August. He’s here, and I have to force myself to keep my eyes on my phone, reading through Summer’s posts about her first year at uni.
Admittedly, I should be satisfied that she’s still alive, but I’m not. Especially now that I know someone’s trying to overthrow the Fraternitas by any means necessary. I’ve briefly even considered Sam’s involvement, but I can’t imagine she’d kill her friends, even with her being malicious and self-centered. I don’t think she’d go that far. Plus, they chose her in the end anyway. A plan I’m sure they had all along.
August’s spiced, smokey scent that is uniquely his alone wafts through the air as he walks by. My nostrils flare as the memory of the nights I was weak and slid my hands between my legs, thinking of how it felt to nestle my nose in the crook of his neck while he’d piston inside of me.
I shake my head, trying to force the visual from my mind as I feel my nipples pucker. I sigh in relief when the instructor calls everyone’s attention to the front.
“Good afternoon. For those of you who missed class week, I’m Dr. Liliana Monroe,” she states.
Professor Monroe can’t be more than twenty-eight. Her auburn hair sits in an asymmetrical bob that fits her pixie-like face that looks swallowed by her circular-framed glasses. They suit her, though. I listen as she does a quick synopsis of what we covered last week. Discussing the syllabus, outlining her expectations, and the term research paper required on top of weekly assignments.
I’m about to zone out when I hear a slew of phones going off at the same time the course guide, once displayed on the smartboard, is replaced by a video that automatically plays.
A room that is so familiar comes into view as moans erupt from devices and the screen. I watch in momentary horror as I realize it’s me in the video. My head is thrown back in ecstasy, and my legs are spread wide for all to see a clear view of me playing with my pussy.
What the actual fuck?
Professor Monroe works tirelessly to turn off the video to no avail. Elias storms to the front of the class and unplugs the damn thing. The professor then demands everyone stop playing the video unless they want to be expelled from school for conduct unbecoming of a student at LWU.
“Miss Bradford, I’m-” the professor attempts to apologize, but I halt her words with a raise of my hand.
Fury floods my veins, and I turn my glacial gray eyes on August, whose jaw is clenched like he’s upset that whatever scheme they’ve cooked up to embarrass me has been thwarted.
“There’s nothing wrong with a woman exploring her own body and taking pleasure when and how she fucking sees fit. I’m not ashamed to masturbate. The person who recorded this private moment, unbeknownst to me, is the only one who should feel fucking remorse,” I exclaim. “Now, Professor Monroe, please continue with your class. Hopefully, the immature fucks who did this will recognize the error of their ways, but I highly doubt any of them have the sense to feel anything from their self-entitled pedestals.”
A proud smile forms on the professor’s tan face as she nods, then refocuses the class’s attention, making them concentrate on their syllabi.
“Do you want to go?” Reign growls in my ear. I turn to see his teeth clenched so hard I’m sure he’ll crack his pristine teeth as his vitriolic stare is aimed past me in August’s direction.
“Not a fucking chance,” I retort. “No assholes are running me from the room with their childish bullshit,” I say that part loud enough, ensuring August can hear, and I mean every word I’ve said, even as my heart cracks at the lengths men I swore cared for me are willing to go.
Closing my eyes, I renew my resolve to break them before they can break me.
AUGUST
I
‘m going to filet Samantha!
I wonder if I throw her dismembered body in a fire if her plastic parts will melt?
I don’t think I’ve ever hated someone so much in my entire life. She’s a fucking poison that, unless handled properly, will kill you. I need her gone like last year. Worse than any rat infestation or global-like pandemic. She festers until you annihilate her.
Pulling out my cell phone, I text Liam.
Me: Any progress?
I messaged him in class to deal with the situation. I had to wait until Emma was distracted to ensure she didn’t see me. But at this point, even if she did, she’d probably believe I was reporting on how she reacted to the video.
When it played, I had to dig my nails into my palms and grit my teeth so as not to react. I was so pissed-
I am so pissed. I knew immediately this was the work of Samantha and her minions. The question is how the hell she tapped into a feed that no one knew about except the Jacobis and myself.
My phone buzzes as I walk through the doors of our campus house. If we weren’t trying to keep Samantha from having any contact with Emma, I would’ve complained that we decided to live in the Calloway house, clear across campus from the Bradford house.
Liam: upstairs.
That’s it?
Sighing, I scratch my stubbled jaw and climb the stairs.
I hear them before I see them.
“No, Karl. Emma would be devastated if you allowed yourself to be killed. Stop trying to be a fucking martyr and work with us instead of giving up,” Sebastian snaps.
He’s been a moody fucker the longer he has to stomach interactions with the viper.
Shit, we all have.
“I only offered to carve her face up for this fucking stunt,” Karl huffs, tossing a knife I’ve never seen him with before into the air.
Sebastian rubs the bridge of his nose as if trying to find the patience required to deal with Karl. He’s been a testy fucker with an even shorter fuse than me.
“Which would lead to Samantha setting off the chip and killing you,” Rowan says, trying to reason with him.
I take my seat as they continue to bicker.
“Okay, everyone’s here now, so shut the fuck up,” Liam demands before turning to me. “Were you ever going to tell us that you set cameras up in her room in Colorado and here?”
Quirking my lip, I tilt my head and arch my copper brow. “Nope. This was on a need-to-know basis, and none of you needed to know,” I quip.
Liam’s hands fist at his sides. “Well, smartass, thanks to your selfish behavior, Samantha was able to have someone backdoor the system.”
I close my eyes, flexing the muscles in my jaw to reign in my anger. It’s the only thing I feel remorse for. I knew Liam would have the best tech to protect Emma from something like this. But I was so angry with them-with myself. None of us deserve her, but I won’t let her go.
“This also means you knew she was pregnant?” Sebastian infers.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.