Page 100 of Prince of Control
“Were they?” I play dumb.
Melinda looks over at hearing her name, and her smile drops away. I want to punch the chancellor for reminding her of it. Anders says she’s even more tightly-wound than ever although I think she looks better now that she has him in her court.
“I can understand wanting to exact revenge for that. Sending a message that your house isn’t to be fucked with.”
So this visit is definitely about the fire. I made sure everyone in the house has an alibi for that night. The bomb had a timer that Leo activated from the library where at least a dozen people saw him studying. He planned it when the entire house was out at a pledge event, and even activated the fire alarm before it went off, to make sure.
“The fire marshal said the alarm went off before the fire started, which is odd.”
I take a bite of a pickle spear and give a polite but disinterested nod.
“I don’t accept violence of any kind on this campus. I am committed to the safety of all students here. It’s one of the reasons people like Gabe Tracy, Sultan Khalid al-Nasir, and members of the Russian mafiya alike trust sending their children here.”
I tense. This feels like boarding school all over again. Is he about to expel me?
He sets his empty plate down on the wide square slate table in front of him and puts his hands on his knees. “So it ends here. I told the boys at Titan House that if I hear of any more house warfare, they lose their charter. Same goes for you. Understood?”
“Message received,” I say easily, rising as he does. “Thank you for stopping by.” I stick my palm out.
He squeezes my hand in a vise-like grip and locks eyes with me. His blue-grey gaze bores a hole in mine. “I know what goes on here, Benjamin.”
My heart skips a beat.
“You’re quiet and careful, which is why you get away with it. But the moment you bring negative attention to this school, it’s over.”
I greet that mild threat with silence, and he releases my hand. “Thank you for the burger. Enjoy your barbecue. I’ll see myself out.”
“Stop by anytime, Chancellor,” I call after him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lara
I turn to look at myself in the full-length mirror in our walk-in closet.
Um…wow. This outfit is a lot. But I can pull this off.
This afternoon I borrowed Baron’s Range Rover and Zoe, Anya, and I drove to the next town where there’s a mall with a Victoria’s Secret. I bought a wine-red bustier that laces up the back with a matching pair of G-string panties. I’m currently wearing it with a pair of black open-toed stilettos.
I’ve never worn anything like it before. I feel hot and naughty and ready to be spanked.
Now to find my husband.
As I reach for my bathrobe, the door to our bedroom opens with Baron in mid-sentence to someone on Facetime. “She’s right here if you want to show her the optio–”
I freeze.
He freezes, his eyes popping wide. His mouth falls open.
My nipples harden from the way he looks at me.
“Uh, actually, she’s busy right now, Mom. We’ll call you later, okay? Bye!” He ends the call without taking his eyes off me.
“Holy fuck.” He tosses the phone onto the dresser and stalks toward me. “What is happening in here without me?”
A tingling starts up between my legs. A thrum of excitement at his nearness.
I smile. “Nothing is happening without you. This is happening for you. I was going to come down and lure you to the dungeon.”
