Wreck Me (Corrupt Legacy Series #2)

In his office, I find pictures of me and Dane scattered on his desk, even ones from the weekend we spent together.

I jut my chin up. Arrogance is a foolish attitude when your life hangs by a thread. But I don’t seem to care.

“I showed the pictures to your parents. They said it’s up to me what I’m going to do with you.”

“It was worth it.”

He slaps me so hard that my head reels to the side.

I burst into laughter. “You must feel really weak if you have to hit me.”

“You had just one thing to do, and now you’ve tarnished it. Does my son even know you fooled around behind his back with a nobody?”

“Dane will do far greater things in his life than you ever did.”

Another slap. The tangy taste of blood coats my tongue. I wipe the corner of my mouth with my thumb, gathering the red drop. The physical pain is nothing in comparison to my insides crumbling at losing Dane.

“Hit me, but nothing will change the fact that he had me. And I loved every moment. I’m not fucking afraid of you.”

His eyes bulge out, his face taking a shade of violet. I doubt I am that lucky for him to burst a vein.

“You will do as I tell you to save face, you little whore. And for your sake, I hope it’s believable.”

I flinch at that crass word. “What if I don’t?” Something in me snaps, making me lose my common sense along with my reason, and I revel in madness.

“Accidents happen all the time. One call from me and he’d be dead.”

Felix opens the laptop, and a man dressed in black is in Dane’s bedroom.

My heart forgets to beat in my chest and my rebellious strike comes to an abrupt halt, waking me up from my momentarily lapse of judgment. “No, please. He has nothing to do with it.”

“I should kill him just for tarnishing you.”

“And if you do, I will never be the pliant girl you want me to be so desperately.”

“I have ways of making you that way. Stupid girl. If you ever step out of line again, I will kill you too.”

His eyes are void of empathy.

“If you kill him, I’ll never be what you want me to be if you do that.”

If I thought sneaking around with Dane was risky, now I am literally risking our lives. Felix and I are locked in a standoff until he gives the order for the man to retreat, and I can finally breathe again.

“This is not over. You will pay for this. Now leave.”

Back at the dorm, I dab on some makeup, getting ready for today’s classes. Foundation and concealer cake my face. But how do I say my boyfriend’s father hit me, called me a whore, and wanted to kill my lover? That is ludicrous, but not to me.

Kaden intercepts me in the hallway, and his eyebrows draw together. “What’s wrong?”

I have never seen him as anything but my best friend and brother, but we have to be smart. I am torn between telling him the truth, giving him another reason to hate his father, and keeping it to myself. We should focus on planning our escape. Revenge will bring us nothing. They’ve already won. Besides what could be better than the next generation vanishing?

Students pile up in the hallway. Kaden accompanies me to my first class, waiting for an answer.

“We’ll talk after,” I say and take my seat when I feel Dane.

He drops into the seat next to me. I was in his arms only yesterday. Only a few days ago I was happier than I believed possible. Now, I am a monolith of dejection. I want to tell him so many things, but when I lift my eyes to look at him, no words come out.

“If the guy can forgive you for fooling around with another, even I have to give it to him.”