Page 519 of Lessons in Cruelty

“You mean he’s finally decided whether he wants to fuck you or kill you?”

“We’re working through our shit,” she snaps defensively.

“Aw.” I trail my knuckle down her cheek, waiting for her to pull away. But her only reaction is a slight flutter of her eyelashes. “How idealistic, thinking he can change.”

There it is. Incredulity, quickly blanketed by anger.

She might think she knows better than I do, but it won’t be long before she realizes I’m right.

Kai is a tornado. This calm spell isn’t him changing for her. Isn’t them working through their issues.

It’s the eye of the storm.

Her voice is hoarse when she speaks again.

“Look around, Bastian. This is what happens when Kai gets mad. Do you really want him mad at you?”

Her eyes dart to mine, then flicker away, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of a pond.

“He’ll hurt you, you know.”

I let her words flow over me, mostly ignoring them as I trail my fingertip over the shell of her ear. Down the side of her neck. Along one collarbone. Listening as her breath hitches, feeling the warmth of her breath puff against me as she struggles to keep control.

“He might even,” she clears her throat, “he might even try to kill you.”

I can see her staring at me, even though my gaze is fixed on where I’m touching her satin skin. But I ignore her piss-poor attempt at a threat.

“I’ve waited all week for this. Watching you stomp around, pretending you weren’t thinking about my cock every time you laid your pretty eyes on me. I know you want me to fuck you again. I can smell it on you.”

“You’re insane,” she whispers in a rush as my finger glides lower. “You’re fucking insane.”

Her nipples are peaked beneath the silky fabric of Kai’s football jersey, and when I circle one of them, she stutters into silence for a beat, her eyes sliding shut. The instant I drag my thumb over that tight little bud, she snatches hold of my hand, stilling me.

“You’ve been dreaming about it, haven’t you?”

Her breath is coming fast, hot and humid when it hits the front of my throat.

“Wrists pinned, legs spread. Choking your cunt with my cock as you cried your pretty tears for me.”

When I drag my eyes up to hers, her eyelashes flutter.

“Stop. Talking,” she puffs out in panicked little huffs.

Flushed cheeks. Trembling lips. Bright, feverish blue eyes.

Jesus, how the fuck can she think I’ll believe her protests when she’s so obviously aroused?

“You don’t want me to stop. You want my cock so deep inside your cunt, you’ll feel me when you swallow.”

Inhaling a harsh breath through my nose, I slide my hand to the back of her head, forcing it to tilt as I step closer. Her heat coats my front body, makes my already hardening dick strain against my chinos.

“I don’t—I don’t want any of that,” she pleads faintly.

“Oh, sweet girl, but you do. And that’s what scares you, isn’t it? That I make you want things good girls shouldn’t.”

She’s still holding onto me, her arm pressed against her chest. I can feel every rushed breath, every thump of her heart.

“Please. Professor—Bastian—” She’s shaking now, her body’s primal response just to my words filling me with a heavy, heady lust.