Page 36 of Teacher's Pet

The final blow lands, sharp as a blade. The space between us is thick with something unspoken, something dangerous. But I don’t look away.

I refuse to.

Glaring at him, I let out a sigh.

"What is going on here, Noah?"

His jaw tightens, his fingers flexing as if he's trying to grasp something intangible.

"I don't know," he admits, voice rough with frustration. "And I hate how addicting it is-"

I don’t let him finish.

"So what?" I press, my tone laced with something close to disgust. "All you know is pain and power when you touch a woman?"

His eyes flicker, dark and unreadable. "It’s how I cope. How I deal with my issues-"

I scoff, the bitter taste of understanding settling heavy on my tongue.

"So, what? There’s a revolving door of women you fuck into submission?"

Silence.

Thick, suffocating silence.

His lack of denial slices deeper than I expect, and I bite back the raw anger clawing its way up my throat.

"Great," I laugh bitterly, though nothing about this is funny. "And now I’m just another name on the list. Another body to use. Just like how Cole treated me."

I shift to move off his lap, but before I can escape, his hand grips the hem of my skirt, tugging me back.

"Anastasia-"

I don’t let him finish.

My palm cuts through the air before I even think, colliding with his face in a sharp, resounding slap. The crack of it echoes through the empty classroom, a violent punctuation to everything unspoken between us.

Noah doesn’t flinch.

My breath is ragged, my hand trembling from the impact, a stinging reminder of the strike. A red imprint blooms across his cheek, a stark contrast against his skin.

But he just sits there. Breathing. Staring.

It’s like I’ve poked a wild animal with a hot prod.

Why isn’t he reacting?

Why isn’t he saying anything?

Why didn’t he make a sound?

I swallow hard, forcing steel into my spine.

"Whatever I allowed to happen between us is done," I snap, each word deliberate, final. "You do not own me, Noah. I can touch and fuck whoever I want. You might be used to women bending at your will, feeding your power-hungry ego, but that won’t be me."

His eyes burn into me.

But I don’t wait for his response.

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