Lodged (Kinsmen Billionaires #2)

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Gio Bianchi

I t never gets old. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been a teaching assistant, I always get butterflies the first time I enter the lab to introduce myself to a new class. This semester, I’m teaching Environmental Technology Lab IV, a class geared toward juniors. I always enjoy seeing their growth as they advance in their studies—from the clueless and eager freshmen to the more determined and driven juniors and seniors.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Giorgio Bianchi. I’m a doctoral student in the Forestry Department, and I’ll be your instructor for this lab. I like calling the roster on the first day so I can put a face to the name,” I inform my eighteen students, a smile on my face.

As always, the moment I say “roster,” their faces morph from boredom to mild panic—it’s like a wake-up call. One by one, I call their names, and they answer with a quick “here” or “me.” I’m about halfway through when I spot a very unique name: Ruin MacAllister . I scan the room, and my gaze lands on a gorgeous girl timidly raising her hand.

What the fuck am I doing thinking about a student as gorgeous?

Her long, red hair is in a braid, and her eyes are the prettiest shade of green—soft and clear. A few freckles adorn her face, making her look younger, more like a freshman, though she must be around twenty-one as a junior. She’s looking at me like she’s trying to figure out the meaning of life, and I hold all the answers. A few students start whispering, and the spell between us is broken.

“Here. I’m sorry,” Ruin says as she fixes a few strands of hair behind her ear. I clear my throat and continue calling names. Once I’m done, I go over today’s experiments, and the students take out their lab manuals and get to work.

Releasing a deep breath, I take a seat at my desk. In the four years I’ve been a teaching assistant, I’ve never looked at a student with that kind of intensity.

Get it together, Gio.

“Gio, could you please help us?” a student calls me to her workstation. I nod and give her a quick smile as I approach her and her lab partner.

“Everything okay? I ask them as I push my safety glasses back against the bridge of my nose.

“I can’t seem to understand these instructions in the manual. What is a beaker?” My eyes go wide, and my eyebrows shoot to the sky. How is she a third-year student who doesn’t know what a beaker is? It’s sitting right in front of her. Her lab partner giggles, as Alyssa, the girl who asked for help, bats her lashes at me. That’s when it hits me—she’s flirting with me. It’s not the first time a student has done something silly to get my attention.

I release a deep breath and give her a pointed look. As much as I enjoy interacting with my students, I don’t want anyone to think I’m here looking for a hookup. All my life, I’ve been told I’m easy on the eyes , but flirting—let alone breaking the rules—has never been my strong suit. As the oldest sibling, I grew up as the responsible, determined, and serious one of the bunch. My brother Luca, on the other hand, has always been the Casanova.

“Here, this is a beaker. That one is actually the size we need,” Ruin interrupts, holding the beaker up in Alyssa’s face. I chuckle but quickly cover it with a cough.

“Yes, that’s correct, Ruin. Thank you,” I tell her, and her cheeks immediately turn red—almost as red as her hair. She’s a vision.

“No problem, Mr. Bianchi. I just figured it was something simple I could help with,” she says with a shrug. Then she returns to her bench, right across from where I’m standing, and starts talking with her lab partner. I nod at Alyssa and her classmate as I make my way back to my desk.

“Damn. Ruin had to come and ruin it,” I hear Alyssa say as her friend explodes in laughter. I close my eyes and count to three before addressing the entire class.

“I understand this is a long lab, and I’m okay with you all taking breaks when the experiments allow it…” The room immediately quiets, and I feel all eyes on me. “...but under no circumstances will I allow any horseplay or backtalk in this room.”

Everyone looks confused except Alyssa, her friend Abby, and Ruin. Two of them look furious, while the other gives me a thankful smile.

“We are all adults here, and I expect you to act like it. Backtalk isn’t acceptable, and won’t be tolerated in this lab.” I give Alyssa a pointed look, and she immediately lowers her gaze. I make eye contact with a couple of other students to make sure we’re all on the same page, and then return to my desk and take a couple of deep breaths.

I’ve always been easygoing, and I’ve never used my stern voice with any of my students. But somehow, this girl, Ruin, is triggering something inside me. It’s better if I don’t figure out what it is—she’s a student, and the less I think about her, the better.

Needing to get my mind off a certain redhead, I sit down to analyze data for a paper I’m working on. The last one I need to publish before I graduate.

Yeah, let’s focus on this. It’s time for me to graduate.

The lab continues without any more silly questions, and the three hours go by fast. As hard as I try not to, I steal glances at Ruin whenever I think no one is watching. To my surprise, I’ve caught her staring at me a couple of times, too. Coincidence? Innocent curiosity? Fuck, why am I even thinking like this?

I shake off the thought, feeling ridiculous, as the students start packing up to leave.

Clearing my throat and standing up, I address the class again. “As some of you finish your experiments for today, please remember the lab report is due at the beginning of the next lab, and it must be submitted individually.” I look around, making sure everyone understands what I said. Even though it’s in their class syllabus, many students will feign innocence and pretend they didn’t know they needed to submit their lab reports. “If you need help, I have office hours on Wednesdays, or you can email me as well.”

“Bye, thank you,” a student named Scott says on his way out. I nod at him with a smile.

When the lab is finally empty, I walk by each station to make sure no one left dirty labware or any personal belongings behind. I've seen one too many AirPods, cellphones, and hoodies in my time as a teaching assistant.

“How did the lab go?” Professor Smith asks as I leave the classroom. He’s the director of the environmental program and my boss.

“It was fine, you know how it is. Most students are ready to dive into their experiments, some are clueless, and a few are just taking the lab because they need the credits to graduate,” I reply with a shrug, tilting my head to the side.

My mind is still stuck on a certain redhead with the brightest smile and the most unique name I’ve ever heard. I can’t stop thinking about what it must have been like growing up with that name—the teasing, the endless bullying. And yet, how amazing she must be to be smiling the way she does, despite it all.

When I was growing up, people were bullied for the silliest things—their names, what they brought for lunch, where they lived, or what they wore. I hope it wasn’t like that for her, but kids can be cruel when they want to be.

“You have a pretty good assessment of your students, and it looks like you’re becoming more comfortable in your teaching role. Do you see yourself pursuing a career in academia, Gio?” Professor Smith asks as he rearranges his glasses on the bridge of his nose and rests his hip against a bench across from where I’m standing.

I inhale a deep breath before answering. Even though I’ve loved doing this teaching assistant gig, I’m not sure it’s the only thing I want to do with my degree. The environment is constantly changing, and it’s of utter importance to me to understand how I can help keep the balance between human development and nature.

“To be completely honest, I’m not sure.” I wince at my own words, knowing that’s not the answer he’s expecting. I’m about to graduate; I should have my career path clear by now.

To my surprise, Professor Smith chuckles as he comes closer to me. “It’s normal to not know which way to go, Gio. Don’t sweat it. Maybe you’d be interested in a postdoctoral position in my lab while you decide? Food for thought.” He pats my back as he makes his way out of the lab, and I’m left speechless. I thought he would be disappointed in me. I guess there’s no tougher critic than yourself.

As I’m making my way back to my desk to collect my bag, I catch sight of a folded paper on the bench where Ruin and her lab partner were working. The paper is intricately folded into the shape of a bird. I pick it up, and upon closer inspection, I realize it’s a crane.

Hmm, interesting. I wonder if Ruin made this .

I’m about to toss it in the trashcan near the door when I notice writing inside. Carefully, I unfold it, and it says, “Kelly Riddle is a badass.” I chuckle and internally berate myself for thinking it was something related to Ruin. It serves me well for thinking about students when I shouldn’t. Once I’ve tossed it, I head to Main Street for food. I’m starving, and there’s a shawarma with my name on it.