water and ate a couple. If I want to stay lucid, I need to
stave off the hunger pangs and dehydration.
“What time is it?” I ask in the silence. Warren is in here somewhere; I
can feel him lurking in the shadows. A sliver of moonlight bounces in
through a hole in the roof, but it barely lights up the vast room.
It’s still nighttime, but I have no idea how long I’ve been here.
“Warren, please,” I cry.
He finally steps out of the shadows, his lip curled with disgust. “You
look like shit,” he spits. “Maybe I should just slit your throat and be done
with it.” His arm lashes out and he runs a blade across the bars, the noise
rattling through my skull.
“Please,” I beg, no longer sure whether I’m begging for my life or my
death.
“Or maybe I should fuck the life right out of you. Would you like that,
Ken, baby? Would you like me to feed you my dick while I slice you open
and watch you bleed?”
 I retch into my hand. This isn’t the Warren I know. This is someone
worse. Someone sick and twisted with no regard for life.
He moves around the cage, jabbing the knife sharply through the bars. I
move with him, trying to avoid his lashes. Curling myself tightly into a ball,
I wait him out. I think I’m at a safe distance, until I feel the blade nick the
back of my shoulder. I lurch forward, but he darts around the cage,
following me. Tears drip down my cheeks as he taunts me.
“Maybe I’ll fuck you with it.” He places the flat of the knife on his
tongue and drags it across his flesh.
Fear cripples me. Warren is bad. Rotten to the core. I know that. Yet, I
can’t help but think I’ve only scratched the surface of his true perversities,
and that’s what terrifies me most.
He watches me for another few minutes, playing with the knife like it’s
a child’s toy. Finally, he grows bored, turning his attention to something
deeper in the room.
I roll onto my side and close my eyes. Everything hurts, but as my eyes
flutter closed, I know it’s only going to get worse.

The next time I wake, it’s significantly lighter. The edges of the warehouse
still sit in darkness, but I can see more clearly now. Clear enough to realize
the cage has been left open.
“Warren?” I call, only to be greeted with silence. “Warren?” I crawl to
the edge of the cage, gently patting the floor beyond the cage walls.
My body aches, screaming at me to stop when I start to clamber to my
feet. I inhale a shaky breath as I search the warehouse. There’s a bunch of
racks separating the cage from the rest of the room, but I can just about see
Warren through the shelves. He’s hunched over a desk, busy typing away on
a keyboard. He doesn’t hear me approach, nor does he hear me cry every
time my ribs stretch and contract.
The tap tap tap of keys fills the air and still, he doesn’t look back. I try
to make sense of whatever he’s doing but the screen is a jumble of letters
and numbers on a black screen. I strain my eyes to try to decipher them, but
it’s futile.
 Then something on the wall catches my eye. “What is this?” My voice
trembles as I move closer. It’s a web of string joining together photographs
and newspaper cuttings. There are even some handwritten notes. From a
distance, it looks like a collection of unrelated, nonsensical information. But
upon closer inspection, I can see that isn’t the case at all.
“I see you found it.” Warren startles me, catapulting my heart into my
throat.
“W-what is it?” I’m pretty sure I know, but I don’t understand.
“Don’t play dumb, Ken. I know you’re better than that.” His hand
curves around the back of my neck and he pushes me forward.
“Y-you—”
“Surprise,” he says. “As you can see, I’ve been a busy boy.”
My mouth falls open to reply, but I don’t know what to say. It looks like
something out of a crime show... and right there in the middle is a
photograph of me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Conner

"T his is a fucking joke," I spit, falling down into one of the few chairs
that's still in one piece in Joker’s.
Dad, Ace, Cole and a couple of James' men gather around us.
"They can't just fucking disappear."
I drop my head into my hands, my confidence that we'd catch up with
them vanishing faster than I can cope with.
We've spent hours driving around the Heights, trying to find where he
took her, but there was no sign of that motherfucker, his car, or my girl.
I turned his trailer upside down trying to find clues, but there was
fucking nothing.
"This is your fault," I spit at our dad. "If you hadn’t made me wait to get
her, if you hadn’t come up with this fucking stupid plan, she would have
been home by now. If anything fucking happens to her… this is on your
head." I push to stand so I'm staring down at him.
"Conner," he says calmly, like I didn't just spit all over his face in my
rage. "We will find her. I have men all over the Heights. Any kind of
movement and we'll unearth the cunt."
"Not good enough. I need her now. I need to know he's not hurting her."
"I know, Conner. We're doing the best we can."
 "Not. Fucking. Good. Enough. You promised me this would be over
tonight, but as far as I can see it's just got a whole lot fucking worse." I lift
my hands to my head and thread my fingers through my hair, pulling until it
hurts.
I need to hurt. I need to feel the pain. The distraction.
"Fuck," I bark, pulling my cell from my pocket and shooting Daz a
message.
My fists clench with my need to throw them into some unsuspecting
cunt’s face.
"Is that really the best way to deal with this?" Cole asks, coming to
stand beside me just in time to see who I messaged.
"I don't know, bro. You fucking tell me,” I snarl. “What is the right thing
to do when your girl’s been fucking kidnapped by a psychopath and you
have no idea where she is?”
"Uh..." he hesitates.
"Exactly. It's either this, or he,” I pin our father with a look, “tells us
fucking everything. Because this," I throw my hands out to my sides,
indicating the officers who are clearly under James' watch, “isn't fucking
normal." We grew up in the Heights, we know all about corrupt cops.
They're on every street corner selling the drugs they've seized to kids who
don't know any better. But this right now is fucked up.
I step up to Dad once more. "Who exactly is James Jagger, huh?
Because he sure as shit isn't the businessman who spends all his time in
Silicon Valley like we were led to believe, is he?"
"I spend a lot of time in Silicon Valley," he argues.
"Doing what, James? What do you do that means you have the police in
your back pocket? That you have men patrolling the Heights right now
looking for a girl? What secrets does Warren know? What does he have on
you?"
He swallows, his lips parting, but what he decides to say is nothing but
a disappointment and nearly has my fist flying toward his face.
"I will explain everything I can when this is all over."
"Yeah, you keep saying that, but this... this shit isn't over. Whatever this
is is ruining my fucking life right now, the life of the girl I love. Why can't
you just be honest with us? Who are you?"
"Drop it, kid," one of Dad's guys says, placing his hand on my shoulder.
 "Fuck you," I snap, spinning out of his hold and marching to the other
side of the bar where Shelbie and her dad are quietly trying to put the place
back together.
"Leave it," I say, loud enough for Dad to hear. "He's gonna pay for all of
it. He fucking owes me."
Just before I storm through the doors of the bar, my cell vibrates. I pull
it out, desperate to find an address staring back at me so I can feel the pain I
need right now.
"Thank fuck," I hiss.

Daz: I've got the perfect guy for you.

I'm in the car with the engine running before Ace and Cole get to me.
"Conner, don't do this," Cole shouts through the window.
"You can either stand there bitching and listening to his empty promises,
or you can come with me. The choice is yours, but I'm leaving right now."
I give them two seconds to make a decision, but they hesitate for too
long so I slam my foot down on the accelerator and wheelspin out of
Joker’s parking lot.
Fuck them. Fuck this.
Fuck. It. All.
It only takes me ten minutes to get to the location for tonight's fight. It's
late, but that doesn't mean there aren't cars everywhere when I turn up to the
old industrial estate full of dilapidated buildings.
I'm out of my car almost before I have the engine off and jogging
toward the entrance.
"Jagger, it's good to see you tonight," someone I don't recognize says,
patting me on the shoulder as he lets me inside.
The place is packed, the crowd’s cheers filling the vast space along with
the heavy scent of both weed and nicotine.
"Conner, my man," Daz says as I walk up to him. "Once this sorry son
of a bitch is put out of his misery," he says, nodding to the ring where
there's a guy who's barely standing, "then you're up. You're ready for a
fight, right?"
His question gets my blood pumping. Warren's smug fucking face from
earlier when he possessively wrapped his arm around my girl fills my mind,
and my fists curl.
 "I want fucking blood."
"That's the attitude."
It only takes a few more seconds for the guy to go down and a roar to
rip through the crowd as the winner celebrates his success.
"You're on, kid," Daz encourages. "I'll get your opponent."
Ripping my shirt off, I drop it on a chair beside one of the security
guards along with my cell and car keys.
Cracking my knuckles and flexing my neck, I step into the ring.
A few people shout my name, but I ignore every single one. I don't need
them or their encouragement. The adrenaline, the fear, the devastation that's
flowing through my veins is enough.
There's a momentary silence that makes the hairs on the back of my
neck stand on end. Looking up, I see everyone staring at something—or
someone—over my shoulder.
Sucking in a breath, I spin around and face the man Daz thought would
be a good match for me tonight, and a trickle of anticipation races down my
spine. He's fucking massive.
I swallow down my nerves and stare him dead in the eyes. He might be
bigger than me, but I'm faster. I'd put money on it.
I can take this motherfucker.
If only winning would get my girl back.
The guy wastes no time; the second he's past the crowd he's on me. His
fist connects with my jaw and my entire head snaps to the side.
I was not ready for that.
A roar rips up my throat as I retaliate.
The fight is brutal. For every hit I get, he manages to land two.
My face burns as blood trickles over my skin, dripping off my jaw. My
ribs are in agony—I'm sure the fucker's broken at least one—but I refuse to
show him that he might be winning.
I fucking need this.
I need the burn.
The pain.
I need the fucking distraction.
While we're throwing punches I'm not thinking about that asshole.
About where he's dragged my girl and what he's doing to her. I forget the
pain, the heartache, and focus on this one task at hand.
 This guy might be bigger than me, but I won't bow down. I'd rather he
kill me than admit defeat.
I force myself to continue through the pain and manage to land a few
more punches, making the beast of a guy stumble into the crowd, but
instead of weakening him, it seems to only fire him up.
When he comes at me, it's the last time, because the second his knuckles
connect with my temple, everything goes black.

"You're a stupid motherfucker, do you know that?" a familiar voice barks.

I have no idea where I am, what happened, or why I'm being shouted
at. All I know is that I want to go back into the darkness where nothing and
no one existed.
Silence follows the voice, and I start to drift back off when a thought
slams into me.
Kennedy.
I sit up so fast that my entire body screams in pain.
"Fuuuuck," I cry, my arm wrapping around my ribs as I slowly lower
myself back down to what I now realize is a comfortable bed.
"Serves you right for being so fucking selfish," the same voice says, but
this time, I recognize it.
"Fuck off, Cole."
"Fuck off? Are you fucking serious right now?"
"No. Leave me alone."
"I don't fucking think so."
"Have you found her?" I rip my eyes open to find what I expected. I'm
in my own bed, and the sun is blazing through the open curtains.
My eyes find Cole, and I get my answer before he even opens his
mouth.
"Fuck," I breathe. "Do we even know where she is yet?"
He shakes his head. "James is still working on it. But you getting
yourself fucked up did not help things."
"It wasn't meant to," I mutter.
"Yeah well, when we find that cunt we need you in full fighting form.
Assuming you want to be the one who takes him down."
 "You fucking know I do." I roll to my side and suck in a breath, ready to
attempt to get up.
"Where the hell are you going?"
"I need to see James. I need some motherfucking answers." I cry out in
pain once again, reaching out to steady myself on the nightstand. My
knuckles are a fucking mess, and almost my entire arm is covered in blood.
"Who was that guy?"
"No idea, but he was out for you. If we didn't get there when we did I've
got a feeling he wouldn't have stopped after you passed out."
"Brilliant," I mutter, putting my focus back to standing but once again
failing miserably.
"For fuck's sake. Get back in bed and I'll get James to come to you. You
look fucking pathetic right now."
"Thanks for the sympathy."
"You get none. You did this to yourself. You're a selfish cunt. What if
she needs you? You can’t even fucking walk."
"Would help if we knew where she was, eh?"
He mutters something as he walks out of my bedroom, promising to
bring Dad back with him.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Kennedy

“S top, please make it stop,” I cry as I watch the huge muscular guy
drive his fist into Conner’s face. Screwing my eyes shut, I try to
force out the images, but Warren tightens his grip in my hair,
forcing me to watch the computer screen he dragged me to less than thirty
minutes ago.
I didn’t need him to tell me it was a feed of fight night. I recognized it
for what it was the second Conner appeared on the screen.
I have no idea if it’s a live feed or recording, but it doesn’t matter.
Because it’s still real. Conner fought that hulk of a guy... and he lost.
As a couple of guys drag his lifeless body out of the makeshift ring, bile
washes in my stomach.
“W-why?” I sob. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I can,” he sneers. “Because that is far less than Conner
deserves, than they all deserve. But you’re the key, baby. When I end you,
it’ll ruin Jagger. There will be no stopping him. He’ll either end up dead in
that ring or he’ll off himself with a bottle of whiskey and a little trip to the
ocean. Losing you will tip him right over the edge. But not before he rips
apart his family.”
Warren moves around me and crouches. “Conner will never forgive
James. When he loses you, it will tear them apart.”
 “Oh God,” I whimper, thrashing against my restraints. Warren has me
tied to the chair at my wrists and ankles. But it’s futile; I’m weak. Growing
weaker every hour that passes. My stomach aches, desperate for real
sustenance, and my mouth is dry and sore. The air in the warehouse is
heavy with dust and debris, making my lungs burn every time I inhale.
I think I knew the second Warren stuffed me in his trunk that I wasn’t
ever getting out of this alive. He’s fallen headfirst into psycho killer
territory.
“Did you really think you and Jagger would get your happily ever after?
To ride off into the sunset together in that piece of shit camp—"
I gasp. “How do you know about that?”
But it shouldn’t surprise me.
Warren knows everything.
It all makes sense now, the sneaking off at night and constantly being
out to take care of ‘stuff.’ He was spying on the Jaggers, watching them,
unravelling their plans. I should have known. But it was easier to believe
the lie. It was easier to pretend that I would get out of this alive than just
roll over and accept my fate.
I should have run.
Back when I first arrived at Sterling Bay, I should have packed a bag
and run. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t just abandon Conner. He is my
heart, the other half of my soul. Conner is the one good thing in my life, he
always has been, and I won’t regret the time we had together. I only regret
not telling him about Warren earlier. Maybe then it wouldn’t have gotten to
this point.
Maybe someone could have intervened sooner.
Maybe I would have found the backbone to tell someone.
Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe...
The thoughts run on repeat through my mind.
There’s so much I’d go back and do differently, but I can’t. This is my
fate.
Maybe it always was.
Silent tears stream down my cheeks, but I don’t look at Warren. I can’t.
He’s destroyed my life, ruined my spirit and future. And when he finally
does it, when he watches the life drain from my eyes, he’ll destroy Conner.
The boy I love more than anything else in the entire world.
It’s not fair.
None of it is fair.
But life isn’t fair.
It’s hard and messy and raw. And it hurts. It hurts so much.
Warren leans in, dragging his tongue along my cheek and collecting up
my tears. It’s such an intimate thing, so evil and twisted, as if he wants to
taste my pain.
I don’t think I’ve ever hated him more than I do in this moment.
“You know, I thought we were the same, Kennedy. I thought you
understood me. But no, it was always him, wasn’t it?” The anger in his
voice is tempered with sadness as he lays his palm against my cheek in a
surprisingly tender move. “It wasn’t always bad between us, was it?”
Bitter laughter bubbles in my chest as I throw my head back and cackle
at his words. I sound deranged, completely and utterly unhinged, but it feels
good. The burst of pent-up emotion feels long overdue.
“Shut up.” Warren leaps up, looming over me like a dark shadow. “Shut
the fuck up.”
“What are you going to do?” I snarl. “Kill me?”
His eyes narrow with contempt, but I’m not done. I need this. I need
him to know he will never have me the way Conner has.
“You repulse me,” I spit. “You’re not even a speck of the man Conner
is. He’s kind and gentle and he loves me. He. Loves. Me. You wouldn’t
know how to love if it hit you in the face.”
Warren quietly seethes as he watches me break apart at the seams,
spewing word after word at him. I’ll regret this in a minute, when he snaps
and unleashes the monster I know lives inside him. But I can’t find it in me
to care anymore.
“Everything about you makes me want to puke. You’re not a man,
Warren. You’re a monster. A disgusting, spineless mon—”
He hits me so hard the chair shakes. Pain shoots down my jaw and into
my spine. But I don’t cry. I won’t.
“Say that again—”
“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”
Whack.
 He backhands me with such force, my head snaps back and stars swim
across my vision. “You fucking bitch. You think you’re better than me? You
think you’re so high and mighty because what? Jagger took pity on you and
landed you in the middle of this? Look around, baby. They’re not coming.
They don’t care about you. They only care about themselves. And when
you’re gone, I’ll still be here to watch them tear themselves apart.”
I glare at him, pressing my lips into a thin line, smothering the pained
cry trying to escape.
“You’re nothing, Kennedy. You’ve always been nothing, and you’ll
always be nothing. Well, soon enough you’ll be worm food.”
Bile rushes up my throat, but I swallow it down.
“What?” He grabs my cheeks, squeezing. “Cat got your tongue?”
I remain silent.
Warren’s eyes flicker with rage as he shoves me back hard. “Don’t
worry, baby. I’ll have you screaming soon enough.”
And then he walks away like he didn’t just threaten to kill me.

Warren didn’t leave me there for long. When he returned, he was quieter.
He didn’t utter a single word as he untied my restraints and threw me in the
cage.
I don’t know how long I’ve been here. Time has no start or end within
these four steel walls. The only hint of the world beyond is the sliver of
light that pours in through the roof. It’s darker now, a silvery hue instead of
the glint of sunlight earlier.
I stretch my legs, trying to fight off the numb feeling. My muscles ache,
the cold floor beneath me hard and unforgiving. The restraints Warren used
earlier left lacerations around my wrists, but something tells me it’s the least
of my worries.
When he appears again, I smother a whimper. But he doesn’t approach
me. Instead, he drags a chair to the empty space in front of the cage. I don’t
know if it’s the chair from before, but it doesn’t matter.
This is it.
The final act of this living nightmare I’ve found myself in.
 At least it’ll be over then. Hopefully, James will figure out a way to end
Warren. He’ll keep Conner safe. Ace and Cole will be right by his side, and
Remi and Hadley will comfort him. He’ll be okay.
Conner will be okay.
I have to believe that.
I have to believe that all this is worth something. Because one of us
deserves to get out of this thing whole.
Tears prick my eyes as the pain of never seeing Conner again washes
over me. If only I’d have known it would come to this, I would never have
let go.
Warren glances my way and I steel my expression, my teeth grinding.
I want him to die. I want Conner to find him and tear him limb from
limb.
I’m just sad I won’t get to see it.
Another wave of pain crashes over me. I want to be strong, I want to
look Warren in the eye as he does it... however he chooses to.
Fear floods my veins, making my body tremble. It’s an involuntary
action, a visceral response to knowing I’m about to die.
Warren disappears again, and I drag in a shaky breath. When he returns,
he’s got a bunch of equipment with him. Meticulously, he sets up a tripod
and camera, pointing it at the chair. I try not to think about what it means,
pulling up every memory I have of me and Conner instead. The way he
loves so fiercely. Tears roll down my cheeks as I remember how happy he
was the other night when he gave me the key to Betty.
“I love you,” I whisper into the dusty air. “I will always love you.”
Warren stands back and surveys his handiwork, running a hand over his
jaw. To think that I ever wanted him. But monsters wear many faces, and
Warren Kraven had us all fooled.
“It’s almost time,” he says, approaching the cage. He unlocks the
deadbolt and beckons for me to go to him. I don’t. If he wants me, he can
come and get me.
He lowers himself and reaches inside, grabbing my ankle, but I kick out
with all my might, slamming my boot into his face.
“Fucking bitch,” he grunts, reaching back in and wrapping a hand
around my leg. This time I can’t shake him free and he drags me from the
cage.
 I try desperately to buck and bronc, but his arms are like a vise around
my weary body as he dumps me on the chair and restrains me to the
spindles.
“It’s a shame it’s come to this, baby,” he croons. “We could have had
some more fun yet.”
I spit at him, feeling a lick of smugness. “Fuck you, Warren. Fuck.
You.”
“Sadly, we don’t have time to play. Things to do, lives to ruin.” His lips
curl with wicked intent as he stands tall before me like the reaper come to
collect his payment. Fear trickles down my spine as I fight the tidal wave of
emotion rising inside me.
This is it.
My hands curl into fists.
My eyes shutter as I picture Conner’s face. He isn’t coming to save me
this time.
No one is.
When I open my eyes again, it’s Warren’s face I see. The face of a cold-
blooded killer.
He looks at me with another snarl and says, “Any last words?”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Conner

"A rgh," I groan as I lean forward and pull my sweats up my legs. My

fucking ribs hurt almost as bad as when that motherfucker cracked
them.
I breathe through the pain, determined to get dressed and go do
something useful and try to find my girl. Lying here in pain and being good
for nothing is driving me crazy.
Going to that fight was a mistake. I know that. It was a huge risk, and it
didn't pay off. I wanted the pain, needed the distraction, but I wasn't meant
to put myself out of action for days. Not while my girl is fuck knows where
dealing with fuck knows what at the hands of that sadistic fuck.
The sound of footsteps booming up the stairs makes me look up at my
closed door, but I assume it's just Cole, probably dragging Hadley behind
him ready to put me through a couple of hours of torture as I'm forced to
listen to her squeal and call for God.
I suck in a breath, ready to hunt down my AirPods to drown out the
inevitable, when my door flies open so hard I think it's going to come off
the hinges.
"You need to come now," Cole barks.
"Uh... sure." I bend down to pull up my sweats and he groans at my
speed.
 "It's K, Con. We need to go now."
"Fuck. Okay."
The pain is momentarily forgotten at the mention of my girl needing
me, and I'm dressed and out the door in a heartbeat.
I expect Cole to turn toward James' office but instead, he heads for the
stairs.
"Where are you..."
"No time, let's go."
I follow Cole out to the driveway where I find a black SUV with the
engine running and the back door open. Cole helps me up, and the second
I'm inside I find James and Ace waiting for me. The door is closed behind
us and we're pulling out of the driveway before I've even sat back.
"What the hell is going on?"
"We know where she is."
"Fuck," I breathe, relief flooding me. "Where?"
"We're going there now. But..." He trails off, and the dread I've become
used to over the past few weeks come racing back.
"But what?"
He blows out a breath and finally meets my eyes. What I see in them
makes my stomach knot.
He pulls a laptop from the seat beside him.
"Before you see this, I need you to know that we've got it under control.
We are not going to let anything happen to her.” His expression hardens.
“You just need to... you need to trust me. I have the best guys ready to move
in, and you're going to be right behind them to get her.”
"Just open it," I demand, needing to know what we're dealing with.
The seconds tick by excruciatingly slowly as he unfolds the laptop and
powers it up, but that's nothing compared to how everything fucking stops
the second I lock my eyes on Kenny.
"What the..." My words trail off as I stare at her strapped to a chair with
a gun pressed into her temple. "Is this... is this l-live?" I stutter, forcing the
words past the lump that's lodged in my throat.
"Yeah, it's a live stream. It's what we've been waiting for to find their
location."
Dad’s words don't really register as I stare at my girl with tears
streaming down her dirty cheeks, both her eyes swollen and bruised and her
lip split in more than one place.
 "Kenny," I breathe, wishing I could reach into the screen and pull her
free. "Is he... is he really going to..."
"Yes."
That one single word is like a gunshot to my own heart.
"We've got to get her out of there. We have to. You can't let her... Dad,
please." I turn to him, and he's blurry through the tears that are filling my
eyes. "I trusted you all this time to handle it. Please, don't fuck it up now.
Please."
"We're getting her out, I promise you."
I'm aware that in a situation like this, he can hardly make promises like
that.
Warren could pull that trigger at any moment and blow... No. No.
I drop my head into my hands, refusing to allow myself to believe that
this could be it. That after everything we've been through, our time together
is going to end like this.
"Why, Dad? Why has it come to this? What can he know that leads him
to do this?"
"Everything, Conner. He knows everything."
"Stop with the cryptic bullshit. What does he know?"
Dad pales slightly, and it's then I realize that what he's hiding might be
worse than I've been expecting.
"Our family has a complicated history." He looks between the three of
us. "The Jagger name is connected to some powerful people. People whose
secrets I keep, whose indiscretions I cover up. He's dug and dug until he's
found enough to ruin not only me, but the families we're connected to. And
if things were to come to light, well... let's just say that the four of us, those
we love, they'd never see light again."
"You work in IT," I say, my brain refusing to take all of this on board.
"I do. I just don't do it for the best kinds of people."
Questions start forming in my head, and I'm sure Ace and Cole, who are
sitting silently beside me, have a million of their own, but none get asked as
the car pulls onto gravel. When I look out, we're pulling up to an abandoned
warehouse.
"Is she in there?" I ask, my eyes locked on the building.
"She is."
I look back to the screen. She's still in the exact same position, her frail
body trembling in fear as he continues to hold the gun to her head.
 "How do you stop him from pulling that trigger?"
"We do it first," Dad states, as if he's talking about something as
mundane as the weather.
I glance up at him once more, again wondering who the hell our father
actually is.
He lifts his hand to his ear, and I realize for the first time that he's
wearing an earpiece.
"Okay. Yes."
I stare at the screen, at my girl’s beautiful face, waiting for something to
happen.
Seconds pass like minutes before her eyes widen and a scream rips from
her lips.
My heart jumps into my throat as the camera wobbles on its stand.
But everything is forgotten when Dad looks at me and places his hand
on my shoulder.
"Conner, go."
I don't have time to think about those two words. The door to my side
opens and I fly out of the SUV, the injuries I've been suffering from long
forgotten as I run full speed toward the warehouse doors that another guy
holds open for me. The smell hits me the second I'm inside, but I don't let it
stop me. Instead, I run until the space at the end of the long corridor opens
up into a huge room.
The first thing I see is a pool of blood, and my heart jumps into my
throat that Warren might have got to K first. That what I thought I saw on
that screen was wrong. My vision blurs as my panic begins to get the better
of me.
Ripping my eyes from the pool of blood, I find a body beside it that
thankfully doesn't belong to Kenny. "Kennedy," I scream, seeing her limp
body tied to the chair.
Shallow gargled breaths come from the body on the floor as Warren
loses his fight against the bullet lodged in his chest.
I want to stand over him and ensure my face is the last one he sees
before he takes his final breath, but the need to go to my girl is stronger.
I stumble, my legs not moving as quickly as I need them to, and I drop
to the cold concrete floor in front of her. "K, I'm here. It's okay. I'm here," I
say, frantically looking for serious injuries.
 I find nothing, and after another second, I hear the most incredible
noise.
"Conner," she sobs.
"I'm here, babe. I'm right here."
Footsteps fill the silent space around us, but I don't look up to see who
they belong to.
"Here, cut her free."
Some guy dressed in all black passes me a knife, and I set to work
slicing through the bindings that have her unable to move.
The second she's free, I drop to my ass and pull her into my lap,
cradling her to my chest as she sobs against me.
My heart aches in a way I've never experienced before. It's like New
Year’s Eve multiplied by a million.
"I've got you, K. It's over. I've got you. You're safe."
There are more footsteps and guys start talking, but none of the words
register as they move around us. That is, until I hear a familiar voice.
"Is this all of it?" Dad asks, walking into the room and looking around.
"Yes," someone confirms as I watch him walk toward a wall that's
covered in images.
I squint, trying to make out some of it. There are photos of everyone
pinned to the wall along with people and places I've never seen before, all
connected with string—just like you see in crime shows on the TV.
"Is... is that Warren and C-Charlie?" I ask, zeroing in on one of the
images.
"Yes," James states through thinned lips. "Warren was Charlie's son."
"What?" I bark, my head spinning.
"Look after Kennedy, Conner. I'll talk to you about all of this later.”
With that, he reaches out and begins ripping all of Warren's hard work from
the wall.
Kenny continues to tremble in my arms as two people crouch down
beside me.
"Here, wrap this around her," Cole says, holding out a blanket before
both him and Ace help me to stand and carry Kenny from the warehouse.
"He locked you in a fucking cage?" Cole spits. I follow where he's
looking and I find exactly what he just said. A fucking cage.
I pause, ripping my eyes from the cage and to Warren's withering body.
"Someone give me a gun."
 The room falls silent and no one moves.
"Someone give me a motherfucking gun."
In a beat, Dad is beside me and pulling something from behind his back.
He places it in my hand and I immediately raise it and focus on Warren.
His eyes are barely open, but I know he sees me. Good. I need him to know
that I won.
I need him to know that he’ll never get to hurt Kennedy or the people I
care about again.
Knocking the safety off, I aim it right at his face and squeeze the trigger.
"I hope you rot in hell, you fucking psychopath."
Kenny whimpers again in my arms and my ribs scream in agony, but I
can't deny that I feel that little bit better about being able to have my own
revenge on the man who tried to ruin my life by taking my girl away from
me. I don't give a fuck about all the other stuff, about who his dad was or
who James is connected to. The girl in my arms is my entire world. Nothing
else matters.
The four of us are silent as we sit in the back of the SUV waiting to see
if Dad is going to join us, but after a few minutes, he appears and instructs
the driver to take us home.
I'm more than happy with that, because it means I get to do what I've
been desperate to do this entire time. Look after my girl.
I hold her tight to me and drop my lips to her hair.
"I love you, K. You're safe now. He's never going to touch you again."

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Kennedy

H e’s gone.
Warren is dead.
It should bring me absolute relief, but I can’t stop shaking.
“Shh, babe, I’ve got you.” Conner’s grip on me tightens as the SUV
heads for the Jaggers house. Cole and Ace watch me through narrowed dark
eyes. They look murderous.
“Knock it off,” Conner growls, running his hand over my head. “You’re
scaring her.”
“Shit, Kennedy,” Ace chokes out. “I’m just... fuck.”
“It’s okay,” Conner says, his voice cracking with pain. “She’s okay.”
“Yeah, she is.” Cole gives me a small nod, his jaw working overtime.
“That piece of shit won’t ever hurt you again, Kenny.”
A whimper crawls up my throat as I remember the feeling of the barrel
of the gun pressed against my temple.
He was going to do it.
Warren was going to kill me to get back at Conner and his family.
“Conner, I think—"
“Shh,” he whispers against my hair, letting his mouth trail to the shell of
my ear. “Not here.”
 He saw it too: Warren’s wall of photographs, newspaper cuttings, and
Post-its.
I start to crash, the adrenaline leaving my body so fast I feel
lightheaded.
“You okay, bro?” Cole asks Conner.
“I am now.” He lets out a long, steady breath that I feel all the way to
the pit of my stomach.
My eyes flutter closed as I lay half draped over Conner’s body.
He came for me.
Conner and his dad came for me.
There had been a moment when Warren had tied me to the chair in front
of his camera that my life had passed before my eyes.
All the things I wanted and would never get to have.
It’s funny, I’ve never given much thought to my future—I’m a Heighter,
I don’t have dreams and aspirations. But knowing I might never get them...
it flipped a switch in me.
Because I do want things.
I want to travel and see new places. I want to get my diploma and
graduate. I want to get married and have a family one day.
I want those things.
And they were almost taken from me.
A shudder rolls through me and Conner grips me tighter.
“K?” he whispers.
“I’m okay,” I breathe.
I’m okay.
Warren is gone.
He can’t hurt me anymore.

I wake cradled against Conner’s chest as he carries me through the house.

“I got you, babe,” he says, staring down at me, his eyes glittering with
fierce protectiveness.
He came for me.
I don’t think he’ll ever know what that means to me.
 “T-thank you,” I murmur, every muscle in my body weak from my
ordeal.
“Fuck, K.” His expression falters. “You don’t ever have to thank me.
I’m just so fucking sorry you had to go through that.”
No more words are spoken as he carries me into his bedroom and lays
me down.
“What do you need? Water? A bath?... A doctor?” Fear coats his words,
and I know what he’s asking me.
Grabbing his hand, I shake my head. “He didn’t... I mean, not after he
—"
“Shh.” Conner brushes his knuckles down my cheek. “The only thing
that matters now is that you’re safe. You’re here, K, and I’m never letting
you out of my sight again.”
A knock at the door startles me and he cusses under his breath. “It’s
okay,” he says. “It’s just Hadley.” Leaning down, he brushes his lips over
my forehead before going to open the door. But he only opens it slightly,
speaking to Hadley in hushed whispers.
When he closes it, I spot the pile of supplies in his hands. “Hadley
thought you might need these.”
I nod, sitting up. “Can I take a shower?”
“Of course you can. Do you want a bath? I can—"
“A shower is fine.” Gingerly, I shuffle to the edge of the bed and begin
trying to undress. But my muscles protest, pain radiating through me.
“Here, let me help.” Conner drops to his knees and begins to work my
clothes off my body. His touch is so gentle and uncertain it cracks
something inside me, and I lose my fight with the torrent of emotion rising
inside me.
“Shit, K.” Conner cups my face, catching my tears with the pad of his
thumb. “Tell me what to do... tell me how to fix this.”
“I-I don’t know.” My chest heaves. “I thought he was...” The words get
stuck in my throat. “I thought he was going to—"
“Fuck, FUCK!” Conner roars, pulling me into his arms and holding me
so tight I think he might crush me.
“I’m sorry,” he chants, “I’m so fucking sorry.”
We stay like that, him holding me and me crying into his shoulder, for
what feels like hours. But in reality, it can’t be more than a few minutes
before Conner gently eases me out of his neck and holds me at arm’s length.
“I will spend every second of every day trying to fix this. I am—"
“Stop.” I press a single finger to his lips. “You came, Conner. You came
for me.” Tears drip down my cheeks as I lean in, touching my head to his.
“I will always come for you, Kennedy Lowe. I love you more than
anything else in the world. And I fucking hate myself for ever letting you
go back to that piece of shit.”
“It wasn’t your choice to make, Con.”
“Yeah,” his teeth grind together, “well, it should have been.”
“I really want to get out of these clothes,” I whisper against the corner
of his mouth. I want to kiss him, to let him carry me away and forget all
about what happened... but I’m exhausted.
“Come on.” Conner stands, pulling me up with him. But he doesn’t stop
there. He lifts me into his arms and carries me back out of his bedroom and
across the hall to the bathroom. Sitting me on the counter, he turns on the
shower and hangs a fluffy white towel on the back of the door.
“I’ll be right outside if you—"
“Stay.” The word tumbles from my lips. “I don’t think I can...” My eyes
flick to the shower.
“You only had to ask.” He begins pulling off his t-shirt. His jeans go
next, along with his boxers, until he’s standing naked before me. My mouth
waters at the sight of him. Tanned, tatted, and ripped. Conner catches me
ogling him and the corner of his mouth tips. “See something you like?”
A nervous chuckle escapes my lips. I don’t need to be nervous—it’s
Conner, the boy who knows me better than anyone else on the planet. But
something feels different between us. Or maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s the fact
that I had a gun pressed to my temple less than an hour ago.
I guess being on the verge of death changes you.
“Babe?” Conner brushes my cheek, pulling me back to him.
“Will you wash me?” The words sound so stupid on my tongue, but it’s
what I need. I need him to erase all the bad memories from my mind. I need
to feel safe and loved and cherished.
“Come on.” He grabs my hands, gently guiding me into the walk-in
shower. Water cascades down on me as I move further under the spray. It
feels good on my dirty skin.
Conner grabs the sponge and applies some soap to it before slowly
gliding down my stomach. My breath hitches. It feels so good, but no
matter how much I try to focus on Conner, all I can see is the cage and
Warren’s hateful eyes as he stares at me.
Tremors rip through me, and I bury my hands in my face.
“K, it’s me, I’m right here.” He pries my hands away. “There she is,
there’s my girl.”
Tears roll down my cheeks, blending with the spray. Conner continues
cleaning me as I stand there, barely holding on to reality.
I feel numb, my stomach empty and hollow.
He moves around me, lathering my hair and rubbing his fingers through
my scalp. A moan slips from my lips. Conner leans down, pressing a chaste
kiss to my shoulder.
“I’ve got you, babe. I’ve got you.” He leans around me to shut off the
spray, and we stand there for a second, letting the events of the night settle
over us.
“Come on, let’s get you dry.” Conner leads me out and wraps me into a
big fluffy towel, and then secures another at his waist before scooping me
up and carrying me back to his bedroom. He pulls the sheets free and lays
me down on the bed.
“What?” I ask, noticing how quiet he’s gone.
“I just... fuck, K... when I saw that live feed of you, sitting there...”
“It’s okay, I’m okay.” I say the words, but they don’t feel real.
“Nothing about this is okay, babe.” He climbs in bed beside me and
spoons me, curving his body around me like armor.
“I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”
“I know.” I do.
“Graduation is in less than three months. As soon as the wedding is
over, I want us to take off. Just you, me, and Betty.” Conner kisses my neck,
nuzzling closer. “We’ll get as far away from Sterling as possible.”
“Y-yes,” I breathe. “I want that.”
He seems to relax behind me, his legs brushing mine, stirring my body
to life. But I’m so tired. Bone-deep weary.
My eyes begin to flutter closed as Conner brushes his fingers up and
down my arm. He must feel me begin to relax, because the last thing I hear
him whisper is, “Sleep, K. I got you... I got you.”
I wake startled in a dark room. Fear grips me in a chokehold as I fight to fill
my lungs with air.
I can’t breathe. It feels like the walls are closing in around me and he’s
close... so close.
“No,” I cry out. “No.”
“Kenny?”
Blinking, I strain against the darkness to find Conner. Relief slams into
me. It’s Conner.
Conner is here.
He fumbles to the side and switches on the lamp.
“What’s wrong? What is it?”
“Bad dream...” I give him a weak smile, running a hand through my
damp hair. The towel I fell asleep in is long gone, and Conner’s eyes flare
as he takes in my naked form.
“Come here,” he says, his voice thick with sleep.
I lie back down, snuggling into his warm body. My hand trails up and
down his chest, tracing his abs. Silence settles over us, but I know sleep
won’t find me again. There’s too much nervous energy coursing through my
veins.
My leg slides through his, making us impossibly close, and it’s then I
realize he’s also naked. I drop my hand, letting my fingers graze his abs.
Reaching out, he wraps his hand around my wrist, stopping my descent.
“K,” he swallows. “We should sleep.”
“I-I’m scared.” I peek up at him, afraid of seeing the sympathy in his
eyes.
“Fuck,” he breathes, his brows pulling tight.
I lean up, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “Make me forget, Conner. Please.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY

Conner

"K ,teeth,
you really need to rest." I force the words out through clenched
knowing that my refusal to do what she wants is going to hurt
her.
"Please," she begs again, her eyes boring into mine. I can see the fear
she admitted to feeling only seconds ago and I wish I could take it away and
make it my own.
Kennedy stares into my eyes, silently pleading with me.
"What are you doing to me, babe?" I whisper, lowering my lips to hers.
She opens for me almost immediately and my tongue sweeps into her
mouth.
I pull her tighter into my body, ensuring as much of our skin is touching
as possible. My cock swells as her tiny hand slides down my back until she
grabs my ass, but I ignore it. As much as I might want to take her right now,
I know I can’t.
She’s exhausted, in pain. She must be fucking traumatized after
everything that happened.
“I need you, Conner. I only ever need you,” she whispers once our kiss
ends.
“And I only need you, K. Always. But right now, you need to rest.”
“But—”
 “K, listen to me.” I cup her jaw with my hand, forcing her to look into
my eyes. “I want you, I want you so fucking badly, I’m sure you can feel
that. But right now, I’m going to do the right thing. What you’ve been
through… fuck, K. You’re so fucking brave, so fucking strong. I’m in total
awe of you. I didn’t think it was possible for me to love you any more, but
fuck, I think I do.”
“Con—”
“No,” I breathe, sliding the pad of my thumb over her lips. “Don’t
second guess any of this. I don’t care about any of that. Everything I’ve told
you, it’s the truth. It doesn’t matter what happened. It’s all in the past. This
is us now. Me and you. And you never need to worry that I don’t want
you.”
“But I need—”
“I know what you need, K. I always know what you need.”
I lean closer and gently brush my lips to hers. They’re so dry and
cracked, I don’t want to hurt her even more than she already is, but when
her hand grips onto the back on my neck and presses me harder to her, I
lose my fight and slip my tongue past her lips.
“Conner,” she sighs into my mouth, and my heart damn near explodes
in my chest.
“I’m right here, babe, and I’m going nowhere.”
I kiss across her jaw and down her neck. Goose bumps race across her
skin as I graze my fingers down her body to her ass, pulling us tighter
together, ensuring she feels just how much she affects me.
Unable to totally resist her demands, my hand slides across her stomach
and down between her thighs. “Always so wet for me,” I groan, slipping
two fingers inside her.
She gasps as I stretch her open. “Conner.” Her back arches as her head
presses deeper into the pillow.
“You need to escape for a few minutes. Who am I to deny that? I’ll
always give you what you need, K. Always.”
I drop my lips back to hers and slide my tongue into her mouth as I push
deeper inside her.
Swallowing her moans of pleasure, I lose myself in her kiss, in the
warmth of her body against mine.
Kennedy’s fingers thread through my hair, her nails gently scratching at
my scalp as her body begins to tremble with her release.
 “Come for me, K,” I whisper against her lips.
Her body stills as her orgasm hits her. It’s the only sign she gives me as
no noise leaves her mouth.
I startle when I pull back and find tears trickling down her cheeks, but
her lips pull up into a wide smile and I relax once more.
"Thank you," she murmurs.
"Oh, babe. You are more than welcome." I chuckle, my palm landing on
her cheek as my fingertip wipes away her tears.
"I didn't mean... I meant thank you for waiting for me, for still wanting
me after—"
"Shhh," I say, lifting up so I can look into her eyes to ensure she
believes every word I'm about to say. "I told you, nothing can change how I
feel about you. You're in here," I say, dragging her palm down until it's
resting over my heart. "You're so fucking deep in here that I'll never let you
go."
"Con," she sobs, but the sound of her stomach grumbling concerns me
more than her tears.
"You need to eat, babe. When was the last time you had something
decent?"
She shrugs, and my heart aches as I imagine what she's been through
these past few days.
"Let me look after you, K."
She nods at me, tears still swimming in her eyes as my own burn the
backs of mine, but I refuse to shed any. She's hurting enough right now, she
doesn't need to see how badly this is ripping me up inside.
Rolling off the bed, I grab a pair of sweats and tug them on before
finding her a clean shirt and pair of boxers.
"Here, put these on. We're going for a midnight snack," I say after
glancing at the clock and seeing that it's already well past that time.
She pushes to sit up slowly and I panic. She's so weak, so broken and
bruised.
"Let me help."
I drop to my knees before her and look up. She wants to argue, I can see
it in her eyes, but she doesn’t even have the strength to do that.
I probably shouldn't have just done that. Guilt rips through me. But she
asked for it—asked for more—and I have a real hard time saying no to
anything my girl wants.
 "You've got nothing to prove, K. Let me help you, let me be what you
need. Let me f-fix you." My voice cracks and I hate it. I hate that she looks
at me with sympathy in her eyes when she's the one who's really suffered.
My body might still ache from the beating I took, and the two of us
might be sporting similar bruises, but the pain I feel is nothing compared to
hers, I'm sure.
I hold my boxers out and she steps into them slowly before lifting her
ass from the bed so I can pull them on. I drag the shirt over her head and
then swing her into my arms. Right where she belongs.
Her lips part to argue, but I cut her off before a word even passes.
"Don't even think about suggesting you'll walk. It's not happening."
She smiles up at me and the love I see in her eyes weakens my knees.
She's here and she's mine, and all that heartache is over.
The image of what I saw on that wall in the warehouse hits me, but I
swallow it down. Now is not the time for that.
The house is silent and in darkness as we make our way to the kitchen.
Kenny hits the light switch as we enter, and I place her down on one of the
stools.
"Any requests?" I ask after making sure she can stay upright.
"Just not crackers and water."
My steps falter as red-hot anger races through me. How dare that cunt
treat her like that?
I swallow down my anger and force my muscles to relax. She doesn’t
need to see it right now.
"You got it, babe. Sandwich? Conner special?" I say, ensuring there is a
lightness into my tone that I don’t feel.
She throws her head back and laughs as everything I was feeling only
seconds ago washes away.
"A Conner special used to be peanut butter and bananas," she points out.
"Right? I had to make do with what was in the trailer."
"I know, but if I'm being honest, I'm not a fan of either."
"Wait," I say, holding up my hand to stop her saying more. "You're
telling me that you don't like peanut butter or bananas?"
A sly smile plays on her lips before she shakes her head. "Sorry," she
says with a wince.
"K, I used to make them for you like, every weekend when we were
kids. Why didn't you tell me?"
 "Because, like you just said, it was the only thing in your trailer. You
were so happy making me food, I just ate it."
"K," I sigh, shaking my head. "Want to know a secret?"
She nods at me.
"I wasn't all that fussed either. I just did it for you."
"Oh my God." She laughs.
Loving that I can make her laugh even when shit is hard means
everything to me.
I pull the refrigerator open and stick my head in to see what Ellen has
left us.
When I emerge it's with an armful of food. I lay it all out in front of her
before turning to get the bread, but my eyes land on something else first.
"Oh... look what we have here," I say, spinning back to her with the
Tupperware in my hands.
"Conner, you can't eat cookies before a sand—"
"Why?" I mumble around a mouthful.
She laughs at me, her eyes twinkling with a happiness that I haven’t
seen in weeks, and my heart threatens to burst open at the sight.
Everything is going to be okay. In a few days, her wounds will have
healed, and eventually her memories will fade and it'll just be us.
The road trip I'd planned in my head when my eyes landed on Betty
seems almost in touching distance now.
Just me, my girl, and the open road. I can't think of a better way to
spend my summer.

After I made Kenny the biggest sandwich I could last night, almost all of
which she devoured, we took the cookies up to my room. But the second I
placed her down in bed, she fell asleep almost instantly. I, however, couldn't
switch off. The images from the warehouse wouldn't leave me, and it wasn't
until I'd eaten my way through my stash that I finally managed to drift off
with my girl cuddled against me and her soft snores filling the room.
The next time I wake, the sun is streaming through the open curtains
and I feel like I'm being watched. My skin tingles with her attention and I
can't help but smile.
 "I know you're staring at me," I whisper in the hope I don't startle her.
"He made me watch," she says, gently brushing her fingertip over the
healing cut on my eyebrow.
I turn to face her and pull her into me.
"Watch what, babe?" I ask, not awake enough to connect the dots.
"Your fight. It was a set-up. He had it live streamed so I could watch
you lose."
"Motherfucker," I growl, my fists clenching. It doesn't matter that he's
dead, I want to go and kill him all over again for everything he's done.
"He forced me to watch all of it. It was... it was awful."
"Why did he do it, K? Do you know?"
"He kept saying that he wanted you all to suffer. He wanted to k-kill me
and ruin you. But I don't know why."
"Did you know he was Charlie's son?" I know she was in my arms when
James admitted the truth, but I have no idea if she heard or saw anything
that happened.
Her wide eyes give me her answer. "He was... he was your... cousin?"
"Apparently so. James only told us last night."
Silence falls around us as she absorbs that bit of information. "So he
was jealous? That you weren't Charlie's… that you got all of this?" she
asks, gesturing to the house surrounding us.
"Maybe, but I think it's more than that."
"You saw it, didn't you?"
The image of that wall hits me once more. "Yeah, babe. I did. What did
it all mean?"

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Kennedy

S ilence echoes around us as my words hang in the air.

“Fuck, I need to talk to James.” Conner leaps up, raking a hand
through his hair.
“It’s first thing in the morning...”
“So? I need answers. Charlie. Donny. Warren. Hadley’s ex...”
“Hadley’s ex?” I frown. “The guy from Gravestone?”
“Yeah, he showed up before the holidays. Tried to hurt Hadley. James
took care of it, just like he seems to take care of all our problems.” Conner
scrubs his face.
“What are you thinking?” I climb out of bed and tuck myself into his
warm body.
“I don’t know... he said he’s involved with some dangerous people. But
those photographs Warren had... the newspaper clippings and notes...”
“You saw her.”
“Hadley,” he breathes, a shudder rolling through him.
“There was a picture of Remi’s car too,” I add. “I don’t think Lylah
keyed her car... it was Warren. It was all Warren.”
“Yeah.” Conner hugs me tighter. “I know you don’t want to think about
what happened, and I don’t want to make you—”
 “It’s okay, I want to help. But honestly, I didn’t see much more than
you. Warren didn’t say anything.” Except for his taunts and jibes, which
Conner doesn’t need to know about.
He lets out a defeated sigh before kissing my head. “Come on, it’s time
to have a little chat with James.”
He goes to walk away, but I yank his hand sharply. “Conner, I’m not
sure I should—"
“Babe, you’re my girl.” He cups my face, lowering his head to mine.
“My every-fucking-thing. We do this together. In fact, from now on, I think
we should do everything together.” He drops his hands, winding his arms
around me. “It’s you and me, K. You’re stuck with me.”
Warmth fills my belly. “I like the sound of that.”
Conner kisses me, hard and bruising, as if he’s sealing his promise with
every stroke of his tongue. Liquid lust floods my veins, but all too soon he
breaks away, inhaling a ragged breath.
“Later.” He smirks.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Hand in hand, we leave his room. The house is quiet. Ellen hums a
cheery tune somewhere deep in the house as we head for James’ office.
“Surely he’ll be sleeping?” I whisper.
It’s early, and after the events of last night, I feel like I could sleep for a
week.
“Guess we’ll find out.” Conner doesn’t bother knocking, pulling me
inside.
It’s empty, but the room is a mess. The huge desk is littered with papers
and documents. There’s an empty glass on the sideboard and a half empty
bottle of scotch.
“What is all this stuff?” I run my fingers over a couple of letters. Names
I don’t recognize are printed along the top. Kingsley. Davenport. Cargill.
“Rexford?” The word spills from my lips.
“What?” Conner leans in close and scans the document.
“It looks like some kind of roster.”
“But why would Hadley’s family name be on there?”
“What’s that?” Conner points to a watermark in the corner.
“It looks like some kind of cres—”
The door creaks open, startling us both.
“Why am I not surprised?” James says coolly.
 “You owe us an explanation.”
He runs a hand over his stubble. There are dark circles around his eyes,
and when I breathe in I get a faint whiff of liquor. If I didn’t know any
better, I’d say Mr. Jagger was hungover.
“You should be resting,” he says to me.
“I’m okay, all thanks to you.”
Conner makes a derisive noise in the back of his throat and I cut him a
hard look.
“Ah, it would seem my son hasn’t told you the entire story.”
“Conner?” Dread washes through me.
“I thought I’d save that for you.”
Letting out a resigned sigh, James closes the door and takes a seat in his
fancy wingback chair. “Sit.” He motions to the couch. “I’d offer us all a
drink, but it’s a little early.”
“It’s five o’clock somewhere,” Conner mutters, tension radiating off
him in thick waves. I squeeze his hand gently, my eyes flicking to his. His
dark expression softens. “We saw it.” He says the words to his father, but
he’s looking at me. “We saw it all.”
“I suppose you want answers.”
“I do.” Conner’s eyes finally slide past me. “I want to know why the
fuck Warren had photos of Hadley, Timothy Davenport, and Bexley
Danforth on that wall.”
“Son, keep your voice down. The last thing I want is Cole to—”
“Seriously? You want to keep this from him? He has a right to know.
They both do.”
James runs a hand down his weary face. “It’s not that simple, Son.
There are things—”
“Yeah, yeah... things we can’t know. But you gotta see it from my point
of view. My girl was kidnapped and had a gun held to her head by some
fucking psychopath who wanted to hurt us... and you left her there because
of what—”
“What?” The words whooshes from my lungs. Guilt shines in James’
eyes.
“You were always safe, Kennedy, I promise.”
“N-no, that’s not—”
“Shh, babe.” Conner pulls me into his side and I cling to him, trying to
make sense of what James is saying.
 “Warren discovered some things. Things about me and the people I
work for.” He slumps back in his chair. “How much has Hadley told you
about Gravestone?”
“A little,” Conner replies. “She doesn’t really talk about it.”
“Understandable.” He runs his hand along his jaw. “Hadley’s dad is one
of the founding families of Gravestone.”
“Founding families, what does that mean?” I ask, uncertain I want to
know. But then, part of me wants to know what was worth leaving me there
in that cage for.
A shiver rolls down my spine and Conner presses kisses to my hair.
“I’m right here,” he whispers, and my eyes flutter closed. “You’re safe
now, K.”
I nod. When my eyes open again, James is watching me intently.
“For what it’s worth, Kennedy, I will never forgive myself for all of this.
But I had to know... we had to discover his base of operations.”
“Base of operations?” Conner scoffs. “This isn’t some espionage movie,
James. It’s our life, and I think we have a right to know what’s going on.”
Mr. Jagger lets out a long steady breath. “Our family is from
Gravestone. The people I work for, the men who control the town... they are
not the kind of people you want to disobey, Son.”
“So what, they’re like gangsters?”
“I guess you could call them a gang. One steeped in history and
tradition.”
“You mean like a cult?” I blurt out, because he’s being so vague and
mysterious.
“The details are not important. What matters is that the less you know,
the safer you are. I am repaying a debt to them. A debt I do not intend being
passed onto Ace.”
“Ace? But you said—"
“Conner, please. I’m going to need you to trust me on this. The less said
about Gravestone the better. Warren is gone, he can’t hurt Kennedy
anymore.” He releases a weary sigh, and it’s then that I realize how tired
Mr. Jagger is.
“No way. You can’t expect me to just forget all those photographs. I
mean, what does Bexley have to do with any of this? He’s been gone for
months.”
“Conner,” James warns. “I’m asking you to trust—”
 “Trust works both ways, Dad. He tried to kill her. He put a gun to her
head and—”
I throw my arms around Conner and hold him tight, feeling his body
tremble beneath me. “Shh,” I whisper. “It’s okay, I’m okay.”
“No.” Conner cups the back of my head and presses his brow to mine,
staring into my eyes. “Nothing about this is okay.”
He wants to push his father, I can see it right there in his cloudy gaze.
But I’m crashing.
“I’m tired,” I whisper. “Take me back to bed?
“Yeah, okay.”
We stand, and Conner locks eyes with his father. “If you’re lying to me,
if she’s still in danger, I will—”
“She’s not, Son. I promise, Kennedy is safe. The same goes for Hadley
and Remi.”
“And the rest of us?”
“You are my sons. It will always make you somewhat of a target. But I
swear to you, everything I’ve done, everything I will continue to do is for
the three of you. So that you can have the lives you deserve.”
Conner gives him a sharp nod before pulling me from the room. He
doesn’t stop until we’re back in the privacy of his bedroom.
“Fuck,” he breathes, “fuck.”
“Come here.” I pull him into my arms and run my hands up and down
his thick biceps. “Are you okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what I am anymore. I’ve been the one
championing him, you know? Ace and Cole, they were both so fucking
wary when we first got here... but not me. I wanted this life.”
“I don’t think he’s a bad person, Con. Look at what he did. He helped
Remi and Hadley, and now me. He’s trying...” Maybe I should feel
disappointed to learn I was a pawn in the game between Warren and Mr.
Jagger, but he still came. He still got me out of there. I was only there to
protect Conner and his family, and I can’t help but think Mr. Jagger is the
same. He does whatever is necessary to ensure that.
No matter the consequence.
Conner inhales a shuddering breath. “You could have di—”
“But I didn’t, I didn’t. We get forever, Con. We get our happily ever
after.” I let my lips slide against his, trying to distract him. I know he wants
answers, part of me does too. But this—us—is more important.
 Being here, at the Jaggers house, being safe and loved in Conner’s
arms… it’s the best thing that could ever have happened to me.
“Two and a half months,” I whisper against his mouth. “Two and a half
months before we can take off and never look back.”
“Yeah?” His voice cracks.
“Yeah.” I rake my hand through his hair and down the back of his neck.
“Sometimes you have to go through the storm to find the rainbow.”
The corner of his mouth tips. “Does that make me your rainbow?”
“Hmm, no... it makes you my everything, Conner.”
My every-fucking-thing.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Conner

"A reandyouHadley
finally ready?" Cole asks when Kenny and I join him, Ace,
in the kitchen after dumping our bags in the hallway.
"Yeah, we're ready. Where's Remi?" I ask, noting that we're not the last
ones down.
"Went for a pee, seeing as you were making her wait so long."
"Jesus, didn't you two get laid last night or something?" I ask as Kenny
snorts quietly beside me.
"We're just eager to get spring break started, and you two are dragging
your heels."
"We're all ready. Remi," I holler. "Pee faster, we're going."
Her light footsteps sound out as we all turn to leave the kitchen. The
house is in silence seeing as James and Sarah had a middle of the night
flight to some mystery destination he was whisking her off to as a surprise,
and Ellen is having a much needed holiday from the lot of us, so we've been
left to lock up on our way out.
"Here, this came for you," Remi says, handing over an envelope.
"What is this?" I ask, my brows pulling together when I see a college
stamp on the front.
"Acceptance letter, maybe?" she suggests with a shrug.
"But I—"
 "Come on, let's get moving. You can open that on the way. It'll give us
something else to celebrate," Cole says, pushing me from the kitchen, but
I'm not looking at where we're going. I'm too confused about what's in my
hands.
I threw all my applications in the trash. It can't be what I think it is.
"Are you okay?" Kenny's warm hand lands on my forearm and her wide
eyes stare up at me.
Not wanting to bring the tone down by talking about our time apart
when we're meant to be enjoying ourselves, I plaster on a smile and tuck the
envelope under my arm as we follow the others out to the car.
As usual, Ace and Remi head for his bike, although not before dumping
their bags in Cole's trunk. Ours join theirs before we climb into the back of
Cole's car, Cole and Hadley taking their seats in the front.
"I'm so excited for this," Hadley almost squeals as Cole starts the car.
Kenny and I didn't go back to school this week. After everything, James
kindly decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that we skipped—assuming
he'd already talked to Vager and got Kenny back in, that is.
I couldn't have been happier to spend a few days in bed with my girl,
allowing her to recover while I tended to her every need.
But now, I can't help but agree with Hadley. I'm so ready to get out of
this place for a couple of days and to put the past few weeks behind us.
We had no idea that anything had been planned, but it turned out that
James had arranged with Ellen for us to have the beach house she organized
for Ace and Remi last year for her birthday.
Before anyone else gets a chance, I sync my cell to Cole's car and hit
play on Imagine Dragons for the journey.
Stretching my legs out, I wrap my arm around Kenny and pull her into
my side. Her small hand lands on my thigh and it warms me from the inside
out.
Her bruises have started to fade, the visible evidence of what she went
through thankfully disappearing with every second that passes, but I'm not
stupid to think that the scars on the inside will fade so quickly.
She hasn’t really talked about most of it yet, I don't think she knows
how to even start, but that's okay, she's got all the time in the world to open
up. I'm more than happy to let her go at her own pace. All that matters now
is that he's gone and we're back together.
 She's yet to mention going back to the dorms after spring break, but I
already know my answer, and I've already told James what’s happening.
After everything, I figure he owes us. Kenny might not know it yet, but the
Jagger house is as much her home now as it is mine.
I've still got so many questions for our dad. There are so many things
he's keeping from us and I hate the constant knot that's twisting my stomach
because of it. He says he's keeping us safe, that he's protecting Ace from
having to take over whatever the fuck it is. But still, none of it makes sense.
I glance at Hadley, concern lacing through me that whatever this
Gravestone shit is, involves her and her family. She might have turned her
back on them, but still. Does she know more than she's letting on?
I haven’t had a chance to interrogate her yet, but I will.
And then there's Bexley and the other faces I didn't recognize on that
board.
I shake my head, making about as much sense of it all as I did when I
was standing in that warehouse.
"You gonna open that or what?" Cole asks, catching my eye in the
mirror and dragging me from my thoughts.
"Yeah, babe. Open it," Kenny encourages.
"I-I think I'll wait until we're there."
"Conner, are you nervous?" Kenny whispers, her delicate hand landing
on my abs and making my entire body flinch.
"I... um... yeah, I guess."
"Aw, you're so cute. You know they'll want you."
I love her confidence in me. I might have a little in myself if I knew I'd
actually sent the applications.
"You're being a pussy, bro. Just open it."
"Leave him be," Hadley says, fighting in my corner and thankfully
distracting Cole from pestering me.
"What's wrong, babe?"
I suck in a breath, debating what to say. In the end, I lean down and
whisper in her ear. "I didn't send the applications," I admit.
She gasps in shock, her eyes flying up to meet mine.
"Why?"
"I just... I couldn't think about the future when you were..." I trail off,
not needing to say the words out loud.
 "So it’s not an acceptance letter?" She keeps her voice low so it's only
us who can hear her. "What is it?"
"I have no idea."
She snuggles back into my side and I breathe a sigh of relief that she's
not going to pressure me to open it.
The drive to the beach house is short, and just as Ace and Remi
promised, it's a slice of heaven.
The house itself sits into the side of the cliff, overlooking the beach and
ocean below. It's stunning and the perfect place for us all to hang out and
forget about the stresses of life for a few days.
"Wow," Hadley breathes as she takes it all in. "I want to live here."
"It's a bit different to what I'm used to," Kenny says, her nose practically
pressed against the window.
In only a few seconds we're out of the car and Ace and Remi are
climbing from his bike. Ellen promised us that she'd organized for the place
to be fully stocked and that all we had to worry about was our clothes and
ourselves.
"Come on!" Remi practically bounces on the balls of her feet in
excitement. "I want to show you the inside."
She threads her arm through Hadley's, who in turn reaches out for
Kenny, and the three of us watch as they head for the front door.
Cole and Ace come to stand on either side of me.
"This is it, you know?" Ace muses. "We graduate in a couple of months
and we're all going in different directions."
His words cause a lump to form in my throat. As much as I'm ready to
jump into Betty with Kenny and head off into the sunset, I'm not sure I'm
prepared for a life where the three of us are possibly living in different
states.
It's always been the three of us against the world. I'm not even sure I
know who I am without them.
"Con, you coming?" Kenny calls from the doorway. The sun shines
behind her and she looks like an angel. My angel.
A smile curls at my lips as the tether that's always between us pulls
tighter and I take a step toward her. I might be apprehensive about what the
future holds, but I know one thing for certain: whatever happens, wherever
we end up, it'll be together. Because Kennedy Lowe really is it for me.
"Come see our bedroom, it's incredible."
 She spins on the balls of her feet and bolts for the stairs. I take two steps
to her one and catch up with her in no time, wrapping my free arm around
her waist and pulling her back into my body.
She giggles as I nuzzle her neck as she leads me toward an open
doorway.
"Look at that view." She gestures toward the floor-to-ceiling windows,
but I pay them no attention as I back her up against them.
"Looks pretty perfect to me," I mutter as I stare down into her eyes.
"Con, look at the ocean, it's beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you, K." A shy smile pulls at her lips. "I could look
at you forever and never get bored."
"Conner," she breathes, leaning into my touch as I cup her cheek.
"I fucking love you, Kennedy Lowe." I drop my lips to hers and pin the
length of her body against the glass.
The envelope, still under my arm, flutters to the floor, momentarily
forgotten as I lift her so her legs wrap around my legs.
My hard length presses against her core and a groan rumbles up her
throat.
"You two had better not be fucking already," Cole barks up the stairs,
making us both pull away so we can laugh.
"Fat chance with your cockblocking ass," I call back.
"You're welcome. Hadley and Remi are making food. I know you're
hungry."
My stomach growls right on cue, making Kenny giggle in a way that
makes my heart constrict.
"Come on, let's go eat. We've got time for this later." She drops her legs
from around my waist and I reluctantly stand back.
"I'm sure the food could wait a few minutes," I mutter, fake sulking as I
take in the view I should have been looking at as we entered.
"And what about this? Can this wait?" When I turn around, I find Kenny
holding out the envelope to me. "Don't you want to know what's inside?"
My lips part to respond, but I soon find that I don't have an answer
because mostly I'm too confused to even make a serious guess as to what it
is.
Taking it from her, I drop down onto the side of the bed and blow out a
long breath.
"It's okay, babe. I'm right here."
 My hand trembles as I open it and pull out the stack of papers inside,
staring down at the top sheet.
"You got in," Kenny squeals as my head spins.
"How? I don't understand. I threw all the applications in the trash. I was
so angry and I couldn't think about a future that didn't have you in it."
"As sweet as that is, Con, are you really sure? It had to have been sent.
Colton wouldn't have just guessed you wanted to attend. Maybe Cole found
it or something."
I stare down at K, my heart racing and my head spinning.
Would Cole do something like that? I can't see it, but I guess crazier
things have happened.
"Does it really matter? The biggest question is which one are you going
to go to?"
"I... I have no idea. I just can't believe—"
"Believe it, babe. The world is your oyster. You've just got to decide
where to start."
Reaching out, I pull her into my arms and breathe her in.
I don't understand this, not even a little bit, but I can't help the wide
smile that spreads across my lips as I think about what's to come. Despite
everything, we might just have our dreams come true.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Kennedy

“T his is the life.” I let out a contented sigh as I stretch out on one of
the sun loungers. Remi and Hadley are beside me, sprawled out in
their bikinis.
“You three girls just relax,” Conner calls from his spot at the grill. He
and Ace are in charge of the meat while Cole prepares the salad.
I snicker at that. The idea of Cole Jagger preparing any kind of food
paints quite the visual.
“You look like you’ve got it all under control,” I reply with a smirk.
“It’s so good to see you like this,” Hadley says, catching me off guard.
“Like this?”
“Yeah, free... happy... safe.” Her expression softens. “I’m really glad
you’re okay,” she adds.
“Yeah, me too.” My stomach twists, but I refuse to let any dark thoughts
creep into my mind this weekend.
“Did he open it yet?” Hadley asks, and my brows furrow.
“Wait a minute,” realization sinks into me, “it was you.”
She nods around a smile. “He deserves to go to college.”
“You did that?”
“I did.”
 “Thank you.” Our friendship might have had its ups and downs, but
Hadley is a good person, and I know now that what she shares with Conner
isn’t something I need to be threatened by.
“You know, Colton U has a rolling admission. You could still apply.”
“How did you know he’d pick Colton?” My eyes flick to the guys.
Conner and Ace are goofing around while they watch the steaks sizzle on
the grill.
“He’ll want to be close to Cole.”
“Yeah, I think you’re probably right.”
“So, what do you think?” she asks.
“You should do it.” Remi sits up, stretching her arms out. “Conner will
want you by his side. And Colton isn’t that far away. We’d all still be
close.”
“I think we’re going to travel first... in Betty. I want to see the country.”
“After everything you’ve been through, I think that’s exactly what you
need.” Hadley smiles. She spots Cole coming outside and her body seems
to lean toward him, like a magnet.
“So that ring on your finger...” I broach the subject. “Does it mean what
we all think it means?”
Color floods her cheeks. “I guess. I mean, I don’t want to take it off. But
we’re still young.”
“I don’t think Ace will ever pop the question.” Remi lets out a small
sigh.
“You want that?” I ask. “The whole wedding thing?”
“I don’t know. Watching my mom plan her big day has probably been
enough wedding talk for at least five years, but do I want to be tied to Ace
in every way possible? Hell yes. In a heartbeat.”
“Yeah,” I stare at Conner again, “I know exactly what you mean.”
“Hey, maybe you’ll catch the bouquet at the ceremony.” Hadley
chuckles.
“Can you imagine? Ace would probably freak.”
“What did you say, Princess?” he calls.
“Nothing.” She bats her eyes at him, playing dumb. “I swear, he has
sonar hearing or something.”
“Probably a good thing you’re staying in the pool house then,” I mutter,
instantly realizing my mistake. “Okay, that’s embarrassing.”
“You girls going to sit there all day, or are you going to come and eat?”
 Ace plates up the steaks and slides it onto the big table. We all get
seated, Ace and Remi to our left, Cole and Hadley to our right.
“This looks great, thanks,” I say, cutting into my steak.
“We should check out the hot tub later,” Conner suggests, and Ace
almost chokes on his food. “What?” he adds.
“Nothing.” Remi waves him off, shooting daggers at Ace.
“The hot tub, dude?” Conner grumbles. “Really?”
“It gets treated and emptied. It probably isn’t even the same water as
before.”
“I fucking hope not. I’m not swimming with your swimmers.” Conner
laughs at his own joke and I cover his mouth with my hand, but he pries my
fingers away.
“Firstly, it’s a hot tub, you don’t swim,” Remi counts off on her fingers.
“Secondly, they definitely changed the water since we came. And thirdly, it
wouldn’t be the first place you’ve been up close and personal with
somewhere we’ve—”
“Okay, Princess, that’s enough of that.” Ace slings his arm around the
back of Remi’s chair. “Did Dad speak to either of you about the wedding
yet?”
“No, why?” Conner says.
“Because they’ve asked me to do a reading. A fucking reading, can you
believe it?”
“What, like a poem?” Cole snorts.
“Or maybe a monologue,” Conner adds, fighting a snicker.
“Fuck you. At least I’m in the wedding.”
“I know something I’ll be in.” Conner squeezes my knee under the
table.
“Seriously, bro,” Cole mutters. “You can’t keep it clean for like, one
meal?”
“We gotta make up for lost time. Isn’t that right, babe?” Hooking me
around the neck, he pulls me in close and kisses me.
“Conner,” I protest, swatting him away. “I’m still eating.”
“I’d rather eat you.” He doesn’t even attempt to whisper the words,
diving for my neck and nuzzling me there. My laughter drifts into the air,
making my insides quiver with anticipation.
“Don’t mind us,” Cole grumbles, and I catch Conner flip him off over
his shoulder.
 “Babe, we have an audience,” I point out as he starts peppering my skin
with tiny kisses.
“If you don’t stop, my food is going to make a reappearance.”
“You’re just jealous.”
“You have seen Hadley, right?”
“Cole!”
“What?” he mutters. “It’s true, you’re beautiful.”
“Excuse me while I go puke.”
“Nice, asshole. Real nice.” Remi smacks Ace in the arm.
“What?” He gawks.
“You’re an ass.” She gets up and storms into the house. Ace lets out a
low groan, running a hand down his face.
“Suppose I’d better go deal with that.”
“What is that?” Cole’s brow lifts.
“I think she’s just stressed with the wedding stuff.”
“Or maybe it’s the fact that she’s realizing you’ll never put a ring on it.”
He smirks.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ace pins Cole with a dark look.
“Nothing, forget I said anything.”
Ace’s eyes narrow. “She say something to you?”
“N-no, man. I’m just yanking your chain.”
Ace disappears after Remi, leaving the four of us in thick silence.
“You shouldn’t push him.” Hadley lets out a small sigh.
“I was joking. Geez, everyone needs to learn to take a joke.” Cole leans
in and whispers something to her. She giggles and the two of them stand.
“We’re going to... uh... rest.”
“Rest? Dude, my bedroom is right next to yours in the house. I know
what the two of you get up to when you’re resting.”
“We’ll see you later,” Hadley says, pulling Cole toward the house.
As soon as they’re gone, I turn to Conner and smile. “And then there
were two.”
“Come here.” He beckons me to him, and I crawl over his lap,
straddling his legs. Conner runs his hands around my thighs to squeeze my
ass.
“You didn’t tell them,” I note, swallowing a moan as he thrusts against
me.
 “I will.” Conner watches me as he continues gently grinding into me.
His cock is hard and long between our bodies, and even with the thin layers
of clothes separating us, I groan with every roll of his hips.
“You want it inside you, K? You want to feel me pounding into your
perfect little pussy?” He winds his hand around my neck and pulls my lips
down on his. “Tell me. Tell me what you need.”
“You, I need you,” I breathe over the bolts of pleasure rippling through
me.
He dips a hand between us and pushes my bikini bottoms to the side,
letting his fingers lazily rub my clit.
“Fuck, Conner that feels good.” I try to bury my face in the crook of his
shoulder.
“Don’t hide, babe. Never hide from me.” He curls them deeper, rubbing
my walls in a way that has me quivering.
“They might see.”
“Let them... I want everyone to know that you belong to me... pussy and
all.” He cups me with his fingers still inside me, just holding his hand there.
“Conner...” A moan of pleasure rolls through me.
“Kennedy.”
“I need...”
“Yeah, babe, I know.” His thumb drags over my clit so hard I slam my
lips closed to stop the loud moan building in my throat.
“You look so good like this, K. And your pussy feels so wet and tight
around my fingers.”
He watches me intently as he continues working me with his fingers.
I’m so turned on, my juices run down his hand, soaking his board shorts.
But there’s something so intimate about the way he touches me. So raw and
real.
“I need you, babe,” he grits out, his jaw clenched tight.
“I’m right here, Con.” I flick my tongue along the seam of his mouth,
rocking onto his hand as he continues finger fucking me without restraint.
My orgasm crashes over me without warning, intense waves of pleasure
rolling through me. Conner brings his fingers to his lips and greedily sucks
them clean, smirking when he’s done.
I lean back a little, working his shorts off his hips enough to free his
rock-hard cock and pump him a couple of times.
 “Fuck, K,” he hisses. “Ride me, babe. You own my heart; you might as
well own my fucking dick too.”
Smiling, I rise up slightly to guide him inside me, sinking down inch by
glorious inch. We both moan, our eyes locked on each other as I hover
above him.
“I hope you’re all in, babe,” he says. “Because this, us, it’s the real deal.
I’m talking a ring, a wedding, babies, the white picket fence. I want it all,
K.”
Butterflies flutter wildly in my stomach at his bold confession. Any
other guy might be feeding the girl a line in the heat of the moment, but not
Conner. I know without a doubt he means every word.
“I love you,” I say, kissing him.
“I love you too, babe. But right now, I really want to fuck my girl.”
A contented giggle spills from my lips as I roll my hips.
“Fuck, you feel good.” Conner grips my ass again, guiding me over him
just how he likes it. “Forever will never be enough with you,” he whispers.
Then he fucks me until there’s no doubt about what we’re doing out
here.

“Spring break,” Ace muses as we all sit around the fire pit, enjoying a beer
and toasted marshmallows.
After Conner fucked me on the garden chair, we spent hours in the pool.
Playing. Kissing. More touching. I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier or
more content than I do in this moment.
“Graduation is right around the corner,” Remi says. She’s draped over
Ace’s lap, much more relaxed than she was earlier. I guess Ace has magic
healing powers too.
I smile to myself.
“You need to figure out what you’re doing,” Cole says to Conner, who
goes rigid beneath me.
“I... uh... actually, I have something to tell you.” He clears his throat.
“But I think you already know.”
Cole frowns. “What the fuck are you talking about.”
“The college application. I got in. I got into Colton.”
 “Yeah? That’s fucking amazing.”
“Congrats, bro,” Ace adds.
“But what does that have to do with me?” Confusion clouds Cole’s
eyes, and I smother a chuckle.
“What?” Conner asks, squeezing my waist.
“You’re pointing your finger at the wrong person.” I motion to Hadley.
“Hadley, baby, what did you do?”
“You were dragging your feet and I knew you’d regret not applying.”
She shrugs. “It was nothing, really.”
“You did that for me?” Awe laces his words.
“You deserve all the things, Conner.”
A few weeks ago, I might have gotten jealous at their friendship, but I
only feel relief knowing that Conner has all these people in his life who
care so much... and now I do too.
They’re family.
Loyal and protective.
I’m a part of that now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Wow, I’m… speechless. Thank you, Hads.”
“Okay, asshole, eyes off my girl.” Cole pins him with a dark look.
“Been there, done that, not looking for a repeat anytime soon,” Conner
teases, and I swat him in the chest.
“Ow. I wasn’t finished.” He smirks. “I was about to say unless you and
Hads want to finish what you started a few weeks ago? I could maybe get
on board with that.”
“Conner,” she shrieks, right at the same time as I slap his chest again.
“He has a point, Dove,” Cole adds. “That was fucking hot.”
“Let me get this straight. You two would be okay with the four of us...”
“Oh,” Remi splutters. “Oh...”
“Maybe, as a one night only kind of deal.”
“And in this little fantasy of yours, who’s doing what?” Hadley plays
along.
“You two are kissing, obviously,” Conner says, growing hard beneath
me. “And we’re playing with you.”
“So me and Hadley are playing with each other?”
“Fuck yeah,” Cole grits out, his eyes hooded with lust.
“I’ve never been with a girl before,” Hadley admits. “I’m curious.”
“Yeah?”
 “Same,” I add. “But I’m more curious about watching two guys—”
“Whoa, back up.” Conner’s brows pinch. “Me and Cole... but we’re
brothers...
“Fair’s fair, babe.” I smirk.
“No. Oh, hell no. It doesn’t work like that. We’re twins, practically the
same person, we can’t... no. Just no.”
Laughter fills the air at Conner’s meltdown. Cole looks ready to burst
his own blood vessel, but Hadley distracts him with her mouth on his neck.
“The four of you are fucking weird,” Ace grunts.
“Jealous we don’t have a couple to play with, baby?” Remi asks him.
“The fuck I am.”
“Relax,” I say. “No one is playing with anyone.”
“Except their allocated partner,” Conner chimes in.
“Allocated partner?” Hadley balks.
“You make it sound soooo sexy.”
“This is nice,” I declare.
“Yeah.” Hadley beams at me. “It is, isn’t it.”
“Yeah, this... no matter what happens or where the future takes us,” Ace
says, “we’ll always have this. You’re my brothers, my family... and nothing,
nothing will ever change that.”
“Now, there’s something I can agree with.” Conner tips his beer to his
brothers. “I love you, guys.”
“But not enough to fuck me?” Cole deadpans, sending everyone but
Conner into fits of laughter.
Ace is right. Whatever the future brings, one thing is for certain.
We’ll always have each other.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Conner

Two months later...

"C ome on then, let's see," Hadley urges as Kenny and I join her, Cole,
Ace and Remi, who are standing with Dad and Sarah, waiting for the
graduation ceremony to start.
"Here?" Kenny asks.
"Why not? It's not like you had your pussy inked. What?" I ask when
Kenny shoots me a death glare before glancing at Dad.
"I'm sure he's heard worse, babe." Given the fact that we still know
nothing about his secret life, I'd say that he's heard worse. The whole thing
sounds dodgy as fuck, and I can only assume the reason he doesn't tell all is
that it's incriminating. I don’t spare James a glance. Things between us are
still tense, and until he starts sharing some more truths, I’m not sure it’s
going to be any better. "I'll show them mine, if you show them yours."
She rolls her eyes at me. “You're a pain in my ass, Conner Jagger."
"You love it, Kennedy Lowe."
"Ugh," she moans before lifting her shirt, showing everyone who's
watching her flat, toned stomach—or more importantly, her ribs.
"Wow," Remi breathes. "That's stunning. Cruz did a great job."
 I look at the ink Remi and Hadley are staring at and smile. Remi isn't
wrong, Cruz took the very questionable sketch that Kenny and I walked in
with and turned it into a piece of art, a little piece of us.
"Now you," Hadley says, nodding down to my ribs.
"You just want to get me naked, Hadley baby."
"Yeah, it's literally all I can think about," she deadpans. "Hey," she
complains when Cole threads his fingers into her hair and pulls her back
into his body, whispering something in her ear that makes her entire body
sag with desire.
"And to think you were worried about showing off our ink," I mutter,
watching the pair of them through jealous eyes. As much as I want to
graduate, standing around waiting for it to happen is testing my patience,
especially when I've got an even better surprise at home waiting for K.
"Come on then, we don’t have all day," Ace says, raising a brow.
"Fine." I lift my shirt and press my side against Kenny's. The two
origami flowers that stain our skin merge into one as we come together, the
K inside mine and the C inside hers, sitting side by side where they should
always be.
"Aw, it's so sweet," Remi muses.
"You're so whipped, bro," Cole mutters while still attacking Hadley.
"Oh yeah, like you can say anything." The pair of us drop our shirts and
I pull her into my arms as I look around at all our classmates.
"Can you believe we actually did it?"
"You, yes. Him," Cole points at Ace, "never."
"Fuck you, bro. I'm not an idiot."
"Never said you were. I just can't believe you didn't get kicked out in
the first week."
Ace mutters some kind of agreement. After some of the shit he pulled, I
think everyone is surprised. It's amazing the power that our father seems to
have. It's like this entire privileged little town is in his back pocket. It makes
me wonder about Hadley's hometown that we know so little about. Does he
have the same kind of power there too?
"You need to go and get gowned up. The ceremony is starting," James
calls over, his eyes lingering on me for a beat.
"Do we really have to do the hat thing?" Ace grumbles.
"Yes. I want a print of all six of you hanging above the fireplace in the
living room."
 "You'd better be fucking kidding." Remi slaps his shoulder, but I don't
miss the smirk that pulls at her lips.
I think we all pretty much knew Ace would hate this.
"Come on, let's get this shit done." Threading my hand through Kenny's,
I pull her into my side and we walk away from the others.
Graduating and going to college has always been my dream. It was
never quite so important to my brothers, but I'm so fucking glad we get to
do this together.
The six of us head inside and get dressed up, Cole and Ace sulking the
entire time. I wouldn't have it any other way.
"You look hot," Kenny says, gazing up at me with her own royal blue
mortarboard sitting on her head.
"Don't give me those eyes," I warn her as Vager starts barking orders at
our entire class who've congregated in here, ready to go out and begin the
ceremony.
"What eyes?" she asks innocently.
I drop my lips to her ear, our silly hats colliding as I do. "You know, the
ones you give me right before you find yourself bent over and full of my
cock," I whisper.
"Conner," she gasps in mock horror.
"Come on, babe. You can't tell me that you're not wet for me right now."
"I am not. We're at graduation. I'm not even thinking about that."
Dropping my hands to her waist, I back her up against the wall.
"What are you doing?"
"I don't care where we are, K. You should know that by now."
"Conner. There are people... you can't... oh my God." Her attempts to
fight me off are soon forgotten when I slip my hand under her skirt and find
her soaking wet panties.
"See... I was right." I tuck them to the side and run my finger through
her folds. She gasps loudly before slamming her lips closed.
The noise of the room around me begins to lessen as Vager starts
organizing the first lot of letters in the alphabet to line up.
"You want me to make you come in front of our entire class, K?"
She shakes her head from side to side, but I know it's not a refusal. She's
already too close to her release to care about anything right now.
I crowd around her, ensuring that no one can see what's going on as I
capture her lips with mine.
 Her hips grind against my finger, her juices running down my hand.
"Come, K," I demand into her kiss, and her body shudders as pleasure
washes through her.
Her pussy clamps down on my fingers as I continue to thrust into her,
allowing her to ride every second of it out.
"Jagger. Conner Jagger," a deep voice booms across the vast room,
dragging me back to the here and now.
"Conner," Kenny seethes, "they're waiting for you."
"I'm so fucking hard for you right now."
"Conner Jagger?"
"Bro, get your fingers out of your girl. We need to go."
Kennedy's face flushes so red I swear it lights up the entire room.
"Later," I promise her as I allow Cole to lead me toward where Vager is
about to burst a blood vessel.
"Can't fucking take you anywhere," he mutters as we stand in line.
"Me? Have you seen yourself with Hadley?"
His lips part to argue, but he soon slams them shut.
"Exactly."
"You really going for the entire summer?" It's the same question he's
asked me at least ten times in the past few weeks.
"Yeah, we are. After the wedding, we're hitting the road." It's going to
be the first time in our entire lives that Cole and I are going to be apart, and
although I might not be showing it, I'm feeling as weird about it as he is.
We've always been each other's constant. We might be twins, but we've
always been best friends too, and not just because we had to be. "We'll let
you know where we're heading. I told you that you're welcome to come
meet us somewhere."
"Yeah, maybe."
"You won't even notice we're gone. You'll be getting ready to become a
Colt, and you'll have Hadley to keep you busy."
I glance over his shoulder as Kenny stands in line just a little down from
us, her eyes trained on me. I blow her a kiss and Cole groans.
"On second thoughts, maybe you two disappearing will be for the best."
The ceremony itself passes in a blur of names and cheering, and before we
know it, the six of us are high school graduates and able to move on to the
next part of our lives.
Cole and Hadley are headed for Colton, leaving Ace and Remi here.
Ace has his place at community college and his job secured with G, while
Remi has finally convinced her parents to allow her to take a year out to do
some volunteer work before making any serious decisions. I think secretly
she's hoping she'll convince Ace to go to college with her the year after, but
she might be a little disappointed. Ace and college as a combo I'm sure I'll
never see.
"We fucking did it," I bellow when the six of us find each other again
and rip my mortarboard from my head. "Ready?" I ask, looking around the
five of them, my family, to see if they're set.
"Hell, yeah."
A cheer erupts from our little crowd as we launch our hats into the air.
"We did it, motherfuckers," Cole barks, pulling Hadley into his arms
and slamming his lips to hers. Ace does the same to Remi, and Kenny steps
into my body as I look around once more at our happy classmates and their
proud parents.
How the fuck did this end up as our lives? We were once waste of space
Heighters, and here we are graduating from one of the fanciest prep schools
in the state.
I shake my head as my eyes land on James. He's watching us with a
smile on his lips, pride oozing from him as Sarah wipes a tear from her eye.
James nods at me, and a lump so fucking huge I can barely breathe
jumps into my throat.
I fucking did it. We fucking did it.
And we did it in style.
"You okay, babe?" Kenny's hand slides up my chest and wraps around
the back of my neck.
I look down at her, my eyes swimming with tears.
"We did it, K. We did it, and we're together. This... this right here is
everything I ever wanted."
"Conner," she breathes, throwing her arms around me and holding me
tight as I pull myself back together.
We stand there holding onto each other for long minutes, just breathing
each other in and absorbing the moment.
 "Congratulations," James and Sarah say when they come to join us.
Thankfully, when I pull my head back from Kenny's neck, I find them going
to Ace and Remi first.
Scrubbing my hand down my face, I blow out a shaky breath.
"I love you, Conner," Kenny says softly, lifting up on her toes and
brushing her lips against mine.
"I love you too, K."
"You are in so much trouble for that little stunt back there."
"Hmm..." I lift my fingers to my nose. "You didn't seem to be arguing."
"You're insufferable."
"Just the way you like me." I wink before James comes over and pulls
me into his arms.
"I'm proud of you, Son. You too, Kennedy."
"Thanks," I say coldly.
"We ready to eat?"
"Yes," I say excitedly. "Lead the way."
Much like after Cole's big win, we head to a steakhouse. I'm pretty sure
it's for my benefit, but I'm not going to complain as I order the biggest one
on the menu.
"Before the food comes, there's a couple of things I want to say."
I groan because it would almost be rude not to as James stands to give
us his big speech.
"Thanks, Son. Glad you're excited." He winks at me, and I fight my
need to smile at him.
Things are still weird between us. I felt betrayed after fighting for him
when we first moved here, only for him to betray me and Kenny the way he
did. I want to believe he did it for a reason, that it really was in our best
interests, but with him keeping so much to his chest, it's hard to know what
to believe.
"I just wanted to say how proud I am of each of you. I'd been desperate
to be a part of my boys’ lives for years, and now, not only do I have them
around me, but I've gained three daughters too.”
"Watching the six of you up there today getting your diplomas was one
of the best moments of my life.”
"I know I've made many, many mistakes. But I can promise you that
every single decision I've ever made has only been with you all in mind.
You are the single most important things in my life, and your safety and
your futures are my highest priority.”
"I know that things are about to change once again for all of us," he
reaches out and takes Sarah's hand in his, "but I hope there will be many,
many more occasions where we'll get together like this, as a family.”
"So, what I really wanted to say was..." He grabs his glass and lifts it in
the air, waiting for the rest of us to join him. "To you all, your
achievements, your strengths, your hearts… they blow me away daily, and
I'm honored to be able to stand here now congratulating you and wishing
you luck in everything you do from here on out. To you, graduates." He lifts
his drink higher and we all lift ours.
"Congratulations all of you," Sarah adds, once again with tear-filled
eyes as she reaches for Remi's hand. "I'm so proud of you all."
"Thanks, Mom."
"You ready to make an honest man of him, Sarah?" I ask, nodding at our
dad with my eyes narrowed.
"Conner," Kenny hisses, her hand squeezing my thigh in warning.
"More than ready."
"I sure hope you know him better than we do," I say with a smile
playing on my lips. James’ movements falter as he lowers himself back to
his seat and his own eyes narrow at me in warning.
"I know everything I need to know, that I'm marrying the right one this
time around." She presses her hand to James’ chest and gazes up at him.
"I really hope you're right," I grate out through gritted teeth.
Something tells me she has absolutely no clue about the kind of man
she's soon to marry.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Kennedy

E verything is perfect from graduation to dinner with Conner’s family.

I’ve smiled so much today my cheeks hurt.
But from the way Conner’s hand grips my thigh possessively, I
know there’s still more smiling to come... possibly some screaming.
Heat floods me and I press my legs together.
“Are you thinking about dessert, babe?” he whispers against the crook
of my neck as Mr. Jagger’s driver, Harry, drives us home. James and Sarah
stayed at the restaurant, but we were given a free pass to return to the house
and celebrate, just the six of us. Although if the sounds coming from Cole
and Hadley and Ace and Remi are anything to go by, we’ll all be
celebrating in our own private parties for two.
“Thank fuck,” Ace grumbles when the house comes into view.
“You say that like Remi doesn’t put out at least twice a day,” Conner
teases.
The second the car rolls to a stop, Ace shoulders the door and yanks
Remi out, the two of them disappearing around the side of the house.
“That leaves the four of us,” Conner says. “We could always finish what
you girls started...”
“Don’t you have shit to take care of?” Cole mutters, and I glance at him.
“What shit?”
 “Ask your boy.”
We all climb out and Cole wastes no time hoisting Hadley into his arms.
“Enjoy,” he flashes me a rare smile. “I know I will.”
Hadley shrieks as he stalks off toward the house.
“They’re cute.”
“Not as cute as you.” Conner advances on me, pulling me into his arms.
“Happy graduation day, K.”
“I can’t believe high school is over.”
“Believe it.” His eyes sparkle with promise. “Are you ready to see her?”
“Really?” Excitement spreads through me.
Betty has been a secret project. For the last couple of weeks, she’s been
down at G’s auto shop and Ace and Conner have worked nonstop to fix her
up. But given that Conner is pulling me toward the Jaggers huge double
garage, I figure she must finally be ready.
“This is it, babe. Just you, me... and Betty.” He yanks open the door and
lets me past.
“Oh my God,” I breathe. “She’s beautiful.”
“She’s something, right?”
The pale blue metallic paint glitters under the strip lighting. Betty hasn’t
just been restored to her former beauty, she’s been given one hell of an
upgrade.
“I can’t believe you did all this.” I mean, I can. Money is no object for
the Jaggers, but the fact that Conner has been slaving away to make
something so perfect for us… Well, it makes a ball of emotion lodge in my
throat.
“I love it.”
“Her,” he corrects, running his hand over the paintwork. “She’s a little
temperamental, but I like a girl who keeps me on my toes.” Humor dances
in his eyes. “So what do you think? Can you see yourself on the road in
her?”
“Hell yeah. I can’t wait to leave the Bay.” I lace my arms around his
neck.
“We should probably take her for a test run, you know, just to make sure
everything is okay.”
“A test run?” My brow arches as I let my lips ghost over Conner’s.
He grips my hips, dragging me closer. I can feel him at my stomach,
already long and hard.
 “Do you have any idea how badly I want you?” The words flutter over
my mouth. “Sitting through that meal was torture. All I could think about
was sliding to the floor and burying my face between your legs, eating you
for dessert.”
“Con,” I breathe as his lips trail hot, wet kisses down the slope of my
neck.
“Get inside the van, K. Now.”
My stomach coils tightly at the dominance in his voice. He pulls open
the side door and I climb inside. The bed is already pulled out. There isn’t
much room, but I can’t think of anything better than spending long summer
nights here with Conner.
He leans inside and grabs something. I snag his wrist when I catch a
glimpse of the sign.
“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
He holds it up proudly, grinning from ear to ear. “I had it custom-made,
what do you think?”
“If the van’s a rocking, don’t come a knocking. Conner,” I snicker, “you
cannot put that on the door.”
“Why not? It’s better than some poor unsuspecting camper getting an
eyeful.”
“Oh my God, you’re crazy.” Laughter bubbles in my chest as I watch
him hang the sign on a hook I want to believe he didn’t put there on
purpose... but I know without a doubt he did. Because Conner Jagger is that
guy. The one who will make you laugh and constantly keep you guessing as
to what zany idea he’ll come up with next.
And I love him for it.
I love his passion and loyalty and the way he cares so fiercely about his
family and friends. The way he wears his heart on his sleeve for all to see.
Conner climbs into the van, sliding the door closed behind him.
“It’s a little tight.”
“That’s what he said.”
I swat him on his chest, but he snags my wrist, rolling on top of me. I’m
pretty sure his feet are hanging over the bed and there’s barely any room to
sit up, but we’ll make it work.
“Perhaps I didn’t think this through.” His brows knit.
“It’s perfect. I have all I need right here.”
“Yeah?”
 I nod, smiling so hard my cheeks start to hurt again. “I can’t wait for
next week.”
James and Sarah get married next Saturday. Conner and I plan to leave
on Sunday. We don’t want to stick around a second longer than we have to.
“We could always skip the wedding and go tomorrow,” he says.
“We can’t skip the wedding. Sarah would never forgive you.”
“I don’t know about that. I think she’d understand.”
“Your brothers wouldn’t.”
“Life is changing, K. We’re not kids anymore.”
“No, you’re not.” I slide my hand against his cheek. Conner might have
the sense of humor of a child, but he’s grown into an amazing young man.
I rub myself on him, needing to feel him.
“Yeah?” His eyes light up.
“Well, that’s what you brought me out here for, wasn’t it?”
“Fuck yeah.” He starts fumbling between us. It’s a tight squeeze, him
trying to hike my skirt up and me trying to push his jeans over his hips. But
eventually we get there and Conner slides his hands under my ass, rocking
into me with one smooth stroke.
“Fuck, K,” he groans. “You feel so fucking good.”
I hitch my legs around his waist, letting him go deeper as we rock
together. Conner kisses me, plunging his tongue into my mouth over and
over, mirroring the way he fucks me hard and fast, as if he can’t get enough.
“Just think, babe,” he whispers against the corner of my mouth, slowing
his pace and grinding his cock into me in a way that steals my breath. “We
get to do this every night...”
“We already do it every night.” I bury my fingers in his hair, dragging
my nails over his scalp.
He’s insatiable. But so am I.
Forever will never be enough with Conner, and I can’t believe I almost
lost him, for good.
“Yeah, but we won’t have to worry about anyone hearing you scream.”
He reaches between us and pinches my clit, making me cry out his name.
“That’s it, babe, scream for me.” He pounds into me so deep and hard
my eyes roll back. It’s so fucking good. Conner slides his tongue down my
jaw and neck, tearing at the neckline of my shirt and latching his mouth
onto my breast. My body bucks beneath him, overwhelmed by sensation:
his perfect cock buried deep inside me, his fingers on my clit, his tongue
wrapped around my nipple.
“God, it’s...” The words get stuck in my throat as I cry his name over
and over.
“I love you, K. I love your body... your heart. I love every single piece
of you.” He drives into me, pinning me to the thin mattress as intense waves
of pleasure begin to crash over me.
“I’m close...” I pant, tugging his hair to bring his face back to mine. We
kiss dirty, wet kisses that I feel all the way down to the tips of my toes.
Nothing will ever be better than this. Conner fucks me the way he loves
me: with complete unrestraint.
“I love you,” he breathes against my lips. “I love you, I love you, I love
you.”
“Conner.” His name fills the camper van as my walls ripple and clench,
milking him.
“Fuck, babe... fuck,” he roars, jerking inside me.
He presses a kiss to my collarbone as we both come down from the
high. We’re sweaty and breathless but so damn happy.
“Hey.” He lifts his eyes to mine, smiling.
“Hey.” I press my hand to his cheek.
“That was... you rock my world, K.” Conner kisses me, letting his
tongue lazily slide against mine. I feel him grow hard inside me.
“Again?” I press my hands to his chest, and he grins down at me.
“What did I tell you, babe? Forever will never be enough.”

The next morning, we’re the last ones to breakfast.

“Finally,” Cole grumbles. “We thought you were never going to come
up for air.”
My cheeks heat at his words. “We slept in,” I say at the same time
Conner says, “Like you weren’t fucking your girl all night.”
Cole shrugs, a hint of a smirk on his face.
“I can’t believe we did it,” Hadley changes the subject. “We survived
high school.”
 “We didn’t just survive, Dove.” Cole hooks his arm around her neck and
pulls her close. “We fucking aced it.”
“Damn straight, bro,” Conner drops onto a stool, fitting me between his
legs.
“I’m just glad it’s over,” Ace adds.
“Oh, I don’t know.” Remi shoots him a knowing smile. “We had some
fun there.”
“And we’ll continue to have plenty of fun not there.”
“So how was Betty?” Cole asks, and I blush again.
“Fucking great,” Conner answers before stuffing a pastry in his mouth.
“Betty was great? Or the fucking was great?” He smirks.
“Cole!” the girls and I grumble.
“What? It’s a valid question. We’re family, we don’t keep shit from each
other.”
Conner snorts. “You really want to go there, bro?”
“Says you. You almost got killed twi—”
Hadley throws her hand over his mouth.
“We’re not doing this,” she says. “Everything, the past, all the secrets
and hurt and pain, it doesn’t matter. We’re here now and we’re okay, and we
have our whole lives ahead of us.”
“Fuck yeah, we do.” Ace lifts his glass of orange juice and tips it to her.
“We’re family, all of us.” His eyes land on me. “And we’ll always have
each other’s backs. Always.”
“Thank you,” I mouth, feeling emotion swell inside me as I lean back
against Conner’s chest. His lips go to my neck and I tilt my head slightly,
giving him better access.
“What are you thinking?” he whispers as the others start tucking into
their breakfast.
“That I love you.” I glance down at him. “And I can’t wait to ride off
into the sunset together.”
“We still have you for another week yet,” Cole barks. “So don’t get any
fucking ideas about skipping out on the wedding.”
“Yeah, yeah, bro. Keep your hair on,” Conner’s arms tighten around my
waist. “We’ll be there. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I still can’t believe they’re getting married,” Remi adds, looking up at
Ace. “We’re going to be—”
“Don’t say it,” he growls.
 “Shit, bro,” Conner chuckles. “Imagine explaining that one to your kids.
You’ll be their father and their step-uncle.”
“Con,” Remi warns.
“Oh, come on, that shit is funny.”
“No, what’s funny is how you’ll have to rock up to the wedding in a
wheelchair if you keep pushing.”
“Relax, I’m joking. It’s a joke.”
“This is nice,” Hadley says, trying to instill some order again.
“What’s that, Hadley baby?”
“The six of us sitting here with everything behind us.”
A ripple goes through the room as Conner, Cole, and Ace share a brief
look.
“What?” Hadley frowns.
“Nothing, Dove.” Cole drops a kiss on her head. “Everything is good.”
“Damn straight,” Conner adds, but I hear the hesitation in his words.
His concerns can wait for another day. Nothing is going to ruin this
moment.
“So long as we always look out for each other,” Ace says with a hint of
pride, “nothing can touch us.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Cole grabs his juice box and thrusts it in the air.
“Family.”
“Family.” The word echoes through the room, and I know without a
doubt I’ve finally found my place in the world. Right beside Conner and his
two brothers.
And I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.

OceanofPDF.com
 EPILOGUE

Conner

I 'm standing at the front of the biggest, fanciest hotel room I've been in
in my entire life, wearing a fucking suit and surrounded by people I
don't know.
When James decided he wanted the three of us to be his best men, we
all argued. But it seems what James Jagger wants, James Jagger gets,
because here we all are, looking about as pleased as each other as we stand
side by side, taking in the insanity around us.
"Who are all these people?" Cole whispers to me.
"Fuck if I know." Anger swirls around inside me.
The vast number of guests that we don't know just point toward the fact
that we once again have no idea who our father is.
We've never met any of his friends, and the only 'work' colleagues were
those who went storming into that warehouse before me and the bent cops
at Joker’s a few days before.
Are we surrounded by people who know what kind of man James
Jagger is? Could I ask any one of these people, these men, and would they
give me a better answer than the man himself?
None of them scream I'm a member of a criminal gang but then, what
do criminal gang members look like?
 I scan the room once more, wishing like hell that Kenny was here so
that I knew she was safe. My need to have her right beside me, or at least in
my eye line, is becoming a bit of an obsession, but right now it’s stronger
than ever as I look at all these strangers.
Did they know Warren? Do they know the secrets he unearthed? Do
they want my girl too?
My heart races and sweat begins to soak into the collar of this ridiculous
outfit James has us wearing. I'd have been more than happy to sit at the
back of the congregation and watch this thing from afar; I didn't need to be
up here, a part of everyone's attention as they wait for the bridal party.
A smile tugs at my lips. That's where my girl is.
She's with Remi and Hadley, getting ready to be Sarah's bridesmaids. I
have no clue what they're wearing—none of them would tell us. But
knowing Sarah, their dresses probably don't match the ideas the three of us
have in our heads.
I blow out a breath, getting more and more restless without her.
"Boys, you ready? Sarah and the girls are on their way." James’ voice
cuts through my thoughts as I have no choice but to take my position beside
him.
"Who are all these people?" Ace asks him.
"Friends, colleagues... associates."
My stomach twists once more at having my suspicions confirmed.
"Are they all part of—" James cuts me a look that has my words
vanishing.
Well, okay then.
A door at the very end of the room opens and James’ eyes jump to it. I
have no idea if he thinks it's going to be Sarah, but seeing as the music's not
yet changed, I think he's going to be disappointed. But despite the fact it's
clearly not her, his face lights up a little at whoever he finds.
Following his line of sight, I find an older man standing in the doorway.
"Who's—" I don't get a chance to ask more, because he walks into the
room, revealing two younger guys behind him.
"Holy fuck, is that Bexley?" Ace barks, louder than necessary.
He looks different now, and not just because the last time we saw him
he was covered in his own blood, thanks to Ace's fists. He's bigger than he
was, despite the fact that he clearly doesn't play football any more thanks to
Ace fucking up his arm. He looks older, wiser, a little less like the
pretentious prick he once was. But even with all that, my fists curl over
what he almost did to Remi.
"Fuck," Cole breathes, finally getting with the program. "He needs to
fucking leave. He's not welcome—"
Just as Ace takes a step forward, the music changes. "Fuck," he spits as
the three of us watch Bexley Danforth and the guy, who I also vaguely
recognize, slide into a pair of empty seats.
"The second this is over, he's fucking out of here," Ace fumes. "He's not
getting anywhere near Remi ever again."
I totally understand. I don't want the motherfucker near any of our girls.
But I also can't deny that I want to ask him some serious fucking questions.
He was on that board. Warren knew shit about him. He must know shit.
I need to get some answers.
My head is still spinning when the doors once again reopen, but this
time, the person I find standing there calms everything that’s bubbling over
inside me.
Kenny stands with Hadley and Remi, the three of them in matching
floor-length emerald green gowns, the exact same color as the ties around
our necks.
All three of them look incredible, but my eyes firmly lock on my girl.
My fists uncurl as her eyes find mine and I relax, knowing that she's
safe, that she's been looked after by Sarah and the girls.
The music changes again, and she takes a step forward. My heart
pounds in my chest as she keeps her eyes locked with mine.
I forget about everything else, and, as she moves toward me, the only
thing that exists in the world is her. I guess that's exactly how it's meant to
be as your girl walks down the aisle toward you, even if they're not actually
there to marry you.
Not yet, anyway.
Images of her in a white dress fill my mind and my cock hardens.
I want that. I want that so fucking bad.
Kennedy Jagger.
It has quite a ring to it.
By the time she's only a few feet away from me, I'm more than ready to
pull her into my arms and say ‘I do,’ despite this being someone else's
wedding. Watching her turn away is like a bucket of cold water thrown over
me.
 I don't take my eyes off her for the entire ceremony. I can't help myself,
especially as her cheeks heat with embarrassment at being in front of all
these people and her hips start to shift beneath the fabric from being the
sole object of my attention.
As James and Sarah say their vows and exchange rings before us, I can't
help myself. "Soon," I mouth to Kenny. I half expect her to freak at the
suggestion, but all she does is smile.
Fuck yes, let me make you officially mine, babe.
After what feels like forever, the officiant finally brings the ceremony to
an end and we're able to follow the happy couple down the aisle.
I pull Kenny into my arms the second she takes a step toward me. We
follow Ace and Remi and Cole and Hadley, and I don't miss the second both
of the girls spot Bexley in the crowd.
Ace and Cole keep them moving until we're out in the foyer.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Remi seethes.
"I don't know, Princess. It was as much as a surprise to us as it is to
you."
"Well, he'd better fucking leave, and fast. I want nothing to do with
him."
"We'll make sure he's gone," Ace growls.
Kenny leans into my body. Her lips brush my ear, and a shudder runs
down my spine. "The guy from the board?" she whispers so only I can hear.
I still haven’t broached the subject with my brothers. I was hoping James
would save me the bother, but it seems he's set on keeping all these fucking
secrets.
James steps up to us, his face hard and unreadable despite the fact that
this should be the best day of his life. "He wasn't meant to be here," he
admits.
"Why the fuck is he then?" Ace takes a threatening step toward our dad,
but James doesn't so much as falter. "He deserves to be dead for the stunt he
pulled with Remi, not attending your fucking wedding."
"I'll explain later. Just... trust me."
My eyes narrow at him. "You know," I say, taking a step forward, "I'm
finding that harder and harder to do with every new thing I learn. Why the
hell is Bexley here, James?"
"Later," he warns.
 The sound of excited chatter and footsteps head our way as all of James
and Sarah's guests make their way from the ceremony room.
We're directed to another where drinks are served. Thankfully, the
waiters who walk around with trays don't give a shit about our ages as the
six of us reach for whatever fancy looking cocktail sits on it.
"You're drinking?" I ask Cole. It's the first time I've seen him have so
much as a sip after his... accident.
"I think I'm going to need it." He nods to where Bexley and the guy are
heading this way.
"I'm going to fucking kill him this time," Ace mutters under his breath.
"Please, don't get blood on your suit. It'll ruin my fantasy for later,"
Remi says a little too loudly, but thankfully it seems to have the desired
effect because Ace relaxes a little, pulling her into his arms and using
himself as a barrier between her and Bexley as he and his friend join our
circle.
"Alex, it's good to see you," Hadley says, shocking the fuck out of us.
"You know him?" I blurt as Cole just about loses his shit as the pair
embrace.
"Yeah,” she gives a shy shrug, “we went to school together in
Gravestone."
A growl rumbles up Cole's throat the longer Alex holds onto Hadley,
and not two seconds later does he actually pull her out of his arms and into
his own.
"Cole, Hadley's fiancé," he grits out, although he refuses to take Alex's
hand when he holds it out in greeting.
Awkward.
"Why the fuck are you here?" Ace barks at Bexley.
"I... uh... I was invited." He runs a hand over his head and down his
neck.
"Fuck off you were. Why would anyone want you here?"
"I—"
"Bexley, boys," James warns, coming to stand with us with the older
man they arrived with at his side. "I'd like to introduce you to Marcus, my
uncle. Marcus, these are my boys—Ace, Cole, and Conner."
I glance at Bexley, who has a slight smirk tugging at his lips, before
flicking my gaze to Alex's. My eyes narrow and I swear I recognize more
about him than I should, but I know I've never met him before.
 My stomach twists painfully.
Something is very, very wrong here.
"It's so nice to meet you all at last. I've heard so much about you all, not
just from James, but from Bex here. It was such a privilege to bring my
nephew home when he needed a fresh start."
My eyes narrow at Marcus as his words ring out in my head, but Kenny
beats me to it. "Y-your nephew… but James just said you're his uncle... That
means..."
"Oh no... no fucking way," Ace hisses.
I look between Ace, James and Bexley, my muscles growing tense and
my need to fight beginning to get the better of me.
There's no way this can be true. We'd know if we were... if we were
related.
The tension crackles and the atmosphere grows heavier as no one says
anything.
Kenny turns into my body and reaches up to whisper in my ear. "Let's
get another drink."
"No, I need—"
"Conner, not now, yeah? Come on." She slips her hand into mine and I
allow her to pull me away. She leads me out of the room until we're in an
empty hallway.
"K, I need to—" I look back at the door I just allowed her to drag me
through. "I need to get back."
"No, Conner."
"But Bexley, he's... he's our... Fuck. I shake my head, a deep crease
forming on my brow.
"I know, babe. But now isn't the time to let it get to you. It's their
wedding day."
"But—"
Her warm hands cup my face. "It doesn't matter right now, Conner.
There are secrets, a lot of them, it seems. But him being related to you
means nothing. It doesn't affect us in any way. Just focus on that, yeah? On
Betty. On the road trip we've got ahead of us."
She smiles up at me, excitement shining in her eyes, and I allow it to
bleed into me.
I look at the door one more time, but I know she's right. "Okay, yeah," I
whisper.
 She brushes her lips against mine, our bodies aligning. "There's a
chance there's always going to be secrets, babe. James is obviously…
connected. But just focus on what's important."
I nod, because I know she's right. If James wanted to give everything
up, then he would have done it by now.
"Just me, you, Betty, and the open road." The tension begins to ebb
away. "Fuck, K. I want it so bad."
"Tomorrow," she promises, making my lips pull up into a smile.
"Tomorrow." Threading my fingers into her hair, I crush her lips to
mine, desperate to taste her. I sweep my tongue into her mouth and take
what I need, what I've been craving since she walked away from me this
morning to go and get ready with the girls.
"K?" I breathe when I let her pull back.
"Yeah?"
"The next time you walk down the aisle toward me, you're going to be
the one wearing a white dress."

“You need to tell them,” Kenny whispers as I climb out of Betty after
putting the last of our things inside.
“I know, I just…”
“It will be fine, Con. It’s not like we’re going forever. Unless you’ve
changed your mind. You know I’m happy with whatever.”
“No, we’re doing this. We need this.”
She smiles up at me, running her hands up my chest and hooking them
around my neck. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited.”
“Me either. I’m just worried about Cole,” I admit.
“He’s got Hadley, Ace and Remi. He’ll be fine. We’ve all got cell
phones; you can video call every day if you need to.”
I know all of this, I do, but it still doesn’t stop me worrying. If
something happens and he falls over the edge again, I’d never forgive
myself for not being here. Not being at his side.
“It’s time, Con. This is about you now. About us.”
“It is.” My expression softens. “At last.”
Voices float down to us and my stomach turns over.
 “It’s going to be okay,” K says again as I swallow loudly.
“Are you all ready to set off?” Ace asks when the four of them appear
from the side of the house.
“Yep, we’re all set,” Kenny says for me, squeezing my hand in
encouragement as I lock eyes with Cole.
Something zaps between us, that twin connection we have, and I
wonder if he already knows.
“B-before we go, I need to tell you all something,” I say, swallowing
down my nerves and pulling K into my side.
“Oh my God, are you pregnant?” Remi squeals.
“W-what? N-no. Wait…” I say looking down to K. “We’re not, right?”
“No, Con,” she says with a laugh, tapping my chest in amusement.
“Okay, good. Phew.”
“What is it?” Hadley asks, her soft voice giving me some confidence.
“Um… that acceptance I got from Colton U…” I start as Cole’s eyes
narrow in confusion.
“You didn’t accept?” he asks.
“I did. But…”
“But?”
“I… uh… I deferred for a year. We think…” I hesitate, looking down to
K when she wraps her arm around my waist. “We think we’ll probably go
for longer than just the summer.”
“What?” Cole asks, his disappointment written all over his face.
“We need this. We need the time after…” I trail off, not wanting to go
there. All of it is still too raw to really talk about, too painful.
“Well, I think you’re doing the right thing,” Remi announces, stepping
forward to give me a hug. “You’ve got to think about the two of you above
all else.”
“Thanks, Princess.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep them in line.”
I can’t help but bark a laugh at her words. I’d really like to see her try.
Ace steps up beside her. “We’ll miss you both, bro.” A lump forms in
my throat as I stare at my big brother’s concerned eyes. “But I get it. You
do you. We’ll be here when you get back.”
He engulfs me into a hug, and we slap each other’s backs a few times
before he pulls back and allows Cole and Hadley to have their turn.
“You’re not joking, are you?” Cole confirms.
 “No.”
“Fuck.” He runs a hand over his jaw, his eyes clouding with emotion.
“I’m sorry, we just—”
“Don’t. There’s no need to apologize, bro. I’m just gutted we’re not
going to do this together.”
“We’ll be there. Just a little later than planned.”
“Fuck,” Cole barks again, roughly pulling me into his arms and holding
me so tight I can barely breathe.
I catch sight of Hadley over his shoulder, watching the two of us with
tears cascading down her cheeks.
Lifting my arm, I beckon her over, pulling her into our embrace. “We’ll
be back before you know it,” I force past the giant lump in my throat. “And
you know the invitation is always open.”
Cole nods against me, but he doesn’t say anything.
It takes a lot to rattle my brother, so the fact that he’s struggling right
now damn near rips me in two.
Kenny’s hand slips around my back and she joins our group hug.
“I love you guys so much,” I blurt.
“We love you too, Con.” Hadley’s voice trembles with emotion.
Cole sucks in a deep breath before he takes a step back. He glances up
at me for a beat, his eyes full of unshed tears. “You should get going,” he
says with a nod before spinning on his heels and marching for the house.
I take a step to follow him, but Kenny squeezes my hand and Hadley
presses her palm to my chest.
“He’ll be okay, Conner. It’s just a shock.”
“But—”
“If you don’t leave now, then you never will. Cole will be fine, I won’t
allow him not to be. You two deserve this. Do not feel guilty about taking
the time you need,” she says, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“Thank you,” I breathe, pulling her back into my arms. “I don’t know
what we’d have done without you, Hads.”
She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to. She gets it, gets us. She
always has.
She steps away, and I gather K up in my arms.
“Ready to hit the road, babe?” I ask, my voice cracking with each word.
“I’m just going to…” Hadley trails off as she points toward the house.
“Look after him.”
 “Always.” She gives me a watery smile before disappearing.
I nod at Ace and Remi, and, hand in hand, Kenny and I walk toward
Betty.
I pull the door open for her and she climbs in. “Let’s get this show on
the road, eh?”
“Hell yeah,” she says excitedly, but I see the concern in her eyes. She
thinks I’m going to change my mind. I could, easily, but while part of me is
hurting for Cole, a bigger part is with Kenny, and this is what we need. Our
future together starts right here.
I jump up into the driver’s seat and start the engine. As Betty rumbles to
life, excitement shoots through me.
I look to K, who’s smiling up at me.
“Ready, babe?”
“So ready.”
I put her into gear, and, after a few seconds, the gravel crunches beneath
the tires and we’re off.
Ace and Remi wave, and when I glance at the house, I find Cole and
Hadley standing at a window, watching us.
“Fuck, this is harder than I thought,” I admit.
Kenny’s hand finds my thigh and she squeezes.
“He’ll be fine, Con. This isn’t the end.”
“No, babe. It’s not. It’s only the beginning.”

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 EXTENDED EPILOGUE

James

"D rink?" Marcus asks, gesturing to the bottle of whiskey and the empty
glass sitting on the coffee table before him.
I nod, popping the button on my jacket, and lower myself to the chair
opposite him.
"Congratulations again," he says, pushing the glass toward me. "It was a
good day."
I raise a brow at him, wanting to save the niceties. "Why did you bring
the kids?"
"Bex," he sighs. "He wanted to make his peace with your boy."
"On our wedding day?" I shake my head, thinking of my sleeping bride
upstairs in our suite. "They shouldn't have been there."
He shrugs like it doesn't matter. I wish I felt the fucking same about his
attempt to ruin Sarah's day. But what she doesn’t know can’t hurt her, and
I’ve worked hard to conceal the truth from her.
"Bex's life is about to change in ways he can't even imagine, thanks to
you.” There’s a sharp edge to Marcus’ voice I don’t appreciate. “I thought
he deserved the opportunity to right some wrongs."
"You say that like you don't want him there."
"I just find it convenient that you managed to get him there instead of
your own heir." His brow arches.
 My teeth grind as my already simmering anger begins to grow. "Keep
Ace out of this.” I shift forward. “He, nor any of my kids, have any place in
Gravestone."
"It's in their blood, James.” He lets out a defeated sigh. “When are you
going to accept that it's their right?"
The glass leaves my hand before I've even registered the move and
shatters against the wall on the other side of the room. He watches as the
remaining whiskey sluices down the wall before turning his narrowed eyes
on me. “Warren got too close. If you allow something like that to happen
again, you may not have a choice.”
"I've worked my entire life to ensure my kids don't have to step foot
inside Gravestone… or even know of its existence."
"Yes, they’re going to get to do what they want with their futures—
unlike Bexley, who’s about to be condemned to this life,” he spits bitterly,
as if our arrangement doesn’t benefit him and the Easton name. “Do I need
to remind you that one of your sons is engaged to a Rexford?"
I bristle. He might be my uncle. Family. But right now, it feels like
we’re sitting on different sides of this fight. "Hadley has nothing to do with
her family,” I warn. “They made damn sure of that."
"You're right. Harrison Theobald has bigger issues to deal with than his
daughter, anyway. His son."
I run a hand over my jaw. Gravestone might have been a part of my life
for as long as I can remember, but this is where it ends. I'll continue to do
anything in my power to ensure my kids stay as far away from this world as
possible. And if that means committing Bexley to this life, then so be it.
Better him than Ace.

Are you ready to head to Gravestone?

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ALSO BY CAITLYN DARE

Rebels at Sterling Prep

Taunt Her
Tame Him
Taint Her
Trust Him
Torment Her
Temper Him

Gravestone Elite
Shattered Legacy
Tarnished Crown
Fractured Reign

Savage Falls Sinners MC

Savage
Sacrifice
Sacred
Sever

Red Ridge Sinners MC

Crank
Ruin
Reap
Rule
Defy

Boxsets
Ace
Cole
Conner
Savage Falls Sinners MC
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