Page 21 of Crown of Thorns (The Initiation #3)

NOAH

H e’s already there.

Spread out like sin across my desk, back arched, elbows planted, legs parted in invitation.

Louis Deveraux.

A living threat to my sanity, my job, and the thin shred of control I still pretend to have.

“Punctuality, Professor?” he rasps, voice all smoke and challenge. “Not your best trait.”

Ignoring him, I place my briefcase between my legs and take off my jacket, dragging out every movement like it matters.

I bought myself this walk, this breath, this sliver of time to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to talk to him after what happened.

To be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea of what to do next.

"What the hell was that in class?" I snap, sharper than intended. "You don’t get to lunge at your brother in front of everyone and walk away like nothing happened."

He shrugs, maddeningly slow. "Would you have preferred I waited until after class?"

"Don’t joke, Louis. I want the truth."

He leans back, eyes flicking over my chest like he’s already dismissed the subject. "You’re cute when you’re angry."

"You’re deflecting."

"And you’re staring at my mouth again."

I grind my teeth. He knows exactly how to spin this. But not this time.

"Why your brother? Why now?"

He doesn’t answer right away. Just stares at my collarbone like it’s something worth devouring. Lets the silence stretch until it buzzes.

Then he tilts his head, just slightly. That signature smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth like he knows exactly what he's doing.

“Love the way your shirt strains against your thick arms, baby. Why don’t you open the first two buttons? It’s warm here.”

“It’s not and I won’t,” I snap.

“Hmm, perhaps not yet.” The way he watches me hungrily has me feeling both exposed and desired. It’s messing with my heart. “Lock the door.”

I arch a brow. "You don’t give orders in here."

His smirk widens. "That so?"

I hold his gaze. Then I turn, flick the lock into place. "This conversation stays between us. Not for your entertainment."

“That’s against regulations.”

“You know what else is? Sleeping with your student. Or visiting a secret gathering of the Alpha Fraternarii.”

I grind my teeth, then slowly head back to my door and turn the lock. The sound reverberates heavily in the room. Turning back to face him, I sigh. “Your threats are getting old. This is my office, and I called you in here because of your behaviour.”

“Behaviour. Right. You seem to have a few issues with that yourself as well, don’t you?”

“Excuse me?” I snap before I can think.

“Oh, absolutely, Professor. Perhaps I wasn’t clear. I text, you text. We wouldn’t want any sensitive information to leak out, would we?”

I press my lips into a fine line and give a jerk of my chin.

“Good. Then, our little secret. It was supposed to be fun. Still, you wanted out. So I got you a new deal?—”

“Because I don’t feel comfortable watching my students have sexual intercourse!”

“Sexual intercourse?” He scoffs, then leans in. “God, you’re such an old man. Fuck, Noah, you can say it. Fuck. That’s what we do. We fuck each other.”

“They are my students, Louis. I don’t care what you want to call it; I don’t want to see it.”

“You want to ignore what happened.”

“I didn’t say that.”

He shrugs. “But you meant it.”

Perhaps he’s right. That night has haunted me ever since. “I thought it was a prank,” I admit. “That you’d set me up just to screw with me.”

“Just to screw with you, hmm?” He gives me a coy smile.

“The invitation you gave me, is it the same one you spoke of in the church?”

“Yes. The one from our fathers. It’s tradition.”

“It’s those traditions that create an elite that poisons our society.”

Louis snorts. “Each society needs an elite. In ours, we are it.”

“You have no idea how privileged you sound when you say things like that.”

“Oh yeah?” He flies off the desk, and we’re right back to where we always begin.

By going for each other’s throats. I have Louis by his elegant, curved neck before he can let out another exhale.

My cock roars to life when his dark eyes widen, golden flecks sparkling behind the anger.

Louis loves this. This push and pull, with me having him on his knees.

I haven’t quite figured out why, but I will.

I mean, if he ruins my career, he will be right there with me, burning into the ashes.

“By improving society, we all benefit.”

His glare is cold as ice. “They. Don’t. Care.”

“Is this all a game to you?” My voice rises before I can stop it. I hate how he reduces everything to taunts and teeth. “To you and your rich friends? A careless placement of your pawn onto the playfield, not giving the slightest care about what you’ll get when you reach the start?”

He just smirks, knowing how easy it is for him to turn me into a frenzy. My hand wants to smack his perfect skin, wants to bruise his flesh just like he is hurting me. Because he is. Everything about Louis could cost me my everything.

“You want to spank me, Professor? Want me to know my place?” He wiggles his ass, the everlasting tease, and I blink through the fog. I need to get a fucking grip on myself. This…this is not me.

I pull back, pull myself out of my current state.

Louis gives me a delectable pout and rubs his knee over my crotch, making my dick twitch. “What did you see when you were there?”

“I told you. Disgust.”

“You’re so angry, Noah. And it's blinding you. What did you really see?”

“Masks. Cloaks. Sex.”

“And that’s disgusting?”

“I…yes.”

“Why?”

“That’s none of your business.” Louis cocks his head. I’m heaving, my mind putting back the recollections of that night like jumbo blocks. They keep on tumbling back into their chaos. Perhaps he’s right, and I can’t see past the appearances. Past my own fears.

“Think of something else, if you must, but I won’t participate in any other gatherings. But know that I won’t be bribed. I’m a professor who honours his work and integrity.”

Rounding the table, I sink into my chair, reclaiming the illusion of authority. Maybe I called Louis in, but settling behind my desk is my way of drawing the line, trying to remind both of us who’s supposed to be in control here.

Louis brushes a hand through his raven strands, then heads for the door, throwing a fist at my punching bag. “Do you also want one of those in your dorm?”

“What? No!”

“We’ll be exclusive, don’t worry. I know I have quite the reputation, but I haven’t been with anyone since that dinner.”

“No,” I say. My mouth clamps shut, the rest of my phrase forgotten. That’s…surprising. He hasn’t?

“Right?” He laughs, as if hearing my thoughts. “The one you saw that night is my favourite guy, but I cancelled all further appointments. What about you?”

“Me?” I lick my dry lips.

“Are you seeing anyone? Don’t look at me like I’ve grown three heads. I know that you’re a popular teacher whose visiting hours create quite the queue of students?—”

“Those have educational purposes,” I snarl, rage building at the audacity of his words.

“Sure, they always do, Professor.” He slowly stalks my way.

Fury propels me out of my chair before I even Régister the movement.

I meet him halfway, my pulse thundering in my ears.

“Why do you always do this?” My fist clenches his throat as I inwardly scramble for something to hold on to.

There’s nothing. It all shatters around me, leaving me vulnerable and so alone in this mess of emotions.

“You always bring out all the worst in me. Why do you always get right in my face and force me into being someone I don’t want to be? ”

He swallows around my hand, and I groan. “Because you show me something real, Noah. Something raw. And then you shut it down, like you're afraid of what you feel. But I’m not.”

I look away, choking on my own self-loathing.

“Let go. Just once. Stop performing your virtue and let yourself be the man I know is buried underneath.”

I clear my throat, but it’s still so fucking dry. Louis is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a devil in disguise. Tall and strong, his clothes do nothing to hide the bulging muscles he has developed with as much work-out as he does.

Shifting us around, he walks backwards until he can plop down in my chair, forcing me to release his throat as he does so. He looks up, crossing his arms behind his head as he gives me a satisfied smirk.

“I think this is why you wanted to see me. To negotiate new terms.” His hand brushes over my inner thigh, making my legs tremble. He’s sitting right in front of me, waiting, facing my raging hard-on. My muscles are all tensed up. Fury licks at my insides.

“You know I didn’t. You might be so sure of yourself, but I’d like to remind you, once again, that I’m your professor. And your behaviour today in class was unacceptable.”

I clear my throat, trying to cool the burn in my chest. “But perhaps that’s not really what this is about, is it?”

“Please do share, Professor.” His grin is crooked, but his nostrils flare with unspoken tension. There’s a glint of apprehension in his eyes that wasn’t there before. It’s as if he knows what I’m about to reveal. Like he’s bracing for the real punishment.

“You seek the approval of your family.” With his hand still on my thigh, I let my fingers trace the smooth lines of his face. It’s wrong, but I just need to touch him. He’s so beautiful it hurts.

“Was it jealousy that had you freak out against your brother?” Louis blinks at me, eyes darkened with raw emotion.

It’s all the confirmation I need. “Because your brother is the brains of your family. Your clever, superior brother.” I lick my lips, mind in sixth gear.

“I had two dark-haired, golden-eyed, arrogant little devils in my class. But you thought I wouldn’t tell you apart. That I’d look at Arthur?—”

“Shut your mouth,” he snaps.

“That’s it, right?” I huff out a laugh, surprised that I got it right purely on instinct. "Did you really think that I wouldn't know the difference between the two of you?”