Page 73 of Dare To Break

“I just had my mouth all over your stepsister’s tits. Not that I’m complaining, you understand, but it wasn’t in the plan.”

“Plans change.”

I can’t get the image of her out of my head. The way she looked with the moonlight spilling over her skin, how she’d responded to our mouths on her body. Kellan is right. This wasn’t the plan. The plan is to humiliate her. I need to keep that at the forefront of my mind, and not how her skin tasted on my tongue, or how her soft moans woke up my dick. She’s an unwelcome addition to my family, working with her mother to take what she can get from my dad.

Someone really needs to tell my dick that.

I rip off my ski mask and throw it on the bed. That’s followed by my t-shirt and pants, and I stride across to the bathroom in my underwear.

“Do you want to fuck her, Eli?” Kellan’s question stops me.

“No, I want to fuck with her.”

“Are you lying to me or yourself? There’s no shame in wanting her, you know. She’s pretty. She’s smart.” He breaks off to chuckle. “Well, other than sneaking out to strip off for strangers in the dark, anyway. That’s not very smart.”

“I said no. I’m using what I’m learning about her to set her up to fall, that’s all. When she realizes she’s been submitting to the one person who hates her more than anyone else, she’ll beg my dad to take her out of the school. And if she doesn’t, then the photographs and videos we have can be made public. Those will drive her away, and make my dad see what kind of woman his wife is.”

“How does you humiliating her make your dad see his new wife any differently?”

“Who the fuck do you think she’s learned this behavior from?”

“And then what? Her mom will still be married to your dad. Fucking with her here doesn’t change that.”

“But it’ll make him question whether the daughter is following in her whore mother’s steps. From there, it’ll be easy to show him the truth.”

“But what is the truth, Eli? You think she’s trying to dig her claws into your dad’s money, but what if she really did fall in love?”

I snort. “Don’t be fucking naive.”

***

The first thing I do when I wake up is check the cell I bought. There are no messages from Arabella. That suggests she didn’t check her messages when she got back to her dorm, which means she didn’t follow my instructions.

I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling as I think about how I should play this. Kellan’s words have been spinning in my mind all night long and, as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I have been behaving like I do want to fuck her. More than I want to break her. I’ve let my dick control my behavior. Today that ends. Today I remind her why the entire school fears me.

You’re only doing it because she didn’t answer your message last night.

The stray thought makes me scowl. It’s not true. If I want her to fuck off out of my life, I need to stop making her come, and start making her run.

You’re punishing her for playing your game.

I throw a hand over my face and squash down the little voice.

I’m just softening her up, so when I finally make a move it’s unexpected.

I don’t even believe that.

“Why are you huffing and groaning over there? I can see your hands, so you’re not getting yourself off.” Kellan’s voice intrudes on my thoughts.

I roll my head sideways and look at him. “I’m going for a run, then breakfast. I want to spend today working on my project. What are you doing?”

“Not running, that’s for sure. Might do an hour in the gym later, though. Meet you in the cafeteria at eight? Give me your cell so I can set an alarm.” He stretches out a hand.

“That works.” Decision made, I get out of bed, toss him my cell, and head into the bathroom.

I’m washed, dressed, and out of the door before Kellan even gets up.

The campus is quiet. It’s still early and Sunday morning, so most students will laze in their rooms until hunger drives them out. The dew glistens on the grass as I do warm-up stretches before setting off into the woods, my earbuds filling my ears with the raspy tones of Remington Leith from Palaye Royale.

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