I hum, brushing our lips together, entranced by the fantasy of a dreamy date day.
Then the second set of lights flick on and a sharp gasp cuts through my happiness. “What. Is. Going. On. In. Here?”
I fly away from Connor, almost tripping when he’s slow to let me go. Mom stands in the arched entrance to the kitchen in a robe, murder in her eyes.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?”
She takes me in and I’m painfully aware of how this looks—making out in the kitchen in the middle of the night, a baking bomb left in our wake, and his flour handprints on my ass. This is my worst nightmare. She’s already on my case all the time about what I wear, demanding I dress modestly. Now she discovers me in comfortable but way more revealing clothes than she’d ever approve of me wearing and seconds from climbing my boyfriend like a tree.
Hopefully she can’t tell we’ve had sex, or she’ll blow her lid. I’ve tuned out enough of her lectures about my sacred gift—gag. She never listens when I insist virginity is a bullshit social construct designed by the patriarchy.
I have no regrets about sleeping with Connor. None. It was amazing and he treated me like a queen.
“Thea,” Mom hisses. I know it’s bad when she’s so angry she can’t even raise her voice. “Get to bed, now. And you.” She swings on Connor, pointing at him while she holds her robe closed. “Get out of my house before I call the cops.”
“Second time’s the charm, right?” Connor gives Mom a cocky smirk.
I stare at him with my eyes wide in terror. Do you have a death wish? I ask with my expression. He winks at me. Winks! Across the room, Mom’s nostrils flare. I brace for the incoming rage. Talking back to her never goes well.
“You think I won’t? You’re trespassing. Get. Out.” Mom grabs the landline—the one she refuses to get rid of because ‘it works perfectly fine’—brandishing it at Connor. “They should’ve locked you up before. You’re not just a vicious miscreant, you’re a troubled boy.”
“You flatter me.” Connor is still leaning against the counter, not worried that Mom starts dialing. “Tell Chief Landry hi for me. You know, I talked to him earlier? We’re good friends now.”
A vein in Mom’s throat bulges as her throat contracts with her swallow, her face turning a scary shade of red.
“Yeah, yeah.” Connor pops off the counter, hands up. “I know you have a real penchant for calling the cops.” He lowers his voice to a mutter as he makes a show of gathering his things—things he doesn’t have. “Regular ol’ Karen you are, Mrs. K.”
On his way out the back door, Connor blows me a kiss, sealing my fate as grounded forever.
“I’m sorry,” I spit out before Mom can speak. “I won’t bring him here again.”
I turn to go to bed, but Mom plants herself in front of me. “I told you to stay away from him.”
Frustration at being treated like a perpetual child spears through me. Huffing, I square off with Mom.
“You don’t get to dictate everything in my life. Connor is my boyfriend.” She opens her mouth, but I hold up a finger. “And no, I won’t stop seeing him. My life is mine, Mom.”
“You stupid girl,” she seethes. “Fine. Wait until he breaks you, throws you away. Then you’ll see how rotten boys are.”
Surprisingly, she doesn’t try to ground me.
“Jesus, Mom. Do you even listen to yourself?” Rubbing my forehead, I cast a glance around the kitchen. “I’ll clean up tomorrow. I’m going to bed.”
Her poisonous gaze tracks me as I leave the kitchen. While climbing the stairs I can hear her fuming to herself.
It makes me sad. I don’t remember my childhood being awful, other than her obsession with my body and her little nitpicking comments about my outfit choices, so why is she like this now? She was never overly affectionate with me, but she treated me more human when I was a little girl than she does now.
It seems like she’s getting worse and she hates that she can’t control me because I no longer cower in fear of whatever she wants to say about my body to keep me in my place.
Twenty-Four
Connor
Sticking it to Thea’s mom as I strolled out of her house in the middle of the night is one of my top five hashtag swag moments for myself in the last year. I was feeling really damn good about myself, knowing that not only was I pissing her off by my mere presence, but that I also had Thea on my side.
And I know that woman has been fuming about how I’m corrupting her daughter ever since. The next morning she was drinking coffee under their portico, glaring at me as Thea climbed into my ride.
I leaned over and kissed Thea long and hard until she pinched my side. Her mom’s face was fucking priceless before I pulled away from the curb.
What can I say? I don’t do well with overbearing parents telling me what to do. Celine Kennedy can shove her judgement up her ass alongside the broomstick.
Over the next two weeks, Thea and I spend our time together at night in the pool house as our relationship slowly grows. Her work ethic is bleeding into mine because she won’t let me distract her until both of our homework assignments are finished. But once they are? She’s all mine.
My friends accept her when we show up to the parking lot in the morning. I miss Devlin being around, but I don’t mind that he’s been skipping out on us. He’s happy and he needs it. I can’t fault that. We’ll pick up when he comes up for air from his own bubble with Blair Davis.
It feels good to walk into a school I rule with the world’s prettiest sunbeam under my arm, talking my ear off about the upcoming dance.
I’ve already got a plan in the works. She’s been putting her all into heading the committee to organize the dance, so I’m going to make sure her night is nothing but magical.
Half-absorbed in my phone as I follow the flow of foot traffic between classes near the end of the day, it takes me a minute to realize the crowd forming ahead is because some drama is going down. The students blocking my way titter meanly at the scene. I don’t have time for this.
“What, don’t have anything to say? You a mute?”
Some meathead football player pushes someone shorter than him. I can’t see clearly through the crowd. A cheerleader I recognize from that boat party before school stands next to him, smirking triumphantly—Kammy with a K, my mind supplies.
“Gonna go cry about it?” Kammy teases in a nasty tone. “Should’ve thought about that before you butted in.”
They must be picking on someone. A dealer that shorted them on product, or one of the nerds who make bank selling homework.
I switch directions, planning to take the stairs to the second floor to get to my computer science class, but a familiar voice has me halting in my tracks and flying into protective mode.
“Please leave me alone. I didn’t do anything to you.”
Thea.
“Move,” I demand in a deadly voice.
The underclassman in my way might have shit himself when he saw me towering over him before he scurried out of my path. Others spot me and part, lowering their gazes, too afraid to look a crazed beast in the eyes. By the time I bust through the crowd of onlookers, the football player and Kammy are tugging on Thea’s sweater. Fierce rage overtakes me.
Thea stands her ground while they bully her and it eggs them on. They’re probably pissed off she’s not reacting how they thought. I can see it in their eyes: they want her tears. Her humiliation.
I won’t stand for this. No one treats my girl like that.
“The fuck you think you’re doing?” I cut in, putting myself between them and Thea. Her hands touch the back of my school blazer. “Messing with my girlfriend?”
“Bishop,” the football guy says in confusion. His puny, juiced up brain can’t fathom why I’m here. That’s what steroids will do. “What’s up man?”
“Connor,” Thea murmurs behind me. “It’s okay.”
“No, baby, it’s not. I saw what they were doing to you.” Swinging ba
ck to the other two, I snarl. “Touch her again and I’ll destroy your whole life. Then I’ll break your arms.” Thea tries to sidestep me, but I block her. These two don’t even deserve to look at her. My gaze flicks to Kammy. “That goes for both of you.”
Kammy and her footballer shuffle back a step at my feral look. I don’t have to spell it out for them. Everyone knows when they cross me, whether they realize it or not, I’ve got dirt that will bury them before their life even gets off the ground.
“All of you, actually.” I raise my voice, moving my attention over the crowd watching us raptly. “Thea is off fucking limits. If you mess with my girlfriend, I’m coming for you.”
Once I’m satisfied that I’ve struck enough fear in everyone, I let Thea out from behind me, tucking her under my arm. “Tell me what happened.”
She frowns at me. “It’s not worth it.”
“It is. Tell me.”
Her gaze travels over the crowd. She takes my hand and I allow her to lead me away. “Let’s just go. The bell’s about to ring and we’ll all be late.”
I toss a glare over my shoulder at Thea’s bullies, one that says I’m watching you. Kammy’s face pales and she yanks on the footballer’s arm to get out of there.
Once we’re away from the crowd, I dig my feet in.
“What are you—? Hey!” Thea yelps as I tug her into the empty stairwell at the end of the hall. The door clangs shut, enveloping us in its echo that fades into silence.
I cradle her face, examining her.
“I’m fine.”
“Tell me what happened.”
She huffs. “It’s stupid.”
“It’s not. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I promise I won’t let anything like that happen to you again.”
Thea lifts her brows. “Yeah? You know, not that long ago that was you, too. It’s only been a little over a month since you humiliated me enough to send me running from the cafeteria crying.”
Her words stab into my gut in a fatal blow. Fuck, I was such an ass to her. Hanging my head, I give her another piece of myself.
“I’m sorry. I’ve always been a dick to you because of your mom. I…” Now that I’m saying it out loud, now that I know her, it sounds so idiotic. How could I have thought this was okay? With a sigh, I push out the rest of my words. “I thought you were like her. Anytime I noticed you, it was because you were intervening and I took it badly.”
Her beautiful features twist in conflict. “What do you mean, because of my mom?”
I rub the back of my head. “About two years ago is when I first discovered my mom and Damien’s affair. I walked in on him fucking her in the kitchen.”
Her nose wrinkles and she wraps her arms around my waist. “Connor… That must have been awful.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t peachy.” I gather her closer, bolstered by her soothing touch. If she’s in my arms, she can’t hate me, right? “I lost it. Totally went berserk. I beat the shit out of him while my mom was screaming. It was a whole ass scene.”
A sad laugh punches out of her. “What happened next?”
“Well, I was so focused with raging on him that I didn’t realize I’d chased him all the way out of the house. I was on my front lawn, punching him until his face was a bruised and bloody mess. Then I guess your mom came out and saw it happening. She called the cops, shrieking like a banshee. You’ve seen how my mom is with appearances. Not even her own side piece gets in the way of her goal, so you can imagine how she felt that I not only caused this huge scene in front of the neighbors, but that I was pulled off Damien, cuffed, and carted away in the back of a squad car.”
It actually feels great to get off my chest. Only my parents, Devlin, and my therapist know the full story. I thought Thea would hate me when I told her the truth about the source of why I bullied her, but it feels right to confess it to her. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make it up to her for being a bastard.
“God,” Thea says. “I’m sorry you had to find out like that.”
“I’m sorry,” I repeat once more. “I took it out on you and that wasn’t right.”
“I forgive you. We’re moving past it now.”
A relieved breath hisses out of me as I hug her. After tipping her chin up to kiss her, I feel like I can give her another shard of myself.
“I should’ve gone to juvie, but my mom bribed Chief Landry and a judge. They made the assault charge disappear, paid a fine for disturbing the peace, and I got slapped with court-mandated anger management.”
Thea stretches to brush my hair, trailing her fingers down the side of my face. “I’m glad you didn’t have to go away.”
The corners of my mouth tip up. There goes my sunshine, lighting up my day with her silver linings and positive outlook.
“Now, are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to go find out from someone else?”
She snorts, pushing her palm over my face. “No. Don’t go bothering anyone, either. It was nothing, I swear. I didn’t laugh when he was making fun of an underclassman and told him to stop. He turned on me instead.”
I take a step toward the door, intent on hunting down the footballer and putting his head through a locker, but Thea stops me.
“I’d rather kiss you again before I’m late for French class than have you go attack someone to avenge me.”
Well, when those are my options, how can I resist giving my girl what she wants?
“Come here then.” I herd her against the wall, swallowing her giggle as I seal my mouth over hers.
We’re both late to class.
Later the same week, I’m sneaking around Thea’s backyard again.
We started in the pool house, but when she said she had to leave, I wouldn’t let her go. So I’m following her, staying low in case her mom is around.
“This is such a bad idea,” Thea murmurs for the third time since we slipped out of our haven in the pool house. “I swear, Connor, if you get caught, you’re on your own.”
“Ouch, baby,” I whisper back. “You know what I say about bad ideas.”
“Yeah, yeah. Your favorite kind. I know.” She peeks around inside the dark house before carefully opening the door. “Just—don’t make a sound until we get to my room, or she’ll suspect something.”
I smother a devious laugh and follow her lead.
Once we sneak upstairs and make it to her room, Thea collapses against the door with a strained sigh.
“Oh my god. I can’t believe we pulled that off. She’s usually all over me when I come in late.”
I plant my hands on either side of her and lean in for a kiss. She goes pliant, releasing a tiny moan. Leaving her against the door, I slowly draw away, smirking at the blissed out look on her face.
“So this is your bedroom. Looks different when I can see the entire thing, not just your flower chair or your girly bedspread,” I tease, taking it all in.
It’s the first time I’ve seen it in person rather than through a phone or computer screen. The room is full of feminine touches, from her positive food pun themed posters to her little rainbow clock on her nightstand. It’s got this soft, warm vibe to it that feels like Thea. Bright and welcoming.
“It’s not girly.” Thea swats at me as she passes by on the way to the closet. She rummages for a moment, then pulls out a hoodie she stole from me last week, holding it to her nose as she sniffs it. “It’s just a bed.”
I pluck the hoodie from her and she pushes out her plump bottom lip. Goddamn, she’s so cute.
“I was looking for this.” It’s from a concert I went to with Devlin and his cousin Lucas over the summer. I shoot her a sly look. “If I remember right, I sent you home from the pool house wearing this the other night.”
“You did.” She tilts her head all coy. “I’ve been wearing it to sleep in. It smells like you.”
“Yeah?” I hand it back, eager to see her wearing my clothes. “Make you feel like you’re in my arms?”
She nods as she peels out of her outfit
to change. I rake my teeth over my lip, dropping on her bed to watch.
As she lifts her hair out of the neck, she catches my eye and squints at me. “No. Don’t even think about it. We can’t have sex in here.”
“Not even a little?” I spread my legs and adjust my dick. She’s so hot, wearing only my hoodie and panties. It’s big on her, almost hitting her knees. “Leave the hoodie on while I eat your pussy.”
She turns red and I chuckle, grabbing the hem to tug her closer.
“You’re so vulgar,” she says, exasperated. Her hands rest on my shoulders as I tease my fingers beneath the hoodie. “We have to go to bed.”
“Baby, that’s what I’m angling for.” I cup her ass and tug so she lands on my lap, straddling me. “You’re so irresistible. I’ll never have enough of you, even if I fuck you five times a day.”
“We had sex twice in the pool house today.” The end of her sentence dips into a moan as I massage her ass and lick the shell of her ear. “Seriously, we can’t. She’ll hear. There’s no way I can be quiet.”
I love that I drive her so wild she can’t control herself. We fucked in the pool house shower earlier so she could moan as loud as she wanted while I drove my cock into her.
With one last graze of my teeth over her throat, I let her escape across the bed. She takes a minute to compose herself while I kick off my shoes, then shuck my jeans and t-shirt so I’m only in briefs. As I lay back against the pillows, her stuffed sea lion captures my attention.
“Who’s this little guy?” I pick it up. It’s softer than I expected and I hum, dragging it over her bare leg. “Why a sea lion? I pictured a girl like you would have something magical, like a unicorn or something cute to go with the rest of your bedroom decor.”
It’s a question I’ve wanted to ask since I saw it on her webcam, but couldn’t without raising suspicion about why I knew she had it.
“It is cute! Give me that.” Thea snatches the stuffed toy, her smile fond as she smooshes its lumpy body. “I don’t know. I was like, seven, when I got him on a trip to the aquarium. I liked how funny their bodies were. He was round and I liked it.”
Ruthless Bishop: Dark New Adult High School Bully Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 3) Page 20
