Page 21 of Compelled Obedience

Exhaling, Grant studied the room again. “That’s terrible to hear.”

Grant had a way of disarming me, pulling the air from my lungs. “He’s one of those kids that society will end up throwing away.”

“How so?”

I slumped against the door of the closet. “His dad is in prison, his mom trying to get off drugs. Sanchez tries to take care of his little sister, but it’s a burden he can barely handle. There’s no food, the rathole they live in surrounded by gangs. He’s been trouble with the law several times, all juvy stuff up to this point but it’s only a matter of time before he graduates to something more heinous. If I could get him a scholarship to a music college, then he might have a chance, but there’s nothing out there for kids like him. Throwaways. I’ve looked.”

“He’s more interested in the gangs.”

“I don’t buy it. His big brother OD’d because of the shit the LA-based cartel was selling on the streets. Sanchez idolized the guy, who was a basketball superstar. The kid had the pros looking at him when he was sixteen years old. I remember him from the first year I was teaching here. Sanchez wanted to be just like his brother. Santos flirted with running with the local gang, at least that’s what I heard. Anyway, he died the first time he tried fentanyl. The first time. It pushed Sanchez into a spiral; I just can’t see him falling into the same trap.”

“Don’t be naïve, Kerri.”

I knew he was right, but I didn’t want to believe it. Maybe I still had rose-colored glasses on like my mother used to tell me. “Yeah, well, why don’t you try to goad some of your cronies into setting up scholarships of their own? No, of course you wouldn’t do that.”

The crackle of electricity between us was primal, so intense that I had difficulty catching my breath. I sensed he felt it as much as the clawing need to take out my aggression on him. When I tried to sidestep him, he grabbed my arm. My instinct was the same as it had been two nights before and I lifted my other hand to strike him, but he had his fingers wrapped around my wrist in a split second.

“It would seem you and I need to come to an understanding,” he said in a gruff yet sexy tone.

“What’s that?” He was hovering so close that I could tell he’d popped a mint seconds before coming into my classroom.

“That you aren’t going to be in charge.”

“What does that mean?”

He lowered his head, taunting me as he’d done before. “That means that first, you’re coming with me away from here where we’re going to have a discussion about the scholarship program and other necessities.”

“And?” I half whispered as I gazed into his gorgeous eyes.

“And second, you’re going to learn that I always keep my promises.”

“What does that mean?”

Grant grinned as he backed away, taking long strides toward the door. When he snapped the lock in place, I was instantly on edge.

“What are you doing?”

He said nothing as he returned, yanking out the piano bench. Then he moved around the piano, grabbing my arm. I managed to break his hold, shaking my head.

“I asked you what you’re doing.”

I wasn’t shocked that he refused to answer me. I was floored that he tossed me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. I was in a state of shock, only managing to break the spell and pummel my fists against his back a couple of times before he dropped me in front of the bench. Then he proceeded to sit down with a hard thud, yanking me over his lap.

“What in God’s name do you think you’re doing, buddy?” I squirmed and squealed, mortified that one of the students or a teacher would look in through the window. Okay, so it was on the second floor but there was a small window in the door.

“As I told you before, fulfilling a promise made. You don’t know me, yet you attempted physical violence for a second time. Unacceptable.”

I wiggled and tried to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong, dragging me against his chest then ripping my skirt up to my waist. A moment of real horror rushed into my system, my face burning hot from embarrassment.

“You can’t do this.”

“Oh, yes, I can. You’ll learn that I am a man of my word.” When he snagged my thong with his fingers, I was grateful that I’d at least selected a sexy purple pair, my one act of defiance in an otherwise horrid wardrobe selection.

“No! I won’t allow it.”

“You have no choice. I laid out the rules and you chose to ignore them.”

His words added a level of excitement I hadn’t known existed. I was torn between wicked desire and raging anger, but so incensed that he was humiliating me that I gasped for air. Now my panties were strangling my knees, my naked bottom in plain view.

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