by Rose Cody
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental. All characters are over the age of majority and all sexual acts are completely consensual.
Revenge
(A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Novel)
First edition. June 18th, 2016.
Copyright © 2016 Rose Cody
Written By Rose Cody
Chapter 1
“Well, this was a mistake.” Jennifer Scott whispers to herself as she enters her old high school gym.
She stops, hesitating in the large double doorway as the magenta light reflecting off the silver disco balls hanging from the ceiling shines on her, bringing out the slight sparkle in her little black dress.
Her stomach flips as she walks to the side, her heels clicking on the gymnasium floor as she settles herself against the wall, trying to regain her comfort.
Jennifer never actually thought she would ever step foot inside of her high school reunion. Even before she graduated she was a peace with never having to step foot inside this awful place ever again.
She was never very popular and honestly, more of an ugly duckling than she’d like to admit. Not ugly, necessarily, but high school is a tough time for girls and being a late bloomer didn’t help any. And what really didn’t help any was striving to be the top of her class. Being a shy, underdeveloped nerd will only get a girl so far.
Not to say she’s never had friends. She left this place behind with two of the best friends anyone could ask for, but nearly ten years, two weddings, four kids and thousands of miles between them kind of left Jennifer in the dust to fend for herself.
When she got the invitation, her first reaction was that, surely, this was probably a joke. There was no way anyone remembered Jennifer Scott enough to search out her address and send her an invitation. It’s not like anyone would notice if she didn’t show up.
And she wasn’t going to. At least not at first. But as the weeks went on and the date of the reunion got closer, she became more and more curious.
After all, high school was ten years ago and surely her classmates have matured a little bit. She sure has.
Jennifer looks around the gym, chuckling to herself as she watches grown men fist bump each other like they’re still on the football team.
Maybe there hasn’t been any maturity gained after all.
She fixes the thin black shoulder strap of her dress, pulling it square back on her shoulder, as she takes a deep breath, filling her lungs with courage before she makes her way between the stackable tables to the punch line.
Even if there’s nothing else to gain from coming here, at least there’s free punch and potato chips.
She fills her plastic red cup, spooning the brightly colored beverage to the top before picking up a little plate reading “Welcome back Eagles!” and covering the lettering with a handful of BBQ ruffled chips.
Jennifer shyly makes her way back to the back of the gym, looking down to avoid eye contact with her former peers. Maybe she’s not really ready to be back yet after all.
She sits herself down at an abandoned table, relieved to finally be settled before placing a potato chip in her mouth and looking back up into the crowd.
She sighs through her nose, reaching back up to her shoulder to re-fix her strap as she relaxes into her chair before reaching for her drink and bringing it up to her lips to take a small sip.
“Hey, you!” She hears a voice come from the right of her and she turns to look at the person responsible for the call as she places her cup back on the table, shifting the plastic table cloth a little bit.
She clears her throat, flashing a small smile at the tall, thick like ham bearded man, instantly recognizing him.
“Dennis Fink…” She says, nodding her head sarcastically as she watches him walk over to her table and sit herself down. “What a surprise.”
“Are you really surprised? We went to the same high school, of course I would be here.” He says, grabbing a chip off her plate.
“No, actually, I’m not at all.” She says to him, leaning away from him as crosses his arms over the table top and leans towards her. “Not surprised you’re wearing a letterman jacket in place of a suit jacket either.”
“Oh, come on, Jennifer, you don’t like it?” He asks, lifting it off of his chest. “How else are people supposed to recognise me?”
“Oh, you’re plenty recognizable.” She says, letting out a low giggle.
“Haven’t aged a bit, right?” He says, leaning back and tossing a chip into his mouth.
“Well, I didn’t say that…” Jennifer whispers under her breath as she looks around the gym, hoping to find someone, anyone, to be her excuse to leave.
“I almost didn’t recognise you, though…” He says, trying again to lean in closer to her. “When I did finally figure out who you were, I gotta say, I was pretty shocked.”
“Okay.” Jennifer mumbles, biting her lower lip as she reaches for her red plastic cup.
“Lighten up a little, I’m saying you’re beautiful.” He says, reaching over and resting his arm on the back of her chair. “I was like, wow! Is that actually Jennifer Scott? No fuckin’ way! What a babe! I can’t believe it.”
“Well, some of us grew up.” She says, shooting him a sarcastic, closed lip smile.
“Yeah, some of us sure did.” He says, turning towards her and resting his hand on her thigh before sinking the tips of his fingers a little deeper between her legs.
“Excuse you…” She says, pushing him away.
“What? Isn’t it every nerdy girl’s dream to get with a stud like me?” Dennis says, leaning in even further to whisper into her ear.
“Hey, dude!” A man says behind them, distracting Dennis just enough for Jennifer to stand up and scurry away.
“What’s your problem, man?” Dennis asks, standing up, too, before taking a step forward. “Why you gotta interrupt me and my lady friend like this? You got nothing better to do?”
“Oh, fuck off, dude.” The mystery man says, waving him off. “She obviously doesn’t want anything to do with you. Take a hike.”
“Are you going to come with me, Jennifer, or what?” Dennis asks, throwing up his hands as he turns to her.
“No, not in a million years.” She says, squinting her eyes.
“Well, then, fuck both of you.” He says, flipping them his middle finger as he walks away. “Your loss, bitch.”
Jennifer sighs, smoothing her fingers over her eyebrows as she walks back over to her table. She glances over at her saviour, smiling softly at him as she sits back down in her seat.
“Thanks by the way.” She whispers to him softly, as she nods her head towards Dennis’s now empty chair. “You can sit down if you want.”
He walks over, sitting himself in the chair before turning to her and resting his elbow on the table.
“Seems like Dennis Fink never stopped being a fucking tool, huh?” He chuckles, smiling at her before looking around the room. “Wow, and there he goes again…” He says, pointing as he watches Dennis sit down at another table. “I bet the guy hasn’t been laid since high school. Probably been jacking off to the same girls for years.”
“Oh, please, no.” She says, giggling as she covers her eyes, her cheeks flushing red at the thought. “Why did you have to go and say that?”
“I know, right?” He laughs. “As soon as I said it I threw up in my mouth a little bit.”
She shakes her head, picking up her drink to take a little sip before placing it back down on the table and running her fingers over the plastic table cloth to smooth it back out.
“I’m Jennifer, by the way.” She says, turning up her lip
s slightly as she glances back over at him.
He nods, flashing his pearly white teeth as he leans back in his chair before looking over to her.
“Yeah, I know.” He says, looking off into the crowd of people.
He chuckles to himself before leaning a little closer to her.
“I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this…” He starts. “Because I know you have no idea who I am at all…”
Jennifer bites her bottom lip embarrassed as she brings her hand to rest on her chest just under her neck.
“But I had a huge crush on you in high school.” He says, sitting up and straightening out his back as he rubs the palms of his hands over his dark suit pants as he shakes his head. “We had the same home room for all four years. I never got the courage to say anything to you, though.”
Jennifer smiles, blushing as she brings her hand up over her mouth before letting out a soft giggle.
“Andrei Vitale.” He says, reaching out his hand.
“Oh! My! God!” She laughs, grabbing his hand to shake it. “Little Andrei Vitale…”
She takes another sip from her drink before blushing as she looks him over.
He’s sure grown since the last time she’s seen him. Who would have guessed that the runt of the class would grow up to have such sculpted, sharp features.
“You sure filled out.” She says, leaning into the gap between them. “I would have never guessed…”
“Yeah, I get that a lot.” He says, smiling as he looks down, a dark lock of his hair falling in his face away from the rest of it. “So, you know what? I’m just going to ask…” He says, taking a deep breath. “How about Jennifer Scott gives a guy like me a chance? Let’s get out of here, what do you say?”
She glances around the room, trying to hide her eagerness. She looks over to Dennis, who is once again striking out, before looking back at Andrei and shrugging her shoulders.
“Sure… I guess.” She says, biting her bottom lip as she tries not to smile to largely.
“Alright then, cool.” He says, getting up from his seat before offering her his hand. “I know just the place.”
She reaches out to grab his hand as he helps her up to her feet. At least she can’t say nothing came from this reunion.
Chapter 2
“You don’t feel a little too dressed up for this place?” Jennifer whispers, leaning over the table as she looks around the small, empty 24 hour diner.
“No way.” He says, shaking his head as he brings his coffee up to his mouth to take a small sip of the piping hot beverage. “If anything this joint needs us to class it up a bit.”
She laughs, quieting down as the waitress drops off their slices of pie before watching her walk back into the kitchen.
“So, I gotta ask…” She says, picking up her fork and prying a blueberry out of the crush and onto the prong. “Did you really have a crush on me in high school, or were you just pulling a Dennis Fink…”
“Why? Is it working?” He chuckles as he places a fork full of pie into his mouth, smiling as he chews it before swallowing it down.
“I’m serious!” She says, lightly.
“It’s true, it’s true.” He says, nodding his head. “Bright purple thick-rimmed glasses were my turn on…”
“Ah!” Jennifer gasps, covering her mouth. “Don’t you ever bring those glasses up ever again!”
“I’m just sayin’… if you still got ‘em…” He says, taking another sip from his coffee.
She shakes her head as she brings a bite of pie up to her mouth.
“Smashed long ago!” She giggles.
She puts down her fork as she glances out into the dark parking lot before looking back towards him.
“You know, I wasn’t even going to come tonight.” She says, sighing. “But I’m glad I did.”
“I’m glad you did, too.” He says, glancing up at her sweetly before looking back down into his pie. “So, what did Jennifer Scott grow up to be besides beautiful?”
Jennifer blushes, putting her coffee back down on the table as she lets out a little giggle.
“Well, with all those advanced calculous classes I was taking…” She starts. “I decided to do the cool thing and become a hair dresser.”
“Oh…” He says, raising his eyebrow as he takes another sip.
“I was planning on working the runways of Milan…” She says. “But I actually work at a Discount Cuts giving old ladies perms.”
“Well… someone’s got to do it, right?” He says, shrugging his shoulders. “Nothing wrong with perming old ladies.”
“I guess.” She says, taking the last bite of her pie. “And yourself?”
“A little of this, a little of that. You know, sales. I’m a salesman…Selling stuff. Buying stuff. The usual.” He says, winking as he finishes off his coffee.
“Sales?” She says. “Well, that’s very specific.”
He chuckles as he nods, before pushing his plate away and leaning over the table towards her.
“I’m gunna put on my best Dennis moves right now.” He says, softening his voice to a whisper. “My hotel is not far from here…”
“Oh, is it now?” She asks, raising her eyebrows. “Are you asking me to come back to it with you?”
“You know what? I just might be…” He says, smirking.
“Well, then.” She says, looking around the empty diner before turning back to him and playing with her small diamond stud earring. “I guess I’m going to have to take you up on that…”
They walk back to the school through the crisp night air, Jennifer feeling the cool breeze against her skin as she takes a deep breath in.
“Look at that, oh my God!” Andrei says, pointing at the front lawn on the school.
Jennifer gasps before covering her eyes as she watches Dennis throw up into the grass as they hurry by.
“Dudes night obviously didn’t go as planned.” He whispers to her as they pass him before he pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and points them into the parking lot before pressing the unlock button.
She raises her eyebrows as she watches a set of lights flash quickly in the row of cars, pointing out his.
“Someone’s been doing a lot of selling…” She smiles coyly as her eyes trail the smooth rounded body of his black sports car.
“What can I say, business is good, right?” He says, shrugging his shoulders as he flashes his teeth at her as she walks over to the passenger side.
She opens the door, slipping herself inside before closing it behind her once more.
Jennifer’s heart pounds in her ears as she watches Andrei sink into his seat before pushing the key in the ignition and turning it over to start the car.
She turns away, flushing as she notices him glance at her and chuckle.
Jennifer chews on her bottom lip as she watches the tall, brightly lit downtown buildings pass then by as Andrei leans back in his seat, one hand on the wheel and the other leaning against the side of his head.
“I thought your hotel was close…” Jennifer says, turning herself to face him as she leans the side of her head against the headrest.
“It is.” He says, keeping his gaze forward out the windshield.
“We’ve been driving for a while…” She says, her lip curling up as she watches him smile.
“Right away, gosh, can’t a guy drive in peace?” He says, flashing her a smile quickly before pointing up ahead. “There.”
“There?” Jennifer asks, surprised as Andrei turns into the parking lot of the swankiest hotel in town.
She gazes over the cream colored building, before trailing her eyes over the neatly sculpted hedges before looking over to Andrei as he pulls the car under the front cover.
Jennifer looks up at the mirrored ceiling as Andrei places a spare set of keys in the hands of the valet before resting his hand on the small of her back and guiding her inside.
“I’ll be right back…” He whispers to her, leading her over to a small seating area.
She sits down in one of the chairs, watching him as he walks over to the front desk before looking over to the intricate embroidery of her chair’s sister as she gently brushes her fingers over the carved, stained wooden frame.
“A sales associate, my ass.” She whispers to herself as she looks up at the sparkling chandeliers of the hotel lobby as they throw champagne colored light over the marble room before watching Andrei walk back over to her.
