Wrong Crowd (Kingsley Academy Book 1)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  I quickly do my business before heading over to the sink. As I wash my hands, I examine the countertops for a toothbrush and toothpaste. There’s nothing. Only bottles of hand wash, shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

  I dry my hands with the hand towel hanging over the edge of the sink and notice there are drawers to the side of the sink. I go to pull one open but it doesn’t move, so I shove it. “Damn thing!” I curse. Something clicks and it slowly falls open.

  Mouth agape, I notice more toiletries inside, along with a toothbrush, toothpaste, moisturisers and, thank god, a brush. I’ve had to use my fingers for the past few weeks since mine completely fell apart on me.

  It doesn’t take me long to wash up. I had a shower this morning in the hotel Nova made us stay at after the funeral. I think she wanted me to say goodbye to it all after Mum’s funeral, which is why we didn’t go back to the flat. Not that I’m complaining.

  Heading back into the bedroom, I go to grab the oversized T-shirt stashed in my bag, but something stops me. I like my things. They’re scraps of cloths to other people, but to me, they are the best things I own.

  Sighing, I head over to the wardrobe. There’s no harm in finding out what damage her housekeeper did.

  I have to step back when the doors open.

  Holy fucking shit.

  “This isn’t a wardrobe. This is a fucking bedroom,” I murmur, wide-eyed. In the middle of the room is a massive white, suede, round pouffe. “No, it’s a fucking clothes shop.”

  To the left is a row of T-shirts and tops. I run my fingers through them, my nose scrunching up at the pink blouse.

  Never going to wear that.

  Most are black tank tops, a few T-shirts and other tops that I kind of like but would show too much skin and look ridiculous with my skinny body. My hips might flare out a little but there isn’t any meat on them. My mum gifted me with her large breasts, ones that have gotten me into trouble with the men in our block of flats a few times. In my defence, I was a kid and they were staring. It was only fair they got a black eye or a knee to their balls.

  The row of tops stop, and in the middle are shelves filled with trainers, some white as snow, some black, some pink, and some cool as fuck boots. I pick up the black pair with laces to the ankle, admiring them. I might have had doubts but I know there is no way I’m going to pass up wearing these.

  On the other side is another row of clothes, these ones coats, jackets and other stuff. I say stuff because I ignore the row of handbags on the thinner set of shelves. I do, however, see the backpack shoved at the bottom, like someone was trying to hide it. I reluctantly grin. Continuing to walk around, I come to some drawers. Opening them the same way the bathroom one opened, I flick through them. Bra’s and underwear are in the first one. Bikinis and swimsuits in the second. In the third and fourth is a bunch of sleepwear. I ignore it for the moment, knowing I’ll be going back to it for something to sleep in.

  There’s another set of drawers next to it, but I don’t bother looking through them.

  The right wall is stacked with jeans first, all in different shades. They look too neatly stacked for me to pull a pair out to check if they are okay or not. I skim past the dressing table, even though the girl inside me does want to know how those skin products feel. I also see another brush.

  I roll my eyes when I come to the next row of clothes. It’s all dresses. Yeah, I won’t be wearing them either.

  I head back over to the drawers and push the drawer with the nightwear in. Most of it is thin silk. I pull out the first set; a burgundy colour with black lace on the edge. I hold the silk top up, biting my bottom lip.

  What the hell. I’ve got nothing to lose. I quickly change, marvelling at the feel of the material against my bare skin. The shorts fit snug over my round arse.

  I yawn, but I know I won’t be able to sleep. It was hard at the hotel last night with no noise whatsoever. I even tried to turn the television on for some white noise, but it wasn’t the same.

  I have a book stored in the bottom of my bag that I can read until I’m sleepy.

  I pause when I walk past the mirror, doing a double take of the girl staring back at me. My black hair is tied back with a bobble, but even I notice it has a shine to it that it never had before.

  The pyjamas make me groan and aren’t something I’d ever pick out for myself, but I can’t help but think I look good. My cleavage shows and my legs look longer.

  After ten minutes of trying to figure out where the wardrobe’s light switches are and then turning them off, I head back over to my bag. I grab the old, withered book I got for free at a car boot sale before flicking one of the lamps off and leaving the other one on.

  I grab the throw from the end of the bed and drag it over to the chaise. I stack the pillows against the wall and get comfy, wrapping the blanket over my legs, even if the night air is stifling tonight. It’s another reason I’m glad it’s meant to rain over the weekend, not that I believe it will happen. They’ve been saying it for weeks. We’re having one heck of a summer.

  I’m barely into the new chapter when a squeal gains my attention. I jump, looking through the window at the manor across the way. Most of the lights are out, but one is on in the bedroom opposite.

  I shouldn’t look, I know it, but when two bodies—two very naked bodies—come into view, I can’t look away.

  Holy shit!

  The guy’s headboard is up against the window and they’re standing at the end, so although the girl’s back is to me, giving me a good view of her arse, he’s facing me. I could get caught.

  If he didn’t want someone watching, he should have shut the fucking curtains and turned off the fucking lights.

  From what I can make out, he has dark hair…

  Oh my God. He lifts the blonde by her hips and throws her down on the bed. I gape at the quick glimpse I get of his athletic body. I’m sad when he crawls up over her, wanting to check him out a little bit more.

  A small puff of air escapes between my lips when he grabs onto the headboard with one hand, his other still somewhere on her, and begins to thrust, hard. I can see the bed shaking from here.

  My cheeks flame as I watch them, but I can’t look away. I don’t want to look away. I’ve had one sexual partner in my seventeen years, and although I have nothing to compare it to, it was good. The guy had experience and knew what he was doing. This guy though… he looks like he mastered in sex.

  Heat pools between my legs, and I take bets on which one lives there. With my luck, it’s the girl who doesn’t mind people watching her while she gets fucked.

  Or…

  I freeze when he lifts his head, and although it’s too far to tell, I know he’s looking at me. He could be looking at his reflection in the window, but I’m not that lucky. I can feel the heat of his gaze all over my body.

  My lips part, and after a moment, he smirks, then thrusts harder inside the girl. Her scream echoes through his open window and my eyes widen in shock.

  Quickly, I throw the blanket off me and run over to my bed, facing away from the window.

  Knowing my luck, the hot guy who just caught me watching him have sex lives there.

  Crap!

  CHAPTER TWO

  The next morning, I take a long, warm shower and grab some clothes out of the wardrobe. Annette either has good taste or she got a sales lady to help her, because most of these clothes are the shit.

  Instead of my usual jeans and T, I grab a pair of denim shorts that come to mid-thigh and pair them with a T-shirt that has ‘New York’ written across my chest area. It looks good. Real good. It feels foreign to have options, to have something that feels so nice against my skin instead of the usual rough material that scratched me.

  I didn’t see them before, but I grab the closest pair of flip-flops. I’ve never worn them before, but they’re actually comfy. And it’s not like I can wear my ratty pumps with clothes this nice.

  After what happened last night, I couldn’t sleep, so I we
nt mooching through the rest of the drawers. I mostly found girly shit, which is why when I found the dark purple nail polish, I sat and painted my fingernails and toenails. I never understood why the girls at school would do it until then. It made me hate my mum a little bit more for taking another thing away from me. It made me feel feminine, something I never felt before in my ratty clothes and lack of girly products.

  It’s nine, too early to be awake when I was up most of the night, but I woke up with a feeling of someone watching me. I could feel the tingle down my neck. As I rose from the bed, there was no one in sight. It still made it impossible for me to go back to sleep.

  I retrace my steps from last night and, thankfully, find the kitchen with only one mistake. The voices echoing outside the entryway have me pausing.

  “Why is she here?” the menacing voice asks. “Did you learn nothing from your sister?”

  What?

  I take another step forward, but Nova’s words stop me.

  “She’s my niece. I don’t want her anywhere else. She’s nothing like Cara was,” Nova argues.

  “What about the money? She has rights to that money,” the man tells her. “Does she know?”

  “She doesn’t know, and even if she does, why would I care? She can have it.”

  “You really have a problem with boundaries, don’t you, sweetheart?”

  I jump at the raspy voice in my ear. A startled squeak escapes me and I turn to face the guy from last night. Don’t tell me how I know, I just do. He’s more handsome up close; strong jawline, perfectly shaped lips and dark green, smouldering eyes that girls could get lost in. However, peering closer, I see a void in them I hadn’t noticed at first glance.

  I can see why the blonde didn’t have a problem fucking him with the lights on and curtains open. I’d want to see him too. He has broad shoulders, and his black T-shirt clings to him, giving me a peek of a tattoo wrapped around his bicep. I’m willing to bet my soul his bad boy physique looks better up close and personal.

  “Who are you?” I ask.

  He looks over my shoulder, pasting on a fake smile. “Nova, morning.”

  “Ivy, you’re up.” She sounds surprised and looks kind of fidgety, which makes me question what I just heard even more. Why were they talking about me? And why would he be worried about money? I don’t have any. “Morning, Kaiden. I see you’ve met Ivy, my niece.”

  “Or she met me,” he replies sweetly. He stands so close to me his shoulder is touching mine, and I can smell his woodsy scent. It’s enough to make a girl drop her panties. “Isn’t that right?”

  “Um…” I struggle with what to say, his presence making me dizzy. I’ve never had this problem before. The old Ivy would have snapped some snarky comeback and walked out of the room. Not this Ivy. She got hit with his beauty and lost her ability to speak.

  “Annette is making breakfast. Come on in and take a seat.”

  I go to follow her inside, highly aware of the large figure looming next to me. I’m pulled back by the hoops of my shorts. I glare up at the handsome devil but don’t make a sound, wanting to escape Nova’s attention.

  He scrutinises every inch of me, his top lip curling in disgust, yet his actions show something different when he runs his finger down my neck. I try to swat him away, but he chuckles low and deep, moving his finger back as he runs it across my cleavage.

  My chest rises and falls, whether it’s from fear or want, I don’t know. I try to take a step back, his presence doing too much for my libido.

  “Get off me,” I hiss, glaring up at him.

  “Don’t think I don’t know you were watching me last night. Tell me, did you enjoy the show?”

  “Get off me,” I hiss louder when he doesn’t let go of the loop in my shorts.

  He shakes his head, like he’s disappointed in me for speaking. “Never forget your place, Ivy.”

  The way he says my name sends a shiver of fear down my spine, like he knows exactly where I come from, who I come from. I watch him swagger past me, his stride assertive and dominant, and the deviant in me wants to lash out, kick the back of his knees or something. Anything to wipe that smug swagger he’s got going on.

  Even with the bad vibes coming off him, I can’t help but glance down at his denim covered arse. I’m a girl after all. All plump, tight and round. He really works those jeans.

  Yum.

  Shame he’s a fucking jackass.

  I follow him into the kitchen, and the second I do, Nova tenses, her gaze briefly going to the other man in the room. I ignore Kaiden, eyeing the man watching me with disdain. He’s older but looks good for his age. He has light brown hair and dark, soulless eyes. They’re almost black and it creeps me out.

  “Ivy, I presume.”

  “Yes,” I reply, not bothering to ask who he is. His eyes flare with annoyance, but I don’t care.

  “As I’m sure you know, I’m Royce Kingsley. I live next door.”

  I inwardly snort at the entitlement rolling off him. He really believes I should know who is and either be impressed or awed. I’m neither.

  I’m bored.

  I ignore him, turning to Nova. “Can I go into town to apply for a job?”

  “A job?” Royce asks, like the word is foreign to him. My gaze flicks to Kaiden, and I notice he’s just watching me, something working behind those eyes.

  “Yes. A job. It’s where people make money.”

  “We don’t work low-paying jobs,” he shoots out snottily. “And I doubt you have the expertise to get anything better. We will not have you ruining our reputation by getting a job as a cashier.”

  Is this guy for real?

  Nova looks uncomfortable about the subject, and I know what Dickhead just said is true. “Nova, you said I could,” I remind her.

  “Maybe you should take some time to get caught up with studies. We could go to the academy, take a look around.”

  I raise my eyebrow. “I’m free to go out, right?”

  She sighs, not looking at Dickhead. “Yes.”

  “I’m going out.”

  “Wait! I have something for you,” she tells me, running to her bag sat on the side. I watch as she pulls out her purse, then walks over to me, handing me a bunch of twenties.

  What the fuck does she think I need this for? I have clothes upstairs, food in the cupboards, and right now, that’s more than I’ve ever had in my life. If she thinks she can buy me, she has another thing coming. I’m getting a job. She promised.

  “Take this until your debit card comes. I ordered it yesterday,” she explains, and I take the cash, not wanting to refuse in front of strangers. I can feel my face flame. “Kaiden, would you be a dear and drive Ivy into town?” Before he can reply, she continues. “Make sure you have your phone, and when you’re ready to be picked up, call me.”

  Wait, what?

  “No. I can walk,” I tell her, my voice rising a little too loudly.

  Her expression can only be one of horror. “No! One, you don’t know where it is, and two, it’s a little bit far to walk.”

  “I’ll run,” I deadpan, not wanting to be alone with Kaiden.

  “I’ll take her,” he says, his voice scratchy.

  “Where are the boys?” Royce asks.

  “Out,” Kaiden replies shortly before looking at me. “I need to be somewhere, so you should go get your phone. I doubt you’ve got it on you.”

  I shiver from the way he looks me over, like he’s picturing me naked.

  I go to refuse, but Nova pushes me back towards the stairs. “Go. Have a look around in town, then come back and I’ll show you around the property more.”

  Mutely, I nod and head back up the stairs. I grab the new phone I turned on last night and head back down. Kaiden is waiting for me, charming Nova like the devil isn’t inside of him.

  She can’t really believe his act, can she?

  “Ready?” he rumbles. I nod, then give Nova a chin lift before following him out. He walks across the gravel road, over to his
house, where a sports car beeps as he remotely unlocks it.

  I don’t even know what kind of car it is, but I know it had to have cost a mint. Up until now, Kaiden didn’t scream rich, just an entitled prick. Even the way he dresses is normal, not what I thought someone with his money would dress like. He seems just like the lads I grew up with, except he clearly knows how to shower and dresses like he owns it.

  “Get in,” he demands, and I quickly shove myself inside, strapping myself in.

  It has that new car smell, and apart from a pack of cigarettes in the compartment under the touchscreen tablet, everything is clean.

  Probably hires us poor folk to clean it every day.

  I’m pulled out +of my musings when he gets into the car, his movements graceful and fluid. He pulls his Ray-Bans down, covering those forest green eyes so I can no longer get a read on him.

  He turns the music to a rock station before wheel-spinning out of the driveway. I cling to my seat, my heart racing.

  Mum never had a car. The first and only car I got into was Nova’s. I flinch when he drives too close to the fence bordering the road.

  We pass more houses bigger than the school I went to. They get smaller as we get closer to the gate, and I wonder if that was intentional on the architect’s part. Most likely.

  He doesn’t waste time by chatting to the new security guard, just drives on past like he owns the place.

  He kind of does, I remind myself.

  As he drives, I glance at the scenery. It’s green, with lots of trees and more pretentious housing. I’ve not seen any run-down houses at all. Not long into the drive, he pulls over onto the side of a dirt road in front of a gate leading onto a field.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, glancing around. There’s no sign of civilisation, and a shiver of fear runs down my spine.

  “What are you doing here? What’s your game?”

  “In this car?” I ask, dumbfounded.

  I can’t see his gaze, but I know it’s on me. I can feel the burn on my skin. “No, here with Nova. You’re what, eighteen soon? You didn’t have to come with her.”