His lab was tedious at best, but Gavin made it through. There were only so many cells he could look at under a microscope before his eyes went crosseyed.
He walked across the courtyard to the food court. After scanning the menus of several of the stalls, he found a place that could meet his dietary requirements. He had celiac's disease so he couldn't eat gluten. That part of his diet was manageable, but it was managing his dairy intake that killed him. He loved cheese and ice cream, but he could only have them in small doses now.
He ordered a personal gluten free veggie pizza and found a place to eat. He read over his notes as he ate, trying to remember what the test was over in his next class. Being a biology major ate at his time, but the more he studied the better he would be at it. He didn't have a choice. He had to keep his grades up to keep what little freedom he had.
A tray slammed down on the table across from him. A blond headed man sat down followed by a red headed woman. They bickered in good tones as they sorted out their shared meal.
Davis Hill and Emily Ray were his closest friends and the ones he studied with. They had the same English and math classes, but they were studying in different departments. Davis was studying mathematics and Emily was a primary education major. They'd been his friends since freshmen orientation and Gavin had been instrumental in getting them together.
Davis looked at Gavin's plate and frowned. "Vegetarian pizza? Why that of all things?"
"I had too much for breakfast and didn't want to overdo it. I have a test after this," he replied.
"Did you finish your English paper?" Emily asked. She dipped a handful of French fries into her ranch. "I heard the old bat is grading for grammar, spelling, and the whole shebang this time."
"Didn't she do that the first time?" Davis asked. "I got a D on the last one."
"That's because you turned it in half-completed. You're lucky you even got that."
Gavin laughed at their newest argument. Davis liked to wait until the last minute to do things. He was always late to class, and sometimes his assignments weren't finished. Emily harped at him about them all the time. He took them as a joke and didn't think anything about it. A lot of the times that got him in trouble.
"We haven't seen you at a party in a while," Davis said. He took a big bite and chewed as best as he could. "What have you been up to?"
"My studies have been crazy. I had five biology assignments last week alone. I haven't even taken a look at the biochem assignments," Gavin replied.
"Why do you have so many?" Emily asked. Gavin shrugged and shook his head at the same time. "You are taking twenty hours this semester. You may have to just pace yourself to stay ahead. Don't overdo it."
Gavin nodded but the word "overdo" was getting old. His driver had said, his caretaker had said it, and now his friends. He knew how not to overdo something. Hell, if he told them everything, they would be appalled at what he actually did in a day. But he couldn't tell them because he wasn't prepared for the backlash he would undoubtedly face.
"Do you think next semester will be easier?" Davis wondered. His friend shrugged. "I hope it is. We don't see you anymore."
"I'm sorry. One of these days I will be able to have some free time. Right now isn't it."
They settled into a gentle conversation that eased Gavin's mind. Lately he had been uptight because he hadn't been able to do what he wanted. It was better for him to do as he was asked than to be punished like he had been in the past. He had learned the hard way what would happen if he didn't follow the rules exactly how they'd been set. He hadn't been told to get rid of his friends so they must not be a threat, but that didn't mean that he had told them anything. Some days even Gavin was in shock of his new life.
Gavin was part of the Duquesne family. His grandfather was Raoul Duquesne and his grandmother was Cynthia Rothschild. His mother was Olivia Simmons who married into the Duquesne family by marrying Michael Duquesne, Gavin's late father. He had died when Gavin was five, and his grandfather had taken him to raise. He'd had everything he could ever want as long as he did as he was told. That part had been easy.
Everything had changed when old money met new money. Zeke Daniels had come to New Orleans with a business opportunity for Gavin's grandfather. He would invest in the cleanup of the Lower Ninth Ward if Raoul would do something for him. Gavin's grandfather had jumped at the chance. He hadn't known the price of the investment at the time, and by the time he did, it was too late.
Gavin's life had changed overnight. One night he had been arriving home at the Garden District, and the next he was on a flight to New England. He had been part of the deal, and it had been in the fine print of the contract. Gavin was to leave everything he had known and move in with Zeke Daniels as his personal companion. Raoul had tried to find a loophole, but there had been none. The contract was ironclad, and there was nothing any of them could do about it.
He'd been enrolled in a new school but in the same department he'd been studying. His entire life had been organized by the hour and he had to follow it. That didn't mean Gavin didn't test his boundaries. He figured out early on what he could and couldn't get away with. His diet and fitness were not to be played with, but he could barter his way into desserts every so often. Driving by himself was still up in the air, but he wasn't surrounded by new guards. As long as he did as he was asked, he could live a free life.
After lunch, he bid his friends farewell and went to his next class. He sat through his test that he knew he was ready for but that his brain started overthinking about. He went on autopilot and answered as best as he could. He didn't want to freak out about his test, but he needed to keep his grades up in hopes that he could get a car.
Once the test was done, he went to the gym to workout. He liked the school's gym better because he wasn't being watched. He knew there were some people here who answered back to Zeke, but as long as he didn't see them, he didn't worry about it.
After a good workout and a shower, Gavin went to his last class. He took excellent notes that he would go back over when he got home. He had to study to make sure he was able to pass the test. Biochem was no joke. It was his least favorite subject and it was purely an elective, but he wanted to challenge himself a bit.
Mr. Sampson was waiting on him when he walked out of the science building. He slipped into the car and smiled at the older man.
"Can we get coffee?" he asked.
"How much have you had today?" Mr. Sampson asked.
"None since this morning. I had organic juice with my lunch and water the rest of the day."
"I don't see why not. Would you like your regular?"
"Yes, please. Thank you, Mr. Sampson."
The car pulled away from the curb and went directly down the street. Mr. Sampson ordered easily for Gavin and paid for two. When Gavin raised an eyebrow, the older man said he was able to splurge a bit as well. Smiling, the younger accepted the cold coffee and sat back for the rest of the ride home.
He pulled out his notes and read a bit. Unlike the rest of his family, he didn't get carsick while reading. It actually eased him. It got him out of his head for a bit. When he didn't have class, he liked to sit down with a good book and lose himself.
The car pulled up to the mansion and under the awning. A man scurried out the front door and opened the door. Gavin grabbed his bag and slid out. He thanked the man on his way in then passed his coat to another man who appeared to his left.
"Mr. Daniels is in his office," the man said. "He said to bring you to him when you arrived."
Gavin nodded and followed the man through the foyer and down a hall to his left. He finished his coffee and passed the empty cup to a maid as she walked by. She smiled at him and took it to dispose of it.
The man rapped on a heavy wooden door. A deep voice beckoned them in. Gavin pushed open the door and strode through, jumping slightly as the door closed behind him. He shook himself mentally as he walked to the solid oak desk in front of him.
Zeke Daniels wasn't a large man. He had modest shoulders that looked wider than they really were in his dark blue suit. His tanned skin was a contrast to the light blue shirt but it matched his blue green eyes. Sitting behind the desk, he looked small, but Gavin knew he was just over six foot two.
"Zeke?" he said. He sat down in one of the chairs across from the desk, dropping his bag to the floor beside him. "What did you need?"
Zeke finished writing then closed his file. He closed his pen, set it to his right, then folded his arms over his desk. His blue-green eyes pierced Gavin's brown ones. Unlike with other people, Gavin couldn't figure out what he was thinking. His face was a stone mask when he wanted it to be, and right now he was closed off.
He got up, the chair sliding silently across the hardwood floor. Gavin watched him walk around the desk to him. He didn't flinch as Zeke braced his hands on the arms of the chair and leaned down. He looked into Gavin's face before he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to his.
Gavin reciprocated, but there wasn't much emotion behind it. It was just an action to get what he wanted. Sometimes he just wanted it to be over because he didn't feel like being intimate. Zeke always got what he wanted so Gavin just gave in so things didn't get worse for him.
Zeke pulled away with a smile. "You just finished coffee, didn't you?"
"Mr. Sampson bought it for me on the way home," Gavin said.
The older man licked the corner of the younger's lips. "How many have you had?"
"One this morning and the one on the way home."
Zeke didn't argue. He stood, pressing a kiss to Gavin's forehead. "What do you want for dinner? Salmon or chicken?"
Gavin sat up. "You're giving me a choice? That's amazing."
"Don't be facetious."
"You don't usually let me choose. I usually have to eat whatever you're eating. And lately it's been French food."
"I thought you would like French food. Your name is French after all."
"Yes, but it's Louisiana French. My family hasn't been in France for almost two hundred years."
Zeke nodded and reached over his desk. He pressed a button until someone spoke. "Tell Mrs. Morgan to cook the salmon with asparagus and broccoli."
Gavin rolled his eyes then leaned back in his chair. "There you go again, making decisions on your own."
"I know what decision I want you to make."
"What is that?"
Zeke gripped Gavin by the arms and urged him to his feet. He pulled him to him, urging his arms around his waist. He stared down at the younger man with a sly smile. He lowered his head and drew Gavin's mouth to his.
The young man allowed himself to be swept away. He didn't argue with Zeke because he knew it wouldn't end well for him. So he kissed him back so he didn't get reprimanded. Zeke was known to bite when he didn't get what he wanted, and Gavin didn't like the taste of his own blood.
Zeke gave one last hard kiss before he pulled away. He lapped at the corner of Gavin's mouth before letting him go. "We will continue this after dinner."
Gavin stood in the same spot as he was left alone. As much as he disliked his new home, he was well-taken care of. He didn't have a lot of complaints, but he wished sometimes he could do what he wanted. He didn't want to have to answer to anyone, but he didn't put up a fight because he knew where it could lead.
Hearing his name, he grabbed his bag and followed Zeke to the dining room. He would bargain for some more time so he could study. But it was inevitable. Zeke was an active man, and he got what he wanted. Gavin wouldn't be able to put it off much more.