Page 9 of Reed

“Are you sure? I don’t even know you,” I say, shocked that I’m even entertaining the idea of letting him stay out here with my kids.

“I’m not going to kidnap your boys. They are safe with me,” he says, stepping into my personal space. “No harm will come to them, or you while you are in my presence.” His words pierce my heart, and despite my past, I believe him. With his gaze on me, I feel safe for the first time in twelve years. The feeling terrifiesme, but I trust it. Cameras are lining the hall, so if he does something, I will have it on tape. Plus, I will kill him or anyone over my children without blinking an eye.

“Thank you.” I step around him and head inside.

“Hi, Ali.” Lacey greets me with a genuine smile. “Who was that adorable baby you had earlier?”

I smile at the mention of my boys. “Jacob, my son. Caleb was asleep in the stroller.”

Her eyes widen as she asks, “You have twins?”

I nod. “So, about my situation. I’ve decided to drop my college writing class.” Yes, that’s right, I’m dropping Professor Black’s class because even though he might make me feel safe. I can’t get even more enamored with the man than I already am. Plus I can’t afford the class.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary anymore. Your bill was paid in full yesterday morning. I assumed you knew about it,” Lacey says, staring at her computer screen.

I gasped. “What? Are you sure?” That can’t be true; she must have pulled up the wrong file. “How?”

“I don’t know. I was off yesterday, but according to our system, someone paid your remaining balance in full. So, no need to worry about dropping any classes.” She leaves the desk, walking to a big printer behind her. She pulls a paper from the tray and brings it back. “Here is a copy of your account,” she says, taking a highlighter and running it over the bottom of the page.

I take the paper and look it over. At the bottom, in a bright pink line, it says the balance due is zero dollars. “Can you find out who paid for it?” I ask, wanting to thank them and try to pay them back.

“I can ask Lenny. He was working yesterday. Write down your number, and I’ll call you when I find out,” she says, handing me a sticky note. I write down my cell number and thank her before walking out in shock.

Reed must see something on my face that worries him because he pushes off the wall, where he is leaning with Jacob still in his arms. “What’s wrong?” he asks. When I don’t answer, he stops rubbing Jacob’s back and raises my head with his finger under my chin. The small patch of skin he is touching turns feverish.

I shake my head and paste on a small smile. “Nothing’s wrong,” I say, which is true, I guess. I don’t have to drop a class or find a way to get the money. But I still don’t like the fact that someone paid my bill. “Thank you for watching them.” I try to take Jacob from Reed again, but he steps back out of my reach. “Give me my son,” I growl.

“Why don’t I walk with you. He’s sleeping peacefully right now.” The smug bastard smirks down at Jacob.

“What the fuck ever. Come on.” I grab my bag and start pushing Caleb toward the elevator.

Reed is right behind me and presses the button for the elevator before I can. “So why did you miss class this morning?”

I sigh. “None of your business.”

He laughs again, and I hate that I love the sound of it. And the fact that it makes my thighs clench automatically. “Actually, it is my business, Little One.”

Little one? What the fuck. “Ha. I haven’t been little my whole life,” I say, quickly slipping into my only defense. I say hurtful things about myself before someone else has the chance. The door opens, and we step inside. No one else is here, so I focus on the floor to keep from looking at this man who irritates me.

He must decide to let my comment slide, or he is admitting that I’m anything but little when he asks again, but in a deeper tone, “Why did you miss class?”

“Fuck. You are persistent, aren’t you.”

“You have no idea, Little One.”

“Fine. I had to wait for someone to show up from the gas company. The only time they had was this morning. I lied andsaid one of the boys was sick. I wasn’t sure the real reason would fly,” I say, frustrated that he wouldn’t let it go. I look up from the floor when the doors open. Pulling my shoulders up, I stride forward and out the front door. “There, are you happy now?”

“Not in the slightest. Because you lied to me, and I don’t take that kindly.” The way he says that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “And people who lie need to be punished.” Those words have fear and something close to lust creeping up my spine.

We are standing in the middle of the parking lot, but I freeze and spin to stare at him. “Punished,” I exclaim. “Like what, are you going to give me extra assignments? Tell the Dean I told a little lie. Or worse?”

His eyes darken as he closes the small gap between us. “I think your idea of punishment and mine are two different things, Little One.” Well, fuck me sideways.

“Whatever. Do your worst, Professor Black. You aren’t the scariest person I’ve dealt with,” I say, turning back around. I try my hardest to ignore his presence behind me. I tangoed with the devil and didn’t break, so whatever Reed is going to do, I can handle it.

Reed grabs my wrist to keep me from walking away. I refuse to look at him. Instead, I keep my eyes glued to a small group of people standing a few feet away. “What the fuck did you say?” Reed’s voice has dropped even lower, and I feel as if I’m standing next to a whole new person.

I can’t explain it, but it’s like this darkness, or maybe its anger, is starting to pour off of him in waves. It doesn’t scare me, but it does make me go on the defense because I can’t afford to fuck around with someone capable of darkness. I infuse so much sunshine into my voice as I tell him, “Just forget it. It was nothing.”

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