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

by Belladona Cunning

  Why does this shit always happen to me? I release a huff of air, annoyed at the fact I always seem to be the person who ends up with the shit end of the stick.

  Quinn pulls up to a stop in front of the imposing door, raising his fist to knock. Instead, I tighten my hand around his arm which causes him to pause and glance down at me. Gathering as much courage as I can, I raise my fist and knock. I can literally hear my knuckles meeting the harsh wooden panel as it rebounds off the walls inside the foyer.

  You know that sound, the one where you step into a house for the first time and every little sound echoes off the walls? Yes, that’s what it is.

  I hate that sound.

  It reminds me too much of what used to be inside me—nothing but blank nothingness.

  Within moments, the door in front of me jerks open, causing me to almost fall back in shock. It’s only Quinn’s hold on me that keeps me on my feet. I narrow my eyes at the man, feeling that irritation bloom into anger.

  “Welcome to the Savoy residence.” I shit you not, he sounds like one of those posh butler types, his words drawn out in dramatic fashion.

  “It’s lovely to be here,” I say mimicking him, drawing out the end of my sentence.

  He doesn’t rise to the bait. Figures.

  Instead, he stands stiffly by the door, his chin parallel to the floor as he looks down his nose at me. “I am the Savoy’s butler, Charles Livingston the third. Please, do come inside and I will fetch Mr. Savoy for you.”

  Charles Livingston the third? Get out of here. “Well, Charlie,” I say, watching his eye tick with displeasure at my butchering his name, “I’m sure I can find my dad just fine.”

  “Oh,” he intones, again, drawing out the word. Is he …? I hate to say this, but is there something wrong with him? “You must be his daughter, Jessalyn Savoy.”

  “What tipped you off? Let me guess, was it the fact I called him dad?” I quirk a brow.

  I’m being a little shit and giving him a hard time, but to Hell with any pretenses here. I am a little shit, and my ire with the whole situation is getting to me. I wanted fun, food, and then sex later tonight. Not to be taken off guard, thrust into a life I didn’t even know existed, and look down on by the asshole in front of me.

  He shifts a little, narrowing his eyes on me. “Ms. Savoy, insolence in this house will not be tolerated. Mr. Savoy has a reputation to uphold, and you will do well to fall in line when under this roof and using the Savoy name for societal gain.”

  Is he for fucking real right now? “Listen here, asshole. I don’t ha—”

  “Jessalyn Marie Savoy!” My father’s voice coats the foyer in anger, shutting off my rant. He was never one for such trashy wordage spilling from my lips, or any females for that matter, and at least that doesn’t seem to have changed.

  “Dad,” I say between clenched teeth. “It will do your help some good if he remembers his place is not sticking his nose in family business.”

  Just saying something like that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Normally, I don’t make it a point to voice someone’s station, or lack thereof, in front of other people. Unless they piss me off, that is. And even if Charles Livingston the third is an asshat, I don’t have to be as petty as he’s being—even though I really, really want to be.

  “Charles is a part of the family.” Since when? I’ve never seen this dude a day in my life, and trust me, if he was part of this family, I would have seen him before now.

  “It hasn’t even been a year since you moved out of Debra’s house. Does trust really come that easily for you?”

  His eyes harden imperceptibly before a small smile tilts his lips. “You will find that trust and loyalty are different sides of the same coin, Jess.”

  “So, what,” I say, giving him one of my famous “I don’t give a fuck” looks. “He’s turned down offers to work for some other family? And that earned your trust? Please.”

  I know I’m being a brat, but seriously, there is only so much bullshit I can take. Ever since driving up onto the property, that’s all that seems to fill my head. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.

  “Little girls shouldn’t speak of such things they have no knowledge of,” my father refutes, then turns his back on me and makes his way into where I presume the dinner party is being held. Probably one of those old sitting rooms or something.

  When the guys and I round the corner, I find where I was staring in through the window is indeed a sitting room. Yes, this house has a sitting room, like one of those ancient Victorian mansions. Stepping inside, it all hits me like a ton of bricks. The pure grandeur of the décor is startling in contrast to what I’m used to seeing my father surround himself with.

  All sterling; a crisp, unbendable rigidness that would make Debra proud.

  I don’t know how many times I can say this, but, again, this is not my father. I always looked up to him by not being so caught up in the world of money and influence. Yes, my grandparents had money, and even left him an inheritance, but that didn’t mean my father was anything like them.

  He always seemed to love our life, but if this house is any consolation to his true feelings, then maybe he was placating himself all these years, when in reality, he wanted more.

  I know his business is doing good, but I couldn’t never have fathomed it was anything remotely close to this. Nor that he was allowing it all to come out now that he’s rid of Debra. Do I even know my father at all?

  We make our way through the room. The guys split off one by one, going over to greet their parent’s. When Quinn tried to dislodge his arm, I hold tight. He peers down at me with remorse and guilt, but slowly peels my hand off his arm.

  “I promise I will be right back,” he says. “It is custom to say hello to our parents before the dinner party can officially begin. Are you okay? For just a moment.”

  “No.” I shake my head.

  He gives me a sad smile, then leans over, giving my cheek a quick peck. “I promise I will be back as fast as I can.”

  Without waiting for me to refute his words, he takes off across the room. In fact, he looks like he’s booking it toward an extremely irate Jeffery Tannenbay and what I assume is his mother.

  I bring my attention back to my father, watching as he easily slides in next to Whitney. I hate how comfortable he seems with her. I’m happy, sure. But at the same time, I’m angry. So angry that he did all of this behind my back and left me with that witch.

  Whitney gives me a small, easy smile, then beckons me toward them. My eyes leave her to peer up at my father, seeing him looking down his nose at me, like he’s expecting me to play the part of a lady with finishing school manners.

  Well, that’s not me. Never has been.

  But I find myself walking in their direction, anyway. My arms cross over my chest, as if to fend off an attack from an unknown threat.

  “So,” I volley, trying to squash the elephant in the room. “Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on here?”

  My father looks at me strangely. “Why do you think anything is happening?”

  “First, this house. Second, the butler you say is 'part of the family’,” I quote the words with a flick of my fingers for emphasis. “And her? You said nothing about her being here.”

  “Whitney is here because she is my girlfriend,” my father states, his tone curt and to the point. “This house, the butler—they are what come with the responsibilities of someone in my position.”

  I slant my brows at him, whispering in a low voice, “I really don’t care about your responsibilities, dad. The only thing I wanted was you there. Instead,” I point toward his girlfriend, “you spent your time getting into her pants. You’ve changed; you’re different.”

  “Jessalyn,” he fumes, narrowing his eyes. “That is about enough out of you. I asked you here because I wanted you here, not to start a fight. Yes, I have changed, but, darling, you may need to use the mirror down the hallway, so you can say the same thing to your reflection.”

 
; His features are tight, unmoving. The woman standing on his arm barely narrows her eyes at me; her gaze accessing me up and down, like she knows how much I’m worth and it’s not up to par. It’s disgusting, and I don’t get how he could choose someone like her over me. Can’t he see she’s only here because of his money. That once the fancy crystals, cars, and clothes stop coming in that she will leave him.

  I’d never leave him. He’s the only man that’s never supposed to hurt me, but right now, he’s the man slicing my soul open, so I can bleed everywhere.

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I reply, voice thick with emotion.

  My father’s penetrating stare scans my face, dropping to the hand tightening around my clutch so hard my knuckles turn white. He swallows hard, then brings his eyes back up to mine. His entire demeanor changes, softening around the edges within the blink of an eye. “I would if you let me in. I told you there were strenuous circumstances as to why I had to stay gone that long. I didn’t want to leave you there. I had to, baby girl.”

  First, he’s cold, then hot. One minute he’s the father I’ve always known, and the next he’s this new, hardened version of himself. It’s hard to keep up. And I have a sneaky fucking suspicion it’s because of the gold digger on his arm.

  “You’re not the man I looked up to all those years; the man I loved.” A stray tear falls from my eye, sliding hotly down my cheek. “Because that man would’ve never let me go through that. He would have been there, instead of here, playing house with someone else.”

  He may think I’m joking, but I can assure you, I’m not. This imposter may look like my father, but he is nothing like him. It’s like when he left my mother he traded in his entire identity and, dare I say it, turned into a rich fucking snob of a person.

  Horror washes through me as my eyes round on his. He’s turned into Debra!

  My eyes round in their sockets. “Y-You’re her.” It’s so hard to breathe, my lungs feel like they’re burning with the effort.

  A layer of shimmer covers his eyes, but that’s all the emotion he shows. “What?”

  Shaking my head, I back away from him. “I thought you loved me, but you’re turning into her; my mother.”

  He seems taken aback by my words. “Jess …”

  “Is this beauty going to be my new sis?” A very familiar voice says from behind me.

  My mouth falls open, shock coursing through my veins. I even think my brain misfires, because that has to be why I just heard his voice in my father’s home.

  CHAPTER 30

  Turning toward the voice, I disregard my father, and Whitney’s little snooty giggle. “Davis? What. The. Fuck?”

  “Jess?” he looks just as shocked as I am.

  Actually, now that I look closer, it’s horror that encompasses his gaze. They flick between me and our parents, and I can literally see equal parts guilt and relief shine in his eyes. Why so many conflicting emotions? Then, it hits me like a ton of bricks.

  The new Jeep. His new, expensive designer clothing. Updated uniforms for the football team …

  A vast pit of loathing falls over me. It grabs me within its clutches, digging its claws in deep and drawing my lifeblood out so it can soak it in like an aphrodisiac. Hell would be a better place to be than where I am now.

  My eyes trail back to my father, heavy with anger. “We need to talk. Now.”

  He must see something in my gaze, because a moment later, him, Whitney, Davis, and myself are making our way to his study. His back is frigid with tension, and I notice he doesn’t even hold on to Whitney like he was in the sitting room. Instead, he’s closed off … as if he’s pretending.

  His study is down the hall, fourth door on the right. I don’t take the time to notice the tastefully decorated hallway. My mind is all over the place, racing here and there, zipping everywhere. I don’t even take the time to tell him his little gold-digging slut can stay outside with her son.

  I’m lost to my anger.

  My father guides us all inside, then shuts the door behind him. The moment the door closes, I see the change in Whitney and him instantly. I see the shift in their eyes and the widening of their stances as they relax for the first time. A sigh leaves him, and it’s more that I can bear.

  When Whitney flicks him a glance of relief, that’s when I explode. It’s like an atomic bomb going off, eviscerating everything within its path.

  “What the fuck are you thinking?!” I yell, my eyes crazed and heated.

  “You need to calm down, baby girl.” My father holds up his hands in a placating gesture, but it doesn’t help. It fires me up more.

  “You left Debra. You left me!” I scream so loud my throat burns from the force. “You have been playing house, just like I accused you of weeks ago. With her; with him—what about me?! Huh? When are you going to be the goddamn father you’re supposed to?!”

  His nostrils flare, but nothing comes out of his mouth. When Whitney makes her way to him, a low-timbered growl resonates inside my chest. I’m feral, and if this bitch butts in on mine and my father’s conversation, I will beat the shit out of her, whether she’s Davis’ mother or not.

  “Jess,” she whispers, her voice soft, caring. “Please, just hear your father out.”

  My eyes narrow on hers, leeching with pure unadulterated hatred. “If you don’t want me to mark up that face of yours, I suggest you back off, Whitney.”

  I’m tired of being pushed around. People think they can do what they want, and I’ll just go along with what they want. I’ve been doing that for years with Debra, I refuse to allow that to happen with my father. He’s supposed to be on my side; he’s always been on my side. It doesn’t matter if I was wrong. It doesn’t matter if what I did was questionable. He always loved me. Now, I don’t know him at all.

  “Jessalyn, I get that you’re angry, but do not speak to Whitney like that. She is not here to harm; I can assure you of that.”

  I scoff. “Oh, really? Everything that’s come out of your mouth has been nothing but a lie, dad. Everything. Where did Davis’ jeep come from? His new, posh clothing—the football jerseys? Where did all that money come from? She is nothing but a goddamn gold digger!”

  “Jessalyn—” He sounds resigned.

  “She’s right,” Davis’ voice causes me to shrink back, only just now remembering he came into the room with us. My haze of anger doesn’t dissipate, but it lessens to a fraction, because he doesn’t deserve to have me saying these things in front of him. As much as I dislike my father right now, I would kill someone over saying shit about him.

  But then, I really take in what he just said, and it stuns me.

  “I am?”

  He nods at me, then gazes over at his mother. “You’ve been doing this my whole life. Finding rich men to seduce, then taking them to your bed to set us up until you drain them dry. I’m tired of holding it in anymore. You have no idea how many times I wanted to tell Jess that it was my mother stiffing her father.”

  Then he looks to my father. “You thought I didn’t know who your daughter was, Mr. Savoy, but I did. I’ve always known.”

  “Davis …” My father stops, sighing.

  “No, it was because of my mother,” he says it with so much venom that I almost choke on the saliva collecting in my mouth. “She knew everything about you before she ‘bumped’ into you in that café.”

  “Davis …” his mother trails off.

  “No, mom. I’m tired of this shit. I’ve had to watch you get close to him. I’ve had to lie to Jess, Karma, the guys—every fucking person I know. I’m tired of living a lie.”

  His mother smiles, which is not the reaction I was looking for. It makes me burn up inside. To know she did this with ill intent in her heart, that her selfishness kept my father away from me.

  “He knows,” she says, whispering. “He confronted me about it the first time he took me to dinner. It seems I’m not the only sly one.” She gives my father a mischievous grin.

  My e
ntire world flips on its axis as I stare in disbelief at my smirking father. “You know she’s a gold digger, yet you’re still with her! What the fuck, dad?”

  “It goes deeper than both of you could imagine. When it’s the right time, we’ll explain it to both of you. The only thing I can tell you, Jess, is that your mother is trying to take my portion of the empire that myself and the others have built. She is in the middle of this, and until I am at liberty to say more, I must keep silent.” What does that even mean? Explain what? Why is he even doing this?

  Confusion is my friend, and I can’t even find it in me to sift through all the fuckedupness that is this dinner party. Like, why am I here? Why is my father willingly with a gold digger? Why is my father funding all of Davis’ shit? Why, why, why? It’s a mantra on repeat inside my mind.

  “So, you expect me to just … what? Let this continue?” I’m seriously stupefied.

  My father smiles softly, probably getting a kick out of my facial expression. “For now, yes. Just know, everything happens for a reason. When it is time for you all to know that reason, we will let you both in on our little secret.”

  My father—I don’t even know how to read him anymore. There is no way he would stand for something like this, not when he was still living at home. He absolutely abhors women that are only after him for his money. That was supposed to be one of the reason’s he left Debra.

  “Now, go enjoy the party. Dance, get something to eat—have fun.”

  I have no idea what to do, where I should go, or if I can focus on having fun when all this shit is going on. This is a kick out of left field, and my mind is having trouble processing it. And it seems I’m not the only one. Before we leave my father’s study, my eyes meet Davis’ for a fleeting moment, seeing the same confusion lingering in his gaze.

  What are our parents up to now?