The unmistakable sounds of two people going at it fill the room. Ghoram's eyes bulge as he stares at the screen, all color draining from his face.
Mom smiles, slow and shark-like. “While Beckett and my son are two consenting adults in a relationship, you bending yourniece over this very desk is another matter entirely. Incest, I believe, is quite illegal in this state.”
Holy shit.
Think my eyes are about to pop out of my skull, and Rinne looks like he's about to have an aneurysm.
“Fix this mess, Mr. Ghoram. Reinstate Beckett Harper and sweep that nasty car incident under the rug, or that video makes its way to the school board. And your wife,” she says, voice dripping with false sympathy.
Ghoram's Adam's apple bobs as he swallows convulsively, a vein throbbing in his forehead. But I can see it in his eyes—he's beat and he knows it.
As the two hash out the details, Rinne elbows me in the side. I glance over at him, brows raised.
“You need to call him. He’s freaking out.”
My palm rubs over the center of my chest, trying to chase away the ache. I’ve gotten Beckett’s messages and heard the worry in his voice. Well, except that last one.
That one made my dick hard.
“Once we’re done here that’s exactly where I’m going.”
Rinne steps in front of me, his eyes hard, jaw set. “Listen to me. He loves you. Like really fucking loves you, Viktor. So, I swear to motherfucking God, this better not be some game where you toss him aside because you finally hooked him.”
I narrow my eyes, trying to appear threatening, but I just end up smiling so hard my damn cheeks hurt. Mostly, because someone else is confirming how much Becks loves me, and while he tells me, there’s something about hearing someone else say it that makes it real.
The other reason is because I’m happy my boyfriend has a friend willing to get in my face to protect him.
“Did you not see the Audi brûlée I created in the parking lot? It was a spectacle. People posting it got hundreds of thousands ofviews.” I punch him in the shoulder. “I love him too, Coach. Not ever letting him go.”
Not sure how much time passes, but eventually my mother jerks her head and I pop off the wall following her out. She pauses at the door to level one last imperious look at Ghoram. “I meant what I said about not taking kindly to people threatening my children.”
She pulls out her phone and clicks on the screen a few times. “Good luck.”
I scramble after her when she sweeps out of the office, wanting to know what she just did, even though deep down I already do. “Mom?”
“Come, time for me to meet this boyfriend of yours.”
Chapter 22
Beckett
Someone's pounding on the door like they're trying to break it down. I'm off the couch in a shot, heart hammering as I yank it open and there he is. My beautiful, infuriating brat.
“Sup, Becks,” he drawls, sauntering past me into the apartment. “Miss me?”
I growl, hauling him into my arms before he can get another word out, crushing him to my chest, nose buried in his hair. He squeaks in surprise but melts into me instantly, his arms coming up to wrap around my waist.
I can’t thank Rinne enough for shooting me a text he was with Viktor. Turns out, the chaotic demon did lash out over theuniversity firing me. But that doesn’t matter right now, not when he’s finally here.
“You scared the shit out of me.” I rasp into his hair, not even trying to hide the tremor in my voice. “I thought . . . Fuck, Viktor. I didn't know what to think when you wouldn’t answer me.”
“I'm sorry, okay? I had shit to handle.”
Before I can mention the car bonfire he set, someone clears their throat behind him. When I look up, a blonde woman stares at me.
Viktor pulls back to give me a lopsided grin. “This is my mom. She wanted to meet you.”
Fuck.
