Page 8 of Plaything

Odette tilted her head at him. “Yeah,” she agreed but added no other insults.

Major Daddy issues.

Niko put Cat down. “I’m sorry,” his eyes held sadness. He raised his eyebrows. “You know what? I’m making chicken noodle soup for dinner,” he expertly changed the subject. “It’ll be ready in half an hour; that gives you some time to get settled. I want you to come have dinner with us so we can properly get to know each other, okay?” He smiled.

She opened her mouth to say something, probably to politely decline. She seemed to think she was intruding, but she wasn’t. She quickly closed her mouth, realizing he phrased it as a request, not a question. She nodded, “Okay.”

Odette

I cautiously walked downstairs, feeling out of place. The manor was massive, and I didn’t want to get lost. I felt better after brushing my hair and setting up my new room. I had a cute five-minute breakdown, letting the last of my tears out before deciding to come down for dinner.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach as I walked towards the dining room. I assumed it was the room next to the kitchen, and luckily I was right.

Aiden and I made eye contact as I slowly entered the room. He was placing the plates and silverware on the table. Feeling like a burden, I gestured to the table. “What can I do to help?” I questioned.

Aiden was still shirtless, clearly not concerned with anyone else’s thoughts. I couldn’t blame him; he must have worked hard on that body. They all must go to the gym regularly. I’d always been small. Every time I tried to gain weight, I couldn’t. I had stomach issues, so I’d never been able to eat too much, and I couldn’t eat certain foods.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. “We don’t need help,” he answered.

Oh. Okay... I stood awkwardly, not wanting to sit down if he was still setting the cutlery on the table. As I watched him, I noticed a small tattoo on his bicep, almost hidden amongst the other ink. It was the time turner from Harry Potter. I bit my lip, hating the silence in the room. “Ravenclaw?” I asked quietly. He was clearly a know-it-all with a slight temper. It’d been years since I read the books, and I was never allowed to watch the movies.

Aiden paused, looking caught off guard by my question. He raised his eyebrows at me, and I swear I saw a slight gleam in his eyes. “Lucky guess,” he eyed me. “What, do you assume everyone’s Hogwarts house when you first meet them?” He asked, clearly skeptical of my realization that he was a fan.

I pointed to his arm. “I saw your tattoo,” I explained.

He glanced down at his arm with realization in his eyes. Gesturing for me to follow him, he started walking to the kitchen. “Dinners done,” he said, uninterested in conversing with me.

At least I tried. I kept my gaze down, now embarrassed at my attempt to be friendly with him. What was I thinking? He was a professor, and I was a massive intrusion in his life. I kicked his cat, for goodness sake; I wouldn’t like me either.

I saw him look down at me from the corner of my eye. Aiden took a small breath as we entered the kitchen. “Do you have any?” He asked quickly.

The comforting smell of a home-cooked meal warmed my body. Niko, Wyatt, and Dominic stood by the counter, dishing themselves the food.

I looked up at Aiden, trying to remember what we were talking about. “Huh?” I questioned. Do I have any what?

He looked me up and down for a split second. The gaze made goosebumps cover my body, just like when Niko touched my arm. His eyes quickly darted away from me. “Do you have any tattoos?” He questioned again.

“Oh,” I thought for a second. I did, but it was on my boob. I got it as soon as I turned eighteen, wanting to have something that was my own. It was a small pink heart on the side of my left breast, no bigger than the tip of my pinky. I hadn’t told anyone about it. I didn’t mind if anyone knew—just not my father. But I didn’t think telling my Professor about my hidden boob tattoo was appropriate. “No.”

Aiden stopped walking, giving me a pointed look that made me shiver. “If you’re going to lie, don’t take so long to answer,” he advised lowly.

Feeling small under his intense stare, I couldn’t help but fidget. He was a psychology Professor who’d written actual books on the subject. Obviously, he was going to see right through me. Stupid Odette. “Sorry,” I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Aiden smirked, starting to walk again. “Didn’t Wyatt tell you to stop apologizing?” He reminded.

“Odette,” Niko called, holding out a bowl full of soup to me.

I blushed, quickly taking it from him. He didn’t have to do that; I was more than capable of getting my own... They were all so helpful. I wasn’t used to being around people who went out of their way to do nice things. “Thank you.”

He shot me a charming smile. “Of course.” He started walking back to the massive table that seated many more than five people. “Did you get everything unpacked?” He asked.

I sat down beside him, desperately not wanting to end up next to Dominic. He scared me, to say the least. I nodded, “Just about; I only have my sports gear left.”

“What do you play?”

The other three sat at the table, instantly making my heart race as they listened. “I used to do gymnastics and track, but now I just play volleyball,” I answered. Making sure to keep my back off the chair, my spine straight, and my elbows off the table, I took a bite of the soup. It was delicious, the best meal I’d had in a long time.

“You’ve been in my class for two years now. I’m assuming you’re getting your associates in business?” He assumed.

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