“What makes you think I won’t punish you back?” 

My voice rang out low and bold as I rose to my feet, unapologetically naked and shameless. The ocean breeze from the window kissed every inch of my skin, but I didn’t flinch. Shame had no place in this room. In fact, it never had a place in any room that held both Kaiden and me. 

His smirk deepened the moment I shoved him, and he let himself fall back against the mattress like he was allowing it like he enjoyed it. “Are you sure it’s a punishment?” he teased, his tone a lazy purr, laced with amusement. 

Kaiden remained sprawled on the bed, all smug and smugger in that ridiculous matching floral shirt and beach shorts that had no business looking that good on him. 

I straddled him without a word, placing my knees on either side of his waist, grounding myself over him like I owned the space–and to be honest, I did. 

His chest rose the second my hand made contact, like his body recognized me before his brain did. The slow inhale beneath my palm wasn’t just breath- it was anticipation. Heat. A quiet surrender trying hard not to look like one. 

My eyes dropped to the lone button clinging to his shirt like a last stand. Cute. 

I was all naked here, baring it all–emotion, skin, pride–while he lounged beneath me, still clothed, still smug, like the rules didn’t apply to him. 

That wasn’t fair. 

With one swift, rough yank, the fabric gave in, the button flying free with a tiny pop of surrender. His shirt fell open, revealing the taut, shameless stretch of his abs–golden, cut, and annoyingly perfect. 

There. Now it was a fair deal. 

“Yes,” I murmured, leaning in, my voice like velvet over glass. “It is a punishment. For lying.” 

His brows ticked up in mock confusion. “Lying?” His voice was smooth, unbothered. 

I leaned closer, tilting his chin with two fingers until his gaze locked with mine. “Yes. Lying,” I repeated, unflinching. 

His hands moved–maybe to touch, maybe to take back control–but I caught them mid–air and stilled them. Then, like I’d planned it all along, I slid the thin black hair tie from my wrist and wrapped it swiftly around his wrists, binding them together. 

Kaiden’s expression shifted–just for a second. Surprise flickered in his eyes like a match being struck in the dark. 

“You said,” I whispered as I raised his arms above his head, pinning them to the headboard, “that you were going to fuck me until I begged for mercy.” I leaned down, lips grazing his ear, my voice nothing but fire–wrapped silk. “But you didn’t.” 

He swallowed. Just once. 

“So now,” I continued, pulling back to look into his eyes, “your punishment… is that I won’t let you sleep. Not even for a second.” 

A low chuckle escaped him–mocking, lazy, insufferable. “Oh, no. I’m so scared,” he deadpanned, his tone drenched in sarcasm so dry it could’ve 

cracked. 

But I saw it. The way his pulse fluttered at the base of his throat. The way his fingers flexed under the weak restraint. The way his smirk faltered, just enough to know–I was in control now and he was seriously loving it. 

The Next Day… 

Bus ride back to school felt quieter than usual. Since I still had a tiny bit of beef with Rubina–okay, maybe not so tiny–I sat beside Clara without the 

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Chapter 144 

exhausting mental debate of who to sit with. 

A few minutes into the ride, Clara fidgeted beside me, then cleared her throat like she was about to confess something illegal. 

“Ah… um… I’m sorry for yesterday,” she said, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. 

(blinked at her. “Why?” 

She winced like she hadn’t expected that response. “I… Jackson invited me to his room for a game night. I didn’t want to miss my chance with the single Did I do rich hottie, so I said yes. I was gonna invite you too, but he told me you were a little upset and needed some alone time. So… I didn’t bother you. the right thing?” 

Oh. Right. Clara was my roommate at Hotel. I’d completely blanked on that part. 

Thank God she didn’t come looking for me. If she did… I would’ve died due to shame. Last night was crazier than ever, so were my moans. 

“Yeah…” I nodded, a little too eagerly. “Yeah, you did the absolute right thing. I really needed some alone time.” A flash of last night’s sins spiraled through my brain, and I could practically feel the heat of my favorite hell still curling between my thighs. 

Clara’s voice snapped me out of it. “Thank God,” she said with a sigh. “Also, it wasn’t that fun.” 

I tilted my head, still trying to brush away the lingering steam cloud of memory. “Why not?” 

“I was expecting a romantic night. Ian was there too, so I was even open for, you know… a threesome.” She said it so casually, like she was ordering takeout. “But nothing happened. We just drank, played Monopoly, and slept. That’s it. I spent the night with two hot dicks and didn’t get to taste any. Am I ugly or something?” 

I laughed. “Nope. You’re beautiful. And… maybe… they respect you a lot?” I offered with a half–smile. “I can’t speak for lan, but Jackson–he’s definitely a gentleman. Respecting women is totally his thing.” 

I leaned in closer and whispered like I was passing her the school’s most scandalous secret. “Honestly, sometimes I wonder if he’s still a virgin.” 

Her eyes widened like she’d just found a treasure map. “Really?” 

“He has that virgin aura,” I said, shrugging. 

“Okay, he’s my new target,” she declared, clapping her hands together like an excited little vill 

“Oh, I love virgin boys.” 

Her excitement made me chuckle. Clara had this weird mix of dirty innocence that was so unapologetic it looped right back around to being adorable. 

And then- 

My phone buzzed. Loud. Shrill. Too sudden. 

Not just mine–everyone’s. 

A thick, unpleasant feeling settled at the base of my spine, crawling upward like a centipede made of dread. 

As soon as anyone looked at their phone, their eyes immediately flicked to me. 

Like that notification had something to do with me. 

Their eyes reminded me of all those times Queen Bee had thrown me into the center of chaos with her scandalous posts. 

No. No, no, no. It couldn’t be. 

I unlocked my screen with trembling fingers, a lump already forming in my throat. The notification at the top froze the breath in my lungs. 

My fear was right. 

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Chapter 144 

It was an article. Faded by Queen Bre 

I stared at the screen, my heart skidding sideways in thy chest 

What the 

To be continued.