Ruthless Idols: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 2)

by Michelle Hercules

  Oh my God. What’s up with the Kent brothers and their tongues?

  I’m moaning and panting like a cat in heat. It’s not a shocker when Rufio sends me over the edge faster than I could have imagined, and I cry out as my hips buckle. Rufio sprawls his fingers over my belly, keeping me still while he mercilessly teases my clit until the tremors running through my body cease.

  I keep my eyes closed while my breathing comes out in spurts. Time has no meaning anymore. But if I thought Rufio was done with me, it was a mistake. I hear the sound of a wrapper being torn just before he rolls me over on my belly. He then pins me to the floor with his body. The tip of his cock is at my entrance, and his mouth is at my ear again.

  “You’re mine now, Daisy.”

  “No I’m not,” I say through clenched teeth. “I belong to no one.”

  “I beg to differ.” With a precise thrust, he sheaths himself inside of me.

  He feels too good. And he’s right. In this moment, he owns me completely. Rufio covers my hands with his, linking our fingers together while he fucks me hard from behind. A delicious pressure begins to build again between my legs, and it feels like my body is operating at a hundred degrees.

  “Damn it, Daisy. Your pussy is so tight,” he grunts in my ear.

  My body starts to tingle, and I’m so hot, I know I have a fever. My thoughts are all scrambled as though I’m high. As crazy as it may sound, I want—no, I need Rufio to punish me, to give me his worst. It’s like he brings out the dark side of me.

  “Harder. Fuck me harder,” I urge.

  With a groan, he increases the tempo, but it’s not enough. As if he’s reading my mind, Rufio bites my shoulder hard enough to inflict just the right amount of pain to send me over the edge.

  We both cry out at the same time. A strange energy surrounds our bodies, leaving traces of heat and ice over my skin. Such nonsense. I must have lost my mind to orgasmic bliss. I keep my eyes shut because the room is spinning.

  Rufio gives one final, shuddering thrust, and then he collapses next to me. And that’s the last thing I remember before oblivion takes over.

  11

  Rufio

  It takes a couple of minutes for my breathing to return to normal. Hot damn. That was the most intense fuck I’ve had in my life. I shouldn’t be surprised that sleeping with Daisy would be an experience, but I had no idea it would be like that. Shit, I’m not giving this up.

  I told Drusilla I never go for seconds, but hell, I’m breaking my own rule. And I’m doing it for a Norm. I rub my face. If someone had told me this would happen to me, I’d laugh my ass off.

  I turn to Daisy. She hasn’t moved since I slipped out of her. Does she regret giving in so easily? Is she thinking about Bryce? A sharp pain spears my chest. Then anger takes its place. Is this what jealousy feels like? I’ve never cared about any girl before, so the feeling is unknown to me.

  I prop myself on my elbow and push her long hair off her face. “Daisy?”

  No answer. What the hell. Did she fall asleep?

  I shake her shoulder. “Hey, Daisy. Wake up.”

  Nothing. Not even a moan. Fuck. Did I accidentally kill her? I’m gripped by panic for a second, then realize she’s not cold. On the contrary, she’s burning up. I roll her over so she’s lying on her back. Her eyes are closed, but she’s breathing, albeit a little shallowly. Her hair is matted against her clammy forehead.

  I shake her harder. “Daisy. What the fuck? Wake up!”

  She’s out cold. Shit. This is not normal.

  I jump back to my feet and go in search of my cell. I don’t think twice before calling my brother. I’m not even doing it on purpose to rub it in his face that I fucked his darling. He’s just my go-to person when the shit hits the fan, no matter how hard we fight.

  He answers on the second ring. “What?”

  “Bryce, I have a problem.” I run a hand through my hair.

  “What did you do?” His tone is harsh, and it rubs me the wrong way. He always assumes the worst about me.

  “I’m not sure. It’s Daisy.”

  There’s a pause. “Rufio, I swear if you hurt Daisy in any way, I’ll forget you’re my brother.”

  Considering the tone of his voice has gone ten degrees cooler, I believe him.

  “I didn’t hurt her. Could you please come to the treehouse ASAP?”

  “What is she doing there with you?”

  I pinch the bridge of my nose and begin to pace. “She got here on her own.”

  I hear the sound of Phoenix’s voice in the background, then Morpheus’s. Great. Now they’re all gonna tag along.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” Bryce replies before the line goes silent.

  I toss my phone on the nearest beanbag and search for Daisy’s discarded clothes. I don’t want them to find her naked like that. Considering how fast Bryce and the others can run, I know they’ll be here in less than a minute, so I forgo Daisy’s panties and just put her running shorts back on. The sports bra is a little trickier.

  Ah, fuck it. I can already sense my brother. Running out of time, I simply cover Daisy’s torso with my shirt. A second later, Bryce is coming up the ladder. Morpheus and Phoenix join him, all in partial states of dressing. They literally dropped everything they were doing to check on Daisy.

  Bryce spares me one fleeting glance before he runs to the girl lying on the floor. He pulls her tangled hair off her face and cups her cheek.

  “Daisy, sweetheart. Wake up.”

  Sweetheart? What the hell? When did he start calling her by cute nicknames?

  “What did you do to her?” Morpheus watches me through slitted eyes.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Phoenix interjects. “He fucked her.”

  Bryce looks over his shoulder, eyes spitting fire. “If you forced her—”

  “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” I point at him. “I’d never do that to anyone.”

  “But you guys hooked up,” Morpheus replies.

  “Obviously. Look at the evidence.” Phoenix points at the used condom I didn’t have the chance to toss in the trash.

  “Yeah, we fucked, but she wanted it as much as I did. I didn’t ask you here to grill me about what went down between Daisy and me.” I switch my attention to her. She’s in Bryce’s arms now, and he has his hand pressed against her forehead. “What are you doing?”

  “She has a fucking fever, and she’s unresponsive. What do you think I’m doing?” he snaps.

  “Are you healing her?” Phoenix asks.

  “I’m trying. Now everyone shut up.” He glances at her again. His hand begins to glow and the light spreads throughout her body next, enveloping her whole.

  I squint, raising my arm to shield my eyes. When the light fades, I have to blink a couple of times.

  “Daisy?” Bryce calls softly.

  She moans before opening her eyes partially. A wash of relief runs through me.

  “What’s going on?” she croaks, then hisses. “Everything hurts.”

  “Damn it, Bryce. I thought you had healing powers.” Phoenix takes a step forward, his face scrunched up in worry.

  “I haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. I just discovered I have it.”

  “Is she still running a fever?” Morpheus asks.

  Bryce nods. “Yes.”

  With a swift movement, he’s back on his feet.

  “Where are you taking her?” My voice rises, laced with worry.

  “Back to her room. Then I’m calling Ellen.”

  Before I can say anything, Bryce heads for the window and jumps with Daisy in his arms, disappearing from view. If Bryce is willing to involve the school nurse, then he’s truly freaked out about Daisy.

  In truth, so I am.

  BRYCE

  Ellen uses her hands to scan Daisy’s feverish body, and I don’t like the frown she’s sporting now one bit. I rub my face, then rip at my hair. Fuck. I wonder if I didn’t truly heal Daisy but only delayed the inevitable.

 
Once the nurse finishes her perusal, she sighs loudly and then turns to Rufio, who’s standing off in a corner in Daisy’s room. At first, Ellen wanted to kick all of us out, but seeing how adamant we were on staying, she decided it wasn’t worth the waste of time and went to work on Daisy right away.

  “I don’t understand. There’s nothing wrong with her besides this high fever. I saw no traces of infection or flu,” she says.

  “So, my healing is not reversing?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “No. All her bones are intact, and there’s no internal bleeding either.”

  “You don’t think too much sex could do that to a Norm, do you?” Phoenix asks earnestly.

  We all turn to gawk at him.

  “You’re serious,” Morpheus finally replies.

  He shrugs. “What? I’ve never hung out with Norms after I fu—I mean, after I slept with them.”

  Ellen stands back from Daisy’s bed and pulls a plastic bottle with pills inside from her bag. “There’s nothing for us to do besides wait for her fever to run its course. Just make sure it doesn’t go over 100 degrees.”

  The nurse gives a couple of pills to Daisy, who is completely out of it. She at least manages to swallow the medication with a little water.

  “Do you want us to check on her?” Rufio asks.

  She turns to him with an eyebrow raised. “You’re her neighbors, and you asked me not tell the principal the details of what happened to Daisy prior to the fever, so yeah, I’m asking you to keep an eye on her.”

  Rufio shuts his pie hole, glancing away.

  “I can stay with her,” Morpheus offers.

  “You’re going to ditch class for her? Why?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

  “Because I’m the only one who hasn’t or doesn’t want to bone her.” Morpheus switches his attention to the nurse. “Sorry, Ellen.”

  The woman simply shakes her head. “Don’t worry about my ears, kid. I’ve heard worse.” She hoists her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll come back later to check on her.”

  Once the woman leaves, Daisy makes a disgruntled sound in the back of her throat.

  “Morpheus, you can’t skip class on my account,” she croaks, trying to sit up.

  “Hey, what are you doing there, girlie? Lay back down.” Phoenix motions to her bed, stopping halfway as if he realizes something.

  “I’ll stay with you,” I offer before Rufio or Phoenix decides to volunteer.

  From the corner of my eye, I catch Rufio open his mouth, but Daisy replies before he can.

  “Okay.” She sinks farther into her pillow and closes her eyes.

  My brother’s stare is practically burning a hole through my face. I turn to him. “What?”

  “Nothing,” he grumbles.

  “Go on, then. You’re already late.”

  Rufio strides out of Daisy’s room with angry steps, followed by Phoenix and Morpheus. Morpheus stops by the door and looks over his shoulder. “Text me if she gets worse.”

  He finally steps out, closing the door with a soft click. I pull the desk chair closer to Daisy’s bed and stare at her. Her eyebrows are slightly furrowed, and her facial muscles are tense. I believe she’s sleeping now, but she’s in discomfort. I wish there was something I could do, but it seems I can’t summon my healing powers at will yet.

  Daisy starts to mumble incoherent words. I lean closer, trying to make out what she’s saying. She’s repeating the same thing over and over again, and after a moment, I can make it out.

  “Repellam te.”

  It sounds like Latin, but why would she be dreaming about a phrase in Latin? Morpheus’s vision comes to the forefront of my mind again. I won’t deny I’ve been obsessing about it since he told me. I care about Daisy more than I ever have about anyone in my life, but the infinity band is forever. I can’t imagine what would propel me to make that kind of commitment to anyone, no matter how much I loved them.

  He also said Daisy was linked to someone from the past. I sit up straighter in my chair and glance around. I’m in her room, and she’s out cold. There won’t be a better opportunity to look for clues about her past, since, thanks to the protection on all dorm room doors, we can’t break in.

  I’m gripped by a momentary feeling of guilt, but it vanishes quickly. The stakes are too high for such sentimentalities. Too many powerful players want something from Daisy. I have to find out what.

  12

  Morpheus

  Going to class is pointless. I can’t pay attention, so now I not only have to worry about math but everything else too. Fucking great. My brain can only latch on to one thing, my vision of Daisy and Bryce. What the hell does it mean?

  I skip lunch and head to the library. I need a word with Mrs. Wilkins. Maybe she has a book that explains the line I saw connecting Daisy and Bryce to the ghost figures. I couldn’t find anything online, but growing up in a scholar’s house taught me that a lot of important knowledge never made to the web. I believe that’s thanks to the snobbish nature of people like my father. The man isn’t even an Idol, but he has the ego to match one.

  I’m on Mrs. Wilkins’s shit list after the stunt I pulled in the library, which proves that I’m at the end of my rope. I wouldn’t seek her help if I had any other choice. Well, I have another choice, but facing her is easier than the alternative.

  The library is not empty. Gifted Academy houses a lot of nerds, and the library is their natural habitat. Several heads turn my way when I push through the double doors. The girl manning the front desk looks startled by my presence. I don’t know who she is, but she knows who I am, hence the deer-caught-in-headlights expression she’s sporting now.

  “Is Mrs. Wilkins in?” I ask.

  “Yeah, she’s in her office.” The girl points in the right direction, like I don’t know where it is.

  “Thanks.”

  The door to the office is closed but not the blinds on her window, which faces the library floor. She’s at her desk, eating a salad for lunch. I knock, and then I wave at her.

  She scrunches her eyebrows and pinches her lips together. Great. She’s already annoyed. Her expression doesn’t improve when she opens the door.

  “Is there a problem, Mr. Malek?” she asks.

  “I’d like to ask you a question.”

  “I’m taking my lunch break now. Come back later.” She begins to close the door in my face, but I press my hand against it, holding it open.

  “Please, Mrs. Wilkins. This is important.” I put extra emphasis in my tone as I let my power ebb freely from my frame. The shadows, which have been fairly quiet since my ordeal, become agitated. They lick my wrists, turning the skin around my bracelets cold.

  Her gaze narrows as she focuses on the shadows peeking from underneath my jacket. I’m sure she can also sense my power since I’m not doing anything to reel it in.

  Students are forbidden to use their powers against teachers and school personnel. But she also knows I’m dangerous and unhinged with a penchant for bad temper. Finally, with a sigh, she relents and lets me in.

  Walking back to her seat, she asks, “What do you want to know? Better make it quick.” She sinks her fork in her salad.

  “I want to know if you have any books here on past lives.”

  She pauses with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Past lives as in reincarnation?”

  I shove my hands in my pockets and shrug. “Something like that.”

  I honestly have no clue what I’m looking for. Maybe the line connecting Daisy to the other being means a link connecting her to her former self. Or it could be something completely different like what I had originally thought—the line represents her connection to a descendant. Since it’s unlikely this library has anything on the bloodlines of Norms, I’m going with the reincarnation possibility.

  I also can’t tell Mrs. Wilkins about my vision. We can’t trust anyone outside our inner circle.

  “If you want a book that covers that particular topic, it would be in the religion section.”r />
  I groan in my head. Whatever those books contain, it’s not something I can’t find online.

  “I was wondering if you have a rare tome on the subject. Something you wouldn’t display with the other books.”

  Mrs. Wilkins’s eyebrows arch as she stares at me intensely. “All our books are out there.” She points out the window. “Now go and let me eat my lunch in peace.”

  Clenching my jaw, I whirl around and walk out of her office. What a fucking waste of time. I should have known the bitch wouldn’t help me. I’m also an idiot. My father’s library probably has what I’m looking for, but by trying to avoid the man, I let Mrs. Wilkins know about my strange interest. I bet an arm and a leg she’ll run to tell Principal Fallon.

  Son of a bitch. Bryce will be pissed.

  BRYCE

  I looked everywhere in Daisy’s room, but I didn’t find anything that shed a light on her past. I even checked her text messages and computer files. They were password protected, but bypassing them was child’s play. With my ability to manipulate energy, hacking is second nature.

  She’s still sleeping like the dead, but her fever is under control. It hasn’t gone down, but it hasn’t gone up either. I stand at the foot of her bed with my hands on my hips as I scan the small room. I must have missed something.

  Think, Bryce. Think. If you had to hide something, where would you? Daisy turns around, lying on her side now. The bed is the only place I didn’t look—more precisely, the mattress.

  I drop onto my back and slide under the frame. Using my phone, I illuminate the bottom of it so I can see through the rows of wood boards. Right down the middle, I find what I’m looking for: a cut in the mattress. Sticking my fingers inside, I brush against something solid, a book maybe.