Bad Romance (4 page)

“No.” I took a step back into Todd’s chest. The feel of his breath releasing was a comfort. One arm went around my waist and I felt safe. That was a nice feeling, considering it’d been at the age of eleven when I’d last felt this comforted by a male other than my father.

I watched a darkness cross over Dax’s face. The corner of his lips slipped up in a smile so menacing I shrank back against Todd more. I heard a rumble in Todd’s chest, but before he could defend my honor in some way, Dax was opening his mouth and making me want to punch the living daylights out of him. He leaned down, his nose touching mine.

“Then get the fuck out of my house, you worthless little cock tease. The rules are you take the shot. If you can’t woman up and take the fucking shot I don’t want you at my party. Got it, little girl?”

I moved without thinking and the pain radiating through my palm had nothing on the loud smack that was heard even over the loud throb of Lady Gaga’s
Lovegame
. Dax didn’t even move. He just curved that smile up higher and then slowly leaned back until he stood at his full height. The big SOB had to be at least six four.

“You’ll pay for that, little girl.”

He turned to set the shot down. “Get her the fuck out of my house, Todd. Or I will remove her myself.”

Fuck. This. Shit.

I jumped forward without thinking and snatched the vial from his hand and threw it back. Before he could react, I caught a look of shock on his face before he closed it down and I slammed the little pink vial against his chest and shouted, “How is that for ‘little girl’, you fu
cking piece of worthless shit?”

“
Hol
y fuck, Clara! What did he do?”

Oh, Shannon, right on time for my brilliant performance. People were cheering and chanting my name. Dax looked around and it seemed to inflame him more. I watched his jaw work before he looked at me, gave me a once over, lingering on my breasts, and then swaggered off down a hall that seemed to disappear into darkness.

Arms circled around me and I turned into them and looked up. My cheeks felt warm. Shannon was at my back and resting her hand on my shoulder.

“What happened, Clara?”

“Nothing that can’t be fixed with another one of those. Right, Todd?”

He smiled down at me and leaned in. His lips brushed over mine ever so softly and I felt his tongue tease my bottom lip.

“That was so hot,” he whispered. “I’ve never seen a girl turn down Dax, much less make him look stupid in a crowded room.”

Shit, maybe I played that too fast and loose. Todd must have sensed my change of bravada.

“No, no!” He grabbed my chin and shifted me to face him. “It’s good for him. You did great. Now, let me get you that lemonade. That one shot is like ten shots of tequila. We use it to make the girls get naked faster.”

My eyes went wide and he laughed. He threw his head back and everything. It looked so adorable. Notice I kept calling him adorable, yeah, he was gonna make a fantastic bestie, but boyfriend, this was not happening. One didn’t call a hot, available man that would one day possibly rule the world adorable. You called him hot as fuck, and right now all my brain could make hot as fuck was Dax, even if he was a shitty prick.

“
Don’t worry, there is no date rape going on. They get a little warm all over and then get naked. Makes for a festive evening, espec
ially now that we have a pool.”

I guess.

I looked down at his bare chest. My fingers played at his light dusting of chest hair and I leaned into him.

“It was good though, right? I made those. Sweet but with a fire in your belly at the end.”

I jerked my head up.

“You made those?”

He nodded and smiled. Well, he was sexy. My body wanted all of that all over me, but my brain and heart just weren’t in the game. Maybe I shouldn’t count him out too soon. He was super nice and not trying to get me drunk even though I offered to take another shot.
“Come on, drink, and then we can dance a bit and meet some people.”

“God, Clara, only you would be the life of the party.” Shannon whooped and then dashed off back where she had come from.

“She’s a very spirited one.” Todd laughed as he guided me, his warm, large hand on the small of my back. We entered the kitchen where someone was doing a handstand on a beer keg. God, I so didn’t belong here. Todd must have sensed my hesitation because he pulled me back in close, slipping a finger under my chin and lifting my eyes to meet his.

“I’ll keep you safe. No more drinks if you don’t want them, and no more Dax. We can go up to my room, or we can even go back to your place. Either way I don’t mind. Your choice.”

Really? How can you deny that anything? And you all weren’t looking deep into his light blue eyes that gazed down on me like I was the most precious thing in the world. A memory suddenly slammed in front of this perfect man and shattered the moment.

Dax, it would seem, liked to ruin everything these days.

He used to look at me like that.

I stepped out of his hold and smiled up at him. I knew that my fake grin didn’t reach my eyes, but if he no
ticed he wasn’t telling.

“
Your room will be fine. I’d like to get to know you, can’t really do t
hat shit-faced drunk, can you?”

He laughed deep and it was like a purr coming from him. There went those naughty bits again. My pussy was like a running river into my panties. I hoped no one noticed. Todd wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked me up the stairs and handed me a red cup full of lemonade. As I headed up I started to feel the warming sensation of that damned shot. I tripped over my feet and Todd scooped me up and walked me the rest of the way up the stairs. I looked up at him and rested my palm against his chest.

“My hero.”

“Not yet, but maybe soon.”

“I have every faith that you will be my hero.” I smiled up at him before he set me down carefully on a couch.

I looked around and noticed the room had a pool table, pin ball machine, and foosball. This place was a party all on its own.

“Wow.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s the playroom, I guess. Want to play some foosball?”

“Are you prepared to lose?”

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?”

“It is for sure like that,” I laughed. I must have gotten up too quickly because I swayed and stumbled forward.

“Whoa, sweetheart. You okay?”

I shivered, and fear slammed into me. My vision got blurry and my brain felt like it was in a fish tank.

“Yeah, I guess that shot.”

“Why don’t we move slow? I’ll get you some water. Just give me a few, I’ll be right back.”

I nodded and lay back on the couch. As my eyes tried to take in the world around me, I swear I could hear Dax’s deep, masculine voice. A cold chill spread through my body at his words before my world went dark.

“I warned you, little girl.”

Chapter Four

Dax

Fuck.

Looking down at her, I was starting to have second thoughts about what I was going to do. Then again, it was the only way I could rationally come up with that would keep everyone, especially males, away from her.

Was it fucked up?

Yep.

Did I really give a shit?

Right now, no. I just wanted her to suffer in the same misery I had for the last fourteen years without her. She’d no clue what I’d gone through, and she didn’t care either, considering she didn’t even remember who I was.

What a bitch.

Clara looked so innocent right now.

Her shoulder length brown hair spilled over the arm of the couch and the pale skin on her cheeks were flushed from the wicked concoction I’d drugged her with. Yes, I dosed her with a fucking roofie. It wasn’t like I was going to allow her to be gang raped. I wasn’t even going to rape her. I was going to set her path. Yeah, it was gonna be fucked. Did you somehow get the impression I gave a fuck how much I was hurting this chick? Her breathing was slow, but a bit labored. If I’m being honest, I was a touch worried about that. Against my better judgment I reached for her. My brows furrowed. Her forehead was hot to the touch and she was sweating. Slowly, I traced the path of freckles over the bridge of her nose. I’d always loved her freckles. As her chest lifted on a slow breath, I watched her tits strain against the lace that peaked over the top of her low-cut top.

I swallowed.

Fuck me.

Who thought Clara Parker would have the most fantastic tits I’d ever seen? I leaned forward and brushed my lips over the tops of her heaving tits.

An annoyed sigh behind me drew my attenti
on back to the present. Why the fuck did she have to be so hot?

“
Just─”
she huffed.

Fucking huffed. Why the fuck did I pick a girl to do this with me that would huff? Oh, that’s right. Tamara was jealous of any bitch who even looked in my direction. Seeing
as this was another chance for her to be a horrible person on her climb to the top of me, she was more than happy to set a girl up to crash and burn before she even started.

I got to my feet, stomped towards her and shoved her with my chest.

“Spit it the fuck out,” I growled.

She pushed me, stepping out of my personal space, a look of pure disgust on her oh-so-deceptively pretty face.

“
What the fuck, Dax? I’m doing this shit for you. Do you know this is my education on the line too? This is going to look like fu
cking rape if she wants it to.”

She tossed her jet black hair over her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest, effectively shoving her tits in my face. Gotta admit, after a long day, sucking on those things sure does make a man’s mood chipper. I decided being crass with her, while attempting to get her to break the law with me, wasn’t really the best approach. I slapped on my come-fuck-me smile, and pulled her in against my body.

Her yelp mixed with a giggle eased some of my nerves. Yes, you got that right, Dax Trenton was fucking nervous. Not only would I be singlehandedly ruining Clara’s reputation at this school, but I’m pretty sure her father would be pissed at me. He wasn’t a bad guy, he just didn’t know what the fuck was really going on at home with my dad.

Shaking the horrible memories out of my brain and replacing them with my scheme, I slipped my hands down to cup Tamara’s very well-shaped ass. I pulled her in against my throbbing dick and ground against her belly.

“Don’t worry, Tams. As soon as we finish, I’ll fuck you within an inch of your life.”

She nearly purred out my name and licked my bottom lip before nipping at it.

“Promise?” she whined.

Nails on a chalkboard, I tell ya.

“Promise.”

I was totally going to fuck her. I was going to fuck her while thinking about fucking Clara because I c
ould. Who was going to stop me?

Tamara’s eyes scanned the room, and her eyes lowered to slits as she moved from me and stood over Clara’s sleeping body.

“So, what this bitch do to get you to blacklist her before school even starts?”

I dropped my gaze to Clara and said without hesitation, “She was born.”

Tamara gave me that confused look that all stupid girls do who are only smart because they have enough money to pay for the answers to tests. It was a look that was as empty and vapid as it got.

“So, what’s the plan?”

Coming up to stand next to Tamara, I looked down at a smiling, sleeping, unassuming girl. That’s what Clara was to me in that moment. A vulnerable pawn in my revenge. For a life lost, and a love long since forgotten.

“I need you to get her top and bra off, put her in the bed with me, and start recording. Get her from behind only. I’ll edit this shit later.”

Tamara nodded, suddenly all business for a chick I’d believed was shit-faced drunk two seconds ago. As I leaned over and picked Clara up, a sigh escaped her as she leaned into my body. Something in my chest got tight. I lay her on my bed and watched Tamara remove the top portion of her clothes with a ruthless cunning glowing in her eyes. Memories flooded me. It was the last night I’d seen Clara. We were huddled alone in a park. That’s where we met when I needed to get away. Clara found it one night after my father had been particularly rough with me. It was there all promises were made, and the next day broken. Tamara moved away and Clara’s exposed bare back was in full view.

I scrubbed a hand down my face and itched at the light regrowth on my cheek. Fuck me blind, she had freckles on her back. I could have gone forever without knowing that. I shook off the momentary lapse and, tugging off my shirt and board shorts, slipped into the bed. I was naked, but I wouldn’t remove Clara’s pants. If she did turn us in, I wanted it known it was a prank and I hadn’t really fucked a drugged chick.