Other than being Darren’s total type with a mix of softness and prominence in his features, there was something distantly familiar about the business teacher that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He searched the man’s face for it and their gazes clashed, a heartbeat in which he couldnotlook away as a thrilling tingle crawled down his back and electrified every nerve ending it touched. There was a challenge aimed at him in that dark hazel and a futile effort to hide it.
Darren didn’t know why the man was glaring at him, but he liked it regardless, the intensity of it riling him up even more. He suppressed a pleasant shiver and licked his lips, letting his tongue linger on his piercing. Goosebumps covered him from head to toe as the teacher’s gaze zeroedin on the golden hoop, half a moment of allowed contact that hijacked all of his senses and ended all too soon.
But even as they left him, Darren found himself searching for those mesmerizing almost-brown eyes with gold flecks sprinkled around their edges. He wanted them on him, needed their intensity, the thrill they elicited within him too good to let go.
Who was this man and where had he come from?There had never been a teacher so young or inexperienced. Why was he here?Had Darren maybe misread him? Was he actually just as power-hungry as all of those who worked in the prison industry?
Darren wanted to know, to figure out thisfamiliarstrangerwho’d so easily disrupted his bleak and mundane life simply by walking into the classroom today.
The man’s eyes shimmered when light hit them just right as he reached the desk and continued scanning the room. Darren wondered how they’d look when the man was consumed by desire, squirming and panting under him.
Shit, just thinking about that was making him horny. Why was he so taken aback like this? He had his share of fun with a few of the inmates, but something in that man seemed to pique his interest. It made him curious to know a lot more than just why his brain seemed to recognize the guy. Maybe it hadbeen a one-night stand. Or had they shared a drink at a bar?
Commotion pulled him out of his speculations. Seeing as Eddie was picking a fight with the teacher for some dumb reason, Darren let his thoughts and fantasies fade away for later. Pushing back into the uncomfortable chair, he watched the show. Eddie was big, as were most of the inmates, tattooed and quite intimidating, but theease and nonchalance with whichAiden Kesley,as per the name written on the board,handled him was commendable. He was, by no means, a small man himself, even if the tailored suit he wore was doing a decent enough job of hiding his fit body. It was an interesting choice, considering anyone who looked good would show that off and not suppress it, but then again, scholars in prisons also veered to the older, less muscular stereotype.
Is that what he was doing then? Trying to fit in?Why?
Aiden asked the class some question, his eyes flitting right past Darren this time.
Oh. He bit down a grin and looked out the window at the star-infested universe. This was going to be a challenge. But he didlovea challenge. Even if said challenge was a bad idea and the furthest away from a guaranteed hook-up because sex with a non-inmate didn’t happen often. Unless it was a friendly from the guards… and that too had its risks. A lecturer would definitely be tricky and require the right maneuvering since there were repercussions if the lecturer got caught. But, well… it wasn’t impossible if Darren put his mind to it.
First though, he still had to seduce the man. And not just because he was hot. Being on good terms with the staff was always a plus, especially when Darren’s smuggling operation was about to pick up steam.
“Mr. Howe?”
Damn,even Aiden Kesley’s melodic tenor of a voice was a killer.Just where the Hell did he come from?
“Mr. Howe?”
“Hmm?” Darren ripped his gaze from the window. If nothing else, this rock jail had amazing views.
“Dreaming in class, are we?” Aiden asked with a hint of mockery in his pleasant voice.
Summoning his most intimidating expression, Darren pinned the man with his eyes. But the scared lamb was nowhere to be seen, in its place an impish fox low-key smirking at him.Oh, this was going to be so much fun.
Folding his arms in front of his chest, Darren abandoned the threatening tone he’d meant to pull out next. “No, of course not,Mr.Kesley.”
“Then perhaps you can answer my question?” Aiden challenged, drumming his slender fingers along the tablet’s back.
Darren’s mouth quivered, but he successfully halted the smile this time. “If there is a decrease in the availability of goods or a service, which is to say, when something is hard to obtain, consumers are usually willing to pay more.”
“And why is that?” Aiden followed up, masterfully hiding his surprise at the accurate reply. He’d thought Darren hadn’t been paying attention, hadn’t he?
“Because that something is perceived as rare or more valuable, thus bumping up the demand, which in turn increases its price,” Darren recited back the exact words Aiden had used.
“Very good, Mr. Howe.” Aiden smiled approvingly and meandered down the aisle. “See, Mr. Jezby? It wasn’t a trick question like you accused me of. If you actually listened to my explanations instead of fumbling with your dick under the desk, then I’m sure you’d have been able to replicate the answer just as well as Mr. Howe did.”
The word ‘dick’ coming out of those kissable lips had Darren fighting off an onslaught of late-night fantasies again. He held them at bay though, focusing on what was being said because if being smart piqued Aiden Kesley’s interest, then he intended to be at the top of the class andget on Aiden’s good list. And once he was there? He was going to seduce the fox and fuck his brains out.
Aiden returned to the holoboard and drew a line, adding a bunch of dates on it. “Now that we’ve gone over some of the basic principles, we’ll focus a bit on the evolution of the modern economic system. In particular, how the unification of Earth by the Global Nations after the abolishment of the last Monarchy in the 2050s affected the role of money in society. As we know—or should, at least—the GN not only introduced the universal credits and the baseline universal income, but also pioneered the commercial altenergy engine we use in our spacecrafts. This development further contributed to the need for a new standard for exchange of goods and services under a centralized—”
Darren’s brain tuned out the rest. Like Aiden had said, most people knew just how big the GN’s role was in shaping the post Space Revolution world, so going over it seemed like a waste of time that could’ve been spent on something more practical. At the same time though, he supposed it made sense to start there and give an overview, but he also didn’t bother to listen, instead gazing out the window and counting the occasional space rock that passed by outside.
When lectures ended, everyone filed back to their blocks in orderly fashion. Since it was almost time for lunch, the mess hall was already brimming with activity, and not just because food was about to be served. As one of the few open spaces now that the court and field were closed for repairs, Darren and the rest of G Block’sresidents could only enjoy it if they behaved and didn’t start any fights among themselves. It was a sensible condition, he thought, but sometimes, one of those individuals with life sentences like him would disagree, stirring up shit either out of boredom or spite.
The last such occurrence was a week ago, earning everyone four days of lockdown just because Dave had fancied a brawl with one of the newbies.To teach the new guy his place,Dave had said when asked, which translated to ‘I was in a bad mood and wanted to punch something other than a wall’. Darren couldn’t necessarily relate, though he had his own devils to deal with every now and then. Generally, he could manage them, but sometimes they reared their heads, bickering and bringing back flashbacks and memories from the life he’d lived before Horizons.
Darren shook off that train of thought, not wanting to go there. Nyle, the ‘new guy’ who was also Darren’s smuggling ring logistics partner, had ended up with a sprained nose. He was in the infirmary while Dave was currently in isolation and would stay therefor two more weeks.Now, if the other dumbasses with mush for brains just kept their outbursts in check, everyone would get two weeks of not being holed up in a cell all day.
