Page 53 of A Curse So Cruel
“Oh, I don’t know. It seems like it doesn’t take much to piss you off. I’m just checking.”
“Your new boyfriend is fine,” he replies coldly.
Boyfriend?“Ohhh you mean, Jensen.” I grin because I could be wrong, okay I’m probably wrong, but I swear I almost heard a hint of jealousy in his voice.
“I mean the spineless bastard who didn’t step in when that student violated you,” Knox clarifies.
“Step in?” I scrunch my face in confusion. “Wait, you mean with Satine?” Knox is definitely not making sense. “Hold on, so you’ve scared the students into submission to the point they’re afraid to disobey you…” I trail off before continuing, “but you think Jensen should have done something?” My head is spinning.
“Yes.” Knox makes a frustrated noise before correcting himself. “No.”
“Right,” I say because he’s confusing as hell. “Okay, well firstly,you’rethe one who paired me with Satine. Secondly, Jensen isn’t my boyfriend. Iwashoping he might be a tasty snack, but you’ve kind of screwed that up for me now. So thanks for that.”
Knox lets out a low snarl, but I plough on before he can speak. “And thirdly, I was doing fine before you intervened.”
“Fine?” Knox scoffs. “Is that what you call it? It was pathetic. She could have killed you.”
I try not to let that barb sting too much, but I still feel my throat constricting. Swallowing, I quip back, “Oh please, Satine is just your typical mean girl. She doesn’t want to kill me. She only wanted to humiliate me to make herself feel powerful. Well, the joke’s on her because these girls are gorgeous.” Smiling again, I drop my arms, exposing myself. “They are, right?” I say, turning to Knox, because even if he’s an ass, surely even he can’t deny I have a nice rack.
Instinctively, Knox’s gaze drops lower, and I catch him staring for a good few seconds before he lets out a noise of annoyance. Shadows flick up, wrapping around my midsection like a corset, but it’s too late to hide what I saw. The desire that had been warring in his eyes.
“Exactly,” I say smugly.
He huffs. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Didn’t need to,” I tease. “I know you like what you saw. And I have no doubt everyone else did, too.”
That has anger seeping into his gaze again, and he roughly yanks me forward as we step from the shadow pathway, entering a spacious room with slats of polished wood on the floor. Antique bookshelves cover all four walls of the space, reaching high above me, and I squeal a little when I notice that each bookcase has its own rolling ladder. Knox is so startled he releases me.
“Oh wow, where have you taken me?” I gaze appreciatively at all the books, almost drooling at the scent of leather and ink. “There must be over a thousand books in here.”
“You mean, over three thousand,” drawls a low sultry voice.
I turn to where Galen is watching with amusement from behind a long black desk at the other end of the room. He’s seated and wearing a shirt with a few of his buttons undone, his signature attire, it seems, and my gaze snags on the exposed section of his muscled chest. Placing down the book he’s holding, he peers at me before turning his inquisitive gaze to Knox. “Mmm, I don’t recall the last time you’ve brought me a present,” he muses, his eyes alight with interest. “But I’m always happy to receive. Though, I must say I’m surprised you’ve brought her here.”
“She needs clothes,” Knox explains coldly. “Preferably, something more…appropriate.”
Galen’s gaze trails lower on me, assessing the shadows around my breasts before lingering on my denim shorts and fishnets. His sensual smile grows bigger. “I’m not sure what you mean. I’d say she has rather good taste.”
“Ha! Thank you,” I say.
Knox gives him an annoyed look. “Don’t encourage her.”
Smirking, Galen drums his long fingers on the desk. “However, I’m not so sure about the top part,” he drawls, his eyes shining with mischief. “I need to see what’s underneath before I can judge.”
Knox stares Galen down with an intensity that clearly catches Galen’s attention. “One of the other students cut the straps off her top during offensive training,” Knox says bluntly.
I expect Galen to joke about wishing he was there for the show, but I’m surprised when a flicker of rage passes over the shadow professor’s normally casual expression. It’s gone quickly, and his seductive smile is back in place a heartbeat later.
“Make her something practical,” Knox orders. “She’s with Raith after lunch, and she can’t figure out how to use magic to conjure up suitable clothes.”
“Hey! I didn’t say I couldn’t figure it out,” I protest. “It’s just that the outfits never turn out the way I hope they will.”
Knox gives Galen a look, and the history professor chuckles.
“You’ll want to start with a top,” Knox adds, passing me a book to hold in front of my chest. His shadows fall from my breasts, and I swear the man sucks in a breath as he turns to Galen again.
“Don’t fuck her,” he warns Galen, and then Knox disappears into a mass of shadows, leaving us there alone.