Reprisal: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Montlake Prep Book 3)

by Nora Cobb

  “What’s gotten into you, Arielle?” Cora has a tone in her voice. “Did you OD on mean pills?”

  “That’s cute, Cora. I’ll have to remember your wittiness when you have a job filing papers in your father’s office.”

  “I work as a law clerk,” she replies. “It’s for school.”

  “Are you even going to law school? Wait, you’re going to Rutgers because you couldn’t afford private.”

  Cora shoves her tray across the table, almost taking out Lexi. I’m a bit shocked. I rarely see her temper, but it’s making a rare appearance now. “We’ve done nothing wrong, so stop picking on us.”

  “You’ve done nothing right,” I reply evenly. “Neither one of you.”

  Cora pokes out her red lips and asks, “What do you expect from us?”

  “Don’t cross me, Cora.” I mirror her dirty look. “You can leave me all alone if you want to sit with your friend. But if you go over there, you better be prepared to stay there until you graduate.”

  The boys at the team tables are rowdy, rude, and like to throw food. Even if Cora sat next Mancuso, they would tease her. He might be able to shut them up a few times, but no doubt it would lead to a fight. If they knew how to act, Cora would be sitting there already.

  “I’ll stay here with you,” she sulks.

  “Oh, so touching. You could look happier about it.”

  “Arielle, I’m your friend.” Her eyes are shining, and it annoys me. I want people to look like they want to sit here, not cry because they have to. Lexi and Cora must perform, and they’re failing miserably. A girl just doesn’t sit down at the first table with the captains. I earned it like everything else. When I was a freshman, I had to kiss ass until my tongue was tired, but not these two. They think showing up to school dressed in designer clothing is enough.

  I narrow my eyes on them. “No, you’re not. You’re my hangers-on, my followers.”

  They widen their eyes in shock, as if this rule is new to them. “What does that mean?” asks Lexi.

  “It means that as the queen of Montlake, I don’t need friends. I need you two to set an example.”

  Lexi tries to laugh, but I’m not joking, and she stops quickly. Cora looks over at Mancuso’s table longingly. But I know she won’t dare go sit with a bunch of rowdy boys.

  “Cora,” I speak softly, “you have money and breeding, but you lack that something that puts you on top. You should remember that. It will keep you in your place. And you don’t want to risk losing that.”

  Cora presses her lips together, and she scowls. I want her to say something. Anything. Lucas is avoiding me because of that bitch, Natalie. I can’t get near her with Jacob watching over her like a clothed sasquatch. I got rid of Beth too soon. It doesn’t matter. I need to relieve some stress, and Cora and Lexi are good for that. No matter how many times I knock them down, they keep crawling back.

  “I don’t like you like this.” Cora holds her purse on her lap. It’s an insignificant red leather thing, and her hands rest gently on it. Something on her finger flashes, and she flinches when she sees the look in my eye.

  “Are you wearing a ring?” I ask.

  She places her hands down at her sides. “My father gave it to me.”

  “You are such a bad liar.” I hold out my hands. “Let me see it.” I stare at her hard, but she refuses to look at me. “It’s from that boy. He’s not going to marry you?” I laugh. “Why didn’t you tell me, sweetie?”

  “I would have, but—”

  “But what?” My voice cautions her, but she doesn’t heed my warning.

  “You haven’t been happy lately.” Cora looks up slowly.

  “I haven’t been happy lately, and I’ve been terrible, taking it out on you.” I smile. “I’m sorry, Cora. Let me see your ring.”

  She smiles timidly and holds out a shaky hand. It’s a beautiful cut—a single solitaire on a white gold band. Not as big as mine, but it sparkles like her smile.

  “Nicholas picked it out for me.” She smiles at her hand. “It’s a promise ring.”

  “A promise for what?” I ask.

  She giggles. “Well, we’re too young to marry.”

  Lexi nudges her, but Cora doesn’t shut her mouth fast enough. I grasp her hand and turn her finger, side to side, so the ring plays with the light. So her twit of a boyfriend actually went to the store and brought her a ring. My hands start to shake as I remember my wedding day and how my mother had to give me her ring, and Lucas only wore the one I gave him for a day. It isn’t fair, the way they all treat me.

  “Oww, Arielle,” Cora whimpers. “You’re hurting my hand.”

  I don’t know what possesses me, but I grab Cora’s hand, and I yank the ring off her finger. No one else at this table is going to wear a ring but me. Cora yelps as she jumps up, and her handbag falls to the ground. She doesn’t care as she chases me across the cafeteria. Her ring is balled up in my fist. I make it out the back exit door before she can catch me, and I run toward the pit where the art building used to stand. The air is sharp in my nostrils as I laugh, running as fast as I can on these ridiculous heels. I reach the chain-link fence as Cora screams my name behind me. I raise my hand and fling the ring into the dirt pit.

  “You want your ring? Go dig it out of the dirt.” I smooth down my hair and walk away.

  Cora cries as she stares into the pit, unable to see her puny ring. Mancuso and Lexi hurry to her side. He doesn’t say anything to me, but his eyes burn holes through me. Hate me all you want, but never cross me. I walk back to the cafeteria and notice that we had an audience of one. Anthony Lange, Montlake’s dealer and one of Natalie’s boyfriends, blows out a puff of smoke, turns the corner, and disappears behind the student center.

  CHAPTER 24

  Anthony

  It’s finally Friday, and I’m smoking a joint behind the student center when Arielle walks up to me. I hold it down by my side, but the smoke drifts up in a thin, pungent line. It’s obvious what I’m doing. She doesn’t belong back here, hanging by the dumpsters. She belongs in there with the other rich, stuck-up kids that own the place.

  “Why are you here?” I ask.

  She smiles and flashes her teal-blue eyes. She’s pretty, but not like Natalie. Natalie has a softness in her face that Arielle lacks. That innocence we’ve all lost. I lost mine at thirteen, but Arielle probably lost her innocence at five. She’s the type to torture small animals before moving on to her friends.

  “The gossip birdy has been making its rounds,” she steps closer, “and it told me how Natalie threw you to the curb.”

  “That’s not your business,” I snap.

  “It is if she’s sleeping with my husband.”

  I look away, and that says a lot. The image of Lucas lifting Natalie onto the kitchen counter plays in my mind when I fall asleep at night. Watching through the patio door, I saw him stroke her and then step in between her legs as if it was his right. It should have been me. Only me. She chose me first. It could have been me if Beth hadn’t gotten in the way. Jealous bitch.

  “Still not your business,” I bite out.

  “It could be,” Arielle grins, “if you want to win her back.”

  “I don’t want her back,” I lie.

  “Oh, Anthony, you don’t sound like a man who’s finished with a woman yet.”

  My hand is trembling, and I don’t care if Arielle watches me take a drag. The smoke tickles my nose as I hold it in, and then slowly, I let it out, closing my eyes. The image of Natalie and Lucas morphs, and now, it’s me pressing into her.

  Arielle is determined. “Then maybe we can work together to bring Natalie and Lucas down a notch.”

  I laugh, squinting at the joint in my hand and ignoring the blonde trying to talk me into some really stupid shit. “Well,” I say, “then maybe the birdy told you I’ve been friend-zoned by Natalie. How do you expect me to do anything for you?”

  I turn to face Arielle, and she’s not as cool as she appears. She flinches ever so
slightly as I stare into her cornflower- blue eyes. She’s playing bad girl, slumming, but she’ll turn tail when it gets ugly. And I can make things ugly.

  “Natalie may have friend-zoned you,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean she’s cut you out of her life completely.”

  I shake my head. “We are barely friends. You should have hung onto Beth. They’re friends again. Turns out, I used up my chances. Cats have nine lives, and I’m on my tenth.”

  Arielle leans against the wall beside me. I’m surprised. She’ll have to dry clean that coat. Pretty things shouldn’t hang with me, but Arielle is only pretty on the outside.

  She keeps talking. “As long as you can be the mole that digs up dirt on her, then perhaps we can work out a deal.”

  I shake my head. “You don’t get it. She wants something I don’t have.”

  “What’s that?” Arielle whispers as I stare at her lips.

  “I’m not like you,” I reply. “Any of you. And Natalie wants someone decent. Someone safe. Someone rich. Maybe you should go back inside and play in your own sandbox. You might catch something from me.”

  Closing my eyes, I take another drag and hold it in. Arielle leans into me and places her mouth over mine. My lips part and she inhales, pressing her soft breasts against my chest. My body reacts shamelessly as her body slides down the length of me. I reach for her waist, and Arielle pulls back, exhaling the smoke. I inhale it in, along with the sweet smell of her hair. She steps closer and leans against me again, giving me a killer kiss with tongue.

  She arches an eyebrow. “You think you know bad?”

  I laugh. “I do worse things than chuck my friend’s shit away in a pit.”

  “Then prove it to me, bad boy,” she purrs. “Find some dirt, and I will take you to heaven.”

  I laugh. “They won’t let you in there.”

  She takes the joint out of my hand and places it in her mouth, holding it between her lips like a cigarette. Arielle takes my free hand and places it on her breast. I can’t resist temptation, and squeeze. I wish Natalie hadn’t turned me down. I’d be stronger if Natalie hadn’t let me down.

  “I saved your selfies for my personal perusal,” she whispers in my ear. “The one of you with your tattoos along your chiseled body. And just so you know.” She stretches the next words out and I feel a pulse shoot through my groin as she runs her soft, delicate hand up my thigh. “Maybe I’d like to see more.”

  END OF BOOK 3

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  REVENGE: Montlake Prep Book 4

  I’ve spent enough time being the victim.

  And I’m determined to have my revenge.

  From the day I arrived at Montlake, the kings have demanded me on my knees.

  They shamed me. Humiliated me.

  And almost broke me.

  But now, I know the truth, and I know their secrets.

  It’s a secret I’m not supposed to know.

  A secret that could shatter my world and theirs into a million pieces.

  But I’ll be damned if I let these arrogant boys own me.

  I’ll be damned if I let them possess me.

  Control me.

  Kings aren’t supposed to associate with someone like me.

  They aren’t supposed to get to know me.

  They aren’t supposed to crave me.

  But I’m done being the helpless victim.

  I’m done being their plaything.

  And I won’t stop until I get the justice I deserve.

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