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

by Tracy Lorraine

  When she returns her skin is clear and her blonde hair is hanging around her shoulders in soft waves. She's really beautiful.

  She walks to her closet in just her underwear, not batting an eye about me being here. Her confidence reminds me of how I used to be. But since losing as much weight as I have, I do everything I can to hide my body.

  Reaching for my drink once more, I down the contents, hoping the alcohol will help me find the old me who would have owned that dress like a fucking queen.

  "This or this?" she asks, spinning to me with two equally revealing dresses in both hands.

  "Because you're making me wear that." I point to my scrap of fabric. "I say that one." I wiggle my finger in front of the one that looks the smallest.

  "Done. It should at least get me some attention." She drags it on and flicks her hair over her shoulder.

  "Y-yeah, it should do that." She looks like a freaking model. My shoulder slump knowing that I'm never going to match up to her.

  "Don't," she barks. "Get those stupid thoughts out of your head right now."

  My lips part to argue but she pins me with a look that tells me she understands exactly how I feel.

  Turning around, she pulls a scrapbook from her top drawer, flips it open and passes it over.

  I look down at a photo of a teenage girl sitting on a porch. It's immediately obvious that it's Ella because her honey eyes shine just like they do now but her face doesn't show the happiness I’m becoming used to.

  "I haven’t always looked like this. I was the school's chubby girl who got bullied every day of her life. I know you're not happy about how you look right now. But it's not forever. Only you can make it so you love yourself."

  "I used to, that's what's so hard. I used to be like you now."

  She drops down beside me and takes my hand.

  "What happened?"

  "I lost myself."

  She's silent for a beat as if she's expecting me to say more, but she'll be disappointed because that's all the sharing I intend to do. I want to enjoy tonight, not fall back into the past.

  "Okay, so let's work on making you love you again. I go to yoga twice a week, you should come with."

  "That sounds… good, actually. Thank you."

  "I know hearing it from me means nothing because up here." She taps the side of my head. "Is full of your own opinions, but you're beautiful, Letty. And I know you don't want to hear it, but Luca, Leon, those idiots out there, they all see it too."

  I smile at her. "Thank you."

  "Anytime, sweetie. Now, shall we party?" she asks, refilling both our drinks and passing mine over.

  "Hell, yeah. I am ready to dance the night away."

  "Amen to that. And maybe an athlete who knows what to do with his… stick." She chugs down her drink. "Makeup, then we leave."

  She walks over to the door. "Vi, you got your shit together yet?"

  "Yeah, I'll be right there, boss."

  "Okay. Sit," she demands, pointing to her desk chair and lifting her massive makeup box from the bathroom.

  "Do your worst."

  "Oh, girl. I fully intend to." She winks and sets to work.

  11

  Letty

  It's almost two hours later when we finally walk up to Luca and Leon's house.

  "Holy crap, this place is insane," I mutter, swaying a little on my feet as we pass groups of students loitering around the front yard.

  The huge colonial-style house looms over us. It's got more windows than I can count after the number of margaritas I've consumed already tonight.

  It's seriously impressive.

  "Rumor has it that Daddy Dunn pays for it," one of the boys says from behind me.

  "Of course he does." Just hearing Mr. Dunn's name being mentioned leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. He might be my best friend's dad, but man, I hate him.

  He's a pretentious, opinionated, belittling asshole. I've no idea why Maddie stayed with him as long as she did. I think people assumed it was his money and fame, but I don't think it was. She wasn't that kind of fame-hungry wife. She’s… really sweet. A great mom. I guess she had to be to make up for their forceful, pushy and demanding father.

  Although I was gutted for the twins that their family had broken up, but I can't lie, I was relieved for Maddie's sake when I heard that he'd left and was living in New York.

  I should have reached out to Luca and Leon when it happened, but I couldn't. I could barely look after myself at that time, having compassion and concern for them as well really would have pushed me over the edge.

  "Well, whoever owns it, I'm grateful we have somewhere to party," Violet announces, marching forward and entering the house as if she owns it.

  "Looks like we're going in," Ella laughs beside me as we follow Vi inside.

  The house is packed as we make our way through to the kitchen to find drinks.

  West and Brax end up getting dragged off by other members of the team and although I've been assured time and time again that he's not going to be here, I find myself looking around for Kane.

  I've been told once before that he wouldn't be at a party and look how that ended, with me getting royally fucked in a muddy puddle.

  A shudder rushes down my spine as I allow my brain to remember just for five seconds how fucking good that puddle was. Then, I lock it down tight.

  Ella makes me a mixer drink before passing the Solo cup over. Her eyes lock on someone over my shoulder and for a second, my heart drops thinking that it's him, but then a wide smile spreads across her face and excitement twinkles in her eyes and I know exactly who is approaching. Well, technically there are two options but I'm happy with either.

  "Scarlett Hunter, you are fucking banging," Luca announces loudly to the whole room as Ella's smile gets wider.

  "Told you so," she mouths to me, a large pair of hands land on my hips before his arms wrap around my middle as his front presses against my back.

  "Hey," I say, looking back at him. "How much have you had to drink?" I ask when his eyes struggle to focus on mine.

  "We had a bet, I lost. Shots." He winces.

  "What was the bet?"

  "Can't, babe." He lifts his hand to his lips and zips them closed before twisting and throwing away the key.

  "Bro code, got it." I laugh.

  "Man, you're so perfect, Let. You always just get it." He plants a sloppy kiss on my cheek and squeezes me tighter.

  "Okay, you really are drunk."

  "Come meet the guys."

  "Uh… sure."

  He releases me and takes my hand instead, dragging me away from a smug-looking Ella and through the throngs of people partying in his house.

  "This place is incredible," I say when we emerge onto the back deck where there are huge couches—all full with football players presumably—surrounding a large firepit.

  "Boys, this is my girl right here," he announces loudly, making me cringe and for my face to burn hot. "Letty, meet my boys."

  The majority just nod at me in greeting. A few of their eyes take a leisurely trip around my body. I want to curl into Luca's side to hide but the heat in their eyes means I hold my head high and let them get their fill, knowing that they'll probably end up with a black eye when Luca notices.

  "Evan, eyes on her fucking face, man." The guy in question immediately locks eyes with me and I instantly recognize him from sociology this morning. He wasn't hard to spot with his little crowd of jersey chasers vying for his attention while the rest of us were just trying to get through the door. "Do I need to say it again? Letty. Is. Off. Limits."

  "Even to me?" Leon says, coming to a stop on my other side and pulling me out of Luca's hold.

  "Girl, you're going to need to watch your back around campus with these two claiming you as theirs. The girls are going to have their claws out," Colt, the guy I was introduced to in my first American lit class with these two pipes up.

  "I know how to handle myself around your admirers."

  Luca snort
s a laugh, probably remembering the couple of fights I might have ended up in with the cheersluts of Rosewood High.

  "Don't underestimate her." Luca drops down onto one of the empty couches. "Sit, babe."

  Tugging at the short hem of my dress so I don't flash every guy here a shot of my panties, I step from Leon's hold but before he lets me go, he drops his lip to my ear.

  "You look stunning, Let. Save a dance for me later, eh?"

  "Always." I smile at him before dropping down beside Luca who immediately places his large, burning hot hand on my thigh.

  Leon's eyes stare at his possessive hold for a beat before he sits on the other side of me.

  "So, golden boy here tells us you were at Columbia." I wince waiting for the standard questions but I'm relieved when they never come. I've no idea if that's because these guys don't care about my reason for leaving New York, or they've been warned not to pry, whatever it is, I'm grateful. "Their team is shit, no wonder you came back to be part of a winning one."

  "Hell yeah," one of the guys bark, holding his bottle in the air for a few of them to tap.

  I fall into easy conversation with the twin's friends, and I smile to myself as I realize that it's just like high school all over again. Me with all the boys. Every girl who walks past and gets shunned by the guys sends a scathing look my way, but I just smile sweetly. Not my issue that they want me here and not them. I'm sure the night is young and all these guys will be looking for some action soon enough.

  The drinks flow nicely, delivered by the freshmen members of the team—including my little brother—who grins at me when he passes me a fresh cup.

  "Having fun?" he asks, not missing where Luca's hand is planted still on my thigh.

  "Yeah, I'm not these guys little bitch tonight."

  "Shut your face," he mutters, shooting me a cocky wink.

  "Oh yeah, you fit right in with these assholes."

  "You love me really, Sis." He nods before ducking back into the house. "Enjoying your new pets?" I ask Luca with a smirk.

  "Nah, they love it. Makes them feel special."

  "You're a dick. Aren't you supposed to be all fatherly and supportive of the new guys?"

  "I am, I'm effectively teaching them how to respect their elders."

  The rest of the team laugh, sharing a private joke and I can't help but wonder what else they've got their new freshman to do in the first week of the semester.

  "Shame we can't get that other asshole freshman to kiss our fucking shoes," Colt barks, and Luca, Leon, and I all tense at the mention of Kane.

  "That fuck is going to get what's coming to him. Don't worry."

  "Luca," I warn. "You promised me you'd stay away."

  "Don't worry, babe. Everything is under control."

  A shiver races down my spine as he squeezes my thigh in an attempt to reassure me. It does nothing to make me feel better about the situation.

  I take a sip of the drink Zayn brought me and force myself to trust that Luca knows what he's doing.

  He's not starting quarterback for the Panthers for nothing and I have to believe he has his head screwed on when dealing with Kane.

  "Guys, I'm out. I love you and all but I need some fucking pussy," Colt announces a few minutes later.

  "Dude, girl present," someone barks.

  "A girl who's more than used to Luca and Leon. I'm sure she can cope."

  "I've heard worse. Any of you guys know Harrow Creek?"

  A few shake their heads, but a couple of them nod.

  "Isn't that where K—"

  "Yeah, I'm a Creek girl. Trust me, nothing you can say would shock me," I say in a rush before that name drops from Evan's lips.

  He turns to the guys who have no idea about the Creek's reputation. "What she means is, don't mess with her. She's a badass."

  A few look impressed, others couldn't care less.

  "Come dance with me," Leon breathes in my ear, and I spin to take him in.

  "Wouldn't you rather go find some pussy?" I drop the tone of my voice to mimic the guys.

  A smile twitches at his lips.

  "When I could dance with you instead? Never."

  "Aw, you're too sweet."

  Luca makes a gagging sound behind me.

  "Anyone ever told you that you should have been born with a pussy?"

  "So there wouldn't be anyone to make you look good on the field?" Leon shoots back before standing and tugging on my hand and pulling me from Luca's clutches.

  "I don't need anyone to make me look good, bro."

  "Of course, your ego already does the job just fine." Leon flips Luca off over his shoulder as he leads me inside.

  He directs me to the bathroom first, and then we stop by the kitchen for more drinks. It must be almost an hour later before we actually find our way to the makeshift dance floor that someone's set up in, I guess what should be, the living room.

  Leon spins me into his body and I look up into his eyes as I feel the burning hate stares of every girl in the room zero in on me.

  Pressing the length of my body to his, I reach up to whisper in his ear.

  "They all hate me." It's nothing new. It's how I lived my life in Rosewood. If anything, it's amusing that these college girls are as pathetic as the high school ones drooling after hooking up with a player.

  "Nah, Cupcake. They're all just jealous that I get to dance with the most beautiful girl in the room."

  My chest swells at his words. And, although Ella was right earlier, that what others tell me won't change my own opinion about myself, hearing those words come from Leon when he could literally have any girl in this room right now in his arms does make me feel special.

  "You could have any single one of them. Don't you want to get laid tonight?"

  He throws his head back and laughs. "I'm a guy, of course I want to get laid. But—" The amusement falls from his voice. "I'd much rather spend time with a friend who knows the real me, instead of a girl who only wants to bed me for bragging rights on social media immediately after."

  My heart sinks for him. Is that really what it's like? That meaningless.

  "I thought guys loved that shit."

  "Guys might, I don't."

  "You're one of a kind, Leon Dunn."

  "Such a nice way to tell me I'm weird, Cupcake."

  "Never," I gasp as the song changes and he moves his hips against me. "Have you learned some moves?"

  "I guess you're about to find out."

  We dance until our skin is damp with sweat and my face aches from the amount of smiling and laughing I've been doing. But I can't stop because right now, forgetting about everything, I feel on top of the world.

  "Can I join the party?" Luca says, his hands landing on my waist and his front lining up with my back.

  "I'm not one to turn down a Dunn sandwich," I slur before giggling like a schoolgirl.

  I have definitely had too much vodka tonight.

  "Whoa, girl," he grunts in my ear when I thrust my ass out into his crotch, his fingers grip my hips harder as he moves with me.

  Leon steps in front of me, his hands on my waist, right above his brothers and we move together in tandem.

  Dropping my head back, I rest it on Luca's shoulder and let myself just feel as their warmth and protectiveness surround me.

  I don't care that everyone in the room is probably watching us, gossiping about us, making up stories about things that aren't going to happen between the three of us.

  There might be wild rumors floating about what these two get up to behind closed doors, but despite how this might look, it's not what this is.

  They're like my brothers. Okay, so I wouldn't dance with Zayn quite like this, but nonetheless, it's as far as it'll go.

  "Oh hey," Luca says behind me, pulling away slightly when I assume another girl tries their hand at stealing one of them away. I lift my head from his shoulder and when I open my eyes, I immediately find Ella in the corner of the room watching me with hungry eyes.

&nbs
p; "Will you do something for me?" I ask Leon.

  "Anything."

  "Dance with my girl. She's got a hella crush on the two of you. Don't tell her I told you that bit though."

  He nods at me while laughing and I wave her over.

  She shakes her head, and I get my first glimpse of shy Ella. It's pretty endearing to see.

  "Come on," I mouth to her and finally she pushes from the wall she's leaning against and makes her way through the crowd.

  "El, you know Leon, right?" Her cheeks turn beet red as she glances at him. "Dance with us," I say, pulling her into my side.

  One song moves into another and another and finally, I manage to break away, making an excuse about needing the bathroom.

  I back away watching Luca with his girl and Leon with Ella and I smile seeing them enjoying themselves.

  I'm almost at the edge of the dance floor when a strong arm clamps around my waist and I'm hauled back into a hard body.

  "I didn't think they were going to let you out of their clutches, Princess."

  A violent shiver races down my spine as the deep, husky voice settles in my vodka influenced brain.

  Oh fuck.

  My body freezes as he tries to move to the music.

  "What's wrong? You'll dance with them like a little slut but not me?"

  "Get away from me, Kane." I fight to pull away from him, but his grip is too hard.

  I should stamp on his foot with my heel, elbow him in the ribs, anything to cause him pain but I don't want to cause a scene.

  If Luca and Leon learned that he was here… I shake my head, no. I can't let that happen.

  "Fight me and I'll show everyone in this room exactly what you are, Princess," he warns in my ear. "I bet you're already wet for me and I haven’t so much as touched you yet."

  "Fuck you, Kane. You don't know a fucking thing about me."

  "Oh, I know plenty, Princess. And what I don't know, you can be damn fucking sure that I'm going to get it out of you."

  "Let me go."

  I try to pull away again but he's having none of it.

  "Move, Princess. Or I'll fuck you right here for everyone to see."

  His free hand slides up the exposed skin of my thigh, only hesitating briefly as he meets the short hem of my dress.