Sienna sighed. “Fine.”
She headed down the stairs, and I followed quietly behind her.
In the kitchen, I sipped my coffee, leaning casually against the counter, pretending to scroll through my phone. Wexler had ordered breakfast: bacon, pancakes, eggs, waffles, and muffins. Sienna loaded her plate with pancakes and piled on plenty of bacon, washing it all down with a tall glass of orange juice.
When she set the dirty dishes in the sink, I turned to her.
“You can leave them. I’ll take care of it later,” I said, already knowing I’d be irritated if they stayed there.
She pushed up her hoodie sleeves and turned on the faucet, beginning to wash the dishes. “It’ll take less than two minutes. I usually wash them right away so I don’t forget, since after classes, I dive straight into assignments.” She placed the clean dishes in the drainer and dried her hands on a towel. “But thanks for the offer. Ready?”
I nodded. She picked up her knapsack, and we headed to the front door, keys in my hand. I went ahead, opened the front passenger seat of one of the SUVs, and she slid in. I made my way around and slipped behind the wheel.
As we pulled out of the compound, she turned to me.
“So…who do I tell people you are? I’m not sure my lecturers would be thrilled with a stranger in their classes.”
“I’ve already cleared it with college admin,” I said.
“Of course you did,” she muttered.
“And as for my identification,” I continued, “just call me Avit. Don’t mention my last name. Say I’m a friend you grew up with.”
“The man who went off on Dan wants me to tell people he’s just a friend?”
“For security purposes, yes.” I kept my eyes on the road. The last thing I needed was anyone knowing Sienna was my wife, or that I was on campus. My family knowing would be the least of my worries. If a rival decided to show up, Sienna or any other student getting hurt was not an option.
“Okay.”
The rest of the ride passed in silence. When we pulled into the college parking lot, we hopped out.
As soon as we stepped into the building, a curvy, black-haired young woman with green eyes linked arms with Sienna.
“Sienna, who’s Mr. Handsome?”
Sienna flushed. “His name is Avit. He’s a childhood friend. Avit, this is Mandy, my best friend. I’ll be right back.”
I watched, amused, as Sienna pulled Mandy a few feet away. They spoke in hushed tones, though Mandy kept sneaking glances at me, and Sienna kept turning her head. I noticed the stares of other female students, especially the younger women around Sienna's age, but at thirty-four, there was no way I’d be attracted to women barely out of their teens.
But you're attracted to Sienna.
After their conversation, Mandy hugged Sienna and waved at me. I gave a small wave back.
Sienna took a deep breath, turned around and returned to my side.
“Anything I should be worried about?” I lifted a brow.
“Nope. Nothing. Let’s go.” She avoided my gaze. “I don’t want to be late for class.”
She moved briskly through the hallways, head down, hoodie pulled low. The students barely registered her presence, yet I felt their eyes on me.
And I couldn't help but wonder why she'd make herself so small amongst others when with me, she took up so much space. It wasn't like she was easy to miss. She stood taller than all the women and a few of the guys. Why was she trying to be…invisible?
When we reached the classroom, I expected her to claim a front-row seat, but she slipped into the back corner, and I slid in beside her.
“Is this usually where you sit?” I asked.
“Yes. Is that a problem?” she asked defiantly.
