Forgiven: a bully romance (An Academy Twin Rivalry Series Book 3)

by Taylor Blaine

  Outside, I sprinted back to the car and climbed in, suddenly grateful I had somewhere to go. Dealing with Braddox and Olivia would have to happen. I had no doubt. I’d just hide in my room until I was either drunk enough to face them or everyone was asleep.

  I wasn’t sure how much my heart could take of seeing them together. Or seeing them apart.

  Or just seeing Olivia and not being with her.

  Checking around the car for any signs I was followed, I held the thickly padded envelope in both hands and studied it. Opening the tightly sealed flap, I widened the top of the envelope and blinked at the stack of bills inside. That much money would be a payment for something.

  I couldn’t breathe. I held evidence that Crenshaw had been exactly what he’d said and I didn’t like it. I didn’t need to count the money. It was a lot more than I’d ever seen. The money was blood money. He’d died with it in his office drawer. How much money had he owed?

  Gripping the packet in my hands, I closed my eyes. It was all too much. I had to get out of there before I was found with that much cash.

  The last thing I wanted to do was die before I found justice for Crenshaw, Olivia, and myself.

  Chapter 3

  Stephanie

  My eyelids wanted to stick together and I wanted to go back to sleep, but I wasn’t comfortable. I couldn’t stretch out and there was something biting into my wrists with a painful persistence I couldn’t seem to get away from.

  What was in my mouth?

  I blinked, scanning the overly dim interior of what looked like a closet. Plastic wrapped dry cleaning hung from stainless steel curtain rods overhead. Familiar shoes feet from me caught my eye.

  Braddox’s closet. That dick put me in the closet? Was he joking? I breathed through my nose, stretching my chin as far as I could with the gag in my mouth and tied behind my neck.

  He’d tied me up. What in the holy hell? I refused to freak out. I wouldn’t pant. I could do this. He didn’t know who he was messing with. Look, making me do whatever he wanted? Sure, I was stupid. I could own that, but this? Was just… I couldn’t believe he tied me up. For what? I did whatever he wanted.

  Oh, wait. Our conversation rushed back to me. He didn’t want to do anything with me per se. No, he wanted access to Olivia first. He would poison her against me more than he already had. I was going to lose my best-friend and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

  A small wave of panic wormed its way under my skin. I couldn’t give over to the panic. I had to refuse to let it in. I could do whatever I needed to. There was no way in hell Braddox O’Donnell was going to get the best of me. I couldn’t let him.

  Part of me trembled, though. I didn’t really want to go against Braddox. When he was nice, he was a douche, but when he was mean? He was an all-out dick. Full force and cruel. Just thinking of what he might do to me made me take a deep breath through my nose and hold it for a short moment to get my courage around me.

  What if he didn’t want me afterwards? Wait. I already told him I didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. I was starting to sober up and I winced and shut my eyes again at the memory of what I’d done. I’d texted him. I’d called him to the room. What was I thinking? I was to blame for what had happened between Braddox and myself.

  Why would Olivia believe me? I would be lying, if I said it was Braddox’s fault. It actually all came back to me. True, Braddox had started the sex thing we had going between us over a year ago because he said it would be funny to screw me while dating my best-friend, but I hadn’t turned him down. I’d been awestruck and by the time I realized what I was doing, I was in too far.

  But things had gone past the point even I was comfortable. I hadn’t planned on Olivia finding out and the things Braddox had done to her weren’t fair. I had to let her know I wanted out and give her the details of what Braddox and I had going all that time. The games he’d made me play. The things he’d made me do while calling me her name.

  Honestly, though, I knew Braddox for who he was. If he had a chance to get to Olivia before me, I wasn’t going to be as convincing as he was. I had lost before I’d even started trying. Sitting there was just waiting to lose more than I already had.

  Tucking my chin, I turned my head to the side, opening my mouth as wide as I could. Tilting more to the side, I moved the gag from my mouth and released my chin from the cloth he’d tied around my neck. Leaning my head back after I released my jaw, I took a deep breath.

  Braddox had to be stupid or something. Being tied up for play was a huge fetish of mine. I always joked with Olivia about how much I liked rope play. She never understood but she always laughed. Braddox’s knots felt amateurish and he’d used some kind of cheap rope. I rolled my eyes as I twisted and turned my wrists and eventually worked my hands free.

  My ankles weren’t even tied. What was wrong with him? His lack of attention to the basic restraints made me believe maybe he didn’t really want to keep me in there. Why else would he do such a shitty job of tying me up? Nothing else made sense. Maybe he thought we were playing a game or something.

  I wasn’t interested in playing anymore. I just wanted to find Olivia and explain everything that had happened. She had to understand, what I’d done with Braddox had nothing to do with her, had nothing to do with emotions or attachment. I didn’t think he had any control over me, but what did I know? I was still sitting on the floor of his closet after I’d already freed myself from the ties he’d restrained me in.

  What did that tell me? That I was a damn bitch, that’s what. Shaking my head, I moved to my hands and knees so I wouldn’t have to push through his clothes hanging above me.

  I cautiously crept forward, pushing the door open enough to see out into the empty room. Okay. I must not have been out long. I crawled from the closet, lurching to my feet as soon as I got far enough into the room I wouldn’t knock anything down in the closet when I stood.

  Hanging around, waiting for Braddox to get back wasn’t an option. He might as well have kicked me out of the house. If not, then I would be pretty much waiting around for him to screw me again or beat me – whatever he felt like. If I was going to separate myself from him, I needed to do it sooner rather than later. If I wanted things fixed with Olivia, I needed to go to her with a clean slate. I could do that. I could do what I needed to for my friend.

  My friend. Who had seen me with Braddox. I didn’t even have alcohol to blame. I could hold as much liquor as a man. I wasn’t the type to get tipsy over a few partial bottles of whiskey or rum, no matter how expensive the brand was.

  The ultimatum from Braddox’s actions of tying me up wasn’t one that took a lot of thought. Stay at the house, run into Olivia after betraying her, and do whatever it was Braddox wanted.

  Or.

  Leave. I didn’t have the right to ask Olivia for forgiveness. Why would she want to forgive me? What would it do for her?

  Nothing. She didn’t need me half as much as I needed her. And I needed her. She was the most important person in my life. I’d treated her like she was worthless.

  Before leaving the house, I stopped in the office Olivia and I had gotten the alcohol from the night before. It was well into the evening and from the sounds of the house, the few people home were in the kitchen and dining area talking and eating. I stood inside the doorway to the office and closed my eyes as I listened to the sounds of people being together.

  One thing I’d always wanted of Olivia’s was her homelife. Her mom and dad were there with her, talking, laughing, and just being. I was always so lonely at my house and in my life. For a brief moment, I pictured someone calling out to me to hurry because dinner was on the table and they weren’t going to start without me.

  Inside the office, I turned, looking for paper and a pen. On top of the desk, a pad of paper sat as if waiting for me. I wanted to write to Olivia, beg her forgiveness, tell her all about what had happened, but as I stared down at the writing items, a wave of discouragement slammed through me. Why
would Olivia care? I’d betrayed her. That was all there was to it.

  Rather than write the note like I wanted to, I turned away from the desk toward the alcohol cabinet and pulled out a bottle of brandy. Sorry, Mr. O’Donnell. My fingers wrapped easily around the bottle neck and I strode from the office without a backward glance at the desk.

  I focused on getting to the front door and not hearing the people in the kitchen. They weren’t my family. That wasn’t my house. I needed to get out before it was too late.

  The rain didn’t help me stay stalwart in my decision to leave the safety of the O’Donnell house. I had no doubt that if I went back to the kitchen, whoever was in there would welcome me. But it wasn’t real. They weren’t my people. And if it was Olivia, she would fake it for the sake of keeping face with her parents, but I’d know her hurt was there.

  Leaving wasn’t the only option. I could go back. Stay in the warm house. Instead of writing Olivia a note about how sorry I was, I could talk to her in person. Maybe she would forgive me. Maybe she wouldn’t. But I wouldn’t have to leave the warmth of the home.

  True, I’d have to face Braddox again. Truth was, sex with Braddox wasn’t bad. I actually liked it. I’d attempted kicking him out of the bed, acting like I was filled with all kinds of bravado, but then… he’d pulled my bravado out from under me.

  When it came right down to it, I wouldn’t stay. I couldn’t face my shame in Olivia knowing what I’d done. She knew what I’d done. That was enough to shove me inexorably from the house.

  I wandered for quite a while around the upper west side of Shores on foot. I finally stopped outside my house, glancing around as if whoever had been after me might still be there. But nothing looked out of place. Nothing seemed wrong.

  Maybe I’d just imagined men chasing Olivia and me with guns. Maybe I’d just made up the older Stabler shooting one of the guys in the face. Had I been drinking? I could have been stoned, knowing me. Plus, with everything that had happened with Ryan, who knew what was reality for me and what wasn’t.

  Could I have dreamt the evening? The night of going back to Olivia’s house with her? The fact that she’d been torn up in the bathroom because Braddox had stolen her virginity?

  What if she’d felt more betrayed by finding me and Braddox because he’d done that to her? I couldn’t explain what had happened with him. Most things with Braddox just happened. At least, that was my excuse.

  The rocks crunched as I walked across the center island of the loop to my parents’ driveway. The brick-red lava rocks created a sense of color, even in the winter when everything seemed monochromatic and bleak.

  The rain muffled sounds that were outside of my immediate vicinity, while enhancing the panting of my breathing as it the falling water locked me in my own sounds. Had I really walked far enough to make me tired?

  My hair plastered itself to my scalp. I wiped at my face, as if for the first time aware of the chilly water sneaking beneath the collar of my hoodie and dripping from my forehead to my nose. Goosebumps rose on my arms and at least I was feet from the warmth of my empty home.

  My empty house. The building I lived in wasn’t a home. That depressing thought pulled me back as I reached the door. I sagged against the painted metal, my back absorbing the chill of the door’s exterior. Sinking to my butt, I leaned forward, resting my chest on my drawn-up thighs.

  I’d reached a point where I couldn’t do everything I wanted. Inside I would be faced with all the loneliness of my life as I made my way to my room. Thus, I didn’t want to go inside. But outside, where I sat, I was freezing, wet, and hungry. And no less lonely. At least inside, I would be able to dry off. Thus, I didn’t want to be out there.

  All of that to admit, I didn’t want to move. I was tired and beaten and just in general pain I couldn’t pinpoint.

  The screeching of tires made me jerk my head up. I heard the car before it came into view. My pulse sped up and I leaned back, my breath coming in gasps. Too late. I was making my decision too late. I couldn’t move as I stared toward the road.

  A black SUV with limousine window tint careened up my driveway. The LED headlights were on, causing momentary blindness, even in the middle of the day. They were coming for me.

  I dug my bitten fingernails into my palms and sobbed, shaking my head. “No.” It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. I couldn’t be going out like this. I had no doubt I deserved to die, deserved to be punished for the things I’d done, but this way? I was alone and no one would care what had happened to me.

  The van only barely slowed down as two men jumped from the car and rushed me. I caught a glimpse of the guy in the passenger side of the van and I blinked, my expression going slack. Why was Donnie there and why wasn’t he stopping them?

  Before I could move, the two men who seemed larger than life filled my vision. Bam, everything went black.

  Chapter 4

  Olivia

  I didn’t care what happened to Stephanie. Or Braddox. And the way I was starting to feel, even Jaxon. Okay, that last part was a blatant lie, but everything hurt too much to think about too deeply.

  Stephanie couldn’t go home. It wasn’t safe there for her. Rather than make things difficult for her, I opted to stay out of the way. Plus, I didn’t want to face her. I didn’t want difficult, at least anymore difficult than I had to deal with already. We could take a few days and not talk. That shouldn’t be an impossibility for any of us. If Braddox and Stephanie screwed like rabbits through the weekend, so be it. I didn’t own him or her. Neither of them was my responsibility.

  I stayed in my room all weekend, slipping out during odd hours to grab food from the kitchen. Then I returned to the safety of my room where I locked the doors and wallowed in my misery. I didn’t want to chance going anywhere and running into Stephanie, Jaxon, or Braddox. The latter I didn’t trust not to try screwing me again. And the other two… I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do around them, be around them, think around them. The entire thing was so much more exhausting than just existing in my room with reruns of anti-chick flicks on the television.

  And baths. I couldn’t help my obsession with bathing when I felt dirty after the things Braddox did to me. Since I felt dirty about every hour, I was in that tub more often than not.

  Sitting in class at school on Monday felt anti-climactic. Stephanie wasn’t there. Jaxon wasn’t there. And I ignored Braddox who, thankfully, chose to ignore me as well. I don’t know if he watched me or not, but Staci was absent as well.

  I picked the cuticle of my thumbnail as I waited for her to show up in my PE class. She never showed. When the PE teacher came in five minutes late and took attendance, he laughed. “Looks like the flu shot isn’t so unnecessary after all, huh, people? This many people sick is a vast neglect of health.” He studied us all as he thrust his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes at us. Then he shook his head. “Okay, that’s it. Health room for class. We’re going to talk about personal hygiene and keeping our hands clean during flu season.”

  Braddox raised his hand, his head tilted back as he asked lazily and with barely concealed disgust. “Isn’t flu season in October?”

  The teacher shook his head. “It’s any time, Mr. O’Donnell. Maybe you’d like to demonstrate the proper way to wash hands for the class. Lead the way.” He motioned toward the door with his clipboard as he narrowed his eyes at Braddox.

  I held my breath, shuffling on my feet quietly as I tried to keep the attention off me or pulling to me. I didn’t want to deal with anything that had to do with Braddox at that point – if ever.

  “I know how to wash my hands. I also know how to wash the rest of me after a good lay. Should I demonstrate that as well?” Braddox drawled as he walked past the teacher, his shoulders back and his pace easy.

  The teacher’s eyes widened and he dropped his hand to his side, staring at the student. He couldn’t say much. Braddox hadn’t been rude. As Braddox turned the corner to leave the gym, he turned his head just enough to
cast his gaze my way.

  He shook me to my core with the appreciation in his eyes and the subtle lift in his eyebrow.

  No. I backed up, running my hip into the bar by the bleachers. The rest of the class followed docilely behind Braddox as if he were the Pied Piper leading the mice from town.

  The rising panic in my chest consumed me. I ducked behind the side of the risers and wedged myself between the wall and the frame, pressing my knuckles to my mouth.

  The teacher didn’t see me as he left the gym behind everyone else.

  I sagged against the bleacher nearest my height. What was I doing? Was Staci dead? What had happened to her mother? Where was Stephanie? Where was Jaxon? Why was I stuck there with Braddox? My mortal enemy? And that’s what he’d become. He’d taken the spot in my life reserved for Staci. Even she wasn’t the person I hated the most.

  Thoughts about Staci turned my mind toward the guys who had shown up to screw her and her mom. Were they still alive? I doubted it. I was stuck in that dark gym while contemplating just what was happening in my life and in that town. Everything seemed to center around Braddox.

  What was Braddox thinking? He wasn’t going to leave me alone. I could see in his eyes it was just a game to him. All of it was just a game to him. He had nothing else to do but terrorize me? Was that what I was going to suffer with the rest of my life? I’d never be able to escape him, insomuch that his father was married to my mom. Even if I got away for college or moved far across the world, there would be times I’d be visiting my mother in the future and Braddox would be there.

  Unless he was dead.

  My future took on a bleak outlook with Braddox everywhere I tried to see. No matter what I did, there he would be. I sobbed, shaking my head and pressing the back of my hand to my mouth. He wasn’t going to stop. The one time wasn’t going to be enough for him. I was stuck. I lived in the same house, right next door to his room.