SWNOVELS Alluring Darkness: Chapter 6
Glancing up into the rearview mirror, I study Raina where she sits in the backseat between Kaden and Jace as I drive us back to campus. She’s leaned back, alternating between drumming her fingers on her thighs and flexing them beside her, and she’s humming. Fucking humming. She has got to be the strangest girl I’ve ever met.
After turning onto the final street, I cast another glance at her gorgeous face. At those sparkly green eyes. At the slight traces of smudged make-up underneath her long lashes. My cock stirs at just the memory of how her luscious lips felt around it.
Another wave of confusion and incredulity washes over me.
She’s not scared now, and she wasn’t scared back then. It makes no sense. Because of who we are, and who are family is connected to, everyone is fucking terrified of us. Normal people out in the neighborhoods. The other students. The instructors. Everyone. But not her. And I can’t figure out why.
I almost miss the final turn into the parking lot because I’m so wrapped up in the mystery that is Raina. From the passenger seat, Rico casts me a glance from the corner of his eye when I yank on the steering wheel and practically skid his car in through the gates. Thankfully, though, he doesn’t comment.
In the back, Raina just keeps humming along to music that isn’t there.
Part of me wants to crack her skull wide open just so that I can see what the fuck is actually in there. My still semi-hard cock, on the other hand, wants to know what it would be like to fuck that soft body of hers.
But mostly, I just want to break her. I want to keep pushing her to see just how much she can take. And what happens when she finally snaps.
I flex my fingers before squeezing the steering wheel hard.
Fucking hell, I’ve only known this damn woman for less than half an hour, and I’m already becoming obsessed with her.
I park the car in the same spot as before. It’s still empty, just like I knew it would be. The one next to it is empty as well, as if everyone was expecting my Range Rover to appear at some point today too.
After turning the ignition off, I toss the keys to Rico and say, “Give us a minute.”
In the mirror, I can see Jace grinning and wiggling his eyebrows at me. Kaden and Rico just exit the car without comment. A second later, Jace does too.
Three thuds sound as they close the doors behind them.
I remain where I am, my head facing forwards, but I meet Raina’s eyes in the rearview mirror. She just raises her eyebrows expectantly.
“You got off easy today,” I inform her. “Normally, if someone had keyed my car, I would’ve broken every one of their fingers. But since it’s apparently your first day on campus, I decided to show you a little mercy.”
A soft chuckle escapes her lips. “Did you now?”
“Yes. But this was a one-time act of mercy. So if you ever try to mess with me again, if you even so much as look at me with disrespect in those defiant eyes of yours, I will show you exactly what I do to people who cross me.”
Silence falls over the car for a while, thick and heavy, while we just hold each other’s gaze.
Then she bursts out laughing. I blink, watching through the mirror as she makes a show of wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
“Oh my God,” she presses out between fits of laughter. “You really do practice these threatening speeches and dramatic entrances beforehand, don’t you?” Dragging in a deep breath, she sits up straight again and raises her eyebrows. “Tell me, do they ever work?”
For a few seconds, I can’t think of a single thing to say. In the past five years, I don’t think I’ve met a single person who wasn’t afraid, or at least a bit nervous, in my presence. And to have that shattered by someone like her is so fucking jarring that I don’t know how to react.
Turning around in my seat, I meet her gaze head on for the first time since we got into the car. Rage roars through me, because I suddenly feel embarrassed by how easily she managed to throw me off my game.
“Let’s get something straight,” I grind out between gritted teeth. “If I wanted to, I could crush you underneath my heel without even breaking a sweat. This is the only warning you get. Bow down, and stay down, or you won’t like what happens next.”
She holds my gaze with narrowed eyes, but doesn’t say anything.
I jerk my chin towards the door. “Now, get out before I change my mind.”
Fabric rustles as she slides over the backseat and towards the door behind me. I turn so that I’m facing forwards again, and reach for the handle as well.
Cold steel presses against my throat.
“Let’s get something straight,” Raina mimics.
On instinct, I move to get the blade away.
But before I can so much as lift a hand, she pushes it harder across my throat and tuts, “Ah, ah, ah.”
Fury and incredulity flash through me, but I stop moving. Glancing down, I study the knife. And the fury is replaced by utter shock. The blade is one of Kaden’s. Did she fucking pickpocket Kaden right here in the car with all four of us around her?
“Now, let’s get something straight,” Raina repeats in a mockingly sweet voice as she leans forward.
With the knife still positioned across my throat, she moves until her lips are right next to my ear. When she speaks, her warm breath caresses my skin, making blood pulse to my cock again.
“If you ever force me into a car again, I will put you on your back and watch as you choke on your own lungs.” Meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror, she flashes me a smile laced with insanity. “Clear?”
Before I can answer, she yanks the blade away from my throat and tosses it onto the passenger seat beside me. Then she briskly opens the door and saunters away.
I’m left sitting there, staring between her and the knife.
Her long black hair swings across her back and her skirt swishes around her thighs as she strides towards the canteen building. Raking a hand through my hair, I shake my head at her retreating back.
What the fuck is wrong with this girl?