Page 114 of Devious Knight

He smiles. “You know you don’t have to go anywhere. It’s late. You should stay.” His warm breath caresses my skin, luring me to say yes. “There’s plenty of space in my bed, or on top of me.”

Me in his bed.

Me on top of him in his bed.

Him owning every inch of my body in his bed, taking the one thing he can’t give back.

That’s what I see in my head, replaying over and over again. And I crave it. I want nothing more.

The sudden thought hits me like a punch to my gut, and I realize I’m not scared of him anymore. Not the way I used to be. But what I feel now is much worse, because I’m scared of him in other ways I never expected.

I’m scared of how he makes me feel.

I’m scared of feeling anything for him and knowing I’ll be heartbroken when all is said and done. When he’s done with me. Done punishing me. Hurting me.

“I have to go.”

His face hardens, and he stares at me for a few agonizing moments, his eyes stormier than the raging sea in a tempest.

He inches away and releases me. I step back, out of the spell.

“You can’t say no to me forever, Isabelle.”

“I should.”

“But you won’t.” There’s that confidence again.

“You don’t know me.”

“I know everything about you. Remember, I know you liked me first.” He’s not talking about Michael anymore. He’s talking about me from the past. Me in high school. “I walked into school that first day, and you were already looking at me. I saw you with that curious look in your eyes. You were wearing a blue dress with white flowers splashed over it. Your hair was in a ponytail, but you had a hairband around your wrist and another wrapped around the pencil in your hand. On your desk was a copy of the Odyssey. You hid it under the math textbook.”

My nerves scatter, and I suddenly feel weaker than I already did. I want to ask him how he remembers all of that. And… why. I thought I was invisible to him.

“You actually saw me?” My voice is whisper soft, barely there but still there.

“I always see you, Lo..li..ta.”

I press my lips together and look him over, feeling more than stupefied. I’m not sure what to say. The other week, he shocked me when he told me he wanted me and had for three years. But that felt different.

“Good night, Kade. Thanks for dinner. And for teaching me to play pool.” I turn to walk away, taking the easy way out because I don’t know what else to do.

“That cherry between your legs belongs to me.” The eerie calmness in his voice stops me again. “If Michael touches you, I’ll kill him.”

The blood drains from my body, and I look back at him, noting the absolute seriousness on his face. He’s not joking. “You can’t do that.”

“Watch me. No one touches what is mine.” A thin smile slides across his face like a wound, too wide, too forced. It’s the kind of smile that crawls under your skin and wraps icy fingers around your heart.

I was a fool to think I’m not as scared of him as I used to be. I am. And the truth is, I just have more things to worry about now.

“Good night, Isabelle.”

I don’t answer. I just gather my things and leave.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Isabelle

It’s time to see Parker.

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