When Rivals Fall (Bayshore Rivals 1)

“That little stunt ruined his senior year. Got him suspended from the team. You tarnished our family name, but that was the point, right?” Oliver hisses, his eyes narrowing, his angular jaw—sharp enough to cut glass—clenching.

The Bishops’ had money, but nothing could stop the local papers from printing an article about their son doing drugs and getting booted from the team. My father had hit his mark and made them bleed, and worse he’d used me to do it.

“Well, now that our family business is ruined, there is nothing for us to take over, so I guess we all have to go to college after all,” Banks explains, and I finally get it. All three of them will be attending Bayshore. This can’t be happening.

“Please… look….” An apology is sitting on the edge of my tongue, but a hand comes out of nowhere from behind me and presses against my mouth—another at my hip—effectively cutting off the words before I get a chance to say them.

I know who it is that has ahold of me, and I try to wiggle out of Banks’ hold, but he just pulls me closer, until my back is pressed firmly into his muscular chest. Panic, and something else, something warm, and euphoric swirl in my belly.

No. I won’t be attracted to them, and their stupid muscles, hard abs, and devilish smiles. They’re the enemy, my rivals.

“Shh, Princess. We didn’t say you could speak. Keep your mouth shut, otherwise, we’ll find a better use for it.” Banks’ smooth voice tickles my ear as he pulls his hand away from my mouth. His body remains close to mine, too close, but for some reason, I don’t move right away. One of his hands remains on my hip and I just stand there for a moment, letting his body heat seep into me, trying to warm the icy cold blood running through my veins.

“I told you… I promised you, that you would pay, and now it’s time. It’s time to pay your dues.” Tears sting my eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. I will not cry in front of them. I won’t.

Finding a sliver of strength, I jab my elbow into Banks’ ribs. He releases me, even though I know I didn’t hit him hard enough to hurt.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he snickers.

I step toward the door that Sullivan is now blocking with his body.

“Let me go,” I grit out through my teeth.

No one moves, or says a single word, it’s almost like they’re waiting for Sullivan to make a choice and that terrifies me. After a long second, he finally moves out of the way, a smug grin painted on his face. Waving his hand over the door and motioning me to leave, he says, “You may leave tonight, but you can never get away from us. We’ll find you wherever you go, and we will make you pay for what you did.”

Chapter Two

Running down the stairs as fast as I can, I almost trip, missing the last step. I can’t form a single thought besides the one telling me that I need to get out of here. Scanning the crowded room I look for Shelby. She isn’t anywhere to be found and I grow increasingly worried with each second that passes.

I can’t breathe. I need to go, get as far away from this place as I can. My feet start to move on their own, and I find I’m moving through the crowd of people, pushing some out of the way as I go. Before I know it I’ve made it to the front door. I suck in a greedy breath of fresh air, my heart racing so fast inside my chest that it feels like I’m having a heart attack.

What the hell just happened?

Reaching into my back pocket I pull out my phone so I can send Shelby a text telling her that I’m outside and ready to go. She appears in the front yard a minute later shaking her head at me.

“What the hell, Harlow? We just got here,” when she sees my face her expression sobers. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Do you know who owns this house? Who invited you to this party?” As soon as I ask the question her lips curl into a deep frown.

“Well, I didn’t at first but I kind of figured it out. I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal. They just want to be friends. Is that really so bad?” She doesn’t have the first clue what she’s talking about.

“You told them I was going to school here? When? How? And why?” I yell, threading my fingers through my long blonde hair. The rational part of me knows it’s not her fault. She doesn’t know about all of the things that have happened between the Bishops and my family, no one does besides the people involved.