Page 31 of Beautiful Ascension

The onus is on them to reach out, and if they never do, I might be a single parent, but I’ll have a village supporting me. It will also fuel my desire to bring the Fraternitas to heel.

Releasing each other, we agree to meet here after classes are over before saying goodbye.

Reign and Elias position themselves on each side of me. We walk in silence as we approach the Humanities building. It’s not until we’re outside of my sociology class door that Reign speaks. “Wyatt will be in there.”

My throat tightens at the mention of his name. The one who claimed me so boldly that I believed him despite my reluctance to trust. Some good that did me.

Inhaling, I ease the air past the lump in my throat and stiffen my spine. I knew it wouldn’t be long before I encountered him. I’ve been dreading seeing them in my classes. I quickly curse the registrar’s office. Only my luck would make it so they’d each be in one of my classes.

“It’s fine,” I lie. “Which one of you will be inside with me today?”

They both study my face, quickly reading that I’m full of shit, but neither calls me on it.

“Both of us,” Elias answers.

I arch a brow, conveying my silent question.

“Two guards will be outside during classes from now on, and there will always be at least two of us inside with you,” Reign explains.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I grumble, knowing there’s been some new development I’m not privy to.

Reign’s eyes soften at my obvious annoyance. “There’s no big conspiracy on this one. After the incident in the cafe and discovering you’ll have the Heirs in your classes, we’ve revised your detail.”

“Fine,” I sigh, then pull the door open. I’m the first to arrive, so we find seats in the back of the class. Since day one, they’ve insisted that this provides the best vantage point.

We’re situated in our seats before people start to trickle in. I’m scrolling through Summer’s social media accounts when I feel his presence. Wyatt. He’s here, and I have to force myself to keep my eyes on my phone, reading through Summer’s posts about her first year at uni.

Admittedly, I should be satisfied that she’s still alive, but I’m not. Especially now that I know someone’s trying to overthrow the Fraternitas by any means necessary. I’ve briefly even considered Sam’s involvement, but I can’t imagine she’d kill her friends, even with her being malicious and self-centered. I don’t think she’d go that far. Plus, they chose her in the end anyway. A plan I’m sure they had all along.

Wyatt’s spiced, smokey scent that is uniquely his alone wafts through the air as he walks by. My nostrils flare as the memory of the nights I was weak and slid my hands between my legs, thinking of how it felt to nestle my nose in the crook of his neck while he’d piston inside of me.

I shake my head, trying to force the visual from my mind as I feel my nipples pucker. I sigh in relief when the instructor calls everyone’s attention to the front.

“Good afternoon. For those of you who missed class week, I’m Dr. Liliana Monroe,” she states.

Professor Monroe can’t be more than twenty-eight. Her auburn hair sits in an asymmetrical bob that fits her pixie-like face that looks swallowed by her circular-framed glasses. They suit her, though. I listen as she does a quick synopsis of what we covered last week. Discussing the syllabus, outlining her expectations, and the term research paper required on top of weekly assignments.

I’m about to zone out when I hear a slew of phones going off at the same time the course guide, once displayed on the smartboard, is replaced by a video that automatically plays.

A room that is so familiar comes into view as moans erupt from devices and the screen. I watch in momentary horror as I realize it’s me in the video. My head is thrown back in ecstasy, and my legs are spread wide for all to see a clear view of me playing with my pussy.

What the actual fuck?

Professor Monroe works tirelessly to turn off the video to no avail. Elias storms to the front of the class and unplugs the damn thing. The professor then demands everyone stop playing the video unless they want to be expelled from school for conduct unbecoming of a student at LWU.

“Miss Bradford, I’m—” the professor attempts to apologize, but I halt her words with a raise of my hand.

Fury floods my veins, and I turn my glacial gray eyes on Wyatt, whose jaw is clenched like he’s upset that whatever scheme they’ve cooked up to embarrass me has been thwarted.

“There’s nothing wrong with a woman exploring her own body and taking pleasure when and how she fucking sees fit. I’m not ashamed to masturbate. The person who recorded this private moment, unbeknownst to me, is the only one who should feel fucking remorse,” I exclaim. “Now, Professor Monroe, please continue with your class. Hopefully, the immature fucks who did this will recognize the error of their ways, but I highly doubt any of them have the sense to feel anything from their self-entitled pedestals.”

A proud smile forms on the professor’s tan face as she nods, then refocuses the class’s attention, making them concentrate on their syllabi.

“Do you want to go?” Reign growls in my ear. I turn to see his teeth clenched so hard I’m sure he’ll crack his pristine teeth as his vitriolic stare is aimed past me in Wyatt’s direction.

“Not a fucking chance,” I retort. “No assholes are running me from the room with their childish bullshit,” I say that part loud enough, ensuring Wyatt can hear, and I mean every word I’ve said, even as my heart cracks at the lengths men I swore cared for me are willing to go.

Closing my eyes, I renew my resolve to break them before they can break me.

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