Evergreen Academy - The Complete Series

by Ruby Vincent

  “And the winner of the 104 Hot FM Hip-Hop contest is Valentina Moon of Evergreen Academy!”

  There were screams. Some of it was Isabella, but a lot of it was me. I ran out and scooped a laughing Kiara in a hug before I could get a hold of myself.

  “Congratulations, Valentina,” she said. “You deserve it.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I stumbled to my dressing room/bathroom in a fog, clutching my trophy like it would disappear. It wasn’t only about the contest. I had won more than just a competition today. I felt lighter than I had in months.

  I pushed through into the bathroom. A hand caught the door before it could swing shut.

  “Shit, girl!” Jaxson cried as he burst in. “That was insane!”

  I laughed. Bubbles were forming in my stomach and spreading till they filled me up.

  “But I knew you were going to win.” His eyes were shining, cheeks flushed. He looked genuinely happy for me. “Bella was good, but you—”

  Clang!

  The trophy slipped through my fingertips. I was on him before it hit the ground. Our lips crashed together in an explosion that lit my nerves aflame.

  Jaxson staggered back, hitting the doorframe as I wrapped my legs around his thighs. His recovery was quick. In the next breath, our positions were reversed and he was pressing me against the door.

  “Yes,” he breathed against my lips. “Finally.”

  I shivered as those two words penetrated my core. I had wondered what it would be like to kiss Jaxson Van Zandt but this came nowhere close to what I could have imagined. I felt like I was at the mercy of a hurricane. A force wild and untamed, and there was nothing I could do to hold it back.

  So I didn’t try.

  Our lips locked in a feverish battle as I ran my hands down his chest, and then finally under his shirt. I might have kept going if our lower halves weren’t melded together, grinding in a way that ripped moans from my throat.

  Jaxson broke our kiss and traveled down my throat, kissing and nipping as he went. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this, baby.”

  Baby took on a whole new meaning at that moment. I laughed. “Yes, I do. You’ve been hitting on me since the second we met.”

  His tongue swiped against the sensitive skin of my throat and I bit back a cry. All of these sensations were so new to me. Sex the way it should be.

  “I got a little worried there when you said you didn’t want me slobbering on you.” His fingers dug into my thighs as he ground harder.

  “Jaxson,” I moaned.

  “I hope I’m not too small for you.”

  Heat flooded my cheeks at the memory of us bare-assed in the broom closet. Jaxson was the furthest thing from small. It would be so easy for me to undress him and do things right.

  Am I ready for that?

  Jaxson captured my lips again and all my thoughts swept away. I grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged, fighting to get it over his head.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  “Uhh... Val?”

  We froze.

  “Just to let you know,” said my best friend, “these doors aren’t actually that thick....”

  I ripped my lips off Jaxson. “What?”

  “We can hear everything—”

  We?!

  “—and the bus is going to leave soon so—”

  I didn’t hear the rest as I clambered off Jaxson. My cheeks were on fire while I raced to grab my things.

  “You go,” he said as he moved to the side. “I need a minute.”

  “But we have to...”

  I trailed off when Jaxson looked down. The clear bulge in his pants made me blush even harder. Any more of this and I would pass out from all the blood rushing to my cheeks.

  “Right. Okay.” I hurried out of the bathroom and ran right into “we.”

  Ryder stood at Sofia’s side. His face was expressionless as he gazed at me. “Only one more to go. Thought you’d like to see the fireworks.”

  For a minute I didn’t know what he was talking about, then it dawned on me. It was time to cross Isabella’s name off the list.

  I hesitated. “About that—”

  “Come on, Val.” Sofia grabbed my hand. “We can finally end this.”

  But I think I’ve already ended it.

  I let her tug me along. Together we followed Ryder outside to the pavement. A crowd had formed before the parking lot and it didn’t take me long to realize why.

  “Tires slashed?!” Isabella bellowed. “How does that happen?!”

  I let go of Sofia’s hand and skirted the crowd until the situation laid out before me. Isabella stood before a sleek silver car, shouting at a man in a suit. Looking past her, I could see the sad deflated tires that caused her anger.

  “Where were you?!”

  “I was in the car, Miss Bruno,” he replied calmly. “I’m afraid I didn’t see who did it.”

  “This is unacceptable! I have to be at my audition in an hour!”

  “I have called for a backup car but it won’t be here in time.”

  “Then find me something that will!”

  “Let’s go, everyone.” Yvette stepped into my line of sight. “Evergreen students on the bus.”

  Isabella turned on our coach. “Yvette! Yvette, you have to make the bus driver take me to the audition.”

  “Not possible,” she said without skipping a beat. “He is to take us to and from the competition and nowhere else. We aren’t losing our jobs because you have car trouble.”

  “But—!”

  “I will call you a cab, and phone your mother to let her know of the situation. That’s the best I can do.”

  She got up in Yvette’s face. “I can’t miss this audition. The director doesn’t open the doors for anyone after time has started. I will lose my chance to dance Victoria!”

  “Everyone.” Yvette addressed us as she dialed, not even looking at Isabella. “On the bus now.”

  This didn’t seem like the right time to argue with her. We tromped onto the bus, leaving Isabella screeching in our wake.

  SUNDAY NIGHT SOFIA and I crossed the courtyard with our dinner. Kane was on our heels as usual.

  “Did you hear what Eric said when we were in line?”

  “I heard him mention Isabella,” I said. “Did he say what happened after we left?”

  “Yvette called her a taxi, but it took like twenty minutes to get there. They didn’t come close to making it in time for the audition and she lost her chance at the role.”

  I whistled. “Something tells me Mother Bruno wasn’t pleased.”

  “You have no idea. She pulled her off the dance team.”

  “What?” I stopped dead in front of the babbling fountain. “Our dance team?”

  “Yep. From what Paisley overheard, she was raging at her not only for losing the contest, but that it was her mixing with that kind of crowd that wound up with her tires slashed and her being late. She doesn’t want her wasting any more time on a lesser form of dance.”

  “I see where Isabella gets her lovely personality.” Shaking our heads, we kept going toward my dorm.

  “You know everyone is talking about you beating her. She’s the leader of the Diamonds. This changes everything.”

  “I know.”

  Lesson Number Two: There is a hierarchy in Evergreen, and it matters.

  “Does that make me leader now?” I asked half-jokingly.

  “If you weren’t marked, definitely. But since you are...” She trailed off as we both noticed the figure before my door. Ezra stepped out of the shadows.

  “Give us a minute,” I said to both Sofia and Kane.

  “Tonight,” Ezra began by way of greeting. He took my arm and pulled me further to the side. “Meet us at the cliffs tonight. We took care of Natalie and Isabella. Now it’s time for Scarlett. We want you to do it tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  Darkness flitted across Ezra’s eyes. “She’s dangerous. Waiting only gives her another chance to h
urt someone... or you. What if Jaxson isn’t there the next time?”

  My hands squeezed down on my tray. He was right. There was no good reason to wait.

  “Tonight. I’ll be there.”

  Chapter Twelve

  I couldn’t focus at all in my classes the next day, and not only because I had barely gotten any sleep. The five of us had gone over the plan again and again until the fire burned down. The final bell rang to end the day, but instead of going to Scarlett’s class, my legs carried me to the bathroom.

  Breathing deep, I splashed cold water on my face.

  “You know what to do,” I whispered at my dripping reflection. “Let’s end this.”

  I tried again. I left the bathroom and my eyes locked on the door at the end of the hall. The faint squeak, squeak of my leather shoes joined the chorus of my racing heart. These things had never seemed so loud to me as they did right then.

  “Kane?”

  “Yes, Miss Moon.”

  “I’m going to go in alone, but stay close, okay?”

  “Always.”

  That one word comforted me enough to open the door.

  “Valentina,” Scarlett said brightly. She closed her laptop as she stood from her chair. “It’s been a while since we’ve hung out. I thought you forgot about me in the new semester.”

  “Nope.”

  Scarlett gave me a hug that I didn’t return. She pulled back and rubbed my forearms. “So are you here for some art therapy?”

  “I came to talk to you about something.” I stepped out of her grasp and moved over to a workbench. She followed. “It’s about the no phones or recording ban.”

  “What about it?” Scarlett sat on the stool opposite me. “Is it to sign a petition to get it revoked because you’re not the first. I’m sorry to say Evergreen Academy is very much a dictatorship. The headmaster won’t budge.”

  “It’s about something I overheard. You know the Knights and how they have tortured me. This year I swore I would get back at them so I broke into the Knights’ room and hid my phone to record them.” I reached into my blazer and set the phone between us.

  She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Valentina! Oh, I wish you hadn’t told me that.”

  “Why?” I cocked my head. “I thought you were on my side?”

  “I am, but if I’m ever questioned about this, I’ll have to tell that you’ve been secretly recording the students.”

  “You wouldn’t lie to protect me?”

  “I’m sorry, no.”

  “That’s okay. I wouldn’t either.” I tapped the phone awake. “That’s why I have to share this.”

  “Share what? What did you re—?”

  “—knows what she did to us.”

  “It’s not right. She shouldn’t be around kids. Scarlett LeBlanc is a predator.”

  “She’s a pedophile, and she ruined our lives. If that wasn’t bad enough, now we know she’s a Spade.”

  “You think all the Spades are as twisted as her? Is that how they’re chosen?”

  “You have to be twisted to think of something like marks. What I really want to know is why Scarlett chose us to be the Knights?”

  “It’s just more of that pervert’s sick games, Jaxson. She probably told herself she was doing something nice for her ‘special little helpers.’”

  Silence descended on the room after I closed the recording. I had watched Scarlett’s face through the whole thing. The older woman cycled through surprise, anger, fear, and finally another emotion I couldn’t place, but it shone clearly in her eyes as she looked at me.

  She lifted a shaky finger at the phone. “None of that is true.”

  I slid off the stool. “That’s for the police and the media to decide.”

  “Do not move!” She lashed out and slammed her hand on the bench next to us, blocking me in.

  Stepping back, I kept my voice calm. “Relax, Scarlett. My bodyguard is right outside.”

  Scarlett’s freckles were stark on her pale cheeks. “You can’t show anyone that,” she rasped. “It’s all lies.”

  “Yeah, but you would say that, wouldn’t you?”

  She gaped at me. “You know me, Valentina!” Scarlett put her hand to her chest. “I’ve been a friend to you, and I’ve never once done anything inappropriate.”

  I shook the phone. “Isn’t that because I’m too old for you?”

  The injured act dropped for the barest of moments and a snarl curled her lips. “That is enough! Give me the phone!”

  I leaped back just as she lunged. Her hand swiped empty air.

  “One scream and Kane runs in gun waving.” I moved to the other side of the work bench, keeping it between us. “I’m not giving you this phone.”

  “If you don’t—”

  “But I’ll promise not to show it to anyone if you sign this.” I took a single sheet of paper from my pocket and set it before her. “It’s your resignation letter.”

  She swiped it off the desk in a single move. “I will not be blackmailed. You have made a serious mistake, Valentina. The headmaster will see you expelled for this and—”

  “Ugh. Forget this. If you won’t sign”—I pulled up the recording and hovered over the share button—“then I’m posting this on my page.”

  “No, stop!”

  “Sign it.” My voice was so cold it chilled me. “Now.”

  Scarlett fell off the stool to snatch the letter from the floor. I put the pen on the table before she was back.

  The letter shook in her trembling hands as she read it. She spoke, but it wasn’t the words on the paper.

  “I am not a predator. I loved those boys. I was there for them when their parents weren’t. Nannies and cooks and tutors and drivers filled their lives. They used their fortunes to make sure they’d never have to raise their kids. They could talk to me. They could—”

  “So you admit it.”

  She turned furious eyes on me. “I did nothing wrong!”

  “Just like you did nothing wrong when you marked me? Think carefully before you deny. Remember I was there in the woods and I still have your mask. All I have to do is take it to the other staff and prove it was you who wore it that night.”

  Scarlett’s face morphed before my eyes. Gone was the puffy, snarling mess and out came a true mask. Her expression smoothed out until it was blank. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “They say it on the recording too. You’re a Spade.”

  “That recording is nothing but malicious talk from unhappy students.” Scarlett signed her name with a flourish. “But I will not allow it to ruin my reputation. Here.” She flung the paper. It bounced off my left boob and sailed to the floor. “Now delete it. I want to see you do it.”

  I picked the letter up. “I never told you I would do that. What I’m actually going to do is hold on to this so that I don’t meet with any more accidents. If another planter falls from the sky or flaming tape balls end up in my room, I send this wide.”

  I gave her my back and marched toward the door.

  “If I am who you say I am...”

  I stopped dead.

  “A Spade.” Scarlett’s voice slithered into my ear. “Then do you honestly believe that the way you handled this was smart?”

  I spoke without turning around. “I believe that you’re a sick piece of shit who preys on innocent children. You have no idea the pain you’ve caused, or you don’t care, either way... don’t count on me to protect your secret. You’ll never hurt another child again.”

  Crash!

  I spun as her stool toppled over. Scarlett darted around the table, eyes flashing with cold fury. I quickly grabbed the knob. I cracked the door open and she staggered to a halt.

  “I should have dropped another on your head and made damn sure,” she hissed, not letting her voice carry to the bodyguard outside. “You’re such a stupid little girl, Valentina. Don’t know when to quit. When to leave.” Scarlett’s whole body shook with the force of her pants. I saw the
restraint in the coiled tightness of her limbs.

  “If you wanted me gone so badly, why did you help me? Why be nice to me? Why tell me about Walter?”

  She barked a laugh and it startled me worse than the malice in her eyes. “Walter? Oh please. Who cares about that useless idiot? It wasn’t about him. It was never about him. And that people thought he was some kind of threat to the Spades is laughable. He was a jumped-up brat who didn’t know his place... just like you.”

  Wasn’t about him?

  “If he didn’t matter, why was he killed? Do you all just do this for fun? Is that what the Spades are really about?”

  Scarlett rose to her full height. Her amusement fled in the face of an emotion I couldn’t name. “The Spades keep things as they should be, and I will do the same as those who came before me and those who will come after.”

  “No, Scarlett.” I place my hand over my chest and the button cam that hid beneath. “You’re done.” I lurched forward, pulling the door with me. “You should have made damn sure the first time. Now it’s my turn.”

  I slammed the door hard enough to shake the lockers.

  “Everything okay, Miss Moon?”

  My heart rattled my ribcage like a convict trying to escape. It took a few seconds for me to answer him. “Fine, Kane. I’m going back to my room. I’m tired.”

  Together we left the main building and crossed the courtyard to my dorm.

  “I’m staying in until dinner,” I told him while putting my key in the lock. “So you can go.”

  “I will return at six. Call me if you need me to come sooner.”

  I said bye, stepped in, and waited five minutes before opening the door again. Having the no-phone ban not apply to me seemed nice until you remembered you couldn’t call anyone but your bodyguard.

  Luckily, the boys and I agreed to meet at the cliffs after my talk with Scarlett. I got her to say she attacked me and all but admit what she did to the boys. This was it for her. We had done it.

  I hope they’re there. And that I remember the way as well as I said I did.

  The quad was full of people tossing the ball around or lazing in the afternoon sun, but none of them paid attention to me hurrying through. The woods beckoned me inside and surrounded me in their music. The leaves shook with the wind, rustling high above, while birds and critters added to the chorus. A snapped twig joined the noise and I peered over my shoulder.