"Is this really the best place for us to grab a drink?" Bly asks. As always, he's his usual grumpy self.Oak nods. "It's a little loud."I shake my head. "Sorry grandpa, but this is the hottest place in town.""In case you forgot, we're professors at a nearby school, not frat boys," Oak says.I laugh. "Both of you need to lighten up." I shake my head and make my way toward the bar. "It's not like we'll run into any of our students." A lie if ever I told one. The sole reason I brought my two best friends here is because I know a group of academy kids are coming here tonight. I also know that Adrianna should be with them."Usual?" I ask Oak."Yeah, whiskey, neat.""Never can change it up, can you?"Oak looks irritated. "Why should I? I like whiskey."I order our drinks and get cash out to pay, but Oak stops me. "Put it on a tab." He passes the bartender his credit card.My brow furrows. "Why didn't you let me pay?"He arches a brow. "You know I'm loaded. And I know what you earn, consid
I move onto the dancefloor and instantly a girl makes eyes at me. Being that I would look like a fucking fool out here alone, I move toward her. "Care to dance?" I ask, even though I have no interest in her what so ever. She's attractive, but ever since I set my sights on Adrianna, no other girl will do."Definitely," she says.I pull her onto the floor and her arms wrap around the back of my neck. Her eyes alight with desire that I can't match, but I have to pretend to be into her just to keep dancing.As I spin her around, I keep looking out for Miss Vasquez and come up empty handed. If they don't turn up as expected, I'm not sure I can stop myself marching into her dorm and barging into her room. I need to see her.While I'm distracted, the girl I'm dancing with yanks me down and slams her lips into mine. I'm stunned for a moment by the suddenness of it, and it feels so oddly wrong that it's not Adrianna's lips.Someone taps me on the shoulder. "Arch."I break away, thankful for Oa
My skin crawls as I take Coach Daniel's hand. It was give in or have him badgering me the entire night. He wants me to dance with him for one dance. I guess I can make it through that, even if it makes me want to puke."So, Adrianna. Am I finally wearing you down?"I grind my teeth. "Not a chance in hell."He chuckles and yanks me against his chest. "I'll wear you down eventually, baby girl.""Don't call me that," I snap as he spins me around and then yanks me against his chest."Or what, Vasquez? Are you going to test out your combat training on me here in the middle of the dancefloor?"I sway my hips to the beat, remembering my salsa training that my mother enrolled me in when I was five years old. "Perhaps."His nostrils flare as he spins me away. "You're a good dancer.""Did you expect anything else?" I ask, as he brings me back toward him."No." He tilts his head. "It seems you're good at everything." His eyes narrow. "But everyone has a weakness and I intend to find yours."I sw
Only once have I seen Coach without his top after a hot summer's day gym session when he got covered in sweat.His body is beyond amazing and I don't want to think about that right now, not when I'm only in my bra and thong."Ready, on three."My breathing turns deeper as he counts and then I rush forward on the count of three, knowing that I have speed covered. He's too muscular to get the speed up.I bomb into the pool first, smirking in satisfaction at winning as I hear him enter the pool after.And then his arms wrap around me before I can get up to the surface. "It's a cool night. Best to keep close and keep each other warm," he murmurs into my ear."Please let go of me." I hate the way my voice sounds, vulnerable and unsure.I feel the hard press of his cock against my ass. "Why? Am I making you wet?""I'm already wet. I'm in a swimming pool."He licks my earlobe. "You know what I mean."I break free from him and swim to the other side, unable to answer that question, because th
I've been dreading this night, mainly because I know Adrianna will probably dance with other guys to piss me off.There's no denying the chemistry between us, especially after we kissed in the pool on the rooftop of that bar. She was into it as she pulled me closer, kissing me back like her life depended on it.And then she broke away and fled the scene as if nothing happened, leaving me with blue balls."Hey, are you ready?" Bly asks, clapping me on the shoulder. His eyes roam down my suit. "Looking very sharp tonight. Trying to impress someone?"I narrow my eyes. "Don't be an asshole, Bly."He chuckles. "Still having trouble with Vasquez?""I'll get her to break, believe me."Bly's brow arches. "That's the kind of thing I'd say, not you."I shrug. "Adrianna drives me crazy.""Careful with girls like that. It's best to steer clear of any girl that you want that badly."Bly sounds like he's speaking from experience, but I doubt it. In the years I've known him, he's never once had a gi
As I turn around, I almost spill them when I see Adrianna step through the entrance. She's alone, thankfully, and wearing the most exquisite emerald green evening gown that makes her tanned skin look richer.Her long dark brown hair is curled, which makes a difference from the dead straight way she normally wears it. And she's wearing subtle make-up that highlights her natural beauty. It's the second time I've ever seen Adrianna wear makeup, the first was last week at that bar.Bly approaches. "You're staring."I can't take my eyes off of her. "Can you blame me?""You look like a lovesick puppy. Pull yourself together." His serious tone breaks me out of my daze as I glance at him."Don't be such an asshole.""Seriously, Arch. What's with the Vasquez girl? Why don't you pick someone else? Someone easier."I clench my jaw and glare at him. "Are you suggesting that I normally only want easy girls?""No, I'm asking if she's worth all the hassle?"The answer is certain in my mind that Vasq
Coach's musky scent invades my senses as he boxes me against the wall, placing his hands either side of me so that I can't get away. "Call me Archer," he finally says.I glare at him. "No, thanks." I push his hand away and step to one side to walk around him, but he moves into my path. "Get out of my way, Coach."Instead, he grabs my wrist and drags me out of the corridor into an empty classroom."What are you doing?" I ask, trying to get away from him."Adrianna, this hard to get act is getting tiresome," he says, making me angry."Are you fucking serious?" I place my hands on my hips. "It's not a hard to get act. It's simply the fact that I don't want you and never will.""Liar," he growls, stalking toward me. Suddenly, his palm is wrapped around my throat. "You want me as much as I want you."Panic hits me as I struggle to draw in enough oxygen, glaring at the man who has been pursuing me the entire first term. I reach my fingers up to his and pry them away. "Get the fuck away from
I gasp as his lips press against my cleavage, kissing me in such an intimate place. And then he pulls the top of my dress down forcefully, making me regret picking an off the shoulder design, as I'm not wearing a bra. My breasts are completely bare and on display to him."What the fuck?" I try to pull it up, but he releases my throat and grabs each of my wrists in a hand, pinning them against the wall."No fighting," he murmurs, before dipping his hand and sucking one of my nipples before dragging his tongue around it teasingly."Fuck," I breathe, unable to think straight."What was that?" He chuckles. "Are you enjoying yourself?"I glare at him. "No."He moves over to the other nipple, staring at me as he clasps his lips around it and sucks hard.I can't hold his gaze as I shut my eyes, a zap of desire racing between my thighs as I clasp them together. "Oh God," I breathe.He takes his time as he licks and sucks at my sensitive nipples. The first man to touch them. And all that embar
Archer holds my hand as we pad barefoot through the sand, the sun just setting beyond the horizon and casting a warm, orange glow over the beach.Natalya's wedding was beautiful. And even though I still can't believe she's married the man that tormented her for years, I'm happy that she is happy."It's beautiful, isn't it?" I ask, stopping to watch as the sun dips slowly lower.Archer smiles at me. "Shall we sit down and watch?"I nod in response. "Sounds good." I sit down in the sand and he sits behind me, placing his legs on either side of my thighs and his arms around my waist. "This is nice," he murmurs into my ear.I lean back into him. "It is.""Did you enjoy the wedding?" He asks."It was beautiful, even though I still can't quite believe that Nat ended up with Elias after he was such a bully."Archer moves my hair to the side and skims his lips over the back of my neck. "Is it any different to you being with me after I blackmailed you?"I stiffen at the reminder. "Not sure it'
Motherfucker.I search the closet for something to pick the bedroom lock with. If Archer is facing my father and his goons, then I need to be by his side.Another shot echoes through the air, making me tense. I work even harder to focus on the lock, knowing I need to get out of this room. Finally, the lock clicks and I'm thankful I took the class on safe breaking two years ago when it was being taught.Quickly, I run out of the room and down the corridor, hardly thinking about what I'm doing.My heart skips a beat when I see my father and Archer standing outside of the window, each pointing a gun at one another. "No." I rush out of the cabin without a second thought. "Stop!""Adrianna," my father growls, pointing the gun at me. "What the fuck are you doing?"I freeze at the other end of his gun, knowing that he would without a doubt shoot me dead. "I'm not coming home to Mexico," I say.He growls. "Like hell you aren't.""I don't want to be married off to some mobster.""No, you want
I pull my jeep off the main road in the middle of nowhere, driving down an unmarked track. It may be secluded, but I know the path to this place like the back of my hand. After all, I spent just under two years living up here in my cabin.I notice Adrianna shudder."Are you cold?" I ask.She shakes her head. "No, this place just gives me the creeps.""The creeps?" I never thought of it as creepy."Yeah, like maybe you are actually a serial killer and this was your elaborate plan all along."I laugh, shaking my head. "You have a wild imagination." The woods open up to a clearing where my cabin is, and it's not just any old cabin. It's modern and sophisticated."Wow, do you own this place?" Adrianna asks.I nod. "I bought it when I needed to remain low while my family was looking for me." It was a difficult time in my life. One fraught with loneliness and a little too much alcohol, but this place saved me. "It's actually how I met Oak. He owns a cabin near to here and we met while we we
I approach Adrianna, who is standing with all her friends. My nerves are fried, mainly because I'm practically kidnapping the princess of the Vasquez Cartel. Thankfully, I saw Damien Vasquez leave ten minutes ago in his armored SUV. I'm pretty sure he hardly even said a word to Adrianna after the ceremony.I clear my throat. "Adrianna, can I have a word?""Stil not giving up?" Natalya teases.It's clear no one knows about us among her friends, except for Azira, and that was my fault.She meets my gaze and nods. I can tell from the look on her face that she's just as nervous as me. "Sure."I nod toward the exit of the hall and she follows me out of it."What's up?" she asks, as I lead her into an empty classroom and shut the door."I just wanted to double check you are all set for the plan?"She nods. "Of course. I'm packed, only essentials and no tech.""Good. And your father has gone. I watched him leave."She purses her lips. "I don't even know why he bothered to come. He didn't say
My father is standing at my door half an hour before the ceremony."Hey, Adrianna." He looks at my outfit. "You look well."I swallow hard. "Thanks for coming." I glance down the corridor. "Where is mom?"He shakes his head. "Your mother couldn't make it."It hurts a bit, I must admit. Out of the two of them, I'd expect my mom to be here over my father. She may not have ever been emotionally supportive, but she's always been a little less cold than him."Oh, is she busy?""No, but I don't enjoy traveling with your mother. You know that."I clench my jaw. "I know that." He doesn't like to travel with her because he likes to pay hookers whenever he stays away from home. The man disgusts me, but my mother isn't much better. Their marriage is a sham, and it has been all my life. Exactly what I want to avoid by escaping, as that was my future. My mom was married by arrangement to my father, hence the toxic relationship between them."Shall we get going then?" I say.He nods. "Lead the way.
Adrenaline has been racing through my veins since I woke this morning.It's sickening, but today is the day. Graduation is this afternoon and then all my friends and I will go out to celebrate. My father agreed to my plan and told me he'd booked into a hotel twenty miles away in the nearest city, as he's above the little inn in town and the motel near here. It actually makes the plan easier, as he won't be nearby when I make a run for it.However, after the celebrations are through, Archer and I will disappear. Our friends will know that we've left for good, but not where we are going. No one knows that, not even I do. I've let Archer figure the entire thing out and where I'm going to go.It's been hard trusting him in this way, as I've always relied on myself alone. He can't disappear with me, though. He has a life here at the academy, and so he's going to set me up with my new life and then leave. That's the part I've been trying to avoid thinking about entirely.I'm not sure how I'
I walk up to the door of Archer's apartment, my heart thumping at a hundred miles an hour.Am I crazy for being here?Perhaps. I knock on the door and wait a few moments and then I hear the thud of footsteps descending the stairs. Archer opens it and smiles at me with a smile that could stop most women's hearts. "You are here."I smile back at him. "I didn't get murdered.""I'm glad," he says, stepping aside to allow me in.I pause for a moment, knowing that now I'm coming to him of my free will rather than because he's blackmailing me. I'm not sure how to feel about that. It changes everything.His brow furrows. "Are you going to stay there or come in?"I purse my lips. "Still trying to decide."He laughs and grabs my hand, yanking me into the apartment and against him. "Don't be an idiot.""I'm normally the one saying that to you."He leads me up into his apartment, where he has a table set with candles alight. "I was prepared since I hadn't heard of any murders on campus." There is
My plan to get my revenge on Archer is backfiring.Why the hell do I feel so excited whenever I see him?And when he touched me earlier by the stream, he was trying to comfort me, but his touch ignited butterflies fluttering in my stomach and made my head spin. He keeps talking about feelings and how he wants us to continue after I graduate, which is insane.I can't work out if he's only saying it because I've never admitted I want him. All the while, I've made sure I keep detached and cold, even when he talks about his feelings.As I walk into the academy, I'm ambushed by my father. "Where have you been?"I cross my arms over my chest. "I went for a walk. Is that a crime?"He sighs heavily. "I'm here to take you back home."My brow furrows. "But what about the academy?" I ask, wondering why he didn't come to get me during spring break, especially as he said he had a meeting set out for me the week before.He yanks my wrist and drags me into an empty classroom, slamming the door behin
I sense Adrianna isn't used to relying on anyone for anything."Seriously, Adrianna. Let me help." I need to help her as I need to know her plan. She's so pigheaded. It wouldn't surprise me if she disappeared forever and I couldn't find her. It's the only way to ensure I keep tabs on her."Fine, you can help."I smile, relief coursing through my veins. "Good, as I have quite a few ideas.""Such as?"I pat my lap for her to come and sit on it.Her eyes narrow, but she sits anyway."Your father is coming to graduation, and that's a complication, but not the be all and end all. I mean, you dictated to your father before, so do it again.""What do you mean?""Tell him that you are going to celebrate with your friends. They're all going to be celebrating, right?"She nods. "Yeah.""Then tell him to book a motel and you'll leave with him the next morning."A crease forms in between her brows. "I'm uncertain it will work, but I can ring him beforehand. It's an option, I guess.""Well, tell m