Dreams of Eden (Ace of Queens # 4)

CH.21 Professor

"Grace!" Alec couldn't believe the shade of red she was turning. He tried to reach for her, but she pushed his arm away. Tears started to pour down her face as her mascara ran smeared.

"I hate her!" Grace spit out. "Pick now. Either this baby or her, Alec."

"Grace, please you are being crazy," Alec pushed her hair out of her face. "Please calm down."

"Pick now!" Grace screamed.

"Grace, stop you're stressing yourself."

Suddenly, Grace's face twisted as she pulled away from Alec, "Go to her!"

Alec shook his head, "No, Grace."

"Go to her!" Grace screamed again. "You never wanted this child! Just like you never wanted your first child. This one will end up dead just like Ivan."

"Stop!" Alec yelled back as he pulled her into his arms. "Please, stop."

"Alec," Grace began to cry as she let him hold her. "Why don't you care about this child?"

"I do!" Alec said frantically. "I do care about this child. More than anything in the world."

Grace placed her head on his shoulder and nestled closer. Alec didn't know what to say as her sobs quiet down. He held her feeling numb to his core.

"Alec," Grace picked up her head after a while.

"Yes?"

"Will you do something for me?"

"Name it," Alec said.

"Never speak of her, again."

_______________________________

After the night with Grace, the last thing Alec wanted to do was teach. He leaned against the desk and started at the floor deep in thought as the students filled into the room. The lecture hall began to fill up with voices as the girls in the front row whispered to each other about the professor.

"Yeah, totally not going to pass this course," One of the girls whispered. "Maybe he'll help with some private tutoring sessions."

The other girls next to her giggled as Alec pretended not to hear their whispers.

"I heard when he was at St.Rieka he dated half the girls," someone else whispered.

Alec rolled his eyes as he walked around the desk and picked up the course syllabus. He flipped through the first few pages when suddenly the scent of pomegranate and peaches stopped his heart.

Slowly, almost painfully, Alec lifted his gaze.

Eden rushed through the door behind a few of the students wearing the Armory's uniform. Alec wanted to bang his head against the wall and groan as his eyes took her in.

The green plaid shirt and the plain white button down had never looked so good to Alec. His eyes moved up her knee high socks and over her little plaid tie before they found her eyes.

Eden gave him a nervous smile as she tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. Alec quickly looked away before he did something he would regret.

Eden's smile dropped to a frown as she watched Alec turn away from her. She stood frozen at the door before a student behind her pushed past her to get into the room.

Eden adjusted the strap on her backpack and took a deep breath. She scanned the rows before she stopped Asher lounging on one of the seats in the second row. He waited until he caught her eyes to call her over with his finger.