Her Dirty Little Secret [R 18+]

13 | In Silent Gloom

Green eyes that belonged to the school's principal shifted from Alaric to me.

Mrs. Houston cleared her throat. I scrambled to move back, my heart racing to catch up with my actions.

Alaric simply looked back at me and raised an eyebrow as I dropped down on my chair. "Penelope," he addressed the older woman with little interest.

"Mr. Windsor, I was hoping to renegotiate your renewing your contract, but I can come back at a better time?" She said, her tone shaky.

I looked between them, realistically Mrs. Houston held authority over Alaric, but it was clear the power sat with the man before me.

Alaric leaned back against the front of my desk, giving me his side profile as he responded to her, "nothing to negotiate."

"What about a bonus at the end of next year?" She gave it one last try, bless her soul.

His jaw ticked; Alaric was becoming irritable. "Not planning on staying, Penelope. Is that is all?"

Mrs. Houston nodded, then she looked past him at me, much to Alaric's annoyance. "How are you, Vaela?" There was a hint of concern, I knew what she was really asking was if I needed protection from the beast who seemed to grow at her comment.

I smiled, my eyes saying thank you for paying attention, "yeah just going over our final exam." I replied. When she didn't move, I pushed, "I'm okay, Mrs. Houston, thank you."

Finally, she took a step back, "if you need me Vaela, I'll be in my office." Then she turned to Alaric. "Mr. Windsor."

"Penelope." Alaric almost growled back, he didn't like the interruption much less her concern over me. And his reasons were entirely possessive, Alaric protected me, he looked after me, no one else.

This thing, it was ours.

He had no time for outsiders. Especially not when it concerned me. The woman in me bloomed, craving his attention and possession. It shouldn't have been a surprise, his manner with the principal, not when he'd held little reservation for my mother.

Mrs. Houston left, the click of her heels loud.

I looked up at Alaric, he braced his palms against my desk and bent down. "What was that?" I question folding my arms and nodding towards the now-closed classroom door.

Alaric seems completely unfazed, "going to have to be a little more specific, Vaela."

He always used my full name; it rolled down my spine exactly the way he knew it would. He wanted to distract me, keep my pretty little mind safe from the reality of the world. The woman in me spread her legs for him, enjoying the refuge he offered.

I clenched my fists at my side to keep from leaping across the table and into his arms. "Okay, let's start with the contract, you're not renewing it?"

"Not planning on staying here." He was short and blunt.