Forbidden Lessons Read online

  Forbidden Lessons

  Henley Maverick

  Contents

  Dedication

  Copyright

  1. McKinley

  2. Knight

  3. McKinley

  4. Knight

  5. McKinley

  6. Knight

  7. McKinley

  8. Knight

  9. McKinley

  10. Knight

  11. McKinley

  12. Knight

  13. McKinley

  14. Knight

  15. McKinley

  16. Knight

  17. McKinley

  18. Knight

  19. McKinley

  20. Knight

  21. McKinley

  22. Knight

  23. McKinley

  24. Knight

  25. McKinley

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Henley Maverick

  Sneak Peek

  To Michael

  For always being my #1 supporter

  Copyright © 2018 by Henley Maverick

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Printed in the United States of America

  One

  McKinley

  There was no way I could concentrate on my chemistry homework when, just outside my apartment window, there was a nasty storm ravaging the campus. Las Positas University was getting pummeled by torrential rain and the violent barrage had not let up since the morning. But, it was almost 3pm and thanks to hours of dreary weather, all I wanted to do was to curl up in a ball and fall asleep.

  For the past few hours, I had pretty much been stuck in the same position, my pencil hovering idly above my paper. I had not been able to get past the first problem, which required me to draw an example of chemical bonding. I had a vague idea of what I was supposed to be doing, but for some reason, the answer wasn’t coming as easy as it usually does, so I just started trying random options. I figured that it would be a serviceable strategy for the remainder of the annoying worksheet.

  My chemistry professor, Professor Cates, had given me this crap to help try and raise my grade in the subject moving forward. Actually, she had given me an entire packet of worksheets, along with a mammoth textbook to study over the summer. It wasn’t exactly how I wanted to spend my vacation, but when my grade point average was hardly where it needed to be, what choice did I have?

  I needed to maintain at least a 3.2 GPA in order to keep my scholarship and stay at Las Positas. I was barely able to keep my head above water this past spring semester, sneaking through with a 3.24. The only way I even managed that was by dropping chemistry, but I knew I would have to face the music eventually. With the fall semester fast approaching, my day of reckoning was almost upon me.

  To prepare for it, I was jotting down notes from the massive book that the professor had loaned me, while trying to simultaneously knock out the ridiculous practice sheets. I would have preferred to have been sipping tea and reading a novel while listening to the falling rain, which seemed a lot more appealing than more chemistry homework.

  The book I was currently engrossed in sat temptingly on the corner of my desk within arm’s reach, and it looked like my get out of jail free card. There was nothing like a good book to help me escape the mind-numbing repetition of homework. I was a book junkie and my idea of a great time was curling up on a rainy day with a romance or mystery classic. I had been known to lose track of time completely and finish a book in an afternoon. But I didn’t have time for that now. If I had any chance of making it through my senior year, I couldn’t give in to distractions.

  Yet, my mind started to drift from the chemistry problem again, and I realized that maybe I needed some extra help. It was August, summer was winding down, and I was tired. I had devoted heaps of hours per day for months to going over this content, and much of it still wasn’t registering with me. I didn’t want to just wing it through the rest of the practice problems without understanding them. I would only be doing myself a disservice if I guessed all the way through. So, I decided to consult the internet for a little guidance.

  Back in high school, whenever I found myself at a total dead end, especially with math and science, I would go online and watch videos to help me understand. As a marine sciences major, I thought that I would have a good grasp on all subgenres of science, but for some reason, chemistry was always a hurdle.

  I grabbed the white earbuds that hung over my desk lamp and plugged them into my phone, hoping I could shut out the relentless downpour outside, then opened up the video app on my phone. I searched ‘Lewis dot structure,’ and a bunch of results came up that looked helpful. I clicked on the first video I saw, from someone using the ridiculous name KewlScyence, and prepared to learn everything I could. But as soon as I started watching the video and taking notes, it was interrupted when my phone flashed with my best friend Evie’s face.

  I rolled my eyes. What could she possibly want right now? I thought. I honestly didn’t feel like being bothered and was tempted to hit ‘decline.’ But I couldn’t do that to my best friend. We had known each other since middle school and, even though she made me want to rip my hair out most of the time, I wouldn’t trade her in for the world.

  “What up, girlie.” I answered, a statement more than a question.

  “Kiki! What are ya doing?” I absolutely hated that nickname and she knew it, but she refused to stop using it.

  “Oh, nothing. You just totally ruined my study session, but it’s cool,” I replied, aimlessly wrapping and unwrapping the cord of my earbuds around my index finger.

  “You can’t be serious,” Evie chuckled with disbelief. “You’re studying? What is wrong with you? It’s the end of summer. What the hell could you be studying now?”

  “I have to! I am retaking one of my chemistry classes this coming semester, and I need to gear up for it.”

  “Wait, what?” Evie gasped with surprise. “Did you drop it last semester?”

  “Yeah, I did,” I said sheepishly, kneading my forehead. I was known for being a pretty good student, from kindergarten to now, so openly admitting that I had to let go of a class was a huge kick to my ego. So much so that I didn’t even tell my best friend what was going on. “Since we’re being honest, I have a few major classes I’m kind struggling in.”

  “Wow. I am so offended that you kept that from me, McKinley, oh my goodness,” Evie said with a touch of melodrama. “But anyway, I didn’t call to discuss school. I was actually calling to see if you wanted to hang with me and the girls tonight.”

  “Evie, no. I really need to study. Like, I’ve literally been sitting here in the same spot for hours, trying to understand this damn problem.”

  “So, you got nothing accomplished with your little study session?”

  “Well, I did scribble a few notes and stuff, but…”

  “That’s all you need! Unless you’re writing a dissertation, lengthy notes are not necessary. So, c’mon!”

  “Evie. I have to understand the material. Not just write down a few unintelligible notes.”

  “McKinley, everyone needs a night off! Why are you being so difficult?” Evie whined. She sounded like a spoiled little girl on the verge of tears. “We haven’t had a girls’ night in ages.” I could see her now, through the phone, poking out her bottom lip with widened puppy eyes. It was her signature go-to pout whenever she tried to convince me to do something.

&nb
sp; I sighed, trying to prevent myself from cracking under peer pressure. “Where are you guys going anyway?” I asked, for a moment actually considering the offer.

  “We going to Frankie’s.” Evie’s tone changed from disheartened to eager immediately. “Just to eat and catch up, nothing crazy.”

  I wasn’t sure if I believed that. Knowing Evie, if she got her way, she would have us playing drunken strip poker at some fraternity house by the end of the night.

  “I am a little hungry. I could use a drink, too,” I admitted.

  “See? This is exactly why you should come out with us. Take a break, get away from your work, and unwind.”

  “I can’t just get away from my work, Evie. It’s just going to be waiting here for me when I get back.”

  “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.”

  I rolled my eyes again.

  “I just want you to relax for once and be twenty-one, that’s all.”

  “I don’t know, I’ll think about it,” I said dryly, twirling my earbuds around like a propeller. “And have you taken a peek outside? It’s disgusting out there!”

  “Nice try, but that’s supposed to let up by this evening. Stop being such a homebody! Young lady, if I have to drag your ass out of that apartment, I will! You deserve this. You work so hard all the time.”

  I sucked in a large breath through my nose and let out a conceding exhale. “Okay. Alright. I’ll go out with you guys, but only if you agree to buy me a drink. Deal?”

  “Deal!” Evie yelled happily before hanging up. I sighed and dropped my head into my hands.

  Why am I such a pushover?

  Two

  Knight

  With an exhausted sigh, I surveyed my surroundings and really took everything in for the first time. My new place wasn’t half bad. It was an old house, but structurally, it was in mint condition. Before I moved in, the walls had been redone, new flooring was put down in the bathrooms and kitchen, and all of the windows were replaced. The house was going to cost me an arm and a leg per month, but when you lived in the University District, it was considered normal to pay half your salary in rent.

  Plus, based on what the owner had told me about the historical significance of the place, and the heads of the university who lived there prior to me, the amount was actually reasonable. Then again, he might have just been feeding me a load of shit to justify the steep rent. Regardless if what he said was true, all I knew was that geographically, the place was convenient because it was close to my new job at the university. It was either here, or a loft way out in the suburbs where the commute would have been brutal.

  Anyway, I preferred the idea of having a house, even if it made me stand out among my neighbors. As a thirty-year-old, single chemistry professor renting a huge, five-bedroom house in a neighborhood populated by retired judges, doctors, and business moguls, I definitely seemed a little odd. I was told that ninety percent of these folks had no actual affiliation with Las Positas, yet they chose to live only two miles away from the campus. Some of them could have very well been charitable donors to the school or major sponsors for campus events, but right away I had discerned something of a disconnect between them and the college.

  Once I realized that I couldn’t procrastinate unpacking any longer, I started opening boxes, and couldn’t help but wish I had someone to give me a hand in sorting through things. I stopped and imagined what it might feel like to be married, sorting through curtains and setting up guest rooms. Yet, marriage didn’t seem like something that was going to happen for me, because according to my friends, I was a huge flirt. And on top of being a flirt, I had always been really bad with commitment. It wasn’t intentional; I just hadn’t met anyone I wanted to settle down with.

  I wasn’t a player or a dick; at least, I didn’t think I was. My friends always told me I was just a funny, charming guy that people seemed to gravitate to. No matter what new situation I found myself in, I never had a hard time making friends. I’d only been in town a few days and already I’d connected with a few of my co-workers, all of whom seemed cool enough so far.

  Unfortunately, one of the women I met on an orientation day had already made me feel a little uncomfortable. Her name was Casaundra Evanston, and she had been at Las Positas for a decade, even though she wasn’t much older than me. According to one of the other professors, she was supposed to make tenure, but for one reason or another, it had been put off for a few years, and she had almost quit. Apparently, gossip was a major commodity at the university, and people traded it like it was worth its weight in gold.

  When I met Casaundra for the first time, she cornered me in the science department teacher’s lounge to introduce herself, and it felt really awkward.

  “You’re the new professor, huh? You look awful young,” she said with a scowl, as she swept her long black hair away from her face.

  I laughed, feeling my cheeks turn red in the process. It wasn’t a reaction I was used to, especially around a woman, but something about her put me off my game. “I don’t think I’m much younger than you.”

  “I bet you have a few less PhDs than me though, right?”

  I didn’t want to come off rude, so I tried to laugh her insult off, but I just wanted to get away from her. But, instead of letting me escape, for some reason, she seized the opportunity to be my personal tour guide and show me around campus. I did need someone to show me around, since I hadn’t been given a proper tour yet. But, as much as I needed directions, I declined her offer. I figured that if I was going to be working here for the next ten years or so, I should be looking for these places on my own, just to get a feel for the university. Plus… I was afraid she’d lead me down an alley and drain me of my blood.

  Casaundra respected my wish to wander around myself and begrudgingly let me leave the orientation without her. But, earlier today, when I ran out for cleaning supplies, we ran into each other again at the grocery store. She pulled me aside in the condiment aisle with an excited and echoing laugh and told me that she and some of the other professors were going out for dinner and drinks that evening and that I should join them. We exchanged numbers, and she said that she would let me know where they were going to meet.

  As of now, I was still waiting to hear from her. I wouldn’t be surprised if I never heard from her at all; the invite seemed a little forced. Truthfully, I kind of hoped she just forgets, because I wasn’t really in the mood to go out, especially in light of the storm that had just blown in.

  Then, out of nowhere, my phone vibrated on the table next to me. It was Casaundra. “Shit,” I mumbled out loud as I grabbed the phone and read her text.

  Hey, Knight. We are going to Frankie’s tonight if you still wanted to join us. We’re meeting there at about 6:30. Stop by if you can.

  There were no emojis in her message. There were no exclamation points. In fact, it felt completely devoid of emotion, to the point I was a little uncomfortable. I could tell she didn’t really want me there and honestly, I didn’t really want to accept the invitation, but this would be a good opportunity to meet more of the professors in the science department. I could use some pointers from some of the more seasoned faculty, if in fact they were tagging along at dinner at all. Something told me, though, that this outing would mostly involve only the younger professors. Frankie’s catered more to a more youthful clientele.

  As I stared at my phone and debated what to do, thunder rolled across the sky without warning, a sound which made me seriously consider staying home. But I also suddenly realized that I’d been so busy unpacking, I hadn’t eaten all day, and it was nearing 6pm. So, I decided I’d go and have dinner with my colleagues, then leave if Casaundra made it weird or I wasn’t having a good time.

  I looked down at my clothes and decided that I definitely needed to change out of my dusty, ragged jeans, knock-around sneakers, and paint-splattered maroon T-shirt. People tended to get dressed up when they went to Frankie’s, and I didn’t want to stand out by looking like a schlub on my fir
st night out with new co-workers. After some debate, I decided on a gray designer blazer, a white button-down, some black slim-fitted pants, and a pair of suede, smoke gray loafers. I hoped I wasn’t over-dressed, but I figured over was better than under.

  Once I was changed, I headed back downstairs, making a quick turn for the kitchen to grab a pack of peanut butter crackers. I needed to scarf something before I left the house, just to get my energy up a little. I was close to running on empty. Then, I threw on my black pea coat, snatched up an umbrella, and headed outside into the torrential downpour.

  I could only hope something happened that made it worth going out into the horrible weather…

  Three

  McKinley

  As hard as I tried to stay cooped up in my apartment, I was glad that Evie had coaxed me to come out. The evening was turning out to be fun, despite my initial reluctance to leave my work behind. It felt good to hang out with my friends, laugh, and just relax for a change.

  Frankie’s wasn’t as crowded tonight as it usually was, but that wasn’t much of a surprise since there was still a storm raging outside. Neither the rain, nor the winds, nor the threatening thunder had quieted like Evie said they would. But I wasn’t going to let that dampen my spirits.

  The girls and I had settled into a cozy booth at the far end of the restaurant and had already ordered some drinks. After fifteen minutes, the waiter finally brought our appetizer tray out. Everything on it looked scrumptious, much like the guy who served them to us. His name was Buzz, and he was a young cutie, about nineteen or twenty. He was kind of bumbling and timid, but seemed to be a nice guy nonetheless. I could also tell we were making him nervous.

  If I was in his shoes, I’d be nervous too, tending to a table with five young women from college. Between me, Evie, my roommate Addison, and our friends Dacia and Holden, there was no denying that we were a fun and lovely group of ladies. Which is why Buzz probably looked so panicked every time he came back to our table.