Chapter 33
I drifted slowly into consciousness, my body aching in ways I'd never experienced before. Every slight movement sent little sparks of pain and pleasure coursing through me, a visceral reminder of the night's activities.
I kept my eyes closed, trying to process the conflicting sensations and emotions warring inside me. The bed beneath me was impossibly soft, the sheets silky against my bare skin. A warm weight pressed against my side, and the steady sound of breathing told me Ryder was still asleep. The events of last night crashed over me in vivid detail, each touch, each command, each moment I'd teetered on the edge of giving in completely.
"All you have to do is ask me, Poison," Ryder had purred again and again, bringing me to the brink of pleasure only to deny me release. "Beg me to fuck you." I'd lost count of how many times I'd almost broken, almost done exactly what they had been wanting me to do and begged him to fuck me. The things he'd done to my body... I'd never imagined pleasure could be so intense it bordered on torture. The nipple clamps, the vibrator, his talented mouth and clever fingers, he'd played me like an instrument, drawing out sounds I didn't know I could make.
Finally gathering my courage, I opened my eyes. I turned my head carefully, taking in Ryder's sleeping form beside me. He lay on his stomach, the sheet draped low across his hips, leaving his back exposed.
My breath caught as I noticed the network of scars criss crossing his skin, all silvery like a pattern as intricate as the man himself. I almost wanted to reach out and trace them. Despite the scars, or maybe because of them, I couldn't deny how beautiful he was. Lean muscle rippled beneath his marked skin, and his face was peaceful in sleep, stripped of its usual manic energy. His dirty blond hair fell across his forehead, making him look younger, almost innocent. It was hard to reconcile this vulnerable version of Ryder with the man who had systematically taken me apart last night.
The memory of his darker games made me shiver. The way he'd edged me right up to the point where pleasure became pain, then backed off just enough to keep me desperate for more. The leather cuffs, the blindfold, the sharp sting of his hand against my flesh, these were things I'd never imagined myself wanting, yet my body had responded with frightening enthusiasm.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" The unexpected voice made me jump. I twisted around to find Logan lounging in an armchair across the room, watching us with hooded eyes. How long had he been there? Heat flooded my cheeks as I remembered the cameras, how Logan and Cole had probably watched everything Ryder did to me last night. But it didn't seem like that was what was on Logan's mind this morning.
"I've never seen him sleep so deeply," Logan continued, his voice soft yet carrying easily in the quiet room. He rose from the chair with fluid grace, approaching the bed like a predator stalking his prey. My heart rate kicked up as he knelt beside me, his hazel eyes intense and unreadable. I held perfectly still as Logan reached out, his fingers ghosting along my jawline. The touch was feather-light, but sent electricity skittering across my skin.
"What is it about you?" he murmured, more to himself than to me. "What power do you possess that has captured my friends so completely?" I couldn't speak, couldn't even breathe. The way Logan was looking at me, like I was a puzzle he couldn't quite solve, like I was something precious and dangerous all at once, made my head spin. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, "Why do I feel like we are the ones who have been claimed on our knees?" Before I could process his words, Logan's lips brushed against mine, the barest hint of a kiss that nevertheless sent heat pooling in my belly. Then he was pulling away, standing up as if nothing had happened.
"You're late for class," he announced, his tone suddenly businesslike. He strode toward the door, calling over his shoulder, "Ryder! Ten minutes to get ready. Move your ass!" Ryder jerked awake at Logan's shout, looking around in confusion before his eyes landed on me. A slow, wicked grin spread across his face.
"Good morning, Poison," he drawled, his voice rough with sleep. Reality crashed back in as I registered Logan's words. Late for class. Shit.
I scrambled out of bed, wincing at the various aches and twinges that the sudden movement produced. I needed to shower, to change, to try to make myself look like I hadn't spent the night being thoroughly corrupted by one of the most dangerous men I'd ever met.
"Running away so soon?" Ryder called after me as I made for the door. "And here I was hoping for a morning encore."
I didn't respond, just hurried to my room on shaky legs, not even caring that I was naked. Once inside, I leaned against the closed door, trying to catch my breath. Logan's words echoing in my head; "Why do I feel like we are the ones who have been claimed on our knees?"
What did that mean? And why did it make me feel both powerful and terrified?
I pushed off the door and headed for the shower, determined to wash away the evidence of last night's activities. But as the hot water cascaded over my sensitised skin, I couldn't stop thinking about the look in Logan's eyes, the vulnerability I'd glimpsed beneath his usual mask of control.
I dressed quickly in another one of the consort t-shirts and a black denim skirt, trying not to think about how the soft fabric felt against my tender skin. My reflection in the mirror showed nothing of what happened last night, like it had all been one crazy fucked up erotic dream. Like I hadn't almost lost the resolve that I had built and submitted to them. But I hadn't begged. Despite everything Ryder had done, despite how desperately I'd wanted him inside me, I'd held onto that last shred of defiance. It felt like a hollow victory now, especially given how eagerly I'd responded to everything else he'd done to me.
A sharp knock at my door startled me from my thoughts.
"Hey," Cole's voice called from the other side, gentler than usual. "Logan's being an impatient dick and waiting in the car. We need to head to class."
I opened the door to find Cole standing there, his dark eyes scanning my face with barely concealed concern. He seemed to be wrestling with something he wanted to say, his mouth opening slightly before closing again. Finally, he just asked, "You okay?" The question held more weight than its simplicity suggested. I could hear everything he wasn't asking, about last night, about Ryder, about how I was handling all of this. The genuine concern in his expression made my chest tight.
"I'm fine," I managed, forcing a small smile. Cole didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. Instead, he just nodded and stepped back to let me pass.
"We should go before Logan starts honking the horn like the entitled asshole he is," he said, but there was no real bite to his words.
The walk to the car felt like a walk of shame, even though I tried to tell myself it wasn't. Did everyone in the house hear me last night? They didn't need the video feed that Ryder had taunted me with, they would have likely heard my enthusiastic response to Ryder's deviant form of play.
My body reminded me with every step what had happened last night, and the memory of Logan's cryptic words and that ghost of a kiss this morning only added to my confusion.
When we reached the end of the path, I saw Logan behind the wheel of a sleek black car that probably cost more than my entire worldly belongings, drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. Ryder was already sprawled in the back seat, looking far too pleased with himself.
I hesitated for a moment, not sure if I wanted to deal with them, but Cole solved that dilemma by opening the back door and gesturing for me to get in. I slid across the leather seat, hyper-aware of Ryder's presence beside me. He immediately draped his arm across the back of the seat behind my shoulders, not quite touching me, but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Finally," Logan muttered, pulling out of the parking lot with more speed than necessary. I caught his eyes in the rear-view mirror, but he looked away quickly, focusing on the road ahead. The tension in the car was thick enough to cut with a knife, loaded with unspoken questions and lingering desires.
Cole turned on the radio, probably trying to break the awkward silence, but all it did was provide a soundtrack to my racing thoughts. I stared out the window, watching the campus buildings blur past, wondering how I was supposed to focus on classes when my entire world had shifted on its axis in the span of twenty-four hours.
I turned my attention to the passing scenery, trying to ground myself in something familiar. The weight of Ryder's arm behind me felt like a brand, a constant reminder of what happened between us. What was still happening, if the heated looks he kept sending my way were any indication.
When we pulled into the parking lot near the academic buildings, I practically bolted from the car, needing space to breathe. But Logan's voice stopped me before I could escape.
"Don't forget, Princess," he called out, his tone carrying that edge of authority that made my spine straighten involuntarily. "Lunch time in the dining hall." Great, just what I needed, more of their possessive, fucked-up antics, and even more fun when in public.
I rolled my eyes without even thinking. Then yelped as a sharp sting of pain resounded through my body. It took me less than a second to realize that someone had slapped my ass.
I turned to snap at whoever it was but came face to face with Logan, his eyes barely containing his anger. My words died on my lips as he backed me up against the side of the university coffee shop. I hit the window behind me, knowing that on the other side there were several students and staff that could see us. But Logan didn't seem to care as his hand wrapped around my throat and he leaned in, his breath fanning across my cheek.
"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" What the fuck, how had he seen that?
"I-I..." I trailed off, not sure if there was anything that I could say that wouldn't trigger the danger in his eyes to spill over onto me.
"Choose your next words very carefully," Logan warned, his fingers flexing slightly against my throat. The pressure wasn't enough to restrict my breathing, but the threat was clear. My pulse thundered against his palm as I struggled to form a response. But then a small spark of defiance, or maybe stupidity, zipped through me, and I stared directly at Logan.
"You'd have to have eyes in the back of your head to have seen me roll my eyes," I said before I could stop myself, my voice coming out breathier than intended with his hand still at my throat. "Or maybe you're just that paranoid."
Logan's growl was low and dangerous, vibrating through his chest and into mine where our bodies pressed together. In one fluid motion, his free hand tangled in my hair, tilting my head back as his mouth crashed down on mine. The kiss was a clash of wills, his lips demanding submission as his tongue sought dominion over mine. My body betrayed me, melting into his as a needy whimper escaped my throat. The sound seemed to spur him on, his grip tightening in my hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring the depths of my mouth with a hunger that left me dizzy. When he finally pulled back, his eyes were dark with a mix of anger and desire.
"You should be thanking me, Princess," he murmured against my lips, his voice rough. "That smart mouth of yours just earned you a public punishment. But since I'm feeling generous, I'll save that lesson for somewhere more private." His thumb traced my bottom lip, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through me. "Don't test me again today. You won't like the consequences."
Before I could say anything, Logan stepped away, leaving my body feeling suddenly cold. I watched as he turned and walked away without another word. Ryder winked at me with one of his devilish grins before turning and rushing off after Logan. Cole raised an eyebrow at me that had me blushing again.
"What are we going to do with you?" he said with a shake of his head.
"Be done with me and let me go," I said with a shrug. Cole laughed and took my hand, pulling me into his body. He tucked some of my hair behind my ear, and leaned in to kiss my nose in an oddly intimate gesture.
"I think it's way too late for that, Pet," he said before releasing me from his embrace, keeping hold of my hand and tugging me towards English class. "Definitely way too late for that." His words scared me, not because they were true, but because I felt like I had begun to accept the truth of it, and it wouldn't be long before I gave in and submitted completely.