Teach Me Like That (LMLT Book 2)

by Marie James

  I take the seat as directed and do my best to keep my spine straight and professional, when all my body wants to do is fold in on itself. My muscles begin to ache as I fight the urge to vomit.

  “You know why you’re here,” Amelia says barely hiding the contempt in her voice. I can hear the edge of derision, but as I look across the table, it seems the board members haven’t picked up on it. Either that, or they feel exactly the same way she does.

  I lift my chin and ignore her attempt to rile me. I know it may come off as defiant, but with this show of force I know there’s no way to keep my job, and I’ll be damned if Amelia DuPont is going to make me beg.

  “Have it your way,” Amelia says lifting a folder and sliding it in front of me. “We’re here to talk about your extracurricular activities.”

  I ignore the folder. I don’t have to open it to know the discipline report for the closet incident and my termination papers are inside.

  “Open it,” she urges with a little too much excitement in her voice.

  I wring my hands together in my lap trying to calm my nerves before flipping the folder open. One look at the paper on top and I slam the folder shut again. My blood runs cold. I vow off alcohol, all social situations, and as much as I don’t want to, Kegan Cole.

  “The board hasn’t seen these yet, Ms. Carter, but I think for them to fully understand why we’re here today it’s imperative that they see.” Amelia reaches out for the folder, and my hand slams on top of it. “That’s fine,” she says with a sugary voice that makes me want to snap her neck. “I’ve made copies for everyone.”

  I watch in horror as she hands folders to each one of the board members. Their audible gasps and grunts will live in infamy, echoing in my head for years to come.

  The man across from me looks up at me. If knowing what he’s holding in his hands isn’t bad enough, the way his eyes roam my body and the disgusting swipe of his tongue over his bottom lip makes things ten times worse.

  “What’s in your mouth?” the only female on the board asks holding up the picture.

  Yep. There I am, in all my half-drunk glory, getting nailed by Kegan Cole in the hallway of the club.

  “Her underwear,” Amelia informs the group.

  The woman drops the picture to the table as if she’s going to somehow get infected with an STD by touching a photograph. The disgusting man across from me grunts again and shifts his weight in his chair. My skin crawls knowing he’s pretty much getting off on this.

  Amelia, digging the knife deeper, spreads the other photos out on the table. I fight the urge to look at them. The club picture is enough to get me fired, but my need to know everything she has against me wins out. I look down and see a handful of pictures of Kegan and me together.

  In one, we’re at breakfast. The next one is me going into his condo and one of him leaving my house. There’s even one of us in the front yard when he came over to talk about the lies I told about my mother. They’re all pretty innocuous until my eyes land on the one from the arcade. I’m standing at a pinball machine and Kegan’s flush against my back with his arms around me. His fingers are dangerously close to my breasts, and I can remember this exact moment. He was grinding his thick cock against my ass and telling me exactly what he planned to do to me once we were alone.

  The picture itself isn’t bad. We’re clothed, but it’s the little boy standing in the background staring at us with his mouth open like he’s just come across internet porn for the first time that makes it bad. Really bad.

  “These are clear violations of Edgewood’s morality clause,” the female board member says. She closes her folder and shoves it away, disgust marking every inch of her over-botoxed face. “You did read your contract before signing it, didn’t you, Ms. Carter.”

  I nod. I knew the clause was in there, but it was the furthest thing from my mind when Kegan was slamming into me in the very public club.

  “Where was this at?” Creeper asks holding up the club picture.

  I look away from him, unable to handle the misplaced desire in his eyes. These people are worried about me working around children? This guy is probably a registered sex offender.

  “SWEAT,” I answer him with my eyes down at the table. I’m certain he wants to know because he’s hoping he can catch other couples fucking in the hallway.

  “That’s over an hour away. She wasn’t even in this community,” he says causing my eyes to snap up to him. Who knew Creeper would come to my defense. The idea of him thinking I owed him something makes my skin crawl, but I’ll take what I can get right now.

  “She’s fornicating in a public place, Reginald. It doesn’t matter what town it’s in.” I’m beginning to hate the judgmental bitch sitting across from me.

  “Oh come on, Florence. Haven’t you ever lost your mind over a good looking man? Think back fifty years to before you became a prude.” I’m liking Reginald more and more.

  Florence gasps and clutches at the pearls around her neck. Clearly, she’s been scandalized by his words.

  “I’m only forty-eight you pompous ass,” she hisses. One of the other men at the table chuckles but tries to cover it with a cough. Here I thought she was upset that anyone would consider her the type of person to get dirty in a hallway, when she’s really upset because someone thinks she’s older than she is. Typical.

  “The man in all of these pictures is Kegan Cole,” Amelia says interrupting the board members’ back and forth. They all turn their heads to Amelia. Clearly, the Cole name is an important one in their circles. “He’s the uncle of two of our students. We have a fraternization clause for a reason.”

  This was the main thing I was worried about, Kegan’s relationship to Anastyn and Lennox. There’s no way around this.

  I look up to Creeper with an apologetic smirk. He’s the only one who seems like an ally in this room, and for some unknown reason, I’m clinging to that. He winks at me, and suddenly I’m wishing I hadn’t offered up the half smile.

  “Kegan Cole is the students’ guardian?” Reginald asks.

  “On occasion,” Amelia says with shaken confidence.

  Reginald’s eyes turn to me. “Do the students live with Mr. Cole?”

  “No, sir,” I manage with a weak voice. “They live with their parents. Mr. Cole was helping out with them recently when their youngest child was sick.”

  “You’re splitting hairs with the fraternization accusation, Ms. DuPont. The rule for fraternization clearly states that a teacher shall not engage in outside relationships with guardians of the students. Mr. Cole babysitting for a little bit does not make him their guardian.” No matter how today turns out, Reginald is getting a gift basket for Christmas.

  I’m surprised that Mrs. Botox has piped up again, but she and the other members of the board grew quiet once Amelia announced who the man in the pictures was.

  “We have some discussing to do,” Reginald says. “You will be on paid administrative leave until a decision is made.”

  “It’s clear what the decision is, Mr. Reese,” Amelia says with a hiss. “I don’t see the point in prolonging the inevitable.”

  “Ms. DuPont,” Reginald Reese begins, “we appreciate you bringing this to our attention, but the decision in this matter is the board’s, not yours.” He holds up a hand to halt her rebuttal. He turns his eyes back to me. “As the President of the board, I will personally let you know what that decision is by the end of the week.”

  Feeling thoroughly dismissed, I stand from my seat, leaving the folder with some of my most intimate moments lying on the desk. They’ve seen it all, so there’s no point in taking my copies. I feel Mr. Reese’s eyes on me every step out of the room, and I can’t help but cringe when I think about what he’s going to do with his copies.

  On my drive home, I run through the meeting. Amelia didn’t once bring up the closet incident. In doing so, she ran the risk of me bringing up the fact that she was briefly involved with Kegan. The reminder makes my hackles rise. She plan
ned this all out. She’s been pretty much stalking us for weeks, finding ways to get me fired without having to call her own delinquencies into question.

  Sneaky bitch.

  Chapter 35

  Kegan

  By the time I make it back over to Lexi’s house, thankfully, she’s there. I grab my packed bag from the passenger seat and lock up my truck.

  I’m damn near giddy as I walk up her front steps and knock on the door. Today was a long day, but I’d live every one just like today if it means spending my nights with her. My fingers tingle in anticipation of touching her.

  After several long minutes, the door finally pulls open. I expect to see her in a towel or with wet hair due to how long it took her to open the door. Anger hits my chest when I realize her face is the only thing that’s wet. Tear tracks stain her beautiful face.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” I take a step closer to her, but she holds a hand up to prevent me from making contact.

  “I need you to go,” she says through her tears.

  “No.” I shake my head emphatically. “I’m not leaving you while you’re like this. Tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

  “You’re what’s wrong,” she says weakly.

  “Me?” Panic nearly crushes me. “I know the whole ‘thanks, doll’ thing was out of line this morning, but I swear it was a joke.”

  Her eyes dart to mine. “You think I’m this upset,” she says pointing to her face, “over some misplaced joke?”

  “It’s all I have to go on, Lexi. I fucked up, and I know you’re getting tired of hearing me say I’m sorry, but I am. I’m sorry I keep saying shit I shouldn’t.”

  I take a step closer; she takes a step back and looks over my shoulder as if she expects someone to be standing there.

  “They have pictures of us,” she finally admits.

  “They?” I’m so confused.

  “Amelia and the school board. They have pictures of you here, me at your place. They have one of us at the arcade.” Her tears continue to fall, and as much as I want to wrap my arms around her in comfort, I respect when a woman says no.

  “I don’t see the big deal with us dating, Lexi. They shouldn’t either. My family donates a shit ton of money to that school. Surely they can overlook this.”

  “The club,” she says weakly.

  “What about it?”

  Her eyes meet mine again. “They have a picture of you fucking me against the wall! Amelia was nice enough to answer the board member’s question as to what was stuffed in my mouth!”

  I recoil at her anger and the fact that a moment I was certain we were able to keep between us was breached. I take a step back, creating even more unwanted distance between us.

  “Someone is following you?” The look over my shoulder makes sense now and causes me to look back as well.

  “Us. They’re following us. Every one of the pictures was of us together.” She swipes at the tears hanging from her chin and looks down at the porch.

  “Did they fire you?”

  She shakes her head. “Not yet, but I’m sure it will happen by week’s end.”

  “I can fix this.” My words are a plea. She’s closing down on me, and the pain of losing her over something so fucking stupid is surreal. I have enough trouble holding on to this gorgeous woman on my own, knowing any stupid thing could come out of my mouth and end us. Having outside forces working against me? We’ll never get this relationship off of the ground if I have to fight against them too.

  “You can’t. It’s already done.” Her hand reaches for the open door as she takes another step back. “I shouldn’t have let you in.”

  I want to point out the obvious, that she hasn’t let me in. I’m still standing on the front porch. Then, it dawns on me. At first, I think she’s talking about not letting me into her body. When her free hand covers her chest, I know she’s talking about her heart.

  “Goodbye, Kegan,” she whispers on a quiet sob and closes the door in my face.

  I lean my head against the cool glass of her front door. “Please, Lexi.” My palm comes up and rests flat beside my head. “Please don’t walk away from me.”

  “They’re following her, Kadin!” My voice echoes through my truck as I drive back to my condo.

  “Why the hell would they do that? Why would they even suspect anything is going on?”

  “Amelia,” I mutter. She’s the one behind this whole damn thing. I put her in her place in the closet and now this her way of being a vindictive bitch.

  “The headmistress?” Confusion marks his voice, and I know that’s my fault. I tried explaining to him what was going on, but in my haste I’ve left out several very important key details.

  “Amelia DuPont caught Lexi and me in the supply closet at the school.”

  “Jesus, Kegan. Now you’re fucking women at my kids’ school? What’s next, the confessional at church?”

  “I didn’t fuck Lexi at the school. And if I hadn’t fucked Amelia there, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”

  “I’m so goddamned disappointed in you. With the way you were acting with Lexi, bringing her to Sunday dinner, I seriously thought you’d changed. Being a playboy is one thing, Kegan, but leading her on is a new low.”

  “Leading her… what the hell are you talking about?” I’m so angry I decide to pull my truck over. Getting into an accident before I have the chance to fix all of this shit wouldn’t help anyone.

  “Don’t you see what’s happened? One plaything found out about the other, and she’s gone crazy.”

  I scrub my hands over my face. “One, Lexi isn’t a goddamned plaything, so I suggest you don’t say shit like that about her. Two, there’s nothing going on between Amelia and me. We messed around a few times this past summer, but that’s all it was. We both knew it. There was no way lines got crossed. I wasn’t even on her radar anymore until she found Lexi and me in the closet.”

  His sigh is loud through my hands-free speakers. “You sure do know how to make a damn mess.”

  “I know, and I’m asking for help before it blows up any bigger.”

  “You mentioned they have pictures.”

  “Yes. From like four different occasions. One was,” I pause not too proud to have to admit this to my brother who already thinks I’m a complete fuck up. “One was intimate. We were at a club, and I didn’t think anyone was around. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone wasn’t lurking outside her house a while ago snapping more of me on her porch.” I rest my head against the steering wheel. “The look on her face. I’ve never seen her so upset. She was so resigned, like it was breaking her heart to turn me away, but it was the only choice she had.”

  “What can I do?” There’s no longer a hint of frustration in his voice. It’s no longer tainted with disappointment, and for that I’m grateful. I’m beating myself up enough for the both of us.

  “Fuck, I don’t know. Dig something up on her? I need some ammunition, anything to make her back off.”

  “Kegan, you said the entire board was there. She’s not the only one you have to worry about. It’s bigger than just a woman upset over not getting Cole dick anymore.”

  “Please, just look into her,” I beg. “Maybe she’s fucking everyone on the board, and we can blackmail them.”

  “You mentioned one picture being intimate. Does that mean what I think it means?”

  “If you’re thinking it’s a picture of me fucking her against the wall with her panties in her mouth, then yes it’s what you’re thinking.”

  He sighs again. “You can’t make anything easy can you?”

  “Look, it’s not that bad. We were both dressed, mostly. I can admit it was a stupid decision, Kadin.”

  “Stupid or not, that’s going to be an issue. Teachers, especially ones working at private academies are held to an insanely high standard. It doesn’t matter if this is some kind of vindication from one of your scorned lovers. You’ve given them plenty of ammunition to fire her.” There’s a long silence, one in
which I’m sure he’s picturing his hands around my throat. “Let me have my guy do some digging. Maybe she’s got some skeletons in her closet. Her family has more money than ours, and you know rich people always have something hidden in their closet.”

  “I owe you, Kadin.” If I weren’t all the way across town, I’d drive to his house and hug him.

  “Don’t thank me yet. This is a complete cluster fuck. I’ll call you when I have something. You need to stay away from her until we can figure something out.” There’s a warning in his voice.

  “That’s not… I can’t do that Kadin. I need her.” Truths are coming from all sides today it seems.

  “I get that more than you probably realize, Kegan, but if she has someone watching her, it’s only going to make things worse. I’ll let my guy know to make this his top priority, but you have to do your part as well.”

  “Okay. I’ll stay away from her. Thanks, man.” I’m met with silence.

  He may be willing to help, but I know he’s not happy with being in a situation where he has to. His guy better work fast as hell because I’m already itching to head back over to her. Instead, I put the truck in drive and go home, praying every second that Amelia has some kind of sick fetish that will help us help Lexi keep her job. Besides, any woman who lets you fuck her in the ass within the first hour of meeting her has to be down with some kinky shit.

  Chapter 36

  Lexi

  The shattering of my heart coincides with the soft click of my front door. I never should’ve given in to him. I never should’ve crossed that line because I knew it would come to this. I knew I’d get in trouble at work, and I’d end up with my heart broken. Yet, I didn’t put up much of a fight did I?

  I don’t blame him for any of this. I was a willing, active participant. I had an amazing time while it lasted. As far as regrets, there’s always regrets aren’t there?

  I may never be able to work as a teacher again. Once word gets around that the kindergarten teacher likes to be screwed in public, every door that may have once been open will slam shut. Edgewood is the only teaching position I have on my resume, and I can’t even imagine the venom Amelia would spread if someone called for a reference. Hell, she could tell the truth, and it would still leave me unemployed. I messed up big time.