The Ritual: A Dark College Romance

SOMETHING HARD HITS me in the back, knocking the wind out of me. I’m shoved to my knees, and my face is held down to the wet shower floor. My head to the side, I stare into a dead set of brown eyes. The Chinese star tattoo on his face.

Erik Bates.

Gotcha!

I killed the motherfucker! Took me a several days in solitary confinement, but I only needed one shot, and I just took it. I’m not stupid. Someone set this up and made sure that I was in here at the same time as him. I didn’t even have a chance to get undressed. The moment I saw him, I took the opportunity.

I’m jerked to my feet and dragged out of the showers, down the hallway, and back to my cell. The shackle around my waist is unlocked, but they leave my hands cuffed in front of me. My door is opened, and I’m pushed into it. The door shuts behind me and locks. Looking up, I see a man sitting on my bed who I don’t recognize.

Arching a brow, I ask, “Since when do they assign roommates in solitary confinement?”

He reaches up under my pillow and pulls out a short knife that wasn’t there before. “It’s amazing what they allow us to do when they need us to take care of something.”

I don’t miss the fact that the guards threw me in here still cuffed. This is a setup. Just like the one where I killed fuckface! “Who sent you?” I ask. It wasn’t Gregory. I did what I signed up for. If he turned on me, he would be terminated.

The man smirks, showing off his ugly brown teeth. He’s been in jail for a while. Probably a lifer. “Let’s just say a friend wants me to send you a message.”

“Friend?”

He stands, and I take a step back, but there’s nowhere for me to go in this concrete box. “I don’t know what you did, but he wants you to suffer.”

Fucking Matt! It has to be him. I beat him up and left him in our cell. He’s obviously been making friends while I’ve been in here alone. Good for him. The corner of my lips pulls back into a smirk when I confess. “I fucked his girl.”

His chuckles softly. “That’ll do it.” Lifting the knife, he looks over it. Pretty sure if he cuts me with it, I’ll need a tetanus shot afterward due to how discolored it is. I’m definitely not the first person it’s going to be used on. “Was the pussy worth it?” His eyes meet mine.

“Absolutely!”

He charges me, knocking my back into the steel door. He lowers the knife to my side, and I manage to dodge it, but his free hand lands a hit to my ribs, taking my breath away. He takes a step back from me, and I double over.

“Sounds like I should try it out.” He laughs while I cough. “He did offer me a piece of it once I finish with you.” I glare up at him. “Brunette? Blue eyes? I didn’t catch her name. That’s not important anyway. She’ll be my bitch …”

I run at him, hunched over, and my shoulder hits his abdomen, shoving his back into the opposite wall. The small space didn’t allow me that much momentum, but it’s all I got. The knife clanks to the ground, and I go to hit him, but the handcuffs make it hard. I’m going to have to get him to the floor.

His fist connects with my chest, and my knees buckle, knocking me to the floor. Trying to regain my strength, I hear him laughing as he stands above me. “He said that she’s got some nice tits too.”

I catch sight of the knife next to me. Grabbing it, I shove it into the top of his foot. “She does.”

He throws his head back, screaming, and I stand, kneeing him in the stomach. He doubles over, and I shove him to the floor. Face down. I straddle his back and wrap my cuffed hands around his neck, pulling back, cutting off his air.

The sounds of him gurgling while struggling with me fill my cell. But I don’t let up. Not until this son of a bitch is dead because I sure as shit am not letting anyone near her. She’s mine. I’ll have to remind Matt of that.

His body grows weak, and it doesn’t take long for it to sag against the floor. I’m still hanging on for dear life, the tight cuffs pinching my skin, when I hear the door creak open.

Looking up, I see Gregory enter my cell. “What the fuck?” he asks, his wide eyes on the guy I’m sitting on top of.

“Is he dead?” I grind out.

Kneeling next to him, he presses his fingers on his neck. “Yeah,” he answers.

I let go and roll off him to my side, letting out a long breath. “Who’s next?” I ask jokingly, but he doesn’t laugh. Then my heavy eyes fall shut.

Waking up, it takes my eyes a second to focus on Blakely sleeping next to me. Reaching out, I run my hand through her dark hair fanning her pillow.

Fucking Matt tried to kill me while we were locked away. That can’t go unpunished. There are a lot of things I can overlook, but that sure as shit isn’t one of them. He’ll pay for that. And I know the best revenge. She’s lying right in front of me.

I push the covers down and off her back, seeing she’s naked. I wanted to fuck her so bad the moment I got back, but my body just wasn’t having it. I could barely shower, let alone dominate her, but I feel better now. Recharged. The light that filters into her room tells me it’s early morning. It’s also a Sunday, meaning I have all day with her.

Running my hand down her back, I slide it over her bubble ass before giving it a little slap. She shifts, letting out a moan.

I scoot closer to her, my hand sliding between her legs to find her cunt. She goes to roll onto her back, but I use my free hand and push her onto her stomach. “Ryat?” she whispers.

Pressing my lips to her back, I gently kiss her soft skin while I spread her pussy lips with my other hand. I push a finger into her, and she’s not even close to where I want her to be.

I kiss my way up to her neck, where I bite into her skin, making her shiver.

“Ryat?” she speaks, sounding much more alert.

“Wake up, little one,” I whisper, my finger entering her again.

“What?” She goes to roll over, but I shove her onto her stomach completely. “Ryat!” she snaps, making me smile. “I’m so pissed at you.”

“Good.” I remove my hands from her legs and sit between them, spreading them wide with my knees.

She gets up on her hands, and I reach around, grabbing them and pulling them behind her back, gripping them in one hand. I slap her ass with the other while her face falls down into her pillow.

“Fuck you, Ryat,” she hisses, her body fighting under mine.

I chuckle. “I’m going to.” My hand goes back between her legs, and I smile that she’s getting wetter. “You missed me.”

“I hate you,” she growls.

“I can live with that.” I enter a second finger, and she makes a noise between a growl and whimper, her body rocking back and forth. “That’s it, Blake. Ride my fingers like a good little slut. Show me how much you want to be fucked.”

Her back arches more at my words, and her pussy just gets wetter. Thinking about the guy in my cell makes me angry. The fact that Matt offered her to the man in exchange for getting rid of me, puts me on edge. How many will he send after me in order to get to her?

That someone else would get to fuck what’s mine. My cock is the only one that’s ever been here. And it’s going to stay that way.

Removing my fingers, she sags against the bed. I grab my cock and push it inside her, not wanting to play any longer. I want to fuck! “This is my cunt!” I tell her.

“Uh-huh.” She moans and agrees. “Yours.”

I pull out and slam into her, forcing a cry from her lips. “Remember that, Blake.” I do it again. “Don’t ever forget who owns you.”

“Never.” She cries.

Thankfully, I have plenty of time to remind her in case she forgets any of that.

_______________

I STAND IN the kitchen eating some yogurt in nothing but a towel wrapped around my hips. “We have a ceremony next weekend,” I say loudly so Blakely can hear me from her room.

She pokes her head out of the open door. I can tell she’s still mad at me but curious at the same time. “Ceremony? Another one?” She arches a brow. “At the cathedral?”

“No.” I shake my head. “This one is at the house of Lords.”

Stepping out of her room completely, she adjusts the towel underneath her underarms, giving me a quick peek of her tits. I came all over them about an hour ago before we showered for the third time since I’ve returned last night. “What is it for?”

“It’s to show you off,” I say truthfully.

She bites her bottom lip nervously, dropping her eyes to stare at her bare feet. “Do I have to … do anything?”

She means sexually. “Just be mine,” I say simply.

Nodding, she turns and goes back into her room.

I take another bite of the yogurt as I hear a key in the front door of her apartment. Then it opens seconds later. I expect it to be Sarah and Gunner, but a bleach-blond enters instead. Her green eyes find me instantly. They drop to the towel that sits low on my hips, not leaving much to the imagination. They slowly run up over my V, pausing on my abs and then rising to my chest. When they meet mine, hers narrow like I’m the one in the wrong here. “Who the fuck are you?” she demands.

I take another bite of the yogurt. “Who the fuck are you?” I ask, although I already know.

“What should I wear …?” Blakely trails off, exiting her bedroom. Her wide eyes go to the woman. “Mom?” she shrieks. “What are you doing here?”

“Blakely,” she hisses when her eyes go to her daughter. They pause on the bite marks and hickeys that dot her neck and run down over her arms. Then drop to her legs. I’ve left marks all over my girl. “What in the fuck is going on here?”

Blakley looks at me, mouth hanging open and eyes still the size of quarters. I finish off my yogurt, then throw it in the trash. Walking past her mother, I go over to Blake. Cupping her face, I lean down and gently kiss her forehead. “Don’t take long.” Then I walk into the bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

BLAKELY

“MOM,” I GASP. “What are you doing here?” I ask, blinking. The fact that Ryat kissed me on the forehead brought me out of my trance.

“Looks like I got here just in time!” she snaps, placing her hands on her hips. “Who the fuck was that, and what have you been doing with him?”

I roll my eyes. “That’s none of your business—”

Her rough laugh interrupts me. “I pay for this apartment and this college, young lady. Everything you do is my business. And I’ve been calling you. Is this why you haven’t been answering? Because you’ve been with him?”

I frown. “I haven’t had any calls from you.”

“Like I believe that.” She snorts. “Where the fuck is Matt?” Her dark green eyes search the apartment as if I have him hidden somewhere. That I’ve been shacked up in this apartment having a fuck fest with both him and Ryat.

I fist my hands. “We’re not together anymore. I told you I dumped him. He was cheating on me.” My voice rises.

“And I told you that you will still marry him!” she snaps.

I throw my hands up. “You know what, I’m not doing this.” After Ryat disappearing and then showing back up nearly beaten to death and acting like nothing happened. To him waking me up and fucking me all morning, I’m still pissed. At him, at her, and at myself for allowing all of this to go on. “You can’t force me to be with him. I won’t do it.” I just need to make it to his graduation. Then I’ll run. I can save enough money by then to get away without them knowing. I’ll just pull out a little cash every day, so I won’t be forced to use my card and leave a trail.

“What? You think that guy in there is better than Matt?” she demands, pointing at my closed bedroom door. “He doesn’t love you.”

I flinch at her words. Even though I know they’re true, I hate that she acts like no one ever could. She makes it sound like Matt is my best option, and I should just settle for that. “Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t be bringing him home for the holidays. It’s just sex.”

She slaps me across the face, making me gasp in shock.

“You little ungrateful bitch …”

I hear the bedroom door open behind me, and my mother takes a step back when Ryat storms out of it. He wraps his hand around her throat, slamming her back into the wall. “Never touch her again!” Yanking her from the wall, he shoves her back into it once again, making a picture of Sarah and me fall off the wall beside her, and the glass shatters on the floor next to them. Stepping into her, he asks, “Do you understand?”

She nods the best she can, her hands gripping his forearm with wide eyes. He’s cutting off her air.

“Blake isn’t going to answer your calls or return your texts. So quit fucking trying.” He lets go of her. “Now get the fuck out,” he commands as she rubs her neck.

“I don’t take orders …”

He grabs her hair, and she screams out as he drags her across the room to the front door. Opening it, he shoves her out into the hall. “You son of a …”

“Don’t fucking come back!” Then he slams the door in her face and proceeds to lock it. “I’ll have the locks changed today.”

I stay where I’m at, my hand pressed to my throbbing cheek and tears stinging my eyes. He turns to walk back over to me. “You okay?” he asks, cupping my chin and forcing me to look up at him.

“Yeah,” I lie, shamed and embarrassed at what she did. My mother has never hit me before. I wish I knew what her obsession with Matt was.

“You sure?” His emerald eyes search mine before dropping to my reddening face.

I nod, looking away from him, and whisper, “Thank you.”

Stepping into me, he gently forces me to look up at him once again. I can’t tell through the tears that I refuse to let fall, but he looks concerned. “You don’t need her, Blake. Not when you’ve got me.” Then leaning forward, he kisses my forehead before pulling me into the bedroom to start round four.

I hate to think of it, but it’s obvious he returned just in time.

_______________

I’M WALKING DOWN the hallway with Sarah at Barrington Monday morning when I ask, “Have you messaged me lately?”

She frowns. “Not since the other weekend. Why?”

I haven’t received any from her, but she’s also been staying at the apartment. Except for Saturday night. She and Gunner never did return after they left for the house of Lords party. Something tells me Gunner knew Ryat was back and wanted to leave us alone. “Well, my mother showed up at our apartment yesterday morning ….”

“She what?” she shrieks. “What did she want?”

“Well, that’s the thing. She said she’s been calling and texting me, but I haven’t received any. And I know you had said that you were texting me when Ryat and I were at the cabin, and I wasn’t answering.”

She nods. “I blew up your phone and nothing.”

I adjust the books in my hand. “That’s odd … right?”

She shrugs. “I call it a blessing. Well, not the fact that my calls didn’t go through, but definitely regarding your mother’s.”

“But shouldn’t your text have come through once I got service?” I ask, thinking out loud.

“Maybe. I guess it depends on how long you went without it. You were gone all weekend.”

“But …” It did work. I spoke to Ryat while I was there. I had called him and then received that text from him. Had it been dead when I plugged it in that night? I can’t remember. When I’m with Ryat, he demands all of my attention. “Will you call it now?” I ask her.

“Sure.” We come to a stop, and she digs her cell out of her back pocket. She goes to her recent calls and presses call on my number. Mine starts ringing immediately.

“Hmm.” I decline the call.

“See, like I said. It’s a blessing that you’re missing her calls,” she jokes.

“Guess so,” I add skeptically. It just seems odd.

“So, what else did she have to say?” she goes on.

“A lot. She walked in on Ryat and me both in towels fresh out of the shower.”

She throws her head back, laughing. “That’s fucking gold. Wish I was there to see it. What all did she have to say about that?”

“She went off on me. Said I was still marrying Matt …” I trail off, not wanting to tell her that my mother slapped me. It was embarrassing enough that Ryat was there.

“God, she’s such a bitch.” She sighs. Turning to fully face me, she smiles softly. “I’m glad you have Ryat. No matter the situation you have with him, he’s way better for you than dick face. I mean,” she goes on. “The guy has barely left you alone since the vow ceremony. Unless the Lords demanded his attention. You know for a fact that guy isn’t out there fucking around on you, and that’s more than Matt’s ever done for you.”

She’s not wrong about him not ignoring me as Matt has done in the past, but that doesn’t mean that Ryat isn’t fucking other women, right? Can I even call it cheating if he has been? I mean, this isn’t a relationship per se. It’s more of an understanding. I’m his and he’s … mine? Then I get a new thought. What if the Lords had him shack up with someone else for his assignment? He has spent every second with me, so it wouldn’t be farfetched to think they had him do the same with someone else, right?

Jealousy slithers up my back and makes my blood start to boil. Even though I have no right to call him mine, the thought of him touching someone else still infuriates me. I swallow down the bile that wants to rise at that thought.

“How are you and Gunner?” I ask, changing the subject. Trying to tell myself that it doesn’t matter. I don’t love him, and he’ll never tell me anything regarding the Lords.

“God, girl …” She licks her lips, and we start to walk again. “So fucking good.”

I laugh. “Sex that good, huh?” I had to listen to them fuck like rabbits while they stayed at the apartment last week when Ryat was gone.

“Absolutely. The man knows what he’s doing.” We come up to the door for our class and stop. “Last night, he literally choked me out.”

My eyes widen. “Like during sex?” That’s what Ryat practically did to me when we were out in the woods.

She nods. “He’s got this obsession with breath play.”

Breath play? Is it some kind of kink?

“One hundred percent hot as fuck. I came so hard before I passed the fuck out.” With that, she opens the door to enter class.

“Blake?” I hear my name being called. Without having to look, I know who it is.

“I’ll be right there,” I inform Sarah.

Turning around, I see Ryat coming toward me, pocketing his cell phone. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans, a plain white T-shirt, and a backward baseball hat. No man should look that good dressed so casually. I hate that I’m mad at him and want to fuck him at the same time.

“What’s up?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. What if this is all some big game that I’m playing with them? I know he chose me because of Matt, but what if Matt told him to choose me? What if this is their way to fuck with me? He’s been too understanding of what I want. At the time, I thought he really seemed to care, but what if that’s not the case? Then he just up and leaves me without any explanation. And returns like it never happened.

“I’ll be gone tonight.”

Every thought that I just had about him not fucking someone else is shattered with those four words. Did I really think I was the only one? He’s a fucking Lord. I was told they can do whatever they want—their oath tells them that. “Of course.” I snort, making him frown. “Let me guess, the Lords?”

“No. It’s personal.”

Okay, I’ll bite and be a nosy bitch. “Where are you going?”

“Something has come up,” he answers vaguely.

How have I not seen this? How many times has he blown off my questions? Or something mysteriously comes up? I bet it’s another woman. Good thing I don’t love him. I won’t be that dumb bitch who believes everything a guy tells me because I want him to be someone he’s not. I hate how much my mother was right.

“Okay.” I reach out to open the door, but he steps in front of me, blocking it. “Ryat—”

“What’s wrong?” he interrupts me, searching my face.

“Nothing,” I lie.

He sighs heavily. “Don’t let your mother get to you, Blake.”

I refrain from snorting. Of course, he thinks it’s related to her. My mother may be a bitch, but she’s never made me think she was someone else. He’s the joke. The liar. And I’m the dummy who never questioned it. Instead of correcting him, I nod. “I’ll get over it.”

He steps out of my way and opens the door for me. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Without responding to that, I walk into class and up to my seat next to Sarah. She’s typing away on her cell. I pull mine out of my pocket and pull up breath play. By doing some research, I hope it gets shit off my mind.