Theo
Not seeing Addison last night, sucked. All I wanted to do was hold her in my arms to make sure she was physically okay. But her dad was being protective and did the job for me. Thankfully, she did call me, and we stayed up late talking. So late, I missed gym time again.
I think the guys will understand.
I’m still not okay at having seen that psychopath trying to beat my girl to death with a baseball bat.
Everything happened so fast. One minute I was popping in for a quick staff meeting about how to handle when students distribute what’s considered child abuse material and the next, we’re getting alerted to a fight in the parking lot.
Intuition told me to run, and since my new friend, Everett runs fast as hell, the two of us raced to the scene. Had we wasted even ten more seconds, I hate to think what Lucy would have done to Addison. She was so close to clobbering her in the head with that bat.
But I saved her from it.
Thank fuck.
I’m making my way into the school and see Everett standing by his classroom. I stop for a moment to clasp onto his shoulder. “Thanks for dealing with that asshole.”
“My pleasure.” He smirks as if giving headlocks is a perk of the job.
My phone rings and it’s Adam. Everett shrugs when he sees the name. I move aside so a student can go into Everett’s class.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“I need you in the office,” Adam says, voice tight and sounding odd. “Sheriff McMahon and Mary Ellen are here.”
Ice chills my veins. “Be there in two.”
Everett shoots me a questioning look. I quickly tell him about the call. He curses under his breath and then smacks me on my back. “Whatever happens, we’ve got your back.”
I give him a nod of thanks and then stride to the office. It feels like I’ve spent more time in Adam’s office than my own. I’m getting kind of tired of it.
When I reach the closed door of the office, the receptionist gives me a small frown before motioning for me to enter.
I let loose a heavy sigh and then step inside.
The first thing I notice is Mary Ellen’s perfume.
It’s pungent and suffocating. I don’t know how I lived with it for those years we were together.
Adam is wearing a pinched expression, but Sheriff McMahon’s is more relaxed. Mary Ellen’s is pure smug satisfaction.
I hate her so much.
Why won’t she just leave me the hell alone already?
“Take a seat, please,” Adam says after I close the door. “We need to talk.”
I’m tense as I sit in the chair beside Mary Ellen. She shoots me a pitying look as if she feels sorry for me. I clench my teeth together, forcing myself to hear what they have to say rather than just walking out and calling my lawyer.
“It’s been brought to my attention by your ex-wife who witnessed you on two occasions being alone with one of your students.” He pauses, not meeting my gaze. “One of those times was of you walking the student from your apartment to her car.”
I guess Mary Ellen did put that together.
Fuck.
“How far you’ve fallen,” she mutters under her breath. “Honestly, I’m embarrassed for you.”
“Now if this is untrue,” Adam says, meeting my stare with his intense one, “just say the words. She doesn’t exactly have proof.”
This could easily go away. A little lie. More hiding. Is that what he and Everett did? I still don’t know how they navigated their situations. All I know is how I’ll navigate mine.
And lying is more Mary Ellen’s thing.
“I’m having a romantic relationship with Addison Monahan,” I tell the three of them. “It’s new, but it’s serious.”
Mary Ellen starts to cry as if this news breaks her heart. I ignore her because those are her fake tears. She’s used them on me enough times for me to know the difference.
Adam sighs. “Unfortunately, Mr. Langford, that violates school policy.”
“And the law!” Mary Ellen hisses, cheeks wet with crocodile tears. “I can’t believe I was married to a pedophile.”
A flash of anger burns hot through me. “She’s eighteen and none of your damn business.”
Her eyes twinkle with delight. She always loved whenever I’d lose it and get pissed. I’m normally a pretty calm guy. That is, when people aren’t fucking with me or the ones I care about.
“School policy states that if a teacher and a student are involved in a romantic relationship, it’s grounds for immediate termination. I’m so sorry, Mr. Langford.”
“Arrest him!”
I tear my gaze from Mary Ellen to look over at Sheriff McMahon. He rolls his eyes. At least I don’t think I’m going out in cuffs today.
“So, I’m fired,” I say with a heavy, resigned sigh. “Guess I’ll go then.”
Mary Ellen stands and glowers at the sheriff. “Aren’t you going to do something, Sheriff? He’s been fucking a teenager!”
I also rise to my feet with a little more force than necessary which has both Adam and the sheriff mimicking my action. I’m not going to touch my ex. I just want to get the hell out of here.
“She was always eighteen,” I spit out. “I never touched her before. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab my shit and go.” Then, to Mary Ellen, I shake my head. “You’ll be hearing from my attorney.”
I do just as I said I would. Collect my crap, call my attorney, and then add in an extra stop on the way home. Place a restraining order on Mary Ellen. At least that makes me feel a little better about losing my job.
Good Girl: I’m taking an Uber to your place since mine had to go to the body shop. Mindy said Coach Long told her she should tell me to make sure you’re okay. What happened?
I reply back to her as soon as I get the message.
Me: I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.
By the time I hear a knock on my apartment door, I’ve changed into a T-shirt and athletic pants. I open the door and I’m reminded why getting fired was worth it.
Addison is a vision.
Always is.
You’d never know she was physically assaulted yesterday. Her makeup is flawless and her long blonde hair has been straightened to perfection. When I skim down to her exposed arms and legs, I finally see the damage that was caused.
She has a massive bruise on her thigh in the shape of the bat. There’s another one on her arm and her knees have small scabs from the asphalt.
“Come here,” I rumble, tugging her into arms.
She hops, indicating she wants me to hold her, so I do just that, holding her ass so she doesn’t fall.
Our mouths meet with a desperate, needy kiss.
I somehow manage to close the door before carrying her to my room.
Within seconds, we’re naked and she’s pressed against me.
I caress her hip, her back, her ass, aching to touch her everywhere.
My cock is stone between us and leaking pre-cum.
As much as I want to roll her onto her back so I can fuck her into oblivion, the need to make sure she’s okay wins out.
I move my hand to her face and stroke away hair from her eyes. “Missed you, beautiful.”
“Missed you too.” She smiles and gives me a slow, lingering kiss. “I’m afraid to ask why you’re home in the middle of the day, but I have my suspicions.”
Running my thumb over her cheek and then jaw bone, I let out a heavy sigh. “Got fired.”
“Really?” Her eyes dart back and forth between mine. “How come? What happened? Because of yesterday?”
I steal another quick kiss. “Nah. Mary Ellen ratted me out. And when Adam confronted me, because he was being forced to, I admitted it. I could have lied…”
“Why didn’t you?”
I smile at her. “I don’t want to hide this thing between us like it’s a dirty little secret. I’m proud to be your boyfriend. You’re beautiful, sweet, smart as hell. I’ve finally found someone who isn’t afraid or ashamed to love me. Why in the hell would I want to keep that a secret?”
Somehow, words turn into kisses, and then I’m inside of her, breathing heavily against her sweet lips.
She moans and whimpers, fingernails digging into my shoulders as she begs for more.
After taking our time, and we both have an epic orgasm, I fall against her, my softening cock plugging all my cum inside her.
She lazily strokes my back, not bothered to move from her prison.
“What about Greenhouse Club?” she teases, pretending to sound sad about it. “What ever will Mindy and I do now?”
I lift up on my elbow so I can see her pretty, twinkling eyes. “Guess we’ll have to get some plants and bring the club to my balcony. I can order pizza.”
Addison strokes her fingers through my hair and smiles sweetly at me. “Did you love teaching?”
“The only part I loved was getting to see you.”
“Now you get to see me all the time,” she murmurs. “Seems like you won in life.”
I spend the next half hour between her thighs showing her she’s won in life too.
I’m oddly calm as I walk into the sleek business building a few days later for my interview.
It’s strange going back to accounting, but it’s what I enjoy and am ridiculously good at.
Unlike my old firm, I’ll make sure there are boundaries in place with my time.
I don’t want to miss a second with Addison.
Speaking of my girl, I still can’t believe she set this interview up for me.
I have her on the forefront of my mind when a man clips my shoulder as he passes me.
Then he turns around, stopping right in front of me and forcing me to also stop.
As soon as I see his electric blue eyes and golden-blond hair, I know he’s a Monahan.
The guy looks just like Addison, her brother Cason I saw on the YouTube video, and her father whom I’ve met at the school a couple of times now.
“You’re Theo Langford?”
I jut my hand out toward him. “You must be Rhett Monahan.”
His eyes narrow, but he loses some of the hostility to shake my hand. “We’re a small company here which means, if you get the job, I’ll be your direct boss. Got a problem with that?”
“Nope.”
“Come on, then. Conference room is this way. Dad is already there waiting.”
My stomach twists at the mention of Owen. Addison mentioned to me that Owen wasn’t happy when he found out she was dating her teacher. Maybe he’ll not be as upset now that she’s no longer my student.
As we enter the conference room, I feel another wave of hostility, this time coming from Addison’s father. His glare is fierce and he makes no moves to stand to greet me. I stiffen, feeling a bit awkward, as I take my seat.
“Mr. Langford. Nice to see you again,” Owen says, voice flat. “I’ve spent the better part of the morning going over your impressive resume and calling your references. They all speak highly of your work ethic and productivity.”
That’s good, right?
“Thank you, sir.”
His nostrils flare. “Couldn’t help but note your age.”
And there it is.
This interview is about Addison, not the job. If it were just about the job, I’d have it in the bag by my resume alone. Realizing this is my moment to convince my girlfriend’s father I’m good enough to date her, I decide to lay it all out there.
“Listen,” I say, voice calm but firm. “I’m all in with Addison.
She’s an angel who found me in a pit of despair and pulled me out.
When I realized she’d been living in her own hell, I wanted to save her too.
We connected through our trauma and built a bond I don’t ever see breaking.
I understand I’m much older than her, but I am fully aware I have a unique, precious diamond that needs protecting.
I’d marry her tomorrow if I didn’t think it made me sound desperate. I just care about her that much.”
Rhett is no longer glowering at me. He’s actually grinning. “You’re so pussy-whipped over my sister. That’s hysterical.”
Owen sighs, ignoring his son. “She’s my baby girl.”
“She’ll always be your baby girl,” I remind him. “Now you have another person on your team who will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and happy and loved.”
Owen relaxes and gives me a small smile. “I’ll hold you to your word. You can start Monday. And if you hurt my sweet girl…”
Rhett leans forward, eyes gleaming wickedly. “We’ll ruin your life like that.” He snaps at me with his fingers. “Welcome to the fam, bruh.”
Holy shit.
I feel like I just passed the hardest test of my life.