Kings of Lockdown: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep Book 2)

by Caroline Peckham

  When he returned from the bathroom, the air between us grew thick, neither of us saying a word. He strode into the kitchenette and I watched his back muscles flex beneath his wifebeater as he silently made coffee.

  “Milk? Sugar?” he grunted eventually and I replied yes to both.

  When he planted my coffee down on the table before me and sat on the furthest chair away from me, I knew I needed to say something.

  “It’s no big deal, you know?” I said, picking up my coffee and blowing gently on the surface to cool it down.

  He watched me with his throat bobbing. “It can’t happen again.”

  I rolled my eyes and his jaw pulsed.

  “I mean it, princess,” he growled and the deep tenor of his voice made my toes curl up against the carpet.

  Ooh, I like when he means stuff.

  I nodded, but he didn’t seem convinced, surveying me like I was a fire on his couch about to burn his house to the ground.

  “I’d better go.” I stood up, grabbing my phone from the table and hunting for my bag.

  Monroe was on his feet in the same moment, placing his coffee down and staring at me like he had a thousand things he wanted to say.

  I found my bag on the floor, overturned with the contents spilling out of it and I huffed, dropping down and gathering everything up. The silence was making my ears hurt and I just wanted to get out of here before this got any more awkward. I snatched some leggings from the landslide of stuff and tugged them on under Monroe’s shirt.

  I finally stood up, stuffing my phone into the chaos of my bag and turning to the door, finding Monroe standing in front of it. My heart juddered and I clutched the strap of my bag tighter.

  His jaw was tight and his eyes hauntingly dark. “I broke a rule,” he ground out.

  My lips parted and a laugh suddenly escaped me, breaking the tension. “Well, I’ll let you off this time.”

  I moved toward the door, but he didn’t get out of my way, his eyes travelling down me and making my skin come alive with energy.

  “I’m a Night Keeper now,” he said in a low tone and my eyebrows rose as I realised he was being serious. “Punish me, princess.”

  Fuck me, those words from his lips were like an aphrodisiac, making my pulse sky rocket and everything south of my waistband clench deliciously.

  Before I knew it, I’d let my bag slide from my shoulder and it hit the floor with a thud, following my instincts which were driving me toward him like a missile. There was only one way forward. Only one way that made sense.

  “Alright.” I grinned tauntingly and pointed to the couch. “Sit down.”

  He stepped past me, his arm brushing mine and making goosebumps tumble across my body as he obliged, lowering down onto the couch.

  I chewed on my lower lip, wondering what I was going to do to him, coming up with a million filthy thoughts which I definitely couldn’t act on. I wasn’t going to hurt him. He’d done nothing wrong in my eyes. But if he wanted to play this game, then I was ready to indulge him.

  I grabbed my scarf from where it was hanging with my coat beside the door, walking up behind him. My throat constricted as I leaned forward and wrapped it around his eyes. I tied the soft black and red scarf behind the back of his head, my heart drumming as I relished having power over this heavenly man.

  My thumb fell to trace over the tattoo on the back of his neck and he shivered visibly like my touch was a live wire against his flesh.

  I headed away to the kitchen, hunting the fridge and smirking as I found a can of whipped cream, walking back to him with it at a steady pace. He sat up straighter as he heard me approaching, his chest rising and falling as he waited for me to pounce.

  “Are you scared, Nash?” I teased, moving to perch on the coffee table in front of him.

  “Not of you,” he growled.

  “But of something?” I questioned, my brows tugging together as I leaned towards him, my breath feathering over his cheeks.

  He nodded in admission, but said no more.

  “What?” I whispered, desperate to climb inside his head and read his secrets.

  “Of making bad decisions,” he said in a low tone.

  The hairs on the back of my neck rose to attention and I leaned in even closer, breathing in his scent of fresh pine until I was heady. “You should have more faith in yourself.”

  He said nothing and I doubted I’d get any more out of him so I gripped his chin, tilting his head back.

  “Open your mouth,” I instructed.

  He hesitated for only a moment before he did as I said. I tipped the can up, squirting it into his mouth until it was full and he choked it down through a laugh.

  “Consider yourself punished,” I joked, moving to get up when he suddenly lunged at me, grabbing my waist and throwing me down on the couch beneath him.

  “Nash!” I gasped as he ripped his blindfold off, snatched the can from my grip and gazed down at me menacingly.

  I tried to launch myself from the seat, but he caught my arm and wrestled me down into the cushions again, making my heart thunder with adrenaline. His hands on me were the sweetest form of sin. I wanted to commit it again and again.

  He tipped the can up, squirting it over my mouth and I laughed, kicking and punching him, but with no real power behind the blows. I licked the cream from my lips, lunging up and grabbing his wrist as I tried to tear the can out of his hand.

  He pressed his knee between my thighs and caught one of my wrists, slamming it down onto the cushion above my head and releasing a victorious laugh. But no way was I going to let him win.

  I locked my legs around his waist and yanked his hand to my mouth, sinking my teeth into his skin. He released the can with a growl and I snatched hold of it, aiming it back at him and squirting it everywhere.

  He grabbed my hips, flipping me over beneath him and I gasped in surprise as he crushed me down into the cushions with his chest pressing against my back, taking hold of the can and prising it from my fingers.

  I panted beneath him as he pressed his hand to my back, his hips lifting so his dick wasn’t grinding into my ass.

  “You’re not even trying to win,” he scolded and I laughed.

  “It’s just a game,” I said to cover myself, but I knew exactly why I hadn’t tried that hard to fight back. It felt seriously good being thrown around by him.

  He stood up suddenly and I rolled over, covered in cream and grinning my head off. He smiled back at me, a genuine no-holding-back smile which lit me up from the inside. Catching my hand, he pulled me to my feet, nose to nose with him. “Don’t ever pull punches with me.”

  He leaned in slow and tempting and my heart nearly combusted at the change in his mood. Holy shit. Is he going to kiss me??

  I froze on the spot, my heart a wild horse galloping through my chest. I’d dreamed of his mouth against mine so many times. I’d fantasised about what it would be like to fall apart in the solid strength of his arms. He made me feel powerful, unstoppable. He was the kindling to my fire, stoking the very flames of my soul.

  He ran the pad of his tongue up the side of my face, licking away the cream and smacking his lips. I felt the heat of his tongue like it was rolling between my thighs and I stared at him in shock.

  “Better go back to The Temple, princess.” He backed up, wiping a line of cream from the corner of his mouth and sucking it from his finger.

  Did I just get dismissed? The guy was infuriating. One moment he was angry at me, looking like he wanted to put a ten foot pole between us, the next he was begging to be punished then wrestling me down into his couch all before punctuating the morning by licking my damn face like a savage and casually sending me away.

  I tutted, hooking up my bag from the floor. I abandoned my scarf, not wanting to turn back and grabbed my coat by the door as I kicked my shoes on.

  Before he could say another word, I was out the door and throwing it shut behind me as I veered off into the woods so I didn’t have to pass by the other tea
cher’s housing.

  Super hot, face-licking asshole.

  I was soon striding back into The Temple covered in cream with heat flaring between my thighs which had everything to do with my beautiful P.E. teacher. I knew in that moment he’d never cross the lines between us. He’d dance on it though, toying with my feelings until I wanted to yank him close and cross the line myself. Maybe I just imagined the connection between us, wanted to feel it so badly because I loved sharing an enemy with him. But why would he risk his career, his whole reputation for a student? He wasn’t an idiot. And I shouldn’t have flirted with him, but sometimes it was impossible to stop.

  “Where the fuck have you been?!” Saint bellowed and I slammed to a halt in the entranceway, finding him rising from his usual seat at the dining table.

  Kyan and Blake were nowhere in sight and it frightened me being alone with him. Not that either of them had ever done much to hold Saint back against me. But I had the feeling this Night Keeper was the most dangerous when he was solitary. Like a vampire out for its next taste of blood.

  “I was at Monroe’s,” I said, rolling my eyes to try and diffuse the situation and Saint didn’t like that at all.

  “I don’t give a fuck. You have rules to abide to. You are meant to have our breakfast on the table by eight o’clock, Plague.”

  The coldness in his eyes said he was letting the cruel creature inside him take over. And it was terrifying. I was Plague and he was Master. That was how he liked it best, when things were clear cut between us. But they never felt that clear to me. My relationship with Saint was like rooting through muddy water, you never knew when you were going to cut yourself on something sharp.

  Saint kicked his chair aside, sending it crashing to the floor and I stood like a rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming truck as he strode towards me.

  “Bend over the couch,” he snarled and my mind took two seconds too long to compute those words. He was upon me in an instant, dragging me over to the couch. His hand pressed to my back as he pushed me forward to bend over the back of it and I gasped as he yanked my leggings down to expose my silky pink frenchies. A tremor of alarm rushed through me, but the treacherous kick of excitement chasing it stopped me from fighting back.

  His hand remained firm against my back as he smacked my ass with the fullness of his other palm, making a clap ring out through the air. The spike of pain followed a tingling flow of bliss which made me suck on my lower lip as I swallowed the moan in my throat.

  Oh holy fuck, why does that feel so good?

  His hand collided with my ass again and my hips shifted unbidden. His hand snaked into my hair and yanked tight.

  “Hold still,” he warned. “Take your punishment and think about what you did.”

  I bit down on the inside of my cheek at those words. God this was hot. Did he even realise it? I didn’t want to feel this way towards this brutish man, but I’d lost all control of myself, practically panting for him.

  He’s a vile human being with more poison in his body than blood.

  He spanked me hard enough to make me flinch, but it was sweetened by the spreading warmth between my thighs in response. Oh my god.

  Saint was so unshakeable, but he adored having this power over people. Over me in particular. Was he getting off on it, or was this just his twisted way of asserting dominance? He never put Blake or Kyan over his knee when they were bad. But then again, I wouldn’t have put it past him either.

  When his hand clapped against my ass for a fourth time, I couldn’t hide my reaction. A moan rolled from my lips and my legs spread wider, my ass lifting with an obvious desire for more. God what am I doing?

  I felt him fall still, his hand loosening in my hair, but he didn’t pull away.

  “Saint,” I said breathily, but he didn’t respond.

  He released me suddenly, yanking up my leggings and I swallowed back the ball in my throat as I turned to him, my cheeks flushed and my lips parted.

  He stared at me like he’d never seen me before and I took a step forward, unsure what I was seeking, but needing to be close to him. He didn’t move a muscle as I slipped into his personal space, drowning in his dangerous scent.

  I was courting the devil, but I didn’t care. I wanted to get past his defences, I ached to see the endless darkness in his eyes split apart and let me in. I wanted this. He wanted this. Did it need to mean anything more than that?

  “Do it again,” I whispered, a plea in my voice which didn’t sound like me at all. I wasn’t used to being submissive, but I was starting to get the idea that I might enjoy it if I tried. And with him somehow, it felt right. I didn’t feel like I was giving anything up, just releasing all responsibilities, all of the heaviness weighing on me to him and just being…free.

  “You like it,” he stated, no emotion in his voice but there was a hint of surprise in his gaze which said he was caught off guard and didn’t know how to react. But surely he must have had girls bent to his desires like that before? He could have had every girl in this school down on their knees for him or bent over a table while he gave them hell and indulged in his darkest fantasies. So why did he look almost…nervous?

  “You want to, don’t you?” I asked, reaching out to rest my hand on his chest and feel his heart pounding wildly beneath it. The confirmation that he was excited made my own heartbeat quicken. I wanted this far more than I should have. I ached to know what it would be like to surrender myself to this man and hand him the power he so desperately craved.

  Shit, am I really tempted to relinquish my control to this monster?

  “Go,” he snapped. “Shower. Dress. Get to class.” He pointed in the direction of Kyan and Blake’s bathroom and my heart juddered at being dismissed for the second time this morning.

  I stepped back, fearing the rage in his eyes and I headed away to do as he said, my ass still stinging from the impact of his hand.

  My heart didn’t slow for a long time and I expected to feel shame for offering myself to him when it did. But the shame didn’t come. Maybe some fundamental part of me needed to be freed from the chains that bound me to this world occasionally. Maybe I didn’t have to be embarrassed about that either. It was all so new to me, this craving. And I hated that Saint was the one who awoke it in me.

  I’d seen the starving creature in his eyes. I was sure he wanted this. But maybe the lines would become too blurry for him to act on those feelings. He would never break the rules. It was just a shame that I yearned for the touch of that particular monster, because even if I got the chance to get revenge on him for the terrible things he’d done to me, I couldn’t see any way to forgiving him. He would always be my cruellest nightmare, especially because he was now my most twisted desire.

  ***

  I sat in my last lesson of the day beside Mila near the back of the class. The Night Keepers had - so very graciously – allowed me to pick where I sat now instead of forcing me to be alone at the front of the class. Although, that gift was somewhat ruined by the fact that any classes I shared with them, they all sat around me like lions guarding a carcass. Which was fitting because it felt like they were tearing pieces of my flesh off with their teeth half the time.

  I’d made sure Mila sat with me, but I didn’t think she enjoyed being within their circle. She lowered her voice every time she spoke to me and shot them glances whenever we laughed. I, on the other hand, laughed my ass off and pretended they didn’t exist. Not even when Blake had prodded me in the back to get my attention for fifteen minutes straight. I was probably going to pay for my rudeness at some point, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to bow my head to them anymore and I was going to enjoy the time I spent with my friend whether they were breathing down the back of my neck or not. Kyan hadn’t spoken to me all day. He looked at me though. I could feel his gaze burning into me at all times and I tried not to let it affect me, but it was impossible.

  When the bell rang to sound the end of the day, I got up and headed out of the classroom with Mil
a, sensing the three dickwits following.

  “Will you be at the library tonight?” I asked Mila hopefully. I only had to spend a few hours back at The Temple before I could slip away to the solace of the library for study time. It had become my haven. A place where I could be entirely free of my binds, spend time with Mila and the Unspeakables and just be.

  “Yep, six o’clock sharp,” she said and I smiled.

  Someone shoved their way past me in the corridor and my bag was knocked to the floor, everything falling out of it because apparently life was a bitch and it couldn’t have fallen the right way up. I crouched down in annoyance, starting to pick up my shit as Pearl Devickers muttered virus-spreading slut and hurried on.

  “Hey!” Blake barked like a guard dog and I flinched at the sound, looking up at Pearl as she halted. “Get back here and pick up Tatum’s stuff,” he growled as Mila dropped down to help me gather everything.

  People were crowding past to try and get out of the way and some of my things were getting kicked further down the hall. Punch – gah, I mean Toby- appeared, hurrying to help pick up my things too.

  “You don’t have to,” I told him.

  “I want to.” He smiled genuinely and I smiled back.

  Pearl rushed back to help with her lips pursed and her pale cheeks touched with an angry red colour.

  “Plague, get up!” Saint snapped and I glanced over my shoulder at him with a frown.

  “I can do it-”

  “Get. Up,” he commanded and I noticed Kyan and Blake had formed a wall of muscle behind him to stop any more students from running by. Not that anyone was trying to now, they were all shrinking away from the Night Keepers like mice before hungry cats.

  I stood up and grabbed Mila’s hand to pull her to her feet too as Pearl scrambled to pick up all of my things. She had been the one to knock my bag out of my hands after all.

  Saint snapped his fingers impatiently and Deepthroat, Squits and Freeloader ran to help her, carefully putting everything back into my bag as Pearl and Toby handed it to them.