Page 51 of Restorations

It’s a promise, and it’s one I will never break.

24

ASHER

Ican’t get Viv out of my head. I want to. I can’t stand thinking about her all the time, but I can’t stop. She really thinks she’s changed, that her brain and heart won’t get totally fucked-up adding in sex. But I know better.

Still . . . I can’t stop thinking about taking her in the gym almost a week ago. Her body was so fucking ready for me.

“Ow!” I look over at the sound of my nephew’s voice and start running across the playground before any of the other teachers make it there. It’s recess, and when I make it to Baz, I see blood pouring out of his nose and a big kid standing nearby looking guilty.

I can’t hit a kindergartner.

“Baz, what happened? I lean down, taking a Kleenex from Ms. Bowen as she reaches us. I hold it to his nose, and he points at the big kid.

“He hit me!”

“Nuh-uh. He shoved me first!”

I look at Baz, narrowing my gaze. “Did you push him?”

I know when he’s guilty. He looks down at the ground as I hold the tissue to his still bleeding nose. “Maybe.”

“Here.” I gently tilt his head back, trying to get the blood to stop. “You can’t put your hands on anyone else, buddy.” I look over at the other kid. “And you can’t either.”

I’m a teacher. I’m not allowed to be biased, but I have to take several deep breaths to calm down even if Baz made first contact. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up at Ms. Bowen. “I’ll take them to the principal’s office. I stand up, still holding the tissue over Baz’s nose.

“Is that really necessary?”

“Of course it is.” She folds her arms, looking down at both boys briefly and back at me. “We have a strict policy here, Mr. Sterling. No violence. No exceptions.” She takes the other kid’s hand and moves toward Baz, but leans in, whispering so only I can hear her. “No matter how cute their uncles are.”

I fight rolling my eyes because I'm not even remotely interested. She’s pretty, but she doesn’t make my dick hard, not even when she calls me Mr. Sterling.

No. I seem to need torture and intense emotional pain to get hard.

“I’ll take Baz to the nurse first. Then I’ll take him to the office.”

She studies me suspiciously, but then nods in approval before heading off with the other student. I sigh and lean down to look at Baz again as the crowd that had formed starts to dissipate. “You okay, buddy?”

He lowers his head so he can’t see me. “I’m mad.”

“What happened?”

He just shakes his head, a furious pout on his face, and I know he isn’t going to talk about it right now. “Okay. You gotta go face the music, kid. But it will be fine.”

I take his hand. “What does that mean?”

I laugh as we walk. “It means you’re in trouble. We have to go talk to the principal and then probably your mom.”

He groans. “Oh, man. Mommy is going to be mad.”

“Yeah . . . Probably. But take it from someone who has made your mom pretty mad before, she’ll forgive you.”

It’s one of her best and worst qualities.

And I really fucking wish she would just hate me already so we can stay away from each other. But, of course, even if we both hate each other, it isn’t that simple.

After I take Baz to the nurse, I talk to the principal, who sentenced both kids to going home for the day. I asked her if Baz could wait with me and to let me call his mom, and thankfully, Mrs. Bailey is pretty cool and agreed to it.

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