Chastity Falls: Limited Edition Box Set

by L A Cotton

  Elena’s face scrunched up, and she mumbled quickly, “Hmm, change of plan. Ty wants to take me out. He says he’s got to fit in as much time with me as possible before classes break for the summer.”

  “Elena,” I groaned. “We’ve had this planned for days.”

  Her trademark pout spread over her face. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, promise.” She air kissed my cheek and headed off in the direction of Tyson’s house.

  “Great, my plans are ruined.”

  Jackson nuzzled my neck, his arms still clamped around me. “I have the perfect replacement plans, if you’re interested.”

  Like he even needed to ask.

  The drive out to Blacks felt different. I hadn’t been back to Otis’ coffee shack for months. So much had happened. Jackson said he almost went postal when he found out about the stabbing. Both Otis and Velma considered Jackson family, and I knew exactly how they felt, because I felt the same.

  “Remember when I first brought you here?” Jackson asked, lines creased into his forehead as he focused on the winding road.

  “Like I could forget. You ended our coffee by dumping me outside the gates and driving off. Not exactly how you want a first date to end.”

  “Date, huh? And here’s me thinking it was just coffee.” He mimicked my emphasis of the word, and I caught the corner of his lip curl up in a smile. Playful Jackson was so fun to be around, and since our relationship had been out in the open, he had been like a whole other person. I didn’t miss the way he stilled whenever someone mentioned the rift with Reibeckitt, but he tried his best to shelter me from all of that.

  I knew it would catch up with us soon, but for now, I just wanted to enjoy him. And besides, Marcus Donohue had the campus on lockdown, with cops patrolling more regularly, and Dead Man’s Cove was off-limits. Even the annual end-of-year party moved to Fallen House instead of the beach. Jackson said he wanted me there, but I had avoided Braiden and Briony at all costs since we went public. And they seemed all too obliging. Their father might’ve given his blessing, but the twins weren’t happy about it.

  Jackson pulled up outside Blacks and came around to open my door. We walked through the door hand in hand, and Otis’ face lit up when he noticed us. “Jax, my boy. It’s mighty good to see you up and about. And Ana, you look as beautiful as ever, girl.”

  He came out from the counter and pulled us both into a hug. I choked up a little when I noticed the tears in the corner of the old man’s eyes. “Good God, boy, you gave us a fright.”

  Otis made no reference to the fight or cause of Jackson’s injuries, and I suspected there was a reason for it. He ushered us to a table and took our orders.

  “Christ, I love that old man.” Jackson watched Otis head out back to make our drinks, and I couldn’t help myself. “Do you wish you had lived with them? After your dad died?”

  “I don’t know. Otis and V have always been such a huge part of my life, I didn’t really need to live with them to know how much they loved me.”

  “But?” I could tell there was something more he wanted to say.

  Jackson dropped his eyes to the table, picking at the material napkin. “But maybe I wouldn’t have ended up involved with all this shit.”

  I didn’t get a chance to ask Jackson anything more as Otis arrived with our order. “Enjoy. We got us some catching up to do soon, Jax. Don’t be a stranger. V has been worried sick.”

  After eating our homemade pie, Jackson excused himself to go the restroom. Otis collected up a tray and headed in my direction, a strange look on his face. “Miss Parry.” That was a little odd. Otis called me Ana. Why all of a sudden would he need to call me Miss Parry? I nodded, telling him to continue. “Watch yourself around those Donohues. They’re no good. Jax can’t always see what’s right in front of him. Don’t trust them.”

  I gulped, unable to look away from the serious expression on Otis’ face. “And Miss Parry, Jax is a good lad. One of the best, but he’s grown up around them; that’s bound to leave a mark. You take care of yourself, you hear me.”

  “Hey, old man, not trying to hustle in on my girl, are you?” Jackson looked from me to Otis, a confused look on his face.

  Otis laughed, but I could hear it was forced. “I got my own good woman waiting for me at home. I was just collecting up your dishes, son.”

  And just like that, the tense atmosphere melted away, and Otis pulled up a chair to grill Jackson. But I didn’t hear a word. I was too fixated on Otis’ warning.

  Jackson had promised me that everything was okay now. He had told me himself that Marcus Donohue had given his blessing. So why had I been warned twice to stay away from them? To stay away from Jackson?

  And why did the voice in my head agree with them?

  The last few weeks of the semester passed in a blur. I had to catch up for three classes before the semester ended. Jackson came over most nights, keeping me up until the early hours. And Elena, Cassie, and Lydia regularly fought with him for my attention. Talia had been around less as her relationship with Jarrod grew more serious, refusing to come out to anything that I was going to be at. Apparently, she was taking sides, and it didn’t include mixing with the girlfriend of a Fallen.

  “Remind me why you can’t just come to the party with me?” Jackson muttered, flinging himself onto my bed. “You’re my girlfriend, not theirs.”

  I climbed on top of him and laughed, kissing my way along his jaw. “True, but you get to take me to bed at the end of the night, and they don’t. And besides, won’t you have team stuff to attend to first? Winning the championship was kind of a big deal.”

  Jackson flipped us over and I screamed. He covered his body with mine causing me to arch up into him. It was like my body was wired to want to be as close as possible to him. “It’s just a trophy,” he said, tracing his tongue along the hem of my low-cut tank.

  “Not just a trophy. Even I know that, Jackson. Ahhh-” He stole my words as his hand cupped my breast, causing my nipples to pebble against the transparent material.

  “I want to arrive at the party with my girlfriend. Is that too much to ask?”

  I rolled my eyes at his alpha ways. “It’s your house, you’ll already be there. Besides, won’t the anticipation of seeing me make it all that much better?” I threaded my fingers through his hair and pulled him away from my skin until he was looking me in the eye. “Me at the end of the night, remember. Just give them this one night.”

  He groaned, but I knew I had him. “Fine. Fine. You can come to the party with them, on one condition. You stay over.”

  My body recoiled slightly. Jackson refused to let this drop. He had been on me for the last couple of weeks to stay over at Fallen House, but I refused. I wasn’t ready. I still didn’t know most the team, and Braiden still avoided me. It was too weird.

  “No.”

  Jackson broke free of my hold and clamped his mouth over mine, sliding his tongue in and swirling it with my own. “Yes.” It came out distorted, as he continued to kiss me.

  “No.” I wriggled trying to break free from his assault on my lips, despite how good it felt.

  Eventually, he pulled back and said, “Please, for me. I know it’s not easy for you… with them. But they’ll come around. I promise. I need this. Please.”

  He was begging—and it was an unfair tactic. How was I supposed to deny those big puppy dog eyes and that kissable pout? Sulking Jackson was too damn cute to refuse, and I found myself agreeing, trying to ignore the possible consequences.

  A huge grin broke over his face, and my heart did jump a little knowing I was the cause of it. “I love you so fucking much, Savanah Parry.”

  I love you, too, Jackson Pierce.

  “Remind me again why I let you talk me into this?”

  Elena pulled me along with her, while Cassie and Lydia snickered behind us. The party was in full swing as we arrived outside Fallen House. The beat vibrated through the house and out onto the sidewalk.

  “Man, they know
how to throw a party,” Cassie gawked, totally in awe.

  “Ana, you have bagged one of the hottest guys at CFA. Get the hell in there and wow his socks off. He is going to die when he sees you in that dress.” Elena nudged me forward, but then she stopped, her face growing pale. “Shit, I’m so sorry. Me and my mouth. Shit.”

  I grabbed her hand, laughing. “Elena, it’s fine. He’s fine. I’m fine. Let’s go inside. I need a drink before he sees me like this.”

  A guy on the team opened the door for us, waving us inside. He nodded his head at me, clearly aware of who I was. I cringed, hoping Jackson hadn’t done something stupid like handing around my photo, warning the guys not to even think about coming within a mile radius of me. He was so protective that I wouldn’t have put it past him. Thinking about him prompted me to reach into my bag and check my cell again. Jackson said that he would text me where to meet him, but I hadn’t heard from yet, which was unlike him. But I brushed it off. Things had been going so well; I didn’t always want to assume the worst. I wanted to believe things could be okay—that they were going to be okay.

  “Chica, let’s hit the bar. Get you some Dutch courage.” Elena nodded toward the kitchen and I dutifully followed, my whole body on alert.

  My eyes found them immediately, the two players guarding the door in the kitchen that I could only assume led to the basement. I tried to watch out the corner of my eye. No one came or went, but they were definitely on guard. Keeping people out, or people in.

  “Hey, I said Jell-O shots or beer?” Elena eyed me carefully. She was attuned to my tendencies by now, but I discreetly shook my head. This was something to discuss later, not now. Cassie and Lydia joined us, and we cheered to our Jell-O shots. It was almost the end of our first year at CFA, and we had survived.

  An hour later, I was actually having fun. It was a first for me, but I had let Elena talk me into having a couple of cups of the homemade punch, and it spread through my body relaxing me and giving me a slight buzz.

  “More?” Elena shook her empty cup in the air, as the four of us danced amongst the crush of bodies. We all nodded and followed her back into the kitchen. I jumped up onto one of the barstools while Elena set about making us new drinks.

  “No word from Jackson yet?” Cassie asked, eyeing up a guy out in the hallway.

  I shook my head, taking the cup from Elena and placing it down on the counter next to me. “Not yet, he’s probably with Braiden.” A pang of jealousy shot through me, but I forced it out. I had to accept their friendship if things were going to work between us. I didn’t like it—but Jackson wouldn’t turn his back on the family that raised him.

  My stool tipped as someone bumped into me, and I dropped to my feet, steadying myself. I half turned and froze.

  “Hi, Ana.”

  I stared wide-eyed at Chad.

  “Umm, hi.”

  “Enjoying the party?”

  I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or that I was just feeling brave, but I looked him straight in the eye and said, “What do you want, Chad?”

  He immediately held up his hands in surrender and started backing away. “Hey look, I’m sorry, okay. No hard feelings.”

  As he disappeared into the crowd, I shuddered. He had said one thing, but I saw it—the glint in his eyes. He wasn’t sorry, and I doubted him searching me out was just coincidence.

  “Your purse is vibrating.” Elena slid it across to me, and my heart started to pound.

  I’m in my room. Last door on the left. Left hallway. I need you, Ana. J x

  Elena smirked across at me, holding out the drink. “Go to him. It’ll be a waste of my efforts otherwise.”

  I hugged the three of them, drank it down in one, and set off in search of Jackson.

  The house was like a freaking maze, and I was starting to wish that I had refused the last drink. It had gone straight to my head and I felt a little unsteady on my feet, stumbling slightly and cursing into the dimly lit hallway. I had made it up the stairs okay, but now I was starting to panic. I didn’t want to ruin my night with Jackson by making a fool out of myself because I got carried away with the Jell-O shots. But my body tingled and my limbs felt heavy—or was it light—and detached from my body. My control was slipping.

  I counted off the never-ending line of doors, which I realized was silly, because Jackson had said his door was the last on the left. Once I reached it, I stopped and frowned. It was slightly ajar. My legs swayed slightly and I gripped my eyes tight trying to shake off the feeling. Breathe, Ana, you just need to breathe.

  Relief coursed through me when Jackson’s arms wrapped around me from behind. It was a surprise. I expected him to be waiting for me inside. But he felt so good pressed up behind me and I leaned back into him, letting his hands caress my skin through the silky material of my dress. His lips gently touched my neck, and shivers rippled through me.

  And then I looked down at his hands and stilled.

  My eyes narrowed and I opened my mouth to scream but my voice wouldn’t work. I was tired, so tired. I only just felt the hand clamp around my mouth as I was roughly shoved into a dark room.

  And then nothing.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Something wasn't right. My head felt heavy, bobbing on my neck like one of those bobblehead dolls. I lifted a hand to my temple and winced. Something wet coated my hand; it felt slick and oily. My eyes strained trying to make out the smears. Red smears. Blood. I lurched forward with panic. Why was I bleeding?

  "Oh, look. The bitch is awake," a guy’s voice said from somewhere in the room, but I couldn’t focus enough to see through the dazzling light, when I heard her. Briony. What in the hell was she doing here? And why did my whole body feel like a lead balloon?

  "Wakey, wakey, it's time to play." Briony’s voice was laced with sarcasm.

  "Wher- where am I? What's going on?" Where her voice had been calm and devious, my voice quivered.

  "You mean you can't remember? The party, ring any bells?" the male voice said again. It sounded familiar, but my mushed brain couldn't quite place it.

  "Of course, she can remember, Chad," Briony spat out, and my whole body tensed. "She loved every second of it."

  No, no, no, my mind screamed as distorted images flooded my mind. Chad forcing me into an empty bedroom. Pressing me up against the wall. His lips rough and clumsy as they forced themselves onto mine.

  There was no way that I would have let him do that to me.

  "Wha-what the hell did you do to me?" I bucked off the chair, only to realize that I was restrained, and Briony laughed. "Even drugged, she's still got spunk. We slipped you some roofies. Chad doesn't like his girls to fight back, if you know what I'm saying."

  Acid burned up my throat and I gagged, thrashing against the restraints looped around my waist.

  "The bitch is feisty. Shame Pierce interrupted. We could have had us some fun." Chad laughed, maniacally.

  Pierce. Jackson. Jackson saw what Chad did to me?

  "Jack-Jackson, whe-where is he?"

  Footsteps approached me and I lifted a hand to block out some of the light. Braiden's face came into view and I flinched, pressing back into the chair. "Jackson? That’s what you call him, right? Hear that Bri, the bitch calls our boy Jackson."

  "Ah, well isn't that sweet." Briony stepped next to Braiden, scowling down at me, her wild eyes pinning me in place. "I told you to stay away from him, but you didn't listen, did you?"

  A door opened somewhere, and I heard more footsteps, followed by a loud thud. Briony stepped to the side and my heart jumped in my mouth. Jackson lay in the middle of the wooden floor, bloodied and bruised. Even Briony gasped, her eyes falling on his battered body. “What the hell Braiden? I thought you were going to shake him up a bit, th-this is too much. Dad will lose it.”

  Braiden snarled and spat out, “Dad doesn’t need to know. Got it? Pierce and I had a few things to work through.”

  I could hear them continue to argue, but I zoned out, totally fixat
ed on Jackson’s still body. He was lying on his stomach, his head flopping to the side. Lifeless. I watched and watched, willing him to give me any sign that he was okay, and relief coursed through me when I noticed the steady rise and fall of his back. He was breathing.

  “What are we going to do about her?” Briony trained her eyes on me again, and stalked forward, a glint in her eye that made my hairs stand to attention.

  “Take your pick.”

  Her hand flew toward my cheek, the sound of skin colliding skin echoing through the room as my head whipped to the side from the impact. I bit down on my lip to stop the scream from ripping through me, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

  Jackson murmured, and Braiden nodded at someone to help him. The guy moved into my line of sight and Kyler came into view. They hoisted Jackson to his feet, as he started to come to. “You should open your eyes, dear brother. You’ll want to see what we have for you.”

  Jackson’s eye flickered opened, confusion etched into his brow, and then his face paled with recognition. “Bra-Braiden… wha-what the fuck have you done?” His voice sounded so tired, my heart ached for him, and I fought to loosen the restraint with my hands, while everyone else focused on Jackson.

  “Family first, brother. She’s an outsider, a risk we can’t afford. You should have ended it.”

  “But Marcus, he…” Jackson gasped for breath, “he said I had his blessing.”

  Braiden sneered, “Well yeah, I brought a couple of things to Dad’s attention and he agrees. She goes.”

  “No.” Jackson lifted his head in defiance, anger burning in his eyes. “I’ll choose her over you. If you make me choose, it’ll be her. Every damn time.”

  Braiden stormed over to Jackson, slamming his fist into his stomach, and I screamed as Jackson lurched forward and grunted with pain. “You don’t get to choose. We are your family Pierce, it’s not an opt in or opt out scenario. In for life, that’s the Donohue way; that’s what the tattoo on your neck means. Your dad forgot that and paid dearly.”