by J. L. Beck
WHEN RIVALS FALL
OLIVER
Rivals since before birth, there has never been a time when my family hasn’t hated the Lockwoods and their daughter Harlow.
Two years ago she set us up, tainted our family image, and ruined my brother’s life. She made it personal. It was no longer just a rivalry between our parents.
Now she’s here, at Bayshore University, without her family’s protection. There’s nothing to stop us from getting our revenge on her, no one to tell us enough is enough.
And so my brothers and I have devised a plan. We’ll break her, have her falling at her knees for us in no time, and then we’ll send her back to her family with a warning…
Cross the Bishops again and you’ll pay.
◆◆◆
HARLOW
I’ve despised the smug, stupidly gorgeous Bishop Brothers since I was a small child. Our families’ rivalry was one that started years before us and one that I wanted to end.
I was tired of being my parent's puppet, tired of the games, of the hate. All I wanted was to enjoy college and move on with my life.
But your past can never stay hidden, right?
When the Bishop Brothers turn up at my school I have no place to run. I know then they’ll make certain I pay for every single bad-mouthed remark I or my parents ever made about them.
At Bayshore, I’m at their mercy and they won’t stop until my heart is a bleeding mess.
PROLOGUE
2 Years Prior
“Take the baggie, and put it in Sullivan’s pocket,” My father orders, not even looking up from the papers sprawled across his desk.
In his pocket? No way in Hell do I want to get that close to that asshole. I’ll try and get Shelby to help me with it. I’m not getting within ten feet of him or his brothers.
The Bishop Brothers, Sullivan, Oliver, and Banks are the children of Chloe and George Bishop, our rivals. They’re disgustingly handsome, filthy rich, and manipulative liars. Every occurrence I’ve ever had with them was one that ended with me wanting to stab them in the eye with the nearest object.
I don’t know exactly when or how it started, all I know is that the hate between our two families has been growing for the last two decades. Ever since I can remember I’ve been told about the Bishops and how they were trying to ruin our business, my family's livelihood.
Recently, we had to fire an entire crew right before Christmas. A dozen families out of a job before the holidays and all because of them.
Who does something that cruel? That’s not the worst thing they’ve done either, but it is the icing on the cake. Lately, their antics have been affecting more than just my family. Their wrath rippling down the line and onto our workers. I don’t bother to ask what the Bishops have done this time. It doesn’t matter. We’ll get even. We always do.
Sullivan the youngest of the Bishop Brothers is my age and even though we don’t go to the same school, we do occasionally run into each other at events and parties.
Usually, I try to avoid him like the plague. But today I’m going to the same place as him and on purpose. Everyone from every high school across the county will be there no matter the last name.
Tightening my grip on my purse, I ask, “What’s in the bag?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to, Harlow. Put the bag in his pocket and I'll make sure the rest gets done,” My father answers with a tone that tells me to shut my mouth and do as I’m told.
I bite my bottom lip, wondering if I should push the issue. I don’t like the Bishops, in fact, I hate them for what they've done and how they've treated my family for the last couple of years but I'm getting tired of doing my parents bidding. Tired of the constant hate. I decide against making a scene, there’s no point. I’ll end up having to do it anyway.
“Should I come home right afterward?”
Looking up from the document in front of him he pierces me with a stare from his blue eyes that match my own in depth and color.
A sinister grin finds its way onto his lips. “No. I want you to stick around. Make sure they see who it was that set them up.”
“Got it.” I nod and grab the baggie from the edge of the desk. The contents of the bag must be light because it feels like there isn't anything inside it.
“Don't forget all they've done to us, sweetie.” My father's voice softens. “I wouldn't ask you to do these things if I didn't feel it was justified. I have to protect you, my businesses, my men and everything those filthy Bishops do is a direct attack against us.”
“I know, Dad.” My lips pull up into a reassuring smile. Even if I hate what I have to do, being a part of this rivalry, I know there isn’t anything I can do to change it. My last name is Lockwood, and it will always be family over honor.
It’s my job to protect my family’s legacy.
“I’ll get the job done,” I mumble and turn on my heels exiting his office.
Once in the hall I pause and lean against the wall.
I can do this. I will do this.
I remind myself of how Chloe and George Bishop stare down at me like I’m gum stuck to the bottom of their shoes every time we cross paths. Their three sons are not much better. Annoyingly handsome and full of themselves. Sullivan is the worst. He acts like he is the king of the world and everyone is beneath him, like it's our duty to bow to him.
Tonight, we’ll put an end to his reign.
Tonight, he’ll find out what happens when you mess with a Lockwood.
Chapter One
Present
Bayshore University is not the prestigious college that I thought I would be attending. My whole life I thought I would end up going to one of the best Ivy League schools in the country, like Yale or Harvard, just like every other rich kid from my high school. Instead, I chose to attend this place. A nice but low-key University located on the west coast, hundreds of miles away from my hometown of North Woods. Most kids wouldn’t choose to be miles away from their parents, but I wasn’t most. I chose this college because it’s as far away from my family as I can get.
As soon as I turned eighteen and I got my hands on my trust fund, I was out of my parents’ house. There was no way I was going to stay another minute longer. I wanted to disappear, forget about my last name, and what it meant.
After finding out about the things my father had been up to, I didn’t want a single thing to do with the family business.
“This is college, and you’re acting as though someone has sentenced you to ten years hard labor.” Shelby laughs. My nose wrinkles as I look up at the fortress before me. Of course, the place would look more like a medieval castle set in the Scottish Highlands than a university. Ropes of thick green ivy climb the walls like they’re trying to escape.
“Maybe not ten years, but at least four, right?” I grin.
“College isn’t a dick, Harlow. Stop making it so hard.”
“Nice analogy. Where did you pull that one out of?”
“My ass.” She grins and slams her hips into mine. I roll my eyes like I’m annoyed with her when in reality I’m grateful she is here. She really had to talk her parents into letting her attend college here. I think the only reason her dad agreed is because he’s had a bad year at his law firm and the tuition is cheaper than Stanford, where Shelby was supposed to go originally. She doesn’t seem to care though.
Students rush past us in a flurry to get into their dorm rooms, while Shelby and I take our sweet time. We had most of our things shipped to the college, all except our personal belongings so there’s no rush for us. We spend most
of our time taking in the surroundings. The University itself is beautiful, with huge oak trees, and sprawling areas of lush green grass, that I can picture myself sitting on with a blanket and a good book.
We make it to the crowded dorm and up the stairs to our room without incident. Once inside I exhale all the air from my lungs and sag down onto my small twin size bed. The dorms are small and leave very little room for privacy but that’s okay. The place is close to the ocean and has a view that most would dream of.
“Okay, so I was invited to a party by a couple of guys I met over at Starbucks,” Shelby says, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.
“We’ve been here less than twenty-four hours and you want to go to a party already?” I knew parties were going to happen, but I’d hoped to avoid them.
“It’s a past time set forth by our ancestors, when you arrive at college you must party.”
“Sounds like its set forth by Shelby.” I roll my eyes.
Shelby juts out her bottom lip into a firm pout, “Oh, come on, Harlow, you only went to a handful of parties when we were in high school and now you don’t want to enjoy college. Your parents are out of the picture, you can basically do anything you want.”
She has no idea how wrong she is. Yes, I’ve managed to escape my father’s clutches for now, but I’m not going to be able to hide from him and my mother forever.
“If I go will you at least wait a whole month before inviting me to another one?”
Amusement twinkles in Shelby’s hazel eyes, “Mmm, two weeks tops.”
“Seriously.” I cringe.
“It’s college, Harlow, and I’m your certified fun helper.”
Shaking my head, I say, “You’re not a fun helper, you’re a get into trouble helper.”
She taps at her chin with her finger, “Trouble. Fun. All sounds the same to me. Now, what are you wearing? Better be something sexy. We’ve got to grab the boys’ attention right off the bat. You know college boys, all ADHD squirrel like.”
“I’m not catching anything, and especially not any boys’ attention.”
I’d garnered enough attention from the Bishop Brothers back home. After what I did to Sullivan, I was surprised he could walk past me without wanting to murder me. Let’s just say it made social gatherings a little tense.
“Your parents aren't here. You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re free.” Shelby gets up from her bed and puts her arms out like a bird, flapping them until she reaches my bed, slamming herself down onto it, causing me to bounce and a bubble of laughter to escape my throat.
“I’m not worried about them,” I lie. I’m worried about them just as much as I’m worried about the Bishops.
Actually, I’m not worried. I’m terrified. For years I’ve helped my father spread rumors about the Bishops. I’ve helped ruin their lives and for what? Nothing, it was all for nothing. I didn’t know how horrible my father really was. He didn’t just want their business, he wanted them gone.
At one point my hate for the Bishops started to diminish, and in its place resentment towards my father bloomed. I didn’t want anything to do with my old life, the drama, the hate, the revenge. I wanted to forget that part of my life ever existed.
“Good, because it wouldn’t matter if you were. Now, up. Let me see what I have to work with and then what clothing you’ve brought with you.”
“Do we really have to go?” I bat my long eyelashes knowing damn well it won’t work. I can’t make myself look as innocent and sweet as Shelby does. Plus, I kind of owe it to her to at least go out once. She did, after all, move hundreds of miles away from her family to be a supportive friend.
“Yes.” She smiles and I should’ve known that smile was going to be the death of me.
◆◆◆
I pull on the bottom of the miniskirt that Shelby shoved me into. I’m not exactly skinny, curvy is more like it, and even though I don’t have any real self-confidence issues, this thing is so short every single guy here is going to get a flash of my crotch by the end of the night.
If and that’s a pretty big if I go out with Shelby again, she will not be dressing me.
Brushing a few strands of my silky blonde hair behind my ear I survey the crowded room. The frat house is filled to max occupancy with women and men of all ages. There’s dancing, singing, and drinking games. People chilling on the couch in the living room, smoking what I’m pretty sure isn’t cigarettes based on the sweet aroma that permeates the air.
“We made it.” Shelby huffs, a wide grin on her blood red painted lips. She acts like she just aced a test that she’s been studying for all semester. We stand together, side by side, in the middle of the room, watching as people move around it, chatting, and having the time of their lives. The longer we stand there the more attention we bring to ourselves.
I can feel eyes on me, gliding over my bare legs, and my shirt that hangs off of one shoulder. Yeah, I don’t like this. Being the center of attention. Feeling out of place and a little timid, I hide behind the curtain of my hair as I turn to Shelby.
“We came, we saw, we had some fun, can we go now?” I whine, tugging on her arm. I haven’t been to a party since that night. That disastrous night. A shiver runs down my spine at the memory, at the anger, and simmering rage that reflected back at me from all three of the Bishop Brothers.
“We’ll make you pay for this, Harlow. One day you won’t have your parents’ protection, and then what will you do?”
Shrugging I say, “I’m not scared of you. You’re weak. Pathetic. Just like your parents.”
Oliver entered my bubble of space, forcing me to take a step back or be chest to chest with him, “One day, we’ll get even with you. We’ll break you. You’ll wish you were never born.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time…” I sneer, feeling the fear slither up my spine and around my throat like a snake.
Wiggling my shoulders, I shake off the unpleasant emotions coming with the memory.
“Nope.” Shelby pops the p, and grabs onto my hand, tugging us deeper into the house. The place is huge, similar to the mansion I lived in back home. There are priceless paintings on the walls, crown molding, and chandeliers that cost more than most cars. It reminds me so much of my old life that I have to shake away the creepy feeling slithering up my back. I did my research when selecting a college and I made certain this one wouldn’t have any billionaire co-eds.
As far as I know, Shelby and I are the only two people attending this university with parents that make more than a million a year. Which leaves me to wonder whose house it is? Does another student own it? His or her parents? Why do you even care, Harlow?
Paranoid. I’m being paranoid. Ever since leaving North Woods I’ve wondered when my past would come back to haunt me. All the things I said and did. The guilt eats away at me every single day. I let my father lead me blindly into the dark. I let him feed me lie after lie. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I wasn’t.
When we enter the kitchen I notice the black marble counters and stainless steel appliances. Off the kitchen is a pair of patio doors that open up to a backyard that butts up to the beach. It’s beautiful really, minus all the college coeds that are liquored up.
There’s a makeshift bar set up on the huge island and Shelby gets to work mixing us something to drink. Everything’s okay. I tell myself, blowing out air through my mouth, before inhaling through my nose.
“Here,” Shelby says, her pink painted nails coming into view as she shoves a red cup into my hand, the contents sloshing against the sides of the cup. I peer inside of it before bringing it to my nose to sniff.
“What is this? It smells like straight alcohol.”
Shelby shrugs, her hazel eyes narrowing, “Just drink it. Live a little, will you? If you promise to have a good time, I’ll promise not to push you to go out with me so much. Deal?”
Ugh, as much as I hate to admit it, she's right. I’m eighteen, a college student. I need to live a little, and enjoy
the years ahead of me before they’re gone and I’m forced to be an actual adult, with a job, and responsibilities.
“Fine. I’ll try.” I give her a weak smile and take a drink of the pink looking liquid. The burn I was expecting doesn’t come and I’m pleasantly surprised by the cherry tang that’s left against my lips.
“Good, huh?” Shelby asks, watching me like a hawk.
“Decent. It doesn’t taste like I’m drinking lighter fluid.”
“Shut up.” She giggles, taking a drink from her cup. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and I don’t understand why. Swinging my gaze around the room I look for anything out of place. What’s wrong with me? I think I’m losing my mind.
A loud rap song comes blaring through the speakers, vibrating through the masses of bodies and into my skull, causing a dull ache to form there. A book wouldn’t give me this kind of headache. Feeling as if I’ll need it, I drink the rest of the liquid in my cup and hand it back to Shelby with a mischievous grin.
“Make me another. I’m going to go find a bathroom. If I’m not back in ten minutes send out a search party.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” She takes the cup and ushers me away. “Go to the bathroom. I’ll be here when you get back.”
Leaving the kitchen I notice a group of women in skirts shorter than my own enter the house. My heart sinks into my stomach at the sight. Barbies. Three girls dolled up like plastic dolls. Fake. Popular. Gorgeous. Every college and high school has them.
They stick out like a weed in a bed of flowers. They giggle, and toss their hair over their shoulders, batting their eyelashes at every man that looks their way, and there are a lot of men looking their way. Turning, I head for the huge staircase before they come any closer, I know their type—they’ll either want to befriend me and initiate me into their clan, or they’ll make me public enemy number one—I don’t want to get on their radar, I want to have an uneventful, low-key college experience. Rushing up the stairs I almost run head first into a couple that is making out against the railing.