Sinful

“Because you’re the one punishing me for rejecting you. If you don’t bring back Ravenclaw, I’ll have to speak to your father.”

“Oh, don’t think too highly of yourself.” A sneer twists onto his pretty face. “He won’t care what you have to say. You’re no one. Just another working-class slut. It’s obvious you don’t belong here.” His hooded gaze runs up and down my outfit. Suddenly, he reaches for the material of my trousers, running it through his fingers.

“Don’t touch me,” I say, hitting his hand away this time, scared to let him close again.

He looks down, dark eyes on me. “Typical working class. So fucking dramatic,” he says, rubbing his fingers together like he caught something nasty from touching me. “That suit is cheap, and your thin blouse is polyester. At least try to dress the part.”

I wasn’t expecting that. “This is a school, not a fashion show.”

His grin is predatory. “This is a prep school for Oxbridge, darling. We’re all about poise here. You’ll try harder if you want to be taken seriously as a teacher at my school, love.”

His school. I was warned Montford owned Rubensfield, but I never thought that meant the school too. Is Romain untouchable then? Can I do nothing against him? Against any of them? “You’re rude and out of line, Montford.” I scowl at him, knowing not what else to say.

“Only to those on my payroll,” he smirks. “Maybe you and your mother should go back to the pikey village you came from.”

I swallow as heat burns my cheeks for a second time. I never told him where I was from. Until Darren came along, the town where I grew up was rough. Jobs were scarce, and drugs were plentiful. Dangerous was getting knocked up and hooked on crack at seventeen. It’s not an overgrown lad with a silver spoon up his ass, throwing their weight around. Rich pricks making empty threats don’t scare me. I let that shine in my eyes as I stare right into the Montford boy’s pretty blue ones.

“Touch me again, and I’ll show you bloody working class,” I grind out.

Desperate for me after all these years.” Hand gripping my waist, he yanks me closer to him, palm bruising over my inner thigh. “I don’t mind slumming it again, darl—.”

I slap him hard. The crack of it rings out loud, echoing through the room. He lets go of me to rub his jaw, eyes dancing with amusement and sin.

There’s a hush.

I hit him again. Too far. Too far.

“I’m leaving now,” I say, breathing hard, taking a step back. He doesn’t make a move to stop me.

“Fucking delusional,” Romain says with a laugh as I hurry out of the study room, bumping into Norton Astor lurking outside. I look back through the open door. Romain is watching me, one hand on his face where I hit him, an insane smile on his lips, the humor not quite reaching the hate-filled, dark pools of his eyes.

After the last period,the boys find a way to lock me in a store cupboard.

“Don’t worry, miss. The caretaker will probably find you before the school closes. If not, have a lovely night.” One of the little shits raps his fist on the door, making it rattle.

Then they’re gone.

I pound my prison hard until my breath comes out short and ragged, and my palms smart and pinch where the wood grain rubs on them. I shout out until my throat is hoarse, and the minutes turn into a very long time. After a while, my calves have begun to ache, and my throat hurts.

It’s obvious that no one is coming, and I might really be here for the night. Maybe I can hear when the caretaker does his rounds?

No need to work myself up until then.

“Fucking kids,” I say out loud. I kick the damned door one last time, but it doesn’t budge.

Chalky, dusty air fills my lungs, so I step back, trying not to cry. I refuse to cry. This is not the worst thing to have happened by far. It’s dark, but a small amount of light is coming from under the door, enabling me to see that the cupboard is indeed bare except for a broken broom handle and a few mouse traps.

I just need to wait.

I settle on the floor with my legs bent, trying to avoid the dust. Gathering my arms around my legs, I rest my head on my knees. Without warning, tears prick the backs of my eyes, and a lump sticks in my throat. There’s been a tight ball of pain in my chest threatening to choke me all week. Romain did this. Even if he didn’t report me for hitting him for a second time, It was a step too far. Maybe this is what I deserve? Karma for everything I’ve done?

I suck in a breath, hugging my knees to my chest tighter, letting it all out. I’m done, done with this fucked-up school. I thought I could handle this place. I assumed I could ignore Romain, and he would go away.

All my secrets would be safe.

I was wrong.

The knock islight at first, then harder.