When we finally break free, I hear a grating laugh I recognize all too well. Jeanie Doyle."Shit," I breathe.Oak turns stiff against me, shaking his head and bringing a finger to his lips. "Quiet.""We need to get out of here," I whisper, noticing a group of three girls standing in the club's entryway. "They haven't seen us yet."Oak searches my eyes before pushing away from me and grabbing my hand, pulling me down a dark alleyway. "I'm taking you home," he says, yanking me toward a road behind the club, where his SUV is parked."Haven't you had too much to drink?" I ask.He walks past the SUV straight to a cab parked on the road. "The Syndicate Academy," he says to the driver before opening the back door for me."Get in," he says, glaring at me sternly.I slide into the back seat, and he slams the door before getting into the passenger's seat next to the driver.My stomach dips in disappointment that he didn't get in the back with me, but something tells me almost getting caught by
"And last," I growl, feeling that sinister possession spreading through me like poison infecting my blood and corrupting my heart.Eva raises a questioning brow, but I ignore it. She may not understand that remark, but once I've had her, there's no going back. She'll be mine forever.It's reckless to bring her here, but I can't find it in myself to care. After discovering that bastard's hands on her, Dimitry, I need to stake my claim and make her mine."Once I take you, Eva. There's no going back." I pull her tight against my body, letting her feel how hard I am between us. "You will be mine."Her nostrils flare slightly, and I see that defiant spark in her eyes, but she doesn't refute my claim. Instead, she tilts her head in an invitation, begging me to claim her lips.I tease her at first, allowing my breath to fall against her soft, pillowy lips. The distance between us slowly grows smaller until I press my lips to hers in an agonizingly gentle kiss.Eva trembles against me, and he
I collapse in a heap on the bed the moment he stops, gasping for oxygen. My heart pounds frantically against my rib cage, as I don't even know how to feel. I turn over and stare up at the man who so roughly fucked my throat."Were you trying to kill me?" I spit, clutching hold of my throat and glaring at him.He chuckles softly. "Don't be so dramatic, Eva." He moves my hair back from my face and presses his lips to my mouth softly. "I'd never hurt you," he breathes.The tension in my muscles eases as I let him kiss me, feeling at ease by his declaration that he'd never hurt me. Even though it makes no sense, since he already has inflicted pain on me repeatedly, I understand what he means. He'd never push it further than I'd enjoy. Despite his rough treatment, I believe him with all of my heart. "Fuck me," I breathe as his lips move to my neck.He groans against my skin as he yanks me into his lap, forcing me to straddle his thick thighs. "Is that what you want?" He asks, allowing me t
He smirks as he nips my bottom lip with his teeth. "Patience, baby girl," he murmurs, teasing me as he plants soft kisses over my neck and down to my collarbone. "There's plenty of time to fuck like animals, but I want to explore everything that makes you tick, Eva." He bites my collarbone so hard I cry out, arching my back more. "How much pain you enjoy.""A-And do you have an answer?" I ask.The glint in his eyes is almost devilish. "It appears you enjoy pain as much as I enjoy giving it."He bites me again, and I moan as he does, enjoying being devoured by him. It's an odd sensation, enjoying pain along with pleasure. The perfect blend of it he gives me feels addicting."Please fuck me," I beg, trying to roll my hips under his immense weight. The need for friction is so consuming, as he keeps me pinned and immobile beneath him.Oak enjoys having me powerless. He enjoys having me begging him for it. I can see it in his eyes. "As you wish, baby girl." He draws his immense hips back a
As I walk toward leadership class with the seniors, each step I take is hesitant, knowing that Eva should be there. I haven't seen her since we had sex, as she didn't turn up for our class on Tuesday. It's now Friday, and I can only hope she turns up; otherwise, I'm going to hunt her down. I can't stand her avoiding me.My stomach flips as I notice her instantly, sitting in her usual seat, doodling on her notepad as she so often does before class. I can't help the smile that twists onto my lips the moment I see her, which both irritates and confuses me.I clear my throat and enter the room. "Morning, class," I say, keeping my eyes fixed on Eva, who, despite blushing a pretty crimson, doesn't meet my gaze. "Today, I want to discuss five different leadership styles." I turn to the board behind my desk and grab my marker pen, writing five words on the board.AuthoritarianParticipativeDelegativeTransactionalTransformationalI turn back to the class. "Which are the most common in the c
I return to the classroom, feeling chaotic.Henley's parents will visit within the day, and they will not be happy. This means I'll have to pay a settlement, even though they signed the agreement, which detailed that SA and its staff have no responsibility for death or injury caused by classmates. However, there is no reasoning with grieving parents, even if they often are only grieving the loss of an heir rather than a child.I run a school for the spawn of monsters, and money would assuage only a monster at the loss of a child.I run a hand through my hair and slump behind my desk.The class is quiet as they continue to work. Natalya stands after I return, placing the essay on my desk. "All done."I nod and wave my hand. "You may leave."The rest of the class isn't far behind until only Eva is left. She's a welcome distraction after the shit I just witnessed. She stands once we're alone and walks over to the desk, smiling hesitantly at me. "Here you go, sir."I growl, knowing she's
"Did I hear Alexander is taking you to the winter formal?" Adrianna asks, eyes glued to Natalya.Her cheeks flush as she nods. "Yeah, I'm not sure I have a choice.""Asshole," I mutter, glaring over at the cocky, inked bastard who has his eyes fixed on our table. "Why do you let him push you around?" I ask.Natalya just shrugs."Who are you going with, Eva?" Azira asks.I shake my head. "No one. I don't care about having a date." My stomach churns at the thought of attending the winter formal, when all I can think about is the man that runs this school. The man who fucked me in the classroom three days ago. It was so risky, especially after I had to lie through my teeth to my friends about where I disappeared on our night out. They were going crazy with concern and I was fucking the principal. "You?" I ask.Azira shakes her head. "Alek asked me as friends, so I said yes."Alek is one of the few decent guys I've met here. He's from Indiana, and his family is not exactly powerful, but t
I shake my head and draw my eyes away from Oak, listening as Adrianna rattles on about why she won't be attending the winter formal with anyone. She comes across as a girl who likes to shun society's expectations.Oak can't be jealous, as he can't take me to the dance. It's not like I've agreed to sleep with him, attend a dance with him. It's been a week since we had sex in his cottage, a week since he took my innocence. Ever since, he's kept his distance from me, which hurts. All he does is stare at me hungrily from afar."I can't believe it's less than two weeks until winter break," Azira says, shaking her head. "This semester has flown by.""Right. What will I do without you three?" Natalya asks."Do we have to go home for the winter break?" it's crazy that I didn't even want to attend this school at first, but now the prospect of returning to my parents for two weeks makes me sick to my stomach. I can't think of anything worse than going home for winter break.All three girls look
Archer holds my hand as we pad barefoot through the sand, the sun just setting beyond the horizon and casting a warm, orange glow over the beach.Natalya's wedding was beautiful. And even though I still can't believe she's married the man that tormented her for years, I'm happy that she is happy."It's beautiful, isn't it?" I ask, stopping to watch as the sun dips slowly lower.Archer smiles at me. "Shall we sit down and watch?"I nod in response. "Sounds good." I sit down in the sand and he sits behind me, placing his legs on either side of my thighs and his arms around my waist. "This is nice," he murmurs into my ear.I lean back into him. "It is.""Did you enjoy the wedding?" He asks."It was beautiful, even though I still can't quite believe that Nat ended up with Elias after he was such a bully."Archer moves my hair to the side and skims his lips over the back of my neck. "Is it any different to you being with me after I blackmailed you?"I stiffen at the reminder. "Not sure it'
Motherfucker.I search the closet for something to pick the bedroom lock with. If Archer is facing my father and his goons, then I need to be by his side.Another shot echoes through the air, making me tense. I work even harder to focus on the lock, knowing I need to get out of this room. Finally, the lock clicks and I'm thankful I took the class on safe breaking two years ago when it was being taught.Quickly, I run out of the room and down the corridor, hardly thinking about what I'm doing.My heart skips a beat when I see my father and Archer standing outside of the window, each pointing a gun at one another. "No." I rush out of the cabin without a second thought. "Stop!""Adrianna," my father growls, pointing the gun at me. "What the fuck are you doing?"I freeze at the other end of his gun, knowing that he would without a doubt shoot me dead. "I'm not coming home to Mexico," I say.He growls. "Like hell you aren't.""I don't want to be married off to some mobster.""No, you want
I pull my jeep off the main road in the middle of nowhere, driving down an unmarked track. It may be secluded, but I know the path to this place like the back of my hand. After all, I spent just under two years living up here in my cabin.I notice Adrianna shudder."Are you cold?" I ask.She shakes her head. "No, this place just gives me the creeps.""The creeps?" I never thought of it as creepy."Yeah, like maybe you are actually a serial killer and this was your elaborate plan all along."I laugh, shaking my head. "You have a wild imagination." The woods open up to a clearing where my cabin is, and it's not just any old cabin. It's modern and sophisticated."Wow, do you own this place?" Adrianna asks.I nod. "I bought it when I needed to remain low while my family was looking for me." It was a difficult time in my life. One fraught with loneliness and a little too much alcohol, but this place saved me. "It's actually how I met Oak. He owns a cabin near to here and we met while we we
I approach Adrianna, who is standing with all her friends. My nerves are fried, mainly because I'm practically kidnapping the princess of the Vasquez Cartel. Thankfully, I saw Damien Vasquez leave ten minutes ago in his armored SUV. I'm pretty sure he hardly even said a word to Adrianna after the ceremony.I clear my throat. "Adrianna, can I have a word?""Stil not giving up?" Natalya teases.It's clear no one knows about us among her friends, except for Azira, and that was my fault.She meets my gaze and nods. I can tell from the look on her face that she's just as nervous as me. "Sure."I nod toward the exit of the hall and she follows me out of it."What's up?" she asks, as I lead her into an empty classroom and shut the door."I just wanted to double check you are all set for the plan?"She nods. "Of course. I'm packed, only essentials and no tech.""Good. And your father has gone. I watched him leave."She purses her lips. "I don't even know why he bothered to come. He didn't say
My father is standing at my door half an hour before the ceremony."Hey, Adrianna." He looks at my outfit. "You look well."I swallow hard. "Thanks for coming." I glance down the corridor. "Where is mom?"He shakes his head. "Your mother couldn't make it."It hurts a bit, I must admit. Out of the two of them, I'd expect my mom to be here over my father. She may not have ever been emotionally supportive, but she's always been a little less cold than him."Oh, is she busy?""No, but I don't enjoy traveling with your mother. You know that."I clench my jaw. "I know that." He doesn't like to travel with her because he likes to pay hookers whenever he stays away from home. The man disgusts me, but my mother isn't much better. Their marriage is a sham, and it has been all my life. Exactly what I want to avoid by escaping, as that was my future. My mom was married by arrangement to my father, hence the toxic relationship between them."Shall we get going then?" I say.He nods. "Lead the way.
Adrenaline has been racing through my veins since I woke this morning.It's sickening, but today is the day. Graduation is this afternoon and then all my friends and I will go out to celebrate. My father agreed to my plan and told me he'd booked into a hotel twenty miles away in the nearest city, as he's above the little inn in town and the motel near here. It actually makes the plan easier, as he won't be nearby when I make a run for it.However, after the celebrations are through, Archer and I will disappear. Our friends will know that we've left for good, but not where we are going. No one knows that, not even I do. I've let Archer figure the entire thing out and where I'm going to go.It's been hard trusting him in this way, as I've always relied on myself alone. He can't disappear with me, though. He has a life here at the academy, and so he's going to set me up with my new life and then leave. That's the part I've been trying to avoid thinking about entirely.I'm not sure how I'
I walk up to the door of Archer's apartment, my heart thumping at a hundred miles an hour.Am I crazy for being here?Perhaps. I knock on the door and wait a few moments and then I hear the thud of footsteps descending the stairs. Archer opens it and smiles at me with a smile that could stop most women's hearts. "You are here."I smile back at him. "I didn't get murdered.""I'm glad," he says, stepping aside to allow me in.I pause for a moment, knowing that now I'm coming to him of my free will rather than because he's blackmailing me. I'm not sure how to feel about that. It changes everything.His brow furrows. "Are you going to stay there or come in?"I purse my lips. "Still trying to decide."He laughs and grabs my hand, yanking me into the apartment and against him. "Don't be an idiot.""I'm normally the one saying that to you."He leads me up into his apartment, where he has a table set with candles alight. "I was prepared since I hadn't heard of any murders on campus." There is
My plan to get my revenge on Archer is backfiring.Why the hell do I feel so excited whenever I see him?And when he touched me earlier by the stream, he was trying to comfort me, but his touch ignited butterflies fluttering in my stomach and made my head spin. He keeps talking about feelings and how he wants us to continue after I graduate, which is insane.I can't work out if he's only saying it because I've never admitted I want him. All the while, I've made sure I keep detached and cold, even when he talks about his feelings.As I walk into the academy, I'm ambushed by my father. "Where have you been?"I cross my arms over my chest. "I went for a walk. Is that a crime?"He sighs heavily. "I'm here to take you back home."My brow furrows. "But what about the academy?" I ask, wondering why he didn't come to get me during spring break, especially as he said he had a meeting set out for me the week before.He yanks my wrist and drags me into an empty classroom, slamming the door behin
I sense Adrianna isn't used to relying on anyone for anything."Seriously, Adrianna. Let me help." I need to help her as I need to know her plan. She's so pigheaded. It wouldn't surprise me if she disappeared forever and I couldn't find her. It's the only way to ensure I keep tabs on her."Fine, you can help."I smile, relief coursing through my veins. "Good, as I have quite a few ideas.""Such as?"I pat my lap for her to come and sit on it.Her eyes narrow, but she sits anyway."Your father is coming to graduation, and that's a complication, but not the be all and end all. I mean, you dictated to your father before, so do it again.""What do you mean?""Tell him that you are going to celebrate with your friends. They're all going to be celebrating, right?"She nods. "Yeah.""Then tell him to book a motel and you'll leave with him the next morning."A crease forms in between her brows. "I'm uncertain it will work, but I can ring him beforehand. It's an option, I guess.""Well, tell m