A Lesson in Blackmail: Black Mountain Academy / a Club Alias Novel

used to describe his gait. He’s so tall and powerful-looking I can’t move as he approaches, my head tilting… tilting… tilting back as he takes the final steps up to me so I can look into his eyes, one slightly hidden behind his dark hair that’s fallen forward over his brow. I watch, fascinated, as the hair moves slightly when he blinks, caught in his thick, dark eyelashes, and then he runs his hand through it, pushing it out of his face and making his giant bicep flex as it comes up next to my head he’s so very close. If I were to look straight ahead, I’d be staring at the middle of his chest. I swallow thickly, the sound of it loud inside my head even over the thump of bass playing low inside the club, since I got here early before it’s even open like the lonely, desperate creature I am.

I don’t know what to do, much less say. My student just saw me more than halfway naked inside a BDSM club—not that he knows what this place is. That is, unless he heard what Dixie and I were talking about before he made his presence known.

Oh God.

My humiliation grows tenfold.

I can’t breathe. All I can do is stare up into the fiery gaze of the young man who spends every study hall hour making me want to scream in anxious frustration. My entire existence is trembling, vibrating. This is my happy place, my safe place, my haven. And now the sole person who I come here to escape from is here. Right here. Invading my sanctuary.

“Ms. Richards,” he murmurs, his eyes darting between mine behind my mask.

I whimper, wanting to cry that he’s caught me here. My mind not even wrapping around what this means. He could ruin everything. He could ruin my entire life if he told anyone.

“N-Nathaniel,” I finally whisper.

Dixie speaks up again, clearly picking up that I am not in a good place mentally at the moment. “Sir, again, I’ll ask you to leave once more before I call for security to escort you out.” She lifts her cell, which I see out of my peripheral vision. I’m too scared to pull my eyes off Nate’s, just like you don’t look away from a snake or bear if you come upon one in a forest. You just fucking don’t do it. As long as you keep your eyes on it, you’ll be able to see before it attacks.

He lifts his hand up to my face, and I fight the urge to flinch. His hand is so big, his fingers so long and powerful, that it looks as if he could crush me without even trying. But as he turns his hand over to run a knuckle along my jaw, the first time he’s ever laid a finger on me, his touch is gentle, feather-light, making the skin along my neck tighten with a chill.

I’m hypnotized, stunned stupid, unable to move a single inch as his eyes and touch hold me under his spell.

Move. Slap his hand away. Do something. He’s one of your students! my mind screams at me, but my body refuses to listen, apparently awaiting what he wants, because as soon as the words leave his mouth, it’s like someone disengaged the Pause button I was trapped by.

“Ms. Richards, would you mind accompanying me outside? Seems we have much to discuss,” he says in a low tone, and my eyes dart to Dixie, who gives me a questioning look.

I lick my lips, taking in measured breaths now, trying to stay calm during what could be a disaster, a catastrophe, a complete crisis situation concerning my life, my entire existence.

“Y-yes, Mr. Black,” I reply and watch as his brow lowers over his dark eyes.

“Very good, Evie,” he rumbles, and the use of my nickname is startling, making me jerk at the same time his praise does something to my body I most definitely do not want to acknowledge. The heated tingle working its way down to my core has nothing to do with his commendation. Nothing.

As he spins on his heel and starts back to the stairs, my wide eyes turn to look at Dixie, who I’m sure can see the panic in them.

“Do I need to call one of the guys? Seven is right upstairs, and I’m sure Knight will be here any minute,” she offers, but I shake my head before she even gets the whole question out of her mouth.

“No, it’s fine. Everything is fine. Please, Dixie, just don’t tell anyone, okay? I cannot lose my membership. I would…. I…. It would just not be a good thing if I didn’t have Club Alias in my life, okay?” I beg, my eyes pleading, and she gives me a nod.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Eve. I’ve got your back. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask, okay? You sure you want to go with that guy? He looked like he wanted to eat you alive,” she whispers the last part, and my eyes dart between her and Nathaniel’s retreating back.

I gulp, shifting on my feet. I have no idea what he’s going to say to me, but I know I can’t avoid what just happened. I can’t simply go on about my night and weekend and then show up on Monday pretending he didn’t just see me nearly naked in a nightclub, whether he knows what goes on here or not. But he’s Nathaniel freaking Black. The smartest male I’ve ever met in my life by far. Scary smart. I’m sure he figured it out the moment he stepped foot inside.

“I’m sure. It’ll be fine. I just need to talk to him about what he saw, and it’ll be fine.” I repeat “fine” a few more times, giving her a weak smile I know looks more like a wince before following Nate down the steps and out the door, onto the sidewalk.

He turns around,