He said carelessly, “Oh, I definitely can, and I won’t even have to resort to spreading the word about the naughty little things you’ve been doing in class.” Before she could answer, he made his move, catching her by surprise as he took hold of her hand, his grip tightening as she immediately tried pulling away.
“All I have to do,” he said softly, “is make you hold my dick, just like you held his, and force you to make me come.”
Seri gasped, unable to believe that a stranger was telling her such things.
“But unlike your stepbrother, I promise to return the favor, sweetheart. I’ll make you come like—-”
Finally recovering from her shock, she used all her strength to wrench her hand out of his hold. When she was free, she quickly backed away, warning him with a glare, “I’m going to kill you if you ever touch me or say things like that to me again.”
“Give me a chance, sweetheart,” Maximilian purred. “I only need you to be in my arms for five minutes—-”
The hooded look he sent her felt somehow dangerous, and Seri couldn’t help taking a step back.
The way she paled only partially satisfied Maximilian. Good, he thought grimly. She had finally remembered that he was a man. But it wasn’t enough.
Standing up, he took a step towards her and she quickly took another step back. He flashed her a knowing, arrogant smile, saying, “So how about it, sweetheart?”
Seri took one look at the guy’s face and knew immediately that he was going to try to kiss her.
No way!
She spun around, intending to leave, but he caught her just before she could reach the door and spun her back to face him. Stiffening at finding herself caged in his arms, she hissed, “Let go of me.”
“Make me,” Maximilian challenged, all the while doing his best to not think about how it felt to have her body pressed against his.
Seri gasped, “You—-” But she ended up gasping again as he started to lower his head towards her.
“I can guarantee I’ll have you purring in pleasure,” he murmured, “like a sweet little kitty…”
As the distance between their mouths grew smaller, Seri frantically tried shoving him off her, her hands pushing against his chest.
But she was no match against his strength, and his head keep lowering.
“I’ll claw your eyes out,” she threatened, “if you try anything.”
Maximilian only smirked. “It won’t be rape.”
She started to scream, but the sound was lost in the hand that had suddenly covered her mouth.
“Scream,” he warned her, “and I’ll make sure everyone knows about you and your stepbrother.”
Seri whitened.
As Maximilian released her, a cruel smile formed on his lips. “If you give me a kiss…” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and Seri, who had been wetting her dry lips, froze. “Just one kiss, my tongue in your mouth, and your tongue in mine, and I’ll call it quits.”
His arms tightened. “Deal?”
She was incredulous. “Are you serious?”
Instead of answering, he reached up to trace her lips and she immediately jerked her head away.
“Ah, so I should just tell the world then—-”
Realizing her mistake, she protested quickly, “No!” Searching his gaze, Seri felt her heart sink as it dawned on her that he really was serious. He wanted a kiss in exchange for his silence, and…that wasn’t that big of a deal, right?
Forcing herself to nod, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep herself still as she waited for the inevitable. It’s just a kiss, it’s just a kiss, Seri tried to convince herself, but the way her body was stiff with tension told her otherwise.
A part of her almost found it amusing, the way her life was beginning to resemble a typical plot for a shoujo manga. Honestly, she would have laughed…if it hadn’t been happening to her.
More moments passed, and yet…
Nothing happened.
She waited and dreaded, all the while telling herself that this was no big deal because a kiss was just a kiss and it wasn’t like sex.
When nothing still happened, she gradually realized something else.
There was no longer someone holding her back, the arms that had earlier imprisoned her no longer around Seri’s body. Was he gone then? Her heart thudding against her chest, she cautiously opened her eyes—-
He was still there, standing a few steps away from her, his arms crossed over his chest.
As their gazes met, Maximilian said mildly, “I was just bluffing.” But the truth was, he wasn’t. He had meant to kiss her. He had wanted to kiss her. But when he saw the way she closed her eyes and looked like she was about to cry over a goddamn kiss, he knew he couldn’t and wouldn’t do it.
Seri’s gaze darted to him nervously, and when he still didn’t make any move towards her, she asked warily, “So you’re not going to kiss me?”