Aria’s POV:
I didn’t go back to my dorm that night. I didn’t even remember how I got home. Wolfe carried me, I think. Wrapped me in one of his expensive trench coats, whispered something low against my hair, and slid me into the backseat of a car I didn’t remember calling. I still needed more. More of his touch, more of his body, the way he was looking at me. I still needed it. This man knew how to torture a woman—like, seriously. The whole ride, I sat in silence with his jacket smelling like him—leather, spice, power. I held onto his jacket, dying in my fantasies for his touch. “Oh my god,” I moaned slowly, as I touched my pussy, playing around my clitoris, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn’t let the driver hear me. My thighs were still shaking from the force of what he’d done to me. My voice long gone from how hard I’d screamed his name. But the thing that haunted me most wasn’t the orgasm. It was the way he’d looked at me afterward. Not like a Dean. Not like a Dom. Like a man. Like I belonged to him. And it turned me on every second, every minute. I needed to stop thinking about him, or else I didn’t know what would happen. I was too young for all this, but how could I control myself? --- The next morning, Bellmere didn’t feel the same. Everything was still perfect on the outside—manicured lawns, early fall leaves, the faint scent of overpriced espresso from the campus café. But I felt like I was walking through it naked. Because I had no idea what we were anymore. That afternoon, I got a text from an unknown number. Rm 207. Now. Immediately, I knew it was from him, Wolfe. I was happy to see it, like I had been waiting for his message. My pussy was tingling like a dog that saw its master. “Eh eh,” I giggled; the thought alone made me laugh. Even people around the campus were looking at me weirdly, but I couldn't feel ashamed because of him. I needed to meet him there and then or I would go crazy. I didn’t hesitate. When I arrived, the door was ajar. Inside, he wasn’t waiting behind the desk. He was standing by the window, shirt sleeves rolled, tie loosened. He looked… tense. “Close the door,” he said without looking. I did. He turned slowly. And that’s when I saw it: the contract. A full stack of printed paper. Neat. Formal. The title on top read: Behavioral Agreement for Student Compliance. “This is for me?” I asked. “No.” He stepped closer. “It’s for us.” I stared. “Safewords. Rules. Boundaries. But also privileges. Ownership.” My mouth went dry. “You want to formalize this?” He nodded. “If we’re going to keep going, we do it my way. No more games. No more gray lines.” “And if I say no?” His jaw flexed. “Then we stop.” It hit me then—how much control I really had. But it also scared me. Because I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to fall deeper. So I walked to the table, picked up the pen, and signed it. But at the very bottom, I added one line: He’s not allowed to fall in love with me. When I handed it to him, he didn’t say a word. He just stared at that line for a long, long time. Then he folded the paper, locked it in a drawer, and said, “Strip.” I obeyed. Had been waiting for him to say that word for a very long time. I wanted him now, even if he wanted to only punish me, without fucking me today. I just needed him inside me. I wanted him more than the last time we did it. I wanted him deeper this time inside me. And I was ready to obey his command. This time, there were no cuffs. No orders. No toys. Just hands. His hands. And the kind of sex that felt like something had broken open inside both of us. He walked slowly, each step counting, each step he took was walking closer to my pussy. The way he looked at me now, like a predator who has his prey in his hands. As he stopped in front of me. “I want you now.” He gently placed his lips on me; the touch sent a shiver down my spine. He kissed me like I was air. Held me like I was breakable. Whispered my name like it hurt him. He was gently rubbing my nipples like I was his prize, his trophy. And when we finished, he didn’t pull away. He just rested his forehead against mine and said, “Tell me you didn’t mean that line.” I should’ve lied. But I didn’t. “I meant every word.” His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. And for the first time since this whole twisted thing began— He looked devastated. I had just redressed when the knock came. Wolfe tensed immediately. His mask snapped back into place like a reflex. One knock. “Who the hell is that?” I wanted to scream; I wanted to slap anyone behind that door that spoiled this moment for me. Then another. Louder. “Get in the closet,” he whispered. I blinked. “Are you seri—” “Now, Aria.” I darted into the narrow supply closet just as the door opened. “Dean Wolfe,” came a saccharine voice. “We need to talk.” Sloan Maddox. I didn’t have to see her to know it was her. The tone, the heels, the calculated pause as she stepped inside. “What is it, Sloan?” Wolfe asked, voice neutral. “Oh, nothing urgent. Just thought you’d want to know... word around campus is you’ve been very busy.” I couldn’t see them, but I imagined her circling him like a vulture in heels. “I’m not interested in rumors,” he said. “Funny,” Sloan said. “Because they’re not just rumors. Someone said they saw you escorting a girl out of this building. Late. Intimately.” Silence. I held my breath. “Careful, Sloan,” Wolfe said finally. “Accusations like that come with consequences.” “Is that a threat?” “No. It’s a warning.” Her heels clicked once. Then again. Then silence. “Well,” she said. “Just thought I’d keep you informed.” The door closed behind her. Only then did Wolfe open the closet. His jaw was tight. His eyes unreadable. “She knows,” I whispered. He nodded. “She’s dangerous.” He reached out, brushing a thumb across my lip. “So are you.” And I didn’t know whether to be terrified or proud of that.Ivy’s POV: My hands found her waist, fingers digging into the soft curves of her hips as I yanked her flush against me. The softness of her body sent a jolt through my veins—*God, she felt good* Keisha’s breath hitched, lips parting in silent invitation. But I didn’t kiss her. Not yet. Instead, I dragged my tongue along the column of her neck, slow and deliberate, letting the smudge of chocolate from my mouth stain her skin. Her pulse leapt beneath my lips, wild and frantic. “—Ugh—“ A soft, broken moan escaped her. I nipped at her throat—hard—just to hear that gasp again. Then I sucked, biting down until her skin flushed red, until her fingers twisted in my hair, tugging. “Ivy—“ Her voice was a whisper, a plea. “You started this,” I growled against her heated skin, my hands sliding down her back , beneath her shirt . One deft flick, and her bra came undone with a *click*. Her breasts spilled free, warm and perfect in my palms. I shoved her shirt up, wasting no tim
Ivy’s POV: The second shot burned just as much, but this time, I didn’t flinch—just hissed through my teeth as liquid fire pooled in my chest. Keisha smirked, already tipping the bottle for another. “Slow down,” I muttered, but she just laughed, tossing her braids over her shoulder. “You’re cute when you’re trying to be responsible.” She smirked, squinting her eyes. I rolled my eyes but didn’t stop her when she slid the next shot toward me. The liquor was doing its job—my limbs loosened, the tight coil in my shoulders unwinding. *Maybe Keisha had a point.* The gnawing worry from earlier had dulled to a whisper. By the fourth shot, the room glowed with a hazy warmth, and I was giggling at nothing—or maybe everything. Keisha leaned against the bar, bottle still in hand, her dark eyes glittering as she watched me. She was definitely halfway gone. “You’re blushing,” she announced, jabbing a finger at me with a grin too wide to be sober. “No, I’m not.” The de
Ivy’s POV I shoved my books into my bag and stood with a faint smirk. “Same time tomorrow?” Lucas leaned back in his chair, watching me. “Same time, same place.” “Yeah, whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes—though I almost smiled as I pushed open the café door. My first tutoring session with Lucas was actually tolerable. Barely. Not as bad as I had imagined. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Although..right now, I had better plans. My girlfriend lived across the city, and I’d promised to visit as soon as I got back to campus. Maybe even stay the weekend if she didn’t kick me out first. The bus stop was quiet, just the hum of distant traffic and the occasional rustle of leaves. I leaned against the pole,scanning the area until— *Beep. Beep.* Probably my girlfriend. I smirked, ignoring it. Surprising her was half the fun. But then my phone kept going off. *Beep. Beep. Beep.* Annoyed, I yanked it from my bag, ready to send some vague, teas
While Ivy was dealing with her shady tutor, Aria found herself locked in a silent battle—her thoughts relentlessly circling back to Kade.. Aria’s POV: The moment Kade left the doorway, I slammed the door shut, pressing my back against it, my pulse hammering in my throat. Slowly, I slid to the floor, the broken plate fragment clutched tight against my chest. I lifted it, turning the jagged edges between my fingers. *Why did he even give me this?* I thought. But deep down, I knew. I knew he gave me so I’d never forget, so I’d keep on reliving what had happened earlier. And *fuck* it was working. The memory hit me like a fever—his hand gripping mine, guiding it down the hard planes of his chest, lower, *lower*..before letting go. Leaving me burning. “Next time, I won’t stop.” That voice—dark, teasing, *dangerous*—curled around my thoughts like smoke. The way he’d looked at me.. like he knew exactly what he was doing. Like he *wanted* me to break. And God, I wan
Ivy’s POV Professor Vance dropped the bomb like it was nothing. “Ivy, meet your new tutor.” *Hell no.* I didn’t need some calculus babysitter hovering over me, judging my every wrong answer. I could figure this out on my own. “Professor Vance,” I said, my voice tight as I glared at Lucas—*the tutor*—leaning against the wall like this was all some big joke. “I’m not interested.” Vance didn’t even blink. “Unfortunately that’s not one of the options.” He leaned forward, palms flat on his desk. “Either Lucas tutors you, or I call your father.” My throat closed up. *Damn it.* If my father found out I’d failed another exam, he’d be breathing down my neck—or worse, locking me in my room with a stack of textbooks until graduation. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. Vance just stared, unimpressed, while Lucas watched me like I was some fascinating experiment. “Ivy.” Vance snapped his fingers in front of my face. “We’re waiting.” He tapped
**Meanwhile, back at Lancaster’s House…** Ivy’s POV: Sleep was a luxury in this house. Especially when my father was on a warpath. I jolted awake to the sound of his voice cracking through the hallway like a whip. “Tear this City apart if you have to. Find her!” *Ugh.* I dragged a pillow over my head, muffling the chaos downstairs. Maybe if I pressed hard enough, I could drown him out and steal another hour of sleep. My sister had been gone less than forty eight hours, and already, the house felt like a fucking crime scene—tense, airless like the walls were holding their breath. Just as my body relaxed back into the mattress— *Knock. Knock.* *For the love of Christ, what’s the matter this time?* I didn’t bother moving the pillow. “Go away.” “M-Miss Ivy?” A whisper. One of the staff—Maria? Marta?—hovering like a startled bird. “Your father wants you downstairs.” I lifted a corner of the pillow. The sky outside was still pitch black. “For what