Page 146 of Kiss the Villain

His eyes hold mine, strange tension whirling beneath the gray, muting it until it’s almost dead, like a brewing storm. “Be there unless you wish to fail criminal law.”

Me? Failing a fucking subject?

He wants to die. He clearly does.

The whole class goes into shock, because why the hell would the top student fail a core fucking subject?

My lips pull up and I clamp them back down, then storm out.

As I stalk to the library, I tell myself he can’t actually fail me, not with my grades, and I can ask for a different grader if he does. I’ll sabotage his fucking career with the dean if he even comes near my GPA. I’m the star student here, and the dean is Grandad’s friend, who’d be livid if he heard about this episode.

And yet I can’t remain calm.

I realize I’m biting the skin under my nails and curse beneath my breath as I drop my hand and hold my head in my palm, staring at the blurry lines of the random constitutional law book I picked up.

Rage is throwing a mist over my eyes, and even still, I can recognize the underlying feeling beneath. Pain?

Fuck, am I hurt by his treatment?

Hurt because he said he’sdisappointedin me?

Hurt because he threatened my spotless GPA just to make me feel small?

Hurt because I stayed up all night perfecting my closing statement just for him to stomp all over it.

My mind is full of stabby impulses, but, really, I noticed I only have those when he treats me like shit.

Or when I’m jealous.

Over the past month, ever since the first time he hugged me to sleep and called me by my first name, I thought things had changed.

We don’t just get together so he can fuck my brains out anymore. He’s been joining me at the archery range. I have my own personal range at the mansion but usually stick to the public one to avoid friends barging in uninvited. Lately, though, I’ve been spending more time at the club, and it’s quickly become my favorite spot.

Mostly because I’ve been teaching Kayden. Turns out, he’s pretty interested—and annoyingly good at it. A fast learner, actually.

The club is discreet enough that no one bats an eye at our existence. They’d just assume we’re there by coincidence.

We’ve also started playing chess, and honestly, it’s my favorite thing ever. We’re both stubborn as hell, and heneverlets me win. Not once. Which I’m determined to change.

I love how he challenges me, keeps me sharp, and quiets the demons in the void.

Of course, Moka keeps knocking over our pieces during matches. Kayden scolds her, and I immediately scoop her up and hide her away. What? She’s a sweet, innocent baby. Okay, fine, maybe shedidruin the sofa, and sure, I spoil her a little—ordering her all kinds of stuff—but I digress.

Kayden even lets me talk to his moms when he FaceTimes them. They’re not stupid; they know what’s going on. Rachel said, “You’re young and should think carefully before making any decisions, hon.” Which was confusing, but whatever.

All in all, we’ve been having fun.

We’ve been watching hockey together. I’ve never been a hockey fan, but seeing it through his eyes, knowing he used to play—the violence, the sheer chaos—I’m starting to like it. Kayden noticed, of course, and said he’ll take me to a game someday.

I don’t know when that day will be, but I’m getting too accustomed—and too addicted—to how much he notices everything about me.

And I meaneverything.

Whether it’s my bad moods, the stress of thinking that Dad doesn’t care about me now that he has Kill, or when I need to purge.

In those moments, he ties me up and fucks me until I’m too wrung out to think.

I believe the reason I struggled so much in the beginning was because I thought I always needed to be in control, so actually submitting to someone else made me panic. I don’t like feeling vulnerable, but with him? I love it.

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