Cruel King: An Enemies to Lovers Romance

by Jillian Quinn

  Cruel King

  Jillian Quinn

  Contents

  Copyright

  Also by Jillian Quinn

  PART ONE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  PART TWO

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  PART THREE

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Epilogue

  Defiant Prince

  Chapter One

  Insiders VIP

  Also by Jillian Quinn

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2018 by Jillian Quinn

  All rights reserved.

  Visit my website at JillianQuinnBooks.com

  Editor: Kaylene Osborn, Swish Design & Editing

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, both living or deceased, establishments, businesses, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Also by Jillian Quinn

  STANDALONE NOVELS

  Cruel King

  Teach

  One More Night

  SINS OF THE PAST DUET

  Defiant Prince

  Caged Princess

  FACE-OFF SERIES

  Parker

  Kane

  Donovan

  Jameson

  MORE THAN SERIES

  More Than Friends

  More Than Roommates

  LOVE IN THE END ZONE SERIES

  Out of Bounds

  In the Zone

  For more information, visit JillianQuinnBooks.com.

  Sign up for my newsletter HERE.

  PART ONE

  Chapter One

  Stephan

  The first time I saw Isabella Parisi it was as if I’d been struck by lightning, and not for the reason most people would think. It wasn’t love at first sight. But I couldn’t deny I had an immediate need to possess her, claim her as mine. A girl as forbidden as Isabella spoke to the darkness in my soul, made me feel something I didn’t know was there.

  I watched her walk down the hallway at school, with her head held high and her dark curls hanging over her right shoulder. She was talking to a new transfer student, a girl from Brooklyn who was attending Walcott Prep on a scholarship. Isabella never looked down on anyone. Ever. That was what I liked about her. Her family practically ran Long Island and owned just about everyone in it. But so did mine… in other ways.

  Most of the girls in her social class were rude, entitled brats, but Isabella was different. She knew what it was like to belong to a family like mine because her father was even more unforgiving. He caged her like a bird, my pretty little damaged raven-haired girl. I wanted to hold my delicate girl in my arms and take away her pain. Because I understood her suffering.

  Isabella had no idea that I knew. No one knew about the parts of her life she hid from the world. All fake smiles and forced pleasantries, I saw behind her mask. She hid it well, but Isabella could never hide from me.

  As she passed me in the hall, our eyes met for a split second. The air between us sizzled. She made me hungry, starving for one taste.

  We weren’t supposed to speak to each other. Our fathers were old friends who later became enemies, fighting for power on our small island. But that didn’t stop them from working together behind our backs. They had kept in touch over the years, unable to avoid each other if they’d tried. Senator Parisi’s business interests aligned with my father’s, which made Isabella even more of an interest to me.

  As I walked past Isabella, I winked.

  A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her red-glossed lips parted for me. I thought I saw her suck in a deep breath, and then she dragged her teeth along her bottom lip, her eyes still set on mine.

  She had no idea what she’d done. One simple gesture drove me wild. I had to send her a message. It was time to make my move. The velvet pouch hidden in the back of my locker haunted me. I’d bought it for her months before, choosing this day to give it to her.

  Because today was special.

  Isabella Parisi was mine.

  She belonged to me.

  Even if she didn’t know it.

  Chapter Two

  Isabella

  One look from Stephan DeLuca made my heart pound in my chest, my pulse instantly quickening in his presence. He was gorgeous, tall with short, dark hair, tanned skin, and enough muscle to fill out his football uniform perfectly. Dressed in the navy-and-white jersey and tight pants, his hair still slick with sweat from practice, Stephan looked like a football god.

  When he winked at me, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling, something I didn’t do as often as I would have liked. But Stephan had a way of pulling one out of me every time I saw him.

  Walcott Prep’s team was gearing up to play in the State Championship game, which was a big deal for our school. Stephan was the starting quarterback. His twin brother, Sabatino, who everyone called Nino, was at his side in the same uniform. Even though they were identical, it was easy to tell them apart. At least it was for me.

  Stephan looked angry, even when he was in a good mood. His jaw was always set hard, his expression unreadable, where Nino had a softness to his features that was more inviting and friendly. Despite their similarities, Stephan’s darkness called to me. I understood what it was like to live in the light, all while hiding in the shadows. He knew my darkness and welcomed it. If I allowed him, he would consume me.

  “Who are they?” Nicole Avery, the new transfer student, said to me. “They’re hot.”

  Switching the textbooks from my right arm to my left, I glanced over at her, unaffected. I was becoming an expert at hiding my feelings. “I’m assuming you mean the DeLuca twins.”

  She bobbed her head, about to look back at them again, when I grabbed her shoulder to stop her. “Don’t give them any attention. They thrive on it.”

  “Who’s the one who winked at you?”

  “Stephan DeLuca.”

  Nicole hooked her fingers through the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder and licked her lips. “Stephan… what a sexy name. It matches the man attached to it.”

  We were in high school, and though Stephan was still a boy, he looked all man. For a second, I caught myself thinking of how his strong hands would feel against my skin. I would have bet they were rough and calloused from all the years he’d played
football.

  “There’s two of them,” she cooed, clapping her hands together. “One for each of us.”

  Stephan and Nino had this effect on every girl in school. They were hands-down the most attractive, the most athletic, and by far, the most powerful. Their father was a businessman, but he had connections to criminal organizations, which made him an even more formidable opponent for my father. It also made him my enemy. Knowing I couldn’t have Stephan only made me crave him more.

  “You can have Nino.” I stopped in front of my locker, with Nicole at my side. Her face was glowing over the DeLuca twins. “But stay away from Stephan.”

  Her expression changed for a second before she forced another smile. “Are you guys together?”

  “No.” I dropped the textbooks inside my locker and removed another book. “He’s bad news. Always in trouble and never without a girl on his arm. Nino is the good one, or at least he’s nice, more approachable. You’ll have a better shot with him.”

  I tried to keep Nicole away from Stephan because I wanted him. It didn’t matter if we could never be together, that want never went away.

  “I didn’t see him with a girl.”

  That was because Stephan’s magnetism was like a force field, which circled around him, making him impossible to get near. Stephan guarded himself, as did I, but he always lowered it whenever I was around. We had the same effect on each other. Our eyes formed an unspoken bond, creating a promise neither of us had ever acted upon.

  “You’ll see all the cheerleaders and groupies hanging out at their table during lunch. Stephan is the King of Walcott Prep, and the cafeteria is where he holds his court.”

  She covered her mouth and chuckled. “This I have to see.”

  I shoved the book into my bag and slammed my locker shut, turning around to face Nicole. “Sit with me at lunch, and you will see.”

  When the headmaster stopped me on my way into the building, asking me to escort a new student for the week, I’d agreed on the spot. I was popular but didn’t have friends—my father saw to that. Attractive but never had a boyfriend. Socially speaking, I could have been friends with all the it girls, but I had no interest. Because my father approved of them. Their wealth and social status was good enough for him.

  But I would never be one of them. I could never be one of them. Whatever my father liked, I hated. And whatever I wanted, he would take from me. He was a cruel, sick man who terrified me. My pain was his pleasure. For years, I never understood why.

  Stephan, Nino, and two of their teammates passed us. I took a step backward to create some distance between us, my lower back digging into the metal padlock of my locker. Nicole’s body grew rigid, her eyes wide when she stared at them. It was obvious she was interested in Nino, where I remained stoic this time. Unreachable.

  Stephan looked into my eyes as if he saw through me. And I saw him. I’d always seen Stephan DeLuca for what he really was. Even though I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I knew he saw through me, too.

  When the bell rang, I walked with Nicole to class. I went through the motions the entire morning, desperate for a break from the monotony. I was at the top of our class, a guaranteed shoe-in at my father’s alma mater, Columbia University. I’d received my early acceptance the week before. He controlled every aspect of my life, my education and social life included. Nicole was the closest I’d have to a friend, at least until my father found out about her.

  I met Nicole at her locker and stared at the brown bag in her hand. The catty girls in our class would have a field day with the new girl bringing her lunch to school.

  “Hide that.” I pointed at the bag. “You can’t commit social suicide your first week at Walcott.”

  Her nose scrunched in confusion, one eyebrow raised. “Why can’t I eat this? Isn’t that what normal people do during lunch?”

  I closed her locker and led her down the hall by the hand. “You would think, but no, not with this crowd. Lunch hour is about socializing and making connections.”

  “But I’m starving,” she complained.

  “How about a pastry and coffee? My treat.”

  She smiled, even though it was somewhat forced. “Thank you. You don’t have to do that for me.”

  “Don’t worry about it. What are friends for? I’ve got your back. This place is full of evil bitches who want to see you fail. But I won’t let that happen.” I gave her a closed-mouth smile. “Promise.”

  Nicole was the only real friend I’d ever had. She was a girl my father never would have approved of because of her upbringing. But I didn’t care what he thought of her. Money and power wasn’t everything. In fact, it meant nothing to me.

  She brushed her shoulder against mine. “Thanks, Bella.”

  Only my brother, Mark, ever called me Bella. My father was proper, a boring old stiff. He never used nicknames or terms of affection for either of his children. That would have required him to feel something for us.

  Once we reached the cafeteria, which was more like a coffee bar or a lounge, we stood in line to order our drinks.

  “At my last school, we were lucky if they served hot chocolate when it was cold outside, let alone custom drinks,” Nicole said. “I feel like I’m at Starbucks.”

  “They serve Starbucks coffee here. The pastries are brought in from a bakery in Manhattan every day. Welcome to Walcott Prep, Nicole.” I held my arms out at my sides. “Your entire life is about to change.”

  And probably not for the better.

  “Call me Nicki. Everyone does.” She flicked her long, blonde strands over her shoulder and turned to glance up at the menu hung on the wall. “What’s good here?”

  “I would go with either the cappuccino or a café mocha. But I have a preference for espresso. What do you like?”

  “Frappuccino, I guess. That’s the only thing I’ve ever tried from Starbucks.”

  “You need more caffeine than a frap to stay awake during Mrs. Donnelly’s class. She’ll put you to sleep.”

  She laughed. “I’ll try whatever you’re drinking then.”

  I ordered café mochas and chocolate croissants for us, and then we scooted down to the end of the counter, where other students were waiting to pick up their drinks. A group of mean girls I couldn’t stand were glaring at me, their eyes moving from me to Nicole. They knew they couldn’t touch me, or my father would destroy theirs, as he had done to anyone who ever crossed him. But they could get to Nicole, if I allowed them.

  “Oh, look, we have a new girl,” Brittany Halstead boomed, her voice loud enough to draw everyone’s attention. “How nice of you to take on a charity case, Isabella?”

  I stepped forward, my jaw flexed in anger. “Nicki is my friend. Don’t talk about her like that.”

  “I’m sure your daddy would love to meet your new friend.” Brittany reached into her Louis Vuitton clutch and removed her cell phone. “How about I give his office a call to arrange dinner? I’m sure he’d love to meet her.”

  “Don’t start,” I warned. “You’ll regret it.”

  She tilted her head back and laughed. “Doubtful.”

  I didn’t want my dad to take Nicole away. He always found a way to ensure I was alone and friendless. Boys were never part of the equation because dating was not allowed under his roof. The great and powerful Senator Parisi chose my friends for me.

  Girls like Brittany, who came from good homes and had loads of money, were among the type of people he picked for me. But I wanted nothing to do with them. We had nothing in common, apart from our expensive clothes and education.

  Before I could get in another word, the barista called out Brittany’s name and slid the cups along the counter. My name was next, which was a relief. I lifted one cup and a dessert dish from the granite top and handed it to Nicole.

  She took it from me without a word, her eyes giving away everything I needed to know. I could tell without her saying it aloud she was embarrassed. By being near me, I’d made her a target of girls like Brittany.
I was only trying to make her feel welcome and hopefully, become friends with her.

  “I see I was right,” Brittany lilted. “Charity case.”

  With the warm cup in one hand and the plate in the other, I turned to say something to Brittany. But I couldn’t move. Surprised to see Stephan now pushing his hands out to the side to get between us, I stopped dead in my tracks. Stephan shut down the conversation without even speaking by shooting a cold, hard look in Brittany’s direction. I noticed a shiver run down Brittany’s body then he said, “Don’t you have the drama teacher to blow, Brittany? I’m sure he could shut you up by stuffing his cock down your throat.”

  I tried not to laugh and failed, with Nicole following suit.

  Brittany covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide in shock.

  “Don’t act like everyone in school doesn’t know,” he growled. His voice was deep, modulated, and soothing to my ears. He tilted his head toward the tables. “Go. Get out of here. And stay away from them.”

  He meant Nicole and me.

  Brittany nodded as if she understood, and then said to her minions, “C’mon girls.”