“You know,” I clear my throat, leaning in a little, my eyes on Avalon. “Aside from being very, very handsome, there’ssomething interesting I found out about Colton.”
Avalon’s eyes perk. “Oh? What did you find out?”
“Apparently, the man adores rubies.”
Avalon blinks. “What?”
“Yeah, isn’t it strange?” I grin, teasing. “The earring you lost somehow found its way to his office. How strange.”
Avalon’s face falls.
“You two know.”
???
When I return to the dorms, it’s rather late. Avalon, Grace, and I went for a walk, and Avalon eventually spilled the beans on Colton. She’s still a little pissed that we baited it out of her, but I can see just how much the weight lifted off her shoulders when she shared it with us.
Grace went to meet with some of her other friends, since they’re supposed to have a study group. I asked to join, but apparently, they don’t want a know-it-all ruining the evening. Well, it might just be Grace, because she keeps saying my brain can get irritating.
Avalon sneaked into Colton’s room somehow, and at this point, I’m starting to get worried about the two getting caught. It’s different from Soren’s relationship with Ms. Ellie, because in the case of Ava and Colton, there are actually feelings involved. Both of them have a lot to lose if this gets out, and quite frankly, it’s terrifying to even think about.
With a sigh, I push the key into the keyhole, only to frown. It’s jammed, and I’m confused. Since Avalon’s away, and no one else hasthe key to my dorm, I’m perplexed as to why the key isn’t working. My heart slowly starts picking up the pace, beating faster in my chest, while my hand reaches for the door handle, something churning in my stomach when I find it unlocked.
“It’s okay, Soph,” I mutter, trying to convince myself. “You just left the door unlocked. It happens.”
Except, it doesn’t. These days, I never forget to lock the door, and if I do, I know for a fact I left it unlocked because the key is left on the inside. I’m not that careless, and the handful of times I did leave the door unlocked, I always came back because I’m too paranoid of anyone entering my dorm without my permission.
My steps are slow, deliberate, my heels clicking as I enter my dorm. I’m not even properly inside the room before an overwhelming sense of fear rushes through my veins. My entire body freezes, my body goes rigid, and I think I’m as pale as a sheet of paper. My throat tightens, and even breathing is a struggle. On my bed, and on Avalon’s, are snakes. Real snakes, reptiles that are on the smaller side, but there are at least seven of them scattered around, hissing, and moving. My stomach drops, and my heart sinks to my feet, and I feel like throwing up.
However, as I’m about to leave the dorm and quite literally burn the entire building down, I hear the door slam behind me, and in an instant, it’s locked. I’m trapped inside with my biggest fear of all time, and I can’t even move from the spot.
“Fear smells delicious on you, Princess,” Soren’s dark, hoarse voice comes from behind me, and I flinch. He’s too close, his front pressed against my back firmly, his hand gripping my hip. I swallow a thick knot that forms in my throat, trying my best to figure out a way out of this situation.
“Soren,” my voice borders on desperation, my heart hammeringagainst my ribcage, almost leaping straight out from the sheer terror that freezes the blood in my veins, my hands coated in sweat that’s growing cold. “What are you doing?”
“Not so bold now, are you, Princess?” He mocks with a chuckle. He pushes me forward gently, and my body moves of its own accord, while I’m struggling not to have a heart attack. The green reptiles are all I can see, though my vision blurs with tears. “And here I thought you wouldn’t be phased by something as silly as a couple of snakes.”
“Why?” My voice is a broken sound, barely leaving my lips. Soren chuckles, his hot breath hitting the back of my head. All the small hairs stand up, and I shudder when one of the snakes slowly slithers down to the floor, getting too close for my liking.
“Why?” He repeats, then a low chuckle comes from the depths of his throat, reverberating through the room. “You leaked my fucking sex tape, tarnished my reputation, then had the fucking audacity to drug me and tattoo me while I was sleeping, and you’re asking me why? You’re not stupid like that, Sophia,” he murmurs, and I flinch, closing my eyes. “I’m getting my sweet, sweet revenge on you.”
“B-but they will bite me.”
“They won’t,” he murmurs, his lips grazing the spot where my shoulder and neck meet. “They’re not venomous.”
Somehow, that doesn’t help. I can’t tell if he’s lying or not, and even if he’s being truthful, it doesn’t matter. Two of the snakes are now on the floor, and tears slowly start running down my cheeks. Soren’s hand leaves my hip, only to go lower, to the edge of my skirt. His fingers dig into my thigh, and he drags them upward, underneath the thin fabric. He’s squeezing my flesh, mapping it out, and groaning against my neck.
“It should be a crime to taste this good,” he says through gritted teeth, as if it pains him physically to admit to this. His grip on my thighs tightens drastically, provoking a gasp from my throat. “You’re sin, Sophia. A temptress of the highest caliber, and I’m not strong enough to resist. You're a devil incarnate, sent to be my ruin. And the worst part? I’m a willing participant.”
That earns a small moan from me, especially when he gets impatient. With a soft snarl, my skirt falls to the floor, torn into two pieces, and my underwear follows suit. I’m left in a blouse and a pair of high heels, and yet, even with the additional height, I’m not even close to his own.
His body towers over mine from behind, his fingers slowly reaching my pussy. He moans when he feels the moisture between my legs, and I hate myself for allowing this to happen. The fear makes me rooted in the spot, but my tongue still works. I can still reject and deny him.
But I can’t.
The snakes are still there, but I’m able to focus on his touch, on the way his skillful fingers rub my clit, the scent of my arousal starting to spread through the room. Soren pushes me forward a little more until I’m right in front of my desk. He steps away from me for a moment, and this is the perfect chance to run, yet apparently, my feet don’t get the memo. Soren pulls the chair toward us, and within a second, he bends me over, returning to his previous position behind me. I swallow a knot in my throat, my back arching on its own accord. He uses his feet to push mine aside, spreading me open to his hungry eyes.
I don’t dare turn around and look at him, because I’m terrified that if I so much as look away from the damned reptiles, even for a split second, they’ll get even closer, and I’ll die from the petrifying fearthat causes goosebumps to rise on my skin. The sound of Soren pulling his sweats down reaches my ears, and the moment I feel the tip of his cock pressed against my pussy, desire wakes inside of me. His piercing is cold against my hot skin, the stark contrast making me shudder.
