Barbie B*tch: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rejects Paradise Book 3) Read online

  © 2020 Sheridan Anne.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Cover Design: Covers by Aura

  Photographer: Valua Vitaly

  Proofreading: Danielle Stansbury

  Editing: Heather Fox

  Editing & Formatting: Sheridan Anne

  Dedication

  Blah, blah, blah…

  Introduction

  Cold-blooded murder.

  Do I have it in me?

  I’ve watched the people I love commit the worst kinds of crimes and within the blink of an eye, I could be just like them. I feel the jagged glass beneath my fingers, but do I have the strength to follow this through? How much of my soul am I willing to sacrifice to make this right?

  Nic was supposed to be my rock. He was supposed to be my world until he showed me a side of himself that terrified me. He’s not the boy I once loved, he’s a man who’s quickly becoming the monster in my nightmare.

  Colton saved me. Colton keeps saving me, but I don’t know if he can pull me back this time. He has secrets of his own, but they leave me wondering just who it is that I’m falling for.

  He lied to me.

  With Momma Carrington and the b*tch twins back, Jude Carter hostage in the wine cellar, a killer on the loose, and a secret I never saw coming, my life is seconds away from spiralling out of control.

  The question is: Who will be there when I come out the other end?

  WARNING: Rejects Paradise is a Young Adult / New Adult Dark High School Bully Romance series. It features dark themes and mature content.

  Contents

  Dedication

  Introduction

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Rejects Paradise Series Playlist

  Ride or Die - Rejects Paradise (Book 4)

  Author Biography

  Other Series by Sheridan Anne

  Chapter 1

  The sharp edge of the broken wine bottle slices through Jude’s flesh and that very first scream of agony is enough to send satisfaction pumping through my veins. The heavy metal door slowly closes and rebounds off the lock with a loud, sharp bang, leaving it propped open with a sliver of light shining through Jude’s cold, dungeon.

  If I was smart, I'd open the door wide and leave a way out, somewhere to run and make a quick getaway, but not today. All senses of right and wrong left me the second I saw his face.

  I won’t be walking out of here until this is done. Revenge is a dish served ice-fucking-cold.

  No one gets away with putting their hands on me. I’ve allowed Nic to walk all over me for too long and I won’t stand for it anymore.

  From now on, I walk on my own two feet and I do it with pride. I deal with my problems, and I will be the one to right the wrongs made against me. I’ve always seen myself as strong, but I was anything but. I was weak. Defeated. Scared.

  Never again. I don't care how sick this makes me. I don't care if it puts me on the same level as Nic. I'm ending this and I'm ending it now. I'm tired of looking over my shoulder and seeing his face in every shadow. I'm sick of remembering the way his hands felt against my body or the way he tore my dress and left me completely defenseless to take what he wanted.

  I'm done letting him win.

  “Fuck, you little bitch,” Jude growls low, his teeth clenching as he pulls hard against the chains keeping him hostage. Blood pours from his thigh and a maniacal grin spreads across my face.

  Damn. That felt good.

  I tilt my head and let my eyes sparkle with excitement, showing him just how fucked up I can be. “What's wrong, Jude? You don't like that? You don't like me taking whatever the fuck I want?”

  “You're fucking insane,” he spits at me as I spin the broken wine bottle in my hand and step closer to him, watching as he desperately tries to pull away, scrambling across the cold concrete floor.

  A laugh bubbles up my throat. “You know what's fucking insane?” I taunt, brushing the broken glass over his skin, teasing him with the power I hold and loving the way his eyes follow my every little movement. “Thinking you can drug and rape me then walk away without punishment.” I lean in, pressing the jagged glass a little harder into his skin and grinning as I pierce it. My voice lowers to a sadistic, twisted whisper. “That's not how this little game is going to play out.”

  “You won't get away with this,” Jude says, his eyes wide and terrified. “My father is going to find out and he's going to have you committed. You'll never walk this town again. You're going to wish you were dead.”

  Ha. What a joke.

  “What's that I hear?” I laugh, tearing my hand back and watching the glass slice through his delicate skin like a warm knife through butter. He cries out and the satisfaction pulsing through my body intensifies. “Hiding behind Daddy's power, money, and sick morals again? But guess what? He can't hear you scream down here.”

  “You're fucking sick.”

  “I'm fucking sick?” I grab his shoulders and slam my knee up into his junk, then step back to watch as he falls to the ground, doubling over in agony. He lands in the puddle of blood at his feet and for a slight second, I'm thrown back to the Black Widow's warehouse, watching as two murderers died by the hands of my so-called best friend. They too collapsed into pools of their own blood, right before Nic introduced me to his dark side.

  Looking at Jude's pathetic self laying in agony at my feet, I finally get it. Without hesitation, I'm going to end him just like Nic had done to those who had wronged him and I won't stop until the job is done. I deserve peace. I've only been living with this for a few weeks, but what about the other girl he hurt? She's been living with this for who knows how long? She deserves justice just as much as I do, if not more. They laughed at her and claimed she was a liar. They disregarded her pain, embarrassment, and shame.

  I won't let him get away with it any longer. People like Jude need to realize that their money won't always speak louder than their crimes. If justice won't get served in a courtroom, then it sure as hell will be served in this old, secret room in the back of Charles' private wine cellar.

  I kneel, watching him writhe in pain. “You're scum, Jude Carter. I'm going to enjoy ending you.”

  A twisted laugh tears out of Jude as he tips his head back to meet my eyes. “I fucking dare you,” he taunts.

  I
narrow my eyes and really take him in. He's skinny and malnourished. It's clear he's been down here since the masquerade party, and it's damn near clear that Colton was the one who put him here. Who else would know about this fucked up little dungeon back here?

  Jude has bruises covering his body, both old and new. There are cuts, grazes, burns. All sorts of shit covering him and it's clear that Colton has been taking his frustrations out on him. But why? Is this Colton's way of trying to protect me? All I know is that Colton has known exactly where this asshole has been for the past three weeks and didn't say a fucking word.

  He lied to me and that's inexcusable. Unforgivable.

  Unforgettable.

  As I watch Jude, I see the desperation in his eyes. He wants me to end him. He wants me to slice this jagged glass deep across his throat and end his suffering, and for once, I'm inclined to give him exactly what he wants. But he should know, I won't be doing it without taking what I want first.

  He's going to remember me when he's gone. He's going to rot in hell and he's going to know for all of eternity that I was the one who put him there. I'm going to make him wish he never touched me, never even fucking saw me.

  “Is that what you want?” I question, leaning toward him. “You want me to kill you? Do you a fucking favor and take away all of your pain?”

  “Just do it,” he spits with desperation.

  “Don't you worry about that,” I tease, spinning the wine bottle in my hand again, feeling a piece of my soul darkening to the point of no return. A laugh bubbles up my throat, making me sound like a psychotic serial killer. “I have big plans for that, but the show is only just starting. Do you really think I'm about to skip ahead to the big finale when I haven't had a chance to make you hurt, just like you did to me?”

  Jude pulls himself back to his feet and I don't miss the way his knees shake beneath his weight. “You don't have the fucking guts,” he says as I straighten myself out to meet him face to face. “Just turn around and fuck off. We both know Colton is going to keep me down here as his little chew toy, so unless you're here to let me finish what I started, then I suggest you go.”

  I see fucking red.

  The jagged edge of the wine bottle slams up into Jude's stomach, the broken glass plunging deep inside of him. “The fuck did you just say to me?” I demand, tearing the bloodied wine bottle out of him.

  Jude instantly falls to his knees, his hands clutching at his stomach. They turn red within seconds and his dirty shirt becomes drenched in his own blood. “What's your fucking problem, bitch?” he says, staring down at his hands in shock. “You fucking stabbed me.”

  “AND YOU FUCKING RAPED ME.” The light from the door shines against his shimmering red hands and happiness sparks within my dead soul. I didn't realize how badly I needed that. “But about fucking time, right?” I laugh, wondering what parts of my soul will still be intact when I walk out of here. Maybe I’ll lose it all and spend the rest of my days suffering, or maybe I'll sleep like a fucking baby knowing that he'll never be able to touch me again.

  For good measure, I swing my hand around and the remains of the wine bottle smash against Jude's temple and he falls to the ground with a heavy thud.

  He groans on the ground, clenching his eyes as the pain rocks through him, but I'm not nearly done with him. I've barely even gotten started. “Get up,” I demand, kicking my foot out against his ribs. “Be a fucking man and face me.” Jude’s glare snaps up to mine and it’s as though those words hurt more than anything I’ve done to him like it’s some kind of trigger to something much, much deeper, but in the end, all I can do is grin down at him. His issues aren’t mine to deal with but I sure as hell will use them against him. “That's your thing, right? You like being the man. You like fucking women and being the big boss in charge. Dominating, overpowering. Forceful. Do you think that's sexy? Do you like being the man?”

  “Fuck you.”

  “I've got news for you,” I say, my eyes shimmering with a sick enjoyment. “I'm the fucking man now.”

  “Really?” he laughs, struggling to push back up to his knees. “You're so much of the man around here that you didn't even know I was down here, did you?”

  My eyes narrow and he laughs a little harder as he spits a mouthful of blood onto the concrete. “Oh, I struck a nerve, didn't I? He lied to you. Your precious little guy lied. I wonder what else he hasn't told you. Just imagine all the things I could tell you.”

  Anger pulses through me and I clench my jaw, momentarily lost for words. Jude shakily gets back to his feet while still clutching his stomach. The side of his lips lift into a sick grin and within the blink of an eye, he grabs me, his heavy chains rattling against the concrete. He pulls me against his body and his bloodied hands mar my skin.

  I fight against his hold, but he has me too tight. “Where's your boyfriend now?” Jude questions right in my ear. “I don't hear him coming.” He spins me in his arms, wrapping his chains around my neck and holding me still. His hand drops and he cups my pussy, squeezing tight. “There's no one here to stop me now,” he taunts. “Colton's going to kill me anyway. I might as well take what I want.”

  Panic surges through me as the memories of his hands on my body flash through my mind—the sound of my dress tearing, his evil laughter knowing nothing could stop him. My mind was foggy, but I'll never forget the fear. I will never allow that to happen again. I don't give a shit how hard I have to fight. My body is mine to do with as I please and no one will ever take that right away from me again.

  My elbow slams back into Jude's stomach and we both go crashing down. I scramble out from under the chains, scraping my knees against the broken glass littering the cold floor. Blood soaks my clothes, but I put it to the back of my mind. I can't think about that yet. I have to end this. That was too close.

  My fingers curl around a stray piece of glass and I struggle to hold it as it slips against my bloodied hands.

  My pulse thumps loudly in my ears, and my eyes are wide and frantic. I'm losing control.

  I rush around him and he keeps his eyes on me, always on me, only now just realizing how far I'll go. I grab a fistful of his hair and tear him up with a strength I didn't realize I was capable of, yanking him back to his knees.

  I don't let go. Instead, I yank his head back, exposing his neck the same way I'd watched Nic do. “Are you kidding me? You don't get to touch me.”

  “Just fucking do it,” Jude roars. “Kill me.”

  I slam my knee into the center of his spine, delighting in the sound that comes tearing out of him. “YOU DON'T THINK I WILL?” I demand. “YOU FUCKING RAPED ME. YOU TOOK MY INNOCENCE. YOU TOOK MY ABILITY TO FIGHT. YOU TORE MY FUCKING DRESS OFF MY BODY AND TOOK WHAT WASN’T YOURS. I will not allow you to get away with it. You destroyed me, but I can guarantee that I'll be the last woman you will ever touch. You will never hurt anyone ever again, and I don't care if I have to turn into a monster to make that happen. You took the light in my soul, but you will pay for it with your life.”

  “Fucking chicken shit. JUST DO IT.”

  I suck in a breath, clenching my jaw as I bring my hand to his neck. The sharp edge presses against his throat, and I watch as it digs into his skin. A trickle of blood runs down his throat and I smile, knowing it will finally be over. “Any last words?”

  His blood soaks into the top of his shirt and just as he goes to say whatever the fuck he needs to say, a loud bang in the adjoining wine cellar has my eyes snapping up to the heavy metal door.

  I hold my breath, my eyes widening with fear.

  “JADE? WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”

  Fuck.

  Colton.

  “Jade? Are you in here?” His voice grows closer and I know it's only a matter of seconds before he finds me. I hear his footfalls. He's moving fast and something tells me he knows exactly where I am. “Ocean?”

  My hand shakes against the glass at Jude's throat. Should I do it? Do I just slit his throat and have it over with? What would he think
of me if he walks in here and sees me? I'm a fucking monster—just like Jude, just like Nic.

  There's a loud creak, and the small sliver of light around the door grows wider. As light floods the room I see Colton standing in the doorway, looking horrified by the stranger he sees before him.

  “Ocean,” he says slowly, not making any sudden movements as his hazel eyes flick between me and Jude. “What are you doing, baby?”

  “I ... I …” As I meet his eyes, I feel my own filling with tears. The emotions are overwhelming. “I have to end this.”

  He shakes his head. “No, Jade. You don't.”

  My brows furrow as I watch him while Jude remains absolutely motionless, hardly even breathing as my shard of glass presses against his throat. “What do you mean?” I cry. “Of course, I do. He raped me. I have to end this. Don't you want that too?”

  “Trust me, I do, Jade. I want that more than anybody, but not like this. Not at the risk of you losing yourself. I can't have this on your shoulders. The guilt …”

  “I …”

  “Look at yourself, Ocean. I mean really look at yourself. Look at what you're doing, who you're becoming.”

  My eyes drop to the shard of glass still clutched tightly between my fingers. Blood covers me from head to toe, drenching my clothes. My heart races like never before, feeling the burn of the cuts and scrapes along my knees and hands for the first time.

  I'm a stranger. I don't even recognize myself right now.

  Am I seriously about to kill a man? I was terrified after watching Nic do just the same only a week ago. His ruthlessness was enough to make me run and vow to never go back there again. How can I stand here prepared to do the exact same thing? What is wrong with me?

  I glance back up and meet Colton's loving gaze, so full of concern. A gasp travels up my throat and the tears continue to stream down my face. My hand shakes and I pull it away from Jude's neck, releasing him into a clump of pain on the floor.

  I did that. I tortured him. I cut, stabbed, kicked, and hit him. Who am I? This isn't how I deal with things, this isn't me. I'm not a cold-blooded murderer.