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Snow chuckles. “The most beautiful woman in the world. And yet, that’s only my tenth favorite thing about her.”
“Sasha told me you were very concerned about your friend,” Snow says. I can’t tell from his measured tone if he’s implying anything. “I thought Cat might be seriously injured,” I reply stiffly. “It’s good to care about someone,” Snow says. “It’s not like that.” “You don’t care about her?” Snow says, turning his head to fix me with that cool stare. It’s impossible to lie to him. He sees everything, from my smallest mistakes to the rebellious thoughts in my head. “Maybe I do,” I admit. “A little bit.” “That’s good,” Snow repeats. “Love is not weakness.” “I don’t love her.” “Love is not just for
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“Pretending like you study.”
“What in the fuck is that?” I say, as my whole frame shakes. “You’re like a girl,” Cat laughs. “Having multiple orgasms.” “If this is being a girl, then sign me up,” I say. “Do it again.”
No one could fuck her like I do. No one could make her feel like this.
“Do I smell good?” Cat asks. “You smell better than anyone,” I tell her honestly. “Really?” she says, pleased. “It’s one of my favorite things about you. It’s like catnip, I can’t get enough.”
“I just . . . I just realized that no one would do that for me,” I tell her quietly. “Ozzy’s mother laid down her life for him. My mother left, and she didn’t even take me with her.”
“The more he loved her, the more he felt he wasn’t worthy of her,” I say. “That’s just wrong!” Cat cries. I nod. But deep inside, I fear that I might feel the same.
Dean’s past does not justify his actions. However, it certainly explains them. He’s never known anything but shame and abandonment.
Dean was completely alone. My heart aches for him.
“You’re banned from the library,” Miss Robin says without hesitation. “For one month.” “What!?” Lola shrieks. “How am I supposed to study for our exams?” “I really don’t give a shit,” Miss Robin says. “Now get out before I make you mop up this mess with that fancy little blouse you’re wearing.”
“She should know that you belong to me, little kitten,” he says softly. “That means she has no right to fuck with you. Because when she fucks with you, she fucks with me.” Dean kisses me.
And yet, he’s completely at my mercy. I’m the one dominating him now. I’m the one in control of his pleasure.
I can tease the pleasure out of him at my will. He’s shaking beneath me, kissing me ferociously, utterly obsessed with me in this moment.
“Good girl,” Dean says.
you’ve been putting your hands on something that belongs to me.”
Cat is under my protection. You don’t talk to her. You don’t touch her. Is that simple enough for you?”
“In fact, I should break your fucking neck for trying to break hers. As for what ‘you get’—how about I let your henchmen keep their arms. Unless they try to stand up from those seats again, in which case, I’ll use Carter’s fist to beat Belkie’s fuckin’ head in.”
I own her body. I own her pleasure. She’ll do anything for me.
“Dean?” she says, confused. “What is it?” “Do you want to go to the dance with me?” I say. “The Christmas dance?” Cat asks, as if there’s another one. “Yes,” I hiss, impatient and already regretting this. Regretting it because . . . if she says no, I’m going to have to burn this whole school to the ground. Cat hesitates.
“That would be nice.” I search her face, trying to see if she really means that.
you can’t turn a wolf into a puppy.” “That’s alright.” I shrug. “I don’t want him to be a puppy.”
“You’re too gorgeous,” he says. “I’m not gonna make it through the night.” “I’ll resuscitate you,” Anna laughs.
“Sorry I’m late—” I begin. “Never mind that,” Dean says. “Why are you wearing that?” He’s looking at the collar around my neck. “I thought . . .” “The month is over. You can take it off.” “Alright,” I say hesitantly.
My neck feels cold and naked without it. I’ve worn that collar almost constantly this last month. Dean slips it in his pocket. I feel strangely rejected, as if he’s taken something from me.
“Our deal is done,” Dean says, his purplish eyes fixed on mine. “You held up your end of the bargain. And your secret is safe. I’ll never speak a word of it to anyone. In fact, you don’t have to do this tonight.” He nods toward the pale golden light leaking out of the heavy double doors. “We can go inside, part ways, and never speak again, if that’s the way you want it.”
“Is that what you want?” I ask, looking up at him, his face like marble in the moonlight. He flinches and I see it—the crack in his armor. And the real person beneath. “No,” he says quietly. “I don’t want that either,” I say, slipping my hand into his. “I want to dance with you tonight.” “Good,” Dean breathes. “Because...
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“I did get you something,” he says, his breath frosting on the air. He reaches into his breast pocket and takes out a flat velvet box. “I don’t like to take something away without giving something in return.”
Dean opens the lid. I see a glimmering ruby on a spider-fine chain. Dean lifts the necklace aloft. The pendant hangs suspended from his fingers, the stone as rich and dark as a droplet of blood. He drapes it around my neck, the necklace already warm from his body heat. “It suits you,” he says softly.
“Cat,” Dean says seriously. “There’s no one more beautiful than you.”
“So . . . is this a new version of the collar?” Dean tries to hide his smile. “If you want it to be.”
Is Dean . . . bragging about me?
Dean doesn’t smile very often. When he does, it makes him handsome on a level that should probably be illegal. So good-looking that it honestly scares me. It makes me wonder how I can be dancing in the arms of this boy who’s always seemed more god than man to me.
“What are you thinking?” I ask him, half-fearful. “I was thinking how different you look. You’re fucking gorgeous, Cat. The most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.” “Oh, come on—” I’m personally acquainted with several of the actual most gorgeous women at this school. “You are!” Dean says ferociously. “Cat, you came here a scared kid. And now look at you—I wouldn’t even recognize you. You’re dark. Devious. And absolutely fucking stunning.”
Dean takes my face in his hands and kisses me. We’ve kissed a thousand times in sex. But never once like this, out in the open . . . as two people, falling in love.
She honestly intimidated me. Cat has changed so much, and I don’t think she’s finished. I feel like I witnessed the birth of a star, a creature that will burn brighter and brighter until she eclipses us all.
“Hey,” Leo says. “Merry Christmas.” “Merry Christmas,” I reply politely.
As the banter bounces back and forth across the table, Cat and I lock eyes. She smiles at me in a way that lets me know I’m more than welcome here.
“I’m jealous,” I say, seizing her arm and pulling her close. “Any time anyone looks at you, or speaks to you, I’m jealous. I want all your minutes, and all your words. I want all of you, all the time.”
“I want to keep seeing you,” I tell her. “What would you do if I told you no?” “Tie you up in that tower and punish you,” I growl. “Don’t you ever tell me no.” “I never have yet,” Cat whispers.
“Abram Balakin called me from Moscow this morning, Dean. Your father is dead.”
He left me. My father left me. Just like my mother. Everyone runs away eventually. They get away from me, any way they can.
until I realize that I’m hitting the only friend I have, the only man who’s ever been good to me.
“Why couldn’t he be happy?” I sob. “Why couldn’t he live for me, for us?”
“When you become a man worthy of love, you will receive love,” he tells me. I search his battered face, trying to understand. “I was alone,” Snow says. “No parents, no family. They called me Snow because I fought so cold. But I had anger inside me, too. An old boxer took me in. His name was Meyer. He was hard on me, and he was good to me, too. He showed me friendship. Love came later when I met Sasha. I saw her for what she was: a treasure to be protected at all costs. To have her, I had to become the man she deserved.” “I don’t know how to do that,” I admit. “It’s always a step into the
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I throw my arms around her and hug her hard against me, pressing my face into her thick black curls smelling my favorite scent in the world—the scent of this girl. “What’s going on?” she says, pulling back just a little to look up into my face. “Something happened today. I had to come tell you.” “Tell me what?” She says. “That I love you, Cat. I fucking love you.” “What!” Cat squeaks, sounding as terrified as the very first time we spoke. I laugh and then I kiss her, harder than I ever have before.
“I don’t think your father wanted to die,” I murmur. “I just don’t think he knew how to live.”
“You are the only thing in the world,” Dean says seriously. “You’re all I have now, Cat.”
No sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she hardly had a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.’ ”
What am I thinking right now?” “You’re thinking you want me to kiss you.” “That’s too easy. I always want that.” Dean obliges, with zero care for the irritation of the shop owner.
