Emmaleen's eyes flick up to Jino, seeking confirmation that this isn't some elaborate joke. That Jino actually believes what he's saying. That this Doctrine isn't just theatrical nonsense I've concocted to torment her.
She's examining my methodology. Testing its authenticity through Jino.
Interesting.
Jino has no patience for insubordination. "Eyesdown," he snaps, marking something in his notebook. "Demerit. Article Two: Eye contact is granted, not taken."
Emmaleen's gaze lingers despite the fact that Jino is now ticking off consequences. "Three more demerits. Do you want to make it four, Miss Take? Lower. Your fucking. Eyes."
But again, she doesn't lower her eyes.
"Five. Six. Seven more demerits—" Jino continues.
Finally, she looks down.
I stand up, palms pressed flat on the desk as I lean forward. What the fuck was that?
Jino tallies up her defiance in penalties. "That's a total of twelve demerits, Miss Take. Twelve. We're not even five minutes in."
Emmaleen blows out a breath, making her unkempt hair fly up around her eyes.
"Thirteen."
She looks back up at him, defiant and angry. "What did I do now?"
"Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. They're piling up fast."
"Fuck," she mutters.
"Oh, yes," Jino says. "You are so fucked." He slaps the crop against his hand as he continues to circle her. "This is not a game to me. I'm not here to tantalize myself with your submission. I'm not here to get off on your obedience. I'm not here to give you the alpha-male experience, Miss Take. I'm here to teach you how toserve. This is a job to me. You are an assignment. I have been tasked with molding you into Giovanni Bavga's submissive. When I'm done with you, you will worship the ground he walks on. You will submit to him because it pleases you. You will obey him because every fiber of you has been conditioned to crave his control. You will kneel when he enters a room. You will thank him for his discipline. You will beg for his approval, not because you fear punishment, but because you cannot breathe without it. That is the point where my work ends, Miss Take—when your resistance becomes devotion, and when Giovanni Bavga does not need to demand your submission. You will offer it. Freely. Desperately. Without hesitation."
Emmaleen says nothing, just continues to look down at her feet. But I can tell she's not submitting to Jino.
She'sthinking…
"You signed the Doctrine," Jino continues. "You know where the key is. You can leave at any time, I need to make that very clear. You are not my prisoner. You are my student. You are here of your own free will. You are here because you want to learn how to please Giovanni. If any of this sounds like something you'd rather not subject yourself to, I urge you to take the key and leave. Now. Do not waste my time, because if you do, you will just piss me off."
Still, she thinks. Staring down at her yellowed sneakers, she thinks.
"Do you understand me?" Jino asks.
Emmaleen doesn't look up this time. She nods her affirmation.
Jino cracks his gloved hand with the crop. "When you speak to me, you say,Yes, Sir."
"Yes, Sir," she says. But then, she looks up. Smiles at him.
"Seventeen."
She looks down.
What the hell is happening here? Why was she smiling?
I don't know why I'm asking myself this question, the answer is so obvious.
She…likeshim.
No, maybe a jump too far.