"Smart girl." He gave me a short smile.

"So your father is shady, but you're not?"

"My father is a businessman and so am I." His eyes glittered at me.

I wondered what he was saying. Was he saying that he was as shady as his dad? And if so, how shady?

"I'm guessing you're not going to tell me about all of your businesses?" I sighed.

"Smart girl." He ran his fingers to my face.

“Tell me why your dad hates Brandon.”

“He ruined my father’s business.” He shrugged.

“What do you mean?” I frowned.

“We’ll talk later.”

I shook my head. “I want to talk about this now.”

“Trust me, Nancy.” His fingers ran down my cheek. “I’ve already told you the most important part. Have some patience and trust me.”

“Fine.” I nodded and sighed. Jaxon had already told me more than I would have ever expected him to tell me.

“Just take the phone, go and relax, and call me when you go to have a bath.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “Trust me. You won’t regret it.”

***

"It's me," I spoke into the phone softly as I settled into the hot bath.

"Are you in the bath?" he whispered.

"Yes."

"Naked?"

"Of course."

"Good." His voice lowered. "Close your eyes."

"Why?" I frowned into the phone.

"Don't ask. Just do."

"You're rather bossy for someone so shady."

"You think I'm shady?"

"Is that even a question?" I retorted as I closed my eyes. I smiled as I listened to his hearty laugh.

"Are you lying back in the water?"

"That's what most people do in a bathtub," I mumbled as I submerged my body in the hot water. It tingled my skin, but it felt marvelous.

"Stop talking back and just relax."

"Yes, sir!"

"You like that, don't you? I think you've got a fetish for men in authority."

"Is that a joke?" I mumbled, Jaxon's handsome face popping into my mind.

"Well, first the teacher and then me."

"You have no authority over me."

"Wrong answer. You were supposed to say not Hunter."

"Not Hunter what?" I yawned, suddenly feeling tired.

"Nothing, Nancy." He sighed. "Stop yawning. It's not safe to fall asleep in the bath."

"You're the one who told me to have a bath."

"Cradle the phone in the nook of your neck," he whispered, his voice lower and deeper. Something about his tone sent a thrill of pleasure down my spine.

"Are you trying to seduce me in the bathtub?" I whispered as I shifted the phone and ran my fingers down the valley between my breasts.

"Do you want me to?" He was breathing into the phone.

"No." My voice sounded sharp as my fingers moved to my breasts. I ran my fingertips over my nipples, and my body shuddered as I imagined it was him touching me.

"I want you to touch yourself."

"What?" I exclaimed guiltily. Did he know that I was already doing that?

"I want you to touch yourself. There's no need to be shy."

"I'm not shy." I laughed slightly. If only he knew.

"What's so funny?" he questioned. I could tell from his tone that he was curious to know what was going on.

"Nothing's funny." I breathed into the phone and took a deep breath. I was starting to feel even more relaxed.

"I told you. Don’t fall asleep on the phone."

"I'm not," I mumbled.

"Run your fingers down to your stomach."

"Why?"

"Don't question me again."

"Why why why?" I said quickly, and I heard him groan.

"Nancy, a woman who is comfortable in her own skin and sexuality can do anything. She has no fear."

"Oh." I paused and grinned. "I thought you were going to say a woman who can give herself an orgasm doesn't need to depend on men."

Jaxon laughed in response, his laughter growing deeper with every second that passed. "Do you get yourself off a lot then, Nancy?"

"That's none of your business, Jaxon."

"What happened to sir?"

"I wasn't sure if you'd prefer master," I quipped back, half joking.

"You wouldn't make a good sub. You’re too mouthy."

"What, are you a Dom or something?" I shivered as I thought about the things he would command me to do if he was in that position over me. Part of me thought it could be extremely exciting.

"Touch yourself," was his answer to me, and I felt my nerves buzzing. Was he commanding me to let me know he was a Dom?

"Where?" I whispered back, caught up in the heat of the moment.

"Run your fingers between your legs." He paused. "Lean back, relax, and make sure your eyes are closed. Take a couple of deep breaths. Then run your fingers to your thighs. Don't touch your cl*tyet. Just run your fingers along your legs and through your pu**y gently."

"And?" I whispered as my fingers gently ran over my pulsing skin.

"Just do that until I say."

"Okay," I whispered into the phone as I spread my legs wider in order to touch myself.

"Your fingers are soft and gentle," he muttered into the phone. "Imagine they are rough and hard. Imagine they graze you with the intent to tease, to torment."

Jaxon's image popped into my mind and I imagined him touching me. I imagined they were his fingers running across my labia and clit. I groaned as I started touching and rubbing myself.

"I hope you're not playing with yourself." His voice sounded angry.

"I'm not," I lied as I felt an orgasm building up.

"Whose face are you picturing in your mind as you play with yourself?" he asked me gently.

"Yours," I responded without thinking, so close to orgasm that my breathing was heavier and my fingers were working extra hard.

"Stop." His voice was low and deadly.

"What?" I froze as I heard a knock on the door.

"I said stop." His voice sounded louder on the phone, and my eyes popped open as the door opened.

"What are you doing?" I stared up at him in shock and excitement as he entered the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" He raised an eyebrow and stared at my flushed face and them down to my pussy. My finger was still next to my clit.

"Nothing." I flushed and moved my hand away.

"No." He smiled slowly and stood above me. His eyes ran down my na**d body and darkened. "I want to see."

"See what?" I whispered, suddenly feeling modest but not covering up my breasts.

"I want to see you touch yourself." His lips curled upwards and he sat down on the toilet seat. "Yes, I'd like to see that very much."

"I don't—"

"Don't talk back." He leaned forward and grabbed my hand. Then he moved it down to my pu**y and dropped it there.

I stared up at him with wide eyes. It had been one thing to play with myself while he was on the phone, but I didn't know that I could do it now that he was here in front of me.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Nancy."

"I'm not ashamed." I closed my eyes and lay back.

I gently ran my fingers back and forth and pretended I was by myself in my bed. I ran my fingers to my cl*tand rubbed softly and then hard. I gasped as the familiar feelings of pleasure swam through me. I lifted my legs to the sides of the bathtub and spread my legs wider. I was so close to orgasm—I could feel it. My h*ps started moving slightly in the water as my body got ready for the cl**ax that was soon to come. And then I felt Jaxon's fingers on mine, moving my fingers faster, harder, rougher, increasing the intensity of pressure on my clit.

"Ooh!" I gasped as his fingers left mine. My eyes widened in disappointment as I realized that it was just me touching myself again. It was definitely less intense than when he'd been guiding me.

"Don't stop." He kneeled down next to the bathtub and ran his fingers across my ni**les as I continued playing with myself. "Tell me when you're about to come."

His eyes bored into mine, and I nodded, suddenly overwhelmed by sensations. His fingers pinched my ni**les hard, and I cried out and increased the pace of my fingers. My body began to quake, and my eyes flew to his.

"I'm about to come!" I exclaimed.

Jaxon's fingers immediately left my ni**les and I felt them enter my pu**y as I started to explode. His fingers f**ked me as I continued to rub myself, and my juices poured out onto his hands and into the water. My body erupted in a heat of sexual lava, and my orgasm seemed to last forever.

Just when I thought I was done, Jaxon's fingers continued to work until another eruption hit me. This time, I had no control over my body, and I shook and squirmed as he brought me the most intense orgasm of my life. I lay in the water with my eyes closed for a few more seconds and then opened them slowly. Jaxon was staring at me with a smug smile on his face.

"Still think you do it better?" He raised an eyebrow and licked his lips.

"I never said that." I sat up in the bathtub and splashed water over my body.

"You'll never be satisfied playing with yourself now. You'll always wish I were there to help."

"You're full of yourself. Is that part of your revenge?"

"My revenge wouldn't have you orgasming."

"Are you going to tell me anything else?"

"Now’s not the time to talk about this."

"I want to."

"You don't always get what you want."

I ignored him then. I was fed up of him treating me like some sort of kid. I was a woman and I had a right to know exactly what was going on. I didn't need him to hide anything from me.

“Are you ready for another lesson?” He pulled me up out of the bathtub.

“What’s the lesson?” I asked as I shivered. I looked around for the towels but realized that Jaxon had one in his hands already.

"Don't be embarrassed." He pulled the towel around my body, and I clutched it to me.

"I'm not embarrassed," I lied smoothly. I was mortified.

I wasn't sure who I was around him. His fingers had been inside of me, taking me on a journey I'd never experienced before. It had been amazing and nerve racking.

"Your face is red and you're having trouble making eye contact with me." His fingers reached under my chin and he lifted my face up to look at him.

"I'm looking at you now."

"Who did you think about as you touched yourself?"

"Why do you care?"

"Who did you think about?"

"I don't remember." I shrugged, feeling slightly guilty that Hunter was not the one who had occupied my thoughts.

"Why did you come to the academy, Nancy? Aside from Hunter? Why did you come?" Jaxon questioned with a curious expression on his face as he rubbed me dry with the fluffy, white towel.

"I don't know." I thought for a moment. "Maybe I wanted to get away from home for a bit. Find out who I am." I sighed as I thought about the last few months.

"It's been a crazy time, huh?"

"You could say that." I gave him a small smile. "I found out that my sister gave me up to her parents after I was born. So my grandparents raised my as their own. Then I found out that her ex-boyfriend and boss is really my dad."

"That must have been hard."

"It was weird. I hated him when I thought he was my mom’s ex-boyfriend, but as I realized he was my dad, the hate disappeared."

"Why do you think that happened?"

"A couple of reasons." I paused to think, and I stared at Jaxon for a few moments, not even sure why I was telling him this. It was something I hadn't even addressed to myself. "I think I always felt that something was missing on my life. And now I have Harry and Meg, and well, everything is fitting into place."

"Is Meg Brandon's new wife?"

"No, Katie is his fiancée. She's great as well, though I don't know her like I know Meg. Meg is Greyson's fiancée."

"Greyson Twining?" Jaxon looked surprised.

"You know him?"

"Everyone knows Greyson Twining." He nodded. "Brandon's worse half."

"Why do you say that?"

"Everyone knows that Greyson was the force behind the private club. We all know Brandon left and took over Hastings Enterprises."

"Do you hate Brandon or Greyson?"

"I don't care for either of them, but it's Brandon who took us under."

"What did he do?" I asked softly, wanting to know who my father really was and why so many people seemed to hate him.

"He invested in my father’s company and then destroyed it. He deliberately destroyed it until he had nothing left but the Lovers’ Academy."

"Why?" I frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"He wanted my father to close the Lovers’ Academy."

"But he didn't?"

"That's all he has left." Jaxon sighed. "My father gave up everything to keep the academy."

"Why would Brandon want him to close it?"

"The same reason why he left the private club."