by Ruby Vincent
The letter shook in her trembling hands as she read it. She spoke, but it wasn’t the words on the paper.
“I am not a predator. I loved those boys. I was there for them when their parents weren’t. Nannies and cooks and tutors and drivers filled their lives. They used their fortunes to make sure they never have to raise their kids. They could talk to me. They could—”
“So you admit it.”
She turned furious eyes on me. “I did nothing wrong!”
“Just like you did nothing wrong when you marked me? Think carefully before you deny. Remember I was there in the woods and I still have your mask. All I have to do is take it to the other staff and prove it was you who wore it that night.”
Scarlett’s face morphed before my eyes. Gone was the puffy, snarling mess and out came a true mask. Her expression smoothed out until it was blank. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“They say it on the recording too. You’re a Spade.”
“That recording is nothing but malicious talk from unhappy students.” Scarlett signed her name with a flourish. “But I will not allow it to ruin my reputation. Here.” She flung the paper. It bounced off my left boob and sailed to the floor. “Now delete it. I want to see you do it.”
I picked the letter up. “I never told you I would do that. What I’m actually going to do is hold on to this so that I don’t meet with any more accidents. If another planter falls from the sky or flaming tape balls end up in my room, I send this wide.”
I gave her my back and marched toward the door.
“If I am who you say I am...”
I stopped dead.
“A Spade.” Scarlett’s voice slithered into my ear. “Then do you honestly believe that the way you handled this was smart?”
I spoke without turning around. “I believe that you’re a sick piece of shit who preys on innocent children. You have no idea the pain you’ve caused, or you don’t care, either way... don’t count on me to protect your secret. You’ll never hurt another child again.”
Crash!
I spun as her stool toppled over. Scarlett darted around the table, eyes flashing with cold fury. I quickly grabbed the knob. I cracked the door open and she staggered to a halt.
“I should have dropped another on your head and made damn sure,” she hissed, not letting her voice carry to the bodyguard outside. “You’re such a stupid little girl, Valentina. Don’t know when to quit. When to leave.” Scarlett’s whole body shook with the force of her pants. I saw the restraint in the coiled tightness of her limbs.
“If you wanted me gone so badly, why did you help me? Why be nice to me? Why tell me about Walter?”
She barked a laugh and it startled me worse than the malice in her eyes. “Walter? Oh please. Who cares about that useless idiot? It wasn’t about him. It was never about him. And that people thought he was some kind of threat to the Spades is laughable. He was a jumped-up brat who didn’t know his place... just like you.”
Wasn’t about him?
“If he didn’t matter, why was he killed? Do you all just do this for fun? Is that what the Spades are really about?”
Scarlett rose to her full height. Her amusement fled in the face of an emotion I couldn’t name. “The Spades keep things as they should be, and I will do the same as those who came before me and those who will come after.”
“No, Scarlett.” I place my hand over my chest and the button cam that hid beneath. “You’re done.” I lurched forward, pulling the door with me. “You should have made damn sure the first time. Now it’s my turn.”
I slammed the door hard enough to shook the lockers.
“Everything okay, Miss Moon?”
My heart rattled my ribcage like a convict trying to escape. It took a few seconds for me to answer him. “Fine, Kane. I’m going back to my room. I’m tired.”
Together we left the main building and crossed the courtyard to my dorm.
“I’m staying in until dinner,” I told him while putting my key in the lock. “So you can go.”
“I will return at six. Call me if you need me to come sooner.”
I said bye, stepped in, and waited five minutes before opening the door again. Having the no-phone ban not apply to me seemed nice until you remembered you couldn’t call anyone but your bodyguard.
Luckily, the boys and I agreed to meet at the cliffs after my talk with Scarlett. I got her to say she attacked me and all but admit what she did to the boys. This was it for her. We had done it.
I hope they’re there. And that I remember the way as well as I said I did.
The quad was full of people tossing the ball around or lazing in the afternoon sun, but none of them paid attention to me hurrying through. The woods beckoned me inside and surrounded me in their music. The leaves shook with the wind, rustling high above, while birds and critters added to the chorus. A snapped twig joined the noise and I peered over my shoulder.
Nothing. I should hurry up. They must be waiting.
I hurried through the trodden path until light shone up ahead. I rushed out into the clearing and saw...
...no one. The guys weren’t here yet.
I glanced at the chairs.
I’ll chill until they—
Loud footsteps sounded behind me, and before I could turn, I was hit hard.
I went down as a body collapsed on top of me. “Give me the phone!”
A hand pressed down on my skull, pushing me into the dirt, while the other scrabbled at my pockets.
“Valentina!”
A scream, and then the weight on me was gone. Ezra and Scarlett grappled in the dirt. I shakily got to my knees as she reeled back and punched him in the throat. Ezra’s hand flew to his neck and she took the chance to buck him off.
Then she came for me.
“Give it to me!”
I tried to get away, but I stumbled and she fell on me again. Vicious hands tangled in my hair and I screamed as I was dragged. Dragged further from Ezra... and closer to the cliff.
“I loved those boys! I won’t let you or the world turn it into something sordid! They needed me! Me!”
I pounded and clawed at the hands in my hair. “Let me go! Let go!”
“Valentina!”
Relief so strong it mingled with my tears of pain hit me when I saw Ryder, Jaxson, and Maverick burst through the trees. Ezra struggled to his feet, and the four of them ran at us, leaping on Scarlett a few feet from the edge.
I was wrestled from her grasp. Maverick pulled me into his arms and wrapped me to his chest while the others got off of her. They all came to my side as Scarlett rose. She was a terrifying sight to behold. Blood gushed from a cut from her forehead. The naked hate on her face made me press myself closer to Maverick.
“Give. Me. The. Phone,” she snarled.
I broke—fear and pain surging through me as I yanked the phone out of my pocket. “If you want the fucking thing so bad then have it!”
I threw it. The phone crested high over our heads and Scarlett’s head snapped back as she followed its flight. She jumped, straining to reach it, and... missed.
The phone soared over the edge of the cliff and Scarlett went with it. Her screams echoed through the clearing until I could hear them no more.
“No...” I broke free of Maverick’s arms and rushed to the edge. Four hands stopped me.
“It wasn’t your fault, Valentina.” Jaxson drew me to him. He laced our hand together. “It was not your fault.”
“No one will know about this.” Maverick took the other hand—dwarfing my delicate fingers in his strong ones.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Ezra pressed himself to my back, banishing the chill that was taking hold of me. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
Ryder stepped into my sight. The wind played with his raven locks but nothing could stop me from seeing his eyes. He brushed his fingers across my cheek.
“We’ll protect you.”
If you would like to get Boo
k Three, Bound, click here!
Bound
Five people bound by the most terrible secret... and something else.
I never thought I could forgive them. I didn't believe there was still a heart inside of me that could forgive. But my boys, my knights, were taking down my walls and claiming a piece for themselves.
All I wanted was to lock our secret away and enter junior year as though the past never happened...
...but someone won't let me.
Someone knows what we did and the price for their silence may be more than I can give.
The game will only grow more vicious until lines are drawn in the battle for who truly rules Evergreen Academy.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ruby Vincent is a published author with many novels under her belt but now she's taking a fun foray into contemporary romance. She loves saucy heroines, bold alpha males, and weaving a tale where both get their happy ever after.
Copyright © 2019 by Ruby Vincent
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.