Defiant: A High School Bully Romance (Midpark High Book 2)

by Candace Wondrak

  “What?” Dante spoke with a smile, glancing at Vaughn, who’d leaned back to watch with a stoic expression on his face.

  “Let me go,” I hissed. “You can’t walk into the dance with a boner.”

  “Sure I can.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  Dante shrugged, releasing his hold on my wrist as his other hand found my waist, squeezing me hard. “Then maybe we can get a quickie in before we get there,” he murmured, his voice low, rumbling in his chest which caused me to warm in more places than one.

  The limo driver was blocked off by a thick black window; I doubted he could see us, but still. Having sex in a limo was not my idea of fun. Plus, Vaughn was here. He and Vaughn were working together for me, but they didn’t get along that well.

  I turned my head, looking to Vaughn for help. “Vaughn—”

  Dante’s lips found the crook of my neck, running along them, kissing them between words, “Vaughn’s not going to help you, unless he wants to join—in which case, I’m first.”

  He was being very persistent, wasn’t he? And the hardness pressing against my ass was now a full-blown erection, no baby boner or anything like that. The jerk.

  “She is right,” Vaughn spoke, causing Dante’s head to lift off my neck and a glare to shoot his way. “You can’t mess her up before the dance.”

  “Yeah,” I said, elbowing Dante in the chest, causing him to groan and release me. “I need to rock it, not look like I just came from an all-night rave.” I was able to scoot my ass and sit beside Dante, no longer on top of him.

  Dante rolled his eyes. “Whatever. After this fucking dance, I get to tear that dress off you. How about that?” It was kind of funny how easily he could talk while having a hard-on in plain view of both Vaughn and me.

  I chuckled, though my cheeks did flare up in heat again. “Why don’t we see how the dance goes, before we go making any plans for after? I did tell my mom I’d be home by midnight.”

  “Midnight?” Dante whined. “That’s so early. Why must you ruin my fun?”

  Vaughn only nodded, saying, “I’ll be sure to have you home before midnight, then.”

  Well, at least one of the guys was rational here.

  I tried to change the subject, moving it off of sex—because now that Dante had said all those things, now that I’d felt his lips ghosting over the sensitive skin on my neck, it was kind of on my brain, now. Thanks, Dante. “I wonder what Midpark dances are like.”

  “I don’t know,” Vaughn muttered, frowning. “I’ve never been to one before.”

  “Well, in my vast experience with all things Midpark,” Dante started, sarcasm dripping from his voice with each word, “I bet it’s going to be ridiculously snobby. Hopefully rich kids still spike the punch bowl.”

  I managed to laugh at that. Spiked punch was the last thing I wanted. Right now, I just wanted to get there, meet with Bobbi, make sure everything was on track, and then get this night over with. I really didn’t want to linger at the dance any more than I had to; I’d be fine with leaving right after I was crowned. Right after making Brittany go crazy.

  First Archer wasn’t allowed at the dance, and then she would fail to get her senior year Winter Queen crown.

  But I had the feeling she wouldn’t take it laying down. I had the feeling that bitch would try something tonight, and I only hoped that having both Dante and Vaughn at my side would help to negate whatever blow she landed.

  Midpark’s country club sat at least fifteen minutes from Ollie’s house, past Midpark High and the other schools. It held acres of greenery, golf courses and other things like tennis courts and pools. It also held a huge, white building with marble columns and statues and fountains—and a grand ballroom, where the dance was.

  The dance was already started by the time we arrived, though judging from the line of cars moving slowly near the door, we weren’t the only ones coming late. Most everyone had limos or fancy black cars with their own drivers. No one spared any expense when it came to frivolity in Midpark.

  My heart beat in my chest, threatening to burst. I took out my phone, texting Bobbi to make sure she was here. I didn’t have a pocket, and I didn’t trust anyone here enough to leave it in my jacket for the whole night at our table, so one of the guys would have to put it in their pocket. Oh, well. They’d suck it up and make do.

  The limo neared the door, and right before it was our turn to get out, Bobbi finally responded, saying she was just inside the front door, waiting for me.

  I shut my phone off and glanced between the guys. “Who wants to hold my phone all night?”

  Dante and Vaughn exchanged looks, both of them silent, as if daring the other to say something first. I didn’t know if they were waiting to see what the other one would do or what, but eventually Vaughn let out a sigh and extended his hand toward me, saying not a word as I set my phone on his palm. He stuck it in his pocket as Dante glared at him.

  “I was going to take it,” Dante muttered.

  “Why didn’t you?” Vaughn shot back.

  The limo pulled up the door, and their bickering ceased. Dante slid toward me, reaching across me to open the door. “Ladies first,” he spoke, grinning.

  I had to roll my eyes at his antics, but…in reality, I was glad he was here. Not so glad he was a killer who could go on with his life as if he’d done nothing wrong, but who was I to judge? I was not the morality police. Killers slept as soundly as anyone else.

  I got out of the limo first, straightening my back as I gazed at the country club’s doors. Giant glass things, string lights decorating the columns and stretching out over the parking lot, creating a makeshift night sky, even though the true sky above it was just as sparkly and pretty.

  Dante and Vaughn were right behind me, and I glanced at them both before leading them inside. A uniformed worker held open the door for us, and we walked right in, as if we belonged here.

  What a joke. Me, Dante, and Vaughn were the three people in Midpark who definitely didn’t belong at a place like this.

  The inside of the country club was just as pristine and sparkly as its outside. The main hall of the club was redone, decorations everywhere to signal that, for tonight, Midpark High owned this place. More string lights, sparkling snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.

  “Jaz!” Bobbi’s voice came from my left, and I pulled the guys aside, away from the carpet that, I assumed, led to the grand ballroom. Bobbi stood in a corner, wearing a long, mauve pink gown. A beautiful, strapless mermaid fit, her highlighted brown hair curled and sprayed with so much hairspray the curls would last all night. Her hazel eyes were done up in a perfectly-blended contour and cat-eye.

  “Damn,” I said, grinning. “You clean up nice.”

  She came to hug me, which was weird, but what could I do? “So do you. You look like you’re ready to take the corporate world by storm, not go to a high school dance.” Her eyes widened as she let me go, forcing me to spin around and show her the back of my coat. “And your jacket—yes. I love it.”

  I shrugged. “I told you I’d rock it.”

  “You did.” Her stare moved to Vaughn and Dante, who stood huddled behind me, looking quite out of place. “Your dates look yummy.”

  “I’m sorry,” Dante interjected, smirking, “but everything about this stallion is taken by the girl in the slut jacket.” He flicked a thumb toward Vaughn, adding, “You can take him, though, if you want.”

  Vaughn shot him a glower. No one would take either of them from me.

  Bobbi laughed at the exchange, telling me, “You have your hands full with them, definitely.” She hooked her arm through mine, having already taken off her coat. “There’s a coat check, but I assume you’ll want to keep that baby close.” She walked me back to the red carpet, turning us and leading us to where the dance was being held.

  I nodded, though my gaze did glance to the coat check as we passed the counter. I was pretty sure things like that cost money, anyway.

  “I saved us a t
able in the back,” Bobbi said. “Not that any of us will be sitting for long. I assume your dates know how to dance?” She giggled. “I bet, the whole queen thing aside, you’ll be the talk of the school for weeks if you dance with them both.”

  She was probably right there.

  Bobbi brought us to the ballroom, where a dancefloor was staged. A group of students already swayed with the beat. A DJ sat on a makeshift stage, his speakers at least ten feet tall. A disco ball sat above the dance floor in the center, twirling and reflecting whatever colored light was being shown on it. Behind the DJ, a tall screen sat, where music videos constantly played.

  Even though we were nowhere near the speakers or the undulating bodies of Midpark students, I could feel the upbeat music in my bones.

  I spotted a few teachers standing around the outskirts of the room, mostly talking to each other. A few tables were stationed off to the side, where a huge crystal bowl sat, full of red punch, I assumed. Stereotypical all the way.

  What was not stereotypical was the fact that there were also finger foods and other drinks ready to be made by the bartender on the side of the room. A teacher was stationed at the punch bowl, filling up the cups thirsty students brought.

  Bobbi brought us to her table, which I assumed she was sharing with her friend. I thought her name was Grace, but I wasn’t sure. Grace was the one who printed off the official results card the principal would be reading off of. She’d probably get in trouble for helping me, but oh well. Bobbi said she was close to the staff, so it wouldn’t be too bad.

  I shrugged off my jacket, and Dante immediately went for some punch. Vaughn stood near me, and I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Dante saunter back, cup in hand. “Any sign of Brittany or her posse yet?”

  “No, I haven’t seen her. She’ll probably show up late, roll in and make sure everyone’s eyes are on her,” Bobbi spoke, sitting down. “That’s what she always does.”

  I sat beside her, Vaughn taking the chair on my opposite side and Dante beside him. Dante, from the look of it, did not like the punch. That, or it wasn’t spiked like he wanted it to be. He grimaced before setting the cup on the table and shaking his head to himself.

  “I feel like she’s going to try something,” I said, folding my arms over my chest.

  Bobbi puckered her lips. “Maybe, but I’ll keep an eye out. She’s probably super annoyed that Archer can’t come.” Before she could say anything else, a girl with short blonde hair took the chair beside her, holding onto a plate with a bunch of small finger foods. Tiny sandwiches, a small cupcake, and maybe a chocolate-covered strawberry. “Grace, I don’t know if you’ve ever met Jaz.”

  Grace, who was a rather small girl, shook her head, speaking softly, “No.” It was almost impossible to hear her voice over the music. She seemed rather shy and reserved, which was probably why she got along so well with the office staff; she never got into trouble, and I bet she always did what she was told.

  I gave her a smile. “It’s good to meet you.” I flicked my thumb to Dante. “You probably know Vaughn, but that’s Dante.”

  Dante gave her a wicked grin in response, which caused her cheeks to flush. Bobbi leaned in to her friend, whispering, “They’re both her dates. Scandalous, isn’t it?”

  I laughed, because it kind of was. Totally scandalous. Me, bringing two dates to a high school dance. Me, bringing two tatted-up boys to a rich, snobby dance. No matter how you looked at it, it was one hundred percent scandalous. The only thing that would make the old teachers around here clutch their pearls in horror more would be when I danced with them.

  Because I planned on it. Hell yeah. I was going to make the most out of this dance and these dates as I could.

  “How long do we have before the announcement?” I asked.

  Bobbi glanced at her phone. “Probably around an hour.”

  A slow smile spread on my face. An hour was plenty of time to drag my two sexy dates onto that dance floor and rub my body against theirs like I was a cat in heat. I would make Dante regret ever putting sex in my brain during that limo ride, give him the biggest hard-on in the history of erections, and then I’d let him suffer. Vaughn? I wasn’t sure what I’d do with him. He hadn’t lifted a finger to help Dante off me, so he deserved a similar fate, did he not?

  Guess I was just evil like that.

  Chapter Twenty-Six – Dante

  None of the other girls in this stupid ass place could hold a candle to Jaz or her looks. Jaz commanded the room, even if everyone else was too busy grinding on each other to realize it. The boys who saw her had to do constant double-takes, and the girls that noticed her gossiped among themselves. If they were trying to tear her down, it wouldn’t matter. If they were judging her for having two dates to this dance, that wouldn’t matter, either.

  She reminded me of her father, in a way. Jaz might not realize it, but she was strong. She was so strong, all of these kids were nothing but ants compared to her. She was not born to play the games of the rich; she was born to play the games of the crew.

  Someday, when Skull told me I was welcome back, I’d bring her with me, show her the kingdom that would be hers, should she accept it.

  I had no idea what would happen to her other boytoys, to Vaughn, to Jacob—but it didn’t really matter. Not to me. I was getting ahead of myself, anyway.

  I watched Jaz as she talked to Bobbi and her friend, Grace. Grace seemed like a skittish girl, so not my type. I liked the ones that took charge, the ones that knew what they wanted and weren’t afraid of going for it. I’d been waiting on Jaz for so long, but I knew my way around a woman. I wasn’t a white knight; I hadn’t pledged myself to celibacy simply because Jaz was supposed to be mine.

  After meeting her face-to-face though…the last thing on my mind had been other women, other girls. None could compare, so why would I even waste time with them anymore? Jaz was in my sights; all I had to do was reel her in and take her home, where she belonged.

  Not this fucking place.

  The only problem would be Vaughn and Jacob. Those two…they cared for her a bit too much. Was I jealous? Was I feeling the need to mark my territory? Yes, but I wasn’t stupid enough to force Jaz to choose. I was nowhere near confident as I should be when it came to her. If she was forced to choose between us, I honestly didn’t know who she would choose, anyway. I couldn’t take that chance.

  Hmm. Then again, she was rather strong-willed. Perhaps she would refuse to choose any of us and leave us all bereft of her dark, warm eyes and those full, luscious lips. Maybe she’d be extra ballsy and try to keep all of us.

  That…I wasn’t quite sure how that would work, but I wasn’t willing to let her go, regardless of what happened.

  I tugged at the neckline of my collared shirt. The tie felt too constricting around my throat, the suit too uncomfortable on my body. Vaughn’s family tailor had fitted this suit especially for me, but it still felt wrong. The fabric was too soft and plush, too sleek and expensive.

  I wasn’t a suit-wearing guy, you know? I liked my leather, and I liked having my knife in my pocket.

  Yeah, I was feeling extra naked right now. No leather, no knife, no nothing.

  But at least I had Jaz, even though I was currently sharing her with Vaughn. On the bright side, one of her lovers wasn’t here. I had no idea what she and Jacob got up to when they were alone, but I could imagine. I could imagine it all too easily.

  I could imagine it because I wished it was me, doing those things with her behind closed doors. She did feel ridiculously good under me, let me tell you, her lean body writhing and her back arching.

  And that holy, wet place between her legs? Fuck, I would get on my knees and worship it constantly if I could. If she’d let me. But, of course, she wouldn’t—Jaz was a difficult one, but I liked challenges, and for her, I would never give up.

  I meant it when I said she’d be mine.

  “I have to say,” Vaughn started, tossing a look over his shoulder at the horde of dancing bodi
es, “I don’t understand the big deal about dances.” His dark eyes roamed the large room, and I wondered what he was thinking about. “Far too many people shoved in here. If one thing were to go wrong, it would be chaos.”

  “You like the chaos,” I accused, the girls having their own conversation on the other half of the table.

  Vaughn brought that black stare to me, such a serious, intense expression. “No,” he said. “You like the chaos. I like order.”

  I could see it. Vaughn was the type of guy who had to plan everything out. Me? I liked rushing into things without thinking. Most of the time things ended up working out, like with Ryan and his friends. Ryan probably saw my face, but the kid was in a coma right now, and his friends were dead.

  Yeah, I’d killed them. I was a monster, a wild animal in a suit. What could I say? I loved the hunt as much as the next animal, craved the chase like any other beast trying to play nice. Would I do things differently, if given the chance? No. Those fuckers got what they deserved, and Vaughn said he would take care of Ryan.

  I hoped he meant he would get rid of him for good, but I guess I’d have to wait and see. You could never trust anyone with money enough to buy and fill an entire house with cash enough to drown in it. He could be saying that simply to get me off his back, because he knew I’d never walk into that hospital and finish the job.

  Cameras, man. Too many cameras. Plus, someone like me walking into a hospital would probably cause a bit of alarm. You didn’t see someone like me every day.

  If Vaughn tried to double-cross me, he’d have another thing coming.

  Vaughn and I settled into silence, but not for long. Jaz got to her feet, looking smoking as all hell in that tight dress and standing a few inches taller than normal due to her heels. She looked between us, saying, “Dance with me.” She said nothing else, instead sauntering away, heading to the dance floor, where the horde of swaying bodies were busy grinding on each other.

  Bobbi and her friend Grace didn’t get up. Bobbi was staring at us, while Grace was busy eyeing up her food. I thought our presence here made the little one a bit nervous. “I think she was talking to both of you,” Bobbi informed us, to which Vaughn and I exchanged silent glances.