Page 132 of Black Castle

Something shifts in James’s expression. His eyes darken, grip tightening around his mug. She just cracked something open. It was reckless, a gamble, but it worked.

“I figured you had something you wanna talk to me about.” She pushes off the door, crossing the room and stopping just a foot from him. “I’m tired of all the games and sneaking around. Tell me, what do you want? Why have you been lurking around, watching me like—”

James moves.

Fast. Closing the space between them.

Fear slithers down her spine.

He is tall—really taller than her. But nothing compared to Zev—Lucan.

He grips her jaw, fingers digging into her skin, smudging her carefully applied makeup.

“What your father did is unforgivable, Juliette Baudin.” His voice drips with venom.

Her pulse spikes, but she arches a brow, feigning nonchalance. “So what? Gonna kill me?”

He might as well do it and do it now. Nothing is more dangerous and irrational than a man on the quest for vengeance.

To her question, James’s lips curl, menacing. “Maybe.”

Then his smirk shifts— sinister, suggestive. “But where’s the fun in that?”

His free hand lifts, finger brushing her lips. She recoils, disgust curling in her stomach.

“Nothing will be more satisfying than making this such a huge mess,” he muses. “Imagine the headlines, your pretty face plastered everywhere. I could write an article about it. The Hidden Daughter of Clement Baudin. What do you think? Sounds catchy, doesn’t it?”

Vivienne gulps, flicking her gaze toward the door. Now this is the time for Kenji to come in.

James’s fingers trail down, settling on her collarbone. “But I don’t think you want that kind of fame, do you?”

Her skin crawls.

“Get your hands off me,” she hisses. “Or you’ll regret it.”

James chuckles. “Regret? Even if I killed you right here, I won’t lose a night of sleep.”

His finger dips beneath her collar, just inches away from the valley of her breast. Her stomach churns.

Then his gaze drops to her lips, lingering.

“But.” A pause, deep with unspoken intent. “I have a proposal. One that you might really like since, uh...” He fiddles with the tendril of her hair. “You really like doing teachers, you know?”

His smirk deepens. “So…what do you say about keeping my cock busy in exchange for keeping your secret?”

There it is.

Chapter Forty

Vivienne

Have you still not heard from Isadora?” The words tumble out, scattered and disjointed before they even make it to Vivienne’s ears.

‘As a tested and certified slut, it shouldn’t be so hard for you to keep my cock busy, am I right?’

“How can a responsible mother leave the house for days and not bother to reach out, huh?”

‘I keep your dirty secret, and you be my little fuck hole’

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