You're To Blame 2: A High School Bully Romance (Haven Saints High)

by Brooke Jordan

  Rocco grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks, dude.”

  Megan dropped her head on Matt’s chest. Those two were confusing as hell. They always ran hot and cold. His head thudded the wall. He was deep in thought. More than likely about her. I knew Matt better than anyone. He loved Megan. But if he couldn’t have her the way he wanted her, he’d rather be miserable and walk away. Megan lifted her head long enough to zip down his jacket then placed her head against his heart, clutching him tight.

  His fists clenched at his sides. He was warring with himself to keep his hands off of her.

  “Matt, how did it work out with Regina’s parents?” I swallowed hard. Taking one for the team. Even if my friend wanted nothing to do with me, I had to save him.

  He smiled. “It was like feeding candy to a baby. I gave them a complete rundown of the history of the mall.”

  Chelsea chuckled. “Matt, that was awesome.”

  Connie peeked over her shoulder. “Regina’s mother was perversely attracted to Matt. She smiled and laughed at everything he said. Her husband turned red as an apple.”

  We burst into laughter.

  Rocco rolled to a stop in my grandparents driveway.

  Chelsea caressed my cheek. “We’ll be right up the street tonight. Don’t eat their food.”

  “I’ll only eat bread if they have it.”

  “Good. We’re all hanging at the theater in Alpharetta afterwards.”

  I pressed my lips against hers. “I can’t wait, Chelse.”

  SITTING ACROSS THE table from crazy Regina grated on my nerves. I couldn’t stand being in her presence. She asked me for two weeks straight if I’d have dinner with her family. She insisted we were meant to be together, based on how cute we were together. What the fuck? Regina was attractive but her crazy persona made her unattractive.

  I straightened my red tie a few times.

  “Tate, relax,” Chelsea said in the earbud.

  I knew her and the geek squad got a kick out of this shit show.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Bright, you have a lovely home.

  His smile widened. “Thank you. I understand you and our little girl make quite the couple.”

  My lips twisted. “I’m sorry. We aren’t a couple. We’re friends.”

  My brows wrinkled as I brought the fork full of peas to my lips.

  I peeked across the table. “Regina, everything ok?”

  She scratched at her arms. “Fine,” she babbled. Drool hung from her lip.

  My fork clinked against my plate. It took every muscle in my face to hold back the laughter.

  “Regina,” Mrs. Bright hopped to her feet, ushering her daughter out of the room.

  “Excuse us.” I rose as they vacated the dining room.

  “I hope she will be ok.”

  “Tate, I am so sorry about dinner. I’m sure Regina will be ok,” Mr. Bright stated.

  “She... Never mind.”

  “What’s on your mind, Tate.”

  I leaned in. “Sir, I’ve told your daughter several times we are just friends, but she threatened me.”

  The burly dude laughed. “What? You feel threatened by a girl?”

  “No, Mr. Bright, but she behaves strangely at school. She has a voodoo doll that looks like me in her locker. Regina said if I didn’t join your family for dinner, she’d kill me. Sir, obviously the doll isn’t real. But if the principal finds it. Let’s just say she’ll get kicked out,” I whispered.

  “Several students are afraid of her random outbursts in class. After tonight, the drooling and itching. Sir, I’m concerned for her well-being. I don’t mean to overstep but she should probably be in a mental hospital. You don’t want her inflicting harm on an innocent person.”

  “I assure you my daughter is just fine,” he grimaced.

  “Is this the first time she’s behaved this way?”

  He clenched his fist and didn’t answer.

  Her parents were in denial. Regina was a bomb waiting to explode.

  “Tate.”

  I peeked at Mrs. Bright standing in the archway.

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “I do apologize. Regina’s under the weather. We’ll have to have you over another time.”

  “Thanks, for having me over.” I stood, shaking Mr. Bright’s hand. He was deep in thought about what I said. If her parents didn’t institutionalize her, we would.

  I kissed Mrs. Bright’s cheek on my way out. My eyes darkened the moment I stepped over the threshold.

  The perfect way to start off our night out was watching the new Marvel movie at the theater. We arrived early and ordered our meals. Our group occupied the first row off the stairs.

  Grease dripping from my cheeseburger never looked so good. I picked up the piping hot sandwich and devoured a mouthful of all my favorite toppings. “Oh god, the lettuce and the patty together never tasted so good,” I moaned.

  Our friends stared at me.

  “Starving Forrester,” Matt snickered.

  I whipped the back of my hand across my mouth wiping away the mayo.

  “Dude, did you see those half-cooked peas on my plate?”

  “Yeah, and you almost ate them,” Matt snickered.

  Everyone laughed.

  I pointed past Chelsea. “Rocco, those button cams are the best.”

  “Thanks. It was fun pulling out all my gadgets for a good cause. To save my friend,” he grinned at her.

  I swear he still held a torch for my girl.

  “Yeah, you all came through for Chelse.”

  I bumped her shoulder.

  “We stick together,” Connie smiled.

  “Thanks guys. Today was a blast. I admit I was a little scared. I felt my heartbeat in my ears.”

  “Me too.” Megan peeked at Chelsea.

  “Getting that opportunity to take back my power. Felt good. I can’t get over she threatened to kill me.” She sniffled, then a devilish smile crept across her lips.

  “We will finish her.”

  Her revenge snarl was such a fucking turn on.

  “The drooling and scratching was a nice start to her take down.” Chelsea’s evil smile remained.

  Everyone burst into laughter.

  “The look on your face, Tate. I swear I thought you’d laugh in her face.”

  I threw my head back, laughing. “Matt, I wanted to, but I had to keep my focus.”

  “Rocco, please tell me we can watch that footage again?” Connie pleaded.

  “We sure can.” He sipped his cola.

  “She didn’t know what hit her,” Megan giggled.

  I tore into my hamburger again.

  “Tate, slow down. Give us a chance to catch up.”

  “Matt, I can’t. I am starving.”

  The theater darkened as the first preview popped on the screen.

  Thirty minutes later, Chelsea looped her arm through mine engrossed in the movie. Our friends oohed and ahhed around us. It appeared the geek squad enjoyed Marvel movies as much as me, Matt, and Chelse. They were all right.

  My lips pressed against her ear. “I love you, baby.”

  She caressed my cheek. “I love you, too.”

  Our goal to get rid of Regina was almost complete.

  We had a few more tricks up our sleeves.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  TATE

  “Help! Help!” rang out, from the center of the gym.

  “Regina, climb down the rope. I assure you there aren’t any snakes,” Principal Wade urged.

  “No, I swear to you there were snakes.”

  He rubbed his temple. I wondered when was the last time the man had sound sleep. Those bags under his eyes were hanging pretty low. He glimpsed around the room.

  “There is nothing here,” he sighed running his hand over the ball spot on top of his head.

  “Ask Tate. He was in here with me when the snake tried to bite my leg off.”

  Sitting on the bleachers, I stared at the spectacle at the top of the rope.

  She was te
lling the truth. The snake almost nipped her. Thank goodness the snake trainer was present.

  “Sir, she asked me to meet her somewhere so we could talk.” I walked toward Principal Wade.

  “I said meet me in the gym, because I knew it was empty today.”

  I glared at her. “Do you hear that? Empty.” I shook my head in disgust.

  “Then next thing I knew she was hollering snakes. I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t persuade her to come down so I called you.”

  “Good job, Tate.”

  “No, he’s lying,” she spewed.

  “A man took the snakes away.”

  “Sir, there was no one else here.” I motioned my finger in a circle pointing it at my head.

  “I am not crazy,” she yelled.

  “We’ll view the surveillance footage.”

  The principle finally persuaded her to climb down the rope. We sat in his office fifteen minutes later. Rocco was amazing with visual effects. We never saw the snakes in the footage that slithered all over the floor. The trainer removed the snakes in record time. They wouldn’t ever catch him leaving the premises.

  Principal Wade found the voodoo doll and the journal detailing a plan to kill Chelsea. Inside the journal that was similar to the one the girls planted in her bedroom, Regina wrote, ‘the voices told me to kill Chelsea so I can have Tate all to myself.’

  Who knew Megan had mad skills mimicking others’ handwriting?

  Hands stuffed in my navy slacks, I stood off to the side. A doctor from the local mental hospital and two orderlies carried Regina out the principal’s office kicking and screaming.

  “You’ll pay for this Tate Forrester. You will pay,” she warned.

  A tiny smile tipped at one end of my lips.

  I hoped she never saw the light of day. This was the perfect gift. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

  ∞

  Saturday night, Chelsea sat across from me in a tall oversized booth in an exquisite five-star restaurant in Alpharetta. It was the safest place for us to spend time together outside of our condo. We had one less thorn in our sides. Mr. Finch still drove Chelsea around. We didn’t know what Marisa and Mason would try next.

  “You look stunning tonight, Chelsea Culver.”

  She blushed. “Don’t you look dapper in your gray suit, Tate Forrester.”

  “Raise your glass. I’d like to propose a toast.”

  She did as I requested. “We have three months remaining then our new life together begins after graduation.”

  We clinked our glasses together.

  “I can’t wait.”

  The waiter placed our meals before us. We thanked him before he stepped away.

  “The herbed chicken smells amazing.” She slid her knife through the tender meat then slipped a sliver between her lips. Her eyes closed, and she savored the taste.

  My tongue ran over my lips. “Two weeks.”

  Her eyes popped open.

  “Tate, I know it hasn’t been easy for me either.”

  “Watching you come on FaceTime,” I whispered. “Only fueled my hunger.”

  She placed her hand over mine. “We have tonight.”

  “Chelsea, I don’t want just tonight. I want every night.”

  “Tate, me too. I hate not sleeping in your arms. I feel safe when we’re together.”

  I brought her hand to my lips, kissing her soft skin.

  “Chelsea, happy Valentine’s Day.”

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Tate.”

  We sipped our wine and dug into our meals.

  “It was refreshing to see your face at the game last night. No crazy bitch to tear my concentration from the game. The only wanted sexy distraction there sat front and center cheering for me.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “You meant to say you and Lake.”

  My face contorted. “No, I said what I meant. I don’t give a shit about my little cousin.”

  “Tate, careful. Your horns are showing.”

  “Red with sharp pointed tips, baby,” I winked.

  “King asshole, shut up and get over here.”

  I placed my meal next to hers and slid beside her. My fingers lingered around her little waist in the tight red dress that stopped above her knees. “I plan to stare into those beautiful eyes for the rest of my life.”

  Her lips pressed against mine again. “I can live with that forever.”

  I slipped the slender box from my pocket and placed it on the table. Her hands flew over her lips.

  “Open it.”

  She cracked the Tiffany blue box open. Chelsea gaped as she marveled the eighteen-karat gold love heart tag key pendant. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Read the back.”

  She flipped it over. “Tate and Chelsea forever.”

  Her eyes saddened. “But Tate, I can’t wear it to school.”

  “Lift your hair.”

  She followed directions, and I slipped the necklace around her neck and latched the hook.

  “You can. Monday after school I want you to go over to my house. Not my grandparents.”

  She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t understand.”

  “Oh, but you will. Do you trust me?”

  Her eyes brightened. “Yes.” Confidence rang out in that one word.

  “Good.”

  Later that night, we stepped inside the condo.

  The huge chandelier brightened the first floor.

  “Oh my god, what have you done?” Her hands framed her face.

  She ran toward the sofa. “He’s so cute.” She wrapped her arms around the large tan bear with a big red bow around his neck.

  Chelsea peeked at the array of candy on the glass coffee table.

  “Tate, I can’t eat these huge boxes of chocolates alone.”

  “You don’t have to. Take them to school Monday. Share them with Connie and Megan.”

  “They even stamped my name in gold on the big red heart-shaped boxes. Nice touch, babe. Thank you.”

  I stepped closer, kissed her hair, and peeled off her coat. “It’s nothing.”

  This was our first Valentine’s Day together. I wanted the day to hold a special place in her heart. We had many more Valentine’s Days to come. I had to save the rest of my creative ideas for the future.

  After I ditched our outerwear, I snaked my arms around her waist, and pushed her with my body toward the wooden steps.

  “There are chocolate covered strawberries upstairs in the bedroom,” I whispered against her neck.

  Her hands rested on mine as she walked up the stairs.

  The second we were through the door; I unzipped her velvet dress. The girl I’d loved since kindergarten was here in my arms. I was the luckiest guy in the world. I was fortunate to get a second chance with her. After blaming her for my brother’s death, she never had to forgive me.

  “Thanks for taking a chance on me.”

  She turned in my arms and I caressed her soft skin.

  Chelsea stared into my eyes. “I can’t say you didn’t make it hard to forgive you.”

  I sighed. “Yeah, I was an asshole.”

  She laughed. “King asshole.” Chelsea pecked my lips.

  “But you were the only boy I ever loved.”

  My eyes widened. “Yeah?”

  “How could I not love the boy who poured glue in my seat?”

  We laughed.

  “That was my signature move, baby.”

  She laughed hysterically.

  “Alexa play our song,” I ordered.

  The classic tune bellowed from the speaker.

  “And darling, darling stand by me. Oh, stand by me.”

  We swayed to the beat.

  That night was truly one of a kind. It wasn’t about the sex. Our connection was important. And the bond between me and the only woman I ever loved was what mattered.

  ∞

  I unlocked my bedroom door and stepped inside. The last time I was home, was when we returned from London. I was ther
e long enough to stuff my belongings in my suitcases and install a lock on the door. Now I was back. Felt good to be home. The doorbell rang. I locked my door then ran down the steps.

  Mason appeared out of the family room. His brows rustled together. “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here.”

  “You moved back?”

  My hand gripped the door knob. “Yup.” I swung the door open.

  Chelsea’s smile dropped.

  Mason grimaced. “What is she doing here?”

  I kissed her temple. “What is my girlfriend doing here? Oh, she came over to watch a movie. You don’t mind if we join you and Marisa, do you?”

  He turned on his heels and tossed his hand in the air.

  “Fucker,” I grunted.

  Chelsea jumped in front of me and she curled her fingers in my shirt. “Tate, what are you doing?”

  “You’ll see.” I intertwined our fingers and strolled into the theater room.

  We sat at the opposite end of the sofa closest to the screen. There were four rows of sofas in our theater room.

  Marisa wore a scowl across her face, cuddled in Mason’s arms. I grabbed the remote.

  “Tate, what are you doing? We’re watching the movie,” Mason growled.

  “I’ll turn back. I just needed to grab this short film and download it. Regina’s bedroom appeared on the screen.

  Her cell rang. She pressed the speaker button and sat on her bed.

  “Hello.”

  “I gave you a job to do. Your incompetence is weighing on my nerves.” Marisa stressed.

  Chelsea gaped.

  I glanced at Marisa. She swallowed hard.

  “Chelsea, hasn’t been around Tate at all. I thought you said they were still together?”

  “They are idiots. You need to follow her.”

  “I did. That annoying bodyguard of hers won’t let her out of his sight.”

  Marisa smacked her lips and rose. “I’ve had enough.”

  I waved her back onto the sofa. “No, this is the best part.”

  “You had one job. One job only to get rid of that twit. I hate seeing her fucking do-gooder face. Get rid of her.”

  Regina sighed. “On it.”

  Regina disconnected the call and shook her head. “Bye bitch.”

  A chuckle slipped from Chelsea’s lips.

  I stared at Marisa. “The games end now. Or, I can turn this video in to the police and inform them Regina had a sane accomplice. They’d allow you to give birth to your baby. Then rip your little bundle of joy from your arms.” I snickered.