When Rivals Fall: A Bully Romance (Bayshore Rivals Book 1)

by J. L. Beck

  Sullivan’s pink lips turn into a pout, “That’s a shame. I wonder what it is you do for fun? I never see you at parties like this.”

  “I don’t like the people going to parties like this,” I lie. I like most of the people here. I just don't like how people act at parties. I don’t like the drinking or the dancing.

  “If you don’t like the crowd why don’t we go out for a walk? Did you see the Kingston’s’ backyard yet?” I’ve heard about the backyard. It’s supposed to be beautiful. Apparently, Mr. Kingston spends thousands of dollars every few weeks to have the most pristine yard with some of the rarest flowers. But going outside with Sullivan…just the two of us?

  “Come on, I won’t bite.” He winks, giving me a swoon-worthy smile.

  “Okay,” I say, only partly so I get the chance to plant the baggy. He holds out his elbow and I hook my arm into his as we walk outside together. Stupidly the baggy is in the pocket I can’t access with my arm intertwined with his like this.

  It’s very hard to see him as the bad guy when he is acting so nice to me. I have to remind myself about what his family has done to mine and stop thinking about how lovely it feels to walk so close to him.

  As promised, he takes me on a walk, showing me the beautiful garden. We talk about school and the upcoming summer break as we admire the beauty of the unique flowers and warm light coming from the night sky. I hate to admit it to myself, but I’m actually having a good time. Why is he being so nice to me?

  Doubt creeps up my spine and settles in the nape of my neck, giving me a subtle headache. I don’t think I can do this. Maybe I just go back home and tell my dad I couldn’t get to him.

  “You okay?” Sullivan suddenly stops.

  “Yes, sorry just lost in thought.”

  “Yeah? Me too.”

  “What are you thinking about?” I ask curiously. I shouldn’t care what he’s thinking about I’m not here to ask questions or get closer to him.

  “Mostly about kissing you.”

  My heart freezes inside my chest. Did he just say kissing? Kissing me? I stare at his stupidly handsome face waiting for him to tell me that he was kidding, that it’s a joke, but he never does. Instead, he continues talking.

  “Would that be okay? If I kiss you, I mean? I know our parents hate each other, and we shouldn’t care about each other either, but it’s only a kiss.” His question hangs in the air for a moment, and I swallow down my nervous anxiety, knowing I’m going to say yes. I don’t think I want to kiss him, definitely not, but this is my chance to get close enough to plant the bag.

  “Okay.... A kiss… A kiss would be okay, I mean,” I whisper right before he brushes a strand of hair from my face. His thumb brushing against my cheek leaving my skin tingling beneath his touch. He leans in, eyes open wide, as if he doesn’t want to miss the chance to see my face when our lips touch.

  Then our lips touch, pressing together and my eyes close on their own. Tingles of warmth ripple through me. Everything around us fades out as if we are the only two people in the world. All I feel are his soft, full lips against mine. The kiss is gentle, heart-warming, and I lean into him while our lips melt into each other.

  I give myself this one second to forget everything, the reason I am here and the reason I should hate him. Butterflies flutter around inside my stomach igniting a deep tremble in my core. A warmth seeps into my bones, melting me like an ice cream cone sitting in the afternoon sun. I want to get lost in that feeling, feel nothing else beside it, but my father's voice rings in my ears right then. I need to remember what his family has done, the pain they’ve caused.

  With a heavy heart and an unsteady hand, I grab the small plastic bag from my pocket and slip it into his before I pull away breaking the kiss.

  My first kiss.

  The rattling of keys outside the door drags me back to reality. The lock clicks and the door opens a moment later. The light flicks on, blinding me in the process.

  “What the hell, Harlow?”

  I let my eyes adjust for a moment before getting out of bed and walking over to my friend. “I’m sorry, Shelby,” I say as I throw my arms around her and bury my face in her thick blonde hair. “I’m really sorry I yelled at you. You didn't know. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

  “Didn’t know what?” she asks, while wrapping her own arms around me. “Tell me what's going on, please.”

  “Okay.” Letting go of her, I grab her hand and lead her to my bed. We sit down together and I wrap the blanket around myself before starting to explain the whole thing. I swore to my parents I would never tell anyone, but they don't control me anymore. So, I tell Shelby about the past, about what happened, and about what I’ve done.

  I tell her about my greatest shame while hoping that she can still look at me the same way after. Hoping that I’m not losing my best friend like I’ve lost everything else in my life.

  Chapter Three

  When I open my eyes on the first day of school, I feel better than I thought I would. It’s been two days since my encounter with the Bishops and since I spilled the beans about everything to Shelby. She was shocked about the whole thing, but besides that took it pretty well. She didn't hate me like I thought she would and I’m more thankful than ever to have her as my friend. She promised to never say a word about any of it.

  Shelby is already gone by the time I’m dressed and ready to go. She has an early class, while mine doesn't start until ten. I briefly thought about switching schools but decided that I’m not going to run from my problems again, Shelby is here and there is no way her father will let her switch schools again and I don't want to go anywhere else by myself. I'm alone as it is, no need to isolate myself further.

  I think the best way to deal with the Bishops is to ignore them as best as I can. I won’t play into their games or let them bring me down. I came here to be a normal college student and that’s what I’m going to be.

  Stuffing all my books and notepads into my backpack, I swing it over my shoulder and head out the door, locking it as I go. I turn around and walk down the hallway with a campus map and my class schedule in hand.

  With my eyes trained on the paper, I don’t even see the person stepping out in front of me until it’s too late and my body is crashing into another. Clutching onto the paper in my hands I look up startled.

  I’m about to mumble some apology when I realize it's Banks who is towering in front of me, and judging by the expression on his face, him being here isn’t just a coincidence.

  “Good morning, Princess,” he grins, his blue eyes twinkling with one-sided amusement.

  “What do you want, Banks?” I try to push past him, but he blocks my exit and steps in my way, with him being built like a brick wall there isn't much I can do to get by him.

  “I was just thinking about how nice it would be for me to pick you up so we can walk to our class together.”

  “Our class?” I repeat his words with disbelief.

  “Yup, we made sure at least one of us is always in one of your classes, so we can keep an eye on you,” he explains. “We wouldn’t want you to have a good time or anything.” He leans forward brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. His sweet, intoxicating scent of cinnamon wraps around me making it hard for me to breathe. This close I almost forget he's the enemy. Almost. “Remember, we're here to make your life as difficult as possible.”

  “I got that part, thanks.” I swat away his hand and twist around walking in the other direction. I'm not doing this. I can't handle it right now.

  The sound of his heavy footsteps following me down the stairs reverberates around the stairwell, but even without the sound, I would know he is there. I can feel his presence. I can feel his body close to mine, just as I can feel each of the Bishop Brothers when they are in the same room as me.

  I can't explain it, but it has always been this way. I used to think it was because they were bad and I have a sixth sense about bad people, but I figured out a while ago that the goosebum
ps covering my skin are not there because they give me the creeps, no it’s something much more worrisome than that.

  Banks catches up with me and falls into step beside me. My breath hitches at his closeness. Damnit, why does my body have to react this way when one of them is close? Why can’t my body get the memo about our mutual hate?

  “You are much less annoyed by me being here than I thought you would be. Maybe you even like having me close by,” he says, and I can feel my cheeks heating, giving my embarrassment away. “Are you excited to see me? Is that why you didn’t pull away when I was standing behind you the other night?”

  “Stop,” I blurt out and up my pace. Unfortunately, he is much taller than me, his legs longer and even though I’m speed walking now, he is only casually walking next to me, he has no trouble at all keeping up.

  Lord, please shove me off the side of a cliff right now.

  All I get is two more steps before Banks grabs my arm and pulls me towards him. He twirls us around and pushes my body up against the closest wall. With my back flush against the cold brick, he leans in, so close that his body molds against mine. He dips his head so his mouth is right next to the shell of my ear and I have this strange need, want even, to turn and feel his lips against mine.

  Would he kiss me back? This attraction is wrong, but it feels so right.

  “Did you like how close I was? How close I am right now?” His breath is hot on my skin and as he talks a shiver runs through my body, from the top of my head all the way down to my toes. This is wrong, so wrong. He is crowding my space, my mind. Making me think and feel things I shouldn't.

  Yes. “No,” I croak. My lie must not be very convincing, because Banks lets out a soft chuckle at my words. And just like that the moment ends and Banks pulls away, leaving me cold.

  “You’re still a liar, but that’s okay. We’ll break you of that nasty little habit.”

  “Can you just go away?” I try and push down the anger, the shame coursing through me.

  “No,” he growls. “We won't go away. Not until we are finished with you.” He takes a step back, putting a few inches of space between us. “Now, let's go. You might not care about your grades, or classes, but I do, and I don’t want to be late on the first day, so get moving or I’ll toss you over my shoulder and carry you.”

  He wouldn’t. Would he? My thoughts must be visible on my face.

  “Don’t tempt me, Harlow. I can, and I will,” he whispers so only I can hear him as a group of people walk by. The tone of his voice holds a warning that I shouldn’t want to cross but that I feel tempted to.

  “Whatever,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. If they won’t leave me alone, and they feel the need to accompany me to every class, then I’m going to have to come up with a way to make them go away. I’m going to have to come up with a plan.

  I’ll beat the Bishop Brothers at their own game.

  ◆◆◆

  Banks wasn’t kidding when he said they made sure that there would be at least one of them in each of my classes. At first, I didn’t think they would be that ballsy, but I underestimated them. Their need for revenge is very real. It also makes it very hard for me to focus.

  My first class with Banks wasn’t so bad, but the one after that with Oliver was horrible. Girls were talking to him the entire time and he was talking back while trying to include me in the conversation, but not in a good way. Of course, when I tried to get them to shut up the professor yelled at me for disrupting the class. By the time lunch comes around I’m annoyed, hungry, and ready to stab all three of them right in the eyes.

  “What are we having for lunch, Princess?” Oliver questions as we leave the economics class.

  “We?” I ask, coming to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk, taking Oliver by surprise. “We aren’t having anything for lunch.”

  Oliver rolls his chocolate brown eyes, “You can fight this all you want but I’m not going anywhere, and neither are my brothers.”

  He runs a hand through the thick mop of brown hair on his head. I lick my lips, wondering if it’s as soft as it looks. Why am I so attracted to these guys? So what I gave Sullivan my first kiss, who cares, that doesn’t mean I should want Banks or Oliver.

  “God, I’m fucking hungry.” Another voice pierces my thoughts, and I whirl around to find Sullivan walking towards us, his lips like a beacon calling out to me.

  Jesus. I need to stop thinking about kissing these assholes.

  “Well, you’re going to be hungry a little longer because princess here says we aren’t eating lunch together.”

  Rolling my eyes, I say, “Neither of you are eating lunch with me. It’s bad enough that I can’t even attend class by myself. Girls keep looking at me, staring actually, and I can see them sharpening their claws. Being around you guys adds unwanted attention. All I want to do is go to class and go back to my dorm. Is that too much to ask?”

  Sullivan crosses the distance between us in a second, the closeness of his body is almost too much for me, his sweet scent wafting into my nostrils. Having all three brothers around me is like sensory overload and I’m seconds away from tapping out.

  “That’s the point. What do you think it felt like to have all eyes on me? To have people spreading lies about my parents? To be under scrutiny by an entire town?” His words are clipped, and his tone is dark.

  Immediately I’m reminded of the seriousness of this situation. I might be daydreaming about kissing them while being annoyed by their presence, but I can’t forget why this is happening, how serious the whole thing is. How much they hate me, and how that’s the driving force behind everything they do, to see me suffer. I cannot get distracted by my irrational hormonal reaction to them.

  My stomach starts to growl then, reminding me how hungry I am. I could go back to my room and lock myself inside until my next class, maybe they would go away by then. Doubtful. But, I have nothing to eat in the dorm.

  “Fine,” I say defeated. “Let’s go get lunch then.”

  Oliver and Sullivan both smirk triumphantly before escorting me like two wingmen to the campus cafeteria. They make a show of it, opening doors for me like pure gentlemen. I can feel every single pair of eyes on me as we walk. Even the middle-aged lady handing out food is giving me the stink-eye. I want to tell her how much I dislike them following me around but don’t. Something tells me she wouldn’t care anyway.

  When we finally sit down, people at the table next to us start whispering, leaning into each other. I don’t know what they’re saying but it isn’t hard to guess. One of the guys at the table stares at me creepily, and I swear I see him licking his lips as his gaze roams over my chest.

  What the fuck?

  The girl next to him—who I assume is his girlfriend—gets up to leave, and drags him by his arm out of the cafeteria. If looks could kill, her glare would have struck me dead ten times over.

  “Someone might have spread a rumor that you are into some kinky stuff and looking for some more playmates because three guys aren’t enough for you,” Sullivan snickers before taking a bite of his sandwich. My cheeks heat instantly, and I use my golden hair as a curtain to hide my face from the group of people still sitting at the table nearby.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” I whisper under my breath. The hunger I felt a minute ago vanishes and is replaced with sickening nausea. I’ve never even had sex before, and now I’m supposedly into some kinky multiple partner shit?

  Shoving away the tray of food I get up to leave.

  “Awe, come on, Harlow, it’s just a rumor,” Oliver teases when I push past him. Grasping on to the strap of my backpack like it could somehow save me, I rush out of the cafeteria, hoping that they’ll give me a little space. I need some time to myself, a few seconds to breathe and gather my thoughts.

  Darting around the building I lean against the brick wall and press my hands to my hot face. Coming here was supposed to help me forget about my past, about North Woods, about all the things I did for my father, but I should
have known better than to be so hopeful. I couldn’t just run away from what I’ve done, away from my problems. It didn’t mean I didn’t want to try though.

  After a few minutes of breathing exercises, I finally succeed in calming down enough to think properly. Running a hand over my face and through my hair, I hope that I look like a normal person and not someone who is on the verge of a mental breakdown.

  Straightening up I walk back around the building. Looking at my phone in shock, I realize I’ve been hiding out behind the building way longer than I thought.

  Shit. I’m going to be late for my next class. Still looking down at my phone since there is a text from Shelby that I need to return, I start walking in the direction of the science building when I hear someone calling my name.

  I’m grateful that it’s not one of the brothers. This voice is feminine.

  “Hey, Harlow,” the voice is familiar and when I look up from my phone I spot the girl from the other night. Caroline? I think that’s her name, the tinker bell lookalike.

  “Hi, Caroline,” I greet, “Sorry, but I’m running late. I have to get to the science building.”

  “Environmental science 101?”

  My brows furrow with confusion, “Ah, yeah. How did you know?”

  “I’m heading to the same class,” she giggles, her brown head bopping. “I guess we’ll be late together then.”

  For the first time today I smile, because the brothers’ are nowhere in sight, and I’m venturing out, making friends. The walk to class is a short one, but Caroline packs our walk full of questions. Like where I’m from, if I’m really dating all three of the Bishop Brothers? Apparently rumors spread faster than I thought in college.

  We make it to class five minutes after it starts. The professor gives me a sour look but doesn't say anything. My gaze sweeps around the class to find a seat, more eyes, and whispers.

  Great. Only two chairs are free and of course Banks is sitting next to one of those free ones. He gives me a strangely warm smile, waving me over. Jesus, why can’t they just go away. I shake my head at him, but then watch Caroline take the other free chair, leaving me with no other option.