Cruel Betrayal: A Dark Bully Romance (The Kings of Crestmoore Academy, Book 2)

by Elle East

  When we got to the Bell Tower, I showed him where his room was. He was by himself in an empty room on the ground floor. They’d given me back my old room, and I was ok with it, but kind of wished I was closer to him. Also, it would be nice to live in a room where I didn’t have to wear earplugs all the time because of the noise of the bells. My room was beautiful though, and I was just grateful I made it back here at all. I had been very close to never seeing this school, these people, this building ever again.

  “Well, this is your room.” I motioned to the door.

  He took out his long, old-fashioned key and slid it into the lock. “Thanks.”

  We stood awkwardly for a moment.

  “… Ok, I’m gonna go,” I said and turned to leave.

  “Where’s your room?” he asked.

  “At the very top. It’s the penthouse suite and I have the entire floor to myself. It’s actually really nice except for the bells that go off several times a day. Those are so loud you can’t sleep through them or do anything when they are going—” I realized I was rambling and stopped.

  This was so uncomfortable. I just wanted it to go back to the way things used to be between us.

  He was looking at me with an unreadable expression on his chiseled face. He licked his lips, and I had a sudden and intensely strong desire to lean over and kiss them.

  “Do you, uh, want to get anything to eat later?” I asked, then quickly added, “Because I can show you where the dining room is. It’s hard to find on your own and you must be starving after that long trip here—I know I am. We could just get food and you don’t have to sit with me if you don’t want. I’ll just show you where it is…” I realized I was rambling again and stopped.

  His mouth pressed into a hard line and it didn’t make me want to kiss those lips any less. I wanted to reach over and run my hands up his powerful arms and curl my fingers into his dark hair and bring his head down to meet mine and—Get a grip, Maddy!

  I started to back up. “It’s ok, never mind. I’m sure you’ll find it just fine. I guess I’ll see you around.”

  I turned and started up the stairs, quickly trying to escape this embarrassing interaction.

  “Maddy, wait,” he called, and I stopped.

  He walked over to me and because I was on the second stair, we were eye-to-eye. He came close and I could smell the sage and cedar scent of his skin. It made my mouth water, and I wanted to bury my face in his t-shirt and breathe deep.

  His amber eyes were softer than they had been the entire day as he looked at me. My heart started to beat faster as he came closer. I could almost feel the heat from his body. His presence seemed to pull me like a magnet and I wanted to let it draw me into his arms.

  “Maddy,” he said softly, and I leaned in closer, expectantly.

  My heart was racing, and my breath sped up.

  “Yes?” I breathed out.

  There was a long pause, and I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin if he didn’t touch me right at that second. I wanted his large hands to grip my arms the way he had when he saw me on the stairs before Christmas and was so relieved I was ok. That had been the most intimate touch we’d ever shared and even though it hadn’t been much, my body had craved it ever since.

  I was leaning in, waiting for something—What exactly? I wasn’t sure.

  Finally, he spoke in a soft, deep voice. “We’re going to have to work together while we’re here so I want us to be on good terms. Nothing is going to happen between us romantically—”

  I leaned back quickly as if I’d been burned. I wasn’t sure if my disappointment was obvious on my face, but I tried to suppress it. I didn’t want him to see how crushed I was.

  “—but we have a job to do and we need to be professional. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry. I’m sorry about everything that happened before.”

  He looked at me sadly. I gave him a sad nod back.

  “Me too,” I told him honestly.

  I was sorry about how it had ended between us. He was someone who I really cared for, and I had given up what we could have had for three gorgeous guys who it turned out had been lying to me all along. They had only been pretending to care and then used my feelings for them to hurt me. They’d never really wanted me like I wanted them. The memory was too painful—all of this was so painful—I didn’t want to think about it.

  “Let’s start over,” Dean said. “Friends?”

  He reached out his hand. Ok, I guess this was all I could hope for. Being his friend was better than being nothing at all.

  “Friends,” I answered and grabbed his hand.

  A powerful surge of electricity shot between us where our hands met. My arm tingled, and heat built quickly in my stomach and raced up into my cheeks. This wasn’t how it felt to shake a friend’s hand. I wondered if he could feel it too?

  Almost reluctantly, he let go and said, “I’ll just unpack and then we can head over to the dining hall together. How about half an hour?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  I wanted to reach out to him again. My skin where he had touched me was still burning, and my body immediately missed his. But I turned and continued up the stairs to my room instead.

  When I opened the door and walked in, I was immediately overcome with relief. I was worried I was never going to see this place again. I looked up and saw the large bells far above my head, the bane of my existence last year—well, one of the banes at least. I was even happy to see them.

  All my bags were already there, so I quickly unpacked my stuff. Like last time, my clothes barely took up a quarter of the large, open plan closet. Next, I changed into my uniform.

  I pulled on the familiar white collared shirt, pleated tartan skirt, thigh-high stockings and black blazer. I slipped off my sneakers, and put on the uncomfortable Oxford shoes. I wrapped the black cross tie around my neck, under my collar and pinned it.

  When I was done, I turned to the mirror to make sure everything was in place. I ran my hands down the sides of my blazer, which was a narrow cut and hugged close to my body. I smoothed down my skirt and wondered idly if Dean would like the way I looked in my uniform.

  I shook my head. It didn’t matter if he liked how I looked because we were just friends now and that was all we’d ever be—he just said so himself in the hallway. It would actually be easier if he didn’t like how I looked. We had a mission to do and the fewer distractions the better—I just wished I could get rid of my feelings for him as easily as he seemed to have gotten rid of his for me.

  I sighed and looked over at the clock on my wall. It had been almost half an hour, so I left the mirror behind and headed downstairs to pick him up.

  Chapter 3

  Classes started two days later, and that was when I saw the Kings again for the first time since my return to Crestmoore. I had just dropped Dean off at his first class and was heading to mine when I felt something in the hall change. It was almost imperceptible, but it was like all the tension increased and everyone became slightly on edge.

  I looked around to see what was causing it, and that was when I saw them. They entered the hallway together, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, and any students in their path immediately jumped to the side to let them pass. Dressed in their matching uniforms, they all looked like they were born to wear them.

  The three of them walked like they owned the world. Now that I was seeing them again in person, they were even more imposing, more commanding than I remembered. All of them tall, gorgeous, muscular—and pure evil.

  Brett Hughs, the giant, silent, blond quarterback with the square jaw and huge muscles that stretched out the fabric of his blazer. Archer King, the disputed head King of the school with his jet black hair, stormy gray eyes and pouty lips that made all the girls swoon. And Grayson Moore, the cocky, smirking devil covered in tattoos with the dark mischievous eyes.

  My enemies.

  They instantly spotted me and their eyes went wide for just a split second. They stared at me like
they were seeing a ghost, and the shock that swept across their faces was incredibly satisfying. I guess they didn’t know everything that happened at this school. How well do you really know your empire, Kings? Maybe you aren’t as in control as you thought?

  It was painful to see them again after everything that had happened. Memories of that one perfect night we shared rushed back to me like a tidal wave. The caresses, the kisses, the soft, comforting whispers—but it was all a lie. The whole time they had been planning my demise, ever since I first stepped off the ferry last September.

  From their reactions, it was obvious they hadn’t thought much about me, but over the past few weeks I had thought about nothing but them—and getting my revenge. Don’t worry, Kings, I’m coming for you. I hope you had a good Christmas because this year is going to be a hell of a lot harder.

  The Royalty had all the power in the world, but they didn’t deserve it. I didn’t know how or when, but I was going to take it away from them. I was going to take away their empire. I was going to rule the school.

  They started stalking towards me, but I slipped quickly into my first class.

  Ava and Victoria’s eyes went wide when I walked in, mimicking the Kings’ reactions a second ago. Even though Ava only lived a couple of floors below me, we hadn’t seen each other yet. In fact, I hadn’t seen any of the scholarship students. I assumed they also waited until the last second to come back to Crestmoore. Not because they were busy enjoying their mansions or overseas trips, but because this place was stressful and dangerous for them and they wanted to put off coming back as long as possible.

  Victoria’s large, blue eyes were comically round, but then narrowed into angry slits. Guess she hadn’t known I was coming either—and I was guessing that pissed her off.

  I walked over to the other side of the room and took a seat at the front of the class, far away from Ava. Last year, I’d lost all my friends because I was hanging out with the Royalty. The scholarship students couldn’t take the risk of being associated with me anymore. It was too dangerous. I had drawn unwanted attention to them when they were just trying to stay concealed in the shadows and get by unnoticed.

  They didn’t know the real reasons for why I had been trying to get close to the Royalty. They just thought I was reckless and dumb—which I guess I was. The last thing I wanted was to put them in any more danger than I already had, so I would continue to stay far away from them.

  I couldn’t help but look over at Ava though. I missed all the scholarship students, but especially her and Cecily. I wanted to ask how her winter break was. I wanted to hear what her and her family got up to in Cincinnati. There was a guy she liked back home, and they’d been kinda, sorta a thing but not official yet and I wanted to know what was up with him. But I couldn’t ask any of that because we weren’t close anymore, and it made me sad.

  She noticed me looking and flicked her long, black braids over her shoulder to hide the little wave she gave me at the same time. There was a slight smile on her lips, and her golden eyes looked sad. I wondered if she missed me too. I smiled back at her but then quickly turned away so no one would see us interacting. I didn’t want anyone to think we were still close and put her at unnecessary risk.

  Just then, Brett stormed into the room. His hard hazel eyes immediately found mine, and he glared at me, furious. I glared back at him, maintaining his withering gaze, but I felt myself wilting under the intensity and was relieved when Mrs. Daniels walked into the room to start the lecture.

  Brett stalked to the back of the room and took a seat next to Victoria. I saw her turn to him and start whispering angrily. He said a few words back and then her eyes shot over to me. They were normally bright but now looked dark and inky, almost navy blue. She looked frightening in her anger at being caught off guard.

  As I stared at the two of them, a small, cruel smile began to spread across her face, and that was when I had to look away.

  An involuntary shiver ran through me.

  When she looked like that, I wasn’t completely convinced that Victoria was human. She was like a predator wearing an innocent, pretty mask, but sometimes you got a glimpse underneath and it was terrifying.

  Class went by quickly and when it was over I rushed out of the room. I was trying to make it to my next one before anything else could happen to me, but I wasn’t fast enough. Brett shot out of the room after me like a gun. He used his formidable athletic skills to quickly get ahead of me and then corner me in a dark alcove.

  “Get out of my way!” I cried, but he towered over me, huge and menacing.

  His large body dwarfed mine and made me feel insignificant and vulnerable.

  “Why did you come back here?” he barked.

  Being this close together, I could smell his fresh linen and musk scent, and I hated how my body reacted to it. I wanted to reach out and shove him away, but I knew what his rock-hard pecs felt like beneath my palms and I never wanted to feel attraction to him again. I hated him for what he’d done to me.

  “I wasn’t done,” I snapped.

  He looked at me in anger and disbelief.

  “It’s not safe for you here. Why the fuck do you think we made you leave the first time?”

  “Yeah, it’s not safe for me because you guys are the ones making it unsafe. I’m not letting you bully me out of an opportunity I worked hard for.”

  He shook his head. His huge fists were balled up by his sides.

  I steeled myself and added, “You’ll have to try a lot harder than that to scare me away.”

  I suddenly realized that beneath the anger and fury, beneath the disbelief, there was something else. He looked almost… scared? What the hell did Brett Hughs have to be scared of in the entire world? This was another of their games, another mind trick. He was just acting. He was trying to find another way to torture me—as if last semester’s way wasn’t bad enough.

  “You shouldn’t have come back here,” he said darkly.

  I shook my head. “I’m done.”

  I went to step around him, but he moved to block me. I tried going the other way, but he moved again. He wasn’t letting me leave. He was trying to keep me here, a prisoner.

  I looked up at him defiantly.

  “Are you going to hit me?” I asked.

  He was taken aback by that.

  “Of course not,” he said quickly.

  “Then get out of my way.”

  He hesitated briefly before slowly moving to the side. I brushed passed him and felt my skin catch on fire where we touched. I cursed my body’s reaction to him, and I swiftly moved through the hallway, putting as much distance between the two of us as quickly as I could.

  Chapter 4

  My next class had Grayson and Archer in it, so I knew it was going to suck—but luckily it also had Dean. We’d spent the last couple of days together, and it had been awkward but not too uncomfortable. We’d established a friendship, and although it still hurt to know that nothing romantic would ever happen between us, I still enjoyed being around him—but maybe I was just a glutton for punishment. To be around him and not touch him was harder than I ever would have imagined.

  The second I walked into my chemistry class, the two Kings’ heads whipped around. Their eyes narrowed on me. It wasn’t like Grayson to be on time, so since he was already here I knew they were taking my return to Crestmoore seriously.

  I tried to ignore them and looked at Dean instead. I took in his chiseled jaw, his warm eyes, his smile, his broad shoulders… and the fact that he was sitting with Cecily and Ava. I hesitated, unsure of what I should do. I could tell Ava and Cecily were immediately on edge when I walked into the room, and I didn’t want to add to their discomfort.

  Dean’s brow furrowed slightly as he watched my inner struggle, confused. He motioned with a nod of his head to the empty desk next to him. I hesitated a moment longer before making up my mind. I walked stiffly over and sat down next to him, ignoring the death stares I was receiving from the two guys at the b
ack of the room.

  “Hey, how was your first class back?” Dean asked.

  “Um, it was ok,” I answered.

  “You’re right, this place is a maze. Luckily, I had a guide to help me find this class. We were in first period together. You know Cecily, right?”

  “Uh, yeah. Hey, Cecily.” I waved over Dean’s shoulder and Cecily sheepishly waved back.

  The tension between the two of us was obvious, and I could tell Dean was puzzled. He opened his mouth, I assumed to ask about it, and I was relieved that he didn’t get the chance because that was the moment the teacher started her lecture.

  We would talk about it, but not now. Not in front of Ava and Cecily. That was the kind of thing you discussed in private, and I didn’t want to make them anymore uncomfortable than they already were.

  The rest of class was uneventful except for one incident when the teacher was explaining the attendance policy again. The school’s policy was strict, but hers was stricter.

  “One unexplained absence and don’t bother coming back to class,” Mrs. Melon finished, rapping her knuckles on her wooden desk for emphasis.

  “Some people shouldn’t have bothered coming back to Crestmoore at all,” Archer called.

  The rest of the class snickered. They all knew he was talking about me and the back of my neck burned in embarrassment and anger. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of turning back to look at him though. I continued staring straight forward as the teacher narrowed her eyes at him. She may have been a teacher, but he was a King. Even though I’m sure should would have loved to tell him off, she couldn’t. The Royalty had so much power at the school that even the faculty was scared of them. She went back to her lecture, and I fumed silently.

  When class was over, Cecily and Ava dashed out of the room ahead of everyone.

  “What was that about?” Dean asked, nodding to their now empty desks.

  “Long-ish story. I’ll tell you at lunch… We’re still meeting for lunch, right?”

  “Yeah, of course.”