Page 27 of Masked Darling

Kade shifted in his seat and continued to watch her for a few minutes, and then she grabbed his note again. Madison began to write on one of the torn halves, her hand moving swiftly across the paper. She balled up the note and threw it back at him when she was done. It bounced off his chest and landed on the floor, but he quickly picked it up, unfolding it carefully.

Fuck you.

Kade’s eyes widened as he took in Madison’s loopy handwriting, which stood out starkly against the wrinkled paper. He stared at the note for a long moment, feeling the weight ofher anger and hurt. He wanted to respond, to defend himself, but what could he say? He had hurt her, unintentionally or not. All he could do now was try to fix it, to bridge the gap that had opened up between them. Thathe’dcreated.

Kade’s gaze flicked up from the note to Madison’s face.

Fucking hell.

He balled his hand into a fist, cracking his knuckles, and then began to write again on a new sheet of paper. This time, he folded the paper with precision, shaping it into a wide plane with his skilled fingers. He rolled his eyes at himself—here he was, using his engineering skills to pass notes like a middle schooler. But when the paper plane landed perfectly in front of Madison, he felt a surge of satisfaction all the same.

She picked up the plane, but instead of opening it, she began to write on one of the wings. Kade watched, quirking a dark eyebrow, as he leaned forward on his desk while she filled the paper with her furious scribbles. But just as she was about to throw the plane back, their professor’s voice cut through the room.

“Mr. Wilder, Miss McRae. If you’re quite done disrupting my class with your notes, perhaps you’d like to share your creative project with the rest of us?”

The class fell silent, a sea of bodies turning to look between Kade and Madison.

Madison’s face paled, and she shook her head slightly, pleading with the professor. “Nothing of importance, Mr. Brant.”

Kade felt his stomach drop.

Nice job, asshole.

He didn’t mean to get her in trouble.

“I’m afraid I can’t let this disruption go unpunished if it continues,” Mr. Brant continued sternly. Kade couldn’t believe that this short guy in a mismatched suit was causing Madisonall this distress. “Consider this a warning. If there are further interruptions, I will be forced to drop your final grades by a full letter, which would be a shame since you’re almost done. If you have nothing more to add, I suggest you pay attention. We have plenty more to cover before the final.”

Madison’s shoulders sagged in relief when there was no motion to take the note away, but Kade could still see the worry etched on her face, even from where he was seated.

The professor sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and then spoke to Kade next. “Madison is a fine student and has a bright future. Don’t derail her.”

Nodding, Kade kept his expression blank as the professor resumed teaching. But he was simmering beneath his calm exterior because whothe fuckgave him the right to... to... What? Tell him the truth?

Several long minutes passed before he saw Madison move again.

Madison quietly unfolded the paper plane and read Kade’s message.

It was selfish of me to want you without considering the consequences. I only thought about how much I wanted you and what it would feel like to be with you. And then I experienced it, and I couldn’t get enough. There’s no excuse for my actions, but I can’t bear the thought of you hating me.

We were close to resembling friends once.

I’m sorry.

Without looking back at him, she folded the note and tuckedit into her notebook. Madison returned her attention to their professor who was reviewing the elements of story structure and started to sensually trail her hand up her chest in a fake stretch. Kade swallowed hard and glanced around the room to see if anyone else was watching her, but the students were clueless and Mr. Brant was facing the giant whiteboard at the front. Kade watched her intently and started to grow hard in his jeans because he remembered exactly how soft that skin was. How good her voice sounded as it strangled out his name in ecstasy. He adjusted himself and sat up straighter as her right hand traveled up the side of her neck to brush her hair over her shoulder, a stark gesture of her middle finger pointed in his direction, the only thing she’d give him in response.

Because they both knew they couldn’t go back to ‘friends.’

He couldn’t help it.

Hesmiled.

CHAPTER EIGHT

It was dark when Kade arrived at the office of the Red and Black, Madison’s sanctuary on campus–which was precisely why he’d begged the school board to let him join originally. He paused in the doorway, taking in the scene. Madison sat at one of the computers, her fingers dancing across the keys. She was focused, her brow furrowed in concentration, and she hadn’t noticed him yet.

“You’re not getting a repeat performance if that’s what you’re waiting for,” she said, her voice calm and steady, without looking up from the screen.

He stepped into the room, feeling a rush of warmth despite the cool, industrial interior of the office. He hopped onto the desk, letting his legs dangle as he played with a pencil holder, twisting it in his hands.

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