Page 148 of Teacher's Pet

Chapter 27

Anastasia

God, what the fuck was that?

Jake just openly admitted to murder in front of me, without a second thought, without hesitation. He’s tied to the very business Noah abandoned, the one he left behind to chase some semblance of a normal life.

So what the hell has Noah gotten himself involved in?

What the fuck did Noah do?

Leaning over the bathroom sink, I brace myself, waiting for the tequila to make an unwelcome reappearance. My reflection stares back at me, pale and shaken, my pupils blown wide with adrenaline. The bathroom is dimly lit, trendy, overstimulating, designed for drunk college kids who need a break from their poor decisions. A sleek couch sits against the wall, meant for those too wasted to stand, too lost in their own haze to function.

I splash cold water on my face, inhaling sharply, grounding myself.

Then the door handle turns.

Shit. I regret not double-checking the lock.

“Someone’s in here-” I start, reaching to shove the door shut.

But he doesn’t give me a chance.

Noah pushes inside, locking the door behind him with a sharp click. His tie comes loose as he tosses it onto the couch, his chest rising and falling with barely contained fury.

I straighten, holding my ground.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he snaps, his voice low, heated. Like he has any right to be angry.

“Oh, I’m the problem?” I scoff, laughter bubbling up, sharp and humorless. “How about you explain what the fuck you’re doing? Associating with your psychopath of a brother and whatever the hell your clearly fucked-up family business is?” My voice shakes, but I don’t back down.

Noah’s jaw tightens. His fists clench.

“Antonov?” I sneer, throwing his real last name in his face like a weapon. “Is everything you told me a goddamn lie?”

“Yes,” he bites out, taking a step closer. “Every part.”

The words hit like a slap.

I swallow hard, the air thick with something I can’t name.

“Even what you said at your bike-”

“Especially what I fucking said at my bike,” he whispers. His eyes darken, the truth spilling from his lips like something he’s been forced to keep buried for too long. “Every fucking word. A lie.”

My pulse hammers in my ears. I try to make sense of it, try to rationalize, but my thoughts are too loud, too chaotic.

“No. No, you said-”

“I know what I said.” His voice is quieter now, but somehow, it cuts deeper. “I know what I thought I had to say to keep you away from Jake. From my family.”

My breath hitches.

“What did he do to you, Noah?” I whisper. “Those scar-”

His lips press into a hard line, his shoulders tense.

“A reminder,” he mutters. “Of what business my family is really in. Imagine my fear, knowing they still control me. That they now know who you are.”

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