Bound by Justice: Kings of Ruston University, #2

By Elena Giles

I thought I could escape my past, but memories of my best friend's murder haunt me.

 

I have everything I've ever wanted with Benedict, Kaspar and Felix, but that peace is about to shatter.

 

A message from a mysterious stalker pushes me to the brink.

 

Desperate for answers, I delve deeper into the nightmares I escaped from and confront the dark truths that led to my life changing irreversibly. 

 

I have to uncover the truth finally, and only by doing so will I find justice for my friend. 

 

But bringing those skeletons out of the closet won't be easy and I don't know where my quest for answers will lead. 

 

The only thing I am sure of is that with the Kings of Ruston University at my side I will finally be safe. 

 

I should have known better than to believe that. 

 

This is a why choose romance with dark themes and triggering content.  

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elena Giles
• Release date: Jun 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227154835

Book preview

ONE

EVERLEIGH

The sun is high in the sky as we settle into the last couple of days in the condo for our summer break. Today I’m smiling, I don’t feel the weight of the past as much as I did yesterday. It’s been like this for weeks, months, and I don’t know how else to stop the roller coaster I’m on. It’s up and down, and there is nothing I can do about it, but to go through the motions. Knowing what my father and uncle did has only made the agony that twists inside me worse. I thought if I moved on, if I walked away from my old life, and focused on the future I’d be normal again.

But nothing can be normal for me.

Not now.

Not ever.

I watch over the guys who are on the sand. They’ve been so excited to bring me out here, but they have no idea about the burden that still sits like a lead weight in my gut. I should talk to them, tell them about what I’m going through, but I don’t want them to feel the weight of what I’m holding inside. I can’t bring them down.

Some days, I’m on a high with the guys surrounding me. Life can’t get any better, at least that’s what I think. On other days though, I can barely get out of bed. My father knew Uncle Jim killed Addison. She was my best friend, like a sister to me and Dad hid the truth.

He allowed the town to believe I killed her, instead of coming clean and admitting that his own brother did it. All that time. But when the truth finally came out, it only added to the burden I’d been carrying—shame, disappointment, and disgust were emotions which ate away at me when I realized it was my family. My blood. Uncle Jim hurt an innocent girl.

But more than that, it’s the betrayal of it all.

It’s as if there is a poison running through my veins, and no matter what I do, I can’t rid myself of it. For now, it feels as if it’s going to be there for the rest of my life. Perhaps it will be. I don’t know. The inky blackness that runs through my blood has tainted my outlook on everything. My life, my world, even my relationship with the guys. They’re good to me, but deep down, I’m convinced I’m not good enough for them.

My father could have saved me from the hatred that had followed me around for months.

Even though the guys have saved me, helped me with my confidence and given me strength, there are days I want to give up. It hurts. To know that you’re nothing more than a scapegoat to family, to people who you love can be emotionally destructive.

My father, being the detective on the case, he lied to me, to mom, to everyone around him. The whole town meant nothing to him because he hid the truth for so long. Turning to the bathroom, I push the door closed behind me, and I lean against the wooden surface.

Disgust coils deep in my core, twisting with a reminder of the harsh reality. If I ever go back home, everyone will remember me. They’ll remember just who I am, and what my family have done. Even though I’ve dissociated with Dad, there is no way I can look at him and not feel sick.

Shame fuels me as i push away from the door and stop at the wash basin. The mirror reflects all the emotions swirling inside me. There are days it’s easier to stomach, easier to ignore. Most times, it’s when I’m alone that it hits me even harder. When the guys are out, and I’m able to sit with my thoughts, they turn dark. I’m reminded of my disappointment.

There are secrets my father kept, held back from the town, and even his family. And it makes me wonder just how many more secrets he’s keeping. I hate it. Anger surges through my veins, heating my blood when I consider he may be harboring so much more than we know.

His job is to keep the innocents safe. But instead, he allowed a young girl, the same age as his daughter, to get killed. And he allowed the man who was guilty of the crime to walk free.

When I blink, the tears I’d been fighting finally fall from my eyes. I’ve spent the past few months. With every week that passes, I hide more and more from the guys. I should be open and honest, but instead, I’m turning into my father’s daughter. Hiding things from those who love me.

It’s taken me weeks, months to process everything. And even now, I’m still not fully aware of what’s happened. I’m pushing all the emotions to the bottom of my gut, hiding them in a locked box, praying they don’t escape, but I know from experience it doesn’t work. As much as I try, as strong as I think I am, I know they’ll eventually escape.

The memory of learning the truth replays in my head all the time. Benedict knows, and I’m pretty sure he’s told the rest of the guys which brings us here, our little getaway. They wanted me out of the house, thinking that a holiday will fix what’s wrong with me.

But how can I forget who I am?

The niece of a monster.

And the daughter of a liar.

I hear the footsteps on the other side of the door, and I know one of them have come to check on me. I close my eyes and wait, my name will be called, and the concern will be etched all over their faces when they realize the getaway has turned into something else.

Everleigh, Benedict’s voice comes from the bedroom. So close, but it feels as if I’m miles away from him. From them all. I know the real reason he’s here. They’ve wanted me to talk about it, but I can’t. Having them see what’s going on in my mind is my worst nightmare, I don’t want the look of pity from each of the guys to overwhelm me. And it will because they care. I know they do.

I’m just freshening up, I call to him, and I turn on the tap before splashing my face with cold water. Hoping the chill will brighten my features, I dab my face with the towel before opening the bathroom door. What’s up?

The fake smile I’ve plastered on is obvious. Benedict can read right through me. He doesn’t respond, he pulls me closer, and tugs at my long sleeves. They’ve resorted to this—checking me for cuts or nicks. The fear that I’ll start cutting myself again is obvious. It’s a struggle within myself not to do it.

I can’t hide from them. All of the guys are worried, and each time they look at me a little too close, I feel it, the suspicion. I can’t be angry with them, I’ve not given them a reason not to trust me. The darkness that forces me to take a blade to my flesh is ever present. But there is no hiding from them. I know I can’t. What they don’t know is that I’ve found a new outlet. It’s one that they won’t notice. And I’m thankful for that because I need it. I have to expel the anger, the resentment, and the shame.

We were worried about you, Benedict says, bringing me back to the present. His fingertips trail up my arms, feeling for any cuts. He won’t find any because they’re not there. There may be ghosts of what I’ve done in the past, but none that are new.

I just needed a moment. I’ll be out there soon. My voice is high-pitched as I attempt to sound happy, excited to be on vacation. But deep down, the darkness has taken a hold of me. His touch scorches me, as it always does, but he doesn’t realize or notice I’m hurting myself in another way.

Okay, Ben says slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. The concern is clear, written all over his face. It hurts that he doesn’t believe me, but I can’t blame him for that. I’ve forced them all to be like this with me. If they could wrap me in bubble wrap and keep me locked up in a room, they would. But real life is not like that, it’s real and raw.

Don’t worry so much. Once again, I’m playing a part, just like my father did when he lied to everyone. As much as I hate Dad for what he did, I know I’m doing the same thing, the only difference is that I’m hurting myself rather than those around me.

You know that we all worry about you. What you went through wasn’t easy, Ben tells me. His voice taking on a serious tone, and I wish I can change their minds. I don’t want them to spend their lives concerned for me, but I also understand why they feel like they do. He’s right, what I went through was difficult, it was a nightmare.

No, I say, It wasn’t easy, but it’s over now. When I voice my response, I look directly into his eyes, hoping he’ll believe me. And as I try to convince him, I pray I believe it too. But it doesn’t sink in. The pain of everything is still fresh in my mind. It feels as if it will always be like that.

It is over, Ben agrees. But there are still remnants of what happened that haunt you. I can see it in your eyes. He takes my hands, and holds them, bringing them up to his mouth, and presses a kiss to my knuckles. I just don’t want you to hide your pain, or your worry from us.

I nod slowly, while fighting the tears that burn my eye lids. I don’t want to cry. Showing him my emotions will only make his concern grow, which he’ll then tell the rest of the guys about, and they’ll only suffocate me. They’re trying to keep me safe, I know that, but it feels as if I’m being cocooned, which is only making it difficult to breathe.

You should put your swimsuit on and come join us. It’s so hot out there, Ben tells me as he gestures to the balcony of the bedroom. The sky is a pristine blue, which only seems to match the ocean, making it seem as if it’s an endless aqua horizon.

I’ll be out soon, I tell him, plastering on another fake smile. Not entirely fake, but enough to force the tears to abate. For now.

Once I’m alone, I open my suitcase and pull out the bikini I bought especially for the trip. It was on one of the happier days I’ve had. The excitement about finally getting away from school had me looking forward to this vacation. I just needed space from the past.

But now that I’m here, I’m struggling again. I was convinced it would be okay, that I’d be happy. The memories though, they don’t leave me. The thoughts that plague me are constant.

I quickly change into my bikini before the guys make their way up here to see what’s going on. Once Ben tells them he found me locked in the bathroom, they’ll all be concerned, and I don’t need to answer anymore questions about how I’m doing. The moment their worry is focused on me, I have to fight the tears, keeping them at bay.

Life should be perfect, and some days, I find that it is. Especially with these men who have shown me more love than I could have ever imagined. But there are other days, when my thoughts turn to my uncle and my father. I still have so many questions which need answers. And I know I won’t be completely happy, at ease, without knowing the truth. The whole truth, not the one my father decided to gift me.

As I grab a towel and make my way down to the beach, I ponder just how I’m going to get the answers I need. I walked away from Dad when I learned the truth. I pretty much denounced him as my father, and when I watched my uncle get arrested, I knew I would never look him in the eyes again. But he needs to tell me why he did what he did. There is no denying he’s a criminal, but he holds all the secrets.

How can I get the truth from a man I walked away from on one of the worst nights of my life?

Before I find the guys, I take a long, deep breath, and I paste on the grin that they’ll see the moment I step out into the sunlight. I don’t need them to worry even more.

So, I vow to enjoy myself.

Even though there’s a gaping hole in my soul.

But the moment I see the guys, I feel as if I’m going to be sick. Ben is making his way down the beach toward the ocean which blinks with diamonds as the sun streams down onto the azure water. Felix and Kas are on their surfboards, waiting on a wave.

I can’t go out there. My feet won’t move forward. It feels as if I’m in quicksand, sinking deeper and deeper. My lungs struggle to pull in air, and even though I’m surrounded by people as they enjoy their vacation, I can’t bring myself to do the same.

I’ve wanted so much to be normal. To get over the pain and heartache, but now that I’m here, needing the escape, my past continues to drag me backward. Spinning on my heel, I rush back to the condo and lock myself inside. I don’t want to be around people right now.

I can’t even look at Felix, Kas, or Ben. My stomach churns, and I make it to the toilet before I expel the meager breakfast I had. Soon enough, we’re going to have to go home, back to school, back to the real world, and it’s making me anxious.

I had convinced myself the time away would help heal the hurt, but it hasn’t. And now, the thought of going to school, playing the normal girl is only making me worse. And as I grip the porcelain of the toilet, I dig my nails in until the pain shoots through my arms.

I have to expel it somehow, and I pinch the hair on my arm before tugging until the sting brings tears to my eyes. It’s the only way I can hide what I’m doing. Cuts will not work anymore because Ben will check every inch of me, so this is it, my outlet. And I need it, now more than ever.

TWO

BENEDICT