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

by Tracy Lorraine

  That fucking voice.

  I'm placed on the seat and I spin to look him in the eyes.

  "What do you want?"

  Victor Harris's mouth curls into a scowl as he stares at me. There's disgust in his eyes for a second before he drops his gaze down my body. Disgust rolls through me and I grab the sides of my zip-up hoodie to cover up.

  He tsks, making my skin crawl.

  "What. Do. You. Want?" If he thinks he's getting any respect out of me then he's shit out of luck. This isn't my first interaction with him. Although sitting here right now, I really wish the previous time was the last.

  I don't care who he is. He can't just abduct me like this.

  "I've got a job for you, although I'm wondering if you need teaching some fucking manners first."

  I raise a brow at him.

  "I thought Kane might have done the job by now."

  If he wants me to react to his mention of Kane then he's going to be bitterly disappointed.

  "I don't want your job. Get one of your minions to do it for you."

  "No can do. I need someone… a little different for this job."

  "I'm not interested, Victor." I spin away from him and reach for the door but before I have my fingers around the handle, Victor's fingertips dig into my upper arms and I’m dragged back toward him.

  He pulls me so close his disgusting old cigarette and stale whiskey breath races over my face.

  My stomach turns as he looks down at my lips.

  "Get the hell off me," I bark, trying to tug my arm away, but all I achieve is for him to hold tighter.

  "Now, now, Hunter. It's in your best interest to play nice."

  "Fuck you," I spit in his face before the pain that blooms in my cheek and down my neck makes my eyes water.

  But I don't take my eyes off him as I bare my teeth in anger.

  "What do you want from me?"

  "I told you, I have a job. Do it and you're free to go and continue on with your life."

  "And if I don't?"

  A maniacal laugh rips from his lips. "Let's just say that it's in your best interest that you do it."

  "I'm not doing anything for you," I spit.

  I know the kinds of things people who work for him end up doing, and I want no part of it or his stupid little gang.

  "I have easy access to people you love, Scarlett," he warns. "You should never forget that."

  A lump forms in my throat as I think of my family and he clearly notices my panic.

  "Everyone has a weakness, Scarlett. And you have many. Now I need you to drop a few things off in my sons' house."

  "Why me? You've got half the Creek on your payroll," I snap, sliding away from him after he finally releases me.

  "They'll smell a rat if I send one of my boys in. I need this to be discreet."

  "And you think me suddenly walking in will look fucking normal? You're deranged. Anyone ever told you that?"

  He smiles as if my words actually please him.

  Fucking psycho.

  "I don't care how you go about it, Scarlett." I shudder, hating the way my name rolls off his tongue. "Get on your fucking knees if you have to." My lip curls at his suggestion.

  "You want me to give your sons sexual favors to get into their house?"

  "Pretty sure Kane will let you walk right in. That was where he was going last night, wasn't it? To see you?"

  My gasp of shock answers his question.

  Reaching forward, he lifts a small briefcase onto his lap and pops the clasps.

  Inside are a series of small black squares.

  "What the hell is that?"

  "Cameras. I need to know what's happening in that house. You're going to plant these, get the intel I need and we're done."

  "I can't control what they say."

  "Well then, for your family's sake, you'd better fucking hope they do. I've already lost one son because of your family. I'd hate to have to return the favor."

  My blood runs cold at the thought of what Gray, his youngest son, tried to do to Harley only a few months ago.

  No one knows what happened to him. I don't even know if he's alive.

  "They'll find them."

  "Yes, they will. Ellis will detect them the second he cares to look. Hence my suggestion that you distract them for as long as you can to get me what I need."

  "This is fucking insane."

  "I'm losing money, and I think it's at the hands of my sons. Yes, there is a lot wrong with that."

  "And if I do this?" I ask as he closes the lid on the case and passes it over.

  "Your family will be safe and if I'm feeling generous, I might let your boy off a job or two. Hell knows he's shed enough blood for me this last year."

  His words put images in my head I really don't need. I know Kane is tied up with this cunt, he always was. But to have killed for him? I really fucking hope not. Although, any of the other options to do with his business aren't exactly desirable. Drugs, weapons, dirty money, women. I shudder at the last one.

  It's something that shouldn't be a part of anyone's normal life. But growing up in Harrow Creek. That's exactly what it is. Normal.

  One of the many, many reasons I admire my mother so much for everything she did to get us out of there.

  "He's not my boy. Do what you want with him."

  His amused yet evil chuckle tells me that he doesn't believe a word of it.

  "Can I go now?"

  Victor nods to his driver and the locks disengage around me, allowing me to escape.

  "It was good doing business with you, Scarlett."

  "Bite me."

  "I'd love to."

  Swallowing down the bile that races up my throat, I jump from the car.

  "I'll be in touch, Princess. You have a week."

  A violent shiver rips through me as I slam the door closed and run away from the car.

  I duck into a recess behind a building and lean back against the wall, sucking in deep lungfuls of air, making up for all the breaths I didn't take inside that car.

  This cannot be happening.

  I bang my head back against the wall a couple of times. Enough to convince myself that I am awake and that this isn't a bad dream but not enough to hurt myself.

  Another car pulls out of the parking lot as I stand there with my hands trembling and my heart racing and I hear voices getting closer.

  I need to get back. If Ella beats me and asks what happened… I shake my head.

  I can't drag them into this mess.

  It's bad enough Kane's unknowingly dragged me into it.

  My fists curl at the thought of all this being because of him.

  This kind of thing happens in his life. Not mine.

  This is why we left Harrow Creek. Why I went to New York to start my own life.

  Maybe it's true what they say.

  The past is never very far behind and it always catches up with you.

  "Fucking hell," I mutter, pushing from the wall and continuing with my quick walk home, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds as if another devil is going to jump out of the shadows.

  17

  Kane

  I sit opposite Alana in some fancy restaurant in the center of Maddison. She looked impressed when she pulled up beside me in the parking lot.

  She'd wanted me to pick her up, but I drew a line at dinner.

  Vic wants me to entertain her for a few hours while he monopolizes her old man, fine—well not really, but here I am—but that's all this is. Dinner.

  I spent all day studying, trying to get on top of things before practice and classes start again in the morning and take up almost every second of my time.

  She talks about… fuck knows what as we wait for our desserts to be delivered.

  I stare at her like I'm listening, but the truth is all I'm doing is picking out all the ways she's different to Scarlett.

  Her skin is pale, too pale, almost to the point she looks ill. Her blue eyes are tired, missing the excitement fo
r life that I once saw in them, the bags beneath complete the look despite the copious amount of makeup on her face.

  Her lips are baby pink, in comparison to Let's bright sexy red, and her almost white hair is too bright, too bleached.

  She's just… wrong.

  And I know that for some fucked-up reason all the effort she's put in has been for me. She wants to please me, I don't need to have spent as much time in the bedroom as I have with her to know that.

  Everything she does, everything she says, it's like she's planned it to ensure I'll like her. Fuck knows why. She's married to a man who will never let her go despite their bizarre relationship. That's just not how things work.

  She tugs at the high neckline of her dress and tilts her head at me.

  "What do you think?"

  "Uh…"

  "Aw, hon. Is college taking it out of you already? I told you that it was going to be too much."

  I quirk a brow. No she fucking didn't. Well… maybe she did. I'm getting good at tuning her voice out.

  "It's fine, just a change of pace." No lie there. Vic had me working day and night in the lead up to be starting at MKU. Plus training on top of that to ensure I was in top form to join the team and I was fucking exhausted. I've come here for a rest.

  "I was talking about the holidays."

  "Okay, great."

  "It'll be nice for you to have Kyle back this year. I'd love to spend the time with my family but—" She goes on, but I once again drift off.

  Yeah, I might have Kyle back, but I'm not stupid enough to think that he's not going to be spending Christmas at the Hunter house with Harley. A place I certainly won't be invited to.

  I sigh, contemplating spending another Christmas alone like I did last year.

  My cell vibrating in my pants pocket drags me from my depressing thoughts.

  Glancing at Alana, I find that she's still talking and I discreetly pull it out, hoping it's something I can use as a solid excuse to get out of this.

  My eyes widen when I take in the name staring back at me. My heart jumps and my temperature spikes from her name alone.

  Princess.

  Unable to resist, I swipe my screen and open the message.

  You never could keep promises. I'm disappointed.

  My pulse thunders as I read and reread her words.

  Is she… is she challenging me?

  A smile curls at my lips as I think about her in her dorm room staring at the door, wondering if I'm going to come crashing through any moment.

  My cock hardens as I consider doing just that.

  Taking her against the window so everyone who's walking past knows who she belongs to. Understanding that she's my dirty little whore.

  A slice of key lime pie being placed in front of me drags me from my wicked thoughts but suddenly, it's anything but appealing. The only thing I want for dessert is Scarlett.

  I suck on my bottom lip as I remember how she tasted Friday night and my cock weeps. Although, one look up at the woman before me and it ruins my fantasy somewhat.

  "Damn, I should have had that. It looks incredible," she complains, ignoring her own fruit salad and drooling over my dessert instead.

  "Have it, I need to go," I say, shoving my cell back into my pocket and pulling out some cash to pay for the meal.

  "What?" she screeches, making me wince. It's similar to the irritating sound she makes when she comes, and I rather never hear that again either. "You can't just leave me here."

  "I'm really sorry," I lie. "It's an emergency."

  Her face falls. "Oh no, is everything okay. Kyle?"

  "You don't need to worry, but I really need to go."

  Her lips part, I've no idea if it's to argue with me or what, but I don't care. I'm out of there before she has a chance to say a word.

  I white-knuckle the wheel as I make my way back across town toward campus.

  Impatience and frustration begins to get the better of me the closer I get.

  I shouldn't have jumped quite so quickly, but it's not like I really needed convincing to get away from Alana.

  If Vic finds out then he'll have my ass for this, but right now, with Letty waiting for me, I really don't give a shit.

  I pull up into the parking lot behind her dorm building.

  I can't see her window from here but I can picture her standing at it looking for me, waiting for me.

  Pulling my cell from my pocket, I read her message again.

  Kane: Didn't your momma ever warn you about playing with the devil?

  I stare at the screen for two minutes, but the message never shows as read, and she doesn't attempt to reply.

  If it weren't for the fact I could read her previous message above then I might start to think I'd imagined it.

  I sit there a while longer, trying to convince myself that I should just go home.

  But then, the main door to her building opens and a group of people emerge. I recognize them as her protectors. But she's not with them.

  She really did plan this.

  I wait for them to disappear before climbing from the car and making my way inside her building and up to her dorm.

  The main door is open and after scanning the communal area, I make my way to her room.

  Silently, I walk over.

  She might be waiting for me, but that doesn't mean I'm going to announce my arrival early and give her the heads up.

  Pressing my ear against the door, the low beats of her music sound out and every muscle in my body pulls tight.

  She's right on the other side of the door.

  My fists curl as I try to rein myself in.

  A noise out in the hallway makes me jump into action and I wrap my hand around the door handle and twist in the hope that if she's waiting for me then it'll be unlocked.

  And it is.

  I suck in a breath and throw it wide open.

  I scan the room quickly as I step inside, expecting to find her immediately. But I don't.

  Her bed is made, the room is tidy and aside from the music, it's silent.

  What the—

  A closed door on the other side of the room taunts me and I walk over expecting to hear running water and for her to be in the shower.

  Fucking perfect if she is.

  But even before the door crashes back against the wall, I already know she’s not here.

  She's fucking playing me.

  My teeth grind in frustration.

  I knew I shouldn't have got out of the fucking car.

  Turning my back on her bathroom, I come to a stop in the middle of her room.

  Part of me is tempted to throw myself on her bed and wait her out, punish her the second she reappears for this little stunt.

  But then my eyes fall on her desk and the campus map that's sitting there folded to reveal a small section of the vast college.

  I glance down at my watch. It's nine p.m. on a Sunday night, it should be shut.

  But that doesn't stop me swiping up the map and taking off.

  Knowing it's not too far away, I leave my car where it is and take off on foot.

  The campus is quiet as I pass building after building. The students who are about to disappear into dorm buildings for the night. Thankfully, no one stops me as I approach the building I want.

  The Richard J. Armitage Library is by far the most ornate of the Maddison Kings University buildings. It's gothic architecture and stained-glass windows make it stand out from the rest. But I pay it little mind as I head toward the entrance.

  The parking lot behind me is empty, bar one car. One that I recognize. One that stirs something within me. Because if my gut feeling is right then she's in there with them while trying to play me.

  If that's true, it's really not going to end well. For her.

  All the foyer lights are off but there are a few on deeper in the building. And it's seeing those that makes me push the door before me.

  It opens, thankfully silently and I slip inside.

  The
entire place seems deserted as I scan the vast space. I recall seeing her here the other day, and I take a punt on the fact she might be on the same floor and head for the stairs.

  I know I'm right because the moment I step on the third floor, I hear voices.

  Deep male voices.

  I move silently until I'm hidden behind a row of books and watch the three of them sitting around a table working.

  They shouldn't be here this late. It should have been locked up hours ago, but then when you're the Kings of the college, I guess you can get away with anything.

  I watch the three of them work, talk and joke together for the longest time as jealousy swirls around me like a hurricane waiting to touch down on land.

  I'm still trying to convince myself that I should just leave when Letty stands, pushing her chair out behind her.

  She lifts her arms over her head, stretching out her back and exposing a slither of golden skin between the waistband of her skin and her t-shirt.

  Both Luca and Leon's eyes zero in on that bit of skin. Desire and naughty thoughts darkening their eyes.

  You left her in his bed, a little voice pipes up in my head. If he's touched her, then it's all your fault.

  I wanted to punish her and when I found we were in his room, I thought it was perfect. But my head was in the clouds, drunk on lust and her scent. Leaving her there with a ruined dress and drunk was probably the worst thing I could have done.

  She speaks to them both briefly and when she takes a step away from the table, Luca rises too.

  She shakes her head at him, and he immediately sits back down.

  With a smile at both of them, she walks away from the table, past the aisle I'm hiding down and heads toward the very back of the library.

  After a beat, I follow, watching her ass sway in her short denim skirt and her exposed legs all the way down to her red Chucks.

  A smile curls at my lips as she turns down an aisle the farthest from the guys as possible. I couldn't have planned it better if I tried.

  She comes to a stop in front of the books, her fingertip running over the spines as she searches for the one she came down here for.

  Not finding it, she drops to the lower shelf, sticking her ass out in the process.

  Her skirt is so short, I can see the curve of her ass.