A Hurt So Sweet Volume One (Elite of Eden Falls Prep 1)

I'd seen a couple kids my age in the Estate gardens that day, but none of them seemed to care about talking to me, or even saying hello.

I briefly saw Dexter with a pretty blonde, and it twists my stomach into knots I refuse to acknowledge. I console myself by thinking I'll get to know them at school the next day anyway, though it does little to ease the feeling of being utterly uncomfortable in their presence.

Finally, as the last guests wait for their expensive cars to be pulled up by Oakes Estate's valet, I decide it's acceptable for me to retreat to my chambers. Nobody objects as I make my way across the grass and into the house. In fact, I'm pretty sure nobody even notices I’m gone.

The Estate never fails to shock me with its impressive grandeur, and as I race up the massive Italian marble staircase, I wonder how many of the guests from my party envy me. I guess it does look as if I have everything from the outside. But my father has taught me that while I'm his most valuable possession, I'm still just that - an object for him to use to his benefit any way he damn well pleases.

I make my way down the hall lined with portraits and expensive artwork until I finally reach the hallway leading down to my quarters in the Estate. It's a set of four rooms connected by doors with locks on the outside, which says everything about my freedom, or rather, lack thereof.

I head for the bathroom first, closing the door behind me and stripping off my mud-stained dress. I let it pool at my feet, stepping out of the ruined silk and lace and groaning when I look at my bruise-covered skin.

I pull out the freshwater pearl pins from my hair, letting the dark brown locks tumble down my shoulders. My head hurts from having the complicated updo in place all day, and I groan in relief as I strip off my pink lacy bra as well.

Just then, the door to my bathroom flies open, and I shriek in anger at the intruder, trying to cover up my body.

"Don't bother," a smug voice tells me. "Nothing I'm interested in, anyway."

The boy saunters into the room, not giving a shit that I'm naked and ignoring my angry huffs as he plops down on the marble bathtub, feet up on the edge of the stone. I grab a fluffy white towel monogrammed with my initials from the rack and attempt to cover up my body as best as I can.

"You know, I don't normally encourage this, but you really need to eat more," he tells me. "That ass could do with some fattening up, it's as flat as a goddamn pancake."

"Nobody asked for your opinion," I snap back, glaring at him. "What the fuck are you doing here anyway, Brazen?”

“Thought I’d pay you a little visit. See how you’re adjusting to Eden Falls.”

My half-brother smirks at me before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a joint.

"Don't smoke that in here," I hiss, but he ignores me, retrieving a lighter from his pants and firing up.

Plumes of smoke curl up from the joint as it smolders, and my half-brother leers at me. I cross my arms protectively in front of my body, hating that he won’t listen to me.

“I’m gonna need you to get the hell out of here like, now. Or did you suddenly forget you’re supposed to do what I tell you? I am the Firstborn here.”

He shakes the ashes off his blunt, taunting me. Nobody takes me seriously. What the hell do I have to do to get some goddamn respect? I tap my foot against the ground impatiently, without a response from him. Then, I saunter over, and turn on the showerhead.

Brazen curses and struggles to get out of the bath as the overhead sprinklers soak his clothes. I laugh at his pathetic attempts to get out, feeling pleased with myself as he finally manages to step on the marble floor, glaring at me.

“What?” I ask innocently. “I thought you needed to cool off a little. You looked a little fired up there.”

“Fuck you, Pandora,” he sneers, tossing the remain

s of the joint to the ground.

“You know, you think calling me that is an insult,” I tell him sweetly, taking a step closer and touching my finger to his chest. “But I just love that you won’t say that showy name father wants you to use.”

“I’m not doing it to be nice.” He rolls his eyes, shaking some of the water out of his soaked-through suit. “I’m doing it because you don’t deserve Lily Anna’s name. You’re never going to be one of us.”

“Blah blah blah,” I imitate him, making fun of him. “What are you doing here, anyway? I don’t want to deal with you right now. I’ve had a long fucking day.”

“Oh, I just wanted to see what you thought of your betrothed,” he mocks. “You know, the infamous Dexter Booth.”

“I did,” I get out through gritted teeth. “Why the hell do you suddenly care?”

“You know he’s basically the most important guy in this town, right?” Brazen raises his eyebrows at me. “He’s right after our father, if not even on the same level.”

“So?”

“So,” he steps closer and inspects my clueless face. “You would be doing yourself a favor if you went along with what he said.”