If he’d approached me, been nice to me and then asked me out, I might not have said no. But that’s not how it happened and I can’t forget the glint in his eye when he forces me to behave a certain way. He enjoys it. He likes his control over me, just like he enjoys being an Elite and having power over a whole school full of kids.

What is it they say? That power corrupts? In Sebastian’s case, I’m sure it’s true. He’s rich, confident, revered, beautiful. Anything he wants he gets, but I can’t allow myself to be just another thing that belongs to him. I refused to be owned.

The guys chat between themselves, but I don’t try to insert myself into their conversation, I don’t want to be a part of their world. Instead, I fidget in Sebastian’s lap, trying to get comfortable, knowing that getting him to allow me to move will mean selling even more of my soul to the devil.

Earlier when I stripped for him, I thought I was winning. For a short moment I honestly thought I held the upper hand, after all, what could he do just looking at me? But when I was naked and his eyes were on me, I finally started to understand where the power lay—solely at his feet.

Everything he’s done, the way he’s behaved, has all been about him toying with me. We’re playing a game that I don’t know the rules to, and I need to figure out how I end the game without losing to him.

Maybe if the only players were him and me, I might stand a chance, but after only two days he’s already got my mom and my bestie on his team. I’m outgunned by him and I have no idea what to do to try and free myself of his obsessive hold.

Someone dims the lights and a movie starts to play on the huge screen. It’s vaguely familiar, a new release that Court suggested we go to the movies to watch. A sudden wave of exhaustion washes over me and I yawn, settling back against Sebastian. I want to leave, to go home and just sleep in my own bed, but I know if I suggest it he’ll refuse.

“You okay?” he asks, his warm breath against my ear.

“Tired,” I say wearily.

“Sleep then, little bird.” Pulling a blanket over us, he turns me slightly and encourages me to rest my head against his shoulder. I know I should fight it, but I’ve tried to fight today, I’ve tried to negotiate. All it’s gotten me is kissed in front of the whole school, a purple claiming bite on the back of my neck and naked while he touched me. So far I’m losing both the battle and the war; it’s time to regroup and figure out a new plan.

I must fall asleep, because when I wake up, I’m being carried in Sebastian’s arms. “I want to go home,” I mumble sleepily.