Claire’s face creases with a scowl, but her friend points a finger at me. “You’re only his fiancée because he’s forced to. Arranged marriage. Google it.”
“I did, and that’s how I managed to officially own him while all of you beg for scraps.” I stare at her then at every girl watching me with either mouths agape or malice in their eyes — or both. “If any of you threaten me, you won’t like how I’ll react. This is my first and final warning.”
And then, I grab Ronan and drag him away from the scene. I expect to find him grinning at the others, offering them his apologetic smiles or whatever he does to seem like an innocent gigolo, but his gaze is entirely on me.
Just me.
Those rich brown eyes with a slightly colourful hue, those brows arching a little. For the first time ever, he’s not smiling or smirking or grinning on the school grounds. If anything, he appears…a bit pissed off?
I have no time to focus on that as I push him down the hall. Once we’re near class, I let him go.
The other girls are watching from afar. Half must be spooked since they think I offer sacrifices to Satan — good. At least that will keep them off my case. The other half seem to hate me even more and are plotting my demise.
Screw them all.
I didn’t come this far for those little bitches to ruin what I’ve worked for.
Do you honestly think that’s the only reason behind your public display of ownership?
I ignore the voice in my head, not wanting to dig into these emotions going through me all at once. It’s hard to comprehend one emotion at a time, let alone all of them.
“What was that all about?” Ronan grabs me by the arm, forbidding my entrance into the class.
“Nothing.” I try to step inside again.
This time, he pulls me behind him and slams my back against the wall of a dark corner near the teacher’s room.
Damn it. What’s with him and pinning me to walls?
And why is my spine tingling with anticipation?
When I meet his gaze, it’s a bit blank, a bit unreadable, a bit shadowed. “I said. What the fuck was that all about?”
Is it so wrong that my entire body comes to life whenever he looks at me that way? Whenever he sheds his mask and shows me his true, raw self?
Only to me. Not anyone else but me.
Still, I use my stern tone. “Don’t you dare disrespect me in front of others, Ronan. I don’t react well to it.”
“Obviously.” His fingers dig into my arm, and although his skin is separated from mine by my jacket and shirt, it’s almost as if he’s gripping my bare flesh and engraving himself into it.
“Let me go,” I hiss, watching our surroundings. Teachers wouldn’t react well to this scene.
“Not before we clear things up.”
“What things?”
“Like your stupid belief that you own me.” His voice is cold, cruel even. “You don’t own me, belle. It’s the other way around.”
I lift my chin. “Is that what you think?”
“That’s what it is, and if you challenge me again, I’ll prove it.”
“Prove it how?”
“Considering your show just now…” He trails off. “You don’t want to know that.”
“Ronan,” I warn.
“Teal.” He grins.
“Fuck you.”
“I’ll be doing more than fucking you if you don’t heed my warning.”
“What are you talking about?”
He places his arm against the wall by my head and leans down so his face is a mere breath away from mine. My breasts heave an inch away from his jacket.
“Stay away from Agnus, and this is, as you said earlier, your first and final warning.”
The sense of provocation hits me again. I want him to kiss me, to bite my lip and draw blood. I want him to devour me like this is the last day on earth and I’m the only one he wants to spend it with.
But most of all, I want him to breathe life into me.
“And if I don’t?” I murmur.
“I’ll be doing a lot of fucking, and not with you.” His face and voice are neutral. “You’re welcome to the front-row seat since you’re into voyeurism. I’ll put on a show for you as I fuck Claire and her friend while you watch and know it won’t be you.”
Something red and hot bursts inside me. It could be my own blood or my veins or rage; I don’t know. All I know is that I can’t shut up. I have to give back what he served.
“After that, you can watch my show.” I run my fingers over his tie. “I have a dial list, you know. All the men who fucked me will be open for a redo, and guess what, Ronan? They’re my type — older, experienced, and aware of how to make a woman feel good.”
Thick silence lingers between us for a second too long.
I expected Ronan to act on that since he did before. I expected him to tell me fuck no, or kiss me, or anything.
Instead…he’s smiling.
Why the hell is he smiling?
“You do that, belle.”
What?
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go schedule my threesome.” He pushes off me.
The emptiness of the air on my skin is like being abandoned, being thrown away.
It’s one of my most hated feelings in the world.
“I’m not kidding.” I speak to his back. “I will do it.”
He glances at me over his shoulder. “I’ll do it too.”
And then he’s walking again. Damn it. Damn it.
It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Why the hell isn’t he stopping me? He should, and I would stop him in return.
Unless the arsehole actually wants to do this?
He can’t…be serious.
“Ronan.” I grind out his name, expecting him to ignore me, but he turns around and faces me.
There’s still that loathsome smile on his face, the one I want to burn to ashes. “What is it, belle?”
“Is this another game?”
“I don’t know. You tell me, because I don’t play fair.”
“Just because you have a dick doesn’t mean you’re the only one who gets to do things.”
“Just because you have a pussy doesn’t mean you’re the only one who gets to do things,” he shoots back without missing a beat.
It’s a challenge. He’s challenging me.
“What do you want?” I snap. “Tell me.”
“I want you to tell me.”
“How the hell would I know what you want?”
“Figure it out. You started this.”
“I started this?” I repeat, incredulous.
“You did. Now, as you fix it, I’ll go get my dose.”
This time, I don’t stop him as he disappears into the class, even though something in my chest shrivels and dies.
Fuck him.
He’s not the only one who doesn’t play fair.
Ronan
The best-laid plans start with a scheme. It can be something as simple as planting a seed for trouble.
Like I did yesterday.