Page 89 of Lessons in Cruelty

“The fuck do you care?” I pull out her envelope, waving it around. “You said you didn’t do the assignment, so I’m pretty sure these are blank.”

She scowls at me.

“Right! First envelope.” I tear open Anthony and Linda’s envelope and take out their slips, giving them a quick scan. “Damn, okay.”

I hold up a finger. “Let me see what we’re working with here.”

There’s a collective groan as I open the second envelope and take out those papers.

I laugh, pressing a hand to my chest. “Shit, guys. You took this assignment way too serious.”

No laughter now. In fact, a few students are fidgeting with their hair, their clothes, their books, their pens. Nervous as hell, and with every right to be.

Especially Haven and Melissa.

And wow, plot twist…I somehow randomly chose their envelope too.

My jaw clenches when I read what’s on their slips of paper.

Is it true, though? I mean, nowhere in the assignment did it say the secrets have to be real. Not as if Rooke was going to fact-check. This whole thing is about the ethical and psychological hoops his students have to jump through. The lines they have to cross. Although, fuck, looks like everyone in this class is a motherfucking delinquent.

I have to force myself to look up and flash the class a smile. “Fuck. That’s a doozy. You know what? Round of applause, you ruthless motherfuckers? I see some serious corporate espionage in your futures.”

There’s some scattered applause, but most of the guys just look grateful that I’m not going through with my threat.

Guess that means I’ve done my part. Got everyone sweating in their seats as they question their life choices.

Time to laugh it off, right?

Tell them to read from their books until Rooke arrives.

Maybe give some of the paler students a chance to go splash water on their freaked out faces.

But when I look over at Haven, and she’s got this calculating look in her eyes, like she’s wondering what game I’m playing…?

That switch gets flipped again.

Because who the fuck died and made her Queen of Morality Mountain?

Fucking no one.

I’m in charge now, and I plan to make Zimbardo proud.

I clap my hands together, and half the class jumps like a nuke just went off.

That’s why Rooke does it. It’s so fucking satisfying.

“Right. Let’s start voting.”

Chapter 23

Bastian

The hand draped over mine is skeletal. It belongs to a starving person, or a terminally ill patient who’s already slipping away from the world.

I suppose both are true.

“She refuses to eat,” the nurse at my side says, concern etched into every word. “If you can’t persuade her, we’ll have to use a tube.”