Page 93 of River of Deceit

I see River across the quad, and I wave to him.

I’ll tell him about this later.

Right now, I’m ready for Asch to show me what he’s made of.

19

ASCH

I don’t know how I let her get under my skin.

I should’ve known better than to let myself be lured in by her taunts, but they have me seeing red. It would be one thing if she was taunting me, but adding Blaze into the mix?

No.

I’m not willing to let her fuck with him.

If she wants someone to play with, she can turn her attention to me. I’ll make her understand what a terrible fucking idea it is to play with men who would as soon fuck her as destroy her.

Zayden tries to call out to me, but I storm past him, gripping Pandora’s slim wrist tightly and practically dragging her up the stairs of the frat house.

“Whoa, hold up!” she says, but she’s laughing too.

She won’t be laughing when I’m done with her.

I ignore the door to my own bedroom. I’m already on a hair trigger, and having her see my private space and mock me would send me over the edge. Better to take her back to Blaze’s, where we have privacy and a clean backdrop for what I plan to do with her.

The fact that it’s Blaze’s space I’ll be fucking her in also makes a difference in this.

I’m still pissed at him for trying to shut me out.

He’s already had her; it’s my turn to take her, to punish her, tohurther.

I toss her onto Blaze’s bed, and any other woman would have cried out or tried to scramble away, but Pandoragigglesand stretches out.

“Nice,” she says, smiling at me. “Are you going to leave the soiled sheets for Blaze to clean up?”

“Just howsoiledthey’re going to be depends on you,” I tell her, fighting back a strange mix of desire and disgust. “Give me your knife, Pandora.”

I’m not Blaze, who keeps underestimating her. Especially now that I know who she is —whatshe is — I’m not going to treat her like easy prey.

Pandora reaches into her jacket pocket. I wait, but instead of pulling out the knife, she closes her eyes and lets out a little sigh. I almost take a step back, expecting her to attack, but I force myself to remain where I am.

No matter how strong she is, she’s still a woman. I can overpower her.

“Now, Pandora,” I snap. “Don’t make me frisk you for it.”

Her eyes fly open, and for a split second I see something darker, somethingwild, in her eyes. It isn’t the same easy amusement she’s been showing me, and I’m torn between arousal and unease.

“Fine, fine. Jeez, if River isn’t afraid of the knife, I don’t know why you are.” Pandora takes her hand out and reaches into the other pocket, pulling out the knife. She holds it up for me to see.

It’s a folded up karambit, and even from here I know it’s sharp and deadly.

I still remember how it felt slicing into my arm.

This isn’t some sorority girl’s play at self-defense. This is a real,lethal weapon carried by the daughter of the Pavone patriarch, and after that night, I’m willing to wager she knows how to use it.

I snatch it away from her. “I should show you how this feels cutting intoyourskin,” I tell her darkly, holding the knife more tightly in my hand.