BriarEdge Academy: December Read online

  BriarEdge Academy

  December (Part One)

  Kit Kyndall

  Amourisa Press

  Kit Tunstall, writing as Kit Kyndall, reserves all rights to BRIAREDGE ACADEMY. Any resemblance to people or places is a coincidence. Please respect the copyright by not sharing this work. Permission of the author or publisher is required to copy any part of this work.

  © Kit Kyndall, 2019

  Cover image: Depositphoto

  Cover design by Amourisa Designs

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  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Blurb

  1. Chapter One

  2. Chapter Two

  3. Chapter Three

  4. Chapter Four

  5. Chapter Five

  6. Chapter Six

  7. Chapter Seven

  8. Chapter Eight

  About Kit Kyndall

  Blurb

  They don’t want her there. She doesn’t care if they push her out until she finds good reasons to stay at BriarEdge Academy. It’s the last two weeks at BriarEdge before Winter Break, and Candace is finally an adult…

  It’s already December, and Candace is finally turning eighteen. The last two weeks at the academy before Winter Break bring a surprise invitation to spend a weekend in Boston with her forbidden professor. That has her impatient for Winter Break, but the Christmas dance takes place before vacation starts. Lex is her date, but will Dalton find a way to steal some of her time too? Will that anger Lex, who continues to clash with Dalton? She worries about their continued fighting with each other. If the men can’t be friends, how can they all make a relationship last?

  This is a series intended for mature YA and adult readers. It includes some cursing, mild violence, a few darker elements, and sex. It is a contemporary reverse harem academy romance with some bullying, including from one of her love interests. When four is better than one, #whychoose?

  This is part-four of a ten-part series. There could be cliffhangers ahead, but the installments will be released quickly.

  Chapter One

  Candace

  Make sure you’ve read “September,” “October,” and “November” before beginning this installment.

  Within her first few days of returning to BriarEdge after Thanksgiving break, Candace was convinced all the professors were trying to kill them. They couched it as reviewing for the midterms that would take place in January, after returning from Christmas break, but she was convinced it was really a secret form of torture they enjoyed inflicting on them. Even her beloved Kip had increased the workload and was driving everyone hard.

  To make matters worse, Jonas had no reason to be at the school right now, so the only time she got to see him was on weekends, when she signed out for a pass. She spent the first Saturday night following resumption of classes reconnecting with him, and though she was willing to go farther, he stopped before they could progress to the part where they had sex.

  With their time dwindling, she asked in frustration, “But why?”

  Jonas reached into the drawer beside him, making her hope he was getting a condom. Instead, he pulled out a small box and set it on her naked chest. “That’s why.”

  With a frown of confusion, she looked down at the box and pulled off the silver bow. When she opened it, she gasped at the lovely pair of ruby earrings on a velvet bed. “Oh, I love them. Thank you!” She reached over to hug and kiss him, still grumpy when he pulled back too quickly. “But what do earrings have to do with sex?”

  He put his arm around her, drawing her closer to him. “You’ll be eighteen in a few days. I’m already skirting the law in a big way, but I’ll feel more secure when you’re a legal adult.”

  She scowled. “Do you think I’m going to tell someone to get you in trouble?”

  He shook his head. “No, but things have a way of coming out. Humor me. You’ll be an adult the next time we have some time alone.” He frowned. “Which reminds me. I can’t have you over next weekend. My father’s sister and her husband are visiting, and I won’t subject you to that.” He shuddered lightly.

  She frowned. “I won’t get to see you the weekend after with the dance, and then we’re going home for Christmas break.” She put a hand on his thigh, inching upward. “We should take advantage while we have a chance.”

  He sighed. “I’m still not doing that yet. Go to sleep, Candace.” His tone was firm, but his embrace was gentle.

  She accepted his reasons, though she didn’t like them. After a short time, she snuggled up against him while staring at the shimmering rubies. The gleaming gems dominated her vision as she drifted to sleep.

  As she was leaving Sunday morning, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, passionate kiss. Martha, who hadn’t warmed up any, was likely watching them from the kitchen, but Candace didn’t care. She wouldn’t get to see Jonas again until after Christmas break, so she needed something to help get through the separation.

  The sound of Gabe’s car pulling up the driveway forced them apart, and he groaned softly as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I wish you could stay.”

  “Me too.” She was breathless, but that was because he’d kissed her so thoroughly. “I can’t wait for May.”

  “All the flowers?” He teased with a wink.

  “That, and I can finally be with whomever I want without needing anyone else’s permission.” She palmed the hard bulge in the front of his pants for a second before she stepped back. “I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

  He nodded and waved at her as she started walking. “Have a safe trip back.”

  She waved in return and got in Gabe’s car. She expected some kind of comment, but he said nothing, just as he hadn’t said anything the last time he picked her up from Jonas’s place. The ride back to school was accomplished in silence, and she returned to her dorm room to tackle a pile of homework just like all the other students.

  Monday morning, she met Lex for breakfast and snuggled close to him. That was as close as they could get to public displays of affection without being in trouble, so she had to content herself with that.

  Lex’s lips brushed against her neck, but he didn’t actually kiss her. “Do you think you could get out of one of your classes and meet me in the darkroom? It’s free during second and fourth periods.”

  “I can try,” she said. “I prefer fourth, since that’ll get me out of Manion’s class for a while.” She shuddered just thinking about the teacher, with his creepy touches and creepier leers. He was definitely focused on her, and knowing what he was capable of, it frightened her as much as it made her angry. She shouldn’t have to be afraid of her teacher, but she hadn’t bothered talking to Philip Hastings about it. What was the point? He wouldn’t believe her, and since he was looking for a reason to get rid of her, he might even turn it around and use it to expel her for making false accusations.

  “Let’s plan on fourth. I’ll wait for you. Twenty minutes into class?” At her nod, he put his hand on her thigh and inched higher, slipping just under the edge of the hem of her skirt. “It’s my turn today.”

  She looked at him, eyes wide. It was easy enough to infer what he meant, and she trembled with anticipation. Her first time experiencing that had been with Jonas, and she was greedy enough to want it with all her men. All the time, she thought with a small grin as she imagined how little they’d get done if
they took turns pleasuring her all the time. It was an intriguing idea even if it didn’t hold up to reality.

  After breakfast with Lex, she headed toward her first class, surprised when Dalton fell in step with her. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she let him lead her into an empty classroom. As soon as the door closed behind them, he started kissing her. She responded with enthusiasm, but when his hands bracketed her head, and his body pushed her against the door forcefully, she reared back slightly and twisted her head. “No.”

  He frowned. “I don’t understand. I thought we decided to see each other?”

  She nodded. “That doesn’t mean we just make out. I want to talk to you and get to know you better before we go that far.”

  He frowned. “I thought we’d done most of that already. If you’re afraid, I won’t hurt you. I mean, at least not deliberately. I think it hurts most girls the first time.”

  Candace sighed. “I’m not ready to find out for a while, okay? I need to make sure you and I are going to last awhile before I do something so intimate with you.”

  He scowled. “Are you afraid I’m going to hurt you?” This time, he was clearly talking emotionally instead of physically during her first time having sex.

  She shook her head. Her fear wasn’t that he would hurt her exactly. It had more to do with not knowing if he could really maintain the changes he was tackling, and if he became a bully again, she didn’t want to have more regrets than having given him some of her time.

  She left that unspoken as the first bell rang. “I have to go.” She wiggled against his body, almost surprised when he moved back, since he hesitated for a moment before doing so. “And I want to date you, but that means getting to know each other better. So how about this? We’ll hang out in the rec room a couple of nights this week. I’ll make sure it doesn’t conflict with my studying schedule,” She left Lex’s name unmentioned, “And we can spend time together.”

  He sighed heavily. “Fine, but what about when we want to do more than talk? I mean, I just want to touch you everywhere. You’re always in my thoughts.”

  Her eyes widened at the information. She hadn’t realized he was that into her. “Maybe we could meet somewhere once a week and have a different kind of conversation.” She tried to think of a place where they could have some privacy.

  “Maybe the greenhouse?” she said after a minute. The thought didn’t sit well with her, since she tended to think of anything outdoors and garden-oriented associated with Jonas, and she didn’t want to be thinking about Jonas when she was with Dalton. No other idea occurred to her though. She didn’t know BriarEdge well enough to know its nooks and crannies.

  “Too cold, but I know just the place. I’ll show you tonight.” He bent down to kiss her, and they parted ways to head to their first classes.

  She was antsy throughout her classes, counting down the time until fourth period. At the appointed time, she raised her hand, and Manion called on her. “May I have a pass, merci, Monsieur Manion?”

  He looked irritated at the interruption of the class conversation, which was flowing nicely with the students, but he nodded and turned his attention to a different group. She didn’t think he’d suddenly lost interest in her, but he couldn’t deny her a visit to the bathroom without a good reason.

  Clutching the pass, she left his classroom and hurried to the darkroom to meet Lex. He was waiting for her, and she went into his arms immediately. His strong, hot kisses left her feeling flushed and plundered, but in a pleasant way. She clung to him as he put his hands on her hips, keeping her from falling.

  With a small grunt, Lex lifted her off the floor and onto the counter. Her butt perched on the edge, and she reached behind her to hold on to the racks provided for students to clip up their photographs during development.

  He leaned over her, kissing her as though he hadn’t seen her in months. She responded with equal intensity, enjoying the feel of his mouth on her hers as his fingers tangled through her hair, dragging her head back so he could bite her throat. She yelped at a hint of pain, but it was gone before it could become much of anything.

  His lips moved over the same spot, and then he kissed her again before slipping her skirt up and over her stomach. Her knees trembled with anticipation as his mouth moved lower. When he reached her core, she held her breath as his tongue hovered above her.

  He pushed aside her panties, and his fingers were adept, since they didn’t have much time. He kissed her mound before slipping his tongue inside to caress her clit. Lex was quick and thorough, finding the spot she liked best and focusing all his attention there, alternating between gentle flicks of his tongue and sharper, almost stabbing thrusts. Then he started sucking on her clit, and she lifted her hips while burying her hands in his hair. She held him against her.

  She arched her hips and cried out his name as she came. He held onto her for another moment before lifting his head and helping her right her underwear. When she was capable of standing, he held her up for a moment to ensure she was steady before bending his head to kiss her again. She kissed him with all the passion she felt, and her hand moved to his cock to stroke lightly through the khaki pants. She wished she had time to get him off too.

  “You’re gorgeous when you’re coming.” Lex blushed slightly, as though unused to giving such compliments.

  She blushed prominently, also unused to hearing them. “Thank you.” She kissed him again, and they separated to return their classes. She took a moment to stop by the restroom and clean up, thoughts on Lex as she returned to fourth period, wishing she could spend a lot more time with him. May couldn’t come soon enough.

  She made it through the rest of her classes for the afternoon, and then she met Dalton in the rec room on the main floor of Dorm A that evening. They didn’t stay long, since he wanted to show her where they could meet and be alone. She left with him and looked at the exit for Dorm A, but he led her toward the stairs, which they passed a moment later. Candace was surprised when he didn’t lead her out of the building.

  Instead, with a furtive look, he opened the door marked “Basement.” He slipped through and indicated she should follow. She did, temporarily overwhelmed by the lack of light. He put out his hand to keep her from moving, and a second later, his phone light came on. He must be using a flashlight app.

  There wasn’t much to see besides concrete walls painted white and cement stairs. Still holding her hand, he led her down them. He seemed to know right where he was going, and after passing the hallway, they emerged into another area that offered more hallways. Splitting off to the right, he took her down that hallway until he paused three-fourths of the way toward the end and used his phone to illuminate the way as he opened a door for her.

  With a hint of apprehension as she silently wondered if this was an elaborate hoax Dalton had schemed with Malone to humiliate or hurt her in some fashion, she took a cautious step across the threshold. She breathed a sigh of relief when he followed her in and closed the door. There was no one in the room but them, and she felt bad for questioning Dalton’s sincerity, but she couldn’t just forget what a jerk he’d been.

  Once inside, she said, “I didn’t see a name on the door, or function for this room. What is it?”

  “It used to be a basement apartment for one of the live-in maintenance people, before they did away with cleaning staff and support people living on campus. Several people have turned it into a private hangout.”

  She looked around, eyeing the utilitarian space with a cot in the corner, and a broken-down loveseat in the opposite corner. “Considering this school is full of hormonal teenagers, I’m shocked the school hasn’t bricked off this room by now,” she said with a giggle.

  “I think they’ve mostly forgotten about it. Rumor has it that some industrious student broke into the main office and changed the floor plans a few years ago so the school would forget this room exists.”

  Her eyes widened. “Was it you?”

  Dalton laughed. “No, it wa
sn’t me. Thanks for thinking the worst of me though.” He grinned and winked to take the sting out of his words.

  He remained unaware of how they sent a pang of guilt through her at having experienced doubts a few minutes before.

  “It’s probably just an urban legend, but for whatever reason, the school administration seems to have forgotten about this place, but several of the students haven’t. We can meet down here once or twice a week so we can talk and…whatever without an audience.”

  She nodded as she moved to the loveseat, which had definitely seen better days. There were some unidentifiable stains, and she perched cautiously on the edge of a worn cushion. “This sure is a dank, cold room. You know how to show a girl a good time, Dalton.”

  He shrugged. “If we have some privacy, it’s worth it, right?”

  She nodded. Moving closer to him, after he sat beside her, she put her arms around his neck and hugged him at an awkward angle. When he eased them back so that their backs were touching the support of the furniture, she tried not to think about what other things might be staining the couch she sat on.

  Instead, she lifted her head for a deep kiss. She closed her eyes and parted her lips, waiting. When it was clear he wasn’t going to kiss her, she opened her eyes. “Is something wrong? Don’t you want to kiss me?”

  He nodded. “More than anything, but I need to talk to you first.”

  He sounded so serious that she frowned. “Of course. What is it?”

  Looking away, he licked his lips before meeting her gaze. “I’m hoping you won’t take this the wrong way…”