BULLY ME NOW (Bully Me #4): A Best Friend's Brother Bully Romance Read online

  BULLY ME #4

  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 © 2019 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

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2DZzAd8

  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:

  Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2MldSD1

  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2VfTw2n

  CHAPTER ONE

  COLBY

  Blood rushes to my head as I try to pull myself up and I feel out of whack. The booming thud of my heart sounds in my ears and my head feels as though it’s about to crack open.

  Squinting my eyes, I try to force them open and then close them just as fast as the sun burns into them and it seriously feels like they are about to set on fire.

  Fuck, it hurts.

  My head hurts so bad.

  Everything fucking hurts. So, fucking much. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken advantage of an empty bar and drank my entire body weight in liquor.

  I know what I’m feeling right now is self-inflicted and I shouldn’t be feeling sorry for myself, but the bottom line is, I am. At the time it sounded like a fantastic idea, and now, not so much. I sigh in disgust because shit like this happens all the damn time and I never learn. I don’t think I ever will either. After all, self-destruction is what I do best. And the best way to do that is to drink myself into a stupor so I don’t have to think about or avoid facing the consequences of my reckless actions. Well, at least until the morning rolls around again and then it’s usually straight back to the grind, ready to rinse and repeat again that night.

  It’s a vicious cycle, and what that I can’t seem to break.

  Only now, it feels a little different. More permanent, because my very actions are what’s landed me here, and the one and only reason I won’t see Willow around Redlake again.

  Guilt consumes me, and it starts to eat me whole. There’s no going back. Not now, and even though I know I only did what I had to do, to find a way to remove Willow from the picture, I still don’t feel any better about it.

  “Man, what is that smell?”

  The sound of Ryder’s deep, rustic voice bellows out around the walls of sinners and it sends painful sensations through my skull, causing me to groan out in protest. If I had any energy left, I’d tell him where to go. Ryder has known me long enough to recognize the sorry ass scene laid out before him. He knows I’m hanging out of my ass right now, but unfortunately for me this motherfucker doesn’t give a damn. Ryder’s the type of guy who will use my weakness to his advantage, and most likely for his own entertainment. Luckily for him, I don’t have a scrap of energy, so I keep my mouth shut and instead focus again on trying to open and adjust my eyes.

  My head is far too sensitive to handle the brightness of the room, the sun beating down it’s rays like a weapon against me, desperately trying to burn away my sins, and I can just about make out a blurred Ryder sized shape in my peripheral.

  “What time is it?” I ask and my voice is dry and croaky, laced with tiredness and regret. Apparently, this is funny because Ryder lets out a hearty chuckle.

  “It’s time you got your ass in the shower.” He whistles back at me while opening a window. “You smell really bad, man.” Ryder confesses, not that I really want to hear what he has to say. I’m not shocked to hear his voice totally voice of any emotion, and I can’t say I blame him. I’m the one who’s brough this on myself.

  “Trust me, man. It was for the greater good.”

  “Oh, yeah? Is that Tiffanie chick finally about to make you crack? I knew it would only be a matter of time.” He steps closer to me and then suddenly thinks better of it, before turning around and making his way toward the bar. I follow him closely with my eyes as they slowly start to adjust.

  “Fuck, I wish.” I mutter. “If only Tiffanie was the least of my problems then my life would be sweet.” I shake my head as the events of last night unfold in my mind, and I really need to keep my mouth shut. I don’t need Ryder growing suspicious when Willow suddenly stops showing up for work. I guess I need to come up with a believable story and fast. One that I know I’ll be able to stick to.

  “Well, whatever’s eating you up on the inside, laying here, basking in your own body odor isn’t going to help you out, my friend.”

  I nod my head because I know he’s right. Ryder is always fucking right. And he isn’t afraid to remind me either. But whether the son of a bitch and his words of wisdom are right or not, nothing will be able to fix or undo the mess that I’ve caused. I’m just going to have to man up and face it―soak it up and weep because what’s done is done.

  There’s nothing that can be done to change it. No amount of alcohol will fix it and there is no going back to how things were. The crazy thing is, I already knew that before the sorry ass scene played out before me.

  “Get this down you. I promise you’ll thank me for it.” Ryder slides a large glass of clear liquid across the table and I grimace. Like fuck I’m going to be able to keep one of his concoctions down.

  “There’s no way I’ll be able to drink that.” I wretch just thinking about it, and Ryder chuckles some more.

  “Quit being a fucking pussy and drink it.” I watch as the amusement grows on Ryder’s face and he knows I’m way too fucked up to do anything about it. “I swear you’ll feel way better than you do now.”

  I doubt that.

  Nothing on this earth could make me feel better right now. And fuck, a stupid hangover remedy definitely isn’t going to do shit. I know Ryder is doing this because he cares, but what I’m more concerned about is the fact me, Colby fucking Carter could be growing a goddamn conscience. Something I’ve never had, and something I have never, ever wanted.

  Ryder still stands before me. A tall, muscular figure with his legs spread a shoulders width apart and his bare arms folded across his chest. I know what he’s doing. The son of a bitch is making a stance―one that tells me in he’s in no hurry to move until I’ve done as he’s asked.

  My head feels weary when I think about arguing with him, so I choose not to. Instead, I reach out and bring the glass to my lips. I give him one last look before pouring it all down my throat, and I swallow hard, forcing it down before it has a chance to com
e back up.

  “There’s a good boy.” Ryder mocks and then says, “Now get the fuck out of here. Go freshen up because we’ve got a meeting here in a couple of hours.”

  A meeting?

  His words ring in my ears and my senses waken with an almighty bang. “Oh, yeah? A meeting with who?” I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees so I can still steady myself as I wait for him to answer me. When he doesn’t, I decide to give him a little reminder. “I’m the one who calls the shots around here. So, start talking.”

  He shakes his head at me, and I know I shouldn’t be taking my issues out on Ryder, but my nerves are fucking shot and head’s delicate, so he’s just going to have to deal with it.

  “Hey, I thought you were the one who set it up?” Ryder throws his hands out and the motherfucker looks as confused as I feel. “I’m just following orders man. Quit shooting the messenger.”

  I push myself to my feet and stand too fast and a violent rage of nausea consumes me, but I force myself to hold steady. The last thing I need right now is to be falling flat on my ass. Especially when it looks like some dumb shit is obviously trying to meddle in my business. Now that kind of shit doesn’t sit well with me at all. And I’ve got a feeling I know exactly who’s behind it too.

  “Who called you?” I demand and Ryder’s lip quirks at the side. “Deano?” I question some more, totally refusing to give up on the matter. But we both know that Ryder doesn’t need to confirm my suspicions. Deano is a snake and he’s the slipperiest of them all.

  That motherfucker.

  The sooner he realizes he’s in my territory, the better. Maybe then he’ll finally fuck off back to his own dumping grown and leave me the hell alone.

  “What’s happening between you two these days?” Curiosity is heavy in Ryder’s tone and I watch him closely. Cautiously he steps a little closer toward me, and I pause for a moment while deciding on my next move. I don’t really want to divulge too much information. Sure, Ryder is my guy through and through, but a part of me still feels like he needs to be on a need to know basis where the likes of Deano is concerned. After all, Ryder’s the one who got me caught up in all this bullshit in the first place, and I was the one who took Ryder’s place to keep him safe.

  To keep my family safe.

  To keep Willow safe.

  And a fat load of good that did me in the long run.

  “Who knows with Deano.” I say eventually, but I’m not stupid. I know Ryder better than anyone else in Redlake, and I know he isn’t buying my bullshit excuses. Ryder isn’t here for the tiny bits of information. No, he’s here for the whole lowdown.

  The good, the bad and the ugly.

  Only a small part of me want to keep him out of this mess.

  “Come on. You’ve gotta give me more than that, man.” He sighs and I can tell that he’s missed being involved in the action. His eyes are hungry for danger, like he’s been starved of it for years. “What are you planning?”

  I roll my shoulders, trying to relax my tight aching muscles, but to no avail.

  “Hey.” I hold my own hands up in surrender. “I’m not planning shit. As for Deano, who the fuck knows what’s going on in that head of his, but I’m pretty sure we’re about to find out.”

  Dread ripples through my body at the thought of Deano lingering around Redlake. Wherever he goes, trouble isn’t far behind. But I’ve played my part. I’ve done my bit. I was the one who dealt with Willow. Thanks to me she’s well and truly out of the picture. I guess the only thing I really need to think about now is how I can keep Tiffanie on side. As much as I don’t want to, I know she’s going to play an integral part in my grand plan of action. I think it will be a whole lot of fun watching Tiffanie take part in the downfall of her father.

  “Well, I’d hurry the fuck up and go get yourself somewhere close to a human.” Ryder reminds me, and when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I see he isn’t fucking wrong.

  CHAPTER TWO

  COLBY

  The house is deathly quiet when I walk through the door.

  I pause in the hallway, running an exhausted hand along my stubbled jaw before readying myself to take the next step.

  This is the last place I saw Willow, and now Willow isn’t here. My chest tightens as the realization of my actions and the fact she will never step foot in this house again weighs heavy on my mind.

  What the fuck am I supposed to say to Hadley? My sister will lose her shit when she realizes her best friend isn’t coming home again. It won’t be as easy as calling her up to find out what happened either.

  And that’s all down to me. The fact Willow isn’t here is all on me, and I’ll own it on the inside because I know I did what I had to do. I acted because I had to. I did what should have been done a long time ago. My only saving grace is that this time I was able to make sure that it was done by my hand, and not Deano’s. Fuck, I wouldn’t wish that kind of fate on anyone.

  But, what’s the point of dwelling on the past? What’s done is done, and the sooner I remove Willow from my fucked-up mind, the better and clearer things will be.

  I need to remember Willow was nothing more than a welcome distraction, and no matter how much my dick stirred to life in her presence, she was always a means to an end, and there’s no way I could ever allow her to be the reason behind my fall from grace.

  I jump when I hear the front door slam behind me and when I turn around, I suddenly wished I hadn’t bothered. Talk about making a bad day get worse.

  “Where have you been?” Tiffanie narrows her eyes at me as she steps toward me, her killer heels clicking on the wooden floor, and a savage grin spreads across her overly enhanced face.

  “Never mind what I’ve been doing. Obviously, you’ve been busy with daddy’s plastic in my absence.” Tiffanie’s smile deepens as she lifts her arms up to show me her recent spoils―in her case, and endless amount of retail therapy.

  “Of course. Daddy said I looked a bit down and I should treat myself seeing how you’ve been way to busy to show me any attention these days. He said I shouldn’t be wasting my time just sitting about waiting for you to show up.”

  I ignore her bitchy remark because I don’t have the energy to argue with her about pointless crap. It’s no secret that Tiffanie is a handful at the best of times, but my head still feels like it could explode at any given second and she’s the last person I need squealing down my ear. All I want to do is jump in the shower and get this stupid meeting with Deano out of the way. Then I can drink my entire body weight in liquor and live out the nightmare again.

  “Do you want a bite to eat?” Tiffanie asks when she realizes I’m in no mood for bullshit.

  “Nah, I’m good. I’m just gonna grab a shower and then I have to head back out again.”

  “Oh?” Tiffanie sounds interested for a minute but I know she’s desperate to keep a handle on my where abouts. Jealously really doesn’t suit her. “Anywhere important?” she continues to quiz me as she looks me up and down through hooded eyes. Does she seriously take me for a fool? She’s just spent the morning with Daddy fucking dearest, so she has to know that it’s him I’m meeting.

  “Just work stuff.” I shrug before stepping around her to get to the bathroom. I run a hand through my unkempt hair and wish the world would stop and swallow me whole. At least then I’d be away from this crazy ass nightmare which is also known as my life.

  “Okay, well have fun.” She smiles back and every fiber of my being warns me to tread carefully.

  Tiffanie is being too nice. Now that’s something that usually comes at a price. One that’s almost always at my expense and I think I’ve paid out enough the past twenty-four hours.

  I switch on the shower and step out of my clothes, while hoping and praying that this shower will help to ease and wash away some of my guilt. I’m hoping I’ll start to feel a little more human too, but I already know it’s a pointless effort.

  The only thing that will make me feel better is Willow, and I
ruined any chance of that last night.

  Get it together, Colby. What’s done is done. There’s no point crying like a motherfucking pussy.

  I allow the hot jets of water to beat down and penetrate my skin and I throw my head back, hoping to wash away my sins. A deep chuckle rumbles in my throat. Who the fuck am I kidding? I’m going to hell, there’s no doubt about it, and the devil himself will kneel at my feet, welcoming me with open arms.

  I stay still in the shower for a few minutes, silently mulling over my thoughts while my tight muscles slowly start to relax, and as they uncoil, I sense Tiffanie close to me. I know she’s there, but I choose to keep my eyes shut, because I know only to well what she’s planning and I’m not really in the mood for her advances.

  She’s quiet as she tries to sneak up on me―like a secret assassin, but I don’t move, stood rigid in the warmth of the water splashing down around me. I allow her to edge closer toward me, because I’m still in no mood for arguments.

  “I missed you while you were gone.” She whispers, her voice flowing lightly in the air around me. All too soon I feel the heat of her breath on my face while her small hands snake around my hips.

  “What do you want, Tiff?” I finally open my eyes and look down into her expectant ones and she brings her naked body flush against mine. She’s hungry for me, just like she always is, and her eyes glaze over with a mixture of want and need.

  I remember a short period of time when my skin used to heat up under her touch, and my dick would be solid―standing to attention while my entire mind and body was captivated by the thrill of fucking the boss’ daughter. Deano may well be her daddy, but it’s me who Tiffanie bows down to, and she always will. Only the thrill soon wore off and as the haze of rebellion cleared around me, I finally saw her for what she really was, and my dick shriveled up in disgust. Only then it was far too late. She’d fallen too deep and her father had a vice like grip on my balls.