Unmasked: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (An Evergreen Academy Novel Book 4)

by Ruby Vincent

  “Goodbye, Valentina.”

  I stepped out and Mom burst into a run. She enfolded me in a hug that I returned just as fiercely.

  “My baby. Are you okay?”

  “I am now.” I buried my nose in her neck, breathing in the scent of love and safety. “Please, let’s get out of here. I don’t want to be near this place.”

  “Don’t have to ask me twice.”

  We piled into the car and I instantly saw someone was missing. “Where’s Adam?”

  “He’s at home with the babysitter. I didn’t know how long you would be or how you’d feel when you came back.”

  I accepted that as the best move, although I ached to see him. “Let’s go home.”

  “Leaving right now, baby, but on the way, I want you to tell me everything that’s been going on.”

  “Mom—”

  “Everything.” This was a tone I didn’t hear often. This was serious, not-messing-around Olivia. “Afterward, I’ll decide if you’re going back to that school.”

  I might have argued, but at that moment, there wasn’t a speck of fight left in me. “Okay.”

  We made the ride back, but not in silence. I told Mom everything that had happened in the last four years. There was yelling, shouting, and even more crying. She cycled between distress at all I had kept from her and rage at what had been allowed to happen to me. When we pulled up to our tiny house, the both of us had been put through the emotional wringer.

  Mom pulled me into her arms when we reached the doorstep and kissed my forehead. “Just go inside and get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  We stepped inside to a dim house. The soft glow from the living room drew me to the babysitter. She smiled at us when we walked in.

  “The little angel is sleeping.”

  “Thank you,” I said. I veered off and went into Adam’s room. The nightlight cast swirling stars on his sweet face, and I felt my tension ebb away as I gathered him in my arms. The toddler didn’t wake as I carried him to my bed and snuggled under the covers with him. I slipped away, feeling truly safe for the first time in a while.

  “WHAT DID YOUR MOM SAY?”

  “She was mad as you can imagine,” I replied. “She doesn’t want me to go back.”

  “Do you want to go back?” Sofia asked.

  I didn’t answer. My eyes drifted down to the open envelope on my bed. The letter resting on top of it carried the embossed logo of Somerset University.

  “Congratulations, you have been accepted to...”

  “How are you?” I asked. “Did you talk to Zane?”

  Her sigh came through the phone. “I did. He promised me that he didn’t kiss her. He said Penelope ran up to him under the arch, crying about something flying into her eye, and when he bent to see, she planted a kiss on him and then ran off.”

  I shook my head. “She’s certainly evil enough to set him up.”

  “I know,” she said softly. “It’s not that I don’t believe him, but when I saw that photo... It was like someone punched my heart out. It was just so c-cruel, Val.” Her voice became choked. “And Paisley and Kai? Everyone saw that photo. Paisley has been crying all week.”

  I crumpled the sheets in my fist. It was hard to believe a week had passed since that awful night.

  “Ciara and Claire will probably be expelled for the weed and pills. I knew they would hit us hard, but this...”

  “It’s like you said: Cruel.”

  There was a lull as it sunk in. I looked around at Adam, happily playing with his toys on the carpet of my room. I tried to picture raising him on a legacy of deception and deceit, and then sending him to the academy to continue the tradition. My mind rejected the very thought.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you said for the past few days,” Sofia said. “Thirteen families. People watching me—marking me to see what I’ll invent next like I’m some betting horse they’re waiting to see perform. I haven’t slept properly since that day.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Mom is freaked out too.”

  “You told Madeline?”

  “Yes. Dad too. We actually had a good talk the other night. I told them what I was feeling. It was weird.” She let out a soft laugh. “But they opened up too and apologized to me.”

  “I’m glad, Sof.”

  “Yeah. But the thing is, they don’t have a clue who the other eleven families could be. They heard of the Spades, but never thought it went so far as some kind of mafia organization. They’re thinking of pulling me out of school too.”

  “Can’t blame them.”

  “Have you talked to the boys?”

  “Yes. I told them everything that went down in the bayou when I got home the next day. Ryder didn’t say much. I don’t think he knew what to say, but I’m going to see him today so we’ll talk properly.”

  “I’m happy you guys are still doing it. You need this after everything you went through.”

  “You all loving me and supporting me is everything right now. Just like I’ll love and support you whatever you decide to do.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I hope I see you after Christmas.”

  “I’m not sure if you will. Mom and Dad have been talking about going on a family vacation—get away for a bit. I’ll call you every day if we do.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Just don’t put that kid on Santa’s lap this year,” she continued.

  I laughed. “He’s older. He should be able to handle it, right?”

  “Or he’ll give him another wallop and get you really banned this time.”

  We chuckled, enjoying a rare, light moment. “No Santa. I got it.”

  “I have to go, but I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Bye.”

  I set my phone down on the bed and got up to play with Adam. I was tickling him into submission when Mom knocked on the door to tell me Ryder had arrived. I picked my laughing baby up, peppered him with kisses, then handed him to Mom.

  Ryder stood on the front porch waiting for me. He looked great in a pair of loose jeans and a wooly sweater that strained to contain him. His raven locks curled at the nape like they did when he let the air dry them after a shower. “Hi, Val.”

  “Hi.”

  We kissed—just a soft peck—but it warmed me through. I had missed him over the last week.

  “You ready to go?”

  “More than ready.”

  He took my hand and led me to the car. I waited until we were inside to grill him. “Will you tell me about the hotel we’ll be staying at? What will we do this weekend? It’s before Christmas so we can see the lights, go shopping, watch movies.”

  “We’ll do any and everything you want, but first, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

  “Is this about your final labor?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will you tell me what it is?”

  “Not yet, but you can trust me.”

  I did trust him. Ryder reached across the dash and laced our fingers together. We talked on the drive. The topics started out light, but naturally drifted to the one hanging over our heads.

  “I never knew about Benjamin and the thirteen families,” he said. “Mom was just as shocked as me when I told her.”

  “That’s no surprise. Eric said he wanted you denied of that legacy too.”

  “I’ve thought it many times before, but again, I am glad to not be his son.”

  “I just wish we knew who the other eleven were.” I gripped his hand harder. “We would know... if the yearbooks hadn’t been taken.”

  “The yearbooks?”

  “Yes. I’ve been thinking of nothing but since I found that duffel bag gone. It’s why Eric brought all of them instead of the one I asked for. If I had seen them all, I would have discovered the secret for myself. I would have noted the thirteen last names that popped up over and over throughout the years going back to the first class.”

  “Of course
.” He smacked the dash. “Fucking hell! That makes sense.” He took his eyes off the road to look at me. “But there are other ways to find that out. We can check public records for families who have lived in Evergreen since it was founded.”

  “That includes too many people. Sofia’s mother’s family have lived there for years too. Not to mention there are no guarantees they live near the academy. It’s a boarding school. The students don’t have to commute.”

  “Shit. You’re right.”

  “Plus,” I went on. “Even if we got around that, there’s no way we’d get access to students’ records to confirm they went back to the first class. The easiest way was to look at those yearbooks, which is why Eric tried to sneak them to me and why they were taken. We have to find other copies.”

  “There aren’t any at my house. I mean, there’s one from Mom and Benjamin’s senior year, but only that one. I’ve never seen any others.”

  “There has to be more. Maybe in the school.”

  “But you’re not going back to school, are you? Not after...”

  My throat clenched as I remembered the choking water and the foreign thing that brushed against my hand.

  “I don’t— I don’t know.”

  “You don’t have to,” he whispered. “Even if you don’t come back, I’ll never give up finding the Spades and making them pay for what they did. They won’t get away with it if I have to beat the truth out of everyone in that school.”

  I chuckled softly as I wiped away a tear. “I know you won’t give up.”

  I said no more about it and thankfully Ryder changed the subject. I relaxed as the next hour passed. I didn’t know where we were going, but I trusted him.

  Eventually, anonymous highway gave way to cute shops and general stores. Ryder turned down a cul-de-sac and pulled the car up to the curb.

  “Ryder? Where are we?”

  He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned over me and pointed through the window. My eyes lit upon a two-story house with a small blue fence. There were two cars in the driveway and a pink bike abandoned behind them.

  “Who lives here?” I asked.

  “Val.” Something in his voice made me turned to look at him. There was an expression on his face that I couldn’t read. “I said that you couldn’t choose your labors, but this one you can. If you want, I’ll start the car, drive away, and we’ll never talk about this again, but...”

  “What? Ryder, what are you talking about? Where are we?”

  “We’re outside your father’s house.”

  I froze. My eyes grew as that sentence penetrated. “My... father?”

  He nodded. “I wasn’t lying about the private investigator in freshman year. They did track him down and this is where he lives. If you want to meet him, he’s there.”

  “How do you know?” I whispered. “He might not be home.”

  “He works nights. He’s home during the day.”

  Slowly, I turned to the house. “Home... with whoever owns that pink bike.”

  “He has a daughter,” he confirmed, “and a wife.”

  A fist clamped down on my heart and squeezed. He has another family. One he didn’t run out on.

  “What’s his name?” I croaked.

  “It’s Conrad Smalling. He’s home, Valentina. They all are if you want to meet them. This time, it’s truly your choice.”

  “My choice...”

  I never had a choice. Olivia refused to utter one word about him my entire life. All I knew of the man who fathered me was that he rejected his college girlfriend when he found out she was carrying his kid.

  I could meet him. I could see his face for the first time. And my sister. I have a sister. Does she have the pointed chin I didn’t get from Mom? Does she know I exist? Has she been wishing I would knock on that door one day?

  Has he? Does Conrad regret leaving me? Has he spared one thought to the daughter he never knew?

  I sat there for a long time. Ryder didn’t speak or rush me. He gave me my space as I looked out at that pretty house and the promise of a happy family it contained.

  I turned away. “Let’s go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. The man in there isn’t my father. They aren’t my family. He’s just... a stranger.”

  Ryder started the car and pulled away. I didn’t look at the house as it faded in the rearview. There was nothing for me there.

  We turned out of the cul-de-sac and paused at a red light. Ryder leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I hope I didn’t upset you. It’s just felt wrong all of these years to know where he was when you didn’t.”

  I stroked his cheek. “No, Ryder. I’m not upset. I’m glad you brought me here. You reminded me of something I forgot for a moment.”

  “Reminded you of what?”

  The hand stroking his cheek stopped. “You reminded me I have a choice and that no one but me should decide what happens in my life. I chose to go to Evergreen to make a better life for my son and my reason hasn’t changed. I’m going to finish what I started... and I will take down the shits who tried to get in my way.”

  To my surprise, the corner of his mouth tugged up into a grin. “You know, you’re really sexy when you plot vengeance.”

  “Oh yeah?” I replied, laughing. “Did you remember there was something else we had planned for tonight?”

  “I couldn’t forget that. The hotel room is booked and waiting for us.”

  “Let’s go now. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  Ryder zoomed off when the light turned green. It was lucky he had the foresight to book a place near our destination. It would have been awful to have to go all the way back to Wakefield when I was itching to tear his clothes off now.

  “It’s right there.” Ryder pointed through the window at a grand hotel towering in the sky. My mouth fell open seeing the luxury resort. Christmas had arrived at the property. String lights wrapped around the trees and garlands hung over the doors. It was even more magnificent on the inside. White Christmas trees twinkled throughout the lobby.

  Ryder checked us in and took my hand on the way to the elevator. “I got us the honeymoon suite.”

  “Oh?” I pulled him inside when the doors slid open and pressed him against the wall. “Is there something you need to ask me?”

  His cheeks reddened. “Not tonight, but I thought you would appreciate the extras included with the room. I want tonight to be special.”

  “It will be.” I rested my head on his chest as we were whisked twelve floors up. Ryder and I stepped out and made for room 1201—the final door at the end of the hall.

  He opened the door, but stepped aside so I could go in first. I took two steps and gasped.

  I had been expecting cheesy touches like rose petals scattered on the floor and a heart-shaped bed. What I walked into was a gorgeous winter paradise. The lights were dimmed to give the Christmas tree the chance to shine. This one was green and perfectly matched the dark green covers on the bed that took up the raised platform. Fairy lights cast a gentle glow over the space and onto the small table for two and the meal resting on it.

  Ryder stepped out into the middle of the room. “I made sure dinner would be waiting for us in case you were hungry. You mentioned Christmas movies? There are plenty on the TV. We can watch while we eat.”

  “I’d love th-that,” I said, voice cracking. I was in serious danger of crying, but I didn’t want to do that. Words couldn’t describe how perfect this was, but tonight, actions would. “We had our first date over Christmas. It’s right that this is happening now.”

  “A date to remember.” Ryder picked up our plates and moved them to the coffee table. “Adam beat up Santa, we ran away like fugitives, and the elves made fun of us.”

  “Get used to it, Shea. That is the kind of trouble you’re in for if you stick with the Moons.”

  He smiled at me over the champagne flutes. “I can definitely get used to it.”

  Ryder held the glass out to me. “It’s apple
cider.”

  I took it. A thrill went through me just thinking of what else the night would bring. Together, we snuggled up on the couch as Ryder put on the movie. Watching, giggling, feeding each other bites, I was content in his arms as we relaxed and let this unfold without rushing.

  When the credits rolled up the screen, I tilted my head back to look at him. “Want to watch another movie?”

  “Nope.”

  “Want more room service?”

  Ryder trailed his finger down my cheek and traced the curve of my lips. “Nope.”

  “So what do you want to do?” I whispered.

  “I’ll give you a hint.”

  I was still smiling when he bent down and claimed my lips. The kiss was slow and sweet—all the things I once thought Ryder could never be. Slow though it was, it sparked electricity in my body that surged through me and curled my toes.

  I was breathing hard when we broke apart. “I didn’t quite catch the hint. Can you tell me again?”

  His laughed warmed my lips. Ryder’s answer was to stand and hoist me into his arms. He carried me to the bed and set me down gently on the sheets. Our eyes locked as he reached for the edge of his shirt and pulled it over his head. I reached for the buttons of my dress as he pulled at his belt. My pulse quickened as we undressed for each other. We weren’t touching each other, but the anticipation made me pulse with need.

  Why had we waited a week? Why did we wait at all?

  Only when we were naked did I turn over and crawl to the pillows. The mattress dipped as he followed me. Heart racing, I faced him and sank into the bed.

  Ryder pressed his lips to my forehead. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  He kissed my head, then the tip of my nose, then down to my lips where he lingered. I draped my arms around his neck, but he slipped out of them as he continued his journey. He kissed down my body as my heart rattled in my chest. I bit my lip as he kissed my belly button.

  Ryder’s head sank between my legs. The next thing I felt was his soft lips against my inner thighs.

  “We talked about the teasing,” I gasped.

  His chuckle reverberated through me. “I told you I was going to take my time. We have all night, Valentina. I’m going to spend it exploring every inch of you.”