"You have a date today?!" Hannah asks in a whisper shout. "Apparently," I whisper back, "he texted me this morning about escaping for a while." "This thing is getting quite serious," Hannah remarks. I bite my lip. I look over her shoulder outside, to the car park. I forget what we're speaking about. "Is Connor cleaning your car?!" I yell out loudly. The lesson comes to an abrupt halt as everyone turns to the window. Connor is indeed washing the back of the Porsche with a wet cloth, and disbelief washes over me. My eyes must be betraying me. "Yes. He's my personal assistant. I won the race, remember?" Jace replies casually. "That's fucking brutal," Hannah states, her voice kind of impressed. "That's what you get for provoking me," Jace answers to that. The respect for him in the classroom rises. Another side of Jace has been revealed, one that demands respect. Jace is someone who will always gets his way. Whether with force or not, he will get it. That thought scares me a little,
Crossing a big, fat line. "What’s yours is mine, sugar," Jace says, his arrogance palpable in the air. "I don't fucking think so," I retort, my voice firm as I press the knife against his skin. A line of crimson appears, and for a moment, I’m entranced by the sight, my hold slackening in shock. Jace seizes the opportunity with both hands. He grabs my wrists and yanks me from his lap, twisting me around. My chest collides with the hard surface of his desk, the unforgiving wood forcing the breath from my lungs. He pushes his hips against my ass, my skirt riding up. "Jace, stop!" I gasp, trying to rise, but he pushes me down with a firm hand, pinning my wrists behind my back. "But it is, my sweet Norali," he whispers in my ear, his voice low and dangerous. "Everything you own, everything that you are... it's all mine. All of it." "In your dreams," I reply defiantly, the fire in my chest flaring. But then—whap! A ruler strikes my ass hard. "No, Jace, I don't like you right now!"
He looks at my shocked face, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yes, I know he’s your brother. It’s not hard to pick up on those things." “Come on. This is the last time I’m saying it. We’re going on a date,” Mitch insists, his voice now impatient, the smirk gone. “Now,” he snaps loudly, making me wince. I glance down at his phone and realize I have no choice. I have to go with him. Slowly, I walk toward him, but Jace steps in front of me, blocking my path. “Li,” he whispers, reaching for my arm. “No!” Mitch snaps, stopping Jace in his tracks. “No. You’re never touching her again. That was the last time. I hope you enjoyed it.” His teeth are bared, his expression wild and threatening. He looks like a rabid animal. Jace’s gaze locks onto mine, an intense fury radiating from him. I feel tears well up in my eyes, my body aching to go to him, to feel his arms around me, to hear him tell me everything will be alright. I crave the safety that only he can give. He sees it in my eyes, and I ca
Mitch's hand tightens on my leg, his fingers pinching my skin painfully. A warning. What can I do, anyway? She might not even believe me. What can I say? "He’s got a video of me fucking my teacher, and now he’s blackmailing me"? I nod. "You kids need to get out. Before I arrest you," the officer orders, turning her attention back to Mitch. He nods and starts the car immediately. As we drive back to the main road, I stare out the window, my body shaking. "My brother will come looking for me if I’m not home soon," I say. "Of course," Mitch replies smoothly. "I’ll drive you home. I’m good like that. I’ll pick you up tomorrow for class," he adds with a smile. "Okay," I respond in defeat. Until that video is removed forever, it’s best to keep Mitch happy. My mind is a whirlwind when we reach my house. The green Aston Martin parked in front reminds me of Jace. Where is he? "Your phone," Mitch says, extending his hand. "What?" I frown. "Your phone. Give it to me," he demands, his to
"We need to get to class," Mitch says, breaking the tension. Everybody turns to him. Charlotte narrows her eyes at him. She dislikes him. Severely. But she doesn't speak, and doesn't even comment about his hand on my lower back. "Come," Mitch orders me next. I follow, much to the shock of the rest of the group, and we walk in without speaking. Some students stare at me, but I remain unresponsive. I’ve felt detached from myself ever since Mitch entered the classroom yesterday. He sticks by me all day, like a newborn baby unable to stray from his mother. Even during lunch, he doesn’t allow Hannah to come near me. We sit together, but he won’t let me be alone with her. He makes small talk with everyone and keeps his hand somewhere on me at all times. "I need to pee," I say when lunch is over. "Hold it, love. Classes are almost over," Mitch replies. The sudden urge to throw something hard at his face is almost too big of a temptation to ignore, and I grab my bag tight. "I can't hold
A loud slap from Jace’s desk cuts through the quiet, startling everyone, including Mitch. His hand jerks away from my leg, as if burned. I bite my lip to stifle the grin threatening to spread across my face. "Get to studying," Jace orders, his voice low and dangerous. "I don’t want to hear another word from anyone." The tension in the room shifts. A few moments of silence follow as students begin to focus on their work, scribbling notes, flipping through textbooks. Even Mitch is reading. I have no clue what his grades are like, but something tells me he wants to perform. "Hey," Hannah whispers from beside me, her tone light. "We’re still going out tonight, right?" She glances at me, then shifts her gaze to Mitch, her expression casual. "You’re coming too, Mitch? You should join. It’d be good for you to hang with Nora's friends, get in our good graces." "Where?" Mitch asks. His voice is tense. "Amsterdam," Hannah says with a cheery tone, "the quiet part. We always have a few drin
Jace. He gave me this. I stare at the beautiful necklace in my hand, my mind racing. There's a second package on the seat next to me, and I tear it open with trembling fingers. Cat treats. He got treats for Humphrey. Warmth floods my chest, and I can’t stop the tears from welling up. Why does he have to be my teacher? Why couldn’t we have met in a coffee shop like normal people, instead of this twisted situation? I quickly start the car, eager to get home. But as I pull my seatbelt on, my foot hits something hard under the seat. Frowning, I reach down—and my fingers brush cold metal. I lift the gun slowly and turn it around in my lap. A gun. I have a gun in my car. Is he expecting me to shoot Mitch? Is this just for my safety? The weight of the gun in my hand is nothing compared to the heaviness settling in my chest. I shove it back under the seat, almost frantic, and drive home with a thousand thoughts running through my head. When I finally step inside, the comforting sme
"You know, you should really thank me," Mitch says as we merge onto the highway. I pause for a moment, trying to make sense of his words. "Thank you?" I ask, confusion settling in. "For taking you away from him. He hurt you," Mitch replies, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. "I saved you." I stare at him, my mind spinning. He can’t be serious, right? "He's never hurt me," I reply back, my voice strong. Mitch’s face twists with anger. He pulls out his phone and throws it onto my lap. A video plays on the screen—it's me, bent over Jace's desk, Jace behind me, hitting me with a ruler. "Watch," Mitch snarls. "I don’t want to watch," I snap, quickly turning the phone off. "He was clearly abusing you! I'd never do that!" Mitch hisses, his voice rising. "I would never hurt you like that!" "You hurt me, Mitch. You threw me against the lockers earlier," I counter, anger rising in my chest. Mitch turns his gaze towards me, even though he's still speeding down the highway.
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