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

by Tracy Lorraine

  There was a time we'd have pulled the boxing gloves out. But Devin and I are well past that now.

  We both need the pain as much as each other. We need to feel each and every hit.

  I swear a silence falls over the entire gym as we step up to each other.

  Lifting my hands, I crack my knuckles once more and stare Devin straight in the eyes.

  I love him like a brother. But right now, and for as long we're in the ring, he's the enemy. He's his father.

  And he's going fucking down.

  I launch at him, hoping to catch him off guard. But he's ready for me and he blocks my first hit.

  Asshole.

  We've trained together for years. We know each other's moves, we almost know each other's thoughts as we dance around the ring but the second I manage to land a punch to his jaw—everything changes.

  His eyes turn wild and the competition between us ramps up. As does the interest in our fight.

  I've totally lost track of how long we've been in here by the time Devin makes one vital mistake. He drops his guard for the briefest moment and I manage to land a punch to his stomach that sends him stumbling backward and crashing to the floor.

  We're both covered in sweat and blood but fuck, I've never felt better.

  Actually, that's a lie. Last night, with her, everything felt fucking better but it would be in my own interest to try to forget about that. Not that it's ever worked before of course.

  "Okay, okay," Devin pants, holding his hand up and not even bothering to attempt to get back up and continue. "You can have it. This one is yours," he says with a smirk.

  "Motherfucker," I mutter, the smile that pulls at my lips rips my split open once more, as I reach down to help pull him up.

  He stands and shakes out his muscles.

  "Fuck, I feel better now."

  "Yeah? Well, you look a fucking mess."

  "You too, bro. You've got a little…" He points at his lip to indicate the blood that's dripping down mine but the only response he gets from me is a slap across the head.

  The locker room is empty when we get there, no huge surprise seeing as every member of the gym was crowded around our ring to see who'd win the showdown.

  We shower, dress and head for the door.

  "Breakfast?"

  "Fuck yeah?"

  "Hallie's?" I turn to look at him, my brow raised in question. "Okay, so stupid question."

  We get stopped a couple of times on the way out. A few members of the Hawks junior chapter now decide that it's safe enough to talk to us without getting their heads caved in. They ask us the same bullshit questions everyone does.

  How's college?

  What's it like to get out of the Creek?

  Are you all still members?

  I've only been at MKU for a week and already this shit is pissing me off.

  Devin is a junior and has had this shit for two years already. I've no idea how he's put up with it.

  "It's great, thanks," I say politely.

  I can see by the creasing around their eyes as they stare at me that they don't understand how the fuck I got into MKU. And that's fine. I get it. Vic has never made me out to be anything more than his little bitch boy. A scary motherfucking bitch boy, but a bitch boy all the same.

  I've let them think it. Think I'm all brawn, but it's so far from the truth.

  Being one of Vic's minions has never been my calling in life. I want more, I crave more.

  More than the Creek, more than the shitty trailer parks we were forced to grow up in, and more than the fucking Hawks.

  "Yes, of course we're still members. Working on a Maddison Chapter as we speak." Devin winks, and the guys all nod excitedly.

  "They’re a bunch of fucking assholes," Devin mutters as we head for my car.

  "They're just more than happy to live this life. Not their fault they grew up thinking that initiating into the Hawks is the best things are going to get for them.”

  “We're the weird ones because we don't want it.”

  I mutter an agreement.

  "Be so much fucking easier if we could just fall into line though, right?"

  I glance over at him, my brows in the air.

  "Oh, fuck off," he grunts, knowing exactly what I'm getting at.

  As far as anyone can see he is just falling into line. Doing his father's bidding.

  I laugh at him as I start the engine and head to our favorite diner.

  "We should call the others. They'll be pissed if we do this without them," I say when we pull up under the neon Hallie's Diner sign.

  "You wanna wait for them to get their asses here?"

  "Hell no, I was just saying the right thing. Let's go."

  He barks out a laugh as I throw the door open and climb out.

  We look a mess, but it's something Hallie is used to.

  Her diner is right on the edge of town, in the middle of fucking nowhere. I've no idea how she keeps getting customers, but this place has been going for as long as I can remember yet it's always quiet.

  It's about the only place in Harrow Creek the Hawks haven't taken over. It's been our safe haven for the past few years.

  Hallie might be heading for her sixties but she's not naïve to the life we live or the things we do. Her old man was a Hawk. He died during a gang war about twenty years ago.

  It was the only time Vic has nearly lost power. He certainly lost a lot of men that night.

  I think Hallie feels somewhat guilty because although she lost her husband and the father to her girls, if her husband hadn't fought as hard as he did for that cunt then our lives—and those of the rest of the youth of Harrow Creek—might have turned out differently.

  It's wishful thinking because, with the Hawks gone, another will only take over. I can't imagine much will have changed but I'd take anyone over Victor 'Vicious' Harris lording it over the town any fucking day of the week.

  The second I push the door open, the scent of smoky bacon and sweet maple syrup hits me and my stomach growls loudly. Only a moment later, Hallie emerges from her kitchen wearing her standard pink and yellow flowery apron and the warmest smile.

  She reminds me so much of my mom that it makes my chest tighten with the loss I still feel all these years on.

  "My boys!" She holds her arms out wide as we walk toward her, allowing her to embrace us.

  It's a welcome hug, one I know Devin appreciates as much as I do.

  The only parent he has left is a cunt, and his stepmother. Well, the less said about her the better.

  "Hey, Hallie," I say with a wide smile once again splitting my lip.

  She scowls at both of us when she finally releases us.

  "Has he been putting you to work again?" she damn near growls, her eyes taking in our injuries. "You're college boys now, he needs to—"

  "Nah, Nanna H, we haven’t been working, just… playing," Devin says making her wince. She hates that nickname.

  "Doesn't look like it was much fun to me. You need patching up?"

  "Nah, we're good. Just need a plate of your pancakes and we'll be good as new."

  "Damn shame to cover those beautiful bodies in bruises if you ask me," she mutters, walking us over to our usual booth in the back.

  "The ladies love it, Nanna."

  "Speaking of the ladies. Anyone special for me to meet yet?"

  Devin throws his head back and laughs. "You know me, Nanna. I'm sowing my oats wide and far."

  "Yeah, just make sure none of them grow into anything." She quirks a knowing brow at him.

  "I wrap it, Nanna. Don't sweat it."

  "And you?" she turns her eyes on me.

  "Nah, sorry to disappoint."

  "Still hanging out with the hoes, huh?"

  Devin snorts at her words.

  That's the thing about Hallie, she knows everything. Even the shit we don't tell her, and we tell her a lot.

  "Yeah, something like that."

  I think back to the night before and my need to tell her
about Letty almost forces the words out of my mouth, but I can't, so I swallow them down and keep my mask firmly in place.

  "You'll find her again," she whispers to me, squeezing my shoulder.

  See. Knows fucking everything.

  "You want the regular?"

  "You got it, Nanna H." Devin rubs his belly, grinning up at her, making her cheeks blush.

  She disappears off leaving us alone.

  There are a few other customers, but none are paying us any attention as we sit in our dark corner.

  "I missed her," Devin says after a few seconds. "Why couldn't she have been our nanna?"

  "Because she's too nice? Anyone that sweet doesn't have Harris blood in them."

  "Hey, I'm as fucking sweet as they come and you know it."

  I stare at him with a blank expression thinking of all the less than sweet things I've witnessed him do over the years.

  "Oh yeah. How about you ask those who are long dead and buried if they think you're sweet."

  "Just my job, man. I'm a fucking teddy bear under all that. All the girls want to hug me."

  "And then they come fuck me."

  He flips me off as one of Hallie's servers brings us some coffee over.

  The girl's young, probably a sophomore, maybe a junior at Harrow Creek High and the second we both look at her, she flushes from head to toe.

  "Thank you," I say, accepting the mug before she all but runs from our table.

  "Oh she really looked like she wanted to hug you."

  "Bet she fucking would if I offered." He pushes his still damp hair from his head and stares at her ass as she scarpers away.

  "She's too fucking young," I chastise him.

  "I ain't touching."

  I don't want to bring up what Reid said to me this morning. I really don't want to get involved with their business but after we've finished eating my need to find out if there is something up gets the better of me.

  "How's… business?" I ask, sitting back in the bench seat and stretching out my legs.

  "Fucking slow, man."

  "Oh?" I ask, now even more intrigued.

  "Something's going on with the shipments. Can't get the shit we need as fast as we fucking need it."

  "What's Vic saying?"

  He shrugs. "Ain't spoken to the fucker. Reid's sorting it."

  I nod, although I'm suspicious as fuck.

  "Gives me more time for actual college shit though, so I guess I shouldn't complain.”

  "Can't believe you're a fucking junior, man."

  "Tell me about it, I never thought I'd live this life. Shame I don't have a choice in what comes after."

  "It's still two years away, anything can happen."

  "You think I'm not already dreaming that someone's gonna be stupid enough to take him out and put an end to all this bullshit?"

  "It might happen."

  He grunts at my optimism. But it's just that.

  The reality is that no one will touch Vic no matter what stunt he pulls.

  "What about you? You survived a whole week at college. Was it all you thought it would be?"

  I think about classes, but my thoughts don't linger there because they shift straight onto my interactions with Letty.

  "Better."

  "You wouldn't be fucking saying that if she weren't here," he mutters.

  My lips part to argue, but I can't because he's right and he fucking knows it.

  "You got a plan?"

  "Yeah, fuck her over and get her out of my fucking system."

  He shakes his head. I know he thinks that I need to let it go, to let her get on with her life. Like he has. But I can't. It runs deeper for me. He never wanted her. He never thought she was going to be his and have it thrown back in his face.

  "We should move, I've got so much to fucking do."

  "Same, man. Yo, Nanna H," he bellows across the diner before she emerges from the kitchen. "We're out."

  16

  Letty

  I remained sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting to see if he was going to storm up here for longer than I wanted to admit. I also don't want to admit quite how disappointed I was that he didn't show.

  But finally, I realized that he was just playing me and I dragged my aching muscles to the shower.

  The second I stripped and saw the bruises darkening my hips, I knew it was a mistake.

  They were exactly the reminders I don't need about how his touch feels.

  I hid in my room for hours studying, waiting until the coast might be clear and be able to emerge without bumping into Ellis again.

  It's not him. It's who he's connected to.

  His older brother Devin is Kane's best friend. I've no doubt that Ellis will know everything I need to know about Kane. Like where he lives.

  I do not need to know that.

  It's bad enough that he's found me.

  I also have no idea how much any of them know. They were there the night of the party. Did Kane tell them what went down? Do they know he's out for revenge? Hell, was he only here because Kane told him to be. It's no secret that Kane holds power even over Harris blood.

  In the end, I ventured out for snacks and luckily, Micah was alone, still with his tablet.

  He watched me as I made myself some lunch but thankfully he never asked about Ellis, and I tried to tell myself it was because he didn't care. Not because Ellis told him everything he knew.

  I slept like shit. Every bang, crash or slightly loud voice as the others returned from the parties they tried to drag me to had me on edge waiting to see if Kane was going to come barreling through the door.

  But still. Nothing.

  Was this his plan? To get me so worked up I'll do whatever he demands of me.

  If it is, I fear that I'm playing right into his hands.

  When a knock did come on my door, it was followed by a soft female voice inviting me to her morning yoga class.

  And that's where I've spent my morning.

  Trying to find my inner peace, or whatever it is I'm supposed to be channeling.

  Mostly, I'm just trying not to fall on my ass or break my neck. So far so good.

  "Okay, ladies. Tuck your elbows in and straighten your spines," the instructor says softly and I follow her move. "Deep, slow breaths."

  I close my eyes and empty my mind, or at least I try to. But the image of him before me Friday night never leaves.

  The instructor brings the class to an end and silently, everyone begins to stand and rolls their mats up.

  I count to five and then open my eyes, hoping that when I do everything will be simpler.

  I find Ella smiling down at me when I come back to myself.

  "You're a natural," she whispers.

  "I'm not sure I'd go that far."

  "You feel better though, right?"

  I pause for a few seconds. "Yeah, actually I do.

  "Come on, I need coffee."

  With our mats under our arms, we walk out side by side and head toward the coffee shop.

  "Takeout? I've got to study."

  "Sure."

  "You going to tell me about Friday night yet?" She asks as we make our way across the quad.

  "I drank too much and passed out in Luca's bed." It's not entirely a lie.

  "What about you? Hook up with anyone after I disappeared?" I ask, taking the heat off of me.

  When she doesn't answer straight away, I glance over to find her cheeks bright red.

  "Who?"

  She drops her head into her hands and groans.

  "Oh my God was it Leon?" I left her dancing with him so it would make sense. But then why wouldn't he have said anything yesterday morning?

  My stomach twists but I'm not sure if it's at the thought of him being with Ella or the fact he might have hidden it from me.

  "It was Colt," she admits.

  I don't really know enough about the guys yet to really form an opinion but he seemed like a good guy. A total player, but in my eyes, if he's friends with
Luca and Leon then he's got to be a decent guy.

  "O-okay? Was it bad or something?"

  "What? No, no. It was not bad in any way."

  "So what's the issue?"

  "He's been with half of Maddison."

  "It was a party, it's college. I'm sure people have done worse."

  "I know, I'm just… ugh. He was so good," she whines.

  "Maybe he'll let you back for a second shot."

  "Nah, that'll never happen. He's got a once only rule in place."

  "Wow, he has rules. That's… yeah."

  "Fucking shots," she mutters.

  "Well, you said you wanted a player so…"

  "Yeah, I never said I wanted the ultimate player though."

  "Too late for regrets, Ella."

  "I know. I need to put it behind me. Hell knows he's not thought about me since I left."

  I look over at her in her yoga pants and crop top. I really hope he fucking has and he knows how fucking lucky he was.

  "Ella," someone screams from the corner of the parking lot.

  "Oh my God," she squeals next to me, bouncing on the ball of her feet in excitement for whoever she's just seen. "I won't be long," she promises before darting away.

  "It's okay, I'll head back," I call to her, not wanting to stand around here like a loner.

  She waves at me over my shoulder as she jogs toward where three people are watching her.

  The second she's in front of them they pull her into a hug.

  I lift my coffee to my lips and take a sip before taking off in the direction of our dorm and the assignment that's sitting on my desk waiting for me.

  I walk along the edge of the parking lot, leaving Ella and her friends behind.

  Cars come and go and the voices of students sitting at a couple of the benches filter down to me as I lose myself in my thoughts… or maybe regrets would be more accurate.

  I round the corner and disappear behind a large black town car as our building comes in to view in the distance.

  The door beside me opens and before I know what's happening a large hand clamps down over my mouth and I'm hauled back into the vehicle.

  My heart thunders against my chest as I kick my legs and throw my arms behind me in the hope of making contact with my attacker.

  "Calm the fuck down, Scarlett."

  That voice.