Skank: A Dark College Bully Romance (Hillcrest University Book 3)

by Candace Wondrak

“Alec,” she hissed. “You’re not supposed to go telling everyone that.” She looked to be around my age, with beautiful brown hair, a lot longer than mine. Full lips that were painted red, a confident way of holding herself.

  She…she reminded me of me, or at least the me I pretended to be.

  The other guy beside her shrugged. He had black hair, buzzed at the sides, a bit longer on top. His eyes were nearly pitch-black, and he nibbled at the ring in his lips. Emo, but cute…although he currently wore a football jersey, which was at odds with his appearance. “You really expected Alec to behave tonight, Elle?”

  Elle rolled her eyes, but she was laughing. “You’re right, you’re right. I should’ve known better.”

  Alec lifted a finger. “We could always make Christian go do it.” He rose his hand. “I volunteer Christian as tribute!” To me, he added, “To help the damsel in distress.” His eyes peered through the fire. “Oh, sorry. Not a damsel. To help God, who’s in distress.”

  Well, here was someone else who understood the costume, but it looked like he was taken. Although, I finally noticed, Elle had one hand on each of them. One on Alec and one on the emo. Were they all together? Or was it a hookup threesome kind of thing?

  A beefy blonde sauntered to the group, holding a plate of food. “What the fuck are you volunteering me for now? You know, I didn’t drive all the way here just to be the errand boy.” He wore no costume, and his jaw clenched. He glared at the two guys near Elle, but the moment Elle got up, his expression softened.

  “Be a dear and go see what the address to this house is,” Elle practically purred out. Then, when his will weakened, she snatched the plate from him and sat back down. She ignored his groan, giggling once he was finally gone.

  “Um,” I started, glancing between them all, at how they all ate off the same plate, so comfortable with each other. Their shoulders touched, their knees…I mean, it looked like they were together. All of them, even the blonde who was currently getting me the address of the house.

  It was so not any of my business, but since I had nothing better to do—and they didn’t seem too drunk—I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you guys together?”

  Elle looked up, meeting my gaze. Beside her, Alec stopped, pausing right when he held a chip in front of his open mouth. The emo, meanwhile, only frowned and muttered, “I told you. It’s just easier to keep the PDA behind closed doors—”

  “I’m sorry,” I quickly said. “I shouldn’t have asked.” I waited a moment, a long moment, before adding, “It’s just…”

  “Just what?” Alec asked, cocking his head. He still held the same chip, and he waved it in the air as he said, “Just that you’ve never seen people in love before?” At his words, the emo looked embarrassed, and Elle just laughed.

  “No,” I said. “It’s just…you all seem happy.” I thought back on the jock. “Mostly.”

  Elle swallowed what was in her mouth. “We are. Does it surprise you?”

  How the hell could I respond without sounding insulting? “No, I just don’t know of many guys that would like to share.”

  “Some days are easier than others,” the emo muttered, running his hands along his jeans.

  “He’s right,” Elle said. “It is hard, and it takes a lot of work.”

  Wow. For some reason, I found it fascinating. I leaned forward, about to ask another question when the jock returned and told me the address. “You could’ve just Googled it,” he muttered, causing Alec to laugh. When he threw a glare Alec’s way, he quieted.

  “Ah, yeah,” I mumbled, quickly texting Declan the address. “He’s right.” Didn’t think of that. My brain was mush, especially in the face of this…brother-boyfriend situation unfolding before me. Were they all with her, or were they together with each other, too?

  While Kelsey was inside getting to know her vampire better, I got to know the group before me. They went to high school together, and they all happened to fall for Elle. They didn’t always get along, and it sounded like the emo, Xander, was a bit of a loner. They all loved her, and they spent a lot of time compromising.

  Also a lot of time talking about their feelings.

  Huh.

  It was crazy to me that these guys were in some sort of non-monogamous relationship. I mean, I knew those things existed, but I didn’t think I’d ever see one for myself. A lot of judgment must come with it, and I felt for them. No one deserved to be judged for who they loved, even if you loved more than one person at the same time.

  My group of broken guys would never be like them. They’d never band together and overcome their differences to be with me, and honestly…I didn’t know if I wanted them to. Things were complicated enough right now, I didn’t need to add a whole group of boyfriends to the situation.

  Could I even date more than one guy at the same time? I’d kissed them, but that wasn’t the same as dating. I didn’t know if I could. Elle, I think, was stronger than me when it came to that. Plus, I had Ray to think about. Any boyfriend—or boyfriends—would only be put in danger.

  I got up, needing to eat or find some water…something. I’d lost track of time while talking to them, so I should check in on Kelsey, too. Make sure she was having fun and not being stupid. I walked away when Alec started asking Elle about her roommate, why she couldn’t come to the party.

  As I headed to the house, leaving the warmth of the bonfire, I couldn’t help but be amazed at what I’d witnessed. That girl had her own harem. More power to her, I guess. Juggling all those dicks must get tiring, though.

  I was about to step inside the house when the back door opened, and a girl appeared, not looking too happy. I knew why she wasn’t happy, too—she was the army girl, the one Kelsey had pushed aside. Her breasts were practically spilling out of her camo uniform, her midriff bare. It was only because her hair was a box-colored brown that I failed to recognize her right away.

  Mostly because I was used to seeing her with shittily-dyed pink hair, and on her knees in front of Sawyer.

  Brooklyn.

  Chapter Twenty-Two – Ash

  Brooklyn had looked better, and it was clear she was pissed. At Kelsey, and now at me, for being here. This, I realized, was her school. Brooklyn went to Stanton, and we were encroaching on her territory, right where we didn’t belong.

  Kelsey had riled up the bitch, and now I had to face her. Great. Because tonight just couldn’t have gone well. Nope. Since it was my life, tonight was always destined to be shitty. So shitty you couldn’t even anticipate it to prepare yourself for.

  Seriously. I never thought I’d see this bitch again, although after that bathroom encounter, maybe I thought that too soon.

  “I thought I saw you,” Brooklyn sneered, setting her hands on her hips. Her fingernails were neatly manicured, and every part of her screamed desperate and trying too hard. “What the fuck are you doing here, bitch?”

  “My name is Ash,” I said. She blocked my way inside, and we were far enough away from the bonfire that Elle and her crew of guys couldn’t hear what was being said. That, or they were too busy making out with each other. I was afraid to look.

  But I didn’t need help. I could take this bitch down any day of the week.

  “I don’t care what your name is. You’re pathetic, coming here.” Brooklyn sniggered, a smile growing on her face. “I do have something for you, though.” She stepped aside, and suddenly a man wearing a Batman costume appeared, beefy like a linebacker and not a weightlifter. He grabbed my wrist and tugged me inside as Brooklyn added, “It’s in the basement.”

  The…the basement? Why the fuck didn’t that sound good?

  Nothing good ever happened in basements, especially when a strong guy had you in his hands, his fingers digging into your skin and refusing to let go. I was pushed through the kitchen, and no matter how I fought and struggled, I couldn’t stop us from heading to the door at the back of the stairs. The man holding me dragged me down, and Brooklyn followed, grinning all the while. Everyone else was too d
runk to realize something wasn’t right—that, or they were just willfully ignorant.

  No one else was in the basement—shocker, because it was creepier than shit and full of spiderwebs—but I did see a blanket on the floor, right underneath a bulb that hung from the wooden ceiling.

  Batman still had a hold on me, and I glared at Brooklyn, demanding, “What the fuck is this?” My heart was in my chest, in my throat, and I wanted to be sick. I knew what this was; I just wanted the bitch to say it.

  She had her arms crossed, and she gave a nod to Batman, who then threw me down to the blanket. “While your friend gets her brains fucked, you will, too,” she grinned, the ugliest grin I’d ever seen on anyone’s face.

  “Rape,” I hissed, stopping Batman from coming down on me. “You know that’s rape, right?”

  Batman glanced to Brooklyn, who shrugged him off. “You’re a god on the football field, and she’s just a street rat. Anyone with two eyes will believe you over her.” Not the most valid argument, but it was one that cut deep anyway.

  No one would believe me because I was poor, and he was an athlete, and when booze was involved, people often looked the other way.

  I’d like to say it wasn’t true, that something like that couldn’t happen, but I’d seen the news stories, before I stopped watching the news entirely. I knew what happened to white rapists: they got off, or the judge sentenced them leniently. A terrible truth of our so-called modern world.

  When Batman decided Brooklyn was right, he practically sat on my legs, stopping me from kicking him where it hurt. My fight or flight instinct kicked in and I went for his eyes with my nails, next. Didn’t get far, though. Brooklyn grabbed my arms and held them down, above my head.

  “I’m surprised you can move around so much,” Brooklyn whispered, her faded brown hair draping over my face. “Considering the terrible weekend you had last week.”

  My struggles ceased the moment I stared into her icy blue eyes. “You…” I started, unable to say anything more. It wasn’t Ray who hit me with his car—it was her. “Why?” I asked. “Because I made you look like an idiot? Because I took Sawyer from you?” Hell, she was the replacement, not me.

  And if she wanted Sawyer that bad, just fucking take him. He wasn’t worth this.

  “Because I could,” she said. I smelled the alcohol on her breath and knew she was probably drinking last weekend, too. She’d found me, stalked me, and tried to kill me. “Because the world will be a better place without you in it.” Her icy stare rose to Batman, who’d stopped to watch us. “What are you waiting for? Do it!”

  Batman started to unbutton his pants.

  My head leaned back on the blanket, and I stared up into the eyes of my worst enemy. Brooklyn, someone who I’d completely forgotten. Hell, I forgot she existed, except in my moment of anger when I thought about her and Sawyer together, the indignity of it all.

  This was so fucked up. Couldn’t she see that? Didn’t she have a rational bone in her body to know that this was wrong? She tried to kill me, and now she was having some dude she knew rape me. What the actual fuck?

  “Scream all you want,” Brooklyn spoke with a smile. “No one will hear you, and if they do, they won’t care.”

  Batman’s dick was out, and—the fucking sicko—it was growing hard as he thought about what was going to happen. His greasy fingers worked on my jeans next, and my mouth clamped shut.

  I wasn’t going to shout. I wasn’t going to scream. This…this was awful, a thing of nightmares, but really, in the grand scheme of my life, it wasn’t nearly as bad as realizing that my boyfriend was a fucking serial killer and that he wanted me to kill with him.

  The bitch could try to kill me, could have everyone in this fucking house have a go at me, and I wasn’t going to break. I would not.

  And when I got up? When I dusted off my clothes and stood on my own two fucking feet? Oh, that bitch better sleep with both eyes open, because when I came for her, I was going to make her wish she was dead.

  Hell had no wrath like a girl who’d dated a serial killer. I’d learned from the best.

  Batman’s greedy hands were on my underwear, about to slide the panties down. His dick was hard, bulbous, and ridiculously hairy, and I was about to string together a series of curse words when the basement door flew open. Batman paused, but Brooklyn didn’t want to stop this show. She wanted it to keep going, and she wanted to watch me be violated in the worst way.

  “The basement is occupied!” She shouted, but heavy footsteps were coming down, and within a moment, we all saw who it was. “I said…” She stopped, her eyes widening. She released her hold of my arms, and I immediately punched Batman in the throat, as hard as I could and as fast as I could.

  Batman stumbled back, falling off me as he grabbed his throat, coughing and choking for air. I wasn’t strong enough to break a windpipe, but I was good enough to hurt it.

  My savior was totally unexpected, someone who shouldn’t even be here. Someone who might be stalking me, but someone I knew wasn’t so cruel: Travis. Hell, I took that back as he moved around the stairs, shadows dancing across his face as he shot glares at Brooklyn and Batman. He looks hella cruel right now.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Brooklyn hissed as I hurriedly pulled up my pants and got to my feet. “Did Sawyer invite you, or this bitch?” She threw a look at me, and I could do nothing but stare at her, mouth agape.

  Sawyer? What the fuck did Sawyer have to do with any of this? Sawyer wasn’t here…was he?

  “But—” Whatever else I was going to say was stolen from my lungs the moment I felt a big, burly guy tackle me to the hard ground. Pain exploded in my body, and I temporarily saw stars. Being hit by a car and then tackled by a football player wasn’t exactly two things you should do within a week of each other.

  One week. That’s all it’d been. What the fuck?

  He had me good, and his dick was still out, too—though it had lost its hardness. I could feel it on my ass as he pinned me down, growling like some kind of rabid animal. I didn’t have to worry though, because Travis kicked his side, sending him rolling off me.

  As I got up, Travis and Batman were a mess of limbs. Batman was wild and chaotic, but every movement Travis made was deliberate, almost as if he anticipated the moves Batman was about to make before making them. Like he’d been in this sort of fight before. His tattooed arms flexed, but now wasn’t the time to check him out.

  Now, as I watched the men fight—or, rather, watched Travis beat up Batman—I couldn’t help but wonder just how close he was to Ray. Travis was capable of so much violence, it turned out.

  Panic set in, true panic. Had I traded one psycho for another?

  I turned to run to the stairs, but I stopped at the base, gazing up at Brooklyn, who stood with her arms crossed, blocking my escape. If this bitch didn’t move, I’d…I’d definitely do something. Hurt her, scream, or die of my growing panic attack.

  “You won’t get away with this,” she said, as if I was the one who did something wrong. Yes, going at her at that party wasn’t right, but she was psychotic if she thought this payback was deserved.

  I took the first two steps, heading up to meet her. She stood at the top, unimpressed at my approach.

  “I had him earlier, but I bet your friend is having a lot of fun with him now—” Whatever Brooklyn was going to say next, I didn’t hear. Mostly because I’d grabbed her and threw her behind me, using every ounce of strength I had in me.

  She lost her balance, not expecting the move. While Travis and Batman fought deeper in the basement, I threw Brooklyn down the stairs, watching as her body thumped and twisted on its way down.

  Once she landed on the floor, her head collided with the cinderblock wall. I stared at her for only a moment—a quick, rapid moment—wondering if she was alive. Her body didn’t move, her eyes closed. She looked as dead as someone could be, but I couldn’t be sure, mostly because I couldn’t breathe and wanted to throw up.

  I
ran upstairs, the world spinning around me. I pushed through all of the people dancing, calling out for my friend even though it pained me to speak. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t see her. She wasn’t…no. No fucking way. My life wasn’t that messed up, was it? He wasn’t here. The bitch was lying.

  No, no, no, no. I could not repeat the word in my head enough.

  Not outside, not in the kitchen. My feet drew me upstairs, and I kicked down every single closed door I could, feeling…not at all like myself. My throat was itchy, my hands shaking. I couldn’t breathe, and yet I was here, barging in on numerous couples having sex in the fraternity’s rooms.

  No one that I knew, just a lot of angry faces.

  Good, because, for a moment there, I…

  I heard grunts coming from what must’ve been the bathroom, and even before I made my way to it, it was like I already knew what I’d find, what I’d see. The one thing that could make this night worse, the one thing that could break me into a thousand tiny, irreparable pieces.

  My hand went for the doorknob, and I pushed it open. My heart stopped, and I stood there for a moment, staring at a sight I never should’ve seen.

  Kelsey, her pants near her ankles, bent over the vanity, and the man behind her…the pink in his hair was covered in black dye, or maybe black grease. Either way, he was dressed as a vampire and had that half-lidded, high as a fucking kite look on his face.

  Sawyer.

  Sawyer balls deep inside my best friend.

  Chapter Twenty-Three – Ash

  My world faded to black. It was as if I had blinders on, unable to look away. I didn’t hear the party still raging downstairs or the couples fucking in the nearby rooms. The only thing I could see, the only thing I could pay attention to, was the way Sawyer rammed himself into my friend, over and over, as if I wasn’t even there.

  Like I was invisible.

  Like…like I didn’t matter, which was exactly what he’d told me.

  I was nothing. I was just a stupid, stupid girl.