Page 34 of Overeager (Extra Credit #1)

Eli

E li stayed right where he was—secure in Noah’s lap—as he hit Richard’s contact info, turning the phone to speaker as it rang.

Noah wouldn’t be participating in the conversation—this was Eli’s mess to clean up—but he had every right to listen in. Richard was obviously going to try to use their relationship as some kind of leverage, and it was just as much Noah’s business as Eli’s.

Richard picked up on the second ring.

“Lijah,” he said smoothly, not an ounce of surprise in his voice. “I’ve been waiting for your call.”

Eli settled back against Noah’s chest, breathing in his alpha’s comforting pheromones to keep his voice cool and even. “I’m sure you have.”

There was a beat of silence, as if Richard hadn’t been expecting that response, but he smoothed it over quickly. “Are you all right? I’ve been very … concerned, Lijah. Very concerned.”

Eli’s eye roll was epic, even if Richard couldn’t actually see it. “I’m perfectly fine. Great, even.”

“And the alpha student who was lurking in your home during your heat?” Richard asked, his tone almost casual. “The one who resorted so quickly to violence?”

Noah’s arm tightened around Eli’s middle, and Eli patted at it soothingly. “He’s great too. He was invited, Richard. As I’m sure you could tell by the pheromones in my home. We’re … partners.”

Noah nuzzled the back of Eli’s neck silently, and Eli smiled in spite of himself. Yes, they were partners. And it felt fucking amazing to say it out loud.

Any lingering concern in Richard’s voice—fake as it had been to begin with—was replaced immediately by clipped anger.

“I saw him in your classroom, Eli. A student? Really?” He let out a bitter, condescending laugh.

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?

Did the divorce mess with your head that badly? ”

There were so many things Eli could say.

About the hypocrisy, for example, of a man who’d slept with his own employee—cheating on his husband as he did it—lecturing Eli on ethics.

But a long, drawn-out argument was exactly what Richard wanted.

A chance to twist words and open old wounds.

Eli wasn’t giving it to him. Not now. Not ever again.

He let out a breath, releasing everything that wasn’t worth mentioning with it. “This isn’t something I’m going to discuss with you, Richard. It’s not your business.”

“Well, perhaps it’s something you’ll discuss with the dean.”

Eli had been expecting this move, of course. It sucked majorly, but he wasn’t shocked. Perhaps a little disappointed. Had he really been married to a man this underhanded? And for an entire decade? “You’ve already told him, then?”

“As I said, I’ve been concerned.”

Eli barked out a laugh. “So concerned you went to my boss first thing.”

“I could have gone to the police. Your student ”—Richard placed deliberate emphasis on the word—“hit me. That’s assault.”

Noah stiffened underneath him, and Eli bristled. No way. This wasn’t happening. Richard could say what he wanted about torching Eli’s career, but he didn’t get to threaten Noah. Not under Eli’s watch.

He kept patting Noah’s arm, trying to let him know wordlessly that nothing bad would happen to him. That Eli wouldn’t let it. “You really want to get the law involved, Richard?” he hissed into the phone. “You were trying to come uninvited into an omega’s home while they were in heat.”

“You’re being irrational, Lijah.” Richard let out a disappointed sigh, like the weight of the world rested on his upstanding shoulders.

“The timing was a mere coincidence.” His voice firmed.

“I think this has all gone on long enough, don’t you?

It’s time you came home. Letting you go was a mistake, and I freely admit it.

I thought you might mature if left to your own devices, perhaps realize where your priorities should lie. But you’re clearly floundering.”

Well, then.

Faith had been right about Richard’s motives. The absurdity of it all was breathtaking, really. The delusion—the pompousness—required to think Eli would ever come back to him. That Eli would ever be the sort of husband Richard wanted.

And he didn’t even want Eli back. Not really. He was just pissed he’d lost a possession.

Eli clasped Noah’s arm firmly, anchoring himself to what mattered.

“I am home, Richard. If you need to contact me again, it will be through my lawyer. The way you tried to enter my home when you did could earn you an assault charge of your own. And if you try to take Noah down, I will drag you right the fuck down with us. Understand?”

He didn’t wait for confirmation as he hit the end-call button. He was done.

“Baby.” Noah’s hand landed on top of his, covering Eli’s knuckles. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m angry ,” Eli told him, sharp as a curse, trying to keep himself from clenching his hands into useless fists. “Faith was right. He’s trying to creep back into my life, and he’s willing to threaten you to do it.”

“It’ll be okay,” Noah soothed, as if he hadn’t panicked at the mention of an assault charge. Eli could still smell the anxiety in his pheromones, acidic and unsettled.

Eli straightened, shifting to the side so he could meet Noah’s gaze squarely.

“Of course it will,” he said firmly. Unlike Noah, it wasn’t fear of consequences pissing Eli off.

It was the inanity of it all. The pointlessness.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Noah.

It’s just so … idiotic. Nonsensical.” He shook his head. “I used to think he was intelligent.”

That earned him a small smile, but then Noah’s lips tipped back down into a frown. “The dean knows.”

“He does.” Eli cleared his throat, trying to suppress his own nerves, to be a calm, steady presence for Noah. “I’m going to email him about a meeting now, for as soon as he’s available. And you , meanwhile, need to catch up on your missed exams.”

“Eli …”

Eli cupped Noah’s cheek. “It will be okay,” he soothed again.

“There are other universities. And in the meantime …” He cocked his head, a smile that might even have been genuine playing on his lips.

“Did you know I’ve always wanted to write a book?

I have more than enough research material.

Faith’s been hounding me about it for years.

If I had a break from lectures and grading …

” Eli shrugged, letting the rest go unspoken.

Noah’s smile returned. “I don’t take summer classes,” he mused tentatively.

“So I have the whole summer off. The plan was for me to join my dad’s business after undergrad.

But I could always decide to pursue my MBA, stay a student a while longer.

We could rent a place over the summers,” he said, picking up steam.

“Some cabin in the mountains or maybe on the coast. You can write. I can hike and swim and make sure you remember to eat.”

Eli could picture it. The two of them coexisted so easily together already—what would it be like to have all that time together, just the two of them?

Heaven. It would be heaven.

He pressed a kiss to Noah’s cheek. “That sounds perfect, sweetheart.” He tried to stand, only to find himself locked in place by Noah’s broad arm. He slapped at it gently. “Come on. Enough dillydallying. You need to get in touch with your professors.”

Noah nuzzled his head into Eli’s shoulder. “I have one of my professors right here.”

Eli laughed, but he still managed to slip out of Noah’s hold with some sly twisting, dancing out of his reach when Noah tried to catch him again. “No, no. No more snuggling. There’s work to be done.”

Noah had a bemused look on his face as he sat there, staring at Eli. “I’ve never seen you so … amped. I thought you’d be more upset.”

“You know what?” Eli said as he gathered both their laptops.

“It’s kind of exhilarating, actually. I never got to stand up for myself much before.

I’ve always been one more for … quiet perseverance, I guess.

For better or for worse. But that phone call felt good .

And the meeting with the dean will go how it will go.

” He placed Noah’s laptop in front of him, then leaned in close enough to poke a finger into Noah’s firm chest. “No regrets.”

Noah gave him a broad grin, dimples and all. “No regrets.”

Eli strode down the university hallway, trying to breathe out his nerves in time with his steps. Left foot, breathe in, right foot, breathe out.

The dean had agreed to a Monday afternoon meeting, and the speed of his reply was confirmation enough that Richard hadn’t been bluffing.

The dean knew.

Eli had taken the weekend to catch up on his grading and get his classes in order. If he was fired— when he was fired, most likely—at least he could say he wasn’t leaving a mess for anyone. It was a small point of pride but not one he was willing to let go of.

Now the time for his reckoning had come, and Eli’s earlier bravado had fled the premises.

He’d never liked getting scolded by teachers growing up—that fear of reprimand was part of what had made him such a good student—and he didn’t think he was going to enjoy getting scolded by his boss any more than that.

Still, he let himself into the outer room of the dean’s office, greeting Ashley, Dean Poke’s assistant. “Morning, Ashley.”

She smiled at him warmly. “Professor Miller.”

Ashley wasn’t looking at him like he was a creep or a pariah, so Eli had to assume she hadn’t been informed yet. He smiled back, although the gesture felt a bit awkward on his lips. “Is he ready for me?”

“Go right in.”

“Great.” Eli swallowed through a tight throat. “Thank you.”

He entered the inner office after a swift warning knock, closing the door quickly behind him. Dean Poke didn’t rise to greet him, but he did turn away from his computer, giving Eli his full attention.

“Eli.”