Chapter 9 #2
I have a calendar of my professors' birthdays, for fuck’s sake.
But in the darker recesses of my mind, when the lights go out and I’m alone with my desires?
Yep.
Handing over control to someone else and being totally at their mercy and in their power is what I crave.
It’s why I gravitate to dark romance involving restraint, blackmail, and dubious non-consent kinks.
It’s why the other night, when I crawled to him, and knelt before him, and let him use me like that, it was the hottest sexual experience of my life.
The Ghost Prince
I have a proposal.
The Ghost Prince
I'll be your masked stranger, little villain. Your fantasy. We’ll agree on some basic rules, but beyond that, you won’t know when I’ll be there. And when I do find you, and take away that control, you’ll give it willingly.
The Ghost Prince
I know you get tired holding onto all that control, baby. I can take it away from you. For you.
The Ghost Prince
That, Galina, is my proposal.
I stare at the phone for what feels like an hour but is probably more like three minutes.
I have no idea how to respond to that.
I mean, I know how I want to respond. But I’m also not suicidal.
Ultimately, that’s what stops me from answering at all as I slip my phone away and take a shaky breath.
What the hell have I stumbled into, and who the fuck is this guy?
I slump back against the bleacher behind me. I glance over and let my gaze linger on the drawing on Arianna’s sketchpad.
It’s of a shirtless man, muscled and tattooed, leaning on a motorcycle. His dark hair looks wet with sweat and hangs in his broody eyes. A cigarette dangles from his lips. My gaze slides past the pad, and I grin when I see the obvious reference.
The boxing club fights that were going on before are over. Now, a group of shirtless, bloodied Reckless members is grinning and slapping each other on the backs like a bunch of lunatics.
Ari’s drawing reference isn't standing with them.
Adrik Volkov is back next to his motorcycle—shirtless, sweating, a little bloodied, and a cigarette in his lips, just like in the drawing.
Unlike in the drawing, though, he’s not alone. Bella Drakos is standing next to him, leaning back against his bike too.
“Wow, that’s…really good.”
I start to lean forward to get a better look at the drawing, but Arianna quickly snaps the pad shut before glancing at me.
“Huh?” She smiles. “Oh, just…you know. Always trying to get in some practice.”
I suck my teeth, looking at the pad and then turning my gaze back to Adrik and Bella, down on the field.
“I don’t think they’re a couple, you know,” I say quietly.
Arianna’s brow knits. “Who?”
I give her a sly look. “Your muse and Bella. I can ask her, but I'm pretty sure they’re not. I mean, she's in The Reckless, but—”
“Galina, I really don’t care.”
I love my friend. But sometimes she’s really hard to read.
Most of the time, you’d think she’s asexual, or possibly gay but hiding it.
She’s pretty, but she really doesn’t seem to give a single shit about male attention, dresses quite plainly most of the time, and sometimes wears the male version of the school uniform to class because she’s not a huge fan of skirts.
For the record, she is straight. I mean, she’s my best friend: we’ve had this conversation. It’s just that she truly does not care about sex.
…Except when she clearly does and is trying to hide it.
Like right now.
But I opt not to push. It’s not for me to pry unless she wants to share.
“Got it,” I say with a nod.
She sighs, rolling her eyes. “Gal, seriously. He’s just…” She shrugs. “He’s a good subject for me to draw.”
I snort. “Funny how hot guys tend to be like that.”
That gets a giggle out of her. I turn, still laughing, and my eyes land on my dickhead TA, who is still fucking around with Achilles and Drago and showing them something on his phone.
Still shirtless.
Still outrageously hot.
God fucking dammit.
It’s dark out later when I’m back in my room at The Atheneum, sitting on the edge of my bed after a shower.
My lip catches between my teeth and my cheeks flush with heat as I re-read my DM exchange with The Ghost Prince from earlier.
The Ghost Prince
I'll be your masked stranger, little villain. Your fantasy. We’ll agree on some basic rules, but beyond that, you won’t know when I’ll be there. And when I do find you, and take away that control, you’ll give it willingly.
The Ghost Prince
I know you get tired holding onto all that control, baby. I can take it from you. For you.
The Ghost Prince
That, Galina, is my proposal.
My throat bobs as my thumbs hover over my phone.
I’m officially insane for even considering this. Whoever this fucking guy is, this is real life, not one of my horny books.
Velvet Villainess
Are you a murderer?
I startle when he answers immediately.
The Ghost Prince
You should ask if I’m a liar first.
I frown.
Velvet Villainess
Why?
The Ghost Prince
Because otherwise why bother asking about the murdering?
A grin spreads over my face, together with a flush of heat.
Velvet Villainess
If you’re a liar, wouldn’t you just lie about being one?
The Ghost Prince
Kinda feels like there’s no right answer to that.
I giggle as I shrug off the towel around my body and slump back across my bed. I hold the phone above my face and frown up at it as I start typing, my lip between my teeth.
Velvet Villainess
So, this arrangement…
The Ghost Prince
Good. I knew you’d say yes.
I roll my eyes.
Velvet Villainess
Yeah, NOT a yes.
The Ghost Prince
You mean not a yes YET…
Heat tinges my cheeks.
Velvet Villainess
What would it look like? How would it work?
The Ghost Prince
Do you remember the other night?
Dear God, absolutely.
Velvet Villainess
Maybe.
The Ghost Prince
It looks a lot like that. You give up control. You let someone take it from you.
The Ghost Prince
You let someone put you on your knees and use you.
The Ghost Prince
Make you their pretty little cum slut and eager fuck toy.
My pulse skips and need tugs between my thighs. I squirm a little on the bed.
The Ghost Prince:
I can be that someone for you, Galina. I can be your masked fantasy, and allow you to explore every dark, dirty desire you’ve ever read in the pages of your filthy books.
My breath turns slow and shallow.
Velvet Villainess
You could also be an ax murderer.
The Ghost Prince
Yes, I could be.
I groan at the wild flash inside me. There’s no reason him saying that should be so hot.
The Ghost Prince
Seriously, it doesn’t matter what I say. What matters is if you believe me. If you trust me.
The Ghost Prince
And, Galina…
My teeth rake over my bottom lip.
Velvet Villainess
Yes?
The Ghost Prince
You DO need to trust me if we’re going to do this.
Velvet Villainess
But how or why should I trust you? How can I be sure of you?
The Ghost Prince
You probably can’t. Not really.
I shiver.
The Ghost Prince
But I did tell you the leverage didn't exist.
My face heats.
Velvet Villainess
Sure, AFTER you got me to blow you.
The Ghost Prince
:D
I giggle again, grinning and biting my lip.
Asshole.
The Ghost Prince
You need to decide on the trust issue yourself, little villain.
The Ghost Prince
But if you want to proceed, you know where to find me…
I tremble as I type.
Velvet Villainess
Same place as last time?
The Ghost Prince:
Yes.
My nipples tighten, and heat throbs between my thighs.
I drop the phone onto the bed and suck in a huge breath. My fingers rake through my hair as I squeeze my eyes shut.
“What the fuck am I doing?” I ask the empty room, sinking into the duvet.
This is such a bad idea.
This is how I end up on the news as another statistic. Another na?ve girl who believed a man from the internet and ended up skinned alive or locked in a basement for fifteen years.
On the other hand… He has had plenty of opportunities to hurt me already. On the night we first met. Or when I went to his lair on the pier. Not to mention, if he’s telling the truth about sneaking into my room and watching me sleep…?
Yeah. I could totally be dead or skinned already.
And I’m not.
It might not be a reason to trust him completely. But maybe it's enough to convince me to take a leap of faith.
Velvet Villainess
When?
The Ghost Prince
Now.
Holy shit.
I slump back across the bed again and groan as I run my hands over my face.
“Fuck it,” I finally say to the ceiling. “Fuck me up. Ruin my life. Make me scream your name while you’re halfway down my throat.”
I blush.
I’ve officially read too many dirty books.
No regrets.
I take one last ragged breath before I sit up on the edge of the bed. My fingers shake as I tap out a response on my phone.
Velvet Villainess
See you soon.