The air in the car was thick with the scent of leather and Noah’s cologne—something dark and expensive that clung to my skin like a promise.I swallowed hard as my fingers curled around the hem of my top. Noah’s gaze burned into me, unblinking, as I pulled the fabric over my head. The cool air kissed my bare shoulders, raising goosebumps. My bra was simple—black lace, the one he’d bought me last week after the incident—but under his stare, it felt obscene."Skirt too," he ordered with his voice rough.I hesitated, then Noah let out a warning."Rosalie."My hands shook as I unbuttoned the skirt, letting it pool at my feet. Now it was just me—panties and bra—perched on my stepbrother’s lap like some twisted offering. It wasn’t the first time I’d been half-naked in front of him, but the shame still coiled hot in my stomach.Noah traced the strap of my bra with his thumb. "Good girl."Then he reached into a shopping bag and pulled out a dress. It was short, white, virginal. The fabric wh
The moment Annie’s car keys jingled in her hand, Noah’s entire posture shifted. I saw the way his shoulders tensed beneath that stupid black t-shirt and the way his knuckles whitened as his hands curled into fists at his sides."Where are we going?" I asked Annie, deliberately turning my back to Noah. My voice came out too high, too forced. "You have a car?"Behind me, Noah’s voice cut through the humid night air like a blade. "Rosalie." It was a warning. A threat.I ignored him, focusing instead on the way Annie’s cherry-red nails tapped against her door handle."Are you going to drop me at home?" I asked, louder this time, just to piss him off."Rosalie!" Noah barked. His voice was sharp enough to make my spine stiffen. "You better get over here, or you won’t like the consequences."Annie’s head snapped up. "Consequences?" She let out a disbelieving laugh."Who the hell does this guy think he is?"I forced a grin even though my pulse was hammering. "Let’s just get going—" The
Noah povRosalie continued to twist against me with her limbs sluggish from the Dr rink she’s been having as I pulled her towards my car. "Let—go—" She slurred.I didn’t answer. I just wrenched the door open and shoved her inside."No!" She kicked out with her heel connecting with the dashboard."I want to dance! I want—Annie—"The second her heel connected with my dashboard, I saw red.Little fucking brat.Rosalie thrashed in the passenger seat like a wild animal, that goddamn red dress riding up her thighs as she kicked. The scent of tequila and her cherry lip gloss filled my car, mixing with the leather in a way that made my jaw clench."Annie—" she slurred, reaching for the door handle like she thought I hadn't locked it the second I threw her in here.I caught her wrist mid-air and slammed it back against the seat. "Try that again," I said, with my voice low, "and I'll cuff you to the fucking gearshift."Her pupils were blown wide. The alcohol was making her stupid. “I just
My head was pounding like someone had taken a hammer to my skull. I groaned, pressing my palms against my closed eyelids. The sunlight streaming through my window felt like a personal attack.Fuck. I feel like I have been hit by a truck.I rolled over, wincing at the movement, and froze.On my nightstand was a glass of water and a single white pill.What the hell?I sat up so fast that the room spinned. Who—?Then it hit me.Annie. The bass music from the club. The hot red dress. That guy’s hands on my waist with his dick pressing against my ass as we danced. The catcalls from the guys. The tequila burning my throat as I took multiple shots.My stomach twisted.But worse—so much worse—was what came after.Noah’s grip on my wrist. His low voice in my ear. Me kissing him like I was starving for it. His fingers between my legs—"Fuck!" I buried my face in my hands.I hated him. Hated that I’d been the one to start it. Hated that my body still buzzed at the memory.I just want to stay at
Nikki’s death glare burned into my back as Noah steered me into the classroom, his grip a steel band around my arm. Every head swiveled to watch—the king and his unwilling consort making their grand entrance.Fuck.I twisted against him. "I want to go to my seat."Noah’s fingers dug deeper, pulling me toward the back corner. "We’re sitting together.""Are you out of your mind?" I hissed, keeping my voice low as the whispers crescendoed around us. "What’s with this sudden ‘we’re attached at the hip’ bullshit?"His lips grazed my ear and his voice dripped with venomous sweetness."Do as I say, or kiss Harvard goodbye."Bullshit. My nails bit into my palms. Tonight. I will end this tonight. I will break into that room."Fine," I spat, letting him shove me into the seat. "But I won’t be able to focus here.""Sit.""Fine, asshole." I folded my arms, spine rigid against the chair.Noah stretched his legs out, crowding my space. "Why haven’t you been responding to my messages?""Because a
Noah’s thumb brushed my neck, then began massaging slow circles.Fuck. My bottom lip found its way between my teeth.He pulled a stool behind me with his legs spread wide to cage me between them. His hot breath hit my skin right before his mouth closed over that spot—the one that made my toes curl.Shit. I should’ve stopped him, but my body refused to move.His other hand skimmed lower, brushing my already hardened nipple. “Seems like someone needs an orgasm,” he whispered, with his fingers slipping past the waistband of my jeans, under my panties.What am I doing? I gasped, jerking away—but his grip tightened.“Sshhh.” His finger slid between my folds, and I froze. “I’m gonna make you feel good.”He sucked my neck again, fingers working my clit in ruthless strokes. A moan tore from my throat as I arched into his touch. His other hand pinched my nipple, twisting just enough to send sharp pleasure-pain radiating through me.“You’re so close… come on,” he growled in my ear.And I sha
The car ride was silent. Heavy. The kind of quiet that presses against your eardrums until they ache. My fingers twisted in my lap with my nails biting into my palms.What kind of punishment was waiting for me at home?Noah pulled into the driveway then the engine cut with a finality that made my stomach drop.“Get out. And stand.”I obeyed without a word.He parked, then strode past me toward the house, his broad shoulders tense beneath his shirt.“Move.”I followed, climbing the stairs on numb legs. The house was empty, as usual. Just us. Just this. As I turned toward my room—“My room.”I froze. Swallowed. Then pivoted toward his door.The scent of his cologne wrapped around me as I stepped inside. His room was clean as usual. The bed was neatly made, as if he’d planned this. He shut the door behind us with a quiet click.“Drop your backpack.”It thudded to the floor.Noah crossed to his closet, and my breath hitched as he pulled out a sleek black case. When he opened it, cold met
I shook my head in negation. No, no more. That’s enough.“No please,”Before I could refuse some more, Noah's lips crashed against mine in a punishing kiss, all teeth and domination as he ran his fingers through my hair. "You'll take what I give you," he growled against my mouth. His free hand slid down to roughly palm my breast.My back arched involuntarily as he pinched my nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. "This belongs to me now," he murmured before tearing the material away with his teeth, exposing my pebbled flesh to the cool air. His hot mouth closed over the peak, sucking hard enough to make me gasp—first from the sting, then from the sinful swirl of his tongue that turned pain into throbbing pleasure.I whimpered as he trailed wet, open-mouthed kisses down my trembling stomach. He paused to bite the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. "You smell desperate," he taunted, inhaling my arousal as his fingers parted my folds. "Dripping for me like some cheap slut."The f
I woke to pounding on my door."Rosalie! Mommy's back!"My eyes flew open. Shit. Mom had this habit of vanishing for days, then reappearing like some jet-setting ghost.The doorknob rattled. "Locked again? Rosalie?"I shot up from the bed. Next to me, Noah stirred with his bare chest glinting in the morning light.Fuck."Rosalie? You're late for school!" My mom screamed.Noah was on his feet in an instant, yanking his shirt over his head. He mouthed "Bathroom" and disappeared inside just as I swung the door open.My mom was dressed in a short skirt and a top with a bag in her hand.“Rosalie, why are you locking your doors?”“I dunno, security reasons?”I said try to be as calm as possible. I know my mom can definitely tell when a girl is hiding a man in her room. She has lots of experience in hiding and being hidden.“Really? Even when you were living in that crackhouse in a dangerous neighborhood… Even when you’re in the house alone, you never lock your room door. So why now? Thi
So in the next chapter.I stared at him, words clotting in my throat.The realization hit like a sucker punch—he’d been protecting me. It made no sense. This was the same boy who’d made my life hell, who’d smirked while I cried.“Why?”He swallowed hard, then dropped his hand.“I don’t know Rosalie, I can’t help it.”“But you bullied me…”“That was in the beginning…” He turned away, raking his fingers through his hair.“It’s fucked up, I’m fucked up.”Then my eyes squinted. I can’t believe him. The memory of how he deceived me to take those pictures flooded my mind.“I can’t believe you. Is this another of your plans? To make me vulnerable so you can take something else to manipulate me?”“Manipulate you? I’m not manipulating you.”“That’s what I thought till you took those pictures of me. Why did you take them then? Wasn’t it to bend me to your will?“His Adam apple bobbed down again.“I took them…” he swallows again.“I took them became I needed them”“To do what?”“What do guys u
“You can’t run Rosalie.”Shit he’s right. I can’t run away from him. Even if I do, it won't last. My mom would want to know why I’m away from the house. It’s bringing more problems than solving the current one. If you can’t run from your problems, you face them. “Is that what you told her before you killed her?” I shot. I know the last thing I should be doing right now is provoking him. But I can’t let him believe he has the upper hand.Noah kicked the door. “Open the fucking door and say it to my face.”“I can’t hide from you right? Break through it.”I heard him laugh. “You either open this door or I tear it down.”“Then you’ll have to explain to our parents what happened to the door.”“Our parents? Last time I recall, I only have a dad, and you only have a mom.”“Still doesn’t change the fact that you’ll have to explain.”He let out a dark chuckle.“You push me Rosalie, you push me.”I heard him go into his room, then he came out.“You forget that his house used to belong to
The first thing I noticed was the weight of Noah’s arm draped over my waist and his warm breath against the back of my neck. The second thing? The clock on his nightstand glowed 3:17 AM in blood-red digits.Perfect.I held my breath as I lifted his arm away from me slowly and slid out from under the sheets. The mattress creaked and Noah stirred. I froze, my pulse hammering in my throat until his breathing evened out again.Clothes first. My top was crumpled on the floor where I’d tossed it hours ago. I got dressed quickly.The bedside drawer yielded nothing but condoms and a switchblade. Classic Noah. His desk was next—neat, controlled, just like him. Laptop closed. Notes stacked with military precision. No phone.Then a glint of light caught my eye on glass atop his closet. There. I climbed onto his chair with my bare feet sinking into the leather, and stretched. My fingertips brushed cool metal. Got it. The phone was ice-cold in my palm, like it had been waiting for me.Now for th
I shook my head in negation. No, no more. That’s enough.“No please,”Before I could refuse some more, Noah's lips crashed against mine in a punishing kiss, all teeth and domination as he ran his fingers through my hair. "You'll take what I give you," he growled against my mouth. His free hand slid down to roughly palm my breast.My back arched involuntarily as he pinched my nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. "This belongs to me now," he murmured before tearing the material away with his teeth, exposing my pebbled flesh to the cool air. His hot mouth closed over the peak, sucking hard enough to make me gasp—first from the sting, then from the sinful swirl of his tongue that turned pain into throbbing pleasure.I whimpered as he trailed wet, open-mouthed kisses down my trembling stomach. He paused to bite the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. "You smell desperate," he taunted, inhaling my arousal as his fingers parted my folds. "Dripping for me like some cheap slut."The f
The car ride was silent. Heavy. The kind of quiet that presses against your eardrums until they ache. My fingers twisted in my lap with my nails biting into my palms.What kind of punishment was waiting for me at home?Noah pulled into the driveway then the engine cut with a finality that made my stomach drop.“Get out. And stand.”I obeyed without a word.He parked, then strode past me toward the house, his broad shoulders tense beneath his shirt.“Move.”I followed, climbing the stairs on numb legs. The house was empty, as usual. Just us. Just this. As I turned toward my room—“My room.”I froze. Swallowed. Then pivoted toward his door.The scent of his cologne wrapped around me as I stepped inside. His room was clean as usual. The bed was neatly made, as if he’d planned this. He shut the door behind us with a quiet click.“Drop your backpack.”It thudded to the floor.Noah crossed to his closet, and my breath hitched as he pulled out a sleek black case. When he opened it, cold met
Noah’s thumb brushed my neck, then began massaging slow circles.Fuck. My bottom lip found its way between my teeth.He pulled a stool behind me with his legs spread wide to cage me between them. His hot breath hit my skin right before his mouth closed over that spot—the one that made my toes curl.Shit. I should’ve stopped him, but my body refused to move.His other hand skimmed lower, brushing my already hardened nipple. “Seems like someone needs an orgasm,” he whispered, with his fingers slipping past the waistband of my jeans, under my panties.What am I doing? I gasped, jerking away—but his grip tightened.“Sshhh.” His finger slid between my folds, and I froze. “I’m gonna make you feel good.”He sucked my neck again, fingers working my clit in ruthless strokes. A moan tore from my throat as I arched into his touch. His other hand pinched my nipple, twisting just enough to send sharp pleasure-pain radiating through me.“You’re so close… come on,” he growled in my ear.And I sha
Nikki’s death glare burned into my back as Noah steered me into the classroom, his grip a steel band around my arm. Every head swiveled to watch—the king and his unwilling consort making their grand entrance.Fuck.I twisted against him. "I want to go to my seat."Noah’s fingers dug deeper, pulling me toward the back corner. "We’re sitting together.""Are you out of your mind?" I hissed, keeping my voice low as the whispers crescendoed around us. "What’s with this sudden ‘we’re attached at the hip’ bullshit?"His lips grazed my ear and his voice dripped with venomous sweetness."Do as I say, or kiss Harvard goodbye."Bullshit. My nails bit into my palms. Tonight. I will end this tonight. I will break into that room."Fine," I spat, letting him shove me into the seat. "But I won’t be able to focus here.""Sit.""Fine, asshole." I folded my arms, spine rigid against the chair.Noah stretched his legs out, crowding my space. "Why haven’t you been responding to my messages?""Because a
My head was pounding like someone had taken a hammer to my skull. I groaned, pressing my palms against my closed eyelids. The sunlight streaming through my window felt like a personal attack.Fuck. I feel like I have been hit by a truck.I rolled over, wincing at the movement, and froze.On my nightstand was a glass of water and a single white pill.What the hell?I sat up so fast that the room spinned. Who—?Then it hit me.Annie. The bass music from the club. The hot red dress. That guy’s hands on my waist with his dick pressing against my ass as we danced. The catcalls from the guys. The tequila burning my throat as I took multiple shots.My stomach twisted.But worse—so much worse—was what came after.Noah’s grip on my wrist. His low voice in my ear. Me kissing him like I was starving for it. His fingers between my legs—"Fuck!" I buried my face in my hands.I hated him. Hated that I’d been the one to start it. Hated that my body still buzzed at the memory.I just want to stay at