Deviant: Black Mountain Academy

by Dani René

“I promise.” I stand, smoothing down my pants before I glance at my phone. It’s almost time for Ahren to pick me up, and I have to admit I’m nervous. I haven’t been on a date in a long time. And I’m not sure what to expect with him. I promised myself I’m going to try to enjoy this evening and give Ahren a real chance. He’s not Elian. But the more I mull it over in my mind, I realize the younger guy will be a better choice. For one, he’s not my teacher, but also, he’s closer to my age.

  The rumble of the motorbike at the gate alerts me that he’s arrived. Ahren kills the engine when he sees me, and he tugs off his helmet. Dark eyes lock on mine and a smile dances on his lips. “Hello, pretty girl,” he greets me with a wink, which I must admit makes my stomach tumble with butterflies.

  “Hi.” I grab the offered helmet from Ahren and pull it on. Once I’m on the seat behind him with my arms wrapped around his torso, he pulls down the road. I can’t deny the feel of his toned abs has me blushing. Each dip and peak under my fingertips sends heat sizzling through me. The warmth of him wrapping itself around me, and for a moment, I enjoy how we mold to each other.

  The streets are quiet, making him go faster as we weave through the town and out onto a mountain track which winds toward what I’m guessing is the actual reason for the town’s name.

  We climb higher and higher, and my heart is pumping wildly in my chest. The speed, the freedom as the wind whips against me, everything about it is exhilarating. Ahren finally comes to a stop and kills the rumbling engine. He helps me off the bike before kicking out the stand.

  “What are we doing up here?” I ask, but he shakes his head, placing an index finger over his full lips. He laces his fingers with mine as he leads me down a trail. “If you’ve brought me up here to kill me, you should know, I’m well versed in how to defend myself,” I tell him with nervous energy drenched in every word.

  “Ha,” Ahren laughs out loud, the sound vibrating through his chest, deep and gravelly. “If I were going to kill someone, I wouldn’t bring them anywhere near the town I live.” We come to a deep ridge on the side of the mountain, and when I look out, I know why he brought me here.

  The town is sprawled out with glittering yellow and gold lights. “This is incredible.” I can tell exactly where the school is, and I can even make out where the party house is, Alistor’s home. It’s not the biggest town I’ve seen, I’m used to a city, but this is magical, just from where we’re standing.

  “I thought we could come up here and talk,” Ahren says. When I glance over my shoulder, I find him staring at me. He knows—he must—that I like his brother. I’m sure it’s obvious since I haven’t really hidden it from anyone.

  “Talk about what?”

  “Come on.” Ahren grins. “Are you going to deny you’re into Elian?” he challenges, his dark eyes holding me hostage. I pray he can’t really see the heat that burns on my cheeks because I’m certain they’re bright red. “I thought so.”

  “He’s my teacher. That’s all there is to it. And it’s against the rules even if I did.”

  “Rules are always meant to be broken,” Ahren says, taking a step closer to me. He reaches for my face. Cupping my cheek in his palm, he swipes his thumb over my lower lip, and for a moment, I want to lean up on my tiptoes and just kiss him.

  But I wait.

  “And when rules are broken, they can be twisted until they suit you.” His voice is merely a whisper. He leans in farther, and I don’t move, because I want something real. I want to break the rules. “And I need to do this before I say anything more.”

  “Ahren …”

  He crashes his mouth to mine, stealing my words and my breath. His tongue dances alongside mine, and his lips mold to my own. The kiss is gentle, and for a moment, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Ahren trails his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, and then he grips my hips.

  He deepens the kiss, causing me to whimper, which only spurs him on. I tangle my hands around his neck, pulling him closer, craving the attention for a moment of unbidden lust. My body trembles when his hands grip my ass, and he lifts me against him, his body hard, ready for more, but he doesn’t do anything other than kiss me.

  I don’t know how much time passes, but when Ahren breaks the kiss, there’s a wolfish grin plastered on his face. “Now, when you kiss Elian, remember that we’re nothing alike.”

  “What do you mean, when I kiss him?”

  “Oh, trust me when I say he will kiss you,” he tells me confidently. “I have no doubt about it.” There’s no amusement in his eyes, which only makes my heart thump in my chest.

  “Then why did you kiss me?” I ask, confused at just what is happening here.

  His eyes burn through me. “Because I wanted to know what your lips felt like. I wanted to know what you tasted like. And deep down, I wanted to steal something from him.” His words are cryptic, and I want to ask him what he means, but he continues, “Also, I wanted to be the first kiss you had in this godforsaken town.” Ahren is still holding onto me. He doesn’t let me go when he presses a chaste kiss on my forehead.

  “You make this sound like it’s a terrible place to live,” I muse as I stare up at him in the dusky light. As much as I like Ahren, I don’t want to ping-pong between the two men.

  “No. Not at all, but it’s stifling. I don’t like being in one place for too long. Elian doesn’t mind it here.” He shakes his head, lowering it so that our gazes are locked. “Tell me you didn’t feel anything when I kissed you.” There’s a plea in his tone. He wants me to say I felt nothing, but that would be a lie.

  “I can’t tell you that,” I admit honestly.

  He smiles slowly. “Yeah, I thought so,” he whispers, pulling me even closer. “I can see you like Elian. It’s fine, I can live with that, but if you ever change your mind...” His words falter off into the darkness, leaving me to complete the sentence in my mind. “I’m sorry for making it seem as if I’m trying to one-up him, but I had to know if there was something more between us.”

  “I don’t know. At this point, nothing is set in stone.” And it’s the truth. I do like Ahren. What’s not to like? But I’m not sure what would happen if I did get a chance to be with Elian. I’m torn. I really am.

  “Friends then?” His dark eyes dance with amusement, and I find myself nodding.

  “How can I say no to you?” I slug him on the shoulder, earning me a groan.

  Ahren leans in to whisper in my ear. “You can’t. And I doubt you’d be able to say no to Elian either.” Shaking my head, I try to find the answer in the myriad of scenarios that now dance in my mind, but I can’t. He’s right.

  When Ahren looks at me again, I can tell there’s a part of him that’s disappointed. And I feel bad for doing it, but I couldn’t be here with him while wondering what his brother is doing. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugs it off as if it’s nothing. “I’m used to him taking the lead. To be the first choice.”

  “What do you mean?” Confusion creases my forehead, bringing my brows together.

  “Elian and I are foster brothers. I was adopted when I was five and grew up with him as my big brother. We don’t tell anyone around town. It’s not their business. But back when I was still living in Miami with him, we were vying for the same girl. We stupidly bet on who she would choose. I lost.”

  My mouth forms an O, and I struggle to school my expression. I never expected him to say that. “But you liked her more?” I ask, realizing he had his heart broken.

  Ahren nods. “But it worked in my favor for one reason only. We have very similar taste in women,” he adds with a wink.

  “Oh my god, are you saying? Have you two ever …?”

  “Yeah, a couple of times,” he tells me as if he were reading my mind.

  I know I must look like a fish, but my mouth drops open again, causing Ahren to chuckle at my reaction.

  “I’m not saying you’re into it, but …” He releases his hold on me and takes a step back, giving me space, and I’m
thankful because I need it to process what he’s telling me. “If you ever feel the need to be between us, let me know,” he says as the corner of his mouth ticks upward.

  “You mean? Both of you … would … I mean …” My brows furrow, but I’m most certainly not confused. I’m taken back to that night. The one that ruined everything. I’ve experimented before, much to my dismay at how the story had been leaked to the press.

  Ahren nods. “Yes.”

  “I don’t know. I mean ...” Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I regard him through narrowed eyes, wondering if he knows about my past as wariness takes hold.

  But then he continues, “Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. That’s my life’s motto.” He winks at me playfully, and I can’t help but grin. Ahren has bad boy written all over him, and I know he’d make any girl happy. The thought of him and Elian wanting me does make my heart skip a few beats.

  “Is that what you tell all the girls?” I tease, trying to steer away from me and more toward him and his past. Even though the thought of it makes my body ache, I push all those thoughts to the back of my mind and focus on the present moment.

  “Nah, I just give them my pretty smile and they fall to their knees.” He chuckles. “I mean, how can you say no to this?” His teasing eases the tension, and I can’t help but laugh as well.

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” In an attempt to move the conversation, I ask, “Tell me about you, him, and your family. Since you know about my feelings for you and him, I’d like to know more about you both.”

  “Well, let’s sit. I can tell you about me, but he needs to be the one to answer your questions about his life.” He motions for the boulder that overlooks the city. Ahren helps me up and then hops onto the smooth stone beside me. “I lost my parents when I was a child. My mom worked for Elian’s folks, and it was natural for them to take me in,” he tells me, causing my head to snap in his direction.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “No need to be sorry. I grew up with a good family,” he says, but he doesn’t look at me. “It’s one of those times when you want to feel sad, but they gave me something I never thought I’d have—a chance at a future. And then his dad …” His words taper off into nothing, the silence hanging heavy around us.

  “His dad …?”

  Ahren stares out across the vista, his jaw ticking as he grinds his teeth. Shit. I always put my foot in it. I shouldn’t have asked, but I can’t help wanting to know about him. And his brother.

  “He was killed. That ain’t my story to tell though.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I think it’s best you talk to Elian about his folks.” There’s a sadness in his words. It’s raw and painful. “He likes you. I haven’t seen him so torn up about a woman before.”

  “I’m hardly a woman.” I don’t at all think I am. I’m nineteen, repeating my senior year, and I’m still reeling from the past. Being an adult is hard, and I wish I could be a little girl with my mom and dad making all my decisions.

  “That’s how we both see you. I think if he could swap places with me right now, he would,” Ahren says, and that’s when he glances over his shoulder at me.

  “Why didn’t he ask me then?” I question. It’s whispered, but Ahren is sitting close to me, so I know he heard.

  “My brother isn’t the easiest person to be around, and he thought I would be able to explain it better. I do like you, ever since I first saw you.” There’s a rawness in his words, a truth I wasn’t expecting.

  “Ahren, this is strange. I feel like I’m a pawn in a game being shifted back and forth over the chessboard. It’s as if you’re toying with me by kissing me and then expecting me to be okay with Elian wanting me.” Even as I say the words, I wonder if I mean them. Because if I had to be honest, I did like kissing Ahren. He’s the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome as well as being inked from shoulder to wrist, and I do like him. “I just … I don’t know how this will work. I mean emotionally I’m already a mess.”

  This time, he chuckles, shaking his head as he loops his arm around my neck to pull me closer to him. “It’s going to be okay,” he tells me. “I’m sorry I kissed you. I really should’ve waited, perhaps explained before I did that. And I’m really sorry for being an asshole and just making you feel like you’re some chess piece, because you’re not.” He presses a chaste kiss to my cheek. “I do like you. And so does Elian. You’ve told me you want him, which is fine. But I do want to be friends. I could be the big brother you never had.”

  “I’m not sure I can do this.” My whisper gets lost in his shirt. I’m torn. My heart feels as if it’s raging in a tug of war. One side I have Elian, and the other, I have Ahren. This isn’t some one-night stand that’s never going to hurt me. Perhaps I am growing up, because if this had happened a year ago, I would’ve jumped at the chance.

  “You don’t have to make any lasting decisions tonight.” His voice is calm, cool, and it settles my erratic heartbeat with his words. “You can mull over your choices, think about it. I just needed you to know that I do like you, and I would love to get to know you, to learn who you are.”

  “You should’ve led with that.” A small smile appears on my lips.

  “I just needed you to know that I’m not trying to cheat my brother out of your affections, and he’s not doing that to me,” he admits, his eyes holding mine, keeping me entranced by his expression. “And if you did choose me, decide to try this” — he waves his hand between us — “I can assure you that you’ll never want for anything.”

  I nod. “And if I choose Elian?”

  “It would be the same. Except, instead of waking up to brown eyes and a sexier body, you’d wake up to blue eyes and an older man.” This makes us both laugh out loud. They are very different. But that’s what makes them both so unique, so appealing.

  “I need to wrap my head around it.” I sigh. “I’m not …” My words taper off into nothing because I’m at a loss for words. My past is dotted with mistakes. At nineteen, you’d think I’d been a lost cause.

  “It’s okay,” Ahren says. Lacing his fingers through mine, he pulls my hand up to place a kiss on my knuckles. “It takes time to get used to the two of us.” He doesn’t say anything more, and we sit in silence watching the glittering lights of my new hometown sparkle before us.

  I wonder as I sit there just how many other secrets are hidden within the walls of each and every house. And that causes me to ponder just what secrets lie within the walls of the Donati household that Ahren didn’t want to talk about.

  11

  HIM

  THE PRESENT

  Excitement thrums through my veins. Knowing she’s alone in her bedroom with those tiny shorts and tight little tank top that has my body alert. Thankfully, the darkness swallows me whole as I move closer to the window. Watching her has become my new pastime, a need that I quench every moment of the day.

  I like the way she sways her hips, how her lips curve upward at the corners when she knows I’m watching. It’s our game. The deviance simmers through our veins. And just because she’s forbidden only makes me want her more.

  The sleek, blonde hair that hangs like shimmering gold has my fingers itching to tangle those strands, tugging her head back, and ensuring she’s whimpering with need. I know how much she enjoys it. How she loves to feel me when I’ve lost all control.

  When she reaches her bed, I can’t stop my gaze from tracking her legs sliding under the covers. Her head falls to the pillow, and soon, her lashes flutter onto the apples of her cheeks.

  Her window is bathed in darkness, but I see her. The silhouette of a woman. She’s no longer a girl. Filling out just like I knew she would. I wonder if she dreams of me, of how roughly I’ll pin her to the pretty princess bed and have my wicked way with her. My cock thickens when I think about it.

  A soft moan filters through the sliver of the open window. Another follows shortly after, and that’s when I notice just what her hand is doing. Smi
ling, I lock my gaze on her body as she writhes. A few seconds later, she flips over onto her stomach, and more whimpers fill my ears. She tugs the pillow, straddling it, and my hand grips my now rock-hard shaft, and I stroke myself through my pants. Her legs tremble as she rides the soft cushion, and I can’t help but picture her doing the same thing to my cock.

  I follow her movements. I crest along with her and come in my pants as she shudders and falls to the mattress. Soon, my little whore. So fucking soon.

  12

  Elian

  My brother took it into his own hands to talk to Arabella. I gave him one night. One chance to see if there was anything between them. When he got back from the date Monday night, he didn’t give much away. Only informing me that I’d won. A game of his or mine, and it seems I’m the victor.

  Even though I wanted nothing more than to take her out, to sit and watch the stars with her, I knew it would be easier for my brother to do his thing, and if she chose him, then I’d be the better man and step aside. But I’m not because she does want me as much as I do her.

  I convinced myself Ahren is better for her. He’s much less of an asshole than I am, and I never once denied it. But knowing he kissed her, that’s what’s frustrating me more. I want my chance to make her see I want her. And I think it’s time I did something about it.

  It’s not been easy with Arabella around. I’m distracted the moment she walks into my classroom. As much as I try to deny the attraction, it seems to have a hold on me. One I can’t let go of.

  The sun is streaming through the bedroom window. It’s too early on a Saturday morning which reminds me we have two days apart. That will give her time to consider what Ahren told her, and when I see her on Monday, I can talk to her before class. The weekend is a reprieve of the frustration that ebbs and flows through me each time she’s near.

  I stare up at the ceiling, my focus on the patterns that hover over me. It’s no use acting as if she’s not real because even when we’re apart, I still can’t stop thinking about her. It’s wrong, I should ask Dawson to send her to one of the other teachers, but each time I consider it, I don’t act on it.