Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
What on earth? That was crazy. Dean was the whole package!
“At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think I have a pretty good shot,” he said. “He and I have something. But I’m not an irresistible little subbie boy like you.”
An irresistible little subbie boy…
The words coming out of this man’s mouth, man.
That settled things, though. I was going to be brave.
I was going to seduce my professor.
I should probably Google seduction.
“I’m dropping his class,” I announced.
“What?” He furrowed his brow and side-eyed me. “You don’t have to do that. We have time, Gael. Just be your cute self and ask him to join us in Mclean. It’ll be a lot more convincing than me telling him to get his stubborn ass in the truck.”
I gigglesnorted, much to his satisfaction. “Well, I’m doing it. As soon as I get access to a laptop.” Which would be soon, because if we were spending the night in Mclean, I would have to go home and pack another bag and feed General. He would be totally okay one more night once I’d cuddled him a few minutes, but unless it went against the rules, due to allergies and stuff, maybe I could bring him. But more on that later. Seduction was the best topic now. “Speaking of Dean, how would one go about seducing him?”
Daddy blinked and looked at me like I was a new person.
That was funny!
“I—” He stopped himself when his phone rang, and he eyed the display. “Finally. One second, sweet boy.”
CHAPTER 7
Dean Aavik
“This is completely unnecessary, Joshua. I’m not afraid of that motherless little prick.”
It was as if he didn’t hear me. He just stalked into my home and shrugged out of his jacket. “Where do you keep your overnight bag, cariño?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” I grated out.
I shouldn’t have told him about the damn note. It’d just irritated me—and I’d texted him because it might help him with his investigation, but this was too much. Although, I appreciated the term of endearment.
Gael kicked off his boots and joined Joshua in the living room, and the boy seemed to enjoy the sight of all the books.
“Is this my cue, Daddy?”
Daddy.
So they were official.
Good for them.
I suppressed a sigh and closed the door to the sound of Joshua saying, “Yeah, go for it, little one.”
As I left the entryway, Gael backtracked and blocked my path, and he smiled up at me.
“Hi, Sir.”
I narrowed my eyes at Joshua, who merely grinned. What was going on here?
“Hello, dear.” I dragged my gaze back to the boy.
“I think it’s best if you come with us,” he said. “Like, it would mean the world to me, and I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
Joshua had put him up to this, hadn’t he?
“You don’t have to worry about me, regardless,” I explained patiently. “I’m safe here. I’m safe in my home and at work.” I’d be safe if I ended up face-to-face with that imbecile too.
A sweet blush crept forward on Gael’s cheeks, and he took a small step toward me and—fucking hell, he switched on the puppy-dog look. Goddamn Joshua. Goddamn Gael.
“But, please?” The boy even clasped his hands together. “Can’t you hide with me, Sir? With us? I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if Caleb hurt you.”
For the love of—
I didn’t hide, goddammit. If anything, I wanted to help Joshua track down that punk and give him a piece of my mind.
“I could use your help on this case.” Joshua’s voice brought my attention back to him, and I wondered if he could suddenly read minds. “We have a few leads now.”
“Pretty please, Sir.” Gael took another step toward me and grabbed my hand, his pale blue eyes searing their sweet plea into me.
I was officially the superficial bastard who caved under the spell of an adorable submissive, and I couldn’t fucking believe it. What was wrong with me? No good could come of this outing. The moment we set foot in the house in Mclean, the professionalism I was clinging to would be gone. With it, my resolve. And I couldn’t allow that.
I was supposed to see this boy in class tomorrow. Now, he was holding my hand, begging me to hide with him in my kink community’s big estate. My God. If I got through this with my integrity intact, I deserved an award.
“How is this supposed to be just one night?” I had to ask, and I addressed Joshua. “Do you have a plan? How will going into hiding help us track down Caleb?”
Joshua cleared his throat and gave my living room a quick glance. “The hiding part is mostly for Gael’s comfort. But even me—people come and go in this building at all hours, Dean. I’d feel better if we stuck it out together.”
“So. Much. Better,” Gael implored.