Page 155 of Stranger to Love

I pulled back, finally feeling like I could fucking breathe again after my brain had almost sabotaged me. I moved toward the door, my hand grasping the knob as I found my rhythm again. “I’ve decided that I’m staying at your place this weekend,” I announced, injecting as much playful bravado into my voice as I could muster. “And after I finish work, we’re going to watch Scream 3. It’s objectively the worst one in the franchise, so I’m hoping you won’t be too terrified, my love.”

The room went dead silent.

My love? Had I been fucking drinking? Was there an actual gas leak in this office? I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I felt like my face was on fire. Carrie’s eyebrows shot up in genuine amusement, but beneath the surprise, I saw something flicker in the depths of her eyes—a soft, glowing warmth that made my heart do a frantic skip-jump.

Carrie hummed, her voice a low, dangerous purr. “So, you’re making demands now, are you, princess?”

I rolled my eyes, leaning back against the door and meeting her gaze with a cheeky, defiant grin. “Only because I know my Mommy will grant my wishes,” I whispered back.

The shift in the room was instantaneous. Carrie didn’t just walk; she stalked, her movements predatory and fluid as she closed the distance between us. I was trapped between the cold wood of the door and the heat radiating off her body, my breath hitching as she loomed over me.

She reached out, her hand coming to rest just above the door handle, effectively pinning me in place. That smug, beautiful smirk was back, but it was sharpened by a look of absolute intent.

"You're right, of course," she said, her voice a low, honeyed drawl. "If you’re a good girl for me all week, we can watch whatever your heart desires, darling. I might even be persuaded to let you pick the snacks."

Her gaze dropped to my mouth for a lingering second before snapping back to my eyes, her expression darkening with a familiar, delicious promise. "But... if you’re a bad girl? If you test my patience or forget whose name is written on your soul? Well, you know better than anyone that there will be consequences."

The word consequences sent a white-hot jolt straight to my core. I could still feel the ache in my muscles from the night before, a physical reminder of exactly what her fucking consequences felt like.

She leaned in, her lips ghosting against the shell of my ear, her breath a hot, teasing caress. "Now, go be brilliant," she whispered, her voice a low, vibrating command. "And as you sit through your classes today, I want you to remember exactly what it feels like when Mommy rewards you."

She nipped the lobe of my ear—just a sharp enough sting to make me gasp—before pulling back. She looked at me one last time, her eyes tracing the mark on my neck with a final, satisfied nod, and stepped away to give me space to leave.

I pulled the door open, my legs feeling like they were made of lead, and stepped out into the hallway. I had never felt more branded in my life, and as I headed toward the library, the only thing I could think about was making sure I was the best fucking girl Carrie had ever seen.

I was hunched over my laptop in a quiet corner of the library, staring at a spreadsheet for my Business Management coursework until the cells started to fucking blur, when my phone began to buzz. I checked the screen—Mia.

"Bitch! Adrian asked me to be his girlfriend!" Mia’s voice exploded through the speaker the second I picked up, sounding like she was about to vibrate out of her fucking skin.

I couldn’t help the genuine laugh that bubbled up. "That’s so exciting, Athena! I’m seriously happy for you."

"You have no fucking idea," Mia gushed, her voice dropping into that tone she used when she was about to be way too fucking honest. "Not gonna lie, he was literally coming in me at the time he asked. It was peak romance."

I recoiled, my face twisting into a grimace as I glanced around to make sure no one had heard that. "Fuck, Mia! I do actually want to keep my breakfast down, I do not want to think about that."

Mia just let out a loud, delighted cackle. "It was fucking glorious, Alex. You need to know the details. The logistics alone—"

"I fucking don't!" I hissed, rubbing my temple. "Some things are meant to be private, you absolute degenerate."

"No, but listen," Mia said, her tone softening slightly. "It wasn't just because I was riding him. He said it again when we woke up this morning, all serious and sweet. So it’s legit. It’s official."

"Ah, of course," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at the ceiling. "The morning-after confirmation. The ultimate seal of approval." I paused, my voice losing the snark. "But genuinely, Mia... Adrian is the best guy you’ve dated in a long time. I’m actually really happy for you. You deserve someone who isn't a total prick."

"I know, right?" Mia sighed happily. "Anyway, enough about my sex life—how are things with your life? Is Dr. Vixen still keeping you on your toes?"

I instinctively reached up, my fingers grazing the high collar of my shirt that was hiding Carrie’s mark. "You have no idea," I muttered, a flush creeping up my neck.

"God, we should go out again soon," Mia said dreamily, her voice drifting back into the conversation. "Carlos was a blast, even though you and the good doctor left so fucking early."

I smirked to myself, the memory of that night hitting me like a physical wave. If only Mia fucking knew. She and Adrian were busy flirting at the table while Carrie’s fingers were under my skirt, expertly ruining me while I tried to keep a fucking straight face.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice slightly thicker than I had intended. "It was a good night. We should definitely do something again."

"Absolutely!" Mia squealed. "And hey, Adrian says you're both hot. He actually told me that if you two ever decided to, like, snog or something in front of us, he’d probably fucking destroy me afterward. The thought alone had him revved up."

I actually gagged, my eyes widening in genuine horror. "Mia, what the fuck? Have you been drinking since sunrise? That is literally the most fucking disturbing thing you’ve ever said."

Mia just laughed, totally unbothered. "Oh, come on, Lex. You know I find you hot, too. It’s a compliment!"