by Kit Kyndall
BriarEdge Academy
November
Kit Kyndall
Amourisa Press
Kit Tunstall, writing as Kit Kyndall, reserves all rights to BRIAREDGE ACADEMY. Any resemblance to people or places is a coincidence. Please respect the copyright by not sharing this work. Permission of the author or publisher is required to copy any part of this work.
© Kit Kyndall, 2019
Cover image: Depositphoto
Cover design by Amourisa Designs
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Created with Vellum
Contents
Blurb
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
About Kit Kyndall
Blurb
They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at BriarEdge Academy. November shakes things up once again…
Candace can barely believe two months have passed since she started at BriarEdge. Professor Barnes is still determined to keep her from Kip, but she manages to have one stolen night with him. Too bad he insists on taking things slowly.
When Lex finds out about Kip and Dalton, he doesn’t take it well. Will he ever forgive her, or even just talk to her again? And how will Thanksgiving break play out, trapped in the Westerly home with Malone and Dalton? Temptingly forbidden Dalton, who still stirs mixed feelings…
This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?
This is part-three of a nine-part series. There could be cliffhangers ahead, but the installments will be released quickly.
Chapter One
Jonas
Make sure you’ve read “September” and “October” before beginning this installment.
The day seemed to go incredibly slowly for Jonas, but the mornings were often like that when he was expecting Candace for lunch. He was at the gazebo waiting for her when she showed up. He started to offer a cheerful greeting, but he held back at the look on her face. She approached slowly, taking the seat beside him as though she was afraid he would reject her.
“What’s wrong?” He didn’t think it could be the incident that had happened during the Halloween dance a couple of days before. They had settled that, and he’d even danced with her a few times in his skeleton costume so he wouldn’t stand out as not belonging.
She bent her head, staring down at the bag in her hand without any sign of opening it. She let out a heavy sigh and crinkled the sack, but still didn’t do anything more with it.
Gently, he took it from her hand and started unpacking it for her. He set her sandwich and fruit on the bench between them. “Talk to me. Please?”
She lifted her head and bit her lip. “I have to tell you something. Something new since I saw you Friday night.”
He braced himself for something unpleasant based solely on her expression and her demeanor. “What is it?” He tried not to reveal any dread and maintain a neutral tone.
“There’s someone else I care about. I didn’t mention it Friday, because I had no idea if he really cared about me, or if it was all in my head.” She licked her lips, looking as though she was bracing herself for a fierce reaction.
Jonas breathed slowly, struggling to control his first impulse. He didn’t want to yell at her or come across as irrationally angry. Part of him felt betrayed and inadequate, but he tried to quell that response. He’d meant it when he told Lex that he thought she cared about him as much as he cared about her, even if she cared about Lex too. So, she could still care as much about him and another man too, along with Lex. Right? Struggling to keep a level tone, he asked, “Who is it?”
She looked around furtively and lowered her voice. “Kip.”
His eyes widened. “As in Kip Stuart, your professor?” His tone was a little shrill in his shock, and he quickly lowered his voice and calmed himself when she flinched. “It’s so dangerous for both of you. You could get kicked out, and he could lose his job.”
She nodded, biting hard on her lower lip. “I know. I know it’s a bad idea, but…” She shrugged. “I feel a connection with him, like I do with you and Lex.”
“It would be better to wait a few months until you graduate.”
She nodded. “I’m going to try, but I can’t promise. That’s why I wanted you to know right away. I still need to tell Lex too, but I only spoke with Kip the other night, after the dance. We both admitted how we were feeling. I swear there was nothing going on before then.”
He nodded. “I believe you. I’m not sure how I feel about this, but it’s mainly because I’m worried about you and him. If you get expelled, you won’t be able to see me either. Maybe that’s selfish.” He shrugged, deciding it probably was, but he wasn’t sorry for feeling that way.
She looked down again, her fingers pleating her skirt. “Is it a deal breaker for you if I can’t keep my distance from him?”
Jonas didn’t have to think over his answer. “No.” He reached over and took her hand, squeezing lightly. “I want to be with you. I know we didn’t get a chance to talk much after I found you with Lex. We only had time for dancing, but I really am okay with the arrangement. I don’t know if it’ll all work out, and if we can make this thing last, but I’m willing to try.”
She should’ve looked relieved, but instead, her expression darkened.
He frowned in confusion. “I thought you’d be happy to hear that.”
With a sigh, she nodded. “I definitely am, but there’s one more thing.” She was biting hard on her lower lip again.
He used his thumb to smooth the flesh from between her teeth, not wanting her to bite hard enough to bleed. He quickly dropped his hand to avoid having anyone see the overly familiar gesture. “What is it?” How much worse could it be? Judging from her reaction, it was on par with the end of the world.
“It’s Dalton.”
He frowned, his ire rising on her behalf. “Your evil stepbrother? What’s he done to you now?”
She squirmed, looking visibly upset. “He likes me.”
“Like he’s getting over his bullying tactics?” He wasn’t surprised when she shook her head. “You mean he like likes you?”
She nodded. “He does. I hate him, but it’s…” Her lip went between her teeth again, and silence settled between them for a moment.
For his part, Jonas didn’t plan to offer speculation or theories. When it came to Dalton, she’d have to tell him everything herself, because he couldn’t guess or understand that dynamic. The last he knew, she hated Dalton, but judging from her conflicted expression, that had changed.
After a long pause, she took a deep breath before saying, “I’m attracted to him. I’ve kissed him and stuff, even though I know it’s stupid when I do it. He told me to drop you and Lex, because he doesn’t share.” She rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know where he gets off trying to tell me what to do. I just don’t understand the whole situation between us.”
Neither did he. He certainly wasn’t going to try to interpret it either. He just shrugged a shoulder. “Does that mean you’re dating him too?”
She scowled. “I doubt if there’s any dating involved. And I won’t be with someone who expects me to turn my back on you and Lex…and now Kip. I just wanted to let you know the messed-up situation. I’ve decided I’m not going to keep anything else from you guys, even if it’s because I think it’s for your own good, or because I’m scared to tell you. I was lucky enough for you to forgive me, and I won’t put you both in that scenario again.”
His anger was stirring, but her last words managed to neutralize it. He let out a harsh exhalation, maintaining silence while he processed how he was feeling. Finally, he looked up and met her gaze, hating to see the anxiety there. “I’m not thrilled about him. He’s been mean to you, and he’s not worthy of you. But it’s not my place to tell you to steer clear, and I’m not going to put forth conditions to maintain our relationship. Whatever happens with him is between you and him. It’s the same with you and me. Whatever happens with us is between us, right?”
After a moment, she nodded. “I don’t know how long that can last though. There’s bound to be overlap at some point.”
Jonas couldn’t hide a small grimace at the idea of her other lovers overlapping into his life. With the exception of Dalton, they were good guys, but he didn’t want to know about her love life with them or have them intruding into his time with her. It put him off, but it wasn’t enough to be worth turning away from her.
“We’ll handle that as it comes. I understand that if this is going to be a long-term thing, we’ll have to get comfortable with it and each other, but right now, everything is just new, and I’d rather you focus on you and me when we’re together. Can you do that?” Was he being unreasonable to ask her to do so? He didn’t think so.
She nodded eagerly. “I definitely can. I just wanted you to know. No more secrets, right?”
That was something he could get behind, and there was no hesitation when he smiled. “I think that’s a good policy.”
After a short silence, they started talking about nothing consequential, but it felt like the meaning of life was in every word she spoke. He reached over and casually took her hand, keeping it hidden between them on the bench, and they talked until the lunch bell rang. She got up quickly, looking around before pressing a light kiss against his mouth. “You’re so wonderful, Jonas.”
He snorted. “No, I’m not. I’m as normal as the next person. I can’t pretend I’m not jealous, but I can deal with it. I’m not going to let it cost me a chance to be with you.”
She seemed on the verge of tears, and she blinked rapidly before taking a step back. “I’ll see you in a couple of days for lunch, okay?”
He nodded, wishing she could join him every day, but knowing they had to be discreet. As she started to walk away, he remembered something he’d planned to ask her. “Candace?”
She turned and walked back a few feet toward him. “Yeah?”
“Why don’t you get a pass this weekend and come visit me in Farley? You can meet my parents, and we can have some time alone.”
She nodded, looking just a little apprehensive. “I hope they like me.”
He didn’t have to ask who they were. She was clearly worried his parents wouldn’t like her. “It’ll be fine.” He couldn’t promise his mother would be as warm and welcoming as his father, but he knew his dad would like Candace. His mother would probably like her as well, but she’d be more worried about him dating another student. He hoped she wouldn’t assume Candace was like Stacia.
Chapter Two
Candace
Candace wasn’t certain things had been settled completely positively with Jonas, but at least he hadn’t broken up with her or told her to pick him. He’d definitely taken the idea of Kip better than Dalton, and she couldn’t blame him. She’d done nothing but complain about Dalton, and for good reason.
She’d never hinted to him that there was another component to their interactions. Her news must’ve blindsided him, and she’d considered waiting to tell Jonas (and Lex) about Dalton, but she’d known immediately that was a bad idea. She was lucky that they’d been willing to give her a second chance after Lex and Jonas discovered she was dating both of them, and she wasn’t going to press her luck.
Which meant she had to talk to Lex too. They had their usual meeting time at the library, and she was the first one there. She squeezed into the corner of the carousel after dragging over a second chair. Then she fidgeted with her homework, finding it almost impossible to concentrate as she waited for him to arrive. She was excited to see him, as always, but she was also dreading it deeply.
She couldn’t guess how he would take the news about Kip, but she was certain he was going to be extremely unhappy about what had happened with Dalton. He considered Dalton a jerk, which was justified. They were rivals in many things, and she hadn’t planned to be one of them.
But what could she do after she had gotten so close to sleeping with Dalton over the weekend? She didn’t feel like she could hide it from him, and she wasn’t confident that she could stick to her decision to avoid Dalton in future. She wanted him as much as she hated him.
Lex finally arrived, looking relaxed, with freshly washed hair. “Hey, I’m sorry I’m a little late. I went for a run after dinner and needed a quick shower. It just took longer than expected.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine.”
He sat down beside her and opened his backpack to start pulling out his books. “What are we studying tonight?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He frowned. “Don’t get overconfident. Just because you’re caught up now doesn’t mean everything will come easily, does it?”
She shook her head as she lifted her pencil. Rather than put it to the paper, she started flipping it through her fingers randomly. “I can’t focus on homework right now.”
Lex laughed, low in his throat. “It’s like that?” As he spoke, he put his hand on her thigh, slipping it higher up under her skirt. When he reached midthigh, he frowned as her hand dropped to block him. “Or not like that?”
She bit her lip. “I have to tell you something.”
Lex groaned. “What is it? Or should I say what now?” The words were a little bitter, which wasn’t entirely unwarranted.
“I.…” She trailed off into silence, trying to find the right words. “Look, I had a talk with Kip after the dance, and we admitted we’re attracted to each other.” She was whispering it low, hoping Lex could still hear while no one else could overhear.
“Kip? You mean our literature professor?” He shook his head. “That’s crazy. Jonas is one thing, but even he can lose his job if you’re caught. But a teacher? You’ll both be kicked out.”
She bent her head. “Yeah, I know. I still can’t help how I feel, and I wanted to make sure you knew about him. I don’t want to hide anything else or keep any secrets.”
Lex seemed to be struggling with her words, but he finally exhaled. “I guess what’s one more, right?” His tone made it difficult to tell if he was being resentful, or if he was trying to force optimism. Either way, it was clear he wasn’t thrilled. His grudging acceptance boded ill for them.
“Please don’t be like that.”
He frowned. “I’ll try not to be, but this is a lot to ask of me. There’s only so much I can accept, you know?”
She nodded. “I know. I understand that, but I don’t want to have any secrets. That means I have to tell you one more thing too.”
Lex was holding himself taut in preparation. “What? Another one?” he said gruffly.
Candace winced. “While we were at the dance, Dalton sneaked into my room and was waiting for me when I got back.” She paused to lick her lips.
Lex stiffened, and his anger was obvious. �
�I’ll kill him.” He pushed back from the carousel, moving so abruptly that his chair tipped over backward.
“Where are you going, Lex?” Panic spread through her as she hurried to gather their things from the carousel, grabbing his backpack along with hers before running after him. He’d gotten quite a head start, and her legs were shorter than his. By the time she caught up with him, he’d already reached Dorm A.
She braced herself as she entered the building, hearing raised voices from the main floor rec room. She rushed in just in time to see Dalton and Lex squaring off.
“What’s your problem?” Dalton was asking as he lifted his hands to block Lex trying to punch him.
“You’re a sick piece of work. How could you?” Lex slipped around and managed to jab Dalton in the stomach. “You should be in jail.”
Dalton had quickly recovered, and he stood up again, lashing out and hitting Lex in the shoulder. “I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Stop this,” said Candace as she approached. “You guys don’t need to do this. Lex, please stop.”
Lex looked away from Dalton long enough to look at her. “After what he did? No way.”
She winced. “Watch out, Lex.”
He ducked, receiving only a glancing blow from Dalton’s fist.
Lex moved quickly, bending forward and lunging at Dalton’s stomach with all his weight. There was enough momentum to hurl him back and onto the billiard table, and Lex climbed up, continuing to hit Dalton.
