"Pfft. I was just... thinking," Jace says, opening the wine bottle and pouring a glass for me before I can even respond. "Drink," he orders, filling it generously. "Yes, sir," I reply with exaggerated innocence. He clears his throat and swiftly turns back to the stove. He places a plate full of ravioli in front of me. "This looks delicious," I say, genuinely impressed. "But it’s a lot. I’m not sure I can—" "Eat. All of it," Jace interrupts, his tone leaving no room for argument. I raise an eyebrow at him, meeting his strict teacher's gaze. "I don’t know if I can take all of it," I say sweetly, trying to match his seriousness. His strict face falls for a seconds, but then darkens with an edge. "I’m sure you can. Try." He sits across from me, placing a fork in my hand. "So," Jace says after taking a sip of wine, his eyes fixed on me, "talk." "About?" I ask, taking a bite of the ravioli and nodding in appreciation. It’s incredible. Jace looks down at my plate of food, and then bac
“Try again. Slowly,” Jace instructs, bringing the joint back to my lips. This time, I inhale gently, feeling the smoke trail down into my lungs before exhaling a thick haze. “Yes, good. Again,” he murmurs, guiding the joint to my lips once more. I take another puff, and then Jace takes a hit himself. After one more inhale, he presses the joint into the ashtray on the table, extinguishing it. “That’s it?” I ask, a bit puzzled. Jace smirks as he dumps the remainder of the joint with the ash. “That’s enough for now. We’ll have more after dessert.” He gives me a knowing look. I’m not quite sure what he’s hinting at, but I do know that my brain feels foggy immediately. The weed is definitely working. Dessert seems like a fantasy right now. “Dessert?” I ask, intrigued but distracted by the haze settling over me. "I have to pee," I suddenly blurt outas I jump up from the lounge with a burst of excitement. I hurry upstairs, my steps dreamy and unsteady. Inside the bathroom, I sit down
I lay back down the moment Jace steps into the house, leaving the sliding doors open behind him. My back sinks into the soft cushions, heart pounding in my chest. He’s told me to lie on my back and lift my shirt, exposing my stomach. My eyes are shut, and my hands cling to the top of the wooden lounge set above my head. I’ve followed his instructions without question. The cold wind brushes across my bare skin, and with my eyes closed, I become hyper-aware of every sound around me. I hear Jace’s soft footsteps approaching. Though he remains silent, I can feel his gaze roaming over my body. The urge to peek is almost unbearable—I want to see what he’s planning. The first sound I hear is the click of a lighter. Then, he inhales deeply. I swallow hard, knowing he’s watching me as he smokes. The sensation is thrilling. Exhilarating. And utterly terrifying. I can hardly breathe. “Open,” Jace commands softly. My lips part immediately, and he places the tip of the joint between them.
I barely have a second to breathe before I feel his teeth sink into my skin, right where the chocolate had been poured. A sharp moan escapes my lips as Jace bites down harder, the pain blooming through me in a delicious, addictive wave. Shit. Is this punishment? Because it feels better than anything I’ve ever experienced. HHis fingers pinch the soft skin of my waist, and he bites again, harder this time. Another moan tears out of me before I can stop it, and I feel his gaze flick up to my face. Heat rushes up my neck. I throw my head back, desperately trying to hide the pleasure that's so obviously written on my face. I bite my lip, hard, struggling to hold in a scream. “You like that?” Jace's voice is low, a mix of surprise and something darker. I nod, unable to form words. Like it? Jesus. I’m sure he can even smell my arousal. And since I’m not wearing underwear, I can feel it on my legs. “Really?” he presses, his voice dripping with intrigue. “Yes,” I manage to whisper, my vo
I hear Jace leap from the couch with a sharp curse, and I sprint into the house like my life depends on it. My feet barely skim the floor as I slam the glass sliding doors shut with a shuddering crash. My eyes dart to the lock just above my head, and without hesitation, I jump, fingers fumbling but finding it. I twist the lock, securing it as my bare feet touch the cool wood again. But Jace is already there. He’s in front of me before I even catch my breath, his presence looming. The glass panes separating us feel paper-thin. His chest heaves, his jaw tight. He knows I’ve locked the door. “Open it,” he snaps, his voice like a lash, the sheer force of it making him seem larger—more dangerous—than I’ve ever seen him before. My pulse spikes, but I refuse to flinch. Instead, I slowly place the joint between my lips, locking my gaze with his furious eyes, and flick the lighter. The flame bursts to life between us, and in its glow, I see the fire mirrored in his eyes—rage and something d
A hundred thoughts race through my mind, tangling in the fear that grips my chest. “The lights,” I manage to whisper, the only thing I can say as the night feels alive with danger. Jace tilts his head, eyes gleaming with a predatory calm. “I control them with my phone. Must admit, it was entertaining watching you run around like a little mouse,” he says, voice low and sharp. The gun is still pointed at me, a small, deadly thing that makes my pulse thunder in my ears. His finger rests too comfortably on the trigger, and though logic tells me he won’t shoot me, every instinct screams otherwise. “Throw the joint and the lighter,” he sneers, voice cold as steel. My hands act before I can think, letting both drop into the grass as if they burn me. He doesn’t smile, doesn’t soften. He’s in complete control, and I can feel it like a noose tightening around my throat. “Now, take off your sweats,” he orders. For a moment, I think I misheard him. My heart stumbles. “What?” My voice is bare
“Will you do it again?” Jace's voice is dark and low as his fingers curl inside me. A spark of shame runs through me as I instinctively open my legs wider, a small, embarrassing moan escaping my lips. “No,” I whisper, my head falling to the side, trying to hide from the flood of emotions crashing over me. “Promise me, bean,” he murmurs, pulling his fingers back only to plunge them deeper with more force. I gasp, the word slipping out almost too softly, “I promise.” His touch sends sparks of pleasure through my body, and I hiss as his thumb circles my clitoris, slow and deliberate. “You like that?” he asks, his voice dangerously close to a growl. I nod, biting my lip, my body betraying me as my mind tries to comprehend what’s happening. It’s as if my brain is finally accepting that I’m naked in a field, completely at Jace’s mercy. “Do you want me to tell you you’re a good girl?” he breathes, his fingers teasing me mercilessly. “That you deserve this?” The sudden pinch of my clitor
My heart is thundering, the beat hammering in my chest like an alarm. It's warning me—warning me to shield my heart, to build a wall around it before someone tears it apart. But when his arm tightens around me, pulling me close, my heart leaps with excitement. And that’s when I know—I’m in deep, deep trouble. A tear almost excapes my eye. My heart desires to kiss the man in front of me. To touch him. To have him all for myself. But I can’t. He doesn’t want to be kissed. He doesn’t want to be touched. And this man isn’t mine. He's my goddamn teacher. So I press my forehead to his chest, swallowing the tears that threaten to fall. For now, I’ll enjoy this moment, because I know it won’t last. As if he senses me, Jace tilts his head and presses a soft kiss to my temple, still guiding me around his living room. His touch isn’t fair—the way it roots itself inside me, sinking deeper with every brush of his lips, every graze of his fingers. "So, were you nervous about tonight?" he asks
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,