by J. L. Beck
There’s a makeshift bar set up on the huge island and Shelby gets to work mixing us up something to drink. Everything’s okay. I tell myself, blowing out air through my mouth, before inhaling through my nose.
“Here,” Shelby says her pink painted nails coming into view as she shoves a red cup into my hand, the contents sloshing against the sides of the cup. I peer inside of it before bringing it to my nose to sniff.
“This smells like straight vodka.”
Shelby shrugs, her hazel eyes narrowing, “Just drink it. Live a little will you? If you promise to have a good time then I promise I won’t push you to go out with me so much. Deal?”
Ugh, as much as I hate to admit it, she's right. I’m eighteen, a college student. I need to live a little, celebrate, enjoy the years ahead of me before they’re gone and I’m forced to be an actual adult, with a job, and responsibilities.
“Fine. I’ll try.” I give her a weak smile and take a drink of the pink looking liquid. The burn I was expecting doesn’t come and I’m pleasantly surprised by the cherry tang that’s left against my lips.
“Good, huh?” Shelby asks, watching me like a hawk.
“Decent. It doesn’t taste like I’m drinking lighter fluid.”
“Shut up.” Shelby giggles, taking a drink from her cup. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and I don’t understand why. Swinging my gaze around the room I look for anything out of place. What’s wrong with me? I’m losing my mind.
A loud rap song comes blaring through the speakers, vibrating through the masses of bodies and into my skull, causing a dull ache to form there. A book wouldn’t give me this kind of headache. Feeling as if I’ll need it I drink the rest of the liquid in my cup and hand it back to Shelby with a mischievous grin.
“Make me another. I’m going to go find a bathroom. If I’m not back in ten minutes send out a search party.”
“Don’t be dramatic.” Shelby takes the cup and shushes me away. “Go to the bathroom. I’ll be here when you get back.”
Leaving the kitchen I notice a group of women in skirts shorter than my own enter the house. My heart sinks into my stomach at the sight. Barbies. Three girls dolled up like plastic dolls. Fake. Popular. Gorgeous. Every college and high school has them.
They stick out like a weed in a bed of flowers. They giggle, and toss their hair over their shoulders, batting their eyelashes at every man that looks their way, and there are a lot of men looking their way. Turning, I head for the huge staircase before they come any closer and god forbid want to talk to me or something. Rushing up the stairs I almost run head first into a couple that is making out against the railing.
I mumble a half-hearted apology and continue in search of a bathroom. I open one door to find empty bedroom with a large inviting looking bed in the center. How bad is it that I would rather curl up in that bed and read a book than go back downstairs and party with the other students?
When I pull the door shut behind me, a familiar scents coming from inside the room tickles my nose. I can’t quite place the unique smell reminding me of the forest after a rainy day.
I keep walking down the hall and the next door I open is actually a bathroom. I disappear inside, locking the door behind me. The room is almost as big as my dorm room and I shake my head at the size and the fanciness at it all.
I used to think this is all that mattered, money, pretty things and people who look up to you. That’s what my family taught me to think and there was a time when I didn’t question anything my parents told me. That time is over now. Now I know better.
By the time I wash my hands, I’m still thinking about the familiar scent in that bedroom. Something about it is nagging me but I just can’t put my finger on it. Looking in the mirror, I give myself a once over before exiting the bathroom. I really should act more like the other people around here. Have fun and enjoy college life. This is what I wanted. I got away from my family to be normal. All I have to do now is get out of my own head and enjoy this.
I walk back down the hall, forcing myself not to look at the mystery bedroom door when I pass it. I fight the urge to take another peek inside and try to figure out what the smell reminds me of. Just as I pass it I hear the soft click of a door opening, but before I have the time to turn and see who it is, someone grabs my arm and pulls me inside the room.
Screaming like someone is about to kill me I stumble into the room, losing my footing as I go. Arms flailing I prepare myself to land hard on the ground but am shocked when a pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind pulling me flush to a firm, warm chest.
Momentarily I'm stunned, like a doe caught in the headlights of a car. A scream lodges itself in my throat as the air stills in my lungs. What's happening?
All I can hear is the swooshing of blood in my ears, my chest heaving up and down with panic. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Suddenly I'm dizzy, the smell of rain fills my nostrils once more and I realize immediately who that scent belongs to.
“Did you miss me? Is that why you're here, in my bedroom? Eager to see what we have in store for you?” Sullivan’s dark voice fills the room, and a cold shiver runs through me. I notice then that he's standing a few feet away from me, but his voice affects me as if he right beside me whispering in my ear. It doesn't matter that I can't fully see him I don't need to, to know he's looking at me with disgust.
His room? Blinking slowly I try to digest what he's just said? Confused I'm about to ask him what the hell he is talking about when I realize someone is still holding on to my waist. There warm hands burning into my skin.
Spinning around I shove at the person’s chest, realizing quickly it’s Banks, the middle Bishop brother. A sinister grin spreads across his face as he licks his lips. “I think she just missed us, why else would she come here, to our house?”
“Your house?” I finally find my voice again. It’s shaky but at least I got the words out.
“Yes, our house.” A third voice draws, and I swing my gaze across the room my eyes colliding with Oliver’s chocolate brown ones. “We bought it recently, figured it would be nicer to live in the dorms.”
Dorms? Why would they be living in the dorms?
Nothing makes sense right now. This has to be a dream, no scratch that. This is a freaking nightmare. I shake my head as if I can wake myself up from it. Then I try and take a step towards the door, but Sullivan slaps a hand over the handle halting my movement.
Oh god… this is real.
“Not so fast,” he growls, his muscled form towering over me. He’s bigger than he was the last time I saw him. Taller, scarier, even more disgustingly handsome then I remember. “Let’s talk…we want to tell you how this year is going to go.”
What does he mean? How this year is going to go? He can’t really be saying what I think he is? The Bishop brothers aren’t… they can’t be… My chest starts to heave, even though no air is filling my lungs. Lord, please tell me they aren’t attending college here.
“I don’t think she gets it,” Banks taunts, devilishly.
“It's not hard to add together. All that money and your daddy can't even get a proper education?" Oliver asks.
“I'm not stupid.” I try and make the words sound strong but they come out like a soft breeze whispering through the trees.
“Right, you’re only a liar,” Oliver responds his words like a slap to the face.
Gritting my teeth I let the insult sink in. He’s not wrong, I am a liar. Because of my father I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. I followed him like a sheep into the dark and I knew someday karma would catch up with me. That eventually I would pay for my wrongdoings I just never expected it to be so soon.
“Let me put it into words even someone like you can understand,” Sullivan leans in so closely, I can feel the heat of his body. I can feel all three brothers, their bodies drawn to mine like a magnet.
“Remember when I told you I would make you pay for what you did that night?”
Saliva
sticks to the inside of my throat like honey making it hard to swallow. Every nightmare I ever had over the last year never would have amounted to this. All three brothers faces have haunted me in my sleep since that night. I regretted doing it as soon as I did but there was no taking it back, there was no changing the course we were headed on. It was like a bad accident, that you couldn’t look away from.
As if he can see the worry filling my features his smile widens, perfectly straight white teeth gleam in the moonlight filtering in through the window blinds.
“That little stunt ruined his senior year. Got him suspended from the team. You tarnished our family name, but that was the point right?” Oliver hisses, his eyes narrowing, his angular jaw sharp enough to cut glass clenching.
The Bishop’s had money but nothing could stop the local papers from printing an article about their son doing drugs and getting booted from the team. My father had hit his mark and he used me to do it.
“Please… look….” An apology is sitting on the edge of my tongue, but a hand comes out of nowhere pressing against my mouth, cutting off the words before I get a chance to say them.
Without thinking I know who it is that has ahold of me and I try to wiggle out of Bank’s hold, but he just pulls me closer, until my back is pressed firmly into his muscular chest. Panic, and something else, something warm, euphoric swirl in my belly.
No. I won’t be attracted to them, and there stupid muscular chest, hard abs, and devilish smiles. They’re the enemy, my rivals.
“Shh, Princess. We didn’t say you could speak. Keep your mouth shut, otherwise, we’ll find a better use for it.” Banks smooth voice tickles my ear as he pulls his hand away. His body remains close to mine, too close, but for some reason, I don’t move right away. One of his hands remains on my hip and I just stand there for a moment, letting his body heat seep into me, trying to warm the icy cold blood running through my veins.
“I told you… I promised you, that you would pay, and now it’s time. It’s time to pay your dues.” Tears sting my eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. I will not cry in front of them. I won’t.
Finding a sliver of strength, I jab my elbow into Bank’s ribs. He releases me, even though I know I didn't hit him hard enough to hurt him.
“Is that all you’ve got?” He snickers.
I step toward the door that Sullivan is now blocking with his body.
“Let me go,” I grit out through my teeth.
No one moves, or says a single word, it’s almost like they’re waiting for Sullivan to make a choice and that terrifies me. After a long second he finally moves out of the way, a smug grin painted on his face. Waving his hand over the door motioning me to leave he says, “You may leave tonight, but you can never get away from us. We’ll find you wherever you go and we will make you pay for what you did.”
When Rivals Fall
About the Authors
Born and raised in Germany, Cassandra moved to the United States when she was eighteen. She’s now a stay-at-home-mom to three boys, and happily married. With a love for reading, that love slowly transpired into writing she put fingers to keyboard and started writing about the dark side of romance.
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J.L. Beck is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, she has written over fifty different romance novels. She started her journey of writing back in 2014 and hasn't slowed down a second since then.
She's captivated by real romance, and loves reading about strong "ALPHA" males, as well as sassy heroines that know or may not know what they want. She is best known for delivering a happily ever after but has ended things on a cliffhanger a time or two.
When she's not typing away at her next book you can find her being a mom to her two adorable kiddos and wife to her high school sweetheart.
She's obsessed with Starbucks, social media, and is definitely more of a dog person than cat.
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