Page 39 of Give In

“Um, by voting, birthright, or takeover,” Liz answered from the front row.

“Takeover?” Caine laughed. “What a nice word for a verynotnice thing. It isn’t polite.” His lips curled up in a sneer. “They’re notaskingfor what they want. They’re taking it. Ruthlessly. When someone decides they want something so badly they’re willing to sacrificeanything, takedownanyoneto get it?” His eyes locked on me. “That lack of concern toward the consequences is a powerful thing. A dangerous thing.”

Holy shit.

My already jumbled mind launched into overdrive, as though each thought was powered by a pound of sugar and a kilo of coke. They slammed together—a mosh pit in my head.

Professor Caine moved on, asking other students questions and leaving me wondering if I’d imagined whatever profoundness I’d found in that shared eye contact. Everything about his stance, expression, and tone were nonchalant.

Except his lips.

A barely-there smirk curved his mouth, filling me with a sense of foreboding even before he spoke.

“Let’s talk about my favorite thing. Punishment.” He smirked outright as the class snickered before his gaze crashed with mine. “Miss Wilder… When someone breaks the rules, what’re some punishments that could be doled out?”

And just like that, I was able to grasp one of my thoughts.

What a dick.

*******

Damien

Touching her in my office.

Goading her in class.

What had I been thinking?

No, I knew what.

I’d been thinking about fucking Eden Wilder. About how she’d feel on my cock, how she’d sound as she begged, and how she’d look with a reddened ass.

There’d been no thought toward my career, her degree, or anything else beyond how I got off pushing her.

And how badly I wanted to break her.

Pacing my office, I tried to figure out what the hell I was doing.

A knock interrupted my obsessing. Ben Peters, the head of my department, popped his head in. “Hey, this a good time?”

“Of course. Have a seat.” I gestured to the chair in front of my desk before sitting. “What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to let you know that Eden Wilder just withdrew her request to drop your class.”

Thank fuck.

Keeping my expression bland, I nodded. “Good, I’d hoped she’d reconsider.”

“Do you have any idea why she wanted to drop it in the first place?”

Because I want to fuck her ‘til neither of us can move, so I’m an asshole to her.

Keeping that to myself, I told him a different truth. “I don’t think she’s finding the course challenging. She’s likely bored.”

“Understood. She was in my intro class, and her stuff was thought-provoking beyond any first-year student I’ve ever had. That’s why I was surprised to see her drop request. I’m glad she changed her mind. Though the deadline’s passed, Ceaders approached me about her doing some independent studies under him.”

I’m sure he did.