The Bad Boy's Palything: A Dark High School Bully Romance

by Lannah Smith

  Alec nodded. "I'll see to it myself."

  Then, his jaw squared, Alec muttered to the driver to drive faster.

  Chapter 75

  I couldn't say sorry enough.

  I woke up the next morning in the hospital with Alec standing guard by my bed. His face showed immense relief to see that I had woken. Then he went out to get Christopher and the doctor before I could utter a word.

  A Grade 3 Concussion.

  That was just one of the many things my father gave to that it hardly surprised me at all. But this was the most recent. And apparently, he did it when Alec and some of the men were already in the house and they could barely hold on to their temper, almost giving themselves away.

  Alec told me when the doctor had gone that they were disappointed in themselves but not as much as they were disappointed in me. I tried to get myself killed. I had given up. And no matter how much I reasoned with Alec he wouldn’t hear of it.

  “That was a dangerous game that you played, Miss Locke. You could have gotten yourself killed.”

  I tried to get a word in. “I—.”

  But he wouldn’t let me. “Oh, wait. That was your plan. You purposely provoked your father because you wanted to get fucking killed.”

  “Will you listen—?”

  “No, because you never listen! You needed someone to slam some sense into you and since my employer is not doing a good job doing it since he has a soft spot for you, it’s time for me to step up the plate.”

  And he did. He scolded and nagged me until his face was so red, Christopher, who had been looking out the window, silently listening, had to push his right-hand out of the room in order to get himself to calm down.

  “Did he really think I did all that on purpose?” I demanded to know when Christopher had closed the door. I swung my legs to the side, clutching the sheets tightly. “Did he really think I wanted all that to happen to me?”

  Christopher shook his head. “No, honey.”

  “Then why do I feel like I’m the one to blame?”

  “He didn’t sleep all night, waiting for you to wake up, scared to death that you wouldn’t wake up,” he answered in a cold, brisk tone that he never once used on me. It made me wince. “And he’s angry at himself because he failed to protect you. You know he has a soft spot for you too, April. And you made him feel that way because you were willing to give your life.”

  I took a sharp breath. “I had no choice—.”

  "You should have known I would come for you.” He made his way towards me in slow, measure steps, his expression shifting into the bad kind of raw. “You should have known I would save you."

  I looked uncomfortably at my knees. He yanked a chair to my bed until he was close to me and sat in front of me, leaning even closer. I glanced up his face glowering at me.

  "I did know," I admitted.

  A muscle on his jaw leaped. "Then why—?"

  "The thought of losing you terrified me more to the point of losing my head," I cut him off roughly, my throat threatening to choke me as tears rounded up my throat. "When you lived my life, you'd find that I don't have the ability to save people no matter how hard I tried. I only have my life to trade for theirs. For yours. And that terrifies me because my life is not even worth much."

  "But would you have given up?"

  I shook my head. "No, but I lost it."

  "Of course, you did. You love me. You love all of us." He reached out and took my hand in both of his, whispering fiercely as he gazed up at me, "But you keep trying to give your life away."

  "And I'll do it again because I can't lose any of you," I answered and saw a shadow of pain cross his features. My heart squeezed.

  "What about me?” His hands tightened on mine. “Do you think I want to lose you too? Do you think I can live without you?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry.”

  “If this is about paying for your father’s shit than you fucking paid enough, April, and enough is fucking enough.” His furious eyes glanced at the bandage around my head. “I keep seeing you get beat up and covered in blood. That is not something I’ll ever forget, April."

  Sucking in a painful breath, I muttered, “I’m always terrified out of my freaking mind—.”

  “I’ll keep you safe.” He left his seat, his face getting into mine, hands coming up to frame my face. “You just have to trust me. It’s why I am where I am now. Just stop trying to sacrifice yourself.”

  "It wasn't just because of me. You can keep telling me that you gladly accepted a life of crime for me but we both know that isn’t exactly true,” My voice cracked at the last word because of the tears rushing up my throat but I pushed on. “You took that position because you want to protect everyone. Leon, John, Rohan, Sophia, Terry, Hannah, Emilia... You want to protect them. To save them. You couldn't handle the thought of anyone touching them or treating them wrong. Even if they can take care of themselves. Even if Leon can end men with a single look or even if John is an exacting boss with tens of bodyguards surrounding him and Terry. You're an overprotective fool who has the biggest heart of us all, Christopher. And I..." I swallowed again. "I love you for that."

  He froze. His hands on my face stilled.

  “You what?” he breathed.

  A small smile made its way to my lips.

  “I love you, Christopher.”

  He stared at me in silence for a few seconds.

  Then he sank to his knees on the floor and wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his face deep into my stomach. It was my turn to freeze. Then his shoulders started to jerk and I realized he was crying. Quiet, shuddering sobs that shook his whole body.

  Emotions seared into me. Forcing air into my lungs, I ran my hands into his hair, still trying not to cry.

  "Rita told me. About how much you cried in front of her because you couldn't find me. How you asked her for help." My hands squeezed the back of his neck until he lifted his head and looked at me with wet eyes. "How can I not love you even more for that? Even when I tried to resist, you still drew me towards you. I’m sorry it took too long for me to say it."

  The love shining in his eyes was most beautiful to see.

  My fingers dug into his neck and I kept whispering when I said, “You’ve always been the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much for giving me you.”

  “Best thing I ever did was finding you,” he whispered back. “Got my chance finally with you. Got to show you finally how much I love you. But this tops it, honey. You telling me you love me without me having to bully the words out of you anymore."

  His words affected me so deeply. I couldn’t hold it anymore, I let the tears fall. He got off the floor and then both his arms were closing around me tight. When he did, I dropped my head and buried my face in his neck.

  "Loving a bully like you was the best thing I've ever done," I murmured against his skin.

  His hand slid back into my hair and his head turned so his lips were at my ear.

  “And you did right doing that,” he murmured. “I love you, honey.”

  And I loved everything about him.

  Absolutely everything.

  "You can keep trying to get yourself kidnapped. But you have to trust me to come find you and save you."

  I pulled my head back. "Christopher—."

  "Promise me," he demanded, squeezing the breath out of me. "No more trading for your life shit."

  "We can't foresee the future—," I tried to argue.

  "Promise me!"

  "Alright!" I snapped.

  "You promise what?" he narrowed his eyes and if I hadn’t almost gotten myself killed, I would have been in a very argumentative mood.

  "I promise not to do stupid crap that might kill me," I deadpanned.

  "Good." He nodded arrogantly. "And I promise not to get myself killed too."

  I let out a long exhale. That was all I wanted too.

  “And I distinctly recall you bullying your way into my life,” h
e reminded me with a smile.

  I rolled my eyes. I didn’t exactly bully him. He just made it so easy to make me get my way.

  Then I asked, "What's going to happen to my father?"

  He lost the smile. His voice was gruff when he said, "He's in prison. Paying for his sins the wrong way."

  The wrong way being that he was still alive and sitting there compared to getting tortured and rotting away in a dark basement somewhere.

  I shook those thoughts away. He told me not to worry about my father anymore. I’d been through so much because of the man who fathered me – fear, pain, despair. Now there would be no more of that.

  No more.

  A smile formed on my lips.

  "What?" Christopher asked warily, pulling away, his hands now on my waist.

  "I'm free," I said, stroking his cheek softly. His face warmed. "I'm finally free from my father forever."

  "Yes, you are. You'll be able to sleep knowing that he won't ever get you again. Knowing that I'll always take care of you so you can live easy. And you'll have a lifetime of being free if one day, when you're ready, you'll accept my ring, April."

  Tears swarmed my eyes again.

  "You'll also have a lifetime of me and our future children, Christopher."

  The radiance of his smile blew me away.

  His arms wrapped around me again, one hand gliding into my hair, pulling me in for a slow, sweet kiss. Slow, because I had a lifetime of kissing him. Of holding him in my arms. Of making love to him. I had forever.

  Forever with him.

  Alec came back then, bringing my breakfast, or my late lunch rather as it was already past 2 in the afternoon, glaring at the two of us when he saw that were locked in each other’s embrace. Then he watched me like a hawk while I ate, not responding to my small talk, looking sullen. Seeing that amused Christopher. To me, it didn’t. I had a whole lot of making up to do with him.

  “Where’s your grandfather?” I asked Christopher when Alec left the room.

  Christopher lifted his brows at the question. “He’s on the same floor. My grandmother is with him.”

  “Is he awake?” I asked after a moment’s hesitation.

  Snorting, he replied, “He just had surgery and should be still unconscious but for some reason, the stubborn old man woke up in recovery before you did. Why do you ask?”

  "Can I go visit him?"

  He thought about it. "Seeing you might send his blood pressure to the roof, honey." Then grinned wolfishly, reached for my hand and said, "Let’s go?"

  I burst out laughing.

  ◆◆◆

  The air was rife with tension when Edward Locke was brought in. He took one look at Christopher, not even glancing at Alec, and turned to the security guard.

  "Take me back."

  The guard glanced at Christopher. Then, to Edward's great displeasure, he turned and closed the door behind him on his way out.

  Christopher remained seated. Alec stood behind him, fingers clenched, but his expression betrayed none of his fury. Edward was still yelling for someone to let him out, cradling the bandaged hand that got shot by Alec. Christopher gave him a few more seconds before speaking.

  "You look good in orange, Locke," he said, studying Edward’s prison uniform. "One might say that you were… born for it."

  Edward's angry gaze sliced to him.

  "What the fuck are you doing here? To gloat?"

  Christopher gave him a tight smile. “Of course. I destroyed you after all.”

  “You bastard—.”

  “You made a bad call when you went against me. You know that. You didn’t play smart. Refused my offer of peace. Threatened me. Put a hit on everyone I care for. You fucked up. And you’ll pay the fucking price.”

  "You know this is only temporary, Christopher," Edward said, smirking. "I'll escape."

  "You'll escape," Christopher repeated in a dull tone.

  His face radiated with triumph. "I will. And I'm going to come after you and this time, I'll succeed into blowing your head and all of your friends' heads off."

  fucking hell, Christopher badly wanted to lay hands on this fucking guy.

  Tilting his head to the side, Christopher muttered, "Do it."

  Edward's smile vanished, replaced by wary suspicion.

  Then he studied him for long moments.

  Then he whispered, “I will.”

  Christopher allowed himself to smile.

  It happened too fast for Edward to react.

  A blur of motion then Edward was slammed, hard and loud, into the wall, with Christopher's hands closing around his throat.

  "Do it," Christopher tightened his fingers, making the old fuck gasp and struggle to wriggle free. "Do it, Locke. Because then I can kill you myself. So go ahead and fucking escape. Go right on ahead."

  "Stand down, sir," Alec murmured at his side.

  "And when I kill you, I'll do it real slow," Christopher growled into Edward's face and watched it pale. "I promise. You'll feel everything. Every tear. Every slit. Every rip. I won't even use a knife. I'll tear you apart with my bare hands and feed you to my dogs."

  Then before he could do just that, Christopher released him, forcing himself to step back.

  Edward bent over and coughed violently, putting a hand to his throat.

  "Knew this was the kind of men you were, Christopher," he wheezed out. "Oh, I heard the stories," he went on when he saw a darker look cross Christopher's face. "You're not a fucking saint either. If you had only just accepted my proposal, we could have ruled the city together. And you could have had my daughter without blood being spilt."

  Shrugging, Christopher took his coat from Alec and pulled it on. "Sorry but I don't negotiate with assholes like you."

  Edward barked out a hoarse laugh and straightened. "I don't get what my daughter sees in you. April—."

  Christopher slammed a fist onto his face, sending him down to the floor, effectively shutting him up.

  "You don't say her name with your filthy mouth," Christopher threatened in a mild voice that belied his fury, wagging a finger at his face.

  Wiping the blood away from his mouth, Edward shouted, "I'll fucking sue you!" His eyes glanced at the two-way mirror in the interrogation room. "You saw that right? He put a hand on me!"

  Christopher laughed. "You know Nick Gage, right? He didn't take it too kindly that you sent an assassin to kill his precious daughter-in-law. Neither did Sophia's father and relatives. It pays to make friends and build connections with people in the law, Locke. It's something you won't ever understand considering you try to blackmail and bribe them."

  Edward's eyes narrowed. Christopher continued talking.

  "And I'll give you a little warning since you’re going to be my future father-in-law. There's another father out there who's out for your blood. And he'll probably do worse than what I have planned for you. So you really might want to stay here."

  Edward opened his mouth to speak but Christopher was done.

  So done, he was out the door with Alec before Edward could get another word out.

  “Are you going to be alright?”

  Christopher asked Alec of this while they were walking through the halls of the hospital.

  Alec glanced at him, his jaw hard. Eyes glittering.

  Then he muttered quietly, “I should have aimed for his black heart.”

  Christopher shook his head.

  “He’s your father, Alec.”

  “He didn’t claim me. And I’ll never claim him.”

  “And April?”

  His face softened. “Not yet. I need time to process this first.”

  Christopher patted his shoulder. “Don’t take too much time. Brother.”

  “fuck off,” he grumbled, shrugging his hand off.

  “I won’t fuck off,” Christopher replied. “You took care of me. You helped me get through a lot of shit. No matter your reasons were, I owe you, Alec. Huge.”

  Alec made no reply and then they were in
front of April’s room.

  Then turning to him, Alec said, “Just make her happy.”

  He nodded. “Already am.”

  “Give her a good life.”

  “I will. We will.”

  At that, Alec’s lips twitched and for the first time in days, he smiled.