14. Zac

FOURTEEN

zac

MY STOMACH WAS a ball of nerves and hot anticipation as I walked into Astor on Monday morning. With every step, the thought of seeing King again sent mixed messages through my body, and of course it was my dick that was the most thrilled. How could it not be after what we'd done?

I forced in a strangled breath, tightening my fist around the strap of my bag as I made my way through the students milling around before classes. I knew I needed to flip the switch before I got to our shared office, to pretend like nothing had happened now that we were at school. Neither East nor I were supposed to acknowledge anything about Friday night, which meant King would be doing the same.

How the hell was I going to look at him and forget, though? The whole secret society thing was huge on its own and would've taken all my attention the last few days, but I couldn't even process that right now. Not when King, my Professor Kingston, the man I'd always been infatuated by and thought of as this impenetrable force, had shown his mutual attraction by coming all over us. We'd gotten him that turned on.

I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was a man obsessed. All I could feel was the way he'd watched East and I fuck. How it'd only ramped up how good the sex had been in a way I didn't think was possible. And then…

King unzipping his pants. Pulling out his cock. His hot cum raining down on our skin?—

"You are so fucked."

East's voice jerked me out of the memory I'd been reliving over and over again, and I blinked."What?"

He reached for my arm and pulled me aside. "You need to fix your face and act like King didn't come all over it. You think I'm not doing the same thing over here? The only difference is, I'm not showing it. So fix. Your. Face."

God. He made it sound so easy. Like sitting across from King and trying to concentrate on grading papers rather than his delicious dick was going to be a walk in the park.

News fucking flash, it was going to be hard as hell—in the literal sense.

"You think that's the only difference? What about the fact that you don't have to sit in a confined space with him and act like he hasn't seen you?—"

"Fuck another one of his students like you're a goddamn porn star? And trust me, I should know—my friend's dating one."

I let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"I think that's a plus, personally," East continued. "I mean, clearly you impressed the guy. He came all over us."

" East, " I hissed, dropping my hand so I could glare him in the eye. "Would you try to be serious for a second?"

"Why? You're busy enough being serious for the both of us." He leaned his shoulder against the wall and cocked his head. "All I'm saying is, lighten up a bit. Try to remember that everything we did, we all wanted. He's not going to act weird, so why should we? In fact, he's probably going to act like it didn't happen at all."

Which was the part that was bothering me the most. How could I just forget one of the hottest nights of my life?

"Zac?"

"Yeah, you're right. I just need to forget it."

"That's right. It's a secret, remember? Secret society."

"I don't actually think that applies to that portion of the evening."

"Well, just pretend it did. We signed an NDA and now we have to forget about it. Unless of course he decides to bend you over his desk today. Then you better come and get me."

I shoved him back out into the hall and continued toward the office, and to my surprise, East tagged along beside me. We usually kept our distance in the illustrious halls of Astor, but it seemed he was after a little company this morning too. Or perhaps someone who had shared the same experience he had this past Friday.

I eyed his profile as he casually strode down the hall and wondered what it would feel like to possess one ounce of the ease with which he navigated the world.

"Your friends ask you where you disappeared to Friday?"

He smirked. "They know better. If I'm not with them, they just figure a better invitation came along."

"Nice, East. That's real nice."

He shrugged. "They'd do the same to me. We're friends, not each other's keepers. Is it my fault none of them were seen as potential recruits in this secret organization? No. I always said I was the leader. This just proves I was right."

"So you're going to do it, then?"

"Hell yes. Why? You having second thoughts?"

"No, not second thoughts, but I am curious. There's a lot of unknowns to unpack, like who were the other men down there? What do they do? What happens at the end of our trial period? What do they expect from us?"

"Good God. I was joking when I said you were being serious enough for the both of us, but you really do have your dick in a twist, don't you?"

"These are questions we should be asking."

"No shit. But King made it pretty obvious he wasn't going to tell us anything until he was ready. Why stress about it now?"

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything, that's all. I don't like unanswered questions."

"Neither do I, usually. But you have to admit, this is pretty fucking cool. We were recruited as potential movers and shakers by King."

"I know. But I think that's what's throwing me off the most." I pushed open the door to the office and walked inside, leaving East to follow. "The fact that King is part of this."

" Part of it? Seemed like he was the leader to me."

"Exactly. Like he's not just Professor Kingston anymore, the man I've spent the last few years looking up to as my mentor, but also the leader of this underground organization."

East leaned back against the door. "So what? It's not like he could sit you down and tell you. Or have you pencil in a meeting on his schedule for his band of hooded friends. The fact he picked you to be a part of it should tell you how highly he thinks of you."

He pushed off the door and walked over to me, reaching for the strap of my bag and drawing it down my shoulder.

"Want me to take your mind off it?"

"No. The last thing I need is for him to walk in here and catch me with a fucking hard-on."

"Why? Last time he did, he asked you to fuck me. I've got a free period this morning—I'm sure I could fit you in."

I snatched my bag off East and stepped away from him. "You are not helping the situation."

"That's because you're not letting me."

"Seriously, East, you need to go. I can't have you here when he arrives."

"Can't?" East asked. "Or don't want me here?"

"Both."

"Fine. I'll leave you and your King all alone," he said as he strolled back to the door and reached for the handle. "But remember, if he bends you over that desk, call me!"