Page 74 of The Kingdom of Ruin

I shouldn’t like it as much as I do.

Abandoning my reflection, I turn for the door. I just need to hide away in my room for the night and give myself some time, focus on some self-care before I turn all of my attention back to my classes.

With a nod, I step into the hallway, but the newfound spring in my step is paused when I see someone braced against my bedroom door.

Not just someone.

Cassian.

His brown hair is messy from running his fingers through it, and his head is hanging low as he braces his arms against my door. A white fitted tee is sculpted to his abs and the jeans he’s wearing mold around his ass like sin. With open-laced boots, he looks far better than he should.

His head whips to me instantly, his eyes darkening as his nostrils flare. His green eyes are narrowed and consuming, while his jaw tics with irritation. My grip on the towel tightens as I open my mouth, but I don’t get to release a breath, never mind a single word, before he’s barreling into me.

My body stiffens at the impact, but we don’t hit the ground like I expect. We’re moving, not far, and a moment later, we’re still again. My back is pressed against the mirror in the bathroom, the vanity right beside me, and the empty shower stalls across the room.

Fucking hell.

Stuck between fight, flight, or freeze, I gape at him, eager to slam my fist into his face and get the fuck out of here, but the hold he has on me isn’t going to be easy to escape.

Chest to chest, he tilts his head down, running the tip of his nose up my throat, and I shiver at the contact, failing to come up with anything to say. His hands shift, gripping my hips over the towel, and it sparks my brain back to life.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

He runs his nose along my jawline, his fingers digging into my sides as I gasp.

“It’s true,” he rasps, more and more intoxicating with every breath I take as I frown in confusion.

“What is?” I sound far too breathless, and it pisses me off.

“Don’t play dumb.”

“You’re the one showing up at my room out of the blue claiming things are true. I have no idea what you’re referring to,” I state with a pointed look, and he cocks a brow at me.

“Technically, we’re in the bathroom.”

I roll my eyes. “Technically, you’re pissing me off. What the fuck do you want, Cassian?” I bite, my heart rate accelerating as he leans back, emerald green eyes meeting mine.

“I want to hear you say you fucked Brody.”

My chest clenches. I was hoping he would just be pissed at me and ignore me for the rest of time. Apparently, I was wrong.

Gulping, I fail to hide the smallest hint of nerves that creep up my spine. “I fucked Brody.”

The words hang in the air between us for a beat before his hand snakes around my throat, mirroring Brody’s mark from earlier.

“What did you think that would achieve?” My eyes narrow further, unsure of what he wants me to say, and he shakes his head in annoyance. “Brody told me what you said. What you thought would come from getting under him.”

“Technically, it was against a tree,” I snap, using his own sass back at him, but it doesn’t hit the mark like I’d hoped.

“Technically, it doesn’t make a difference. His dick went right here, is that correct?”

I gasp as he flicks the towel open, cupping my pussy in the next breath.

My body tenses, but not with the desire to fight, no matter how much I try to summon it.

Fuck.

“Get off me.”

---