Page 24 of Forbidden Lessons

But when I reach for my bag, Kai drops his feet to the floor and slams a hand down on my stuff.

“Hey!”

He grabs my wrist. “Hey,” he parrots back, his calm voice a bitter contrast to my frustration.

I immediately try to tug free, butfuck, he’s strong.

He stands and steps up to me, inches taller, inches wider. If there was a light source behind him, he’d be eclipsing me. But there’s just a long stretch of blackboard, and the staggered rows of empty seats behind me.

Where the hell is Professor Rooke?

Kai stares down his nose at me, and there’s such disgust in his eyes that I can feel just how sweaty, sticky, and greasy I am. I wasn’t expecting anyone to get this close to me. If I had, I’d have washed my hair or something.

He tugs me forward so hard that I fall against him. When I push at his chest, he grabs the top of my bare arm. His hand is warm but viciously tight, and he uses it to shake me.

“Whose dick did you suck to get the grant?” he mutters through clenched teeth.

“What’s with this dick-sucking obsession?” I hate how breathless I sound. So frantic. “Your girlfriend not giving you enough head, loser?”

He laughs. A cruel, mirthless sound I never heard him make before.

“Why buy the cow if you’re giving away all that milk for free?” He drops his shoulders until we’re on eye level, and it’s fucking terrifying.

I always loved his eyes.

Verdant green, like the leaves and vines and ferns that served as a backdrop for all his wild fantasies.

He had unquenchable joy back then. Even if he had a fight with his brother, or his parents had cussed him out for something, he’d rant about it for all of a minute before announcing the theme of that day’s adventure. And then we’d be off, both our lives forgotten at the border of the small creek we crossed each day.

Young Kai would look back at me, white teeth flashing in a tanned face, green eyes gleaming with excitement. And I’d feel safe and happy, my life brimming with potential.

But his eyes have changed.

He releases my wrist and grabs my chin. “Do everyone a favor and just walk out that fucking door and never come back.”

He shoves me away from him.

I try to catch my balance on the table, but I grab my bag instead and end up sprawled on the vinyl floor.

Maybe if I’d had a moment to catch my breath, I’d have scrambled up and sprinted the hell out of that lecture hall.

The door opens, and Professor Rooke walks in, and suddenly Kai’s by my side, helping me to my feet.

“Flip-flops are dangerous as shit,” he says, a laugh threaded through his words.

I pull myself out of his grip as my teacher walks closer. “Don’t touch me!” I hiss.

Kai turns his back on Professor Rooke, grabs my cardigan where it landed on the floor, and shoves it against my chest. “Put it on.Now.” The last word a quiet snarl.

I’m shaking as I back up, hands trembling as I somehow wrestle my arms through the sleeves. Then Kai’s grinning, picking up my bag and handing it to me as he turns to greet Rooke. “Morning, Professor.”

I must be gaping like a beached fish, because my teacher gives me a hard stare. “Everything all right, Miss Lee?”

“She tripped,” Kai says, holding out his hand. “Can I get you set up?”

Rooke’s eyes stay fixed on mine as he slips the strap of his satchel off his shoulder and hands it to Kai. “Yes.”

Kai takes the bag and goes to sit behind the desk, unpacking Professor Rooke’s things. I flinch when he starts whistling. I swear to God it’s the same tune he used to whistle when we were kids.

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