physically manifesting itself in each consecutive note.
Finally, I reach a crescendo moments before the song reaches a natural ending, the music ceasing as abruptly as it began. Just like my time here with the Devils. I’ve come in as an avenging angel, and then I’ll disappear soundlessly into the night.
Slow clapping has me dropping the instrument and blinking wildly at the intruder.
Cassian fucking Jereome.
“You’ve gotten better, baby,” he purrs as he grabs a second chair and sits on it backwards. He drapes his arms lazily over the back of the chair as he flashes me a singularly beautiful smile, one that reveals the dimples on both of his cheeks.
“Don’t call me that,” I huff as I lower the violin into my case, trying to pretend that I don’t feel his eyes grazing every inch of exposed skin.
“Why? I remember hearing you play once in middle school, and you guys all sounded like a pack of dying hyenas.” He chuckles gruffly, but my mind is struck on what he just confessed to. When did he ever hear me play? We didn’t perform for the school, sans a family-only event in the spring. Had he planned something nefarious that day? Had he been there in the audience? Why didn’t he do anything?
“Why are you here, Cassian?” I ask snidely as I clasp the locks on the case closed.
“I could be asking you the same thing.” I hear the sound of his footsteps, and suddenly, he’s hovering over me, those dark brown eyes of his drilling a hole into my scalp. One of his fingers touches my cheek, trailing from the corner of my eye, across my lips, and then to my chin. I can’t help but notice that his hands are rougher than I would’ve guessed them to be. It’s apparent that he uses these hands daily, the callouses clearly from a guitar. “What do you want, baby? Because I can give you everything your twisted heart desires.” He leans down until his dark face is all I can see.
“What the… Are you trying to fucking seduce me?” I squeak, practically falling off the chair in my attempt to escape.
Abruptly, his eyes harden, and the lust that darkened them only a moment earlier dissipates. His plush lips curl downwards as he scowls at me.
“What you said before…in AP Lit…”
“About you fucking your married teacher?” I ask nonchalantly, enjoying the way he blanches. “What about it?”
He places his hands on either side of the chairback, leaning forward until he’s caging me in. The hard planes of his chest brush against my pebbled nipples as I meet his glare with a defiant one of my own. I refuse to let him scare me. Fucking refuse.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he seethes. “That’s a pretty serious accusation, baby.”
“Huh?” I feign confusion, tapping a finger to my chin in mock contemplation. “So the video I have is of a different redheaded teacher sucking your cock? Hmmm. Interesting.”
His eyes flare brightly, golden sparks interspersed in the rich mahogany brown.
“How the fuck…?”
“I’m a creepy freak, remember?” I say with a teasing grin. Maintaining eye contact, I press the tips of my fingers to the side of his cheek and slowly, almost seductively, trail them down to his neck. His eyes close as if he’s in physical pain, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but he doesn’t pull away from my tantalizing touch.
“You don’t understand what you’re talking about,” he breathes at last, and out of my peripheral vision, I can see goosebumps dotting his muscular arms.
“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about,” I murmur as his eyelids flutter open, his eyes spearing me to the chair.
“Did you like it, baby?” His voice is husky, almost a growl, as I continue to rub my fingers up and down his face.
“Like what?”
“My cock,” he breathes out, his tongue snaking out to lick his lower lip. “Do you want a taste of my cock, baby? I can give it to you, if you want. All I need—”
A breath of laughter escapes me before I can contain it, and I drop my fingers from his face. Another string of giggles follows as I clench my stomach, and Cassian pushes away with a huff.
“Are you…ser-seriously…trying to…se-seduce me again?” I brush away a tear as laughter continues to reverberate through my body. “Your cock in exchange for the video? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
He straightens to his full, impressive height, nearly a full foot taller than me, and scowls, looking