I rubbed him for twenty minutes. He could have at least said thank you, or good job.
Then that spurt of idiocy fades away, and I’m simply relieved that he let me off so easily.
I return to Anna and the others.
“You don’t have to do what he says!” Anna says indignantly. “I know he’s scary, but he’s not going to do anything to you with us around.”
I know Anna’s intentions are good, but in this particular instance, she’s very wrong.
I do have to do what Dean says.
And the consequences are dire if I refuse.
3
Dean
Settling into Kingmakers is old hat at this point. We’re in the same dorm as before, though I’ve moved up to the third floor of the Octagon Tower along with the rest of the Junior male Heirs.
I feel at home as I pass through the vast stone gates into the sprawling medieval campus. My first year at school was bitter, due to my disastrous infatuation with Anna Wilk. Since then, I’ve become master of my emotions and master of my domain at this school. The Dutch Penose, the Armenians, and half the Moscow Bratva answer to me. I’m already proving my leadership skills, my ability to make soldiers follow my orders.
Not to mention, I’m the undisputed champion when it comes to fighting. No one can beat me in the boxing ring. No one ever has.
My father’s house is chaotic and filthy. Kingmakers suits me better. It’s full of power and history. A true meritocracy, where an Enforcer like Adrik Petrov or a would-be Heir like me can rise to dominance, purely by proving our skill and intelligence.
Most of the third-year students keep the same roommates they’ve had all along. I stick with Bram because we’re used to each other at this point. Irritating as he can be, he’s still better than Valon or any of the others. Bram at least knows better than to make a mess, and I prefer his surly silences to Valon’s inane chatter.
As we each unpack our single suitcase, my mind is drawn back irresistibly to the specter of Cat Romero obeying my orders on the deck of the ship. Though Cat is weak and timid, and hardly worth bossing around, the sheer weight of my leverage over her fills me with a blissful sense of power. She has to do whatever I say, she has no other choice. The extent of that control is intoxicating.
Forcing her to obey me in front of Anna, Leo, and Ares was particularly enjoyable. They have no idea why she answers to me. Their bewilderment adds spice to the proceedings.
Instead of looking forward to the commencement of my classes, I’m planning what I’ll make her do next. I’m remembering her flushed pink cheeks and how she squirmed under my gaze. I’m thinking about how I can humiliate her further. The farther I push her, the more I prove my power over her. It might be fun to see how far I can stretch her before she finally snaps.
I wish we were in the same year, so we had classes together. Unfortunately she’s only a Sophomore.
That’s fine—I can stalk her easily enough between classes and in the dining hall.
“What was the deal with the little chickadee on the ship?” Bram inquires, running a hand through his shaggy dark hair.
“What about her?” I say, hiding my smile.
“Why are you fucking with her?”
“Why not?”
Bram looks at me, narrowing his wolfish eyes. He knows I’m up to something, but he couldn’t guess the truth in a hundred years. He has no vision.
He could have watched Cat climb back in that infirmary window and never guessed a thing. Only I’m smart enough to put the pieces together. Nobody else on this campus would ever guess that shy, awkward little Cat is a full-blown murderer.
I’ll admit, I don’t know how she had the balls to tangle with Rocco Prince.
It intrigues me. There must be more to that timid little kitten than I guessed. I want to peel back her layers one by one and see what’s inside.
“She’s not your usual type,” Bram says, smirking. He wants to rub it in my face that I chased after tall, glamorous, gorgeous Anna Wilk in our Freshman year. The gothic ballerina and fellow Heir, lethal and brilliant—opposite in every way to Cat Romero.
But for once, the mention of Anna doesn’t sting me.
I’m not thinking about Anna, I’m fixated on my new plaything.