Chapter 64
HEATHER
“So?” I hummed, leaning back against the balcony that overlooked Pittsburgh and gazing at my bestie. I pulled my white fur coat over my shoulders, my fingers grazing against the collar around my neck, and placed one of my red-bottomed shoes against the concrete wall. Did you give him the contract back?
“I want to do it when the time is right,” Sierra said, looking into the restaurant’s double doors at the New Year’s Eve party, her gaze on Steven.
Apparently, he had given her a contract to officially be his submissive. And it was about time!
Steven and Hector chatted with each other over a glass of wine on the suede white couches as Athena stumbled onto the balcony after flirting heavily with Charlie, who leaned against the bar, his hazy gaze never once leaving her.
“You sure the contract looks good?” Sierra asked.
Athena threw her arm around Sierra’s shoulders. “You literally haven’t given it back to him yet?!”
I threw my arms into the air. “That’s what I’m saying.”
The contract is perfection. Athena giggled, some of her shimmering orange hair falling into her face. I honestly don t think that a contract could be more in your favor. You can step away and cancel it whenever you d like.
With a drink in his hand, Steven approached the double doors that led off onto the balcony.
Professor Big Dick is here, I hummed, pushing myself off the balcony and grabbing Athena s hand to drag her stumbling ass back into the restaurant. Have fun out here! I shouted to Sierra. Make sure to give him a big ole smooch at midnight!
When we made it back into the restaurant and bar area, Athena slipped away to Charlie, and I found my way to Hector, who stood from the white couch.
“Look at this,” Hector said, handing me his phone.
I sipped on my drink and stared down at the news article. The headline read, Professor Arrested for Blackmailing Grad Students , and the image accompanying it was of Professor Eric in handcuffs.
“Serves him right,” I said, handing the phone back and smiling.
“Thoroughly deserved.”
My brow arched at how calm Hector looked. “Did you have something to do with this?”
Maybe. His lips curled into a smirk, and he glanced behind me, his gaze distancing. Look.
Twisting around, I searched the crowd and spotted Sun with a husband and wife that I vaguely recognized from Radiant. Sun’s cheeks were flaming red, and she shuffled from foot to foot, glancing at the wife through her lashes.
“Are they …” I started.
“A thing?” Hector finished. “I don’t know.”
A giggle slipped past my lips. I hope so. Sun needs some. She s too innocent.
“If she’s with them”—Hector chuckled—“she’s not innocent. She’s?—”
“Sweetheart!” someone called from behind Hector.
I shifted back and spotted Mom walking toward us with a man about her age a couple feet behind her. I had never seen him before, but Christmas Eve, Mom had mentioned that she had been seeing someone new.
“Sweetheart, this is Tyrell. Tyrell, this is my daughter, Heather.”
After shaking his hand and greeting him, I waggled my brows at Mom, who smirked at me, then at him. I arched a brow, wondering what that was all about when I noticed that he actually looked embarrassed. Or maybe he was nervous.
“Heather, you’re here,” Dad said from behind me.
With Evelyn s hand in his, Dad walked up to our small group, his gaze traveling to Mom. They greeted each other, but didn t introduce their partners to each other. I chewed on the inside of my cheek and inched closer to Hector.
Awkward!
Well, sorta.
While Mom and Dad had been very okay with their divorce, I couldn t remember a time where they both had someone new on their arms to introduce to the other. And with the way Dad had treated me over Christmas, I knew Mom was still angry with him.
“Well, we ought to get going,” Mom said, saying goodbye and leading Tyrell away.
“You’re okay with Tyrell?” I asked Dad when Mom and Tyrell disappeared through the crowd.
“Why wouldn’t I be? I’m not going to let her Dom me again.”
“What?” I asked.
His cheeks reddened, and he grabbed Evelyn’s hand and headed through the crowd, glancing back at me with a small, embarrassed smile. “Enjoy New Year’s! We’ll catch up this week, Hector.”
When he disappeared completely, I scrunched my nose. I did not want to hear about my parents’ sex lives, and I really had not expected that Mom would ve ever been a Dom to Dad. My head felt like it was going to explode.
“Ew,” I said.
Hector chuckled again. “Ah, now, you know what I’ve known for years.”
“You knew about that?!”
“That’s how I met your mother and father. She was Domming him at Radiant.”
“Gross!” I exclaimed. “I do NOT want the details!”
Suddenly, the countdown to midnight began all around us. After looping two fingers around my collar s circular ring, he drew me closer until our lips were millimeters apart. Warmth exploded between us, and I curled my fingers around the flaps of his suit jacket.
And as everyone shouted, “One,” Hector gently cupped my face in his large hands and drew me closer to him. His lips crashed down onto mine, and I smiled against him.