The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 20

Aveline

The rest of the day at Arlington Academy passed in a blur of unexpected pleasantness. Ever since Orion's dramatic arrival with his convoy, every single staff member had transformed into the picture of professionalism around me. Teachers who'd barely acknowledged my existence before were now offering helpful suggestions and genuine smiles. Even the administrative staff seemed eager to assist with anything I needed.

The most dramatic change was in Catherine. Instead of her usual sniping and passive-aggressive comments, she floated through the halls with a dreamy expression, constantly checking her phone and reapplying her lipstick. She was clearly still high on the fantasy that Orion Blackwell was personally interested in her "collection" of family heirlooms.

Poor Catherine. If only she knew what she'd walked into.

Ryan's day had been equally successful. He'd participated in group activities, shared his toys with other children, and even volunteered to help hand out art supplies. Watching him bloom in this environment, seeing him discover that other kids actually enjoyed his company when he gave them a chance, filled me with a warmth that had nothing to do with professional satisfaction.

 At exactly five o'clock, I heard the familiar purr of an expensive engine outside. Through the classroom window, I could see Orion's sleek black sports car pulling up to the academy's entrance. No convoy this time—just him.

"Miss Aveline!" Ryan appeared at my elbow, his face bright with excitement. "Daddy's here to pick you up for dinner!"

Before I could respond, I heard footsteps in the hallway, and then Orion appeared in the classroom doorway. He looked devastatingly handsome in his tailored suit, and the sight of him made my stomach do that familiar nervous flutter.

"Ms. Reeves," he said with a warm smile. "Ready for dinner?"

My mouth went dry. The reality of being alone with him for an entire evening suddenly felt overwhelming. I looked down at Ryan like he was a life preserver in stormy seas.

"Actually," I said, turning to Ryan as if he were my last hope, "why don't you come with us, Ryan? We could find a family-friendly restaurant."

Ryan looked between his father and me with those perceptive dark eyes, then gave me the most mature smile I'd ever seen on a five-year-old's face.

"No thank you, Miss Aveline," he said seriously. "Mitchell told me that when a man takes a lady out to dinner to thank her, it's supposed to be like a date. And kids aren't supposed to come on dates because that would be weird."

Both Orion and I froze.

"Ryan..." Orion's voice came out strangled.

"It's okay, Daddy," Ryan continued with innocent enthusiasm. "Mitchell explained that sometimes grown-ups need alone time to talk about grown-up things. And he's making me spaghetti and meatballs, which is way better than whatever fancy food you'll probably order."

I felt my face burning red. "Ryan, this isn't a—"

"Mitchell is very smart about these things," Ryan interrupted, patting my hand like he was the adult comforting a nervous child. "He says you're very pretty and Daddy should treat you like a proper gentleman. So you two go have your grown-up dinner, and I'll be good and stay home."

Orion looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor. The confident, commanding businessman had been completely undone by a few innocent words from his five-year-old. His face cycled through several shades of red as he seemed to question every life choice that had led to this moment.

My embarrassment eased considerably watching his obvious discomfort. There was something endearing about seeing him so thoroughly flustered.

"Well then," I said, gathering my composure along with Ryan's backpack, "I suppose we should get going."

Twenty minutes later, after dropping Ryan off at the estate and watching him run to Mitchell with obvious joy, I found myself alone in a car with the man I'd sexually assaulted five days ago.

The silence stretched between us as Orion navigated the Manhattan traffic with practiced ease. I stared out the window, trying to appear calm while my internal panic reached new heights.

The morning's display of power kept replaying in my mind. Twelve black SUVs. Twelve. Like he was some kind of head of state. And according to Principal Foster, this was actually restrained behavior for him. She'd mentioned before that there were dark rumors about the Blackwell family's reach—how people who offended them had a way of disappearing from society entirely. Not killed, just... erased.

If he discovered what I'd done to him...

But then I thought about Catherine, still glowing with excitement over his supposed interest in her jewelry. I should probably feel bad about watching Catherine walk straight into a trap, but let's be real—she'd orchestrated her own downfall. 

Hard to feel sorry for someone whose greed had blinded them to the obvious danger signs.

"Ms. Reeves?" Orion's voice made me jump. "Are you alright? You seem... tense. Is the air conditioning too cold?"

"No, no, I'm fine," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about Ryan's progress today."

"He did seem happy when I picked him up," Orion said, his voice warm with genuine affection. "The teachers were telling me he participated in everything. I can't remember the last time I've seen him so social."

"He's a remarkable child," I managed. "He just needed the right environment to feel safe."

"Thanks to you." Orion glanced at me with an expression that might have been gratitude or something more calculating. "So, what kind of cuisine do you prefer? I was thinking French—there's an excellent place in SoHo. They have an impressive wine list as well."

The mention of wine made my blood freeze. Images of Orion drunk and unconscious flashed through my mind—his body beneath mine, his hands weakly gripping my thighs, the way he'd mumbled incoherently while I used him.

"Actually," I said too quickly, "I don't really drink. And I'm not much for French food. Maybe something... simpler?"