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“Right. I want to talk today about something that might be a little close to home. Death and destruction, specifically aimed at the patriarchy and the unconventional archetypes that form within male-dominated structures that exist with the elite and dangerous.”
A groan tore through the classroom, but I barely heard it.
My attention lay elsewhere.
Heat radiated along the nape of my neck as someone slipped into the seat beside Finley.
“Salvatore.” The deep voice echoed behind me.
“Kilpatrick,” Finley answered.
My pulse raced at the sound of Finley’s voice. I tried to focus on the lecturer and Kat beside me, anything but the goddamn male behind me.
“I have some information about a certain someone,” Kilpatrick murmured, leaning closer to Finley. “You know, for the initiation.”
“He’s all yours,” Finley responded, keeping his voice low…still, not low enough that I didn’t hear it. “I have a new target now.”
“You want to share? You know the Commission thrives on getting dirt on the other families.”
“No,” Finley’s tone was icy. “I don’t want to share.”
The conversation grew cold, leaving Kilpatrick to shift in his seat before finally saying, “So, you really don’t want in on Rossi.”
“Fuck off, Kilpatrick.”
“Fine,” the guy snapped, and rose as the lecturer droned on and on, talking about society's structures. It was enough to make the entire class yawn. But I was too busy being trapped by Finley’s words as Kilpatrick slipped into another seat further along the row. Xael had told me the Commission was built on distrust, and that seemed to start here…in the Institute.
The initiation…
My mind raced with the word. I wanted to turn in my seat and confront him, to find out who the new target was. Goosebumps raced along my arms with the thought. Deep down, part of me already knew the answer.Me…
I felt it in the intensity of his stare, and shifted in my seat…praying for the class to be over.
But the minutes dragged on and the heat of his gaze only grew hotter.
Until it was all I could feel…
His breath on my neck.
His thoughts even pushing in on mine.
By the time Mr. Former FBI placed his notes on the desk beside him and said the words, “Well, I think I’ve bored you sufficiently for the—” I was already up, cutting Kat a careful stare.
“I’ll see you later, okay?” I urged.
“Sure,” she answered carefully with a frown.
My dress flared as I turned sideways and hurried for the door, triggering everyone else to get the hell out of there. I tore through the open door, giving Max a scowl, and strode into the hallway. They were already filing out after me, driving my panic deeper…and harder.
I scanned the hallway, finding darkness behind the glass panels of the doors. With my pulse booming, I lunged for the second door, shoved down the handle, and slipped inside the darkened classroom, quietly closing the door behind me.
My chest heaved with hard, consuming breaths. I pressed my spine against the wall, listening to the low murmur of voices as the others passed. Just wait…that’s all I had to do, until he was gone and I could breathe.
But it was that ache in my chest that didn’t ease, not even when the chatter died down outside. I waited until the hallway outside turned quiet…but then the handle of the door turned.
I shoved away from the wall as the door pushed open and Finley strode in…like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Did you think you could hide from me, Anna?” He lifted his gaze to mine and closed the door.
