Page 60 of Hateful Games

It draws Nova’s and Teresa’s attention.

“Oh, there you both are,” says Teresa upon seeing us. “First Nova, and then you two got lost. Stop worrying me, kids.”

Nova, whose smug eyes are locked on my face, take in my reaction. He takes his sweet-ass time running it down my body, clad in the dress he chose for me. I was in such a hurry I forgot to switch. I feel naked under his sizzling gaze, burning with the cruel satisfaction of outsmarting me.

He isn’t even ashamed for doing it right in front of his parents.

I bite the inside of my cheek while trying not to lower my gaze. Ever so casually, he crosses the small distance and crowds into my personal space. I quietly gasp when he circles my waist and pulls me flush against his steel-like chest.

Soft lips press against the corner of my mouth in a chaste kiss before running up to my ear and whispering, “Did you think I wouldn’t have a spare key?”

The fucking bastard played me. Any guilt I harbored about bringing up bad memories for him evaporates in a flash.

“Let me go,” I say through gritted teeth.

He pulls back enough to connect our gazes. His eyes peruse to my pursed lips for a fraction of a second, as if he can’t help it, and then stares back at me. Caressing my cheek with the backs of his knuckle, he reminds me in warning, “Don’t forget. To the world, you’re the love of my life, Rose. The forbidden fruit I plucked straight from my enemy’s garden.”

I glance around and find several pairs of eyes studying us keenly.

Nova tilts my face back to his and commands in a low voice, “Be a good girl and smile.”

I blush. An involuntary reaction.

I blame it on my obsession with books.

Allergic to unnecessary drama, I paint a smile on my face and direct it at Nova. “There. Happy?”

“What would make me happy is bending you over my lap and spanking your ass for wasting my morning and almost making me miss my graduation.”

I open my mouth before slamming it shut, out of smart comebacks. Embarrassed that someone might have heard it, I look around. Only breathing a sigh of relief that Nova’s parents and Miya are out of earshot.

Nova smirks evilly. “Now I would like my phone back, little hellion.”

I hastily pull it out and slap it into his palm, a little too hard. The infuriating man chuckles before guiding me toward the front row where his family sits. I take a seat beside Miya, thinking Nova will finally leave to sit with his classmates.

Instead, he bends to taunt in my ear, “The only dolls I like to play with are girls willing to be my fuck dolls. Say the word and I’ll make you mine, Rose. Except there will be no dress-up because I’ll keep you naked at all times.”

Closing my gaping mouth, he saunters away with a dirty smirk.

Chapter Seventeen

Rosalie

The four-hour long ceremony goes by smoothly.

Nova delivers a sharp-witted and motivating speech effortlessly. A thunderous applaud ringing in the crowd along with his friends’ catcalls.

But was I able to focus on any of it? Nope.

Because his parting words left me squirming and my body a distracting hot mess. Making denial my best friend, I ignored the dampness in my panties throughout those tortuous hours.

“Is there something going on between you and Malcolm?” I casually ask Miya.

She laughs awkwardly. “Umm… No. Why would you even ask that?”

“Because we’re in his bedroom.” I wave my finger in a circle as I stand in the middle of his room. The man is a neat freak. I also point out, “And you seem quite familiar with it.”

After the ceremony ended, Teresa doted over her son, taking countless pictures and even forcing Nova and I to take one together. While making me painfully realize that both our mothers are not so different because they’re the only ones seemingly happy about our families’ twisted arrangement.

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