Page 164 of The Order

"He gets a bit too handsy,” I admit, surprised to feel Fallan’s fingers graze over my skin when no one is watching.

“I couldn't see this in the dark or else I would have been more careful-”

“I know,” I smile, cutting off him off to shut down that train of thought.

“He managed to do that in the small amount of time you were with him?” Fallan questions, continuing the lazy strokes of his paintbrush.

“He finds pleasure in my pain,” I say, narrowing my eyes at the golden-skinned brute.

Dropping his hand from his position under his chin, Josh’s head collides with his desk, his nose slamming into the wood with a bang. I flinch, all of our peers gasping as his nose runs red with blood. My mark heats, and the power comes alive inside me. Fallan’s eyes are lowered, his gaze dead set on Josh, both hands clenched in his lap. Drawing in several breaths, he relaxes his posture, watching Josh wail as he begins gripping his now broken nose. Mrs. Auburn hauls him up to his feet, urging him to go to the infirmary. His buddies support him, placating his childlike nature with words of affirmation. Smiling, I look at my raven-haired lover.

“I guess he had the urge to break his own nose for some reason,” Fallan whispers, touching his temple with a sigh.

“Maybe he isn't that bad,”It whispers, finally giving me peace of mind.

“How are you feeling today?” he questions after a few moments.

He taps his foot nervously, waiting for me to answer.

“Are you trying to ask me if I regret what happened between us?”I ask through the connection, his head slowly nodding.

“We’d both been drinking-”

“Every moment of it was nothing short of perfect. I regret nothing,”I say, looking at him seductively under hooded eyes.

The smile he gives me is captivating. It's a sight I would pay any price to see, no matter how many times I’d seen it. His knee grazes my own, both of us wrapped in a bubble of blissful solitude for a few moments, satisfied in our moment of peace for only him and me.

His hand slides down his leg under the desk, ready to steal a touch to my knee with outstretched fingertips.

“Forest Blackburn,” a voice booms, both Fallan and I forcing our attention toward the classroom door.

A pair of Officials stand at the door. Max lingers behind them. Looking at me, they point, motioning for me to get up from my desk. “You're needed in the hallway immediately,” one of the men orders, moving toward me urgently. Rising to my feet, Fallan gets up too. Max’s eyes grow hungry with power as he moves past me, grabbing Fallan’s neck and forcing him down and into the desk.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Fallan yells, his head being slammed into the desk.

“Max-” I yell, grabbing his arm.

Before I knew what was happening, Max’s hand flies toward me, striking me across the face. I gasp, holding my palm to the side of my face as the pair of Officials grab my upper arms, motioning Max to follow. Another Official enters the room to aid Max in restraining Fallan after he tries to hurt Max for touching me. He thrashes against the man's grasp, a look of concern flashes across his face when he sees my nose has started bleeding from Max’s blow. Mrs. Auburn covers her mouth in disbelief, urging my classmates to stand against the wall in the back of the classroom.

Dragging us toward the door, I strain against their hold, debating how many necks I can snap and get away with it.

“What the fuck is going on?” I yell, the Official’s grasp only tightening.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” one of them hisses, striking me hard in the neck. I gasp for air, unable to get my throat to fully open.

“Don't you fucking dare!” Fallan yells, forcing Max into the nearest wall in the hallway. He tries to slip away, ready to bulldoze through the Officials holding me.

The man with Max forces a prod into Fallan’s side, watching him writhe in pain as they turn the dial up all the way. Their twisted smiles are horrifying, taking pleasure from how much pain they're causing. I try to move towards him, but the Officials have me restrained. I attempt to clutch my throat, but their grips are unyielding.

“I guess they were right when they said you followed in her mother’s footsteps, you ignorant, Unfortunate loving whore,” one of the Officials holding me whispers into my ear, the sound of a struggle surrounding me as more bodies fill the hallway.

Kaiden and Valerie thrash against the Officials blocking their path to us, panicking when they find us down the hallway from them.

“Forest, run!” Kaiden yells, driving his elbow into the Official’s jaw who has been holding him in place. Valerie takes the opportunity to try to fight off the Official holding her back, but the man twists her arm as they struggle. There was no mistaking the sound of a bone snapping, and we could hear it from our position down the hall.

Wailing out, she hits the floor. Kai is unable to stop the men from slamming him into the nearest wall. I try to get to Fallan again, watching him shove Max back. Max shifts the prod into one hand and pulls his pistol free with the other. Max points the weapon at Fallan’s head, and my heart stops.

“If you keep fighting, I swear to god I will put a bullet in his head,” Max hisses, his chip emitting a green, blinking light.

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