Ever After: Lost Boys of Neverly Prep: Academy Romance Read online

  Ever After

  By

  L.E. Bross

  Ever After: Lost Boys of Neverly Prep #3

  Copyright © 2019 L.E. Bross

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Cover Design: EVE Graphic Design

  Developmental Editing: Brandy Reece at Precision Red Pen

  Line Editing: Ink It Out Editing

  For my readers

  Never give up the fight.

  You are not alone.

  Chapter One

  “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

  I sit in the uncomfortable hospital chair resting my head on X’s shoulder. He’s my rock right now. He held me the entire time we were forced to hide in the announcer’s booth, hand stroking over my hair as I sobbed in his arms. Not once did he falter, even though he had to be dying inside not knowing what happened to Riot.

  It feels like we’ve been in the waiting room forever, but the clock on the wall says it’s just after ten. Less than two hours since the shooting. Baz left ten minutes ago to check on things. To try and get some answers. No one is telling us a damned thing.

  “What are we going to do?” I whisper.

  The waiting room, the whole hospital smells like disinfectant and hopelessness. I hate it. X shifts and lifts his hand to cup my chin, tilting it up so he’s looking into my eyes.

  “We do what we have to. This won’t break us. He won’t win.”

  But I can see the doubt behind his eyes.

  What happened...it changes everything.

  Baz walks back into the waiting room, face haggard. The guys still have on their gear, we came straight to the hospital after the police cleared the track, not far behind the ambulance.

  Not knowing is the worst thing ever.

  My stomach is a solid ball of lead.

  “Is he…”

  Baz nods and I push to my feet with a cry and rush across the room on unsteady legs, colliding with the hard body behind him.

  “You scared the shit out of us.”

  I cling to Riot and he holds me just as tight.

  He rode in the ambulance with Luc and then the sheriff wanted to talk to him so I haven’t had a chance to put my hands on him since everything happened.

  Since I found out he wasn’t the one who got hurt by Trey.

  He pulls me against his chest and I feel his lips on my temple.

  “You’re okay?” he rumbles so low I should barely hear him, but I do and I nod. After a full minute of just standing there wrapped up in his arms, I can finally feel something besides panic and fear.

  “How is he?” I ask, my face still buried in his neck. I’m not sure I’m going to let go for a while.

  We have no idea how badly Luc was injured. The nurses wouldn’t tell us anything because we’re not family. All we knew for sure was that he got shot when he pushed Riot out of the way.

  Riot scrubs his fingers through his already tousled hair. There’s dried blood on his hands and I shudder. It could have easily been his.

  “He should be out in just a few. Needed a few stitches but otherwise the bullet grazed his shoulder. No real damage.”

  I exhale the breath I’ve been holding. Thank god. It could have been so much worse. For everyone.

  “The sheriff talked to Mer and then her mom took her home, but he wants your phone. It’s evidence now, he asked for it.”

  My stomach plunges to my feet. “What if he wants to know why Trey was threatening me?”

  “The evidence is gone,” Ry says as if he can read my mind. His thumb strokes over my jaw. “And Trey’s word doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot right now, so even if he tells them why he was threatening you, it’ll just incriminate him more. Blackmail is a felony. Luc knows about it now, too, so his father would have to actually press charges. Tell him you don’t know why, that Trey didn’t like you from day one. Leave it at that, and let them make their own conclusions.”

  He seems so sure of himself that I exhale raggedly. I have to trust him.

  “Okay.” I dig my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him. “Oh five oh seven.”

  His eyes shine brighter with understanding.

  It’s the day I arrived in the Panchard house. The day I met these boys, the ones I’m just now figuring out I don’t want to live without.

  “I just want Trey caught. Knowing he’s out there scares the hell out of me.” I look up into Riot’s eyes, losing myself in the familiar swirls of grey. “He has a gun. I would never have goaded him like that if I knew he was going to…”

  The storm clouds start to swirl and darken, and his hand tightens on the back of my neck.

  “It’s not your fault. There’s a hell of a lot more going on and you know it. The only person to blame is Trey fucking Stuart.”

  “Agreed,” X says, coming up behind me. He rests his hand on my lower back, the heat from his touch soothing the icy blame sliding through my veins. “And he’s not getting near you, sweetheart. Trust us.”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about,” I argue, tilting my head so that I can look up at him. “He went after Ry. What’s stopping him from trying again, only you or Baz next time?”

  “Well, for starters, he dropped the gun when he ran and his father has it now. And they’re looking for him. It’s only a matter of time and then he’ll never get near you again.”

  “Trust us,” X says in my ear. “Everyone in this fucking town knows he’s a threat. They’ll get him.”

  He sounds so confident that I can’t help but believe him.

  These guys make me feel safer than I ever have in my life, but at the same time, I’m worried about them. Trey got too close to Riot. If not for Luc… God, we owe him so much now.

  Riot presses another kiss to my temple then eases me back into X’s arms. His hand lingers on my cheek, though, then he slides it down my arm to where I’m still clutching my phone.

  “I’ll give the sheriff your phone and tell him if he needs to talk to you after they look it over, he can call me, okay?”

  I nod and Riot takes it and leaves the room. Baz touches my hand then leads me to a chair and I sink down gratefully. I’m exhausted but my mind won’t stop racing. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to sleep again. X paces back and forth in the small room, glancing at the door every few steps.

  Thankfully it’s not long until a nurse appears pushing a wheelchair with Luc in it. The top of his jumpsuit hangs around his waist and his tanned chest is bare, a stark white bandage covering his one shoulder.

  I jump up and am across the room in a blink.

  “Never do that again,” I tell him, throwing one arm around his shoulders while trying to avoid his injury.

  He winces and I quickly pull back.

  “I thought chicks liked a hero? Marvel’s been wrong all this time?”

  “Unlike Thor, you are not bulletproof.”

  “Ouch, harsh, Darlington. You should be nicer to the guy with a gunshot wound.”

  The smile falls off my lips.

  “How you feeling, man?” X asks, stepping up next to me.

  “Like I was shot.” A grin curls Luc’s lips up when X
chuckles and they fist bump. I meet the nurse’s gaze and she rolls her eyes.

  “He said his father is out of town until Monday, but he can go. I assume one of you can give our hero a ride home?”

  “He can come home with us.” I meet Luc’s stare. “You’re coming home with us, no arguing.”

  “I’ll get the discharge paperwork.” She walks off and I see X looking at me from the corner of his eye.

  “What? He was shot and you know who is still out there,” I say under my breath. “It’s either that or I go to his house with him.” When I lift one eyebrow, X rolls his eyes at me.

  “Your funeral. You can tell Ry.”

  “Ooh, are you going to play nurse?” Luc pipes up, then gives me a wink.

  An unhappy rumble comes from behind me and then arms slide around my waist.

  “You might regret saving me if you keep that shit up, Hook,” Riot growls. He leans down until his lips are next to my ear. “Did I hear you say he was coming home with us?”

  I turn in Riot’s arms. “His father isn’t home and I don’t think he should be alone. He saved your life, it’s the least we can do.”

  His stormy eyes search mine and finally he inclines his head. “Fine. One night, Peep. But that’s it.”

  We stare at each other for a few more seconds and I nod. I can’t stop looking at him. Things could have ended so differently tonight.

  Riot notices and spins me away from Luc and the guys. Once we’re in a secluded corner, he dips his head down, pressing his lips to mine gently.

  “Everything’s okay. I’m okay.”

  My breath hitches and tears spike my lashes. I can’t help it. One moment I’m fine and the next it feels like I can't breathe.

  “You might not have been.”

  “You can’t think in what-ifs, you’ll drive yourself crazy. Trust me, I know. We just need to go home, put this behind us and keep going.”

  “It’s not that easy,” I whisper.

  He nudges my nose with his. “Yeah, it is. But I’m here, Baz and X are here. We got you, Peep.”

  I close my eyes and press my lips together. I want to ask who has them, but I know the answer. Me. I’m not going to let anything happen to them. Ever.

  “Okay, Mr. Hook, since you’re eighteen you can sign yourself out. The doctor’s orders are here, look it over and let me know if you have any questions. You can shower normally in forty-eight hours but leave the dressing on until then. After that you can leave it uncovered. Call if there is any excess bleeding or discoloration.”

  Riot and I walk back over to the nurse as she finishes up her instructions.

  “If you’re all ready, we’ll meet you at the front entrance,” she tells us, moving behind the wheelchair. Luc protests but she shakes her head. “Hospital policy. You’ll be on your feet in a minute.”

  X pulls the keys from his pocket and he and Baz head for the elevator. Riot and I walk with Luc. Ry stays to the outside, me and the nurse between him and Luc, and I can feel the tension coming from him.

  I intertwine our fingers and squeeze and he looks down at where we are tangled together. I know this has to be hard for him. I can’t imagine how it feels to have been the target of violence like that, but to then have someone you lost trust in step in and rescue you?

  When he lifts our hands and presses his lips to the back of mine, my chest aches. That simple gesture means so much. Before we walk out that door, I want to wrap my arms around him and protect him from the world.

  The way his stare burns into me, I know he feels the same.

  We wait in silence in front of the huge windows as X pulls the truck up. The nurse pushes Luc through the doors and Riot steps past to open the back passenger door. I move next to Luc to help him stand. He leans on me a little more than I expected and I stumble a step before I find my footing.

  “Sorry.” Luc pushes himself upright and lifts his weight off me.

  “You can lean on me,” I tell him softly.

  He looks down, gratitude shining in his eyes. “Thank you. I could have gone home but it feels really good to have people, you know?”

  I catch Riot’s stare and know he heard him, too.

  He watches Luc as I help him in to the truck, then opens the front door for me to climb in next to Baz. Once the door is shut, he jogs around and gets in the back on the other side. Next to Luc. I try not to read too much into that small action, but my shoulders sink a little lower in relief.

  Baz hangs his arm over my shoulder and pulls me against his side. “How are you holding up?” he asks softly.

  “Right now I’m okay. Shock and adrenaline. Once everything wears off…” I shrug, downplaying what I know is going to be an epic crash.

  When they took Belle away, it wasn’t until the next day that it really sank in that she wasn’t there, that they had taken her away. I didn’t come out of my room at Nate’s for three days. Didn’t eat. Didn’t shower. Barely even moved. My sleep was filled with nightmares, so I barely allowed my eyes to stay shut for long.

  It was the knowledge that Belle still needed me that woke me the hell up.

  The next day I showered, ate and went to Human Services to demand they return her. It was the only thing I could do, the only thing that made me feel useful, and I didn’t stop until I had to.

  And even then…Belle is what brought me here.

  Everything I do is for her.

  Pressure builds in my temples and I rub my fingers against it until Baz takes my wrist and lowers it to my lap. Then he presses his fingers to the same spot, rubbing gently but firm, and I exhale at the instant relief.

  I was going to tell the guys about the folder Peter gave me tonight.

  I can’t now.

  They’ve had enough shit for one night. I can tell them tomorrow, when we’re trying to figure out what the hell to do with the information Baz found tonight.

  “So Trey is really Peter’s son?” I ask Baz softly.

  “Looks that way. We can use it. To get answers. Especially now that Trey’s going to be arrested.”

  “You really think they’ll find him?”

  “They will. He won’t get far.”

  I snuggle tighter against Baz. That’s kind of what I’m worried about. That he’s closer than we realize.

  “What if he’s in the house waiting? No one’s there. He could hide and we wouldn’t know it.”

  X chuckles. “You’ve lived there for weeks and you don’t know?”

  I push up to sitting and look at Baz.

  “There isn’t a more secure house in the entire country.”

  I let out a laugh. “The doors are never locked, the gate opens without a key and there’s no alarm system. If anything it’s a thief’s wet dream.”

  “Panchard tech,” Ry says from behind us.

  I have no idea what that even means.

  “No one can even get close to the house unless you’re allowed. Everything is coded to biosignatures.”

  I definitely have no clue what he’s talking about.

  “Proprietary tech,” Baz says. “Basically means that unless Peter codes you into the system, the gates won’t open, the doors will lock and if you try to bypass the system, silent alarms trigger.”

  That explains why no one ever locks the doors.

  “In a nutshell, Trey won’t be able to get through the gate, much less in the house. It’s as safe as Fort Knox,” X says.

  “Actually it’s safer.” There’s a hint of pride in Baz’s voice which tells me he probably had a hand in the design of what sounds like science fiction to me.

  The rest of the ride is silent and when X pulls the truck up to the gate, Baz points up. “There’s a high def camera embedded in the wrought iron. It scans the car’s occupants, using facial recognition to determine if the gates open. If someone isn’t coded in, we get a notification through an app.”

  The gates swing open and I look up. The landscaping lights don’t illuminate the top of the gate, but I’m sure I wouldn’t
see anything anyway.

  “Same with the house. It’s why the doors seem like they aren’t locked. It knows you’re coming so it unlocks them before you get there.”

  “That’s next level right there,” I say with an amazed laugh. I was living with all this for weeks and had no idea.

  “Panchard is a world leader in security. Peter takes that very seriously, especially here at home.”

  “Even though he’s never here?”

  He’s the only person I’ve ever met who would leave three teenage boys home alone so much. I never see a staff and Hanna is in and out before we even get home from school. I’ve never even heard a whisper about parties or girls coming over, so…

  “He has a place in the city and he travels a lot. Everyone wants a piece of Panchard security. It’s in high demand. He told me last year he can charge anything he wants and there are agencies willing to pay it. Since we all turned eighteen, he’s hardly ever home. We see him maybe once a month when he remembers we’re here. Before, with Wendi...” He trails off as X pulls up to the front of the house.

  The security lights kick on, illuminating the pain on Baz’s face.

  “It didn’t used to be so cold and empty.”

  We all get out and trudge inside. The house echoes with our footsteps and I see Luc looking around before the guys start up the stairs.

  I walk up next to Luc in case he needs anything. I can tell from the way everyone drags their feet that exhaustion is setting in. It feels like a weighted blanket is draped over my shoulders.

  “You can sleep here,” Ry says, opening the door across from me.

  X snickers and Luc huffs out a laugh. “Gee, thanks.”

  I have no idea what the problem is until Luc steps in and flicks the light on.

  “Whoa.”

  How have I not known that an explosion of princess pink existed just across the hall? Pale pink walls, white carpeting and bedding in various shades of pink with matching curtains. There’s even a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling in…yep, pink.

  “At least I’ll feel pretty,” Luc mutters and X claps him on the back, making him stumble into the room.