Mercy: A Dark College Romance (Somerset University Book 3)

by Ruby Vincent

  I shook my head. “It’s not up to Eve, Nasir, or Teagan to be my voice of reason, but it is up to me when to say enough is enough.” I slipped out of his hold, falling onto the sheets. “And I say enough with those guys crowding out our headspace. I don’t want to talk or think about them.” I lifted my foot. “I believe you were drying me, Mr. Beaumont. Please continue.”

  He smiled slightly. “Here? After everything.”

  “I can’t think of a better time than following a near-death experience.”

  “Don’t say that word,” he hissed. “I may have to find Aiden’s ass and throw him off again.”

  Gripping his lapels, I tugged him down. “Find my ass first.”

  Our lips clashed in a shower of sparks.

  I reached for my buttons and Maverick stopped me. He rose—our lips staying connected until the last possible second. He towered over me, showering me in his pulsing, consuming gaze. Maverick said nothing. Merely twisted his finger.

  I turned and got on my knees immediately. Gentle, calloused fingers encircled my neck, caressing a line over my collarbone and down the valley of my breasts. I held my breath unconsciously—excitement rising as he dipped into my bra and... drew back. I clicked my tongue on his hand’s retreat.

  “Tonight is not the night to tease me, Beaumont.”

  “The name is Maverick.” He tipped my chin back, locking eyes. “I will hear that name on your lips. I’ll make you scream it. Make you say it between your demands for harder, deeper, and more.”

  My throat bobbed against his fingers. Dampness collected in my soaked panties, begging for my sweet, gentle teddy bear to get filthier.

  “This isn’t a tease. It’s a surrender.”

  What could be said to that, I didn’t know.

  Maverick dropped to his knees. One by one, he popped my buttons, dropping kisses on each inch of flesh they revealed.

  “Up.”

  I never got on all fours so fast in my life—and I could do it pretty fast.

  Maverick tugged my dress the rest of the way down, taking my thong with it. I lay naked, exposed, vulnerable before his mercy.

  Hot breath blew over my pussy, curling my toes, fists, and even the hairs on my neck. “Please, Maverick.”

  “Please what?”

  “Punish me.”

  He plunged inside and parted me easily with two fingers. His tongue found my clit, rolling and teasing the nub until my cries grew hoarse.

  “Yes, please. Don’t stop.”

  Maverick took his exploration up, tongue-fucking my weeping pussy to a chorus of moans. My orgasm was coming fast. Fisting the sheets, my back arched under the building pressure.

  He pulled out.

  “Maverick,” I shrieked. “I very specifically told you not to stop.”

  “We’re playing by different rules tonight, babe.” A smack landed on my backside. “Turn over.”

  I nearly came right then. I flipped on my back, eager for more instructions.

  Maverick flicked his eyes down. That’s it. Just a roll of those hazel orbs.

  Quickly, I undid his belt, flung it over my shoulder, and freed his straining length.

  Maverick tangled in my hair, drawing my head back, and parting lips ready to receive him. He didn’t ask and I didn’t need him to. Maverick pushed inside, leaving a trail of precum on my tongue. He hit the back of my throat, going deeper than he normally did, and when he started pumping, that wasn’t usual either.

  Maverick fucked my mouth hard and merciless. My moans echoed around him, saying what I couldn’t.

  Harder and faster.

  My hand slipped between my legs.

  “Fingers where I can see them,” he growled.

  We can put denying me an orgasm on the list of firsts. Who is this man?

  I gripped his ass instead, sinking my nails in his cheeks. He hissed and picked up the speed.

  A bit-off curse and then salty-sweet cum filled my mouth. I swallowed every bit. Looking into his eyes, I swiped the stream running down my chin and licked my finger clean.

  “Fucking hell, Val. Get up here.”

  I climbed him like a monkey, wrapping my arms and legs around him, gasping as he pushed the tip past my entrance. Maverick grasped my hips and slammed me up, down, up, down on his cock. My head dangled off my body, thrown back as I screamed with abandon. I didn’t care who heard. I wanted everyone to hear.

  I wasn’t in control of this. Not of him or me or the cresting, crashing sensations dragging me to the depths. This wasn’t sex. It wasn’t lovemaking.

  It was complete and absolute surrender to the man who owned me—heart, body, and soul.

  My orgasm rushed to a crescendo, desperate for Maverick to hit the final note.

  Gripping my hip, he lifted me up slightly and thrust, striking that spot with dead-on accuracy. I came so hard, shaking and screaming in his ear, I thought he’d drop me.

  Which he did.

  We both fell on the sheets in a sweaty, exhausted heap.

  “Damn, baby,” I gasped. “I thoroughly understand what it means to have the shit fucked out of me now.”

  He chuckled. “Does that mean you won’t be climbing on any more balconies?”

  “Well, if this is the result...”

  Maverick finished undressing and tucked us under the sheets. Holding me close, he kissed all over my face and neck, my sweet bear returned.

  “You spanked me,” I said, teasing him. “Where did that come from?”

  “Felt right in the moment.”

  “I hope it feels right in some of the moments coming up.”

  “I’m sure there will come a few occasions where you’ll need to be punished.”

  The husky reply stirred my core for another go. But not here.

  “Let’s get out of here, love.” I kissed him slow. “I want to explore this new sexual direction we’re taking in our bed. And on our couch. And on our desk.”

  “Don’t have to ask me twice.”

  It took a few tries, and a few more kisses, but eventually we dragged ourselves out of the borrowed bed and got dressed.

  My hand firmly in his, Maverick and I left our safe haven, heading for the stairs. We made it to the first floor and passed through the way we came for the front door.

  “Drop it.”

  “Back off, Aiden. You don’t tell me what to do anymore.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.”

  Their heated voices came out of the room ahead. I peered into a study. A white sofa set before a flickering fireplace—the single source of light in the room. Scanning for the boys, I landed on a desk, bookshelf, bar, and Aiden backing a red-face Sawyer into the corner. He shoved him and something hit the floor with a shattering crash.

  “We had a bet and you lost. You want to end up back there, Burn?” I’d never heard Aiden use the tone he did right then. “Lose another year of your life? Just say the word.”

  “Hey!” I dropped Maverick’s hand, running into the room. “What do you think you’re doing? Get off of him.”

  Aiden twisted and glared a hole in me. “You know what? That’s a great question, Val. What am I doing? If Sawyer wants to drink himself to death, why should I stop him?!”

  “Watch yourself,” Maverick snapped. “Don’t talk to her that way.”

  I frowned. Aiden wasn’t the yelling type, and Sawyer...

  The taller boy turned his face from us, fist pale and balled at his side.

  What’s going on with these two?

  “I will watch myself,” Aiden said, but not to us. “From now on, I worry about my shit and you worry about yours.” He shoved him again. “You said you were done with this!”

  Sawyer bore it in silence.

  Scoffing, Aiden turned his back on his friend and walked out.

  “Sawyer,” I began.

  “Leave it, Val.” He stomped over the remains of the shattered whiskey bottle and took another from the bar.

  “Thank you,” I said as he brushed past
us, pulling him up short. “Thank you for jumping in and saving me.”

  “I wouldn’t have let him hurt you.” It was hard to hear him over the crackling fire. “You’re a good person. Maybe the last good person in Nu Alpha and Zeta Rho. I don’t know what Leighton was thinking when she let you in, but if you want my advice, get out. We were all different before we entered their perfect patch of Greek Row. Leave before they get to you too.”

  “Get to me?” I took a step toward him. “What does that mean?”

  “If you don’t know, you’ll find out soon enough.”

  “But—”

  “See you around, Valentina.” He tromped out, bottle tipped to his mouth before he rounded the corner out of sight.

  “Want to go after him?” Maverick asked.

  “No.” I took his hand once more. “Whatever we just walked in on is for Aiden and Sawyer to sort out. I meant it, Maverick. We’re done.”

  Maverick bent and nibbled my bottom lip. A giggle made my mouth part and he swooped in, kissing the crap out of me. I was unsteady on my feet when we broke apart.

  “We’re done.”

  “YOU’RE DOING GREAT, ladies. One more mile.”

  The collective groans reminded me so much of my pledge time, I smothered a laugh.

  It had been a month since that wild night and my dip in the pool. Since then, Aiden and I fell into our standard roles. Planning parties, activities, and the charity dinner. We didn’t talk about anything else.

  I maintained the same resolve with Eve, Sabrina, Kendra, and Teagan. Once or twice they brought up the club. A few “I’m not interesteds” finally shut down the conversation. Whatever they got up to was their business, and the business of finding out who Aiden Connelly truly was I left to Ryder’s security team. They were smart, armed, and backed by resources. They could play detective. All I wanted to do was go to school, run my sorority, and curl up with my son, dog, and boyfriends at the end of the day.

  “Smile,” Jade crooned. The fit vessel of beauty, intelligence, stamina, and enigmas that we called Jade Ortega was literally running circles around us. She looped the running group, shouting encouragement at everyone.

  “Jade, I love you,” Ellie huffed. “But I also hate everything about you. Please don’t take that personally.”

  Jade laughed without sounding the least bit winded. Honestly, it was obscene that she was barely breaking a sweat. “None taken. You should hear what my mom calls me on our weekend runs.”

  “Val,” Chloe whined.

  “No one escapes the physical requirements,” I told her. “Not even me. All this running, training, and cooking with the sisters has me disgustingly healthy. I may even keep it up after I graduate.”

  “Would that be so bad?” Jade teased.

  “Yes, because now I have to feel bad for all the cursing and swearing I did as a pledge.”

  They laughed at me.

  “Is that your way of saying we’re going to thank you?” Ellie asked.

  Maeve jogged up to my side. “Why do we have to do this? Other sororities make you compete for how many shots you can down.”

  “We were formed in honor of Sally Hollenbeck. The powers that be decided we wouldn’t be known for philanthropy or liver disease. We would emulate her by kicking ass in everything we do.”

  “If we don’t kick ass, will we really not get in?”

  “It seems harsh right now. Suffering through the test. Running, jumping, and working out. But all of this shows me how much you want it. Proves you won’t give up and that you know what it means to be in it together. I did a lot of cursing as a pledge, but now I’m thankful Zeta Rho taught me how to stretch. It’s how I reached new heights.”

  “Wow.”

  “Wow indeed,” said Jade. “Well said. I agree completely.”

  In unison, my sisters said, “That’s why they call you madame president.”

  I groaned.

  MAVERICK

  “The competition is this weekend and we don’t have a bus. Can you drop the calm-and-collected act and freak out with me, please?” Cydney cried.

  I cracked a grin. “It’s not an act. I am calm and collected. The school will charter a new bus or I will. I’ll pay for it myself if it comes to that.”

  “Oh.” Cydney stepped into the elevator. “I forget how filthy stinkin’ rich you are.”

  “You sound sickened.”

  “I am a bit.” Though a smile played at her lips. “Guess that’s one crisis averted. Now for the other fifty.”

  “Davis dropped out to focus on school and Bebop’s crane stopped working. Both are situations we can handle.”

  “Need I remind you that the competition is this weekend?”

  I blew out a breath. She was right. This was a disaster. We gave up our summers for this robot, and as the competition closed in, things started going wrong. We didn’t have a club meeting that day, but Cydney and I were squeezing in an hour between classes to diagnose what was wrong with Bebop.

  Cydney pulled ahead of me. “Maybe there’s a problem in the code.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with my code.”

  She stopped dead in the middle of the hall just to give me a deadpan look. “All right, Mr. Perfect. What could it be? We’ve put him through the course three times and he performed like a champ.”

  “’Cause he is a champ. We’ll get him running again and Itzel will take over for Davis.”

  Cydney unlocked our door, swept in, and held it open for me. “Keep up the optimism. The calm-and-collected may rub off on me,” she said as we made for our stations. “At least if we—”

  Her scream jerked me to a stop but the sight of Sawyer would’ve done the same. The Sam lay spread-eagle on the floor. He looked peaceful, as if in sleep, and the reason for his slumber the needle sticking out of his arm.

  “Cydney, call an ambulance!” I dropped down beside him. “Sawyer? Hey, man, wake up.” I smacked his cheeks. Lightly. Then harder. “Wake up. You can do it, Sawyer. Don’t go out like this.”

  His eyelids fluttered—the barest movement. A rasping groan rattled through chapped lips, and died just as quickly.

  I couldn’t rouse him again. Shouts, smacks, nor shakes. Sawyer lay still and pale, dying before my eyes.

  “HOW ARE YOU HOLDING up?”

  “I’m okay, Val. I’m not the one who overdosed in an empty classroom.” I handed Cydney her coffee. The cup shook in her hands.

  “Want me to come to the hospital?”

  “No, I want you to go home and tell our son to never do drugs.”

  “I might wait until he knows what drugs are to get that promise out of him,” she said, amused.

  “By the time he knows, it’s too late. While you’re at it, tell him not to drink, gamble, and if he ever meets a guy named Aiden who wants him to join a club, knock the bastard out and keep walking.”

  “Yes, Daddy. I’ll get right on that.” Val sobered quickly. “Think this has something to do with the club?”

  “Not sure. They haven’t let me in to see him yet. I don’t know if he’ll talk to me, but I’ll try. I got the feeling more than once over the last couple of months that Sawyer has lots of brothers, but very few friends.”

  “Well, you have me. If you need me to come, I will.”

  “I know.” A white-coated man wearing a stethoscope came out of Sawyer’s room. “I have to go. The doctor is here.”

  “Bye. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  “Hello.” Doctor Walsh introduced himself. “You’re the two who brought him in?”

  “Yes,” said Cydney. “Will Sawyer be okay?”

  “He will. Mr. Burn is very lucky you two found him in time.”

  “Can I talk to him?” I asked.

  “For a few minutes. He needs rest.”

  “I won’t be long.”

  The doctor stepped aside for us. I side-hugged Cyd. “Want me to call someone to pick you up?”

  “No. My friend is coming for me.
I’ll check on Sawyer and then leave you two to talk.”

  “All right.”

  Sawyer shifted as we came into the room. A pale imitation of him lay beneath the covers. Like a photocopy from a machine running out of ink. How didn’t I see he wasn’t well before?

  Cydney bent over him. Whispered kind words in his ear and kissed his forehead. She patted my arm on the way out, leaving me to it.

  “Hey.” His voice was no louder than a thin, reedy whisper. “I remember you slapping me around. Thanks.”

  I pulled up a chair next to him. “I’d say anytime, but I’m hoping we never have to do this again.”

  He dropped his gaze. “I know what it looked like, Rick. Trust me when I say it was an accident. It can happen... after you get clean.”

  “Clean?”

  “Your body can’t handle the amount you were shooting up before. They told us that in rehab. Warned us.” He laughed mirthlessly. “I should’ve listened.”

  “You went to rehab,” I repeated as things began to click into place.

  “For a year and a half.”

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “I see.”

  “Do you see? You understand why I refused to tell you where I was? Why I dropped off the face of the planet? My parents spent a lot of money to put me in a discrete facility. They didn’t want this tarnishing my future. A stain I couldn’t recover from.” He sighed. “This will kill them.”

  “I understand that this wasn’t any of my business. But we weren’t trying to dig up dirt, Sawyer. We thought you were kidnapped.”

  “I... kind of was,” he admitted. “Confessing that I had a problem didn’t come easy. Even with the lengths I was going through to pretend everything was fine. I refused to take a look at what my act covered up. But Aiden saw it,” he said. “Because of that file he keeps on us.”

  My head snapped up.

  “Yeah, I knew about that. He was watching me so closely, he noticed my running times lagging. That I wasn’t lifting as much or pushing as hard. I partied with the guys in the club, but my change in the house proved to him that the party didn’t stop for me outside of Friday nights.”

  “So, he kidnapped you and made you go to rehab?”

  “No,” he replied. “Aiden contacted my parents who tried everything to reach me. I shut them out, insisted the booze and drugs were under control, and bitched at Aiden for ratting me out. The next thing I knew I was being thrown in the back of a van, and yes, that was my parents. They arranged it with Aiden believing the only way to get through to me was to haul me off for an intervention. It took a while, but eventually I agreed to go.”