Love and Lead

by June, CoraLee

  “That girl used to kiss your feet. Hell, y’all used to be friends,” she reminded me.

  It was true. I used to hold the entire school in the palm of my hand, all because I was the Heirs’ darling. The Stephanie Palmisanos of the school worshipped me, because they wanted to be me. But the moment Bonham put word out that I was yesterday’s news, they all dropped me like burnt hot cakes.

  As we got older, the guys became notorious for having sex with girls and then tossing them away, but not me. With me, they were always different. I never slept with any of them, but I was part of their inner circle, and I cherished our friendship. Until seven months ago.

  The other girls were jealous, but they wouldn’t have ever dared to be mean to me. Rogue would’ve destroyed them. He was best known for being the destructive yet protective one of the group. No one dared to mess with me and risk pissing him off. Funny how fast things can change.

  I was their friend since we were nine years old. I thought we’d always be together. Now, I was the scum of this prep school, and the entire student body liked to remind me of that everyday. And the girls? They relished in my downfall.

  Nurse Mary pressed the cotton ball against my lip, making me hiss in pain. She tsked while she went to work cleaning off the blood streak that Bonham had made. It was the first time any of them had touched me for months. I actually got a little sick satisfaction from it, even though he did it to bring me more pain. But then, I’d always been fucked up when it came to them.

  “It won’t always be like this, honey,” she whispered in a low tone, a secret reassurance meant only for me.

  I knew she was right. I knew this was temporary. Graduation was just around the corner. I had the acceptance of a legacy at Harvard and a new life waiting for me.

  So why did it make me sick to think of leaving the guys who were tormenting me?

  “Just gotta survive the next six months,” I said through gritted teeth, hoping I sounded tougher than I felt.

  “Look, I’ll give you a pass to excuse you from your next class. Why don’t you go blow off some steam, sugar?”

  My body perked up. Yeah. That’s exactly what I needed.

  Acknowledgments

  Hello, reader. We made it.

  Wow, what a journey. Sunshine and the Bullets challenged me. They broke me. Writing this trilogy was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and saying goodbye is bittersweet.

  As you’ve noticed, there might be more to the story. I think Nix deserves a happily ever after, don’t you? Follow me on amazon for release updates.

  This book would not have been possible without the support of my dear friends, Denise, Savannah, Claire, and of course, Madison.

  Also, I am especially indebted to my author tribe: The Cats Pajamas. Goldie, Geminem, and Tate Motherfucking James make this author gig fun, yo. I’d also like to thank my incredibly motivating Sprint Team. All of them not only encourage me to work hard, but inspire me to be a better writer. Special thanks to Sara, who talked me off the ledge a time or two.

  I am grateful to all of those with whom I have had the pleasure to work with during this book. I’d like to especially recognize my editor, Helayna Trask. She poured hours of tough love and attention into my manuscript. Without her, this book wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to thank all the members of CJ’s Elite and The Zone.

  Nobody has been more important to me in the pursuit of this series than the members of my family. I would like to thank my parents, whose love and guidance are with me in whatever I pursue. Most importantly, I wish to thank my loving and supportive husband, Joshua, and my two wonderful children. Everything I do is for them. Everything.

  About the Author

  I’ve always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people. I love engaging with the projects I work on, diving headfirst into developing real, raw, and relatable characters.

  I like flawed and beautiful things.

  I’m an English Major from Texas State University and my wild affair with literature began at a young age. I’ve always stayed up way past my bedtime to read the stories your mother wouldn’t approve of.

  I love angst. I love to crack open a book and borrow the character’s emotions for a bit. It’s how I approach writing, too.

  I live in Dallas, Tx with my husband and two beautiful, headstrong daughters. I enjoy long walks through the ice cream aisle at my local grocery store and listening to gangster rap in my minivan.

  For more information about me, and my upcoming releases, please visit my website at:

  www.authorcoraleejune.com

  Also by CoraLee June

  The Walker Series

  The Deadly Game

  The Forsaken Gods

  Lies and Other Drugs