Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

CHLOE

Ryker Norris stepped out of Mr D's office as I approached. He gave me a look like he knew what colour underwear I was wearing before he headed off down the corridor. As far as I could tell, he did that to everyone, male or female. He seemed to eat them up and spit them out faster than most of the people around here. So far, he'd only glanced at me. That was fine with me. Chances were, my sister had already been there. I didn't need or want her castoffs.

I watched him walk away for a few moments, before knocking on Dane's door.

"Come," he called out.

Yeah, we'll see.

I opened the door and stepped inside.

I'd never been here before, but it was everything I expected.

Neat bookshelves along one wall, a desk near the back, a tiny window that overlooked the rugby ground, and barely enough room to turn around.

Brutham spared no expense in other areas, but the professor's offices were all small.

Apparently the Chancellor's office was the only one which was a decent size, but I'd never had reason to go there.

Mr D sat on the top of his desk, watching me glance around.

He was nothing short of sex on legs. If he was any hotter, I'd melt into a puddle on the floor. There should be laws against being that hot.

"You're on time." His blue eyes seemed to appraise every centimetre of me, and liked what they saw.

"You sound disappointed, sir," I replied.

His tongue swept over his lips.

I'd suspected he'd have had a thing for being called 'sir.' It seemed I was right.

"Not at all," he said. "I like a woman who can come when she's told."

And there went my fresh panties. If all it took from him was one innuendo, I was in trouble.

I lifted my chin. "What a coincidence, I like my men that way too." If I let him have the upper hand from the start, I'd never get it back. I needed him to know I wasn't going to be walked all over by him. I had enough of that from everyone else. Enough was fucking enough.

He laced his fingers together and placed his two pointers against his lower lip. "Do you now? That's very interesting. As much as I'd love to get into that… deeper , we have a lot to discuss. Close the door." He nodded towards it.

I hesitated for a moment before I moved over to do as he asked. I leaned my back against it and crossed my arms.

"What did you want to discuss?" As if I didn't know.

"I've seen your sister with the Brantley brothers," Dane started. "Consorting with the enemy is an interesting choice."

I shrugged. "I'm sure there's something in it for all of them."

My family and the Brantleys had been at each other's throats for fuck knows how long. Lila was basically sleeping with the enemy. Something she wouldn't do if it didn't factor into her bid to take over the family business. Somehow, she thought she could use Hunter and Parker to her benefit. And, no doubt, vice versa.

Whatever, that was their problem, not mine. Considering how much our father hated the Brantley family, it might put her out of the running without me lifting a finger.

That would make my life a lot easier.

"Which is why we're both here," Dane said. "Traditionally, my family has sided with the Brantleys against your family."

"That's true," I said slowly. "Have you brought me here to execute me? That would give you plenty of brownie points with the Brantleys. Although, you'd make an enemy of my father. Something I wouldn't recommend you do." I didn't want to die, but I was stating a fact. Getting on my father's bad side was a dangerous thing to do, no matter who you were.

"The Brantleys have been treating my family like shit for a long time," Dane said. "I see no reason to be loyal to them anymore."

"You can be bought?" I asked.

Silly question, of course he could; most people could. As long as the price was right. It was no secret he was ambitious. It shouldn't surprise me he was ready to turn on his family's traditional allies, to further himself. Otherwise, he was looking at teaching history until the end of forever. I suspected that was the last thing he intended to do.

"Don't make it sound so crass," he said. "I'm willing to support you, to take over from your father. As the older twin, it's your birthright anyway. Something everyone else seems to have conveniently forgotten. Except you, I'm guessing."

"I haven't forgotten," I said carefully. "What makes you think I'm a better fit for the job?"

"I could say it's as simple as two oldest siblings sticking together," he said. "But it's more than that. Lila is very forward in what she wants. People notice her. But you, you're the one to watch. I see you taking in everything, noticing the way everyone responds to her and… Everything else around here. She's too busy trying to get noticed, trying to get popular, to pay attention to important details."

"You and I." He waved a finger between us. "We're alike. We bide our time and wait for the right moment to strike. When we do, everyone will notice. No one will be able to ignore us then. I think we can do this together. I have contacts you can use. And you have the position of oldest Bell sister. Why wouldn't we work together?"

I nodded slowly. "You make a lot of sense. What else are you proposing?"

Nothing was ever that simple. Men like him didn't do deals like this without considerable thought and an agenda. Or two.

"I want to be by your side when you take over from your father," he said. "I want to help you to get the position and keep it. You'll have enemies. I have ways of keeping them at bay. People who have no love for the Brantley family. People who are loyal to me and people who are loyal to your father. They'll want to see the best person take his place.

"Because they'll want favours in return," I said.

"Of course they will," he agreed. "Favours we'll be in a position to give." He hopped off his desk and stepped closer to me.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked. "My father might pick Lila."

Dane gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger and lifted me so I was looking up at him. "Then we do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen. I have faith that we can pull this off." He cocked his head. "Do you?"

My skin was on fire where he touched me. His proximity made it harder to think straight. For a moment, I wondered if that was the point. If my sister was using him to get to me, it was working. He could easily get right under my skin. That was as dangerous as fuck, but if he meant what he said, we could be virtually unstoppable.

"I think we can," I said finally. "When you say you want to be by my side…"

"That's exactly what I meant," he said. He looked me right in the eyes as he leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine.

A bomb went off inside me. Blood roared through me like lava through a volcano. If a light touch like that made me want to erupt, and how would it feel if he touched me all over?

"I know you felt that too," he whispered. He ran the tip of his tongue over my lips.

By the time he pulled away, I was practically panting. I wanted to pull him back to me and feel his tongue between my legs.

Instead, I cleared my throat. "I'll think about it. I'm sure you'd be the first to advise me not to jump into anything rash. Like you said, people like us bide our time. Both of us want to be sure we make the proper decision, right?"

A look of irritation crossed his face, but it was gone quickly. Replaced by a careful smile.

"Of course," he said. "We certainly do. Any decisions we make could be… will be life changing for both of us. I promise you this. If you agree to this, all of my resources will be at your disposal."

"Including all your contacts within the Brotherhood?" I asked. I guessed that might be why Ryker Norris was in Dane's office. "The Brantley twins are also members."

"They're new members," Dane scoffed. "I've had years to build the right alliances. They're barely more than pledges. Another reason for you to choose me. For us to choose each other. I know you feel the attraction between us. We could set the world on fire."

He was certainly going to set my panties on fire.

"You're not going to suggest I become a filly, are you?" I asked, my tone desert dry. That was something I'd never consider doing. I wanted power in my own right, not to be someone's trophy.

I wasn't prepared for the reaction on Dane's face.

His eyes flashed with barely contained fury. His skin turned slightly pink. "I don't share my women."

His growl aroused me more than I already was. I'd never heard a man talk like that about me before. If I wasn't careful, I'd be fucking gone for this man. Once that happened, there would be no going back. Not for either of us.

"Who says I'm your woman?" I asked.

He stepped back to me and pressed the full length of his body against mine. He raised his hand to wrap his fingers around my throat, light but firm.

"You will be," he said softly. "As far as I'm concerned, you're mine. If I told you to get down on your knees and suck my cock, that's what I expect you to do." He increased the pressure on my throat. "Don't try to tell me you don't want that. I see it in your eyes that you do. You want me to tell you exactly what to do."

I wasn't sure I liked how right he was. Right now, whatever order he gave me, I'd do it immediately. I wouldn't even hate myself for it afterward. I wanted another taste of his lips. I wanted to taste his cock. I wanted to hear him groan as he fucked me.

"This isn't biding our time, sir." Somehow I managed to keep my voice even. My panties must be absolutely drenched by now. If he kept pressing against me the way he was, his quickly growing erection pressed against my side, I was going to jump in with both feet. Well, both breasts and my pussy.

"I don't care." He pressed his knee between my legs and raised it, parting my legs. He pushed it higher, his thigh against my core. Only fabric separated his leg from my clit.

I shivered with the sudden contact. The warm pressure made me want to grind myself on him.

"Tell me you don't want this. And if you can't, then be a good girl and come for me."

I moaned. I couldn't tell him I wanted him to stop, because I didn't. The pressure of his leg against my clit was a relief. I wanted and needed this. More, but this for now.

"Please…" I whispered.

"Please what?" he said. "Should I stop?"

"No," said quickly. "I want…this…you."

"Good girl." He slid his thigh back and forth, faster and faster, pushing me closer and closer to the edge.

I ground myself against him, shamelessly rocking my hips and riding him all the way off the cliff and into an abyss of bliss.

I pressed the back of my head against the door and cried out as I came. Pleasure washed over me again and again, making my vision dark. Fireworks exploded in my vision, flashing one after the other until I finally fluttered back down to earth.

"Good girl," he whispered. "You come so beautifully. Just as I thought you would. Just when I told you to." He brushed his lips over mine and stepped back. "Think about it, but don't think for too long."

"You won't change your mind?" I said.

If I wasn't sure of that before I rode his thigh, I was sure of it now. He'd decided to claim me, and everything that went along with that. All I needed to do was claim him in return.

For that, I still needed time. I had to think with my head, not my clit. I had to be sure I could trust him, and trust was a difficult thing to give. Trust tended to get people hurt. Sooner or later, I had to trust someone. I just wasn't sure if that someone was him.

"No, but I might die of blue balls after hearing you come." He smiled. "Next time, you'll suck my cock." He seemed very sure of that.