Page 30 of Class Studies
Ashe shook his fist. “Fucking dodge, Leech.”
Professor Garnet reached down, retrieved his pants, and pulled them on. “You’ll be begging me to stick something in your ass soon, Natty.”
A tremor ran through Ashe. I wasn’t sure if it was from rage or anticipation he’d never admit to. I covered my face with my hand to hide my smile. My Gentle Giant joined Professor Garnet in his hunt for clothing while I slipped into the washroom. I didn’t hear another word exchanged.
I steamed up every surface of the room when the door opened again. Ashe joined me in my little shower, taking up all the water.
I poked him. “Hey, leave some for those below.”
He grunted and soaped himself down, doing the same to me even though I already washed.
Ashe scrubbed my hair with the wrong type of sope. “What the fuck have you gotten me into, Kitten?”
I wiggled my hips before the comment sent reality crashing down on me. My shoulders slumped.
Ashe had been demoted because of me. He couldn’t see his son because of me. The Natural Mage hadn’t grown up in a world of sharing, but sharing was all I could give him.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Ashe growled, catching onto my sudden mood change.
He scooped me up and pressed my back into the cold tiles.
I hissed.
Ashe grinned before pillaging my mouth. “I love you, and I fucking mean it. I’m where I want to be, and if spreading my legs for your little obsession didn’t show you that, I don’t know what the fuck will.”
My heart fluttered, and warmth filled my stomach. Love. Maybe it wasn’t a means of control. Maybe, like magic, it was the person saying it who made it good or bad.
I grasped for something that could come between us, just in case my theory was wrong. “You didn’t tell me about my DNA, and you put a tracker on my scales!” I tried to push his chest off mine, but my Gentle Giant didn’t budge.
Ashe’s gray gaze bore into me. “I kept information from you. There’s a difference.” He ran his free hand along the side of my breasts and down my hips, his erection rubbing between my butt cheeks. “And I wouldn’t have done it if you would take a minute to fucking breathe and think about yourself. You dove into your new life head first.” He cupped my cheek and kissed me. “Which is fucking amazing, but, and I can’t believe I’m telling you this, the Leech is right. His fucking self-control. He’s waiting for you to find yourself.”
I took a deep breath as my past collided with my present—the red-eyed evil version of myself, mixed with the terrified girl and the woman who conquered a bear.
“I’m not making you change?” I gazed into his gray eyes.
Ashe captured my lips. “No more than I’m making you. Love’s about give and take. It’s about compromise and growing together.”
I swallowed. A tear fell out of my eye. “I love you too, Ashe.”
He kissed me again before slowly sliding his girth deep into me. Completing me, in a way I didn’t know possible. I clung to him, the shower hiding my tears, and let myself truly love.
Chapter 6
A knock sounded on my tower door. I looked up from my notes. Across the room, Ashe stood from his chair by the fire and opened it.
“Yo,” a male voice said. “I’m here to collect Aphrodite.”
I blinked, unsure what was going on. After our ‘shower,’ I’d begun researching and messing with my magic, mostly making a list of supplies I needed from Abe to start experimenting tonight.
“She’s staying fucking put.” Ashe stated. “Director’s orders.”
“Well,” the voice said. “She needs to check her schedule. The Director updated it. I’ve got Director Flemmings and Officer Keres on a conference call to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
I swallowed and hurried to Ashe’s side. He widened the door to accommodate me. I recognized one of Saffron’s spiky-haired friends, mates, or whatever they had been to each other. I’d promised myself I’d learn their names, and hadn’t.
“I see you took my orders quite literally,” Officer Keres’ mild voice came out of a phone’s speakers.
I honed in on the device spiky-hair held in front of him. A video call displayed Officer Keres and Director Flemming’s stern faces. Ashe frowned, looking at the small box in the upper right showing the two of us.