Her Champions: A high school bully romance (Bad Boys of Jameson High Book 3)

by Taylor Blaine

  “Got it. You’re going to kill everyone, unless we do what you want.” It wasn’t the most inventive threat I’d heard. “What is the problem, here, anyway? I got away from you, big deal. Can’t you find someone else to trade?” I refused to believe I was the only option Dominick had.

  As much as I didn’t want to be the slave trade of the day, I also didn’t want someone else to take my place.

  Dominick’s face tightened. He stepped forward, thrusting his finger toward my chest. “You little bitch. You cost me that fight. It wasn’t just a fight. It was an opportunity to get some money from drug sales, gambling, girls, and whatever else I could pocket. All of it was canceled when you traded out the fight. The shooter only dampened things further. Now I can’t sell there anymore.” He looked me up and down, lowering his voice to a raspy whisper. “I have a lot you want, and even more you need. Let’s see how much you cooperate.”

  He was right and I hated him even more for it. He had a lot that I needed and wanted. Stryker seemed to be all I could think about. My mom had been gone all that time already. Her loss had already been processed. But Stryker’s? I couldn’t imagine not seeing him anymore.

  Maybe my time in the basement had refocused my attention to look at my priorities a little differently. Maybe I was tired. Maybe I was more attached to the Jameson guy than I thought.

  No matter the cause, I couldn’t let go of the fact that I needed Stryker. More than my pride wanted to admit. Certainly, more than I would own to Dominick.

  Or even to myself.

  Chapter 2

  Gray

  There was a tinge to the moonlight as clouds stretched across the night sky. Minutes passed like hours and I just wanted to find Stryker, Brock, and maybe get more information about my mom. Was that too much to ask for? Then why did I have to stand there with Dolnick watching my every move?

  “What do you say, Gray? Want to try not fighting everyone for once?” Dominick arched an eyebrow I would swear had waxed. I couldn’t stop focusing on the little things about him that made him even creepier – his eyebrows, his plumper-than-normal-lips, and the manicured look to his nails.

  The heat from Gunner and Sara soothed me as well as alarmed me. I couldn’t focus with their danger more plausible while I wasn’t sure what type of situation Stryker and Brock were in. Why did we have to be in the situation we’d been trapped in? I would give anything to be a normal teenager at that point in time.

  Dominick steepled his fingers at his waist and ducked his head as if he could make out my thoughts by trying to see me better. Sara and Gunner couldn’t be there. If I could get them out of my immediate presence, I could focus better. Dominick seemed more cruel than smart. Not that he wasn’t smart, I just had a feeling I’d met smarter.

  Pressing the tips of his fingers to his pursed lips, Dominick drove the distance between us into the ground with two steps. No space between us as his chest brushed mine and his eyes stared down at me.

  I refused to lean my head back. Forcing the claustrophobia down that his presence brought on, I stared at his neck, amused to see he’d missed a spot on when he shaved.

  “You can ignore me all you want, little Gray, but you need to think things through.” He waited, the heat of his breath wafting toward me, tinged with a salty minty smell.

  It took everything in me not to ask about Stryker – again. No matter how much I wanted to know about Stryker and Brock’s circumstances, I couldn’t ask. Not again. I couldn’t give away how important they were to me. Not again. Dominick would use it against me. He already had enough weapons to gain control over me, there was no point in giving him more.

  Gunner growled beside me, his arm pressing hard into my own. “Step back, Dominick, or I’ll be forced to forget we’re family.” The tone in his voice left little question what he thought of his uncle.

  A clicking of a gun engaging made my stomach tighten with warning.

  There wasn’t enough light out there in the gravel parking lot to see which man had decided to engage his gun. I didn’t want to guess. The best thing I could do was ignore their presence. If not, it would be one more thing adding to the claustrophobic sensation Dominick gave me. Images of my time in the room with my arms tied tried drowning my mind. I couldn’t let him have control or I’d end up right back where I’d been. That wasn’t going to be allowed.

  Leaning my head back, I pierced Dominick with my gaze. “Gunner and Sara are going to walk out of here and you’re not going to do anything about it.” I ignored Sara’s grunt of refusal and Gunner’s irritated huff and continued. “Once they’re gone, we can talk about options. Let’s be clear. You don’t own me and I won’t be your little bitch.”

  Still holding his gaze, I reached up and secured my fingers on the corners of his chest just inside from his shoulders. I pushed him back, my own stance secure enough that I didn’t need much room to get leverage. He stepped back, shoved off balance by strength I shouldn’t have after the week of imprisonment.

  Enraged adrenaline was a powerful enabler.

  “First, let’s start with stepping off me.” I took a menacing step toward him, trimming a foot off the five feet I’d won with my shove.

  His three men moved closer, but Dominick glanced their direction and softly shook his head. They backed down. He slowly turned back to me. His smile gradually spread as if he realized something humorous and satisfying all at once. “You know, Gray, there’s a lot you want that I can give you.” He motioned toward Sara and Gunner. “For instance, your friends can go whenever they want and I won’t follow. For a bit.”

  He cocked his head forward and his smile faded. “If you come with me, without fighting, and you do what I want, I’ll let them go without following ever. Do you understand?” He splayed his hands wide at his sides and half-shrugged. “Go with me, Gray. You can fight, earn back your pride. We could work together. You could see your mom again. Everything could be as it should.”

  Almost hypnotized by the lulling sound of his voice, I thought about what he promised. My mom… If she was alive and able to reach out, why hadn’t she until then? Why wasn’t she worried about me or Dad? Why hadn’t she come to rescue me? Why weren’t we together? For some reason, I didn’t put it past Dominick to manipulate anyone to get what he wanted. If he’d wanted my mom, there was nothing that would stop him from getting her. She wasn’t exactly a strong personality either. She probably wouldn’t stand a chance.

  I glanced at Gunner and Sara and then ahead at Dominick as he studied me. He nodded toward them. “By all means, discuss it with your friends.” He reached into his front jacket pocket and pulled out a small phone. Turning to the side, he pressed the cell to his ear and spoke softly but with command.

  I claimed the opportunity and turned to Sara and Gunner, shaking my head that they would argue against what I was trying to do. Motioning toward the woods, I took a deep breath. “What are you doing? Get out of here. I can handle this on my own.”

  “Do you really think he’s going to take care of you or be nice or whatever it is that he’s promising?” Sara lowered her voice into a hissing whisper. “Gray, he’s a damn snake. You know this.” She sought my face with her gaze. “It’s okay to let us help you. Please.”

  I blinked back tears that were both tired and discouraged. “You have no idea what that means to me, but I can’t focus while you guys are in danger. Maybe you can run and try to find help, find someone who might still be an ally.” I didn’t really care what they did as long as they got away. “Maybe Vlasi Ivanovs can help. I have no idea what our options are, to be honest.”

  Gunner didn’t speak, just folded his arms across his chest and stared at me with his chin tucked. His dark eyes studied me as if he expected me to lose it any moment. Little did he know, I think I had already lost my sanity.

  “What do we do, then?” I couldn’t force them to leave. I wanted to, but that took more energy than I wanted to expend while trying to keep my cool around Dominick.

  “I
want to find Blaze and kill him while searching for Stryker and Brock, but I have a feeling that’s not what you’re talking about.” Gunner glanced over his shoulder toward Dominick who still was on the phone and then Gunner looked back to me. “Look, we need to get to Stryker. Do whatever it takes to get him back and then he can tell us what to do.”

  Gunner had no idea what that meant. He was thinking I had to agree to fight or that I could go with Dominick and Stryker would really be let free.

  Going with Dominick wasn’t that simple. I’d do it, if that’s the only way I could get Stryker free, but it would be with reservations. I knew what Dominick wanted to do to me. He’d promised me things… I didn’t want to think about. Things that left the hair on my arms on end.

  If I went with Dominick, I’d wish I was dead. Gunner didn’t have to worry. Dominick wouldn’t kill me. He wouldn’t. What he wanted would be so much worse. He’d force me to work as a hooker or some kind of slave I’d never recover from.

  Hadn’t he said those exact words?

  “You can’t go, Gray. We can figure this out. I don’t think we should separate any more than we are.” Sara’s sensible statement gave me pause. She was right. If we were separated, we would be weaker. We couldn’t weaken ourselves. As much as I wanted to believe that I could do whatever I needed to to survive, I had to accept the fact that we were stronger as a group.

  For someone who never admitted to needing anything, that stung to own, but actually also gave me a small measure of comfort.

  We were in it for the long haul. I could see their dedication in the tensing of their jaws and the hard squinting at the sides of their eyes.

  Dominick hung up his phone and turned back. He jerked his chin upward and called across the thirty or so feet that he’d put between us with his call. “What do you say, Gray? Are you coming with me quietly? Or do I have to force you more than once?” He chuckled; the sound ominous with the darkness of the night crowding in around us.

  Gunner stepped to the side, moving next to me like he wouldn’t leave for anything. His and Sara’s presence left me more bolstered than my own confidence had left me.

  “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.” I folded my arms, mimicking the strength I’d seen in Gunner’s stance.

  Half-laughing, Dominick blinked once and then twice. “You realize he’ll die. They’ll all die.” He taunted me.

  But rather than tense up like Gunner and Sara did, I exhaled and nodded. “You’re right. They’ll die. But you weren’t going to let them go anyway. I’ve been alone before. It’s not something I haven’t survived which means I could do it again.” My words fell into the night around us with strength I finally accepted as my own.

  We stared at each other. Neither of us was willing to budge.

  “So, what do you propose? I have no problem shooting you where you stand.” Dominick’s calm threat made me realize two things at once; one, he had never been in the position where someone had refused him when he threatened them, and two, he wanted more from me than just to capture me but he had no idea what to do next. He’d painted himself into a corner and had no way out.

  Like any bully when someone stood up to them.

  “I think we can work this out, but again, Gunner and Sara aren’t a part of this.” It didn’t matter what I said, he would do what he wanted, but maybe if I reiterated it enough times, he’d figure out that point was non-negotiable.

  “You have nothing I want.” His eyes couldn’t hide the lies in his words. He wanted plenty from me, he just wasn’t sure how to phrase it in front of his men or even just how much it would push me back.

  I took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to promise me anything. He wouldn’t keep his word and I wasn’t stupid to accept anything but concession.

  I strode toward him, breaking free from the protection Gunner and Sara offered me.

  Dominick waved his men back and met me halfway. “I’m interested in what you think you can offer me.”

  I thrust my hand on my hip and didn’t back down, even as he scanned my form with hunger in his eyes that left me feeling like I was covered in oil. I raised my eyebrows. “Finished?”

  “Sweetheart, I haven’t even begun.” He chuckled, keeping his voice intimate and low.

  Two could play his game, except he’d more likely let his lust have some of his control whereas I had no desire to even be near him. “You said you lost a lot when the fight was called off and then a shooter. What did you lose exactly?”

  “I lost almost a quarter of a million dollars in drug sales, sex sales, and bets on the fight. Half a million, if you consider the next night’s revenue and maybe the following months’ worth of work with the Romanovs.” He shrugged and held the humor in his expression.

  “You want my help getting all that back, but how can I help you? I don’t even take drugs.” I wanted to figure something out. He already had an idea of how. He just hadn’t told me yet.

  “I actually think I could make a good chunk of that money back by selling you. Blaze assures me you were a virgin while he held you. He didn’t touch you and I know I didn’t touch you. Unless you screwed Stryker the one night you were away from us, I don’t think you ruined your value. Plus, if you fight back to your first buyer, you’ll bring me even more money.” He leaned forward and winked. “You’d be surprised how many like the fighting ones.”

  Talk about selling me left my blood cold, but I didn’t flinch as I considered him. He was trying to unnerve me and I’d be damned before I’d let him win.

  Gunner suddenly stepped beside me; his voice taut with denial. “Did you just say you were going to sell her?” He glanced at me before looking back to Dominick. “You’re a real dick, man. I’m so ashamed of you, I can’t even look at you.”

  “Oh, Gunner, get over yourself. Half the mine workers end up working for me in Washington in the drug shops or on the streets. You’d be surprised how many of your classmates actually turn tricks for me on the weekends.” He shook his head. “Stop being so naïve. A piece like Gray? Prime money maker. There are men out there who will pay huge for a go at that ass.” He winked. “And I do mean ass.”

  “You’re not getting her. Stryker and Brock would rather die than lose her to you again.” Gunner glanced at me and then lifted his chin as he stared his uncle down. “I’d rather kill her than let you take her.”

  Dominick didn’t look away from Gunner’s gaze and he nodded. “I believe you mean that.” No one spoke as Dominick took Gunner’s measure. He didn’t speak as he studied each of us in turn.

  “Okay, I need a new venue and event to take advantage of the numbers. People to sell to. I need communities involved.” He couldn’t mean something as menial as a fight at The Pike or even Curly’s.

  If I wanted to get his agreement, I had to really amp up the benefits of my offer.

  Fortunately, Jameson and Timbercreek had a hard-core investment in their high school sports. The support came from a lack of nearby college teams to stalk and professional teams to go crazy over.

  I cleared my throat. “Timbercreek and Jameson have a homecoming tournament in two weeks. Football will play Friday night and then the boxing matches will be all day Saturday. We also have Plummer coming.” I’d done my homework, hoping I’d be able to fight. Plummer was outside of our district, but Jameson had invited them the year before. I’d heard it was a stretch but finally Plummer had accepted.

  They had two girls on their team and Timbercreek had one. There had to be a fight in there somewhere. Plus, between football and the fights, there had to be plenty of opportunities to make back some of the money he’d lost.

  I’d heard once from my father that fights served multiple purposes, I’d just never understood how serious he’d been. For once in my life, I would actually be willingly participating in the dark underbelly of the competition of schools.

  All of it would be to save Stryker, Brock, Gunner, and Sara. If I could save my mom and dad, then they’d be a bonus, but I wasn’t c
ounting on anything.

  Dominick was unstable and I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself.

  I just hoped everyone could rely on me.

  Chapter 3

  Gray

  Dominick’s phone buzzed again, but he ignored it this time, pressing a button on the side. He returned his attention back to me. “I think it’s surprising you think I’m interested in what you have to offer.”

  Enough. I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Whatever. You do you.” I twirled my finger in a tight circle in front of me, glancing at Gunner and then Sara. “Come on, you guys. He’s not biting.”

  As if I triggered some mental snap, Dominick rushed me, pushing me back against the metal door of the tunnel. His hot breath steamed against my cheek and I could feel every line of his body on mine. I tensed and held my body as close to the door as possible.

  Guns pointed at Gunner and Sara as they moved to help me. Everyone froze and I breathed as shallowly as possible. He dug his fingers into the soft skin of my shoulders and I couldn’t help wincing as he dug into bruises already present.

  He pressed his mouth close to my ear and I tilted my head away from him. “You’re a stupid bitch, if you think I’m interested in what you have to offer. I decide what we’re doing when. I decide the plans we go forward on. You’re just… trash that I get to treat however I want. Do you understand?”

  But there was a slight crack in his demeanor and I latched onto it with all my courage. “I think you are interested.” I turned my face back toward his and didn’t look away, even as he moved his face close to mine, his lips an inch away. I wasn’t going to back away. I wasn’t scared of him. I refused to be scared. No matter what I was about to lose.

  “You need a venue. I’ll provide the fight. I’ll fight as Alex Asher and that will combine with the homecoming crowd. Plummer and Timbercreek will be visiting. You’ll get their crowd and ours.” I flicked my gaze toward Gunner. His eyes widened and he stared at me locked in Dominick’s embrace. I barely changed my expression, but he seemed to understand that I wasn’t going to let anything else happen. He moved back an inch or so, relaxing into his stance. The imperceptible shift alleviated a modicum of tension, but not enough to back everyone off.