His hands grip me harshly, his fingers dig into my upper arms, and he spins me around, slamming me against the smooth, cool rock where we’d been sitting. Shivers wrack my body, and he leans in close, his mouth inches from mine. I’ve been in control for the past few seconds, but it’s not because I wanted to be. I was poking the proverbial sleeping bear. And he’s woken up, baring his teeth.
“Don’t think you can take me on,” he whispers in my ear. “Because I’m not playing your game. We’re playing mine.” The heat of him cocoons me, but it’s the hardness of his erection that turns me into a raging inferno. My cheeks burn with heat, and my body responds in a way I’d never felt before. Tilting my head, I meet those eyes that are no longer ice cold, but instead, they’re a pure flame. “Feel that?” His hips roll, and I can’t stop the nod because of course I can fucking feel it. The monster that will most probably break me open, split me in two, is currently nudged between us. “That’s what you do to me, every fucking minute of the day.”
In his eyes, I see why he’s taunting me. It’s to show me just how he feels when I’m near him in class, when he can’t touch me. When we can’t acknowledge each other outside of the protocol of teacher and student.
“Now, the next time, you think about touching yourself, remember this—” Elian thrusts against me “—is what I’m getting you ready for, and it will be when I think you’re ready and not a moment sooner.”
When he finally steps back, I’m left shivering and breathing hard. My panties were wet before, but now they’re drenched. As much as I should run away from him—because I’m not sure I can take more teasing—I can’t leave because I want him more than anything.23ElianI took her home and did nothing more. I didn’t kiss her goodnight, I didn’t even touch her hand, but it feels as if she’s been branded into me. She doesn’t realize I know the darkest secret of all. I click open the email once more and stare at the screen. All the information I thought was true most definitely is. But she’s nothing like I expected.
Arabella is turning me inside out. Even with the flavor of her silky skin on my tongue, I know this isn’t going to be easy. The deal I made was concrete. I was convinced it would be smooth sailing, but this girl has made it clear she’s not a pushover. And if I had to admit it, I’m enjoying our push and pull.
I’m losing my icy touch. My father would be so disappointed if he were still here. He taught me how to sniff out a rat, but this time, she blindsided me. The problem is, even though I’m dying to end this path in blood, just like the way it started, I’m not sure I can.
Leaning back, I close my eyes and bask in the silence, which is quickly broken by my phone ringing. I glance at my desk, a tumbler of whiskey sitting beside the noisy device. The name on screen is one I don’t want to hear from, but I know if I don’t answer it, I’ll never hear the end of it.
“Hello,” I say after swiping the screen.
“I’m here.” Her voice comes through, clear and crisp.
My brows furrow in the dimly lit office. The red lights on my clock shout at me, telling me it’s past midnight. “Why are you calling me?”
“I wanted to surprise you. I got in a few hours ago,” she informs me as if we were planning on meeting. That’s the last fucking thing I want.
“You’re not making any sense.” Pushing to my feet as awareness shakes me right down to the core, I move to the window to pull the curtain shut as if she’s going to be standing on the other side of the door. Perhaps she is. This woman has bunny boiler tendencies.
“I’m in Black Mountain.” Her voice is bright and airy, and I swear to god, my hand clenches the phone so hard I’m certain it’s going to crack. No. Fucking. Way.
“Why are you here?” The question is bit out through clenched teeth. My jaw ticks, aching as I bite down hard to keep the rage from spilling into my response.
“I told you I wanted to see you,” she tells me, but the moment she says it, one face pops into my mind, and it’s not the one who I’m talking to. “I’ll pass by the school tomorrow. I think a man who likes to play games will understand that you don’t always win.” The line dies, silence greets me, and before I have time to think, I’m lobbing the phone across the room. It lands on the thick carpet with a thud. A sigh leaves my lips when I realize this is a problem. A big fucking problem.