Chapter Five Alex
CHAPTER FIVE
ALEX
“There’s plenty of me to go around. I’m a lover, baby. The more the merrier.”
And just like that, they’re putty in my hands. It never fails. Show them a little attention, and the panties practically melt off. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a beast on the ice.
“And why would we say yes to a threesome?” Maria asks in return, a flirty smile tugging at her lips.
“Don’t you have a lineup of girls already?” Erika adds.
I smirk, staring at the taller of the two directly in the eye. “The only girls on my mind right now are you. So, what do you—”
“Ahem.” A throat clears behind me, stealing my attention away from the girls.
I glance over my shoulder to find Ms. Johnson standing in the threshold of the administrative office with her arms folded and a stern expression on her face.
She’s unimpressed if the pinched lips and cocked brows are any indication.
It’s that way every time she sees me. Hell, at this point, we should be best friends.
“Ladies.” I smile and back away. “Think about it.”
With a wink, I spin on my heel and give Ms. Johnson a nod. The sound of the girls’ whispers are followed by their shoes clicking against the marble floor as they walk away. And I’d bet a grand they’ll be taking me up on my offer.
They always do.
“I’d like to get this meeting going. Is that all right with you, Mr. Williamsburg?” Ms. Johnson asks.
That’s the most personality I’ve ever gotten out of her. Which isn’t surprising since she’s garnered the name Ice Queen for her sunny disposition. I personally think she needs to get laid. Maybe some good dick would loosen up those tight-ass laces.
I turn to face her, taking in every line on her face and each gray hair on top of her head. Unlike everyone else here, she hasn’t changed much since my freshman year.
As far as staff goes, she’s probably the only person who still looks the same. Everyone else has either aged rapidly or moved on to jobs elsewhere. Even some of my old professors are gone now. That’s what happens under my father’s tyranny. People get tired of his shit.
Except for my mother. Somehow, she manages to see the good in him.
She’s the only one, that’s for damn sure.
Don’t get me wrong, he provides designer clothes, can open any door with just one phone call, and kept us in a lavish mansion that was more like a golden cage.
But those things are all for show. A show for others to see him as untouchable.
Actual parental support from him only comes in the form of suspended accounts, constant lectures, and emotional abuse.
He’s a powerful man with a penchant for treating the people who work for him like second-class citizens.
He’s managed to go through his forty-five years of life unscathed by consequences.
There should be a course on how a person can be an utter asshole and still be so successful.
But it’d probably be summed up with one word: money.
I’m honestly surprised Ms. Johnson hasn’t dipped out like the rest of them.
“Of course.” I shake away my thoughts and brush past her. “So, Tanya, how are the kids?”
She makes a sound and scrunches her nose, telling me without words that I should watch it.
So I do what anyone would do—I egg her on by holding up my hands defensively.
If I were anyone else, I’d be kicked out before this meeting ever started.
But because I am who I am, there won’t be any repercussions.
There never are.
I can feel her gaze burning through me, but I ignore it, knowing exactly what she wants to say. I also know she won’t dare speak those words aloud. Not unless she wants to lose her job. And despite everything, I wouldn’t want that for her.
She shakes her head at me and proceeds to walk around me to lead me over to her tiny cubicle—one of the many smaller spaces located inside the administrative office.
There aren’t any doors on the cubicles, which are separated by tall glass walls and a cut-out to give the illusion of an office.
That’s why I always come first thing in the morning, before any other students show up.
I don’t want anyone hearing that I, the chancellor’s son and captain of the hockey team, am failing. It’s not a good look and certainly won’t go over well with dear old dad.
Her space is bare save for the essentials—a desk, chairs, a computer, and a printer in the corner.
You can tell she tried to spruce up the place with pictures of her family on her desk and a colorful calendar on the left wall that is from two years prior.
I don’t know if she just forgot or simply gave up.
This place—the people—can suck the life from your bones.
“Looks like somebody is stuck in the past,” I tease.
She frowns and then follows my eyes to the outdated spread. “Focus, Mr. Williamsburg.”
I tip my head. “Yes, ma’am.”
She pulls up something on her computer screen and then looks me dead in the eye. “I’m just going to get straight to it. The makeup exam—”
“I know, I know. I missed it. But practice ran late and, with national championships on the line, it was kind of important that I not dip out early. It was unavoidable,” I explain nonchalantly.
“And so is graduation,” she deadpans. “Now, you promised me at the end of the last semester that you would turn it around. I’ve pulled strings to get last term exams rescheduled so that you can walk with your class.
And I’ve kept this from your father in favor of that promise.
This only works if you do, Mr. Williamsburg. ”
“Okay. So, I’ll take the test.” I shrug. “No big deal.”
She breathes in again, this time closing her eyes, seemingly to settle whatever I’ve stirred up inside her. “It’s a very big deal, and you need to start seeing that.”
“Fine.”
Ms. Johnson only stares at me with a look of discontent. Damn, maybe she’s survived working here this long because my father rubbed off on her. I swear she is staring at me with that same deadly look he gives me.
But I’ll take her over him any day. And a part of me believes that she knows that. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have helped me this far, going out of her way to bend the rules for me. Maybe she knows just how ruthless our esteemed chancellor gets when it comes to these types of indiscretions.
All he cares about is the image, keeping up appearances, and making sure the Williamsburg legacy lives on.
The last thing I need is for him to find out I’ve fucked up yet again.
Especially after throwing an unsanctioned Selection Sunday rager to await the NCHC announcements.
Even more so because said rager resulted in a trashed estate, cops, and wild accusations.
If he knew his only son was failing, he’d kill me, and they’d never find my body. Maybe in death, he can ensure I never stray from the path he’s forged for me.
“You have another test scheduled for tomorrow.”
There’s a ding in the distance, one that says someone has entered the office, but I can’t be bothered to check. The only thing that matters is getting Ms. Johnson to type on her little computer and make this all go in my favor.
“I can’t. Practice.”
“You have practice at four.” She stares at me. “That’s why this one has been scheduled for the morning. Since this time seems to work best for you.”
I let out a sigh. “All right.”
She shakes her head. “If your grades get any lower, my hands will be tied, and I’ll have no choice but to recommend academic probation.”
I tune out everything but those two words—academic probation. Just the thought lights a fire under my ass.
I sit up in my seat, sweat starting to bead above my brow. “You can’t do that.”
“I can, and I will.”
“Come on, Ms. Johnson. There has to be something else.”
“This is it.”
“I can’t go on probation. Probation means being benched for the rest of the season. This is our chance to win nationals. There will be NHL scouts at these games.”
“Then I suggest you take this more seriously than you have been. I’ll hold off on my recommendation until after your exam tomorrow. If it’s reported to me that you didn’t show up, I will submit the paperwork, and your father will unfortunately have to be notified.”
“You don’t understand. This is my future.”
She calmly looks at me, and for the first time, there is sympathy in her eyes.
Ms. Johnson sighs. “I understand more than you think I do, Alex.” She pauses. “But it’s time you understand that rules apply to everyone, even you. Fix your grades or face the consequences.”
My career is riding on this. Not pissing off my father is riding on this. My emotions shift to something deeper than anger—something more akin to fear. “Please fix this,” is all I say. My hands clutch into fists so tight that my nails bite at the flesh of my palm.
“You’re the only one that can control how your future turns out.” She shifts in her seat, and I can tell she’s trying not to be fazed by the look on my face.
I don’t mean to take my frustrations out on her. It’s not her fault; she’s simply doing her job, but I can’t end up on probation. It’s out of the question.
Ms. Johnson glances around me, her sights fixating on the waiting area. “Samantha?”
A second later, the sweetest voice fills my ears. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ms. Johnson swallows. “I’ll be with you in a second.” She pauses and looks at me again. “Mr. Williamsburg was just leaving.”
“I’m not in a rush. I just need to correct my schedule and get my meal card,” the girl answers.
With my nostrils flared, I grunt and punch the desk. “Whatever.”
With that, I stand sharply, turn, and exit her cubicle, nearly running smack into the girl. Deep brown eyes and a cascade of curls peer up at me. She’s cute—really cute, actually—but I couldn’t care less right now.
Whoever she is—this Samantha—has heard everything that was said. Which means she knows what the people around me never could. The whole point of meeting in the morning is so that no one finds out. It’s the safest way of keeping my shortcomings away from not just my father but from the coach.
“Sorry.” Samantha attempts to go around me.
Her shoulders go rigid as she stares at me, her eyes widening when I step over to block her path. I don’t know why I do it; maybe there is some sick part of me that likes the flicker of fear that flashes in her eyes.
“Watch where you’re going,” I say while bending down so that we’re face to face, so close I can smell the vanilla on her skin.
Something clicks because that flicker of fear is short-lived. I see the moment the defiance builds in her chest. But it’s her response that solidifies it.
“Likewise, asshole,” she spits.
I continue to tower over her, watching her chest rise and fall rapidly. It’s the briefest distraction from the mixture of anger and humiliation running through me.
“You should get to class, Alex,” Ms. Johnson says from behind me.
My attention remains on this interesting girl in front of me. She’s clearly new to campus because she isn’t reacting to me like most do. She obviously has no idea of my status, so it wouldn’t be fair to hold that against her.
Instead, I opt for a warning. She may be new to this school, but she better quickly figure out the lay of the land. I scan her from head to toe, noting how out of place she looks.
“Watch that mouth, if you know what’s good for you,” I warn. My eyes drop to her plump lips for a moment before returning to the venom in her brown gaze.
Without a response, Samantha steps around me toward Ms. Johnson, but not without the last word.
“Jerk.”