Cruel Summer: A College Bully Romance (Verona Academy Book 1)

by Melinda Terranova

  “Please?” I whimper, his face is so close I can feel his warm breath on my cheek.

  His hand, still at the back of my head, turns my face towards him. “Open your eyes,” he growls.

  I do as I’m told. I stare into eyes, eyes so devoid of humanity, it makes my whole body recoil. His stare moves to my lips and I suck in a blubbering breath, my chest heaves against him.

  “I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, again.” He grins at me. He removes his hand from behind my head and places it at the base of my throat, holding me in place. I swallow against his palm, trying to stop myself from falling apart at the mercy of his cruelness. He studies me for a moment before he takes his other hand and gently cups my cheek where the bruising is, he slowly and gently runs his thumb over my cheekbone and my slightly swollen eye.

  “Please stop.” I flinch under his touch. This seems to excite him and he presses his thumb into the bruising on my cheekbone, right where his fist came in contact with my face. I cry out in pain and my hands instinctively reach up to shield my face, only he grabs both my wrists in his strong fingers and holds them between us.

  “What fun would be if I stopped?” He brings my fisted hands up to his lips and gently kisses my knuckles.

  I want to vomit at the grotesque gesture and try to bring my leg up to knee him in the balls, hell, kneeing him anywhere would be good right now. His presses his muscular thighs against my legs, rendering me immobile and seems to feed on my anger and anxiety. I struggle against him, trying to free myself, I will not go down without a fight. I see a glint of malice in his eyes as I push and pull against him, his features teetering on the edge of excitement. This man is a beast, a violent and cruel beast that should be locked up in a cage, away from humanity.

  Three loud cracks echo though the entry door and we both freeze, his hands still grip mine and he is pressed against me, holding me against the wall when the door is kicked open.

  In storms Enzo, a gun held in his hands, his eyes manic as he takes in the scene before him. He lunges forward with his gun held towards us. My heart nearly stops and I hold my breath as the next few seconds play out in front of me in slow motion. I can hear myself scream, it sounds as though I’m under water, my voice garbled and muted. When I come to, Enzo has Damiano pushed against the wall with his gun pressed against the back of his skull.

  Chapter Twenty

  Summer

  “If you’re going to point the gun at me, use it,” Damiano growls, his face pushed into the wall.

  “You fucking weasel, you don’t deserve to die a quick and painless death. I will fucking torture you until you beg me to kill you.” Enzo slams his body against Damiano’s, making Damiano exhale a painful wheeze.

  “You don’t have the balls, Enzo.”

  A shriek escapes my lips as I hear Enzo click the gun. He doesn’t take notice of me at all, it’s as though I’m not here. I stumble backwards into the bed and land on my ass. My line of sight is obscured now by the high mattress and I need to get up and stop Enzo from doing something stupid.

  I hear a loud thud as I scramble forward towards the two men, and watch Enzo smash the gun into the side of Damiano’s skull over and over. Blood gushes down Damiano’s face and neck, covering Enzo’s hand.

  “Get her out of here,” Enzo orders as two large hands grip me under the arms and lift me up to cradle me against a muscular chest.

  “No, stop,” I cry out as I am carried away from the room, away from Enzo and away from the monster who kidnapped me. My eyes bulge as we stride past three dead mobsters laying on the floor, all with bullet wounds to the head. I scrunch my eyes shut and count backwards from one hundred in my head, a good distraction method to rid my retinas of the images I just saw.

  “You’re safe now,” a familiar voice interrupts my counting.

  I glance up into Luca’s eyes as he places me onto my feet. I study him, confusion clouding my senses and I’m lost for words.

  “Get in the car, blondie.” He opens the door of the black Range Rover.

  “But, Enzo,” I sob as tears fall down my cheeks.

  “He’s fine,” he says, clearly irritated that he had to deal with the crying damsel. “Dante is with him and I need to get back up there, now. Please, Summer, get in the damn car.” He grabs my arm, making me cower. “Sorry,” he lets go of me.

  I wipe the tears from my eyes, my vision blurry as I climb into the car. I’m about to say something, but Luca slams the door in my face, taps on the car and disappears back into the building. The driver speeds off and I claw at the doors to try to escape and run far away from all of this.

  “Please miss, calm down,” the driver says as he looks in the rear vision mirror.

  “Where are you taking me?” My eyes dart from window to window.

  “Back to Mr Russo’s apartment. As instructed.”

  “Mr Russo?” I hope to all hell that he doesn’t mean Enzo’s dad.

  “Enzo’s apartment, miss. Please sit back and relax, everything is being handled. You needn’t worry.”

  Needn’t worry? Why is everyone so fucking blasé about the whole situation. I feel the hysteria bubbling as I think about all the events over the past couple of days and my thoughts turn to Jake and Rob. What must they be thinking by now? Surely they would have contacted my mom and dad, and they would be looking for me as well. I sink into the leather seat as exhaustion and shock take over my mind and body, I find myself falling asleep in the back of the Range Rover.

  ***

  “Baby, wake up.” A gentle hand brushes my cheek.

  I must be dreaming, the voice is so gentle and soothing and no one on this earth calls me baby.

  “Hey, can you hear me?”

  I feel feather light kisses across my forehead.

  “Summer,” the voice coos.

  I open my eyes and blink rapidly as I look into molten dark eyes, eyes that regard me with concern. “Oh, Enzo,” I cry out, wrapping both my arms around his neck and pull him into me. I breathe him in, his masculine scent filling my senses.

  “It’s okay.” He soothes me, rubbing my back with his large hand.

  I unwrap myself from him and put my palm to his cheek. “I thought,”

  “Shhh,” he cuts me off with a searing kiss, lacing his fingers through mine. He kisses me hungrily, parting my lips with his tongue. He pulls back, his eyes searching mine. “I thought I lost you. I would have slit every mother fuckers throat if you were hurt.” He breathes.

  I flinch at his words. “Don’t say that,” I whisper.

  “I’d do anything for you, Summer.” His stare is deep and grounding.

  “What happened? Why was I taken?” I let out a sharp breath, not wanting to know the answers, but at the same time needing to know.

  “Let’s not worry about that now, I just want to get you home, back to safety.” He picks up my hand and squeezes it.

  “I need to know, Enzo. I need to,” I plead with him.

  He lets out a sigh, and runs his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He looks at the ground.

  “Tell me everything, from the beginning. I need to know.” I watch him carefully.

  He swallows and rubs his face with is hands. “Fuck.” He stands abruptly and paces across the room, his hands behind his head.

  “Enzo, spit it out.” I scoot to the edge of the bed.

  He stops pacing and turns to look at me, his usual impermeable mask slips into place. “You’re going to hate me after this.” He blows out a breath through pursed lips.

  “No, I could never hate you.”

  “Here goes nothing.” He stands there, in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets. “Your father was forced to send you to Verona because he owed my father a debt, you are simply collateral to ensure your dad kept up his end of the bargain.”

  I feel something inside me shatter, the ground underneath me shaking as I get my head around this information. My dad, the well-respected pillar of
our little town, embroiled in the one thing he tries so hard to rid his town of, corruption and criminals. A part of me is gone forever from that moment, the sweet innocent me no longer thinking of my dad as the bravest and most dependable man I know. I have lost all respect for him.

  I stare up at Enzo, unable to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. Not wanting to believe them. “So, you knew about me before I even arrived?” I accuse.

  He looks at the ground, guilt written all over his features. “I did.”

  “What the fuck, Enzo! You pretended like you didn’t know me. Why? Why the fuck would anyone do that?” I shout at him.

  “It’s not like that.” A crease forms between his eyebrows.

  “What is it like then? Is that why you and your two asshole cousins were mean as fuck to me?” Horror seeps into my voice.

  “We were ordered to keep tabs on you.” His head hangs in defeat.

  “Are you kidding me? For what? Just in case my dad didn’t do as your dumb family ordered?” I choke.

  He doesn’t wait for me to continue. “If your dad doesn’t stick to his word.” His face screws up in pain as he tries to get the right words out.

  “I’d be tortured, killed or made to disappear.” I finish his sentence, my mind racing.

  He stares at me like I’m the one who has lost her marbles. “Summer.”

  “Don’t.” I hold my hand up to stop him. “So, my dad broke his word and that’s why I was kidnapped?”

  “No,” his voice is laced with regret.

  “No?” I ask in confusion.

  “Your dad has kept his end of the bargain.” He looks at me but doesn’t move.

  “I don’t understand.” I shake my head.

  He drops to his knees, his large hands cup his face. “Fuck me,” he lets out a low strangled growl.

  I scoot forward and am about to stand to hold him when he looks up, his features are somewhere between grief and redemption.

  “Don’t, it’s easier to say this with you over there.” His glare roots me to the spot.

  My mind reels over what he is about to tell me. I don’t say anything and wait for him to continue.

  “My father, the elusive Mob Boss, the biggest prick on this planet orchestrated your kidnapping.”

  “What?” I gasp.

  “He knows how much you mean to me and how much I’d give up for you.” His eyes meet mine, a pained expression washes over his features. “So, he cashed in on an old debt owed to the family and had connections here in Italy kidnap you.”

  “What the fuck.” I blink at him, this is something you see in movies, not in real life.

  “I’m sorry.” He falls backwards until his back hits the wall and sits with his legs sprawled out in front of him, defeated. “If it wasn’t for me getting involved with you, none of this would have happened. It’s all my fault, Summer. It’s all my fault.” He closes his eyes and leans his head against the wall, his chest heaves with held in anguish.

  I study him for a moment before I speak, I study his square jawline and his perfect bowed lips, the furrow of his eyebrows and wonder what is churning over in his head right now. “Why does your dad care if you date me?”

  He keeps his eyes closed as he answers, “because you aren’t blue blooded Italian, your father is a police officer and he owes my family a debt.” He looks at me then.

  “I want to go back to my apartment.” I stand ready to leave.

  “No, you will be coming home with me.” He glances at me before returning his eyes to the floor.

  “What about the class I’m here with. Won’t they be wondering where I am?” I sit back down.

  “Rob is dead,” Enzo says, deadpan.

  “What?” A jolt of panic rips through me.

  “The fucker had it coming,” Enzo seethes.

  “Oh my god, I’m going to be sick.” My heart thuds in my chest..

  “My father enlisted him and his family to kidnap you. What the fuck did you think was going to happen?” He stands and strides over to me.

  “I don’t know? It’s all too much, I’m not used to this murder shit.” My anxiety ebbs its way up my throat.

  Enzo cocks an eyebrow. “Murder shit?”

  “Don’t make fun of me.” I scowl at him. “You are all sorts of fucked up, you’re used to this.”

  His face falls at the words I just threw at him.

  “Is Jake okay?” Nausea coils in my gut as I look up at him.

  His features soften and he sits on the bed next to me. “He’s fine. They’ve all been told you have fallen ill and have had to return home.”

  “Where’s my phone and my bag?”

  “Don’t ask too many questions, I cannot answer them all. I’ll get you a new phone.” He takes my shaking hand in his and holds it between his large palms. I glance down at his hands, hands that are capable of taking a life without effort, without remorse. I involuntarily shudder at the thought.

  “What now?” I sigh.

  He turns to look at me, his eyes full of uncertainty. “We go home.”

  ***

  The flight home is long and Enzo holds my hand the whole way, as though he is ready for me to fall apart any minute. Only I am numb, emotionless and too tired to even think. I have millions of unanswered questions, questions I know I am not supposed to ask, so I don’t talk. We spend the entire ride back to my dorm without speaking.

  He stops on the curb and turns to face me. “Summer,” he touches my cheek and runs his thumb across my bruising. I must look like a fucking mess.

  I gaze up at him, his face hides his emotions so well.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to come back to my place?”

  “No, I think I just need to sleep in my bed. I’m exhausted.” I step out of his reach and retrieve my suitcase from the trunk of the car.

  “Are we okay?” Frantic, he grabs my wrists and turns me to face him, his dark eyes breathing fire.

  From the first moment I met Enzo I knew he would shatter my heart and here I am about to do it for him. “I don’t know.” I blink away the tears threatening to spill. “I need time to digest all that has happened.” I lean up and kiss his perfect lips.

  He groans into my mouth and wraps his strong arms around my waist, pulling me possessively against him. “This is all fucking mine, Summer,” he growls into my mouth, his hand squeezing my ass. He breaks the kiss, his breathing laboured.

  I pull away from him before he breaks my resolve. “Enzo, please?” I push at his chest. His mask of steel comes crashing down like Fort Knox.

  “I need a penny.” His eyebrows furrow.

  “What, now?” I huff.

  “Now, Summer.” He squeezes me tighter against him.

  “Penny for your thoughts.” I’m such a sucker for this man. Even after all he has done, all that I’ve been through, I still can’t say no to him.

  “I’m falling in love with you.” His eyes search mine.

  I can feel his heart beat through his chest, steady and strong. A complete opposite of the somersaults mine is doing. I need to run, I need to escape his suffocation. “I can’t right now. Please?” I push at him and he lets go of me.

  Pain fills the space between us like an unwanted intruder. A split second of regret flashes across his beautiful face and I know in that moment, it is my chance to walk away. I grab my suitcase and head into my dorm building without looking back. My heart shattering into pieces with each agonising step I take.

  Three Months Later

  “Stop it,” I shriek as another waterbomb hits me in the middle of my back. It’s freezing cold but it’s a tradition we keep, no matter the weather.

  “Get her,” Ryan screams as they all descend upon me.

  I fall to the ground in defeat and wait for my friends to pummel me with the icy cold waterbombs. I lost the challenge this time, usually Ryan has my back but this year he decides that I’m on my own. I flocked the least amount of houses this year, my team only managing to lose by five houses
.

  “Stop,” I laugh and shield my face. It feels good to laugh, something I haven’t done for months. I have shovelled the shit from Verona deep in a vault inside me and threw away the only key.

  “I’ll save you.” Ryan hovers his body over mine.

  I let down my guard to look at him, the closeness of him not uncomfortable, surprisingly. Just as my hands move from my face, he smashes a waterbomb into my forehead. “You ass.” I giggle as the icy cold water trickles throughout my hair and down my face.

  “I’ll let you win next year.” He winks at me, his grin is infectious and I can’t help but smile back at him. He jumps up, holds a hand out to me and pulls me to my feet.

  “Truce.” I hold my hands up in defeat.

  “Such a sore loser.” Banks picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. “To Jaymin’s,” he shouts to the rest of the group.

  I watch as everyone scrambles into their cars, the last car there pays for everyone’s drinks. Banks deposits me next to Ryan’s car, just like back in high school and I climb in without a second thought.

  “Hold on,” Ryan says as he skids out of the dirt carpark, leaving a trail of dust behind us.

  “You know, one of these days you’ll get a ticket.” I manage to put my seatbelt on as he takes the next corner at a ridiculously dangerous speed.

  “Not if I don’t get caught.” He darts his hand out the window and flips off another car from our group as we speed past them.

  I shake my head in amusement. I glance at Ryan and take in his all American boyish good looks and wonder why things went so wrong in the first place. Why he thought breaking up with me would be a great idea. Now here we are in limbo, between being great friends and being together. Since deferring Verona for a semester and coming back to my home town, I’ve slipped back into my old life without a hiccup. Apart from not talking to my dad, he can stay on my shit list for a while longer. Everything else is easy. I landed a part time job at an artisan bakery, where I work during the week and on the weekends I meet up with Ryan and the rest of the crew.