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“Do you trust me?” I blink up at him. “Is this a trick question?” He doesn’t answer but he does twirl me so quickly it leaves me dizzy. The music picks up. “Adrian –” He dips me.
“See? Nothing to be nervous about.”
“What is it?” She snaps when I don’t immediately answer. “Seriously. Tell me. Tell me how you got Prince-fucking-Charming to fawn all over you.”
“Sophie –” “Four years of my life. I’ve done everything. No makeup. Tons of makeup. Brown hair. Blonde hair, which –” She
“Looked awful on me, by the way. I’ve done clingy. I’ve played hard to get. I’ve tried making him jealous. I’ve done everything, and he’s never so much as looked twice at me. He’s never looked twice at anyone. To be honest, I was starting to think he was just asexual or something.”
“But then you come along, and he’s all over you. So, before this year ends, before I move on with my life and marry someone worth my time and energy, I want t...
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“Freddy!” I hope he doesn’t notice the dribble of champagne that’s landed on my chin. “It’s good to see you.” He casts a shy smile toward his polished dress shoes. “You too.” “You look really nice,”
“With Millie. You guys look really nice together.”
He pulls out the travel roll. My breath catches. “You won?” He shrugs. “Yeah. I wasn’t going to bid, but I saw the way you were looking at it.”
“You didn’t need to do this for me,”
“Thank you, Freddy. This is really sweet.”
“You know, if you really wanted to thank me, you could have a dance with me.” My eyes widen, and I open my mouth to reply, but someone else beats me to it. “Oh, isn’t this lovely?”
Oop
“You should’ve grabbed me, sweetheart. I would’ve bought you anything you like.”
“Oh, well, auction’s over now,” Freddy replies, one bushy eyebrow raised. “And you weren’t here.” “No, I suppose not.”
“Poppy!” Freddy calls. “I forgot to tell you. You look gorgeous tonight!” I don’t even have time to open my mouth before Adrian whirls around, his fist colliding with Freddy’s face in a sickening crunch.
Oh shit
“This is not sparkling cider,” he seethes. “This is alcohol. Someone has replaced the non-alcoholic cider with champagne and encouraged underage drinking here tonight.”
“If you’ve been drinking from the trays going around tonight, you need to stop. Immediately. Anyone who drinks from this point on will be considered an intentional participant in underage and illegal alcohol use.”
“Well, he’s got a broken nose, and a nearly broken jaw. Nothing life-threatening as far as I can tell, but I’d still recommend an actual doctor take a look at him.”
“Call Dr. Williams and have him come as soon as he can.” He glances at the Lacrosse players still huddled around Freddy. “In the meantime, why don’t you boys help your friend to the infirmary?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? That was –” Adrian’s lips knock into mine, swallowing my words, my anger, my surprise. There’s no gentle build-up – no gentleness at all – as he shoves me against the bathroom counter, and his tongue sweeps into my mouth.
tug on his hair – hard – but he only groans low in his throat, the sound of it sending a pulse of heat through me. Jesus Christ.
“Adrian –” “Shut up,” he growls against my mouth, swallowing any further protests. It’s then that I realize what this is. Not a moment sparked by lust or even curiosity. This is a show of dominance.
It’s always him touching me, but his skin is so soft and and firm, stretched over the expanse of his cutting jawline and Adam’s Apple. But I want more. I want to touch all of him.
I pause. I didn’t realize I could sound like that – at least, not without trying – but I have zero time to revel in any kind of mortification as Adrian peppers kisses along my neck.
It’s a bolt of electricity straight to my core. And when he starts sucking, I nearly go slack in his arms, abandoning my mission to shed him of his shirt. I had no idea it could feel this good.
his pupils blown wide with desire, and a sheen of pink coating his cheeks, I can’t think of one more fitting. And I’m the one who made him this way.
“Well, I never said I wasn’t a bad guy.” He cups my cheek gently. “But right now, I’m your bad guy.” “And if I tell you I don’t want a bad guy?”
“How dirty I’m willing to get. For you.”
“Just for you. For the sole crime of thinking he ever had a chance with you. Don’t tell me that kind of devotion doesn’t interest you.”
His other hand glides under my dress and up the smooth skin of my thigh. And dips right into my panties. My breath catches. Is he going to… Two fingers skim my folds teasingly, but to my surprise, that’s as far as it goes. His hand slips out of my underwear as quickly as it slipped in – but this time, it’s coated in me.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “This part of you…it only confirms what I realized earlier this week.”
“You may still need some time to come to terms with that,”
“You’re right, sweetheart. I am a control-freak. I’m an Ellis – it might as well be built into my DNA. I’ve got a stubborn streak a mile long and I never learned to share. What belongs to me –”
belongs to me. If you think I’m going to entertain someone else even thinking they might have a chance with you, you must not have been paying very close attention tonight.”
“You’re a monster,” I whisper. He just blinks at me – unfazed. “You knew that already,” he says quietly and strokes the mark he left on my neck. “But I’m a monster infatuated.”
“Can’t you indulge my curiosity?” He murmurs into my ear. “You cheated your way into the world’s most elite boarding school. You deserve some bragging rights, sweetheart.”
“Well, I can’t say I ever thought I’d willingly take a trip to Alabama, of all places.” His nose scrunches up in distaste. “But I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”
“What?” He shrugs. “Well, I should meet your family, shouldn’t I? Now’s a good time as any, and it’ll give me a good reason to shirk my family for the holidays.”
“You want to come to Mobile. With me. And meet my mother.”
“Is that not what people in relationships do?” “Well, yes,
“Are you ashamed of me, sweetheart?”
“I mean, if we’re talking about shame…”
“I’m not ashamed of you,”
“You’d be a piece of collateral for them to leverage against me. They wouldn’t hesitate to exploit you if it meant controlling me.”
“You don’t need to be worried, sweetheart.”
“I’d never let my family touch you. There’s only one Ellis you need to concern yourself with.” He
“How long?” “Couple months.” “How often is he here?” “Few times a week.” “Why him?” At that, Rick pauses and looks back at me, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why are you asking so many goddamn questions?”
he asked about me? Have you been talking about me? Just tell me that.” Rick must be able to hear the panic leaking into my voice because he raises one bushy eyebrow. “Why the hell would we be talkin’ ‘bout you, kid?”
“Sweetheart.”
Don’t look at him. He’s mine.
