Chapter 31
THIRTY ONE
RUELLA
I know. I am a terrible person who lies left, right and centre, But I can’t help it. I want to stop sneaking around behind Asher’s back, come out and ask him about Marlowe, but every time I go to do it, something stops me. A gut feeling like I don’t want to hear his thoughts on her.
It has been a week since my father beat the ever-loving crap out of me and I stuck to my word.
I handed him the files he asked for but left out Piper’s.
I convinced Corden into sneaking down with me to the records room again, this time without Deena, and I took each file that was in that drawer.
I left decoys with names of the girls on them just in case someone was to look, but in the inside of the document holders I left a bunch of blank paper.
When we went back to our separate rooms, I took copies of every file and sent them through to Silas to keep my father sweet for another couple of weeks. I hope.
When I handed the pile of folders to Asher yesterday, he lost his shit at me again.
He was already in a foul mood from his not so productive interrogation of Mr. Carmichael.
The headteacher didn’t crack under pressure and there is only so much Asher can apply without it becoming a crime.
It’s safe to say he wasn’t having a good day before I added to the stress.
He was going to punish Corden for allowing me to be so reckless, so I pushed him into punish me instead, he called me a brat and then attempted to teach me a lesson by withholding my orgasm from me.
I say everyone got what they wanted in the end, so all’s well that ends well.
In the time outside of my lectures Piper has been keeping me occupied.
Not that I am complaining, the girl is like a ray of sunshine even with her tragic past. She keeps quiet around others and still holds herself protectively, but when she spends lunch and breaks with me, Deena and Corden, she really comes alive.
“Miss Griffith, can I see you for a minute,” Mr. Chapman announces at the end of his lecture as we start to pack up.
“Of course,” I shove my notebook into my bag as Asher grabs my elbow.
He touches me at every chance he gets. In the hallway walking to class, in the dining room when he doesn’t have lacrosse practice and when we have class together, there isn’t a second our skin isn’t connected.
My favourite is when he keeps his hand on my thigh beneath the desk while he takes notes, tracing little circles making my skin pebble with goosebumps.
Or when he is bored and starts to play with my hair as I try and pay attention to whatever rubbish is being said at the front of the room, which is awfully hard when you have a man like Asher Vander sat next to you.
The only bad thing about this week has been Darcy’s possie of bitches as they stare, scowl and snigger about us.
She has surprisingly kept herself to herself, only coming to and from lectures to her room, completely avoiding the dinner hall altogether.
“I’m waiting with you,” Asher glowers at our teacher as we descend the stairs to Mr. Chapman’s desk.
“You don’t have to; I will only be a few minutes and you have a warmup to get to,” Tonight is his first home lacrosse game, and you can bet your bottom dollar I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
I have never been to one before and I don’t particularly like group sports, but anything that shows me more insight into Asher I will take full advantage of.
“I don’t trust him with the way he looks at you. I am staying,” His hand drops to the base of my back as the hall finally empties.
Mr. Chapman glances up from the collection of papers in front of him on his desk, but when his gaze darts between us and he registers Asher isn’t leaving, he frowns.
“Mr. Vander, this is a private conversation between me and Miss Griffith. You can wait outside,”
“I will wait right here,”
His jaw clenches as we stand there awkwardly waiting.
“You may have some power here Asher, but this is still my classroom and when I tell you to leave, I expect you to do so. I’m no threat to her,” He keeps his voice calm, but his eyes tell a different story.
“With all due respect,” Asher pauses. “Actually, fuck the respect because you have none of mine,” My lips part in shock but I stay quiet.
“I am not going to leave her alone with you. You are very much a threat to all the women here. But this one here is mine,” He throws an arm over my shoulder pulling me into him. “And I protect what’s mine,”
Mr. Chapman’s nose wrinkles in disgust, his teeth baring like an animal, but again his voice is calm.
“You have yourself on a mighty high pedestal Mr. Vander,” He picks up the papers in front of him and rounds the desk towards us.
“But that makes the fall that much further and painful,” He hands me the papers without looking at me.
“The day you crash, and burn will be a mighty fine day for a lot of people. I just hope I am there to see it all unfold,” He grins, his mouth spread wide and menacing.
A shiver crawls up my spine, but Asher only chuckles.
“Hit a nerve there, did I?” Asher tilts his head with a condescending glint in his eyes.
“You may have worked your way up in this academy, but in my world, you are still just a desperate old man, trying to hold onto his youth through fucking barely legal teens,” He steps toe to toe with our teacher.
“I always plan on my inevitable fall, but unfortunately for you, you aren’t important enough to be anywhere near me when it happens,”
Mr. Chapman works his jaw side to side, and I feel my hand tapping on my thigh. Asher must notice too because he grabs my hand and holds it tight within his own and my heart melts. He notices so much about me. I don’t think anyone in my life has made me feel seen the way he does.
Mr. Chapman finally looks my way. “That paper you handed in,” He nods down to the papers in my hand. “Much better. You passed. Well done,” He says short and snappy. “Now get the fuck out of my classroom,”
Asher turns us and pulls me towards the door, not giving our teacher another second of attention.
“Ruella,” His voice calls to me from behind.
I peer over my shoulder as Asher keeps walking us out.
“Remember my warning,” His eyes bore into mine before flicking to Asher’s back.
Then he opens his laptop and starts to type.
Dismissing me as though he hasn’t a care in the world, but the tension in his shoulders tell a different story.
Jeez that was intense.
He may be trying to warn me about Asher and him pulling down my grades, but what he doesn’t know is that I couldn’t give a flying fuck about this academy.
I only have to scrape by until graduation and even if I can’t keep the grades up and ultimately get kicked out, I only have to wait a few months for Asher to be done.
That is, if he wants me to after everything comes out.
***
Okay, so lacrosse is a lot better than I thought it was going to be.
The outfit, the helmet, the brutality. The man.
I may have had no clue what was going on, but by the cheering from our side of the field, I assumed Asher’s team won.
Then when he ran over to me and kissed me stupid in front of the whole academy, wearing a smile that very rarely graces his face, I knew they had.
I yawn and stretch my arms above my head, all while keeping my eyes closed.
The usual heavy arm that lays across my stomach isn’t there and I immediately groan.
Asher had to leave for an away game early this morning, so that means no orgasms to start my day off right.
We have been living in a little bubble of bliss and I know it will pop soon, so I am enjoying every single second before it does.
I finally allow the light in and come face to face with a handwritten note, my stomach flutters as I recognise the handwriting.
My heart skips a beat as I grin to myself, pulling the note to my chest, the once empty void full of something warm and exciting.
I jump out of bed and decide to take out some of the built-up energy in the gym, try and keep my brain off Asher for as long as I can.
The poor man has only been gone a couple hours and I want him beside me already.
I need to get a handle on this growing obsession.
It won’t last right? Just the honeymoon phase of the relationship.
I text Piper, Deena and Corden to meet for lunch after a brutal session.
With the boy’s all away Max is the one watching over Piper.
I am friendly and say hello but with the way he keeps avoiding my eye contact tells me Asher might have gotten to him.
We part ways after spending way too long chatting, I pull my phone from my pocket and check how long I have left of my day.
2:30pm. That’s fine, I will have enough time to get showered and shaved for whatever Asher has planned to take out on my body.
I have noticed that he is feral after a game or training, more so than usual.
My core jolts with the thought of what my night beholds before our group meeting in the morning to go over everything we have separately been working on this week.
I am lost in my head when I collide with a body and just catch myself before falling flat on my arse.
“Sorr…” I go to say before spotting who it is I ran into. “Not sorry,”
Darcy must not have noticed it was me either because her apologetic expression shuts down immediately.
I go to walk around her, not interested in anything she has to say, but she grabs a hold of my arm and stops me. Not hard, but I still pull back.
“Can I talk to you for a minute,” Her voice is soft and unlike hers as she glances around the corridor to make sure we are alone.
I would usually tell her to go fuck herself, but there is something different.
I cross my hands over my chest and wait, nodding for her to speak.
She clears her throat, pulling the pink cashmere sleeves over her manicured fingers.
“Listen,” She sighs. “I want to apologise for everything,”
My eyes bulge. “Apologise,” I ask sceptically.
“Yeah,” She moves us closer into an alcove behind a pedestal with a statue of a head from some old guy no one knows, or cares about.
“You don’t know anything about me with being new this year, and I am not saying this for sympathy.
But my family are a little hard to handle.
My parents are in some deep shit and the merger with Asher’s father is really important.
It wasn’t my choice to push the relationship with Asher.
My father said he would cut me off if I didn’t help the family,” She chuckles to herself.
“I don’t even like Asher other than for his looks,”
I scrunch up my face in disgust as she holds her hands up.
“No offense, but you get a completely different man to what I got. Pretty much what everyone else gets as well. Everyone other than his close circle, which you slipped into like you always belonged there in the first place,” She slumps defeated.
She sighs again. “I am under so much pressure from my parents to make this work, but then you came along and messed it all up. I was angry that he looked at you different, jealous of his attention on you and damn right bitter that you were getting what you wanted while I lost not only the man I love, but my future,”
“You love him?” I ask with a wince. I can’t help but feel sorry for her.
She shakes her head. “No, Not Asher,”
“Oh,” My brows furrow but I don’t push for anything.
She takes a step back. “Sorry again, I won’t be in your way anymore.
And I know you don’t owe me anything, but please will you ask Asher not to tell my father about Dimitri.
He has already been punished enough,” I have no idea who she is talking about, but due to the tears pooling in her eyes, they must be important.
“I think we both know that Asher does what he wants, no matter who tells him otherwise,”
“I think we both know that rule doesn’t apply to you Ruella,” A sad smile lifts one side of her mouth.
I nod. “I will ask him,”
“Thank you,” Darcy turns with slumped shoulders and makes her way back down towards her house.
I know I shouldn’t pity her, but I do. She was only trying to keep her parents happy.
Is that not what I am doing as well. Maybe I should learn from this whole thing and just rip the band aid off by telling Asher the whole story.
The real one. If I am honest then maybe we can salvage this while protecting Piper and finding Marlowe.
“Argh,” I moan to myself. Tonight was going to be a wild night of raw animal sex, but now it will be a truth telling session, probably followed by a breakup and possibly a murder.
“Darcy,” I call after her before she gets too far. She turns and without the usual bitchy scowl on her face and subdued make up, she looks as beautiful as she should. “I’m sorry for smacking you in the face,”
She laughs with a shrug. “I deserved it.”
I turn and rush to my room. Almost 3:00pm. I only have an hour to get battle ready, I might have to make a pit stop at the billiard room for a bit of liquid courage for this next conversation.
Fuck, I’m going to need it.