When I open my eyes again, I find the two girls still kneeling at my feet, looking up at me hopefully. This is usually the part where I’d have them get me hard again so we can fuck. Suddenly sickened by that thought, I tighten my fist around the beer bottle in my grip and force a smile to my lips.
“I’m gonna drink this beer,” I say as I stuff my deflating cock back into my boxers, clocking the way their faces immediately fall in disappointment.
Shit. More sugar.
I reach out to trail the backs of my knuckles along the side of Julie’s cheek, staring down into her eyes intently. “Why don’t I watch you two play for a while, huh, gorgeous?”
Her face lights up again and she nods enthusiastically, turning toward her friend as I move away, striding over to a nearby sofa and flopping down onto it.
The two of them start kissing and rubbing up on one another as I sit back and take a swig of my beer, barely even paying attention to the scene playing out in front of me. I’m much more curious about what’s happening out on that balcony right now.
Ava may be resistant to my charms, but I’ll have her on her knees for me again soon. And this time, it’ll be willingly.
CHAPTER 24
AVA
You knowwhat’s worse than being invisible? Suddenly being noticed byeveryonebecause you sucked off a King in front of half the student body.
Since the night of the party, the other students on campus are all too aware of my presence. They whisper. They sneer. Girls throw me dirty looks. Guys lick their lips and wink.
I can’t help but wonder if this is the kind of treatment my mother suffered, given her profession. I always swore to myself I’d never follow in her footsteps, and it’s a little too ironic that in my efforts to further my education and actively avoid that fate, I’ve fallen prey to the Kings of Corvus College and have therefore been forced to endure it.
The worst part is, the only time my peers go back to ignoring me is when I’m with one of the Kings, so now I’m finding myself glad for their escorts across campus and their annoying presence in my classes. They’re both the disease and the cure, and I hate them for it.
I haven’t bothered trying to fight back anymore. Instead, I’ve barely spoken to them all week, keeping to myself and praying this will all blow over. The co-eds just need a new scandal togossip about, right? Something’s bound to happen to take the heat off me and shift it onto someone else.
That exact thought is running through my brain as I exit my English Lit class, clutching my books to my chest and keeping my head down. Unlike Ford and Wes, Raf never acknowledges my presence in the classes we share, nor does he wait up for me afterwards. His girlfriend does, though.
Bryce told me the blonde that hangs all over Raf is named Chelsea Carson, and she’s your typical snooty, overprivileged, mean girl. Ever since the party at the boathouse, she’s taken it upon herself to make my life even more hellish than it already is.
I see the flash of movement too late, unable to catch myself before I trip over the foot she sticks out. My books go flying and my chin bangs against the marble floor as I land, teeth clacking together painfully. She shrieks a laugh, hovering over me with a couple of her bitchy friends and kicking me while I’m down.Literally.As if it wasn’t enough to send me crashing to the floor, she kicks me in the damn ribs.
“She’s such a mess,” Chelsea declares mockingly, looking down at me like I’m nothing more than a bug to be squashed. She lifts her chin, folding her arms across her chest in a power stance.
As if it isn’t obvious who holds the power here.
I glare up at her, poking my tongue against the inside of my cheek where my teeth gnashed as I went down. The coppery tang of blood slides over my tongue, pooling in my mouth, and I do what any upstanding, refined lady would do in this situation.
I spit it at her shoes.
Chelsea jumps back with a yelp of indignation, then hurls a string of expletives at me that I can barely make out through the ringing in my head. I push myself up off the floor as she stalks away, flanked by her army of bimbos.
The familiar sting of tears prickles behind my eyes, but I don’t let them free. I refuse to let these people see me cry. Instead, I gather up my books and what’s left of my dignity, doing my best to hold my head high as I exit the building. I don’t even have a panic attack as I cross campus, feeling the weight of stares on me from all directions. I come embarrassingly close, though.
As I tread the path with quick footsteps, a fleeting thought crosses my mind that I wish one of the Kings was with me right now, so everyone would just look away and mind their own damn business. Followed by an immediate wave of self-loathing, because I shouldn’t want to be within a mile of any of those monsters. I’m all tangled up, beginning to drown in my own despair when I duck between a pair of buildings for refuge, slamming my back against the stone wall and panting to catch my breath.
I’m fine, I’ve just gotta make it back to my dorm. Then I can lock myself in there and pretend this whole campus isn’t out to get me.
I swing my gaze around as I steady my breathing, my eyes catching on the rusty old ladder to the roof. A flicker of hope blooms in my chest when I see that it’s been extended down.
Bryce.
Despite the fact that it isn’t ideal to climb a ladder while wearing a skirt and a heavy backpack, I head over, shove my remaining books into my bag, and climb up. I’m panting with exertion by the time I reach the top, but it’s worth it when I see Bryce’s familiar face.
“Girl, where have you been?” he asks, rushing over to help me up the last few rungs of the ladder. I stiffen when he pulls me into a hug, but quickly find myself relaxing into the embrace, winding my arms around him to return it.
It’s nice. Come to think of it, it may be the first positive physical contact I’ve had all week.
