Page 58 of Brutal Birthright

“Fine, I’ll go the other way then.” Ri muttered and spun on her heel. Tossing her head back and jutting out her chin as she did her best to put distance between herself and her tormentor.

What she would give to have that fucking magical key right now.

Being able to disappear at a time like this was exactly what she needed. Not to be dogged by Rowan’s looming shadow.

Ducking down a row—any fucking place that would take her far, far away from whatever she’d just interrupted—she blindly ploughed straight into a solid chest. Letting out a quiet oof as the air escaped her lungs.

Goddess-fucking-damnit. It infuriated her that he could just manifest out of thin air like a murderous apparition.

Rowan poked his tongue against the side of his mouth and stood resolute, barring her exit. With arms folded, his molten sapphire blue eyes raked her from head to toe, leaving her both chilled and burning up beneath his gaze.

“What the fuck do you want?” Ri felt like she was going to burst out of her skin, shifting her weight and clutching the hefty book tight to her chest. She threw him her best eye-daggers for good measure.

“Spying, little faerie?” The corner of his mouth indented, and she didn’t dare let herself imagine it might be a crack of a smile.

This man already scrambled her senses. If he smiled, it might devour her whole. She’d be trapped in the path of a shark revealing a wide set of jagged teeth set amongst powerful jaws.

“No.”

“Then why are you running?” He stepped closer.

Ri held her ground. “I’m not running.”

“Don’t forget, I know all your tells.” His gaze dropped to the swell of her breasts, where her chest rose and fell faster now that they were here… together. So close she could make out the lines of ink reaching up the side of his neck and front of his throat. Another moment where they found themselves lost in the murky grey of twilight and poor decisions.

“How fascinating for you.” She huffed. “Let me pass.”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “Got somewhere else to be? Someone else to be meeting at this time of night?”

Fuck him. Her fingers twitched. The cool, smooth edges of her two short blades were just a quick reach away, tucked side by side in her thigh holster. Right alongside her bare pussy.

Which she now realised was absolutely delighted at the proximity of Rowan.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She had forgone anything beneath her dress today, what with the sultry heat of late summer and the buttery soft fabric that felt divine against her skin. It hadn’t been a conscious decision, but now that he lingered so close…

He could slide his hand beneath the hem of her dress and see exactly how her body responded to him. And she didn’t know what turned her on more. Having her teacher know that her pussy was soaked, or getting away with something that felt so forbidden?

But she wasn’t going to be made a fool of. Not after being unceremoniously dumped back in her rooms. Definitely not considering the way he’d left so suddenly after commanding her to come undone three times.

No matter how perfectly the dwindling light caressed his strong jaw.

“Maybe I’ve got somewhere to be. Or maybe not. But none of it is your business.”

“Who?” He forced her to step back against the row of books. One shoulder awkwardly bumping up against the rigid spines.

His eyes dropped the length of her body, hovering at the flowy hemline of her dress where it fluttered just below her knees.

“Maybe I should ask who you are here with?” That had his eyes snapping up in an instant. Hitting her with the shade of startling blue she would forever associate with this man.

Rowan’s mouth formed a hard line, and he leant one arm high above her on the shelving. Nothing about this was appropriate. If someone was to see them here like this… there was no excusing the way he pressed her up against the hard barrier digging into her spine.

The way adversaries might when holding their captive at knifepoint. Or lovers.

Maybe here, in this moment, they were one and the same.

He didn’t deny being here with the woman, and that had her seeing red. “Evading the question? How predictable. Well, in that case, you can go fuck one of your other whores gagging for your cock.” Her lips curled, and the snarl was out before she could do anything to calm the frustration seething in her chest.

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