Tease Me, Baby: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (Silver Creek High Book 2)

by Belladona Cunning

  “How do you even forgive someone you’re not even sure deserves it?” I ask, twisting the lid off my water.

  She sighs, glancing in their direction. “You simply do. The longer you hold on to this anger, the more hold they have over you. Forgive, but that doesn’t mean you have to forget, girl. Take my advice—give in.”

  I think about her reasoning for a moment, then about what the guys have done for me since that night at Callum’s. The fights, the protection—them shunning the queen bees. Never once have I thought about my situation the same way Karma thinks about it. Instead, I stayed inside my anger. And, for what? Because Callum chose Alessandra when he got back to Silver Creek. You can’t even put the two in the same room without hostile glares and murmured threats now. Not to each other, but about each other.

  So, why am I clinging onto that hatred as if it’s my last lifeline?

  I know why. It’s because it hurt. Seeing the entire thing tore me up inside. More than I care to admit. The best I can describe the feeling is it was akin to someone shoving a knife in my chest and twisting for maximum pain.

  “I’m sorry about pulling the HBB card on you,” she finally admits, blush rising over her cheeks. “You didn’t deserve that.”

  “I accept your apology, but—” I give her a hard look, then cursing myself when I can’t stop a smile from gracing my lips, “don’t do it again.”

  “Like, would it be so terrible to be in your position?” It almost sounds like she’s jealous, but that can’t be right. She has Davis and all his hotness to salivate over.

  “Karma, is there something you want to tell me?”

  For several minutes, we sit in silence. When it’s clear she’s not going to answer me, I pick up my fork and poke around my food. My thoughts are a whirlwind of chaos inside my head, never settling on just one thing. It would be easier to work through if I could.

  But then she says, “I’m a little green, is all.”

  Karma—envious of me? No, that can’t be right. I must be hearing and seeing things. If anything, I’m the jealous one. I’d like nothing more than to be normal, living a simple life. Have two parents that think I hung the moon and stars. Have a brother that looks up to me, like I’m some hero that keeps away the boogeyman at night.

  Family dinners, reunions, and traditions. Holidays, birthdays, and summers spent at the cape.

  She does not understand how terrific her life is. It’s spent around people that love her and only want the best. Yes, they may not have as much money as the rest of the populace in Silver Creek, but money doesn’t buy happiness. If it did, I would toss every dollar I have in exchange for some.

  With her mother and father, you know exactly what you get. Mr. and Mrs. Jade are the epitome of functional adults, and if I believed in love, they would be the closest figures I’d willingly give it to. They provide structure and balance. They are strict on Karma and her brother, Maverick, without being overbearing about it.

  With the way my life is, I would trade places with her in a heartbeat. At least, I’d know I wouldn’t have to fear sleeping the wrong way and getting beaten for it.

  I fucking hate my life, man, and Karma really doesn’t know how good she has it. I’ve never told her about the beatings, and verbal abuse I get from Debra on the daily. She doesn’t know that my father ran off and started another family. She knows none of this, and I can’t bring myself to tell her. I don’t want to ruin her parade with details about my shitty life. Karma doesn’t deserve that.

  Huffing, I push my tray away from me. I run my fingers through my hair, settling my elbows on the table to hold my head up. I’m so lost right now. I feel like my hormones and mind are all over the place, and I can’t consciously decide on anything for fear of the outcome. The anxiety is literally killing me inside.

  What if they make me out to look like a fool? What if I forgive them, and it’s all some sordid joke? What if the bullying gets worse than it was before? They’ve been teasing me relentlessly, in a nice way, but maybe they’re doing it so I’ll let my guard down before they pounce.

  Ugh, it’s all so confusing.

  “You better make your mind up, chick.” She gulps. “We have visitors.”

  Furrowing my brows, my body jerks to attention. Slowly turning in my seat, I glimpse a very empty elite table. My eyes imperceptibly widen, body turning to stone. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see the four looming figures standing just behind me.

  They said they would sit at their table today. That they needed today to keep up “appearances.” Even though I didn’t like it, internally, I understood. Why are they over here now? This is just going to make shit worse.

  “Jess, care to take a walk with us?” I twist all the way to see Callum looking at me expectantly. It’s not until he raises his brow in question, I snap out of my daze.

  “Um—” I look back at Karma, kind of hoping she will say we’re in the middle of something, but she just shoots me a smirk, winking. Sighing, I shoot daggers toward her, then grab my things. “Sure.”

  Karma practically dances in her spot, then leans into Davis as he sits down at the table. Davis’ eyes meet mine, softening, before flicking over my shoulder toward the guys. Giving him a soft smile, I turn and follow the boys out of the cafeteria. My hackles rise as I feel dozens of eyes trained on our backs.

  The boys take it in style, though. They strut out without a care in the word, like they’re used to this attention. Now that I think about it, they probably are. They don’t call them the elite for nothing.

  Probably the only time they get any downtime from being the center of attention is when they’re at home. Even then, I’d say they have to live up to their parent’s expectations if they expect to take over their empires one day.

  Damn, what a lonely life. I can’t even imagine. At least, I’m not expected to take over after someone retires. So, therefore, I don’t have to rise to anyone’s expectations they may have of me.

  We get just outside in the hallway, the doors barely closing behind us, when Asher turns on me. He takes me off guard when he wraps his arms around my waist, then kisses the shit out of me. A delicious tremble skates up my spine, and before I can stop myself, I react purely on instinct. Our tongues tangle with one another. A groan of extreme satisfaction rumbles within his chest. The deep, guttural sound hits me right between my thighs, and now I’m even greedier than I was before in the cafeteria.

  I clear my throat when his lips disengage from mine. “Well, that came out of nowhere.”

  He chuckles. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been wanting to do that all day.”

  I’d be a damn liar if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind, too. The thought of dragging one of them into a storage closet crossed my mind multiple times, or just leaving school altogether.

  Without thinking too much into it, I jump up onto my tiptoes and catch his lips in another quick kiss. It seems to startle him, but he recovers hastily, a bright, smug grin tugging at his lips when he glances back at the other three.

  “That’s the fourth time you kissed her, asshole. You can’t touch her again until we all get a taste.” I stare blankly at Callum.

  Is he being serious? Ellis has had his tongue inside my pussy, and he’s getting upset because Asher’s kissed me more time than anyone now. That is so ridiculous.

  “Sucks to be you then, because you had your taste at the party, remember?” Asher fires off a rebuttal, causing Ellis and Quinn to shoot matching grins at each other.

  Now that Karma’s words are playing in my mind, I look at this whole situation differently.

  I can allow myself to be with these guys and still keep my heart guarded. With Callum, that’s all it will ever be because of the whole queen bitch thing. But with the others, I’m sure I can do it.

  Actually, I know I can.

  Standing tall, I push my shoulders back, an action Callum seems to take notice of as his eyes briefly flit down to my exposed cleavage. “Are you all going t
o come to my house tonight?”

  Might as well jump in with both feet.

  “Asher will be the one at dinner tonight.” Ellis pouts as he says that. “Me, Callum, and Quinn have other plans we cannot get out of.”

  Asher beams. “Looks like I’m your date for this evening.”

  I allow my eyes to roam over him. I more than approve of what’s standing in front of me. And maybe, this won’t be so bad. I’ve been with him and Ellis before, so I sort of know what to expect. He’s not treating me any differently than before. Actually, he’s treating me better.

  “See something you like, sweetheart?” he goads.

  I subtly lick my lips, an intense heat bubbling in my stomach. When my eyes meet his, I hear three different intakes of breath from my right, and a groan that sounds suspiciously like it comes from Quinn.

  “You have no idea.” He growls, a low timbre in the base of his throat. It’s hot; fucking sexy as all Hell. I’m a horny little mess in front of him, and the only thing I can think about is what tonight might hold. I’m really, really looking forward to it.

  If Karma isn’t right about this, I’m going to kick her ass from here to next Sunday.

  CHAPTER 19

  “Are you going to get in trouble with your friends by doing this?” I ask, shoving open my front door and stepping inside. And by “doing this” I mean “fucking me,” because it’s going to happen. I need his dick like I need fresh air. Now. And I told him so on the way over here.

  Ever since he caught me after the last bell, he’s attached himself to my hip. I consciously don’t know how I feel about that, but I know it’s not a bad feeling. It feels good to have a strong pillar of warmth next to me.

  He shrugs it off. “We have a mutual understanding.”

  Didn’t seem that way before, but maybe I missed something. “What might that be?”

  “We all want you. So, we’re going to share you.” He makes it sound so simple. They have four different personalities, and what one guy doesn’t like the others could. I’m not against the idea, but how is that going to work?

  “Share me?” I scoff. “After the display earlier, I find that hard to believe. You all were arguing over me like I’m the favorite toy and it’s such-and-such’s turn.”

  He steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. Pushing his face into the curve of my neck, he inhales deeply, then sighs. “Essentially, you are. And we weren’t fighting over you, baby. Callum’s just being a little prickly.”

  Prickly? That’s an understatement of the century. He acted like one of those possessive, domineering assholes you read about in books. The kind you salivate over in fiction, but not the kind you fall for in real life. Rolling my eyes, I shrug him off and close the door. When I turn back, I spy Asher staring at me, heatedly. He shoots a salacious grin my way, and starts back toward me, until a voice in the distance halts him.

  “Jessalyn, is that you?” My eyes shutter closed.

  “Yes, Debra.”

  Asher cranes his head to the side, wearing a quizzical expression on his face. He knows as much as I do that she’s not due home for another hour. Usually, she barely gets here in time for our nightly dinners. So, for her to be here right now is out of the ordinary.

  Shaking my head at him, like I’m telling him “not here and not now,” he amazes me by nodding. When did it get so easy for them to read me? When did it get so easy for me to allow it?

  He heads over to the couch in front of the large bay window, sitting down. His legs spread just so, easily and carelessly, as he relaxes back into the soft cushions. Asher drapes his hand over his lap lazily, then eyes me up and down, irises burning like twin sapphire gems.

  “Cut that out,” I whisper-hiss before I can catch myself.

  He shakes with laughter. “What? I can’t look at you?” he whispers in return.

  “You’re looking at me like you want to eat me.” I narrow my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest. I’m practically calling him out to disagree, but the only thing he does is smile wider.

  “Who’s saying I don’t?” Then … Then, the asshole licks his lips and trails his heated gaze all over my body. His nostrils flare, as if he can smell my need from all the way over there, and a small sound of approval rumbles in his chest. “Why don’t you lose those jeans and come sit on my face?”

  My mouth falls agape. That just went from zero to a million damn quickly. But I can’t deny a filthy part of me wants to do just that. I know his tongue works magic when tangled with mine, and I’m dying to know what it feels like between my legs. But Asher isn’t normally a straight shooter. He usually beats around the bush, drawing out our pleasure.

  “Wow. I did not expect that.” I have to fight the urge to rub my legs together to ease the ache settling in my core.

  “Expect what?” Debra says as she breezes into the living room. The moment she sees Asher sitting on our couch, her face lights up, if albeit a little surprised. “Asher Shawcrass, how nice to see you.”

  Her eyes fly back to mine, penetrating me with so much hatred it soon becomes hard to breathe. Her posture is stiff as she stands in the opening of the living room. Her eyes hold mine, promising retribution for this, and I have to ask myself, why? It’s not like she doesn’t know the guys come over for dinner. Asher just came over beforehand.

  Shit, it’s not like I have to tell her when I have company. A person only does that if they care, and I give no fucks about Debra at all. She can take a long walk off a short pier.

  All too soon, she dismisses me, making her way over toward our little alcove of a living room.

  “How’s your father?” She sits down, making sure she’s extra slow when crossing her right leg over the left. I think she even slips him a look at what’s underneath her skirt in the process.

  Fucking slut! She says I’m bad? No, honey, I just don’t pretend to be something I’m not. Unlike, Debra, here, I’m very verbal with what I do and whom I’m with. No sense in hiding it. Pretending to live the lie of being proper and lady-like isn’t something I’m prone on doing. Ever.

  Before I was raped, yes. I tried to keep myself in line. However, everything that came after that night pushed me over the edge. I couldn’t do it anymore, nor did I want to. It came to the point where I had to ask myself what I wanted, where I saw my life going. I could either be miserable in this life or make the best of it, and it’s not my fault that what makes me happiest is when I’m being myself. I won’t make any excuses for the person I am today, because excuses didn’t work in my past.

  “He’s just fine, ma’am,” Asher retorts. Then he becomes my new best friend—sorry, Karma—when he dismisses her completely and glances in my direction. “Come sit down, babe, I miss your warmth.”

  If looks could fucking kill, I’d be dead. The only thing Debra told me to do was make sure they were comfortable at the dinner party. She probably expected none of them to be interested in me other than getting off.

  I hope she chokes on that crow. Stupid cunt.

  “Y-You all are dating?” Oh, yes, I think that was a beak getting caught in her throat.

  But then her question makes me pause, my gaze snapping to Asher’s. He doesn’t think we’re dating, does he? I can remember every piece of our conversation from earlier, and no one said the word “relationship.”

  “We’re just hanging out, ma’am,” he replies, which causes some tumultuous emotions to settle as I take the seat next to him.

  She’s silent for a moment, then shifts in her seat once, twice. I can tell she wants to dig more into the subject, but it’s not “respectable” to air out such private things, even if we are in our own house. It gives the idea that we are uncouth—individuals that have no decorum on how to present themselves with visitors in the room. But I can tell she’s not happy. Not at all. She pinches her features tight as she appraises us, eyes sharpening in fury when Asher puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side.

  Jealousy is such an ugly
thing, and it seems it’s eating Debra alive. Her body imperceptibly vibrates with restrained tension, and the longer she looks at us, the more hostile her features become.

  I wish I knew the real reason she hates me so much. Not that I’d care one bit either way, but it would still be good to know. That way I could actually stand back and be like, yeah, I get that but it’s still shitty. But no, the only thing I get are hostile glances and abuse. It kind of fucks you up in the head.

  When Asher starts trailing the tips of his fingers down my arm, that’s when she’s had enough. It’s taking everything in her not to react in front of my company, and I’m actually glad Asher is here right now. Otherwise, it would be, yet again, another bout of abuse with me ending up on the floor, cursing the very day she was born. It’s gotten so bad sometimes I actually prayed for God to turn time around and stop Debra from being born, even if that meant I’d never be born as well.

  “Jessalyn, may I see you in the kitchen for a moment?” her voice betrays her confidence as it wavers.

  I prepare myself to be smacked around, because it’s going to happen. As ignorant as this whole thing is, Asher openly touching me in front of her is him staking his claim. With the conversation she had with my father the other night, the only person that owns me is her. It’s stupid, but that’s what she truly believes. But then Asher does something that no person in Silver Creek has enough balls to do besides my father.

  He brushes her pathetic attempt aside.

  “Actually, we are going up to her room,” he says, then stands abruptly to his towering height. “We have a lot of homework to do.”

  I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but I can’t say I’m not thankful. That last beating she gave me put me out of commission for a good long while, and as of now, I still can’t fight back if she comes at me again. This is the most frustrating thing I’ve ever faced in my life. More than the rape, Callum’s bullying—any of it.

  I’m also too far into conditioning for softball that if I take any time off now, I’ll be off the team. Those other girls are good. The only thing I beat them by was my speed and accuracy. If they get more playing time than me, who knows how good they can become. Probably enough to knock me out of my spot.