Jace releases me as soon as he notices Lina and Charlotte approaching, his expression hardening into a scowl. "Hannah, watch where your clumsy legs are going," he says, his voice stern but not harsh. "Hi, Mr. Adkins!" Lina slurs, clearly drunk. "You having fun?" "Not really," Jace replies flatly. I see Lina tilt her head, confused by his response. Charlotte bounces up beside her, her face dazed and unfocused. "I wouldn't consider this my definition of fun," he adds, a secret smirk to Hannah. "Gosh, maybe another whiskey will loosen you up, Mr. Adkins! Maybe you'll have fun then!" Charlotte suggests, half slurring her words. "You girls should head to bed. It's late," Jace orders, his tone shifting back to the strict teacher mode. "Ooooh, bed! Nora wants to go to bed!" Hannah squeals, suddenly wrapping her arms around me and pulling me toward the crowd. The dance floor has become packed, the air thick with sweat and excitement. Nearby, Ryker is dancing, jaw clenched as if he's chew
And just like that, Jace closes the distance. His lips crash onto mine. His kiss is a wildfire—blazing, consuming, and leaving no room for air. I gasp into his mouth, but the sound is swallowed by the intensity of his kiss. His hands grip my waist, pulling me flush against him, and I can feel every inch of his taut body pressed to mine. My fingers automatically tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, needing more. His lips are relentless, moving over mine with such hunger, as if he’s been starved for this, for me. I moan softly into his mouth, and he responds with a low growl that vibrates through his chest. The sound alone makes my knees weak, but Jace’s strong arms are already holding me up, his hands roaming down my back, molding me against him. His lips leave mine only to trail fiery kisses along my jaw, down my neck, sending shivers across my skin. "You drive me fucking insane," he mutters against my throat, his breath hot against my sensitive skin. "I’ve wanted this... wanted
Jace thrusts into me again, and I gasp, trying to relax, but my muscles are too tense. The pressure is overwhelming. “I’m the only one who’ll ever enter your body,” he growls. Suddenly, he bites down just above my breast as he pushes further inside, and the sharp pain from his teeth dulls the ache between my legs. My body trembles as I try to adjust with him inside me. I’m in pain. I’m on fire. He’s dragging me into hell. He’s the devil himself, devouring me with his hands, teeth, and body. He’s marking me as his, forcing me to surrender with every torturous touch. And so I do. I stop fighting and let my body give in. I let my body drown in pain. The pain becomes part of me, and I push against him, craving more friction. When he pulls back and thrusts again, I meet him halfway, falling into a rhythm. I welcome it. I let my body become the devil with him. The pain is part of me, and I own it. My body is being pleased. These are bites of love, not hate. My brain automatically assu
And nobody can ever know. Except for Hannah, of course. I can’t wait to tell her. I walk a bit like Bambi, my sore body protesting with each step, but I manage to make it down the hallway. A smile tugs at my lips, knowing exactly how Hannah is going to react. Suddenly Mitch is in my face. My smile dies instantly as his piercing blue eyes meet mine. He’s way too close, and before I can react, he grabs my arm with one hand and cups my cheek with the other. "What are you doing here, Nora? All alone?" His voice slithers through the air. "Just going for a walk," I lie, trying to hide my shock. Mitch knows I’m drunk. He sees my dilated pupils, senses my lack of control over my own body and mind. Without warning, he pulls me roughly, dragging me toward him like I weigh nothing. My body aches too much to fight back, and I wince as I collide with his chest. "You’re drunk," I manage to say, my voice shaky. He forces me to look up at him, his gaze lingering on my lips. His face inches clo
"And you call me a dirty slut?" I laugh loudly. Hannah grins but then looks worried. "I haven't seen Ryker yet... I don’t really know how he feels about it. Thank God you also wanted to skip breakfast because I couldn't deal with it that early." "But how did they... calm you down, exactly?" I ask, curiosity bubbling up. Gods. This ski trip just keeps getting crazier. "Well," Hannah begins, thinking back on last night, "Michael went down on me while Ryker was kissing me. And then... uhm..." Her cheeks turn pink again, and I nearly slap her in excitement. "Tell me!" I almost shout. "I gave Michael a blowjob while Ryker was... you know, fucking me," she whispers. "And then they both... well, pleased me. I think I came four times." My jaw drops even further, leaving me completely speechless. "I don't know what to say," I admit, honestly at a loss for words. "It was intense," she recalls with a satisfied sigh. "I bet it was," I snort. "Look at you, getting all this life experience
We walk back into the resort after the excitement has died down, and I see our suitcases already stacked, waiting to be loaded. Time to head home. "I don’t want to leave," I whisper, a little sad. "Same," Hannah grins, nudging me. "This place is going to be special forever." "Ladies." That voice makes me freeze, instantly thinking of last night—the passion, the forbidden desire, our whispered names, and the feel of his skin against mine. Nothing compares. Jace steps closer, but keeps a respectable distance. I fight to keep my smile in check and look up at him. "Mr. Adkins," I say with a polite, professional tone, "I believe congratulations are in order." "Why, thank you," Jace replies in his usual teacher’s voice. "I didn’t expect that from you." Hannah rolls her eyes, but the expression quickly drops as Ryker approaches, joining our little group. "Hey, baby," he says, kissing her cheek. Her face goes bright pink. "Hi," she replies shyly. I stand there, silently observing, com
He grabs my arm and yanks me back as soon as I step through the glass sliding doors. My coffee falls on impact, and the contents spill everywhere, including on my shoes. I look up at Connor, my expression sour. “Sorry about that,” he grumbles, regret evident in his voice. “Can I talk to you? Please?” “Sure,” I reply with a sigh. I glance over at Jace, who’s chatting with Grace in a corner. The moment our eyes meet, he tenses slightly at the sight of me talking to Connor. We walk to the side, where we can overlook the snowy mountains, resting our elbows on the wooden fence. The air is cold but fresh, and I take a deep breath. “We were pretty drunk last night,” Connor starts, scanning the mountains. “Yeah, we were,” I agree softly. “I'm... Fuck,” he sighs. “I’m so sorry about last night. I was fucked up. I didn’t think straight.” I turn my body toward him, leaning my hip against the fence. “Why are you apologizing?” Connor frowns and looks at me. “Because I should. We are… you k
"I'll bring the blindfolds!" Brent exclaims, his excitement palpable. I roll my eyes and lean back against my seat. "My house, my rules!" I call out. "Yes, you said that last time, and then you had half a bottle of whiskey, and the rules magically disappeared." Ryker pats my head affectionately as he says it. My phone vibrates, and I realize I haven't touched it since waking up last night. I glance at Lina and Charlotte, then at Jace, who is intently looking down. Is he texting me? "Remember when you burned your math book?" Brent asks, laughing. I immediately cover my face with my hand. "No," I reply, my voice muffled. "Mr. Adkins, you should've seen them. The girls burned that book like it was doused in gasoline," Brent tells Jace, who raises an eyebrow at him. "The girls? I wasn’t part of that," Lina chimes in. "That's because you have a crush on him," Adam yells helpfully. Charlotte gasps. "That’s not true!" I pull out my phone. -Mr. Grumpy: No party. -Norali: Try to sto
My fingers slide through the stack of papers frantically. I know exactly what I’m looking for. I also know I don’t have much time. The words blur as I skim the first line of each page, my heartbeat hammering against my ribs. It always does when I do this. But I force myself to push past the panic and focus. My knees burn against the rough carpet, and my ankles are twisted awkwardly—positioned so I can spring up at a moment’s notice. The second I hear the door creak open, my eyes land on the document I need. In one swift motion, I yank it from the drawer—just as I rip a button from my shirt. The tiny black button pops off, almost vanishing somewhere on the floor, at the same time I shove the stolen paper beneath the desk. “Nora?” Shit. I jump up too fast, smacking my head against the mahogany desk with a painful thud. “Da—OUCH!” “Nora, are you okay?” Dave’s voice is too close. A second later, he’s hauling me up, concern in his expression. I quickly clutch the missing button
I’m nervous. And I have every right to be. Slowly, I step out of my car, careful not to make a sound as my shoes touch the gravel. My coat feels like a layer of protection I’m peeling away, leaving me vulnerable. My shoes feel like lead as I take them off by the door. I really considered just going home. Spending the evening with Mason. Pushing the inevitable drama to another day. But I can’t. I move cautiously through the house, my steps almost hesitant as I make my way to the kitchen. Fuck. Jace is going to be so— "You stole my fucking client?!" I flinch. Jace storms toward me, and instinct takes over—I dart behind the kitchen island, putting it between us like a shield. "You didn’t call them back yesterday! And I had a better deal!" I yell, my voice high with genuine fear. "I didn’t call them back because I was too busy fucking you!" Jace snaps, his anger raw, sharp, and directed at me. Not a pretty sight. "You made that decision!" I shoot back, though my voice cracks. M
I stare at him in disbelief as the class filters out. Hannah nudges me from behind, snorting loudly before the door clicks shut behind her. Silence settles between us. I remain standing in the middle of the room, gripping my bag tightly. He’s still seated at his desk, his gaze raking over me, but for once, his expression gives nothing away. “Come here,” he orders finally, his voice low, commanding. The one that demands obedience. I hesitate for two seconds before slowly walking toward him. My bag slides from my shoulder, landing on the desk beside his with a dull thud. His eyes scan me with deliberate slowness, like a predator devouring prey, before he rolls back in his chair. “Bend over my desk.” My stomach clenches. I glance at the door. Someone might— “Now.” I listen. Turning away from him, I lean forward, my palms pressing into the cold, hard wood of his desk. My short skirt barely covers my ass, which he now has full sight iff.. My grip tightens on the desk’s edge as my
“I don’t know yet, Sir,” I answer instead. His eyes narrow, clearly displeased with my response. “Come up here,” he orders. I plead mentally. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to stand in front of the class with everyone’s eyes on me. I want to stay in my seat, in my safe space. My eyes go wide, silently begging for mercy. “Did your ears stop working?” Jace asks, completely unfazed. I let out a deep sigh, forcing myself to stand. My jaw clenches as I make my way to the old-fashioned board, picking up a tiny piece of chalk. From the corner of my eye, I already see Jace moving closer. He stops beside me, too close, and reads out the long, mind-numbing problem. By the time he reaches the last word, I’ve already forgotten the second to last. He doesn’t repeat himself. He just watches me, waiting. The tension is suffocating, horrible. I'm about to choke. He knows exactly what he’s doing. “Remembered that?” he taunts, his voice low. Slowly, I turn to face him. His dark eyes gl
”Shut the fuck up.” I almost roll my eyes. Jace stands at the front of the room, looking grumpy and too hot for his own good. He tosses his laptop, phone, and keys onto his desk like they don’t mean a thing. They land on the battered math book. Battered because of me. I accidentally spilled my caramel coffee over it this morning—right after our fight about my internship. Which was great timing. It made us late and pissed Jace off even more than he already was. ”Why do you always swear at us?” Brent asks, his voice too loud. I barely hold in a snort. Not that it matters. I don’t make a sound, but Jace knows exactly what’s going on in my head. He doesn’t look at me, though. He doesn’t have to. He’s going to break first. My internship is still a sore point in our relationship. That got worse when I found out that Jace cancelled my internship at Blackwood. It got even worse when I cancelled my internship at his company. I called Blackwood, and they told me they still have a spot f
“And you're sure the threat is dealt with?” Mason asks, doubt lacing his voice. “Believe me, it's done,” Jace replies from beside me. “Mitch's body was found in his house after it burned down. His parents are the main suspects, and they conveniently disappeared. Case closed.” “I can't believe they tried to kill Nora,” Ryker murmurs, eyebrows raised. I glance at him. He's sitting next to Hannah, holding a glass of gin, sprawled out on his plush pink towel. He doesn’t look entirely out of place, but I can tell he’s a little freaked out by the presence of two teachers. The cave is empty. It's just us here, which is surprising given that summer break has just begun. The sun is dipping lower, casting a golden glow over the water. We arrived not long ago, carrying towels and still-warm food. “Well, we did sort of kill their son,” Esme points out helpfully. “After he tried to kill Li. Again,” Mason says, shaking his head in disbelief. “What can I say? I’m not easy to kill,” I joke, fei
His wife screams. It's deafening, piercing through the room even as my ears ring from the gunshots. The sound is too much, making everyone flinch. Jace doesn’t hesitate. He snatches the fallen gun from the floor, his movements swift and precise, and aims it at the woman. There’s no remorse on his face—only cold calculation. His only thought: protect the ones he loves. BAM The second shot shatters the air. I flinch involuntarily, but I can’t look away. He shoots her through the heart. Blood erupts from her chest, staining her blouse in an instant. Her body jerks against the wall, wide eyes filled with disbelief. The tears that had welled in her gaze remain frozen there as she collapses, lifeless. In one fluid motion, Jace disables the gun, removes the magazine, and tosses the pieces onto the floor. “Fuck,” Mason mutters, taking in the scene. Jace remains unfazed. He takes two steps toward me, his expression still void of warmth. With one arm, he hauls me upright, his sharp e
He laughs here, his eyes so friendly. Just a normal guy. A kind person—someone who seems nothing but sweet. Looks can be so deceiving. I stare at the missing poster of Mitch for too long. I know I do. I can feel two pairs of eyes burning into me. I don’t know what to say. They practically dragged me into a small office at the back of the building. No windows, only one door. There’s no way out of here for me. No one knows where I am. “You were his girlfriend.” I look at his mother. Her voice is soft and timid, yet there’s an accusing edge to it. “It wasn’t that serious yet,” I say, keeping my voice level and calm. “He said you were official. For quite a while,” she responds, her tone pointed. “We were only dating for a few days, I—” “A few days? Don’t lie. You were with our son for almost a year until he disappeared,” his father cuts in, his voice sharp. I turn my gaze to him. A stocky man with a square face and thick brows. He looks nothing like Mitch. Neither of them has t
I wake up to the warm pressure of a head between my legs. A slow, deliberate tongue glides over my clit, teasing, stroking, sending lazy waves of pleasure through my still-drowsy body. Jace’s hands grip my hips, holding me in place as he lounges against the bed like he has all the time in the world. “Jace,” I murmur, my voice husky with sleep, my mind still catching up to what I’m feeling. “Good morning, baby,” he replies, his words muffled against my skin. “You couldn’t stop yourself?” I ask, my breath hitching as his fingers slide up the inside of my thigh. “Just making sure we start our last day of the school year in the best way possible,” he says smoothly, slipping a finger inside me. A sharp gasp escapes my lips. My back arches as a rush of heat blooms deep in my core. And then, his lips wrap around my clit, sucking with just the right amount of pressure, pushing me straight into oblivion. It takes him less than two minutes to make me fall apart. Exactly twenty seconds in