Chapter 4 #2
Shaking off that insane thought, I show him a few more tricks, adding in some sleight of hand just because, and I’m not sure what to do with the little thrill I feel at having his undivided attention on me like this.
“Were you entertained?” I ask when I’m done.
He grins in response. “Not bad, Shaney.”
“Are we done now?” I ask, holding the pack of cards out to him.
“Not yet.” He pulls a silver dollar out of his pocket and rolls it over his knuckles in a motion that’s so fluid it looks like the coin actually bends around his fingers. “What can you do with this?” He stops spinning it and holds it out to me.
I take it and put the deck of cards in his open palm.
“Same as you.” I spin the coin like he did, only not quite as smoothly, as he tucks the cards in his pocket.
“Can you make it disappear?”
“Make what disappear?” I ask innocently and slip the coin into my closed fist in a practiced move that’s pure muscle memory at this point.
“Smooth,” he says, a hint of admiration in his voice. “But I’m going to be really disappointed in you if the coin is in your hand,” he tells me.
“Now I wish it were in there because maybe then you’d leave me alone.” I shift the coin so it’s hidden and open my hand to show him it’s empty.
He flicks his gaze to my hand, and his eyes widen the slightest bit. It’s not much of a reaction, but it’s still a reaction, and while I really don’t like the rush of pride that goes through me at his shock, I can’t deny it feels good to have surprised him like that.
Jace and his brother either have no fear or they have nerves of steel.
In the two and a half years I’ve been forced to share a dorm with them, I’ve never seen either of them jump at a loud noise or get startled when someone sneaks up on them.
I’ve never even seen them flinch or show any kind of shock that wasn’t one of their obvious attempts at emoting and pretending to be human.
Jace’s shock right now is genuine, and something tells me that doesn’t happen to him often. And the fact that he didn’t cover it up, or couldn’t, makes his reaction that much more of a victory.
“Where is it?” he asks as he meets my gaze again.
“Where do you think it is?” I can’t help my smirk.
More of that unnerving darkness flares in his eyes, and my heart rate speeds up as a strange awareness prickles at my skin, like a little burst of energy.
Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I shake off whatever the fuck that was and move the coin to my free hand so I can be done with this conversation.
“Did you think it was here?” I open my fist to show him the coin.
He slides his gaze to my hand, and the smile that tilts his lips sends more of that weird awareness through me.
I do my best to look bored and unbothered as he takes the coin from me and spins it around his fingers a few times. “Impressive.”
I shrug. “It’s a fun party trick.”
“I imagine it is.” He tucks the coin back in his pocket.
“Are we done now?” I point to my door. “You can see yourself out any time.”
“Almost.” He rakes his gaze up and down my body appreciatively.
“Really?” I shoot him a flat look. “More of that?”
“More of what?”
“That suggestive shit.”
“I didn’t even say anything,” he says, his blue eyes wide with innocence.
“Are you going to deny that you were undressing me with your eyes just now?”
“Yes.”
I snort-laugh. “Liar.”
“Nope, not lying.” His smirk is pure sex as he gives me another once-over. “I wasn’t undressing you with my eyes.” He drags his teeth over his bottom lip and shoots me a smolder that makes my stomach clench. “I was eye-fucking you,” he finishes in a sultry tone I’ve never heard him use before.
My brain glitches for a few seconds, and I gape at him like an idiot as more of that strange awareness hits, along with a little thrill that’s way more exciting than it has any business being.
“Was it as good for you as it was for me?” he continues in a tone that could make even the most dedicated erotica audiobook listener blush.
I start to tell him to go fuck himself, but the words die on my lips when he runs his thumb over his lower lip in a weirdly fascinating way.
“What’s the matter, Shaney?” He tilts his head to the side as he studies me. “You look a little flushed.” He taps his cheek with his finger. “Right here. It’s almost like you’re blushing.” He grins. “Are you blushing, Shaney?”
“Fuck off,” I snap.
“No.” He lifts the corner of his mouth, the expression as mocking as it is condescending.
“Then what the fuck do you want?” I demand.
“A lot of things.” He rolls one shoulder in a shrug.
“Like what? Are you here to blackmail me?”
“Blackmail you?” He looks surprised, and I can’t tell if his reaction is real or not.
“Yeah, what do you want in exchange for not telling anyone what I can do?”
“Nothing.”
I let out a snort-laugh. “Yeah, right.”
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“Sure you don’t.” I pin him with a hard look. “You expect me to believe that you’re going to keep this quiet out of the goodness of your heart?”
“Yes.”
I roll my eyes. “Tell me what you want and get the fuck out of my room.”
“So rude.” He clucks his tongue disapprovingly. “Here I am just trying to have a conversation about your newfound talent, and you’re getting mad that I’m not blackmailing you with the information. It doesn’t seem like I’m the problem here, hmmmm.”
“I’m not mad,” I snap.
“You sure about that? Cause you definitely look mad.”
“I’m not mad,” I repeat through clenched teeth. “I’m just waiting for you to stop being a dick and tell me what the fuck you want from me.”
“I already told you, I don’t want anything.” Another of his smirks tips the corner of his lips. “Not yet, at least.”
The wave of anger that hits me is so strong it nearly steals my breath. “Really? You’re going to hold this over my head instead of telling me what you want now?”
His silence and stupid grin only add more fuel to my rage.
“Why?” I demand, my entire body going tense from the force of my anger.
“Because it’s more fun to hold it against you. Not as much fun as holding me against you would be, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
“So that’s what this is about?” I take a step closer to him. “You’re going to use this to make me do what you want?”
He shrugs.
“What’s your damage?” I demand, fighting to keep my voice even.
I was already barely holding onto my self-control before he knocked on my door, and it’s getting harder to remember why beating him to a pulp and finally giving him the lesson he obviously needs is a bad idea.
“A lot, as we’ve previously established.” He doesn’t bother hiding his amusement at my obvious anger, which only pisses me off more.
“So this is your endgame, huh?” I try a different tactic. “You’re going to use blackmail to get me to what? Suck your dick? Or maybe you want me to bend over for you?”
His grin shifts into one that’s pure sex and smolder. “I mean, both of those options sound like a good time.”
“Never going to happen. Not now, and not even if you threaten to tell everyone what I can do. I’d rather fight the entire frat than submit to you.”
“Again with the submitting,” he says. “I thought we already established that you don’t have to submit to someone to suck their dick or take it up the ass.
It’s way more fun if you do, but it’s not a requirement.
” This time, he takes a step closer, and I have to fight the urge to move back.
“But don’t you worry your pretty little head about any of that.
I won’t use this to make you submit to me or anything that you’re thinking.
” He takes another half step, closing the distance so our toes are almost touching and our faces are only about six inches apart. “Do you know why?”
“Why?” I say before I can stop myself.
He leans in until our noses almost touch. He’s so close I can feel the heat coming off his skin, and the scent of something spicy, sort of like cinnamon, but not quite, and old leather wraps around us. Is that his cologne? And why the fuck am I suddenly noticing how he smells?
“Because I don’t have to.” His tone is low and sultry and full of promise. “When I fuck you, it won’t be because I had to resort to tricks and blackmail. It’ll be because you want it. Because you beg me for it.”
A weird heat gathers low in my body, and I have to fight the urge to jump away from him as a tingle dances over my skin.
“Not going to happen,” I grind out.
He tilts his head to the side and leans in the slightest bit, like he’s coming in for a kiss. “You sure about that?”
I jump back before I can stop myself, nearly tripping over my own feet.
Jace laughs, and for reasons I can’t explain, that sound triggers my rage, and everything I’ve been holding in for the past few days comes rushing to the surface.
My vision goes hazy around the edges, and I can feel the thud of my heart pounding in my chest as adrenaline pours into my system, setting my entire body on edge as my muscles draw up tight like a snake ready to strike its prey.
Jace laughs again, and before I can stop myself, I plant both hands on his solid chest and give him a hard shove.
He stumbles back a few paces, his grin never slipping. “That’s it, Shaney. More. You know I like it rough.”
His taunt does nothing to help calm the rage simmering inside me, and it takes everything in my power to not lunge at him and beat him into next week.
I’m not even that mad at Jace, not really.
He’s an ass and a notorious flirt, and this kind of shit from him isn’t exactly new or shocking.
But he picked the wrong fucking night to mess with me, and all the crap I’ve been repressing from the past few days is about to be unleashed on him if he doesn’t shut the fuck up.
“Is that it?” His sarcastic expression chips away at the last of my self-control until it’s hanging on by a thread. “You’re gonna get me all hot and bothered and leave me hanging?”
“Shut up.” I advance on him and give him another hard push that sends him staggering back.