Page 6 of Ruthless Possession

William

I should have known Noah wouldn’t let me go that easily after making that comment about his brother, besides it's not my fault Ethan is hot too.

Because now? Now he wasn’t ignoring me. He was watching me.

Everywhere I went, I felt it. His presence wrapped around me like a noose, tightening every time I thought I could breathe. He never touched me, never spoke to me, he didn’t need to. Because the moment I convinced myself that maybe, just maybe , I was free?

Noah reminded me who I belonged to.

It started small. Subtle.

I’d be sitting in class, pretending to focus, when I’d feel it. His stare.

I turned once—just once—to find him lounging in the back row, his eyes locked onto me, lazy amusement curling at the corner of his lips. He said nothing. Did nothing.

But I could feel it. The weight of his gaze, dragging down my skin, settling low in my stomach. The moment I shifted in my seat, thighs pressing together in frustration, he smirked. Fucking bastard.

Then came the whispers.

Not loud enough for anyone else to hear. Just for me.

Passing me in the hallway “Still thinking about my hands on you, pretty boy?”

Brushing too close in the cafeteria “Bet you wake up hard, don’t you? Wishing I’d fucking wreck you.”

My face would burn. My body would betray me. And Noah? He drank it in. Like he was starving for my humiliation.

Then he stopped playing fair. A party. Another Friday night. Another mistake.

I hadn’t planned to come, but Tim dragged me, insisting I needed to “have fun” again. Like fun was even possible when Noah Draven had my body wired to self-destruct.

I was halfway through a drink when I saw it. Noah. Sitting on the couch, sprawled out like a king on a fucking throne. A girl curled into his side, her fingers tracing his chest. He didn’t even look at her. He was looking at me.

And then—

His hand slid down her thigh. Something inside me snapped. I shouldn’t have cared. I shouldn’t have felt that sharp, ugly heat curl in my gut. But I did. I turned away, shoving my drink back, pretending it didn’t mean anything. I was so fucking stupid.

Because the next thing I knew, I was pressed against the wall in an empty hallway, weird considering we are at a party, Noah’s hand wrapped around my throat.

“Jealous?” His voice was velvet, thick with amusement.

I gritted my teeth. “Fuck you.”

Noah smirked, tilting his head. “You’re cute when you lie.”

His fingers flexed against my neck—just a reminder of his strength, his control. He wasn’t squeezing. Yet. I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering against his palm.

Noah leaned in, his breath ghosting over my lips. “You want me to stop?”

Yes. No. Yes. No. I want your lips on me, marking me.

I said nothing. He smiled. Fucking smiled.

“That’s what I thought.”

And then—

He let go. Stepped back.

Just like that. I sucked in a breath, my chest heaving. “Fucking asshole.”

Noah just chuckled. “And you love it.”

He walked away, leaving me wrecked in the hallway, my body burning for something I shouldn’t want.

By Monday, I was done.

I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t survive this. Noah was inside my head, twisting me up, making me crave something I should fucking hate. So, I decided, maybe not the best decision I could come up with, but I was desperate. Avoid him. Completely.

No stolen glances. No reacting to his whispers. No falling for his fucking games. It lasted three days. Then Noah snapped. I was heading to class when I felt it—his grip on my wrist, yanking me into an empty locker room. He slammed me against the lockers, eyes burning.

“You think you can ignore me?” he breathed, his voice dangerous.

I swallowed hard. “I don’t belong to you.”

Noah’s jaw ticked. “Say that again.”

I lifted my chin. “I. Don’t. Belong. To you.” Why the fuck do I keep on putting myself in this situations and opening my big mouth.

His eyes darkened. And then he smiled. Fuck.

“That’s cute,” he murmured, stepping closer. Too close. “You think you have a choice?”

I was shaking. With anger. With need. With everything he was pulling out of me. Noah’s fingers ghosted over my lips.

“You can fight it all you want, pretty boy.” His voice was pure sin, pure promise. “But in the end? We both know exactly where you’ll end up.”

I sucked in a breath. “Where?”

Noah’s eyes locked onto mine, hungry. Wild.

He pressed his lips to my ear.

“On your knees, begging for more.”