Wicked Rules

by L A Cotton

  “Hey, hey.” I nudged her cheek with my nose, running it along her neck and kissing the soft skin there. “It’s a few miles. We’ll see each other all the time. I thought this was what you wanted?” Pulling back, I searched her eyes for the truth.

  “I do.” Lo’s lips curved a fraction. “You deserve this, Maverick, you deserve this so much. I just... It doesn’t matter. Forget it,” she said around a strained smile. “Did I tell you how proud I am of you?”

  “You might have mentioned it once or twice.” I smirked but when I saw the hesitation in her eyes, I rocked back onto my haunches. Lo pushed up on her elbows with a frown.

  “Nothing will come between us again, Lo. I know I’m leaving. I know I won’t see you every day, but nothing will change. I promise.” But as I said the words, my mind worked overtime. Everything was finally great. We’d come out of this thing with my father, in one piece. The worst was over. Only I wasn’t naïve enough to think that was it, that the road ahead would be smooth.

  Lo was right, I was leaving, and we would have to find a new routine, adapt to me being in Steinbeck and her being in Wicked Bay. Then there was the stuff with Stella. That would rock Lo’s world again and I wouldn’t be here to comfort her. But Kyle was ready to step into the hole I left, and after the last few months, he’d earned my trust. And finally, Coach’s warning. He hadn’t brought up Zac Lowell for nothing. He thought he was going to be a problem. And maybe he would. But distance… Stella… Zac Lowell, we’d survived worse.

  Lived worse.

  And I meant every word I said—nothing would come between us again.

  Nothing.

  The next book in the Wicked Bay series, Wicked Lies, releases March 29th 2018

  Pre-order HERE

  And don’t forget to join Wicked Bay’s spoiler group HERE

  … and if you enjoyed Wicked Rules keep reading for an excerpt of Liar Liar

  Lust for Life – Lana Del Rey ft. The Weeknd

  Couple of Kids – Maggie Lindemann

  Flux – Bloc Party

  Unforgettable – French Montana ft. Swae Lee

  Into the Night – Madeline Juno

  Another Love – Tom Odell

  Mercy – Shawn Mendes

  Plot Twist – Sigrid

  Thunder – Imagine Dragons

  Nothing Else Matters – Metallica

  First Time – Kygo, Ellie Goulding

  There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back – Shawn Mendes

  No Promises – Cheat Codes ft. Demi Lovato

  Your Song – Rita Ora

  Now Or Never – Halsey

  Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay

  Glorious – Macklemore ft. Skylar Grey

  Green Light - Lorde

  Writing a sequel is no easy feat. In fact, it’s pretty stress-inducing. So many of you enjoyed Wicked Beginnings that, as I was writing Wicked Rules, I couldn’t help but keep second guessing myself and the direction of the book. But over the last three years, I have come to accept that if I don’t let my characters lead, I am not staying true to myself or their story. So, in the end, despite the back and forth and the ‘am I getting this right?’, I let them do the talking … and I hope it paid off. I have so much more planned for these characters (even the ones you might still be on the fence about) that I hope you stick around for the ride.

  It takes one person to write a book, but a whole village to publish it.

  To Andrea, Anna, Ginelle, Jenny, Lucy, and Nikki. Some of you help me to polish my words, some of you are just there to listen, but I appreciate each and every one of you and I’m glad I get to call you my friends.

  To my readers group and ARC group. Thank you for loving my characters as much as I do and for helping share my stories.

  To the bloggers who help spread the word; whether it be signing up to review an ARC or share a promotional post, I am so grateful.

  To my family for allowing me the time and space to continue writing and following the dream I never knew I had.

  And finally, to the readers who continue to buy my stories, thank you. It will never be enough.

  Until next time,

  Lianne

  ADDICTIVE ROMANCE

  Author of mature young adult and new adult novels, L A is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.

  Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L A immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.

  L A loves connecting with readers. The best places to find her are:

  FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

  Official Website

  Email

  Wicked Bay Series

  Wicked Beginnings

  Wicked Rules

  Liar Liar Series

  Liar Liar

  Truth or Dare

  Chastity Falls Series

  Loyalty and Lies

  Salvation and Secrets

  Tribulation and Truths

  Redemption and Regrets

  Penance and Promises

  Affliction: A Chastity Falls Spin Off Novella

  Fate’s Love Series

  Fate’s Love

  Love’s Spark

  Love Collides

  Standalones

  Lucky Penny

  To keep up to date about future releases, and to receive a free eBook, you can sign up to

  L A’s newsletter HERE

  Available on all major platforms

  “Becca, are you going to stand out there all day or come in and help us unpack?” Mom called from the doorway as she watched me, her eyes clouded with a mixture of trepidation and sorrow.

  “Coming. I’m coming.”

  My eyes swept over the gray stucco house in front of me once more, sadness constricting my chest. Just turned eighteen, I had a life full of memories in another house—a much bigger and prettier house—and even though it was bittersweet and my throat burned with tears, staring at the unfamiliar building, I felt a kernel of hope at what it represented.

  No more secrets …

  No more hiding …

  No more lies.

  Born and raised in Montecito, CA, I’d lived in one place my whole life. The kitchen where Mom taught me to bake cookies when I was just five. The doorjamb where Dad scratched a notch every year on my birthday. The porch that witnessed my first kiss while my parents pretended not to watch from the living room window. All wrapped up in that house. But it was more than a house.

  It was my home.

  Filled with love and comfort and happy times, it held every memory of every significant moment of my life. Drawing in a long breath, I rolled my shoulders back and forced a smile. Climbing the steps to the door, Mom met me halfway, wrapping me in her arms. “Let’s get things straightened out and then I’ll make us something to eat. It’s been a long day.”

  She wasn’t wrong. Five hours in the balmy California heat stuck in Dad’s truck on the highway wasn’t my idea of fun. I shrugged out of her grip and met her eyes, aged with the events of the last few months. “Sure, Mom.”

  A sad smile tugged at her lips. “It’s going to be okay, Becca. New town, new friends, a fresh start.”

  My lips pulled into a flat line, and I nodded, hardly able to get the word out over the lump in my throat. “Yeah.”

  “Come on.” Mom took my hand in hers and guided me into the house.

  My new home.

  My fresh start.

  My escape.

  ~

  “So I called ahead, and Principal Garraway knows to expect you.” Mom clicked her belt into place, and I groaned, rolling my head back against the leather. “Seriously, Mom, I got this. It’s just school.” A new school, but whatever. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been to school before.

  “I wanted to
make things as easy as possible, Becca. You can’t blame me for that.”

  Guilt twisted around my heart. Of course, she was only trying to help. It was all she and Dad had done since everything happened.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice thick with regret.

  “Hey.” Mom’s hand squeezed my hand across the stick. “None of that. Your father and I would do it all again, in a heartbeat, so no more pity parties, okay? This is your senior year, baby. You get a shot at doing it right. New town, new friends, a fresh—”

  “Start,” I finished. It had become Mom’s mantra ever since Dad announced we were leaving and moving three-hundred miles upstate to Credence, a small town between Oakland and Hayward. Turning my head to the side, I watched the unfamiliar landscape rush past.

  “It’s new for all of us, but I’m excited. Your father’s looking forward to getting started, and I can’t wait to christen the kitchen. Did you see the oven? It’s a baker’s dream come true.”

  “That’s great, Mom.”

  “You know, Becca, change is good for the soul. And while I expect Credence High is going to be different from Montecito Prep, it’s nothing you can’t handle.”

  I forced a smile. “Yeah. I’m sure it will all be fine.” Except I’ll know no one and be the new girl. I didn’t know what was better—starting a school where no one knew me, or returning to my old high school where everyone knew me too well.

  “Are you sure I look okay?” I asked for the tenth time. I’d never attended public school before, and while Mom had reassured me that my outfit was ‘perfectly fine,’ I didn’t feel fine. Not in the least.

  “You look perfect—lovely, in fact—although I still don’t know why you had to throw out so much. There was nothing wrong with—”

  “Mom, you know why.”

  She shifted uncomfortably. “I know; I’m sorry. Oh look, there it is.” Mom pointed at a brick building in the distance. Kids streamed into the open gates, and the knot in my stomach tightened. It was nothing like my old school. Not a single convertible or palm tree in sight, not that I’d expected it. But it was more than that. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her to turn around and go back so I could change into something else. Sensing my nerves, Mom reached for my hand again. “Becca, it’s going to be fine.”

  Fine. She was right—nothing could be worse than the last four months of my life. I immediately shut down my thoughts. Now was not the time to remember, to let in the memories that haunted me in my sleep. Just breathe. I clamped my eyes tight and inhaled deep, long breaths just like my therapist had shown me. If I didn’t give my memories power, they couldn’t control me.

  He couldn’t control me.

  “Okay, this is it.” Mom beamed over at me. “You’ll do great. Mac told your father Credence High is a good school.”

  Mac, one of Dad’s oldest friends, was the guy who had made our move to Credence possible. If Mac said it was true, well, then it must be, and the thought eased some of the turmoil cutting through me.

  Once upon a time, I would have strolled straight into Credence High School, sought out the most popular girls, and introduced myself. But that wasn’t who I was anymore. The old Becca Torrence was gone. Lost to a night that not only changed my life forever, it changed me.

  Intrinsically and inherently altered me.

  A part of me died that night, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever get it back.

  “Becca.” Mom’s voice snapped me into the car. “It’s time.”

  I unbelted and grabbed my bag as my other hand hovered over the door handle. “Okay, then. See you later.”

  “Good luck, baby,” she called as I climbed out and surveyed my surroundings with a heavy sigh.

  This was it. All I had to do was walk in there, smile, and be myself. Only, I had no idea who I was anymore.

  ~

  “I think that’s everything, Miss Torrence. I’m sure you’ll find Credence a welcoming school. We serve a diverse community, which I feel provides an enriching environment for our students.” Principal Garraway cleared her throat. Something flashed over her face, but it was gone as quickly as I’d caught it, and she glanced down at the stack of papers in her hand. “Right, well, Ms. Juliard will escort you to your first class, which is math with Mr. Phillips. He’ll see to it that you settle in, I’m sure.”

  She thrust the papers at me, and I forced another smile. I was doing that a lot lately. “Thanks.”

  “If you need anything, you can come to me or our guidance counselor. We’ll be more than happy to assist you. Do you have any questions?”

  When can I get the hell out of here?

  “No.” I held my smile. Forcing my lips up even farther, I hoped she didn’t detect my unease.

  “Well, then.” She rose from her seat. “Welcome to Credence High School.”

  “Thanks.” I left the room without a backward glance.

  It wasn’t Principal Garraway; she’d been nothing but warm and welcoming. It was me—and the paranoia that had lived inside me since that night. The whole point of getting out of Montecito was to avoid people from ever finding out the truth. No one except Mac knew us here, and even he thought we’d relocated for a fresh start after my (fake) illness. Dad had wanted to go the whole hog and buy us new identities, but I didn’t want to become Marissa or Jessica or Amy. I’d already lost too much of myself to lose my name as well.

  “This way, Becca.” Ms. Juliard beckoned me over to her. “Math is situated in the east wing. It’s an excellent class, and some of our brightest students are in with Mr. Phillips. You’ll be in good company.”

  My ears perked up at that snippet of information. I’d missed school. It had been almost four months to the day since I last attended Montecito Prep. Four months since I sat in classes with my friends, laughing and gossiping about boys. I missed it—school, studying, even homework—and a part of me itched to get back to it. To get back to some kind of normal.

  “Right, this is math. Good luck, dear.” Ms. Juliard wasted no time as she pushed the door open and stepped to the side to let me past.

  “Umm, thanks,” I murmured, slipping into the room.

  Greeted with a whoosh of heads snapping up in my direction, I avoided looking anywhere but at Mr. Phillips, a tall, wiry man standing at the front of the class smiling at me. “Ahhh, and you must be our new transfer, Miss Torrence.”

  “Becca,” I said.

  He nodded. “Find a seat, and we’ll get you caught up.”

  Finding an empty seat meant looking for one, which meant making eye contact with my new classmates. It was inevitable, but it didn’t stop me from taking another breath before forcing myself to look up. A faceless sea stared back at me. A couple of girls snarled, narrowing their eyes, while some of the guys raked their eyes down my body. My stomach roiled, and I lurched slightly. It was enough to propel me forward. One foot in front of the other. Left, right, left, right. I shut out the curious stares and the low rumble of whispers, reminding myself this was completely normal. Roles reversed, I would have been the same, seated behind one of the desks watching a new kid turn up in class.

  Cautious …

  Judging …

  Wary.

  Third row back, on the end, I found an empty seat and hurried to it.

  “Excellent,” Mr. Phillips announced. “Let’s get back to it. Bonnie, I believe you were just about to tell us the answer to question three?”

  The class resumed as I sank into the chair, keeping my eyes ahead.

  “Here,” a deep voice to my left said, and I turned a fraction. A guy’s face appeared in my peripheral vision. He handed over his textbook open to the page the class was working from.

  “Thanks,” I offered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, suddenly very aware of him.

  He nodded, not sparing me a second glance or a reply. Fine by me. I needed to get used to this again—being around people, socializing, holding a simple conversation. Four months was a long time to be checked out from reality. So
when the bell rang almost an hour later and chairs shuffled, and everyone started filing out of the room, I looked around, hoping someone would offer to help me find my next class.

  But everyone was gone.

  ~

  The rest of the day didn’t go much better. Apparently, being the new girl meant nothing to the kids of Credence High. It was business as usual, leaving me feeling like a social leper. If Mom was here, I knew she’d have something to say on the matter because it wasn’t like I’d actually tried to talk to anyone or ask for help. I ended up late for second and third period after getting the room numbers mixed up on the crappy copy of the map Principal Garraway had given me. But no one tried to help the red-faced girl walking circles in the hallway. Not. One. Single. Person. Fortunately, it was hard to miss the cafeteria with its vast floor-to-ceiling windows, but I didn’t hang around after collecting my lunch. Situating myself in a quiet spot outside on the grass under a huge tree, I ate in solitude. It gave me the perfect vantage point to watch my new classmates without being obvious. Not that anyone had given me the time of day so far. Well, apart from the guy in math. But even he had rushed out of the room without so much as a backward glance.

  Biting a chunk off my apple, I watched the kids around me. When Principal Garraway had said Credence High was diverse, she wasn’t wrong. It was worlds apart from the rich and privileged crowd back in Montecito Prep, not to mention the fact we had to wear a uniform there. Here, kids wore their own styles, and I realized my new wardrobe of mainly t-shirts and jeans wasn’t going to cut it in a place like this.

  My eyes landed on a group of girls sitting at a table in the back of the cafeteria. Two of them sat on the tabletop with their feet up on the chairs in front of them, wearing smiles on their faces as they laughed and joked with their friends. A pang of something I didn’t want to acknowledge shot through me. These girls were at the top of Credence’s social ladder. Their friends hung on every word, kids at other tables watched them over their lunch trays with envy sparkling in their eyes, and guys ogled them hungrily. They might have lacked the designer purses and manicured nails of my girlfriends back home, but I knew that in Credence High, they were the girls at the top of the ladder—popular, beautiful … desired, and a hollowness filled me as I stared at a version of me before everything changed. I’d been that girl, and now, I was … no one. Realization hit me like a wrecking ball, sucking the air from my lungs. I hadn’t considered how hard it would be to acknowledge everything I’d lost when I finally returned to school—everything he’d taken from me.