“I wonder if the police have talked to my dad yet.”
Temps and I glanced at each other before eyeing Lizzie, concerned for her obviously, but also feeling guilty.At least I was.I’d been the one to wipe him thanks to Cerberus making a home in my soul, and I could feel what it was like to take those memories away.
“Are you okay, Lizzie?I know it was hard to lose your dad.”Temps reached over me, taking her hand.
“I’ll be fine.It’s just…weird.”Lizzie smiled at both of us, cocking her head to the side.“But I have you guys.I feel less alone than I ever have, I promise you.”
“Speaking of,” Temps shuffled about in the bed, sitting up tall as she looked both of us in the eye in turn, “what are we going to do about this?Like, are Lizzie and I going to keep living in the dorm?Or are we living here?Do we tell people?Do we not?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.Temps was certainly the planner of the two of them, and part of me really appreciated that she wanted to get this all straight.I wasn’t a wishy-washy type of guy myself.I liked knowing my place, our place, and it felt good to know that she’d been thinking about all this.Hell, it felt damn great to hear her mention living here.I wanted both of them with me all the time.
“Fuck, babe.”Lizzie rolled her eyes with a smirk.“Just lay it all out, why don’t you?Haha, I mean, you gave our poor professor like four seconds to think about it.”
“Actually,” I shrugged, pulling Temps to my lips for a forehead kiss and then yanking Lizzie up under my arm, “I’ve been thinking about it since we first had sex.I’m a planner, too.”
“Really?”Temps stare softened as she leaned in, and I was holding these two amazing women in my arms after all the fucking hell we’d just been through.
“Yes, little flower.”I squeezed them tight.“And…I’d love it if you both lived here.I just…I didn’t want to be pushy.I have a tendency to throw myself into something completely, and I knew that would be the case with you both, even more so.You’re…mine.”
And mine, sage.I chuckled, rolling my eyes.“Cerberus agrees.”
“I want to stay here.I want us all to be together.Lizzie?”Temps glanced at her with her brows up.
“Umm, duh.Of course, I want to stay.Not that your apartment is much bigger than our dorm.But the company is much better.”
“Fair.”I grinned, squishing Lizzie some.“But I do still think it’s smart to keep this under wraps.At least until neither of you is officially my student anymore.You’ll have your dorm for show, but next semester, you can move the rest of the stuff in here.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Temps declared, nodding with a smile.“But does that mean we need to lie to the dean?”
“Of all the people who get to be privy to this, I think Rebecca will actually understand.She also owes us big time for saving her life, so we have some leverage there.”
“Maybe during the rest of the year, we can work on finding a bigger place?”Lizzie sighed, looking up at the ceiling like she was imagining it.“I’d like something with a garden.And I’m sure you’ll both need a room for all your alchemy shit.”
We all laughed, settling in with absolutely no plans to do anything else for the rest of the day except enjoy each other’s company.
“And a room for all the toys.A proper sex dungeon so we don’t have to go visit that club unless we want to.”
Temps stared at Lizzie in shock, but all I could do was grin, from ear to fucking ear.That sounded like a fantastic idea.Even so, I could make due without one for the day.Cerberus growled inside my head, happily agreeing.
“The kitchen will suffice for today.”
Both of them stared at me, that humming sensation warming my skin and eyes as Cerberus crawled to the surface.
Yup, I can definitely get used to this.
A week later…
“Thankyouforcoming.I’ve been looking forward to finally getting the school year started again, and I wanted to discuss a few things with you all.”
The dean sat behind her oversized wooden desk, the dark room of mahogany and gothic architecture smelling like old books and incense.She smiled across at the three of us as we sat in the brown suede chairs before her desk, her fingers gently crossed as her hands rested on the desktop.I was glad that she was looking better.
“Of course, Dean Owens.How can we be of service?”I knew Rebecca would appreciate the decorum, and right on cue, she smiled over at us.
“I would like you to return to teaching spell casting for the remainder of the semester while I look for a new hire, but in the spring, I’m elevating you to the post of alchemy professor.”
Nodding, I offered a gracious smile, putting my hand on my chest.“Thank you, Dean.I look forward to being back in the laboratory.”
“As for you two,” she flicked her eyes to Temps, “Ms.Montgomery, I have passed you for spell casting.I think the show you put on at the carnival was quite enough of a final exam.You’ll be moving up to alchemy with Professor Harkert…as his assistant.Formally this time.”
