21

Adrianna
My plane touches down on American soil one day early. Eva asked me, Nat, and Azira to come back a day early from winter break, as she has some important news to tell us.
Stupidly, I’ve been sexting Coach ever since our phone sex three days ago. It might have given him the wrong idea, but I’ve been bored as hell at home, locked in my castle. Not to mention, my family drive me insane.
Father has been listing off people he’s considering marrying me to at the end of the year, all of them complete and utter psychopaths from South American organizations.
He even mentioned Inacio Matos, the leader of the largest crime syndicate in Rio de Janeiro. The guy makes my father look like a puppy. He’s that insane.
Yet again, more proof that my family value me no more than cattle to be sent to the slaughter. It only affirms my decision to betray them as a way out. Come graduation day, I’m going to disappear and they’ll never find me.
I turn my phone back on and as soon as it connects to the network, it dings. Archer’s name appears on the screen.
Archer: I hear you are coming back early. You should pay my apartment a visit tonight.
Fuck.
He thinks that because I’ve been so into the sexting; I want to have sex with him. The thing is, it’s fun messing about, but losing my virginity to a man that has had more students than I can count on two hands would be gross. I respect myself too much for that.
I type a response to him.
Me: It was fun messing around on the phone, but nothing has changed. I won’t become another conquest of yours.
I send it, dreading the smarmy response I’ll get back. Archer is too cocky for his own good. He may be gorgeous and completely ripped, but he’s also a man whore.
I get up as the doors to the jet open, grabbing my handbag and descending the steps onto the runway.
“Shall I take your bag, miss?” The driver, Kevin, asks.
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine, thanks.”
My cell phone beeps as I’m getting into the back of the armored Jeep. I get settled in and then search for my cell, dreading the response.
Archer: We will see about that.
It’s a rather brief and almost threatening response. I swallow hard and tuck the phone back into my bag, resting my head back against the headrest. It’s going to be a long two semesters if Coach insists on pursuing me, especially since I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt when he made me come in that classroom, or his dirty words while we were on the phone.
There’s no doubt he knows what he’s doing, but I need to remind myself of the reason, because he can’t keep it in his pants.
The journey from the private airstrip is about forty-five minutes, but it feels like forever. Finally, I see the gates to SA and the driver turns in, driving up the long, sweeping driveway to the imposing building. Normally, I can’t wait to get back here after being home, but right now, I feel torn.
I text our group chat to let them know I’m here.
Me: Just pulling up. See you guys in a minute.
Kevin stops the car in front of the entrance and gets out, opening my door. “I’ll take your bags to your dorm for you. Is there anything else you need?” he asks.
I shake my head. “No, that’s all. Thanks Kevin.”
He nods. “Don’t mention it.”
My phone dings.
Eva: Come to my room. You are first here.
Eva has responded and I groan as although I do like Eva, I don’t really like being on my own with her. I don’t know why. It seems compared to Nat and Azira, we just don’t click the same.
Dragging my heels, I head toward the dorms and Eva’s room. I pause for a few moments outside her door, reconsidering going in there. And then the door opens before I do.
“I thought I heard you. Why are you lingering in the corridor?”
I shrug. “Sorry, I’m a bit tired and was considering going to have a nap first.” I twirl a strand of my hair around my finger. “What’s this news?”
Eva purses her lips. “I can’t really say until the others get here. Do you know what time they’re supposed to arrive?”
I glance at my watch. “Azira said about midday, so soon. Nat said she’d try to be here mid-afternoon, I think.”
Eva nods. “Okay, what do you want to do in the meantime?”
“How about a movie in my room? I’m tired and that doesn’t take much energy.”
“Sounds good. I’ll get some snacks together and come over in a minute.”
I return to my room, where Kevin has left my bags. My brow furrows as I see a gift on the top of them. Walking over to it, I check the card.
A little aid for our texting sessions x
I swallow hard and open the box, gasping when I see the large dildo inside and some other sex toy that I can’t identify. It’s flared at the base. My stomach churns as Archer is insane if he thinks I’m keeping sexting him while I’m here at the academy.
The distance made it feel less real, but I won’t be doing it while I’ll be seeing him on almost a daily basis. Quickly, I take the gift into my closet and hide it at the back, as there’s no way I want anyone seeing what Coach sent me.
Eva knocks on the door and I rush to open it, to find it’s not Eva. Archer is standing there in the doorway.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
He smirks. “I saw your car drive up and thought I’d come and say hi.” He glances past me. “Did you get your gift?”
“Archer, fuck off. Eva is going to be here any minute.”
He tilts his head. “That’s no way to speak to your coach, is it?”
I clench my jaw. “Seriously. Get out of here.”
“Not until I get a kiss.”
I grind my teeth together, knowing that this is partially my fault. Leading him on with the texting was foolish and now I’m dealing with the consequences. “No. I told you that I’m not interested.”
Just like in the classroom the night of winter formal, he doesn’t listen. Instead, he lunges forward and grabs me by the throat, pulling my lips against his in a harsh, violent kiss that steals the air from my lungs.
Archer is just like all the men I’ve been around all my life. He takes what he wants. Consequences be damned, even if I don’t want it.
I bite his lip, which results in a grunt from him.
“You can bite me all you want, baby girl. I’m not going to stop,” he murmurs, kissing me quickly again before turning around and walking down the corridor.