by Aria Grace
He hung up at the same time Sylvia stopped crying. “Seriously? That’s all she needed?”
Ash gently rocked her legs up again and more gas came out. This time, Sylvia actually smiled. My poor baby had a gassy tummy and all we were doing was trying to feed her more. “At least we know she doesn’t need a trip to the ER.”
“Thank god!” I dropped my forehead on to Ash’s shoulder. “I was trying to stay strong but I was starting to freak out a little there.”
Ash kissed the back of my head. “Looks like she’s feeling better.”
Sylvia was already asleep with her arms up by her head and her little lips curled up in a smile. “Maybe he’s starting to come around.”
“Maybe.” Ash wasn’t as optimistic about my brother’s acceptance as I was. But I just wouldn’t accept that Killian might not want to be a part of my life if Ash was in it. The possibility was too unbearable to imagine. Because although I’d never be able to give up Ash and Sylvia, I’d have been devastated to lose my only brother. “But at least we know he’ll be there to help you when you need him.”
I nodded at the truth in those words. “Yup, he’s always had my back. No matter what. And I know he’ll always help me protect my family, whether he’s happy about it or not.”
“Is everything okay?” Ash was standing at the window just staring out at the dark night. “You seem upset.”
“What?” He actually flinched when I placed my hand on his back. He must have noticed the hurt expression on my face because he instantly fell against my chest. “Sorry, just thinking about work.”
“What about it?” Ash didn’t talk about his classes or students very often. He obviously loved his job teaching about the rights and roles of omegas in modern society, he took the privacy of his students very seriously and never wanted to share details that might lead me to guess who he was talking about. “Is Killian giving you shit?”
Ash shook his head then turned in my arms so his back was leaning against my front. I wrapped both arms around him, one across his chest and the other from hip to hip, holding him in one of my favorite positions for fucking. As if my knot was in charge of my whole body, my pelvis tilted forward and instinctively rocked into Ash’s ass.
“No, he hasn’t said a word to me.” Ash swatted playfully at my crotch. “And don’t do that when you’re talking about your brother. It’s weird.”
I laughed and did it again. “Weird, huh? There shouldn’t be anything I can’t talk to you about with my dick pressed against your wet hole. Because if I’m doing it right, you won’t be able to think about anything else anyway so it doesn’t matter.”
“Is that so?” He wiggled his ass against me, obviously trying to prove a point.
“It’s so.” My palms drifted down to the button of his jeans and I unfastened it before releasing the zipper. “Like right now, who are you thinking about?”
“Your mama. She called today and asked if she could bring by a blanket she crocheted for Sylvia. She should be here any minute.”
“Dammit, Ash.” I groaned and pulled away from him, my cock instantly softening in disappointment. “That’s not fair.”
He laughed and pulled out of my arms, grabbing his cock for a squeeze as he did so. “You said there were no taboo topics during foreplay.”
I did, didn’t I? God, I’m an idiot. “Fine, but just wait until tonight. I’m gonna wait until you least expect it and then...BOOM! I’ll be up inside you.”
His smile grew even brighter, even as the doorbell rang. “Don’t think I won’t hold you to that, big bad alpha.”
13
Ash
Ten papers in and I was beginning to wonder if my students had listened to anything I’d told them about the topic at hand. So far, half of them focused on history that, while related to the questions posed, far from answered it. The other half did the repeat-the-question-over-and-over-again-and-hope-the-professor-doesn’t-realize-it trick. They were abysmal. My only hope was that I had miraculously put all the bad papers on top and the rest would be so amazing that they deserved publication. So, highly doubtful.
I blamed the college for this particular batch of wasted paper. After a hazing incident that hospitalized an omega part way through my first semester, the provost decided that instead of consequences that might impact their records, he’d allow the perpetrators to take a one-credit course in omega studies during the second half of the semester instead. What he neglected to do was to see if such a course actually existed. It did not.
So lucky me got to create a course, to teach said course to fifty undergrads who were there solely to avoid expulsion, and to do so with no syllabus or even a course description until a week before the class was about to begin. Part of me was glad these buffoons were going to at least be exposed to the content, even if it didn’t all sink in. The other part of me wanted to demand they have this course as well as some disciplinary consequences that would hopefully make them think twice before doing such things again.
A glance at my clock told me what I already knew, I was late for dinner. Not a little bit late, either. If I left immediately, I’d be home in time to see Sylvia though and that had me packing up, snagging the second stack of papers, and shoving it in my satchel. I probably wouldn’t get a lot done, but leaving them on my desk guaranteed that outcome.
Three knocks on my door had me cursing under my breath before walking over to find Charlie, one of my new students, on the other side. That was the last thing I needed. He was one of the few that didn’t even pretend to want to be in the class. Mr. Student Body President and all around cool kid thought he didn’t deserve to face any consequences. I begged to disagree, especially since a few of his snide comments on his way into class indicated he was the most likely candidate for ring leader of the bunch.
“Charlie, my office hours are from 9-11 on Thursdays.” I was stern and a little rude but also correct. Students should not be showing up at a professor’s office at random.
“I came to talk to you about my paper.” He walked in, invading my personal space and basically forcing me to take a step backward. It was a complete intimidation tactic and one I wasn’t going to allow. I wouldn’t let him get the upper hand, even if he was achieving his goal.
“Thursday would be a perfect time for that discussion.” I gestured to the door, hinting rather strongly for him to leave. He did not. “If you will excuse me...”
“I need a progress report for the provost so he can approve my request to travel with the team to the bowl we are a shoo-in for this year.”
At least that explained his end game. He wanted to be sure he passed, not that I’d give him false reassurances. If his paper was on the graded pile, I might have offered to fill out his paperwork. Naw, who was I fooling? He could come during office hours like everyone else.
“Again, I can provide that on Thursday.” I took a step to the door, and this time, he took a step to block me. At least the door was open, not that there were many other professors around so late in the evening. Most of the people in my wing had families to get home to.
“Thing is, I didn’t hand in my paper.” Of course he didn’t. Had everything been handed to this kid his entire life? From what I’d seen of him, my guess was that he probably had.
“Then your progress report will be indicative of such. I need you to step back.” My voice was firm, and I did all I could to school my face. The last thing I needed was him knowing he frazzled me. Or more accurately, had me sliding into scared territory.
“I hear you like to mess around with your students.” There was no hiding the innuendo in his voice. Especially when he paired it with bringing his hand up as if to touch my face. That was so not going to happen, even if my step back let him know he had gotten to me.
“If you had paid attention to any of my lectures, you would realize how completely inappropriate you are being.” Or if he’d been to even one of the many programs the student council, the one he was president of, put on about student bou
ndaries and safety. “Step aside before I call security.” The last of my two fucks to give had flown out the door the second he attempted to touch me.
“I bet you never said that to your little alpha boy toy.” He leaned in close, but this time, I held my ground, not wanting to get myself trapped against the wall. A door had just closed, and if I were lucky, someone was going to be coming my way shortly, given it was the only exit. I crossed my fingers and toes that they didn’t make a pit stop at the restroom first. Charlie was upping his game far too quickly for all the red flags to be hoisted.
“You know I could make you scream too for a pass on that paper.” He lowered his voice to a hushed tone just as my colleague walked by.
“Hey, Professor Leighton, I was just coming to see you,” I lied. But I could hardly say, Thanks for walking by and possibly saving me from a potential sociopath.
“This isn’t over,” Charlie whispered low so only I could hear. “I’ve decided I will have you or your job. You decide.” And with that, he walked out of the room, giving his best Eddie Haskell smile to Leighton and heading out of the wing.
“What’s up, Ash?” Dr. Leighton asked as I locked up my office door.
The first thing I tell omegas in my classes is to never be ashamed to tell someone if you are in a situation that makes you fear for your safety because it only lets the person making you feel that way win. Yet there I was, not feeling comfortable enough to tell a colleague. Some role model I was.
“Nothing. That student just thought he could stop by and chew my ear off after office hours, and I need to get home for dinner.” At least the dinner part was true.
“Charlie is a great kid,” Leighton began as we made our way down the hallway. How I managed not to trip on my own jaw the way it dropped so quickly was beyond me. Great kid my ass. “Too bad he got framed for that omega situation.”
And that, in a nutshell, was why omegas rarely came forward. Somehow, the alpha always managed to become the victim. No, he wasn’t framed. And no, it wasn’t a situation. Yet a professor with a PhD and more papers printed than anyone else in his department bought into that scenario completely.
“It was bad all around,” was all I could come up with to say, not wanting to turn the walk to the parking garage into an argument. It was one I’d never win. Leighton believed Charlie to be a good guy and breaking a belief with pesky little things like facts just didn’t work. Look at climate change. “Thanks for helping me get home to my baby girl.” And in that, I was sincere. I didn’t want to even begin to think about what could have happened.
“Anytime. And thanks for helping those guys outta their bind.”
I found my car quickly and pulled out onto the street before grabbing my phone and calling Coop. It was probably not the best idea, given the way the cops patrolled the area surrounding campus, but I’d rather risk a ticket than having Charlie show up at my car.
“Hello, sexy. Almost home?” His rich voice instantly stole the tension from my shoulders. If only I could've been hearing it in person already.
“Ish. Just leaving now.” The background was blissfully quiet, which usually meant Sylvia was asleep. She could sleep through most things, but Coop still turned off the radio or television if she was asleep—just in case. “Did I miss bedtime already?”
“Afraid so. But she’s teething, so I’m sure you’ll get a chance to visit at around one am.”
“True enough.” And probably four as well. “Missed you.” Ever since his trip for the job interview was confirmed, I had been extra clingy. Being exhausted all the time hadn’t helped. I just needed the semester to be over already.
“I missed you too. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or am I supposed to sit on the other end of the line and worry?”
So much for thinking I’d sounded normal and all was right in the world.
“Just stuff with that new class.”
“The bullshit I-did-the-crime-but-I-can-just-pay-for-a-class-and-not-do-the-time one?” Coop had been raised right, and both he and Mama had been just as pissed as I was when the class was thrown at me. And rightfully so.
“That’s the one. Okay, I need to concentrate. See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I was most of the way home when we hung up, and I had a whole lot of thinking to do in that short amount of time. Charlie needed to be dealt with, but given the culture of the school as it related to alphas or at least this alpha in particular, I needed to go about it the right way. Problem was, I had no idea what that right way might be.
If I just went to the provost, he’d say I misinterpreted things. He was not too keen on my teaching there to begin with, saying he thought it would get people all worked up and “create a hostile environment.” The only reason he agreed to the boys in question being offered a get-out-of-jail-free card by taking my class was because it was the only alternative he’d been offered. No, straight out going to him would only exacerbate things.
A horn honked out of nowhere, and I slammed on my brakes. Damn, my mind had been so focused on Charlie that I nearly hit another car. It didn’t help that all I wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep.
As I pulled onto my street, finding a parking spot quickly, I decided that there was only one thing to do and it was the one thing I really didn’t want to do.
Dialing quickly before I chickened out, I stood outside my car, waiting for him to pick up—if he would pick up.
“Hello, Killer’s phone.” It was so very much not Killian at the other end, and by the playfulness of his voice, I instantly knew it had to be Marcus.
“Ummm, this is Ash, is Killian around?”
“He’s out back with the dog. Should be back soon.” His voice lowered as he added, “He’s cooling down, I think.”
Well, that was something. He’d yet to say a word to me in class unless I asked him a direct question. Cooling down was good.
“Thanks. I needed to hear that. I was calling him for advice.” I wasn’t sure if it was a genius plan or the dumbest ever to call Killian before I talked to Coop, but Killian had a background in subduing asshats, and all Coop would want was for me to quit and stay home. Not because he thought my place was barefoot and pregnant, but to keep me safe. And while I respected that desire, I needed to information seek.
“About his brother?” And why did Marcus have to make such a simple question sound so incredibly raunchy?
“Ewww, no. About his old work in security.” Maybe Killian could figure out what I should do next. Because there was no part of me that even pretended that Charlie was going to drop it, and he needed to be stopped.
14
Coop
“God, Ash.” I slid in and out of him slowly, relishing the tightness around my pulsing cock while my mate stroked himself below me. “You feel so damn good.”
“I’m close, Coop. So fucking close.” My knot was already starting to expand, but I didn’t want it to end. I never wanted it to end. Because as soon as I dumped my seed into Ash, it would be time for me to leave. The rush of my orgasm hit me hard as I pushed as deep as I could into Ash and held there, flexing my ass with each spurt of come as he released into his hand.
I looked down at Ash’s gorgeous face and just stared, feeling so damn grateful that I found him and Sylvia. A small smirk tugged at my lips.
“What?” Ash put a hand on his hip, giving me sass even as my knot had me locked to his body.
I leaned down and gathered him in my arms, resting only half my weight on him but wanting to cover him with my full scent. I wanted him to breathe me in all day long. Forever.
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing.” Ash gently pinched my hip. “Tell me what has you grinning like that.”
I kissed the inside of his neck and up the other side of his jaw, dragging my teeth along it until I landed at his ear. “You’re just so fucking sexy when you’re covered in come with my knot inside of you.”
He laughed softly and nodded. “That is my
favorite state of being.”
I groaned, not ever wanting to leave the bed. “Don’t shower.”
“What?” Ash chuckled. “Like, ever?”
Now it’s my turn to pinch his hip. “No, smart ass. Today. I want you to walk around with my come inside of you all day. Every time you move, you’ll feel me dripping out, and you’ll remember where I was.”
Ash swallowed a gulp of air, his Adam’s apple brushing against my cheek. “Okay,” he whispered.
I trapped his earlobe between my teeth and gently nibbled before dropping a kiss there. “Who knows. Maybe one of my swimmers will find something to hold onto and we can give Sylvia a baby brother or sister.”
Ash’s arms tightened around my back. “Maybe, but please don’t get your hopes up. I really don’t think that’s likely.”
“I know. I lifted up on my elbow so I was facing Ash, wanting him to see the sincerity I felt as he heard my words. “And I’m completely okay with that. I don’t need anything more than you and Sylvia. But if it were to happen…” I kissed the corner of his mouth and held there for second before pulling back up. “I wouldn’t hate seeing you pregnant with my baby.”
Ash cupped the back of my neck and pulled my head down to kiss me. And what started out as a sweet kiss to convey his love quickly heated. Just as my knot slipped from his body, we were both ready for another round.
Being back in the city was different than I remembered it. When I was there over the summer, I just felt lost, like I was missing a part of me. Now I knew I was missing two parts of me. And even though there were lots of shops and amazing restaurants that looked delicious, I had no interest in checking out downtown.
In fact, as I traveled from meeting to meeting throughout the day, all I could think about was getting back to my hotel and calling Ash. I wanted to hear how his day went and if he was feeling better about his new class. He seemed a little off all week, but then again, so did I.
