I Despise You: A Dark High School Bully Romance Read online

  What the fuck is she doing? Knowing her, it can’t be anything good.

  “She’s only here because of my daddy’s generosity,” Brittany says in the sweetest voice ever as I approach. “Now all she has to do is marry someone rich to get herself out of the gutter.”

  She laughs, and it looks like Chase is laughing with her. His eyes shift to me, and something’s different about them.

  Shit. Brittany has just ruined everything, hasn’t she?

  “But you know what?” Brittany says to Chase, pretending she can’t see me. “It would be so nice if one of your girlfriends actually stayed alive.”

  “Keep your mouth shut!” Chase growls, and his gaze flits to me.

  I just stare back at him, and surprise flickers through his eyes. Did he think I didn’t know about Kayla?

  “Whatevs. See you later.” Brittany spins around, grins at me, and strides away.

  It’s a surprise I don’t lunge at her and try to strangle her.

  “We need to talk,” Chase says. “Let’s go to my room.”

  My class starts in about ten minutes. I guess we’ll have to be quick.

  “Yeah, sure,” I say.

  I don’t know what Chase’s thinking. Maybe this is it for us. I have no clue if he knew that I’m not rich before Brittany told him.

  Once we’re in his room, I sit down on the edge of the bed. Chase closes the door and remains standing.

  “You know about the rumors,” he says.

  It’s a statement, not a question.

  “Yeah. But they’re just rumors, right?” I eye him carefully, looking for any clues. “If you’d done it, you’d be in jail right now, not here.”

  “That’s right.” His voice is perfectly calm.

  Should I believe him or not?

  “I don’t care about what she said.”

  “What?” I blink at him.

  “About you. I don’t care if your family isn’t rich. I wasn’t rich either until my father was forced to take me in and pretend he cared.”

  “Okay.” I’m relieved to hear that it doesn’t bother him, and I’m also glad Brittany has achieved nothing. “So Kayla really overdosed?”

  “Yeah.” He rubs the back of his head. “I wish I could’ve done something to stop it, but I didn’t know what she’d done until it was too late.”

  I believe him.

  I decide that I believe him.

  I hope I’m not an idiot for doing that.

  Maybe this time the rumors are just rumors. His father’s rich, so everyone expects him to use his influence to get him out of trouble, but maybe that’s not what really happened.

  I can’t imagine being wrongfully accused of someone’s murder and having everyone whisper about it wherever I go. I can understand better now why Chase is so competitive.

  He wants to show everyone that he can be the best, his father included. And the scholarship...

  Shit. I was so wrapped up in Chase and his life that I forgot that we were competitors for the scholarship.

  If we get together, what will happen to that? I don’t think he’ll let me win, but if I lose, I’ll have to go back home and never see him again.

  Dating Chase Campbell is a complicated thing, and we’re not even doing it officially.

  “I’ll be right back,” he says, his face still strained.

  I don’t think he likes remembering Kayla. If he loved her or had feelings for her, the whole thing was even more difficult for him, especially when people blamed him.

  He storms into the bathroom, and when he opens the door, I see the pill container from his drawer on the sink.

  Those pills are yet another secret I need to unravel, but asking him about them today seems like too much. There will be more opportunities.

  Maybe Kayla’s death has affected him more than I thought, so he needs the pills to get better. I’ll find out eventually.

  When he’s back, he’s smiling again. I get to my feet and he pulls me into his arms.

  “Oh shit! My class!” I’m late.

  I’m so fucking late it’s not even real.

  “Fuck it. Nothing will happen if you skip one. You can say you’re not feeling well. I’ll get the nurse to excuse your absence.” Chase presses his forehead against mine, not letting go of me.

  “But—”

  His lips crash against mine, and I don’t get to finish the sentence.

  Maybe he’s right. It’s just one class. I’ll catch up.

  His hands move down my back, igniting a fire inside me. His kiss deepens, his tongue pushing past my lips.

  I’m breathless when he lifts his head.

  “I want you to be my girlfriend,” he says, his eyes boring into mine.

  I stare at him for a few long moments. “Okay.”

  He kisses me again, his hands cupping my ass.

  I don’t feel scared or ashamed or worried.

  I feel free.

  His mouth claims mine again and, as I back away, I trip over my own feet. Chase catches me, but we end up on the floor anyway.

  I laugh as I lie on my back on the soft carpet. Chase laughs too as he gets on top of me, trapping me with his body.

  He catches my wrists above my head, pinning me down, before plastering a big kiss on my lips.

  I should be terrified, or maybe not, because I’m not.

  I’m turned on more than ever, especially when Chase lowers his lips to my neck, his teeth lightly grazing my skin. I guess it’s pointless to worry about my skipped class right now, so I push it out of my mind.

  Chase runs his fingers down my arms and squeezes my breasts. His fingers bury in my shirt and he pulls at it so hard that the soft material rips.

  I gasp, but I don’t have time to voice my shock because he tugs my bra down, exposing my breasts. His mouth closes around my hard nipple as he fondles the other. He sucks hard and pinches my sensitive buds, but the light pain quickly melts into pleasure.

  He runs his fingers down my stomach and pushes my skirt up. His hand dives into my panties, and he shoves his fingers into my wetness.

  My moan is too loud even to my ears, but I don’t care. Chase’s fingers are pumping in and out of me as he leaves a path of kisses all over me.

  “I want to fuck you so badly,” he whispers.

  I come all over his fingers with a groan.

  As I’m trying to catch my breath, he lets go of me and pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it aside.

  He reaches into one of the drawers and pulls out a condom. While he unzips his pants, I realize this is my chance to tell him to stop.

  But I don’t want him to stop.

  I’ve never been surer about something.

  I hope I don’t regret my decision.

  When he’s on top of me again, I spread my legs wider and lift my hips. He bends his head to kiss me, and he captures my wrists above my head with one hand.

  The tip of his cock brushes my opening, and then he slams himself inside me in one quick move.

  I gasp as he fills me, and he pulls out a moment later, only to dive back inside.

  My pleasure builds and builds as he pumps in and out of me. His hands move to my breasts, kneading.

  His fast, hard thrusts push my body against the carpet, which chafes my skin, but I don’t mind.

  When Chase’s hand wraps around my throat, I meet his gaze.

  And I’m still not afraid.

  He slightly increases the pressure on my neck as he pounds into me. He holds onto me, and my breath comes out in small gasps, the pleasure inside me building to the tipping point.

  His fingers squeeze, and just as my breath cuts off, I reach my peak, my body shuddering with it.

  Chase lets go of me a moment later, pushing inside me one more time. A low sound comes out of his throat, and he envelops me with his body, his face pressed against mine.

  He gives me a kiss before rolling off me, and as my chest heaves, my body spent and tingling, I wonder what the hell I’m doing.

&nb
sp; I can’t fall for Chase.

  I can’t.

  But it’s already too late.

  Chapter 17

  THE NEXT FEW WEEKS pass by in a flash. I keep telling myself that I’m on a mission, and that what’s going on between Chase and me is just fun.

  I try to fool myself into thinking it’s just for the scholarship, but the truth is, I barely even think about it.

  Chase and I go out often. We study together. Sometimes, he orders flowers for me and has them delivered to my room. Sometimes, we go for ice cream or lunch. Almost every morning, we get up early to take a run around the campus in the morning.

  I still haven’t asked him about the pills, but I think he should tell me when he’s ready, especially if he doesn’t want anyone else to know.

  I take a look at myself in the mirror. Chase and I are supposed to sneak out to go for dinner, so I’m wearing jeans and a dark red blouse. I have no idea where Chase is going to take me because he said it’s a surprise.

  I apply some pink lip gloss onto my lips, and then I head out. The hallway is quiet, and I have no trouble getting to Chase’s room.

  He opens the door as soon as I knock. His black jeans, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket fit him so perfectly, as if they’re made for him.

  “Hey.” His lips brush mine. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah. Let’s go.” I take his hand, and we stride down the hallway.

  We get off the campus easily, and when I see the restaurant Chase picked this time, I flash him a smile. It’s a nice, small place with a terrace that looks onto a park full of flowers and trees.

  “Do you like it?” he asks.

  “Love it.”

  He leads me to our table, which is already set up, a candle and a red rose in the middle of it. After he pulls out a chair for me, I take a seat.

  “I want you to try something,” he says. “I gave the cook my mom’s recipe for a dish she loved to make. I hope you’ll like it. But if you don’t, you can always order something else.”

  Tears prickle the corners of my eyes. That’s so sweet of him. “I can’t wait to try it.”

  When the waiter comes with our food and drinks, I can’t stop myself from stealing glances at Chase. He’s just so amazing. I don’t think he’d ever hurt anyone on purpose.

  The food tastes incredible too, and once we’re finished, I take a sip of my coke. As I gaze at the trees, my thoughts fly away from Chase and somewhere else.

  A much darker place.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks.

  “Nothing.” I turn my head back to him. “Everything’s perfect.”

  “But you looked sad just a moment ago. What was that about?”

  I’m surprised he noticed. “I just... I was thinking about my dad. The anniversary of his passing is in a week, and I usually go with my mom to visit his grave every year. But now’s the first time that I won’t be able to do it. It’s weird, I guess. But everything’s different in my life right now. I’m going to Richerville Prep, and I know my dad would want me to do my best at school, no matter what it takes.”

  I can’t afford a trip there and back, especially since my mom and I can’t go together. A shudder runs through me as a cold breeze wraps around me, and I rub my arms.

  “Are you cold?” Chase asks.

  “A little,” I admit.

  He shrugs out of his jacket, comes over to me, and drapes it over my shoulders.

  “Thanks.” I look up at him and give him a small smile. His warmth seeps into me instantly, and it gets even hotter when he bends down to press his lips against mine.

  “I know just what you need,” he says as he sits back down.

  “And that is?” I cock my head at him.

  “Dessert.”

  “Yeah, that sounds perfect, actually.”

  “Ice cream?”

  I nod, since I’m no longer cold. “Chocolate. Lots of chocolate.”

  “Sure,” he says, before waving over the waiter.

  I wonder if I should ask him about the pills anyway, or find a different way to steer the conversation to possible reasons why he may be taking them, but I don’t want to ruin the moment.

  Everything’s just so perfect, and I don’t want anything to change that.

  I want to trust Chase.

  And I want to trust myself and my instincts.

  I hope I’m not wrong, because I don’t want this to end.

  Chapter 18

  WHEN CHASE TELLS ME I should pack some things because he has a surprise for me, I don’t know what to think. It turns out that we’re going on a trip, but he refuses to tell me anything about it.

  “Okay, seriously. I need to know,” I say as we drive through the woods. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see.” Chase only smiles, his eyes on the road.

  “Any hints? I didn’t even know what to take with me.” I just grabbed some snacks, a bottle of water, and some spare clothes.

  “No hints.”

  “Fine. Then at least tell me how long we’ll be gone. And what about school?” I should’ve probably asked all this before I got in the car with him, but I assumed he’d sorted everything out because he’d be in trouble too otherwise.

  “Two days,” he says. “We need half a day to get where we’re going, and another half to get back.”

  “Is this something related to your family?” I ask, wondering if his father is throwing another party or something.

  “Nope.”

  “And no one at school will freak out that we’re gone?”

  “We both have permission for our trip.” He glances at me.

  “How’d you manage that?”

  “I had help.” He winks, but I have no idea what that means.

  Whose help? Ah, yes, he’s a Campbell.

  He can do anything he wants, and now that I’m with him, it’s possible some of the privilege extends to me too since I’m officially his girlfriend.

  We end up staying at a motel, and as I stare at the map on my phone to see where exactly Chase has taken me, I furrow my brow.

  “Everything okay?” he asks as he opens a bottle of water.

  “Um, yeah. I just... This place is really close to the graveyard where my dad—” I meet his gaze. “Wait, did you actually bring me here so I could visit my dad’s grave?”

  I won’t be disappointed if he says no, but in that case, I may be able to find a way to get there anyway if we have time.

  “Yeah.” A small smile curves his lips.

  I gape at him. “Really?”

  I can’t believe he’s done that for me.

  He nods. “That’s how I got permission. I got your mom’s number from the administration and called her.”

  “My mom knows about this?”

  “Yeah. She’s sad she couldn’t make it to be with you, but she has some important business to do.”

  My thoughts immediately fly to her boss, but I don’t want that to ruin my mood.

  “Thank you,” I say, pocketing my phone and going over to him so I can wrap my arms around him. “No one has ever done something like this for me.”

  “I just want to see you happy, and if this is what you need, then I’m going to make it happen.”

  “Aww.” I tighten my arms around him.

  “We can pick up some flowers on the way. Do you want me to go with you all the way? If you want to spend some time alone with your dad, I can wait at the gate.”

  “No. I want you with me all the time.”

  “I want you with me too.” He kisses the top of my head, his hand rubbing circles on my back.

  When his phone vibrates, I pull away from him.

  He checks the screen, his face serious, but his lips spread into a grin a moment later.

  “What?” I ask.

  “A friend just texted me the questions that might show up on our next test.”

  “Oh.” I bite down on my lip.

  The fight for the scholarship is still on, and Chase and I are st
ill competitors.

  “I’ll forward them to you.”

  A few moments later, my phone vibrates, and I look up at him in surprise.

  “Is this a trick? Or did you just share this super-secret stuff with your competition?” I tease.

  “I don’t want to have an unfair advantage. I’m going to beat you fair and square.” He grins.

  “Don’t be so sure of yourself.” I shake my head at him. “I’m not going to let you win just because I think you’re cute.”

  “Cute?” He makes a face. “How about sexy?”

  “Yeah, that too.” I stick my tongue out at him.

  He runs at me, bringing me down on the bed. I let out a yelp, and then end up laughing. He starts tickling me, and tears fill my eyes because I can’t stop laughing.

  When he stops, he kisses me, and I snuggle next to him.

  “We should get some rest,” he says.

  “Yeah, we should.” I stare deep into his eyes.

  I’ve never spent the night with him like this. In the same room. In the same bed. Just sleeping.

  There’s a tiny voice in my head telling me that I should be careful because I don’t know what Chase is really capable of, even when he’s acting like the perfect boyfriend, and there’s no one here to help me. Even if I scream, I don’t know if anyone will hear me or care.

  I push those thoughts away because they’re absolutely ridiculous.

  Chase winds his arm around me, and it feels so good to be nestled in his arms.

  I drift off to sleep a few moments later, feeling safer than ever.

  Chapter 19

  WHEN CHASE AND I RETURN from our trip, our relationship is better than ever. I’m about to get ready for our study date when my phone beeps.

  I check the screen and groan. It’s an alert to remind me of a special event for parents that’s being held at our school, and we’re all required to attend, even if our parents won’t come.

  I don’t think my mom will be there. Chase’s father probably won’t show up either. That’s why both he and I forgot about the stupid event.

  I text Chase to let him know about it, and he sends me back a sad emoji face. We agree to meet at the event instead.

  Once I make sure my uniform is impeccable, I go out into the hallway. The event that’s supposed to bring parents and students closer together, or something like that, is being held in the school’s biggest room.