Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3)
Page 1
Contents
Copyrights
Written by Rachel Jonas
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Epilogue
Bonus Content
Join the Shifter Lounge
A note from the Authors
Soundtrack
About the Author
COPYRIGHTS
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Rachel Jonas & Nikki Thorne.
Copyright © 2021 Nikki Thorne & Rachel Jonas
All rights reserved.
Edited by Rachel Jonas.
Cover Design by Rachel Jonas. All Rights Reserved.
Interior Design and Formatting by Stephany Wallace at @S.W. Creative Publishing co. All Rights Reserved.
This e-book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with.
If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published April 23rd, 2021
WRITTEN AS RACHEL JONAS
THE LOST ROYALS SAGA
The Genesis of Evangeline
Dark Side of the Moon
Heart of the Dragon
Season of the Wolf
Fate of the Fallen
DRAGON FIRE ACADEMY
First Term
Second Term
Third Term
THE VAMPIRE'S MARK
Dark Reign
Hell Storm
Cold Heir
Crimson Mist
WRITTEN AS RACHEL JONAS
& NIKKI THORNE
KINGS OF CYPRESS PREP
The Golden Boys
Never his Girl
Forever Golden
DESCRIPTION
West Golden—Fierce protector. The one.
The cocky jock I once wanted to kill with my bare hands is now the only one I trust with my heart.
In a city full of corruption and dark secrets, knowing who’s on your side gets harder to determine every day. Especially now that Vin’s on the warpath, passing out threats he fully intends to see through to the end. His power here in Cypress Pointe seems limitless, and I don’t have time to see if that’s true. I’m prepared to make sacrifices to keep my family safe.
Even if what’s sacrificed is my own happiness.
As our circle of loyal friends becomes clear, we cling to it, because it’s all any of us has. And if there’s one thing Vin didn’t count on, it’s that blood isn’t always thicker than water.
He might just find out firsthand why it’s never wise to cross the king’s queen.
FOREVER GOLDEN is the highly anticipated conclusion to this portion of the saga, and a lead-in to the KINGS OF CYPRESS spinoff (which begins with PRETTY BOY D). This book is the final installment of a trilogy and should only be read after completing books one & two, THE GOLDEN BOYS and NEVER HIS GIRL.
This series contains strong bully themes. So, if you’re not into romances where hate turns into love (… eventually), and if you don’t like your heroes of the unapologetically alpha variety, this might not be the series for you. There is no rape or dubious consent whatsoever. However, due to adult themes and sexual situations, this one’s only for the 18+ crowd.
This series is sure to give you GOSSIP GIRL and ONE TREE HILL vibes, and the angst will have you burning through the pages to find out what happens next. One-click and get lost in this series today!
Smooches,
RJ & NT
Thank you for your purchase! I would love to get your feedback once you’ve finished the book! Please leave a review and let others know what you thought of
“Forever Golden”.
You can stay up to date on new releases and sales by joining my newsletter or by joining my Facebook Group.
For all inquiries, please contact me using my primary email address:
author.racheljonas@gmail.com
Chapter 1
WEST
“Something’s wrong.”
I feel it in my gut and haven’t stopped pacing since I made it home an hour ago. I can’t explain it, but I know I’m right.
“Maybe she’s just busy with something,” Joss chimes in, peering up from where she’s posted between Dane and Sterling on the couch.
“Too busy to pick up one of the five times I called? Too busy to return one of the seven texts I sent?” Shaking my head, I double back toward the window. “She wouldn’t just… not respond.”
Joss falls silent again and my nerves are shot. The paranoia started with the conversation between me and Casey earlier—hearing that Vin’s gotten to her and Parker—and now Southside’s in the wind.
“To hell with this. I’m going over there.” The words barely leave my mouth and I already have my keys in hand.
“Ok, breathe. You’ve only been trying her for an hour,” Joss reasons. “I know it feels like it’s been longer, but… don’t you think you should hold off? Maybe this is just Blue giving you a hard time. I mean, it’s possible she wasn’t as cool with you meeting up with Casey as she let on. Isn’t it?”
Joss smiles dimly after speaking, but she doesn’t know Southside like I do. If this was about me going to see Casey, her reaction wouldn’t be to ignore me. She’s more the type who’d arrange a meeting between her fist and my face. Or, you know, take a baseball bat to my windshield.
“Just saying, before you go all Neanderthal and bust her door down, try calling again,” Joss suggests.
I consider it, contemplate waiting until I’m able to announce myself instead of just showing up on Southside’s porch, but when it comes to her, rationale and sensibility rarely come into play. All I know is I need to either hear her voice or lay eyes on her.
Now.
Right now.
/> “If she gets pissed at me for just dropping in, then let her be pissed,” I conclude. The decision’s been made.
I feel Joss staring, knowing she thinks I should pump the brakes a little, but I’m going with my gut on this one.
“We should come with you then,” Dane says, already standing from his seat.
“Agreed,” Sterling adds. “If something’s wrong, at least you won’t walk in without backup.”
“I’m coming, too,” Joss chimes in. I glance toward her as I shrug into my coat. A breath leaves me, knowing there’s nothing I can say to talk these three out of tagging along.
“Fine, but trail me,” I insist. “That way, if everything’s cool—which it sure as hell better be—you can just take off.”
Sterling nods, not taking issue with that.
Three sets of footsteps follow me to the elevator, and the ride down to the parking structure feels like it takes hours. Not hearing back after having reached out so many times has me on edge, feeling like there are continents between me and Southside, instead of a few miles.
I’m in my car with the engine revving to life as my own words echo inside my head. Three words I said only last night. Three I’ve never said to any other girl in my entire life.
I told Southside that I love her, and I swear I feel it even deeper now that I’ve said it out loud. It’s what’s driving me tonight, what has me ignoring Joss’s advice and tearing out of the lot with my tires screeching.
If something is wrong, if I am walking into danger… she’s worth it.
“Fuck.”
I glare up at the red light that’s costing me precious seconds when it changes, but it gives me a moment to check my phone.
Maybe she called back and I missed it.
Maybe she texted to say she’s fine.
The only notification is one from Pandora, which has my jaw ticking with frustration. Typically, I ignore her B.S., but for some reason I don’t dismiss it so easily this time. Instead, I click the familiar pink and black, tiger-print icon and… I’ll be damned if my heart doesn’t sink.
‘You get Pandora’s latest update?’ Dane’s text pops up and I can’t even respond because now Sterling’s calling.
“I see it,” I answer, feeling my blood boil despite the near-freezing temperature outside and in the car.
“Looks like you were right. Vin’s up to his usual shady-ass ways.”
Hearing Sterling’s words, my heart races ten times faster because I know he’s right. It isn’t far from my mind that Vin’s recently been in contact with Parker and Casey as well, which means he likely sees Southside as another loose end to tie up.
I have no idea what my dickhead sperm donor has just said or done to her, but I know it’s nothing good.
Never is when it comes to him.
The light turns green and I peel out into the intersection with reckless abandon. There was already a spark inside me, urging me to get to her as fast as I can. But now, after seeing Pandora’s post, that spark’s turned into a raging blaze.
I swear, if he so much as breathed on her wrong… I’ll be standing over that asshole’s coffin.
@QweenPandora: What have we here, lovelies?
Now, I can’t say for certain, but this SUV looks rather familiar. Could it be one from BigDaddy’s fleet? If so, it appears he may have taken a sudden interest in KingMidas’s love life.
Someone captured this gem a little while ago, and I admit that I held off sharing it, hoping someone might confirm BigDaddy’s identity. Don’t fret. I haven’t gone soft on you.
However, it would’ve been nice if others had come forward with more details, additional images to give us a point of reference.
I mean, all we get here is NewGirl climbing out of an SUV I suspect belongs to BigDaddy, and she looks pretty distraught.
But I have questions!
Ok, let’s say the visitor is who I think it is; are they coming back from somewhere or did they simply have a meeting in NewGirl’s driveway, mob-style?
How long was this visit?
What the heck were they chatting about?
Does this have something to do with NewGirl and SeXyBeAsT being seen dining out together this evening? Making this strange meetup a warning of sorts, on behalf of KingMidas?
While the rest of us know all too well that our beloved QB-1 can hold his own, perhaps BigDaddy simply decided to take matters into his own hands tonight, demanding that NewGirl put some respect on the Golden family name.
This is all speculation of course, but as soon as I know more, you’ll be the first to hear about it.
Later, Peeps.
—P
Chapter 2
BLUE
West blowing up my phone means he’s about to lose his shit. Hell, if he hasn’t already. By now, he’s probably started thinking the worst and I’m honestly not sure ‘the worst’ isn’t what just happened—getting cornered and threatened.
He’ll want an answer for why I’ve ignored his calls and texts tonight, an answer for why I broke our plans to connect once he returned from visiting Casey. But I can’t get into that with him. The less he knows the better.
And the quicker I can get out of this fucking city, the better off we’ll all be.
On cue, Jules rings in, followed by Lexi, then Scar. I ignore all three calls and keep moving. There’s an invisible clock over my head and, according to Vin, it’s winding down.
If I know West, he’s probably already resorted to scouring the streets of Cypress Pointe looking for me, hunting me down. Suddenly, I regret not at least texting back to say I’m okay.
Which is a complete lie, by the way. I’m anything but okay. I’m a wreck.
Such a wreck that the moment I could see through the rage-induced tears, I immediately ripped suitcases from the closet and stuffed them with anything I deemed essential. I held it together for a while, but the tears came back. Then, packing turned into a crying frenzy, that turned into me wrecking shit with my fist purely out of anger.
My phone buzzes again and it’s West, like I assumed it would be. It isn’t lost on me that he’s worried, but I’ve got a one-track mind right now, and it’s telling me to get what I came to this side of town for and leave.
Quickly.
I peer up at the dark windows of a house I haven’t visited in years. And for good reason. I’ve got enough trouble in my life as it is.
The second my foot touches the bottom step of the porch, a frigid gust of wind slams me hard. Like an omen warning me not to do this, urging me to turn back and head home without knocking on this door.
Only, the monster who got a little too close tonight made this visit completely necessary. If I do nothing else right in this life, I will not fail at protecting my sister.
A dog barks and growls on the other side of the threshold when I knock, and paranoia has me checking over my shoulder. It’s both a blessing and a curse that the porch light isn’t turned on. While I appreciate being able to blend into the night, it also means I can’t see my surroundings clearly. As a girl who’s lived on the southside all her life, I know the dangers that lurk in the darkness.
Footsteps approaching the door should bring a bit of comfort, but they don’t. All because I know the stories that have floated around my hood in recent years aren’t fiction. Everything I’ve heard about Tommy Navarro is one-hundred percent true. But what sets him and Vin apart is that one’s the devil I know, while the other remains a complete mystery—an outlier I can’t control, one whose moves I can’t predict.
A sharp command spoken in Spanish brings the snarling dog under submission. Next, there’s a brief pause while I imagine Tommy checks the peephole before unlatching what sounds like about ten deadbolt locks. Then, finally, the door swings open.
A curious stare lands on me and he’s definitely confused, but I imagine he knows things must be bad if I’m standing here.
“Shit, Lil’ Ruiz. Long time no see,” he teases, working a toothpick between his lips.
He passes a sweeping look over me, letting his stare linger on my poorly bandaged hand for a second. I don’t explain that these wounds are self-inflicted—the result of punching a mirror in a fit of rage after Vin left—and he doesn’t ask. Instead, he just leans against the doorframe, wearing an increasingly devilish grin.
I hated being called Lil’ Ruiz even when Ricky and I were a thing. Now, it grates my nerves because everyone—including Tommy—knows that ended some time ago.
“Blue,” I sigh. “My name’s Blue. Always has been.”
“Yeah, whatever. You been crying or something? You look like shit.”
It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to punch someone in the dick this bad, but yep, there it is: that oh-so-familiar urge.