The Bully's Pawn

The Bully’s Pawn A DARK ACADEMY ROMANCE MALUM KINGS COLLEGE BOOK ONE CORA MASTERS EBBY ROSE The Bully’s Pawn © Copyright 2023 Cora Masters & Ebby Rose Published by The Phantom Pen Cover by Glowing Moon Designs Formatting by The Phantom Pen Editing by Bookends Editing All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. 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 About Cora Masters About Ebby Rose Also by Cora Masters Chapter 1 Chantilla The cathedral-like setting of the elite private academy I’d lucked into was nearly enough to scare me away. Talk about a duck out of fucking water. They spent the massive tuition checks very well here at Malum. The gardens alone, where small roads and sidewalks gave the campus a small-town quality, had to cost thousands to maintain. On the way to my lavish dorm room, I admired the eclectic gardens and meticulous flower beds. I couldn’t help but stop frequently. No expense had been spared. Pride ran rampant at this university, down to every corner of the campus, every professor, and every student accepted. I’d only been here three damn days and was clearly out of my element. This prestigious school had never been in my plan. Knowing admittance was ultra-exclusive, I hadn’t even applied, so how I got accepted was anyone’s guess. Not that I was going to look a gift horse in the mouth. College was my only hope of escape, and I sure as hell didn’t want to turn out like my mother. I had to make sure I took every advantage life offered me. My roommate, Kailey Sangster, seemed friendly, but one look at her—with her natural platinum hair, big blue eyes, and creamy soft skin—and people knew she belonged here. She was enviable by looks alone but add in her high-end style and confident attitude and there was no mistaking it. She was born for places like Malum, unlike me. I hadn’t experienced any awkwardness with her, which made for a huge win in my book. So far, her friendliness was welcome and appreciated. Hopefully a good sign, and we’d become close. At the very least, cordial and respectful. Friends were never a strong suit for me. My upbringing hadn’t allowed me to make friends and utilize sleepovers or birthday parties. Even though they would have been nice, I had more important things to worry about, such as when my mother would be sober. When would she leave her latest man? Would the newest man want me around? It didn’t help that I’d always been shy and kept my nose in a book, so much so that I was able to get double credits and I’d already earned my associate’s degree by the time I graduated from high school, taking advantage of every opportunity I could. The a/c blasted over my face as I stepped into the front entrance of my assigned dormitory. A slight chill roamed up my spine at the drastic temperature change from the late summer heat. I stopped in the mail room, but I wasn’t surprised that nothing was there. Across the hall, laughter burst out of one of the commons areas. As I stood in the hallway, I bit my lip and wondered if I should join. After all, how else would I make friends? All I needed to do was swallow my pride, introduce myself, and be the pathetic young woman I knew myself to be. The thought passed as quickly at the brief moment of bravery. Ultimately, I wouldn’t have time for friends, not with the workload and double major I had planned. When you tried to pull yourself out of the slums and worked to make something of yourself, friendships were second fiddle. It always played out that way. I wanted so much for my life that relationships were the one thing that had to be sacrificed. The traumas of my youthful past made sure of that. With a shake of my head, I marched up the stairs to my room—no need to embarrass myself. Unlocking the door to my dorm, I found Kailey rocking on the floor in the middle of the quasi-living room that separated our two bedrooms. Tears streaked her cheeks, her body shaking like she was in a snowstorm as she struggled to breathe. I slammed the door closed, dropped my bag and keys on the floor, and rushed to her. “Kailey, what’s wrong? What happened?” Loud whimpers wailed out of her, and she rocked harder. I’d never witnessed something like this before and didn’t know what to do. Sitting down next to her, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “It’s okay. Let it out. Get it out.” While trying to soothe her, I had a little meltdown of my own. I ensured she didn’t see that, but I couldn’t help the panic. Did somebody die? Was there an accident? We rocked together for a good few minutes. Slowly, Kailey started to calm down. “That’s it. Take a deep breath in, and let it out slowly.” Kailey followed my lead