Page 53 of Dean's Delinquent

“Besides,” the dean continues. “I’ll be warming her up soon enough.” As we get to the door, he turns and levels his gaze at me. “Last chance. Think you can survive me?”

When he talks, self-preservation seems to fly out the fucking window. The sane, rational part of me, the part that brought me to Loftry in the first place, screams at me to take the easy way out. It begs me not to bait the man who will strip me of my innocence and drag me into this dark, strange, and forbidden world.

I can’t listen to that side. Iwon’tlisten to that side. Even if I didn’t want to fuck this pillar of scholarly acumen, I’d still want to know why the Chi Sigma Delta sorority left their house in the dead of night. I’d still want to know about the things I read and researched, but most of all, I can’t turn down a story.

Father always said to trust my gut. A Hartwell always knows when to move forward and when to stay behind. Right now, everything within me is telling me in the loudest voice ever to find out everything I can about this secret society and the man heading it up. The man I want to fuck with an equally as loud part of me.

“Ashleigh,” he growls. “My patience with you is wearing impossibly thin. Last. Fucking. Chance.”

The smile creeping up my lips is nothing short of masochistic glee. Finally, I’ll be able to fully understand everything. He might not be a teacher at Loftry anymore, but he will certainly fill in the gaps of my carnal education. “Bring your worst.”

With a swift jerk of his head, he opens a door that leads to the outside. Bright lights shine from up above, illuminating the hedge maze. How have I never seen this before? It must be so bright as to be seen from campus.

“Won’t others see?”

For a moment, he stares at me as if offended. “Do you honestly think I didn’t consider that? Tell me, inquisitive one. When you came out this way, what did you pass?”

“I mean, the sports fields. But-“

“And after that?”

For a moment, I sit and think, doing my best to cudgel my mind into working when the only part of me that seems to want to work is my pussy. “The tennis courts?”

“Good girl,” he praises, causing said pussy to clench in need. “And what happens to get lit up every night and stay lit until the daytime so anyone can practice as needed?”

Finally, my brain clicks into gear. “The tennis court lights. I see. Anyone looking this way will just assume it’s that. But what about those actually playing tennis?”

The smug smile that crosses his lips nearly drives me to my knees. “Each court has high nets to catch any balls. At least, that’s what they think it is. But they’re dark enough that you can’t see through them. And the trees around here are just tall enough that you can easily think you’ve just missed one of the courts. Until you, we’ve never had a problem with staying hidden.”

His words end on a growl as he slides his hand around my throat and guides me to a nearby wall. The rough stone digs into my back as I stare at him in wonder. Slowly, millimeter by millimeter, he closes his hand even tighter, choking me just to the point where the air becomes just a touch harder to inhale.

The butterflies swarm again, making my vision swim as he leans in closer. The heat from his breath stirs the small hairs around my ear, making every inch of me tremble in anticipation of this depraved unknown.

“You put yourself into grave danger sneaking in here tonight. Though you’ll probably enjoy it when I fuck you, I’ll make sure you never forget just how fucking terrified you made me as I saw you across the room. If you thought my cane was bad, you are in for a rude awakening. Each time you sit, you will think of me. Each time you so much as get the bright idea to pull a stunt like this again, I’ll make sure you regret it. As of now, I consider you my property, and I don’t take kindly to any possession of mine being put into harm’s way.”

This time, I don’t even hide the soft moan as it drifts from my lips and peppers the air. To be owned, to be possessed, to be wanted. This is all I’ve ever desired, and it’s what I’m going to get. Even if I have to go through hell first, I’ll come through it belonging to this man who makes my very soul sing with just one heated glance.

“Run, my property,” he whispers in my ear. “And do make it hard for me. I so very much want to savor this, to enjoy the chase.”

ChapterTwenty-One

Ashleigh

For a moment, my heart stutters in my chest. Run. I know what that word means. Hell. I even know it in Latin.Curr. The precursor to things like current. But more importantly, I know the other form of it. The one I’m sure the dean is using.

Fugere.

To flee

To run from danger.

Run.

The dean’s breath rasps hot against my skin as he leans down and nuzzles my cheek with his lips. “So what is it then? Having second thoughts? Don’t want my cock to invade that perfect little pussy of yours?”

“Y- you don’t know it’s perfect,” I wheeze as I take a step forward in a pathetic attempt to break out of this spell he weaves around me.

Instead of letting me go, he slides his hand around my waist and under the flap of my robe. Somehow, his touch feels molten against my cool skin. Goosebumps explode over me as he dips his fingers lower to tease the edge of my underwear.

---