Love at First Sight Series Boxed Set: (Books 1-5)

by Lynn Cooper

She sniffs arrogantly. “I’ll do better than that,” she says, flipping her smartphone around so the screen is facing me. “You closed your door and locked it, but you failed to cover this little rectangular glass insert. It was the perfect frame for your filthy little movie.”

  There’s no volume, but the video is crystal clear. Violet lying on her back, legs spread wide. My cock pumping into her like a piston.

  Knowing how desperate and lonely this pathetic woman is, I deal from strength. “What will it take to make this go away? Not for my sake, mind you, but for Violet’s. She doesn’t deserve to pay the price for my lack of good judgment.”

  She turns her head to the side and taps her severely-sharp chin. “Let me see,” she croons. “For starters, you don’t show up to work on Monday. Principal Huntly will be well within her rights to fire you for not calling in. Being the new kid on the block, that small infraction should be enough to get you canned.”

  “Done. What else?”

  “This weekend, all weekend long, you’ll do to me what you did to Violet on your desk.”

  Even the thought makes me sick, but I have to protect my pupil. I cannot let this video get out or, even worse, go viral. Violet’s last year of high school, her reputation and her very life would be ruined.

  Through gritted teeth I say, “Be at my house tonight at seven. I’m sure you’ve already checked my faculty file for the address.”

  She grins like a mule eating briars, only a mule would be prettier.

  “You bet I know where you live. I didn’t need to check the files because I’ve been following you all week. I know you’ve spent time with Violet outside of school. Which brings me to my next and final demand.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You can never see that fat slut again. Do we have a deal?”

  It’s all I can do not to murder her where she stands. “No deal. Nobody calls Violet names and gets away with it. Do whatever you will with the video. And good luck explaining why your perverted, voyeuristic ass was filming such a private moment between two consenting adults.”

  She spins on her wobbly high heel and hightails it down the hall.

  My life just took a sharp nosedive, and I can’t risk taking Violet down with me. I’ve got to go see Hawk.

  I CALL MY BEST friend and tell him I am on my way to see him. He’s bad to go out barhopping on the weekend, and I want to catch him while he is still sober. When I step up to his hotel room, he opens the door before I have a chance to knock.

  I am expecting the smug look on Hawk’s face, but it still pisses me off. “Well, well, well,” he says. “Looks like somebody’s been shot at and missed, shit at and hit.”

  “Yeah, I get it. I look like hell,” I bark, shoving him out of the way so I can crash in the chair at the end of his bed.

  He shuts the door and sits down across from me. “Tell your old buddy all about it.”

  That’s the exact same thing he said to me when I talked to him on the phone during my first day of school. When I realized the young woman I had kissed at the rodeo was one of my art students. Hawk was there for me then just as he has always been. Just as he is here for me now and always will be. It’s a relaxing thought enabling me to smile in the face of this shit storm.

  In short order, I relay everything that happened between me and Violet. Then I drop the bombshell named Tonya Gramlett.

  Hawk leans back further in the barrel chair and whistles long and low.

  Feeling impatient I say, “When you took up bounty hunting, you didn’t stop being one of the best hackers in the country, did you?”

  “Hell, no. What do you think gives me a leg up over my competition? It’s my supreme hacking skills that help me land the bulk of my bounty.”

  “Good. Because I need you to make this video go away tout de suite.”

  “Don’t pull that pussy, French idiom on my ass. If you want me to do something immediately, say so.”

  “Fine. I want you to make this damn video go away immediately.”

  “You got it,” he says, clacking away at the speed of light on his laptop. In less than a minute, he turns the screen toward me, grinning. “This the video in question?”

  I punch him in the shoulder. “Yeah, smartass. That’s it. The one where my dick is buried balls-deep in Violet’s twat.”

  “Damn fine looking twat it is, too. All pink and juicy.”

  “I appreciate your help, Hawk. But tread lightly. I won’t tolerate any disrespect aimed at my woman.”

  He raises his palms. “Understood. I was just being an appreciative male, that’s all.”

  Anxiously, I ask, “Did you get it deleted?”

  “I sure did. I even checked to make sure she hadn’t sent it to anyone else.”

  “And did she?”

  “Nope. This Tonya Gramlett didn’t even send herself a copy. I figured she would at least email the video to her personal computer. I guess she figured one copy was enough to get what she wanted. I still can’t believe she didn’t blackmail you for a boatload of funds.”

  I shake my head. “She never mentioned money. Honestly, I don’t think she knows who I am or what I’m worth.”

  “She just wanted a pickle tickle from the painter, huh?”

  “That and for me to abandon my job and Violet.”

  “Don’t get your hackles up, Rhett. But in light of all that’s happened, both of those seem like pretty good ideas to me. I mean, fuck it, man. You don’t need a pitiful teacher’s income. And I think you know deep down the teeny bopper would be better off with a boy her own age.”

  “Violet’s not a teeny bopper. She’s a gorgeous, grown-ass woman, and I love her. And just as importantly, she loves me.”

  Hawk gives me a crooked smile. “To her credit, she did throw all that money back in my face.”

  “She has a lot more than ethics to her credit. She’s a phenomenal painter, Hawk. I haven’t seen anyone as advanced as her at eighteen.”

  “You mean, no one other than you at that age.”

  I nod. “She has a lot of potential. With me training her, she will become the best painter of her era.”

  Hawk scoffs. “Only if you can keep from fucking her around the clock. How do you expect her to paint if you’re always in her panties?”

  “She doesn’t wear panties.”

  “Don’t be a facetious fuckhead, Rhett. You know damn well what I’m talking about here. The OCD will be an obstacle. A hurdle she might not be able to jump over.”

  “She says she can handle it.”

  “You told her about your disorder?”

  “I didn’t have to. She figured it out on her own. She isn’t just artistically talented. She’s super-smart and intuitive as hell.”

  “I hate to admit it, but maybe I’ve been too hard on her. Maybe she’s good for you after all.”

  I take a deep breath. “But you’re worried I might not be so good for her.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to. It’s not like I haven’t thought the same thing myself,” I groan, standing and walking to the door.

  “You leaving already? I was thinking about going down to the local watering hole. Thought you might like to join me.”

  “I better take a raincheck. I’ve got some soul searching to do and a whole lot of thinking. This mess today has been a real wakeup call.”

  “Okay. Take it easy.”

  “You, too. Don’t overindulge in the spirits.”

  “If I do, I’ll still be plenty sober enough to save your sorry ass.”

  “I won’t be needing any more of your super powers tonight,” I say, walking out the door.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Violet Driscoll

  ALTHOUGH RHETT TEXTED ME several times over the weekend, I couldn’t shake the feeling he was pulling away from me in a big way. To try and keep my mind off of my troubles, I began painting the portrait of my dad. As expected, rivers of tears flowed to the point where I couldn’t finish. Try
ing to capture his love and goodness on the canvas made me realize all over again how terribly I miss him.

  Hazel called to tell me she dismissed the nurse Rhett had paid for. She said she was feeling fit as a fiddle now and having a medical professional in her house was cramping her style. She didn’t much cotton to anyone hovering over her while she looked at her naughty magazines or read her racy romance novels. In fact, she didn’t even ask me to come over for a visit. Honestly, I was relieved. I didn’t think I could stand to hear another lecture on how much men wanted goosy poosy and how they didn’t care about anything else. Those notions were especially unappealing to me after I had given mine to Rhett only to have him withdraw from me.

  Checking the clock on the stove, I down the rest of my orange juice and head out the door. My attire is definitely in tune with my mood. I opted for an old, ratty T-shirt, a well-worn pair of jeans and my canvas Keds tennis shoes.

  I’m anxious about seeing Rhett. It’s totally irrational, but I can’t help but worry someone will know we had intercourse on his desk. That maybe they will be able to detect the scent of sex. I also feel concerned about us being able to conduct ourselves in a platonic manner. Whenever we are in close proximity, it’s impossible to keep our hands off each other.

  When I pull into the student parking lot, I glance to my left but don’t see Rhett’s Kia in his space. The sinking feeling in my gut tells me something isn’t right. He ended each of his texts by saying he couldn’t wait to see me Monday morning. Why wouldn’t he be here? I step out of my Subaru and call him before going inside the school. His phone doesn’t ring. It goes straight to voice mail. I leave a quick message and hurry to the art room. Maybe someone will know what has him detained.

  When I get to his class, I see Tonya Gramlett standing beside his desk. The second I walk through the door, she gives me a go-to-hell look. I guess she is still pissed about me popping off at her on Friday. I suppose I should apologize. No time like the present, I think, heading toward her. I’ve only taken a couple of steps when she holds up her hand to stop me.

  I notice that the way the blinds are half-open puts this woman’s face between light and shadow. I get a chill down my spine when I recall what Rhett said during our first private art lesson. He said a deep darkness lives between the shadows and light. From where I am standing right now, that darkness is Miss Gramlett’s black heart.

  Giving me an evil smile, she says, “Mr. Calder no longer works here. And you’re wanted in the main office. Principal Huntly wishes to see you.”

  “Okay,” I say on a gulp.

  Walking as fast as I can, I make a beeline for higher ground. No matter what lies ahead of me, it’s better than staying in the presence of that vile bitch a moment longer.

  On shaky legs, I enter the principal’s office. She’s sitting behind her desk, motioning me in. She’s smiling at me, but I know in my heart this isn’t a friendly visit. “Close the door behind you and have a seat, Violet.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say, obeying. I’ve always been an exemplary student and avid rule follower. Until Rhett, that is.

  With her hands folded on her desk, Principal Huntly looks over the top of her bifocal glasses and says, “I need to speak with you about a very serious matter.”

  I nervously bite my bottom lip, waiting for her to continue.

  She takes a deep breath while simultaneously turning her laptop toward me. “Early this morning when I arrived at school, I found this video in my email inbox.”

  My heart is racing. I don’t want to look at whatever she is about to show me. Since Gramlett spilled the beans about Rhett no longer working here, I have a pretty good idea what’s coming. My mind scrambles around but can’t figure out how this could happen. We had the art room door closed and locked. Then it hits me like the crack of a baseball bat against a ball. We didn’t block out the little rectangular-shaped window. Jerome must have changed his mind, made another round and filmed me and Rhett fucking on his desk.

  Trying to lighten the mood while feigning innocence, I say, “Is it that video with the cute kitty eating a Popsicle?”

  “There’s a kitty in it alright, but it isn’t eating. It’s being eaten.”

  The heat of a thousand blushes sets my skin on fire. I can’t speak.

  “I fired Mr. Calder the second he drove onto the premises this morning. He is no longer allowed anywhere near this school. He’ll never work in the teaching field again. The only thing that’s not been decided is your fate.”

  “Mine?”

  “Yes. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can file an official complaint against Mr. Calder, stating he forced you to have sex with him and continue your education here at Moon Crescent High, or you can confess to being a willing participant and face expulsion.”

  “He didn’t force me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. To be honest, I seduced him.”

  “Did he tell you to say that in the event the two of you got caught?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Try to understand my position, Violet. You’re eighteen—legally an adult—so Mr. Calder can’t be criminally charged. But, if you were to say he forced, threatened, bribed or coerced you in any way, we could nail his hide to the wall and put him under the jailhouse. Do you still want to stick to your current story?”

  For me, it’s a no-brainer. I love Rhett Calder. I would die for him, so giving up a senior year at a high school I’m not crazy about is no penalty at all.

  “I maintain my position, Principal Huntly. I accept full responsibility for my actions. Rhett and I are consenting adults. Yes, we shouldn’t have been intimate on school grounds, but in no way did he use his position of authority to sexually manipulate me. I was not only a willing participant but the instigator.”

  “If that’s the case, Miss Driscoll, and it sounds like it is, I have no choice but to expel you for the remainder of this school year. You understand that means you will fail your senior year and not graduate.”

  “I understand.”

  “Very well. Jerome is waiting outside to escort you to your car.”

  I stand and leave without saying a word.

  When Jerome sees me, he smiles warmly. Neither of us speak until we get to the parking lot, where he turns to me and says, “I didn’t shoot that video, Miss Driscoll.”

  “Do you know who did?”

  “I shouldn’t be tellin’ tales out of school, but my money is on Tonya Gramlett. I’ve been watchin’ her on the security cameras, and every time I turned around, she was oglin’ Mr. Calder. But you didn’t hear nothin’ from me.”

  “Mum’s the word,” I say, giving him a hug.

  He looks all shy and embarrassed before running back toward the school.

  I know I should be more upset about how my senior year has prematurely ended, but all I really care about is how Rhett is doing. I’m awfully worried about him not answering my calls. Given the way small town grapevines work, word has probably already spread far and wide. He’s likely dodging all kinds of press-related calls. Since I have no idea where he lives, all I can do is go home and wait for him to call or text me.

  TURNING ONTO BALLENGER, I see Hawk’s Corvette sitting in my driveway. My heart plummets to the floorboard. The last time a vehicle was parked at our house with a man leaning against the driver’s door, he was delivering bad news. My mom and I were returning home from shopping at the mall and spotted the black sedan with government tags waiting on us. It was the worst day of our lives.

  With a knot of emotion in my throat, I pull in alongside Hawk and jump out of my car. He doesn’t bother with a greeting; he just barks out a command.

  “Get in, girl. I’ll explain everything on the way.”

  My stomach lurches when he peels out of the driveway. I can see the intense look of concern on his face. His body is taut with tension. His knuckles are white against the black, leather steering wheel cover.

  I’m afraid to ask questio
ns, but I desperately need answers. “Is Rhett okay? Where is he?”

  He shakes his head. “He’s at the Hyatt in my room. He’s in bad shape. I’ve never seen him this bad. And it’s all my fucking fault.”

  “Yours? How?”

  “Rhett came to me Friday night after that Gramlett witch confronted him with the video she had taken. He asked me to hack her phone and get rid of it.”

  “But you refused?”

  “Hell, no! I would do anything for that guy. I hacked the shit out of her phone. I didn’t just delete the video file, I shredded it. What I wasn’t counting on was her having a Sim card.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It adds extra memory to phones or other devices to store more media, like photos or videos.”

  “I see.”

  Hawk curses again. “Apparently, she had temporarily removed hers from the phone, so I didn’t detect it. But the video was stored on there, and she used it to send said media to Rhett’s principal.”

  I blow out a hard breath. “So, let me guess. The stress over being fired has sent Rhett on a downward spiral straight into a massive OCD episode.”

  “Right and wrong. He is in the deepest, darkest episode I have ever witnessed. But it’s not because he lost a fucking, pussy-ass job he didn’t even need.”

  A lightbulb goes off in my brain. “Rhett’s spinning out of control because of me.”

  “Yeah. He feels like this video is going to ruin you. Maybe even get you kicked out of school.”

  I nod. “That ship has already sailed. I’m no longer a student at Moon Crescent High.”

  “Shit, girl. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I could have stayed if I agreed to turn on Rhett and file a complaint against him.”

  “You sacrificed yourself to protect him?”

  “Yes, and I did it with a willing spirit and happy heart. I love your best friend, Hawk.”

  “I know you do. And I’m awfully sorry about the way I treated you before. I guess I’m just really protective of Rhett. Hell, looks like you are, too.”

  “He’s worth protecting,” I say, smiling. “Hawk?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What can we do to help him?”