Page 155 of Teacher's Pet

He could ruin her.

But tonight, seeing his hands on her, his hands where only mine should ever be, there was no fucking way I was walking away.

I was ready to kill him right there.

And I would have faced the consequences with a fucking smile.

Catching the eyes of Elijah and Megan, I see the way they glance at my brother, then back at me, their brows raised in quiet curiosity.

Yeah. I’m the last person they wanted to see here.

Keeping her back to me, Ana subtly urges her friends away from Jake, her fingers gripping Megan’s wrist in a silent plea.

"Big brother!" Jake grins, his voice dripping with amusement. "There you are. Ana dear was just introducing me to her lovely friends."

Cautiously, I move toward them, watching Elijah and Megan’s expressions shift from wary to sickened.

"Brother?" Elijah quips, crossing his arms. "Is he also a teacher who doesn’t know boundaries?" His scoff is sharp, biting.

Ana kicks Elijah in the leg, glaring.

There’s my girl.

"Not as yummy as Ackerman," Megan slurs, narrowing her eyes at Jake. "But something tells me you have a much more… interesting job." Her fingers trail over the scar on his cheek, a slow, drunken touch meant to provoke.

My dad did that to him.

A drug deal gone wrong, one that cost my father more money than he could stomach losing. Jake got the reminder carved into his skin. Maybe that’s why he leaned into the more torturous tactics when it came to control.

"My brother has learned from his mistakes," Jake smiles, the words smooth, practiced. His gaze flicks to Ana. "Isn’t that right, Ana?" he purrs, testing her.

He’s waiting to see if she cracks, pushing her to slip up. Jake isn’t an idiot. Even with the pounding music and the constant hum of bar chatter, he knows where I just was.

"Noah's affairs do not concern me," Ana says sweetly, offering Jake a saccharine smile. "Thank you for the drink."

With that, she turns, rallying her friends, tossing me one last look as she pulls them away from Jake and me. They’re talking her ear off, clearly confused, asking questions she doesn’t seem in the mood to answer.

Jake watches her go, then leans in, his voice venomous. "Pretty sure your cum was still running down her leg."

I smile, slow and sharp. "Maybe."

His eyes narrow, sensing the shift in me.

"But you know what?" I whisper, grabbing him by the collar. "I’m done fucking listening to you."

The adrenaline from Ana’s touch still courses through me, fueling every movement. "I can play your guard dog. I can step into Dad’s affairs. But what I won’t do is let you hold her over me. You’re a fucking child playing dress-up. I let you wear the crown, Jake."

Then, with one violent motion, I slam his head against the bar.

His chair topples, sending him crashing to the floor.

Gasps echo around us. The bar shifts, tense and watchful, eyes snapping toward the scene I just created.

When I glance up, Ana and her friends are frozen mid-conversation, their wide eyes locked onto me.

Scrambling to his feet, Jake barely gets the chance before I slam my boot against his chest, pinning him to the floor.

"But remember," I murmur, leaning in just enough so only he can hear me, "I can take it back whenever I want."

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