Bully Me Then (Bully Me #3): A Best Friend's Brother Bully Romance Read online

  BULLY ME #3

  A Best Friend's Brother Bully Romance Series

  By

  Lacey Heart

  COPYRIGHT

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Lacey Heart holds exclusive rights to this work

  Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

  Copyright © 2020 by Lacey Heart

  Formatted by Bookaholic Formatting

  BOOKS BY LACEY HEART

  Damaged & Destroyed

  Reckless: A Damaged & Destroyed Novella #1

  Amazon UK: https://amzon.to/2HZNCPX

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  Ruthless: A Damaged & Destroyed Novella #2

  Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Db3ieo

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2DhaZQ5

  Bully Me

  One Night Only – A bully Me Companion Novella #0.5

  Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/34vDdCR

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LqJsQJ

  Bully Me This: Bully Me #1

  Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2YpcmbS

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2YEAI2h

  Bully Me That: Bully Me #2

  Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2MeV2yX

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Mcg1lK

  Dear Diary: Tales from Riverstone High

  January:

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  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2VfTw2n

  CHAPTER ONE

  WILLOW

  I can feel the loud thud of my erratic heart pounding in my eardrums and I feel nauseous and dizzy. My head spins as the adrenaline courses through my veins and I struggle to focus.

  What the hell just happened?

  I use what little energy I have left and raise my eyes to Colby’s, searching them desperately, hoping he’ll be able to help me—to be the one to save me. Fear totally consumes me when a wicked smirk plays on his lips and his calculating gray eyes grow colder as they haze over, warning me that Colby is about to do what he does best. He’s about to turn this into one of his favorite pastimes—a devilish game that I’ll keep losing time and time again.

  “Sorry, princess,” he mouths and my heart drops like a dead weight right down into the bottom of my stomach, and all the air feels like it’s been knocked right out of my lungs.

  How could I have been so stupid?

  Why would Colby have my back now? He’s always been out for himself in this life. Colby always wants to come out on top and he doesn’t care who he takes down along the way to get there.

  I know Hadley’s stood just behind him, and I’m too scared to move. I’m petrified of witnessing the look of betrayal that will be etched onto her beautiful face, a look that is there because of me.

  Colby doesn’t care though. He doesn’t care much for anything but himself. And I know him well enough to know that he’ll pin all the blame on me and walk out of here scott-free.

  “Okay. Someone needs to start talking, and fast.” I hear Hadley’s voice loud and clear over the thumping of my heart in my ears, but I can’t fully make out the words to answer her, and even if I could what the hell would I even say to her?

  I feel terrible. Totally humiliated and ashamed. I’ve been so caught up in hating Colby, trying to resist this fucked-up love to hate relationship that we’ve got going on that I’ve been too weak to stay away from him. I guess it looks like it’s finally caught up with me and now Hadley, the one person who means the most to me in the whole wide world can see for herself how much of a crappy friend I really am.

  I’ve betrayed her in the worst way possible, and she sure as hell knows it too.

  My eyes once again fall and land on Colby’s and his sinister smile doesn’t falter—not for a split second, as he takes one step backwards and his eyes narrow as they bore into mine and I know this is his way of saying ‘game on bitch. I’ve just won this round, and now it’s over to you.’

  My head is still spinning from moments before and the crazy riddles he was throwing my way before Hadley made an appearance. First, he was telling me I’m the one who’s responsible for the death of his parents which is crazy as hell, and then he’s telling me he upped and left to protect me and my mom? I mean, come on… talk about the mother of all head-fucks.

  Colby Carter has always been a loose cannon, but this bullshit he’s now accusing me off is some next level stuff. And, now, conveniently for him I can’t even ask him what he’s talking about as he offers me one final warning glare before turning around to face his sister.

  “Hey, Hads.” He croons like the goddamn sun shines out of his ass. Hadley might idolize her big brother enough to fall for his bullshit, but I know better. I know because I’ve fallen victim to it one too many times before. “I swear this isn’t what it looks like.”

  “No?” She snaps back and the venom in her voice is thick and heavy. “Well, why don’t you tell me what it looks like and then I can be the judge?”

  I can’t even tear my eyes away from Colby’s muscular back and I must have guilt written all over my face. All I want to do is run. Run so far away and never look back because there is no way I’ll be able to handle the look of betrayal on Hadley’s face every time she looks at me.

  How could I have been so goddamn foolish and selfish?

  I knew being alone with Colby would be too much for me and my total lack of willpower to handle. I’ve proven that I can’t be trusted around him time and time again. Yet, even though I know this, and I should be old enough to understand it, I still keep falling into his deadly grasp like a silly little schoolgirl desperately chasing after her crush. But it doesn’t matter what happens or how much Colby hurts me—I always end up going back for more.

  One day, maybe I’ll learn my lesson and find the strength to stay the hell away from him. But until that day comes it looks like I’ll be forced to pay the consequences for my stupid and reckless behavior.

  “Hads, are you being a diva? We know how you love your dramatics.” Colby tries to laugh it off, but she’s having none of it. I can just make out her big, curly blonde curls getting closer from my position behind Colby’s thick back, making a perfect wall. I can feel the heat of her anger radiating from her body.

  “Colby, don’t you dare try to take me for some fool. I just walked into your office to find the two of you tongue-fucking and you expect me to believe it isn’t what it looks like?” Colby moves to the left some more, totally exposing me and leaving me bare but fortunately Hadley isn’t looking at me. No, her wide brown eyes are focused on her brother, but I doubt they’ll stay that way for long. Shit, what have I done? Hadley is super pissed, and I haven’t seen her this angry in a long time. Her usual happy and care-free face is now fierce, set like an almighty storm which could erupt and cause havoc at any given moment. “How about the two of you sit down and enlighten me? You can tell me exactly what this is.” She points her finger between Colby and I, to emphasize her point.

  I continue to watch my best friend as she narrows her eyes at the two of us and I’m too scared to move as she takes a seat at Colby’s desk. A few moments of awkward silence passes, before Hadley reaches out and starts tapping her manicured fingers against the oak wood, showing her impatience.

  It feels like a standoff, but thankfully Colby eventually
makes the first move, and I shouldn’t be all too surprised when he walks toward his desk, reaches down and pulls out a bottle of Jack from Bryson’s emergency drawer. Now, this is probably the only time all three of us will agree that this is definitely an emergency situation.

  “You want one?” Colby asks Hadley, just as casually as he would any other time. But we all know this isn’t just any other time. I look on as she nods her head firmly while her curious eyes stay on mine.

  Can she see the guilt on my face?

  I bet she can hear my heart trying to hammer free from within my chest.

  “You know. I expected better from you, Willow.” Her voice is labored and laced with pain and it doesn’t nothing to ease my guilt.

  “Hadley,” I just about manage to choke out, but she’s quick to cut me off with one sharp look.

  “You’re supposed to be my best friend. Yet, I find you getting all down and dirty with him the second my back is turned.”

  I hear Colby chuckle beside me, but it’s soon replaced by a vicious scowl when Hadley says, “what’s gotten into you, Will? Is it a re-bound thing? It has to be something because as far as I was aware you’ve never been able to stand the sight of Colby, not since we were kids.”

  “Is that so?” Colby asks but I don’t answer him, and it takes everything I have to keep my attention focused on Hadley. One wrong move and this could all be over.

  “How long has it been going on? And please don’t tell me you’ve been at it back at the house.”

  I don’t say anything. I couldn’t even if I wanted to as a huge lump forms in my throat. Instead, I hang my head in shame, unable to lie to her anymore. I should never have let it get this far.

  “Seriously? You have to be shitting me.” she shouts, and I can’t stop myself from flinching. I feel like a naughty school kid who’s landed in the principal’s office. Hadley throws back her whiskey in one go before running a hand down her pained face, and then she shocks us all when she laughs. “More fool me for being the sucker to take you both in when I thought you needed me the most. And this is how you fucking repay me.”

  “It wasn’t like that.” I try my best to plead with her as soon as I’ve swallowed the lump blocking my throat, but I can already tell she doesn’t want to listen to what I have to say. She’s obviously made her mind up and her version of events swirling around in her head and whatever it is she’s decided, she’s sticking to it.

  I look over to Colby again, hoping the son of a bitch will finally do something to sort this mess and take the heat from us. Maybe he could finally do something useful for once in his life and back me the hell up.

  “She’s right, Hads.” He finally tells his sister and my jaw almost hits the floor.

  “Really?” Hadley raises a suspicious brow at Colby and I’m sure if she’s even going to entertain his bullshit excuses, because that’s exactly what they will be. I know Colby better than he knows himself and I know he doesn’t do anything unless it benefits him. “Well, whatever. But that doesn’t change the fact that you should know better, Colby. Don’t you realize you have some crazy ass chick back at my house who absolutely idolizes you?” Hadley rolls her eyes. “Why, I don’t know because you don’t exactly treat her right, do you?”

  “Look, Hadley. This shouldn’t have happened.” I jump in hoping to diffuse this little situation, but it doesn’t do much in my favor.

  “Too fucking right, it shouldn’t.” Both Hadley and Colby say in unison, and I don’t know which one of them stabs at my heart the hardest.

  “All right, Hads. You want the truth? I’ll be honest with you. I owe you that much.” Colby tells her and I hold my breath knowing that whatever he has to say next will be nothing but utter bullshit.

  CHAPTER TWO

  WILLOW

  It feels like an absolute age before Colby opens his mouth again and my heart continues to pound erratically in my chest. I know whatever he’s about to say isn’t going to shine me in a golden light, that’s for sure.

  The evil glint in his gray eyes tells me as much.

  “What can I tell you?” He looks at Hadley before throwing his hands up in despair. The perfect way to play victim, and I have to admit that he plays it well. “I was back here, minding my own damn business, waiting on some calls when Willow turned up and stormed in like a crazy-ass wrecking ball.

  “What?” That is not what happened and he sure as hell knows it too.

  “Willow, calm down—it’s all good. We’re all friends here, right? So, there’s no need to be embarrassed. It happens to the best of us.” Colby burns his evil eyes into me some more and for a second I’m rendered speechless which only heightens his amusement as she laughs a little and shakes his head. Personally, I don’t like the sound of where this is headed.

  “And… then what happened?” Hadley demands, and I can tell her patience is wearing thin.

  “When I heard the door go I thought it would be Ryder, but when I looked up I saw it was Willow, and I won’t lie,” now he turns toward me with a look of pity on his face, “she looked crazed, Hads. Totally out of it. I’m sorry, Willow, but Hadley deserves the truth.”

  “Oh, I agree—one-hundred percent. So how about you quit with the bullshit and tell her the goddamn truth.” I snap, and I’m really struggling to contain my anger. Any second now I could explode, and I won’t be accountable for my actions.

  “Have it your way.” He smirks back at me and I want to throw something at him. I want to knock some goddamn sense into him. Surely, Hadley can’t be falling for his stupid excuses? Can she? Oh, of course she can. This is Colby we’re talking about. Fucking golden boy to the whole damn town of Redlake. “I tried to push her off, but she wasn’t having any of it. All I could do was to try to restrain her, fend off her unwanted advances, and then you arrived. That’s what you saw.”

  Silence descends around us and I’m left speechless again. This is absolute madness and I feel like I’ve just stepped into a parallel universe.

  “Is this true?” Hadley’s eyes search mine and I have to fight back my tears of frustration from spilling over. The last thing I want right now is for these two to think I’m upset about the lies falling from Colby’s mouth. I’m upset, but not as much as I’m furious. I cannot believe Colby has tried to take the easy way out instead of manning up and telling the truth, but then why would he? He’s always been out for his own gain and nothing and no one will ever change his selfish ways. He’s been set in them for too long.

  I look over to my best friend and I’m livid. I’m so annoyed with her. How dare she start talking to me like I’m nothing more than a stupid child who’s crushing on her brother. I’m a fully grown adult.

  “Does it even matter what I have to say on this?” I ask and my entire body feels weak and lifeless, like all the energy has just been drained from me in the past twenty minutes or so. All this drama with Colby is no good for me. He never has been, and I can see now that he never will be. “I don’t think it does, does it? Because from where I’m standing it already looks like you’ve made your mind up.”

  “Come on, Willow. That’s not fair.”

  “That’s not fair?” I shout back, and I can tell Colby’s enjoying this little showdown a whole lot more than he should be doing. “I’ll tell you what’s not fair, Hadley. You, coming in here demanding to know what’s going on, but you’re only prepared to listen to whatever comes out of his mouth. Well, believe who you want, Hadley, but just remember who’s been here for you when you needed them the most.” I turn my head to Colby and his eyes haze over again, and he looks dangerous and savage and his thick brows furrow, warning me to watch my step. But I’m not scared of him. “Because where was your darling brother then? Oh, yeah, that’s right. He was nowhere to be seen.”

  “Willow.” Colby warns but I continue. I’ve already let loose on my rant and now the words are flowing I’m not about to stop anytime soon.

  I raise my voice a little higher to make my feelings known. “You know,
I could tell you so many things, Hads. Stuff that would make your skin crawl, and the hairs on the back of your neck stand tall. But none of that would matter. And do you want to know why?”

  “Why?” Hadley leans forward on her chair and watched me with growing interest and she probably thinks I’ve lost my damn mind. Maybe I have, and I know Colby will make me suffer for this but right now, stood in front of them in this office I couldn’t give two hoots about Colby and what he thinks.

  “Because whatever golden boy here has to tell you, you’d believe him instantly—no questions asked. You’d just take his word as gospel—just like you’ve always done.”

  “Are you being serious? What the hell has happened to you, Willow?”

  “What’s happened to me? How about you take a look and ask yourself what’s happened to you.” I demand, and I’m struggling to understand how this has gotten so out of control, so fast.

  “Hey…” Colby surprises me by finally remembering he has a voice. His lips move, those delicious lips that were presses against mine only a short while ago. Back when everything was kind of normal. When Colby opens his mouth again to try to voice his opinion, I’m quick to shut him down.

  “I think you’ve already said enough, don’t you?” I seethe through gritted teeth and the arrogant son of a bitch offers me another sly smile.

  I breathe in deep and stretch my fingers out as wide as they’ll go at my side while I try to compose myself, but I already know it’s a waste of my time and what little energy I have left. I guess it looks like the Carters are sticking together after all. And the painful thing is I expected this from Colby, after all he’s always been a Grade A jerk, but Hadley? She’s supposed to be my best friend. And I know that sounds totally contradictory because it is. I’m her best friend too and the amount I’ve betrayed her over the years is disgusting and there’s no excuse for it. But Colby has already started to fill her head up with made-up lies to paint himself as the victim, so I don’t see why I should be the one who’s backed into a corner and forced to defend myself.