Page 54 of Forbidden Hearts

I do.

They are Jacob’s enforcers. I have never spoken to them because they rarely visit The Den. When they do, they usually only speak with Jacob and Ben.

They arenothinglike the regulars at The Den. These men are dangerous.

I lower my window and look at the guy riding next to my window. He stares me down even though his eyes are shielded by dark, reflective sunglasses. I only see my own terrified expression.

“C-can I help you?” I ask.

He rides next to my car without saying a word.

A moment later, he looks up at his friend who rides by Isabella’s window, and makes a hand signal. Their bikes roar loudly again as they overtake my car and speed out of the parking lot and into the street.

“What the heck was that?” Isabella asks.

A message.

Jacob wants me to know he’s watching me, even if I’m no longer under his thumb at The Den.

Chapter 26

Alex

“Move your hand like this,” Alonzo whispers behind my ear. I almost melt at the warmth of his breath on the back of my neck. “Slowly, there’s no rush. That’s it. Keep the strokes nice and consistent.”

“Am I doing it right?” I ask, licking my bottom lip.

“Yes, you’re doing it perfectly,” he says, pressing his warm, hard body against my back. “Keep moving your hand like that. That’s it, you got it. Good girl. Now, pay attention to the tip. You don’t want it to get too dry.”

I swirl the tip gently, making sure not to spill anything.

When I bring my arm back up, he places his hand over mine, guiding it across the white canvas and helping me leave clean, confident strokes of paint.

We stand by the stream behind his cabin, painting a deer that is drinking water on the other side of the stream.

Alonzo releases my hand and lets me continue the painting by myself.

“Do you want another glass of wine?” he asks.

“Yes, please,” I say with my eyes still on the deer by the stream. I paint a few more strokes and set the paintbrush down to join Alonzo on the picnic blanket.

He hands me a glass of wine, and I take a sip, returning my eyes to the deer. Beyond it, the trees and wilderness give way to a gorgeous red evening sky. This is nice and definitely a change of pace for us.

As the days passed, I have visited Alonzo’s office more often, even outside his usual office hours. We spend a few minutes working on my art technique, which he insisted on when I told him I was embarrassed by my progress in class. Then we spend the rest of the time pleasuring each other.

Sometimes, he goes down on me. Other times, I go down on him. In the end, we always end up having sex. I swear, my naked body has touched every part of his desk, chairs, and even window sill.

I can’t lie. Knowing full well that we’re having sex while students and professors walk by his office is part of the fun. It’s exciting and a big turn on.

One day, when he had his head buried between my legs on top of his desk, I mustered the courage to ask him if any of his other female students were jealous he was spending so much time with me.

“What other students? You’re the only one who can satisfy my craving right now,” he had said in a low growl.

Now, but not forever?I wondered.

I often caught myself having these thoughts, but I always managed to push them aside and remind myself what the goalwas. And what better way to remember than being tailed by Jacob’s enforcers?

It’s been two weeks since the reapers first showed up to intimidate me when I went to the movies with Isabella. They have been following me around town more often. Sometimes, they make it obvious they’re tailing me, but other times, they try to remain hidden. I notice them regardless. Their loud bikes are hard to miss, and they’re not the brightest men under Jacob’s employment.

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