by Payton Reed
Willow took a moment to roll her eyes and exchange glances with the guys before rushing back to her dorm room so she could dry off and change clothes before fifth period. She couldn’t be late, since Suzanne would happily give her a demerit. At least the impromptu snowball fight had lifted her spirits and helped her stop thinking about what Manion had done that morning.
Chapter Forty-Six
Willow
By Saturday night, she was rid of the bandage, and she was even able to wear the white orchid corsage Lex brought her on her left wrist when she met him in the third-floor rec room. It went nicely with the red and silver formal dress she’d selected at Kathy’s Boutique when she and Octavia had gone shopping last weekend.
Lex wore a white suit with a red velvet tie, and he looked festive as well. He was her official date for the evening, though she expected she’d get a chance to dance with Dalton a few times. She was sad knowing Jonas wouldn’t be there, since there was no way to hide his appearance behind a mask this time.
Kip was probably going to be a chaperone again, but she hoped Suzanne had opted out this time. With any luck, the harpy had left the previous afternoon to get an early start on her vacation. A lot of the school had left yesterday after class, but she’d wanted to stay around for the Christmas dance.
The room looked amazing when they stepped inside, and she credited Malone with that. Her stepsister clearly had a gift for this sort of thing, even if it just manifested in bossing people around.
“It looks pretty good,” said Lex. “What did you help with?”
She lifted her right hand, still babying the left wrist, and pointed to the red and gold paper lanterns surrounding the lights. “I did some of those before my accident.” She laughed suddenly. “I should ask that freshman kid who knocked me off if Malone paid him to do it.”
Lex grunted. “You’re not her favorite person, but she’s probably not trying to get rid of you that way. Probably.”
Despite her previous amusement, a chill ran down her spine at the thought. “I certainly hope not.” When she thought about it, she couldn’t completely rule out the idea of Malone trying to knock her off, which was disturbing.
She cleared her thoughts of that and threw herself into a good time with Lex. They started dancing, and it was a fast song. Two more passed before Dalton suddenly appeared as Lex was whirling her around. She found herself in his arms instead for another song, and she kept dancing with him. Lex moved off to the side, looking a little disgruntled, but he didn’t protest.
As soon as the song ended though, he was back to claim her again. That set the pattern for most of the evening. She’d dance with Lex for a few songs, and then Dalton cut in. It was fun, but she could also see people staring and whispering. Maybe that rumor Manion had alluded to was starting to grow. She was concerned about that, but not enough to tell Dalton she couldn’t dance with him anymore.
A couple of other guys asked her to dance in between, and though she didn’t really know them very well, she agreed just to make it seem like she was dancing with a lot of people other than just the two men who interested her. Both boys were polite and good dancers, but she couldn’t remember their names even five minutes after she’d danced with them.
Toward the end of the evening, when she noticed some faculty dancing with the students, she dared approach Kip to ask him to dance. Suzanne wasn’t a chaperone tonight, to her relief, so she felt like it was safer. She probably wouldn’t have been so brave if Suzanne had stood beside him.
Kip must have decided it was worth the risk as well, since Suzanne wasn’t there, because he accepted. He kept a decent distance between them, not talking about much, but toward the end of the dance, when she spun in his arms, he managed to whisper, “I can’t wait to see you in Boston.”
She stood facing him again and met his gaze, nodding enthusiastically as the song came to an end. She held his hand for a moment, squeezing, before stepping back. “Thanks, Professor Stuart. You dance well.”
He blushed. “Thank you, Miss Munroe. My grandmother made me take lessons.”
With that friendly, mostly impersonal exchange, they nodded at each other and separated. She found herself in Dalton’s arms again for a slow song, and she wished she could risk one more dance with Kip, but that would be pushing things too far. None of the faculty was having a repeat dance with any student, and certainly none were slow dancing with them.
Focusing on her dance partner instead, she rested lightly against Dalton, keeping a distance between them. She could feel how hard he was against her stomach, and she moaned softly.
“Keep that up, and there won’t be any space between us,” said Dalton in a throaty whisper. “We could just leave now and find somewhere to be alone. Seth left yesterday, so I have my room to myself.”
She was tempted, but Lex was also waiting, and she knew the rumor mill would probably survive Christmas vacation if she left early with Dalton alone. They’d still be talking about it in January instead of forgetting about the whole thing by then. Instead, she took a step back as the song ended. “That would be a really bad idea, especially since we’ll have some time alone when we go home for vacation.
He shrugged. “Yeah, alone with the rest of the family. How romantic.”
She shuddered and then giggled. “That doesn’t sound right when you say it like that.”
Dalton grimaced a moment later. “Yeah, totally not what I meant. Your family and my family, not our family.”
She grinned. “I know what you meant.” Before she could say anything else, Lex had whisked her into his arms for another fast dance, and then the band closed out the dance with a final slow song. She melted against him, wishing she could be even closer, but knowing the chaperones would separate them if they tried too much canoodling. “I’m looking forward to you coming for the concert,” she said against his ear as she lifted her head.
“Me too. Maybe we can finally have some time alone.” The longing in his tone left no doubt what he was hoping for.
That was exactly what she wanted as well. She wanted them to be lovers, and she was happy they were on the same page. “I’m hoping for that too. I’m not optimistic though, since my mom will be keeping a close eye on us.”
“We’re intelligent young adults. I’m sure we can find a way to be alone together for a while.” As he spoke, his hand drifted from her hip to her buttock, cupping it firmly. They froze a moment later when one of the teachers standing near them cleared his throat. With a sigh, Lex put his hands back in appropriate places, and they finished dancing to the rest of the song before the dance officially ended for the evening.
As couples and singles moved through the room, she didn’t look for anyone else. Isis was there with some guy a year behind them, and Octavia had chosen to leave Friday after class. Beth had done the same, and she’d already seen Malone, surrounded by several boys who wanted her attention, but she acted like she was doing them a favor each time she danced with them. Talk about arrogant.
“You could come to my room,” said Lex unexpectedly as they neared the Dorm A building. “Wills left yesterday, since he’s single again.”
She was tempted, but she ended up shaking her head. “They’re probably going to be on the lookout for that sort of thing after the dance, and neither one of us needs to be in trouble. You’ll be seeing me in a few days, so let’s not risk it.”
He looked disappointed, but he didn’t argue. “You’re probably right, but I hate this being reasonable thing.”
She laughed at that, taking a moment to lean over and kiss him after they entered the dorm. They went to the rec room on the first floor, and he wrapped his arms around her. She clenched him as he kissed her thoroughly, but they were saved from going far enough to get in trouble by the arrival of other people, some who clearly had a similar idea as they started kissing. It was too big of a crowd for her with all the PDA, so she stepped back from Lex regretfully. “I’m going upstairs now. Good night, and thank you for a great tim
e, Lex.”
He nodded, looking resigned as he stepped back to let her walk away.
She went to the stairs and hurried up them, letting out a squeal of surprise when arms wrapped around her as she reached the second-floor landing. Her heart was racing, and she looked up, bracing herself for Manion, though she identified Dalton’s cologne a second later, even before she saw his face. Her body recognized him, though her brain was a beat behind. “You scared the heck out of me.”
He grinned, looking unrepentant, but he didn’t know why such a move would shake her, since she hadn’t been able to risk telling him about the Manion incident. “I’m sorry, but I know your heart races for me now.” He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes. “Super cheesy. If all your pickup lines are like that, no wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”
With a growl, he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her until she almost forgot her own name. When he finally stopped, she was limp against him, clasping to the lapels of his black suit.
“I have a girlfriend, and don’t you forget it,” he said quietly as he swatted her butt before pushing her back a step as they heard people walking up the stairs.
Still in a daze, she nodded and kept walking when he smacked her on the butt again, urging her upward. He followed behind her, but he didn’t get off the stairs at the third floor. He just brushed lightly against her waist with his hand as he moved by, clearly heading to his dorm room.
When she returned to her room, she sat on the bed and tried to recover. Lex and Dalton had left her in quite a state, and she decided a shower and some alone time was the only way she was going to be able to sleep. She had to do something about the pulsing ache in her core, or she’d be up all night.
She briefly considered the idea of slipping out of her dorm room again and visiting Kip, since half the school was gone, but she knew that would be a foolish risk when she was due to see him in just a couple of days, so she settled for a cool shower and touching herself instead of doing any of the riskier things she wanted to do.
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They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at Dunwich Academy. Two weeks away from the academy is just what she needs.
Home for winter break, Willow visits Kip in Boston, where their relationship changes again. Then Lex comes for a visit, and Dalton is an unexpected ally to help them have some time together. Only Jonas is missing, and she can’t wait to get back to school to see him again.
She spends a lot of time with Dalton until they get careless, and his father and her mother learn they’re dating. Will Ashton and Hannah follow through on their threat to send them to schools thousands of miles apart?
This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?
Also by Payton Reed
They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at Dunwich Academy. It’s only September, and it will be a wild year…
Seven months ago, Willow was just a normal girl, living in a sketchy neighborhood with her single mother and going to a public school. Then her mother went and fell in love, marrying rich guy Ashton Westerly, and they want their kids to be one happy, blended family. Part of that plan is to send all three to the exclusive Dunwich Academy. Willow isn’t happy to spend her senior year at the elite boarding school, and her step-siblings aren’t happy to have her. Malone, the evil stepsister, makes life miserable. Her stepbrother, Dalton, seems to want to destroy her. If he’s not torturing her, he’s trying to kiss her, and she hates him as much as she wants him.
The academy isn’t all bad. There’s Lex, her fellow student, who is sweet and protective, though she can take care of herself. There’s also Jonas, tasked with caring for the magnificent roses of Dunwich, who finds her as beautiful as his beloved blooms. Professor Kip Stuart is completely forbidden, but that’s just a harmless crush—unless he feels the attraction too…
This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?
They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at Dunwich Academy. Two weeks away from the academy is just what she needs.
Home for winter break, Willow visits Kip in Boston, where their relationship changes again. Then Lex comes for a visit, and Dalton is an unexpected ally to help them have some time together. Only Jonas is missing, and she can’t wait to get back to school to see him again.
She spends a lot of time with Dalton until they get careless, and his father and her mother learn they’re dating. Will Ashton and Hannah follow through on their threat to send them to schools thousands of miles apart?
This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?
They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at Dunwich Academy. The second semester is here…
They’re so close to being able to be together openly now, but there are still problems ahead of them. While Willow cements her relationship with Lex, Dalton, Jonas, and Kip, Manion is still creeping around Dunwich, Malone continues her campaign of terror against Willow, and Suzanne has found a new way to threaten her. Can she make it through the last challenges keeping her from being with her guys, or will their secrets be too big to hide?
This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?
Bundle together and save. Get the entire first year all in one book. Books 1-3 conveniently bundled together. Save space in your Kindle Unlimited library.
About the Author
Payton Reeds writes sexy, thrilling paranormal and contemporary romance. Her first series is Dukes of Dunwich Academy, a contemporary academy reverse harem. Keep a look out for her paranormal academy reverse harem series called Phantasmic Paranormal Prep.
Peyton Reed, writing as Peyton Reed, reserves all rights to Despised. Any resemblance to people or places is a coincidence. Please respect the copyright by not sharing this work. Permission of the author or publisher is required to copy any part of this work.
© Paper Hearts Publishing, 2019
Cover image: Depositphotos
Cover design by Olivia Designs
ISBN: 9781705386804
Contents
Fall Semester
Part I
September
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
Part II
October
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
20. Chapter Twenty
21. Chapter Twenty-One
22. Chapter Twenty-Two
23. Chapter Twenty-Three
24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Part III
November
25. Chapter Twenty-Five
26. Chapter Twenty-Six
27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
28. Chapter Twenty-Eight
29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
30. Chapter Thirty
31. Chapter Thirty-One
32. Chapter Thirty-Two
33. Chapter Thirty-Three
34. Chapter Thirty-Four
35. Chapter Thirty-Five
36. Chapter Thirty-Six
37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
38. Chapter Thirty-Eight
Part IV
December
39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
