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He’s a kinky mother fucker, and if I’m lucky, I’ll finally be at the end of his wrath. Perhaps now he can teach me what it means to be owned by another, to give my body to them heart and soul as they pour their lusts into every pore, every inch, every fucking molecule of me.

I want that more than anything. I need, crave, yearn to be wanted, desired, and cherished. Not because I’m a Hartwell, but because I’m theirs. Not because I can extend some godforsaken lineage that means fuck all, but because I’m the air they breathe, I’m their heartbeat, and I’m their plaything.

Owned.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

All or nothing.

Standing there, I do my best to convey these muddled thoughts to him, to explain without words the deep, bone-aching need that courses through my veins. Moments go by as silence fills the gap between us until he smiles.

That’s it. No words. No actions. Just a smile. But dear god that smile seems to say everything I want to hear.

“You’ve done a very naughty thing tonight, Ashleigh,” he breathes as he steps in closer. “And I think you know that. I think you wanted to get caught. You wanted me to see you there kneeling as if you belong.”

“Well, actually-“

“Do not speak while I’m speaking to you. That will probably be the first and hardest rule you will have to learn. Your mouth and your interfering ways will be second.”

Whether it’s nerves or not, I’ll never know, but in that moment, all I can do is shake as laughter seeps through my lips despite my efforts to hold it back. “And you would have gotten away with it if not your meddling reporter.”

His lips seem to twitch despite himself as he fights a smile and loses. “Actually, if it wasn’t for the meddling of a certain doctor, we all might have gotten away with it. But what’s done is done. Now, it’s time you face the consequences.”

A fierce flutter ripples through my gut, driving me to the brink of madness. This is what I wanted. Right?"

“Trust me,” he continues, striding forward until he’s so close I can feel the heat of his skin wash over me, heating me up from the inside out. “You wanted this,” he breathes, as if he can somehow read my mind. “In the end, you would have found yourself here at my mercy.”

“Yes,” I manage to murmur. Only, to my ears, it sounds suspiciously like a moan.

If he hears it, however, he makes no mention. Instead, he motions toward the door in a grand sweeping motion. “You have two choices before you. One. You leave here and forget everything. The Loftry Lantern becomes null and void, and you will never again find yourself over my desk for any reason. All office visits will be supervised by someone other than Shelaine or another member of The Society.”

Fuck. That option is horrible. Forget the idea of never being able to write for the school paper again. If I can’t see Dean Anderson, if I can’t feel his rough hands on my body, I don’t know how I’m going to survive. Dramatic, I know, but the time for being sane has flown out the window.

“And option two?”

“Ahhhh,” he chuckles. “Not fond of the first I see. Well then, my little fae adjacent. Option two is that you run through my hedge maze. And if I catch you... And I will catch you... I will fuck your sweet little pussy and make you an official Society submissive.”

Again, my breath catches in my throat. This. This is what I’ve been wanting, what I’ve been craving. The only problem is, I don’t want to disappoint him. I don’t want him thinking I’m some sex goddess, only to find I know absolutely nothing beyond the basics.

“Let’s just say I go for option two,” I hedge, noting the flare of lust burning in his eyes. “What if you’re... disappointed in my performance? Does that negate things? Will I still belong to you?”

His fingers leave a fiery trail over my skin as he brushes them down my cheek and neck to rest there for a moment before curling around the smooth column. “My sweet, naïve little brat. You are under a massive misapprehension. You think I’m going to allow you to be an active participant in this? You don’t get off that easily. I’ll be the one doing the fucking, and you’ll be the one taking it like a good girl. Or maybe like a naughty girl. Makes no difference to me.”

My knees knock together as I contemplate the options. Though, truthfully, what is there to fully contemplate? I can’t lose the Lantern. But more than that, I can’t lose him. The ramifications slam into me as I gaze up into his implacable face. Either way, after tonight, nothing will be the same again.

“I choose option number two.”

“Good fucking girl. Follow me.”

As I trail behind him, the other men follow after. It’s as if they think I’m suddenly going to be a flight risk. But then, it’s not as if they can read my mind and know that I want this. It’s not like I’m going to tell them that either.

“If I may be the voice of reason,” Doctor Andrew butts in. “It’s grown rather cool outside. Perhaps you can have your little love romp in here where she won’t get sick?”

“What are you most concerned about, Andrew? That she’ll get sick? Or that you’ll be uncomfortable at your post?”

His insolent harrumph as he yanks his jacket out a small closet brings a smile to my lips.