Page 43 of The Vipers and Their Vendetta

The sleep has doneme good.

I feel better this morning. My aches and pains from the accident don’t seem to be as bad, and my head is clearer. I’d slept like the dead, though I remember having some distinctly filthy dreams. The craziest part was that I didn’t even know who the men in the dreams had been. Perhaps they were men my subconscious had remembered from one of the rivals MCs? All I recall is how they’d made me feel, and how much I’d lusted over their hard, muscular, tattooed bodies. Fuck. There had definitely been more than one in my dream. Have the Vipers ruined men for me now? If I ever meet a man, will I always be eyeing up his friends, and wondering if they can get involved? Will fucking just one man ever be enough for me? I remember what Lex said to me in the shower about how he’d share me with Saint, one of them fucking my ass while the other took my pussy, how I’d be sandwiched between them, and Zane would fuck my throat. I’d wanted to experience that so badly, I realize, despite my anger with them. They’re both so gorgeous, having just one of them is like winning big but getting to fuck both at once is hitting the jackpot.

But then I remember they’re not mine to fuck anymore. I screwed everything up by running my mouth and saying things I didn’t even mean, and then they made everything worse by writing me that shitty note.

I walk down the corridor, heading to my first class, which is English Lit, so at least I don’t need to worry about any of the Vipers being in class with me.

Is it my imagination or are people staring at me—like, even more than usual? Yes, I’m sure they’re whispering about me behind their hands. Some are even sniggering. What the hell is going on? Do I have my dirty panties hanging out of my pocket, or food on my face? Feeling like I’m being paranoid, I check my clothes and then wipe the sides of my mouth and my chin with my hand. I glance at my fingers. Nothing.

I don’t have a locker. Lots of the students don’t bother, since they have rooms in the building. But Verona Falls campus is huge, and some people can’t be bothered to go back to their rooms every time they need a textbook. Those who are into sports or music and have to carry equipment around also make use of the lockers.

There’s a gaggle of people around them, and they see me coming.

Someone has spray painted them in huge letters.

Vani sucks cock!

The blood drains out of my face and sinks right down to my feet. For a moment, I’m frozen, just staring, while everyone giggles around me. I have no idea what to do. In part, I shouldn’t care, because who here hasn’t sucked cock? But the words are meant to hurt and shame me, and it’s worked. Should I try to wipe it off? Is the paint even still wet? It’s not as though I have anything to clean it with. It’s like I’m underwater, blood rushing through my ears. The cold I’d experienced upon seeing it turns to fire as mortification floods over me.

The worst part is that there are only three people in this college who know it for sure.

Fucking Vipers.

I’m furious, but I’m also humiliated, and every inch of me is screaming to run and hide. I want to crawl beneath my bed and stay there forever. But the truth is that I’m going to have to face all these people at some point, and running away isn’t going to change anything. It’s not going to make the message vanish, and it’s not going to stop everyone staring at me. Several of the other students have their phones out and are filming my reaction. If I run, they’ll get that on camera too.

So, instead, I force myself to lift my chin, even though my cheeks are flaming and the heat runs right down to my chest. I paste a smile on my face and keep walking, only pausing briefly to glance at the writing, widen my smile, and announce, “And I’m fucking good at it too.”

Some of the students wolf-whistle after me, while others break out in applause. I saunter and sashay my way down the rest of the hallway until I can vanish into the nearest bathroom. I slam into the first stall, lock the door behind me, and close the lid of the toilet.

Then I sit on top of it, bury my face in my hands, and burst into silent tears.

That’s it. I’m done always playingtheirgames, bytheirrules. I’m going to get back at them. I don’t know how yet, but I’m my father’s daughter, and I won’t take being treated like this. I’ll get revenge on the Vipers if it’s the last thing I do.

I’d been planning on avoiding them, never seeing them again, but what good does that do? They still come after me and try to ruin my life.

They’ve got a sick obsession with me, so why not find a way to use that against them?

My phone buzzes with a message, diverting my attention. It’s from Lex. Well, well, well, if it isn’t the bastards themselves.

Too damned right we do. I swipe away my tears and reply.

I reply.

I don’t reply, but I already know I’m going.

I plan to pay them back for all the shit they’ve done. I’m going to let them think they’re winning, and somehow, I’m going to make them pay. I won’t let them get away with this. I won’t.

CHAPTER 17

Zane

I crackmy knuckles and flex my neck, enjoying how it makes my tight muscles feel.

It’s night, the pale curve of the moon and the bright dots of starlight the only illumination I have. I shiver against the chill in the air, and, somewhere nearby, an owl screeches.

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