Chapter 39

"Which of the following will react most easily with hydrochloric acid to form an alkyl halide? A, primary alcohol, or B, secondary alcohol, or C, tertiary alcohol, or D, all of the above?"

Rafael slammed her forehead on the table. "This is pointless. I'm going to fail and there is nothing I can do about it. Just let me die."

"Raf! Sit up, we're going to finish these flashcards if they kill you!"

"Please! That would be a mercy killing at this point!"

"You haven't even started your Calc 3 review packet, don't wimp out on me now."

"Why are you suddenly snapping the whip like a taskmaster now of all times?" Raf moaned. "Where did the nice, sweet, understanding Claudia go? No compassion at all for the suffering..."

"You're not suffering anything, Raf. Except for the consequences of procrastinating all semester."

She coughed a few times into the desk. "Ah... I'm feeling weak... Did I tell you I used to have asthma when I was younger..."

"You're smart and you made it all the way to Calc 3 and Orgo. You paid for these classes already! Are you really going to let it go to waste!" I pulled her chair out from under the table and spun her around. "Wake up! Wake up!"

She sighed and stopped herself with a resigned groan. "Fine... But watch it, I'm not going easy on you when it's your turn. As soon as I finish these flashcards, I'm hitting you with all your review questions with no mercy."

"Good!"

We studied well into the night. She had come over to the Scarlet manor since today was a Reading Day at university, and after two weeks, she had finally let go of just enough anger toward Evan that she could stand to come here. Too bad she vowed that same night to never return, eyes puffy with fatigue and mumbling equations on accident in the middle of trying to talk about ordinary things.

"You've brainwashed me with education!" she accused as she shoved her textbooks into her backpack, face set in scandalized horror. "I've become a nerd!"

"Studying for one night does not make you a nerd."

"The sky is starting to turn bright! It's going to be morning in like an hour or two! I pulled an all-nighter... to study! I'm a nerd now! And it's your fault."

I shook my head as she continued to complain all the way to the garage, where one of the butlers had volunteered to drive her home since it would be dangerous for her to get behind the wheel in her fatigued state. Another butler would also drive her car back with her so she wasn't stranded at home with only Leon's truck.

I waved her off before trudging back toward the manor, tired but satisfied. We had managed to complete a good chunk of our review assignments, and at this rate we would be caught up in time for the finals. I could afford to sleep a little, just a few hours. I was starting to feel warm anyway; a tiny nap would cool me down.

Little did I know that I would wake up with a 102 degree fever. My normal body temperature was lower than most, so the heat was even more unbearable than it should be. Even so, it took two maids to convince me to stay in bed when they discovered my fevered state, and Evan was home almost four hours earlier than he should have been, bringing along a doctor.

"I'm fine!" I protested as I lay in my bed, but the lightheaded rush that would have knocked me off my feet had I been standing begged to differ. Even closing my eyes made my head spin. But the tense worry on Evan's face as the doctor took my temperature again and examined my mouth refused to fade. "I just stayed up late, that's all. I'm fine. I'm really fine."

"She is not fine at all," the doctor said flatly. "Her temperature would have continued to spike had I not given her the anti-pyretic. What she needs is rest and to not push herself anymore. This was caused by exhaustion and not eating or hydrating properly. Miss Claudia, tell us the truth. How long has it been since you had a full night's rest?"

"Well... Um, finals are coming up, and this week I was trying to catch up on--"

"There you have it. Alpha Evan, someone needs to keep an eye on Miss Claudia and ensure she stays in bed. She needs to take her meals but otherwise, she should sleep and rest. If this gets any worse, I will have to administer fluids. In fact, I would do it now if Miss Claudia weren't so opposed."

"But I have to study--!"

"I'll keep an eye on her personally," Evan interrupted. "I'll be by her side all day."

"At least until the fever goes down. I suspect it's not so much an infection we have to worry about as it is her fatigue, but I'll check in tomorrow morning to make sure her condition is improved."

"I'll see you in the morning, then, Dr. Krane."

The man took his leave with a final stern glower at me, escorted away by one of the butlers standing by the bedroom door. Evan motioned for them to close it behind them, and with a sharp click, we were left alone.

"Stay in bed, Claudia."

"I'm just going to grab my textbook--"

"No. Stay in bed."

It was the worst. Once I closed my eyes, it was impossible to stay awake, and I fell asleep seconds after he promised to be right back with breakfast. When I next woke up, it was already past eleven in the morning, three hours gone by in the blink of an eye. Evan was right there with me when I awoke, working on something on his laptop, and he made me put down a bowl of chicken soup before I dozed off again.

I didn't sleep for nearly that long the second time. I woke up again at one, feeling much better.

"No. Stay in bed, Claudia."

"But I'm feeling great! I really, really need to study."

"You're tired, and you need to rest."

"I'm not tired at all!"

"Don't make me go over there, Claudia."

I sat up in bed and poked my foot out of the covers, testing his patience. He sat in the armchair, laptop poised over his lap as he glared at me. When he didn't move, I put my other leg over, gingerly reaching for the floor...

"I warned you. If I have to tire you out myself, I'll do it."

I gasped when he put everything down with a clatter and strode over to me, long legs eating up the hardwood as he closed the distance between us. In no time at all, he was standing in front of me, and he shoved me back onto the bed. I sprawled backward, and under his gleaming gaze, I became intimately aware that I was wearing nothing but my thin tank top and a pair of short shorts that didn't leave much to the imagination...

"Evan, wait... But you're working -- ah!"

He flipped me over onto my stomach with one strong hand, and he climbed on top of me. The mattress dipped, and he ignored my surprised yelps as he pulled down my shorts, exposing my backside.

"Evan! Ah..."

I bucked underneath him when he cupped me from behind, his touch far more aggressive than usual. Or maybe it was more thrilling because I couldn't see him, how he pressed me down into the bed facedown as he kissed my neck.

"Claudia... I'm going to put you to sleep, understand?"

My shorts were off, and he pulled up my tank top from behind to undo the clasp of my bra. His hand dove under my chest to grope my breast, pinching my nipple as I moaned and gasped.

"I've been wanting to touch you since I got back," he whispered. "But you had to go and scare me like this. I'm going to have to get payback for that, Claudia..."

His rigid length pressed into me from behind, and I moaned again when he yanked me up onto all fours. He spread my legs, fitting himself firmly between my thighs as I grew wetter and wetter for him while he ground against me.

"I'm so hard, Claudia. Can you feel me? Can you feel my cock?"

"Yes. Yes... Evan, yes..."

He slid inside me, hot and hard and rough. I shuddered at his strength, and at the added edge of frustration as he pulled me off and then yanked me back onto him hard, parting my walls with his thick, engorged sex.

He built a rhythm, effortlessly moving me as he pleasured me at every angle, hitting me in just the right place to have me moaning and begging, even screaming with every pound and stroke.

"Evan... Evan!"

"Claudia... You're so tight. I'm going to come. I'm going to come inside you."

"Evan...!"

I squeezed around him when my climax came, arms trembling as my womanhood spasmed around him uncontrollably. He let out a heavy groan as I rippled around him with another scream, and his fingers came sliding down to torment my clit and extend my orgasm even longer.

"Evan! Oh! Evan, no more, please! Ah!"

He pulled me onto my knees, crashing my back into his chest for one final thrust so hard the entire bed moved. Our bodies slapped together, and then with a curse, he released inside me, his come warm and copious between my thighs.

"Claudia..." He kissed my neck again, long and slow. "Are you tired now?"

"Ah..."

"Good. Now go to sleep."