| 034 | Rhyot |

I finally told her everything, everything I've been keeping for decades buried inside of me for the fucking fear of being rejected. Everything is out, everything is laid out to her, I may not have confessed with the right straightforward words, but I said enough that even the bluntest of the people would understand how I'm fucking obsessed with her. Now she probably understands why my wallpapers are the color of her eyes and a drawing of her that I made years ago, or why my password is the moth and year of her birth, I know she connected the dots, I saw the look on her face when she handed me my phone with her softly delicate and shaky hand.

Sure, she's probably feeling overwhelmed, but she'll get through it.

And if she needs to, I'll repeat everything to her, over and over again.

But of course a fucking bastard would come and interrupt us, because when it isn't her damn mom or fucking Klaus, it's a goddamn gate keeper.

Clenching my jaw, I rolled down my window, glaring at the old men, "Yes?"

"Sir, only parents of the students enrolled in Ashton Hall are allowed in the private garage. Visitors cannot park inside, and new or old staff have a different garage. So, if you,"

"I'm a parent," I tilted my head at the men and he frowned.

"I've never seen you," he paused as his eyes went to Ruby behind me, and when he looked at me again, really looked at me, his eyes widened. "You are little Rhett's father," he concluded. "Oh, heavens, he looks identical to you."

"Yes, sir," I nodded. "Can you excuse use now?"

"Hi, Mr. Featherflame!" My Ruby greeted him and I felt annoyed.

"Hey, Mrs. Vaughan!" He exclaimed. "I take that you're Mr. Vaughan?"

"Crowther," I said instead. "Rhyot Crowther!"

His cheeks flushed and he nodded, "Alright then, I'll leave on your own," then the old men left us, finally, and I couldn't hide my annoyance.

"MrS. vAuGhAn," I mimicked him under my breath, unable to hold it, and when Ruby barked a laugh, I felt my heart warming, then I turned to her. "Laugh now, love, your days as Mrs. Vaughan are counted, I'll make you Mrs. Crowther by December 31st of 2026, before the turn of the new year."

She froze, laugh dying on her throat, cheeks flushing, "Don't do that, Rhys."

Fuck, I don't think I'll ever have enough of how addictively sweet my nickname sounds when it rolls out of her pouty round lips, that are so fucking soft to kiss, "Stay here for a second," I said instead, leaving the Chiron, walking to her door, opening it for her, leaning into her and inhaling her strawberry with vanilla and sandalwood scent, I unlocked her seatbelt, took her in my arms and stepped off the car, then closed the door with my hips, unlocking the car with the key in my hand that was behind her legs. "There we go."

"You can put me down," she said and I stared at her blinking. "I'm serious."

"Or, I can just carry and,"

"Put me down, please, or I'll get embarrassed," she groaned.

I sucked on my cheeks, "Embarrassed of me?"

Sigh, "No, of being carried like a damsel."

I clicked my tongue, "What's the problem in that?"

"Rhys," she stared deeply into my eyes, "put me down, please."

"I don't want to," I grinned amused at the blush in her pale cheeks.

She gasped, "If our son's classmates see this, they will taunt him about it."

Scowling, I carefully put her down, but I passed my arm around her waist, possessively enough that everyone will know she's mine, "Where now?"

Ruby groaned, "Why are you so territorial? You're like an animal."

"A very savage, dangerous, and possessive one, thank you, very much."

"Rhys, that was not a compliment," she scoffed, glaring up at me.

"My arm around your waist or you in my arms, pick, one or another, love."

She narrowed her beautiful eyes at me, challenging me, I narrowed mine, taking her up on the challenge, way more stubborn than she is, and she groaned in annoyance, "Fine, arsehole. The arm around my waist."

"That's my good girl," I purred grinning widely and she gave me a scowl.

"You're insufferable," she said under her breath, walking further inside.

"Are you sure, you don't want me to carry you, love?" I asked, smiling at how her strides were slow and shorts, and she side-glared me, which was adorable since she had to look up, given how short she is, even with the boots on.

"I'm not letting our son be bullied for this, just because you're jealous of the bloody damn ground, Rhys," she hissed through clenched teeth, poker face on.

"Goddamned right, I am," I grinned shamelessly, following her in her pace, even though one long step from me would be worthy three of hers. Cute. I didn't pay attention in anything else, only on her as we walked further inside the huge private school, as she seemed to know the place with the palm of her small hand. "So, this schools goes to what grade, love?"

"Senior high," she turned left and so did I. "It's an elite school, really hard to get in with an acceptance rate of 9%, it only takes the smartest kids and the tuition is salty, but it's bloody worthy it," her poker face softened and a ghost of a smile curled her beautiful lips. "60% of the teachers are from Oxford, 30% are from Harvard, and the other 10% are from Ivy Leagues, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge University, and Julliard. It has a campus for students who don't reside in London, which makes up 80% of the students, actually, only 20% are from here, and only the ones who are, are able to leave the school grounds to sleep at home and to be out on weekends."

"Is that why you're so worried our son could be expelled?" I asked.

A nod, "Yes, because this is the best school in London, and it'll be the best for him, it's good enough to know how to teach a kid as smart as Rhett, how to work his brain, because that's a hard task. He also likes it here, and now there's Lloyd, and though they are the smartest kids in their class, everyone is smart, because that's a qualification to get in here to begin with. Just being rich doesn't make the cut, because they hold importance in the name Ashton Hall carries."

"How long has he been in here for?"

"A full year," she sounded relieved.