Break Me, Baby: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (Silver Creek High Book 1)

by Belladona Cunning

  Callum can show me evil, but he can never surpass the scene I see every time I close my eyes.

  “It’s too hard,” I finally whisper, biting my lip.

  “Just try,” she tenderly coaxes, tightening her hold as if her strength is all I need to keep the demons at bay.

  There are no keeping them in check, they’re restless. A frayed string that has been tethering them inside me since that night, and with the return of Callum, they disappeared as if it were never there. Memories I’ve tried so hard to bury deep down inside of me rush to the surface. My body jerks, trembling as each snapshot of that night flashes over the back of my eyelids in broken pieces.

  Each clear, as if Callum’s sudden reappearance healed them completely.

  “T-T,” I choke out, gasping. “K-Kar—”

  I try to fight the pull of the memory as it sinks its claws into my mind, but nothing I do can save me now. The demons want their penance, and I’m not strong enough to fight them off.

  Blood. Torn fabric. The sick stench of sex and cum lingers in the stagnant air.

  One footstep. Two footsteps. Three …

  He’s right in front of me, peering down at my broken body with a sinister smile stretching across his face.

  I can feel nothing. I’m numb all the way to the bone. Yet, I can still tell something is wrong. I may not feel it, with all my receptors blanking, but I can practically smell it in the air. The fear, torment—the menacing scent of death and broken dreams.

  When I try to turn my head, I can’t. When I try to move my fingers, I can’t. Everything is in shock.

  My heart falters in my chest as the dark figure hunkers down in front of me, slowly bringing his hand out to swipe across my cheek. My glassy eyes see the sheen on the tip of his thick digit, and to my utter horror, I can do nothing as I watch him stick it in his mouth and suck.

  “Little girl,” the strangers bottomless, dark voice slithers into the space separating us. My eyes meet his, knowing their voice is oddly familiar, but still not being able to identify who it is with the black mask resting on his face. “A temptation as sweet as candy, but as deadly as a viper. It’s no wonder they wanted to use you to break him out of this spell. I now see the appeal.”

  Feeling slowly, ever so slowly, begins working its way back into the tips of my fingers and toes. Whatever was slipped into that drink must be wearing off. Thank God, because there is no way I can stay in this place another moment.

  As my finger jerks next to my naked legs, his menacing eyes drift to the movement. He smirks, then his eyes rise to meet my gaze once more. When his hand reaches out toward my cheek, my eyelids flutter. It feels like there are millions of needles prickling my flesh as even more feeling works its way into my battered body. It’s coming back, but it’s not coming back fast enough.

  There is no way I can get away from him even if I wanted to. No way to scream loud enough for help. It’s like there is a vise around my voice box, keeping me from calling out to the one person I need most in the world. To the one person whose actions put me in this situation in the first place.

  “Such a delicacy, aren’t you, little girl?” My breath catches.

  Within moments, I gain enough feeling in my body to flop my arms onto my lap. They’re no longer lifeless, but far from being able to help me in this moment. The prickling feeling settles into a dull warmth. Aches and pains assault my mind, causing more tears to slip from my eyes. It hurts. Oh, God, everything fucking hurts.

  My thighs, stomach, arms—even my head and … Oh, no.

  My body can feel just enough to know, without a doubt, that this man just took away my most precious possession. As if he knows where my mind has gone, I see the mask shift and straight white teeth shine through the mouthpiece as he smiles. “Oh, yes, a delicacy all right.”

  It’s been Callum’s all along. His to take, cherish, and love. But not anymore.

  My eyes slowly fall away from his, a hiccupping sob catching in my throat at the sight between my legs. It’s the puddle of wetness underneath me and slicking the inside of my thighs that confirms.

  This man, whoever he is, just stole my virginity. Forcefully, brutal—without conscious thought to my person.

  “You were delicious,” he whispers, leaning in so his lips are within inches of mine, “and I can’t wait until I can have you again. Because I will, little girl. Now that I have had a taste, I know I won’t be able to get enough.”

  Then he left, just like a shadow in the night. No remnants left behind in his wake, except me broken and bloodied on the floor with some gu—Fuck … no!

  A strong, unrelenting grip shakes me from the memory. All things come back into focus around me. First, the sound of vehicles racing by, families on their way to enjoy town or racing home from catching the latest movie. Next are the lights, their vividness entrancing me in a feeling of wonder as I spy the sun relenting to the moons allure.

  The previous pounding inside my chest lessens to a dull throb. My eyes catch on Karma, who’s practically shaking me senseless. When she sees I’m once again there with her, tears of relief flood her eyes. But that’s not what has me freezing. It’s the look she’s giving me. As if her tears aren’t just for fear, but of heartache and sorrow.

  “K-Karma.” My voice is rough with grit, my throat feeling like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

  It’s then I know. The secret I’ve been living with inside of me for so long is now in the open. That the actions of that night are now, not only, swirling around inside my head, but are clinging to Karma’s with the fierceness of a gladiator.

  I never wanted her to know.

  Hell, I only wanted one person to know, so it could prove my innocence in it all.

  Now, no one will ever believe the whore of Silver Creek High was actually a victim. That the moment everything shifted in her life, she had to make a change or risk being trapped in the crossfire.

  The sneers, taunts, and jabs helped me make my decision, yes—but it isn’t what truly pushed me over the edge. I can deal with a bully, that’s nothing new to me. It’s the fact all the students of SC, at Callum’s behest, were so bloodthirsty to watch while I fell deeper into the jagged pieces of my manmade Hell.

  They wanted to tarnish the innocence that’s tainted with stains and take credit for it.

  Bullshit. I may be beat down and broken, but they won’t take credit for this shit. Back then, as well as now, I wouldn’t have it. They don’t deserve something they didn’t have a help in accomplishing.

  No one would ever take recognition for anything, because I made sure I was the reason for my demise inside that school. Even if Callum, that night at the party, was the catalyst that set the whole thing in motion.

  I put the last nail in my coffin.

  CHAPTER 7

  Everything physically hurts. I don’t want to move, think, or even feel—but it seems I’m doing all three whether or not I want to.

  Today’s the first day of senior year, and I’m already dreading it. I can feel the icy tendril of my prison once more wrapping itself around my throat, choking me. There’s nothing I can do about it, either.

  Deaf ears met all my past pleadings when it came to attending school. I tried my hardest to get my father and Debra to homeschool me, but every time it met me with scrunched up faces and scornful remarks.

  Every time we had the argument, I assured them I knew exactly what I was doing and wanted it. They understood I was more of an introvert, but they’d never relent on me staying home to finish out my high school career within the confines of my bedroom.

  They’re sadists. Seriously. No other way I can describe it—Debra more so than my father. At least, he had a little leeway since my distress upset him. But that didn’t make it any better. He still sided with her, making me attend a school that would much rather see me crash and burn.

  To be honest, it still stumps me to this day how someone can speak such few words, and everything could change at the drop of a hat.
Before the thing that “shall not be named” occurred, hardly anyone gave a shit about who I was, even when I was dating Callum. It appears I was a necessary evil in their eyes if they wanted to keep their social status intact.

  However, that all changed, and now, this is my life. I can only bet that it will be so much worse if Callum will be there. With everything in me, I hope it’s just a coincidence—that he was visiting—rather than having moved back to attend his senior year here.

  Fate would be so cruel if she tossed Callum into my path once more.

  Shifting slightly, I debate just how pissed my mother would be if I ditched the first day. Not like anything important happens any way. There’s a lot of handing out syllabi and collecting textbooks—nothing of grave circumstance.

  Deep down, though, I know if I don’t go nothing will stop her from pestering me. She physically can’t force me, but she can bug the ever-loving shit out of me before she leaves for the day. School seems like the lesser of two evils, especially if one of those is Debra Savoy.

  I just hope I don’t see Callum and his family on my way to school. Their “Silver Creek” home rests right up the street from the high school, and I’m practically praying they already left to go back to wherever they’re living at these days.

  Or those three guys he was with at the ice cream shop.

  A shiver races up my spine just thinking about the ominous presence that practically drifts off their skin. Nausea churns in my stomach just thinking about him; about all of them.

  Callum by himself is trouble. But add three other guys into the mix? There are no words to describe the emotion simmering in the pit of my belly.

  “Hurry! You will be late, Jessalyn!” Ugh. I could have gone the rest of the day without hearing Debra’s nasally, high-pitched voice.

  A beep from my phone alerts me I have a text, probably from Karma, but a quick peek at the clock on my nightstand, has any thought of checking it fleeing right out of my mind as I slowly climb out of bed.

  Well, here goes nothing. If I’m going to do this, then I will rock this shit, even though I feel less than subpar at the moment. I will put on a fucking sinful smile and dress in an outfit that will make all the guys drool.

  I just wish I felt an iota of strength I seem to possess on the inside. Because, right now, I feel weak as fuck.

  Dressing in my outfit, I swipe on a few coats of mascara and some cotton candy lip balm. Fluffing up my chin-length hair, I then make my way down the stairs with faux happiness. I wish everything would burn to the ground; especially that damn school.

  Grabbing my keys from the table by the door, I slip my book bag over my shoulder and throw open the door.

  And the smile falls off my face.

  This cannot be happening.

  Why didn’t Debra fucking say anything?

  I roll my eyes, growling softly. Knowing her, she didn’t even think. She is so damn thirsty for the chance to fit in with Silver Creek’s elite, she’d more than happily toss her daughter to the wolves.

  Or, I should say, one wolf in particular.

  Pushing off the front stoop, I disregard the hot-as-sin muscle car parked next to the curb in front of my house. I completely ignore the lean, tall, muscular drink of water propped up against it, and start making my way over toward my car. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll ignore me?

  Yeah, my dismissal doesn’t last too long.

  “Hmm, I figured a Savoy would salivate for any scrap of attention they could get,” Callum says, and I hate the way I react to the sound of his deep, gravelly voice. It’s no longer the voice of a guy going through the last stages of puberty. It’s deep, rough, and hits me right in all the pleasure spots.

  “Well, no one ever claimed a Lockridge was the smartest tool in the shed,” I murmur just loud enough for him to hear.

  Damn, I really need to grow some backbone here. Like, for real. I can’t act like this every time he catches me off guard. If so, I’ll be walking on eggshells any time I leave the house.

  Furthermore, why is he still in Silver Creek?

  That little bastard better not be here on a more permanent basis.

  “Got a little mouth on you, don’t you, Savoy?” he asks just as I feel his heat at my back.

  “What do you want, Callum? Unlike you, I have somewhere to be.” I try to keep the frustration out of my tone, but who am I kidding, Callum always seems to bring out that side in me.

  “You don’t think I do?” he inquires, and something in his voice causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

  Karma, don’t be a bitch, bitch. “Go. Away.”

  I refuse to rise to his bait. And I know that’s what he wants. He wants me to lose it, making me seem like the person with problems when that’s all on him.

  The air surrounding us shifts within an instant. The light-heartedness transforms into a black void of anger. “A pathetic nobody like you telling me what I should do is priceless. Answer this—when did that pretty little backbone come out to play?”

  He’s just baiting you, Jess. Rise above it.

  Or, you know, just let the fucker win this round … “Probably around the time Zayd Granger fucked me against the wall in the boy’s locker room sophomore year.” I spit out, fury burning inside every cell of my body as I turn around to face him.

  For the second time, the sight of him takes my goddamn breath away. His eyes are still the same lovely emerald green as they always were, they now just hold a hint of darkness that makes me salivate in need. Stupid fucking hormones.

  Dark scruff lines his angular jaw, leading everyone to believe he doesn’t give a fuck about his appearance. I know different. Callum is the most self-centered guy around. I bet he spends more time in front of the mirror than I do, and that’s saying something. The way he carries himself, like he’s royalty and people should bow down at his feet, speaks highly of just how transparent he is.

  This is just who he is now. Tall, dark, and too fucking deadly to be healthy.

  He’s a sin, a temptation. I shouldn’t respond to him at all, even though now it’s only my body betraying me. But even so, the bitch needs to get on my side of things. Callum is not good for anyone’s health, least of all mine.

  Leaning closer, I narrow my eyes in warning, which only seems to humor him further. “No,” he muses. “I don’t think so.”

  “Like I give a shit what you think,” I scoff.

  Ready to rid my hands of this conversation, I shift to get into my car.

  If Callum wants anything from me, he can look at my back as I walk away from him, because he sure as fuck doesn’t deserve an ounce of my attention. Dropping my stuff inside, I lift one leg to get in, but the strong hand that lands on my elbow stops me in my tracks. Fury practically dances between our skin-on-skin contact.

  “You will ride with me, little mouse.” What the fuck is he playing at?

  “No, I’m not.”

  “You say that like you have a choice.”

  I try to jerk my arm out of his hold, but his fingers deftly tighten, the sting of pain forces my face to screw up in a wince. His smirk only deepens by my reaction.

  Have I said how much I really freaking hate him?

  “If you don’t let me go, I’ll scream.” I shoot daggers toward him.

  Bringing his body flush against my side, my body practically hums with approval. Shit, no. No approval. You hate him; HATE him! But damn, just that briefest amount of contact feels good. All my raging hormones choose that moment to override my brain, causing my thoughts to fuzz and distort.

  The moment his hips push up against my side, I nearly choke on my tongue. I can feel it; his semi-hard dick jutting against the confines of his pants. My thighs clench, liquid pooling in my core, and I hate myself for it. Loathe the way I react, even after all the time and pain that separates us.

  His warm breaths wisp across the side of my face, a tantalizing cinnamon scent of Big Red encircles me. Much different from the mint and citrus. Even the memory t
hat that smell threatens to bring back times worth forgetting.

  Our first kiss; the brush of our lips bringing out a hunger in both of us. The exploration of hands, the neediness triggering an assault on my senses.

  I need it to go away. Nothing good will ever come of remembering the past.

  It’s the past for a reason; it doesn’t belong anywhere in my future.

  CHAPTER 8

  “Do it,” he whispers threateningly, challenging me to call his bluff. “You’ll find out fast just how much screaming turns me on, even if the person doing it is a slag like you.”

  From behind us, the sound of our front door opening causes him to jump away from me. It gives me the time I need to collect myself, because let me tell you, being near him—even if I hate Callum’s guts—takes restraint I didn’t know I had.

  “Callum Lockridge, is that you?” Debra coos excitedly, which has me gagging.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Oh, now he has manners. What a freaking joke.

  Turning toward her, I see the eagerness shining in eyes that match my baby blues. Her gaze flickers between the both of us, to his car, then back to us once more. She takes a moment, but when she finally pieces it together, her smile jumps across her face.

  “Are you here to escort Jessalyn to school?” Is that a hint of hope I detect in her voice? Her body exudes it, giving you the impression of a cat frothing at the mouth for a taste of sweet cream. However, I also detect no surprise by him being here in Silver Creek. Did she know he was coming back and didn’t tell me? If so, that’s a piece of shit move.

  “Debra?” I ask between clenched teeth, the venom in my voice causes both of them to turn their inquisitive eyes toward me. “You wouldn’t know anything about his sudden reappearance, now would you?”

  She laughs, disregarding me with a flip of her long, luxurious hair. “Of course! I knew he and his family were coming home at the beginning of summer.”