Elle wrapped her arms around Nero’s neck. “Something tells me you’ve made plans for me.”
Nero laughed. “I might have.”
“Well, are you going to tell me?”
“No, it’s a surprise.” Nero put his hands in Elle’s hair and brought her face toward his, giving her a firm kiss.
Elle kissed him back, her tongue flicking out to trace his mouth. Her hunger had risen to new heights. Nero hadn’t made a big move on her since that night three weeks ago when he had given her that orgasm, her first. He still kissed her relentlessly and touched her over her clothes, but he hadn’t tried anything like he had done that night.
At first, Elle had been grateful, but every day her body burned hotter and craved for Nero to do something, anything. She didn’t understand why he didn’t try something since he had been persistent in the beginning. When things would heat up between them, Nero would stop, making Elle think something was wrong with her.
“Are you two done sticking your tongues down each other’s throat? Because I would like to get the fuck out of here.”
Elle quickly pulled away and stood up at Vincent’s voice.
Nero sighed as he went to stand. “I’ll remember that.”
“I’m sure you will.” Vincent laughed.
Elle walked out of the classroom, trying not to blush when she saw Chloe and Amo talking to each other under their breath while trying not to laugh. Elle couldn’t believe the two had actually started getting along. Well, mostly.
She had noticed Chloe couldn’t even look at the guys the day after she spent the night with Nero, but then again, she didn’t even look at Elle much that day. She figured something must have happened at home that night because, every day after that, Chloe had become more and more comfortable.
Nero grabbed Elle’s hand and they started walking to the student parking lot. When they finally reached Chloe’s BMW, Nero opened the passenger’s door and Elle got in.
“I’ll call you.” Nero swiftly gave her a kiss before he shut the door.
“Does he know?”
Elle looked over at Chloe’s smiling face. “Know what?”
“That your birthday is tomorrow,” Chloe answered.
Elle raised her eyebrow. “Did you tell him?”
Chloe laughed. “No.”
“Then nope.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
A Work of Art
Nero sat on the hood of his car, surrounded by trees and a dirt road. The sun had gone down, and Nero knew it should be any minute now.
Twenty minutes passed before headlights lit up his surroundings. He heard the door open and slam with a loud noise.
Nero walked over to the car and another sound greeted him. The sound sang to his soul. Finally.
“Ready, brother?” Lucca appeared beside him.
Nero looked down at his hands and made two fists. “I can’t use my hands.”
“I was hoping you would say that.” Lucca opened the car’s back door then reached in his backseat and tossed a wooden bat to Nero.
Nero walked toward the trunk and the sound grew louder. He gripped the bat in his hands. “Now, I’m ready.”
Lucca opened the trunk and a crying Sebastian wailed for forgiveness.
Nero grabbed Sebastian’s shirt and pulled him out of the trunk before he pushed him to the ground.
Nero stared into Sebastian’s crying, pleading eyes. He had waited three weeks for this moment, planning for this all to be perfect. He had started getting even with the kids at school who had made Elle’s life miserable, then the ones who had touched her. And, finally, the ones who had tortured her.
That had caused everyone who had ever hurt Elle to start to shit their pants, waiting and wondering if he was going to come for them. Sebastian had waited the longest, scared every fucking day for the last three weeks. This time, he’d told Amo and Vincent he needed to get even on his own.
“You fucking lied to me, Sebastian.”
Sebastian had blackmailed the quarterback to throw the milk carton at Elle. He had felt bad afterwards and that was why he had offered to get his team to guard Elle’s table. He confessed when Nero had sent out his first round of paybacks.
Sebastian went to his knees. “P-P-Please d-don—”
Nero swung the bat, crashing it against his arm. He didn’t fucking care how much he begged. He didn’t give a shit when Elle begged.
Nero took his time, slamming the bat against Sebastian’s body and keeping in mind every place he had ever touched Elle. The sound of sobbing combined with the sounds of bones breaking calmed his soul.
Nero leaned down and grabbed an almost-unconscious Sebastian’s face. He made sure he had broken every inch of his body but left his face untouched.
“I made you a fucking promise that you would be unrecognizable, and I keep my promises.”
Nero pushed back the mass of hair from his face. As he stood, he looked over at Lucca, leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette.
“Do I finally get a turn?”
Nero walked over to him. “What are you going to do with him when you’re done?”
Lucca flicked his cigarette toward Sebastian’s body. “I thought I’d give him a ride to the hospital.”
Nero strode back to his car, satisfied at giving him over to Lucca. Nero had just created a work of art, but Lucca, he made masterpieces.
Nero got in the car and pulled out his phone. Now that he had gotten even with everyone who’d ever hurt Elle, he could finally claim the prize he now felt deserving of.
Nero drove out onto the dirt road, smiling into the flicker of light off in the distance.
* * *
Elle watched Maria hold up a dress.
Maria shook her head. “Nope, I don’t like it.”
Elle laughed. “Are you planning on going somewhere?”
Nero had called and asked if she would spend the night with Maria, saying she looked like she needed some girl time. Elle, of course, had agreed and told her parents she was staying over at Chloe’s since her dad wouldn’t appreciate that she was going to stay at Nero’s house. Since it was a school night, too, she told them they had another project due—after all, it had worked well the first time.