Tricked: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Longhorn Academy Dark Bully Romance Book 1)

by Amy Brown

  At first he looks surprised, but then he nods. “Actually, that would be great. It would be good for her to talk to someone other than me.”

  “She may not want a stranger around though.”

  He stands. “No. She won’t care.” He holds out his hand. “Come on.”

  I rise, feeling nervous. “Now I’m worried she won’t want me to see her. I don’t think I’d want a stranger visiting me if I was laid up in bed.”

  “She’s bored and sad. That’s why she’s texting me. I think she’ll be happy to have someone new to whine to.” His laugh softens his words.

  “Well, I’ll try to cheer her up.” I take his hand, and my pulse skitters. His hand is big compared to mine.

  He tugs me after him, out of the room and up the curving staircase. My shoes slip on the marble flooring, and I have to hurry to keep up with him. When we reach the landing, he leads me down a long hallway with a series of painted portraits. Are those the illustrious Johnsons ancestors who helped to amass the wealth he enjoys today?

  We pass room after room, and I wonder if one of them is his. We finally stop at a set of double doors, and he knocks. A female voice calls out for us to enter, and he pushes open the oak doors. There’s an elderly lady in a nurse’s uniform sitting near the fireplace, and a woman in a huge bed. The walnut posts on the bed are almost as wide and tall as me. The lady in the bed is wearing a pink negligee, like something out of a Doris Day film, and her hair and makeup are impeccable. If I was stuck in bed with a sprained ankle, I’d probably look like a heroin addict, not a movie star.

  The nurse nods to us. “Hello,” she says.

  “Hey, Greta. I thought we’d come and cheer Mom up.” He ushers me closer to the woman in the bed.

  “Good idea,” Greta says cheerfully.

  Mason’s mom looks surprised to see me. Not unhappy, just surprised. She smiles and puts a hand to her hair. “You’ve brought me a visitor, Mason?” Her eyes are the same color as Mason’s, and her features similar, but more delicate.

  Mason stops in front of her and releases my hand. My fingers still tingle from his touch as she looks me up and down. Her gaze is so intense, I’m thankful for the money Fred has spent on my clothes and hair. I can probably hold up to her scrutiny, thanks to his generosity.

  Mason doesn’t introduce me right away, so I move closer. “I’m… I’m Charity.”

  “You’re so pretty,” she says softly.

  Heat fills my cheeks. “Oh, well, thank you.” I laugh awkwardly.

  “Charity has no idea how pretty she is,” Mason announces.

  My cheeks burn and even the nurse is staring at me. I decide we should change the subject. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Johnson?” I ask.

  “Like I fell down a flight of stairs.” She sighs, brushing her hand over the fluffy comforter that covers her legs. “And please, call me Olivia.”

  “Okay,” I murmur. “I’m sorry you’re stuck in bed.”

  “Me too.” Olivia frowns. “I really gave myself a scare.”

  “Thankfully, you only tripped once you were at the bottom.” Mason perches on the edge of her mattress. “Otherwise you could have broken your neck.”

  Olivia winces. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Oh, but I will remind you, Mother Dear. You need to be more careful.” His voice is stern.

  She flicks her embarrassed gaze to mine. “Don’t be mean to me in front of Charity. You’ll make her uncomfortable.”

  He laughs. “Right. You’re worried about her feelings.”

  I’m a bit uneasy that he’s being so brusque with her. I wouldn’t blame her if she’s embarrassed to be scolded in front of me. “How long will you be stuck in bed?” I ask, smiling at her. I’m supposed to be here to help cheer her up, but so far Mason is making her look more depressed.

  She sighs. “Today is the last day I’m stuck in bed. The doctor says tomorrow I can get up and move around with crutches. But I don’t like using crutches.”

  Mason laughs. “You haven’t used them yet.”

  “I’ve heard they hurt your arm pits.” She shrugs.

  “I had to use crutches when I was a freshman in high school,” I volunteer. “I tripped over my brother’s Wii and almost killed myself.”

  Olivia widens her eyes. “Oh, no.”

  I smile. “The worst part was I broke his Wii.” It really was a horrible thing because the Wii had been a gift to us from a neighbor whose son had moved on to a PlayStation. There was no way to fix the Wii, and we couldn’t afford to replace it either. I’d been guilty for months.

  “You hurt yourself, in addition to the Wii?” Olivia asks.

  “I sprained my ankle.”

  “I feel your pain. Left or right?” She scans my legs as if she can tell by looking.

  “Right.”

  “Me too.” She sighs. “I can’t believe I was so clumsy.”

  Mason’s expression tenses, giving me the impression her accident was more than just clumsiness. His dad isn’t abusive, I hope? I don’t know much about Mason’s family. He only mentioned his dad in passing that night at the lake. From the little he said, I gathered Mr. Johnson is a workaholic.

  “I healed faster than the doctor said I would.” I smile encouragingly at her. “I really only used the crutches for about three days and then I was fine without them.”

  “Really?” Olivia looks hopeful.

  “Yes. I think you’ll be up and about in no time.”

  “That would be wonderful. I don’t know what to do with myself stuck in bed all day. I think I’ve read every book in the house and watched every Netflix show available.” She grimaces.

  “I’m surprised you had time to do any of that since you text me so much.” Mason’s smile is affectionate.

  “I don’t text you that often.” She sighs. “Only when I’m bored.”

  “Which is always.” He laughs.

  My heart clutches at how nice his smile is. He’s always very serious around me, and when he does smile, it often feels forced. The smile he’s giving his mom is possibly the only really genuine smile I’ve seen.

  I wish he’d smile at me like that.

  Actually, that would be disaster. I have enough trouble keeping him at arm’s length already. If he smiled at me all the time, I’d probably give him anything he wants. Anything.

  I watch Mason playfully teasing his mom, and I’m sucked in whether I like it or not. It’s obvious he loves her, and he’s worried about her. He teases her, but he’s also affectionate with her. He holds her hand and leans toward her when he talks. I love seeing this side of him, even as I hate it. I don’t want to like him too much. I’m already super attracted to him sexually, and if I start really liking him as a person too, God help me.

  I’m still not sure what his intentions are toward me. A part of me isn’t that insulted if he might just want to sleep with me. I get it. Guys his age are horny, and not ready to settle down with one person. I’m not ready to settle down myself. Mostly I don’t want to sleep with Mason because my focus needs to be on school, not boys. But I’m seventeen now, and I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to sleep with a cool kid like Mason. Would the other kids at school start treating me differently? Would I suddenly be popular if Mason was interested in me?

  I’ve never been terribly concerned with popularity. Most kids at Longhorn Academy treat me okay, but the girls like Sophia and Jules are rude to me. It’s as if I’ve mortally offended them by existing. I don’t think they even know I used to live in a trailer park, and they’re still horrible to me. I can just imagine how detestable they’d act if they knew about my poverty stricken past.

  I think Mason is the only one who knows the truth about my former living situation. He’s never brought it up to me, so maybe he’s forgotten? Maybe he doesn’t care? I haven’t told anyone about how my life has changed because of Fred. How would a conversation like that even start? People don’t just go around announcing their mom married a billionaire.


  “I’m glad Mason is making new friends.” Olivia addresses me.

  “Are you?” I ask softly. I’m not really sure Mason and I are truly friends. I have no idea what we are.

  “Yes. Some of the girls he brings around are terrible.” Olivia doesn’t even flinch when her son groans. “You seem like a nice person.”

  I laugh gruffly. “Well, I try.” Does he bring girls here all the time?

  “You think she’s nice? You should have seen how mean she was to me the first time I met her.” Mason looks smug.

  “Don’t tell her that,” I grumble. Does he want her to dislike me?

  “She was downright rude,” he continues.

  “Oh, really?” Olivia laughs. “Good. You probably deserved it.”

  “What?” Mason scowls. “Why would you say that?”

  Even though I’m embarrassed he’s called me out, I can’t help but grin at the two of them bickering.

  “You’re far too cocky. I’m glad if Charity put you in your place.” Olivia meets my gaze. “He gets that cocky side from his father.”

  I smile. “Is that right?”

  “I’m not cocky. I’m confident.” Mason laughs.

  Olivia chuckles as she studies me. “Where did you two meet?”

  It’s an innocent, and even obvious, question, but as I meet Mason’s gaze, I’m surprised to see he looks as uneasy as me. I get the strong feeling he has no desire to admit how we met. I’m fine with that. I don’t want to remember that damn trailer park anyway, and I’m afraid his mom might stop being so nice to me if she knows how poor I was.

  “At school. In the cafeteria,” Mason says quickly. “I spilled my soda on her.”

  I frown, wondering why he’s lying to her. I know why I’m lying, but why is he lying? Is he protecting me? He knows his mom better than me. Maybe she truly would be mortified to know I used to live in a trailer park.

  “Oh, that’s horrible,” Olivia says. “I hope you paid to have her clothes cleaned.”

  “Of course,” Mason says. “I was a perfect gentleman. Right, Charity?”

  I have no idea what to say. I hate lying to his mom, but I also don’t want to blow Mason’s story. “Well, perfect might be a stretch,” I say softly.

  Olivia starts laughing. “I knew I liked her.” She sighs. “I’m happy you two came to see me. I was feeling down, but now I feel much better.”

  “I’m glad,” I say.

  “We should get back to the books.” Mason stands, and plants a kiss on his mom’s cheek. “I’ll come see you later tonight.”

  “Promise?” Olivia sounds like a little girl.

  “Sure.” He meets my gaze. “Ready to do some more studying?”

  “Yep.”

  Olivia holds out her hand to me. “You come and see me again some time, okay? It was wonderful to meet you, Charity.”

  “You too.” Her hand is soft as velvet, and I worry she’ll feel my callouses. If she does, she doesn’t acknowledge it. I follow Mason from her room, and down the staircase.

  As we enter the study again, I say, “Your mom is nice.”

  “She liked you.” He sounds almost puzzled.

  I’m not sure if I should be insulted or not. Why shouldn’t she like me? I’m a nice enough person. “Why didn’t you want her to know how we met?” I ask.

  He sighs, and glances around as if someone might hear us. “My parents don’t want me to work.”

  “Really?” I frown.

  “Nope. I don’t even officially have a job. I simply pick up a few deliveries from Travis when he’s wasted. I make a little of my own money, and figure what my parents don’t know won’t hurt them.”

  I’m mystified why he’d hide that part of his life from his family. “Why won’t they let you work?”

  “Mom wants me to focus on school, and dad feels my working reflects poorly on him.” He sits at the desk again. “Image is everything to Dad.”

  “Huh.” I study him intently.

  “Image is everything to most people.”

  “Not me.”

  “Well, no. Probably not you.”

  Something about his tone bugs me. “What does that mean?”

  He raises his brows. “What?”

  “You don’t think image should matter to me?” I grumble.

  He laughs, looking confused. “You just said it doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, but… it could. If I was silly enough to worry about superficial stuff like you and your friends.”

  He narrows his eyes. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Charity. I simply mean I get why image isn’t a big deal for you.”

  I’m not sure why I’m getting so worked up. Of course he still thinks I’m dirt poor, and poor slobs don’t generally obsess over their public image. Maybe his attitude bothers me because he seems dismissive? As if I have no right to care about how people look at me.

  “You think I’m beneath you, don’t you?” I ask softly.

  His gaze flickers. “No.”

  Liar.

  “Do you think people with money are better than people… like me?” Maybe I’m living the life of luxury now, but truth is, I don’t feel any different than before. I have nicer clothes, and I live in a gorgeous house, but I still relate to people who have nothing, more than the rich. It irks me that people like Mason think they’re better than me and my family, simply because of their bank accounts.

  He looks uneasy, and he shakes his head. “You’re getting offended for no reason.”

  “Does it feel better to fuck rich girls than poor girls?”

  He scowls. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m asking a serious question. Do you prefer rich pussy to poor?” I hold his annoyed gaze. “If rich people are better than poor people, why wouldn’t you rather fuck a rich girl?”

  He seems to catch himself, and his eyes harden. “I’d love to fuck you, Charity. Just say the word. Poor or not, I’d do you in a heartbeat.”

  A thrill goes through me, but I keep my expression placid. “I’m surprised you’d lower yourself. Think of your image, Mason.”

  He runs his tongue over his lower lip. “It’s nobody’s business who I screw.”

  I shiver. “I see. It would be our little secret?”

  Shrugging, he says, “I don’t usually sleep with girls and announce it anyway.”

  “What a gentleman.”

  He runs his eyes over my body, and I squirm. “You’re just a reverse snob. You don’t like me because I’m rich. How are you any better? You’re judging me too.”

  “Poor little rich boy,” I say softly.

  Irritation flutters through his eyes. “I liked you better the night of the bonfire. You were a lot nicer to me.”

  “I was drunk.”

  “I don’t think that was the only reason you were so… friendly.” His voice lowers. “I think you’re curious. Curious what it would feel like to be with a rich, popular guy.”

  He’s not wrong. But I don’t want him knowing that, so I curl my lip. “I can’t stand you people.”

  He laughs. “Bullshit. You loved my tongue inside you.”

  My face is hot and my nipples prickle at his husky voice. I did love it. I think about that night all the time. But I don’t want him knowing that. He’s already so damn sure of himself.

  “Are girls really so stupid they fall for this arrogant crap?”

  He smirks. “Generally.”

  “Girls like Sophia probably eat it up.”

  He grimaces. “I haven’t had her yet, but I probably will. She’s been hinting she wants me.”

  The idea of him screwing Sophia pisses me off. Jealousy pulses through me at the very thought of them together. But instead of showing that, I say, “Yeah. Go fuck Sophia. You two deserve each other.”

  “She’d be good for my image.”

  “Image is everything I hear.” I stand, my anger getting the best of me. “I think I’m ready to go home now.” I text my mom to come get me without waiting for his resp
onse.

  He actually looks disappointed. “So soon?”

  I chuff. “I’m just thinking of you. Imagine the hit to your reputation if anyone finds out I was here.”

  “I’m willing to risk it.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  He sighs. “You really want to leave?”

  “Yes.” I tuck my books into my backpack.

  He shakes his head. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I have no idea why you’re being so prickly.”

  “You don’t need to understand me.”

  He studies me, his gaze enigmatic. “I’m not giving up.”

  A warm flush goes through me as he runs his eyes over my body. “I don’t want you,” I lie. “Go chase after Sophia and leave me alone.”

  “No,” he says softly. “I’ve had a taste, and I’m not quitting just yet.”

  I shiver. “You’re like a child. You just want what you can’t have.”

  His eyes glitter. “Oh, I’ll have you eventually, Charity. Don’t you worry about that.”

  I give a sharp intake of breath because it’s like he’s physically touching me as his voice washes over me. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I do Mason. Sometimes I feel like he has me hypnotized. My body responds to his words like metal shards to a magnet. He draws me in even when I fight the pull.

  But I’m not a pawn. I’m not his play thing. He can’t just have me because he decides he should. Mason Johnson needs a lesson in humility, and I’m going to be the one to teach him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mason

  I saw Charity in class today, but she was back to being frosty. She runs hot and cold like no chick I’ve ever known. Travis is having a party tonight, so most of us are going to his house instead of the bonfire. I thought about inviting Charity as my date, but I’d probably have gotten freezer burn if I tried talking to her.

  Maybe I’ve been too nice to her. Ignoring her should bring her back around. I’ll let her simmer over the weekend, and then pick up the chase on Monday. I know she wants me. It’s just a matter of time before she breaks down and gives in. The waiting is killing me, but I have no choice.

  I took a half day at school today because I need to pick up some things for Mom at the store. We have an entire staff at her disposal, but I’m the one who has to buy her tampons? As I go down the aisles scanning the five thousand types of shampoo and conditioner, my thoughts drift to Charity.