Revenge
E. M. Denning
Edited by Marisa Chenery
Cover design by April Martinez
Copyright 2015 E. M. Denning. Published by Forever More Publishing, 31 Wycliffe Place, Kitchener, Ontario, N2M 5J6, Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
ISBN: 978-1-92785-985-8
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Dedication
This book is for Jaden Wilkes and S. A. Starcevic.
Jaden for starting me down this road, and S. A. Starcevic for urging me to continue.
On the heels of a horrific break up, Summer is looking forward to having a couple months at home to lick her wounds. After a run-in with her ex leaves her reeling, she does something she’s never done before—has a one-night stand.
Hunter watched Mitch treat Summer like crap for months, so he was relieved when they broke up for good. Even better was when she invited him to her dorm room the night before they left campus for the summer.
The morning after comes with a surprise neither of them saw coming—Summer has a new stepbrother.
Hunter.
Chapter One
I stuffed the last of my clothes into a duffel bag and then zipped it up. My second year of college was complete, and I was ready for a relaxing summer free of stress. My life was a never ending cycle of drama, and it all revolved around a guy I could no longer stand. I eyed the box of his belongings and groaned. I’d have to return his stuff sooner or later.
I sighed, picked up the box and headed to his dorm. I should have felt some sort of emotion, but all I could muster was irritation that I’d wasted two years of my life on Mitch. The first year was great. We were inseparable. Young lovers who did their best to be together as often as we could. We spent a lot of time finding places to screw. I should have dumped him at the beginning of the year, I thought as I lugged the break-up box across campus.
I came to his door and set it on the floor. I could walk away and leave it there for him to find, then I worried someone would take it. There wasn’t anything of value, but it was his stuff. I picked it up, balanced it on my hip and knocked on the door.
The door swung open, but it wasn’t Mitch. His cousin, Hunter, opened it. They were also roommates and best friends.
He rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Summer?”
He stared at me. More like glared. Hunter and I weren’t exactly friends. We had the same major so we shared a lot of the same classes. There was an unfriendly competition between us to see who could end up at the top of the class.
I shoved the box at him. “See that Mitch gets that, will you?”
Hunter took it and peeked in the top. “No problem. What’s in it?”
I scoffed. My irritation at Mitch and this whole shitty year spilled over. “It’s all the shit he left lying around my dorm.”
“So you two really are done, huh?” Hunter took a pink teddy bear out. Mitch had given it to me after our last reconciliation. “This was his?”
“No, but I don’t want it anymore.” I didn’t want anything from him ever again.
Hunter laughed and dropped the bear back into the box. “What happened with you two, anyway?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “As if you don’t know. He probably tells you everything.” I turned and left, but moments later, Hunter walked beside me.
“Did you get your chemistry grade?”
I nodded. “I checked this morning.”
“And?”
I looked at Hunter from the corner of my eye. “None of your business,” I spat.
I increased my pace, but his legs were longer than mine. Even if I sprinted, I wouldn’t get away from him.
He smirked and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, I knew I beat you.”
“Excuse me?” I stopped and whirled to face him.
“The only way you wouldn’t brag about your grade is if it was shitty. So I beat you. Good to know.” He turned on his heel and walked back toward his dorm.
“Asshole.”
I stormed to my room and then flung myself onto my bed. If I was being honest with myself, part of me had hoped to see Mitch. I wanted to see if he was as miserable as I felt.
Felicity, my roommate, came in just then. “Summer, he’s so not worth it.”
I glared at her. “I’m not moping.”
“No?” She picked up my cell phone and tossed it to me. “That’s what it looks like. Your mom called.”
Felicity was already packed and organized, completely ready to go home. She was like that, always ten steps ahead of everything.
“I delivered the box.”
Her eyes widened. “The break-up box?” She sat on her bed and crossed her legs. “How’d he take it?”
I shrugged. “He wasn’t there. I left it with Hunter.”
“You should have set it on fire.”
I laughed. “The thought crossed my mind.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“It wasn’t my stuff to destroy.”
“You’re such a good person, Summer.”
I was never sure if Felicity meant that as a compliment or an insult. She’d said it to me a few times, usually when I was unwilling to do something daring or reckless, or anything that was against the rules.
My phone vibrated. I answered it without looking at the display. “Hey.”
“So you’re not keeping any of the gifts I gave you? Really fucking mature, Summer.”
I flung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. “I’m not keeping anything you touched, Mitch.”
Mitch laughed. “You might want to get rid of your roommate then.” The line went dead.
“Asshole.”
I ended the call and stared at the phone. He was always like that. We’d break up, and he’d get hostile and say awful things. He’d come crawling back. I’d forgive him because I loved him, but now I didn’t. I could never love him after seeing him and Tiffany Jacobs. The image was burned in my brain. Her skirt up around her waist, Mitch’s tongue in her mouth. He hated me because I wouldn’t be his doormat anymore. Felicity came and sat beside me.
“You okay?” She put an arm over my shoulders.
I nodded, then exhaled. “I’m okay. He’s a dick. I’m over it.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”
“No.” My laugh was cut short when my phone rang again. “Every time he calls and is a dick it makes it that much easier.” Annoyed, I answered. “Can you just leave me alone?”
“Summer?”
“Crap. Mom. Hi. Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
Felicity put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.
“Clearly.” Mom sounded less than impressed. “Listen, I have a big surprise for you.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“I can’t tell you yet. When I get you tomorrow, we’ll do lunch and I’ll tell you then, okay?”
“Okay.”
I didn’t like it when my mother decided to surprise me. The last time she’d had a big one f
or me I was ten. She’d uprooted me and moved us across the country. There had been three more big surprises just like that one by the time I went to college.
“I have to run, honey. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.” Summer hung up. “If this thing never rings again it’ll be too soon.”
“What was that about?”
“Mom has a surprise for me.” I rolled my eyes. I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.
“Uh-oh.” Felicity gave my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. “I know what’ll cheer you up.”
I groaned. Loudly. Felicity’s idea of cheering someone up was to find them a vat of beer to drink and a hot guy to grope them.
“Where’s the party?”
“The guys over at Sigma are having a huge end-of-the-year blow out.” Felicity stood and unzipped her garment bag. “And I have just the outfit for you.”
Chapter Two
“I feel ridiculous,” I said as I yanked the hem of my dress down for the tenth time.
Felicity had a daring fashion sense. Plunging necklines, backless, lace, leather. If it was sexy, she owned it. I had ten different pairs of yoga pants.
“You look hot.” Felicity grabbed my hand and led me up the steps of Sigma’s frat house.
I followed Felicity toward the beer. My short skirt was already attracting attention. I’d need a whole lot of alcohol to get me used to this dress. Felicity handed me a cup, and I drained it.
“Holy crap, Summer. Take it easy.” Felicity laughed her words, but she was serious. She knew all too well what could happen when you hit the booze too hard and too fast.
“Relax, Felicity.” I reached for another beer and took a sip. “I just needed to down that first one to help me get used to this dress.”
“Oh, it’s not that bad.” Felicity gave my shoulder a shove.
I looked down at the tiny red dress she’d made me wear. I felt as if everyone could see everything about me. “Are you sure you didn’t leave the other half back in the dorm?” I managed a wry smile as I tugged the hem, willing it to stretch even a couple inches.
“Oh, relax, Summer. You’re so uptight.”
I frowned and took another drink. Felicity put her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry, Summer. You know I love you.” Her grip tightened. “Fuck.”
“What?”
“Mitch is here.” She nodded in his general direction.
My heart slammed against my ribcage as a burst of adrenaline surged through me. Mitch swayed through the crowd. He looked pissed off about something. I clenched my hand into a fist, turned and pretended I didn’t see him. My skin prickled as I felt him come up behind me.
“I thought you were gone already.” The stench of alcohol wafted over me. Mitch had a big head start.
“My life is none of your business anymore.” I grabbed Felicity by the hand and tried to escape into the crowd, but drunk as he was, Mitch was fast.
He stepped in front of me. His gaze trailed down my body.
“Summer, you shouldn’t be here.” His gaze met mine. There was anger in his eyes.
“Why, Mitch?” I guzzled some of my beer. Ten minutes into the party, and I’d just about finished two cups. The night was off to a great start. He reached for my waist, but I lurched backward. “Don’t touch me.”
“You look good.” He softened his gaze. He was doing it again. “Too good.”
“Mitch, you’re drunk. Go home.” Felicity tried to pull me away, but Mitch grabbed my wrist.
“I just want to talk to Summer.”
Felicity forced herself in front of Mitch. She got in his face and stared him down. “Leave her alone, Mitch.”
“I just want five minutes.”
Felicity shoved him. “No.”
Mitch’s face went red with rage. It was my turn to step in. “Felicity, it’s fine,” I said as I guided Mitch away. “We’ll go outside and talk. I’ll be back in five minutes.”
Her face fell. “Summer, no.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“Don’t go anywhere with that creep,” she protested.
“It’s fine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Fine, Summer. Fine. Find me when you’re done being an idiot.” She flicked her wrist, turned on her heel and stormed off.
I gritted my teeth and followed Mitch outside. The fresh air hit me like a ton of bricks, and so did the two cups of beer I’d slammed. I was never much of a drinker.
I took a deep breath. “What do you want, Mitch?” I crossed my arms in front of myself.
“I want you back.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, that’s not going to happen.”
He took a step toward me and put his hands on my upper arms. “I love you, Summer.”
I wrenched out of his grasp. “I don’t love you.”
He furrowed his brow. His expression was full of pain. Whether he was sincere or not, I didn’t care. “I don’t believe you.”
“Believe it.” My words came out clipped and cold. This seemed to anger him. He balled his hands at his sides, un-balled them and raked his fingers through his hair.
“You’re mine, Summer. Mine.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him. “Do you understand? You’re mine.”
I tried to pull away, but his fingers were like rods of iron. His face was right in mine. He reeked of booze. “Mitch, let go.”
“No.”
“Mitch, you’re hurting me.” My voice wavered as I tried again to get away. I was scared now, desperate, almost frantic. “Mitch, please.”
He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him. His hand roamed down and he gripped my ass. “Why did you come here then?” He looked at my cleavage. “Dressed like this if you didn’t want me?”
“Mitch, let me go.” I pushed against his chest, but his grip tightened.
“Let her go, Mitch.” The voice of an angel.
I turned, teary eyed to see Hunter standing there. He took his jacket off and draped it over a lawn chair.
“Get out of here, man. This isn’t your business.”
Hunter balled a hand. “Let her go. I won’t tell you again.”
“Fuck you, Hunter.”
Mitch tried to pull me farther away from the party, but Hunter was faster. He slammed his fist into Mitch’s face. I didn’t know a punch to the head would make such a sickening thud. Mitch let go of me and dropped to the ground. Just as fast, he sprang up again and lunged for Hunter, who stepped out of the way. Mitch landed on his face and tried to get up, but by this time a crowd had gathered.
Mitch picked himself up. He sneered at Hunter, then vanished into the crowd.
“Are you okay?” Hunter collected his jacket off the back of the chair.
My lip quivered. I tried to speak, but I took a deep breath instead. I shook my head.
“I can walk you to your dorm if you like.”
I nodded and let Hunter drape his jacket over my shoulders, grateful it was still warm. A chill had settled in my core. I wrapped my arms around myself as Hunter put his hand on my lower back and guided me away from the party.
Chapter Three
“Thanks.” We were halfway to my dorm when I finally managed to find my voice again.
“You don’t have to thank me.” Hunter shook his head, dismissing my gratitude.
“You slugged Mitch.” I paused. “For me.”
Hunter glanced at me, his face unreadable. “I punched him because he’s a sack of shit.” He looked away. “No one deserves what he did to you.”
“I know, but friends don’t usually punch each other.”
Hunter laughed. “Mitch is not my friend.”
I scrunched my face. “He’s your roommate.” I paused. “And your cousin.”
“Not everyone gets along as well as you and Felicity.”
“Shit. Felicity. I bailed on her.” I grabbed my phone from my purse. Three missed texts. All from Felicity. She obviously hadn’t heard about the scene with Mitch. “She’s fine. She�
��s, ah…found someone to occupy her time tonight.” The idea of sitting alone in my dorm room wasn’t so appealing anymore. “Seventy-two percent.”
“What?”
“My chemistry grade. Seventy-two percent.”
Hunter grinned. “Same.”
“Looks like a tie. Too bad.”
Hunter arched an eyebrow. “Too bad?”
“Well, if there was a clear winner, we could have celebrated together. Felicity keeps a bottle of vodka in our room.”
“Well, what if I declared both of us winners?”
I bit my lip. What was I doing? I didn’t even like Hunter, did I? He annoyed me. His constant need to be better and smarter than me was a thorn in my side. The competition between us wasn’t exactly friendly. We’d exchanged a lot of snide remarks the past two years. Still, he was six-foot-four to my five-foot-six. His face was always covered in a layer of dark scruff. I found myself wondering what it’d be like to kiss someone with so much facial hair. Mitch always kept himself clean shaven.
I felt myself blush and somehow managed to sound somewhat smooth. “I guess we’d have to have to drink twice.”
“I’ll drink to that.”
We arrived at my door. I should have been nervous. I’d never had a one-night stand before. I’d never so much as kissed a guy I wasn’t involved with. “Don’t mind the mess.” I walked in and dropped my purse onto my desk.
Hunter entered the room and flopped onto my mattress as if he’d been there a thousand times and it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Are you kidding? You’ve seen my room. It’s a nightmare.”
I opened one of Felicity’s suitcases and pulled out the vodka. I took the lid off and then drank straight from the bottle before handing it to Hunter. “No cups. I hope you don’t mind.”
Hunter took a swig, then passed it back to me. Our hands touched. It was the first time my skin ever connected with his. Maybe it was the two beers and the warm swirl of vodka in my stomach. Maybe it was the way Hunter had rescued me from Mitch, or maybe it was just Hunter and the way he looked at me as if I were something new and undiscovered. I didn’t care what it was. I wanted him.
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