Page 119 of Vicious Knight

She walks in, her heels clicking against the floor.

Dressed in a black bodycon, studded Louboutins, and her hair in loose beach waves, Tiffany looks ready for the red carpet. But the scowl on her face makes her look like an old sea hag.

“You two are supposed to be cleaning not conferencing about shit. This place better be ready for tomorrow or I’m adding another month to your punishment.”

“Another couple of hours and the room will be done.” I glare at her, doing my best to keep my temper under control.

“I want it done within an hour!” she screams in my face. “So clean the fucking place, bitch. You think you’re above the rest of us because you’re with Thorne Ivanov?”

She looks like she’s been dying to ask me that question. Like someone who just got something off their chest which has been weighing them down for eons.

I’ve caught her giving me filthy, evil looks since the whispers about Thorne and I started spreading. I knew she was jealous. Mackenzie told me that Thorne has been turning Tiffany down since high school.

I’m about to answer her when the loud exaggerated sound of someone clearing their throat pierces through the heated tension between us.

When I see Thorne standing in the doorway looking like he’s about to incinerate Tiffany, my spirits lift. But guilt twists my heart when I remember my previous thoughts about hacking his computer.

This is the first time he’s been here with anyone around, least of all Tiffany.

“Thorne. What a pleasant surprise.” She sets her shoulders back and pastes on a phony-as-hell smile.

“Cut the shit, Tiffany. We both know it’s never pleasant to see me.” He walks in, right up to me.

His eyes lock on mine for a brief moment before he takes the cleaning cloth from me and walks over to Isabelle to take the duster from her.

Isabelle and I exchange surprised glances.

“What’s this business?” He holds up the cloth and the duster, staring at Tiffany.

“They’re cleaning.” Tiffany speaks in a firm tone but her eyes betray her fear and wariness of him.

“We have staff for that.”

“This is a punishment they both deserved.”

“Here.” Thorne hands her the cloth and duster. She takes them grudgingly and stares at him wide-eyed.

“You do it,” Thorne adds in a voice filled with venom.

“What?”

“You heard me. You fucking clean and have it done within the hour.”

Isabelle’s eyes nearly pop out of her head, while my back goes ramrod straight.

“I have a date with Warner.” Tiffany glares back at him, as if her answer is enough to excuse her from his demand.

“He can wait.”

“But he’s already been waiting for me.”

“Your lord just gave you an order.” Thorne lifts his chin and glares down at her. “You dare defy me?”

“No, my lord.”

I’m so shocked I feel like I fell asleep and dreamt this.

“Good, now get it done. And don’t you ever dare expect any of these girls to clean shit ever again. Is that understood?”