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

I grip my elbow which is throbbing painfully, and the two guys linger above me, blocking me from getting away.

“Dexter! He tried to touch me!” I point a shaky, accusatory finger at Lai. “He disrespected you! You need to stop him!”

“Stupid toy,” Dexter mutters under his breath. “You still haven’t figured this out, have you?”

I give him a quizzical look as he kneels next to me, touching his calloused fingertips to the scratch on my elbow that’s lightly bleeding. Then, he brings his palm to his mouth, licking at the blood on his fingers. I recoil.

“I rule this school. I rule this town. I even rule our friend Lai over here,” he informs me. “And if I tell him he needs to do something, you can bet your tiny little ass he’s going to be on it.”

“But…” I’m trying to find a saving grace but coming up empty. “We’re engaged, for God’s sake!”

“No one’s saying he’s going to fuck you,” Dexter smirks at my naivete. “Though I don’t even know if you kept yourself pure for me… Have you, little toy?”

He takes a step forward, smearing my own blood over my face as he grips my cheeks with one hand.

“If I find out you’ve been offering that prize between your legs to somebody – anybody – else, I’m going to beat that rebellious streak right out of you. Got it?”

I’m so terrified I just nod. There’s no room to argue here. I’m too afraid of what he might do to me if I try.

“Good,” Dexter mutters. “Now get the fuck up.”

He doesn’t even offer me his hand, but Lai does, taking a step forward and giving me a pity-filled look that’s so different from the lust-filled gaze from before it makes me want to cry. I don’t accept his help, picking myself up clumsily instead.

“Back to the changing room,” Dexter instructs. “We still got forty-five minutes. I suggest you stop running now, toy. Unless you want your whole class to watch you submit to me. But maybe that’s the kind of thing you like?”

I think about what he’s saying. Being hurt here, without anyone watching, is still preferable to them torturing me in front of the other students. And I have a feeling they’d just love to discipline me with an audience present.

“No,” I say quickly, realizing I don’t have a choice. “Please, I don’t want that. I’ll be good. I’ll behave.”

“Remember your promise from the party,” Dexter reminds me yet again. “I’ll hold you to it.”

They march me back into the changing room, my small body trapped between their strong physiques. My heart is pounding as I try to come up with a way to run the fuck away, but I keep coming back empty. Nothing’s going to save me now, unless a miracle happens in the next ten seconds. But it seems lately I’m born under an unlucky star. Surely things are going to start working in my favor now.

Once we reach the locker room again, they force me into the shower and turn on the showerhead above me. I’m reminded of my own prank, the one I’d played on Brazen, as I become instantly soaked to the skin.

“To drown out your cries of pleasure,” Lai tells me with a wicked grin, and I feel goosebumps erupting all over my body at the sound of his voice and the dark promises it holds.

“Please,” I beg for the last time, not sure whether I should address my pleas to Dexter or his friend. “I won’t tell anyone what you did here. We can just go back to normal tomorrow. I swear I won’t tell a soul what you tried to do to me.”

“Hear that, Lai?” Dexter smirks without taking his eyes off me. “Little toy is already making more promises, before we’ve even touched her. So naïve, isn’t she?”

“So naïve,” Lai confirms with a nod, his hungry eyes devouring my body.

To my absolute horror, I realize my nipples have formed stiff peaks under the thin fabric of my pale pink bodysuit. They’re stretching the fabric of the undergarment, and it’s only a matter of seconds before they catch my abusers’ eyes. Hoping they won’t notice; I cross my arms defensively in front of my body.

“Where should we start?” Dexter taps his chin thoughtfully, and I hate him even more intensely for drawing out the inevitable.

“Just get it over with,” I bark at him. “Whatever you’re going to do to me, just get it the fuck over it. And don’t think you’re going to break me. That’s never going to happen.”

“Okay, let’s get this party started. Toy’s request.” Dexter smirks at me before nodding at Lai. “Hold her arms up. Above her head.”

His errand boy advances on me, and my back hits the tiled wall in the showers as I realize I have nowhere else to run. The cold water is hitting me from all angles in the shower now, and both Lai and I are getting drenched. But neither of the boys seem to care. There’s a certain hungry glint in their eyes that sends waves of fear rushing through my body.

Lai grabs me by the wrists, making me gasp out loud. He pins my arms above my head, firmly holding me in place as he smirks at me. I struggle against him, but I’m powerless against his strong grip. Once again, I know I’m going to have bruises when they’re done with me. What’s wrong with these people? Why are they so intent on causing me pain?

I feel Dexter’s eyes drinking me in, lingering on the now soaked-through bodysuit I’m still wearing. I become painfully aware of my puffed-up nipples, and I know my leotard is probably see-through by now. But I don’t give him the pleasure of crying out in frustration. Instead, I return his gaze, focusing my eyes on him, almost daring him to say something. And he doesn’t hesitate, laughing in my face before addressing Lai again.

“Don’t you think she looks pretty like this?” he asks the taller boy. “So helpless. So powerless. I love it when she struggles.”