Dirty Little Secrets (Kings of Bolten 1)

“You’re sick.” I scowled at him.

Dominic let out a soft laugh and shifted in front of me. He paused, his fingers wrapping around my throat. I whimpered at his touch. Not because it was rough, but because it was fierce. Overpowering. Protective. It made butterflies rocket through my belly.

He caressed down my neck and stopped just above my breast. I sucked in short, shaky breaths.

“Fucking me might end all your problems.”

“It seems like they’d only create more. How would they help?”

Dominic laughed softly again. “Because Ivanov wants you virginal, despite what him and his fuck boys do to you in his bedroom at night. If I fuck you, he won’t want you. He’d toss you to the trash because he fucking hates everything I touch. That could be you.”

“He’d kill me if he found out.” I didn’t bother denying anything Dominic said. The idea of him buried deep inside me made heat pool between my legs.

“I’d kill him if he touched you. I’d own you. We’d own you.”

“You’d start a war.”

“I’d fucking start the apocalypse,” he growled.

“Why would you want that? Why do that for me?”

Dominic lifted a lock of my hair and twirled it. “Hate is a strong motivator. And as to why you, well, you’re beautiful. The best-looking female to grace these halls. I see how everyone looks at you. They all want you. I see the way he looks at you. He thinks he’s the luckiest prick in the world to have such a beautiful girl on his arm. He likes the jealousy from everyone else here. He thinks you’ll always belong to him. I’d like nothing more than to pull the rug out from under him and bury myself in his trophy just to see the look on his face.”

“So it’s not about protecting me. It’s about fucking me and pissing Hail off.” I pushed him away. “I can get fucked just fine. You wouldn’t be protecting me. You’d be using me for bait and sending me to the slaughter. No thanks. I can get killed without your help.”

I turned to walk away, but Dominic caught my arm and pulled me against him so my back was flush to his front. His hand found my throat again. This time he gave it a squeeze that made me wince.

“It’s very fucking simple. Die by his hand, or die by mine with him at your side. I’m sure you’re aware of who the fuck we are and exactly what we do.”

“I don’t want any part of it—”

“Too late. You’re the biggest piece in the puzzle. And now you’ve got a target on your head. The one I’ve just placed on it because you’re pissing me off. I suggest you choose wisely. I’ll give you a week, then I want an answer. Once I have it, we’ll start a war that’ll tear Ivanov down from the inside out.”

He released me, and I stumbled forward, my heart in my throat. I rushed out of there, not looking back.

There was one thing I knew. I fucking hated Bolten Academy and all the things I had to do to survive there.

Fourteen

Dominic

Plan?” Vincent asked, shoving some freshman dipshit away from us.

The kid was too stupid to know who he was too close to. He bounced off the locker and looked like he was going to piss his pants as we passed by. Students skittered closer to their lockers as we walked, many avoiding eye contact and others looking like they might drop to their knees for us.

“Give her time to make her choice, then make it for her,” I said as we pushed through the doors outside.

“Why you’re giving her a choice at all is ridiculous.” Levin’s blue eyes took in students as we strode through the courtyard. “I say let’s just get this shit over with.”

“Come on, Levin. I saw you staring at her ass. Have a little fun.” Vincent glanced around me to tease Levin.

“I’m trying to have fun, but you two assholes keep drawing this shit out,” he snapped back. “I already said let’s kill her and dump her body. Anything else is a waste of fucking time. You want to start a fucking war, then kill her. It’ll be enough.”

I sighed, stopping beneath a massive oak tree. The guys stopped with me.

“Relax, Levin. It’s just a bit of fun,” I said. “Sometimes I like to play with my food before I eat it.” I scanned the students, looking for signs of Bianca.

To say I was beside myself with anticipation was an understatement. Sure, she was hot as fuck, and I craved her writhing beneath me, but I also wanted to fuck with Ivanov. I knew once he found out, Bianca might become a casualty. But it was a price I was willing to pay if it meant we could go to war with him. Stefan deserved it, and inadvertently, this would be the beginning of the end for the Bratva.