Page 37

CHAPTER 37

MARCUS

"Alright, it's no cabin in the woods, but this isn't bad, is it?"

Ashton pouts a little, but I see his smile in my periphery. He pulls me tighter against his body, water and bubbles sloshing everywhere.

I look over the edge of the massive jacuzzi tub. "We're going to need more towels."

"So, what do you think?" Ashton asks, his lips brushing over the back of my neck. "Do you think you could get used to this lifestyle?"

I hum, goosebumps breaking out over the nape of my neck and shoulders as I consider his words.

It's certainly different. I'd been surprised how quickly the endorsement deals came pouring in once it was confirmed CVU would be in the playoffs. There was a part of me that expected to get fewer or even no endorsements once my relationship with Ashton was made public, but I was pleasantly surprised when that actually brought us opportunities we hadn't considered before. And now we have multiple opportunities to work with companies that support the LGBTQ+ community.

That's how we ended up here, sitting in a luxury suite, with more money than I think my family has made in their lifetimes sitting in my bank account. The call from the major sports brand came the morning after our big game with GSU. A clip from the end of the game, of me running into Ashton's arms, went viral and the executives decided on the spot that they wanted the two of us to be the faces of their upcoming line of pride merch and apparel. Once we agreed to take the job, everything moved fast. We took a private plane to Los Angeles, met with some administrative executives to sign some papers, and our first photo shoot is scheduled for tomorrow. The company is even paying for us to stay in this hotel and for all our meals and expenses while we're here. It'll likely be a long couple of days of photo shoots and recording promotional videos for commercials, but for the amount of money they're paying each of us, plus the percentage of profits they showed would be going to LGBTQ+ youth outreach, I really don't mind. I've worked much harder for less.

"It's all about to happen for you, baby. Scouts are lining up to watch you play in the championship tournament, and even if we lose in the first round, you're expected to be a first-round draft pick. You deserve to live like this always, to never struggle another day in your life."

"You're the one that wants the fame and excess, not me," I chuckle, weirdly uncomfortable at the thought of so much changing overnight. This endorsement deal alone is enough to live off of for years for people like me. The thought that this could be the new norm is almost daunting. "I never aspired to play for the NBA."

It's not that I'm not tempted. I love basketball. It's the thing that got me through every hard moment of my life. It’s what carried me, paid for my education, and brought me to Ashton. To play in the NBA, to make it in the big leagues, is pretty damn amazing. I never thought it was in the cards for me, but now that the possibility is here, I can't help but be excited for the future.

"What about you, Princess? You'll be able to continue on in the standard of living that you're accustomed to, rather than having to slum it with me."

Ashton laughs. "I do have high standards. Good thing I found me a sexy sugar daddy."

I snort. "You say that like our bios aren't side by side on that draft list. It's a toss up who they'll pick first. Your height gives you an advantage."

He shifts nervously, and I know something's up. I'm expecting him to make a cocky joke or turn it into a sexy competition, but he's oddly quiet.

"What's up?"

"I think I might not enter the draft." He says it slowly, like he's not sure about the words coming out of his mouth.

More water sloshes over the rim of the tub as I turn towards him, sitting back on my heels between his knees. "What do you mean? Isn't this what you always wanted?"

"It was. Or I thought it was."

I'm confused. He’s always told me that the NBA was his ticket out, the only way he could get away from his dad and the pressures to take over AJames Enterprises. He didn't think he could survive in the real world, as he put it. The NBA was his only option and the only goal he's ever had, other than getting under my skin.

"I think I want to go to grad school."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah. I think… I think I shouldn’t avoid my legacy. I don't need the attention and adoration of fans to make me feel like I'm something I'm not."

I try really hard to school my face to disguise my shock, but I can't. Is he saying that he wants to work for his father's company?

My eyes narrow. "Have you been body snatched?"

Ash laughs. "It's not exactly what you're thinking. And I'm honestly not one hundred percent sure how to pull it all off, but I have ideas."

"Tell me," I encourage him.

"I'd like to pursue an MBA with a focus in ethics and social justice. There are degree programs that are aimed towards environmentally sustainable business practices, as well as social impact management. If I'm going to be the heir to one of the wealthiest, most influential companies in the country, maybe I can change how we do things. AJames Enterprises has been a pillar of corporate greed and unethical business practices. You overheard what kind of deals my dad was making under the table."

He takes a deep breath. "I have a chance to fix the damage my family has caused, a path to repay the greed that I've benefitted from my entire life. I could actually make a difference instead of running away, the way I always have."

With every word that comes out of his mouth, I'm more impressed by the man in front of me. His hands gesture wildly as he describes some of his vision for his father's company, the legacy that he's been running from his whole life.

"Maybe it's dumb, but I feel like I've been searching for something my entire life. I grew up with everything being handed to me on a silver platter, but it wasn't until I was willing to give it all up that I realized what I want isn't attention, it isn't a lifestyle of excessive wealth and privilege, and it isn't fitting into a world that I never felt I belonged. What I've been searching for is a purpose, something to make sense of my place in this world that I've felt like I was drowning in."

I imagine my face looks like the crying heart eyes emoji right now. I'm fucking swooning over this passionate side of my princess. "This is amazing, Ash. You're amazing."

He shakes his head, pulling me close and resting his forehead against mine. "It's because of you, Marcus. From the time we were five years old, you made me see the world differently. Even when I didn't understand or was too confused or scared to do anything about it, I thought about things and noticed things the people around me didn't. Like despite losing everything and struggling, your home was filled with happiness and love. Or that you worked a hundred times harder than anyone else and appreciated your opportunities more for it. Or that, out of every single filthy rich person I know, you're the only one that gives back to your community or cares about the people around you."

"You're saying my princess figured out that money isn't everything?"

"People over profit, baby."

My cock twitches. " Ugh, don't go full socialist on me now. My libido can't handle it."

"I have a meeting with my father on Sunday when we get back. We're going to have lunch, and I'm going to pitch him my ideas for a new direction for AJames Enterprises."

"And by that, you mean you're going to blackmail him into being a better person?"

Ashton shrugs. "Whatever it takes."

"God, just when I thought you couldn't get sexier…" More water and suds slosh to the floor as I straddle his lap and kiss him deeply. We moan in unison as I reach between us and line his cock up to my entrance and sink down, the inside of my hole still wet with lube and his cum from the fuckfest we had on every surface of the hotel suite before we climbed into the tub.

Bracing against the tub on either side of his shoulder, I rasp into his mouth as I start to ride him.

"Fill me with some of that goodness, Princess."