Scandalous (Sinners of Saint Book 3)

PRESTON WASN’T RETURNING my texts. Or my calls.

That they weren’t going directly to voicemail meant his phone was on, but he was choosing to ignore me, and that was something I wouldn’t let slide.

Even if it was my fault he was obviously upset.

I yanked open the main door of Astor University with more force than necessary, pissed at myself that I’d put us both in this situation. Until Benoit brought it up last night, I’d completely forgotten about Rodney, and by the time I left the Elysium, it was well after midnight. Waking Preston up to share that bit of information was the last thing I’d wanted to do, but had I known the way it would blow up this morning, I would’ve done it anyway.

How had he even found out?

A security guard started in my direction as I made my way deep into the school, but then stopped and waved when he saw it was me. Being on the board of directors here wasn’t usually filled with any perks, but the freedom to walk in without being harassed was one of them, at least this morning.

Though what I was doing here was beyond all rational thought. Then again, I’d lost all common sense the second I touched Preston. What was racking up one more sin on my ever-growing list?

I checked the time as I headed in the direction of his current class—information, I was ashamed to note, I’d learned from Serena when Preston didn’t answer me back. I hated that she was involved in this already, which was just one reason why I should never have let this happen.

But it had. Because I could finally admit to myself that maybe I was enjoying Preston’s company a little too much.

No communication, though? Not having it. I’d canceled a meeting and headed straight here, something that had surprised my assistant more than it had me. I didn’t rush out of work unless there was an emergency, so what the hell was I doing here? Why couldn’t I have waited until the end of the workday like a normal human being?

The sick feeling in my stomach was why. The same feeling I’d had last night on the roof when I realized I’d fucked up by forgetting a pretty crucial detail. If Preston was feeling half of what I was, then I couldn’t let him spend hours beating himself up and cursing me to hell. He’d only get more pissed the longer the day went on. Hell, so would I.

Class was still in session for a few more minutes when I found his room number, and rather than make a scene, I waited outside the door.

If Benoit could see me now…

He’d give me so much shit. I’d have to conveniently leave this part out the next time we gossiped over drinks, otherwise I’d never hear the end of it.

I leaned back against the wall and crossed my arms, waiting out the time as patiently as I could manage. When the door opened suddenly, an onslaught of students appeared, and I straightened, feeling a rush of determination to fix what I’d inadvertently messed up.

The hall became crowded in a matter of seconds, but still Preston didn’t walk out the door.

Had he left for the day? Or worse, headed to my office?

Fuck it. I peered inside the lecture hall, where most of the students had already filed out—except for one.

Preston stood at the bottom of the stairs, nodding at something his professor was saying. I could only see the back of him, but it was just as beautiful and immaculate as the rest of him—camel-colored slacks, a wine-red ribbed sweater over a plaid button-down, his sleeves rolled up at the wrists. He filled out those preppy clothes with an understated sex appeal that made my cock ache.

Good, so he hasn’t left. I continued to watch, not wanting to interrupt and call his professor’s attention to me if I could help it. The second the older man walked toward a different exit and disappeared, I stepped into the doorway. Preston hadn’t noticed me yet as he shifted his bag onto his shoulder and headed up the stairs, but it didn’t take long before he looked up and his steps faltered. His whole body tensed, and there was no mistaking the look on his face—he wasn’t happy to see me. I knew right then it’d been a good idea to not put this off.

“What are you doing here?” he bit out.

“You’re not answering your phone.”

“So?”

“So we need to talk.”

He scoffed and shook his head, continuing up the stairs. I could tell he had every intention of walking out that door, so I reached behind me, pulling it shut.

He stopped, looking between me and the exit.

“The time for talking was before I found out you were seeing other people. For some reason, I was under the impression that while we were fucking, there wouldn’t be anyone else—Oh, wait. We did say that.”

“I’m not seeing anyone else, and I sure as hell don’t have the time or desire to fuck anyone else.”

Preston narrowed his eyes. “But you made the time to come interrupt my day? It seems your priorities are backward, Mr. Carrington.”

He started up the stairs again, but I moved to the side, blocking him.

“Let me by,” he said flatly.

“No.”

“I’ll be late for my next class. Isn’t that one of your rules? No skipping school if I want the chance to be with you?” Sarcasm dripped from his tongue, and he rolled his eyes before moving to the side to pass me, but I was quicker, blocking him again.

“You don’t have a class.”

Preston angled back from me, narrowing his eyes. He was perceptive. Yes, that was one of the many attributes I was coming to admire about him. I’d just shown my hand and given him the upper one.

“You spoke to Serena?”

“Since you wouldn’t take my calls, that seemed like the best way to track you down.”

“Seems pretty underhanded, if you ask me.”

“Yeah, well, you weren’t answering me. So if going to my daughter to get your schedule is the only way to find you, then you can bet your ass I’m going to do it.”

“Don’t need to bet for it, Archer.” He leaned in close and whispered, “You already had it. Or did you forget?”

He went to push past me a third time, but I still wasn’t having it. I took hold of his arm and yanked him in close. “Oh, I didn’t forget, but you seemed to. It seems the only time you listen to me is when you’re naked in my bed.”

Preston’s pupils darkened, but when someone shouted out in the hall, the two of us jumped apart.

“You shouldn’t have come here. I was pretty clear I don’t want to talk.” Preston started up the stairs again.

“That’s too bad.” I followed him, taking the steps two at a time, and just as he was about to open the door, I slapped my hand on top of it. “Because I do.”

This was insane. I was fucking insane. To be standing in one of Astor’s classrooms, pinning a student to the door. I felt like I was the one back in university, and my body was reacting the same way.

“I’m not letting you leave, Preston. Not until we talk.”

Preston spun around then, his cheeks flushed as he fumed at me. “Okay, then talk. Tell me how in the several days we were staying at the Plaza, fucking, eating, talking, and fucking a little more, you managed to forget the fact that you have a date with someone else this weekend. Can you tell me that?”

When he said it like that, I sounded like an even bigger shit.

“Or maybe I fucked you too much. Made you brain dead?”

He was on a roll now, all the anger and hurt he’d been feeling finally boiling over. Did I deserve it? Yes. Was I going to put up with it much longer? No. I was not.

“Keep pushing, Preston,” I warned, and he narrowed his eyes.

“I’m not pushing, I’m talking. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yes, but like adu—” I cut my words off, but not quick enough—the fire in his eyes reignited.

“Like adults? Is that what you were going to say?” He scoffed. “I’m not the one who tracked you down and pinned you to a door in the middle of the day.”

“Preston—”

“So, Rodney… Does he kiss as good as me?”

“How would I know? This is our first date.”

“Oh, so it is a date?”

“No.” I shook my head, praying for patience. “It was planned before you and I were⁠—”

“Fucking? About that—do you think he’d let you fuck him in front of two other men? If not, I say it’s a downgrade. But hey, maybe you got your kicks with a young guy and are done with me now.”

Before I even knew I was going to, I shoved a leg between Preston’s and ground my body up against his. My stiff cock was a testament to the fact that I definitely wasn’t done with him. And his thick hard-on was proof he wasn’t done with me.

I lowered my head to the crook of his neck and inhaled. “Does that feel like I’m done with you?”

Preston’s head fell back against the door as our bodies collided. I wrapped my free arm around his waist to haul him even closer, then kissed my way up to his ear.

“With the way I’m feeling, I’ll never be fucking done with you.”

I slammed my mouth down on his, and he didn’t resist or push me away. His tongue was as starved for a taste of me as mine was, and he clenched my shirt, holding me tight to him.

All the anger and fire we’d both been feeling poured out into the kiss, turning it into a frenzied meeting of the mouths that had me forgetting where I was. I could only focus on making him shut up long enough to understand he was the one I wanted, no matter what was rational.

With one arm still around his waist, I reached up to his jaw, angling it so I could suck on his tongue. An acerbic mouth like his shouldn’t taste so sweet, but it did, and I devoured him like I’d never get the chance again.

The hand he fisted in my shirt pushed me away suddenly, ripping our mouths apart.

We were both breathing heavy as his gaze darted past me to the other door.

“We can’t,” he said, straightening off the door and forcing me to take a step back. “Not here.”

The fog lifted as I looked around the empty—for now—classroom, and I cursed.

“You know what? You really do make me brain dead.”

Preston tugged at his pullover, smoothing it back into place, and then picked up the bag he’d dropped when I reached for him. As he shouldered it, he schooled his expression.

Gone was the fury, as well as the lust that had temporarily taken over.

In its place was the mask of resignation, like he was slipping back into a role he was all too familiar with.

“You should go before anyone knows you’re here.”

“Preston.” I sighed. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you⁠—”

“No, you don’t need to apologize. I’m the one who’s sorry. Everything’s happened so fast and been so amazing, and when I heard about Rodney I just felt…stupid.”

“You’ve got nothing to feel stupid about. It was my mistake. I should’ve called you last night, but I wanted to tell you in person.”

“It doesn’t matter. What can we do?” He gave me a sad smile. “I’m going with Serena. Even if you were going without a date, it’s not like we could be together, right?”

I nodded reluctantly. “Right.”

“Just…don’t fall in love with him or anything.” He tried for a teasing tone, but I could hear the truth in his words.

I moved to cup his face, just to touch him one more time, but the door behind him jerked open suddenly, and I dropped my arm.

“Carrington.” Professor Tyrone Kingston looked at me in surprise, clearly not expecting to see me standing on the stairs of the lecture hall. It wasn’t until his gaze traveled to Preston that a furrow formed between his brows.

“Just finalizing everything for the Winter Ball volunteers,” I said smoothly. “I swear, the work never ends.”

“You couldn’t pay me enough to do that job.” King looked between the two of us again, his eyes seeing a little too much, as always, before coming back to land on me. “You’re a saint.”

Ha. All three of us knew what a lie that was. But I wasn’t about to stick around and make this any harder on Preston. As it was, he looked like he was going to pass out.

I gave a curt nod to King, then waved at Preston. “Right, so I’ll see you Saturday?”

Preston nodded like some kind of robot, his Adam’s apple bobbing like it was in a barrel of water. “Yes, Mr. Carrington. Of course.”

Jesus, the way those words affected me should’ve been a crime. I stepped around him and then past King, whose lips twitched as if he were biting back a smile.

“Have a good day, Archer.”