Cruel Summer: A College Bully Romance (Verona Academy Book 1)

by Melinda Terranova

  “I thought you’d never ask. I’m starving and I can’t be bothered making food.” Amber giggles.

  ***

  My walk to class Monday morning has me on edge. I find myself glancing around, worried Enzo and his sidekicks will show up and start their bullshit. I stop to grab a coffee before heading into class, the auditorium is almost full and I notice I am late.

  “Morning.” I take my usual seat next to Jake.

  “Hey.” Jake grins at me.

  We don’t get a chance to chat as Rob commences his lecture on some famous mural. I zone out and sip my coffee until the end of class. Jake and I leave the auditorium and head our separate ways towards our next classes.

  “How was your weekend getaway?” I hear Rob call out as he catches up to me.

  “Relaxing,” I lie.

  “I heard about the murder incident? That wasn’t near where you were, was it?” Rob asks.

  “No, we were already on the island. I’m thankful I didn’t see it.” I scrunch up my face.

  “I saw on the news the murder is related to a mafia family dispute,” he muses.

  My mind races back to the heated exchange outside the pantry at Concetta’s party and the conversation I wasn’t meant to hear between Amber and Enzo. The thought sits heavy in my gut.

  “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Enzo’s voice drips with menace from behind us.

  I stop midstride and turn to face him, his eyes are dark pools of anger. My stomach drops at the sight of him and I wait for his cruel taunts to start. I grip the strap of my bag as our eyes lock.

  Rob stops and half turns. “Just what I saw on the news. You don’t believe it’s true, Russo?” He lifts his eyebrows.

  “It doesn’t matter what I think. If you don’t want the same fate, I suggest not spreading rumours, Robert,” Enzo spits with the power of a force you don’t cross. The authority in his voice is almost palpable.

  “Not the time or place, Russo.” Rob glances at me.

  “Do not concern yourself with what she knows and doesn’t know.” Enzo steps closer to me.

  I stand between the two men, confused and taken aback by Enzo’s threat.

  “I need to talk to you,” he growls as his eyes snap from Rob to me, a glint of malice hides behind the darkness. Enzo is back to his vicious self and he grabs a hold of my arm and drags me after him.

  I try to pull my arm free but his grip is tight and is sure to leave a mark. “Can you let go of me?” I hiss.

  “Can’t protect them all, Enzo,” Rob calls after us, the iciness in his voice chills me to the bone.

  Enzo literally drags me by the arm until we are around the back of the building. My breath is ragged from trying to keep up with his haste.

  He stops abruptly and twists me to face him. “Don’t speak with him outside of class,” he spits.

  “You’re hurting me.” His grip eases and I manage to free my arm, red marks in the shape of his fingers colour my skin.

  “I’m not asking, freshman,” Enzo snaps, his tone flat and cruel.

  I glare up at him, into those damned molten dark eyes with a world of hurt hiding behind them. His callousness hides a myriad of sins I doubt he will ever allow me to uncover. “Are you serious?” Astonishment saturates my voice.

  “Stay away from him, Summer.” His gaze narrows and he runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

  “He’s my professor.”

  “I don’t give a fuck who he is,” he growls. The anger rolls off him.

  “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m not your family.” I fight back.

  “Moving to this town gives me the right to tell you what to do. Living with my cousin gives me the right to tell you what to do. Fuck, letting me into your bed gives me the right to tell you what the fuck to do.” He towers over me, the vein in his neck pulsing.

  I cower and his words cut me in all the wrong ways. Only I would focus on the bit he mentions about my bed.

  “I own you, Summer,” he says my name possessively. He is mere inches from me but doesn’t touch me.

  I stand motionless, mouth agape. These are the words I have wanted to hear but now that he has said them out loud, I’m unsure if I wanted to hear them in this context.

  “No you don’t.” My voice betrays my wanting.

  “Naïve little freshman. The moment I laid eyes on you, you were mine.” He licks his lips and leans closer, his mouth near my ear. “Do you understand?”

  I swallow but don’t move. My body yearns to touch him, to kiss him but he never touches me in public. “What do you want with me, Enzo?”

  He steps back and studies me for a moment. “To protect you, now that I’ve tangled you up in my families’ shitstorm.” The guilt is written all over his face.

  “What shitstorm. What the fuck are you talking about?” I throw my hands in the air.

  Enzo’s eyes dart around the side of building in alarm. “Not here.”

  “Not anywhere in public, right? Well, then tell me why you came into my bed the other night?” I cross my arms, shielding myself from his unspoken words.

  His head drops and he looks at the ground. “I’m sorry.” He reaches out a hand toward me but retracts it just as fast, before storming off towards the front of the building.

  I watch his retreating figure and wonder what the hell his problem is?

  Chapter Eleven

  Summer

  I lay awake, tossing a turning in bed. Amber is staying at her parents for the night and the room feels eerily empty. I glance at my phone, it’s one in the morning and I consider texting Ryan. The tapping on my door has me jump out of bed.

  “Who is it?” I ask.

  “It’s me,” Enzo’s answers, his voice strangled.

  That man and the damned things his voice does to my insides. “I don’t think this is such a good idea.” I lean my forehead against the door.

  “Please, Summer?” He pleads.

  I let out a sharp breath and know this is going to be a bad idea but I open the door anyway. Enzo stands with his arm extended, holding himself up against the wall, his face is bloodied and his right eye is already swollen.

  I gasp at the sight of him. “What happened?” I grab his other hand and he winces as I gently pull him into the room. “Oh my god, you’ve got blood pouring out of the side of your head.”

  “I need to use your bathroom.” His arm wraps around his stomach.

  I watch him stumble into the bathroom and shut the door. My instincts tell me to call an ambulance but I know he would be dead set against it. I hear him groan, followed by a loud crash and I rush into the bathroom to see him picking up all the toiletries off the floor.

  “Here, sit on the toilet lid.” I help him to sit and pick up all the bottles on the floor. “What…” I start to say before he interrupts me.

  “Don’t ask questions,” he snaps.

  I chew on my bottom lip to stop myself from speaking and wait for him to say something. He grabs a hand towel and wets it before applying it to the gash on the side of his head. I can see he is in pain and I want to do something, anything, to help. “Do you want some pain relief?” It’s all I can think of.

  “It might help.” He closes his eyes for a moment.

  I dart to my desk, grab some pain killers and return to the bathroom to find him on his phone, a scowl has replaced the pained look on his face. “Here.” I place the packet on the sink and fill a glass with water.

  He looks up at me then, his eyes search my face for understanding and I leave him in the bathroom to clean himself up. I wait anxiously on my bed, the time seems to pass in slow motion. There’s no noise coming from the bathroom and I hope he hasn’t passed out. I grab my phone again and glare at it, willing for Amber to call me. I hear the bathroom door open and he stops in the doorway, leaning on the frame. His lip is busted open and his eye is slowly closing over, the gash above his ear seems to be contained in the towel he has wrapped around his head.

  “Thanks f
or the painkillers.” He manages a lopsided grin, like the situation is funny.

  “Why did you come here? Amber is at her parents.” I stare up at him, unable to stop looking at his busted up face.

  He studies me before he speaks. “Why does it matter?” He limps to the armchair next to my bed and winces when he sits. He wears his usual don’t fuck with me face as he stares at me, the vicious devil is out to play tonight.

  “You can’t keep doing this to me. One minute you’re touching me and being somewhat nice and the next time you see me in public, you’re the cruel devil. You’re confusing as fuck. What do you want from me, Enzo?” I plead.

  “I want you so fucking bad. But it’s not safe for you to be near me. Everyone associated with me gets hurt or killed. It’s not fair to bring you into all my bullshit.”

  “You said it yourself, I’m already part of your families’ shitstorm, whether I like it or not.”

  “If you knew the bad things I am capable of. The things I have done, you would run from me. I am a monster, Summer. I am not allowed to be anything but a monster.” He leans forward and holds his head in his hands.

  “Tell me, Enzo.”

  “I can’t.” He sits up straight again.

  “What happened to you tonight?”

  “Don’t worry about me. They got what they deserved.” His tone turns to ice.

  I get up off my bed and stand next him, I look to him for permission before I gently and carefully unwrap the towel from his head. The bleeding has stopped mostly, but the gash is bigger than I thought.

  “Go have a shower and clean yourself up. Leave your t-shirt in the sink and I’ll soak it to get the blood stains out.” I point to the bathroom.

  He stands without argument and limps into the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on and I lay back on my bed, close my eyes and wait for him to finish. I don’t notice at first when he walks out and stands at the foot of my bed, watching me. I feel his presence and my eyes snap open to see him in only his boxers, towering over the bed. Large red marks are slowly turning purple all down the right side of his torso, my eyes trail over the bruises and refocus on his face.

  “It’s not as bad as it looks,” he tries to reassure me and takes a seat on the end of my bed. I scoot up and sit against the headboard, scared I may throw myself at him.

  The proximity of him in just his boxers has my heart stammering like crazy. His tanned skin stretches over his muscles and I yearn to trace my fingers over his tattoos. “Do you need to go to the hospital?” I distract myself.

  He lets out a chuckle and his eye completely closes when he smiles at me. “No, I’ve been in worse situations. I’ll heal.”

  “So, this is a regular occurrence.”

  “This and so much worse.” His tone is clipped and he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

  “This afternoon, you told me to stay away from Rob outside of class. Did this have to do with him?” I motion to his injuries.

  Enzo turns so he is facing me, his eyes grow dark. “Stay the fuck away from him. I mean it. He’s a vindictive prick.”

  My heart pounds in response to his anger. “You know you can’t order people around.” I cross my arms.

  “I own this fucking academy. You are so naïve to think you can do as you please. I own you, Summer. Remember that.” He is seething.

  His words send fire to my core. Jesus. What is wrong with my body. He’s all sorts of wrong, yet I crave him. “Penny for your thoughts.” I play his game to see if I can peel back the thick layer of bastard he has created around himself.

  His gaze narrows in on me, a sardonic smirk appears beneath the swelling of his lip and I swallow in fear. “Do you really want to play that game, Summer?” My name purrs off his lips. “We know how it ends.”

  I shudder and a flicker of excitement enters my chest as I stare into his sultry brown eyes. A pool of wetness gathers in my cotton panties as I take in the dangerous and feral man before me. I watch him carefully as he slowly and seductively inches closer to me, sliding along the edge of the bed until his thigh touches my foot.

  “Enzo,” I say in warning, I see the way his eyes have grown dangerously darker.

  “Ask me, freshman.” He runs his tongue along the split of his lip.

  I shake my head ever so slightly.

  He inches closer, lifting my leg and placing it over his lap. “Ask,” his voice is silk and my insides are turning to molten desire.

  “Touch me,” I whisper as need and want spread through me like wildfire.

  Enzo turns his body to face me, my legs either side of his. He runs his hands up my bare thighs before pulling on them causing me to slide down the headboard and onto my back. My heart pounds in my chest and I’m all nerves. He leans over me and settles between my legs, wincing as he puts his weight on his elbows.

  “Are you sure, freshman?” He whispers between trailing gentle kisses up my sensitive neck.

  “Yes,” I breathe heavily, unable to contain the pleasure in my voice.

  “Where do you want me to touch you?” He flicks his tongue along my jaw.

  I close my eyes and shudder as I run my hands along his back. “Everywhere.”

  His fingertips run along my side and brush the hem of my cotton panties, making my skin break out in goose bumps. I want to dissolve into his arms. He kisses me, gently at first, testing the pain it will inflict on his lips and then slowly and sensually runs his tongue rhythmically against mine. His fingers find their way into my panties and with one swift motion, he tears them off me. I am bared to him in the most pleasurable way. He crushes his body against mine and rubs his hard cock against my wetness, a moan escapes my lips and I grind against him. I run my hands down his muscled back and tug at his boxers, letting him know they need to go.

  “So impatient, freshman,” he chuckles against my ear as he lifts his torso so I can hook my foot in the hem of his boxers and push them down his legs. Once removed, he settles himself between my legs and returns his gaze upon my face.

  “You may need to be gentle with me tonight.” His grin is pure torture.

  I giggle at him. “I promise to go easy on you, this time.”

  “So there will be a next time?” He pushes his swollen cock against me.

  “Definitely.” I snake my hand around his neck and pull his mouth to mine.

  His fingers find my sweet spot and he tortures me for a few moments while devouring my neck. He removes his fingers from me and moves enough to lift my pyjama top, I arch my back as he slides it over my head. He looks at me then, his eyes searching for permission before he moves his mouth to my hard nipples, circling and sucking before biting me. I yelp in pure pleasure, the pain sending heat to my core.

  “What happened to being gentle?” I rasp.

  He chuckles against my nipple before moving on to the other one and inflicting the same amount of pleasurable pain. He lifts his battered face and his eyes grow dark as he takes me in. “A little pain never hurt.” He kisses and nibbles his way up my chest and neck before biting my earlobe.

  I whimper from the pain and his words sink in. He will no doubt hurt me in the worst possible way. He will break my heart.

  Without warning he buries his hardness into my core and I groan into his mouth in ecstasy as his slow and sensual rhythm picks up pace.

  “I’ve wanted to do this since the first time you got in my way, freshman,” he growls against my neck.

  “I’d disagree.” I push him deeper into me with every thrust, savouring the stretch and fullness. I run my fingers up and down his muscled back and feel the goose bumps form on his heated skin.

  “You feel so good, I could drown in you and die a happy fucking man right now.” He picks up his pace as he braces himself on his hands.

  I watch the muscles on his stomach and chest contract with each lust filled thrust and I cannot get enough of this beautiful devil of a man. I pull his shoulders so he is flush with me and he buries his face in my neck. I wrap my legs ar
ound his waist and grind against him until I feel the pull and tightening in my core.

  “Come all over my cock, freshman,” he growls into my neck. His words make me explode and the sensation rips through me as I dig my nails into his shoulders and shatter in his embrace. He continues his feral assault until I can feel him stiffen as he empties his arousal into me. ‘Fuck, a condom’ is all I can think as he settles on me and doesn’t move for a moment, both of us catching our breath.

  He stirs and comes to face me, he places a kiss on my lips and his eyes are pools of satiated lust. “Sorry, I didn’t pull out.” His face shows concern.

  “It’s okay, I’m on the pill,” I reassure him and myself.

  “Take a shower with me.” He eases out of me and climbs off the bed, holding his hand out.

  I take it and try not to be self-conscious as I stand up completely naked in front of this gorgeous man. His face falls and I follow his line of vision to the bed. There’s blood stains all over the pillow and top half of the sheets.

  “Fuck, sorry.” He touches the gash on the side of his head and the blood covers his fingers.

  “Looks like a blood bath,” I say, horrified.

  “Nah, nowhere near enough mess,” he blurts out, his tone serious.

  I look at him then, trying not to take any notice of what he just said.

  “I’m clean, honest.” His eyes regard me carefully.

  “I didn’t even think you weren’t. But, I was thinking what the hell am I going to do with my sheets?”

  He pulls me toward the shower and I follow him. Once we’ve removed most of the smeared blood from him and my shoulders and neck, he wraps a towel around me and won’t let me put pyjamas back on. He’s so bossy and I don’t even try to argue with him as I know there’s no point.

  “You know you need to get that gash looked at.” I pull the sheets off my bed and hand them to him.

  “Don’t worry about me, freshman.” He throws the sheets onto my desk, takes a few steps toward me and holds me against his chest.

  “Who said I was worried.” I raise an eyebrow.

  He chuckles, it’s such strange and nice sound coming from his lips.