Ryland Academy Rules: A High School Bully Romance Box Set

by Mya West

  “I’m just sick of the games.”

  “You’re right. It’s a game. These rich people don’t know what people like us had to deal with in life. They can never understand. That’s what makes us smarter. That’s what makes us better at this game than them. We know the real world, and they don’t. So, use what you know to get ahead.”

  I breath heavy. “To get the power.”

  Senator Ferlong grabs my hand. “And make them grovel.”

  Chapter 10

  “It feels like it’s been ages since I kissed you,” Chase’s warm voice says. It comes off sexier when I talk to him on the phone. “I can’t tonight though.”

  Rejection.

  I talk to Chase a little bit more, and then we end our conversation. I’m extremely bummed out after the charity function and could have used a pick me up like Chase. I walk around my house and try and figure out what else to do with my time.

  I had already called Bryce, but he couldn’t hang out today either, since he’s practicing for his big show tomorrow. Danna has been a complete no-show lately. Any time I text her, she gives me one-word replies, as if she is suddenly too busy for anyone.

  I even had messaged Thomas Winters to attempt to have him drive me into the city to visit Candice, but even my driver is too busy for me!

  Instead, I sulk in my room, bored as fuck. A whole mansion at my disposal, and I find myself bored.

  I think about messaging Jaxson, but feel a tinge of guilt. Chase turns me down, so I ask out his roommate? Seems messed up.

  My whole life is messed up.

  Chase or Jaxson?

  Why can’t I decide to save my life? Both are extremely handsome and charming in their own ways. Chase has a way with words, where Jaxson is very sweet with his.

  If I’m being completely honest, part of me likes the attention and power I seem to have over both.

  I feel my mind racing a mile a minute, and decide the rest of my body should join. I put on my runners and decide to go for a jog around the property.

  I wave goodbye to Marta before leaving the guesthouse. I don’t even bother locking the house now. A few days ago, I would have been scared shitless even being in the guesthouse after the note I found in my room, but Arthur Cain—despite being many things—is certainly good for his word.

  When I walk outside, a tall man dressed in a dark suit speaks into a microphone. Arthur Cain has doubled his security staff on the premises after what happened. Part of me would be flattered, if I didn’t know his true intentions as to why. He just received a reward for helping a poor ghetto girl from the city. How would it look if said ghetto girl hightailed it out because of threats she received while on the Cains’ property?

  He had to protect his investment.

  I stretch a bit, when another larger security guard runs awkwardly up to me. “Not again,” he says under his breath.

  “I like to run,” I say with a smile. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

  The security guy looks at me coldly. “Twice in a day. Stop thinking.”

  I laugh. “They can assign me someone who is up for a run if they want.” Before he answers I break out into a light jog. The security guy keeps pace with me for several minutes.

  “Just don’t go so fast,” he says between breaths. I pick up my speed on purpose. “Ugh, not again.” The large security guy gives up and hunches over, speaking into his microphone to the rest of the staff.

  Why they assigned him to me specifically, I have no clue, but I do like messing with him now. Bart, I believe his name is. This is my third run with him assigned to me, and each time, he gives up earlier and earlier.

  I think next time I put my runners on, he won’t even bother trying.

  I run past the gym and onto a path leading into a wooded area around the mansion. My last few runs, I took turns choosing new paths to try. I’m surprised by how many paths they have surrounding the area. I spot another security guard stationed on the pathway.

  He smiles at me when he notices no one else around me. “Where’s Bart?” he asks.

  “He may need CPR,” I say, laughing. The security guard shakes his head and says something into the microphone. I continue my run.

  I make it to a small clearing in the woods, where I haven’t been before. I wonder to myself just how big their property is.

  Large spiral gates surround the small area. I slow down to a walk when I notice a large headstone almost hidden beside a willow tree. A small opening in the fence leads into the small burial ground. The large headstone looks to be made of a light-colored marble, with cherub angels on either side reaching into the sky. The large lettering on the headstone is unmistakably Jenna Cain.

  Lance’s mother, I realize.

  Suddenly, I hear a voice and almost jump. Lance comes out from underneath the willow tree holding a long-stemmed pink rose.

  “I’ve tried everything,” Lance says to the headstone. “Nothing will work.” He places the rose in front of the headstone. “I failed.” He pauses and wipes at the side of his eye. “You would be ashamed of the man I’m becoming.”

  “So, don’t become that man,” I hear myself say bitterly. I’m surprised I even said a word given, where we are. I should know better than to pick a fight with Lance Cain, especially when he’s visiting his deceased mother. Maybe I’m becoming something I would have been ashamed with as well.

  Lance turns his head slowly and lowers it. He laughs to himself and shakes his head. “You’ve got timing,” he says. “Did you follow me?”

  “Just out for a run.”

  He looks around. “Where’s your security?”

  “About a mile or so back,” I say with a laugh.

  Lance shakes his head. “How much of what I said did you hear?”

  “How much are you trying to hide?”

  He bites his lower lip and comes closer to me. “You’re not going to hit me again, are you?”

  I stare at him coldly. “Depends how close you get.”

  He comes up closer to me, until our hands are almost touching. I put my hands on my sides to keep them away from him. “Why haven’t you left Ryland?”

  I roll my eyes. “Why do you want me to leave so bad?”

  Lance looks around again. When he seems to think we are alone he whispers, “To save you.”

  “Save me from the rich lifestyle? You don’t want me to be like you? Jealous?”

  “I’m trying to help you. You’re in danger.”

  I sigh. “You’re something, Lance. First, you publish my diary for the whole student body at Ryland Academy. Then, you try your little scare tactics with the notes and the car that was following me.”

  Lances shakes his head more aggressively as I continue to speak. He puts his hands on the side of my face and brings me closer to him. “Stop—just stop talking. We don’t have much time.” He loosens his grip and lowers his hands to my hips.

  I feel my heart beat faster when I look him in the eyes. His eyes, for a change, are soft and welcoming.

  “I tried to get you to leave on your own, but man, are you stubborn as hell.” I can’t help but smile at that comment. “You need to leave—now. Before this goes any further. My father is not what he seems.”

  “I know that already. I found that out yesterday when he used me as a trophy.”

  Lance shakes his head again. “More than that. They want to k—”

  The large security guard, Bart, walks up to the cemetery gate out of breath. “Hey!” he coughs out.

  Lance leans in closer and kisses me. His soft lips wrap around mine. His small peck turns into a more sensual kiss. I feel his tongue between my lips, and I welcome it fully. In this moment, all the pain Lance has caused means nothing. I feel my stomach explode with butterflies.

  Bart stumbles up to us. “What are you two doing?”

  “What does it look like, Bart,” Lance says coldly. “You mind giving us some privacy?”

  Bart shakes his head. “No way. I’m not losing my sight on this on
e again,” he says, pointing at me.

  Arthur Cain walks into the small cemetery, holding a bouquet of pink roses. He can’t hold back his curious look when he sees the three of us.

  “Didn’t expect company,” he says.

  “I was just leaving,” Lance says with a cold look at his father.

  “You all done with your make-out session, then?” Bart says laughing.

  Arthur looks at his son with a smirk, then at me. “Interesting.”

  Lance looks at Bart with a similar expression, which quiets his laughter immediately. He turns back to the headstone. “I miss you,” he says before leaving the fenced in area abrasively.

  Arthur Cain walks up beside me. “I think we both get a little emotional today. It’s the anniversary of her passing.”

  My anger for Arthur Cain is sidelined momentarily. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Arthur places the flowers besides Lance’s rose, ignoring me. I get the hint. “I’m going to continue my run.”

  I look back at Bart with devilish a smile. His expression is nothing less than pure terror.

  Chapter 11

  Danna

  “If Bryce was here, he would shit his pants,” Danna thinks to her herself. The flickering of torches inside the clock tower would certainly scare her best friend, but for her, it creates the complete opposite emotion.

  She had been carefully planning for this for several days. She didn’t go out, barely slept and ate—not that this was a problem for her before, but it was all worth it for this moment.

  She had been sneaking into the clock tower after school for days now. It didn’t take her long to find a loose basement window of the old clock tower to sneak into. Most normal sized people would not be able to squeeze through a small window like she did, but her petite body came in use.

  She found an old large crate covered with a tattered sheet her first night sneaking inside. She made small holes inside the crate to view what was happening from all angles. The holes were big enough for her and her camera to see through. She planned to video anything and everything she saw.

  Much to Danna’s surprise, nothing happened for several days. While she sat inside the hollowed-out crate, taking turns at different peep holes, it was beginning to seem that her efforts to find out anything about the Beasts were useless, and her unwavering enthusiasm was finally starting to disappear.

  Whatever Elle, Bryce, and she saw last week could have been a one-time thing.

  But she had a hunch, and when she had a gut-wrenching one, she had to follow through, even if it meant sitting inside a crate doing shit all for several days.

  It all came to fruition tonight.

  She knew something good was going to happen when she saw a few cloaked men dressed in black suits pass her. She witnessed the men in black speak into a microphone head sets to one another.

  At one point, Thomas Winters walked up to one of the men in black, and said, “Only warning, don’t mess up again tonight.” The man nodded back in understanding.

  What was Elle’s driver doing in the clock tower?

  When she observed the first flickering of a torch in the dark clock tower, she almost wanted to jump up with joy.

  Finally, something is happening.

  This would be her big break—maybe her only one. How many journalists get a life changing story in high school?

  This could start her career on the right path. She could see herself anchoring a cable news show within a few years. Danna Marson, the youngest news personality ever.

  She could picture herself, in front of the cameras, dolled up to her best for the world to see.

  First, of course, was breaking the story in front of her. A few more flickering torches broke her daydream.

  She hadn’t turned on the camera, because of course, the night that something finally happens, she didn’t charge it fully. She wanted to save her battery for the good stuff, whatever that would be. She decides that a few shots of cloaked people with torches would be a good start.

  She turns on her camera, and a bright light illuminates the crate. She quickly covers the light with her finger. She peeks around different holes, but doesn’t see any movement that would suggest she was caught.

  She starts recording when she sees more torches. She tries to zoom in on the cloaked people, but can’t make out any faces.

  She wishes she had moved the crate a few feet closer to the action. She knows if she did though, someone could notice.

  Three men walk into a corner and remove their cloaks. It isn’t very hard to make out that one of them is Chase Aldridge. His handsome good looks and boyish charm made him an obsession of Danna’s for years. She is pretty sure he didn’t even know who she was until she became friends with Elle.

  Danna isn’t completely shocked that he’s involved with the Beasts. Afterall, his father is principal of Ryland Academy. How would something like this go on for years without the staff knowing or being a part of it?

  The guy beside Chase is also easily identifiable. Lance Cain takes a cigarette from his pack out.

  “Security is going to give you shit again, Lance,” the third man says. She can’t quite make him out, although he has a large physique.

  “Fuck the rent-a-cops,” he says back in a challenging tone.

  “I almost want them to catch you,” the third man says. “All this shit could have been over by now, if you didn’t get in the way.”

  “Like you have any chance of winning,” Chase says with a devilish smile. “Jaxson, you never had a chance. You may as well duck out now before you embarrass yourself. Your problem? You don’t have the balls to finish it.” Chase looks at Lance. “Same for you as well, which surprises me. I’m beginning to think you’re just a huge pussy, Lance.”

  Lance takes the torch in his hand and uses it to light his cigarette. “The King is open to any challengers.”

  Jaxson laughs to himself, but Chase continues to smile at him, not in a welcoming way. He almost looks psychotic with the flickering torch near his face.

  “You fucked with me too, Lance,” Chase says. “Pull that again, and maybe this ends with you instead of her.”

  Lance breaths out a large puff of grey smoke into his face. “Any time. Any where.”

  Chase laughs. “My gun range, with pistols. We can do an old school dual.”

  Danna’s phone—which she had placed on the bottom of the crate—starts to vibrate. She thought she had her phone on silent, and freaks out with every vibration her phone makes.

  She notices the call is from Elle, and quickly rejects her call. She immediately turns off her phone completely.

  “Elle, you have the worst fucking timing,” she thinks to herself. Danna looks through the peep hole, only to find Chase and Jaxson still there, but no Lance. She quickly looks through some of the other holes, but can’t see him anywhere.

  A few more cloaked people walk into the clock tower. Jaxson nods at a few of them s they pass.

  Jaxson looks back towards Chase. “Can you do it? Seriously? It’s all I’ve been thinking of since they told us what was expected.”

  Chase continues to smile at Jaxson. With every word, his smile widens. “This is going to be too easy.”

  Jaxson sighs. “So the Ritual, you’re cool with it? I mean, it’s pretty fucked up.”

  Ritual?

  Jaxson continues. “You’re telling me you don’t have any feelings for her?” Chase says nothing. Jaxson smirks. “You truly are cold hearted, Chase. A fucking psycho.”

  Chase folds his arms. “Elle Maven is just a means to an end. I need to win this. Ever since Arthur Cain won against my father, he’s hung it over my dad for over twenty years. It’s my time now.” Chase looks off into the distance. “I don’t give a fuck if you heard that. You think you’re royalty around here. You’re just a loser who hasn’t realized he lost already.”

  Jaxson shoves Chase. “You guys are like cats and dogs. Let’s go, Chase. Your dad’s going to be pissed if he thinks you’re late again.” />
  Chase gives another look towards the crate. Danna almost feels caught, until she realizes he’s looking past her. Chase and Jaxson walk towards a group of other flickering torches in the near distance.

  Danna breaths slowly.

  Danna feels her heart racing. It feels like it’s going to burst out of her chest. As soon as the Beasts meeting is over, she will tell Elle everything. Hell, she recorded it. There’s no denying what’s happening. She is the focus of everything. She is part of some Ritual that Jaxson, Chase, and Lance are in.

  Just when she thinks she’s alone, she hears a deep voice. “They think I’ve lost. I’ll show them both.” Danna hears Lancelot Cain breath out smoke. Some of it enters through the tattered sheet. With her heart racing and respiratory system excited, the smoke quickly enters her virgin lungs. She can taste the cigarette as if it’s on her own lips. She feels like she’s about to cough, but manages to maintain her silence by squeezing her fingers into her mouth harder.

  She feels a gust of wind on the backside of her neck as the sheet is removed above her. She looks up and sees Lance staring coldly at her in return.

  He smirks. “How much of that did you get?”

  Chapter 12

  I finish putting on my makeup and check myself out in the mirror. I’m wearing a new black dress that fits my figure well.

  I have no clue how to dress for Bryce’s gala, but feel like I look damn good.

  I call Danna again for the umpteenth time, but it goes straight to voicemail. We were supposed to go together to the function, but she hasn’t texted or called me back in over a day. I don’t understand why she’s been so distant lately. When I text her, she sends me back one-word answers. When I call, she doesn’t answer. When I see her at school, she looks like she’s hasn’t slept in days.

  I’m not sure what’s wrong with Danna. Even though she’s a new friend for me, I need to call her out on this kind of stuff. I plan on doing so at some point tonight, if she even shows up.

  Since she was my ride there, I need to figure out something. I have a few more hours before the function starts. I consider taking a taxi instead of calling Thomas Winters for a ride. When I’ve called him lately, I can almost hear him swear under his breath.