Time To Kill

by markovgirl

Misaki can't sleep. Tora is bored. Usui doesn't know what to do. M for adult situations, language.

1. Chapter 1

Redone. Hope you all enjoy this version.

-0-

"If you need to spread rumours, I suggest you make them about someone else!"

Igarashi, and the rest of the room for that matter, stared at the dark-haired girl as she turned on her heel and flounced out of the room, slamming the door behind her. There was a deathly silence, apart from the rhythmic drip drip drip that fell from Tora's hair to the floor. He couldn't quite believe that she had the gall to throw a drink in his face - in front of the entire party! A red blush spread across his cheeks as anger began to boil in his chest.

"Uh - Sir?" a voice beside him piped up.

The boy swiveled to meet the face of his friend-cum-butler, trying desperately to maintain calm. "Yes?"

Maki coughed nervously and gestured toward the door. "Are you alright?"

Tora scowled. "Just dandy."

"Would you like me to fetch you a tow-"

"Save it, Maki," he replied, irritably. Slowly, he wiped a hand across his face and shook the drops of wine from his hand. "Do excuse me, Maki. I hope the rest of the party is excellent."

Maki mumbled something as Tora headed toward the door - he didn't stop to ask what. He strode into the corridor, slamming the door behind him as hard as Ayuzawa had done. Stupid girl! How dare she embarrass him like that? He stopped outside of the classroom door and muttered a charm under his breath. Instantly, the red wine dissipated from his hair and shirt. True, he had started a rumour that they were fucking, but that was only to isolate her from her friends, from Usui, to get her on her own. He never expected her to react like this! How dare she storm into Miyabigoka's private party? Clearly she was prepared to fight her corner - as was he.

He frowned and shoved his hands into his pockets as he began to walk down the dark corridor. She was such a mystery to him. The girl appeared in his life, some commoner with a fiery temper and an over-inflated sense of self worth. She was nothing. But the odd incident, the odd encounter, the occasional stray glance had caught his eye. She made snide, aggravating comments about his heritage, his appearance and refused to be swayed by the charm that usually worked on females. Everything about her irked him.

Then why, he consistently asked himself, did he want to rip her clothes from her body and to bite deeply into her soft, pale skin-

Misaki sighed and leaned back against the wall of the empty hallway. She shouldn't have reacted like that. But, after being informed by a classmate that Igarashi had been spreading lies about their 'relationship', she had not been able to contain her anger. Those ugly untruths were the reason she had been so ostracized by the students at Seika! The reason that Usui kept pouting and making puppy-dog eyes at her!

A noise from the end of the hallway startled her, so she quickly ducked into an empty classroom to her right, closing the door quietly behind her. The girl took in a few deep breaths, trying to calm her anger. It was idiotic to have come here tonight, she really shouldn't have stormed the student party in the way she did. But it felt good to embarrass Igarashi in front of his classmates like that. The look on his wine-stained face had been entirely worth it. Still, she had to get out of Miyabigaoka before anyone else found her trespassing.

"Bastard!" she growled, kicking the leg of a table in annoyance.

"I gather that you are referring to me."

Misaki drew in a sharp breath and turned to face the voice that addressed her. Tora stood in front of the closed door, leaning casually against the stone frame. She noticed that he was no longer dripping with red wine, though a large stain marred the pristine white of his shirt. Good.

"Obviously. What right do you have to spout that nonsense!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

Tora cocked his head and smirked at her. "Nonsense?"

He took a couple of steps toward her, standing just half a metre away. Instinctively, she stepped back, but found herself stumbling into a desk. Igarashi chuckled under his breath.

"There's truth to every rumour, don't you think?" he asked, inching closer still.

Panicking, she held up a hand and poked it into his chest. "There is no truth whatsoever to that rubbish."

"Yes there is," he retorted. Suddenly, he jerked his hand up and snatched her hand, pulling her closer to him.

"Shut up, Igarashi!" she snapped. "Your stupid rumors didn't stick. I set your lies straight with the students at Seika, they won't believe anything else you say."

"Huh," he smirked. "Still denying-"

Angrily, Misaki pushed him away, swallowing thickly. She had to admit it was easy to be distracted by the blonde Student Council President - he was far too easy on the eyes. It was unfair, really, that such a man should be so handsome. His looks were clearly an asset he was aware of, for he sent her a callous smirk when he noticed her staring.

"There is nothing between us!" she snapped, beginning to walk past him to the door.

He pressed a hand against her shoulder and roughly pushed her back, causing her knees to crumple against the desk. She let out a yelp as she was forced to sit, turning her head to glare at him. As usual, his face was set in a smug expression.

"Then why do I want to fuck you over that desk, Ayuzawa?" he hissed, stepping close to her and placing his hands on either side of her hips. The girl squirmed underneath him and forced herself to look away. "Why do I want to be so fucking deep inside you that I make you scream my name?"

Misaki froze, unable to form words properly for a moment. That wasn't what she expected at all and it was far from what she wanted. But - why then did her stomach fill with butterflies and her heart begin to race that little bit faster? She could not be attracted to Tora Igarashi, she told herself. And even if she was, it was for the basest, most shallow reasons - she knew his true face and it was far from attractive.

"B-because you're-" she stammered, leaning back to get away from him. He smelt of wine, clearly a result of her assault, and the pungent stench of tobacco. "You're mad."

Tora laughed, deep and breathy. Far from the high-pitched rasp of his future self. "Then let me be mad."

With that, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Initially, her eyes fluttered shut as she grew overwhelmed with the multitude of sensations he caused her. Then, as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss and one of his hands travelled to the back of her head, she was jolted to her senses.

Quickly, she ducked under his arm and sprinted toward the door, not looking back for fear of never leaving. He called out her name, but she had already shut the door behind her and scuttled away, out of sight.

-0-

"Answer me when I speak to you."

She placed her hands against his chest and crumpled his shirt between her fingers, but ceased when he twisted her hair again.

"Answer. Tell me what you want, Misaki. Tell me you want qme too."

"Oh God!" she gasped, hands once again clutching at his shirt.

He growled deeply, removing his hand from her breast to catch both her wrists between his fingers. He was so close to her now, she could feel his lips moving against her cheek.

"Tell me," he whispered. The hand in her hair disappeared and wandered down her stomach. She let out a strangled moan when she felt his fingers dip under her waistband and over her sex. He smirked and chuckled against her cheek. Misaki shut her eyes and resisted moaning louder as his fingers trailed over her outer lips. "So wet for me already?"

The man released her wrists and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. One of his fingers moved upwards and began gently circling her clit, leaving her unable to contain her moans any longer. Her knees buckled slightly as the waves of pleasure began to get stronger, so he held her tighter against his chest. A fine sheen of sweat broke out on her body and her hips began to grind as she neared her peak.

"Oh f-fuck," she cried, clutching his shirt in her fists tighter than before. It felt expensive. His fingers worked her clit faster and she whimpered, pressing her body flush against his, feeling his erection against her stomach. The feeling of his clothes against her bare chest was strange, he seemed so composed and in control, whilst she was coming undone by minimal movements.

"You're positively dripping," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple. As she felt her climax nearing, his hand slowed considerably, and she let out a pained cry. "Ask me to come."

"What?" she groaned, unable to think straight. He slid two fingers inside of her, holding them there, never moving. She opened her eyes and her breath hitched when she saw golden ones staring back at her.

"Beg me to come. Just give in to me, Misaki. Beg."

"Igarashi, please-"

She woke suddenly, sitting bolt upright in her bed. Her body shook slightly and as she turned to her bedside table to retrieve a glass of water she found her clothes clung to her sweat-drenched skin.

Beg.

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging them tightly into her chest. Why did this keep happening?

-0-

Tora Igarashi was bored.

The heir to the Igarashi Conglomerate despised being bored.

He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk he sat behind. It was four o'clock on the Thursday, what the fuck was there to do anyway? He yawned and began to drum his fingers rhythmically against his cheek. This boredom had to be remedied.

Maki was out of the city for the day, so he wasn't available to play with. Tora didn't consider the man a friend but he was the closest thing to one that the man had - and he did whatever Tora asked of him, which was amusing. Girls then. He had plenty of options to choose from and one of his favourite games was to see how much he could torment them by allowing them to believe he cared about them. In the end, he always left. He sighed again and shut his eyes. No, even that routine was getting tired. He needed something fresh, a challenge, something exciting…

He opened his eyes and leaned back, lacing his hand together in his lap. In the corner of his vision, he noticed an errant piece of paper sticking out from the neat stack of books on his desk. He reached out and removed it, turning it over in his hand. It was the photo Maki had taken of Seika High's Student President in a maid uniform. Misaki Ayuzawa. A smirk spread across his face. She was an interesting girl, wasn't she? He turned over ideas of what game to play and stroked his finger over the puncture marks in the paper, the result of his darts. Tora chuckled darkly under his breath. He had yet to pay her back for throwing wine in his face, thanks to a hectic month within the Igarashi company. An appealing idea formed in his mind. He thought back to the moment he held her down on the desk behind which he now sat. The way her skin felt underneath his hands, how that dress had hugged her figure, the look of anger in her eyes that turned to panic when his lips brushed hers. And the last time he had seen her, her lips had been so soft - the memory alone was exciting him. Yes, she certainly was an interesting woman. He liked her.

Tora smiled and placed the picture back on the desk. What fun.

-0-

It had been a long day for Misaki Ayuzawa. She had endured a full day of school then a four hour evening shift at Maid Latte, followed by an irritating twenty minutes of Usui taunting her in the alley behind the cafe, and now, homework. The girl settled down at her desk, now changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and a thick flannel shirt, and allowed herself a couple of deep breaths. For a moment, the green-eyed boy lingered in her thoughts, but she soon shook them away and opened her textbooks. It was a good thing she was so organised and had preemptively completed most of her work or this could have taken all evening. It was a quiet night in the house - her Sister was away on a school camping trip and her Mother was working the night shift at the hospital and wouldn't return home until tomorrow afternoon. Though she loved them both dearly it was nice to get some peace. She hoped her dreams would be blank tonight, she was exhausted.

Her stomach grumbled angrily and she placed a hand over it. Damn, she was hungry. It took a lot of energy to keep her life running so efficiently. Luckily, she had brought home some leftovers from Maid Latte, which were still wrapped up in foil in her bag. As she crossed the bedroom to retrieve her satchel from her bed, she noticed a car parked on the opposite side of the street. It was a fancy looking piece of machinery, not the usual type one would see in her neighborhood. The headlights were dimmed and from the dull whirring of the engine, she could tell it was still running. How odd.

The girl thought no more of it and moved back to her desk, unwrapping the leftovers and placing them next to her work. She smiled at the dainty sandwiches, thinking of her co-workers. They were an excitable bunch and though she found them slightly wearing at times, they always looked out for her. Just as Misaki raised one of the sandwiches to her lips, her phone buzzed loudly. She quickly snatched it up. Who on Earth would be texting her this late at night - she bet it was that damn Usui-

Hello, little Maid. I still have your picture - would you like me to show it to everyone? I'll be waiting outside when you're ready. T

Misaki physically recoiled at the message that appeared on the small screen and dropped the phone back on the desk. Startled, she stood and only just managed to catch her chair before it clattered to the floor behind her. Her heart raced as she righted the chair fully and snatched her phone back up.

'Who is this?' she typed, furiously, before pressing send.

She felt her cheeks flush with anger and she began to pace across her bedroom floor, holding her hands against her temples. Who could this be? Usui - no, she knew he owned a picture of her. Plus, he'd saved it from being seen once before, she knew he wouldn't show it to anyone. Who else - Aoi? One of those three idiots? Her phone buzzed at the side of her head, so she quickly brought it down to eye level.

A fellow President.

Misaki's stomach turned. It was Tora Igarashi, the Student President from Miyabigaoka. The man who had been invading her dreams consistently for the past few months. She turned her head to the side and peered back out of the window at the expensive-looking car. Panic filled her head - he was waiting outside. Her thoughts drifted back to the first time she encountered him.

'This should be enough. But if you want more you're going to have to do something a little more entertaining.'

And last time - he kissed her. Anger flared in her chest. The bastard still had the picture of her in her work uniform, didn't he? In truth, the Igarashi Heir confused her. He was a despicable man, she loathed everything he stood for and yet - there was something else. He must have intrigued her in some way, or else why would she so often wake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, his voice ringing in her ears. Her phone rattled again.

Come outside, Maid. Don't keep your Master waiting.

Misaki almost screamed at her phone. The audacity, the impudence - how dare he? The brunette drew in a deep breath and turned to the window. She stomped across the room and angrily drew the curtains across the glass, blocking the car from sight. Before turning away, she noted that the headlights were now off and the engine seemed to be settled. Her heart was beating so fast and for a moment, she thought to message Usui, though she soon cast the thought away. This was something she had to deal with herself, she shouldn't have to rely on him for anything. She had to get the picture back but she also didn't wish to see that awful, evil, arrogant, stupid son of a bitc-

A set of knocks on the door downstairs drew her attention.

"What the heck is tha-" she murmured to herself. She was cut off by another knock. It was definitely coming from the front door. The girl groaned and held her head in her hands - it was undoubtedly him. Her mind was racing - what did he want from her? She knew it could be nothing good, why else would he be visiting at nine thirty at night? The knocks ceased for a while, so she crept into the darkened hallway and peered down the stairs. From her crouched position, she could see the outline of someone through the small pane of frosted glass in the door. She swallowed thickly as her phone buzzed again.

I'll knock one more time. Open the door or I'll have your picture plastered on every billboard in town.

The girl dropped her phone when the next three knocks rapped against the door. Fear gripped her as she sprinted down the stairs and turned the lock in the front door. But there was nothing else she could do, was there? The students of Seika High School could never be exposed to the truth about her, it would destroy her. Panting slightly, she opened the door gently, screaming internally for never having installed a safety chain.

Tora Igarashi stood just outside, his trademark smirk illuminated by the light from the street lamps. He was dressed to the nines, as usual, in black dress trousers and a navy shirt which was unbuttoned at the collar and rolled up to the elbows. He carried a jacket, which presumably matched his suit trousers and a bottle of wine in the other.

"Are you going to say 'hello Master', or what?" he said, chuckling darkly.

Misaki growled under her breath and clenched the doorknob tighter, trying not to lash out at him instantly. "Give me my picture. Now."

"Say please," he responded, his smirk dropping slightly. Though he still hadn't moved any further toward her, she remained tense.

The girl grit her teeth together tightly. "Please."

He cocked his head to the side, giving her a coy smile. "Please what?"

It took all her power not to hit him straight in his smug face. "Please give me my picture."

The blonde sighed and moved, shoving her backward so that he could step over the threshold. Misaki yelped as she was sent toppling to the floor and quickly scrambled to her feet when she heard the door slam shut. The hallway was now cast into a state of darkness, the only source of light coming from her bedroom upstairs. It was enough to see the dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Get out!" Misaki shouted, holding her hands out in front of her and balling them into fists. "Other people are home-"

"No-one else is home," he replied, scoffing. "Don't take me for an idiot."

She shot him a glare. "Get out, regardless."

The man tutted and moved closer, placing the bottle down on the sideboard in the hall. He carelessly dropped his coat on the floor next to her.

"Don't you want your picture first?" he asked.

"Of course I do, you idiot!" she snapped, stepping back as he advanced. "Just give it to me and get out!"

"You're more dense than I thought, Misaki," Tora chided. "Did you really think I would just give it to you? Especially after you thought it pertinent to throw a drink in my face the last time we saw each other."

The girl drew in a sharp breath, the same anxiety as before tightening her chest. Her stomach turned when she saw his expression and the two of them stood in silence for a moment before she finally found the courage to speak.

"You deserved that and you know it!" she exclaimed. "What do you want?"

He lurched forward, grabbing her forearms with his hands. She flinched at the sudden contact and started to fight back but soon found herself thrown roughly against the wall behind her. Tora pressed his hands onto the wall beside her head and one of his knees forced itself between her legs. Misaki yelped as she felt his thigh pressing against her pelvic area and his chest crush over hers. He covered her so completely that she found it impossible to move. Her mind thought back to their last encounter, how he had forced her into the same position, how he had the same perverse smirk on his lips.

"Such a feisty little thing, aren't you?" Tora chuckled as she pushed her hands against his chest. "I thought maids were supposed to be submissive?"

"I'm not your maid!" Misaki snapped, angrily.

"What lengths would you go to to keep your secret, I wonder?" he asked, aloud. He peered down at her and leaned closer, laughing lightly as she turned her head away from him. "Would you sing a song for me?"

"What?" Misaki replied, confused. She trembled when she felt his breath on her skin and jerked her head as far to the side as she could. Her pulse started to race, not out of panic, but due to something she daren't think about.

"Would you wait on me hand and foot if I asked?" Tora murmured.

Misaki tensed when she felt his forehead press against her temple and his lips brush her cheek. He was far too close for comfort but she still couldn't push the bastard off - he was stronger than he looked. She felt him smile against her skin and his lips moved close to her ear.

"Would you fuck me?"

Beg.

The girl spluttered and shook her head rapidly from side to side, forcing him to withdraw slightly. She made a series of loud exclamations and started to kick her legs, trying to lever him away from her. The man sighed irritably and rolled his eyes.

"Let me go now, asshole!" she growled, almost baring her teeth at him. She was furious and the strange feeling in her stomach was frightening her, causing further panic. "How dare you suggest such things?"

Tora smiled wickedly at her. "Keep thrashing around like that, it feels good."

Instantly, Misaki stilled her movements and fixed him with a severe glare. "You're sick."

"You're no fun," the blonde snickered. He moved one of his arms and gripped her chin in his fingers. "So, how far would you go to keep your secret?"

"I-I certainly wouldn't do-"

"So you wouldn't mind Seika High School and all the others in the area for that matter knowing about your part-time job?" he taunted, clenching her face tighter. Misaki grunted in pain and placed a hand against his shoulder, trying to push him away. "You would be bound to lose their respect, wouldn't you? Especially the boys you've worked so hard to keep under your thumb. Heh, perhaps some might like it, though I can't imagine that being the kind of attention you would like."

Misaki gave one final push using all the force she could muster and finally Tora stumbled back a few steps. The man frowned at her and grit his teeth together, causing his jawbone to protrude beneath the skin of his cheek. He didn't like not getting what he wanted, it wasn't something he was used to.

"Of course I don't want anyone to find out about my job, idiot," the girl stated, the anger in her voice tinged with sadness.

"Are you ashamed?" Tora asked.

Misaki shook her head. "That's not it. People have this image of what a maid is and it's not congruous with who I actually am. The two need to remain separate for all this to work. If one drifts too far into the other this could all blow up and I could fail."

Tora observed her quietly, placing his hands into his trouser pockets. "Heart-wrenching."

Misaki balked at his bluntness and scowled. "Look, a rich asshole like you would never be able to understand! Now give me the picture before I kick your ass."

"We both know that isn't going to happen," he replied, callously. "You know what I want, so-"

"No I don't!" she said, exasperated. "What do you want in return for the picture?"

"Are you that dense?" Tora laughed. He fixed her gaze and raised a sculpted brow. "I already asked."

Misaki felt her cheeks flush and she started to ramble, trying to buy time to try and figure out a plan. "No you didn't, you said a bunch of hypothetical questions and no direct st-"

"Fine," he snapped, a bored look on his face. The man took a few steps toward her again and she cursed the wall that stopped her from fleeing. He bent at the waist so he was at her height, looking her dead in the eye. "Fuck me and I'll keep your secret, Maid."

Misaki's breath hitched and for a moment she was too shocked to move. It was only when Tora placed a hand on her cheek that she flinched and batted him away.

"What do you, I-I mean - why?" she mumbled, confused. "Why would you want to do that?"

"For the same reason I do everything," Tora chuckled and his mouth twisted into an evil grin. "It would be fun."

"It's not right, you c-can't play around with people like this," she stammered, obviously nervous. "This is blackmail!"

"I'm giving you a choice, aren't I?" he replied, standing upright again.

"It's a Hobson's choice and you know it, you piece of shit!" Misaki fumed, stamping her foot.

Tora merely laughed at her anger, infuriating her further. How could he ask such a thing of her, it was unthinkable!

"An impossible choice is no choice at all, that's what they say isn't it?" he responded, lightly.

"Exactly," she said, scowling. "This isn't fair."

"You know, your reluctance is a little hurtful-"

Tora's words were cut off when Misaki laid a hard slap down on his face. The man recoiled with a loud yelp, clutching his cheek with one hand. He looked back up at her angrily, rubbing the red skin beneath his fingers.

"Don't you dare feign insult, you asshole!" she said, her voice quivering. When she looked back up at him he saw something other than anger in her eyes. Intrigue. He smirked to himself - good.

"You've got some nerve, hitting me like that," he hissed, narrowing his golden eyes. "Slapping the heir to the Igarashi Conglomerate, chucking a drink over me, tsk tsk. Don't get too big for your boots, Maid."

"My name is Misaki," the girl retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. She observed Tora in angry silence, tapping her fingertips against her elbow.

"So, Misaki, make your impossible choice," he smiled, enjoying her discomfort at the way he drawled her name.

"I-" she began. She paused and chewed on her lower lip, as she always did when she was nervous. "What are your terms?"

Tora's eyes shone and his smile widened with glee. He was enjoying this, she could tell. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to stop squirming under his gaze - she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Unexpected," he murmured, softly. The blonde ran a hand through his hair, letting the silken strands fall through his fingers around his face. "What would Usui say?"

Her stomach twisted at the mention of her friend - no, acquaintance! - and she felt like she might throw up. She thought back to the moment Usui watched her and Tora speaking in the hallway of Seika High, with obvious jealousy in his green eyes. He knew how desperately she wanted to keep her secret. Her chest hurt. She dismissed the feeling as frustration it and hung her head. Tora approached her and yanked toward him her by the arm. Misaki let out a grunt as she collided with his chest and immediately glared back up at him.

"One night is all I require," he said, his voice low and dangerous. He raised his hand to her cheek and laid it there softly. The gentle touch seemed as painful to her as the slap she had delivered to him. "You never know, you might have as much fun as I do."

"You're such a piece of shit, Igarashi-"

She raised a hand to slap him again but he caught her wrist before it could land. The sound of his laughter echoed around her and she could feel his warm breath on her face.

"Don't speak like that to your betters, Maid," he hissed. His eyes were bright as he watched her struggle. He was amused. "Or they will have to punish you."

A shiver ran down her spine as he spoke, his tone so close to that which murmured filth into her sleeping ears. He released her carelessly, pushing her to the other side of the hall. One of her feet fell into a small hole in the floorboards, causing her to trip and crash to the floor.

"Tsk, clumsy," Tora stared down at her uncaringly. He crouched down on the balls of his feet and rested his forearms on his thighs. "One night. I can do with you as I please."

Misaki's eyes widened. "As you please?"

"I promise you'll be in one piece in the morning," he laughed, sending her a wink. "Though I can't promise I won't be a little rough."

The man stood up and placed his hands back in his pockets as Misaki continued to stare at the ground, her heart still racing from his request.

"After that I'll give you your picture and the USB stick containing the digital copy. You have my word these are the only copies of that picture," he explained, voice suddenly clipped and business-like.

"W-why should I trust you?"

"Because it wouldn't serve me to lie to you, Misaki," he replied, chuckling lightly. "Not in this instance."

The girl glared at him but realised he was speaking the truth, for once. "Your true face is very ugly, Igarashi."

"So you think my false face is attractive?" he asked, smugly.

Misaki shook her head frantically and frowned when her cheeks began to heat up. "You're a disgusting snake, through and through."

"Oh, Misaki, you wound me!" the man gasped, sarcastically feigning insult. He turned away from her and picked his suit jacket up from the floor. "I'll give you until tomorrow evening to decide."

"T-Tomorrow?" she repeated. She climbed to her feet shakily, leaning against the sideboard for support.

"Yes, to-mor-row," he stated, drawing out his words to make her appear stupid. "I will be waiting for you after your shift at Maid Latte. If you comply, tell your Mother you'll be staying at a friend's house - I'm sure a liar as fine as you can manage that - and we will drive to my place. It's much nicer than this dump."

Misaki growled, balling her hands into fists. "And if I refuse to fu- to spend the night with you?"

Tora looked back at her and swung his jacket over his shoulder. He flashed her a faux-friendly smile, showing his oddly pointed teeth. "Well then, my little Maid, you know what'll happen."

She shivered at the underlying threat in his words. He walked toward the door, turning back to her one final time before heading off into the night.

"And Misaki?"

"What?"

"Keep the maid outfit on. I like it."

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving her alone in the darkness. She stayed still for a moment, until she heard the sound of an engine roaring to life and the gentle scraping of tires as they pulled away from the pavement. It grew quiet, save for the gentle sound of rain starting to fall outside until she let out an irritated groan and dropped to her knees.

"This isn't fair, this isn't fair," she repeated, over and over. "I hate him, I hate him, I HATE HIM!"

She leaned back against the sideboard, resting her head gently against the wood. Rain started to patter against the roof, filling the house with a pleasant sound, though it did little to soothe her. Somewhere between her dreams and reality, she had thought about what it might have been like to be with Tora. He was handsome, that was undeniable, and he challenged her enough for her to find him appealing. In an odd way, she thought, she found his arrogance quite attractive. But these were just passing thoughts - she shook her head in disbelief - how did this happen? She couldn't tell if she was angrier at the blackmail, or the fact that a small part of her was excited. Misaki slammed her fist down on the floor three times, letting out a noise of exasperation. Fuck. Off. Igarashi.

After a pause, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and unlocked the screen. His name was there, in her messages - Usui. He was one of the few who knew her secret, he was probably one of the only people who could offer some advice in this situation, wasn't he? Misaki sighed - she hated asking for help. Still, Tora was a sly man and she doubted he wouldn't try to trick her in some way. She pushed herself to her feet and hastily locked the front door before she climbed back up the staircase toward the light that was coming from her bedroom. With an exhausted sigh, she sat down on her bed. Perhaps she could ask for an outside opinion, just this once. She should at least let someone know the situation for the sake of her own safety.

With great reluctance, she typed out a message to Usui.

'Sorry for the late text. Are you awake?'

Barely two minutes passed before her phone buzzed with his reply.

I'm awake.

'That was fast.'

I was excited to see your name pop up on my screen, Misa x

'Sycophant.'

I doubt you're texting me just to chat. What's up?

Misaki hesitated, biting her lip. Was this the right thing to do? She swallowed and thought of the smirk on Tora's face. Before she could answer, another message from Usui arrived.

Could you send me a picture of you in your maid outfit? It's late and I'm bored ;) xx

She squawked at his teasing and blushed furiously.

'Absolutely not! This is serious!'

Serious, huh? I'm listening.

'Tora Igarashi stopped by my house tonight while I was alone.'

'He has a picture of me at work and I need to get it back.'

There was a long pause before Usui replied, which worried her.

I'm coming over.

'What?! NO!'

-0-

Barely half an hour later, she heard a knock at her door. Misaki dropped her pen and pushed her chair away from the desk. She paused, her stomach turning uneasily.

I'm at your door, Pres. x

She descended the stairs quickly and jerked open the door, almost tripping over the doormat in the process. Usui stood in the same spot the Igarashi Heir had only a short time before and she couldn't help but notice the differences between them at that moment. Though Usui wore a pair of dress trousers and a light blue shirt, they were mussed, far from the perfectly ironed, pin-straight Tora. His blonde hair was darker, messier. His eyes were kind, as was the small smile on his face. Misaki frowned - he was soaked to the skin from the heavy rainfall.

"Pres," he greeted.

"You're soaked."

"Can I come in?"

Misaki pursed her lips. "I did tell you not to come over, you know?"

"Always so grateful," he tutted. He held up one arm and she noticed that he was carrying a plastic bag. "I brought food."

She narrowed her eyes skeptically. "What is it?"

"Fish and chips."

"A throwback from your English heritage, Usui?"

The man smiled at her and took a step forward. She was surprised to find how easily she let him cross the threshold. She was surprised when she closed the door and locked it behind her. She turned back to him and was surprised by the warmth that radiated from his presence.

"Let's go into the dining room," she said, marching past him.

Her panicked heart had settled since his arrival. It disturbed her slightly, how at ease she felt with him. The atmosphere between them was different, more comforting, than the tension she felt with Tora. He placed the bag down on the table and turned his head around to find that she had left the room.

"Uh, Misaki? Where did you go?"

She reappeared that second and threw a towel at him, which he deftly caught. "Dry off before you catch a damn cold."

Usui smiled sweetly at her and ruffled his hair with the towel. She felt her cheeks flush, so she turned away from him.

"The food comes in these little polystyrene boxes, so we don't need plates. Got any cutlery?"

Misaki turned back to him, holding two dinner plates in one hand and two sets of cutlery in the other. "We're eating off plates, Usui. We're not animals."

He chuckled and removed his shoes, placing them near the door to the hallway. "Maybe not you."

"Don't be such a weirdo."

They ate in peace; Misaki pleasantly pleased with the odd taste of the food he had brought, Usui simply enjoying her company. When she reached for a drink of water, he placed down his fork and looked at her seriously.

"What did he want?" he asked, placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands.

Misaki gulped down her water nervously. She knew asking for help was a bad idea. "I-"

"Talk to me for once, Misaki. It takes a lot for someone like you to express concern with anything. It must have been something serious for you to message me. Especially me."

The girl sighed and placed her glass back on the table. She sucked in a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, trying to find the courage to speak.

"Well, it's hard to explain. He has my picture, as I mentioned, and he wants me to do something in order to get it back-"

"That guy is a piece of work," he said. His gaze rose back to hers and he leaned closer. "What did he want? No bullshit, Misaki."

"He-" she hesitated, looking away from his intense stare. "He wants me to...spend the night at his house."

"I said no bullshitting."

"Fine!" she gasped, exasperated. She looked at her clenched fists. "He said he wants to fuck me. Otherwise he'll paste my picture on every billboard from here to Tokyo."

Usui visibly winced. The usually calm man banged his fist down on the table, causing her to flinch.

"Asshole," he hissed. "Fucking asshole."

"What do I do?" she asked weakly. "I don't want my secret getting out but-"

"You don't have to do anything with that man," Usui replied, scowling at the thought of him. "I'll speak with him."

"And how will that help?" Misaki replied, irritably. "He'll still have the picture."

Usui gave her a charming smile, though she could still see anger in his eyes. "Then I'll just have to kick his ass until he gives it back."

"Don't talk to him, Usui," she retorted, stabbing a chip with her fork. "This is obviously something I need to sort out on my own."

In the dark, hidden recesses of her mind, she began to feel guilty about her dreams.

-0-

"And what brings you to the Student President's Office today, Mr Takami Usui?" Tora asked, looking up from the papers on his desk. He checked his watch - six thirty. The other boy must have come straight to Miyabigaoka to catch him before the end of Misaki's shift.

Usui stood a few metres away, hands in his pockets and a deathly glare on his face. "I want the pictures you have of Misaki."

Tora chuckled and pushed the papers away. He leaned back in his chair and loosened the top two buttons of his shirt. "Maki?"

The dark-haired student poked his head through the door. "Yes, Sir?"

"Get us a couple of drinks," he ordered. Maki nodded and ducked out of the room again, shutting the door gently behind him. Tora looked back to Usui and gave him an unsettling smile. "I have already informed Miss Ayuzawa as to how she can obtain said pictures. Did she ask you to come?"

"No, she told me not to. In fact she doesn't know I'm here," Usui replied, coldly. "I'll pay whatever you want for them."

Tora rested his cheek on his knuckles. "Yes, of course you could. I always forget that, despite appearances, we are very similar. Aren't we, Mr Walker?"

Usui visibly stiffened at the use of his last name. Since when did Igarashi know about that? "We are nothing alike."

"Perhaps not in style," Tora chided, looking the other man up and down. "But we are both from affluent families, we pride ourselves on our intelligence and strength-"

"Sir," Maki called, from the doorway. "I am sorry to interrupt, but I have your drinks."

"Set them on the table and get out," Tora responded, coolly. Maki placed a tray down on the table beside Usui and bowed out of the room as quickly and neatly as possible.

Tora rose from his chair and rounded the desk. He stopped next to Usui and began pouring two glasses of scotch. When they were both full, he picked them both up and raised one to his lips.

"We both want to fuck Misaki Ayuzawa."

The green eyed man turned his head to look at the other, trying his best to control the fury that was raging inside of him. "You don't get to touch her - ever."

"I get to do whatever I want," Tora replied, lazily. He sipped the scotch and offered the other to Usui, who was still staring at him incredulously. "Take it."

"You're lucky I haven't snapped your neck already, Igarashi."

"I gave her a choice," Tora answered, lightly. "It's entirely up to her."

"Give me the pictures," Usui snapped, temper breaking. "Or-"

"Or what?" Tora laughed, shoving the glass into Usui's chest, forcing him to take it. "You're gonna hit me? See if I care, I still won't give them to you. And you'll probably end up being arrested, or at least exposed for who you really are, Mr Walker."

"I won't resort to violence that easily. Hence why I haven't already floored you for blackmailing Misaki," Usui breathed out roughly, trying to control himself. He wanted to smash his glass into the other man's smug face at that moment. "What do you want, what will make you hand them over?"

The arrogant man took a long drink then wiped his lips with his sleeve. He locked eyes with Usui and smirked. "I want to fuck Misaki's sweet little mouth and make her cum."

At first Usui was too shocked by his vulgarity to move. The glass of brandy slipped from between his shaking fingers and shattered on the polished wooden floor. After a moment of silence, he reached out with one hand and slapped Tora's face hard. The other man didn't stop laughing, even after the hit.

"You're not going to do anything to her," he growled, stepping toward Tora. Glass crunched beneath his shoes. He grabbed ahold of the other's collar and yanked him forward, mind raging at his constant laughter. "I won't let you."

"Really?" Tora chuckled. He smiled widely, revealing his sharp teeth. "I'm sure she would love it if you made that choice for her."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you playing around with her like this? What is Misaki to you?" Usui cried, his fist clenching tighter around the other man's collar.

"I get bored easily and I have to have fun somehow, don't I? I find her amusing," he replied. "She's spirited and I like that. Besides, have you considered that she might want to? I've already kissed her twice."

Usui looked at him with disdain, shaking his head slightly. "You're insane."

Tora grinned darkly. "Only a little."

Usui stood stock still, uncertain of how to proceed. Perhaps he should just beat the other man senseless - but what good would it do? Tora was so intent on his plan that he doubted he would give the pictures up, even if he broke every bone in his body. His attention was brought back when Tora placed his hands over the ones that held his collar. Usui looked down at him and was confused by the expression on his face - he looked almost hungry.

"I know you're only protecting Misaki because you want the little maid all to yourself," Tora said, laughter in his voice. "It's such a shame that she's too dense to see how much you want her."

"I-"

"How about I cut you a deal, Tamaki?" Tora offered, leaning closer to him. "I'll give you the pictures back and I'll help you with Misaki. See, I can be kind."

"What do you want in return?" Usui replied, suspiciously.

Tora gave him a wide smile. Without warning, the man leaned forward and pressed his lips against the other's. Usui flinched and dropped Tora's collar, then pushed him back into the table.

"What the fuck was that?" he snapped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Entertainment," Tora retorted. "Thinking about it, it would be a lot more fun with you there. I'd love to see the hatred in your eyes."

"You can't be serious?" Usui gasped, shaking his head.

"It would be fun, wouldn't it?" Tora commented. "You could even join in, if you wanted. She could wear her maid costume, I know you would like that-"

"Shut up!" Usui shouted, running a hand through his hair. "That isn't going to happen."

"Suit yourself," Tora replied. The smile dropped from his face and was replaced by a severe glare. "Now, run back and tell her. I'll be dropping by Maid Latte in a couple of hours to hear her decision."

He gave Usui a wink. "I know she'll make the right choice."

-0-

Usui leaned back against the alley wall and let out a deep sigh. Misaki had been ranting for well over ten minutes and he'd lost all sense of what she was saying. The cafe manager had noticed her flustered state and told her to leave a little early, so the two of them were now stood in the alleyway behind Maid Latte. Misaki was still wearing her uniform but had removed her headdress and covered her dress with a mid-thigh length coat.

"Are you even listening to me?" she shouted, slamming her hands down on the trashcan next to her.

He looked down at her seriously. "I'm sorry, Misa. I was trying to help-"

"You went to see him!" she shouted, running her hands through her hair. "Why didn't you listen to me?"

She let out an aggravated growl and covered her face with her hands. Usui wanted to hold her more than anything at that moment but he knew touching her at this moment would only annoy her further.

"You never listen," she whispered, voice buffered by her hands.

Usui drew in a deep breath and pushed himself away from the wall. He took two steps closer to her and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. To his surprise, she didn't flinch away from him.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, Misa," he began, quietly. "But perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if people found out about your job."

"Are you kidding?" she snapped, removing her hands from her face. "Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if everyone at Seika High loses their respect for me? Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if people fetishize me as some sort of submissive cosplayer? Perhaps it wouldn't be so fucking bad if every school, not just Seika, but every school thinks of me as a maid?"

"I didn't-"

"You don't fucking think, do you Usui? Do you really believe I would even consider it if I didn't want to keep this a secret?" Misaki barked, clenching her fists at her side.

"Then - what will you do?" he asked, gripping her shoulder tighter.

"I-I don't know," she exclaimed. "I really don't know what to do."

Usui sighed and removed his hand from her shoulder, letting to fall at his side. "Well..."

"Well?" she asked, glaring at him.

"I don't want you to do this, Ayuzawa," he stammered, nervously. He looked down at the floor, away from her deathly stare. "But I know this isn't my decision to make. Be careful, keep your phone on and call me if you need me."

"Excuse me?"

"And, um, make sure that he stays in line," he said, awkwardly. The man back up at her unhappily.

Misaki blinked twice, dumbfounded. "Stays in line?"

"Don't let him do anything, uh, that you don't - what I mean is-"

"I get it Usui, thanks," she replied, bluntly.

The man rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. Misaki sighed - he was only trying to help, there was no point in being angry at him anymore.

"What time is it?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Uh, five to eight."

"Great," she groaned. "He'll be here soon."

"He's here now," a familiar voice called.

Misaki and Usui turned their heads toward the sound and saw Tora Igarashi standing at the end of the alleyway. Already, he had a smug look on his face. It was the look of victory.

"You covered up the maid outfit, what a shame," he complained, walking toward them. He shot Misaki an evil smile. "Never mind, we can get rid of the coat later."

The girl tensed as he stopped a few feet from them and Usui unconsciously moved closer to her.

"Tora," she greeted, voice hard.

"Have you come to a decision, Misa?" he asked.

Misaki's stomach turned at his use of her nickname. The way he said it made it sound dirty, not like when Usui used it. Her gaze slid to look at the man beside her. He was glaring at the other blonde and he seemed so tense he was shaking slightly. Be careful. She looked back at Tora. Would it be that bad if she were alone with him? She fretted that deep down, she might actually want to be.

"I'll do it" she muttered, quietly.

"Sorry, didn't hear you," he replied. She swallowed thickly - he had obviously heard her, he just wanted to enjoy this as much as he could.

"I'll do it," she repeated, louder.

"Misaki," Usui murmured, concerned evident in his tone. The girl couldn't bring herself to look at him, so she hung her head and looked at the pavement.

Tora chuckled, the laugh barely more than a deep rumble in his chest. "Good choice."

"You asshole," Usui hissed, under his breath.

"Tsk, not very nice, are we Takumi?" Tora berated. He reached out and grabbed Misaki's hand, pulling her close to him. Usui froze when he wrapped a hand around her waist. "We are going to have such fun."

Misaki began to push him away but paused when his smile dropped and he raised an eyebrow.

"Don't disobey me, little Maid," he warned, squeezing her waist tightly. "Not tonight."

"Don't call her that," Usui ordered. He looked at Misaki, eyes silently pleading. "Please, Misa, you don't have to do this. People will understand, they'll-

"You put too much faith in people, don't you Takumi?" Tora chided. He span the girl around so she faced Usui directly and draped his arms over her shoulders possessively. Misaki took one look at Usui's desperate expression and avoided further eye contact.

"Misa, please-"

"Why do you care so much anyway?" Tora taunted. Misaki looked up at Usui, who was staring wide-eyed back at her. Why did he care so much, she asked herself. "It's not like you two are an item, right?"

"I-" Usui began, voice trailing off.

Tora smirked at the other man, then gave a dramatic sigh. "Well, we should get going while the night is still young. There's a lot to be done this evening."

Misaki shivered at his tone. Tora's arms released her and heard him walking back down the alley, toward his waiting car. She looked at Usui and raised a hand toward him. He hesitated, his eyes downcast, then gently took ahold of it. Misaki gave him a weak smile and squeezed his hand.

"Look, I - sorry," she said, quietly. Her cheeks flushed a deep scarlet.

"Why?" he asked, his eyes softening. "You don't have to be sorry."

"I don't know why, Usui," she muttered. She sucked in a breath and gathered the courage to speak the truth. Her next sentence was rambled quickly, so fast he almost didn't hear. "Please remember that Tora Igarashi doesn't mean anything to me. Not, um, not like you- uh, I'm sor-"

"Before you say sorry - don't," Usui said, ruffling her hair. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on her lips. It was only brief and so light she barely felt the warmth from his skin before he was gone. The man grinned reassuringly, though she could see the hurt in his eyes. "I'll see you first thing in the morning. We'll get breakfast."

Usui laid a hand on her cheek, though he quickly removed it when Tora turned on his heel and strode back toward Misaki. He took hold of her wrist and wrenched her toward him, frowning at the other man.

"Let's go, Miss Ayuzawa," he said, sharply. Usui was concerned by the underlying anger in his usually playful tone.

Misaki glanced at Usui again and gulped nervously. He gave her a weak smile, a nod and closed his eyes. Though his heart was greatly pained, he knew he had no claim on her life or her decisions. Misaki hadn't asked for this, he knew she craved simplicity. Though he was unhappy with her choice, she had been presented with two damning options. Usui had no right to make that decision - what was he to her? The most he could do in this situation was support her as best he could.

-0-

Igarashi Mansion was as opulent as expected. Tora's room was enormous. A large lounge was the first thing they encountered, the furthest wall of which was split into three separate cells. One seemed to contain a bedroom, the other a study-cum-games room and the final cell was blocked out of sight by a heavy wooden door - rather strange, considering the openness of the others. Much like the rest of the house, the furniture was ornate, ancient and dark in colour. The carpets were a deep, luxurious red and bizarre artwork hung from the walls. In the centre of the lounge was a large table upon which sat an ashtray and a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket. Like its occupant, the room smelt faintly of expensive cigarettes and cologne.

Tora shrugged off his coat and threw it over a chair as he entered the room. He turned briefly to shut the door behind him, then looked back to his guest. Slowly, he approached Misaki, grinning down at her eagerly.

"Help yourself to a drink," he said, coolly, jerking his head toward the table.

"Uh - sure," Misaki replied.

"Try not to throw it in my face this time."

"Oh - there's only one glass," she remarked, holding it up.

Tora chuckled and smirked at her. "Then just get one for me. It's probably too rich for your commoner's palate anyway."

Misaki glared at him and her hand shot out to slap him. This time, Tora caught her wrist and tutted at her as if she were a child.

"Bad girl," he chided, bending down so that he could look her in the eye. Her heart began to race and she swallowed, confused by the way her heart began to race. She wasn't certain if it was caused by apprehension or - more worryingly - excitement. "Not the kind of behaviour one expects from their maid."

"I am not your maid," Misaki snapped. "And my name is Misaki!"

"My deepest apologies, Misaki." The blonde snickered at her anger and released her wrist . He nodded toward the bedroom. "Follow me."

His bedroom was just as lush as the rest of his quarters. The walls were covered in bookcases, each shelf stuffed to the brim with books. Tora strode over to the enormous bed and extended a hand toward Misaki. The blonde gazed at her, a smug expression plastered on his handsome face.

"Get your ass over here."

Misaki hesitated, her heart racing.

"I-," she said, nervously. "What are you going to do?."

"Now, telling you would spoil the fun, don't you think? Plus, you agreed to do anything I want," Tora reminded her. "Unless you'd like to change your mind, Maid?"

He placed emphasis on the last word intentionally, forcing her to think about her situation. She approached Tora slowly, running on hand over her other arm as a comforting gesture.

"One night," she stated, looking back at him. "And after this I want no further business with you. No more rumors, nothing."

"I would be only too happy to oblige." Tora smiled playfully. He rolled his eyes at her hesitation and lowered his hand as he approached her. "Take off your coat."

"My- oh!" she replied, shaking her head to bring herself out of her daydream. With shaking hands she unbuttoned her coat and slipped it off her shoulders, revealing her Maid Latte uniform. Tora's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "Um, where do I put it?"

Tora waved his hand in the direction of a chair, so she laid her coat gently over the back. When she looked up, her reflection stared back at her from a long mirror on the wall. She paused, gazing at her uniform. When she first started at Maid Latte, she had almost been too embarrassed to wear the maid costume but now it felt natural. It felt normal. Misaki sighed - she felt comfortable as a maid and as a Student President. Was it possible for both facets of her life to continue to co-exist separately? Her thoughts were disrupted when she felt hands grip her shoulders. Fingertips stroked where her skin was exposed and the sensation sent a shiver down her spine. One hand wrapped around her waist while the other snaked into her hair and tugged it down softly, allowing his lips access to the base of her throat. His kisses were uncharacteristically gentle, so she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling. He made a trail up to the back of her ear, barely skimming the sensitive skin. Misaki's heart pounded loudly in her chest as she pictured Usui behind her closed eyes.

The hand in her hair clenched and twisted the dark strands painfully. Misaki's eyes flew open and ended the mirage of Usui. In the reflection of the mirror, she could see Tora standing flush behind her, his lips still pressed against the skin at the back of her ear. She shivered when a dark smirk stretched across his face.

"Keep your eyes open," he ordered, breath hitting her cheek. The grip on her hair loosened slightly, much to her relief, and the hand on her waist slid lower, until it rested on her hip. "I want you to watch."

"I - ah!" Misaki cried out. Tora's mouth had descended again, this time to the juncture of her shoulder and neck. However, instead of a soft kiss as before, he bit down and his strange, sharp canines broke through her skin. A rush of adrenaline hit and she arched away from him. It was a strange sensation, slightly painful but not wholly unpleasant. After a moment he drew back and lapped at the puncture wounds with his tongue, sending shivers down her spine. She drew in a deep breath and looked back up at the mirror to see him staring back.

"Interesting reaction," he commented, releasing his hold on her.

Misaki frowned and raised a hand to her shoulder, wincing when she prodded the sore area. "Nothing interesting about it."

Tora laughed and waltzed back to the bed. On the way, he shed his shirt and let it flutter to the floor, prompting Misaki to turn away from the mirror to face him. He had a similar figure to Usui, she noticed, lean yet muscular. He sat back down on the edge of the bed and jerked his head at her. She grimaced at the sight of her blood drying around the corners of his mouth but wasn't entirely surprised that biting was one of his perversions.

"Now," he said, smoothly. "Get on your knees in front of me."

She took in a deep breath, then slowly moved to the bed and knelt in front of him. It was evident what he wanted her to do in this position. Unable to bring herself to look at him, she stared at the floor and grit her teeth together when she heard his belt buckle click. He jammed his fingers under her chin and forced her to look up. His cat-like eyes were bright with amusement.

"Are you a virgin, Misa?" he asked, coyly.

She tried to look away but he held her chin tighter. "No."

Tora hummed thoughtfully. "Unexpected. Still, at least you'll have some idea of what to do."

He released her, savouring the furious expression on her face. The man relaxed back on his hands and cocked his head.

"Well, get to it."

Misaki drew in a short breath and reached forward tentatively, unbuttoning his trousers with shaking hands. She could feel Igarashi staring down at her as she freed his cock from his boxers and gripped it in one hand. He was larger than she imagined. The man groaned quietly when she began to pump her hand slowly up and down. He shuddered slightly and let his head fall back when she picked up the pace.

"T-that's good," he murmured, gripping the bed sheets tightly in his hands.

The woman squeezed his shaft tighter and used her free hand to stroke his balls softly. This elicited a strong reaction from Tora, whose elbows buckled, causing him to fall back on his forearms. Misaki got a strange rush watching him, at that moment he looked vulnerable. His face was twisted into a look of bliss - compared with his usual, hateful expression, it was rather attractive. She wanted to make him crumble beneath her, so she raised her head and placed her lips around the head of his cock.

"Ah- fuck, yes," he moaned, beginning to pant. "That's-"

He laid back flat on the bed and his hands through his hair. Her mouth was so warm and wet, it felt incredible. When she rolled her tongue as she sucked up and down his length, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer. Slowly, he leaned back up and looked down at her, wanting to see her lips around him. He didn't expect to see her staring back at him, eyes bright with victory.

"Ngh, fuck!" Tora grunted, gripping Misaki's hair tightly in his hands as he came. The girl stayed still until his hands left her head. Tora fell back against the covers and ran his hands over his face, ecstatic. "How - fuck, you are very good that that."

Misaki spat the contents of her mouth on the floor and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Tora sat up and redid his trousers, breathing heavily. The man pulled her up by her collar and laid back, dragging her onto his chest. He spun them round, so he was positioned between her legs with his arms on either side of her head.

"Since you were so good, I suppose I should reward you."

"I doubt you have the ability, Igarashi," she replied, venom lacing her tone.

Tora chuckled and leaned down so he could kiss her. She squealed into his mouth, surprised by his sudden movement, and pushed against his chest angrily until he moved back.

"Be good, little Maid," he taunted, stroking her cheek with his fingers. "It will be fun to have you scream for me."

"I highly doubt you have the ability, Igarashi," she replied, baring her teeth.

The blonde chuckled and leaned back slightly so that he could run and hand up her thigh. "Don't speak too soon, Misa."

She stiffened as his hand gripped her leg and his mouth descended to her shoulder. The man licked and sucked the puncture marks he had created, moaning gruffly at the taste of her blood on his tongue. Misaki closed her eyes and relaxed into the oddly pleasant sensations his kisses were causing her.

How would Usui start, I wonder?

Tora's hand crept up further and stroked the thin cloth that covered her centre. Misaki gasped and her back arched into him. He smirked and planted his lips back on hers.

Usui would take his time, wouldn't he? He would want me to feel good.

The blonde thrust his tongue into her mouth and she let out a surprised squeak. She felt him smile as he kissed her. Tora's hand gripped her cunt tightly for a moment, then he released her and his fingers slipped below the fabric of her underwear. Misaki lost herself in her imagination and the haze of arousal.

Perhaps he would kiss every part of her, perhaps he would tease her.

For someone as predictably rough as Tora, he took his time sliding her underwear down her legs. She shivered when his fingers trailed up her thighs and stroked the outer lips of her cunt.

Tease her, yes, undoubtedly. But in reality he would do whatever she asked. He would do anything to make her smile.

She sighed softly as he spread her and he began to slide her clit between two of his fingers. The girl took in a deep breath when Tora's mouth gave her a chance. It was getting impossible to silence her voice, not with the way his touches were affecting her. Tora smirked, pleased that her face was starting to flush. He released her from the kiss and whispered darkly in her ear.

"My my, you are so wet already," he rolled his finger over her clit directly and watched her happily as she arched into him. "Thank your Master when you come, Maid."

Misaki let out a gasp when he pushed two fingers inside of her and began to thrust them gently. It felt different, he was curling his fingers when they hit the deepest point and the sensation was incredible. Tora chuckled and shifted his body so he was kneeling between her legs. Her eyes flew open when she felt his tongue flick firmly against her clit.

"Ah!" she moaned, her body twitching as he started to simultaneously thrust his fingers and suck her clit into his mouth. His reached around her thigh with his spare arm and pressed down on her stomach, holding her in place as she writhed under him. Mistakenly, she glanced down at him only to find his golden eyes staring back. The intensity of his gaze was oddly attractive and she berated herself for thinking so. As the pleasure grew stronger, she laid her head back and shut her eyes, allowing herself to get lost in it. Unconsciously, her hands moved to Tora's head and she dug her fingers into his soft hair, scratching her nails across his scalp. The man groaned into her skin as she pulled at his locks, enjoying the feeling, and rolled his tongue harder over her.

"A-ah, fuck!" she cried, gripping Tora's hair roughly. Her legs shook and he felt her walls clench around his fingers. With the image of him in her mind, she couldn't stop Usui's name softly slipping from her lips as she came. Misaki felt Tora's body move back over her torso and opened her eyes to see him leering over her. He leaned down and kissed her throat.

"Such wanton noises you make," he smirked against the skin of her neck and bit it gently. "Say thank you."

"You're disgusting," she groaned, still out of breath from the peak of pleasure.

Tora's smile fell and he removed his hand from inside her, clasping her chin roughly with the same fingers.

"If I'm so repulsive, then why are my fingers soaking?" he hissed, trailing her wetness across her cheeks. He laughed, mockingly at her shocked expression.

Before Misaki had the chance to respond, he flipped her, so she was lying on her front. His fingers pushed into her again, using them as leverage to pull her hips up. She now rested on her knees and begins to raise herself to her elbows, only to have Tora push her chest back to the mattress. She turned her head to one side, eyes wide with panic. His hand remained firmly on her back, not allowing her room to move.

"Head down," he ordered, with a sneer. "Like a good maid should be."

"I'm not-"

She was interrupted by the his voice, low and dangerous, next to her ear. "If I hear his name again, you will regret it."

One hand stayed inside of Misaki, while the other worked his trouser zip. He could barely wait, he needed to take her, he needed to ride this high for as possible. He watched as he pushed his hard length into her, groaning as the tight warmth surrounds him. The smell of the blood still fresh on her shoulder made him harder still. He leaned over her body and bit into the back of her throat, causing another set of puncture marks on her skin. The girl beneath him moaned as he roughly entered her, her face rubbing against the duvet with each stroke. Tora grinned. He laced his hand through her hair and pulled her onto her knees, so her back arched into his chest. Her eyes shut, but her mouth opened when his hand circled her clit and he continued to thrust into her.

"Say my name."

"No," she croaked out, in between groans. Tora shoved into her particularly hard and her eyes popped open. He was as rough as she had dreamed and she could feel pleasure mounting as he pounded into her.

"Say my name, now," he demanded. He removed himself from within her and turned her onto her back, quickly re-entering her as soon as she was in position. Misaki blinked up at him blearily, her hands moving to clutch his forearms as he leaned over her and captured her lips in a frustrated kiss. The sensations started to become overwhelming and she could taste her cum on his tongue as it explored her mouth. She briefly thought of Usui, but Tora was too close. The victorious glint in his eyes was all she could see. All she could hear was the sound of sweat-ridden flesh slapping together and his animalistic moans. He invaded her senses so completely it seemed he wanted to make sure that even when she closed her eyes, he was all she could see. He pinched her clit and drove into her with such force that she clenched around him and her body began to shudder with pleasure. Her hands gripped his upper arms, as if holding on for dear life.

"F-fuck, Tora," she panted, quietly.

With a satisfied smirk, Tora let her exhausted body fall back and he removed his mouth from hers. He grunted a final time and came inside of her, fingers digging into her hips.

He fell beside her, on his back, panting from the exertion. Slowly, he turned his head to the side, observing Misaki silently. She was breathing heavily, eyes focused on the ceiling. The man chuckled and placed his hands behind his head. The night had been fun so far - yes, this idea had been the perfect way to kill boredom. The couple lay beside one another for a while, regaining their breath.

"Give me my pictures" Misaki stated, brusquely. She sat up and pulled her dress down so that it covered her lap.

"Hmm," Tora mused, sitting back upright. He stood and buttoned up his trousers before looking back at her. "No."

"But you said-"

"I said one night, not one round," he laughed, running a hand through his hair. "But I do need a drink, so you can take a break."

Misaki sighed and laced her hands together in her lap. Tora left the room and returned shortly after, holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and another glass in the other. He took at seat next to Misaki and poured the delicate liquid into the flute. The power trip he was having was sublime - he wanted to push it to its limit.

"You know," he chuckled, taking a large gulp of his drink. "I bet Takumi is spitting blood right now."

He was pleased to see her turn to him with panic in her eyes. It was amusing to see a pair so obviously attracted to one another hesitate to make a move. Tora could see anger and shock in her expression - and something else. Something she was clearly trying to clear from her thoughts. Doubt. Misaki felt her cheeks flush scarlet. Deep down she knew the true nature of her and Usui's relationship but if she spoke about it, if she revealed her true feelings, then she would lose. Better to be awkward and pretend to hate him than have to confront her confusing feelings. She turned her head to look at Tora, who was smiling from ear to ear.

"He's nothing to do with this," she said, annoyed.

Tora took another large sip of his drink and observed her quietly before placing the glass down on his bedside table. He stood up and reached for his discarded shirt. "Are you that thick?"

"Shut up, Igarashi!" she snapped. He snorted and sauntered past her to pick up his still-full glass which was settled on the table. He offered it to her, observing the contents of the glass. "Why would you care about what stupid Usui thinks anyway?

"When the world is your oyster, after a while it is very hard to find things that are stimulating. I tire of the people who throw themselves at me without knowing who I really am," he explained, watching as she took the glass from him. "A person who hates me is far more fun to play with, so I try to make interesting enemies."

Misaki shook her head, confused by the way his mind worked. She sipped her drink and made a face at the saccharine liquid. It wasn't pleasant.

"Takumi will be a pleasing enemy, I think," Tora continued, seemingly lost in his thoughts. His attention soon snapped back to her. "As will you."

She scowled at him. "Yes, this certainly had made me hate you, so don't worry about that."

Tora laughed happily and sat back down on the edge of the bed. "Good. Now, get back over here."

Misaki placed her glass back on the table and tentatively approached him. His shirt was undone and hung loose around his torso, emphasizing the pale muscles of his stomach. It was a shame that he had such an awful personality, as his outward appearance was very attractive. She sighed inwardly.

"Why did you want to do this, Igarashi?" she asked, folding her arms in front of her as she stood in front of him. "You could have made me an enemy in so many other ways."

Tora's smile faltered slightly, then he looked down at his glass and chuckled under his breath. "I found you to be an interesting woman, Misaki. You're not unattractive to me, you are fairly intelligent if a little naive and I like how driven you are."

"Naive?" she snapped. His compliments were veiled behind unpleasant words, but she could still see them. It was odd, coming from him.

"And I like how brash you are," he snickered. "No one else would have dared throw a drink in my face in front of a crowd of people. It's a refreshing change from prim and polite."

"So," she began, hesitantly. "You did this because-"

"Because I wanted to," he finished, sounding bored. "I like watching how you react to things."

He caught her hand and pulled her closer, so that she now stood in between his legs. His placed his hands on her hips and looked up at her, his yellow eyes bright with excitement.

"And your reactions were more than satisfactory."

Misaki slapped his hands away, but he dragged her down so that she straddled his hips. The man laid back and placed his hand on the back of her head.

"Igarashi, wait-" she began, flustered. His admission to her had been very unexpected and she didn't know quite what to make of it. He silenced her by forcing her head down until he could reach her mouth with his lips and initiated another harsh kiss.

He smoothed one hand through her hair while the other trailed down her side until it came to rest on her lower back. If it had been any other man - or more particularly, the man who had just left - she might have thought the kiss to be romantic. His lips were soft, his movements firm but gentle, and the feeling ignited something in her stomach. But this was Tora Igarashi, a man she loathed, a man who had consistently been unpleasant to her, a man she should not find in any way appealing. And yet, he was. The hand in her hair moved down to her neck, where his fingers softly stroked the large artery on the side of her throat.

He rested his head back down on the duvet and released her from the kiss, groaning slightly.

"Can't you just give in to me?" he asked, unconsciously biting his bottom lip. "Give in to what you so clearly desire."

Misaki glared at him, ignoring the way her pulse raced and her breath had quickened. "Never."

Tora grinned widely and rested his forehead against hers. "Good."

"Good?" she repeated, swallowing nervously.

"I would be so disappointed if you did came to my side so easily," he murmured. The hand on her hip moved to her thigh and began to stroke the bare skin there. "You are an interesting woman, Misaki."

"You keep saying that," she grunted. Goosebumps rose on her skin as he hand skimmed higher. "Why?"

"Because it's true. Few things hold my attention for long. You've done well."

"Arrogant idiot," she chided. He scoffed and pulled down on her shoulder, flipping them around so she was now underneath him. The blonde then crawled off her and moved to the top of the bed to rest his back against the headboard. Misaki turned to face him, confused. He gave her a mischievous wink, causing her to blush.

"Touch yourself," he ordered, watching her carefully.

She gawped at him momentarily. "What?"

He chuckled darkly under his breath. "I want you to pleasure yourself in front of me. I won't touch you again until you make yourself come."

Misaki stared at him incredulously. Did he really expect her to do that in front of him? She bit her lip again, unsure of how to proceed.

"Come now, Misaki," Tora said, softly. "What's stopping you?"

"I just - it's embarrassing," she replied, scowling.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. I like your body and the sounds you make when you find pleasure in it. Plus I told you to do it, so do it."

Misaki flushed. She closed her eyes and drew in a breath, calming her anger. Eventually, she opened her eyes and glared at the man in front of her.

"Um, how should I-?" she stammered.

Tora chuckled and tilted his head against his hand. "Just do what you do when you're alone. Pretend I'm not here."

That was certainly something easier said than done. As she laid down on the duvet and moved her hands beneath her skirts, she could almost feel his eyes following her movement. Misaki closed her eyes and tried to imagine this was her room, her bed. She thought back to a lonely night during last term, the night after Usui had kissed her. Slowly, she moved her hands over her body, one roaming over a clothed breast and the other skimming over her hips.

This was a scene she masturbated to often. Usui, by the pool, smiling coyly at her as he waved her saved picture at her. She imagined herself with less self control, approaching him and kissing the smug look off his face. At first, he would be a little shocked, she would be able to tell by the way his green eyes opened wide. But then, they would close and he would sink his hands into her hair and moan her name against her lips-

She dipped her finger into her core and trailed the wetness up to her clit. She circled the small nub gently, letting out a breathy sigh as sparks of pleasure began to shoot through her body. Tora's gaze was still a heavy weight on her, even with her eyes closed. She could hear his breathing getting more laboured.

"You're all mine, Misa," he would say, hands shaking with excitement as he unbuttoned her shirt. "Please be mine."

"I'm yours."

"Call me Master, Maid."

Her hips jerked upward as she moved her fingers over her clit more firmly. With her other hand, she traced the skin of her neck. Tora let out a low moan. Misaki was too lost in her pleasure to have noticed the way his hand dipped below his waistband. Another voice started to murmur softly in her mind.

This was not like him at all, these were not Usui's words. They were Tora's. Still, the filthy sentences he spoke made her heart race.

"I've wanted to fuck that little mouth of yours for quite some time," he said, pressing his cheek to hers. "Just give into me, say yes and I will make you scream in ecstasy until your voice gives out."

The girl was confused. Her body was crying out for all the dirty things he whispered to her, but her mind was uncertain. This wasn't her Usui, even his eyes had changed from green to gold. This wasn't who she wanted, was it? If so, then why was she reacting this way?

"Beg."

"Stop."

His deep voice brought her out of her thoughts. Misaki continued her actions, albeit slower than before, unwillingly to let go of the pleasure she had managed to build herself. Tora growled and pushed himself up so he was towering over her, soon wrenching apart her thighs so he could move between them. He pushed her hand away from her core with a groan.

"I said - stop," he chided. Misaki opened her eyes to see his face flushed with red and a slight sheen of sweat clinging to his neck. It was amusing to see how desperate he looked.

"I-" she began.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked, reaching down to unzip his dress trousers. He pushed them down far enough to release his erection, but seemingly couldn't be bothered to completely remove them. "Tell me."

Misaki gasped as he slid into her. The man fell forward onto his forearms, covering her chest with his own, but he didn't move his hips, much to her displeasure. She knew then, from the strength of her reaction, that this was always going to have happened. Her feelings for Igarashi were nothing more than raw, perverse emotions but for now, just for the night, she allowed herself to admit that he was not nothing.

"Igarashi-"

"It's Tora. Now, tell me," he repeated. His hot mouth pressed against her neck and he licked a patch of skin delicately. Slowly, he sunk his sharp teeth into a tender area.

"Ngh!" she said, her core squeezing around him at the sensation. In turn, he moaned and slowly began to rock his hips back and forth. "None of your b-business, Igarashi."

Tora leaned away from her neck, a trickle of her blood running down his chin, and chuckled. "Were you thinking of me?"

The man picked up the pace and sank his length deeper inside of her, causing her to scream over and over.

"I like watching you," he whispered, lips close to her ear. "I like how you toy with yourself with my image in your mind."

Misaki shuddered at his salacious words and wrapped her arms around his neck, nails scratching into the skin of his back. The man let out a lustful moan at the feeling and thrust into her roughly, pushing her entire body up the bed. He leaned up then and looked down at her with a strange smirk on his face.

"Or perhaps it wasn't me - maybe it was Takumi?" he asked, moving his hand to her core. He rolled his thumb over her clit and watched as she twisted in pleasure. "Be honest."

"But-"

"Be honest, Misaki," he interrupted, groaning as she tightened around him.

"Well - ah!" she gasped as he pressed on her clit more firmly. "Y-yes."

Usui. The way he infuriated her. The teasing and name-calling. The way he looked at her with such love in his eyes. She pictured them fucking in her bed, slowly, his hands running through her hair and his mouth covering her shoulder in kisses-

Tora chuckled and thrust harder. "Liar."

"Ah - fuck!" she exclaimed, back arching away from the bed. The pleasure he was bringing was overwhelming, she knew she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

Igarashi. The grins he gave her made her knees tremble. She hated his guts but that didn't stop her pulse racing when he glared at her. He had an air of snide superiority that only an aristocrat could maintain. His sharp orders and dispassionate glances left her wanting, he made her curious. She dreamed of him taking his time to tie her to the bed and tease her until she became undone-

"Don't close your eyes," hissed, leaning forward so his face was only inches from hers. His hand clasped around her chin. "Ugh, your face - ah. Fuck, it turns me on."

Misaki shuddered as his brutal thrusts sent her over the edge. Her body quivered beneath him, twisting and keening as the pleasure washed over her. Tora followed soon after, biting down on her shoulder as he came inside of her. He groaned, satisfied, the taste of her blood on his tongue.

They remained in that position for a moment, eyes closed. Tora rested his head in the crook of her neck and she released her tight grip on his shoulders, letting her hands rest there limply.

"Why did you want to do this?" Misaki asked again, breathlessly. "You could find fun anywhere."

"Why do you think?" came his muffled reply. "Why did you?"

"You blackmaile-" she paused, feeling him hold his breath. She sighed and gripped the skin of his back with her fingertips. It would be stupid to keep up the pretense at this stage. Absentmindedly, her thumb began to stroke his shoulder and she felt him relax. "Because you interest me."

Tora raised himself up on his hands and sat back, still straddling her hips. He didn't look at her, for once.

"You are one of the few people who has seen my true face," he said, slowly. He frowned, uncertain and she noticed a flicker of some unusual emotion in his eyes. "And I think I-"

"Don't," she interrupted, holding up a hand. He looked down at her as she shook her head. "Don't complicate things further."

He smiled wryly and nodded. "A wise decision."

Misaki held her hand outstretched toward him. "Enemies?"

Tora chuckled darkly and grabbed her hand, shaking it roughly. "Enemies."

She let out the breath she had been holding as Tora climbed off her. He sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. His feelings were entirely alien to him, so he chose to ignore them. After a moment, he turned back to her with a sleazy grin on his face.

"Are you into bondage?"

-0-

Usui paced back and forth across his apartment, running a hand through his hair. The room was dark, lit only by the lights of the city streaming in through the large window. Licht was sleeping soundly on the sofa, undisturbed by her owner's unease. The man had changed out of his school uniform into a white t-shirt and had stripped down to his boxers. He had intended to go to bed, he wanted to drift off and silence the angry voice in his mind, but he found himself unable to sleep. After a while of tossing and turning in his bed, he had decided to calm his nerves with a drink.

He raised the glass of whiskey he had poured himself to his lips and took a short sip. The man let out an irritated growl and placed his drink down on the kitchen counter, wiping the excess liquid from the corner of his mouth. It's not fair. Why him, why not me? He hated himself for thinking such things but he could not keep his jealousy at bay. It obviously hadn't been Misaki's choice, she despised Igarashi as much as he did. Didn't she? Usui knew he was being irrational, but the image of them together stuck in his head and made his stomach turn.

"This is ridiculous," he sighed to himself. He turned away from the counter and sat down on the sofa, resting his elbows on his knees.

There was much he regretted; getting involved when she had asked him not to, leaving her alone with him, for feeling so possessive... Usui groaned and held his head in his hands. She wasn't his property and she had every right to keep her secret in whatever way she chose. He didn't feel betrayed by her, how could he? No, he was furious with Igarashi for doing this to her and for keeping him in the room in what was an obvious display of power.

"Bastard," he snarled, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Usui checked his watch and sighed. Three AM. There was no way in hell he would be able to sleep tonight.

-0-

It felt like someone was stroking her hair. Usui stroked her hair like this, perhaps it was him. She was dreaming though, wasn't she? Something warm covered her exhausted body. She was so tired, she felt like she might never wake up. Through the fog of sleep she felt a hand touch her cheek.

"Goodnight, Miss Ayuzawa. Thanks for the fun."

It was eleven o'clock when Misaki awoke, alone in Tora's bed. The girl sat upright and rubbed her fingers over her eyelids, wiping away the sleep dust that clung to her lashes. Her entire body ached and she winced as pain shot through her muscles.

"Jeez," she muttered, yawning. "Igarashi?"

She looked around the room - Tora was nowhere to be seen. Misaki couldn't remember him leaving but assumed she had passed out as someone had covered her with the thick duvet on the bed. Someone had also changed her out of her maid outfit into a black t-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms, obviously fitted for a male. Though her limbs protested it, she shakily clambered out of the bed and made her way to the main living room. Tora was lounging on the sofa, wearing a pair of boxer shorts and an unbuttoned shirt.

"I see you're awake at last," he commented. She noticed then that he was smoking a cigarette and wrinkled her nose.

"Smoking is bad for you," she chided, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Everything I do is bad for me," he replied, carelessly. He flicked the burning ash into a tray and gave her a sly smile. "Now would you like Prosecco for breakfast, or orange juice?"

Misaki scowled at him. "The juice, thanks."

Tora shrugged and reached across the table to pick up a full flute of drink. "Suit yourself."

She watched him for a moment, almost fascinated by how alien the man was to her. He looked at ease in this environment, he seemed satisfied with the hedonistic lifestyle he had chosen but - she couldn't help but think he might get lonely.

"Are you happy?" she blurted out, accidentally.

Tora raised an eyebrow and placed his glass back on the table. "What do you mean?"

Misaki gestured around her. "All this stuff and - and all the people you must have made hate you. Does it make you happy?"

The man sighed and stubbed his cigarette out. He stood and took a few steps closer to her. He had a strangely grim expression on his face and when he stood only a couple of feet away, Misaki started to feel nervous.

"There are some people in this world who do not bother themselves with the moral high ground or indeed morals at all. You can be as sanctimonious as you please, but do not think that because my worldly tastes are a little darker than yours that I must be miserable," he stated, bluntly. "I am content with who I truly am - are you?"

Misaki looked away from him, irritated. "I don't understand you, Igarashi."

"I like being entertained. It staves off the resounding boredom of living," he chuckled and jerked his head toward the dining table. "Anyway, our deal is complete. Your picture and the USB stick are over there. You'll find a fresh set of clothes on the chair where you left your coat."

She blinked, surprised. "And...that's that?"

"That's that," he repeated, nodding. The man took another cigarette from his shirt pocket and placed it into his mouth. "Unless there was something else you needed?"

"No," she replied, turning away from him. She gathered her belongings and quickly changed into the spare set of clothes he had provided for her. By the feel and cut of the shirt and skirt, they were very expensive. At first she felt guilty for taking them, but faced with the option of wearing her sullied maid uniform home, she swallowed her pride and walked out into the living room, her bag slung over her shoulder.

Tora looked up at her and his lips quirked into a small smile. A thin curl of smoke curled out of his mouth. "Suits you."

"I'll wash them and send them back when I get home," she said, flustered.

"Don't bother. None of the girls I know would wear something so cheap," he replied, waving his hand at her.

Her cheeks flushed with anger. "Fine."

She stomped across the room and shoved the picture and USB stick into her bag, sighing with relief at the thought of keeping them safe again. Tora chuckled, amused at her sudden change in attitude.

"Takumi is waiting for you in the entrance hall," he said, taking another drag from his cigarette. "He's been here since nine."

"Usui's here?"

"Uh-huh," Tora nodded, golden eyes narrowing. "It seems he couldn't wait to save you from my oh-so evil clutches."

Misaki couldn't help but smile at the sarcasm dripping from his words. She looked to the door, then back at Tora, smile dropping. "Goodbye, Igarashi."

She turned away from him and started to walk toward the door when she felt a hand grasp her wrist. Tora spun her around so that she faced him and grabbed her hip so that he could pull her close. Misaki stiffened, uncomfortable with the way he was intently staring at her. He stayed silent, eyes examining her face for a moment longer, then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was brief, soft and tasted somewhere between the sweetness of Prosecco and the bitterness of tobacco. He released her then and turned away from her, giving her a careless wave.

"See ya' round, Miss Ayuzawa."

After she had gone, a satisfied smile spread across Tora's face and he got to his feet. He entered the bedroom and moved to the chest of drawers opposite the bed. Carefully, he reached into the large vase of flowers and removed the small camera he had placed there before his two guests had arrived.

This will come in useful in the future, he thought, chuckling darkly to himself.

-0-

Usui took her back to her home after that. He greeted her by pulling her into his arms, but he didn't speak. He didn't speak for the whole ride home. Misaki thanked him for assisting her home and asked him inside, but he simply shook his head and motioned for the taxi to head on. She didn't hear from him all weekend, which was unusual. Stranger still, her dreams were no longer plagued by images of Tora Igarashi. By the time Monday came around, her stomach was twisting nervously. As they were in different classes, she didn't see him until lunchtime, when he approached her as she was studying alone in the Student Council common room.

"Ayuzawa?" he called, poking his head around the door.

"Yeah, what do you want?" she replied, not looking up from her work. When she sensed someone standing close by the edge of her desk, she looked up and flinched when she noticed it was him. "Oh - Usui!"

"Sorry, did I startle you?" he said, with a smile.

Misaki felt her cheeks heat up at the sight of his charming grin. "N-no. Not at all. I was involved in my work, is all."

"I see," he replied. He leaned against the desk on both of his hands. "So, how are you?"

"I'm-" she began, awkwardly. "I'm fine. Are you?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for involving myself in your matters, Misaki," Usui sighed and reached forward to place his hand over hers. "I think that this whole thing-"

"Usui, please-" she interrupted, heart pounding loudly in her chest. Don't say it, she thought, if you say it we'll have to confront it.

"-has made me realise that I am absolutely, entirely, in love with you," he finished, swallowing thickly. He glanced at her and wasn't surprised to see her eyes wide with fright. "And I want you all to myself."

Misaki clenched her free hand into a fist and hung her head, gathering her thoughts. "Why did you have to go and say that, stupid Usui?"

The man gripped her hand tighter. "Because I don't want to hold back anymore. You don't have to say anything back, I just needed to-"

"I love you too," she whispered. He froze, letting her admission sink in, then he broke out into a smile and bent at the waist so he could wrap his arms around her shoulders. The girl stayed still, allowing him to hold her as tightly as he please. This was right, he felt right, this is where he belonged. He would never just be for the night. "Stupid, stupid Usui."

-0-

Years later, they would see Tora Igarashi at a party. A well-suited Usui was busy chatting to an acquaintance of his Father's somewhere in the crowded hall, while Misaki was stood at the bar, refilling her glass with Prosecco. She had grown quite fond of the beverage in recent years, its sweetness no longer made her feel queasy. The hall was buzzing with conversation and the sound of a live band elsewhere in the house filled the room with gentle music.

"Miss Ayuzawa," came a familiar voice from behind her. "Fancy seeing you here."

Misaki turned and that familiar twisting sensation began in her stomach. Tora looked a little older, any trace of immaturity now absent from his angular face. His hair was smoothed back and he wore an expensive looking black suit that fitted his lean frame perfectly. His golden eyes were as keen as ever and on his face, as usual, was an amused smirk.

"Igarashi," she stated, somewhat shocked by his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"Stupid question," he responded. "Did you forget I am the Heir-"

"-to the Igarashi Conglomerate. Yes, I know," she interrupted, irritably.

The man chuckled and took a sip from his glass of wine. Her heart began to pound harder as his eyes lazily looked up and down her body. "You look good, Misaki."

"Thank you," she replied, gritting her teeth when she felt her cheeks blush. "What have you been up to?"

"Not much. Selling, buying, trading- the usual," he answered, in a bored tone. "And yourself?"

"Still studying. I hope to become a barrister in the next few years if I can pass the bar."

Tora nodded his head in approval. "Impressive as ever. Good luck."

"Thank you," she repeated. Nervously, she turned her glass round between her fingers. "I-"

"How are things going with Takumi?" he asked, smirking at her obvious awkwardness. "You are engaged, aren't you?"

"Yeah," she answered, smiling. "Set to be married next Autumn."

Tora chuckled and stepped a little closer to her. "Well, I do hope for an invitation, Miss Ayuzawa."

"I-I-"

"Tell me," he murmured, leaning in so that he was speaking close to her ear. "Do you still have that maid uniform?"

A shiver ran down Misaki's spine and a flash of memories from that night ran through her mind. "N-no, I don't work at Maid Latte anymore."

Tora tutted and withdrew, giving her a wink. "Pity. It looked so good on you."

"Igarashi."

Misaki let out a sigh of relief when she heard Usui's voice and felt his arm slide around her back. She looked up to see the two men glaring daggers at one another and groaned inwardly.

"Takumi, what a pleasure," Tora drawled, sarcasm obvious in his voice. "I was just saying how nice it was to see Misa here tonight."

"A pleasure indeed," Usui responded, dryly. "My sincerest apologies, but we must be going. We have another engagement to attend to this evening."

Tora let out a dramatic sigh and then chuckled. He reached forward and took ahold of Misaki's hand before raising it to his lips. She gulped as he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

"Until the next time we meet, Miss Ayuzawa," he said, standing upright again. With a final wink to Misaki and a hard glare at Usui, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.

The couple looked at one another uneasily.

"Do you get the feeling that this won't be the last we've heard from him?" Misaki asked, nervously.

Usui didn't reply.

Later that night, when her fiancé was dreaming and she unable to sleep, her phone lit the room with a text message.

Hello, little Maid. I have a video you might like to see. I'll be waiting for your call when you're ready. T