Page 33 of A Little Discovery

“Because we don’t know how Sabrina is getting her information on me that she shouldn’t be able to get her hands on,” Lucky says as he passes Toby on the way down the stairs. “Putting all of the money in an account in my name means there’s a chance she can access it through whatever she has been doing. Keeping it in a trust with me receiving an allowance means the most she’s able to screw me out of is one month of whatever Eli sets up as the allowance amount.”

Turning back around to look up the stairs at Toby, he further explains, “My grandfather has a net worth that could flat out buy my father’s company ten times over and still not show a drop in his accounts once the next hour’s interest accumulates on his investments. If my trust fund from him is anywhere near the amount he gave my mother, it means I have enough money coming to me to live extremely well for multiple lifetimes.”

Lucky turns back to finish coming down the stairs and heads into the kitchen for his coffee. Eric has been uncharacteristically quiet over everything that has been revealed so far, but I hear him talking to Lucky in the kitchen. I have an idea of what might be bothering Eric, but that is his business to share or not with my boy. I turn back to Eli to wish him well, but he’s smirking up the stairs.

“Looks like we might need a puppy reboot,” he mutters before heading out the front door. Tobias is frozen on the stairs. If this was a cartoon, he’d have little stars flickering around him. I chuckle and leave him to his thoughts. I need more coffee, and there is a boy in the kitchen I need to have some quality time with before we get to campus.

LUCKY

My first day back on campus after a year away is surreal. Everything is familiar, yet not. I had barely gotten my feet under me finishing my freshman year, but now it feels like I’m starting over again. The car doors closing behind me snap me out of my thoughts, and Toby grabs my hand to start pulling me toward the student union. It is theonlyplace on campus that can do the fancy coffees.

Rumor was that the guy running it used to be a student, but instead of opening a bakery and coffee shop in the city, he decided to continue with his work study job and just took over the place. I’m not sure how true that is, but the muffins are to die for…

And they sell out very quickly, which explains why Toby is pulling me with such force.

“Do I need to get your leash so you will walk correctly, pup?” Spencer calls out from behind us.

Toby stops and turns so suddenly that I stumble into him. We both go tumbling to the ground in a jumble of arms and legs. I somehow manage to shift myself so that I’m under the other man when we hit the concrete of the sidewalk. Better me get hurt than him. He’s super nice and shouldn’t be hurt because I ran into him.

“Oh my God, Lucky,” Toby breathes out as he rushes to get off of me. “Are you alright? Did you hit your head again? I’m so sorry!”

I wave away his concern as I take inventory of my body. I can feel that my tailbone and elbow took the worst of the blow, but the slight headache makes me think I actually might have bumpedmy head. Before I can even voice my injuries, Spencer is pulling Toby away to take his place above me.

“Where are you hurt, little one?” he asks while running his hands all over me. When he gets to my arm, he pulls his gym towel out of his bag. “Close your eyes, Lucky. I’m going to get you fixed up.”

I want to listen to him, but there is a morbid curiosity inside of me. I never used to be this inquisitive. I used to just do as I was told. Now, there is something that makes me want to know everything…

So, I look.

The fall ripped open the wound on my arm from the fall last week and blood is oozing out over the concrete.

I should have listened to Daddy…

The next thing I am aware of is waking up surrounded by the smell of coffee and chocolate cake. That can’t be right.

“I think he’s waking up.” I can hear Toby nearby. “Thanks for letting us back here, but we’ll get out of your way soon. We have class in a little bit.”

Groaning, I try to sit up only to feel a hand at my back supporting me and helping me turn to put my feet down. I open my eyes to see that I’m on a futon in some sort of a break room with Spencer sitting on the ground beside me. Toby is by the door talking to someone… oh, it’s the manager of the coffee shop. I’m glad he’s still here. He was always nice to me when I ordered my white chocolate mocha with cinnamon. He didn’t think it was strange like some of his baristas did.

“How are you feeling, little one?” Spencer asks me, and I take stock of my injuries. Just like I thought from before, there’s nothing too serious. I feel around the back of my head and there is a slight tender spot, but as long as I don’t get woozy or dizzy, I should be fine.

“I’m good,” I mutter. I almost call him Daddy, but since there is someone from outside the house present, I don’t want to freak him out. “I should probably get to class, though. I don’t want to be late on my first day back.

Spencer nods, not looking convinced in the least, but I appreciate him taking me at my word. I like the fact that he worries over me. The last week has shown me what it is like to have people genuinely care about me as a person. I’ve been included for once in my life, and I don’t want to have to give that up.

“Time to go,” Toby declares as he helps me up off the futon and drags me out a side door. Shoving a chocolate chip muffin into my hand, he leads us over to the economics building for our class.

Toby is a sophomore taking all of his core classes right away, saving his electives for his senior year. I did the opposite. Not knowing what I wanted as my major when I started, I took all of my electives freshman year. My parents want me to major in business, but I don’t want to be a CEO or manager. I have a love of research and not dealing with people. Mother finally relented when father suggested accounting as my major, stating that Holloway Industries could put me in a CFO until he retires, and by then I will be established in the company enough to take over.

I hate the fact that they planned out my future without consulting me. It’s like I am just a doll being moved around however they want me. I hate it. Spencer might make decisionsfor me as a Daddy, but at least he consults me and asks me things before making plans.

My thoughts are interrupted when I crash into Toby for the second time this morning. At least this time we were walking, so no falling involved. Looking around him, I notice that there is a new Economics professor this year, or at least new to me. Judging by my housemate’s reaction, I’m guessing he’snewnew. I glance down at my schedule to check the name… Professor Lewis Barnes.

I shove Toby toward the risers so that we can take our seats. I put the muffin on the desk-top while I pull out my laptop in preparation for the class to start. Toby is still fully focused on the man in front of the room. Objectively, I can see that he’s attractive, but I’ve never been a great judge of that. He’s not Daddy, so that automatically puts him out of my mind. I elbow the pup next to me, and he shakes himself out before reaching into his own bag.

“Look who came back to school,” a voice comes from the other side of the desk while I’m crouched under the desk, digging in my backpack for my stylus. I like to be able to draw diagrams directly into the computer if needed. “It’s a shame you couldn’t keep it in your pants. But then again, you rich boys never have to, right? Did you…”

I’m doing my best to ignore James, but a growl from next to me makes me sit up fast enough that I get a bit lightheaded. Toby is standing and glaring at my former roommate. The growl is actually coming from him. For some reason, I thought him being a pup meant some barking and playing fetch. I forgot that dogs growl when threatened or being protective… As touched as I am, I need to de-escalate the situation before Toby outs himself. James isn’t worth the extra attention.

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