Ruthless Bishop: Dark New Adult High School Bully Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 3)

by Veronica Eden

  “We’re going to be late for next period,” Thea says, her eyes flashing at me mutinously.

  Christ, that look. You’d think I kicked her dog.

  She tugs her arm from my grasp. “Please let me go.”

  “Who says I want to?”

  “Me. I want you to, so you will.” She skirts around me, stepping out of range to lean against a lab table in the deserted science room. Crossing her arms over her chest, she lifts her brows. “Why did you wait so long to reveal yourself? Why did you do it at all if I had the wrong number?”

  Her soft voice rises, drawing a chuckle from me. I shrug, admiring another photo from our messages. It’s one of her tamer ones from the last few weeks, but I love it. Her red hair looks fantastic in thick high pigtails while she sucks icing off her finger, grinning at the camera with a cheeky mischief she never shows at school.

  “Because it was fun.” I rake my eyes over her. “And hot. All I thought about every night was how you were just a short distance away, getting off with me.”

  “But I didn’t know it was you! This is all wrong. I wanted—” A rough sound tears from her throat and she turns away, hiding her face. “You’re disgusting.”

  “Disgustingly skilled at making you come, you mean.” I slide my tongue along my lower lip as I taunt her. “You’re so good for me, aren’t you? I keep wondering if you’ll do the same for anyone who pays attention to you.”

  I don’t say it, but Coleman crosses my mind. The way he was leaning into her space before I interrupted makes me want to punch something. Preferably his smarmy face.

  “Stop it.” Thea pulls the cuffs of her sweater over her hands, twisting the material until it’s stretched out and limp. She looks like I’ve shattered her world, the crestfallen expression killing her light. I frown, disliking seeing her face so shadowed. Her eyes lift to meet mine, glistening with wetness. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Well, I was horny and high when you texted, so I think that’s self explanatory, but—”

  “Connor!” Thea sniffles, swiping a stray tear. The sight of her tears twists my insides. I don’t want to make her cry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I don’t normally care how my blackmail affects people. “What do you want with me? Hurry up and spit it out, so I can go.”

  “Go where?”

  She shrugs. “First stop, ladies room so I can clean up.”

  I guess she means cry her eyes out that the real Wyatt isn’t texting her. “And after that?”

  “AP Chemistry.”

  My brows lift in surprise. “Not, like home or to cry to your gal pals under the bleachers?”

  Thea wrinkles her nose. “No. The school day isn’t over yet.”

  I cover my face with my hand and groan. “God, you’re a nerd.”

  “Are you threatened by intelligent women?”

  I scoff. “Hardly.”

  “If you have a problem with it, you’ll have to suffer. I’m not changing what I do with my life for anyone.”

  “No. It’s nothing.” I shake my head. A lopsided smile tugs at my lips. “It’s perfect, actually.”

  Mom won’t be able to deny me. Thea is studious, wholesome, and appears innocent. I’m the only one who knows she isn’t.

  “Perfect for what?”

  “For what I need from you. We’re going to strike a deal. That’s how this works when I have leverage on people around here.” I stroll over and hook an arm around her shoulders. She’s so short next to me that I could tuck her head against my chest. “You’re going to do me a favor, and in exchange I won’t tell anyone about this Thea Kennedy.” I wave my phone. “Shame, really, she’s way more entertaining than you.”

  Thea’s mouth drops open and it’s kind of cute, all indignant and affronted. I’m tempted to stick my fingers in her mouth to turn it sexy and bring one of my fantasies to life. They twitch against her shoulder, and I thread them into her hair instead.

  “That’s—like extortion, isn’t it? That’s horrible!”

  My amused smile stretches. “Well, I’m not paying you. This is good, old fashioned blackmail, baby. So do as I say, or I’m going to play Russian roulette with my contact list and all the private pictures you’ve sent.” I tsk, tilting my head. “You know, you should really be careful who you send nude photos to. Make sure you trust them and all that. Or that you’ve got the right number.”

  “But I…he put his number in my phone, I don’t…”

  “Damn, that’s cold.” I’m holding back from cracking up. “Either that was on purpose, or he’s an idiot.”

  Her eyes flash with a burst of fierceness. “Wyatt isn’t like that! He’s kind and funny and dedicated to his job as a lifeguard.” She gives me a once over. “Unlike you.”

  My eyes roll. “Sounds like a wet blanket. You need to accept that your lifeguard gave you a fake number because he didn’t want you, or that he probably couldn’t handle you.” I poke my tongue from the corner of my mouth as my gaze travels over the curves I know hide beneath her frumpy uniform. “Not like I can.”

  “You haven’t said what you need from me yet,” Thea argues.

  “It’s easy, sweetness. I need you to pretend to be with me. Pose as my girlfriend.”

  She sputters, trying to get away from under my arm. I hold her tight. When she can’t break free, she huffs. “Be your fake girlfriend? What the hell, Connor? I don’t ever see you date.”

  “You’re right, I don’t. But this is important and it’s all I need from you. It has to be you.” I don’t tell her I can’t get out of it, so I’m forced to pick someone. “This is a good deal, so take it. I’m not asking you to memorize my favorite color, or even interact with my friends. You need me to not spread information about you around school, and I need you to do me this small solid until I’m done with you.”

  “Small! You’re talking about a relationship. That’s a huge deal to me!” Thea’s mouth works as she formulates a response. After a minute, she flaps her hand. “You’re not even asking! You’re just demanding I let you control me by threatening me with blackmail so I can’t refuse.”

  She bites her bottom lip and pinches her brows together. I set my phone on the lab table, curling my fingers into my palm to tame the urge to trace her pout.

  “You really are as wicked as everyone says,” Thea finishes in a hush.

  I smirk. “Better fucking believe it, baby.”

  Horror morphs her pretty features as she leans as far away as I allow while she’s tucked beneath my arm. She shakes her head. “Don’t call me that. Don’t call me that ever again.”

  “See, that’s the thing, baby.” I pause, dragging my teeth over my lip. “I’m going to call you that, because I do what I want. And I want you to be my fake girlfriend.”

  She tosses her hands in the air. “Why can’t you ask some other girl! There are so many who would jump at the chance. They’re—” Hesitation stops her, cutting off her words. Her blue-green gaze falls to the floor, lashes brushing her cheeks. “They’re prettier, and actually want to be around you.”

  Thea doesn’t think she’s pretty? How can that be possible? What a load of shit.

  This is taking so much work. Not only that, it’s cramping my style and putting a wrecking ball through the ruthless cred I’ve built for myself in the last couple of years. I’m supposed to strike so much fear in the hearts of everyone in this town that I snap my fingers and they jump.

  With a scoff, I put my hands on her shoulders to make her face me. “I can’t use any other girls because they’re all insipid and plastic. They’ll read too much into playing domestic bliss for me. Fuck that.” I step closer, toying with her hair, sinking my fingers into the strands framing her face. It’s soft as hell, slipping over my skin. Her breath catches and she stares up at me. She smells so nice. “You, on the other hand, my sweet little mouse, are nothing more than a pawn and you know it.”

  It’s heady to be so close after I’ve been imagining it. So many thoughts run through my hea
d. Does she make the same sounds in person, or will it be different? Better? If I kiss her neck and put my lips on that sun-shaped birthmark on her thigh, will she tremble deliciously?

  But instead of melting into my arms or wrapping her thick thighs around my waist, she struggles, turning her face away. Those pink, glossy lips set in a frown.

  “Let me go,” she demands quietly.

  Stubborn little thing. I breathe out slowly.

  I’ve never worked this hard for a hookup. Girls fall onto my dick. Shit, Thea fell into what we were doing easily. If someone wasn’t into it, I’d always moved on to the next girl or three in line.

  But I want Thea. I need to have a taste of her, and if I’m tying her to my side for the foreseeable future, I’ll seduce her.

  This close, her honeyed scent makes me want to swing her around, pin her against the desk, and kiss those rosy lips until they’re swollen.

  Trailing my hands from her shoulders down her back, I snake my arms around her waist, trapping her in my hold. She shoots a wide-eyed look up at me.

  “What are you doing?” Her question comes out a little breathless.

  This is affecting her, and I’ve barely done anything.

  The corner of my mouth lifts as I lean close enough to press my lips to her ear, letting my hands roam when she stays still. I squeeze her hips and sneak my tongue out to lick the shell of her ear.

  Thea sucks in a breath, shoulders shaking in a shiver. She bows her head, hiding behind her hair. “C-Connor.”

  The bell rings, but neither of us move.

  “I’ll still pretend to be Wyatt. You’ll know it’s me, but nothing has to change. I’ve really liked being your sexting buddy. We can keep what we have going. Why waste a good thing, right?” My lips brush her ear again. “And I make you feel so good.”

  The whimper that escapes her is music to my ears, drawing a grin from me. She allows herself to lean into me, touching my chest. My lids fall to half mast as she smooths one palm down my torso. I hum in encouragement. Screw next period.

  “That’s it, baby,” I croon, squeezing her ass. “Give in. We’ll have such a good time together. We can get started right now.” I clap a hand on the high science desk behind me, chuckling when she jumps. She won’t be acting like a scared mouse once I get my mouth on her. “Come sit up on this lab table and spread those legs. I want to eat you.”

  She sways into me, digging her nails into my shirt. Her voice is so soft I have to focus to hear it when she speaks. “You’re crazy and entitled.”

  With that accusation, she launches herself at me, fingers scrabbling. At first I attempt to catch her, thinking she’s trying to kiss me—hell yes, that’s what I want.

  But she’s not trying to kiss me.

  Thea snatches my phone and scampers back a couple of steps, breathing hard as she fumbles with the screen. I blink, trying to process what’s happening.

  “Damn it,” she curses.

  “Ah, ah.” I wave a finger in disapproval. “You won’t get it unlocked to delete your photos or your number.”

  “Yes I will.” She flashes me a determined look, brows flattened.

  The fire she keeps tucked away is like an ember at first glance, but it’s blistering hot. I like it. Before she can do anything rash, like smash my phone—pointless, because I keep a cloud backup—I push off the desk and capture her in my hold. She makes a sound of protest as I toss my phone aside. It clatters on the lab table while I pin her arms.

  Bringing my lips back to her ear, I bite out, “Don’t test me. And don’t be mad you liked it when you thought I was someone else.” She shudders at my demanding tone. When I nip her ear, she fights to free herself, panting. A smoky chuckle rolls through me. “Fight all you want, little mouse. You’re mine now.”

  “No!” Her attention darts to the door as her desperation climbs.

  “Hoping if you go tattle to my dad I’ll let you off the hook? Nice thought, but no.” I rub my nose into her temple, fisting the back of her sweater. “Or…are you hoping if you figure out your real Wyatt’s number, he’ll respond like I did? Who else is going to give you what you need?”

  She turns a glare on me, her mouth set in a mutinous line I’m dying to kiss. “No. You can’t bully me into this because you have private photos of me. I’m never going to text you again.” Her chin tips up and I grasp it between my thumb and finger, lifting it higher. Her small fists shift against my torso. “I’ll—I’ll block your number.”

  “That’s so cute. Well, go ahead and try. But neighbor, I’m never far from you.” A tiny sound catches in her throat. She shakes her head. I nod, pinning her with my unwavering stare. She needs to understand. “I control everyone’s secrets, you know. That’s why people are scared of me. You should be, too. Because I own you by knowing yours.” I tilt my head and brush my thumb over her jaw. “You can play along like a good pawn and I’ll keep taking care of that needy little vixen you keep under wraps—even from yourself, I think—or I can make your life fucking hell.”

  “Do you ever stop talking, or do you like the sound of your own voice that much?” Thea whispers, eyes bouncing back and forth, studying my face.

  A burst of anger erupts in my chest. There’s a sadness in her eyes that cuts me—pity. She should pity herself for the position she’s landed herself in.

  With a cruel laugh, I chuck her under the chin and hover my lips over hers, wrapping a curl around my finger. “You know, I’ve been really fucking nice about this. Nicer than I am with anyone, and you’re shitting all over it with that attitude.”

  She grimaces, but her gaze doesn’t leave mine. Silly little mouse, looking danger in the eye.

  I release her, but she doesn’t move, waiting to see what I’ll do. Picking up my phone, I sigh in a mockery of being put out.

  “Well, it’s your choice. You’ve got real brass ones, Kennedy, choosing to face the entire school getting a good look at your tits. Guess I was right about you liking the attention.” As I tell her this, I scroll through the address book on my phone. “I’ll just keep sending your photos to my contact list until you submit.”

  “Connor, don’t do this.” Her throat works as she swallows. “Please.”

  I look up through my lashes, face bent toward my phone as I pick a number at random and start a new text message. Her gaze drops to my phone, then flies back up, silently pleading with me.

  “That’s not the magic word. You know what to do. So what’ll it be?”

  Thea releases a rough cry and rushes me again, catching me by surprise as her body collides with mine. My back bumps into the high tabletop and one arm bands around her automatically while she tries to get my phone a second time. I hold it out of reach above her head.

  “Please! I don’t want you to!”

  My mouth curves into a smile that isn’t nice at all and I cradle her face with my free hand, tilting it up. Her eyes are shiny with wetness. I can see how her strength is cracking, panic taking over. I smooth some of her wild curls back from her face.

  “I wasn’t kidding. You’ll learn quick that when I say something, I’m dead fucking serious. Do you understand?”

  After staring back at me for a beat, she plants her palms on my chest and shoves hard, wrenching away from me.

  “Fine,” Thea spits. Her chest rises and falls with each harsh breath she drags in, face flushed. She touches her hair with a trembling hand. “Fine. I’ll do it. Just. Don’t send my pictures to anyone.”

  I slide my phone in my pocket and close the distance she put between us. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I ask, “Was that so hard?”

  Thea’s eyes are consumed by an intriguing fire when she lifts them to face me, even when she’s breaking. Quiet, frumpy, shy Thea Kennedy has fight in her. I’m going to have fun toying with it before I tame her.

  “See you later, little mouse.” I blow her a kiss before leaving her alone in the middle of the dark science lab, whistling with my hands in my pockets.

  Ten
<
br />   Thea

  The shock hasn’t faded two periods later. Chemistry and French were both complete blurs. At lunch I’m still reeling from Connor’s reveal, and his horrible threat if I don’t meet his demand.

  And I agreed.

  I had to, or he was going to send my photos to people. There was no choice, no way to think my way out.

  Fake girlfriend. Am I insane? We didn’t even go over what that entails, or what the rules are, like when I’m supposed to start playing a role and if we have to act like a couple.

  Back in that classroom, I put on every ounce of bravery, but in reality I’m so far from okay with all of this.

  By some miracle, I haven’t broken down yet. Once he left, I swiped my eyes and went to AP Chemistry, apologizing to the teacher for arriving so late.

  Sighing, I pick at the carrots sitting between Maisy and I on the table in the cafeteria. My stomach gives a feeble protest. I’m not hungry for anything else. My insides are too twisted in anxious knots.

  My best friend is so good at picking up on my moods. As soon as we met up at the stairwell by the library to walk to lunch, she launched into a story about falling down a YouTube hole of yoga videos last night.

  Maisy Landry is a junior in the grade below me, but we’ve been close friends since the first day of camp when we were in middle school. It was a miracle to find out we lived in the same town. She looks like a stunning model with long tan lean legs, highlighted light brown hair, and warm hazel eyes. She’s the kindest person I know. Her inner beauty makes her outer beauty shine even brighter. I’ve always loved her confident and laid back nature.

  Right now I’m thankful she lets me retreat inside my head, unsure if I manage the occasional hum to show her I’m paying attention. I’m totally not listening, like a crappy friend.

  “Are you okay today, girl?” Maisy asks, putting a hand on mine after her story ends. “We can move to the courtyard if you want. I can pull up a meditation flow playlist on my phone. It’ll be great, we’ll zen out before next period. Think we can get away with a nap, too?” She laughs, the sound light and airy, then crunches into a carrot. “My mom would freak if she found out I stopped being her perfect ideal of a goody-goody for, like, five minutes to cut class. I’m missing out on a teenage rite of passage.”