Hooked on the Game (The Sterling Shore Series #1) (3 page)

Silently, I start remembering all the reasons I've hated him over the past few months.  Sleep deprivation.  He's caused me to struggle many times on a test because of his obnoxious partying.  I focus on that instead of the two acts of kindness.

"When's your next doctor's appointment?" he asks, surprising me again when he starts down the road.

"Um... I don't think there's going to be one.  Since it was just some heavy bruising."

I don't know why I suddenly feel nervous.  Damn it.  I need my fury back.  Do something bastard-like!

"What?"  He seems ill, almost as if he's shocked my bruises don't need a follow-up appointment.

"Like I said, no major injuries.  No need for a second visit."

He grips the steering wheel as his jaw clenches together.  Then he turns on the road that will lead us back to his home.  I really wish Mr. Colton hadn't made me shake his hand on that second deal.  It's as if he knew I was loyal to my word.  I should have held out for Kade's counter offer.  I'd already be out of this awkwardness.

Fortunately for me, he never says anything else.  Instead, he hops out of the car, seeming angry for reasons unbeknownst to me.  I struggle between my two options - keep my mouth shut or ask him what's wrong.  I keep my mouth shut.

Carrying all my bags at once, he heads into the house, leaving me outside with all the uncertainty of what just happened.  Hot and cold.  I like him pissing me off.  It's easy to hate the rich jerk when he's actually being a jerk.

Chapter 3

A Little Too Close

I've spent a week in Kade's home.  Despite the fact we live in the same house, we barely run into each other.  And when we do, he always makes a hasty exit, avoiding me like I've got some infectious disease.  He hasn't had any raging parties.  Of course I'm sure that has something to do with the fact he'd have to ask for my permission - due to his punishment - and he won't do that.

Just as I reach the main building, I see him.  I never see him at school.

He takes a drag off a cigarette while getting flogged by the numerous eager followers who seem to worship his every word.  I hear gushing about a new party as people beg for some excitement.

This college was supposed to be different.  It's Ivy League, but it's newer, and even though it's not far from the beach, this area is rather dull.  I expected all the rich brats to be at Harvard or Yale, where their alumni parents went.  They weren't supposed to be here.

This is the whole reason I chose this place.  Out of all the scholarship offers I had, this was the most promising, and it's close to my father.  I expected more people like me - people who value education over pedigree and partying rights.  I was wrong.

This is just as bad as any other preppy choice I could have made.  Most of them want to start their own legacy, and there are a lot of rebels who feel like coming here was a way to stand up to their parents.  Just what I need.

"Nice clothes, Princess," a guy says as he sidles up beside me.  "I take it Kade's daddy is making you his project or his toy.  Which is it?"

My cheeks flame.  This isn't the first time I've endured these remarks this week.  I've been accused of screwing Kade's father so many times that I don't ever think I can face the man again.  The ones not referring to me as a mistress are calling me a charity case.

Kade glances up just as I start in, and he flicks his cigarette to the ground before casting his eyes toward the guy heckling me.

"Joseph," Kade calls, seeming bored as he walks over to my harasser.  Figures he knows him.  He's probably the one feeding them this bullshit.

The guy chuckles and jogs toward Kade, leaving me to the next attacker, whenever they come.  I'm sure it won't take long.

My head is still reeling
from calculus when I step out of class, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.  During class, several snickering fools called me a few choice names.  The professor finally had to put a stop to it.  I need to call Mr. Colton and tell him this arrangement won't work.  I also need to go buy cheap clothes.

Tears have been on the edge of my lids all day, but I've been refusing to let them fall.  I won't let these assholes see me cry.  They might be rich and cruel, but I was raised too stubborn to crumble.  I'd already acquired a few extra layers of skin back home, where the trailer park girl wasn't exactly popular at school.  This isn't anything new.  There are just more people here to torture me.

"Hey," a velvety voice says as feet thud behind me.

I ignore the familiar sound.  I can't let him see the glistening specks in my eyes.  The tears aren't falling, but they're there.

"Raya," he says, making me cringe.  Why does my name sound so foreign yet so warm when it slides through his lips?

"What?" I ask, grimacing when the word comes out in a choked form.

"Shit.  What happened?" His mock concern forces me to roll my eyes.  The tears slink back enough for me to face him.

"Nothing.  You'll be pleased to know I'm calling your father today to apologize for going back on the deal I made with him.  You win.  I give up.  Call off the hellhounds.  I'm waving the fucking white flag."

My voice starts cracking too much, and I take a steadying breath before deciding I can't face any more school today.  I almost break into a run in an effort to escape him, but he grabs my arm and pulls me back.

"I didn't do this, and you can't call my father.  He'll come to the school and raise hell if he finds out this is happening, and you'll have an even bigger target it on your back.  What did you expect to happen?  You'd move in and no one would say anything?  That's not the way it works."

"So it's my fault they want to call me a slut and a charity case?  Nice.  Real fucking nice," I say in a deadly calm tone before walking away again, ripping free from his grip.

"Damn it, Raya!  Stop.  If you have me chasing you across campus they'll talk even more."

"Then stop chasing me.  I'll just move out without calling your father."

I don't turn around to see if he stops, but I never hear him arguing anymore, so I assume he has.  I cross the road without even looking, and a horn blows loudly as tires screech.  I never even bother lifting my head.  I hate this.  It's high school all over again.  This was supposed to be a new beginning, a new life - a life where I wasn't the trailer-park girl.

I sling my backpack across the room the second I reach the upstairs suite.  I don't care about the small crack I just made in the sheetrock.  It's as though I'm not allowed to catch a break.  I'm not supposed to just have one frigging thing go my way.

It's not like I can call my mom and gripe.  She feels so guilty about so many things already, even though she shouldn't.  I can't call my Dad's family, they'd do something incredibly illegal, like hack the files of everyone hassling me and give them failing grades.  I can't call my best friend, considering she and my ex-boyfriend got together the second I moved out here.  I have no one, and now I barely have myself.  This is not how everything was supposed to go.

I start shoving different things into my bag, bypassing the new fancy clothes I should have never agreed to accept, when the door slams.

"Raya!" Kade blares, making me jump.

How dare he yell at me.

I hear quick strides bringing him up the staircase, and I rush over to shut the door before he can see the tears that have started to fall.  Before it can seal, I'm being thrown back as he barges into the room.

"You can't let them win.  If you do, you'll be their doormat for the rest of the year.  Possibly the rest of your college existence.  You're a freshman, so that's not going to work out so well for you."

The hard edge to his tone isn't fair.  He doesn't have the right to be mad at me or to speak to me like this is
my
fault.

"Go to hell, Kade.  Maybe you shouldn't have told them to ridicule me if you didn't want your
daddy
to be pissed."

I sniffle and wipe my nose as more of my traitorous tears fall.  He grinds his teeth before walking over to my bed and dumping out the bag I just finished packing with all my insulation-laced clothing.  I'll itch to death before I wear that fancy shit again.

"Get your ass up and grow the hell up.  Get over it, Raya.  You're a poor girl who landed herself a spot in a rich house.  People are going to talk.  The only thing you can do is show them they're wrong.  I've already spread the word that there will be a party Saturday.  They'll start easing off you.  Show up, drink, have fun... be a normal teenage girl."

I let out an incredulous laugh while dropping my head.  "You're such an idiot.  I won't be here in five minutes, let alone on Saturday.  I'll live in the laundromat before I stay here for one more second."

He cracks his neck to the side before jerking me by the arm and dragging me out of the room.  I stumble as I fight against him, calling him a string of names - none of which really make any sense.

"What the hell are you doing?" I bark.

"Keeping you from being a dumbass."

When I plant my feet and force my body to the ground, he leans over and scoops me over his shoulder.  I squeal and scream as I beat his back ineffectively, probably hurting my fists more than his hard body.

I feel the air, the breeze, and the pool in one gust.  I gasp for air, only to find a choking amount of water as I scramble to the surface, swatting my arms through the thick chlorine-filled beast that is burning my open eyes.  That son of a bitch!

I choke and spit in a heaving fit when I finally find air again.

"Cool off," he says with a smirk.  "When you get out, go grab a shower, eat something, and get some rest.  Things will be different tomorrow."

If I wasn't still coughing up all the intrusive water in my lungs, I'd scream at him.  He walks away before I can manage to recover, and I lose my opportunity.

I know I look like a fool trying to haul myself over the edge of the pool, but I do it.  I lie there for a minute, trying to catch my breath, but I finally manage to stand up and stalk through the house, ready to unleash hell.  He's gone.  That coward has run off after throwing me in the pool.

One of his cars is gone, his backpack is still tossed against the wall of the foyer, and there's no chance of me berating him before I leave.

Reality slowly creeps in.  I have nowhere to go.  I have no money to get another place right now.  One of my scholarships comes in monthly installments, but I won't get it for another two weeks, and it'll only be three-hundred dollars.  What the hell am I supposed to do if I leave?

Without another thought, I walk outside, step to the edge of the pool, and let myself fall back in.

Kade has done well to
avoid me since our confrontation yesterday.  Since I really had no other option, I decided to stay.  Once the fury had worn off and the dire reality of my circumstances set in, I begrudgingly accepted my one and only option - live with Kade and endure the mockery.

Maybe I'll get lucky and some scandal will sweep the school and steal the spotlight from me.  Tomorrow he's having a party.  I never agreed to that, but I'm not calling Mr. Colton to tattle.  I doubt I'll ever speak to the man again.

As soon as I leave my last class, I see the guy who harassed me in front of Kade yesterday.  His hat is drawn so low I can't see his eyes, but you never forget those who love to torture you.  Their image is always burned into your brain.

He runs all over me before I can sidestep his path, and my backpack falls from my shoulder.  I curse when the zipper strips and all my shit spills out onto the ground.  So now he's resorted to physical contact to humiliate me as well.  Perfect.  I almost made it through a whole day without anyone spewing their lies or taunts.

"S-sorry," he stammers out, sounding a little panicked as he rushes to jerk me to my feet.  In his haste, he almost jerks my arm out of socket.

Sorry?  Really?

He scrambles to start scooping all my stuff up and push it back into my bag, while I stand there stupefied.  What's going on?

When he finishes the task of reassembling my backpack, he frantically starts trying to fix my destroyed zipper.

"Fuck," he growls when he's unable to make it work.  "I'll buy you a new one," he says while standing up and carefully handing it to me without letting the sides fall open.

I warily accept it, still waiting on some major blow up.  Should I look around to see if this is the distraction before the ambush?

It's then I notice his black and swollen eye - the reason he's hiding under a hat.  An involuntary smile tugs at my lips.  This asshole has apparently tried bullying the wrong person at some point and time.  Serves him right.

"I'll get my own backpack," I mutter as his trembling hands release the bag.  "I'd hate to end up with a backpack full of snakes or something."

He doesn't say anything else before almost sprinting away from me.  I'll add that to the list of bizarre things that have happened today.  Most people have gawked at me, but no one has really taunted me.  The group of girls who've been calling me "Daddy's dirty little secret" for several days have all but disappeared today.

Either they've resorted to hushed whispers, or my prayers for a bigger scandal have been answered.  I'll gladly let them talk behind my back.  There's no one here I'm trying to impress.  As long as they leave me alone, they can ruin my name in this state.

"What happened?" Kade growls when he walks up beside me, his eyes on my bag.

I jump a little from the unexpected suddenness of his presence.  "Nothing.  Joseph ran over me, my bag fell and broke open."

I shrug, trying not to seem rattled.  I'm still humiliated for letting him see me fall apart yesterday.  I should be seething over the fact he threw me in the pool, but sadly, I'm almost glad he did.  I would have probably left and been homeless if he hadn't.

He lets a snort of disbelief free, and then his eyes scour the grounds for something.  I tilt my head, curious as to what he's searching for.

"Looking for someone?"

"Yeah.  I'll catch up with you later."

He's gone before I can say anything more than that.  It's not like it matters.  He's so... confusing.  He tosses me in a pool and then avoids me. Then he shows up at random to ask about my broken backpack before disappearing again.  I wish he'd make up his mind about whether he hated me or tolerated me.

"Hey," a voice says, startling me.

I turn to see a girl with braided pigtails and a secretive grin.  Here it comes.  I should have knocked on wood or something.  I jinxed myself by thinking they'd moved on from torturing me.