Page 107 of Devious Knight

“Yeah, sure.” My heart squeezes as if a steel band is wrapped around it. I want to tell what I really think about the nice chancellor, but I hold my tongue.

Innocent until proven guilty. Even if you know in your heart that the person is guilty as sin.

“Come on, let’s eat some cake.” She picks up the cake box and holds it out to me.

I force a smile I don’t feel to humor her, resuming my previous dreading of the week ahead.

At least one of us is happy. I just wonder when I will be.

Two hours, then I’m done for the day.

I walk down the corridor leading to Kade’s apartment and do a mental walk through of all the things I have to do.

I’m not as tired anymore, although I didn’t sleep.

Mackenzie and I ended up going shopping, then we ran into Sawyer and Savannah.

As we hadn’t seen them in a while, we ended up hanging out with them until it was time to head back. Now I’m here.

I’m hoping to get in and out the moment I’m done.

Kade won’t be there, but I don’t know when he’ll be back.

My steps slow when I approach the door and see it’s ajar. It’s usually locked.

I walk closer, and the scent of delicious food tickles my nose.

Oh no… is Kade here?

The shuffle of footsteps gives me my answer.

Damn it. He is here. And there’s no way I can back out now.

I could leave and make up some excuse, but I don’t want to risk it. The last thing I need before tomorrow’s meeting is something bad to report.

Summoning energy, I keep going. I open the door, walk in, and close it behind me.

When I get to the living room, I stop when I notice how tidy the place is.

Everything is in order. Even the bookshelf that looked like it had been wrecked by trolls is as neat as the ones in the library.

This is the tidiest I’ve ever seen the place.

The scent of furniture polish hangs in the air, mixing with the freshness of clean linen and the aroma of exotic food.

There doesn’t seem to be anything here for me to do.

Did he do this?

Why?

There’s no way he forgot that I was going to come. Maybe he had company or is expecting someone else. It is still the weekend, after all.

Those condoms listed on the grocery list come to my mind. I’ve done the groceries for him three times already since my punishment, and I’ve annoyingly bought condoms every week. Maybe he’s expecting the kind of company where he’ll be using them. And I’m here.

Great. Just what I need.

The thought clatters around in my head, then he appears at the kitchen door.

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