It was official. The New Hope effect had come upon my best friend, and I was caught in the middle of it all.
“You give up?” he laughed, that infuriatingly charming laugh that always got under my skin.
“Game on, bestie.”
“First question, Sav?”
“Ask away, Roman.”
“Who is Professor Kingston?”
The words hung in the air, heavy with implications and the promise of secrets yet to be uncovered.
Roman
In an instant, she became a statue, frozen in a moment that felt both fragile and ominous. She was like ice-crystalline and beautiful, yet on the verge of shattering.
“Sav?” I whispered into her ear, my voice low and deliberate, each syllable hanging in the air like a warning. “Time’s ticking.”
Her long lashes fluttered, breaking the spell of whatever memory had ensnared her. “Where did you hear that name? Who told you that?” The urgency in her voice was palpable, laced with a mix of fear and curiosity.
I leaned back, allowing a slow shrug to roll through my shoulders, feigning nonchalance. “The walls have ears… and lips. Sometimes they talk.” The words danced between us, light yet heavy with implication.
Her glare sharpened, becoming a blade that cut through my playful demeanor. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Roman. If you know that name, then someone in this house must have told you.”
A lazy smile crept across my face, the kind that hinted at secrets I wasn’t ready to share. “Don’t forget the rules, Sav. I drop clues, you play detective.”
“I’m not exactly getting this game anymore, Roman.” Her frustration was evident, but there was a spark of determination in her eyes that I found intriguing.
“I’ll explain again,” I said, locking my gaze with hers, my voice steady and clear. “I’ll drop a clue in the form of a question. If you get it wrong or try to evade it, I’ll kiss you wherever I want. If you answer correctly, you can ask me any question you desire. Understand that part?”
She nodded, her defiance still simmering beneath the surface.
“Now, if I evade the question, you’ll collect payment in the form of a touch. No body part is off the table. If I answer truthfully, I’ll drop another clue in the form of a question. You’re basically hunting for clues in this game, Sav. Do you understand?”
“Still a little confused, but I’ll catch up,” she replied, her brow furrowed in concentration.
“Smart girl. Now, answer the question.”
Her shoulders rose and fell, a silent struggle to maintain her composure. “He was my professor in college,” she said, the tension in her voice betraying her.
Bad liar. The words were too clipped, too rehearsed.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my tone light, but the weight of the question hung heavily between us. I wanted the truth, not the polished version she was offering. Not what I had uncovered when I delved into her past with Professor Kingston.
She didn’t flinch, her resolve unwavering. “That’s what he was. It’s literally in his title. Just my professor in college.”
I knew better. But I let her think she was getting away with it. The game was far more enjoyable that way.
“Okay. Your turn,” I said, playing along, eager to see where she would take this.
She pounced with a fierce determination. “What did Dean say to you that made you dodge telling everybody what really happened last night?”
I had anticipated this question. She was never one to play by my rules.
“He has something on someone I love.” The admission slipped from my lips quieter than I intended, the weight of it settling heavily between us.
Her eyes widened, the sharp edges of her suspicion softening ever so slightly.
“Surprised?” I teased, though the air had thickened, tension crackling like electricity.
“What does he have on them? Maybe I can help you get it from him?” Her eagerness to assist was evident, but I couldn’t let her in too easily.
“Tsk, that’s two questions. You’re breaking the rules now, love.” I flashed a wicked grin, relishing the moment. “My turn.”
She swallowed hard, the sound echoing in the charged silence.
“Who is Dean Archer to you?” I asked, my gaze fixed on her with the intensity of a hawk watching its prey.
Think deep, Sav. Tell the real truth. Find one clue.
Her jaw tightened, the muscles working beneath her skin. “He’s… my brother-in-law.”
Victory surged through me, a wave of triumph that I couldn’t suppress. I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Her voice wavered, uncertainty creeping in. “Why?”
“That one’s true,” I murmured, savoring the moment. “But not the answer I wanted. Not today.” My lips curled into a teasing smile as I moved closer, deliberately. “So I’ll collect payment.”
“Hold on… what do you mean?”
I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I flipped her onto her stomach with a fluid motion, her gasp muffled against the sheets. I pressed my chest into her back, anchoring her in place to prevent any escape.
“So I could do this.” I tugged her panties down just enough to reveal the soft curve of one cheek, pressing my mouth against it, slow and deliberate. Then I did the same to the other side.
Oh fuck. Her skin was smooth and warm, igniting a fire within me.
“Keep your head in the game, Sav.” I spoke against her skin, my voice low and teasing, blurring the line between threat and promise. “Piece the clues together.”
Her breath hitched, the sound teetering on the edge of a moan. “Roman…” It was a mixture of warning and desire, a delicious tension that hung in the air.
I rolled her onto her back again, leaving her panties in place, fully aware they wouldn’t remain there for long. “Your turn.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.