The Revenge You Seek: A Dark College Bully Romance (Maddison Kings University Book 1)

by Tracy Lorraine

  Her spine straightens as she prepares for my next move.

  "Get lost on your way to Columbia, Princess?"

  Her lips flatten as she fights the need to say something back to me.

  That's the fun with her. She can't help herself.

  Her chin drops and I suck in a breath waiting for her response.

  "I'm trying to listen."

  She leans forward on her desk, effectively putting me behind her. It's a move that pisses me off beyond belief, that she can discard me, forget about me that easily.

  I chuckle and after a few seconds, she glances back at me, her eyes are narrowed in anger as she attempts to pin me with a look that she hopes will shut me up. I'd like to think she knows better than that by now.

  The gold flecks in her eyes shine under the harsh fluorescent lighting above it. It's only this obvious when she's angry or turned on. I like to think with me this close that it's a little of both, but I know I'm only lying to myself. The reality is that I need to be sleeping with one eye open because she's likely to stab me in the middle of the night. Her and the line of others which will probably be headed up by Luca Dunn himself.

  "What?" she snaps. Her eyes briefly flicking around my face as if she's looking for differences in me like I have with her.

  She's going to be disappointed if she was hoping to find a weakness because in the eighteen months since we last saw each other, I'm only angrier, tougher, stronger, and more hardened to the realities that lie outside of this campus.

  There's only one of us who has any kind of weakness here, and only one of us is going to end up broken because of all the mistakes they've made.

  The other is getting revenge.

  I just wish I knew she was going to be here so I wasn't so blindsided by her.

  I continue smiling at her, trying to hide how I really feel.

  "It's just like high school again. You're the nerd taking all the notes and I'm—"

  "The arrogant, asshole jock intent on failing everything?"

  "Ouch, Princess," I say, lifting my hand to cover my heart. "You wound me."

  "Fuck off, Kane. I need this class."

  "Yeah about that, what happened to—"

  "If you're not going to listen, you can walk out of my lecture right now and never return," Professor Richman booms across the auditorium, a ripple of tension following his words.

  I hold Letty's eyes for two more seconds before turning toward the front, nodding at the professor who's throwing his hate stare in my direction and pick up my pen, ready to get to work.

  "I will not tolerate any more interruptions."

  "Hard ass," I mutter to myself, and I soon realize that I was wrong. No one snickers around me, and when I glance up every single person is focused on the front of class. Nope, this is nothing like high school.

  I look at Letty once more. Allow myself a few seconds to really take her in and register all the differences in her.

  She knows I'm looking, her breathing hitches under my inspection but she doesn't stop what she's doing or turn to look at me again.

  I tell myself that I don't care what's happened to her, but I know deep down that I do.

  Because if she's hurting, then I want to be the one who's delivered that pain.

  This class, I swear, is the longest of my life.

  I force myself to listen and take notes because hell knows I'm already behind in my other three and I need to be on top of my classes before the season starts. These few weeks before our first game are going to fly and then once we start, I can only imagine how full on it's going to be. Especially as I have no doubt that Luca will be continuing to ride my ass. My foot bounces against the floor in excitement. Bring it on, asshole. I'm ready for you.

  As our professor brings the class to a close with a detailed description of yet another assignment I need to embark on, I don't move. Unlike the rest of the auditorium who jump into action and begin moving toward the door at lightning speed.

  I sit back and watch Letty as she packs her things away.

  "Excuse me," she says abruptly as she stands.

  Her eyes hold mine before I release her stare in favor of getting a close up look at her body.

  She's wearing a pair of leggings under a floral dress and a leather jacket. I can't deny that she looks hot, she's Letty Hunter, she always looks fucking hot. But it's unmistakable that she's damn near half the woman she used to be.

  My fists clench as I consider the possibility of someone hurting her at Columbia and that being the reason she's here.

  Did some motherfucker ruin her dream of graduating from the college she spent her whole life dreaming about?

  "Kane," she barks, getting exasperated, but still, I don't move. "Fine, whatever."

  She spins and is about to make her way down the row of now empty seats at her back when I reach for her arm.

  I stand as she fights to slip her wrist from my grip but I hold tighter.

  "Ow, that hurts," she complains.

  I pull her back and she stumbles, falling into my body.

  Every single one of my muscles tenses at her touch and the blood racing through my veins turns to lava.

  "You think I care, Princess?"

  "Let go of me," she demands, her voice low and husky as she once again attempts to pull herself free.

  "Why are you here?"

  Her eyes lift from my chest until her dark ones collide with my blue angry ones.

  "Why are you here? Last I heard you failed to graduate."

  A laugh falls from my lips as I lower my head down a little to her. To anyone around us, it might look intimate, like I want to kiss her. The reality is very different.

  "Princess," I growl and her lips twist in anger. She hates that nickname, always has. It's the exact reason I still insist on using it. "There is a lot you don't know about me."

  "Letty, is this asshole bothering you?" a familiar voice asks from behind me.

  "No, he's not," I answer for her, knowing that the two goons from earlier are burning holes in the back of my head.

  "We weren't talking to you, asshole."

  "I'm fine. Thank you," Letty says, her eyes not once leaving mine. "I know how to handle this asshole."

  My chest grows tight as my anger burns hotter within me.

  I lower my face down, regretfully ripping my eyes from her until my lips are right next to her ear.

  A shudder rips through her as my breath cascades over her exposed skin, I feel it all the way down her arm.

  "That is where you are very, very wrong, Princess."

  "Threaten me all you like. You can't break what’s already broken."

  With that, she pulls her arm free. My shock from her words allowing her to do it easily and she takes off through the small gap in the chairs.

  "You need to watch who you make enemies of around here," one of the guys warns. "Stay away from Letty. Hell, stay away from all of us."

  I spin around to respond but the pair of them are already at the bottom of the stairs and making their escape.

  6

  Letty

  The second my wrist slips from his grasp, my legs can't carry me away fast enough.

  I don't look back as I flee from the lecture hall and I don't come to a stop again until I run into a very solid chest.

  A familiar scent surrounds me as strong hands clamp down on my upper arms to steady me.

  "Whoa, Letty are you okay?"

  A sob bubbles up my throat as his concerned deep voice hits my ears and I only just about manage to contain it.

  "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Can we just get out of here please?"

  "Uh… sure. Let me take th—" His words trail off as he reaches for the books in my arms, but I don't need to look behind me to find out what's captured his attention. I feel it. I feel him.

  "Legend," Luca spits as if his name tastes bitter on his tongue.

  He looks down at me and then back to Kane once more. His jaw is set while anger and confusion battles in his eyes.
>
  He has no reason to know there's anything between Kane and me. I never told him for a very good reason.

  They already hate each other enough.

  I didn't need Luca going after Kane and risking the career he was building for me. Because I knew he would in a heartbeat if he knew the truth.

  "Luca, let's just go, please?"

  "Y-yeah, sure. Come on."

  He turns, putting his back to Kane and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me tight into his body, a move that I'm sure pisses Kane the fuck off.

  I've never been Kane's but for some fucked-up reasons he can't stand anyone else having me. Well, one person aside.

  I blow out a relieved breath as Luca quickly navigates us out of the building and away from Kane's hateful stare full of wicked promises and the pain he's planning to inflict.

  What he doesn't realize is that I've already suffered the worst kind of pain because of him and anything else will be like child's play compared to the past year of my life.

  "What the hell was that?" Luca asks, coming to a stop once we're safely away from him, the building, and anyone else who might be interested in listening.

  "Not here. Don't you have practice?"

  "I've got an hour," he says softly, lifting his hand so his fingers tuck under my chin to stop me from hiding from him, which he knows I'm desperate to do. "Wanna show me your dorm?" he asks, giving me a cheeky wink.

  "You're a nut. Come on." I thread my arm through his and turn toward where I think my building is, but just before I spin, I find him watching us.

  Our eyes hold for a beat, the tension cracks so violently between us it feels like a physical blow to my body.

  Luca notices my hesitation and follows my eyeline but he's too late, Kane's slipped into the shadows.

  "You're in a dorm with West and Brax?" Luca asks as we approach the main door.

  "Yeah. Please don't tell me they're bad guys," I beg as we walk into an almost empty communal area.

  Micah is the only one sitting at the dining table with his laptop open.

  "Afternoon," he says to me before doing a double-take at Luca.

  "Christ, don't let Ella know he's here or she'll be clawing at your door like a cat in heat," he says in a disgruntled tone as I lead Luca to my room.

  Luca snorts as if it's a totally normal thing to say to him.

  "You didn't see us, okay?"

  "Sure thing, Princess."

  My steps falter at his use of that nickname for me.

  "W-what did you call me?"

  "P-princess? Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just, he's the king and… it was meant to be a joke. Forget I even said anything."

  "I'm sorry," I say quickly feeling bad for assuming anything ill of him. Micah is good people. All the guys here are. I need to not let Kane get inside my head and force me to start questioning everyone. He's the only twisted motherfucker around here.

  He looks a little sheepish behind his laptop.

  "I'm just not a fan of the nickname. Queen suits me better."

  Luca snorts a laugh behind me and thankfully, Micah smiles before I unlock my door and gesture for Luca to step inside.

  He whistles as he takes in the small room.

  "Momma Hunter did good scoring this place at the last minute."

  "Right? I have no idea how she did it. I'm not complaining though. I'm loving not having to share a bathroom."

  "It's pretty sweet. You know where is better though?"

  "No," I say suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at him, as I drop down onto my bed while Luca takes the chair at my desk.

  "We've got a spare room at our place. If you'd have—"

  "No," I say cutting him off. "I need to do this myself. I can't live under your shadow for the next few years. Plus, I refuse to live with sweaty, smelly football players."

  He pretends to be offended by my words but he knows just how smelly they can be.

  "It's not just football players. A couple of girlfriends live with us too."

  "Which I am not."

  He stares at me for a beat too long. The teenage girl inside me starts jumping to conclusions but I quickly shove her back down. So much time has passed and so much has happened since she had her all-consuming crush on her best friend. It's too late for all that now.

  "Maybe not but—"

  "No, Luc. I appreciate the offer, I really do. But after—" I cut myself off, not wanting to start down a path I have no intention on continuing with. "I just need my space. I need to start over myself."

  "You've had space, Let. You've been gone for two years. I…" He drags his eyes away from mine and stares down at his feet for a beat. “I missed you.”

  I gasp when his green eyes find mine once more.

  My heart aches for the vulnerable boy I see hiding behind the king of football persona that everyone else sees.

  “You were my best friend, Let, and… and…"

  "And I left," I finish for him.

  He laughs to himself. "Shit, that sounds like I blame you for chasing your dream. That's not what I meant at all."

  "I know, Luc. I get what you mean. We lost touch. I'm sorry."

  "Me too," he says sadly, standing from the chair and coming to sit beside me on the bed.

  He reaches for my hand and threads our fingers together, staring down at them.

  "What happened earlier, Let? What aren't you telling me?"

  He looks up at me, his green eyes darkening around the edges in concern as he begs me to open up to him.

  "N-nothing." It's not a lie, nothing did happen other than I freaked out and then he spent the entire class trying to get a rise out of me. He was right, it was just like high school all over again.

  I let out a sigh. I thought all that shit was over the day we drove out of Harrow Creek in favor of Rosewood all those years ago. It seems fate had other ideas.

  "Don't lie to me, Letty," Luca snaps, a hard edge to his voice. "You ran out of there terrified. What did that motherfucker do to you? Is he trying to get to me through you?"

  I pull my hand from his and push from the bed so I can pace back and forth as I try to decide how much I'm willing to share right now. I already know I can't go the whole way because I fear it might send me straight back into the black hole that I've only recently managed to claw my way out of.

  "I never… um…" Fuck.

  I lift my hands to my hair and push it back from my face as I continue with my inner battle.

  If Luca knows the kind of shit Kane has pulled over the years then he'll go after him, and I don't want to make the war that's already brewing between them any worse.

  "Letty, just tell me."

  I glance at my best friend as he rests his elbows on his knees, his dark hair falling down into his eyes, his teeth already deep into his bottom lip as he chews it while waiting for me.

  Fuck it.

  "I never told you everything about my time at Harrow Creek."

  "Go on," he encourages, still watching my every move.

  "Kane, he…" Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luca's entire body tense just at the mention of his name. "He hates me."

  Luca's lips part to say something but only air rushes out.

  He's silent for a few seconds as my words sink in.

  "As in he avoided you at all costs, hates you, or he made your life hell, hates you."

  I come to a stop in front of him.

  "What do you think?"

  "Fucking hell, Letty. Why didn't you ever tell me this? I'd have flattened the motherfucker for ever hurting you."

  "That," I say, pointing at him. "That is the exact reason why I never told you."

  "So I wouldn't hurt him?" His brows draw together in confusion. "That's fucked up, Let."

  "No, you idiot. I don't give a shit about protecting him. I was protecting you."

  "What?" He jumps up and reaches for me, stopping me from wearing the floor out and forces me to stop in front of him.

  He's a whole foot taller than
me at six-four and he stoops down so he can look into my eyes.

  "How badly do I need to hurt him?"

  "No, Luc. No." I throw my hands up in exasperation. "I don't want you in the middle of this. That's the whole point. You need to focus on the game, on your future."

  "Fuck that, Let. I'm not letting him get away with hurting you. That's bullshit."

  "He hasn't hurt me." Not for eighteen months anyway.

  Luca's brows rise in suspicion.

  "Please, Luc. Just stay out of it. It's not your fight."

  Lifting his hands, he cups my cheeks and I can't help but lean into his heat. He always makes me feel so safe and secure.

  "If he hurts you, then he hurts me, Let. I wish you'd told me this years ago."

  I shrug. "It doesn't matter," I say, trying to play it down.

  "It really fucking matters."

  Leaning in, he presses his lips to my forehead and wraps his arms around me.

  His scent and warmth surround me and I soon lose myself in the feeling of his hard body against mine.

  "You're my girl, Letty. I'll do anything for you."

  "I know," I mumble against his chest, tears filling my eyes faster than I want them to.

  I can't cry. I'm scared that if I allow myself to do that again then I might not stop.

  I swallow down the giant lump in my throat and pull back from him.

  "Thank you," I whisper, staring up into his soft eyes, needing him to know how much I appreciate his support. "I'm sorry I allowed us to lose each other."

  "Me too."

  He pulls me into him once more and drops his lips to the top of my head.

  "He just let him walk onto the team," Luca says when I return with a drink for each of us a while later. I know our time is running out, he needs to get to practice but now I've got him alone, I don't want to let him go.

  "Can he do that? Isn't there protocols to follow or something?" I ask because really, I have no clue about any of it. I've tried to remember all the things Luca and Leon have attempted to explain to me about football over the years but mostly it goes in one ear and out the other.

  "Yeah, you'd think. Coach is adamant that it's all above board. He's planning on making him first string. He's going to be playing alongside Leon and me. Fucking joke."