Forsaken: A bully romance (An Academy Twin Rivalry Series Book 1)

by Taylor Blaine

  There was no coming back from that.

  ~~~

  When I got back to the place I shared with my mom and her worthless boyfriend, I parked my ’67 El Camino at the end of the lot of the apartment complex and locked the doors.

  Walking across the packed-dirt parking lot, I glanced around. The surroundings were less than inspiring with trees on the other side of overgrown lawns and weed-infested flower patches. One of the apartment residents had tried to keep her flowers taken care of, but the managers had found her dead body a few weeks ago, leaving the apartment empty and no one to maintain the flowers.

  The ground-floor apartment had been empty since.

  Movement at the window of the previously empty apartment, though, caught my eye. Someone must have moved in recently and I just didn’t know it.

  I’d have to check that out and see who had been stupid enough to pick the Shores Apartments instead of the other complex closer to the school.

  I knew why we were there. Climbing the stairs to the third-floor apartment I’d demanded when my mom had been looking, I set my jaw to the side, ready to deal with a belligerent Norman. The loud Metallica music thumping down the stairs and shaking the walls gave me a heads up. If I didn’t have to check on my mom, I wouldn’t even go back tonight.

  If I didn’t have to do a lot of things for my mother, my life would be drastically different.

  I took a deep breath as I reached the partially open door. No one would break in. They knew who I was and where I lived. Anyone who messed with my mother would have to deal with me. The few years I’d gone to East Shores Academy I’d proven myself over and over until no one did anything without running it by me first.

  The wood of the doorjamb had multiple scrapes and dents from the many times Norman had gotten in a fight with the door and lost. We’d been forced to lock him out a couple times and, while it hadn’t lasted, it had left me feeling empowered that we were doing something, anything, to take back my mom’s life.

  But, like I said, it never lasted.

  The short time I’d been with Olivia in the courtyard had reminded me of who I really was, the life I was supposed to be leading. With her lush lips consuming me and the fire in her eyes as she’d defied me, I felt like Jaxon O’Donnell, one of the richest son of a bitches in the States.

  She was different and I liked it. No matter how off-limits she was, she’d reminded me of who I’d been and I relished the memory. I appreciated it even more as I stood there on the cheap ass concrete balcony, waiting to go inside the hovel I’d been forced to live in with my mom because my father was still in love with her and wanted her watched over.

  Who was I kidding? I loved her, too, and I didn’t want anything to happen to her.

  I hated that about me. Why couldn’t I be like Braddox? Why couldn’t I cut my feelings for Mom out of my heart and just not care as she threw our family away?

  She’d walked away from billions when she’d left with Norman, the plumber, who didn’t work anymore. They both lived off my mom’s child support which didn’t make sense since I provided for myself and she rarely saw me.

  I pushed the door open to the apartment and recoiled, pulling the door shut again and refusing to go in.

  My mom was a drunk and in her many binges she forgot who she was supposed to be. I’d probably have to bleach my eyes to get the image of her screwing Norman on the couch out of my head.

  I returned to my black classic car and sat in the driver’s seat with a sigh. Looked like I’d be sleeping at the shop again. Running my hands down my face, I shook my head and then started the engine.

  I could look over the carburetor of a car I was working on and see if I could work the images of Olivia sitting in class without her shirt on out of my head.

  She’d been sent home during the first period after lunch because of her lack of a shirt, but she didn’t seem put out.

  What had she called my school? A shithole? She probably couldn’t wait to get out of there.

  Frustration welled inside me at the heat burning just under my skin that wouldn’t go away since she’d kissed me. I couldn’t get the feel of her under my hands out of my head and that pissed me off.

  She didn’t get to control me. She didn’t get to have any part of me.

  I’d have to set out to make sure she knew she wasn’t welcome. Spraying her with pop was child’s play. What I had in mind she wouldn’t be able to flip around by taking her shirt off.

  Instead, she’d beg me to get her out of there.

  The thought of her begging didn’t help my situation and I shifted on the bucket seat. Maybe Crenshaw would let me shower at his place, too. I was going to need a freezing one to deal with the emotions Olivia left behind.

  Yeah, I needed her out of my head. Getting her out of East Shores would be the first place to start.

  Chapter 3

  Braddox

  I shouldn’t give a shit where that whore had gone to. I hadn’t seen her in three months and it was getting on my damn nerves.

  Except… Damn it, if I couldn’t get her out of my head. I hated the lack of control I had regarding the elusive Ramirez. Not having control drove me nuts and I was fast losing my patience.

  Tapping my pencil on the side of a desk I picked when I walked into Statistical Mathematical Applications, I watched the new blonde chick bend over in front of me, her ass inches from my hand resting on the desk.

  Turning, she lifted her shoulder and stared blatantly at me with green eyes that reminded me of Olivia.

  If the new girl, what had she said her name was? Staci. If Staci wanted to get bent over, all she had to do was keep looking at me with those eyes.

  Olivia had left behind a severe case of blue balls that I couldn’t fix, no matter who I screwed or let suck me off.

  Staci batted her eyelashes and licked her plump lips. Tapping the desk in front of me with long French-tipped nails, she tilted her head. “Let me know if you need help with your math. I’m pretty good with angles.”

  She slid her ass into the seat in front of me and leaned forward, the back of her shirt pulling up above the waist of her pants and showing the top of her bright pink thong.

  Interesting.

  And yet at the same time, she wasn’t Olivia, so I wasn’t that interested. I’d already experienced multiple girls to get Olivia out of my head. None of them worked. What made me think one more might? Staci was blatantly slutty, too. Everything about her said she was as common as a punch bowl. Everyone got to dip their glass in.

  No thanks. I’d keep her in the pocket in case my horniness got too out of control and my standbys weren’t available.

  Olivia hadn’t let me tap her ass once. No matter how much I’d tried. And I swear she knew how much more that made me want her. I wasn’t going to lie, she had a mysterious quality about her I couldn’t figure out. She was pure and innocent while being passionate and engaged. Even rich and from the Ramirez line, Olivia had been humble and sweet. Two traits I lacked and didn’t care to develop.

  You couldn’t do anything with humility or sweetness. Those traits got you poor and powerless. I wasn’t interested in either.

  She also had said no to me so many times, I think it had become my life’s mission to get her to say yes. Just once. That’s all I needed. Screw her once and get it out of my system. I think then I would be able to rinse the obsession with her from my mind and out of my body. What I wouldn’t give for a reprieve from the lust around just thinking of her.

  No one said no to me. No one had the audacity to deny me what I wanted and yet, Olivia had decided she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to, regardless of anyone else.

  Hell, if I didn’t respect her for that. Respect wasn’t something I gave away willingly.

  I picked up my phone, continuing to ignore the teacher. I already got my acceptance into MIT. My grades were spotless and my SATs barely had room to go higher. Not to mention I had money coming out my pores. My future was packed.

&n
bsp; The only thing I was missing was Olivia.

  My hard-core demeanor cracked as I swiped through the messages I’d sent her. She hadn’t replied to any of them and that left me more hurt than pissed, but I’d never admit it. I couldn’t be that weak.

  Guys who loved a woman too much were pussies and I wasn’t that way. My dad still loved my mom who had cheated on him and moved out, taking my dickhead brother with her. She hadn’t looked back, so why should I? And why was my dad?

  I ignored Staci when the bell rang. She wasn’t going to get Olivia out of my head and I wasn’t interested in screwing someone just to have it turn into a clingy situation. Some of the chicks at West Shores had a serious issue with putting out and expecting more than a guy wanted to give.

  Clutching my phone tight in my hand, I left the room. I refused to text or call Olivia. I wouldn’t do it anymore. She hadn’t answered me in twelve weeks. I wasn’t going to chase her. She was crazy to think I was.

  “Hey, man. Did you see the look Staci just gave you? I bet she’d blow you here in the hallway, if you let her.” Donnie fist bumped me and nodded his head. He was far and away the most interesting kid I’d ever met. We’d been friends longer than not and I grinned when I was around him.

  He wasn’t jaded about having money because he hadn’t been born with a trust fund. Even though I had, I respected the ease with which he slipped in and out of the lifestyle. He fit in anywhere. Sometimes I hoped the gift would rub off on me, other times I preferred the deferential treatment I got anywhere I went – regardless if the person knew me or not.

  “I’m having another party Friday. You want anyone special to show up? We have a week, but I’m definitely going to get Pamela to grab her girls and tag team me. Can you imagine?” Donnie laughed, covering his mouth with his closed fist.

  The problem was, we didn’t have to imagine. There weren’t many things we hadn’t tried. I shrugged and shook my head, moving to lean against the lockers, watching the junior girls’ track team walk by in their silky short shorts. “I wouldn’t mind a piece of that.”

  A few of the girls turned and winked at me.

  “Haven’t you had more than a piece?” Donnie shook his head and smirked. “You’re a whore, man. Nothing but a whore.” He grinned and reached out to punch me. “It’s part of why you’re my hero. I don’t think I know of any girl who has successfully said no to you.”

  I left my own smug grin on my face, but inside my humor dissipated. I could think of one and I was surprisingly put off by the fact that she’d gotten away from me. A body like Olivia’s deserved to be enjoyed over and over and over.

  I had the right skills to do exactly that and she’d enjoy it with me. That’s what was so damn frustrating. It’s not like I didn’t turn her on. I knew how much she wanted me. Her will power was infuriatingly strong.

  Deep down, under my shit-ton of confidence, a small sliver of insecurity couldn’t help asking if I was absolutely sure I turned her on the way she made me burn?

  I laughed at something else Donnie said, ignoring my internal question as we strode to my ’69 Nova SS. The black beast could make me feel better, even if it was only for the temporary ride home.

  I slapped Donnie on the back and we parted ways. He rode a motorcycle and wouldn’t be caught dead in a car, unless it was an ambulance. I slid into the driver’s side, shutting the door and blocking me inside a well-shaded darkness.

  My limousine tint left the car almost completely blacked out. I leaned back, resting my head on the back of the seat as I stared at the ceiling.

  What could have possibly happened with Olivia? Her mom worked for my dad, but I rarely saw her at the house. It wasn’t in my genetic makeup to search out the help.

  When Olivia had said her mom had lost everything and spilled the truth, I’d reached out to my father and asked him to find Ms. Ramirez a job. I only found out a couple weeks ago she’d been hired as a maid for the house. I’d meant something more along the lines at one of his businesses. But whatever.

  Honestly, I’d thought that if Olivia’s mom worked at my house, she could go to West Shores still, but that didn’t seem to be an option.

  Her house had sold fast and I’d been surprised to find Staci living there the only time I’d gone to check to see where Olivia was.

  The short ride to my house didn’t amaze me, probably because I was jaded with everything anymore.

  Steep cliffs dropped to the ocean just past the flimsy protection of the guardrail. The miniscule shoulder wouldn’t offer much help with its slick layer of loose gravel covering the edge. Trees towered above the two-lane road as the mountain rose above the ocean, determined to lord it over the waters that raged beneath.

  Which was I more like? The mountain who would never really be as good as it wanted or the relentless water that constantly sought the heights of the mountain peaks but only ever succeeded at tearing away at the sides.

  I pulled into the expansive driveway, parking my Nova in the middle of the drive and taking up as much room as possible. Hopefully, my dad would see it and remember I was there.

  Honestly, I didn’t care anymore. There was a time after Mom and Jax left that I’d been so lonely and lost, I’d begged my dad to pay attention to me. But that had faded as I’d been left alone and he told me to stop acting like a baby.

  Got it.

  I couldn’t shake my frustration. Storming into the house, I threw my keys at the crystal bowl on the side table and ignored the screech of metal on glass as I walked by.

  A woman gasped. The startled sound came from the corner of the room and I turned, whirling as if someone might come after me with a knife. I was ready. In fact, I’d be more than happy to beat the shit out of someone, anyone, but not a mouse.

  Which is what this woman looked like with her hair pulled back into a tight bun and no makeup. She wore a white apron over a lavender-gray dress and white flat shoes.

  Pressing a hand to her chest, she shook her head. “Excuse me, you startled me, Mister O’Donnell.”

  I narrowed my eyes. She was new and she wasn’t Olivia’s mom. “Who are you? What happened to Ms. Ramirez?” I wasn’t even sure if that was appropriate to ask the help, but I figured I didn’t care.

  “Ms. Ramirez was asked to be Mr. O’Donnell’s personal assistant and consultant this morning, sir. Is there something you need from her? I’d be happy to ring her in the main study, if so.” The woman inclined her head and I shook mine tightly.

  Turning, I strode through the house. The study. My dad had hired Ms. Ramirez as a maid and then transferred her from housekeeping to business affairs? None of that made sense.

  We weren’t some Hallmark movie where my dad went after the help. That just didn’t happen in real life.

  Except… Ms. Ramirez wasn’t really from the same pedigree as most of the people we hired. She was one of us. Her blood ran green with dollar signs. It wasn’t her fault her idiot husband had thrown everything away.

  From what Olivia had told me, her mother had taken the family business from doing west coast well to doing internationally well. She hadn’t been able to stop as her business acumen had taken the family business places most companies couldn’t even dream of.

  If Dad had hired her, it wasn’t because she looked good in an apron – even if she’d been naked. He didn’t have eyes for anyone but my mom. At least he hadn’t since she’d left so long ago.

  I climbed the stairs, curious what exactly what was happening in the study. I might just be a kid but I had a head for business myself and my dad often let me sit in on meetings. He was always talking about training me to take over the business someday. That hadn’t really gone anywhere since buying, developing, and then selling real estate had a lot of i’s and t’s to take care of.

  Pushing open the closed door, I came to a stop at the sight of my dad and his new “consultant” banging on the desk.

  My dad lifted his head and his eyes met mine, but he didn’t stop. He jerked his chin toward the
door and I couldn’t stop smirking at him as I turned and walked back out the way I’d come in.

  Yeah, Ms. Ramirez was doing a damn good job coaching my dad. Maybe she’d help me out and give some tips to Olivia.

  An idea started to work its way into the back recesses of my mind. If I could get my dad to want more from Olivia’s mom – not just sex or business, but maybe something more permanent, maybe I could get Olivia to move into my house where I’d have constant access.

  The idea wasn’t ludicrous. I doubted my dad would remarry, so she and I being step-siblings wasn’t a problem. But if I could get her into a room, preferably into the room connected to mine, I would be able to cajole the sex right out of her and have it whenever I wanted.

  The idea had merit and I couldn’t stop the whistle from forming on my lips.

  My dad getting lucky only meant I had the chance to get Olivia out of my head. That’s all I needed. One hardcore night with her. Screw her brains out and then maybe I could stop thinking about her, stop worrying about her, stop caring.

  As much as I hated to admit it, she struck something inside me and I hated that she had a hold of me. As soon as I could, I was going to wrench her grasp off me and let it go.

  Getting Dad shacked up with Ms. Ramirez would get me on the path toward getting free.

  Oh, Olivia, you’re not going anywhere just yet.

  Chapter 4

  Olivia

  Opening my locker, I shook my head and grinned like I couldn’t be happier at the sight of a used condom hanging from the slits in my locker. I kept my features amused while the anxiety from the week of bullying twisted into a knot in my lower abdomen. I pulled my math book out for the last time. After the other crap happening to my locker, I’d already decided to stop using it. The condom just clenched things.

  The idiots at ESA could just fill it up and I wouldn’t know what was in it. That would help with my peace of mind.

  I took off my bright pink sweatshirt with pink and white zebra stripes down the sleeves and looped it around the strap on my backpack. I wasn’t going to wear it around my waist and, while it was cool outside, it wasn’t freezing. I didn’t need it on. My white t-shirt would be enough to get me home.