A Hurt So Sweet Volume Two
A Dark High School Bully Romance
Betti Rosewood
A Hurt So Sweet Volume Two
Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but my bullies will never f*ck me.
Dexter Booth has taken everything from me.
My pride, my innocence and my resolve to resist him have all fallen prey to his wicked charm.
And now, he wants to pop my cherry - the very thing that could save me from his cruel reign.
Worse than that though, he's intent on sharing me with his entourage - the Firstborns of Eden Falls Prep.
There are three boys desperate to steal me. Lai. Caspian. Julian. All eager to get their hands on Dex's property.
When a fourth boy joins the mix, I find an unlikely ally. Easton is kinder. Sweeter. But he might just be the most messed up of all my bullies.
I promised myself this town would never break me. I made a vow to run before Dexter knocks me up.
But when running is no longer an option, I realize the choice was never mine to begin with.
It's Dexter who has to pick.
My bully will decide whether he'll put a baby in my belly...
Or ruin me and finally have revenge on my father - the man who destroyed his life.
***
A HURT SO SWEET Volume Two is the second book in a series of full-length novels following Pandora Oakes and Dexter Booth.
This book ends in a cliffhanger and has dark themes throughout.
Copyright © 2019 by Betti Rosewood
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover designer: Najla Qamber with Najla Qamber Designs
Developmental & content editing: T with The Plot Thickens
Are you ready for the second part of Dexter and Pandora’s adventures?
Maybe you think you are… ;)
xo Betti
Playlist
“Galvanize” — The Chemical Brothers
“Lights Up” — Harry Styles
“Old Friend” — Elderbrook
“Cola” — CamelPhat, Elderbrook
“There Will Be Blood” — Kim Petras
“Cry For Me” — Camila Cabello
“Royalty” — Mali Music
“Found You” — Don Diablo, BullySongs
“Everybody’s Somebody” — Don Diablo, BullySongs
Contents
1. Dexter
2. Pandora
3. Dexter
4. Pandora
5. Pandora
6. Dexter
7. Pandora
8. Pandora
9. Pandora
10. Dexter
11. Pandora
12. Pandora
13. Pandora
14. Dexter
15. Pandora
16. Dexter
17. Pandora
Join Book Bettis!
Preview of Boys That Tease
Also by Betti Rosewood
One
Dexter
Elite of Eden Falls Prep Book Two
6 years ago
I stare out of the windows of the moving car. We’re close now - I can see Oakes Estate looming before us, stretching over a cliff over the water. It’s time to meet her. Am I ready? Or will I crack under the weight of the pressure when I set eyes on the girl I’m supposed to marry only years from now?
"We're here, Dexter," my father speaks up from the front seat, giving me a warm smile. "Are you ready?"
I nod, unbuckling my seat belt as the driver opens the car door for me. I get out, my feet sinking into the wet grass underneath them. My mother fusses with my tie, tightening it so much I can scarcely breathe.
"Mom, enough," I plead with her. "It doesn't need to be that tight, nobody will notice."
She gives me a remorseful smile, then takes my hand as the driver walks us closer to the entrance into Oakes Estate. I'm nervous and my heart is pounding recklessly in my chest in expectation of what's to come.
I'm about to meet the girl I'll be marrying. My fiancée. My parents have already explained why it's important we make this alliance. Why I can't have a choice. I wasn't too upset about it, anyway. It's not like I'm interested in any other girls. I still think they're kind of gross.
We stand in front of the entrance into the Estate and the door flies open. A man stands on the doorstep, regarding us with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Welcome," he greets us. "Please, do come in."
The three of us follow him inside the house while our chauffeur waits outside. I'm impressed by the gorgeous interior of the house, glancing up at the enormous chandelier lighting up the grand hall and making it sparkle. It's gloomy outside, with thick clouds carrying the promise of rain. But inside there's no sign of that weather - everything sparkles and shines.
"Darling!" the man trills. "The Booths have arrived. Where is my dear daughter?"
A woman appears from around the corner, beautiful and somewhat annoyed. She's blonde, youthful and pretty. My eyes drink her up. But she can't be my fiancee. They said she was only thirteen years old.
"Where is Lily Anna?" the man whom I've now recognized as Emilian Oakes, speaks up again, furrowing his brows. "I thought I told her she needed to be ready at four tonight."
"I don't know, Emilian," the blonde woman bites back, obviously annoyed. "That girl is like quicksilver. I can't keep track of her anymore. Besides, she doesn't do a thing I tell her-"
"Darling." Emilian interrupts her with a tight warning smile. "Remember, we have company."
"Of course."
The blonde looks at the floor regretfully. The whole scene reminds me more of a father and daughter, not a married couple.
My parents have told me a little about the weird family situation the Oakes have going here. My fiancee Lily Anna's mother is no longer in the picture. Instead, her father married a younger socialite named Bryony and has two children with her - eleven-year-old Brazen and ten-year-old Tatianna.
As I think about it, two little kids come running through the hall, screeching their heads off. Bryony tries in vain to catch them and tell them to stop, but they don't listen to a word she's saying.
"Children!"
Emilian Oakes roars to life, glaring at the two small figures who come to a stop in front of him right away, casting guilty glances at the floor. They may not listen to their mother, but their father is a whole different story.
I look at the boy first. He's got wild hair and even wilder eyes that don't match his formal outfit one bit. The girl is pretty, like a doll, with strawberry blonde curls and a pretty, frilly dress that she's toying with now, as she nervously regards her father.
"No running in the house," the older Oakes hisses. "Understood? I'm not going to warn you again."
The two kids nod sheepishly.
"Now, where is your sister?" Oakes demands. "We've been waiting for her."
"Lily Anna is..." the boy speaks up but is interrupted the next moment.
"Right here."
All our eyes go to the top of the stairs where a young girl is standing, wearing a silky lavender gown that's much too big for her. The fabric swallows her up, pooling at her feet in dramatic purple waves. But it doesn't take away from her beauty.
The girl is pretty, there is no doubt about that. With an adorable button no
se, flowing chocolate brown hair and sparkling grey eyes, she's the prettiest thing I've ever seen. My hands make fists at my sides as I watch her stand atop the stairs.
I want to have her.
They say love at first sight is a myth, but as I watch Lily Anna Oakes stumble - somehow gracefully - down the grand staircase in her father's Estate, I fall in love on the spot.
She comes to a stop once she's reached the bottom of the stairs. She's close enough for me to notice the smattering of freckles on her nose, her pretty porcelain skin that makes her look doll-like. She's painfully pretty. A fierce need to protect her at any cost threatens to swallow me. I want her. I need her.
"Lily Anna!" Bryony's the first one to speak, the rest of us still too shocked to say anything. "That's the dress I'm wearing to the ballet tonight, you can't just-"
"Ugh, whatever Bryony," the girl rolls her eyes while we all balk at her. "I didn't ask for your opinion, stepmother. And it’s not like you don’t have a dozen other dresses."
"Lily Anna, come join us," Oakes speaks up. "Time to meet the Booth family."
His voice is so much gentler when he's speaking to his daughter, so much different than it was when he talked to his other children and their mother. It's plainly obvious he has a soft spot for the pretty girl in the much too big lilac silk dress.
"I don't want to right now," the girl whines, taking in my parents with a bored glance. "I wanted to come to the ballet with you tonight, father."
"Darling, you know you're too young," her father replies apologetically, and the girl makes a face at him.
Then, she shifts her attention to the three of us standing in the hall, and her curious gaze drinks us all in. Her eyes settle on my hand in my mother's, and she smirks at me. Flushing, I let go of my mother's hand, shifting my position awkwardly. I feel embarrassed now, as if I've been caught doing something I shouldn't.
"Is that him?" Lily Anna asks her father, pointing at me. "That's Dexter Booth?"
"Yes, darling," Bryony chimes in, but Lily Anna disregards her completely, focusing all her attention on her father instead.
"But I don't like him," the pretty girl whines. "I don't want him, Daddy."
She reverts into child-like speech, addressing her father like a much younger girl.
"Please, Lily Anna," her father pleads with her. "Give him a chance."
My parents glance at one another in disbelief, my father's hand landing on my shoulder and squeezing. They would never allow me to speak like that to them, not that I would ever try. This girl is the epitome of a brat. And I weirdly like it.
"You need to get changed before lunch," Bryony says next, and both Lily Anna and her father look at her in outrage.
"Don't tell her what to do," Emilian Oakes hisses.
"But Emilian, she's-"
"I don't want to hear it."
Bryony shuts up, looking offended as Emilian grins at the rest of us.
"Lunch will be served in the Crystal Room," he goes on. "Let's head there now."
My parents and I follow behind as he leads us into the beautiful room. It holds true to its name. Not only are the glasses set on the table made of beautiful, expensive crystal, the room is decorated with precious stones. It's almost entirely encased in glass, offering a gorgeous view of the cliffs outside. There is a stunning crystal chandelier above us. The room is exquisite, however none of us gets the chance to comment on it as Booth ushers us to our seats.
Silent staff in sky blue and white uniforms regards us, without remarks. We're sat down at the long dining table and served our first course almost right away. Emilian Booth heads the dining table, with my father on the other end. I'm sitting next to Lily Anna, grateful for the opportunity to be closer to her. I'm curious about her, eager to find out so much more, but she doesn't even look at me as we sit down to eat.
The courses come and leave the table in an excruciatingly slow procession. My parents and Emilian talk about the business, which bores me half to tears, so I keep stealing glances at Lily Anna instead.
"You know, I can feel you staring," she finally mutters without looking up from her food. "It's not polite to do that."
"I'm sorry, Lily Anna," I say back, inching closer to her. "I just can't help it - I want to know more about you."
"Well, get in line."
She finally lifts her eyes to mine, grinning. She's the prettiest when she smiles. Too bad she doesn't do it more often.
"Don't you want to get to know me?" I ask her next, and she tilts her head to the side, watching me closely.
"I suppose," she finally sighs. "But there will be more time for that later. I want to eat now. You know what's for dessert?"
I shake my head, in awe of this beautiful creature and her uniqueness.
"My favorite," she smiles fondly. "Honeycomb ice cream."
"Sounds delicious."
I can't take my eyes off her, and I'm rewarded by a look of pure joy on her face as they bring out her favorite meal. I must agree - the honeycomb is delicious.
After an awkward lunch, I'm told to spend some time with Lily Anna and get to know her better. Despite her uncultured behavior, I'm excited by the thought. The pretty girl intrigues me, and I want to know so much more about her. I'm hoping she'll open up to me when our parents are out of the picture, but even if she doesn't, I want more of her sweet rebelliousness.
We sit in the sunroom after we've devoured our food, me awkwardly trying to find a comfortable spot in the armchair while Lily Anna toys with the too-big dress she's still wearing on the sofa. It takes me a moment to realize she's fraying the hem. I have a feeling she's doing it on purpose, to annoy Bryony. She said she was going to wear this later, and I can't imagine how upset it makes the girl's stepmother to have Lily Anna still in the expensive gown, now ruining it. She won't be able to wear it - not just to the ballet, if Lily Anna has anything to do with it.
"You're nothing like I imagined you would be," I finally speak up.
"No? I'm better, right?" She grins at me, and I briefly wonder what it's like to be that confident.
"Yes," I nod with the hint of a smile playing on my lips. "Much better."
"Good." She gives me a long, inquisitive look, muttering, "You're not that bad, either. I was expecting worse, to be honest."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that."
"Don't think you get special treatment though," she says next, making a face at me.
"Wouldn't dream of it," I mutter with a small smile, watching her closely as she pulls the dress over her legs, exposing two skinny, pale thighs covered in bright red marks and blooming purple bruises.
"Oh my..." I mutter, pointing to her legs. "Are you okay, Lily Anna? Did you get hurt?"
"What?" She glances at her legs, blushing when she sees the marks on them and pulling the dress over them again. "Oh. It's nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing to me," I manage. "Did someone do that-"
"I said it's nothing." Her voice is cold now, icier than it was before. "Don't worry about it."
"But you're covered in bruises," I manage. "Who did that to you? Did you fall?"
"No, I didn't fall." Her voice is frosty now. "You really can't figure it out, genius?"
"I..." My eyes widen at her as she toys with the hem of the dress. "I'm sorry, Lily Anna. Is there something I can do?"
I still don't understand completely, and I'm scared to ask for more details. I can't imagine who would do this to her, this beautiful creature who is adored by everyone around her.
"No," she says in response.
Her head is downcast, her expression one of pure sorrow. I want to take the pain away. I want to tell her everything's going to be okay, but I'm frozen on the spot, unable to offer her the comfort she's so desperately in need of.
"Can I come sit by you?" I ask softly, and she gives a barely perceptible nod of her head.
I stand up, touching my tie which is cutting into my throat. I untie it and throw it on the ground while Lily Anna watches.
She smiles at this, then laughs out loud when I stomp on the piece of fabric on the hardwood floor.
I leave the tie there, walking over to her and plopping down on the sofa, my eyes drinking her in. She won't look at me, her eyes still on the dress in her skinny hands, toying with the now threadbare hem.
A desire to hold her overcomes me. I've never held a girl. I've never even taken a girl's hand in mine. The strange feeling overtakes me, and I scoot closer to Lily Anna, putting my hand over hers and stopping her from fraying the fabric further. She sighs, her eyes still on the dress. I smooth my thumb over her skin, gently touching my fingertips to her hand.
"Lily Anna," I whisper, and she tries to pull her hand away at the sound of my voice, but I don't let her.
I keep her caged under my hand. Her own is shaking now, trembling lightly beneath my touch.
"Look at me," I say, and her eyes flutter to mine, then away again, like a butterfly trying to decide which flower to land on. "Please, Lily Anna."
She shuts her eyes tightly, as if she's trying to force me out of her thoughts, away from her. It doesn't work though, because I'm not going anywhere.
"Who gave you those bruises?" I ask, and she shakes her head wordlessly. "Please tell me. I want to help you."
She doesn't.
Instead, she scoots closer, and suddenly, her lips are pressed against mine and she's kissing me.
Her lips are the softest thing I've ever felt, the skin on her hand cold as ice. I'm terrified, my heart pounding in my chest as she deepens the no-longer innocent kiss, greedily demanding more from my mouth. I try to give her what she so desperately needs. Her body shivers against mine as I pull her on my lap. The silk is soft, cold against my skin, and I want her to give me so much more than she's offering.
A Hurt So Sweet Volume Two: A Dark High School Bully Romance Page 1