Page 137 of Degradation
Dread coils through me and my mood dips. I hate this.
Mav is still watching me.
‘What is it?’ I ask, wondering if he can see the evil machinations written in my eyes, the selfishness in my soul.
‘I want to stretch you a little.’
That’s not the answer I was expecting.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Later, I’m going to slide these inside your tight cunt.’ He raises two of his thick fingers. ‘Then, I’m going to add another and we’ll see where we are.’
I swallow hard.
‘Assuming I haven’t scared you away.’
He’s smiling as if he’s joking, but I have a peculiar feeling that he isn’t.
‘You haven’t scared me away,’ I say, touching his cheek.
His hand covers mine. ‘Lots of girls, it’s a lot when they see it. It freaks them out.’
‘I’ve seen it already, remember?’
‘Yeah, but you don’t really have a frame of reference…’
I frown. ‘But the stretching will help?’
He grimaces and kisses my lips chastely. ‘God, I hope so, Tulip.’
He leaves my room, mumbling something about the lab and I dress for the day, putting on my boots and getting all of my work ready for McKinsey's class all the while thinking abouthowI’m going to tell them that I’m snaking my way into their little group whether they want me there, or not.
The walk to the Novelle Center is pleasant despite the dark turn of my thoughts. The sun is shining, and it seems like I haven't seen it properly in days.
I go inside and get to the lab, making sure Mav isn’t there yet. I begin to run the simulations on thelablaptop that I was assigned when I first started assisting and then lock the screen so that no one can stumble upon it before I get back.
Not wanting to be late, I practically run to the lecture theater where McKinsey’s class is. She hasn’t bothered me since the first day. In fact, she barely looks up at us when she’s talking and I doubt she knows anyone’s names besides Bennet and that girl, Casey, who dresses like her clone.
I wave at Bennet who comes to sit next to me.
‘Hey, there, peach pie. How are you doing? I messaged you yesterday about next week, but you didn’t get back to me.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ I say, opening mynon-lablaptop and finding the chapter McKinsey is supposed to be lecturing on today in my textbook. ‘I actually haven’t checked my phone. I had a migraine yesterday, so I was kind of laid up.’
‘Gotcha,’ he replies with a nod. ‘It’s just a little rude not to get back to someone.’
‘I’m really very sorry,’ I say, hoping he isn’t offended for long. ‘I can’t look at screens at all when I have a migraine.’
He leans into me a little and I wrinkle my nose at the smell of his overpowering aftershave. It’s sweet and musky, and leaves me feeling a little lightheaded, so I try not to breathe it in.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ he says with a light smile. ‘I forgive you.’
I frown a little. ‘Thanks.’
For the rest of the class, he sits just a little too close for me to get comfortable, and I have to breathe through my mouth because the stench of him makes my sinuses ache.
All the while I’m thinking about the simulation. It’ll be done by the time the class is over. I almost hope it’s wrong, so I have more time with the guys.
