~Nicole~

"So... history," I said, trying to sound professional and not like my panties were currently glued to me from pure tension.

Landon didn't say a word.

Just watched me from across the table, lounging like this was his fucking throne and I was some amusement for the day.

I flipped open the textbook.

"Chapter twelve," I muttered. "European revolution."

He smirked.

"Was that the one where everybody lost their heads?"

I looked up.

His eyes were already on my mouth.

I cleared my throat. "Literally and politically, yes. Robespierre..."

He cut in.

"Sounds hot."

I blinked. "What?"

He leaned forward, elbows on the desk."Power-hungry. Bloody. Sharp."

His gaze dipped again."Bet he'd have fun with you."

"Excuse me?!"

Landon grinned, tongue lazily pressing into the corner of his cheek. "You're into control. Pretend all you want...you like it when someone pushes."

"I do not..."

"You do," he said. "You're sitting across from the guy who said he'd pin you to a desk and lick soda off your skin. And what did you do?"

I swallowed hard.

"You showed up."

My thighs clenched. "I'm only here because I was forced to.."

"Yeah?" He leaned in. Slow. So damn slow.

"What's your excuse for wearing that tight little top again? Or is that just your rebellion kink showing?"

I glared at him.

He chuckled low. "Keep talking, Miss History," he said. "Let's see if you can teach with my foot brushing up your leg."

"What?"

Then I felt it.

His boot.

Sliding against my ankle. Up.

My voice caught.

"I'll give you a quiz," he said smoothly.

"Let's start with one question."

He lifted his hand and lazily tapped the edge of the desk.

"One: how many fingers were you imagining when I said I'd taste you?"

My jaw dropped.

He smiled wider. Darker.

"I'm a visual learner, Nicole. So don't be shy."

I stood up fast, But my legs shook just enough for him to notice.

His eyes tracked the tremble, lips curving like he'd won something.

"You hate me," he murmured, "But you're soaked."

I didn't deny it.

Couldn't.

Because every inch of me was throbbing with proof.

I could still feel the ghost of his boot on my leg, still see the way his fingers had tapped the desk like he already knew what my body would beg for.

God.

Why did it have to be him?

Why couldn't I have walked into that stupid fresher's party last night and spilled wine on someone boring?

Someone forgettable?

Not Landon-freaking-sin-in-a-hoodie.

Because now I know.. He wasn't just being gross.

He was reminding me that this started the second I drenched him in red wine and he looked at me like a meal he intended to devour.

And today?

He was serving revenge cold and filthy.

I gritted my teeth, grabbing the edge of the desk to keep myself from shaking again.

"You're impossible," I muttered.

"And you're wet," he shot back, voice low and lethal.

I glared at him. "You think you're charming?"

"I think I could get you on your knees with one sentence," he said, leaning in, smirk dripping.

I snapped the book shut.

"If you want to pass this class, you better shut up and listen."

He tilted his head, eyes dragging over me slowly, deliberately.

"See, I think you're getting this backwards, sweetheart," he said. "You're the one who needs me."

I opened my mouth.

He stood.

One hand on the edge of the desk, the other sliding into his pocket.

"You think they'll keep you here if I say you suck at tutoring?" he asked. "You think that scholarship holds up if you can't handle one cocky asshole with a pencil and a smirk?"

He stepped closer.

I didn't move.

His voice dropped lower.

"You can't afford to hate me, Nicole."

I swallowed.

He wasn't wrong.

I needed this. I needed to stay in this school.

And he knew it.

But that didn't stop my glare. Or the tremble in my legs. Or the fact that my whole body was betraying me just standing this close to him.

I shoved the textbook at his chest.

"Chapter twelve," I said through clenched teeth. "Start reading."

He caught it. Barely glanced at it.

"Make me."

I stepped closer.

Big mistake.

Because the second I did, he leaned down, just enough to let his breath kiss my cheek.

"You gonna punish me, Miss Winter?"

My whole body clenched.

He grinned.

"Thought so."

His lips brushed my ear.

"You gonna flinch every time I touch you?" he murmured.

"Or are you gonna finally admit you like it?"

I clenched my fists.

"Touch me again," I said, voice barely above a whisper, "and I'll break your fingers."

He froze.

Then smiled.. "Break them," he whispered, "but you'll still dream about them."

And then he backed off.

Just enough to breathe again.

He grabbed the book from the desk.

Cracked it open.

"Chapter twelve," he said, voice casual now.

Like he hadn't just dragged me to the edge and left me dangling.

"Better teach quick, sweetheart," he added, licking his bottom lip.

"Before I decide class is over and recess is me between your legs."

My knees nearly buckled.

Recess between my legs?

Who the hell even says things like that and means it?

Landon, apparently.

I sat down..

He flipped a page.

Didn't say anything.

Just sat there, elbow on the table, chin resting on his knuckles, watching me like I was his next guilty pleasure.

Which, apparently, I already was.

I swallowed, flipped open my notebook.

"Robespierre," I said, proud my voice only wobbled once. "He was part of the Jacobins. Took control during the Reign of Terror. Executed thousands."

Landon raised an eyebrow.

I pressed on. "He was later executed himself. Guillotined."

He smirked. "So you're telling me, even the guy who played God lost his head over something?"

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't..."

"I get it," he cut in. "You're into dangerous men with power issues."

I snapped my gaze up to him.

"Are you seriously comparing yourself to a French revolutionary?"

He leaned forward again, voice dropping.

"I'm just saying... if I ever had you under me, sweetheart, I wouldn't lose anything."

My mouth parted. My entire body went rigid.

Then his boot brushed up my calf again.

Soft.

Like he hadn't just shattered my composure thirty seconds ago.

"Landon," I warned, barely a whisper.

"Yes, Miss Winter?"

His voice was innocent.

His eyes were not.

"I'm trying to teach," I said tightly.

"Teach away." He spread his arms, leaning back. "I'm listening. Very... closely."

God.

I needed air. Space.

Instead, I dropped my pen.

It rolled.

Of course, toward his side of the table.

He reached down, slow and smug.

Picked it up with two fingers.

Held it out to me.

But when I went to take it, he didn't let go.

He just stared at me...our fingers pressed together...until I forgot what air was.

Then, finally, he released it.

"You're shaking," he said softly.

"I'm not," I hissed.

He tilted his head. "Guess I haven't tried hard enough."

"I'm not scared of you," I said.

"No," he agreed. "But you're hungry. And I'm the first thing on the menu you can't admit you want."

I shot up from the chair so fast it nearly fell backward.

"I'm done tutoring."

He smirked like he expected that.

But didn't care.

"Same time tomorrow, Miss Winter," he called as I stormed toward the door.

"Next chapter's all about uprisings. Should be fun."

I didn't respond.

"Don't be late tomorrow, Miss Winter," he called after me. "I've got something to show you. Something... thick."

~Nicole~

I woke up in a house I didn't want to be in, in my bed, with a whole attitude I didn't bother hiding.

This was supposed to be a fresh start. New school. Dorm room. Peace.

Instead?

Back in the spider web.

Thanks to her.

I sat up, hair wild, mouth dry, and cursed under my breath.

"God, I should've fought harder."

But you don't argue with H.P.

Not if you like your spine intact.

She was already downstairs, dressed like she was headed to a boardroom or a funeral...hard to tell with her.

"Five minutes," she said without looking up.

"I had a dorm room, you know," I muttered, grabbing a piece of toast.

"You wanted to be here.. So deal with it," she corrected, sipping coffee like her words weren't a punch in the throat.

"No. I wanted to be in the Royal Academy. Not back in the same house I stayed while attending Weakers Academy."

"You're lucky you were accepted."

I scoffed. "You mean I had a chance to not sneak out of a car like some spy on the run."

Her gaze lifted, cool. Unbothered.

"You know the rules."

"Yeah. Rule one: never let anyone see us breathe the same air."

She didn't flinch.

Of course she didn't.

H.P. never blinked unless it was on purpose.

The car ride was dead silent.

Tense in that way only we knew how to master.

I leaned against the window, watching other cars pull into the student lot like actual parents dropping off their actual kids like normal human beings.

But not us.

Nope.

H.P. pulled to a stop two blocks away from the main entrance.

"Here's fine," she said.

I blinked. "You're joking."

She put the car in park.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered. "We're not even on campus."

"You'll walk."

"I could've stayed in the dorms and walked less."

She didn't answer.

Just tapped her fingers once on the steering wheel.

I grabbed my bag, shoving the door open harder than I needed to.

"You know what?" I said, turning back to face her. "One day, I'm gonna figure out why you keep hiding me."

She looked at me...just for a second.

Something cold in her eyes..

Then she smiled.

"I look forward to it."

And with that, the car peeled off.

Leaving me in the middle of nowhere.

Again.

My boots hit the pavement fast.

Every step tighter than the last.

I was tired of being handled. Tired of being hidden. Tired of..

"Lost again, Winter?"

The voice slid over me.

My heart stuttered.

I looked up.

Liam.

Leaning against a fence post. Hoodie half-zipped. Lip ring glinting. Fingers tucked into his pockets.

He grinned.

"Didn't think I'd see you walking from this side of town," he said. "Detention already?"

I opened my mouth...snapped it shut...then glared.

"None of your business."

He pushed off the fence, falling into step beside me like we did this every day.

"I make it my business," he said smoothly. "You've got a look on your face."

"What look?"

He grinned.

"The one people get when they're two seconds from exploding."

I rolled my eyes.

He leaned closer.

"Want me to help with that?"

My thighs clenched.

Dammit.

"With what?" I asked. "The slow death of my sanity?"

Liam's eyes flicked to my clenched fists. Then lower. A slow, lazy drag down my body.

"The tension," he said. "You're vibrating like a live wire."

I scoffed. "I'm not tense."

"You are."

He stopped walking.

So did I.

"Your jaw's tight," he said, stepping closer. "You clench your fists. Your eyes? Screaming."

He leaned in just a little. Enough for his voice to drop.

"Wanna know what else gives you away?"

"Nope."

"Your thighs," he said.

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You're squeezing them."

My face flamed. "No, I'm not."

His mouth twitched. "You just did it again."

I took a step back.

Mistake.

Because he stepped forward, closing the distance between us.

His body heat hit me like a furnace. He smelled like chocolate chip cookies.

He leaned down.

"I could take the edge off," he whispered.

My throat tightened. "You're joking."

"Not really. Just an offer."

"What kind of offer?"

His smile deepened.

"Hands-on therapy."

My whole body locked.

"W-What the hell does that even mean?"

He didn't answer.

His eyes burned into mine. Then drifted down... to my lips.

And lower.

God.

My stomach twisted.

His voice dropped to a murmur. "You're like a glass ready to crack."

He reached up.

His fingers barely grazed my wrist. Just a whisper of a touch.

"You're warm," he said softly.

I pulled back.

He caught my hand.

Not forcefully. Just... there. Holding.

Thumb brushing gently over my palm.

"You think I haven't seen this before?" he murmured. "The girl who says she's fine but is burning from the inside out?"

I swallowed. Hard.

"I don't need therapy," I muttered.

His mouth tilted into a smirk. "Yeah? Then why are you shaking?"

"I'm not."

He laughed. Soft. Low. Way too hot for 8:30 a.m.

"Sure you do," he said.

He stepped even closer.

Now our chests were almost touching. His breath brushed my cheek.

And then..

"I don't kiss girls who flinch," he whispered.

My brain short-circuited.

He leaned in.

I forgot how to breathe.

His lips hovered near my ear. "But only if they beg."

Then...just like that...he pulled away.

Hands in pockets. Like he didn't just make my brain think things in seconds.

"Coming?" he called, already walking toward the gate.

My knees were jelly.

But I straightened, threw my hair back, and called out..

"You wish," I said, forcing my legs to move even though my thighs still remembered his voice.

Liam didn't answer, just smiled like he already knew he'd be living in my head rent-free.

I was just starting to recover when-

"Yo. Liam!"

A voice. Deep. Familiar.

My whole body tensed.

No. No way.

Liam turned toward the sound casually.

"Hey, man."

I turned too.

And when I saw who was walking toward us..

My breath caught.

~Nicole~

I knew that voice.

And my body knew it, too...judging by the way every nerve went on high alert.

Landon.

He strolled up like he owned the pavement, broad shoulders cutting through the morning air, the same cocky grin plastered on his annoyingly perfect face.

His uniform blazer was hanging off one shoulder like rules didn't apply to him.

Spoiler: they didn't.

"Well, well," Landon drawled as his gaze landed on me. It swept down my body, and stopped at my boots. "Look who the wind dragged back."

I folded my arms, glaring up at him. "Unfortunately, the wind didn't blow you away in the process."

His grin widened. "Fiesty this early in the morning? You must've missed me."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Like a root canal."

Liam shifted beside me, his hand brushing my arm in a subtle, grounding way. "Ease up, Landon," he said.

"Ease up?" Landon's brows arched, and he stepped closer. "Why? She looks like she can handle it."

"I can," I snapped. "What I can't handle is your ego taking up all the oxygen out here."

Landon chuckled, a deep, dangerous sound.

He leaned in slightly, close enough for me to feel the warmth radiating off him. "You know, I was gonna be nice," he said, "but you've got a smart mouth. Makes me wanna..."

"...what?" I cut in, tilting my head with a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Try and tame me? Good luck, egoistic jerk."

His smirk deepened at the word. "Oh, I'm scared, didn't see that coming."

"Hard to miss," I shot back. "The cockiness gave it away."

Landon didn't flinch, stepped in just a bit more, close enough that I had to tip my head back to hold his gaze.

"Careful, Winter," he murmured. "You play with fire, you'll get burned."

I leaned in too, my lips curling into a smile that matched his. "That's cute. But I'm not afraid of a little heat."

Liam cleared his throat, stepping forward "Landon, let the girl be," he said.

But Landon just laughed, the sound sliding over me like he knew exactly how much he was getting under my skin. Which... yeah, he was.

"Relax, Liam," Landon said, clapping him on the back. "I'm just saying hi to your... friend."

"Doesn't look like it," Liam responded.

"Oh, I think it is," Landon said, eyes flicking back to me.

"I'm just wondering...why you're hiding out here two blocks from campus instead of strutting through the gates like everyone else"

I stiffened.

Liam immediately stepped in. "Drop it, Landon."

But I wasn't about to let this jerk think he'd cornered me.

I forced a smile and stepped close...enough my chest brushed his when I tilted my chin up. "Why don't you worry less about where I walk," I said sweetly, "and more about the fact that your zipper's halfway down."

Landon blinked.

Then, for the first time, his cocky grin faltered as his hand dropped to check his zipper.

It wasn't down.

"Gotcha," I whispered, smirking as I stepped back.

Liam chuckled under his breath, and Landon's eyes snapped to me, heat blazing there now. But I didn't back down.

"You won this time," he said.

"And I'll win again," I fired back.

He smirked again. "Oh, Winter... you and I are gonna have fun."

I rolled my eyes, brushing past him.

Liam followed close behind, still chuckling softly as we walked toward the gates.

I didn't have to look back to know Landon was watching.

"Sorry about him," he said. "Landon's... well, Landon. You just gotta learn to match up to him and I think you're doing just fine"

I snorted. "Thanks.. How do you handle him?"

Liam chuckled. "Trust me, I try. But once you get to know him, you'll love him."

I scoffed.."You sound like you know him too well.."

"More like brothers"..he answered.

"Wow, such a thorn in your side"..I said.

"C'mon, I might be the one that needs handling".. he teased.

"Who knows. But don't worry, you'll do just fine"..

I rolled my eyes. "Figures. Just my luck that I'll be stuck seeing more of him now."

Liam arched a brow. "Why's that?"

I groaned, tossing my head back. "Because... lucky me..I guess."

I couldn't tell him the reason..I'd been assigned to tutor Landon freaking Hockman...and no one could know.

"Oh." Liam's lips quirked. "That's going to be... interesting."

"Nightmare," I corrected. "I'm already regretting it."

I gave him a pointed look and sighed dramatically. "I wish he could be more like you."

His gaze flicked down to me, warm and unreadable. "Me?"

"Yeah," I muttered. "You'd actually listen. You wouldn't drive me insane, and I wouldn't have to threaten you every five minutes."

His smirk deepened just a little. "And how do you know I wouldn't drive you insane?"

I opened my mouth, ready with a snarky comeback...then stopped.

Because my brain, traitorous as it was, decided to go there.

Liam. Sitting across from me at a desk, his hoodie sleeves pushed up, his forearms flexing as he leaned in.

That lazy grin tugging at his lips every time I got flustered.

God... I wanted him to grab me, slam me against the nearest wall and fuck the attitude right out of me...

One hand around my throat, the other between my thighs, dragging every moan I'd never admit out of my mouth.

"Arrrgh!"

The sound burst out of me before I could stop it.

Liam blinked. "Uh... you okay?"

"No," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Why does he have to pop in when I'm having a moment in my head?"

"'He' meaning...?" Liam asked..

"Landon!" I snapped. "It's like his stupid face is tattooed in my brain. One second I'm thinking about..." I cut myself off just in time.

Liam's brow lifted. "About...?"

I glared at him. "Don't push it."

He laughed, soft and low, and it did things to me I wasn't ready to admit.

"Relax," he said, bumping my shoulder lightly.

"If it helps, I'll keep Landon off your back when I can. No promises he'll stay away completely, though. He's like a bloodhound when he finds something intriguing."

Intriguing.

I shivered at that, though I didn't let Liam see it.

"Great," I muttered. "Exactly what I needed this semester...."

Liam just smiled like he knew more than he was saying.

"This is gonna be interesting ," I muttered, trying to sound tough even though my heart was still racing from just thinking about Landon's stupid grin.

I was so lost in my own head I didn't notice Liam had stopped walking...until I turned and crashed right into his chest.

"Whoa..."

His hands caught my waist before I could stumble back.

Big. Warm. Strong.

And then... they didn't move.

I froze.

Every nerve in my body lit up like I'd been plugged into an outlet.

My breath hitched, my knees went weak, and I swear I could feel the heat of his hands through my clothes.

I tilted my head up slowly, my face way too close to his.

Liam's eyes were on me...steady, dark, and way too hard to read. His thumbs brushed the sides of my waist, sending another shiver through me.

"Y-you can let go now," I whispered, my voice barely there.

One corner of his mouth lifted, but he didn't move his hands.

"Can I?" he said almost dangerous like he meant something else.

I swallowed hard.

His hands stayed on my waist, thumbs brushed my sides in slow circles, making me squirm in my mind.

"W-what do you mean?" I whispered.

He looked straight into my eyes, his voice low. "I mean... do I really have to let you go?"

I should've stepped back. But I didn't.

I just stood there, staring up at him, his breath on mine..mine on his.

He leaned even more slowly, enough that I could feel his breath on my cheek. "Because I don't want to."