Page 77 of Broken by my Bully (Lessons in Cruelty Dark Academia #1)

“Out of my fucking way,” I grumble, an arm around Haven’s waist as I guide her to the edge of the dance floor. It feels like the party’s conspiring against me, because it’s a hell of a lot harder getting out than it was getting in.

Mine to protect.

Mine to hurt .

Mine.

Eventually we make it to the trees, but we’re right on a path to the porta-potties set up a short distance from the dance floor. And fuck, I can’t handle that smell, so I shove the water in my boxers, losing the last of my suckers, and grasp Haven’s shoulders so I can steer her through the trees.

We’d both have to be struck blind and deaf to get lost out here with such a rager happening a few yards away. But at least, here, there’s a little light from a spotlight, the music faded.

I prop her up against a tree, screw open the water, and tip it against her lips. She gulps it, water spilling down her chin and pattering onto the trash bag covering her chest.

God, she looks good in body paint.

I guess she’s had her fill of the water, because she turns away when I bring it to her lips again. So I down what’s left and toss the bottle toward the dance floor.

Clean up’s gonna be a bitch…for the pledges.

Damn it, her lip is back between her teeth. Melissa didn’t even think to get her some gum or something?

I seize her chin, tugging down until she lets go of her lip. But she doesn’t even seem to realize she’s doing it, because a second later she’s got her poor bruised lip caught in her teeth again.

“Jesus, here,” I mutter, dragging my sucker out of my mouth and sticking it in hers. “Suck.”

Her eyes slide closed, and she moans so loudly I can hear it over the music.

Either she can’t recognize my voice, or she doesn’t give a fuck that it’s me babysitting her. I’m clenching my jaw so hard, it’s possible she might not even know it’s me.

“Yeah?” I lean in close. “That taste good?”

“Mmm…”

Haven puts her hand on my shoulder, eyes still closed as she slides her fingers up and down the side of my neck.

Well, fuck, that feels good.

Molly makes you love everyone. Makes you tell the truth. Makes you forget why you were supposed to hate someone. Maybe that’s why Haven lets me touch her.

The drugs stripped away three years of anger.

Or maybe she never hated me at all.

Either way, we’re still those kids. Just in adult bodies, with adult consequences.

I mimic her touches, one hand propped on the tree above her head, the knuckles of my other one gliding along the side of her neck. Her eyes flutter open, and she stares at my mask as she slowly drags her fingers down my chest.

I follow suit.

She caresses my pec, eyelids slowly lifting so she can peer into the sockets of my mask as she tweaks my nipple through the trash bag .

I don’t know which possibility is worse. That she thinks I’m a complete stranger…or that she knows who the fuck I am and she’s playing coy.

Fuck it.

Wherever my drugged-up lamb leads, I’ll follow.

She moans when I rub my knuckle over her nipple sticker.

Her teeth clench around the sucker stick as she smiles, her hand sliding down my stomach.

I mimic her, my body tensing. The lower she goes, the lower I go.

But I stop her when she tries to grab my cock, because right now, there’s nothing to grab. And she resists, so I slam her wrist into the trunk above her head.

Just like I did that day in the gardens. Just like I did under the bed.

She likes it when I trap her. Always has.

And then, in case she still wants to get handsy, I do the same with the other, trapping both her wrists in one hand, my other free to roam her body.

Down her arm, slow.

Skating over her throat and having to fight the urge to seize it. Down her torso instead, rubbing the sticker over her nipple until she’s moaning. Her trash bag rustles, chips of dried paint peeling off inside.

Her body goes liquid under my hands. I watch her expression, transfixed by the way her eyelashes flutter, her mouth opens and closes.

Down I glide my hand. To her stomach.

Between her thighs.

She gasps, her legs spreading for me when I drag my nails over her underwear.

So wet already for anyone who’ll touch her.

“Fucking slut,” I mutter.

Haven’s eyes fly open at the same time her mouth does. There’s a flash of desperation in them before she groans and bucks against my hand, her lips trembling .

It’s all too much.

Too fucking much.

She has no idea how lucky she is that the molly KOd my dick, else I’d be nailing her into this tree right now. I need something to take off the edge, something to give my body the release it’s so badly craving.

I can’t look away from her mouth. How she winces, moans, gasps.

And it’s dark out here, right? Too dark for her to make out my face.

Her eyes are closed anyway. She’s lost to the touch of my fingers as I stroke her clit and pussy through her already soaked underwear.

I turn my head, shrug off my mask, and look back at Haven, expecting her to be staring at me, ready to attack.

But she’s still blissfully unaware of who’s forcing so much pleasure on her.

And fuck, seeing her like that, submissive and vulnerable and so ready, it’s the sweetest hit I’ve ever had. The highest high I’ve ever fucking climbed.

I duck my head, stopping with my mouth an inch from hers.

Can’t do it.

I can’t fucking do it.

Not like this, when it will mean nothing to her. When she might not even fucking remember it tomorrow.

Her breath is on my lips, and I know she can feel mine. But she’s waiting for me to make the first move. Or perhaps not expecting me to.

Sex without the intimacy. Because that’s how she rolls.

My fingers thrust into her so hard she gasps. I keep them buried deep as I grind my palm against her clit, until her legs clamp closed, and her back arches, and she lets out a pained whimper as she comes.

For a complete stranger.

I try to pull my fingers out, but she grabs my wrist, keeping me inside.

I’m expecting her to say she’s not done .

But her eyes flash open, fix on mine, and go even wider.

“Kai,” she whispers, mouth trembling around my name.

Not surprised. Not angry. Just...relieved. Like she’d wanted it to be me all along.

“Slut.” I wipe my hand on her trash bag, trying to get her off me.

“You know how long I’ve been looking for you?” Ezra says.

I frown at him over my shoulder. “The fuck you need me for?”

His eyes flicker past me, to Haven. When he chuckles, my whole body tenses. “Fuck, never mind. You found her already.”

“Found…?” I turn to look at Haven.

She throws me a quick, desperate look.

…save me, Kai!…

I saved her from one creep only to hand her to another.

Because this is what we do. Save each other. Destroy each other. Repeat.

When I take a step back, she tries to grab onto me, but I knock her arm away.

Ezra smiles as he slides a hand onto her shoulder, gently pulling her away from the tree. “This guy bothering you, Haven? I can have him kicked out of the party, if you want.”

He starts walking back to the dance floor, throwing me a sharklike grin over his shoulder.

And she fucking goes with him.

I know she’s fucked on molly, but she just…

She just?—

I drag both hands through my hair, barely suppressing a yell of frustration.

Fuck it.

She deserves whatever’s coming her way.

Except…it’s fucking Ezra.

Who knows what the fuck he’s up to?

I punch the closest tree, and it throws its leaves down at me.

Shaking out my fist, I hurry after them, staying just close enough so I don’t lose sight of them in the woods .

Following them into the dark.

Following her.

Ezra’s always taken what’s mine.

Toys. Clothes. Credit.

Now he’s taking Haven…and maybe I want him to.

Maybe I want to see what he does to her.

Maybe I want to see if she survives him better than I did.