Dirty Dark Prey: A Dark College Bully Romance (Elite Royal University Duet Book 2)

by L. J. Woods

  “So ... so you’ve killed before?” My body stiffens.

  He looks over at me, bringing the joint to my lips. I take a long pull, the ember glowing under the darkening sky. As the smoke fills my lungs, Isaac winks. “Killed that pussy.”

  And it's whiplash all over again, his charm coming back in full force.

  “That’s convincing. How am I supposed to trust you when you won’t even tell me the truth?”

  He flicks the joint at the rocky ground before he turns to me, his eyes glossy and red. “I’ll make you.”

  “Hooow-oooh!” I meant to ask a question but when he starts that vibrator again, everything fades.

  His lips crash into mine and the cold on my body disappears. So does the doubt in mind. And all I can think while bursts of pleasure roll through me is … I’m falling for a murderer.

  And it feels too fucking good to ignore.

  His warm tongue lands between my legs while the vibrator throbs against my walls. My body reacts like it's on fire, every part of me alive.

  "You can tell Doctor Dickhead that I make you come harder than he ever will.” He feasts on me like he's as hungry as he says, his tongue feeling like magic. When he lets up I want more and he gives me that when the vibrations heighten and he pushes his length inside me.

  “Oh my fucking God!” It’s hard to contain my cries as the rhythm of his thrusts and the vibrations take me to a whole other level. I’m floating off the metal, everything disappearing from my mind and the only thing I’m focused on now is the way he’s playing my body.

  Making me his.

  The pain on my wrists loosens before I’m on top of him, his fingers digging into my waist, our eyes on each other. I don’t know what kind of fucked up we are, or how fucked up we are.

  But I love it.

  Being with Isaac isn’t like Carter, or Drake, or any of the few other guys I've been with. It’s raw. Rough. All-consuming. And he’s exactly what I need to forget about my miserable existence.

  But what do I do when the same person that gives me pleasure, gives me so much pain?

  When he makes me come, my head to the sky, his teeth digging into the thin skin of my neck, I don’t know where the pleasure begins or ends.

  And part of me hopes it never does.

  Two days later and Isaac is still MIA.

  Since that moment on his car, he hasn’t been at home. He hasn’t called. I haven’t even seen him around campus.

  Even texting him doesn’t trigger a response. I even tried to lure him in with a photo of my tits.

  And nothing.

  These babies always work!

  How am I supposed to trust him if all he does is disappear?

  “Lex?” Rayne appears in front of me and I jump, forgetting she was here at all.

  We’re in line at the campus MOCHA, standing in front of the fancy cafe. Despite the lavish marble bar, this place has the best coffee in town. The one on campus is as popular as its flagship shop on the edge of Eden.

  Ray hands me my matcha latte. I've been trying to ween off coffee even though I'm exhausted but it’s making me anxious, jittery and paranoid.

  Or is that just Isaac?

  “Do you think Christian’s cheating on me?”

  I blink as she cradles a large coffee in her hands, a gold stamp with a calligraphed ‘M’ on the cup.

  That snaps me back to reality.

  “Are you kidding me? He’d never.” I wave her off and I’m relieved she doesn’t accuse me. Not that she would, Ray’s not like that. Unlike the other girls in this school, in my life, she doesn’t see me as a competition or a threat. We’re friends. Really good friends and that’s why I have to suck up my shit and be there for her now. “I’m sure he’s busy. Doesn’t he have championships coming up?”

  Her brows furrow. “Yeah, but he's been so distant.”

  “Believe me,” I remind her, happy for a different problem to distract me from my crumbling world. I adjust the towel hanging off my arm. “He’s one of the good ones.” He’s nothing like—

  “Afternoon, Sexy Lexi.”

  Isaac.

  Eighteen

  Lexi

  My brows furrow at Isaac standing in front of me with a tray of smoothies.

  One green. One yellow.

  Everyone around us stares, the small cafe dwindling to silence.

  “Ray,” he greets.

  “Have you seen Christian?” she asks right away.

  “Likely on the ice.”

  She nods. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

  “Where’ve you been?” I ask once she leaves. I thought about telling her about Isaac but part of me doesn’t want to admit … anything.

  “Why? You miss me, baby?” His grin grows and my cheeks heat.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Mannequin. How’s that?”

  My eyebrows lower and I turn to walk away. He’s not even the least bit remorseful.

  What was I expecting? For my stepbrother to become my lover? This isn’t Clueless.

  He pulls on my arm and I pull away, not caring that everyone around us sees it.

  “If you’d let me apologize.” He pulls me closer, my chest landing on his.

  Glancing around the room I hear murmurs and whispers but I’m too captivated by that bittersweet smell. Those eyes. Those lips. Just when the warmth of his chest spreads to mine, he shoves the tray between us.

  “I got you one of my favourite snacks before a game, and since you’re heading for a swim, I thought you might need it.”

  My brows furrow. I only set this meeting up with Drake this morning. I’m hoping there’s some way to salvage my time here at ERU and if I have to come face to face with my past again, I will. I requested we meet at the ERU pool and I’m happy Drake obliged. One, other people will be there so he won’t make a move.

  Two, I’m hoping I’ll be way too distracted by the solace of the water that this session will fly by. Then I’ll be back in Tsang’s good graces.

  “Mangos right?” He gestures towards the orange smoothie. “Your favourite?”

  How did he …

  But when he winks, it makes my stomach into a salad spinner.

  Don’t overthink it. He lives with you. Of course, he knows your favourite flavour.

  “I don’t think a smoothie is gonna make this meeting any less nerve-wracking.” I roll my eyes before I look down like I’m ashamed of where I’m about to go. Like I owe Isaac anything. “It’s with Drake.”

  His finger lands on my chin, a burst of warmth on my face. When he lifts my head, I’m surprised to see that pleasant smile still on his face.

  That wasn’t the reaction last time. Far from it.

  My legs clench when I remember how intense we were on top of his car.

  Isaac pushes the tray forward. “Well, why don’t you give Dick Donovan my smoothie? Didn’t you say he had a thing for avocados?” Is he actually being nice about this? “You can smooth things over. If you’re ready.”

  Dammit, I should be mad about him disappearing but he’s on a roll today. He doesn’t comment on my pink pleated skirt being too high, or my top showing off my midriff. Maybe he just needed some time to digest whatever it is we’ve been doing.

  “Thanks.” I take the tray.

  “You’ll thank me later.” He leans in and I freeze.

  Then he plants his lips on my head.

  My eyes widen at his PDA before I fall against his chest like I’m taking a plunge into the deep end. His kiss doesn’t feel sexual or hedonistic. It’s gentle. Loving. Caring. And it leaves me both comforted and confused.

  He leaves me standing with the tray of smoothies, a glimmer in his eye before he turns to walk away. But I’m not ready for him to leave me yet, the cold seeping into my bones before I push the question out. “Can we talk?”

  “Go to your meeting, Lexi,” he calls over his shoulder, moving towards the corridor.

  It’s not the answer I wanted but it’s not a
flat-out “no.” And with his show of affection, his kiss tingling my forehead, I take his word for it and head to the pool building.

  Girls whisper their hate as I walk towards it. Guys whisper their accusations of my whoring.

  But seeing Isaac today has a smile on my face.

  He’s going through a tough time and so am I. Things will look up once we split our parents up and I get my classes on track.

  With a deep breath in front of the pool doors, I push it open and head towards the showers. That time with Isaac comes flooding back but this time, it doesn’t shock me. I don’t push it out of my mind.

  I relish it.

  The way he touched me. The way he made me tremble.

  He burned you. Literally.

  My feet slow on the way to the changeroom, something different about the pool.

  It’s empty.

  Except for Doctor Drake Donovan that is.

  He’s in the pool, swimming laps like he’s on fucking vacation.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask, clutching my towel and smoothies to my chest. My words echo around the room before Drake comes to a stop at the end of the pool.

  “Lexi, there you are.” He pushes out of the pool, biceps bulging as water cascades off his … okay, Drake is still hella ripped. If not more than I remember. His trunks hug his waist as he pushes his thick hair back. Water drizzles down him like he’s arrived on Sex Island. “Wasn’t sure you’d show up today so I thought I’d go for a swim.”

  “The pool is empty.”

  “I arranged for it to be. Thought you might prefer the pool to yourself.” He looks back at the pool, water glistening under the massive skylight above. Droplets fall off his muscled body as he takes steps towards me and it’s easy to remember what we had.

  Don’t even go there, Lexi.

  “So, it’s you and me …” His eyes drop to my tits and I’m happy I didn’t change into my swimwear. “Sexy Lexi.”

  Taking the green smoothie out of the tray, I push it towards him. “I brought you a smoothie and I’m hoping we can smooth some things over?” I wince, reusing Isaac’s cheesy joke but the thought of him makes me want to get through this sooner. “It’s avocado.”

  His eyebrows raise, staring at it for a second before his eyes drift to me. They roam my outfit like he’s checking out produce. Then he smiles that classic smile. Handing him the smoothie, his eyes narrow before he takes a sip.

  Time to reel him in.

  Tapping my smoothie to his, I wrap my lips right around the straw and take a sip. I bat my eyes, hoping he’ll hear what I have to say, and for a moment, it feels like old times.

  Isaac was onto something with this smoothie.

  Drake smiles as weight lifts off my chest. “Oh Lexi, you think a smoothie is all it takes to win me over?” He sips half of it in one glug before he throws it over his shoulder. “It’ll take a lot more than that. But since I know you’re interested.” He invades my space, his body towering over me.

  “I didn’t mean to imply that I’m interested.” I take a step back, stumbling onto the bleacher.

  “So you’re not?” He towers over me while I slide back on the seat. “You’re telling me all those times your lips were on my cock, you don’t miss it?” His hands land on my shoulders, pushing me against the metal. “Do you need a reminder?”

  “Stop!” Closing my eyes I push back but it’s no use. His hand lands on my chest in a firm hold, the lines from the bleacher digging into my back.

  His touch is as harsh as Isaac’s but it doesn’t feel as good. Whatever’s on the other end of this is something I don’t want. And I don’t know if I ever did.

  “You ruined my life, Lexi. You don’t get to walk in here with a smoothie and think you’re going to get away from it.” He grins like he’s eaten a pile of shit, my heart pounding. I try to scream but his hand moves to my mouth. “Ssssh. I’ll give you the pass you need for your class, but you? You’ll take whatever treatment I’ll give you.”

  I hear the shuffle of his trunks and I try to push away, clawing at his face, his eyes, whatever I can get at him. “Bitch!” I'm not sure where I hit him but I use his moment of weakness to get away.

  I’m hardly off the bleacher before he pulls me back by my ankles, my body sliding against the cold seat. Kicking my legs, I’m not sure if anything lands but I’m relieved when his grip loosens. That gives me enough to push myself off the bleacher and hustle away.

  My eyes on the pool doors, I move my legs as fast I can.

  Fuck this. I’m not selling my body to him. If I do sell my body, it’s my choice.

  Do better, Lexi.

  This isn’t better. This is far worse.

  I don’t know why I look back, but when I do, Drake stands like a statue, his hand around his throat. His eyes bulge out of his head, face turning red.

  My brows furrow and my feet slow as he pushes out his words. “D-did you poison me?” His words come out hoarse and wheezy.

  “What? No!” Poison? This isn't a soap opera.

  He points a flailing arm over to the changerooms. “M-my Ep-Epi-pen …” But I’m stiff, frozen in place as I watch Drake gasp for his life. When I don’t move he chokes out, “ Nine-one-one.”

  And I still can’t move, it’s like my mind leaves my body and I’m watching it all from above. Watching Doctor Drake Donovan lose all his power. “Say you’ll stop."

  “Lex—” He gasps some more, my body buzzing with … something. Adrenaline? Fear?

  “Say you’ll stop!” I yell again.

  Then he collapses to the floor, one hand around his neck. His eyes widen, his body convulsing and shaking.

  Still, I just stand there.

  He rolls onto his back, both hands coming to his neck.

  Then he stops.

  The room goes silent, my heavy breaths the only sound I hear as my feet stay stuck to the floor.

  A twitch of a smile pulls at my face before my knees buckle, and hit the tile.

  I don’t even feel the pain in my kneecaps as I stare at Drake’s lifeless body.

  He’s gone.

  He’s …

  My throat closes in, the reality of this moment sinking in.

  Holy shit, Drake Donovan is dead.

  Nineteen

  Isaac

  “What the fuck …”

  My words are a mutter as I push open the pool doors.

  Doctor Dick lays on the floor, his body limp, eyes open to the ceiling.

  Lexi’s on her knees, tears streaming down her face and her body is stiffer than it is when she hears my voice.

  “Lex? What the fuck happened?”

  She looks up at me, blonde hair falling over her face, her little tank top snapped at one side.

  The smoothie I gave her lays splat on the floor and Doctor Donovan still isn’t fucking moving.

  “Lex!” I call her name again, moving over to her and when she sniffles it twists my guts. Crouching to her level I ignore the man on the ground behind me. “Lexi …”

  Her mouth tightens like she’s trying to hold it all back but when she lunges for me, her arms wrapping around me, I freeze.

  Then my body melts into hers.

  My chin lands on her head and I don’t care that her tears drench my Versace jacket. Or her mascara threatens to stain my organic cotton shirt.

  I’m almost afraid to ask but there’s a dead man behind me and I need answers. “What happened, baby?”

  She raises her head, her blurry eyes locking with mine, her face wet and red. And finally, she speaks. “I killed him.”

  My heart pounds against hers as those words drive a fucking sledgehammer to my head.

  Fuck.

  Fuck!

  “I’m-I’m s-so sorry.” More tears stream down her face. “I’m so fucking sorry. He came at me, and he was talking about making me pay and I tried to get away but he pulled at my legs and then he started choking on his drink.” She gasps for air to finish her words. “I could’ve helped him.” She bl
inks, mascara streaming down her cheeks, a lash falling from her lid. “I could’ve saved him and I—I didn’t.” Her words turn to sobs.

  I lean her back far enough so she can see my face, and I pluck the lash hanging off her eye. “I’ll take care of this.” A gentle push doesn’t get her off me, her nails clinging to my blazer but I pull her off like a dependent cat. “You have to let me take care of this, baby. Pull yourself together.” Finding her gaze on her splotchy, puffy face, I make sure she understands. “You. Did. Nothing.”

  She nods. “What are you gonna do?”

  “Don’t move.” Rising from the floor, I'm quick towards the door, pulling my phone out of my pocket.”

  “No!” Lexi calls. “Don’t call anyone. Are you fucking crazy?"

  “Oh, I’m sorry, are you going to fix this shit? What’re you gonna do, Lex? Call the police? Call your mom? I’m already on trial for—” Taking a breath, I wish I had more to drink at breakfast. “Let me handle it.”

  “I can’t even handle my mess," she sobs again while I send an SOS to the group chat.

  My shoulders drop when I see how much of a wreck she is, but this body? It’s far from my first.

  “This is my mess too, Lex.” Bigger than she knows. Turning towards her, I flash a smile that makes her know it'll all go away. “We’ll get through this. Together.” And finally, she takes a breath. Like she believes I have her back. “I’ll call my boys and I’ll be right back.” Glancing at the body, I give my next instructions. “Don’t touch it.” I squeeze my eyes shut, correcting myself. “Him.”

  “Your boys?” she asks, her voice hoarse. “No. You can’t get them involved in this.”

  Remembering all the shit we’ve been through, “I most definitely can. Stay the fuck here, alright?” Glancing over my shoulder, she nods again while I head to the door.

  First thing’s first, I need to stop anyone else from getting inside. Once I’m outside the pool, I pull my belt from my pants and tie it around the door. A few wooden benches sit near the entrance and I pull them in front of it too.