Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Alecia looked up from her laptop when Ryder opened the door. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was nine. Another late night and stressful one according to his furrowed brows. What did he do all day? Whenever she asked he would change the subject or say he didn’t want to talk about it. It probably wasn’t much. He had told her that usually lawyers spent their first year being overpaid paralegals. She closed her laptop. She would finish the short story tomorrow.

He didn’t go to the kitchen to grab the dinner she had prepared, but just sat down next to her on the couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Every part of him looked tense.

“Tough day?”

He didn’t answer, but opened his eyes and looked out into the distance. She needed to distract him. He wouldn’t be interested in her little love story but maybe school. “I got the schedule I wanted.”

“Anything interesting?”

“Yeah, I’m going to start education classes. I’m so excited.” In a couple semesters she would be able to intern in a school and begin working with children. The few hours she had spent tutoring reinforced her dream, a dream of helping to shape young minds.

He raised his eyebrows. “Why did you do that?”

“Because I’m going to teach, remember?” A sinking feeling filled her. Surely he remembered. She had spoken of it so much when they’d dated. She just hadn’t had time to mention it since. She had been occupied with other things, like learning to be a good wife to him.

Ryder pushed his lips into a thin line. “Yeah, but that was before we were married. You don’t need to teach now.”

“I know, but I want to. Remember our dreams of shaping the future together?” She trailed a finger over his shoulder.

Ryder shook his head. “Go ahead and change your schedule tomorrow; take more literature classes.”

The smile on her face disappeared. Did the world shift without her realizing it? He sounded so controlling. “I don’t want to.”

“I will not pay for education classes, and if you try to take them behind my back, I will have you dismissed from school.”

“Ryder?” Alecia squeezed a pillow on the couch as tears built in her eyes. Was she going to be able to teach? She felt her dreams crash around her. No, she couldn’t give it up. “But.…”

“ Luna's do not work. You are married to an Alpha now” he shouted. “Does my mom work? No. Does my sister? No.”

She jumped to her feet. “You never told me you didn’t want me to teach.”

“I didn’t tell you, you could.” He stood and peered down into her eyes. “Now, listen. This conversation is finished. I can’t handle petty stress like this.”

Alecia took a step back. His eyes filled with a deep glare, a glare so much like his father.

She lowered her eyes. What had just happened?

“Pretty thing.” His voice sounded softer. He caressed her cheek. “Let’s not fight. I did have a stressful day, and all I want to do is hold you.” He took her hands and in a second she was on his lap with her chin resting on his shoulder as he caressed her back. “Understand.”

Did she understand? Of course not, but she was not about to argue. She had no desire to see that anger again. Tomorrow, when he felt better, she would mention it. He would understand. He always did.

* * *

Alecia tensed as the door to their apartment opened. Ryder was home. He smiled as he took off his coat and tie, dropping them onto the floor, leaving them for the maid.

“Hi,” he said as he walked over to her, and placed a book on her legs. She closed her laptop, and picked up the book, reading: How to Write Fiction. Ryder sat on the couch by her feet and caressed her toes. “I called a friend who owes us at Random. He recommended this book.”

Alecia placed it on top of her iBook. What did he want her to do with that? Her dream wasn’t to be a writer. That was her hobby. No, she wanted to shape young minds.

“Pretty thing,” he said breaking into her thoughts. “You’ve got to understand, I don’t mind you doing something, but teaching is below us.”

“Ryder, I….”

“My mother,” he interrupted. “Does charitable work to build up the family name when my father doesn’t need her. Maybe that’s not for you, but I don’t want you doing anything that will distract you from me, or lower the family.”

She grabbed the book and held it up. “What am I to do with this?”

“Write. You’re always writing little stories. Write a novel, and we’ll get it published.” His eyes held a softness, a lost puppy dog look.

The tenseness fled from her. Others might see him as controlling, but she didn’t. And maybe his business associates would look down on him if his wife worked. He just didn’t see things the way she did. But she needed to make him understand, teaching was not below them.

Teaching was honorable. Her mother was a teacher, and Ryder greatly admired her.

Alecia shook her head. “And what am I to write about? Authors have great stories. All I am is a wife.”

“Not just a wife, but a Luna. That’s a great story.” He caressed her toes again, then he opened her laptop and wrote, Ryder Hendrix . She looked down at his name. It sounded so important as the Ryder rolled into the Hendrix when one said it. She wrote by his wife Alecia Lily Hendrix.

“What are you writing?”

She looked up at his eyes, which had a gleam in them.

“Your biography, future leader of California."

He laughed and looked up at the ceiling before he turned his eyes back to her. “Will there be a chapter about my great moves in bed?”

She couldn’t help it. A chuckle escaped from her lips. She picked up the book and tossed it at his chest. He caught it and dropped it on the floor. A smirk spread across his face, a lightness in his eyes. This was the Ryder she loved. Not the one who came home last night. But the Ryder from last night was an anomaly, she doubted she would see again. She started typing, Ryder thinks he’s all that, but in all reality, he has the worst pick-up lines. My favorite one “Get closer and my breath won’t stink.” She turned the laptop so he could see what she wrote. Ryder laughed and tickled her toes. She squirmed and almost dropped the laptop, but he caught it before it fell onto the floor. He set the laptop down, and crawled over her, looking down into her eyes, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

“I love you,” he said. “Don’t be mad at me.”

She smiled and reached up to his shirt, playing with the collar, as a warmth filled her and every part of her melted. “I’m not mad.”

“Do you understand why you can’t teach?”

Alecia shrugged her shoulders. “No, but I don’t care anymore.”

“Good.” He immersed his hands in her hair. “Write me a good novel, Alecia, about two lovers.” He kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the scent of his cologne and the soft touch of his lips. They could work through this.