Chapter 13
Ben
We stayed the night in the hotel, spending time together, making love again, and just being there. Everything felt different, and though Kylie was still very much a submissive to us, the connection had become deeper than that. The next morning, we all took showers and got ourselves fresh and ready to leave. I was the first to go and kissed Kylie goodbye before I left. I took the elevator down to the lobby and stepped out, completely oblivious to what was around me. My mind was on cloud nine from the night before. As I turned the corner, I stopped in my tracks, running right into Dean Jeffery and Provost Arthur. Jeffery had always come off as a perverted old man that most girls steered clear from, and Arthur, well, he was just a bastard. He was richer than hell and had zero loyalties to anyone. If you could get something for him, he would stab you in the back in a heartbeat. The rumor that followed him around was that he had even thrown his own mother to the wolves once to get ahead in the game.
I knew I had to let Grant and Kylie know to stay put, that the two were down in the lobby. Before they noticed me, both caught up in their own conversation, I pulled my phone from my back pocket and tried to text Grant, but I didn’t have any service inside the old hotel building. I gritted my teeth and groaned, trying over and over again, seeing that since they were standing in the middle of the hallway, there was no way around them without getting caught. I thought about turning around and heading back upstairs, but I was afraid that if they followed me, I would lead them right to Grant and Kylie, and then there would be no escaping it. We had gotten lax with our secrecy, and now, I was standing in front of the two people who could take all three of us down in a heartbeat.
“Professor Ross,” Dean Jeffrey said, noticing me standing in the middle of the floor looking down at my phone.
“Dean,” I said, swallowing hard and shoving my phone into my back pocket. “How are you?”
“I’m doing well,” he said. “You have met Arthur, right?”
“Provost,” I said reaching out and shaking his hand. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Yes,” he said suspiciously, looking me up and down with his beady eyes. “What brings you all the way out to Providence?”
I stood there for a second staring Arthur in the eye, his hand holding to mine tightly. I could feel my heart beating frantically in my chest. The dean was staring at me from the side, both of their faces turning suspicious. I wanted to ask them the same thing, but I knew that it would be inappropriate. I cleared my throat and smiled.
“I’m here with my girlfriend,” I said, making up a quick excuse.
“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” the dean said, smiling.
“It’s pretty new,” I said, chuckling nervously as Arthur released my hand.
“What does she do?”
“Uh, do? You mean as a job?”
“Yes,” the dean said, looking down at his watch.
“Therapy,” I said, thinking fast. “Physical Therapy.”
“Very nice,” Arthur said. “I had to see a physical therapist once for the nerves in my spine. Very helpful, though I still get a crick from time to time. Maybe you can bring her in sometimes and introduce us. I could use her services.”
“I’m sure she would love that,” I said, smiling.
“Are you bringing her to the annual Professor’s Dinner next month?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” I laughed. “But I’m sure she would love to come if she has the time in her schedule.”
“You need to find yourself a good professor’s wife.” The dean laughed. “Ready and able to come to your events. It makes you look better. Just a piece of advice.”
“I appreciate it,” I said, faking a smile.
These guys were complete assholes, and I felt bad for the women they were married to. I couldn’t imagine going home every day to either one of them, much less being at their “beck and call.” It made me appreciate Kylie’s boldness and independence even more, knowing there were women out there like the ones married to those two douchebags. Just as I thought about Kylie, she came around the corner, smiling when she saw me.
“You’re still here,” she said, looking from me to the dean and provost, her smile fading from her face.
“Miss Cook,” Jeffrey said. “Fancy to see you here.”
“Dean Morris,” Kylie said, quickly gathering herself and shaking his hand. “What a pleasant surprise.”
“You two know each other?” I was a little confused.
“Of course,” Jeffrey said. “Miss Cook is one of our prized students, keeping a perfect GPA her entire time in her undergraduate program. We have met several times to discuss her future with the college.”
“Oh, that’s great,” I said, shaking my head, ignoring Arthur’s glare in my direction.
“I hope this isn’t your girlfriend,” the dean said, half laughing.
“Ha!” I laughed. “Of course not.”
“No, no,” Kylie said, laughing. “My mother is upstairs visiting. I ran into Ben and his girlfriend earlier, though I thought they had already left. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have given your personal business to the world.”
“He already told us about his girlfriend,” Jeffrey said, looking at both of us carefully.
“Oh, good.” Kylie put her hand to her chest and feigned relief.
“How is your mother? I remember meeting her at graduation,” the dean said, smiling coyly.
“Oh, she’s great,” Kylie said. “Tired but great.”
“Maybe we can get lunch while she’s here,” he smiled.
“Um, yes, of course, though she isn’t here for long.” She laughed. “She has her life, but she wanted to come see me for a day or two.”
“Too bad,” Jeffrey said smirking. “Maybe next time.”
I watched Kylie’s face as she smothered on the charm, sucking up to the dean as they discussed her mother and her semester at school. I was almost shocked and impressed at how quickly she came up with those lies and just how convincing she was with it. Most people would find that alarming or a warning of some sort, but I was relieved she was quick on her feet. It could have been a disaster, though I wasn’t sure if the dean was actually buying it, and I could feel Arthur’s eyes boring into the side of my head while I stood there. He was a pious man anyway, and all I really cared about was whether Dean Jeffrey believed our story or not. He was the man with the final say in everything, besides the president of the college, who rarely came around.
“Well, I better get going,” I said, smiling. “Gonna go get us some coffee and bagels.”
Before I could walk away, Grant came walking around the corner, looking down at his coat. As his eyes moved up, he stopped in his tracks, staring at the four of us. His face was panic-stricken at first, but in true Grant style, he quickly shook it away and gave one of his charming smiles. He pulled his coat over his shoulders and walked forward, reaching his hand out to the dean and then provost.
“Dean Jeffrey, it’s good to see you, sir.” He smiled at the dean.
“Professor Evans,” the Dean said, his face no longer trying to hide his suspicion. “It looks like a party here today.”
“Provost,” Grant said, shaking Arthur’s hand.
“Professor Evans, don’t you have some business plans due soon to the office?” Arthur crossed his arms over his chest.
“Of course,” Grant smiled. “All the little stuff is getting finished up as we speak by the assistant professors, and then Ben and I will put it all together for you. No need to worry.”
“I am assuming it’s not your girlfriend or mother bringing you to Providence today,” the Dean said, lifting an eyebrow at Grant.
“No,” he laughed. “I came here to hang out with Ben and meet his girlfriend. I thought he was taking a long time, so I came down to check on him.”
“I see,” the dean said.
“Did you get the food yet?” Grant looked at me with wide eyes.
“No, I ran into Miss Morris here and the dean and provost,” I said, smiling. “I had to stop and chat.”
“Oh, Miss Morris, my apologies for being rude. How are you?”
“I thought you two ran into her yesterday,” Arthur mumbled.
“I just came this morning,” he said. “Wanted to give Ben and his girlfriend some privacy last night.”
“I see,” the dean responded.
My nerves were shot, and I could tell the dean was no longer buying anything we were saying. Arthur had obviously not believed it from the moment Kylie had walked around the corner, but he was an old dickhead who didn’t bother me much. I knew he pulled weight with Jeffrey, though, and that was the part that made me nervous. He had never been nice to me, not even during my ceremony of acceptance when I became a full-time professor. There was something about him that just gave me the creeps, and I could tell he was already trying to decide my fate as we stood there. I glanced over at Kylie who was standing there with her hands folded in front of her, her gaze fixated on the dean. She wouldn’t even dare to think to look at either of us and was playing dumb to the dean’s obvious suspicion.
“Well,” Kylie said patting her legs. “It was really good seeing you all, but I have to grab some coffee and get back to my mother. She leaves this evening, and we’re going to go out shopping.”
“Wait just one moment,” the dean said, putting up his hand. “I’m not sure what is going on here, but I find it offensive that you think that I’m stupid enough to believe this is all some crazy coincidence.”
“Dean, I seriously hope you don’t think,” Grant said, stopping as the dean raised his hand.
“I seriously hope you don’t think I won’t look into this further,” the dean said quietly. “We pride on ourselves on our reputation and discreet nature. You know perfectly well what you can expect if I find what I think I will find when I go digging. I suggest you all go home and think about the game you think you’re playing.”
With that, the dean and provost turned, walking toward the elevator. Once they were around the corner, I let out a deep breath, fear floating through my mind. I turned to Grant, but he shook his head.
“Not here,” he whispered. “We will all talk later. Just go home.”
Kylie nodded and walked off toward the doors, not even stopping to grab a cup of coffee. Grant patted my shoulder and nodded, trying to calm my nerves. I shook my head and lowered my eyes, pulling on my coat and heading for the door. I looked to my right as I exited the hotel and watch Kylie walking up the street. I turned left and started walking to my car several blocks away. To say I was worried would be an understatement. We had just walked into the lion’s den, and though we had done our best to get out of it, the dean was right. He wasn’t a stupid man. I could still feel Arthur’s uncomfortable stare boring into my soul, and I wondered immediately what Monday would bring. This could be really bad, and I hoped that Kylie was okay.