SWNOVELS Brutal Savage: Chapter 7
Arriving at the school on time, I wait for Brody as Elara dismisses other kids.
I stare at her sunny expression as she approaches him next, and when she gives him a hug, he doesn’t even flinch. Can’t believe my damn eyes.
He points to me, and as he does, she gives me a double take, her brows furrowing like she recognizes me—or at least thinks she does.
Finally, she’s paying attention.
A smirk tugs at my lips, then it quickly disappears when Brody heads toward me, brushing right past, all glum and expressionless.
I glance back at her, but she’s already dismissing other kids.
“Hey, buddy.” I attempt to kiss the top of his head, but he walks right past me. I try not to take the rejection personally and fail. “How was your day? Good, I hope.”
Of course he doesn’t answer back. Doesn’t even look at me. Instead, he starts toward my SUV.
“Can you wait a minute, buddy? I want to talk to Ms. Hill.”
At that, his face jolts up to mine and his eyes round.
“It’s nothing bad. I just want to ask her something.”
We return and wait until she’s done with the class. Then I’m crossing toward her with him. Her back is to me, and a smirk falls to my mouth at the thought of her finding out who I am.
“Ms. Hill.”
She gasps in a sudden breath as she whirls toward me, her eyes expanding with every second, fingers feathering over her very fuckable mouth.
I slip off my sunglasses, and my smirk widens. “It’s a pleasure to be seeing you again.” I lean in real close and whisper, “You look beautiful. I especially love how pink your cheeks get when you’re around me.”
She sucks in a wild inhale, her warm breath scattering across the side of my neck, and my cock throbs at the attention. I move back, gazing down her body, covered in a tight white blouse, black trousers, and small kitten heels.
Sexy as hell.
“Wh-what? You’re…” She bounces back a step.
“Let’s go inside so we can talk. In private.”
The other teachers murmur amongst each other. I know I have a reputation. The people in town suspect what we do, but they’re all too afraid to say a word about it.
Kind of entertaining to see them all whispering.
If they’re wondering whether I wanna fuck her, they’d be right.
She peers down at Brody and nervously smiles, then clears her throat as our eyes lock. “Sure. I’ve been meaning to…uh, call his adoptive parent and discuss some things. I just…”
There’s a tremor to her words, and the way her pretty pink lips quiver…fuck, it does something to me.
Thoughts of pinning her to the hood of my car consume me. My hand wrapped around her throat, my fingers inside her as she fights the desire building within her.
I brush off those thoughts.
Fucking Ms. Hill is the last thing I should be thinking of. Then again…
I chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Her brows knit.
“Nothing at all. Now, may we go inside?”
“Mm-hmm.” She tightens her mouth before she gives me her back, leading me into the building.
We follow her, entering the first door to the right. Desks sit in the center of the room, the left side with some age-appropriate games and toys.
She kneels to Brody’s height and grabs his hands, and he lets her. Doesn’t even try to pry them off like he does with me. It shocks me every single time.
“How about you go and play while I talk to your…cousin?” She glances at me questioningly.
“Cousin is fine.”
“Okay, Brody, you go.” She brushes a hand down the back of his head.
For a moment, I think he’ll just run off, but instead…he smiles at her.
My inhale freezes in my lungs.
He. Fucking. Smiled.
Her eyes fill with tears, a palm pressing to the center of her chest. She blinks faster, past those emotions she can’t seem to hide.
Brody, though? He scurries off to look at some books while I stare at him, unable to fathom what just happened.
He smiled for the first time in a year.
And it was for her.
“Has he ever done that since…” she whispers. “He never smiles in class, or anywhere that I’ve seen.”
“No.” I return my attention to the alluring Ms. Hill and the magic she carries. “He must really like you.”
“Well…” Her grin is shy. “I like him too. And now I’m completely embarrassed because I talked about him when you gave me that ride.”
“Don’t be,” I say dryly. “I omitted that information.”
“Why did you?” Her eyes dart to the ground before finding mine again, fingers slipping a loose strand of hair behind her ear that I’d very much like to do myself again.
Touching her in any damn way is all I can think about lately.
It’s killing me.
She’s killing me.
I need it to stop.
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
Or because I have been watching you and didn’t want you to know exactly who I was.
I follow her to her desk, and she settles across from me, nervously clearing her throat.
I like it. I like making her nervous and uncomfortable around me.
“I see.” She sighs and sits up straighter, that blouse stretching across her full breasts.
My God, what the hell is going on with me and this woman? My attraction for her has no bounds. I need it to end. It won’t do me any good.
She notices where my eyes have just been, and those cheeks get even pinker. Wonder how pink her pussy is and how much of me she can fit.
There I fucking go again.
“I’m Tynan Quinn, by the way.”
“Nice to officially meet you.” She absently plays with the ends of her hair. “So what did you want to speak to me about?”
“I wanted to see how Brody was doing in your class since you’ve taken over.”
“Yes, right. I was sorry to hear about Mrs. S’s car accident, but Brody has adjusted very well. In fact, he’s been great since I took over. He pays attention and does his work on time.”
Her kindness and adoration for Brody shines in her eyes as she looks past me at him.
“I can definitely see that. It’s also why I was wondering if you’d be willing to see him after class at my home, maybe for an hour or two a day. I’d pay you well, of course.”
She scoots the chair closer to her desk. “Like extra help?”
“Yeah, sure. Homework, maybe talk to him, get him to open up to you.” I run a hand down my face. “Look, I’ll be honest. I haven’t seen him the way he is with you, not since before his parents died, so I need your help.”
My shoulders sag. I’m so damn tired. Just need him to be okay.
“He hasn’t talked in a year, and I don’t know if he ever will. But seeing the way he just smiled at you, the way he doesn’t mind when you get close, it gives me hope. And that’s more than I’ve ever had before.”
Her eyes grow soft and her gaze drops to her lap. She’s considering it.
“This isn’t exactly typical, and I’d need to check with the school if it’s allowed.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” I hit her with the best damn smile I’ve got.
“May I think about it?”
Fuck.
“Sure. Let me give you my personal cell, and you can call me if you decide to take me up on it. I’d pay a thousand an hour for your services.”
“What?! One thousand dollars for an hour?” She stares at me open-mouthed. “Are you that rich?” A hand falls to her chest. “Oh God, sorry. That was so not appropriate.”
Her flustering is damn cute.
“That’s quite alright, Ms. Hill.” The corner of my mouth tips up.
What is she doing to me? When the hell did I ever smile this much? When did I want to?
I grab a notepad from her desk and write down my number.
“Could you stop saying my name like that?” She leans in with a whispered shout.
“Like what?” Of course I know exactly what I’m doing.
“Like you’re, uh…flirting with me?”
“What if I was? Would that be so bad?”
I don’t miss the way the skin peeking through the top of her blouse prickles.
“Yes, it would be bad. People would get the wrong impression. You’re a parent of a child in my class, and we cannot have an inappropriate relationship. Not that I’m saying you’re interested in being inappropriate with me.” She scratches the side of her neck. “But flirting or perceived flirting is just not allowed.”
My jaw tightens.
Being inappropriate with you is exactly what I want right now. Want to throw you up on your desk and shut your pretty mouth with mine.
“Noted, Elara,” I say instead.
Her eyes flare when she realizes I know her full name. Doesn’t she realize I know everything about everyone?
Ms. Hill may not want to like me, but her body does. And I wouldn’t be a Quinn if I didn’t use that to my advantage.
I start to get to my feet. “It was nice to see you again, Ms. Hill.” I give her a crooked grin, and her face flushes. “I’m sure we will be seeing a lot of each other. Let me know soon about the extra services.”
“Sure. Yeah…uh, no problem.”
She makes no attempts to stand, and I know her eyes are on me as I loop my attention to Brody.
“Come on, buddy. We’re going now.”
He drops the book he was reading and heads in my direction, giving her a long look. When I peek over at her, she’s got her focus on him as she gets up.
“I almost forgot!” She reaches into her desk drawer, a book in her hand. “I was at the bookstore the other day…” She approaches him. “And I saw this new graphic novel I thought you would like.”
Her mouth pinches into the sweetest smile. Like it could light up the world.
She hands him the book.
And as though this meeting couldn’t get any better, Brody smiles for her again.
For a moment, it feels like he’s the same boy he was back then, and I start to relive one of the last days I spent with him and Aiden. When everything wasn’t such a mess.
I want things to be good for Brody again, and I know I need Elara to make that happen.
I just need her to agree to my proposition first.
A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO
“Come on, Brody! Throw the ball just like I showed you,” I call over as he holds the football in both hands—getting ready to chuck it at my head, most likely.
He’s a funny kid like that. Takes after his father.
“You know he’s gonna aim that thing at your head, right?” Aiden chuckles.
“Yeah, was just thinking the same. Just like you as a kid.”
He sighs. “We had some good times when we were growing up, didn’t we?”
“We sure as hell did.”
Brody tosses the ball, and sure enough, he does aim it right at my head. I immediately catch it. He comes running toward me with a huge laugh.
“I throw better than you,” he giggles.
“Oh, you little fucker.” I start to chase him, and he runs away, laughing as he zigzags in front of me.
Then, at the last minute, I manage to grab him and throw him over my shoulder, flipping him upside down.
He continues with his laughter. “Save me, Dad! He’s killing me!”
“You look alright to me.” Aiden grins. “I will say, though, you do toss way better than he ever did at your age.”
I snicker and drop Brody back on his feet. “Fine, but I did play better than your father.”
“Oh, yeah?” Aiden grabs the ball and runs back. “Let’s see how good you are now.”
“Daddy is not the best.” Brody giggles, and I can’t help my laugh.
“Guess what Brody just told me?” I holler at Aiden.
“What?”
“Hey!” Brody smacks my thigh.
“Fine, I won’t tell him.” I wink, grabbing Brody and placing him on my shoulders, my palms out for the ball Aiden’s about to throw. “He said you can toss the ball better than I can.”
“That’s my boy!” Aiden sends it flying, but it barely comes close to me.
The kid and I laugh, and I lift a hand to high-five him.
“I think we’re done for today.” Aiden grumbles playfully, coming toward us. “Buddy, go see if Mom’s done making lunch and help her bring it out for us.”
Brody nods, grinning as he starts back into the house while Aiden stares fondly as he runs inside.
“You ever thought about having kids?”
“Me?” I grimace. “Hell no.”
He laughs, reverting his attention to me. “Why not? You’re great with him.”
“Yeah, that’s because it’s Brody. I wouldn’t be good with my own kids. I know nothing about them.”
He shrugs. “Neither did I. You learn with them.”
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I like being the uncle. Or cousin. Whatever the hell you wanna call me.”
He hits me with a contemplative expression. “Look, I did wanna ask you something. Willow and I talked about this the other day.” Concern grows in his tone.
“What is it?” I stalk a step closer.
“We want to put you in the will as his guardian in case something happens to us.”
“Oh fuck, Aiden. Come on. Nothing is gonna happen to you guys.”
Yet we both know that in the kind of life we live, that isn’t true.
“I know Ryan won’t be able to handle a kid.” He laughs. “My brother isn’t cut out for it. But you are. You’ve got patience. You’re good with him.”
Brody and I have a bond. I love the kid, and he adores me. But actually being his parent? That thought never crossed my mind in a million fucking years.
“Promise me you’ll take care of him if something happens.” Aiden’s voice grows tight. “I need to know my boy will be okay without us.”
Pain clogs my throat. I hate thinking about this. Hate imagining Brody hurting without his parents here. How would I manage it? Am I even capable of that?
Except what choice is there? Aiden and Brody are my blood, and I’d do anything for family.
“Okay. I’ll do it. You guys will be fine, though. So let’s go eat and forget about this damn conversation.”
I throw an arm around his shoulders. By his laugh, it feels like a weight has been lifted.
But me? I’m still haunted by his words long after the day ends.