glancing toward the diner, and wished he hadn’t. Rio was standing across the street, disappointment and anger marring his handsome face. The only thing Fire could do was drop his head in shame.
52 Lynn
Hagen
Hawk slammed the door and started the motor. “You know, Rio is a really nice guy. You’re about to throw that away and ruin it with a good man. Think about that while Maverick is dealing with you.”
As they pulled away Fire raised his head just enough to give Rio one last glance. Hawk was right. Rio was a good man. That was exactly why he shouldn’t claim Fire. The only thing he would do was fuck up the man’s life. Deep down Fire knew it to be the truth. Maybe that was why all along he had pushed Rio away. His subconscious probably recognized what Fire hadn’t wanted to face.
Rio was a great teacher who loved his kids and his job.
Fire…well, he was what he had always been—nothing more than a fuckup.
Rio’s Fire
53
Chapter Six
Rio was surprised as hell to see Fire walk by his classroom door.
After Hawk found the fey, Rio had a talk with the alpha about his mate. Maverick had been all for shipping Fire to Alaska. But thankfully Rio talked him out of that.
Rio knew Maverick wasn’t going to harm Fire, but that didn’t take away the sting of hurt that Fire had inflicted when he had taken off from the diner. Rio had trusted him. He hadn’t thought he needed to hold his mate’s hand.
Clenching his jaw tight, Rio turned away from the door when Fire appeared. He had nothing to say to the man right now.
“That mad?” His mate sounded like a lost little boy, but at the moment Rio honestly didn’t care. The man had betrayed his trust.
“You need to get to your class. I already set up the activities for you. But of course, I thought I was setting them up for a substitute.” It seemed no matter how mad Rio was with Fire, his cat wouldn’t allow him to be a total prick. It was true Rio thought there was going to be a substitute art teacher, but now that he saw his mate was here, Rio still wanted to help the man succeed.
God, he was so screwed up.
“Thanks,” Fire mumbled as he turned and walked away. The guy looked so downtrodden that Rio wanted to reach out and comfort the man. He didn’t really understand what was going on with his mate, but Maverick had been adamant about keeping Fire at his side yesterday and Fire had taken off, with no regard for anyone but himself.
54 Lynn
Hagen
“Wait,” Rio called out. He was such an idiot. “I left a lesson plan on your desk. Just…just follow it and you should be okay.”
“Got to keep Mr. Fishman off my back.” Fire gave a small, unenthusiastic pump to his hand. “Go me.”
Rio didn’t say another word as Fire walked away. He wanted an explanation, but it would have to wait until lunch. For now, he had his own class to get ready. Rio’s head snapped up when he heard shouting in the hallway. Hurrying to the door, he saw Mr. Fishman’s jowls shaking back and forth as his face turned ruby red. He was pointing his stubby finger up into Fire’s face.
“That is not a good enough excuse!” Mr. Fishman said in an uncontrolled tone. “Mark my word, Mr. Veneto. I will have you out of my school if it is the last thing I do.”
Rio stepped into the hallway. “Mr. Fishman,” he said in a stern tone. Rio wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he had to stop the pudgy man from talking to his mate like that or he was going to rip the man’s throat out. “You are behaving disgracefully in front of the children. Is that the example you’re trying to set?”
With the murderous glare, Mr. Fishman spun on his heel and stormed away. Rio glanced toward Fire, but his mate was already heading into his class. He wanted to go after Fire and find out what happened, but his students were already showing up.
With a frustrated and weary sigh, Rio walked back into his class.
* * * *
Leaning his arm into the wall, Rio glanced down at Fire,
52 Lynn
Hagen
Hawk slammed the door and started the motor. “You know, Rio is a really nice guy. You’re about to throw that away and ruin it with a good man. Think about that while Maverick is dealing with you.”
As they pulled away Fire raised his head just enough to give Rio one last glance. Hawk was right. Rio was a good man. That was exactly why he shouldn’t claim Fire. The only thing he would do was fuck up the man’s life. Deep down Fire knew it to be the truth. Maybe that was why all along he had pushed Rio away. His subconscious probably recognized what Fire hadn’t wanted to face.
Rio was a great teacher who loved his kids and his job.
Fire…well, he was what he had always been—nothing more than a fuckup.
Rio’s Fire
53
Chapter Six
Rio was surprised as hell to see Fire walk by his classroom door.
After Hawk found the fey, Rio had a talk with the alpha about his mate. Maverick had been all for shipping Fire to Alaska. But thankfully Rio talked him out of that.
Rio knew Maverick wasn’t going to harm Fire, but that didn’t take away the sting of hurt that Fire had inflicted when he had taken off from the diner. Rio had trusted him. He hadn’t thought he needed to hold his mate’s hand.
Clenching his jaw tight, Rio turned away from the door when Fire appeared. He had nothing to say to the man right now.
“That mad?” His mate sounded like a lost little boy, but at the moment Rio honestly didn’t care. The man had betrayed his trust.
“You need to get to your class. I already set up the activities for you. But of course, I thought I was setting them up for a substitute.” It seemed no matter how mad Rio was with Fire, his cat wouldn’t allow him to be a total prick. It was true Rio thought there was going to be a substitute art teacher, but now that he saw his mate was here, Rio still wanted to help the man succeed.
God, he was so screwed up.
“Thanks,” Fire mumbled as he turned and walked away. The guy looked so downtrodden that Rio wanted to reach out and comfort the man. He didn’t really understand what was going on with his mate, but Maverick had been adamant about keeping Fire at his side yesterday and Fire had taken off, with no regard for anyone but himself.
54 Lynn
Hagen
“Wait,” Rio called out. He was such an idiot. “I left a lesson plan on your desk. Just…just follow it and you should be okay.”
“Got to keep Mr. Fishman off my back.” Fire gave a small, unenthusiastic pump to his hand. “Go me.”
Rio didn’t say another word as Fire walked away. He wanted an explanation, but it would have to wait until lunch. For now, he had his own class to get ready. Rio’s head snapped up when he heard shouting in the hallway. Hurrying to the door, he saw Mr. Fishman’s jowls shaking back and forth as his face turned ruby red. He was pointing his stubby finger up into Fire’s face.
“That is not a good enough excuse!” Mr. Fishman said in an uncontrolled tone. “Mark my word, Mr. Veneto. I will have you out of my school if it is the last thing I do.”
Rio stepped into the hallway. “Mr. Fishman,” he said in a stern tone. Rio wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he had to stop the pudgy man from talking to his mate like that or he was going to rip the man’s throat out. “You are behaving disgracefully in front of the children. Is that the example you’re trying to set?”
With the murderous glare, Mr. Fishman spun on his heel and stormed away. Rio glanced toward Fire, but his mate was already heading into his class. He wanted to go after Fire and find out what happened, but his students were already showing up.
With a frustrated and weary sigh, Rio walked back into his class.
* * * *
Leaning his arm into the wall, Rio glanced down at Fire,
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