We race past buildings, people shouting at us as we zoom through stretches of nature. "Shortcut!" I shout, remembering the small road to our house that shaves off some distance. "Good call!" Mason responds, grinning as he yanks the wheel sharply. The Porsche continues straight, and suddenly we’re alone, speeding toward home. "Faster!" I urge, adrenaline pumping through me. As we round the last corner, our house comes into view, but so does Jace—his Porsche screeching into our street just ahead of us. Mason pushes the car harder, the engine groaning in protest, but Jace speeds up too, his high beams flashing, trying to blind us. Mason just laughs and jerks the wheel into our driveway, narrowly avoiding a sleek black Mercedes parked by the house. "Who the hell is that?" Mason mutters, braking hard as we come to a stop. I shake my head, equally puzzled. "No idea," I say, eyeing the unfamiliar car. "Go check. Might be a student," Mason suggests. "What if it’s a teacher? None of my fr
"Explain. Now!" Hannah yells as soon as she slams my bedroom door shut. Esme and Mason are downstairs, and as soon as we get the chance to slip away after dinner, Hannah practically shoves me up the stairs. “There’s nothing to explain,” I sigh, sitting down on my bed, but immediately getting up again when Humphrey starts scratching at the door. “Nothing to explain?!” Hannah exclaims, throwing her arms up. “The hottest teacher in school is in your house! And he talked to me! Like a normal human being!” “Shh!” I scold, but I can't help laughing as Hannah flops back onto the bed with an exaggerated sigh. “It’s nothing. Mason’s friends with him, much to my dismay,” I say, shaking my head. "But... How did he leave his laptop here? When was he here?" she asks, sitting up straight again. “He stayed here last weekend,” I admit, glancing at Jace’s book sitting on my desk. “WHAT?!” Hannah shrieks, making me jump. “He slept here?” Her eyes immediately dart to the ceiling. “Did he sleep...
"His mom asked me to stay for dinner. And she already knew my name, which was weird. But apparently, he's super close to his mom. Like, really close," I explain as I glance down at my phone when another message comes in."Great, so Connor's a mommy's boy? That's kind of disappointing," Hannah replies.-Mr. Grumpy: What gave it away?I grin, but Hannah's wide eyes lock onto me. "Can I read them?" she asks."No," I say quickly."What? You have nothing to hide, right? It’s just about your book, and you hate him," she teases, lying on her chest. "Or is it more?" She arches an eyebrow while petting Humphrey, who immediately demands attention with his paws."It’s not more," I insist, "but... you’re probably right that no one should see these texts."Hannah gasps dramatically. "Nora! You absolute slut!" she says, laughing so hard she almost chokes. I can't help but laugh with her—it feels good to talk about this with someone."But doesn’t he, like... sleep around? I heard he’s got quite the
"And that is the end of class. Good luck with your homework, and I will see you next week!" Grace Walker announces, her voice unusually cheerful. She’s practically glowing. Like she got laid. Hannah and I are still groggy from the morning. Mason had to drag us out of bed, and let’s just say, he wasn’t gentle about it. We were barely conscious halfway to university, so we cranked the music up, much to Mason’s annoyance. "I can’t stand her. There’s something about her that’s just... off," Charlotte whispers as we leave class. "You mean, like how she’s fucking Gretchen’s dad?" Hannah adds, whispering back. "Stop it, guys. She was almost Lina’s stepmom," I say, just as Lina slaps my arm. "She was not! They only had sex," Lina protests loudly. "Would she have taken your dad’s last name?" I wonder aloud, earning another elbow to the ribs from Lina. We laugh, heading out of class and straight into Connor’s group of friends. "Hey, darling," Connor greets me with a grin, wrapping an arm
I run upstairs, grabbing a few bikinis for the girls and snatching towels from the rack. Move. Faster. Racing downstairs, I throw everything at Hannah, who catches it and stuffs everything into bags. "Are we in a hurry?" Connor asks, pulling out his car key to help. "Yes! I want to get there as fast as we can. Could you please start the car? Hannah and I will be right behind you. Please?" I beg. Connor takes one look at my face and nods. "Come on! The lady has spoken!" he yells, grabbing Ryker’s arm and heading out with him. Lina and Charlotte follow, practically bouncing out of the house. "Is he really on his way?!" Hannah yells, tossing snacks and drinks into a bag, constantly glancing out the window. I know there is a reason why I hate the man. Why I can’t stand him. Control freak. I pull out my phone and quickly send a text as I leave the house. -Norali: The house is empty. I jump into the back of Connor’s car, slamming the door just as another message comes in. -Mr. Gru
"Yes... I dare you girls to experiment with each other," Ryker says, his voice softening as he corners us against the wall. "What? Dream on, Ryker," Lina replies, splashing him with water. "Come on! Just a kiss!" Ryker pleads, clasping his hands together. "No. It’s freezing. Let us out, Ryker," Lina laughs. "I’m not letting you leave until two girls kiss!" Ryker shouts, widening his stance in a playful challenge. "Fine," I hear myself say. Everyone turns to me, shocked. "I’ll kiss someone. Who’s volunteering?" I ask, tightening my hold on Charlotte. "Yeah, okay, I’ll kiss you," Charlotte responds from beneath me. "YES!" Ryker yells, the sound echoing off the cave walls. Lina bites her lip as she watches, and I see Connor staring at us intently. I half-climb off Charlotte and turn to face her. She smirks at me and cups my cheek with one hand. Her other arm wraps tighter around my waist as I loop my arms around her neck. "Oh my god, this is really happening," Hannah whispers, a
Somewhere in the distance, I hear the slam of a door. I groan, turning over onto my stomach. "Li!" Mason whispers. His voice is faint, like it’s coming from my dreams. "She’s asleep, dude. Let her be," someone else replies. "She’s cute when she sleeps," Ramon says. I recognize his voice right before the sound of a slap on the back of his head. "Who’s got the tequila?" Mason asks, louder this time. He sounds drunk. "It’s in my car. Here," another voice responds, followed by the sound of keys jingling. I feel a hand gently touch my arm. "I’ll take her to bed. Don’t finish the bottle," Jace’s voice murmurs close to my ear. "Bro, she’s still in her wet bikini," Ramon says, making me groan again. I feel myself being turned over and lifted, towel and all. My arms instinctively wrap around someone’s shoulders, my head resting there. "Come on, little bean," Jace whispers softly. Another door slams, and the arms holding me tighten. "Mason!" someone hisses. "Be quiet!" I nuzzle into t
"I think I’m going to throw up," Mason groans for the fourth time this morning. I slow the car, eyeing him carefully. "I don't know how Jace is at work right now. He left at 6 a.m. for some important meeting, looking fresh as a daisy—and he drank more than me," Mason mumbles, leaning his head against the window to cool down. I press the gas again. We are ridiculously late. I heard Jace at 6 this morning too. Heard him in the shower. That’s when I finally turned on my phone and saw about 12 missed calls and a bunch of angry texts from him. The last one came just after I crawled into bed, and the bastard had continued the kink conversation like nothing has happened. -Mr. Grumpy: I have a new one for our list. -Mr. Grumpy: Put food kink on there. "You just can’t handle your alcohol, brother," I tell Mason, trying not to think about Jace’s texts. "Me? You should’ve seen the guys last night. Ramon tried to go up to your room, and Jace tackled him to the floor, put him in a chokehold
Jace returns with two steaming cups and places one on the nightstand behind me. "Tea," he says, noticing my curious look. "Ever the romantic," I yawn as the comforting scent of lavender fills my nose. "Only for my fair maiden," Jace replies, sliding into bed beside me. Without hesitation, his hands pull me close. He leans against the headboard and fits me snugly against his body. My head rests on his chest, an arm lazily draped around him. The covers end at my waist as his fingers trace gentle patterns on my back, his lips pressing a tender kiss to the top of my head. "I'm glad you're here," he murmurs into my hair. "Me too," I sigh, letting my body sink into his warmth. After a moment, his tone changes, slightly more serious. "What happened with him? Did Mitch try to kiss you?" His fingers tense against my back. I’m too tired to react the same way, so I just mumble, "He’s tried, but he hasn’t succeeded. Did you have someone follow me?" He hesitates before admitting, "I may h
“Not the couch,” I protest seriously. Jace’s loud laugh rumbles through the room. ithout a second thought, he sweeps everything off the coffee table with a single, powerful kick. “Hmm, maybe tables can be our thing, then,” he teases in my ear, his voice dripping with mischief. He lowers me down and finally undoes the straps of my dress. "And kitchen islands," he whispers, his lips brushing the sensitive skin of my neck. "Desks. The grass outside…" Jace’s voice trails off as the dress slips from my shoulders. I’m left in my dark green bra, and his gaze lingers, dark with desire. “I fucking love this thing,” he murmurs, eyes fixated on the fabric as though it’s a piece of art. “Unfortunately, it’s coming off,” I say with mock sadness. “I’ll miss you,” he whispers to my bra, giving it a reverent nod, and I can’t help but giggle. His arm snakes around my back, undoing the clasp with a single fluid motion. “Mr. Adkins, so naughty,” I tease, feigning innocence. “Naughty isn
He wasn't wrong. The forest path is pitchblack, with no lights on either side, and I'm surprised the driver is still driving at such a high speed. Slowly, the house comes into view. A few lights glow on the porch, but the curtains behind the glass walls and sliding doors obscure the living room completely. The green Aston Martin sits in the driveway alongside Jace's Porsche and Lamborghini. They’re parked like trophies, and I shake my head at Mason, who took Jace's car here. They must’ve hailed a taxi into town. The car slows to a stop, and the driver wipes his forehead as he glances at the clock. He beams with happiness. "Two minutes earlier than expected!" "Well done. I felt very safe," I say with a smile. The door slides open again, and he waves. “Let me know if you need another ride, milady. You’ve been great company.” I nod, stepping out into the cool night air. Sudden nerves invade me. I bite my lip in anticipation as I slowly walk to the door. My spine tingles with a mix
I nod, my heart aching. I want to stay. I want to lose myself in this moment with Jace. I want the rest of the world to fall away. Jace carefully opens the door, nodding to a man who is peeing, and pulls me out. The man looks at me and grins knowingly, and I roll my eyes at him. I can't stop the joy in my body from coming out. Even a disgusting encounter as this is funny to me. A woman waits for the female restroom in the hallway, and Jace pushes me past her without a word. I smile apologetically at her, my cheeks flushed, as I walk back toward the bar, trying to calm my racing heart. The entire encounter with Jace lasted less than thirty seconds, but my world has just shifted completely. Mason is with two male friends and Amanda, happily laughing and ignoring me. The group is talking amicably with each other. Mitch is surprisingly loud, high as a kite, and Ryker is feeding into it. Shots line the table, and Ryker forces one down Mitch's throat, cheering when he finishes it. Hanna
Ryker approaches, laughing loudly at something Mitch said. His arm is slung around Mitch’s shoulders, hand firmly keeping him in place. “You’re hilarious, man!” Ryker exclaims, his voice too loud. Hannah quickly sidles up to me, turning us both toward the bartender. “Two glasses of your finest red, please,” she says in a sugary tone. The bartender nods as the boys reach us, still laughing. My nerves are on edge. My brother is watching us. And Mitch is- His hand suddenly lands on my waist. “Are you drinking?” His voice has an odd tone. I glance over my shoulder at him, brow raised. “Yes? We’re out,” I reply, puzzled. “One glass. It’s not classy to drink too much,” Mitch declares, chin raised in some fake superiority. I don’t respond. The glass is placed in front of me, and I drink half in one go. Mitch leans against the bar, close enough for me to feel the heat from his body. He glances past me. “Did you know they’d be here?” he hisses, his fingers brushing over my bare arm, se
"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.
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
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
"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