The Revenge You Seek by Tracy Lorraine

5

Kane

Ifind myself a seat at the very back of the auditorium and sink into the shadows as more students pour in behind me, filling the seats around me.

The room around me spins and blurs into nothing as I try to get my head around what just happened out in the hall.

She's here.

Scarlett Hunter is at MKU and looking like she's about to attend class.

But she goes to Columbia. Or at least, she did.

I haven’t seen or heard from her since that night. But my brother is dating her little sister. How didn't I know this?

Probably the same reason why they don't know you're attending, asshole, a little voice pipes up in my head.

I never meant to hide college from Kyle, from anyone really. But the thought of saying it out loud and then it all falling through at the last minute terrified me. Everything I've done these past few years has all been to get here, to provide my brother and me with a better life but to get here, I've relied on others coming through on promises they could quite easily break. The risk was too high and I didn't want to get Kyle's hopes up. He already thinks he had a hand in ruining my life when he went down that night.

If I'd told him then I might have gotten the heads up I needed about her being here. Or word would have got back to her that I would be and she'd have changed her mind.

I let out a sigh as I think about the woman who’s consumed so many of my thoughts over the years. There were so many differences between that woman outside this room and the one at that party eighteen months ago.

When I first clocked her at the other end of the hall, I didn't even think it was her, just my mind playing games with me.

But the closer I got, I knew, my body knew.

Her face was thinner, her cheeks hollow and her complexion pale. Her body was so much thinner than it was the night I had my hands on her and my immediate reaction was concern. Something has clearly happened to her, but then I remembered everything she's done to me, all the ways she hurt me, and the anger decimated the concern and raced to the surface.

I clench my fists over and over, trying to expel some of the pent-up anger but it does little to help. I need to get up, to move to go and punch something—or someone. Luca fucking Dunn is top of that list after the drama he caused with Coach this morning, accusing him of breaking the NCAA rules by letting me in as he has. That really ticked Coach off because everyone knows that Coach Butler never does anything against the regulations. It just shows how much trust he has in Coach. I expected him to question me, but I didn't think he'd be quite that angry about my arrival.

It was hard not to smile as we all heard Luca shouting his frustrations at his leader and threatening to go to the athletic director about the decision.

His reaction was everything—and more—than I expected. And now, running into Letty. Well, today couldn't actually get much better.

I shift in my chair, still fighting to keep a lid on things as our professor begins his lecture. I've got my pen poised and ready to start at least one class the way I'd like when the side door opens and a familiar figure steps into the auditorium.

Most are too focused on Professor Nelson to notice the late arrival, although he gives her a hard stare as she makes her way into the room.

Unlike out in the hall, she's got her head held high and her shoulders squared.

I barely manage to contain my laughter at her attempt to look in control.

Clearly, she's forgotten that around me, she has zero control.

I watch her every move, wishing like hell I could easily get up and make my way to sit near her, anything just to torment her a little.

I smile to myself. It's like high school all over again. Only, back then, I just wanted to teach her a lesson for betraying me. Now I want to ruin her for how everything turned out.

I've lost so much because of her, yet she got everything she wanted.

Although her being here right now instead of her beloved Columbia makes me question things, but I don't care enough about her problems to let it affect me.

I slump down in my chair, half-listening to Nelson but mostly focusing on her, picking out all the differences I see in her from last year.

I never should have touched her that night. I knew that before I even laid a finger on her but the temptation after all the years we'd danced around each other way too strong. Then when I had her body pressed up against mine, writhing and begging for more, I knew I'd made a colossal mistake.

My cock swells, tenting my pants, as I vividly recall taking her in the muddy puddle as the party raged behind us.

But as good as my memories are about finally claiming what should have been mine all along, I can't forget what was happening inside that house.

I drop my head, thinking of my brother and everything he went through because I was distracted. Because of her.

The class passes faster than I thought possible but I barely hear any of it. Today might be turning out to be better than I expected, but I kinda hoped I’d make a better start with my classes. I missed two yesterday and I've just fucked this one up.

It really is just like high school all over again. Too distracted by a dark-haired beauty to focus on what I should be listening to.

I'm slow packing up, mostly on purpose because I want to watch her run from the room like her ass is on fire.

She might want to appear that she's not affected by my appearance, but it's all lies.

She's terrified.

Exactly as she should be.

In the end, I'm one of the last out of the auditorium. There are a few guys I vaguely recognize from our session this morning but none of them so much as attempt to talk to me. I get it. Their loyalty is to their captain.

Pulling the folded up piece of paper from my back pocket, I stare down at the campus map and try to figure out where I can find some food before my statistics class in an hour.

I grab myself a sandwich when I finally locate the campus coffee shop and by the time I've eaten it and then found the right building for my next class, I'm almost late.

The auditorium is abuzz with student chatter as I step through the door, almost all the seats taken.

I scan the room, looking for a place to sit when my eyes land on a familiar bowed head.

Bingo.

The seats on either side of her are taken, but that's not going to stop me.

I march up the stairs toward where she is and come to a stop by the guy who's getting his iPad set up ready for the lecture beside her.

"You're in my seat," I say, making him stop what he's doing to turn to look up at me. Something about him is familiar and I'm not the only one who sees it because his eyes flash with recognition.

Next to him, Letty tenses at the sound of my voice but she refuses to look up despite the fact her body has locked up tight at the prospect of having to sit beside me.

"Sorry, but I'm pretty sure seats haven't been allocated in this class. Go find another."

"Huh." I tilt my head to the side as if I didn't understand his words. "Clearly, you didn't hear me properly. I said… you're in my seat, asshole."

The students surrounding us begin to pay attention but still, Letty doesn't so much as breathe while I stand here.

"Everything alright?" another guy says, coming to stand beside me but keeping his eyes on the guy who's sitting.

"It's okay," a quiet voice says from beside the guy. "Go and sit with Brax somewhere."

An accomplished smile twitches at my lips.

"But—" the guy argues, ripping his narrowed eyes from mine to look at Letty.

"It's okay." She smiles at him. Anyone else would think she meant it, but I see more than most, and she's anything but happy about this.

"Is everyone ready to start?" the professor says from behind me as the guy begins collecting up his things.

"We'll just be down there." He points to a couple of empty chairs a few rows down.

She nods at him and smiles again and he hesitantly gets up but he doesn't leave right away, instead, he levels me with a look that might have lesser guys running scared. Clearly, he has no idea who I am or what I'm capable of.

"Shoo," I say with a flick of my hand before dropping down into the now vacant seat and unpacking everything I need.

She's like a stone beside me, not moving and I swear not even breathing as she waits for what I'm going to do next.

Professor Richman begins going over his expectations for this class, but his words fade off into the background.

Yet another ruined first class then,I muse to myself as I watch Letty out of the corner of my eye.

After what seems like forever with her sitting beside me and her floral scent filling my nose and driving me insane, I lean toward her slightly.

Her spine straightens as she prepares for my next move.

"Get lost on your way to Columbia, Princess?"

Her lips flatten as she fights the need to say something back to me.

That's the fun with her. She can't help herself.

Her chin drops and I suck in a breath waiting for her response.

"I'm trying to listen."

She leans forward on her desk, effectively putting me behind her. It's a move that pisses me off beyond belief, that she can discard me, forget about me that easily.

I chuckle and after a few seconds, she glances back at me, her eyes are narrowed in anger as she attempts to pin me with a look that she hopes will shut me up. I'd like to think she knows better than that by now.

The gold flecks in her eyes shine under the harsh fluorescent lighting above it. It's only this obvious when she's angry or turned on. I like to think with me this close that it's a little of both, but I know I'm only lying to myself. The reality is that I need to be sleeping with one eye open because she's likely to stab me in the middle of the night. Her and the line of others which will probably be headed up by Luca Dunn himself.

"What?" she snaps. Her eyes briefly flicking around my face as if she's looking for differences in me like I have with her.

She's going to be disappointed if she was hoping to find a weakness because in the eighteen months since we last saw each other, I'm only angrier, tougher, stronger, and more hardened to the realities that lie outside of this campus.

There's only one of us who has any kind of weakness here, and only one of us is going to end up broken because of all the mistakes they've made.

The other is getting revenge.

I just wish I knew she was going to be here so I wasn't so blindsided by her.

I continue smiling at her, trying to hide how I really feel.

"It's just like high school again. You're the nerd taking all the notes and I'm—"

"The arrogant, asshole jock intent on failing everything?"

"Ouch, Princess," I say, lifting my hand to cover my heart. "You wound me."

"Fuck off, Kane. I need this class."

"Yeah about that, what happened to—"

"If you're not going to listen, you can walk out of my lecture right now and never return," Professor Richman booms across the auditorium, a ripple of tension following his words.

I hold Letty's eyes for two more seconds before turning toward the front, nodding at the professor who's throwing his hate stare in my direction and pick up my pen, ready to get to work.

"I will not tolerate any more interruptions."

"Hard ass," I mutter to myself, and I soon realize that I was wrong. No one snickers around me, and when I glance up every single person is focused on the front of class. Nope, this is nothing like high school.

I look at Letty once more. Allow myself a few seconds to really take her in and register all the differences in her.

She knows I'm looking, her breathing hitches under my inspection but she doesn't stop what she's doing or turn to look at me again.

I tell myself that I don't care what's happened to her, but I know deep down that I do.

Because if she's hurting, then I want to be the one who's delivered that pain.

This class, I swear, is the longest of my life.

I force myself to listen and take notes because hell knows I'm already behind in my other three and I need to be on top of my classes before the season starts. These few weeks before our first game are going to fly and then once we start, I can only imagine how full on it's going to be. Especially as I have no doubt that Luca will be continuing to ride my ass. My foot bounces against the floor in excitement. Bring it on, asshole. I'm ready for you.

As our professor brings the class to a close with a detailed description of yet another assignment I need to embark on, I don't move. Unlike the rest of the auditorium who jump into action and begin moving toward the door at lightning speed.

I sit back and watch Letty as she packs her things away.

"Excuse me," she says abruptly as she stands.

Her eyes hold mine before I release her stare in favor of getting a close up look at her body.

She's wearing a pair of leggings under a floral dress and a leather jacket. I can't deny that she looks hot, she's Letty Hunter, she always looks fucking hot. But it's unmistakable that she's damn near half the woman she used to be.

My fists clench as I consider the possibility of someone hurting her at Columbia and that being the reason she's here.

Did some motherfucker ruin her dream of graduating from the college she spent her whole life dreaming about?

"Kane," she barks, getting exasperated, but still, I don't move. "Fine, whatever."

She spins and is about to make her way down the row of now empty seats at her back when I reach for her arm.

I stand as she fights to slip her wrist from my grip but I hold tighter.

"Ow, that hurts," she complains.

I pull her back and she stumbles, falling into my body.

Every single one of my muscles tenses at her touch and the blood racing through my veins turns to lava.

"You think I care, Princess?"

"Let go of me," she demands, her voice low and husky as she once again attempts to pull herself free.

"Why are you here?"

Her eyes lift from my chest until her dark ones collide with my blue angry ones.

"Why are you here? Last I heard you failed to graduate."

A laugh falls from my lips as I lower my head down a little to her. To anyone around us, it might look intimate, like I want to kiss her. The reality is very different.

"Princess," I growl and her lips twist in anger. She hates that nickname, always has. It's the exact reason I still insist on using it. "There is a lot you don't know about me."

"Letty, is this asshole bothering you?" a familiar voice asks from behind me.

"No, he's not," I answer for her, knowing that the two goons from earlier are burning holes in the back of my head.

"We weren't talking to you, asshole."

"I'm fine. Thank you," Letty says, her eyes not once leaving mine. "I know how to handle this asshole."

My chest grows tight as my anger burns hotter within me.

I lower my face down, regretfully ripping my eyes from her until my lips are right next to her ear.

A shudder rips through her as my breath cascades over her exposed skin, I feel it all the way down her arm.

"That is where you are very, very wrong, Princess."

"Threaten me all you like. You can't break what’s already broken."

With that, she pulls her arm free. My shock from her words allowing her to do it easily and she takes off through the small gap in the chairs.

"You need to watch who you make enemies of around here," one of the guys warns. "Stay away from Letty. Hell, stay away from all of us."

I spin around to respond but the pair of them are already at the bottom of the stairs and making their escape.