“Where has caring about others gotten you?” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Used.”

“Are you using me?” I looked at the plastic bag in my hand. “Don’t bother answering that.”

“I’m not made for love or relationships, but I’m not a user, Nancy. I hope you know me well enough by now to know that.”

“What do I know?” I shrugged. “You don’t trust any of my other thoughts or concerns.”

“When I was fifteen, I met a girl.” His eyes bored into mine. “She was gorgeous. Big, bright-blue eyes, long blond hair, a smile that tugged at my heartstrings.”

“And?” I looked down, suddenly overcome with jealousy.

“We became friends. I thought she was going to become my girlfriend.” He laughed bitterly. “I went out and bought her a necklace. 24-karat gold.” His face was full of derision. “I gave it to her. She was so happy. I thought to myself, ‘This is it. This is the beginning of something beautiful.’”

“What happened?”

“I saw her laughing with her friends the next day, showing off my necklace. She said she was going to try for a watch next.” His face twisted.

“I’m sorry.” I stepped forward. “You must have been heartbroken.”

“I was hurt. I went to my father and told him what happened.” His eyes were bright with remembered emotions.

“What did he say?”

“He told me to take the bitch down.” His mouth twisted. “So I met her the next day and I pretended that I knew nothing. She gave me that sweet smile and I was nearly caught by her web of lies again.”

“What happened?” My breath caught as I waited for his answer.

“I took her out to dinner.” He shrugged. “I left a $25,000 Rolex on the table next to her. Then I got up and called the police.”

“The police?” I frowned.

“The Rolex was stolen.” He smiled. “My dad gave it to me.”

“Oh my God. What happened?”

“She got arrested.” He laughed. “She wasn’t charged, but it gave her a fright. She knew not to mess with me after that day.”

“And ever since then, you’ve been against women and relationships?”

“All women want is stuff. They want love. Or they want sex. They want gifts or someone to listen to them. But it’s never enough. They just want, want, want. With no real care as to the man they are with. We’re expendable.”

“Men aren’t expendable. And it does matter who you are.”

“Does it matter to you, Nancy?” He turned to me. “You came for Hunter. You espouse concern and like for him, yet here you are with me. What do you want from me?”

“I don’t want anything from you,” I shot back at him hurt. “I’m not a user.”

“We don’t really know what either of us is, do we?”

“I’m sorry that girl hurt you so much, Jaxon, but she was one girl, and if I’m honest, that story isn’t even all that bad. I know plenty of guys who have gone through much worse, yet they are still giving love a chance.”

“I don’t give two shits about love.”

“Point taken.”

“Don’t tell me that you hope to have the white picket fence and all that jazz?” His eyes narrowed as he looked at me.

“I hope to meet the man of my dreams, yes. I hope to get married. I hope to have kids. I hope to fall in love slowly and deliciously.” I could feel my heart breaking as I spoke. I had such high hopes, such dreams when it came to love, but a part of me didn’t believe, not really and truly, that any of it would come true.

“Young and foolish.”

“And you’re old and wise?” I asked him softly.

“Do you truly believe in love, Nancy?” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you truly believe that you have a soul mate out there whose soul purpose is to make you happy?”

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, not really knowing how to respond. “My heart wants to believe. My soul wants to believe. I want to believe with every fiber of my being, but I just don’t know.”

“One thing we do know is that we have this.” He pointed at the space between us. “We have magnetism. We have attraction. We have this.”

“It’s sex.” I shrugged. “Let’s not call it something it isn’t.”

“I want to take you on a journey, Nancy. A journey that has no boundaries. A journey that’s exciting and death defying. A journey you’ve never experienced before.” He sighed. “We came into this situation for two different reasons, yet I think we can move forward in a way that benefits us both.”

“My first concern is to keeping my family safe.”

“Nothing will happen to them. You have my word.”

Chapter Nine

Jaxon

The latex bodysuit fit her perfectly. She stood there looking confident, whip in hand, ready to get started. I smiled to myself at her fake poise. She might look the part, but she had absolutely no idea what I had in store for her. The night was just beginning, and I was ready to show her just how much pleasure one could get from power.

I spoke up as I approached her. “I see you’ve put on the outfit.”

She turned towards me with widened eyes, her fingers gripping the whip tightly. “You want me to whip you?” She smiled at me wickedly as she showed off the whip.

“No.” I smiled to myself. She was already getting into the role.

“Then what?” she mumbled, looking at me with pouty lips. The red lipstick was stark on her pale face. It made her look older, more sophisticated, more sexual and in charge. I shifted as I realized that I was already turned on.

“What do you think?” I walked closer to her and grabbed the whip.

“You’re not going to hit me.” Her eyes widened, and I could see her lips trembling.

“Are you scared it’s going to hurt?”

“What do you think?” She rolled her eyes and tried to pull the whip back and out of my palms.

“I’m not going to whip you.” I smiled and let go of the whip.

“Oh.” She looked up at me and I saw a quick flash of disappointment in her eyes. The emotion surprised me as I’d been expecting to see relief and only relief.

“We’re going to use ropes.”

“Ropes?” She looked confused. “What for?”

“Fun.” I smiled.

“So you’re not going to tell me?”

“We’re not using ropes right now.”

“Oh.” She sounded surprised. “What are we doing right now?”

“Tonight, we’re going out.”

“Out?” She looked disappointed.

“A little birdie told me you wanted to go to a club.” I took a step towards her and watched the pulse in her neck throbbing.

“Club?” She shook her head.

“Yes, club. Music, people, dancing.”

“First of all, you dance?” She smiled and then paused. “And I’m going dressed like this?”

“I’m a man of many surprises, Nancy.” I kissed her neck, no longer able to stop from touching her. The latex felt edgy and sexy beneath my fingers as I ran my fingertips across her breasts. “I want to pull this suit off of you,” I growled into her ear as my hand caressed her ass.

“Try it and maybe you’ll be the one feeling the whip,” she murmured.

I pulled back and saw a glint in her eyes. She had a smirk on her face, and I started to wonder if the student was about to overtake the teacher.

“Maybe tonight, I’ll let you.” I grinned at her and pressed my lips against hers.

I felt a stirring in the pit of my stomach that I tried to ignore. Everything was going so perfectly, and I was starting to feel something I’d never felt before. I was starting to feel attached. Part of me worried that the plan was going to backfire. The other part of me was worried that everything was going to go perfectly. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to happen anymore. I’d never anticipated Nancy’s being someone who would change the rules. I’d never anticipated that I’d want the rules changed.

Chapter Ten

Nancy

I walked with Amber and Shannon into the club. Jaxon was with Hunter and Keenan, and they were a few yards ahead of us. Staring at Jaxon next to Hunter, I wondered how I had ever been attracted to Hunter. He was a boy when compared to Jaxon. I shivered as I stared at Jaxon’s back, so strong and muscular.

“What sort of club is this?” Amber’s eyes were full of excitement as she looked around the dark club.

“I have no idea.” My eyes looked around the dark room. There were couples dancing, couples making out, and I was pretty sure that there were a few couples having sex. “No club I’ve been to before I’m sure.”

“It’s a sex club,” Shannon whispered and gave me a weak smile. “Hunter told me before we came.”

“Oh?” I looked at her in surprise.

For some reason, I always seemed to forget that she was paired with Hunter. I wondered if I should warn her that there was a possibility that he was bad news, but I knew that there was a possibility that it would look like I had sour grapes if I said anything.

“He asked me if I wanted to wear something sexier.” Shannon looked embarrassed, and I tried to ignore the fact that she was wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a plaid shirt.

“You look fine.” I smiled at her.

“She looks like a f**king redneck.” Amber started laughing. “Who wears a plaid shirt to the club? A wannabe cowgirl. Shit, even cowgirls know how to sex it up.”

“Amber, that’s not cool.” I shook my head and frowned. She was really starting to get on my nerves.

“I’m just saying it like it is.” Amber gave me a piercing look. “Let’s be real. Even you’ve slutted it up tonight.”

“Excuse me?” I stared at her in her tiny crop top and miniskirt. Was she really calling me a slut?

“Girl, you are wearing a latex catsuit with no underwear. Or did you think we couldn’t tell you didn’t have a panty line?” Amber stared at my ass. “And your ni**les are popping out. I’d say that you and Mr. Jaxon seem to be getting on real well, real fast.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes and looked away from her.

“So tell me.” She took a step closer to me.

“Tell you what?”

“How big is his cock?” She grinned.

“Amber!” Shannon grabbed her arm. “Come on. That’s enough.”

“Why are both of you such prudes?” Amber started dancing to the music as two hot bouncers walked past us. “We go to a sex school, yet you both act like Virgin Marys.”

“We don’t go to a sex school.” I bit my lower lip as I realized that she was correct. At the end of the day, we were at a sex school.

I stared at Amber and Shannon for a few seconds and started laughing. They both looked at me like I was crazy, but I couldn’t stop laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Jaxon walked back towards me and gave me a questioning look.

“You don’t want to know?” I gasped as I continued laughing.

“Try me.” He smiled at me and then looked me up and down. “Damn, you look sexy in that bodysuit.”

“I know. You’ve told me about five times.” I grinned, feeling sexy and confident.

“Every man in here wants you.”

“Oh really?” I looked around the room. “I guess I should decide who I want to be with.”

“You’re not going to be with anyone but me.” He growled and pulled me towards him. “Now tell me. What’s so funny?”

I shook my head. “You don’t want to know.”

“Tell me.” He kissed me lightly and sucked on my lower lip.

“I was just thinking. You said the Lovers’ Academy is really a front for training high-class escorts, right?”

“Uh huh.” He nodded, his eyes staring into mine curiously.

“I don’t get how Amber and Shannon fit in.” I giggled. “I can’t see them being high-class escorts. No offense or anything, but they are the last two I’d think of as being girls of the night to the rich and famous.”

“Yeah.” He nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good point. I suppose my father has his reasons.”

“I mean, Amber’s mouth would get her into trouble.” I shook my head and giggled.

His hands slid to my ass as he whispered in my ear, “What’s so funny?”

“I was just picturing Amber asking some rich guy how big his dick was.”

He laughed as squeezed my ass. “Why?”

“Because she’s asked me several times how big you are.”

“Oh yeah?” He pulled back and smiled down at me. “She has?”

“Yes.” I frowned at the look on his face. “Don’t tell me you think that’s a compliment.”

“If she’s curious, I should tell her, no?”

“No.” I pulled away from him annoyed.

“Shall we go and dance?” He grabbed my hands, and I followed him silently.

I was pissed that he’d even consider telling Amber anything. Would he let her touch it too if she asked? I could feel my face going red as I grew angrier and angrier.

“Amber, want to come dance with us?” he called out to her as we walked past the group, and I pulled away from him silently.