A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Elite of Eden Falls Prep Book 4)

by Isabella Starling

  "We did it," I whisper in her ear. "You did it. You changed this cursed town, Pandora."

  She's beaming so wide it must hurt, and even though there's a hint of sadness to her smile, I know she's ecstatic.

  Maybe now, we'll finally be able to move on.

  Maybe now, I can tell her the truth.

  The truth being that the hope of finding Reign and Lily Anna is nearly gone. That all the PIs, the police, the men Emilian hired, are close to giving up.

  They're gone, vanished without a trace.

  And as I stare into my toy's hopeful, brightly shining face, I know it's something I'll have to tell her sooner rather than later. I also know it will break her heart.

  But I'll always be there to pick up the pieces.

  21

  Pandora

  6 years later

  Eden Falls has changed a lot during the past six years.

  The only reason Dex and I stayed in town was because of the search for Lily Anna and Reign.

  They told me to give up. Countless people have tried to convince me we'll never find them. But I never listened to them. I cling to the hope that someday, Lily Anna will bring my son back. Often, I imagine what he looks like now. The photo-robot the PI team has put together paints him as a handsome young boy.

  If he comes back, he won't even know me or Dexter. But I still cling to the hope that we'll get him back. Some days, the hope is waning. Others, it's stronger than ever. I keep clinging, hanging on to the last few straws of my patience. Hoping, praying my son will come back. And I know one day he will.

  I just don't expect that day to happen when it does. When I'm leaving the doctor's office, sitting pale as a sheet in the back of a car a chauffeur is driving. A small smile breaks on my lips when I think of what I just found out. I fight it off my face as the driver pulls up in the long, winding driveaway of Booth Manor.

  Six years have brought changes. I've been slaving away on the Manor tirelessly while Dexter worked. It now sparkles and shines like new. It's more beautiful than ever and I'm immensely proud of what I've achieved. That's on the good days, at least. On the bad days, I eat myself up because I lost my child. Because I haven't been able to conceive again. Because it might never happen for Dexter and me.

  My hands form fists. If I could just-

  We round the corner and I see a police car parked in front of the Manor.

  "What's happening, Leroy?" I ask, trying to keep my voice as level as possible as I address our new driver.

  "I'll find out for you, Mrs. Booth." Leroy gets out to open my door, but I'm already out of the door, walking briskly to the front of the house where my husband is talking to two uniformed officers.

  "What's going on?" I demand, my eyes going to my husband first.

  Dexter is somehow getting more handsome by the year. His jaw is covered in dark stubble, but just as chiseled as it was when I first met him. He's got a maturity going for him now though, one that makes him look distinguished, confident and suave. As always, I melt just a little at the sight of him. It's been a long time since I stopped resisting those feelings. It feels so much better to give in than to fight.

  "We have eyes on a woman that could be Lily Anna." An officer speaks up from behind me, and I spin around, glaring at him.

  "Lily Anna?" I repeat. Her cursed name is never forgotten in this house. Not when she took something so dear and precious away from us. "Where is she?"

  "There was a sighting in town," he mutters, nervously glancing between Dexter and his fellow policeman. "We don't know if it was her yet."

  "Was she alone?" I bark.

  "Y-Yes," the officer stutters.

  My shoulders sink. Dex appears behind me, softly placing his palms on my back. He squeezes, hard enough to stop me from panicking and remind me of his solution for everything that ails me. Pain. Sweet pain, darling pain that has become like a lover's embrace through all these years.

  "That doesn't mean anything," Dexter mutters in my ear. "He could still be with her. She's probably hiding him."

  "Have you heard anything?" I ask, turning my head to the side. "Has she been in touch? You, or Father?"

  "No."

  I groan in frustration and walk away, leaving the officers standing on the doorframe and Dexter rushing behind me.

  "Pandora, don't do this."

  "Why? Why not? You know it's not her, just like it wasn't the first seventeen times a sighting happened," I hiss. "This one doesn't even have a kid with her. What makes you think it's really Lily Anna?"

  "This." He pulls his cell out of his pocket and shows me a simple text message.

  Midnight. The cliffs at Oakes Estate. Just you.

  It's not signed, but it doesn't need to be. My gut instantly recognizes her tone, her words. It's her, and she wants something.

  I grab onto Dex's arm to steady myself and he embraces me. I feel my own body shaking in his arms. Neither of us says a word until minutes later, when we finally pull apart and stare into one another's eyes with resolution.

  "We're going to get Reign back," I say, and Dex nods.

  "I'm going to tell your father," he says next.

  "Dex, she said not to tell anyone."

  "Calm down." He kisses my forehead. "I haven't said anything to the cops. It'll be just us, and your father. We need to overpower her. We need to get Reign back."

  "You don't even know if he's with her," I manage, but when I look at him, the hope in his eyes mirrors mine. We want the same thing, and this is the closest we've come to getting it back. "We need to leave soon."

  He nods. "Emilian already knows. I've been waiting for you to come back. Where were you, anyway?"

  Guiltily, I remember my errand and wave my hand as if it was nothing. "Shopping. Come on, we need to head over there."

  We get in the car with Leroy. The drive to Oakes Estate is torturous. Every second of it, I spent staring out the window, looking for a familiar shadow or a sign. But there's nothing. Night is starting to descend on Eden Falls, bringing its secrets with it.

  "Do we have a plan?" I finally ask Dexter once we pull into the Estate's driveway.

  "You and Emilian will wait close by while I meet with her," he explains. "I'll be talking to her, since she only contacted me."

  We get out of the car and walk up to the entrance where Emilian's already waiting.

  The events of the last few years have made him seem smaller, more fragile. I regard him with cool indifference, but offer a curt nod in acknowledgement. He does the same with me and my husband.

  Together, we set up camp in the family dining room. The house seems empty and sad now that Father is the only one who lives here. I can't help but notice how lonely it seems here.

  "There's already been a sighting," Dex fills the silence. "A woman of her age, similar features, in town. At first they thought she was homeless. An addict."

  "Why?" I ask, furrowing my brows.

  "She was painfully thin," Dex shrugs. "But do you remember the Meyers? The doctor she killed... It was his son who saw her in town. He's positive it was her."

  "We'll have to be careful tonight," Emilian cuts in. "Our priority is Lily Anna."

  "No," I interrupt him icily. "Our priority is Reign."

  "You don't even know if she has him," Father snarls.

  "I don't give a shit," I spit back. "I want him back. I don't care about her. She's better off dead if you ask me, because if I get my hands on her, I'll kill her myself."

  "Likewise," Dex growls.

  Father stares at us, shaking his head as he laughs. "I'm not letting you hurt her."

  "Of course not," Dex mutters. "She's the last person around that you can hurt, isn't she? You've gotten rid of Pandora's mother. Of Bryony. Brazen and Tianna are gone. You have nothing left. No one."

  Emilian looks so shocked about Dex's words I almost start to feel guilty. For a moment, I'm convinced his facade will break. He'll show his vulnerability and let us see how hard the past six years have really been on h
im. But a moment later, his mask is back in place, the turmoil forgotten. He won't break. He can't let himself do that, not even now.

  "That's beside the point," he hisses after a long pause. "You two worry about your son, and I'll take care of the girl."

  "Fine," we grunt in unison.

  The rest of the evening, we set up watch around the cliffs. Father and Dexter pace the outer perimeter, hoping to get to Lily Anna before the meeting. I wait in an old boathouse, hidden behind a broken wooden canu. It gives me just enough shelter so Lily Anna will think I'm part of the shadows, while providing a good view of the cliffs.

  And it's why I see her first.

  Lily Anna climbs over the edge of the cliff. It's her - definitely her, with the same defiant upturned chin and beautiful doll-like face. But she's painfully thin. Emaciated.

  My fingers tighten on the canu so much I'm afraid I'll break the wood, and I retreat further in the shadows as Lily Anna inspects the empty cliff.

  It's five minutes to midnight. Dexter will be here soon enough to wait for her. None of us anticipated she'd get here this way - we thought she'd come from the surrounding forest, not from the water and rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

  I'm still trying to figure out how she managed to climb up here when I see Dexter approaching. His steps are heavy as they hit the ground, and he doesn't betray me - he keeps his eyes focused on Lily Anna, so she won't suspect anyone else is here.

  The former lovers face off. The tension in the air is palpable.

  "Where's Reign?" Dex asks calmly.

  "Dexter," Lily Anna breathes, completely overhearing his question. "I'm so glad you're here. You have to help me."

  "Where's Reign, you bitch?" Dex hisses now, making her take a step back.

  "Dex, it's me. Lily Anna." She takes a step closer, then another one. She grabs Dexter's shirt and he steps back, disgusted. "You love me, Dexter. You always loved me. It's supposed to be you and me. Just us. Not that stupid fucking kid. And his name isn't Reign."

  My heart soars and falls in a matter of seconds.

  "Lily Anna." Dex grabs the girl firmly by her shoulders, making her look up at him. "Tell me where Reign is, and I'll help you."

  "He's so close, Dexter. Dexter Jr. That's his real name. He's so very close..." She seems delirious, and I have no way of knowing she's telling the truth. But my heart hopes anyway, just as it has been hoping for the past six years.

  "Where?" Dex shakes her. "Tell me where."

  "And then we'll be together?" she asks hopefully.

  "Yes," Dex grits out. "Where's my kid?"

  She points down the cliff and I retch, fighting back sickness.

  She didn't, she couldn't, she wouldn't have.

  But then I remember how she climbed up. I try to recall the shore beneath the Manor. There's a beach on it that's only accessible by boat...

  Trying to be as quiet as I can, I move past the boathouse. If Lily Anna turns around now, she'll see me. But I need to fucking know.

  I lie down as close to the edge as I dare and stare down.

  It's a dark, deep night, and the sound of waves crashing against sand and rock is overwhelming.

  There's a canu pulled up to the shore. Am I imagining it, or is there something huddled over in there?

  I let out a sob, forgetting I'm supposed to be keeping quiet. Lily Anna whips around, her eyes turning crazy when she sees me.

  "What the fuck is this bitch doing here?" she snarls, marching toward me. "Get away!"

  Dexter catches her before she can lunge at me, restraining her hands behind her back.

  "Father!" I scream. "Father! Come here!"

  Lily Anna roars with displeasure as Emilian runs up to the cliffs. He stops, frozen, when he sees his obsession in the flesh.

  "Lily Anna." His voice is ignited with desire. It's disgusting. The man is sick.

  "Hold her," I demand. "Dexter, get someone down to that beach! I think she kept Reign there."

  Dexter and Father switch places. Emilian looks mesmerized, and Lily Anna begins to trash wildly in his arms as Dex runs off, calling for backup. I stare down at her, then launch myself forward, attacking her. I slap her, pull her hair, scratch and scream, and she resists as best as she can while screaming bloody fucking murder.

  It takes ages for Father's voice to ring in my ears.

  "Stop it, Pandora! Stop! Stop this!"

  I turn to face him, my face pale and my cheek bloody where she bit me. The fucking bitch is as feral as an animal.

  "You're just trying to protect her," I hiss at Father. "You're still fucking obsessed!"

  "Daddy." Lily Anna starts to wail pathetically, and I watch in disgust as she plays yet another role for Father's sake. "Please, Daddy. She hurt me, I'm hurt. Help me, Daddy."

  "You're fucking disgusting," I tell her, shifting my attention back to Emilian. "And you're no better. Don't even think about letting her go, or I'll-"

  We hear something loud then. A helicopter hovers behind us, and I watch Dexter climb on board. Father, Lily Anna and I watch the helicopter go up, then descend to the beach beneath us. My heart pounds with nervous anticipation.

  "He's my son now," Lily Anna tells me with a wicked smile. "You'll never be his mom now. This will never be home. I ruined him. Tainted him. I took him from you."

  "Shut the fuck up." I'm calm, but she's one insult away from me killing her with my bare hands. "Reign was never yours."

  "His name," Lily Anna hisses. "Is Dexter Junior!"

  With a wild scream, she thrashes against Emilian so suddenly, it startles him. The old fool lets go of her and she takes off running. But it's not going to work. Not this fucking time.

  I'm fast behind her, knocking her to the ground. I grab her by the hair and she's forced to stop resisting as I drag her to the edge of the cliffs and make her look down.

  "See that? You were supposed to die there," I tell her. "You should have died there. And now you will. Jump, Lily Anna. Reign's mine. Dexter's mine. I fucking win. It's over."

  She screams as I get up, and Emilian reaches us, helping her get up.

  I watch him with disgust as the helicopter comes up again. My heart skips a beat. I can't leave Lily Anna now - I'm afraid Emilian will do something stupid like let her go.

  We all watch the helicopter land. I see Dexter, and he's holding something in his hands. A blanket, perhaps the same one that was in the canu... I feel so scared, so afraid of hoping it's him. I know this is it. I know there will be no other chance.

  "Pandora!" Dex yells out from the helicopter. "Pandora!"

  I run towards them, covering my ears as the helicopter touches ground. The wind hits my skin with its gusts and I duck down, waiting for the propeller to turn off. Dex is running to me now, still clutching the blanket.

  Except it's not a blanket.

  It's a small boy of six years old, a boy who was born to reign over Eden Falls.

  I collapse to my knees just as they reach me. The boy is crying softly, and Dex lowers the blanket to show me his face. My heart stops again. I look at Dexter, and he smiles, slowly but surely.

  It's our son.

  "Take him to the house," I tell Dexter. "Have them take Lily Anna."

  He nods, kissing me on the lips before putting the boy down. Lily Anna sees our reunion, and can't keep her dirty mouth shut.

  "Now you know, Dexter," she says viciously. "You only have to take one look at him to know. He's not your-"

  "Shut up." Dexter's voice drips with venom. He puts the boy's hand in mine. I shield the child against my body, muttering soft nothing as Dex approaches his former fiancée and lets her know what he really thinks of her. "You're a killer. You killed my parents. You killed Lai. And I hope you kill yourself, too."

  She whimpers at the cruel sound of his words, but he turns around, gently taking Reign's hand and smiling to reassure me. The boy doesn't look over his shoulder. He gives me an uncertain smile as Dexter wipes a tear away from his cheek and leads him away from the
chaos.

  I'm so emotional I'm afraid I won't be able to have my final revenge, but I've been waiting too long for this to give up now.

  "Father!" I call out. "Come here."

  He glances between Lily Anna and me just as a red dot appears on Lily Anna's face.

  "Don't go," she begs him. "Don't go, Daddy..."

  But Father isn't that dumb. He pulls back, knowing they have a gun on her and could shoot her any second. Fucking coward.

  He comes to stand behind me and I face Lily Anna triumphantly as she stumbles back, realizing there are now several red dots following her every move.

  "Pandora!" she cries out. "Tell them to stop... No! Don't hurt me!"

  "Fuck you," I spit out. "Remember what I told you. It's over. It's my game. Checkmate, bitch."

  Her bottom lip wobbles and she stomps her foot. A brat to the very end. She glances between the men in uniform running up now, and the cliff. She goes closer to the edge.

  "Lily Anna, no!" Emilian cries out.

  She takes a look at her father. Then at the cliffs. She knows this is her choice now - either she lives with Emilian, her living nightmare, or she dies by her own hand.

  She stares into my eyes. Then she lets herself fall.

  I smile in tune to Father's screams of despair.

  I don't wait to see what happens next. I turn on my heel and walk back to where my husband and son are waiting. My hand hovers over my belly, and I smile to myself.

  22

  Pandora

  My heart has never felt so full. I feel delirious as I sit at the breakfast table the next morning, watching Reign devour his breakfast.

  "What's this?" he points to his food.

  "It's eggs, honey," I tell him. "And some cheese and veggies. It's yummy. Why don't you try it?"

  He knits his brows together, appearing uncertain, but then loads his fork up and tastes the food.

  "Good," he declares, and I realize now that I have him back, my heart will be fuller every day I spend with him and Dexter.