"I want you," I murmur, reaching for her hip and trying to yank her against me."Over my dead body,""I wouldn't be so dismissive."She keeps stepping away until her back hits into the wall and she's got nowhere to go. Exactly how I want her, trapped and powerless."I'm warning you, if you come any closer I'll—""You'll what, Adrianna?" I slide my hands onto her hips and yank her against me. "Tell me what you'll do to me.""This," she says and then slams her fist into my gut, knocking the wind out of me as I double over in pain.—Everyone in the Syndicate Academy knows Coach Archer for who he really is. A chronic womanizer. And he's never been fazed by it. He wooes whichever girl he likes, beds her, and moves on.No time for silly entanglements. He's way too grown for that.Until her.Adrianna Vasquez.She won't let him in so easy, and he's never backed down from a challenge before. Not now, not ever. But Adrianna is determined to teach him a lesson and leave him broken. Easy peasy.
We walk out of the hall and search the corridors, until finally we see Nat coming out of Luigi's classroom."Nat!" Azira shouts her name.Her cheeks are flushed as she turns to face us."You missed the welcome back assembly. Where were you?" Azira asks."Yeah, I text you."Nat's throat bobs as she swallows. "Morales strikes again. He locked me in Luigi's classroom."Azira balls her fists. "Bastard."I shake my head. "What did he want this time?"Nat's cheeks darken. "I honestly don't know, other than forcing me to miss the welcome back assembly."Azira frowns. "I didn't see him in it either."Nat shrugs. "Maybe he slipped in late at the back?"I don't believe what Nat is saying. There's something that she's leaving out from her story, but I don't question her. Nat can be ridiculously stubborn. If she doesn't want to tell us the full story, she won't."Fair enough." I check my rota. "We've all got gym first, right?"Nat nods."Yeah," Azira says, glancing at her watch. "And we're going
The time of giving Adrianna suggestive looks is over, as I watch her as she walks across the gym hall in her too tight top and short skirt It's impossible to stem my desire for her. It's been just over five weeks since the semester started, and I can't wait any longer.Adrianna Vasquez.The girl I want this year more than any girl I've ever wanted in any other school year. Biding my time is finally over, as patience isn't my strong suit and she's ignored all of my subtle hints.She's brilliant in every single way.Beautiful beyond compare and the top of combat class, even better than any of the guys in the class. The only person she can't best is me.After this lesson, I intend to make my proposition. I will have her in my bed sooner rather than later. However, there's a niggling doubt in the back of my mind that Adrianna might not be so easy to win over.In past years the girls I've had affairs with have been eager and almost tempting me with their come fuck me eyes. Adrianna is as c
Adrianna slips free from my grasp and darts around me at the speed of lightning, rushing to grab her bag off of the bench.The fucked up truth is that her resistance is only making me want her more. "Fuck. Ms. Vasquez, that was uncalled for." I straighten up and turn to face her, striding over to the bench where she's packing her bag as quickly as she can. "Do you want me to give you detention with Luigi after school today?"She glares at me. "Uncalled for?! It was self-defense, for fuck's sake. Your behavior is uncalled for.""Language, Adrianna." I arch a brow. "And what behavior is that?"Her mouth falls open. "Coming onto me when you're my fucking coach."I lick my bottom lip as she uses the same dirty word again. "What did I tell you about your filthy mouth?" I keep on closing the gap between us until I'm a foot away from her. "You know that you can't resist." I reach for her hip, but she sees it coming this time, darting out of my grasp."Stay away from me, Coach. I'll report yo
"The man is a complete and utter pig," I finish, shaking my head as my blood is still boiling over Coach Daniel's attempt to get me into his bed."What are you going to do?" Nat asks.She shrugs. "I'm going to keep telling him to fuck off."I bite my bottom lip. "Not sure Archer takes rejection very well."Azira nods. "I heard he can make girls' lives a living hell if they reject him."Red hot anger coils through my veins as I wonder if my friends seriously suggest that I should just lie down and spread my legs for a man whore because his ego is going to be hurt. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at them. "What are you saying? I'm not sleeping with him because he'll get angry about being rejected. He can fuck himself for all I care."Nat nods. "Fair enough.""He's hot, though. Don't you think?" Azira asks.Azira is insane to even bring it up. He may be hot, but he's had so many students over the years it's disgusting. "Yes, and a complete and utter man whore. There's no way I'm
We grab our bags and head toward the exit of the cafeteria, only for Alexander to block our way."Where do you think you are going?"Nat glares at him. "The library.""Yeah, get the fuck out of our way, Morales. Or I'll deck you."He chuckles. "Not sure you can after your shitty performance against Daniels in class earlier."I clench my fists. "What? You think you can do better?"His cocky smirk drives me wild with anger. "Perhaps." He glances at Nat. "As always, you are a complete and utter nerd, spending your free periods in the library."I grab Azira's arm and drag her around him. "Come on. We don't have time for bullies like him.""That's right, run away," he calls after us."I hate that boy," I say.Natalya just looks a little flustered, nodding in response. "Yeah."Not looking where I was going, I barge straight into someone.When I look up, it's Coach looking down at me. "You should really look where you are going, Adrianna."I glare at him. "Perhaps you should too," I say.He
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
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