Announcing that I was handing over the crown to Finn as the king of the academy during breakfast went down about as well as I expected. Most people either laughed as if it were a joke or started complaining once they realized it wasn't.I was surprised not to see Natalya in the cafeteria, but she doesn't always eat in the morning. So I text her. She's still yet to reply, but I thought she might have wanted to witness this.My crown is what I've always valued most and yet here I am, giving it up for the girl I've bullied since I arrived here. Finn scans over the document I had my uncle's lawyer draw up for me yesterday. It's ironclad and once he signs it, he can never speak a word of what he read in those files.Finn glances up at me. "How do I know you will pay me?"I shake my head. "Check your account. It's already paid."His brow furrows as he pulls out his cell phone and logs onto his banking, smirking when he sees the balance. "Fine." He scribbles his signature in the three spaces
I pull away and spin around. My mouth falling open as the sight of Alexander standing in the ballroom of our home in a tuxedo almost knocks me off my feet."What are you doing here?" I hiss, glancing around in search of my brother.Alexander shrugs and moves toward me. "I figured you'd need a date and I have some news about our Finn problem.""Our Finn problem?" I ask, shaking my head. "It was never really a problem for you."His jaw clenches. "It was my fault that he found the information, so I sorted it." He runs a hand across the back of his neck. "Everyone knows that slimy son of a bitch is king of the academy." I shrug. "At least I've passed the figurative crown. Whether anyone will take note is another matter.""And the two million dollars?" I ask, finding it hard to believe that he found that cash already."Sorted. My uncle wired the money to him today."I feel the tension in my body escape as I nod in response. "But what guarantee do we have that he won't come back asking for
Care.It's hard to even hear him say that. Is he serious about us?Mikhail's eyes narrow. "That may be true, but I don't want any funny business." He glances at me then, as if I need a warning to stay away from Alexander. "From either of you."I nod in response, and so does Alexander."Now, have fun and be sensible," he says, with his eyes lingering on Alexander for a few moments.Alexander squirms under his gaze and I kind of enjoy seeing the king of the academy so out of his comfort zone. I could get used to this. A dangerous notion, considering there's no future for me and Alexander.Mikhail guides his new wife around us and carries on greeting the other guests."Your brother is a beast," he murmurs, watching after him as he moves through the crowd.I laugh. "Yeah, he's pretty intimidating if you don't know him."His ice-blue eyes fix on mine and the look in them steals the breath from my lungs. "I'm not going to lie. I wouldn't want to have a fist fight with him."I laugh, but fee
It feels like Nat just slapped me as I stare at her for a few beats. "What?"She rolls her eyes. "I said, Mikhail has—""I know what you said." The mental picture of Natalya with Nik makes me want to claw my eyes out. "I won't allow it."I should have seen it coming. He's bratva, eligible and the perfect age for Natalya. The Russians rarely look outside their own for matches, and breaking off the match with the son of the Pakhan of the bratva in Philly has now made everything worse. A hell of a lot worse. Nik has been my closest friend since the moment I stepped foot into the academy."It is already arranged." Nat shakes her head, stepping back from me. "You can't keep blackmailing my brother to call each engagement off or they won't stop until they find you."Blackmailing the Gurin Bratva's pakhan over and over isn't a legitimate plan, but it is all I've got at the moment. "You will marry Nik over my dead body.""If you're not careful, that is probably exactly what will happen." She
Her eyes widen then, brow pulling together in an adorable frown. "That's not possible," she murmurs.I keep hold of her. "I think I've loved you for a long time, even if my actions screamed the opposite." My chest aches at the look on her face. It's utter disbelief. "I've been a fucking idiot all these years, and I want you to understand that I know I need to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."Her lips purse together as she searches my eyes."If only you would give me that chance."She pulls away from me and turns her back. "Would a man who loved me really have blackmailed me into giving up my virginity the way you did?" She asks.I hear a rumble from around the corner and before I know what is happening, Mikhail Gurin has me pinned against the wall, eyes alight with murderous rage. "I'm going to fucking kill you, Morales. I don't care who the fuck your uncle is, but you are a dead man." His hands grip my throat with such strength, I know I won't last long until he's claw
Because I love you, Natalya.Alexander' words repeat over and over in my mind like a broken record as I stare down the barrel of Mikhail's gun.It took me by surprise and I'm still not sure if it's a trick or real, but I know I feel the same and right now I'm watching as the two men I love most in this world are facing off against each other.Mikhail followed us and eavesdropped on the conversation. Clearly, I wasn't very convincing earlier, and he suspected something was up. Now, I'm standing next to the man who just professed his love for me as he stares down the barrel of my brother's gun."Mikhail, put down the gun," I repeat for the second time, trying to inch next to Alexander in an attempt to shield him from my brother.Mikhail isn't stupid, but he's also fueled by uncontrollable rage and easily angered. He heard me when I said Alexander blackmailed me into sleeping with him and that's not something he'll ever forget.Mikhail's dark eyes move to me for the second time. "How can
Siena places a hand on Mikhail's. "Surely it's not fair to try to separate two people in love?"Mikhail glares at her. "I'm not convinced he truly loves her. He blackmailed her into having sex with him."Siena raises a brow and glances at me. "Is that true?"I nod in response. "Yes, but—""No buts, it's sick," Mikhail says.Siena shakes her head. "I'm not sure you are really the one to judge, considering the way our relationship came about."That piques my interest, as I always thought Siena wasn't just some girl he met in a bar. "How did it come about?"Mikhail shakes his head. "That's a story for another day."Siena gives me an apologetic smile."So you are proposing to my sister Morales?" Mikhail asks, pinning him with his gaze.Alexander, to his credit, just returns it calmly. "Yes."My brother's gaze moves to me. "And this is what you want?"Is it what I want? Marrying Alexander sure as hell beats any other alternative, which is marrying someone I hardly know. Nik Krushev and I h
I haven't felt this happy in over six years since before my mom died. I tug Natalya into the corridor and as soon as I shut the door to the kitchen; I lift her up and twist her around in the air, laughing.I can't contain the elation I feel at how well that went, considering it started with Mikhail Gurin aiming a loaded gun at my face. There's no doubt I was scared at that moment."What are you so happy about?" She asks, and again it's unbelievably adorable how oblivious she is to my feeling for her.I shake my head. "I get to marry you, that's what." It's crazy that I want to get married at nineteen years old, but I've never wanted anything more.Her brow furrows slightly. "Everyone at the academy is going to believe we're both insane.""I don't give a shit what anyone else believes." I pull Nat tighter against me and press my lips to hers, kissing her with all the love and passion I feel for her, surprising myself with how all-consuming it is. "You are mine and always have been."Na
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