"Class dismissed," Oak announces, eyes fixed on me. "Mrs. Byrne, stay behind."A few students snicker, and Natalya gives me a knowing glance. "I'll catch up with you later."I nod in response and remain seated at my desk, staring at my husband. The look in his eyes is one of pure lust as the last student leaves the room, shutting the door behind him."How can I help you, sir?" I ask, twirling a strand of hair around my finger.He stands, approaching me as I remain seated behind my desk. "I wished to discuss Spring Break since it starts tomorrow."I raise a brow. "And what exactly did you want to discuss Spring Break for?" I ask.He grabs hold of the collar of my blouse and yanks me up to stand in front of him, eyes blazing with a mix of desire and irritation. "We didn't have a honeymoon. I'm going to take you to Naples."My eyes widen, and I shake my head. "Isn't it dangerous considering—""My past?" he finishes for me.I nod in response."It's been fifteen years since I saw my family
Oak watches the proceedings through a pair of binoculars, while I remain seated on a deck chair, keeping out of sight as he instructed.I can see the anguish as he watches her funeral from afar, and it pains me not to comfort him. So, I stand, ignoring his order, and wrap my arms around his waist."Are you okay?" I ask.He shakes his head. "No, my father, brother and sister aren't here." His brow furrows. "My uncle is acting like he's calling all the shots." He pulls out his phone, typing something in Italian into google. And then, he drops his phone to the floor, sinking down along with it."Oak, what is it?"He shakes his head and I pick up the phone, scrolling through an Italian news article. It's about his two siblings and father. Apparently, they died last year in a car accident in Sicily."They're all dead," he mutters.I run a hand through his hair and kneel in front of him. "I'm so sorry."His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. "I don't know how I didn't know." His brow furrows
When the new boy and king of the Syndicate Academy sets out to make life hell for her, Natalya is confused on why he really hates her. But with senior year fast approaching, she would rather get into trouble with the authorities, than let him keep bullying her for no reason any further.—From the first moment he laid his eyes on her, Alexander Morales has always hated Natalya Gurin. Natalya has spent years trying to avoid the brute, with Alexander going out of his way to make life hell for her.Deliberately making her trip in the cafeteria in front of everyone? Check.Disturbing her during classes? Check.Turning her friends against her? Check.Invading her personal space? Check.Natalya has learned to hate him for all this, and with senior year approaching, her escape is in sight. But Alexander doesn't intend to let her go that easily.One would break each other. And Natalya would do anything to be the victor.The show was on.Alexander Morales would pay for his crimes, one way or t
NatalyaAs I search his ice-blue eyes, I wonder what I’ve done to inspire hatred from a boy I don’t even know. It’s impossible to understand, so instead of saying another word, I turn away and walk toward an empty table near the back. Once I’m almost at the table, someone calls my name.“Hey, Natalya.”I turn to see Adrianna sitting nearby, watching me. I’ve spoken to her briefly in physical education and she’s always been friendly, even if we’re not friends.“Hey,” I say, clenching my jaw as I try not to let the pain in my chest draw tears. All I really want is to eat fast and go back to my room to sob into my pillow.“What was that all about?”I shrug. “New kid doesn’t like me and Jeanie cares more about hot guys than her friend.”Adrianna pats the seat next to her. “You are welcome to join me, Giorgia, and Azira.”I glance at the other two girls sitting at her table, who I’ve never spoken to but know by name.Azira smiles at me. “Yeah, that’s pretty shitty what Jeanie just did.”I
NatalyaPRESENT DAY.I stare up at the ominous building, hating the way my palms sweat at the sight of a school I’ve attended since I was eight years old. You’d think after almost ten years the first day jitters would have gone, but I know the reason I get so nervous.Alexander Morales.The king of the Syndicate Academy and a complete and utter asshole. A tingle races down my spine as I take my first step toward the building, wondering if Azira and Adrianna have arrived yet.Every year without fail since he arrived, Alexander has set out to make my life hell. Although, last year was the most tame year of them all. I’m hoping that the trend continues this year and he’ll keep mostly away from me. The last year of The Syndicate Academy and then I’m free from him forever.I sigh, allowing that thought to calm me as I walk through the vast ornate oak doors that pave the way into the academy. It doesn’t help that Giorgia’s family pulled her out last year. We were close, and it’s not the sam
NatalyaA shudder races down my spine. “What exactly do you intend to do to me?” I ask, hating the way my voice shakes.His smirk widens, and he brings his other hand up to cup my breasts through my blouse, making hate coil through me. “Whatever the fuck I want. Tell me, Gurin, are you a virgin?”Heat floods my entire body as I try not to look him in the eye, shocked at the turn this conversation has taken. “That’s none of your business.”“It’s my business if I say it is, or do you want me to direct Lebedev straight to your beloved brother’s doorstep?” he asks.“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Don’t.”He chuckles, the sound so callous it grates on my nerves. “That’s what I thought, now are you a virgin or not?” He forces my face up again. “I want to know if I’m dealing with damaged goods.”I glare at him, acrid hate coiling through my blood and infecting my veins. “Yes, I’m a virgin.”His shoulders relax, and the tension in his expression vanishes. It’s as if he’s relieved to hear that,
I watch her from afar as I so often do. Her head tilts back as she laughs at something one of her pathetic little friends said, acting as if she isn’t shaken by our conversation earlier today.After what I revealed, I expected her to be quiet and fearful of what was to come. Instead, she’s behaving the same way she normally would, which irritates me. Natalya doesn’t realize just how fucking different this year will be from any other before it.Summer was long and boring in Chicago. All my waste of a space father talks about is the war between the Russians, Italians and Irish of the city. He doesn’t seem to realize that I don’t give a fuck about the cartel or him, for that matter. I’m not in line for the throne, so there’s no reason for me to get involved too heavily.I’m unsure whether Natalya notices how much I watch her, but from the day we met, I knew I had to watch her. Her family is the reason everything bad in my life happened and therefore she is guilty by association.After my
Even though the Gurin Bratva is in Boston, they opened the door to the Estrada Cartel by pledging to buy our drugs only, allowing the family to move to Chicago. It led to the worst night of my life. The night we left Mexico. I shake my head, trying to push away the painful memories.Ever since I learned a Gurin attended this academy, I vowed I’d make her life hell from day one, and that’s exactly what I did. That hatred has morphed and changed over the years, getting more twisted and darker the older I got.“It’s a long story,” I say.He nods, as Damien always knows when to push or not. “Fair enough. We don’t want to be late on our first day with Luigi.” He gives me a pointed look. “The guy still scares the shit out of me, even now I’m a senior. Don’t tell Aleks or Nik, though.”I clap him on the back, laughing. “I think he scares most of the students here, including Aleks.”We walk into the classroom, where most of the students have already taken their seats a few minutes before the
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