Page 26 of Tantalizing Kings

I lick my lips and look toward the door. “Yup.” My eyes find hers again.

“Collin,” she says in a low warning tone.

“Sorry, Mom. I know you’re about to warn me off of her, but it’s not going to happen. She’s eighteen now and fair game.”

She glares at me. “She’s not some prize to be won. She’s a very sweet, kind young lady. I don’t want you to break her heart.”

“I would never,” I growl. “Look, I know why you sent me to Archduke Academy, but I’d never hurt her. I would kill anyone who tried.”

“That’s the problem, Collin. You’ve been so overly protective of that girl from the moment she was born. At first, it was like you were her big brother, her protector, but it was becoming a lot. The older she got, the more controlling you became. It’s not healthy.”

“You’re acting like I was sexually attracted to her the whole time,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “I didn’t have any feelings for her like that until I saw her on the first day of school this year. So relax, I’m not some kind of pervert.”

“I know, honey.” Her face softens. “I never thought you were. But you were intense. I sent you to Archduke Academy because Erin and I knew Sadie would never be able to be her own person with you shadowing her.”

“I only wanted to keep her safe. You of all people know how fucked up our world is. And even though Erin’s family has never been sucked up into that darkness, it doesn’t mean it’s not lurking around. And because you sent me away, I wasn’t able to protect her from that punk of an ex of hers.” I’m getting worked up, the idea of Sadie being hurt in any way by anyone has me murderous. But him? I want to crush his skull between my hands and watch as blood drips from his eyes. How can someone be so fucking stupid as to cheat on Sadie? How could he not see the amazing person he was lucky enough to be with? And to not only cheat on her, but with someone who’s known to fuck people’s boyfriends just for the fun of it. I’m glad Sadie has seen what he’s really like. It’s one less obstacle in my way.

“You couldn’t have known he was going to cheat on her. It’s a sad thing that happens.”

“Not anymore. No one will hurt her ever again. I’ll make sure of it. She deserves to be loved, fucking worshiped, not fucked around on.” My jaw ticks.

“I brought you back here because I thought you’d changed. Collin, I won’t warn you off from being with Sadie, but it has to be somethingshechooses. You will not force her, you will not pressure her in any way. She is an adult and can make her own choices. So if you both decide you want to be something more, then fine. But know this, while it’s not against the rules for a professor or TA to be with a student romantically, it is prohibited while they have the authority over the student’s grade. And you are the TA for one of her classes.”

“Fine.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll play nice.” She raises a brow, calling me out. “Fine, I’ll do my best to keep my hands to myself.”Like fuck that’s gonna happen.“But come New Years, all bets are off.”

“You’re lucky you’re my son and I love you.” She rolls her eyes.

She knows me well, and she knows arguing with me isn’t going to get her anywhere.

“And I love you too.” I grin, then it falls with the next thing I say. “So, is Raymond getting written up?”

“Yes.” She nods her head slowly. “He touched another student and provoked a fight. We don’t allow that kind of behavior here.”

“And the girls are not getting in trouble for this, right? They were defending themselves.” It’s Sadie that really matters to me, but her friends are pretty good girls and stood up for her. So they’re good in my book.

“No. Relax.” She smiles.

“Good.” I nod. “Well, if you don’t mind, I have a list of new students to check in on today,” I say, kissing her cheek and heading toward the exit.

“Be good,” she warns.

I look at her over my shoulder and shoot her a mischievous grin. “When it comes to a pretty little blonde, I don’t think that’s possible.”

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AS MUCH AS I ENJOYmy job, some of these students are frustrating. It’s like half the kids here are only here because their parents want them to be, and they have their parents’ money to fall back on, most of them don’t even have a plan for their future. It’s sad, really. I come from money—hell, I’m probably the richest person in this school, next to my mother—but I don’t let the money go to my head like a lot of these students do.

Lunch is over and the last meeting I had with a student ran later than I would have liked. But I don’t mind. It was with a young man who seemed very excited about everything he will be doing within the next four years. He comes from good money, but his dream is to work in the Elementary building as a teacher. It hit me right in the heart when he told me the reason was that his teachers were someone he felt he could talk to, to be there for him when he was a child when his parents were too busy to care for him the way a child needed to be, and he wanted to be that person to another child if they needed him.

My stomach growls as I look at my remaining meetings for the day. My next one isn’t for an hour, so I’ll have time to eat and get back.

Flipping through some papers, I see that I have a good hundred students left to meet with before the end of the week and sigh. Then I see her name.Sadie Evans.We haven’t set up an appointment time yet.

I stare at her name, my finger running over the printed black ink a few times before I type her name into my computer. Her schedule pops up, and I check today to find that she has an early day.

The bell chimes, and I curse. I shouldn’t do this, but if I call the room, I might be able to catch her before she leaves for the day.

Picking up the office phone, I dial the Host Club’s number. It rings a few times before I’m greeted with a pissed off Preston.

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