Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

AURORA

I stopped the moment I turned the corner and was out of sight. I rested my back against the cool wall tiles. Raising my arm, I placed my hand gingerly around my throat. It was still sore from having Roman thrust his cock deep down it. My palm pressed into my warm skin. Would I have felt the hard column of his shaft had I been holding my throat? Would I have seen the outline of it as it pressed and prodded? My heart beat a rapid tattoo against the tips of my fingers. I pressed both hands to my cheeks, trying to cool them down as I took several deep breaths. If I walked into class at this moment, would my classmates be able to tell what I had just done? Would they point fingers and laugh?

I wiped at the corners of my mouth, worried a drop of his come would give me away.

Thank God Roman had locked the door and closed the shade. I didn't think I could have lived with the humiliation if word had gotten out around school that I had been caught giving our newest board member head in a classroom. Giving head. Had I really just said that phrase in my head? What the hell was happening to me? I'd never even thought about doing such a thing before, let alone on school grounds. I didn't recognize myself anymore.

In the few hours I had known him, Roman had completely twisted my world inside out.

I shifted my hips as I leaned against the wall. I could feel the butt plug deep inside of me. It had been more painful going in. Now it wasn't so much painful as I was aware of it. There was this warm piece of metal, coated in Roman's come, in a very intimate and uncomfortable place. Roman had been right. It would be hard not to think of him every second the plug remained deep inside my body.

I scanned the hallway right to left. Second period had just started so the hallways were deserted. Holding my breath, I hazarded a peek around the corner from where I came. There was no sign of Roman. He'd probably left the school by now. No doubt he had souls to collect, or natural disasters to organize, or some underground throne made of bones to polish.

I bit my lip as I once again shifted my hips. I could pop off to the loo and pull the plug out before going to my next class. It wasn't like he'd know.

He'd know, a voice whispered ominously inside of my head . He'd definitely know.

Letting out a long, resigned sigh, I pushed off from the wall and headed toward class. I would sit down and try to concentrate and worry about what I would do later, after second period.

I opened the door to English lit class and lowered my head, letting my hair fall down on both sides of my face to cover my still heated cheeks as I ignored the curious glances of the students and made my way to my desk, which was placed next to Eleanor. I shoved my leather messenger bag off the seat and sat down.

As I dug into the front pocket of my bag for a pen and notepad, Eleanor leaned over and whispered, "What did the office want?"

I shrugged. "A new board member wanted to see the music room." It wasn't a lie, it just wasn't the truth.

Before she could respond, our teacher interrupted. "Since you ladies want to talk, perhaps one of you could tell me in what ways was Jane's relationship with Rochester toxic?"

Eleanor sent a pleading look my way.

I sat up in my seat, wincing as I felt pressure from the plug with each movement. "Despite being educated, Jane was naive, poor, and innocent. Rochester was older, wealthy, and more worldly. He held all the power."

Sue, another friend of my mine, turned in her seat to face me. "None of that matters if they are in love."

I furrowed my brow. "Is it really love though? I mean, Rochester is drawn to Jane's innocence because he's jaded with the rest of the world. Jane is enthralled by Rochester's aura of power and authority. But is that love?"

Eleanor chimed in. "I think Jane sees a vulnerability in Rochester. A humanity that others don't see."

I shook my head. "Yes, but isn't that also a sign of a toxic relationship? She thinks he has this hidden vulnerable side that only she can see. It leads her to forgive and explain away all sorts of barbarous behavior from him."

Amy raised her hand eagerly. Our teacher nodded in her direction. She turned to face me. "Exactly. How can you say that's not love? To the world Rochester can be cruel and dismissive, but he obviously cares very deeply for Jane. He wants to shelter and protect her. In a way, in the end, her love will transform him into a better person. He'll want to be the person only she sees." She clasped her hand to her chest. "Her love tamed the demons inside of him."

My butt cheeks clenched around the handle of the plug. I gripped my pen tighter. "What happens when her love unleashes those same demons?"

A chill ran over my body.

Am I Jane to Roman's Rochester?

The idea that I could tame Roman was as laughable as the idea that his actions were motivated by some hidden love for me.

Whatever was happening between us, there was no way I was headed for the same pseudo-fairytale ending. Unless we were talking about the early German versions where innocent heroines were devoured by the beasts lurking in the dangerous dark woods.

Before anyone could respond to my observation, the period bell rang. Our English literature teacher gathered her things to prepare for the next teacher's arrival. I thought about sneaking off to the bathroom but decided against it. Like an obedient Jane, I would wait for my master's bidding.

Eleanor and Sue chatted animatedly around me, seemingly unaware of my lack of response.

My thoughts were solely on Roman.

When would I see him again?

Would I see him again?

Did I even want to see him?

My fingers tapped out Chopin's 'Nocturnes, Op. 9'on my desk. I couldn't wait until school was over. I needed to get behind the piano. I needed to play. Everything seemed clearer when I played. All the stress and worry of my real life floated away with each note, as I lost myself in the music. I looked up at the clock. Only five torturous hours to go.

Toward the end of last period, my phone vibrated. Keeping my eyes and head straight forward, I reached down into my bag to check it. Holding the phone inside the dark interior to hide the glow from my math teacher, I stared at the screen. There was a short text message from a blocked number.

My little kitten may remove her present.

My present. As if having a plug shoved up my ass for hours, forcing my thoughts to relentlessly turn to him countless times, was some kind of gift to me.

I immediately raised my hand and asked for the hall pass.

Once I got in the loo, I checked under each stall to make sure I was alone before retreating inside the one farthest from the door. I hung my bag on the door hook and turned around inside the stall. I started to sit on the toilet but changed my mind. It would be just my luck that I'd yank the stupid thing out and it'd fall into the toilet water. I flipped up my skirt and reached around. My fingers touched the cut edges of the sapphire on the end of the plug through the thin fabric of my panties. Nervous that at any moment someone could come in, I knew I had to hurry. I pulled my panties down to my knees and felt for the plug again. I gave the handle a gentle pull. Nothing happened. It didn't even budge.

My heart beat faster.

What if it was stuck?

Oh, God.

How was I going to explain to Eleanor that I needed her help getting a butt plug out of my ass?

No. Nope. Absolutely not. I would die with this thing stuck up inside of me before I told anyone.

I placed my right foot on the toilet seat and tried again. I pulled harder. My body relented. There was a sharp sting of pain that had me catching my breath. Then a wave of lightheaded euphoria as the pressure eased and the plug popped out. I lowered my foot and found myself clenching my thighs together. The whole experience was oddly stimulating . I couldn't help but think of Roman's hands on my body as he forced the plug inside of me while my mouth still held the salty, musky taste of his come on my tongue.

Just then, my phone buzzed again.

Turning, I fished it out of my bag and stared at the text message.

Thinking of me?

Yes, damn you.

Refusing to respond, I tossed the phone back into my bag and reached down to yank up my panties. I then stared at the plug in my hand. It looked way smaller than it had felt. I reached for the stall lock and then pulled back. I couldn't risk rinsing it off in the sink. What if someone came in? Leaning down, I rapidly pulled several lengths of toilet paper off the roll and wrapped it securely around the plug before stashing it at the bottom of my bag under my pen and pencil case. I reached for another wad of toilet paper and wiped my shoe print off the seat before flushing and exiting the stall.

When I returned to class, Eleanor gave me a weird look. "Fall in?"

I was saved by the final bell.

I rushed out of the classroom with Eleanor on my heels.

She snagged the leather strap on my shoulder and yanked on it. "Rory! What the fuck? Slow down. I have to tell you something! Something totally scandalous happened during first period and I've got all the gory details."

I now knew what it felt like to have all the blood drain from your body.

My lips stiffened. I could barely form the words. "What happened?"

Oh, God.

Someone had seen me on my knees while Roman shoved his cock down my throat. By this time tomorrow, everyone in school would be calling me a whore. That was, if I wasn't expelled, and only two weeks from graduating. This was a nightmare.

"It's about Trevor."

I closed my eyes. My body was jostled left and right as students shoved past, but I didn't notice.

Eleanor kept talking as if nothing was wrong. "Apparently, Trevor had to leave school today. His mom came to get him."

I shrugged, trying to seem disinterested. "So, what's so scandalous about that?"

I thought about Roman bending me over the desk and whipping me with a baton before prying open my ass cheeks and thrusting the plug in. The plug practically vibrated inside my messenger bag like the freaking tell-tale heart.

I braced for what Eleanor would say next.

Before she could respond, we were interrupted. Sue shouted from across the hall. "Hey, Rory, are you practicing here or at home today?"

I had planned on practicing at school. I usually avoided being at home as much as possible, but I'd changed my mind. I called back, "Home."

She nodded and waved.

Eleanor tugged on my uniform sleeve to get my attention. She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Amy's dad is a lawyer in Trevor's dad's firm and her mom told her that Trevor's dad was escorted out of his office today by security guards. There's some big scandal about the accounts and some hostile corporate takeover bid. That's why Trevor's mom pulled him out of school."

My relief that it wasn't about me was short-lived.

It was only a matter of time before news of my stepfather's embezzlement got out. I'd become fodder for school gossip just like Trevor. Worse, they could find out my stepfather basically offered me up like a sacrificial whore to appease Roman Winterbourne.

I counted down the days until graduation. The moment I could manage it I would move to Paris and leave all this behind.

Eleanor broke into my thoughts again. "I'm heading straight home. My mom texted that there are a few letters from the different unis I applied to waiting for me. Did you get a response from Paris yet?"

I shook my head.

She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and gave me a hug. "Don't worry. You're brilliant on the piano. Any university would be lucky to have you in their music program. You probably have letters waiting for you too. Your mother's just too much of a cunt to text you."

I leaned my head on her shoulder. "I hope you're right."

We parted and I made my way back to my house.

I paused as I neared the front. I scanned the quiet street for any sign of Roman or his men. There weren't any ominous-looking black sedans or men in fatigues lurking in the bushes that I could see. As I passed through the front gate, I leaned to the right and peeked around to the back of the house. Both of my parents' matching Lamborghinis were no longer parked in front of the carriage house.

Maybe I got lucky and they fled, leaving me behind, as they'd intended last night.

Or maybe Roman confiscated the cars to help pay my stepfather's debt to him.

I slowly turned my key in the front door and swung it open only wide enough for me to squeeze past.

I paused and listened for signs of life.

The sharp sound of glass shattering came from somewhere down the hall near the kitchen.

Fuck.

I scrambled across the entryway and ran up the first few stairs before my mother's voice stopped me.

Her words were slow and slurred, as if she were speaking around a handful of marbles in her mouth. "Well, if it isn't my pretty daughter, the slut ."