Bully King - J.A. Huss Page 0,70
I talk to him?”
“Because he’s dangerous. Just a spy. All the servers and cooks here, they’re all just spies. That’s how they earn their place. That’s how they earn their money. One wrong move, one misspoken word, and he will rat you out to anyone who asks. Don’t trust anyone.”
“Not even you?”
She doesn’t even blink. “Not even me.”
“Thanks,” I say.
“For what?”
“The truth.”
She smiles and slides her sunglasses down over her round, brown eyes. “We’re in this together now, Fugling. We’re all gonna swim or sink together.”
I should be offended at the name. But she doesn’t say it unkindly.
She says it… inclusively.
I’m one of them now.
Like it or not, I’m in.
“So now what?”
Valentina and I both turn to find all the girls waiting for instructions. Even Selina.
Valentina lets out a long exhale. “Now… we do whatever they tell us.”
“What?” Sophie is panicked. Her face is all blotchy from crying. And her skin is so fair, her hair so red, this is not a good look for her.
“Don’t worry,” Valentina says. “They’re not gonna make you perform sexual favors.”
“How do you know?” Elexa asks.
“Because you have to consent to everything, Elexa. So if you suck Ivan’s cock, it’s because you said yes.”
Elexa crosses her arms over her chest. She’s the only one wearing a one-piece. “I’m not going to say yes.”
Valentina shrugs. “Then don’t. But everything has consequences. Ivan will get his say if you don’t make him happy. Trust me.”
“What’s that mean?” Maddie asks. Like Sophie, she’s also on the verge of panic.
“You’ll see. Can’t give away too many spoilers. Might ruin your summer. For two weeks you will do what they tell you or you will say no. And if you say no, they’re gonna remember it for the next challenge. So pick and choose your battles, ladies. Try to make friends with them. If you can do that, it will make this whole thing a lot easier.”
They don’t believe her.
Hell, I don’t believe her.
“Listen,” Valentina says. “I get it. I was you three years ago. And do you know who bought me? Ax Olsen.”
Everyone looks at the door that leads outside, even though none of us have x-ray vision and can see him on the other side.
“Ax Olsen,” Valentina repeats. “Not quite a catch, is he?”
Everyone but me and Selina agrees.
“But he and I are on the same side now. I have his back, he’s got mine. And let me tell you something right now, Elexa. Ivan Turgenev is not a bad guy to have on your side. Take my word on that. Ax will fuck people up if they touch me. And if you play Ivan right, he’ll do that for you too. Try to make him happy. Smile today. Let him know you’re not gonna hold things against him. He’s playing his game just like you’re playing yours. Be on Team Ivan and he’ll take care of you, Elexa.” Then Valentina looks at me. “But I’m not going to give you the same advice.”
“What?”
“Dante?” She shakes her head. “He’s just bad. But Mona can handle him. She’s the only one who can handle him. So if you’re asking yourself why Cooper would throw you to the wolf like that? That’s why. Mona can take care of herself and you’re just her stand-in.”
I swallow hard. The reality of what is happening suddenly sinking in. “How do you know she’ll be back?”
Valentina frowns. “She just will.”
Selina steps forward and smiles at them, folding her hands in front of herself. “Now. Let’s go out there and have some fun.” She waves her hand at the door, inviting us to go first.
But we don’t move.
“Come on, children,” Valentina says, clapping her hands to bring us to attention. “I’ll play babysitter for the day. And remember, Ax is here. They won’t cross him and he won’t abandon me.”
Still, no one moves.
So fuck it. I go first.
If you’re going to meet the Devil, you might as well meet him head on.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - COOPER
Isabella stumbles most of the way through the woods as I lead her back to my house.
“I don’t want to go.” She’s been whining this, over and over again, since we left the rush.
“I don’t care. You’re drunk. There’s no point in staying out there. You’ll just… get sun stroke.” Sun stroke, Cooper? Really? I roll my eyes at myself. “I’ll make you breakfast and you can sleep it off in my room.”
But when we get to my house, there’s no way I can get her up the stairs. And