Page 14 of That Sik Luv

“Crazy,” I reply with a sigh, staring directly at her.

Without removing my gaze, I stab the knife through Jacob’s palm, the blood slowly leaking around the wound as he cries out obscenities. I release his neck, standing straight as he remains pinned to the desk, watching as Briony’s eyes redden. Her mouth is frozen open as she blinks, tears falling down the soft skin of her cheeks. I saunter towards her, enjoying the fear that’s bubbling in her veins with every step I take.

“Just another lamb to the slaughter, love,” I whisper, reaching up and wiping one of the tears from her face with my thumb, eyeing it in disgust. “Don’t cry for him. Those tears look fucking hideous on you.”

I push my thumb into her mouth, feeding those pathetic tears onto her tongue. Her lower lip trembles as I slowly remove my thumb from her soft, warm mouth, and a satisfied grin spreads across my face while Jacob’s wails of pain continue in the background.

I lean forward, my mouth inches from her ear from behind my mask.

“You’re such a good girl, Briony,” I whisper, my fingers sliding up under her skirt. She flinches, closing her eyes before realizing I’m only tapping on the knife between her thighs. “Listening to the cryptic words from a man she doesn’t even know.”

“Why are you doing this?” she asks breathlessly, her chin raised boldly.

I pull the ski mask up just enough to expose my mouth. Her eyes immediately fall to my lips, lingering there for a moment before returning to face me, eye to eye. We’re only inches apart, and I can practically taste her on my tongue already. I put my thumb in my mouth, sucking off the actual taste of her tongue, groaning around my digit before answering.

“Because you haven’t bloomed,” I say directly. “I can’t end something that hasn’t had its proper chance to live. That would be...indecent of me.”

Her forehead wrinkles as she calculates the wording.

“Are you going to kill me?” she asks suddenly, trembling before me.

“No,” I say, tipping my head and rubbing my jaw. “Not today, anyway.”

She shrinks into herself, arms wrapping over her chest, and it brings me such joy.

“Get back to class. He’s waiting.” I give her another nod, dismissing her. “And watch that face.”

She glances nervously at Jacob behind me again, who’s still begging for mercy, before slowly stepping back, eyeing me with suspicion.

“Don’t forget your books, sweetheart,” I call out, pulling my mask back down over my face.

She walks into the supply closet to grab the stack she dropped. Edging herself along the back wall, she’s sure to keep her eyes on me until she finally turns, slipping through the office door to make her way back down the hall.

I turn back to Jacob and shake my head at the work ahead of me.

This guy really thought he could fuck what’s mine.

Guess I don’t like the idea after all.

Chapter eight

Fever Within

Watchhisface.

I don’t want to know the meaning behind his cryptic message. The man is terrifying. I thought I was scared in the presence of Jacob’s attempted...whatever that was. But he still had some fear in him when I pulled that knife from my tights and stuck it under his neck. Aero? Well, whoever he is, he has none. No soul either, it seems.

This is a game to him, one he’s getting pure entertainment out of by the look of the repulsive bulge in his jeans when I escaped.

Somehow, I knew he’d be there in that office. It’s as if I can feel him now. I can sense when his eyes are on me, burning his holes through that door, setting fire to my skin. What I can’t figure out is what his purpose is. He clearly gave me that knife, knowing this would happen today, knowing I’d be ambushed in that supply closet.

Chills sweep over me, the thought wracking me with terror. How? How could he know? And more importantly, why?

Walking into that classroom, I quietly close the door behind me. A male student reads a passage aloud to the class as Saint follows along in his catechism. He looks up from the page and spots me from across the room.

Watch his face change.

Blank.

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