I would never hurt her this way if there was another alternative.

“Gil, please. Talk to me.”

I hid my trembles as her friend jerked her into the corridor then slammed the classroom door.

I was the only one left.

The only student, anyway.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, doing my best to get my heart rate under control and not bolt after Olin with the biggest apology. My knees burned to slam to the ground and beg for her forgiveness.

And I would.

I would apologise all night at her place. I would gather her close and kiss her deep. I would release my fears and make love to the girl I adored with all my heart. And I would tell her the truth about why our teacher—who was in charge of grooming our future—was doing her best to destroy it.

The soft snick of a door locking ripped my eyes open and head up.

Ms Tallup stood with her back to the now-locked door, her eyes narrowed on me.

I braced myself, balling my hands and staring her down.

We didn’t speak.

There weren’t words that could be used. Somehow, humans had the ability to hold entire conversations, put forth arguments, plead for help, and understand they were trapped, all without making a sound.

Ms Tallup gave me a tight smile before pushing from the door and clipping in her heels to the supply closet at the back of the room. “Come along, Mr. Clark.”

My thighs trembled to run in the opposite direction. To chase after Olin this very second and ease the pain I’d caused in her heart. Tonight was too far away. The tears she’d cry in the meantime. The agony she’d have to endure.

It killed me.

But...I’d bought this opportunity. I’d created this hell for a reason.

Balling my hands until nails sliced into my palms, I turned from the exit and followed Ms Tallup with stiff legs and unwilling steps to the storage area where class paraphernalia grew dusty on shallow shelves.

In there, no one would see us. No one would hear us.

I swallowed hard as I stepped into the dark room, and Ms Tallup grinned like a soul-sucking succubus we’d learned about in mythology. “I wondered when you’d break that silly girl’s heart.”

My teeth ground together.

The power dynamic between us did its best to keep me in my place as her underling. I was her student. My job was to be subservient, polite, and grateful.

But in this dark, dangerous place, I was her equal. I was her oppressor.

Inhaling sharp, my anger overflowed, gushing from my mouth with clipped vowels and harsh consonants. “Let’s get one thing straight. I might be your student, but you aren’t God. You don’t get to play with our lives. You don’t get to make us miserable.” My hand came up, slicing through the air like a guillotine. My head came down, glowering at her under my brows. “If you ever mess with Olin’s future again, I’ll hurt you.”

She didn’t look ruffled by my outburst. Instead, she chuckled condescendingly. “Quite a display for someone who supposedly just broke up with her.”

Shit.

Shit.

I dropped my hand, deleting all sign of emotion from my voice. I embraced the freezing cold that’d helped me cope so many times in my life. “I’m bored of her. Bored of you. Bored of this school.”

“Bored is a serious accusation to say to your teacher,” she murmured with a hungry gleam. “Are you saying I’m not teaching you to the best of my ability?” She licked her lips, her gaze dancing down my body to my groin. “Because there are other subjects I can teach you. Lots and lots of subjects.”

A full body heave tried to take control, but I shoved it back, breaking out in goosebumps. “Your current teaching is fine.”

“But you just said you were bored.” She moved toward me, hips swaying too much, lips glistening from her tongue. “Perhaps we can discuss extra lessons. Make sure you aren’t held back for the third time.”

Her threat was obvious.

Her hint was disgusting.

I backed up, knocking into a shelf holding markers and glue sticks. They tumbled to the floor, clattering loudly.

“Jumpy little thing,” she whispered, placing her hand on my chest.

Sickness oozed from her touch. Horror layered my heart, making it beat thick and wrong.

Swiping at her hand, I sucked in a breath, looking into the empty classroom. No sounds of students in the corridor. No laughter of teachers leaving for the weekend.

We were alone.

Utterly, totally alone.

There’d been many times in my life when I’d been trapped. Trapped by fists. By walls. By rules. By blood. But this was the first time I’d been trapped by love.

Ms Tallup wanted me.

She wanted me enough to destroy Olin in the process.

If I was selfish, I would step aside and not get involved. I would keep Olin for myself, all while knowing it was because of me that her education and future suffered.

But when it came to the girl I loved, I couldn’t stand by. I would commit murder for her. I would do whatever it took to protect her.

“You’re thinking about her.” Ms Tallup touched me again, her fingers tracing my chest.

Steeling myself against her touch, I looked down into her older face. She was the adult here, and I was the kid, yet my body dwarfed hers. My strength could kill her. My physical power so much more than her emotional one.

But Olin...fuck, she was my greatest weakness, and I didn’t have a choice. I had to make Tallup believe. Had to make this god-awful child molester buy the story that I was just a guy fucking his way through the girls in his grade.

Girls who meant nothing.

Holding my head high, I hissed, “Like I said, I’m bored of Olin. I’m bored of all the girls in this fucking school. I’m focused on graduating, and that’s all. If you’ve got a problem with me, take it out on me. No one else.” I bowed until our noses almost touched. “Unless you’re too afraid.”

The threat dangled between us.

I didn’t worry she’d expel me. I didn’t fear she’d hold me back yet again.

I knew in the depths of my being, I was a challenge to her. A conquest she had to have. She wouldn’t send me away because where was the fun in that?

For the longest second, she stared at me, assessing my truth and weighing all scenarios. Finally, she ran a hand over my pec and laughed softly. “You know...your first mistake was thinking I’d believe you didn’t love her.” She pinched my nipple, making me jump. “Your second mistake is thinking you can threaten me when I hold your life in my hands.” Reaching up, she captured my stubble covered chin with her sharp fingers, holding me firm. “And your third mistake was stepping into this supply room with me.” Her lips spread over sharp teeth.

I ripped my face from her hold and shoved her backward. “Get off me.”

“Want to know why you just made the biggest mistake of your life, Gilbert Clark?”

I shuddered, unable to stop my fear showing. “Fuck off. Just leave Olin alone and I won’t hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” She cackled. “You can’t hurt me.”

My hands curled into fists. “I could hurt you right now.”

“Physically, yes.” She nodded sombrely all while her fingers went to her breasts and kneaded them through her thin baby blue blouse. “But then you’d be arrested. I’ll say you’ve always been violent, and I fear for society’s safety. You’ll be lost in the system. A criminal with a record for the rest of his godforsaken life.” She licked her lips as she pinched her own nipples, a flush warming her cheeks. “Does that sound like the career path you had planned?”

I couldn’t speak as rage choked me.

She nodded as if this was a normal lesson. Her hands left her breasts, trailing to her hips. She stood with her strict educator pose and delivered the worst teaching of my life. “No one will ever believe that you didn’t touch me, fuck me, do unwanted things to me. Want to know why?”