Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge Book 1)

by Nichole Greene

  When I look back down at the screen I see Margaux drop to her knees in front of him. That’s when I close the video out. I feel sick to my stomach. I trusted Mr. Jameson and ignored warnings from the guys. That could have been me in the video in other circumstances.

  Connor turns around. “You okay?”

  “I feel sick. You were right about him all along.” I can’t even bring myself to look at the front of the classroom where I know Mr. Jameson is staring me down. I can feel the intensity of his look.

  Connor leans toward me and kisses my forehead. I don’t want to know if Connor was involved in this. I’m sure he is but I am completely fine with staying ignorant about this. I wonder who put the camera in his room.

  Oh fuck!

  I grab Connor’s arm and turn him back around. “What if whoever sent this out has footage of us?” I whisper in his ear.

  He shakes his head. “We’re fine. Trust me.”

  The headmaster comes in and sternly asks Mr. Jameson to go with him. Mr. Jameson’s eyes keep searching to make contact with mine and I hear Connor snap.

  “Keep your eyes off my girlfriend. You were warned,” Connor growls. Guess that answers the question of who is behind the video.

  Mrs. Pryor, one of the librarians, comes in to take over seminar. Everyone is whispering to each other and completely ignoring her calls for silence. Part of me wants to skip the rest of the day. I don’t want to sit in classes and hear the chatter about this all day.

  After Mrs. Pryor dismisses us I grab Ivy’s hand. “Do you want to skip?”

  “Yes. I need space from Lev today.”

  I nod and walk over to Connor. “Ivy and I are going to skip. Can you guys get our assignments and bring them to us tonight?”

  “Yeah. Where are you going?” Connor looks back and forth between us.

  “The fucking spa. I’m treating Lilith to a head to toe pampering.” Ivy says dragging me away from the guys.

  I wait until we’re in buckled in her car to ask, “what’s going on with you and Levi? I know something is happening.” I place my hand on her arm and gently squeeze. “I won’t judge.”

  For a minute she stares off into space and I don’t think she’s going to answer. “Lev and I met when we were ten years old. Our parents sent us to the same sports camp every summer from ages ten to fourteen. He was there focusing on football and basketball. I was there for swimming. We were in the same lunch and recreation group. He quickly became my best friend.”

  That’s unexpected but doesn’t explain the recent tension.

  “We exchanged numbers and email and kept in touch while I was at my boarding school and he was here. Every summer we’d end up together, having the best time around working on our respective athletics. Then everything changed our last summer, I realized how hot he was and how much he made me laugh. He realized the same thing.” She stares off again for a few minutes.

  “Our last night at camp that summer he led me to a clearing where he had blankets stashed. We laid down, started kissing, and one thing led to another to which led to us losing our virginity to each other.”

  I roll my lips to keep my surprised words from falling out.

  “Then I was sent directly to my boarding school and didn’t hear from him for two years when my mom informed me she was married. To Frank. And that I’d be attending an elite private school with my new stepbrother, Levi.”

  Holy. Shit.

  “I see.”

  “Suffice it to say, Levi and I have a complicated history. There’s layers of jealousy, hurt, love, friendship, and anger woven around us like a rope. Sometimes it feels more like a noose.”

  “So are you guys,” I trail off. How do ask if your friend is sleeping with her stepbrother?

  “Things are intense at home right now. My mom and his dad are fighting a lot. He’s pushing for more from me and when he doesn’t get it he runs off to first available pussy he can find.” She tears up. “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Like Mr. Jameson being blown by Margaux?” I shudder in disgust. “Connor kept warning me about him but I really thought he was just being crazy.”

  “Uh, yeah. That video made me want to vomit. Lev gave me the same warnings and I thought the same thing.” She pulls into the parking lot of a day spa. “Lil, today is my treat. Do you want to pick your treatments or should we just do couples?”

  “Let’s do couples. I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts today.”

  “Girl, same.”

  It takes us about ten minutes to pick our whole day of treatments. Deep tissue massages first, followed by facials, then lunch. Manicures and pedicures in the afternoon. We grab bottles of cucumber and strawberry infused water and follow buff massage therapists back to the locker room.

  Ivy spends the entire massage flirting with her massage therapist. Outrageously flirting complete with over the top giggles and sexy moans. At one point she’s so over the top that my stifled laughter shakes my body making my massage therapist chuckle. She’s much tamer the rest of the day while we get the rest of our treatments.

  When she drops me off in the afternoon, Edward is waiting at the door with a bottle of water for me.

  “Mr. Volkov said you spent the day at the spa and that you would need water when you got home. He asked me to tell you he is up in his bedroom.”

  “Thank you, Edward.”

  I walk upstairs and down the family wing hall to Connor’s rooms. His door is cracked open so I just walk in without knocking. He’s huddled over his desk working on something so I decide to quietly sprawl over his bed. My body is in such a state of deep relaxation that I actually doze off for a couple minutes. Then I feel the bed dip beside me.

  “When did you sneak in here?” Connor kisses my neck, just below my ear. Then he gently bites my earlobe pulling a whimper from me.

  “A couple minutes ago. I’m so relaxed, I might stay here all night.”

  “Yes,” he growls as his hand makes it’s way under my skirt. “Sounds like a plan to me.” His lips follow the path his hands just took and he presses soft kisses between my thighs. He pulls the zipper of my skirt down and pulls it off.

  “The door’s still open.” I say as he starts unbuttoning my shirt.

  He groans as he pushes off the bed and stalks over to close and lock the door. I push up so I’m leaning on my elbows and hold my foot up against his chest when he gets back to me.

  “Strip.” I command with a smirk.

  “You want a show, huh?” His eyes never leave mine as he first takes his watch off and then loosens and removes his tie. “Touch yourself while you watch me.”

  I bite my lip and slide my fingers under the cup of my bra and circle my nipples. His eyes darken as watches. His fingers make quick work of the buttons on his shirt and he drops it to the floor. He pulls his belt out of the loops and sets it beside his watch and tie. His fingers hook in his pants and underwear as he shoves them both down. His erection bobs free and sends a shiver of desire through me.

  His fingers run roughly up my thighs and tear my panties down my legs. He doesn’t tease me, just slides two fingers right inside my pussy making my back arch off the bed. With his other hand he unhooks my bra and tosses it across the room.

  “On your knees,” he directs me to the middle of the bed and spreads my legs apart.

  “What are you doing?” I say, surprised when he lays down behind me and slides between my parted legs. I start to move but he hooks his arms around my hips.

  “You are going to sit on my face.” He doesn’t wait for my response before I feel his tongue lick me end from end. He slides two fingers back in me and pumps them in and out as he tongue circles my clit. His other hand reaches up and pinches my nipple.

  I take one hand and fist it in his hair, my nails scraping his scalp and making him moan against my clit. My other hand cups the breast that he isn’t playing with. My hips rock against him as his fingers thrust deeper and he flattens his tongue over me.

&
nbsp; My whole body is flushed on the verge of coming when he slides his fingers out of me and spreads my wet heat over my other hole. I tense up at the sensation of him running his finger around my tight hole. He stops in question but when I give a slight nod he slides his finger inside slowly. The feeling of him invading both simultaneously and licking my clit sends me crashing over the edge of the most intense orgasm he’s given me yet. My body quakes over him through the aftershocks.

  Before I even comprehend what he’s doing he’s pushed me down his body and is sliding into me. His hips lift off the bed as he starts ruthlessly thrusting inside me, using me the way he needs. My breasts bounce as our bodies crash together and heat gathers low in my belly again.

  “I need you to come again, Lily. I’m not going to last much longer.” Sweat gathers on his forehead.

  I reach down and graze my clit softly with my fingers, setting off another earth shattering orgasm. He comes right after me, filling me with his hot cum as he shouts his pleasure.

  “Fuck.” He whispers as I collapse on his chest. Completely spent and sated. “That was so good.”

  I yelp when he smacks my ass and he groans when I lift myself off him and crawl under his covers. I fall asleep before he even comes back from the bathroom.

  It’s dark outside when I wake up. The bed beside me is empty but still warm. I look over and see Connor come out of his closet. He’s wearing dark jeans and a black hoodie.

  “Where are you going?” I ask him as he grabs his phone and wallet off his desk.

  “I have something to take care of with Lev and Griff tonight.” He walks over and kisses my forehead. “There’s a sandwich and grapes on the nightstand for you. You slept through dinner so Delores sent it up.”

  “What time is it?” I sit up letting the covers pool around my waist.

  “Fuck, don’t do this to me,” he groans as his eyes dip to my breasts, “it’s a little after ten. I’ll back in a few hours. Stay here tonight.” He kisses me again. “I want to come home to you naked in my bed.”

  I crawl across the bed on all fours and flip on the light, giving him an excellent view of my bare ass. “You sure you have to go?” I ask over my shoulder.

  “You sure you were still a virgin less then a week ago?” His heated gaze rakes over my body so intensely I swear I can feel it like fingertips dragging over my skin. “Look at you, trying to entice me to stay with such a naughty display of your beautiful body.” He shakes his head. “I do have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  I kiss him goodbye and unwrap the beeswax paper from the sandwich. I put his uniform shirt on and walk over to his desk where a pile of papers are neatly stacked with my name on them. I work on all my assignments while I eat my dinner.

  When I finish I take a long look around my boyfriend’s room. It’s insanely tidy, everything in it’s place. I slide open his desk drawers not looking for anything in particular other than to satisfy my curiosity. The contents of the drawers are just as pristine as the rest of his room.

  “Boring Connor.” I mumble under my breath.

  I look over at his night stands but I don’t think I’m ready to snoop there yet. I don’t want to find evidence of other chicks he’s fucked, if he collects panties from conquests or something. I could actually see him doing something like that. Instead I move into his attached lounge room. It’s also very clean with nothing out of place. There’s nothing deeply personal either, aside from pictures of him with Claire and some photos of him, Levi, and Griff.

  On the coffee table I see a invitation to a charity gala. Apparently Victor is being honored for his work on directing the energy industry toward renewables. It’s the same day as homecoming so I guess I won’t be on Connor’s arm for the dance. I look at the clock and see he’s been gone about two and a half hours. After stifling a yawn, I decide to crawl in bed and go to sleep.

  * * *

  I wake up to a familiar warm and clean smelling body wrapped around me.

  “Good morning, Lily.” He kisses my neck as his hand moves up my stomach to cup my breasts. “Sleep well?”

  “Yeah. Would have been better if you didn’t disappear in the middle of the night.” I roll over to face him. His eyes are the color of the sun shining through spring leaves this morning, a bright verdant green. “Where did you go?”

  “Just had to take care of some things with the guys. Don’t worry about it.” He dissmisses my question with a kiss on my nose. Something feels off about this. He has never outright dismissed me like this before, even when our relationship was antagonistic.

  “Don’t keep secrets from me, Connor.” I pull away and get out of bed.

  “There will always be some things I don’t tell you. It’s the way it has to be with me.”

  His words hit me like a slap to the face. “Seriously?”

  “Yes.” He sits up and I notice his knuckles are bruised and scabbed. “There are some things I won’t be able to share with you regarding my family and business. This shouldn’t be a surprise to you. You just signed an NDA this week.”

  “You said you were doing something with Lev and Griff last night. That can’t be work or family related.” I grab a pair of his gym shorts and yank them up my legs so I can leave his room. “I know for a fact you would lose your shit if I left in the middle of the night and wouldn’t tell you where I was going.” Fucking hypocrite.

  “You are overreacting. Go shower and calm down.” He says with a cold edge to his voice I haven’t heard directed at me in weeks.

  I leave his room, closing the door quietly behind me. I’ll be damned if I give him the satisfaction of slamming the door, no matter how tempting it is. My brain pulls up the most disturbing possible scenarios for what he could have been doing last night. Did he have the bruised knuckles before he went out last night? I can’t remember. Did he beat someone senseless? Did he meetup with some girl for sex? Is he still plotting some kind of long game against me?

  I decide to drive myself to school this morning so I’ll have to take the world’s fastest shower and skip breakfast. I don’t want to sit beside him while he’s holding back from me. I wonder when he’ll tell me about Homecoming. Or if he’ll even say anything at all.

  27

  Lilith

  A hand lands beside my head on the neighboring locker as I pull out the textbooks I need for the morning.

  “Lilith.” Connor’s other hand wraps around my hip. “You better now? Done with your temper tantrum?”

  “You done being a shady fucker?” I spin with a saccharine smile on my face.

  “There were some fights at The Abyss last night.” He runs his hand through his hair irritably. “Lev needed to fight.”

  “Okay.” I give him a blank stare.

  “Okay?” Confusion and wariness fill his face. “We good?”

  “Nope,” I say, popping the p for emphasis while I close my locker. He thinks he can just tell me where he was and that wipes his bad attitude clean from this morning. “I need to go talk to the headmaster. I’ll see you later.”

  I hear a muted grunt in response and half anticipate him following me. Instead Griff falls in step with me. I look over at him and see a bruise on his jaw.

  “You too? I thought you were the mature, smart one.”

  He grins. “I am. Glad you figured that out.” He bumps my shoulder with his in an unusually playful move. “Con was upset this morning.”

  “He was not the only one upset this morning,” I reply primly.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “Why,” I pause to look up at him, “would I talk to one of his best friends about why I am angry with him?” I shake my head in annoyance. “Are you my escort today? Is that even necessary anymore? Margaux and Jameson are out.”

  “Stop.” He grabs my wrist. “I’m Connor’s friend but I’d like to think I’m your friend now, too. If you tell me something in confidence I will never share it with anyone else.” His hazel eyes implore me to believe him. “I think t
hat you and Connor are good for each other but you are both so similar that you will have trouble seeing past your own noses and backing down when you should.”

  “And you think I should back down about this.” I struggle to not roll my eyes.

  “No. I don’t know what happened. I just think you should keep in mind that Connor has never had a relationship and he’s fighting his natural urge to be an asshole.”

  “Noted.” I pull open the door to the office and the secretary waves me back. I spin when I notice Griff hot on my heels. “Wait out here.” He stops and leans against the wall right beside the door.

  “Miss Nelson, good morning.” The headmaster says when I walk into his office. “Have a seat.”

  “Morning. I just wanted to figure out what I’m supposed to do during water sports now that Mr. Jameson is gone.” I grimace. “Or at least I assume he’s probably lost his job.”

  “He has. Lilith, was he ever inappropriate with you?” Headmaster Jennings asks with a grimace.

  “No, sir.” I shake my head but hear a derisive snort from Griff in the hall.

  “Good. Why don’t you come to the office during your free period and you can help in here.”

  “Thank you, sir.” I say as I stand up.

  Griff pushes off the wall when he sees me. “Jameson was inappropriate with you. So many times.”

  “You guys need to let it go. He’s fired.”

  “Just saying.” He holds his hands out in front of him in mock surrender.

  “You are as bad as Connor. Always getting in the last word. I’d love to see a disagreement between you two.”

  “We haven’t fought since seventh grade when I caught him kissing my sister.” Griff chuckles like it’s a fond memory. “I punched him and gave him a bloody nose.”

  “Pretty tame. I bet if he caught you kissing Claire he would do more than give you a bloody nose.”

  “True. My sister is older than us though. Claire is younger so it would be worse.”