A Hurt So Sweet: Complete Dark Bully Romance Series Box Set: Elite of Eden Falls Prep

by Isabella Starling

  I'm greeted with open arms. Invited in. Poured drink after drink. I drink all of them. I get asked too many questions to count. I don't answer any of them.

  I drink.

  I smoke.

  I dance, sweaty bodies grinding against mine. Someone tries to kiss me, and I have to get out, I'm fucking dying from the oppressive heat, the booze, the fucking sensory overloard.

  I think about Lily Anna, probably worried out of her mind about what's happened to me.

  Let her fucking worry.

  After everything she's done to fucking with my life, she fucking deserves it.

  I fill my mind with a haze that's as numbing as it is comforting. Because when I'm in this haze, I don't know right from wrong, and nothing can hurt me. So I'll just stay in it until the pain doesn't fucking hurt anymore.

  I lose myself in the night and pretend the problems won't be here when I open my eyes, sober again.

  At some point, I get sick in the garden of my former rival.

  But hours later, I wake up with a start in the backseat of my car with a bottle of tequila clutched in my hand. I groan, feeling a killer hangover coming on. But I'm also stone cold sober, and the thought of Pandora consumes me completely now. I need to find her. I need to get rid of Lily Anna for good.

  I get behind the wheel of my car with a clear head.

  I drive home with my heart pounding and my mind filled with ideas.

  I'll beg Lai to help Lily Anna.

  I'll give her to Emilian Oakes, to punish her for what she's done.

  I'll fucking push her off that cliff myself.

  I shake my head to get the thought out. I can't bear to think about it, but the idea is there now, firmly lodged in my mind, demanding attention.

  I could get rid of her.

  She's hurt enough people.

  I could hurt her.

  Nobody would know.

  I'd get away with it. It would be the perfect crime. She'd be dead. Gone. No more trouble. Never again.

  I grind out curse after curse. I'm getting close to home, and when I pull into the lane leading up to the Manor, I knit my brows together. There are two police cars parked upfront, and a line of yellow tape stretches around the property.

  My heart fucking stops when I see it. Dread fills my insides and I taste bile in my mouth.

  Lily Anna.

  They found Lily Anna.

  I know I'm fucked either way. She'll rat me out, blame it all on me. I'll be in jail for a long fucking time - too long. So long Pandora will forget all about me. But I can't bring myself to stay away. I need to know what she's done. If I run now, I'll only make things worse for myself in the long run.

  I park in the driveway, surprised that there are no cops outside.

  I walk into the Manor with my heart fucking pounding. I hear voices, following them to the floor where Lily Anna's room is.

  As I take the stairs, an officer appears above me. We stare at one another. I recognize him as a friend of my father's. A family friend. Someone I used to know, many years ago, when life was simple.

  His hand shakes as he reaches to his intercom, buzzing through. "We got him, boss. He's here."

  I don't run. I just stand there, and so does he.

  "I realize how hard this must be for you," I mutter. "But you might as well put me in the cuffs now. I'm not about to run."

  "So you did it?" he asks outright.

  "What does it look like?" I hiss. "My house. My fault."

  I walk up the stairs and hold out my arms in front of my body. Only hesitating for a split second, the policeman clicks the handcuffs closed around my wrists.

  "I can't believe it," he mutters. "Your father was a good man, but you... You are a monster, Dexter."

  I feel color draining out of my cheeks as he leads me down the hallway. I see the rest of the cops come rushing down the hallway now, faces as pale as mine. I see right into Lily Anna's room from where I'm standing. It's unlocked, the door left open - a sight I'm not used to. The cops block my vision.

  "Where is she?" I finally ask, glancing from one of the policemen to the other.

  "You tell us," one of them replies, flashing me his badge. "I'm Detective Sutton. We arrived after an anonymous call was made to the station."

  "I don't know where she is," I answer, feeling annoyed. "I'm sure she's spun you quite the little story so far, but I should be allowed to explain my side of things. Because I..."

  At that point, two of the cops move.

  My eyes zero in on something behind them. Something lying on the floor.

  It's a bag. A body bag.

  "What... the fuck?" I ask. "What's happened?"

  "We have a dead body, Mr. Booth," a third cop replies. "We were hoping you could answer that question for us."

  I use all my strength to rip myself away from the guy who's holding the handcuffs. He shouts. I hear them pull their guns out, click the safety off. I don't give a shit, because at that point, I've reached the door and I'm staring down into the body bag which remains unzipped. What stares back at me makes me want to die.

  "No," I whisper, falling to my knees in front of the body. "Please, God, no."

  "Stay on your goddamn knees!" one of the cops screams, but I couldn't get up if I tried. I haven't cried since my parents died, but looking down at my former friend's unmoving face has made me a mess. His eyes are open. They left them like that. Scaring into nothing. There's a fireplace poker in his belly. Deep, dark red blood surrounds it like a rosette spreading over his stomach, his torso.

  He's gone. He's dead. I won't ever get the chance to make things right again.

  She killed him.

  Lily Anna did this.

  And I'm about to take the fall.

  "Dexter Booth," one of the cops starts while I'm pulled to my feet. "You're arrested for the murder of..."

  Chapter Twenty

  Pandora

  I'm glad I took a cab to the next train stop after Eden Falls. It took a hefty chunk out of the money I've saved, but at least I don't risk anyone seeing me at the train station.

  I stare out of the taxi window at the retreating view of Eden Falls. The town was never kind to me, and neither were its inhabitants. But in some twisted way, I'm going to miss it. I'll miss Dexter the most, as much as it hurts to admit. But he's carved out a special place in my heart... one I feel he'll be residing in for a long time to come.

  "Here we are, Miss," the driver drawls out. "Stormcliff train station. That'll be sixty-five fifty."

  I groan inwardly as I count out the cash, adding a small tip because I feel too bad not to. Equipped with my weekend bag, I get out of the car, staring at the train station with its shops from the pavement.

  There's something else I have to do before I board the train. Something I've been putting off for too long.

  My hand lingers over my belly. I feel sick just thinking about the possibilities of what could happen. But I can't avoid it any longer. It's been a month, and I'm late. I'm never late.

  On trembling feet, I walk to the drugstore on the corner of the station building. Grateful for the anonymity of the bigger city, I grab a pregnancy test off the shelves and keep my head down as I pay for it in cash. The cashier gives me a sympathetic look, but I'm just grateful she doesn't recognize me. The last thing I want is for this to get back to Dexter.

  I clutch the paper bag in my hands as I find the ticket station and pay for my ride. Then, I go to the platform and sit on one of the benches next to a stunning looking girl with deep black hair.

  Her hair's been bluntly chopped off at shoulder-length. I wonder why she looks so familiar, but look away before she can catch me looking.

  The train arrives a few minutes later. The girl and I get on at different entrances, and my fascination with her pretty face is soon forgotten, replaced by the anxiety that's rolled into a ball in my stomach.

  I find a seat on the train which is nearly empty, apart from a guy sitting by the window at the end of the wagon.
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br />   I settle down and stare out the window as the train begins to move. It's four hours until we reach North Haven. Four excruciating hours of not knowing the truth... unless I take the test now.

  Worry twists my stomach into a thousand knots. I know I should do it, but I can't bring myself to get up and go to the bathroom.

  I barely last an hour. By the end of it, I can feel drops of sweat dripping down my back and I've had enough.

  Leaving my bag on the seat, I walk to the train toilet and lock myself in.

  I follow the instructions on the pregnancy test robotically and call out I'll only be a minute when someone knocks on the door.

  Counting the seconds, I wait until three minutes are finally over and pick up the test with my eyes closed and my heart pounding.

  Please don't be. Please don't be. Please, please, please.

  I open my eyes. My bottom lip wobbles. My life changes in front of my eyes.

  The test is positive.

  "Are you done in there or what?" the annoyed female voice demands again.

  "I'm s-sorry," I stutter, throwing the test in the trash. "Coming right out."

  I wash my hands, refusing to glance at my pale expression in the mirror. I walk out of there.

  The stunning ebony-haired beauty from the station smirks at me as I get out. I walk past her, back into my wagon and collapse in my seat. I reach over to my bag, but the seat next to me is empty.

  I look. My bag is gone.

  "Fuck," I whisper, checking under the seats. Nothing. I get up and start searching the whole wagon. The bag is nowhere to be seen, and neither is the guy who was sitting there before. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck me."

  "Something wrong?"

  I look up. The raven-haired girl is there, smiling at me.

  "My b-bag," I whisper. "It's gone."

  "A weekend bag?" she asks. "Louis Vuitton?"

  "Yeah." My eyes light up. "Did you see it?"

  "Some guy left with it..." she furrows her brows together. "I thought it was a bit odd he'd carry something like that. There was a stop while you were in the bathroom. He got off."

  "Fuck!" I cry out, feeling frustration take over my tired body. It's too much - all of it is just too fucking much. That bag had everything - my phone, my clothes. I only have the money, which I luckily kept in an envelope in my school blazer.

  "I'm sorry," the girl mutters. "I feel partially responsible. I'm Alli."

  "Pandora," I mutter miserably. She sits down next to me.

  "I'm sorry to say, Pandora, but you seem like kind of a mess right now," she says amicably. "You want to talk? I'm going all the way to North Haven, so I have time."

  "I get off there, too." I groan, rubbing my eyes. "This is my worst fucking nightmare."

  "Well, let's talk it through," Alli suggests. "You'll feel better if you do. By the way... do you go to Eden Falls Prep?"

  I look up, surprised, and notice her staring at my uniform.

  "I guess, well, I used to," I manage. "How do you know the school?"

  "Oh, my cousin goes there," she replies easily.

  "Maybe I know her. What's her-"

  "Anyway, you were going to tell me your tragic life story." She leans back with a beatific smile. I can't deny how beautiful she is. Like a dark-haired Barbie doll - stunning perfection. It makes me feel frumpy and sad to just look at her. "I'm sure it's not as bad as mine."

  I muster up a smile despite the disaster that is my life. "Wanna bet on that?"

  She grins, and once again I'm struck by just how familiar her features are.

  "Tell me," she says, almost hungry. "Tell me everything about Eden Falls, Pandora."

  To be continued…

  A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four

  Chapter One

  Pandora

  A few hours into the train ride, I don't feel as hopeless as I did when I saw that plus sign on the pregnancy test.

  Alli is the perfect companion for the train ride that could potentially change my life for the better. She distracts me with her own past when I am panicking, and does her best to calm me down when I start crying. The thought of the baby I'd wanted so badly actually growing in my belly for real makes me feel sick. And what's even worse, I keep questioning how Dex will react. Will he be pissed off? Will he demand to get a paternity test on the child? Will he still want me, not knowing whether it's his?

  I force myself to push the thoughts as far away as possible from my mind. I don't care about Dexter Booth. He's ancient history—as he should be, after what he did to me when he leaked that photo. He hasn’t changed one bit. He’s still the twisted, cruel boy I first met. And yet the thought of his reaction won't leave my mind. And that's where Alli comes in.

  "Just breathe," she tells me with a sympathetic smile, gently squeezing my palm. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need. Everything's going to be fine. Breathe in, breathe out."

  "Thanks," I manage a few moments later. "Fuck. How am I going to deal with everything by myself? I shouldn't have left Eden Falls."

  "You did the right thing by leaving. And look... Maybe we can stay in touch." Her smile is warm, and when she pulls her hand away, I cling onto it, my eyes desperately finding hers. "I'll give you my number... You can call me when you get settled in with your mom."

  "Come with me. Please. I don't want to go by myself. I need a friend."

  "What?" She laughs uneasily. "I told you, I have my uncle waiting for me at his place when I get off in Stormcliff. He's my last living relative." She chews her bottom lip and I pat her hand. She told me her parents died in a tragic car accident, and she now has to move in with an uncle she's never met.

  "Tell him you're staying with a friend for a while. You're old enough." I squeeze her hand again. "Please. I'll..." I bite my lower lip, not knowing what to offer her. As far as I know, my mother could be pissed to see me and throw me out before I so much as step a foot in her house. "I have nothing to offer you. But you said you were dreading to go live with your uncle, Alli. Come with me instead. I really need a friend, and I think you do, too."

  She stares at me with an indecisive expression before sighing and leaning back in her chair. "Fine."

  "Really?" My face lights up with a smile. "You'd do that for me?"

  "What else have I got to do?" she giggles. "At least this way, I'll get some excitement in my life. And won't have to move in with my aunt."

  "Don't you mean uncle?" I furrow my brows.

  "What? Oh, yeah." She smiles distractedly. "My uncle."

  Just then, the train operator's voice sounds on the speaker, letting us know we'll be arriving in Stormcliff in two minutes. Alli grabs her small bag and offers me her arm.

  "Come on, let's do this."

  Hooking my arm with hers, I follow her onto the platform when the train stops. She hails a cab and we stare at the picturesque ocean-side city as we drive through it. It's beautiful here, closer to Wildwood than Eden Falls was. Something tells me I could live here. Feel at home here. More than I ever did with my second family.

  My heart beats louder and louder as we travel through the suburbs into the elite neighborhood of the city. Mom's address is right around here, the driver tells us, and I'm surprised by how rich the area is. It makes me wonder whether my mother remarried. The potential of having to meet yet another new family makes me feel faint.

  We arrive in front of a gated driveway leading up to a gorgeous, modern house shielded by tall trees. It looks like it's mostly glass, something from an architectural magazine. I can see a tennis court and a pool behind it, and the gated property is huge.

  "This is as far as I can go," the cab driver says, motioning to the gate. "You girls got someone to buzz you through?"

  "Yep," I lie, giving him the last of my cash. "Thanks for your concern. Bye."

  He gives me a doubtful look, but I stare back, challenging him to say something. I'm sick and tired of people treating me like I don't belong.

  When he finally looks away after handing us our luggage, I feel
triumphant and disappointed at the same time. I almost wanted him to call us out. I could've used it as an excuse to get back to Eden Falls and forget this whole thing ever happened.

  Alli and I stand in front of the gates and I take a deep breath before ringing the bell.

  A voice crackles on the speaker. "Yes?"

  "Hello, err," I stutter. "My name is Pandora, Pandora Oakes. I... um..."

  "What did you just say?" The voice sounds emotional now. "Pandora?"

  "Yes, Pandora Oakes. I-"

  I don't get to finish my sentence as the gates roll open. Alli and I exchange surprised looks before walking onto the property. We walk across the driveway to the front of the house. The front door flies open and a woman appears in the doorframe.

  "My baby!" she cries out, rushing toward us. I don't even get the chance to drink it all in before her body smashes into Alli's and she hugs her tightly, tearing up as she looks into her eyes. "Oh, it really is you. I'd recognize you anywhere, my beautiful girl. You haven't changed a bit since you were a baby."

  Alli looks pale as a ghost and I clear my throat uncomfortably.

  "Err... I'm Pandora, actually."

  The woman turns to face me then, giving me a better chance to examine her. She's of medium height, with glossed brown hair and several discreet procedures stretching her face taunt over the bones in her face. I can see the signs now. She's beautiful, though. And she even looks a bit like me.

  "Ah, Pandora," she smiles with bittersweet sadness. "Of course. I'm sorry, your friend here looks just like..." She gives Alli another once over and then shakes her head. "Nevermind. My baby!"

  She throws herself forward again, this time at me. The dramatic scene Alli went through moments ago is now repeating itself with me as a main player. My new friend and I exchange amused looks over my mother's shoulder before the woman pulls back, dabbing at her eyes as she watches me hungrily.