by Wendi Wilson
The Second Move
Rogues of Everly Prep Book Two
Wendi L Wilson
Copyright © 2020 by Wendi L Wilson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover by EmCat Designs.
Created with Vellum
For the fans of Chaz and her story who’ve been waiting for her sweet revenge. May it be everything you’ve hoped.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
The Third Strike
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Wendi L Wilson
1
Second semester was starting, and the second move was mine.
I breezed through the doors of Everly Prep with a whole new attitude and a chip on my shoulder the size of Mount Rushmore. These assholes had used me, abused me, and cast me aside like yesterday’s trash, and I had a plan to make them pay. Each and every fucking one of them.
“Good morning, Queen.”
The masculine voice warred with the sing-song tone, and I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face if I tried as I spun to face my best friend. Throwing my arms around his neck, I squeezed as hard as I could.
“Josh! I missed you.”
He made choking noises until I released him, then stretched out his neck as he took a step back. I shook my head at his dramatics.
“It’s only been two weeks, and we chatted almost every day, Chaz.”
“So?” I argued, propping my hands on my hips. “Maybe I missed your face.”
One corner of his mouth lifted into a grin as he said, “I missed you too, weirdo.”
I could feel eyes burning into me from every direction, but I ignored the sensation. I knew why they were staring. Just over two weeks ago, I rocked their world. I flipped this place upside down and knocked the kings and queens of this school on their proverbial asses.
With Josh’s help, I’d inserted a little video tell-all into Headmaster Swain’s end of semester assembly. A video that showed all these blinded-by-power-and-money asshats that their beloved Rogues were not as infallible as they all thought.
They were liars. And cheats. And deserving of whatever they got.
Which was tantamount to a slap on the wrist, as far as I was concerned, for setting me up and trying to ruin my life.
Charlotte Rutherford had spread around a video that had been creatively edited and showed me admitting to sleeping with one of our professors. The video I shared revealed her admitting to it. It also proved the boys I thought were my friends—Theo Davenport, Seth Kincaid, Cooper Calloway, and Mason Bellamy—were also part of the elaborate scheme.
They’d pulled me in, made me believe I was one of them. Hell, Mason even slept with me. That was a nice, albeit over the top touch.
And by nice, I mean it was a total dick move. Heart-wrecking. Soul-crushing.
But that was in the past. I’d opened a new chapter and this one was all about revenge.
“So, when does Operation Chaz Versus Everyone Else begin?”
“I prefer Operation Chaz Settles the Score,” I quipped in response.
“Nice alliteration, but I’m not sure if it’s quite right,” he said, throwing an arm across my shoulders to steer me down the hall. “I’ll come up with something.”
“I’m sure you will,” I chuckled before turning serious. “And to answer your question, it starts now.”
Josh halted in his tracks, pulling me to a stop. Grasping my shoulders in both hands, he turned me to face him. Staring at me with somber, green eyes, he uttered a question that froze the blood in my veins.
“Will taking them all down really make you happy, Chaz?”
“Yes.”
No. Yes. Maybe. I actually have no fucking idea.
I gave him a confident look and kept my indecision to myself. Whether or not it would make me happy was a moot point, anyway. The Rogues and the Roguettes tried to destroy me. They deserved whatever I dished out in response.
It wasn’t about my enjoyment. It was about justice being served.
And these rich assholes learning they couldn’t just mess with people’s lives for entertainment.
Josh and I said our goodbyes before splitting up to head to our first classes. I took a few slow, deep breaths to prepare myself. I wasn’t worried about the classwork, nasty old Professor Archibald, or even being the center of attention—which was sure to be the case.
No, I was nervous about one thing, and one thing only. Seeing Mason Bellamy for the first time since my big reveal last semester.
That boy breached my defenses, made me care about him, and then tried to destroy my life without so much as blinking. He deserved the payback I dished out—probably more than the rest of them. I didn’t regret what I did to him.
But despite knowing my actions were justified, I was having a difficult time repressing the feelings memories of our time together invoked.
As I approached the classroom, I shoved those feelings away and stiffened my spine. I would not be one of those chicks that took emotional abuse and kept coming back for more. Mason Bellamy betrayed me. His actions would not go unpunished.
I slipped into the room with my head held high and headed for an empty desk in the back of the room. I didn’t look at anyone, but I could feel them staring. I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone, tapping the icon for the note-taking app. Reading my revenge list would put things back into perspective.
* * *
Chaz Gets Her Revenge
Charlotte Rutherford- Randall Walsely video, admission of guilt footage
Seth Kincaid- Make home life hell. Destroy reputation at school.
Theo Davenport- (consider Josh’s feelings)
Cooper Calloway- ?
Isla Bishop- Social destruction.
Amelia Westwood- Same as Isla. Two birds, one stone.
Stella Bellamy- Off limits! May be of some help.
Mason Bellamy- Break. His. Heart.
* * *
I’d added a few things over the break, deciding the easiest and most efficient way was to start Seth’s punishment on the home front. It wasn’t hard—a few well-timed tears and Atticus was condemning his son for hurting me…his new sister. He was supposed to protect me, and not only had he failed to do so, he’d been a main player in the plot to take me down.
I also decided that though Isla and Amelia had played a part and deserved some sort of comeuppance, their roles were minimal and the punishment should fit the crime. I’d knock them off their perch at the top of the social ladder. Psychological warfare coupled with a few physical attacks aimed at embarras
sing them should do the job nicely.
I still wasn’t sure exactly how get back at Theo and Cooper, but I’d figure it out. I had plenty of time.
My eyes scanned to the bottom where Mason’s name was written. Breaking his black heart was the only suitable revenge, but doing so would mean I had to get close to him again. And risk my own feelings getting tangled back up.
But that was a risk I was willing to take. I was determined to strengthen the walls around my hardened heart and see this through, no matter the hazards. My revenge was all that mattered.
Closing my journal, I finally lifted my eyes to scan the room. I met each gaze head-on, staring the person down until they looked away before moving on to the next. I was no wilting violet, and I wasn’t about to start acting like one.
These people needed to know that Chaz Miller was strong and resilient, and never backed down from a challenge.
I smiled with satisfaction as student after student dropped their gaze, submitting to my dominance like we were animals in the wild. They’d seen what I was capable of last semester, rising up from the ashes, hell-bent on the destruction of those who’d wronged me.
No one wanted to be caught in my crosshairs.
I shuddered as my gaze locked with a set of bright blue eyes I’d hoped to avoid. Those sapphire orbs flashed with emotion, and I was instantly mesmerized. Something that looked like longing, quickly followed by regret seared through me before the gaze hardened into what I’d expected.
I narrowed my own eyes, determined to wait Mason out like I’d done the others. But he refused to look away. His mouth lifted into a snarl, showing a glimpse of white teeth as his reddish-blond eyebrows scrunched together.
It was a standoff, neither of us willing to back down as we glared at each other across the room. Whatever remorseful emotion I thought I saw had been imagined, my mind playing tricks to somehow redeem this asshole in my eyes.
There was no redemption for him, or any of his crew. They would all suffer the consequences of their actions. Even Mason.
Especially Mason.
“Good morning, class.”
Old Baldy’s words rang out in the classroom as he ambled through the door, startling me. Thankfully, I kept my eyes locked on Mason’s. No way was I going to be the first to look away. Mason scowled for two more beats before rolling his eyes and turning in his seat to face the front.
I leaned back in my chair, a smirk curling my lips. It felt good, beating Mason Bellamy at his own game. Being the victor in what felt like an epic battle of wills suited me. I wanted to keep winning.
And I would.
First semester was a train wreck, but second semester would be the era of Chaz. No doubt about it.
2
I made it through algebra with no further silent altercations between me and Mason. As soon as the bell rang, he flew from his seat and out the door before I could say the words “chicken shit.” I mentally patted myself on the back for that small victory, gathered my things, and left the classroom.
My steps slowed as I spotted the doorway to my next period. Professor Willows was an unpleasant shrew who made American history even more boring than it already was, but that wasn’t what had the chill of nervous energy tiptoeing up my spine.
No, it was the realization that every one of my mortal enemies shared this class with me.
It was going to be like walking into a viper’s nest, hoping to navigate correctly and dodge the venomous strikes of those slithering snakes. I shook off my dramatic imaginings and stiffened my spine, entering the classroom as if I owned the place.
I’d won the last battle against those assholes, and I needed to portray the part of victor, not victim.
All eyes were on me as I made my way to an empty seat in the back row. I met the gazes of each of the Rogues and Roguettes, with the exception of Mason. That one kept his eyes firmly on his phone. The other three boys stared me down, and while their expressions weren’t overtly hostile, they weren’t particularly friendly, either. I had no idea what they were feeling, except for maybe Seth. He wore that mulish, trying-to-deny-his-guilty-conscious expression he’d been wearing around the house for the last two weeks.
The girls, however, were another matter. They were wearing their hate-filled hearts on their sleeves, sneering at me in disgust as I passed.
“Trash-whore,” Charlotte hissed, making me roll my eyes.
“I’m not the one swallowing any dick I can find,” I snapped back, and her face flushed red.
Josh had spied Charlotte and Randall Walsely behind a late night café, and caught a particularly-damning piece of video footage that proved Charlotte was stepping out on Mason when they were supposed to be together.
After Charlotte pushed me to my limits, I uploaded the video with some graphic, yet hilarious voice-dubbing to the fake social media account the assholes had set up in my name to torture me. Charlotte was humiliated, and I got a tiny morsel of vindication.
I kept walking down the aisle, not waiting for a comeback. She needed to be careful. I’d already decided the two videos I’d made public—the one of her and good old Randy, and the one with her confession about setting me up to look like I admitted to sleeping with our professor—were punishment enough. I didn’t have any other plans for her at the moment.
But if she continued to harass me, I would have no problem adding her back into the mix. Lord knew, she deserved it.
I slid into a desk and pulled my textbook out, completely ignoring the kitten-like hisses coming from Isla and Amelia. Those stupid bitches liked to pretend they would stand behind Charlotte until the very end. But I knew girls like that held no real loyalty to anyone but themselves.
My head tilted as I looked up from my book. They’d already given up on getting a reaction from me and turned to face forward. I stared at the backs of their heads, a brilliant idea coming to me. I pulled out my phone and made changes to my revenge list.
I would figure out a way to make those two airheads turn their backs on Charlotte. Being left alone, deserted by her two staunchest supporters, would be the perfect payback—she’d spent the last few months trying her best to alienate me from everyone at this school.
Karma was a bitch, and her name was Chaz Miller.
My phone buzzed in my hand, and I shut down the notes app to see a text from Stella. I looked up and to my left and saw her sitting two rows over. Her expression was angelic as she watched Professor Willows enter the room and pretended I wasn’t even a blip on her radar.
I looked back at my phone and tapped the screen.
You’ve got that look in your eye. Please be careful. These people can be dangerous.
Despite feeling a desperate urge to look at her again, I forcefully kept my eyes from doing so. Stella had taken so many risks for me already, I couldn’t jeopardize her by letting on that she and I were friendly. If the wrong person saw and put two and two together…it could be bad for Stella.
I’m dangerous, too, I texted back.
Her reply was almost instantaneous.
I know you are. That’s why I’m worried. This whole situation is a nuclear bomb just waiting to detonate. Watch your back, Chaz. The fallout will be worse than you think.
Professor Willows started her lecture, so I put my phone away without replying. I had no idea how to respond to Stella’s warning, anyway. Taking her warning to heart and backing down was unacceptable, and claiming invincibility seemed just plain stupid.
I thought about it for the rest of the class period, finally deciding that I would take her advice and watch my back. I could still enact my plan for vengeance while being careful to keep myself out of the range of fire.
I couldn’t deny I was touched that she still seemed to care about me after everything that happened. Stella was the one that put me in a position to be able to record Charlotte’s confession. Stella also got me the real security camera footage of that day at the pool, when the boys asked me about Professor Jasper Lockwood.
�
�I have to say, that’s the first time I’ve been called a nerd,” I said. “And not true. I’d skip old Baldy’s class any day of the week. He hates me.”
“Yeah, but not Jasper Lockwood’s class,” Seth said in reply to my words.
“Yeah, what’s deal with you and him, anyway?” Cooper asked.
“What do you mean? There’s no deal between us,” I replied.
“He obviously likes you, Chaz,” Mason said. “There are rumors going around that you’re fucking him.”
“I never fucked Professor Lockwood.”
“We know that,” Seth said. “We didn’t mean to make it sound like we believed the rumors.”
My eyesight blurred as I thought about that conversation, but I blinked back the tears. I would not cry over those douchebags again. They brought me in, broke through every one of my defenses, and made me feel like one of them. An equal.
Then they edited the video footage of that innocent conversation, making it sound like I admitting to fucking our literature professor. Charlotte Rutherford took the doctored video and posted it to social media for all to see.
They nearly ruined my life and that of an innocent man, for what? To embarrass me? To put me in my poor, trailer park, trashy-daughter-of-a-strip-club-waitress place?
Or was it to make themselves feel superior? I didn’t bow down to the royalty of Everly Prep, so they had to show me how far below them I actually was.
I shook my head to clear it. It didn’t matter why they did what they did. The only thing that mattered was that they did it. And actions like those have consequences.