Page 140 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

“Bennett?” Knox’s black eyes move to me. “Do you have Miss Winters’ stockings?”

I laugh. “What kind of a sick fuck keeps a girl’s stockings in his pocket?”

The gleam in Knox’s eyes tells me he knows of a sick fuck just like that, but Nim can’t see his face.

“That’s defamation of character,” Silas says, trailing his fingers up her leg. “A serious offense, right, Knox?”

“Very serious.” Knox lets out a breath. “Why do you keep pushing me, Winters? Do youwantme to suspend you?”

“Do it,” she mutters. “We’ll see what the dean says about how you abuse your power.”

“Oh, little Nim,” Knox murmurs into her ear. “You think this is me abusing my power?” He grabs the hem of her dress and hikes it up the side of her dress until the edge of her panties are exposed. “Let me showyou what abuse of powerreallylooks like.”

Chapter 20

Knox

I haven’t been able to get Nim Winters out of my head since last night. Which is fucked up, because I’ve tormented students before and never thought twice about it. Is it because she knows about Lorenzo? Or is it the fear and the hatredin her eyes that keep me up at night?

It’s genetic, feeding off that fear. That hatred. It makes me concerned about my future, about what I might let myself become if I don’t control this obsession of mine.But at the same time, I have this inexplicable urge to explore just how far I can push her,us.

I never thought Nim could provide such a perfect opportunity for them to showcase their allegiance...but this girl keeps surprising me.

Like how she’s keeping her composure? Students are watching us gang up on her, and except for that defiant scream she tried to unleash, she’s taking every inch of punishment we’re sending her way.

Time to push the envelope.

Mason shifts, adjusting his blazer a little. I wondered why it was off—it’s warm outside, but not unseasonably hot. Now I’m suspecting he has a hard-on. Guess Nim has that effect on him too. Silas is more cool headed. Which pisses me off for some reason. I don’t know why, but I want him to feel as out of control as I do right now. As I’m sure Mason does.

He’s always calm and collected in the moment—it’s in the aftermath where he comes undone. Questioning himself, questioningus.Our plans.

This will be a learning curve for him. He keeps forgetting that he’s one of us now. We’ve made it clear that he’s as much a Serpent as either of us.

“Take off your blazer,” I tell Silas.

He glances over at me, that familiar scowl on his face. But he doesn’t openly question my command—which is good. I don’t want Nim to think we’re divided on this. On anything. Silas shrugs off his blazer, smoothing a hand over his silver vest before draping his blazer over his lap like Mason.

“It’s a pity you’re not wearing your stockings,” I tell her as I lean away and slide out of my blazer too. “They would have kept those pretty little legs warm.”

“I have to get to class,” she blurts out.

“No you don’t,” Silas says, sounding bored with her pathetic excuse. “We have a copy of your schedule.”

Nim says nothing, but from the way her shoulders stiffen, I assume she doesn’t like the fact that we’ve taken such a strong interest in her academic life.

As I swing my blazer forward and drape it over her legs, Silas says, “Accounting…Are you good with numbers?”

Nim grabs my blazer and tries to pull it off her legs, but Mason and Silas move in tandem, grabbing either end and holding it down so she’s covered up from ankles to knees. “Whatare you doing?” she whispers, and for the first time since Silas and I arrived, I hear a thread of unease in her voice.

“You didn’t answer him,” Mason says, and pinches her thigh.

“Ow!” Nim moves her leg again, and then snaps out, “No, okay? I’mshitat numbers.”

“Then why choose it?” Silas asks, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Or are you just a sucker for punishment?”

“I, I didn’t?—”

“I’m good with numbers,” Mason rumbles. “For example, you have three holes, and there are three of us, right?”

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