I stride into the staff room to find Elaine and Sophia chitchatting together at the back. They both fall silent as I walk in."Don't stop on my account."Sophia blushes the moment my eyes land on her. The interrogation professor has had a crush on me ever since Oak employed her two years ago. She's attractive, but not my type. Although when I told Oak that, his response was that's because she's not eighteen.The truth of it is that Sophia is going to be at this school permanently. Seniors come and go and therefore there're no strings attached, exactly how I like it."Morning, Archer," Elaine says, glaring at me over her spectacles. "Are you behaving yourself this year?""Behaving myself?" I ask, tilting my head. "Don't I always?"She shakes her head. "No, you do not. I hope you haven't set your eyes on another young and impressionable girl."I have, although she's definitely not impressionable. Stubborn as a mule is the better description."Not sure what you're talking about."Sophia
Bly is a sadist through and through. I don't know what exactly happened to him as a kid, but Oak reckons it was very dark and disturbing. No one can get him to open up about his life in Russia. He just says he doesn't remember.Oak is already sitting at the table in the diner where we eat weekly, a beer in hand."You two are late," he says as we approach the table, eyes fixed on me."Don't look at me." I glance at Bly. "I had to call Bly to find out where he was."We sit in our usual seats, and the waitress, Jenny, comes over, batting her eyelids at me. "Hey Archer," she says, twirling her hair around her fingers.I've flirted with her a lot and even got close to asking her out until Oak and Bly banned me from going anywhere near her. They don't want a reason not to come here, as they do the best ribs and burgers in town."Hey," I say, as she sets down three menus."I'll be back to take your orders in a minute." She twirls around and walks away, glancing over her shoulder at me.I sha
Natalya's new friend, Eva, notices me in the library, where I'm trying to complete my interrogation assignment.It's a little strange having a newbie in our group. And I can't help but feel like Nat is trying to replace Giorgia, which I don't like. Eva seems nice, if not a little judgmental about people like us, because she wants nothing to do with the world she was born into."Hey Adrianna, can I sit?" she asks.I nod in response.She smiles and takes a seat next to me. "This place is crazy. You know, I just witnessed a sword fight in the quad."I arch a brow. "Your point is?"Eva shakes her head. "I never knew a school like this existed, that's all." She runs a hand across the back of her neck. "How is it that they keep any governing body out of this place?""They don't," I reply, still skimming the book in front of me that I'm meant to be reading for interrogation class. "School inspections are carried out now and then. We have to attend normal classes and put on a show for the ins
Someone knocks on my door and I go to open it, frowning when I see Natalya standing there in a dress, looking ready for a night out. "What's up?""We're going out," she says.It's not often that Nat wants to go anywhere. "Where?""Town," she says, barging her way into my room. "Azira wanted to get ready in here."Azira clears her throat. "Town with Alexander Morales and his group of asshole friends, she forgot to mention." She throws her dress on my bed and strips out of her joggers and shirt."And why the fuck are we going out with them?"Azira rolls her eyes. "Don't even go there. Just pick a dress and let's party."Alexander Morales is a fucking asshole and I don't really want to go out with him, but the idea of getting off campus for a few hours and having a few drinks is appealing.I walk into my closet to get a dress, selecting a red mid-length dress with a low neckline. As I walk out of my closet, I see Azira is already dressed, which has to be some kind of record for her. She'
"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
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