Page 116 of Awakened by Sin

“You’re the COO of Pyre Casinos,” Maddie piped up.

“He is,” Carmen said. Maybe he wasn’t so mad after all. “Marcus, this is Maddie. She’s a freshman in college and taking courses in hotel management.”

“I took the same courses,” Marcus said, making direct eye contact with Maddie who blushed furiously. “If you’re interested in an internship at Pyre Casinos, let me know.”

“T-thank you,” Maddie said.

Marcus switched his attention back to her. He eyed her expectantly, obviously waiting for her to say something. She clapped her hands and gestured to Maddie and Levi. “Our parents are getting married.”

Marcus blinked. “Excuse me?”

“My mom’s marrying their dad, Marv, so we’re getting to know one another.”

Marcus focused on Levi. “Looks like it’s going well.”

Something about his tone made Levi drop his arm. Carmen gave her future stepsiblings a sunny smile as she went to Marcus and linked her arm through his.

“We’ll catch up later. I need to talk to Marcus about something,” she said before she pulled him into the crowd.

“Your mom’s getting married?” Marcus asked.

“Yes.”

“You’re happy about it?”

“Of course. I don’t want her to be alone.”Like me, she thought.

“You seem comfortable with your stepbrother.”

They stopped on the path leading up to the school, a good distance from the happy ruckus taking place. “I let him drive my new Aston, and he’s a car nut, so he’s dubbed me his new favorite sister.”

With the sun highlighting his features, he looked chic and unattainable. His cool demeanor made her want to provoke him, but that would have to wait.

“My stepdad asked for my mom’s hand in marriage an hour before you saw me in the casino with Kody,” she said bluntly.

His expression revealed nothing. “I see.”

“I was on my way to your office when Kody stopped me.”

“What?”

That caught him off guard. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mickey and Frederick milling around. They were keeping their distance but observing every move she made. She looked around and focused on the open door of the school. Without a word, she started walking toward the building after shooting her guards a warning look.

“Where are you going?” Marcus asked as he followed.

She didn’t answer as she walked down a hallway lined with pegs and cubbies. The walls were covered in crayon artwork, and the smell of Play-Doh and tiny, sweaty humans filled her nostrils. She walked into a classroom filled with tiny desks. A guinea pig burrowed into shredded newspaper while the burble of the aquarium filled the room. A map of the world covered one wall and a dry erase board littered with math problems hung on the other.

She strolled around the classroom while Marcus watched from the doorway. He didn’t step into the classroom, of course, because he liked rules. Even as a child, she didn’t acknowledge rules. That was partly her father’s training, and she continued the practice in her adult years since it got her what she wanted in life.

She sat in the tiny plastic chair, which felt as if it had been made for a doll rather than a human. She propped her chin on her hand, clamped her knees, and angled her feet together in the classic schoolgirl pose. Maddie’s shoes really got her into character. She pouted as Marcus watched her suspiciously. He was a wise man. She was definitely going to fuck with him.

“Did you ever have a student/teacher fantasy?” she asked.

“Excuse me?”

“Did you ever fantasize about a teacher?”

“Not that I can remember.”

---