Chapter 16: Then Taste It

Sophia spat a mouthful of blood directly onto the leader’s polished shoes.

"I earned my rank fair and square," she glared, her cold eyes burning with defiance. "I won’t hand over my card for any price. This isn’t a market trade, this is a cheap thug’s death threat."

The leader sneered, stepping closer. "You’re right about one thing, sweetheart. You ’are’ about to die if you don’t hand it over."

Internally, Sophia cursed them with every fiber of her being, her mind racing for a way out. She forced a mocking smirk onto her face, looking straight at the brute who had threatened her. "If you want the card so badly, it’s tucked securely inside my top. I’ll take it myself since I won’t allow you to touch my breast.. but you’ll have to untie me first."

The thugs exchanged leering, greedy glances. "Don’t fall for her games....." one started, but blinded by frustration and lust, the nearest thug grumbled, "I’ll grab it myself," quickly tried to put his hand in his boobs readily.

The moment he was about to deepen his hand in her boobs. Sophia didn’t hesitate. She used her head to hit his nose so hard.

CRACK.

The thug stumbled back, holding his nose in shock. "You bloody bitch! Prepare to..." He raised his fist to strike her down.

BOOM!

Before his fist could even complete its arc, a shockwave tore through the air. A massive, devastating blow slammed directly into the thug’s chest.

He didn’t just fall, he was launched clean across the room like a cannonball, smashing violently into the far concrete wall before slumping to the floor, his face completely smeared in blood and unconscious before he hit the ground.

The leader froze, snapping his head toward the entrance of the room.

Standing in the shadows of the doorway, hands buried casually in his pockets, was Morales.

The leader’s eyes widened in sudden recognition. "Oh... so you’re that popular poor bastard who somehow scraped his way into 14th place," the leader scoffed, trying to regain his composure. "Must have been a computer glitch. You’re far too broke to actually understand how these exams work."

Morales let out a cold, unimpressed laugh. "And you’re a pathetic parasite living on borrowed capital, barking like a stray dog because you can’t win fair and square."

"You little piece of trash," the leader snarled, his face twisting with rage. "You think because you got lucky on a rank that you’re untouchable? Let me tell you something, beggar. Once I’m done here, I’m going to track down your home, find your pathetic little life, and personally go fuck your hot aunt...."

WHOOSH.

The air in the room suddenly turned absolute zero.

Morales’ striking electric blue eyes flashed violently.

In a fraction of a second, the cool blue completely vanished, replaced by a terrifying, glowing crimson red, the exact shade of his vivid red hair, burning with unadulterated, murderous fury. Threatening Anna crossed the ultimate line.

Before the leader could even blink, Morales vanished from his spot.

What followed was a one-sided massacre. Moving with supernatural speed and raw, overwhelming force, Morales dismantled the remaining thugs in seconds.

Bones snapped, fists echoed like thunder, and within moments, all three lackeys were sprawled across the concrete floor, their faces bruised, bloodied, and utterly ruined.

The leader stood frozen, his legs shaking uncontrollably as Morales stepped forward, his crimson-tinted eyes locked onto him with lethal intent. With a single, casual backhand, Morales sent the leader crashing through a wooden crate, knocking him out cold.

The room fell dead silent, save for the heavy panting of the wind whistling through the unfinished window frames.

Morales turned around, the terrifying red in his eyes slowly fading back into a cold, piercing blue. He walked over to the pillar and looked down at the breathtaking girl, he walked up to her his scent intoxicating her as he freed her.

.

"What’s your name?" Morales asked flatly.

She looked up at him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "Sophia... Sophia Laurent."

Morales eyebrows arched slightly. ’A Laurent?’

Even inside Aurelius Academy, where billionaires were a dime a dozen, the Laurent family name carried legendary weight.

They were global mega-tycoons, infinitely wealthier and more powerful than Jayden’s entire banking syndicate combined.

Up close, Sophia was an absolute vision. Despite the dirt and sweat, she possessed striking, long-dyed white hair that cascaded over her shoulders, piercing blue eyes, and an exquisitely voluptuous figure.

Though her heavy breasts were slightly smaller than Chloe’s, her fierce, haughty aura made her uniquely captivating.

Sophia stared up at him, completely mesmerized. His towering height, his fantastical red hair, and those intense, mesmerizing eyes were overwhelmingly intoxicating. "Now help me with their cards."

Regaining a flicker of her aristocratic pride, Sophia tried to put on a mask of haughty defiance. She raised her chin, attempting to look down her nose at him despite being pinned.

"How... how dare a poor guy command me?" Sophia scoffed, her voice trembling slightly. "Do you even know who my brother is? If Wayne Laurent finds out you touched me, he will hunt you down and kill you!"

It wasn’t an empty threat. Everyone knew Wayne Laurent was a notoriously spoiled, unstable, and terrifyingly powerful scoundrel.

Instead of backing down, Morales stepped closer. His expression remained entirely devoid of emotion. He reached out and wrapped his strong fingers around her delicate neck.

Gasp!

A sharp, electric shiver shot straight down Sophia’s spine. The sudden contact sent a wave of illicit, sweet heat flooding through her nervous system, making her knees go weak.

"If I were to ’really’ touch you..." Morales whispered, his voice a low, dangerous growl.

As he spoke, his free hand slowly trailed down from her waist, sliding deliberately over the curve of her hip and upward along her thigh.

"You.....you poor bastard, leave me alone!" Sophia stammered, her voice losing its edge as her breath hitched.

"Keep insulting me," Morales murmured darkly, pressing his hand firmer against her trembling lap, "and I’ll tear your pants off right here and fuck you on this concrete floor. You’re already dripping with that sweet, nervous scent of yours... how about I taste a little bit of your virgin cunt right now?"

With his heightened system instincts, Morales could instantly detect the subtle physiological markers of a virgin.

Sophia’s breath caught in her throat. Her face flushed a deep, burning crimson. As his hand continued to move against her sensitive lap while his fingers gripped her neck, she couldn’t help herself, she bit her lower lip, her body instinctively arching and yielding to the intense, intoxicating sensation.

She was a pure virgin, logically, she should have been terrified of opening up to a stranger. But the intimidating, stunning, dark dominance radiating from Morales ignited a strange, pleasurable thrill deep within her, a sweet, agonizing pain she secretly craved.

She looked up into his fierce, gorgeous eyes, her defenses completely shattered. Trembling violently, her cheeks burning, Sophia parted her lips and whispered in a broken, breathless sigh.

"...Then taste it."