BAD WICKED TWISTED: A Briarcrest Academy Box Set (41 page)

For all the people who sacrificed time to make my cover one of a kind—Toski Covey of Toski Covey Photography, a sweet girl I stumbled across when I admired her work on another novel. She took my ideas and ran with it, making my vision a reality. She blew my mind with her energy and willingness to pay it forward to someone she had never met. She took a chance on me, and I’ll never forget it; Sommer Stein of Perfect Pear Creative who designed my incredible graphics and always answered my one million and one emails; and Mariah Jane, the gorgeous redhead who graces the cover of
Very Bad Things
. You all rock!

For Kristin Anders of The Romantic Editor—my awesome editor with whom I automatically clicked with. (I know you’re editing this as you read it!) I adore you and can’t wait to work with you again. You loved Nora as much as I did and that meant everything.

For Stephanie DeLamater Phillips of Stephanie’s Book Reports—who took my blog tour and buzz event and made it fabulous. Thank you so much for being available to chat with me at the drop of a hat. You have no idea how glad I am that I found you!

For Jessica Carter—the best pimpette ever. She organized my street team and kept us on our toes for Teaser Monday. I love this bad-ass girl with all my heart.

For Julie Titus of JT Formatting—one of the best formatters out there! I love what you did for me and Nora. Thank you for being patient and walking me through the steps. I’ll be using you again!

For my Briarcrest Academy Chicks—as my Street Team, you picked me up when I got knocked down, and you made me laugh when I needed it the most. And for the all the serious pimpettes out there, I can’t thank you enough for the time and energy you put into getting the word out: Jessica Carter, Jessica Bowman, Jessica Ramirez, Joni Payne, Helena’s Book Obsession, Heather Orgeron, Carrie Richardson-Horton, Kimberly Kimball, Ann McBride, Stephanie DeLamater Phillips, Sandy Roman Borrero, Jess Danowski, Stacy Nickelson, Author DL Roan, Author Kaylee Ryan, Jenn Diaz, Kristine Radgman, Wendy Bree Rex, Author Missy Johnson, Sue Stewart, and Lisa Rutledge. Lisa, you may be last, but you are definitely
not
least! Thanks for being my stalker and all the Leo pics! I can’t wait to see you at the next book signing.

If I’ve left anyone out, please forgive me. I promise to make it up in Book 2.

I love you all, girlies!

by

Very Wicked Beginnings

A Briarcrest Academy Prequel Novella

to Very Wicked Things

Copyright © 2014 by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Cover Photography by
Toski Covey Photography

Cover Design by Sommer Stein of
Perfect Pear Creative

Cover Model Tanner Belcher

Editing by Rachel Skinner of Romance Refined

Formatting by JT Formatting

ISBN: 978-0990368403

All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

May 2014 proceeds from this novella will be donated to the

Keith Milano Memorial Fund for Suicide Prevention

For those of you who have ever lost anything, whether it’s simply your keys or something as heartbreaking as your mind.

For my husband, the best beta reader a girl could have. You’re my Viking, for reals, babe. I love you.

“Two things about me: I play football—and girls.”

–Cuba

September

Junior Year

I WANTED THE gorgeous girl in the window.

More specifically, I wanted the dark-haired girl dancing inside the Symthe Arts Building as I stood outside on the twenty-yard line at football practice, fixated on her when I should have been focused on the line of scrimmage. I adjusted my helmet and squinted through the afternoon Dallas sun.

Did I know her?

Movement from other players on the field pulled me back. Good thing. As defensive end, it was my job to put the screws to or sack the quarterback as soon as the ball snapped.

Clearly, I was off today. Probably because I had a shit ton of homework waiting on me at home. With my dreams of being a doctor someday, I took each assignment seriously at Briarcrest Academy, planning for the future.

Just like every seventeen-year-old kid out there, I had the usual stresses.

But I did have more than the average. I had a sick mom.

Those thoughts faded when I looked back at the window and watched the girl run and then leap in the air, her body doing some kind of crazy in-the-air-leg-split-thing.
Damn
. She’d gotten at least four feet off the ground.

Then, after landing on her feet light as a feather, she danced away from my view. I waited for her to come back, wanting to check out her toned muscles again, especially her tight ass. And then I randomly wondered if her tits were small. Weren’t all dancers? Yeah. But still, she looked—

“Pay attention, Hudson!” Coach Howe yelled at me.

Fuck. Caught.

I automatically stiffened and tightened my defensive stance, running my eyes across the offensive line, waiting for the play. But Matt, the quarterback, was pussy-footing around, still undecided if they were gonna run or pass.

I got bored.

Out of my peripheral vision, I caught a flash of pink dashing past the window.

She was back.

And like I was addicted to her, my eyes drifted to the building again, one part baffled by the fascination, the other part wanting to get another glimpse of her long legs. As I watched, she adjusted her ponytail as she laughed up at her ballet partner—who was a dude.
Crazzzy
. Yeah, you’d think he’d be all feminine and shit, but he wasn’t. Nope. Dude looked buff, like he could bench press a school bus.

Something about the girl had me riveted. It was probably that short skirt she wore. I pictured slipping my hand underneath it to her panties. Her core would be hot, on fire for me, of course, and I’d ease my finger inside her wet—

Bam!
I took a hard hit from Tank Carson, an All District offensive guard I routinely ran circles around in practice. He might be big, but I was quick and smart and had more moves than a freaking octopus. So the chance to plant my distracted ass on the turf was an early Christmas present for him. That’s what I get for letting some piece of ass get in my game, even if it was practice.

And so. My unprepared body flew through the air with 290 pounds of Tank on top of it. My head hit the turf, the contact reverberating inside my helmet and then everything went black …

A few minutes later, I blinked up into the hot sun, stretched out on a bench alongside the field. One of the assistant coaches gave me a smirk as he leaned over and peered at my eyes.

“Ah, so you are alive.”

I nodded, wincing as I sat up.

“Any nausea?” he asked, handing me a Gatorade and a bottle of Aleve.

I took both and shook my head. I’d had worse hits.

“Just woozy. Didn’t see him coming is all.” How fucking embarrassing.

He watched me swallow down two pills. “You got mowed down because you weren’t paying attention. Don’t be pulling that shit during a game. You thinking of getting a football scholarship next year?”

I rubbed my temple and sighed. Not really. Being a doctor seemed more important, but I didn’t say that. And sure I loved football, but ultimately, my goal in life was to help people, to make up for all the bad shit I did four years ago.