Page 55 of Merciless

I don’t think it would disgust her. However, if she knew my true intentions, the world would crumble around her.

We walk into the dining hall packed with people who have the same thought as us—catching something quick to eat before classes.

Eden’s posture stiffens, and she scans the crowd, on high alert.

I firm my hold on her lower back and guide her to the coffee shop. After ordering two iced coffees and banana bread with cream cheese, we stand aside while we wait for our breakfast.

Eden continues searching the crowd and waits for the moment when they yell at her or throw things.

It’ll never come.

I meant what I said; being around me means she’ll have immunity.

People whisper and steal glances, but that’ll be the most they do. They’ll gossip and spread rumors like wildfire. None of what they say is extreme enough to ruin Eden’s reputation more than she’s ruined it herself.

Her terrible reputation isn’t enough, though. I want to see her cry. I want to destroy her ability to come back from this.

“How is this possible?” she says.

I blink out of my thoughts and grab the iced coffees from the counter. “What do you mean?”

She gestures toward the crowd. “I mean, how is the plan working?”

“You have trust issues, don’t you, sis?”

“Don’t call me that.” She scowls despite her face tinting pink.

I’d love to call her sis while fucking her. It’s twisted and fucked up, but watching her curl into herself and stumble over her words is enough to make my cock hard.

“So you prefer birdie, then?” I hand her an iced coffee.

“Neither.” She looks at the coffee and banana bread in her hands with a frown. “You didn’t have to get me this. I could have paid for my own.”

“If you don’t like being called sis or birdie, and if you don’t like me paying for things, then why are you blushing?”

Her gaze remains on the coffee. I smile as the pink tint on her cheeks darkens.

“Anyway,” she mumbles. “You never answered my question.”

I sigh and walk away, already knowing she’ll follow me like a little duckling. Or in her case, a little bird too afraid to fly out of the snake’s den.

“Well?” she says.

“I didn’t take you for a fool.” I sip my drink, then peek at her.

“I’m not.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Are you sure? Because it’s obvious where I fall in the social hierarchy here in school. My reputation ensures no one will try anything with me or those around me.”

“Your reputation is about you being easy, not about⁠—”

“Do you think I’m easy?”

She blinks. “Why does it matter what I think? You’ve never cared before.”

“I’m curious if you think I’m as promiscuous as the school makes me out to be.”

I’ll admit that I am very much a playboy of Astar Elite. So much so that my father had to pull me aside and tell me to stop letting my dick lead me around.