Page 1 of The Villain's Beast

Part One

The Foundation

Chapter 1

Fletcher

For as long as I could remember, I hated GideonNorth.Growing up, it had been a rule in my household—one of many, but a rule just the same.

Don’t speak unless spoken to.

Never question authority.

The Sinclairs above all else.

And fuck the North family.

I hadn’t even met him before, but high school brought us to the same boarding school and instead of my father sending me off with hugs and good wishes, he’d sent me off with a black eye and a staunch reminder.

Stay away from Gideon North.

So when the time came for us to actually cross paths, I swallowed down any feelings that might have belonged to me, making sure I kept myself in line.

Fuck Gideon North and his shining brown hair. Fuck the way it fell to just below his ears, not like it had grown out too long in preparation for boarding school, but like he was allowed to wear it that way all the time.

Fuck Gideon North and his dark green eyes that looked like forest moss, and fuck his lanky swimmer’s build, his long anddelicate fingers that played piano better than I ever could. Fuck Gideon North and the way his cheeks flushed pink when he smiled at strangers.

But most of all, fuck Gideon North and his godforsaken last name.

Fuck Gideon North for sitting down beside me in the library the sixth week of school, smelling like flowers and grass, huffing out an annoyed breath when I ignored him.

“You’re Fletcher Sinclair, right?”

He licked his lips, and I wanted to fuck his stupid mouth too. But not in the way I was supposed to. In the way Iwantedto.

“You know who I am,” I told him, trying not to look at his face. Even in profile he was too pretty, too much.

“My father said I’m not supposed to talk to you.” He bobbled his head a little bit from side to side. “Don’t talk to that Sinclair boy. The Sinclairs are bad news.”

It didn’t sound a thing like what my father had said to me.

“Then why are you?”

“I don’t listen well.”

He smiled, and I wanted to die.

Fuck Gideon North for making me wantanythingbeyond what my father said I could have.

“No one will know,” he said.

“You’re an idiot.” I looked at him finally, a fine-tuned poker face the only thing not giving away my interest in him. “Everyone will know.”

“It’s just us.”

“Your father paid for the upgrades to this library,” I reminded him. “My father built the new residence hall. They’re everywhere.”

“Do you think they installed cameras in the walls?”