Ruins of Temptation (Corium University Trilogy 4)

He’s out of his mind if he thinks he’s going to keep me there. I’ve been a prisoner long enough. I’ll bide my time for as long as it takes me to get my strength back. I mean, I hope he’ll at least let me eat and sleep.

But then? I’m out of there. I don’t care what it takes.

I catch sight of the school before we begin our descent. It would be difficult not to, the fortress rising up from the snow and sprawling outward in all directions. A castle for the wealthy and powerful.

A far cry from a double-wide in a trailer park. Of course, when we land, I’m given no greater consideration than before. Lucas descends from the helicopter and begins walking toward some kind of tunnel without offering me a hand down.

I follow him, once again willing myself to ignore the shock of the snow on my bare feet. At least it keeps me moving fast. By the time we’re inside, I could weep with relief. It’s warm, at least once the doors are closed. It’s also quiet as a graveyard.

Everybody must be asleep; perhaps it’s the middle of the night? I don’t know why I feel like I have to tiptoe as I follow Lucas down a long, wide hall. It’s not like anybody would hear us.

As I trot behind him, I try to remember anything I’ve ever heard about Corium, but it’s not like anybody wanted to have a conversation with me about it. I heard the building was originally some kind of castle or fortress or something, and there’s a lot more going on under the surface, but that’s it. I guess I’ll have to learn what I can as I go along.

Like how to get out without anybody seeing me.

We take an elevator down below ground level. Never once does Lucas look at me, not even standing together in a little box. I can tell from the way he wrinkles his nose that my smell disgusts him. How does he think it makes me feel?

“You’ll be staying in my apartment so I can keep an eye on you.” He opens the door but doesn’t let me take more than two steps inside before holding up a hand. “Don’t touch anything, and for the love of God, don’t sit down. Not until you’ve had a shower. I won’t have you ruining my things with your filth.”

A shower. Oh, thank God. Not even his nasty, condescending attitude can ruin my relief. Once I’m clean, rested, and fed, I’ll be in better shape, and then, I’ll get the hell out of here and never look back.

8

LUCAS

I didn’t know where else to bring her, not with her looking the way she does. If Aspen sees her like this, Quinton is gonna be sleeping out on the helipad for a week.

But having her in my own apartment is probably not a good idea. No matter how rough she looks at the moment, she is still a woman, and I haven’t had sex in way too long.

Leaning against the doorframe, I huff out a breath. This is the worst idea I’ve ever had. I listen to the sound of the shower running, wondering how much longer she is planning on being in there.

I’m just about to knock on the door when the water shuts off. My hand is still raised, my knuckle hovering inches away from the wood as I listen to her get out of the shower.

The room goes oddly silent. Tilting my head, I rest my ear right at the door. The low creak of the cabinet meets my ear, followed by the sound of her rummaging through my stuff, most likely looking for a weapon.

Not wasting any time, I grab the handle, turn, and push my way into the bathroom. She shrieks in surprise and jumps up so suddenly that the towel wrapped around her loosens. I watch the fluffy white fabric slide off her wet body, exposing every inch of her skin to me.

I’m not sure if it’s a second or an hour, but I spend every moment of it scanning the soft curve of her naked form. Her breasts are more than a handful, perky, with light rose-colored nipples. Small bruises and cuts mar the otherwise smooth skin of her flat stomach and long legs. But her feet seem to look the worst from walking barefoot in the snow.

Her high-pitched scream still echoes through the room when she quickly kneels and grabs the towel. But she isn’t fast enough, and I get to sneak a peek at the curly tuff right above her pussy. My cock stirs, pressing against my jeans, begging me to let him out to play.

She doesn’t wrap the towel around her like before. Instead, she holds it in front of her chest like a curtain to cover her most private parts.