Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3) by Rachel Jonas (books like beach read txt) 📗

the open, hanging all over some guy who isn’t you, while you get a nap in. Nice. Real fucking nice.”

Listen to this asshole. He’s so pissed at the idea of someone with the last name Golden being made a fool of, he’s damn-near frothing at the mouth. But what else I’m realizing is… he’s paying attention. Just like we knew he would be.

I stare, watching as a vein in the center of his forehead throbs, as he breaks into a sweat, and I can’t believe I’m about to go along with this shitfest. However, he’ll never buy that I’m being this passive. After all, he’s the one who knew I’d fight for Southside, which is why he told her to cut deep.

“Well, what the fuck do you want me to do at this point?” I snap. “Every time I’ve confronted her, she feeds me more B.S. about them being friends, about how they grew up together and have always been close.”

“Yeah, from the looks of those pics, they look real fucking close.”

I’m confused by his anger. Isn’t this what he wanted? For Southside to break me? Then, it sinks in. He hadn’t taken into account that said heartbreak might be a highly publicized event. One that makes the son of the almighty Vin Golden look weak. Son of a bitch probably wouldn’t have even made this deal if he’d thought it all the way through.

“You’ve gotta get out there and do something, West,” he says, leveling a stern glare my way. “How many girls have you turned down since getting involved with this bitch? A dozen or more? My suggestion is that you grab your damn phone, find one out of the bunch who’s available tonight, and fuck her somewhere just public enough for someone to catch you in the act. Show that piece of southside trash the Golden men are never to be crossed,” he fumes.

Tonight’s already pushed me to the edge of a dangerous rage, but hearing him talk about Southside like this tests my limits. Knowing this is how he sees her—as trash, a bitch—I’d love to take my frustration out on his sorry ass.

But… the plan.

“I can’t,” I groan.

“What the fuck do you mean you can’t?”

I glare at him before answering. “I have a scholarship to protect, remember? I’ve already jeopardized that once. I’d never get away with having a video like that getting passed around again.”

He blinks and it seems he’s thinking a bit more clearly now. “You’re right.”

When he begins to pace, it’s likely he’s trying to come up with another idea. Something that won’t do more harm to my image.

He peers up and sees me dialing, which halts his steps. “You’re calling someone?”

I nod. “Yep, Dane. He and Sterling are at a party. I’ll link up with them and see what happens from there.”

“Good, good. That’s a start,” he pants, finally calming down now that he thinks I’m taking action. In reality, my plan is to park my ass right back in bed the second he leaves.

“You’re doing the right thing, Son,” Vin insists. “But let this be a lesson to you. This is what happens when you let a woman get the upper hand, let them start thinking they’re in control. Sometimes they just need to be reminded that you’ve got options. Trust me, if you take my advice, she’ll see that tonight.”

Trying to stomach this dickhead’s twisted logic, I nod. “Understood.”

His stare lingers a moment, thinking he’s just talked some sense into me, then he turns to head back upstairs. The moment he’s gone, I go right back to what I was doing before he barged in—imagining the world without him in it.

Can’t fucking wait.

Chapter 37

BLUE

With the looks I’ve been getting today, you’d think I walked through the doors of Cypress Prep stark naked, wearing a sign around my neck that reads ‘Cum Dumpster’. If I thought these assholes were hard on me before, now that I’ve allegedly betrayed their king, my rep is shot to hell.

Again.

Which is super fun.

The only good thing about today is that I have Lexi. Well, kind of. She’s a bit standoffish with me because, apparently, not calling to check in on her even once during her two-week suspension didn’t go unnoticed. If she only knew all the shit I have on my plate, she’d give me a pass. However, not knowing if she’s Pandora, I’m not even thinking about sharing. As badly as I don’t want to hurt her, I have to stay focused on the goal in mind.

Keep Scar safe, bring down Vin.

“So, are we gonna talk about the pics or just pretend nothing’s changed?” she asks, poking around at her lunch.

“Not sure what you mean.”

She shoots me a look now, as if to remind me she’s not as mindless as the other robots at this school.

“You’re not sure what pics I’m talking about? Like, the ones of you and your ex Pandora posted last night?”

I sip my drink and meet her gaze. “We’re friends and we were hanging out. You know Pandora’s known for making something out of nothing. The whole situation’s just been blown way out of proportion.”

Lexi glances over to where the triplets and Joss are seated, then looks at me again.

“Sure about that? Because last time I saw you, you were so deep in love it was hard to stomach. And from what I hear, he’s not doing too good with all this,” she adds, nodding toward West, giving me an excuse to sneak another peek at him.

She isn’t lying. Although all of this is pretend, and mostly his idea, the pain I see on his face is real. And honestly, that kills me a little.

“He’s fine,” I lie.

“Which is why you’re sitting over here with me and he’s all the way over there. Right. Got it,” she adds with a sigh.

I finally tear my eyes away from West and remember the role I’m supposed to play. The word Joss kept throwing at me was ‘indifferent’.

Be… indifferent.

“I’ve just been