Page 3 of Into Ruin

I barely manage to keep from spilling the drink all over me.

And now…

“Little voyeur,” the guy says. “Was it jealousy that made you stay? Or is that truly your kink?”

“It’s definitely not.” I shake my head. “I was looking for Royal’s room. You’re?—”

“His is across the hall.” He saunters forward.

I tense, but I’m not going to be run off. There’s a challenge in his gaze. His eyes are deep blue, his hair dark and unruly. He steps up close to me and flicks the switch by my elbow. A lamp in the corner comes on behind him.

“Royal won’t fuck you,” he continues. “He’s got a pretty hot girlfriend who would cut his balls off if he did.”

My jaw drops.

“Not saying you’re not hot,” he adds. “You’ve got that girl-next-door vibe. The sweatshirt and jeans, your messy bun hair…”

He grabs my bag’s strap and tugs it off my shoulder. I reach for it, but he moves away too fast.

And I make the mistake of entering his room fully.

2

HARPER

“What’s your name?” He cocks his head.

I frown and follow him. He sidesteps me, and before I know it, he closes the door and leans against it. My bag dangles from his fingertips.

“Name,” he repeats, his tone hardening.

“Harper.”

“Well,Harper, you cost me tonight.”

I roll my eyes. “I cost you a cheap lay, it seemed like. You didn’t even take your pants all the way off.”

He lets my bag fall from his hand, and his fingers land on the doorknob. With a slight twist, he locks it.

For the first time, a sliver of awareness slides through me. He’s cute—no, no, he’s devastatingly handsome—but that doesn’t mean he’s safe. It’s never quite translated that way in my limited experience.

I take a step back, and he smirks.

“I should go.”

He doesn’t move. His gaze sharpens, watching me carefully. When I swallow, his attention falls to my throat. Then lower. I’m grateful for the oversized hoodie, the thick fabric that doesn’tcling to my curves. Even though, right now, it feels like I’m more exposed than the girl who was just spread naked on his desk.

“You have to pay the toll to pass,” he says.

“You could go out there and easily find another girl to fuck.” I shake my head. “Instead, you’re trying to talk me into it?”

“I don’t want to fuck you.”

I still. A mixture of relief and uncertainty course through me. If not sex?—

“I’d settle for a blow job.”

“No.” I stare at him. “Absolutely not.”

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