Wrong Crowd (Kingsley Academy Book 1)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “And here’s the dirty stop out,” Lucca hoots.

  Grant looks sharply to Lucca. “What do you mean?”

  “Shut the fuck up,” I hear Kaiden rumble from behind me, sending shivers up my spine.

  His voice.

  “What’s he talking about?” Grant asks, directly to Kaiden now.

  “Jealous?” Ethan asks, laughing when Grant leans over to punch him in the shoulder.

  “Where were you, if you weren’t with them?” a high-pitched voice asks, and my entire body tenses as I turn to the grating sound.

  Clad in short shorts and a bikini top, which is covered with a see-through top that falls off the shoulder, is Barbie’s replica. In fact, Barbie’s tits look more real.

  She gives me a side eye as she presses her body against Kaiden’s side, running her finger over his bare chest.

  I meet his gaze, narrowing mine. I can’t see if he’s looking at me, but I do see his jaw clench.

  What the fuck?

  He has a girlfriend. After everything, he has a girlfriend. Why am I not surprised? Does she know what he’s like?

  “No one told me we were doing charitable work today,” the girl says.

  “Danielle,” Kaiden warns, before pushing away from her to take a seat on another sofa. He spreads his legs, looking out at the view.

  “We aren’t,” Jenny says, twisting her lips together.

  “You sure?” Danielle asks, shoving her shoulder into me. I take a step towards her, ready to teach her some respect, but Selina grabs my hand and pulls me away from the group.

  “Why don’t we go and get a drink before we set off?” she asks.

  “Five minutes, sir,” a loud, booming voice shouts from above us.

  I look over my shoulder in time to see Kaiden give whoever spoke a chin lift. My stomach twists when Danielle drapes herself over him.

  Ridiculous.

  And why the fuck do I care? I don’t even fucking like him.

  “Phew! For a minute there, I thought you were going to throttle her,” Selina says as she walks over to the bar. The boat is just as flush inside as it is outside. Jesus, did they not bargain buy at all?

  I help myself to a glass of orange juice. “I was.”

  Her head twists to me so fast, I’m surprised it didn’t spin off. “You were?”

  I arch an eyebrow at her. “Yes. I’m not going to let some Barbie bitch talk down to me like that.”

  She bites her lip worriedly. “I don’t think that’s a great idea. The Kingsley’s are kings around here. Since the Monroe’s didn’t have children—” She stops midsentence, her eyes widening. “I mean, until we found out about you. She’s the next thing to queen.”

  I wave her off, finishing off my drink. “It’s fine. I know what you meant. I’m just a nobody, even if I am related to the Monroe’s.”

  Her expression saddens. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. And you do matter, even if you weren’t related to the Monroe’s.”

  Whatever.

  “What is her deal, anyway?” I ask, busying myself with my glass.

  When she doesn’t answer, I glance at her from the corner of my eye to find her smirking. “You like him,” she teases.

  I narrow my eyes at her. “I do fucking not. Do you not remember the shit I told you? I can’t even stand him, and I’m pretty sure I’m only on this trip so they can dump my body in the middle of the ocean.”

  Her eyes widen a fraction. “They wouldn’t. They can be jerks at times, but they never really bully people. We all went to school together, so I’ve known them a long time. I’m surprised they’ve acted like this. I would have thought being related to their godmother, they’d be protective of you.”

  I snort. “So, are you going to answer me?”

  She sighs, like she’s frustrated with my lack of sharing. “Danielle Holden. Her dad is some bigwig in London. He’s really high up in the political world,” she tells me, using air quotes. “Her mum also owns her own fashion line and is always working away in Paris or Rome.”

  “What’s her problem with me, then?”

  “Kaiden,” she tells me on a resigned sigh. “She thinks she has some magical hold over him because of who their families are. Half the time I don’t think he can stand her.”

  “Then why is he with her?” I ask, trying not to sound too interested.

  “Because believe it or not, she doesn’t sleep around when she’s back at school. I heard he even makes her get tested.”

  “I’m so confused. Are they together or not?”

  She chuckles. “No. He’s always straight with her. Like at the winter ball last year, she was telling everyone she felt like Kaiden was going to propose, so he put a stop to the rumours. Publicly. I felt embarrassed for her. He yelled at her, saying she was just some pussy he fucked from time to time.”

  “Pig,” I grunt in disgust.

  “Yes, but an honest one. I’ve never actually seen him with many girls. If he does, he keeps them quiet, but he doesn’t really sleep around. That’s the twins.”

  “Gah, this place is crazy. It’s like you have your own set of rules.”

  She looks at me dead serious. “That’s ‘cause we do. It’s shameful to admit, but the people here… they get away with everything. Money talks. You’d be surprised what people are willing to do, willing to lie about, just for some cash. Kaiden and his brothers might be dicks, but they don’t act entitled. They don’t throw their money around.”

  “They don’t?” I ask, feeling my eyes bug out, because that’s not how it seems to me. Although, they’ve never screamed, I have more money than you.

  She gives me a pitying look, which I hate. “You’ll find out soon enough. The Kingsley’s don’t do it. They don’t need to; they’re the richest people in Cheshire Grove. Third in the UK. They don’t need to brag about it.”

  “I’m still not following.”

  “When you get back to school, just don’t get in anyone’s faces. Danielle up there has the means to make your life hell—and the money to get away with it,” she rushes out, taking a deep breath. “Is that easier to follow?”

  I pat her on the shoulder, grinning. “Yes, but there’s a difference between me and everyone else: I don’t give a fuck. I have nothing to lose. I don’t have a career I want to peruse, where my reputation could jeopardize that. You’re underestimating me, Selina.”

  “Ivy,” she warns, following me back out.

  “Relax, I’ll try to behave.”

  She groans, loudly. “Oh God.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  It’s coming up to midday and the sun is belting down on us. I’m glad I listened to Selina and wore a bikini top under my tank top. Even with a slight breeze, I have droplets of sweat running down my back and between my tits. I feel like my body has swelled to twice its size. Even my shorts are feeling a little tight.

  And when I’m this hot, I get bitchy. And Danielle is getting on my last nerve. Her snarky remarks are grating on me, and I am seconds away from punching her perfect nose.

  It’s not like she can’t afford another nose job.

  “Did you see that picture of Katrina online? Her parents are going, like, crazy over it,” Jenny mentions.

  Jenny is the definition of bimbo, even though she isn’t blonde. She takes everything at face value and is pretty clueless to the snide remarks thrown at her. I can understand them though. She thought there was different types of ice and asked for diet. I kind of snorted in her face, as she was standing next to me at the outside bar. It didn’t go over well with her friends.

  “Her mum is threatening to send her to her aunt, who lives in the Hamptons. I mean, what is she going to do in America? She won’t know anyone.”

  “She shouldn’t have been cheating on Grant,” Sophia adds, rubbing herself up against him.

  Yeah, I’m not even going to go there with him. He’s clearly not happy with me being here, but any time he has said something, a look from Kaiden has stopped him. But I know
it’s killing him to stay silent.

  “And that’s what she gets for going against our group,” Danielle snidely remarks. When I turn her way, she’s giving me a pointed look.

  Yeah, I really want to punch the bitch.

  “I, for one, can’t wait for school,” Selina states, changing the subject.

  Danielle laughs, but her face is twisted in disgust. “You would. It’s not like you have a social life.”

  Seeing Selina’s face flush with embarrassment, I grip my glass tighter. “It’s better than the alternative,” I start, and all eyes come to me. “I mean, she’s going to have a career. She won’t be some washed up whore with a husband that will most likely have his casket already picked out.” I force a wide, fake smile and turn back to Selina, who ducks her head, smirking.

  The twins and Kyle laugh, high fiving each other.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Danielle hisses, getting off Kaiden’s lap. I’m surprised she’s moved. She’s like a lost little puppy following him around. I’m pretty sure she’s scared I’ll take him away.

  I blink my lashes innocently. “Most likely what you thought I meant. But then, you are a little slow,” I snark.

  “You bitch,” she hisses, throwing her sparkling water over me.

  “Dude, nipples,” Ethan hoots.

  I go to grab the bitch when hands wrap around my waist, lifting me off the floor. “Let me fucking go,” I growl.

  I know it’s not Kaiden because I see him grab Danielle by the bicep, pushing her down in the chair.

  “Keep causing shit. I can’t wait to see what they do to you,” Grant whispers in my ear.

  “Were you born a bastard?” I bite out when he puts me down.

  His expression hardens, his face like thunder. “No. But I was raised motherless thanks to your bitch of a mum.”

  That makes me pause. “What?” I whisper, wondering if I heard that right.

  His lips curl into an angry snarl. “My mum died in a car crash because of your mum.”

  “My mum has never driven,” I murmur, but then it’s clear already that I know nothing about my mum. My stomach twists into knots and I can’t help but wonder what the hell she did to everyone.

  “She wasn’t even in the car. She told my mum something that caused her to drive upset. There was a massive storm, and she crashed her car into a tree on a bend.”

  Does he not hear himself? My body tightens when I step forward, tilting my head. “So, my mum tells your mum something she didn’t like. Your mum, a grown adult, runs off to her car and drives in the middle of a storm, probably going too fast, and crashes? Dickhead, she could have been going five miles an hour in that condition and still crashed. Don’t fucking blame my mum for your mum’s choices. Where the fuck do you get off?”

  I scoff, going to walk away.

  “I lost my whole fucking life that night. Your mum took that away from me. And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you pay.”

  I push him away. “And I thought I had mummy issues. Seriously, grow the fuck up. I’m sorry your mum died. I truly am. But don’t fucking take it out on me when I was still in my dad’s ballbag. And from where I’m standing, your life didn’t really change that much. I’m pretty positive you’d still be an insensitive jerk.”

  “I don’t want you here,” he growls low, so the others don’t hear him.

  “And I don’t care,” I snap back.

  “You’re going to regret this you know. Big time.”

  “And for someone who doesn’t shit money, I’m still not the slightest bit scared,” I tell him, shrugging.

  He pushes past me, nearly knocking me over, and I shake my head. Rich people really are fucking sensitive arseholes. They pretty much have everything and it’s still not good enough.

  Rubbing my chest, I frown when I find it sticky. I head downstairs, where Selina showed me the bathroom was. Following the directions, I come down another hallway. A large bed made up with cream sheets is in the room ahead. To the side is a bathroom, with a small glass shower, toilet and sink.

  They really don’t do things small. Even the boat is bigger than the flat I shared with Mum.

  I step into the bathroom, grabbing a white towel off the rack, and walk over to the sink. Looking up into the mirror, a startled scream escapes me.

  Kaiden is standing in the doorway, all creepy like. Our eyes meet for a split second before he steps in and slides the door closed.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, turning the hot water on.

  “You need to be careful.”

  I drop the towel on the edge of the sink and turn to face him. “I’m actually fed up of all these warnings. In fact, I’m getting fucking sick of it. If she wants to come at me, go ahead. I’ve dealt with worse people than petty bitches like her. And you?” I say, raising my voice. “You can do one. I’m sick of you blowing hot and cold. One minute you’re—” I pause, unable to say what I need to. I mean, telling him he’s fingering me and giving me an amazing orgasm one minute isn’t something he needs to here. I wave my hand at him, gesturing to his body, which is looking mighty fine, glistening from the sea air and summer heat. “You. And then the next you look ready to murder me. And don’t even get me started on last night. What was all that about?”

  I stop myself before the entire boat can hear me.

  He steps closer, pushing me back against the sink. “Are you finished?”

  I want to scream no, to tell him to fuck off. My body, however, has other plans, overwhelmed by his proximity.

  How does he do this to me? I want to hate him. Desperately. But I want him more than I want to kill him.

  “Maybe,” I whisper, wishing I could step back to put some space between us.

  “I didn’t mean to be cryptic. I’m calling a truce.”

  “Why?” I ask, not trusting this ‘truce’ is real.

  “Because I think I’m wrong about you. I think there’s more to the story than what our parents told us.”

  “What story?” I ask, still in the dark about pretty much everything. And there he is. A veil appears over his expression and his jaw tightens. “You know what, forget about it. I don’t even know why I care. Whatever issues you have, I don’t want to know. If they are anything like Grant’s, they aren’t worth knowing. You can all just—”

  He kisses me.

  He fucking kisses me.

  In my head, I reach out to push him away, to hell with this crap of cat and mouse, but in reality, I don’t. No. Instead, I place my hands on his hips, my traitorous body betraying me when I pull him flush against me.

  His fingers dig into my hips as he lifts me onto the counter, next to the sink. I moan, sliding my hands up his warm, hard body, lightly skimming over his shoulders before grabbing onto the back of his neck, kissing him harder.

  Holy fuck, he can kiss.

  I’m certain I’m having an outer-body experience, because I’m pretty sure every time his lips partially close over mine, I’m having a mini orgasm. A lot of them.

  I try to fight my body’s instinct, I really do, but the longer he kisses me, the hotter I get.

  But I’m not my mum. I don’t do this.

  I pull back, breathing hard, and look up at him, feeling dazed. “I’m not a slag. I’ve only slept with one person.”

  His fingers dance over the buttons of my shots. “Never really thought you were,” he tells me, leaning in to kiss me once more.

  I pull back again, needing to see him.

  All I see is the truth behind those words. He’s not telling me what I want to hear. Not that I think he would anyway. He’s had a way from day one to make me bend to his bidding.

  His palm presses down on my clit, and a long, guttural moan escapes me. His eyes darken, and before I know it, I’m helping him take my shorts off.

  Resting my hands on his shoulders, I lift my arse off the counter so he can pull them down.

  I want him.

  I don’t care that I don’t like him. That he
hates me. I’m so turned on I could probably hump the side of the boat.

  The second my shorts are off, I grab hold of the waistband of his and push them down over his arse. I grip him, squeezing his cheeks in the palms of my hands as I bring him closer.

  His lips press kisses down the side of my neck, causing me to have another mini orgasm. I’m almost afraid of what a real one by him will do to me.

  My tits spring free when he loosens the strings tying my bikini around my back. His moves seem so practiced, like he’s done this before, especially when he bends down, taking my nipple into his mouth whilst opening the drawer to the side of us.

  I struggle to keep my eyes open, yet I manage to get a glimpse of a foiled packet.

  “This is crazy,” I pant when he pulls back from my nipple. “I don’t even like you.”

  “I’m not forcing you,” he snarls, a bite to his tone. “You want this.”

  I give him a sly smile, wiggling my fingers in front of him. “Does this look like I’m complaining?”

  “You’re infuriating,” he growls.

  “You need to stop talking before I change my mind,” I sass back.

  A small grin tugs at his lips. “Like that’s going to happen.”

  He runs his dick through my wetness, teasing me, taunting me. Yeah, that isn’t going to cut it. When he slides against my entrance, I take him by surprise by grabbing his arse in my hands and pulling, guiding him inside me with a roughness that steals my breath.

  The groan that erupts from his throat has wetness seeping between my legs. I feel powerful in this moment, knowing I can make him lose control just as much as he can me.

  He pulls back, keeping his gaze on me as he thrusts inside of me, punishingly. My arse slides back on the counter from the force, knocking a few bottles over in the process.

  Game on.

  He can fuck me like he hates me. I’ll be doing the same thing.

  Every time he hits the right spot, my stomach tightens, yet my orgasm is just out of reach, frustrating me.

  “Fuck me harder,” I bite out, digging my nails into his shoulders.

  His eyes widen a fraction. “If I fuck you any harder, you’ll put a hole through the side of the boat.”