The Touch of a Villain: An Enemies to Lovers High School Romance (The Boys of Clermont Bay Book 1) by Holly Renee (best short books to read .TXT) 📗

“They’re a nice family.” She searched my eyes. “Why do you ask?”

I looked over my shoulder, but there was no one there. Amelia always seemed to disappear the moment my father was gone.

“I’m sure you heard all that this morning.” I motioned to the foyer where my father had been yelling. “I just don’t understand what their aversion to the Clermonts is.”

“Are you curious about all of the Clermonts or just one?” She raised an eyebrow, and I knew my face flushed red with embarrassment.

“Well.” I pushed my food around on my plate. “I would like to know why they specifically hate Beck so much.”

Liz sighed and leaned back against the sink. “Beckham used to spend a lot of time here.”

My breath caught. He spent time here? I was shocked by that information.

“He and Lucas and those other two yahoos he runs around with were close friends.”

“What happened?” I pushed to the edge of my seat. I would have never guessed that any of them had been friends. Not with the way they hated each other now.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “They were all over here one day, then the next, poof. No more. Lucas hasn’t been the same since then though.” She tapped her fingers against her thigh. “I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this.”

I knew she probably feared my father just like everyone else, but I needed more information. I needed to know what happened.

“They just stopped being friends?”

“I’m sure something had happened.” She shrugged. “But whatever it was, I didn’t hear about it. I only hear things your father is okay with me hearing.”

I knew exactly what she was saying. These walls held secrets. Secrets that weren’t just held from her but from me too. Secrets that kept my father thriving.

“Beckham is a good boy though. He has always been kind and respectful.”

I felt like she knew another boy entirely. I would never describe Beck as either of those things.

“But I would stay away from him if that’s what your father wishes. He must have his reasons.”

Yes, he must, but I wasn’t important enough to know what they were. Whatever Beck had done, my father didn’t want me anywhere near him.

Whatever had happened, it had turned a group of friends into enemies. If Liz was right, whatever had happened between them had to be bad.

Friendships didn’t end over simple misunderstandings.

Either Lucas or Beck had done something. Maybe they both had.

The boys of Clermont Bay weren’t to be trusted. Not a single one of them. If I was smart, I would hide away from all of them. I would spend my year with my head down and my mind clear. But Beck had no intentions of letting that happen.

I wasn’t disillusioned enough to think that Beck was doing anything more than using me as a part of whatever the hell game he was playing. But even having that knowledge, I was a fool. Because there was a part of me that wanted to surrender to him.

My heart hammered in my chest violently, and I knew that I had no choice.

Beck Clermont would use me however the hell he wanted.

Chapter Twelve

Josie

School started tomorrow, and I should have been preparing.

I knew that, but I didn’t want to think about it.

Going to that school meant I wouldn’t be able to avoid Beck.

I would be in his element, in his kingdom, and there wouldn’t be a single place to hide.

But I couldn’t think about that today.

When Sam, the manager of the golf course, had begged for someone to pick up a last-minute shift on the course after someone called in, I quickly volunteered.

I needed the money, and I needed the distraction.

“I’m going to have you working at the desk this morning.” He ran his gaze over me. Sam was attractive. He was older than me, sure, maybe by half a dozen years or so, but he still had a boyish charm about him that I doubted he would ever lose.

I followed him through the club, having never really been to this side before, and I absently thought about Beck.

But he wasn’t worth my time.

I didn’t have time to worry about what Liz had said about him or what my father wouldn’t.

I wasn’t the girl who fell for the hot jerk simply because he had made me feel things I had never felt before. I was smarter than that.

Any experience I had before him didn’t feel like that. They had felt like fumbled, sloppy messes compared to Beck. I didn’t want to think about how much practice he had to have to be that impactful.

I wasn’t an idiot. I knew a guy didn’t know how to turn on a girl that well by sitting at home and twiddling his thumbs. And a guy who was that good with his mouth and a simple touch of his hands was not a guy who was also good with hearts.

That was plain and simple.

If I wanted to continue thinking about Beck Clermont, I needed to focus on how to avoid him. I couldn’t let thoughts of his cocky smile slip in or the way my heart hammered any time I saw him.

I didn’t have time to think about any part of him today. I was here to work, and I couldn’t afford to be distracted all day. Not by him or anyone else.

We rounded the corner toward the front desk, and I tightened my ponytail. If I could impress Sam today, then I could possibly get a job in his department in the future. I liked working in the dining room, but Allie had told me that working on the course paid a lot better. And that’s all I needed to focus on.

More money, more security.

“Mr. Clermont.” My head snapped up as Sam spoke his name, and I quickly peeked around him. Sure enough, the man who owned the club stood there in a blue