Ella Frank - Veiled Innocence

“And did you find it? In Addison’s jeans?”

He raised an arm and pointed to the other end of the row, telling Brandon, “Go. Find a textbook, sit down on the opposite side of the library, and write your paper. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes,” Brandon grumbled, and I felt his arm brush against my ass as he walked away.

I listened for the noises surrounding me and waited for my own instructions. When all that met me was silence, I resorted to my other nervous habit and brought my thumbnail to my mouth. One, two, three.

The expression on his face conveyed irritation, and it became clear he wasn’t going to say anything, so I shrugged and started to walk by. When he grabbed my wrist, I looked down at it and then gazed back up to find Grayson.

Ahh, there he is.

“You do the same, and while you’re at it…” he advised, his voice dropping to a hushed pitch, “be very careful, Addison.”

“Of?” I dared.

His eyes moved to my mouth as he stepped closer. “Me.”

“Why?” I asked, as we stood there, arm-to-arm.

He looked from one end of the row to the other and then back to me. “I don’t want his tongue in your mouth.”

“Neither do I.”

“And yet that’s where he had it.”

I nodded as my body clenched in response to the index finger circling over my pulse.

“It’s a good cover, to hide the truth.” I peered up at him batting my lashes. “Don’t you think, sir?”

The fingers around my wrist tightened, and his voice lowered. “I won’t play games, Addison. If you want my fingers, tongue, or cock anywhere inside you, you’ll make it very clear to boy wonder that things are over. Got it?”

I swallowed once, feeling my embarrassment and indignation rise as I yanked my arm away.

“You’re jealous,” I spat out.

Grayson walked forward until I was backed up against the shelves of books. He was no longer touching me in any way, but the fulminating look on his face told me if he could—he would.

“So what do you want me to do? Break up with him?”

I glared up at the man who was affecting me in ways I’d never imagined, and remembered how it felt to be naked underneath him. I wanted him to touch me. I knew I could get him to. All I had to do was provoke the beast, the one I could see barely restrained in his eyes.

Grayson shoved his hands into his pockets before he replied, “I don’t care what you do, Addison.”

“I think you do.”

“Just remember this isn’t a game anymore. You wanted me, and you got me. But don’t fuck around with me.”

I knew my smile was bold, almost as bold as the way I slid my palms down my jeans to cup between my legs.

“Mmm, but I can’t wait to fuck with you.”

“Behave yourself.”

“I don’t want to.” I laughed softly as his eyes dropped to where I was rubbing. “You don’t want me to either.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. Anyone could see, so fucking behave yourself.”

I focused on his mouth and noticed his cheeks were a ruddy color under his stubble.

“What would you do right now…if no one could see? Tell me.”

“No.”

“Yes,” I challenged, and for a moment, I thought he was going to give in and touch. Instead, he checked out the aisle.

“I’d unzip your jeans, put you over my knee and redden that sweet ass of yours until you promised to behave.”

Turning on his heels, Grayson began walking away and then looked back to where I was standing by the shelves, flushed and aroused.

“Opposite side of the library. Find a textbook, and write your damn paper.”

I raised a brow and nodded, so turned on I felt the need to shove my hand down my jeans to finish what he’d started.

“Whatever you say, sir.”

His gaze lowered back down below my waist, and my body responded. “Don’t touch.”

I should have been annoyed by the order but I wasn’t. It just made me want him even more.

Past…

As the bell rang for lunch, I made my way through the bustling halls and down to the teacher’s lounge.

I was on a mission. I wanted some answers, and the one person who would have them would be in there.

Miss Shrieve, Helene—Addison’s coach.

It wasn’t hard to track her down. In fact, I usually avoided the lounge because she was in there, but today I needed something, and she could give it to me.

Jesus, when did I become such an asshole? Avoiding a woman until I decided to use her? It was so unlike me, but ever since laying eyes on Addison, nothing I’d done made any fucking sense.

I wiped my hands on my pants and took a step into the restricted area. All around me stood my fellow co-workers—some my age, some significantly older. As I walked into our designated “adult” space, I found myself forcing a smile.

This was ridiculous. I’d never lacked confidence or been one to feel uneasy, but now, due to my own reckless actions, I found myself faking it with everyone around me. Lying and hiding behind a careful facade and a nod of my head.

“Hey there, Grayson.”

Rodney Fowler. He was one of the English teachers here. He was about late thirties I’d guess and dressed more like he was in his late fifties. He held his hand out, so I took it in a firm handshake and greeted the man.

“Hey, Rodney. How’s it going?”

“Good, man. Haven’t seen you in here before. How’s your morning so far?”

When he released his grip, I looked around the room and spotted Helene sitting down at one of the tables, her blond hair pulled back in its usual ponytail.

“So far, so good. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Except for me wanting to fuck one of my students against the stacks in the library. Oh, and that would be the same student I fucked yesterday afternoon at my house.

“Well, that’s great. You let me know if you need anything. Those seniors can be a handful at times, especially for a newbie like yourself.”

Outwardly agreeing, I gestured in the direction of the fridge.

“I’m just going to get my lunch and try to relax a little, you know?”

“Sure, sure. Have a good day.”

Wishing him the same, I made my way past a few more staff members. I waved, nodded, and smiled—all fake, all contrived, as I got closer to my goal—Helene.

Stopping behind the empty seat opposite her, I waited until she looked up at me and then gave her a smile. When her eyes twinkled with pleasure, I hated myself for not feeling one damn thing.

“Well, hello. This is a nice surprise.”

I pulled the chair out and sat down, doing my best to make her feel what I wanted her to—attraction. Yes, it was official. I was an asshole.

“Is it?” I teased a little.

“Yes,” she said, smiling as she sat back. “You never eat in here with the rest of us.”

“I like my downtime, that’s all.”

“Ahh, the quiet before the storm.”

Unable to help myself, I found the smile on my mouth was finally…genuine. “Yes. Something like that.”

“So mysterious, Mr. McKendrick,” she flirted. “What do you do in your downtime that is such a secret you can’t do it with the rest of us?”

The image that came to mind was Addison on her hands and knees in front of my living room mirror—naked and waiting as I moved behind her, inside her, out of control.

“Oh, you know. The usual.”

Helene winked. “Well, normal for some isn’t so normal for others.”

No shit.

“But I’m glad you’re here. For whatever reason it may be.”

“About that…”

“Yes?”

“I’m actually here to pick your brain about one of my students.”

Sitting on the table in front of her was a shiny red apple, and I had to wonder at the symbolism.

“Oh? Okay, let me see if I can help.”

Now...how to ask? How do I ask without sounding like anything other than a concerned teacher? Which was all I was as far as Helene knew.

“It’s about Addison Lancaster.”

Just saying her name had my mind chanting—guilty, guilty, guilty.

Helene picked up the apple and took a bite. As her teeth sank into the crisp skin, I thought for the millionth time—What the fuck am I doing?

Was I really willing to throw my whole life away for…

“Addison. She is...unique.”

Yes, she was, and right then I had my answer. I was willing to do anything to know more about this girl who’d shaken my foundation.

I was changing. I was risking everything, and I needed to know why.

Why was I so—bewitched?

As the flirtation in her eyes disappeared, Helene’s voice lowered and in its place was sympathy. Sympathy and pity.

“Let’s walk,” she suggested and pushed back from the table.

My lunch in the fridge was forgotten as I followed her out into the hall.

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard anything about what happened before now.”

I was trying to act ignorant, but in the back of my mind, all I could see was the cemetery, and all I could hear were Addison’s words—I killed him.

I couldn’t erase the way she’d referred to all of them, as if I wasn’t a part of whatever happened to her back then. Is that why she acted the way she did with me? Because I hadn’t been there?

I needed to know what happened.

I noticed Helene had walked us to my classroom, so I pushed open the door and waited as she stepped inside. Following her into the empty room, I naturally moved behind my desk as she made her way to the back of the class. She seemed uncomfortable, and I wasn’t sure if it was due to what she was about to tell me or because I still hadn’t said anything.

“Addy wasn’t always the way she is now.”

Huh, that was an odd way to start this discussion. I had nothing to say so I waited, curious as to how Helene would continue.

“She used to be a sweet, happy girl. Bright and so very smart, but quiet, almost introverted. She kept to herself.”

I was trying to envision that version of Addison, but all I had to compare her with was the bold temptress that I knew. I couldn’t even begin to imagine it.

“A little over two years ago, Addy’s brother, Daniel, was killed.”

Oh, fuck. She hadn’t been lying. What had she done?

“It happened here at the school in front of everyone.”

Needing more information but really not wanting it, I waited. I stood and made my way around the desk and leaned back against it, bracing my hands on the edge.

“What happened?”

Helene let out a deep sigh as she began walking up to the front of the room.

“The final bell of the day had rung. All of the kids ran for the door and out to the bus lines, nothing unusual at all. Addy would walk down, cross the street, and meet her brother on the sidewalk so they could catch the bus home together.”

I sat completely still, unable to find one word to say as Helene continued.

“She was running late that day. I know this because she’d tracked me down after math class to ask how she could join the hurdle team.”

The look on Helene’s face right then was what I’d been feeling earlier, guilt, but unlike me, I knew this lady had no reason to feel it. She looked away, almost as if it were easier to talk when she wasn’t being held accountable.

“She was running late and ran down to cross the street. Daniel must have seen her, I don’t know.” Placing her hands on her hips, Helene stopped, trying to compose herself. “To this day I don’t know why he stepped off the sidewalk. There are so many stories from people who witnessed what happened, but what it all comes down to is Daniel stepped out into the road without checking that everything was clear. A couple of seconds later, he was lying on the ground in front of his sister and the entire school—he never stood a chance.”

I rubbed my fingers against the stubble on my jaw and down to my mouth.

Addison hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d been late, that was all.

Why would she ever think anything different?

“Wow…okay. That explains a lot.” I paused and looked at the loud, irritating clock on the wall and then thought about the way Addison always checked her watch or brought it up to her ear. She’d told me it was because she’d been late. “The clocks and the watch?”