Page 90 of Kiss the Villain

Fuck this.

I pull out my phone and frown at the thousand notifications I got on some stupid Reddit thread I made with a throwaway account.

All so I wouldn’t text that prick Kayden.

After the most intense sexual experience of my life, I woke up alone in his bed.

And he was gone.

Waiting for me on the kitchen counter, I found a strawberry smoothie, another bowl of strawberries, and a plate of breakfast food covered with plastic wrap.

The note said, “Eat so you’ll have the strength to handle me.”

I crumpled it.

But I did eat because I was hungry. Surprisingly, I was all clean and smelled like him, as if he ran a cloth with his shower gel all over my body.

I was fuming at the humiliation of it all, at him being right—that I might enjoy submitting and taking whatever he dishes out.

I hated how much it upset me.

And was ready to headbutt and punch him again. But not right away, because, honestly, my ass and jaw hurt, and I thought if he tied me up and touched me again, he might as well fuck me and erase my last shred of dignity.

So I stayed away.

For, like, three days.

And then I was pissed off because he didn’t get in touch at all.

I saw him on campus, so I knew he was teaching other classes and doing just fine, but he didn’t send any of his distasteful texts.

And I got more furious at myself for wanting his texts. It’s not like we’re in a damn relationship or anything, so why would he check in?

Anyway, even if he did text, I would’ve ignored him.

So I was looking forward to class to ignore him harder while I impressed him with my witness questioning skills.

But he called in sick on that day.

He wasn’t on campus the whole week.

And he wasn’t in his house. Yes, I went in again two times after he called in sick just to kick his face in and make him sicker.

Okay.Threetimes.

I don’t know where the hell he’s been, and I refuse to text him first. That’s justnotgoing to happen.

Because, in reality, I should be elated that he finally fucked off out of my life.

And I am.

That’s all I wanted.

Right?

But somehow, the hole of emptiness I was born with has been burning at the edges like paper, slowly but steadily growing in size.

The PI, Nadine, wasn’t of any help. She just sent me what I asked for.

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