Mason stays silent for a while, and I bite my bottom lip in anticipation. "Fine, yes. I'm sorry for being so controlling. Just let me know if you need a ride. Please don’t do anything stupid, baby sis. And if Ryker offers you cocaine, don’t accept it," Mason says, his voice tinged with sadness. "Okay, brother. Got it. I’ll see you tonight. Love you!" I hang up and let out a deep sigh, my heart still pounding. "We're here!" Ryker shouts, jumping out of the car and stretching his arms. "God, almost dying makes you thirsty," he adds, eyeing the bottle of gin. Rolling my eyes, I exit the car and take in the lush greenery around us. Perfect. Connor wraps his arm around me and leads me toward the park where the lake is. He’s carrying a big bag filled with food, drinks, and badminton gear in one hand. Ryker runs ahead, unfurling a picnic blanket and testing various spots until he finds the perfect one beneath a tree. He then drops to one knee and offers to take off Hannah’s shoes. She gr
“Yeah… I’ll call him back later,” I say, hitting decline and tossing my phone into the grass. The last thing I need is more anger from Mason if I pick up that call. “Anyway, what are you doing here?” Ryker asks, completely unbothered by Lina’s antics. To be fair, most people know he deals in cocaine. There's even a teacher who occasionally gets it from him. “Just going for a walk. Taking in the views,” Jace replies, his voice relaxed and calm. Hannah frowns and signals something to me. I grab her hands and lean forward, stretching our arms above our heads in the grass. Hannah giggles, forced to arch her back, making us lie chest to chest. We intertwine our fingers, our noses nearly touching, my hair framing our faces. “I don’t think you should come to class on Monday,” she whispers softly, careful not to let Connor hear. “Why?” I whisper back. “I don’t know what you did, but I think a certain teacher might kill you,” she warns. I grin. “What’s new?” “Okay, see you at school! Do
"I'm home!" Connor shouts as soon as we step inside his house. Before anyone can respond, he grabs my hand, pulling me up the stairs. His house is large, bright, and immaculately clean—not a thing out of place. The upstairs is just as pristine, with a wide hallway lined by closed doors. Connor leads me to the last door, pulling me inside and slamming it shut behind us. His room is just as spotless as the rest of the house. "Your room is neater than mine," I remark, my eyes landing on his perfectly made bed. My blanket is probably still half on the floor back home, and Humphrey is likely curled up on it. "Yeah, my mom’s a clean freak. She gets nervous when things are messy," Connor explains. I take in the details of his room—big bed by the window, a desk with a gaming computer, a TV facing a couch, a PlayStation, a big stereo, and several dressers. "Thanks for saving my ass earlier," Connor says, grabbing two beers from a mini fridge. He offers me one, but I shake my head. Drinkin
"Mason, you need to stay out of my business a little bit. Connor drank too much and couldn’t drive. I was the only sober one, so I took everyone home. I was at his house for just a few minutes before I called you," I explain with a sigh. Mason turns to me, surprised. "Are you serious?" His tone softens immediately. I nod, closing my eyes. Then I feel his hand on my shoulder. "Well, look at that—responsible Norali Raven," he says with a smirk. I can’t help but smile. "I have my moments." "Alright, I just don’t want you to end up as one of the many notches on his bedpost. The stuff I hear about him in class makes me want to vomit. Listening to girls talk about his kissing for hours… blech." He fake gags, making my smile widen. "His kisses are mediocre," I tease. Mason’s head whips toward me. "Li!" he shouts, sounding both panicked and shocked. I laugh. "Relax, it was just a kiss. Nothing else happened." Mason nods, thoughtful, obviously still not happy with my comment. "How abo
"What was going on there?" Connor asks, raising an eyebrow as I reach them. "Absolute torture. I hate him so much," I groan, my voice dripping with frustration. "You're not the only one, darling," Connor says, throwing an arm around my shoulders. I shrug it off and pretend to be engrossed in my phone. "Really? I actually like the guy. He's... cool," Ryker chimes in cheerfully as we walk into the building. "Cool? You think he’s cool? Blergh. Anyway, doesn’t really matter. I’ll catch you guys later!" I say before turning in the other direction to my class. "Morning, girl," Hannah greets me as I walk into class, just in time before the teacher arrives. "I'm glad you left the 'good' out," I reply with a tired voice. Lina and Charlotte glance at me, then go back to chatting animatedly about their weekend. "I still can't believe we saw them. In the park, right by our houses! Maybe they live close!" Lina exclaims excitedly. I share a knowing look with Hannah, who suppresses a grin and
"It was a good weekend," Ryker says with an easy smile. "It was," Hannah agrees with a nod. "Yeah, especially when we got stopped. That was hilarious," Connor grins. Just then, Jace walks in with a cup of coffee, heading straight to his desk without saying a word. The class, realizing he isn't going to call them to order, continues chatting but at a lower volume. Ryker and Connor, with their backs to Jace, don’t even notice him walking in, or the way Jace's eyes harden when he sees them. When Jace locks eyes with me, his expression shifts from annoyance to contemplation. He sits down, sips his coffee, and just... stares. Connor remains focused on me, his elbows resting on my desk. Adam remains perched on Lina’s desk, chatting with her and Charlotte. "Yeah, what an idiot!" Ryker laughs. "Hey, Connor!" Brent suddenly shouts from across the room. "Is it true you got arrested for drunk driving this weekend?" Brent loves stirring the pot. "Nope. Nora jumped behind the wheel and swa
Mr. Adkins leaves us in silence for about half an hour before announcing a short break to get another coffee. "If anyone enters this classroom who doesn’t belong here, you have my permission to fight them," he says sternly, walking out. "Even a teacher?!" Brent yells after him, laughing. No response. The door remains open. Lina and Charlotte immediately make their way over to us, eyes on me. Lina sits on the table between us, while Charlotte plops herself on my lap, wrapping her arms around me. "Did you say yes?" she whispers in my ear. "I didn’t say anything," I reply. "Girl! What are you gonna do? Are you going on a date with him?" Lina asks excitedly. "She doesn’t know yet. Connor’s had half the school in his bed," Hannah cuts in, sounding more serious than I expected. "That’s true. Didn’t he hook up with Stacey a few weeks ago?" Charlotte adds. "Ugh, he’s just as bad as Miss Walker," I say thoughtfully, earning a grin from the three of them. Lina suddenly changes the subje
As class ends, I hurriedly gather my things, relieved that the day is finally over. I’m almost out the door when Hannah catches up to me, pulling me along quickly. “Norali,” Jace’s voice cuts through the classroom, sharp and commanding. Shit. Hannah immediately lets go and scurries away, leaving me behind. I turn to face him, exasperated. “Can we not do this tomorrow?” I plead as other students file past us. Jace shakes his head, his expression firm. “I’m at the office tomorrow. Unless you want to go there and do it. I’m sure there’s someone who’d be happy to see you.” His tone drips with sarcasm. Richard. Maybe being with Richard would be better than enduring Jace's scolding. I’m not sure I can handle sitting with him, discussing the one subject I loathe most in the universe. “Come here,” Jace orders, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glance around, realizing most of the students have already left. “What about Friday?” I try again, my last hope of escape. He rolls his eyes a
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
Mason screams something back, his voice shocked and angry, and I grin under my blanket. My door creaks open, and the bed dips under a heavy weight sinking into the mattress beside me. “Jace?” I mumble into the darkness. “No,” he replies instantly, his voice playful. “I’m a dream.” “What are you doing here?” I ask, my body too relaxed to move. His hands glide over me with a gentleness that sends a shiver down my spine. I’m too comfortable to push him away. “Just fulfilling my teacherly duties,” Jace murmurs, pulling me closer. “Gotta make sure my favorite student is alright.” I suppress a smirk and let out an exaggerated huff. “You’re unbelievable.” “Believe me, baby,” he sighs, his hand tracing my back in slow, deliberate strokes. His lips brush against the curve of my neck, and my body sinks deeper into the mattress. As his hand presses into my skin with firm precision, my thoughts scatter under the expert touch. “You can’t ask a man to stay away from his woman, Norali,” he
A flash of Mitch’s face fills my mind—the machete swinging toward my head, the deafening crack of a gunshot ringing out. “No,” I mumble, the word barely audible. Jace sighs heavily and runs a hand through his damp hair, his frustration palpable. “Next time, it could be a burglar. Who knows what could happen?” TThere’s fear in his voice, and I know it’s even more potent now after he visited his parents’ grave. They were shot in their own home, after all. The weight of that memory lingers between us. I set my half-empty plate on the coffee table and take Jace’s empty one from his hands, placing it beside mine. Wrapping the blanket around us, I cuddle against him. He pulls me close instinctively, releasing a soft sigh as he feels the warmth of my body. “You can go home tomorrow,” Jace concedes at last, his voice low. “But only if Mason is there. Just for safety.” I nod against his chest, accepting the compromise for now. “As for my internship—” “I can’t let you go somewhere else,