by Ashley Erin
THE NO BAD BOY RULE
Copyright © 2015 by Ashley Erin
Cover Design by Kari Ayasha with Cover to Cover Designs
Model: Bryant Wood
Photographer: Eric Battershell
Editing by Jessica Grover and Missy Borucki
Interior Design: Integrity Formatting
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner. All rights reserved.
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Acknowledgements
Squinting my eyes to see through the heavily falling snow, I finally see the road to Parkland University. Slowing, I turn down the road, gritting my teeth when I feel the rear end of my car slide out. My car spins on the ice, my knuckles white as I grip the steering wheel. It’s too late to correct my vehicle as I slide front first into a snow drift.
Sitting there visibly shaken, I let my heart slow down before attempting to get myself out of this mess. Like I wasn’t already nervous enough my first day of university, spending more time with new people, spending more time with Dax . . .
Normally winter driving doesn’t bother me, but the icy roads compounded with feeling nervous for today, I don’t feel like myself.
Shifting my car into reverse, the dreaded squealing of my tires tells me I’m stuck. My head droops as I groan, thinking about how I will never hear the end of this from Lucas. Didn’t I tell you it was too slippery to drive to school today, Ava? Why haven’t you bought winter tires yet, Ava? I love him dearly, but, good lord, is he overprotective.
Breathing deep, I open my car door and step out into the swiftly falling snow. Pulling my hood up over my head, I examine my predicament. The front tires of my car are buried. Tears of frustration form and I fist my hands to stop them, crying won’t help and I’m better than this.
Popping my trunk, I grab the shovel I always keep in there during the winter and start digging. I may not be able to make it to my first class, but I am determined to make it to my second.
This is my fresh start. A chance to have a career that will allow me to provide the best life possible for Noah. He deserves to have all the chances I was given, and I know I need to find a lucrative career to do that.
I used to dream of painting all over the world. Studying at different universities, immersing myself in the culture of foreign lands. That dream faded when those two pink lines showed up.
Despite losing out on the luxury of a life spent painting and moving place to place, when I think of Noah there are no regrets. Breathing in the icy air, I lean on my shovel and gaze around me.
The world is silent, the beauty of the snow hiding its dangers. Spruce trees droop under its weight and everything is blanketed in glistening white. By the looks of it, I’m one of the few people entering or leaving campus today, there are no fresh tracks on the road.
Wind gusts, freezing my cheeks. The snow begins to fall even heavier, reducing visibility to less than ten feet. Thankfully, I planned to stay the night; I don’t think I’m going anywhere until this blizzard is over. Sighing, I straighten my shoulders and start shoveling snow.
The snow is wet and heavy, and it doesn’t take long for me to start sweating as I attempt to dig a clear path for my car. Underneath the snow is a thick layer of ice.
The sound of a vehicle turning off the highway draws my attention. Turning I wait until they’re in view and I’m relieved when I recognize Andie’s SUV. I wave when she pulls to the side of the road, my smile freezing as Dax gets out of the vehicle and not Andie.
Ever since he stormed into Lucas’ apartment, he has been the star of several dreams I could never tell anyone about. He is a walking, talking fantasy and I am going to be spending two classes a week with him.
Gulping as I realize I’ve been checking him out, I shake my body slightly and meet his eyes. Those eyes that seem to read my mind, piercing right into my soul and devouring my deepest, darkest secrets.
He doesn’t say anything as he walks over to me, his intense hazel gaze focuses on me before examining my hack job of digging my car out. I’ve only managed to uncover one wheel. Barely.
He turns back to me, the silence making me uncomfortable. Gulping, I look away from his gaze. “Hi, Dax. My car is stuck.” Seriously? Obviously you’re stuck. What do you think he thought? That you were taking a leisurely stroll with a shovel? “I mean . . . Obviously, I’m stuck. I’m just trying to dig myself out, but I think I might need to call a tow truck.” Shut up, seriously, just stop talking. If I’m not mistaken, his lips twitch fighting a smirk, and I die a little bit. If the ground wasn’t frozen, I would just start digging a hole to bury myself.
“Why don’t I give you a ride to campus and you can call a tow truck from the warmth of Lucas’s apartment?” His deep voice makes me jump. I love the way it sounds, a little rumbly but soft and low. Nodding in relief that he has finally spoken, I allow him to take the shovel from my hand. I stand there gaping at him as he puts it in my trunk, turns my car off, and grabs my bags from the back seat. “Coming?”
He chuckles as I scramble into Andie’s SUV and I’m grateful I don’t blush easily. I’ve only been around Dax a few times, but we’ve never been alone. Clearly being in his presence turns me into a stupid swooning girl.
The SUV is warm, and I gratefully tug my gloves off, flexing my fingers to work out the cold. Dax doesn’t say anything as he shifts the car into gear, and I’m jealous when it moves effortlessly over the snow. Obviously, my brain cannot connect with my mouth properly, so I wait for him to say something, anything to fill the silence.
He doesn’t.
I have this incessant need to fill awkward silences, and being in the vehicle with Dax, alone, has my brain working overtime. Swallowing all of the stupid things I might say, I angle my body towards the window. If I see him look at me, who knows what might spill out from the part of my brain that doesn’t know when to shut up.
My body starts to thaw out and with Dax being outside my line of sight, my thoughts turn to Noah. Today is the first day I haven’t driven him to pre-school since he started in the fall. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, kissing him while he slept before leaving. The discovery that I was pregnant five years ago made me think my life was over, now he is my life and I couldn’t imagine him not being a part of it.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” The sound of Dax’s voice, soft and deep, jolts me out of my thoughts, and I’m surprised to see we have arrived at the apartment building that will be my home two nights a week.
“What is?” Was he talking to me and I completely missed it? That would be so rude.
“How difficult it is to leave him behind. Even if it is only for a few days.” He looks at me empathetically, and my stomach feels like it flips over as we stare at each other.
“How did you know I was thinking about Noah?” Shock colors my voice and my throat feels raw with emotion.
“I’ve seen the kind of mom you are. Your world revolves around that little boy, as it should. To me, it seems obvious that’s where your thoughts would be.” He exits the car, leaving me gaping after him in awe.
Scrambling to follow him, I grab my bags and hurry into the building. “Today is the first time I haven’t driven him to school. I guess I feel guilty, like by being here I’m putting my needs before his.”
Dax falls into step beside me as we climb the stairs. “Hmph.”
Glancing at him sideways as he grunts, I try to bite my tongue and not say anything stupid. “If I get a degree and find a good job, I can provide everything he could ever need. It’s not selfish.” My tone is defensive, and if I could get away with it, I would smack my head into the wall.
“Where the hell did you get the idea it was selfish?”
“You hmphed.” His lips twitch as I mimic his grunt, he still hasn’t actually smiled. Now that I think about it, I’ve only ever seen the smallest of smiles in the brief times we’ve been around each other. Most of the time he has this look of intense focus, as if he’s critically observing every single thing around him.
“So? I was trying not to be a dick and call you an idiot for feeling guilty.” The small smile peeks out before it’s gone again in an instant.
“Oh.” You are an idiot. I used to be more coherent around attractive guys. It got me into a lot of trouble, case in point: Joe. Apparently talking to guys and not sounding like a dumbass is a skill you can lose.
More awkward silence. “So, math class this afternoon.” Kill me now. Ava, you are almost twenty-one years old, not sixteen. Get your shit together.
Dax looks at me, humor shining in his eyes as he fights a laugh. We finally reach the top floor and I rest my hand on Lucas’s doorknob. Opening my mouth, I shake my head and turn towards the door clamping my lips together tightly. I give up. I can try again this afternoon.
“So . . . math class this afternoon,” Dax says with laughter in his voice as he mocks me. Turning, I try to glare at him, but this time his smile is real. A heart-stopping smirk that pulls the corners of my lips up. “It’s my only class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was going to grab a coffee on my way, do you want anything?”
His offer surprises me, and I can feel my jaw opening and closing like a fish. Say something. “A chai latte, please.”
“Done. Save me a seat.” He walks into the apartment he shares with Andie and shuts the door. Sighing in relief that I have time to gather my wits before I have to spend almost two hours with him, I wonder how the hell I’m going to keep my inappropriate thoughts in check.
Slipping in the door, I peek my head into the living room when I hear my brother’s voice.
“Oh my God!” Slamming my hands over my eyes, I try to block out the image of Lucas and Andie half-naked on the couch as I back out of the room, colliding with the wall. “I have to sleep on there!”
Andie giggles uncomfortably as I hear Lucas swear. “I thought you had class?”
“I got stuck in a snow drift; class is halfway over by now. Seriously though, how am I supposed to sleep on there now that I’ve seen that?”
“I’m so sorry, Ava. You can uncover your eyes now.” Slowly dropping my hands, I cautiously step back into the room. Andie stands in the middle of the room, blushing, next to Lucas who appears disturbingly chill about what just happened.
“I picked up your bed yesterday so you wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch. Besides, it’s not like we were having sex.”
I can feel the look of disgust on my face. “It was bad enough.”
“Lucas!” Andie scolds Lucas with a grimace. “Did you get your car unstuck?”
“No, I’m going to call a tow truck. Dax pulled up and gave me a ride.” I adore Andie. Once you get to know her, she’s sweet and caring. Admittedly, when I first met her, she scared the shit out of me. I’ve never seen someone who can look quite as mean as she can, except maybe her brother.
“Did you have your shovel?” Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I nod. “Was your phone fully charged?” Sighing on another nod, I wait for Lucas to start lecturing me once again on how to get out of a slide, but instead he walks over and hugs me. “Good.”
I gape at him as he leads Andie into his room. Well, that’s a change.
Giggling erupts from behind his closed door, and I hurry to my room and shut myself in, relieved that it blocks out the sounds that will inevitably come from Lucas and Andie. That’s going to take some getting used to.
Glancing at the time on my phone, I face plant onto the bed Lucas has set up and close my eyes. My career as a college student has officially started. It almost feels too mainstream for me; it’s going to be great.
Laying back on my bed, the stain in the ceiling shaped like a dick catches my eye. Some things can’t be unseen. Maybe if I stick a poster over the top of it; that would be better than waking up to that every morning. Andie thinks it’s hilarious, and whenever I start to forget it, she points it out.
Rolling over so my eyes aren’t drawn in that direction, I contemplate how to pass the time until class. I hate sitting still and doing nothing. I play so many video games because it takes up space in my brain that fills with thoughts I don’t want to have in moments like this.
Exhaustion makes my body feel heavy; maybe I can have a quick nap.
Setting my alarm, I close my eyes.
I’m beat and the day isn’t even over yet. At least my final debt to Ivan has been paid. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to be doing anything for him, but I committed to this job and to stay in his “good” graces, I followed through. Of course, he made me drive all the way to Edmonton last night to deliver it. No PayPal or e-transfer for him. Nope, he likes to do things face-to-face. More intimidation power.
Too bad for him I’m not easily intimidated. I’m bigger than he is, and I managed to gain clout within the organization of his gang while I was working for him.
His offer to reinstate me back into the Vipers holds no appeal. Walking away was one of the hardest things I’ve done, made easier only because I had no choice. My job was easy, I was good at it. I would be lying if I didn’t admit at one point I thought of going back, despite the risks, the first time he tried to convince me I made a mistake. Saying no this time was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made.
Since starting Parkland in September, I finally feel part of something respectable. There is no way I’m going to blow it. My only regret is not taking Peyton with me when I left. She is too young to be part of that lifestyle and the thought of not being there to protect her makes me want to call Ivan to negotiate a deal.
I won’t. She knows how to reach me if she needs my help. I just wish I could have seen her, made sure she was okay.
Guilt over not checking in on Peyton threatens to consume me. Another promise broken to another person I care about.
This is why I need to focus on staying within my new reality. Focus on a new life. A life I can be proud of. No more broken promises, no more failure.
Bunching my pillow, I clear my mind of this train of thought. Almost immediately, a pair of brilliant blue eyes fills in the space I’ve just vacated. Rescuing Ava was the distraction I needed after being alone with my thoughts and self-loathing for four hours.
She made me laugh when I was in a miserable mood, not an easy feat. Granted, she wasn’t doing it on purpose, which made it even better. She was so adorably awkward. It is refreshing to see someone that attractive not be full of themselves or overly self-assured.
Being around Ava is a breath of fresh air. She’s so innocent in com
parison to every other girl I’ve been around. She draws out genuine smiles and makes me forget what I’ve done, even for a little while.
Focusing on having that reprieve in just a couple of hours, I finally feel myself start to doze off.
My eyes search the classroom for Ava. She hasn’t arrived yet so I grab two seats in the back of the class, setting her latte on one of the desks to save her spot. Pulling out my phone, I realize I can’t even text her because I don’t know her number.
Loading Plants vs. Zombie’s, I decide to occupy myself until class starts.
My neck tingles as I feel someone watching me. Continuing to play my game, I am aware of a body walking down the aisle, eyes on me.
It’s hard to explain how I can tell when someone is watching me, but it’s a gift and a curse. Sometimes I wish I could be blissfully ignorant like most of the people surrounding me. Who knows what they’ve been through, but I would be willing to bet that most of them would shit their pants if they knew the things I’ve seen and done.
The chair next to me slides out, and I finally look up to smile at Ava. She makes it easy to smile.
My lips fall into a frown when I see it’s not Ava. The woman who is eyeing me up is slender and attractive; I’m also pretty sure I could bend her over this desk and fuck her in front of everyone. Too easy. Besides, I’m not about to give away Ava’s seat just because some hot chick makes eyes at me.
“That seat is taken.” Turning back to my game, I ignore the indignant noises she makes as she moves her ass out of Ava’s seat.
Not long after the chick leaves, I can’t even remember what she looks like anymore, I feel someone else sit in that seat. Scowling, I look up from destroying zombies, ready to rip a new one into whoever doesn’t understand the coffee cup is indicating that seat is taken.
Ava’s blue eyes widen as she takes in my expression, the movement of her throat drawing my eyes as she swallows nervously. “Did the zombies win?” Her question shocks a laugh out of me as I glance down at my game.
“No. I was kicking ass like I always do.”
