The afternoon sunlight felt pleasantly warm, its winter rays especially comforting on the skin. Noah Miller shrugged off his thick, bulky coat and sat up straight on the edge of the bed, waiting for Evelyn Miller to decide his punishment.
The wait before the sentence was carried out was the most unbearable part. Yet Evelyn stayed perfectly still, eyes fixed on her computer as she worked through file after file, as though she were deliberately stretching his nerves to the breaking point.
"Sis…" Noah finally couldn't stay quiet. "Um… aren't we going to do something?"
The woman didn't turn around. Her voice held a mocking edge. "Can't wait any longer, Nate? So eager for your sister to punish you?"
"I've been sitting here for almost an hour. Maybe… we can just forget it?"
"If you're sleepy, go ahead and rest first. Your sister will take care of everything herself soon enough."
Noah swallowed hard, a fresh wave of unease rising in his chest, but pushing her would change nothing. Instead the drowsiness grew heavier. His eyelids drooped, and he lay down on his side.
"I'll sleep, then." He kicked off his shoes and curled up beneath the covers.
"Mmm. Sleep."
The sunlight was warm, and Noah drifted off quickly. Soft little snores reached Evelyn's ears. Her fingers paused on the keyboard. She closed the laptop, rose, and turned. Light spilled from behind her, casting her long shadow across the boy's slender frame.
She steadied Noah's body and carefully peeled away his shirt. The slight chill of the air made him shiver in his sleep, and a soft murmur slipped from his lips… sis.
Evelyn's long lashes trembled. Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes remained cool and detached. She took the sleep mask from her pocket and slipped it gently over his eyes, then drew him against her so his lips brushed close to her ear. She listened intently to every intimate whisper that escaped him in the dream.
But suddenly he murmured again—sis… sister… no… I don't want… I don't want…
An icy frost crystallized in her gaze while the blood in her veins caught fire, burning every inch until it ached. Evelyn parted her lips. Her pearly teeth slowly closed over Noah's thin shoulder.
The sharp pain jerked him awake, but she immediately pinned him down. She loomed over him, sinking her teeth viciously into his shoulder.
"Sis, don't bite—it hurts so much." Noah lifted a hand, instinct driving him to push her away.
Evelyn eased her bite just enough to warn him coldly, "Try pushing your sister away and see what happens, Nate."
She felt his faint resistance vanish at once.
Then she bit down hard on his neck, leaving vivid red marks that nearly broke the skin.
The sound of "Evelyn Miller" from the night before still rang in her ears like a curse. On that dimly lit path, Noah's stubborn, rebellious face and voice were seared into her memory.
She had truly lost control in her fury. How could he show that side of himself? She clearly hadn't trained him well enough. Too much sugar, and now the whip was necessary.
"Why the sleep mask?" Noah asked, voice shaking. "Can I… take it off?"
"If you dare, go ahead and try."
The mask blocked his vision. He couldn't see her and had no idea where the next bite would land. Fear of the unknown made every spot on his shoulders and neck painfully sensitive, yet he had no way to brace himself.
After the thirteenth bite mark bloomed across his shoulder, Evelyn finally stopped. The searing pain forced tears from Noah's eyes. But watching those tears slip from beneath the mask brought her no remorse or pity this time.
She loved Noah Miller with a depth that consumed her, an addict who couldn't stop herself. The smallest chance of losing him filled her with frantic dread.
She could no longer allow him to drift into anyone else's hands. Even if it cost her everything—even if he ended up hating her.
Because she loved him, she had given him every ounce of her tenderness. And because she loved him, she would claim every single part of him, leaving no opening for anyone else to touch what was hers.
Evelyn turned, picked up the thin wooden pointer from the desk, and pressed its length lightly against the top of Noah's head. Her voice was cold and commanding. "I ask. You answer. Not a single lie."
Noah swallowed and nodded, terrified.
"Do you still have feelings for Lila Vale?"
"No. You know I don't."
"Then what is she to you now?"
He hesitated, unsure what answer would satisfy her. Friend? Ex-girlfriend? Childhood companion? Every option sounded perfectly reasonable, yet his sister clearly didn't want to hear any of them.
Blindfolded, Noah couldn't read her expression. The uncertainty only heightened his panic. He struggled for a long moment and still couldn't find the right words.
A sharp crack of the pointer lashed across his body.
"Speak."
"Sis, you already know the truth. I'll say it again, but please don't get angry."
"Speak."
Noah lowered his voice even further, enduring the pain and the cold, trying to sound as small and pitiful as possible. "Friend. Childhood friend. Ex-girlfriend. Nothing more than that. Yesterday I really just didn't want to waste the food."
"I don't want to see you getting any more involved with her. From now on, refuse anything you can refuse. Understood?"
But… he wanted to argue just a little more. The cold, hard pointer stayed pressed against his forehead. Evelyn's earlier strike had held nothing back; that patch of skin still burned fiercely.
"Got it. Can I put my shirt back on first? It's really cold."
"I'm not finished questioning you yet. Don't move." Evelyn shifted the pointer away, watching him tremble uncontrollably. A brief flicker of reluctance touched her, but the memory of his defiance the night before sent fresh anger roaring through her. "The hand that accepted her things last night—stretch it out."
Noah already knew what was coming. Still, he extended his left hand with a shudder, breathing tight.
Smack!
A vivid red welt bloomed across his palm. The fierce sting made him yank his hand back on instinct. He clenched his teeth and refused to make another sound.
"That settles Lila Vale for now. What exactly is your relationship with Nora?"
"It's really just classmates. We barely talk outside of class." Noah rushed to explain. This punishment felt completely unfair.
"Then let me ask differently. What contact have you had with her before?"
"I helped her with homework once or twice, chatted a little, and that's it—plus picking out a gift for you before. Every word is true, I swear." Noah raised four fingers like he was taking an oath.
It was the complete and honest truth. Evelyn studied his every micro-expression and found nothing out of place. Only then did she slowly lower the pointer. She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. The fury in her chest ebbed away like a receding tide, and the dangerous thoughts that had hovered near the edge sank back into the depths.
"Last question. Why did you dare call your sister by her full name?"
"I… my mind just went blank and it slipped out. Sis, I was wrong. Please don't be mad anymore."
Evelyn studied Noah's face for a moment, then picked up the clothes beside the bed and tossed them to him. "Remember every word you said today, Nate. Your sister doesn't want to get rough with you again."
"Then… can I take the sleep mask off now?"
"Go ahead."