Chapter24
 
 Stubborn as always.
 
 Grayson
 
 She didn’t listen.
 
 But that isn’t new.
 
 She never fucking listened, to begin with, and least of all to me.
 
 I was running late, expecting her to be sitting at the bus stop, but she isn’t.
 
 She’s gone.
 
 Of course she is.
 
 She likes to defy me, and I should spank her for her attitude.
 
 Getting in my car, I drive in the direction of her house and find her almost home. Walking. By herself. I slow the car, and she spots me, her eyes narrowing.
 
 “Get lost,” she yells.
 
 I put the car in park and swing open the door. As I do, she starts to run. Ha, yeah, that’s not happening. Did I forget to mention my favorite workout in school was running track?
 
 But fuck, she is fast.
 
 Her bag drops, and she books it even faster. My legs pump harder before I manage to catch her. Just as I slide my hand around her waist, we both fall to the ground. I spin so I take the brunt of the fall, and she lands on my chest. Her eyes—those hypnotic eyes—find mine, and they are furious.
 
 “You should have waited for the bus,” I scold.
 
 “You should go to your girlfriend,” she snaps back as she tries to get up. I hold her to me as the porch light from a house flicks on as we lie on someone’s lawn.
 
 “Jealous, jealous.” I tsk.
 
 “Control freak, control freak,” she whispers. “Now, let me up.”
 
 “I told you not to walk home. It’s not safe.”
 
 “Yeah, well, as you are aware, I don’t take orders from men.” Avani tries to push away again, but I tighten my hold. “Your damn cock is poking me.”
 
 “Well, stop wiggling on it. You’re making him happy.”
 
 Avani mutters something under her breath before I reach down and grab her ass. She stills instantly.
 
 “What are you doing?” she asks breathily.
 
 “You didn’t behave, and since you seem to have a fixation on spanking, I figured you needed a lesson in obedience.” I smile at her.
 
 Her head whips around, and she looks back at my hands on her ass.
 
 “If you spank me, so help me God, Grayson…”
 
 I lift my hand and smack her once.
 
 Avani’s eyes go wide, and she wiggles against me again.
 
 Big mistake.