Page 32 of Forbidden Lessons

I slide to the side, grabbing the top of the car door so I can close it behind me. He darts forward, laying his hand over mine, blocking me in the gap with his body. There’s a pinch as he tightens his grip, then a burst of pain when pushes a hand into my chest, just below my collar bones, grinding me against the sharp jamb.

I grab the back of his hand, trying to pull him away. Trying to tug my fingers free where he has them curled over the top of the door.

“Leaving so soon? I thought we could reminisce about old times.”

“Kai, I swear, if you don’t?—“

His face twists, and he snatches his hand away from the door. “Why the fuck are you so sticky?”

“Apple pie.”

“The fuck?” he snaps.

“Pie. With apples.Apple.Pie.”

He must think I’m being condescending, but I’m just trying to say whatever he wants to hear, so he’ll let me go.

But the game’s rigged.

I gasp when he catches hold of my wrist and drags my arm up so he can sniff my fingers. He glances down at the streaks of pie filling coating my skin and then gives each finger a careful lick.

“I lied. It’s rat poison. Rat poison everywhere.”

He frowns as he glances past me into the car. His face shifts into a bemused smile. I can still see the anger bubbling under it, but he’s always liked his games.

Especially the cruel ones.

“Aw, Heavenly,” he says, releasing my wrist.

I might have tried to punch him, maybe claw at his face, pop an eyeball with my nail, I don’t know…but he’s too fast. The hand on my chest has already slid up to my throat, and he’s squeezing.

Hard.

“Rat poison pie is my favorite,” he whispers as he leans past me.

He must have scooped up a handful from the takeout container, because when Kai’s hand reappears, it’s dripping with filling.

I stare at him with sick fascination as he shoves the filling into his mouth, streaks of sauce and bits of apple smearing his lips and chin. “Oh, wow,” he mumbles around the pie. “It’s so good…”

But then he stops talking. Stops chewing. His top lip lifts in a sneer.

“Jesus, how old is this?”

I give him a tight smile. “You don’t like it? I’m sure I scraped off all the mold.”

And fuck if that split second of revulsion glinting in his green eyes doesn’t make me feel like the fucking Red Queen demanding someone’s head and seeing it roll at my feet.

Until anger replaces Kai’s shock.

He spits out the apple pie goo into his hand, his mouth still curled up in disgust.

Then he grabs my face in his hand and sinks his fingers between my teeth, forcing my mouth open.

“I don’t want your moldy fucking pie.”

I try to turn my face, but he follows, shoving the filling between my lips and cupping his hand over my mouth so I can’t spit it out.

I mean, I was going to eat it, anyway. Fuck it, I was looking forward to it. But having pie forced down your throat just isn’t the same. Especially when someone else has chewed it already.

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