xi

M A L I O

I hadn't lost my temper like I did today in a long time.

It had happened to Lynn before, but this was different. He was an asshole, but not one to go after my girl.

That obnoxious grin when Brandon got out of the car made me blush. To be honest, he was even lucky to be alive.

However, after Jolien finally decided to tell me everything, the last bit of anger left my body.

I sat next to her on the bed in silence, wondering how I could have missed that. Actually, we knew everything about the Xing family, but this knowledge was new even to me. And it was a twist that I didn't like at all. A twist that could change everything.

"Could you please say something about that?" I heard her whisper softly after a while, when she had been silent for several minutes. I turned to her and noticed that her expectant green eyes were already resting on me. As if hoping her, I could tell her something that would encourage her - but I couldn't.

"It must be hard for you. But I promise that no matter what you decide about your father, I'll be by your side." I reached out for her shaking hands and squeezed them gently, my eyes falling on the flushed wrist.

"I'm sorry Jolie. I didn't mean to." I blurted out before I could think about it.

She obviously followed my gaze because she calmly replied, "That's not so bad. "No it's not. I'm sorry."

She resolutely pulled away from my grasp and wrapped her hands around my face. With a slight pressure she raised it so that our eyes met again. "It's OK."

Her lips brushed gently over mine. Such a delicate touch, but at the same time the desire for her awakened in me again.

I returned the kiss more passionately than I intended.

A moan escaped her lips as I gained access to her mouth and claimed it completely for myself. Every inch was mine and every sound that emanated from within confirmed this.

Maybe I was fucked up and a total lunatic, but Jolien made me feel like I could change every second I was around her. That I could leave this life behind for her - for us. Sometime.

When we broke away panting after a while, she smiled against my lips. "I love you, you crazy jealous git."

I raised an eyebrow, but ignored her cheeky statement for now and ignored the grin that crossed her lips at my reaction.

"Get undressed!" I ordered instead. Her eyes flared with lust and I couldn't help but laugh. "No reason to be happy - that won't happen again today." I scoffed and when she realized that I was exactly knowing what she was thinking, a flush of pink spread across her cheeks.

"You don't have to be embarrassed by your desire." I kissed her tenderly and cupped the hem of her sweater. Unfortunately, I found that Jolien had already put on panties again. It's a shame. I would never get enough of the sight of her pussy.

As I walked away from her to get her one of my shirts, she protested quietly but not really convincingly. If she really wanted it that bad, I would be the last one to refuse her. But since she didn't really make a convincing attempt, I assumed it was just that constant craving I was struggling with as well.

"Are you in pain?" I heard her ask after a few seconds. I turned to her and looked at her confused. "Your hand." She pointed to the bandage. "No, actually not. Unless you want to patch me up." Grinning, I handed her the shirt.

"You could talk about that," Jolien teased, pulling the sweater over her head. My cock immediately spoke up when I saw her sitting in front of me in just her underwear. The sight was phenomenal.

She bit her lower lip seductively as her hands went to the bra clasp, rocking my world completely.

For a moment I thought about just fucking her - then I noticed her deep circles under her eyes again.

She paused for a few seconds, teasing me to the point of blood, before pulling the shirt on and I exhaled audibly. "You're playing a dangerous game," I growled excitedly as I shrugged off my sweater and walked around the bed, throwing the covers aside.

She grinned and crawled towards me on the headboard, where she laid her head on my chest. Her scent got into my nose and I inhaled the fruity, sweet note.

Jolien kissed my chest, heart level, and placed her hand on it as if to seal her affection.

But she had to draw me even more. She had touched me long ago, marked me long ago. It wasn't visible on my skin, but it was there. This claim went deeper. Was more intense. She was in every fiber of my body. In every breath.

Jolien had claimed my heart.

J O L I E N

Malio gave me exactly a two-day grace period before chasing me back to the Academy.

If it was up to me, I could have spent the rest of my life falling asleep and waking up next to him. There was nothing quite like looking into those beautiful blue eyes every night and knowing that he was still there the next morning.

But that Wednesday morning, it wasn't his eyes that first caught my eye. I blinked sleepily a few times, tempted to just pull the covers back over my face.

I heard the soft roar of the shower and was a little surprised. Actually, Malio was the biggest grouch that I knew, that he was already on his feet at this time could only mean one thing. Apparently he had also decided to go about his regular daily routine again.

Dressed only in a white towel, he entered the room and gave me one of his stunning smiles, with which he had already broken so many women's hearts.

"Good morning," I mumbled. "What's wrong?" He eyed me confused and then went over to the closet, from which he took a white shirt and dark jeans.

"You took a shower without me," I stated, offended, and it was almost ridiculous that this fact annoyed me more than returning to the Academy.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement as a smug expression crossed his face. With a casual movement, he wiped his wet hair from his forehead and that casual movement alone got my blood pumping.

"Then I should have woken you up an hour earlier." He stated dryly and turned his attention back to the wardrobe.

Meanwhile, I let my gaze slide down his tattooed back. I loved every letter, every picture, every line. Everything was perfectly coordinated and formed an unmistakable work of art.

"And that would have been so bad?" I murmured. He rolled back over, smirked, and opened his towel. My eyes immediately went to his cock and I involuntarily pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, trying to pull out a mixture of arousal and nervousness chewing on her.

"Don't get me wrong, Jolien. I would have loved to fuck you in the shower, but I guess you need all your energy for today. You have a lot of catching up to do and Enrico won't make it easy for you." His intentions were chivalrous, but I was frustrated now.

"Don't remind me of him. Why are you up already?" I tried to ignore the tugging between my legs and reluctantly shifted my gaze from his cock to look directly at him again.

When our eyes met, he grinned meaningfully. He savored the feeling of my rising need for a few seconds before speaking up and answering my question, "I have business to attend to."

I silently watched him pull on his boxers and jeans. After throwing on his shirt and slowly beginning to button up, he added, "I have to go to the hospital later. Pick up Rash."

"What? Why is he being fired already? Are they crazy?" I looked at him in surprise, after all Rash hadn't even been there a week. Why was he released now?

"He's resigning voluntarily." Malio replied while adjusting the collar of his shirt and unbuttoning the first few buttons.

God he was so hot! I loved his look. Casual, yet elegant.

"But that's dangerous!" I yelled in disbelief, which Malio raised an eyebrow at again. "I guess we handle danger just fine. Don't worry." He paused for a moment and examined his reflection.

"Speaking of dangerous...", Malio picked up the thread again after a few seconds. There it was, this topic that had been hovering over us unspoken for the last few days. "Yes?" He hesitated a moment. "I want you to learn how to use a weapon." "Excuse me?"

Malio sighed and ran his hands through his dark hair again before answering, "You need to learn to defend yourself." "Then I'll take a self-defense class!" He laughed softly and came towards me with a grin. "Yes you will babe. And with me. I'll teach you both."

"Are you serious?" He nodded, cupping my cheek in his left hand. "Of course. I don't joke about that. When you're by my side, you automatically become a target and I can't always be there to help you. I'm not kidding." protect. And if that happens, I want you to be able to take care of yourself."

Was he talking about his death?

I gasped and his hand moved lower until his thumb brushed my bottom lip.

"I'll do everything I can to ensure you never have to use them, though." He promised quietly, running his thumb along my lips.

"Put it in your mouth!" he demanded. In the sexiest way I could, I pulled his thumb into his mouth to curl my tongue around it. I looked up at him through my lashes and he tugged at it The sight sharpens the air.

"Jolien..." his voice dropped to a low murmur as I moved my hands to his belt. I slowly undid the buckle while continuing to suck and lick his thumb.

As I pushed down the jeans and boxer shorts, his erection jumped out at me.

Grinning, I leaned forward to encircle its tip with my tongue. He moaned softly and grabbed my hair vigorously.

Most of the time Malio was in control during sex, but sucking it was different and I liked that. I loved that he was completely at my mercy. His lust and the ensuing orgasm was entirely in my hands.

And he allowed it. Let me tease him. Played with him, fully savoring the power.

"Oh fuck," he tilted his head back with a groan as I wrapped my lips around his cock and slowly, very slowly, jerked back and forth.

"Oh babe, that feels so good." His voice was so deep, so aroused, I couldn't suppress a small moan.

Malio's grip tightened without putting pressure on my head. He continued to let me take control.

At least until he pulled out of my mouth cursing and looked down at me with blazing eyes.

"Fuck it," he said to himself rather than me, giving in to his desire.

In a deep, excited voice, he growled, "I want you in front of me, on all fours! Now!"

I grinned triumphantly as I sat down on the bed and Malio tore my panties at the same time.

****

At the time, I didn't know that meeting Soela that morning was just the tip of the iceberg.

But by the time I left the Academy at 4:00 p.m., my bad mood had hit a new low. A low point that certainly had something to do with the new tutor. Who was none other than Soela La Cruel.

How that could have happened was a mystery to me, after all she was hardly older than me.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Soela pulled me out of class in the first lesson to let me know that I was having sessions with her from now on. Because of the horrific events of the Winter Ball and because I was such a close friend of Elena.

She nipped my argument in the bud by assuring me that Headmaster Gibbons also supported the sessions. When I furrowed my brows skeptically, she swiped at my nose, showing my father's approval.

That was the first nail in my coffin. The second followed just an hour later.

After angrily rushing out of the briefing room, I showed up late for Enrico La Cruel's class. Of course, he used the opportunity directly and growled at me to have a week's detention.

Unfortunately, that wasn't all... Because in one fell swoop, I became a loner.

Bekka kept avoiding me. Brandon wasn't there. And Gray? Gray came and went as he pleased. And the time he spent at the Academy seemed overshadowed by his drug use. I hadn't even noticed that he had fallen so badly - but to be honest I hadn't spent much time with him in the last few weeks either.

As I watched impatiently for Malio's car in the Academy parking lot, I resolved to change that in the future. I should talk to him.

I finally saw the matte black Lamborghini and sighed with relief.

The Academy, Soela, Enrico and also Bekka could be as mean as they wanted, as soon as I saw Malio it was all forgotten.

I impatiently waited for the tires to stop in front of me before hurrying into the car to escape the hours of horror that unfolded behind the walls of the Academy.

"How was your day?" Malio asked after greeting me with a quick kiss that wasn't nearly enough to quell my surging craving.

"Good!" He nodded, turned the car around and turned the radio down.

"How was your day?" I studied his handsome face, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't read any emotion or emotion on it.

"Exhausting!" he replied, giving me a quick look. I wanted to ask what had been just as exhausting, but Malio had never discussed business before. Maybe he was trying to protect me or he just didn't think it was necessary.

"And you really don't want to tell me why you're in detention again?" he said after a while, during which we sat in silence and I listened to the complaints on the radio.

Damn. That's why he seemed so distant. Apparently Ivan had told him about it. I could have guessed.

I decided to be honest, straight-forward, and ended my short synopsis by saying, "Did you know that Soela still thinks you guys are engaged?" Malio had listened to me without even interrupting - and I didn't know whether that was a good or a bad sign, but both were possible.

"No, I didn't know that, Jolien." It sounded sincere, which honestly put my mind at ease.

"I'll take care of it, don't worry.", he grabbed my hand, "It's just a formality."

I enjoyed the gentle touch of his thumb stroking the back of my hand for a moment before his next words sent a chill down my spine.

They were words I wouldn't have expected from him - when it was he who had practically forced me to go back to the Academy.

"Maybe it would be better if you left the Academy temporarily." I looked at him in surprise and saw genuine concern beneath the blank expression he always wore.

"No, I will not. I will continue to go to the Academy!" I didn't know where this determination in my voice came from. It was probably my inner pride that spoke up and didn't want to be bullied by either Soela or Enrico from the Academy.

Malios groaned in annoyance before replying sullenly, "I was afraid you were such a damn stubborn girl!"

"That's why you love me!" A grin curled his lips before he replied: "Of course! Stay at the Academy, I don't care. But...", his gaze wandered to me again. "...at the slightest incident you're gone!" I nodded eagerly, but when I realized that this wasn't enough for him, I added: "Okay, baby!"

It was the first time I'd given him a pet name as well, which Malio also noticed.

"Can you say that tonight when I fuck you?" "Should I say it now while we're doing it in the back seat?" I asked the counter-question and seductively undid the first few buttons on my blouse.

His throaty laugh filled the cab and he shook his head in amusement. "I'm on my way to pick up Rash. So if it's not supposed to be a quick number, I'm all for postponing it!"

"That's really too bad," I replied with a shrug. His eyes snapped over to me again as he stopped at a traffic light, "But you can say it while I'm giving you!" His hand slipped out of mine and went straight under my skirt.

I groaned in excitement as his fingers slipped right under my panties.

"Malio!" I clenched my thighs, still aware we were at a stop light.

He reprimanded me with a click and reluctantly I opened my legs again. He slowly stroked my wet middle. "You're so damn wet, I love how your body reacts to me!"

He slowly entered me with two fingers to curl them right inside me.

I stifled a scream as it hit just the right spot - and in one fell swoop, I had it all blanked out.

The street. The other people. The risk of getting caught. All that mattered was Malio and my climax, which this time was in his hands.

"Malio!" His name came out of my mouth like a prayer - in awe.

"What were you going to call me?" he asked sharply, pausing. His free hand cupped my chin, jerking it around so I had to look at him. "Please, baby, don't stop!"

"I want to look you in the eye when you cum!" His eyes flashed and I automatically reached for his pants, but he stopped me with a warning look. "Hands off!" he whispered dangerously as he continued entered me. Fast and deep.

"Touch yourself!" Malio demanded and I hesitated for a moment, causing his grip on my chin to tighten. "I said touch you!"

My hand also wandered between my legs and found my swollen clit. My moans intensified as he held my eyes in his.

"You are mine!" A fierce kiss sealed his words. So passionate and engaging that that kiss alone almost made me cum.

I moaned as his fingers entered his mouth, while Malio continued to kiss me fiercely. totally absorbed me. Driven me wild and unrestrained, leaving only the wave of a rushing climax.

Just before I came, he broke free. His hand trailed down my chin, wrapped around my neck and squeezed gently. Our eyes met so intensely, so passionately, that I gasped for air.

His pupils were dilated with excitement. "Come for me babe. Cum hard on my hand!" he breathed in a hoarse voice that finished me off.

My world exploded and Malio watched with his mouth slightly open as I came moaning, gasping and screaming.

****

After one last kiss, Malio let go of my face and I used the freedom I had gained to lean my head against the headrest of the passenger seat, exhausted.

An annoying beeping of the horn pulled us back to reality - which obviously didn't unsettle him in the least.

Undeterred, he pulled his hand from my crotch and brought it to his mouth with a victorious grin as there was a violent knock on the window pane.

Malio, unperturbed, lowered the window. "What?" he asked aggressively.

"Dude, get rid of that damn thing! It's green, you idiot!" snapped a big, beefy bald guy.

"Stupid idiot?" Malio repeated calmly, and I could almost hear the threat in his voice - the guy apparently didn't. He nodded and added: "Get that damn thing your daddy paid for go away!"

I noticed Malio clench his fist and for a moment I thought he was just going to smack him. Instinctively, I put my hand on his knee and said quietly, "Let's drive."

He hesitated for an infinite second before taking his eyes off the guy, who obviously didn't realize how close he was to a confrontation he was sure to lose.

"Fuck off before the _idiot_ teaches you some manners!" Malio growled dangerously, never taking his eyes off the road.

Very slowly he approached the ignition key when the man spoke again: "Get out, you pretty boy and I'll show you who's teaching whom manners!"

"Malio, please!" I whispered softly, noticing that his hand had stopped mid-movement. "Sorry, Jolien!" He had flashed his weapon, which I didn't even know he even had carried it with him and pressed it right under the guy's chin.

"You have five seconds to get your pathetic ass in your car or I'll blow your stupid brain out of your head!" "Dude-" "Five, four..." Malio interrupted harshly.

Eyes wide with fear, Mann's closet stared at Malio.

"Three, two." My heart was racing, knowing he wasn't joking in situations like this. "Baby-" "Shut up, Jolien!" Malio snapped coldly, while he kept counting down, undeterred.

"One" Apparently, at the last moment, the guy finally realized that Malio meant business - because finally he got moving and hurried away.

"Such a wimp," Malio commented softly. "If you had him.." I lost the end of the question along the way. He raised an eyebrow, eyed me, then turned the key to finally get the car moving again. "Shot? Yes, of course – I thought you knew me by now."

"Sorry, traffic jam!" he replied, sliding his hand over his mouth, which had been under my skirt less than twenty minutes ago and had been weighting me down to a violent orgasm.

A gesture that immediately brought blood to my cheeks, while he acknowledged my reaction with a triumphant smile.

"Stupid evening traffic!" Rash agreed. "You're right. It's always _quick_ and _heavy_, doesn't it, Jolien?"

I gasped, not missing the ambiguity in that statement.

Rash, who apparently didn't notice any of this, nodded in agreement and first threw his travel bag on the back seat and then sank down on it as well. "That's correct. You should avoid rush hours."

"Exactly, those blatant shock-" Malio stretched out the word before he finished his sentence. "-times that really fuck you up."

I hated him! I really really hated him.

"Do you finally want to leave, or are you still waiting for something?" Rash wondered when Malio, half a minute after getting in, made no move to start the engine.

Malio sighed, as if he had been lost in thought for a moment before starting the car and pulling out of the hospital parking lot, the tires spinning.

"Rash..." I had long thought about what I would say to him if I saw him again.

But nothing I could put together in my head was remotely enough. Didn't in the slightest justify what had happened to him - and yet I couldn't leave it unsaid either.

I was afraid that he might hate me and at the same time guilt that threatened to engulf me.

"It's okay, Jolien," he dismissed my apology before I even uttered it. "No, it's not Rash." Malio laughed softly and I gave him an irritated look.

"Doesn't that sound familiar, Jolien?" he asked, grinning. "What?" "The conversation." He was right - we had that kind of conversation a few days ago.

"I can understand your decision, Malio told me everything. We won't let you down." I smiled at Rash through the mirror and breathed a soft "Thank you!".

Maybe I'd lost my father and a friend or two in a series of bad decisions. But now and here, in the environment of these two people, I felt safe again for the first time in a long time and, what was much more important, understood.

"Jolien, I still have to ask you this." Rash leaned forward and ignored Malio's admonishing look, who obviously knew exactly what was going on.

"What's up?" "Rash, don't do it!" Malio roughly joined the conversation.

I turned in the passenger seat to face Rash directly. "What is it, Rash?" I ignored the dangerous sound coming from the driver's seat, almost like the growl of a wild animal.

"Sorry bro," Rash addressed Malio one last time before turning his dark eyes to me.

"It's about the attack on you, um Elena. Could it be that your father knows something..." He paused a little to summon up the courage to say what I'm sure we've all thought of since we knew that my father was in cahoots with the Chinese "Or maybe he's behind it himself?"

I let the words sink in for a moment. The attack was on me. So if he really was behind it himself...

The gentle pressure Malio's hand applied to my knee pulled me out of the dark thoughts I had been lost in for a moment.

"I don't know, Rash. I'm sorry." "It doesn't mean he's automatically involved, you know that or Jolien?" I knew Malio just wanted to make me feel good. One last glimmer of hope.

But what should you do when all hope has long since deserted you? Then this little spark would also be swallowed up by the darkness within seconds.

I decided not to answer his statement at all. Firstly because I didn't want to lie to him and secondly because I didn't know what would happen if I delved into the subject more. Would it break me completely in the end?

For the rest of the ride, an awkward silence hung over us and Malio didn't take his hand off my knee.

It was a comfort that I also needed at that moment.