The Judgement: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (Breakbattle Academy Book 4)

by Ruby Vincent

  Nine minutes on the dot, the gates of the manor rumbled open. A swanky, red convertible kicked up gravel over the driveway. Bass poured out of souped-up speakers, rattling the car and my teeth.

  That can’t be Cole. Who the hell did I just invite to Adam’s house?

  Peering through the window, a complete stranger looked back at me. I had a second of surprise before I slid off her face and noticed the guy sitting next to her. Even this far, I could see his scowl.

  The woman killed the engine and thankfully the noise went with it.

  I so rarely saw him out of uniform, I felt justified in being taken aback when he hopped out of the car. It wasn’t his outfit. Everyone looked underdressed next to Landon, but something about Cole’s style of simple jeans and plain name brands suited him in a way suits and ties never would. His true home was the water where he didn’t need clothes, so why worry about them when he was on land?

  No. What truly surprised me was the metal ring through his pink, bottom lip. Through magic only Cole Reed possessed, it elevated him from casually handsome to sinfully gorgeous. That ticked-off-with-the-world twist to his lips only added to the effect.

  He climbed the stairs, only stopping when he was in front of me. “Zee,” he said by way of greeting.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off his mouth. “When did you get that?”

  He scowled and peered over his shoulder. “A week ago. I lost a bet.”

  I followed his gaze to the woman in the car. “Is she... your mom?”

  “Fuck no. That’s my older sister, Chris.”

  I started. “You have an older sister? Why didn’t I know that?”

  He swung back around. “We can talk about all the things you still don’t know about me later. You ready to go?”

  “Go? Go where?”

  Cole gave me a funny look. “My place. Obviously.”

  “Oh, but— Val said you can stay for lunch.”

  He shook his head. “Too many people in that house and one of them is Moon.” He made his back to the car. “Tell her I said thanks, but you’ll eat at my place.”

  “But—”

  “Hurry up before Chris leaves us both.”

  Not knowing what else to do, I went back inside and asked Val to let me go with Cole. She said yes easily and that’s how I found myself in the back of a red convertible, zipping off Adam’s estate.

  “This is a nice car!” I shouted over the music.

  Chris beamed at me in the rearview mirror. She looked exactly like her brother. Or, her brother looked exactly like her. Seriously, if I slapped a wig on Cole, Christina would look back at me. “Thanks! Twenty-first birthday present!”

  “It was nice of you to—!”

  Cole flicked the music off.

  “Nice of you to pick me up,” I finished in a normal tone.

  A snort caught my attention. “She had no choice,” said Cole. “Not after running my car into a fucking tree.”

  Chris heaved a sigh. “When are you going to let that go, Chubs? It rolled down a hill. It happens.”

  “Not when you put the emergency brake on,” he hissed. “Like everyone else can remember to do.”

  She shrugged. “Accidents happen. You should just be thankful I wasn’t hurt.”

  “I said you couldn’t drive my car at all!”

  “What was I supposed to do? Trish threw an insane party back at school and I didn’t have a ride. You’re my little brother. What’s yours is mine.”

  I jumped when Cole twisted around to face me. He jerked a thumb at his sister. “She loses her last car over unpaid parking tickets, comes home, swipes mine while I’m sleeping, wrecks it, and then Dad buys her a new one for her birthday. That’s fucking typical.”

  Chris’s laughter filled the car. “Yours will be fixed up in a couple days. Stop bitching and introduce me to your friend.”

  Cole spun around in his seat and directed his glare out of the window. It became clear I’d have to do the introductions myself.

  “I’m Zeke,” I said. “Nice to meet you, Chris.”

  “It’s Christina.” She swept her hand over her shoulder in a smooth move that sent a sweet waft of berry shampoo into my nose. “I’m Chubs’s more talented, more attractive, and certainly more charming older sister.”

  I stifled a giggle at Cole’s growl. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who liked him riled up, but then, my reasons were different. “Why do you call him Chubs?”

  “Don’t answer that,” Cole cut in.

  Christina plowed on like he hadn’t spoken. “Because he was the cutest little chunk monster when he was a baby. Rolls upon rolls of fat like that Star Trek guy.”

  “Star Wars,” Cole corrected automatically, “and no, I wasn’t!”

  Chris turned around, unheeding of the fact that she was driving, and winked at me. “I’ve got pictures. Lots of them. I’ll show you.”

  I didn’t hold back my giggle this time. Christina teased and Cole sniped the whole ride back to his place.

  It was a strange feeling watching them. The strangling sadness loosened its hold, but seeing them still made me think of Derek. I wondered if we’d ever go back to messing with each other like this.

  Christina parked the car half on the driveway and half on the grass. She hopped off and skipped into the mansion without a backward glance.

  “I’m sorry about her,” he mumbled. “There’s a 666 tattooed on her skull somewhere but I haven’t been able to prove it.”

  Laughing, I shoved his shoulder. “Stop it. I like her.”

  “You would.” He opened his door and got out. “Let’s go. I’ll give you the tour.”

  Cole pushed up his seat and reached in for me to take his hand. It seemed like he lingered a few seconds longer than necessary before letting me go, but I might have imagined it.

  Clearing his throat, he shoved his hands in his pockets and strode off. “We’ll start inside.”

  The outside of Cole’s home was simple compared to Landon’s and even Adam’s. Beautiful of course, but understated in the simple white paint and gray roof and shutters.

  “What do your parents do?” I asked.

  “Mom and Dad both work for my grandad’s fertilizer company.” He pulled open the door and swept out a hand for me to go inside. “This is his place. Mom inherited it after he passed away.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “I was two. I don’t remember him.”

  I walked in and the first thing I saw was Cole. A miniature version of Cole with Christina’s arms around him and a handsome older couple smiling with them. The portrait took over the wall of the entryway.

  “Aw,” I cried. “You were cute... and fat. Christina wasn’t lying.”

  “Shut up.” An arm hooked around my waist and dragged a chuckling me down the hall. I didn’t imagine it this time, Cole’s hand lingered on my hip as he showed me the first and second living room.

  “This is the kitchen.”

  We walked into a bright, open, country-style space. Cole dropped his hand, but I grabbed it before he stepped away.

  His head snapped around, eyes widening slightly as I slowly, but deliberately, put his hand back where it was. Something Adam said ran through my mind.

  “I’m not going to deny what I want anymore.”

  “Thanks for picking me up.” I molded my body to his side and heard his breath catch. “I was seconds away from losing it.”

  Cole didn’t say anything for a minute. “Why?”

  For the second time that day, I went for honesty. “Because of Derek. I ruined everything between us and I don’t know how to get him back.”

  “You shouldn’t have to get him back. If he’s not a complete idiot, he’ll come crawling back to you.”

  I smiled without mirth. “No, this time I screwed up. He has every reason to not want anything to do with me.”

  Cole fell quiet. I had the feeling he wasn’t in the role of comforting someone often, but just having his warmth spread t
hrough me was helping.

  “Are your parents home?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “Good.” I leaned my head back and met his eyes. “Then we can take this tour to your room.”

  Cole’s skin was so fair there was no mistaking his reddening cheeks. “Yeah. Uh. It’s— It’s upstairs.”

  His hand disappeared from my waist and took mine. He led me up a staircase lined with more family photos. Scowling Cole was to be seen in plenty of them, but there were even more of him smiling with his sister, mom, dad, and a scruffy behemoth.

  I paused. “What is that?”

  “My dog. Toby.” He tugged my hand. “My room is this way.”

  “You have a dog?”

  Cole grinned down at me. “I told you there was a lot you didn’t know.”

  “I want to change that.”

  There was a definite quickening of pace as he brought me to a door just off the staircase. Music poured out of the one across from his and I didn’t need to ask who lived there.

  Cole’s room was how I pictured it and also not at the same time. Medals, trophies, and ribbons were showed off proudly in a case next to the window. There were more photos of his family and posters of Olympic swimmers on every wall. The room was light and airy like the rest of the house, but where it differed was the unholy mess.

  His desk was covered in strewn papers and textbooks. There were shoes all over the place like he just came in, kicked them off, and let them stay wherever they landed, and the only explanation for the clothes covering his floor, furniture, and bed was that he threw dynamite in his closet.

  I covered my mouth to keep in a laugh as Cole swore and sprang into action. He raced around the room trying to clean up while I strode across to the bed. The biggest dog I ever laid eyes on rested comfortably on his sheets. He lifted his head as I approached.

  “Cole Reed.” I slid a pair of boxers out from under Toby’s paw. “I never in a million years would have pegged you for a slob.”

  I’d been in Cole’s room at the academy and it never looked like this. He was right. Maybe I never really knew him at all.

  “Fuck off.” Cole snatched the boxers away and shoved them in the hamper.

  I eyed Toby and the dog cocked his head at me curiously. “Will he bite?”

  “Toby is a gentle giant. He wouldn’t bite you if you attacked me. The lazy bugger would probably go back to sleep.”

  “That’s good to know.” I climbed up and laid my head on Toby. His fur was soft and comforting against my cheek. Toby twisted around to sniff me. He must have been satisfied because he put his head on the bed and continued his nap.

  Cole watched the exchange from his desk.

  “What are you doing over there?” I patted the spot next to me. “Come.”

  He took a step and hesitated. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded.

  Cole didn’t ask again. He sat on the edge of the bed, but made no move to lie down. I grabbed his arm and pulled him down myself.

  We gazed at each other across Toby’s fur. The gentle rise and fall of the dog’s stomach made us bob in time. I was close enough to count the imperfections on Cole’s face... and close enough to see he had none.

  “So...” he began.

  I laughed softly. “So. You mentioned things I need to know about you. I’m listening.”

  “That’s why you wanted to come up here?”

  “Did you think there was another reason?” I asked, lifting a brow.

  “Yes.” Cole went with blunt honesty, recovering his hard, unflappable exterior.

  I nudged his leg with mine. “Good,” I said softly, “because there is.”

  Four words and tough Cole disappeared again. He flicked down to my lips and his mouth parted slightly.

  If I was honest, I didn’t know what I was planning to do, but I felt awful after Derek and Cole changed that without even trying. I wanted to make this contentment last as long as possible.

  I snuggled deeper into Toby’s side. “Tell me about the bet.”

  Forcing his eyes off my lips, he blinked at me. “What?”

  “You said you lost a bet.” I gently touched the cool metal. “Was it with Chris?”

  “Yeah.” His lips barely moved, as though he was keeping still so I could easily stroke his lip ring. “She bet I hadn’t gotten good enough to beat her in a race. High stakes. If I won, I got her new car.” He gestured at his mouth. “Unfortunately, my sister is still the fastest thing in the water.”

  “She swims too?”

  He nodded. “She taught me how. Chris doesn’t care about it like I do though. It got her a scholarship to Somerset, but she’s more interested in her marketing degree.”

  “I’m impressed you went through with it,” I said. “Didn’t it hurt?”

  “Like a bitch.”

  I laughed and, after a second, he did too.

  “But,” he continued, “when I say I’m going to do something, I do it.” Cole cracked a grin. “The only thing that’s ever stopped me is you.”

  “Me? What did I do?” I asked softly. I scooted closer until our noses hovered a hair’s length from each other. My knee bumped into his, and Cole took the invitation to slide his leg through mine.

  “You took the captaincy, presidency, and top grade point average away from me. Without mercy, I might add.”

  “I have a feeling you don’t respect people who show mercy.”

  “Damn. Maybe you do know me.”

  I nuzzled his nose, breathing him in as he exhaled.

  I did and I didn’t. I knew what was important to him. I knew how to push his buttons, but what made him smile and laugh and cry was a mystery to me. Maybe Cole would lose control like Landon and take everything he wanted from me. Maybe I’d lose my virginity right here or maybe we’d just talk. Cole was still enough of an enigma that I didn’t know what was coming next and it made the moment even more delicious.

  “You’ll have to take the ring out for school,” I said as I skated my finger over his lips. They were surprisingly soft. “Now is my chance to find out what it’s like to kiss a guy with a lip ring.”

  Cole caught my finger between his teeth. His tongue darted out and licked me and my nipples pebbled on the spot.

  “What about you and Foster?” he asked as he took my hand and pressed my palm to his lips.

  “He’s my boyfriend, but we’re not exclusive.”

  “That’s all I need to know.”

  Heart pounding in my chest, I leaned in just as he pulled back. I blinked at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “One second.” He clicked his tongue at Toby. “I can’t hook up with my dog in the bed. Toby, down.”

  The dog was up and off at the command. Cole got up to let him out. I heard the lock click behind him.

  I shoved more clothes off and settled onto the pillows. Cole crossed the room and hopped on the bed in seconds flat, but instead of lying next to me, he swung his leg over and put his hands on either side of my head.

  My pulse raced as I looked into his eyes. Common sense whispered in my ear.

  What are you doing, Zela? Things are going way too fast.

  Too fast, another voice spoke up. How long did it take for Landon to put his hands down my pants?

  That’s different. Landon never tried to keep you out while Cole has been guarded since the day you met. You were friends for a while in freshman year, but all you did was study. You don’t know him. You’re upset about Derek but this isn’t the way to deal with it. We should get to know each other before—

  Cole popped the top button of my pants open.

  I immediately reached for his. We can get to know each other later.

  “Anything else you want to know?” He grinned. “You should ask now while I’m in a sharing mood.”

  “Hmm.” I yanked his belt out of their loops and tossed it to the floor. “What’s your favorite movie?”

  He laughed—a light, breathy laugh that tickled my lips.
“That’s what you want to know?”

  “Yep and I expect an honest answer.”

  “Well, if lying is off the table”—Cole inched my underwear down my thighs—“then my favorite movie is Limitless.”

  “Why that one?” I slipped my hand through the waistband of his jeans and enjoyed the tiny grunt as I wrapped around him.

  “I love movies like that. The ones that make you think about what you would do if you could do anything? If it’s not testing the way we think, why bother?”

  “Does everything in your life have to be a challenge, Cole?”

  “No. This isn’t.” Cole pressed his thumb to the most sensitive part of me. My lips parted on a moan and he bent and licked them like he wanted to taste it.

  “Your... turn,” I got out as he slipped a finger inside.

  “Will you tell me what is going on with you and Derek?”

  It took me a second to answer. We weren’t going fast. This was nothing like my feverish romps with Landon, but his slow and sweet approach was scrambling my brain just as effectively.

  “Yes.” I was surprised to hear myself say that. I was even more surprised that I meant it. “I’ll tell you about me and Derek, but I can’t talk to you... before I talk to him.”

  “Fair enough.” His voice was thick and husky. It dripped from his lips and made a shiver ripple beneath my skin. “Your turn.”

  “Why swimming? You’re the kind who can do anything he wants, so why that?”

  “I don’t know. Why—”

  I rose up and caught his ring between my teeth. I giggled as I brought him down to me.

  Cole retaliated by picking up the pace. I released him with a gasp and sensed his smirk as he replied.

  “Why math?” he asked. “You can do anything you want to.”

  “Because it doesn’t come easy,” I breathed. “I have to work hard for it, but when I get it, it’s all worth it.”

  “That’s why I love swimming.”

  “Why—”

  “Shh.” Cole bent and whispered against my lips. “No more talking.”

  I wasn’t in the frame of mind to argue. I’m not sure how long we played with each other, but at one point I was on top of him, then he was back on top of me, and then we ended up on our sides, facing each other again. We stuck to below the waist but that was more than enough for our moans to fill the room.