Chapter 12
Cole
Time passes, it always does. It’s the one thing we can’t stop or control. It’d been weeks since I spoke to Delaney, and it was the most excruciatingly slow and painful passing of time I think I’ve ever experienced. I fell into a rhythm with Delaney and Amaryllis and then it just stopped.
I was in between periods and heading to my office. The halls were empty since the students were in their classes. I liked that I had an empty period. When I turned the corner, looked up and saw Delaney go into a door that wasn’t her office. I looked around to make sure no one was around and then I picked up the pace to follow her.
When I opened the door and went inside, I was caught off guard that it was just a deep closet type holding supplies. I pulled the door closed behind me and locked it. The lighting situation was terrible and was reminiscent of a horror movie the way they flickered. I looked in between the shelves trying to figure out where Delaney went. It was a relatively large supply room.
Just as I was turning the corner, she looked up and screamed, jumping back, and tossing everything she was holding in the air. “Hey, it’s me. Cole. I’m sorry.”
“Cole, what the fuck? What are you doing in here? You about gave me a heart attack.”
I smiled as I watched her hand go over her chest against the silk blouse she was wearing. “I’m sorry. I’m between periods and saw you come in here.”
She bent down to pick up the items she dropped so I bent down as well to help her. She said, “And what did you think was going to happen by coming in here?” We both reached for a paper and my hand enveloped hers making us both look up at each other. “Cole.”
“Laney girl.”
She stood up quickly. “We should go before someone comes in and thinks something is going on.”
I took a step toward her. I hadn’t been near her in weeks, and she smelled divine. She looked beautiful. “No one is coming in.”
“Cole. What are you doing?”
“Haven’t you missed me, Laney girl? Even a little.” I took another step toward her, completely invading her space. “No one is coming in because I locked the door.”
“You what? Cole, we can’t do this. We can’t get caught in here and we aren’t…this…or anything.” Her breathing was getting labored as the panic in her voice rose.
“We aren’t doing anything, baby.” I brought my hand up to her face and she let me. “Yet.” I leaned in slowly, testing the waters, seeing if she would stop me. When she didn’t, I sealed my lips over hers, my tongue gliding into her mouth. She was more forceful than I was, leaning into the kiss fervently. My hand snaked around to the back of her neck to hold her in place while my other hand wrapped around her waist and brought her as close to me as possible. “I need you. I miss you.” I said to her in between kisses.
“Cole…I miss you too, more than you know.” She wrapped her hands around my neck.
“I don’t want to be away from you.” I reached under her brown pencil skirt to pull her underwear down. She fumbled with my jeans and zipper but finally got it undone and reached her hand inside to stroke me and then pull me out, shoving my jeans down just enough.
“I don’t want to get caught.” She said.
“We won’t. I locked the door, remember?” I pulled her blouse open and was instantly taken back to the day I fucked her on her desk. “You look really nice in these clothes, Dr. Anderson, but I think you’ll look even better with them off, and with my cock buried so deep inside you that you’ll have no choice but to see me.” I thrusted up inside her. “Feel me.” In and out, I fucked her against the wall of our university supply closet. “Need me.”
“Oh god, Cole. Faster.”
“Do you need me like I need you, Laney?”
“Yes. Yes, Cole. Shit.”
“Fuck, I’m coming.” I thrusted so deep inside her. It wasn’t until we were finished that we realized I never put a condom on. I blew out a breath, dragging my hand over my mouth as I stepped away from her. “Delaney.”
“It’s ok. We aren’t in the window. And I’m on birth control.”
Thank fuck. It was so irresponsible, but I just wasn’t thinking when I finally got in front of her. I nodded. After we got ourselves put back together, I walked over to her. “I meant what I said. I miss you.”
She looked up at me and hesitated before saying, “I miss you too, Cole but we have to be careful. I still don’t think it’s a good idea. As great as this was, because it was great, I still think we need to keep our distance.”
I nodded. “Keep our distance. Ok. You try and see how that works out for you, Laney baby. I’m not going away. You know as well as I do that what we have, it’s that once in a lifetime kinda thing. I’m not giving up so easily. But you go ahead and try.” I leaned in, kissed her on the lips, then on the forehead and turned and walked out.
***
We played that little game of cat and mouse for weeks. Every chance we got, we snuck into a different room at the university. Each time, a little scared we would get caught but not enough to stop us.
Delaney surprised me one day when I dismissed my class and then found her sitting at my desk in my office with a little lingerie number on. Did I say at my desk? I should correct myself. She was on my desk. I wasted no time, approaching her. “You’re a bad girl, Laney. Bad girls get punished.” I proceeded to eat her pretty pussy on my desk at work before I fucked her senseless.
Delaney was afraid to move forward. All of our interactions had been at the university. I still wasn’t going to her house, and she wasn’t coming to mine. I hadn’t seen Amaryllis since the day Delaney asked me to leave. Then there was the topic of Miller. She didn’t talk about it, and I didn’t ask but I had wondered if he was still in town and if he was causing them any trouble.
Vinny new a guy who knew a guy to help figure out if Miller was still in the area.
I walked into Vinny’s restaurant and sat at our booth. He came out from the back and sat across from me. “This Miller guys is a real piece of shit, ya know.”
“Yeah, I know. You don’t know the half of it. I just want to make sure Amaryllis and Delaney are safe.”
Vinny opened up a folder that had a few photos in it. “He sits outside Delaney’s place most of the week early in the morning. Seems like he does it then so he can see the kid leave for school because as soon as they leave, he leaves.” He pulled out another photo. “He followed them to Amaryllis’ school. Doesn’t look like he”s tried anything yet but he’s clearing plotting a move.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know why Delaney is pushing me away over this asshole. I could protect them.”
“One more thing. He’s on drugs. My guys caught him buying from someone.” He pulls out the final few photos of him buying drugs and then him sitting in his car using outside of Amaryllis’ school.
“He’s using outside of her school. What the fuck, man? Can I take these.”
Vinny nodded. “They’re all yours. What’re you going to do?”
I tapped the envelope on the table. “I’m going to try and talk some damn sense into Delaney. I’m sure once she sees these pics she’ll realize it’s not safe for her and Amaryllis to be alone.”
“Good luck, bro. Be careful and call if you need me.”
“Will do. Give Bianca my love.”
I left Vinny and headed home as I contemplated how I would bring what I knew to Delaney.
***
Sitting on my couch, I was looking through the photos again. I shot off a text to Delaney asking her if we could talk and that it was urgent. Just then my phone rang from a number I didn’t recognize.
I answered, “This is Professor Taylor.”
“Cole Taylor, I have Amaryllis Wilson here. You are listed as a family friend. You were added shortly after her riding accident. We tried to call Dr. Anderson as well as Amaryllis’ grandparents. You were our third call.”
My stomach sank with worry. I also had no idea that Delaney added me as an emergency contact. “Is Amaryllis ok?”
“One moment please.” I heard the woman call for Amaryllis and then she got on the phone.
She was whispering. “Coley…”
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“Coley, my dad is here, and he keeps trying to take me, but I don’t want to go with him. I can’t find mama.” She sounded like she was starting to cry.
I shot up off my couch and ran for my car as I kept talking to her. “It’s ok. Stay on the phone with me, sweetheart. I’m coming to get you.” I couldn’t for the life of me wonder where Delaney was. She wasn’t responding to my messages or Amaryllis’ calls which was completely unlike her. It didn’t matter. That psycho was trying to take Amaryllis.
Pulling up to the school my heart was racing. “Amaryllis, stay with the principal. I’m parking and will be in soon.” I hung up from her and shot a text to Carter.
When I got inside, I made my way to the principal’s office. “I’m Cole Taylor, I’m here to pick up Amaryllis.”
“Why are you authorized to take my daughter but I’m not.” A low voice sounded off behind me as well as the smell of alcohol. I turned around and came face to face with Miller Wilson.
“Coleyyyy!” I turned and Amaryllis came running from the principal’s office and into my arms. I picked her up and held her close to me and moved away from Miller.
“Amaryllis, it’s daddy. Why don’t you come with me?”
I shook my head. “We’ll be leaving now. I’m taking her home.” Amaryllis had her head down on my shoulder and was hugging me pretty tightly, almost as if she were afraid someone would snatch her from my arms.
I had text Carter that I needed a booster seat if I was going to be able to drive Amaryllis anywhere. When we walked out, they both were standing by my car. “Hey guys. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course, man. Anytime and you know that. Who do we have here?” Carter asked, moving to look at Amaryllis.
Lex made her way to the side of me to peek at Amaryllis who was being extremely shy. “Hey sweetie. I’m Lex. I’m Cole’s friend. Can I hold you while Coley puts your booster seat in the car?”
Amaryllis nodded her head and went to her. Must’ve been that whole mother’s vibe or something. Amaryllis tucked her arms in front of her and leaned into Lex’s chest. Lex is an amazing mom, and I wasn’t one bit surprised that Amaryllis went with her.
Carter and I went to the backseat, and he showed me how to install the booster seat correctly. We finally got it in and then we heard Lex talking to someone. We both looked up and Miller was approaching Lex.
“You need to stay back. Carter! Cole!” Lex was taking several steps back as Miller approached her.
“Hey, man. She asked you to stay away from her.” Carter stood in front of Lex and Amaryllis, so I joined him.
I spoke up next. “Miller, you don’t have any legal rights to Amaryllis, and this is extremely inappropriate and traumatic for her.”
Miller got in my face. “Don’t tell me shit about my daughter. You don’t have a right to keep her from me. You aren’t even family. I’m her father.”
“You’re someone with no LEGAL rights to her. I’m not going to ask you again to leave before I call the cops.” We stood toe to toe. I’m not big on fighting but that must’ve been what parents felt when they go into protective mode because even though Amaryllis wasn’t mine, I was ready to do whatever it took to protect her.
Miller spit on the ground next to me and then laughed before he slowly backed up and then turned and left. We watched him get in a car and speed off in a school zone. He was a piece of shit.
I turned back to Lex and Amaryllis and Amaryllis was reaching for me. When I took her, she whispered, “Coley, please don’t let him take him.”
I rubbed her back and said, “Never. I promise.” Lex and Carter both looked worried. “Hey, look at me sweetheart.” Amaryllis popped her head up, still looking sad. “How about we get some ice cream and go back to my place and watch The Secret Garden? We got some fire dance plotting to do.”
Her face lit up and then she looked back at Carter and Lex and said, “Do you want to do the dance around the fire with us?”
I looked at them and noticed confusion and I just signaled for them to say yes with a nod. They both nodded, smiled, and said, “We can’t wait. You fill us in on it later, ok?” Amaryllis smiled and nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Amaryllis. We have two little girls at home that would love to meet you. Why don’t you two come to our house until we get a hold of your mama.”
Amaryllis looked at me nervous and then whispered, “Will they like The Secret Garden?”
Lex could hear her and said, “We watch it all the time,” and then she reached to tickle Amaryllis.
I looked at her little eyes and said, “What do ya say? Wanna go to Lex and Carters and meet their daughters?” It was a resounding “yes!”
I got Amaryllis in the car and sent Delaney another message giving her Carter and Lex’s address and letting her know I had Amaryllis and to call as soon as possible. I was worried about her.