HELP ME

ARIANA'S POV

I should've texted Maya. I should've told her where I was going. I should've listened to that stupid little voice in my head that had been screaming at me to turn around and walk away.

Instead, I was here alone with him.

I swallowed hard. "What do you want, sir?” I asked carefully.

A dark smirk curled on his lips as his gaze trailed to my cleavage, then down to my thighs "You know what I want, Ms. Castillo."

Revulsion crawled beneath my skin.

I jerked my hands free. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know what you mean." I said politely as I began moving toward the door.

This time, he grabbed my hair roughly, pulling me back hard enough for a sharp yelp to leave my lips.

"Prof—"

The rest of the word disappeared against his palm.

Panic exploded inside my chest. I twisted and struggled against him, but his grip refused to loosen.

"Now..." he murmured near my ear. "Don't make this difficult."

"Hmm... let me go." I managed, though the words came out muffled.

"Even if you scream, no one is coming to help you, darling."He growled, trailing his tongue from my neck down to my shoulders.

My stomach lurched violently.

My instincts had been right all along.

“Please… stop.” I cried out, eyes burning with tears.

I continued to struggle, twisting against him and trying desperately to fight my way out of his grip. He hissed in annoyance and tightened his fist in my hair, dragging me farther into the office and away from the door.

My shoes scraped helplessly against the floor.

Oh God.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

"If you don't stay still..." he warned darkly, "then you'll leave me with no other choice but to take what I want... by force."

Before I could react, he shoved me forward until the edge of his desk pressed painfully against my thighs. His palm finally left my mouth, only for him to seize both my wrists and yank them behind my back so roughly it almost felt like he was trying to handcuff me.

"Please..." My voice shook violently as tears spilled down my face. "Please don't do this."

"I told you..." His voice dropped lower. "You're too pretty to be ignored." His fingers tightened painfully around my wrists."I bet your pussy would look just as pretty as you do."

Revulsion surged through me again.

Then I felt my skirt being pushed higher as he crowded closer behind me, close enough for me to feel the pressure of his bulge against my ass. "Look what you do to me, darling."

My stomach twisted so violently I thought I was going to throw up.

Maybe if it had come from a certain hot blue–eyed professor… I would've been turned on.

Wait..

What the fuck?!

Ariana!!!

"Let me go! Don't touch me!" I cried, struggling harder against him.

There was no way I was going to let this disgusting man have his way with me.

I'd rather die.

"I'm warning you, Ms. Castillo." His voice turned sharp with irritation as he forced me against the desk hard enough to steal the breath from my lungs.

My mind raced.

Fighting wasn't working. Screaming wasn't working. Pleading wasn't working.

Then, an awful thought slipped into my head.

Oh God.

I hated it instantly but I was running out of options.

Slowly, I forced myself to stop struggling. Then, I began rubbing my ass against him. I almost threw up right there but I kept going.

For a moment, he seemed surprised.

"That's better," he murmured.

His grip eased slightly. “Now… you are being a good girl.”

Tiny hope flickered in my chest.

I forced myself to do it again despite every instinct inside me screaming not to.

“Fuck… keep going.” He grunted.

His hold loosened again.

Perfect.

Almost there.

Just a little more.

I did it again as he threw his head back in pleasure.

Then finally, the pressure on my arms disappeared.

That was all I needed.

I tore myself free and bolted toward the door.

Behind me, I heard him curse loudly before heavy footsteps followed almost immediately.

My fingers shook violently as I began turning the keys, trying to unlock the door.

Open.

Open.

Open.

Unfortunately, the door refused to unlock.

Panic crashed over me all over again. My whole body began trembling.

He caught up to me almost immediately. One hand tangled roughly in my hair before I could get away and the next thing I knew, my back hit the wall hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs.

"Ouch!" I cried, my eyes watering instantly.

Fuck.

"Don't play smart with me." His eyes burned with anger.

Instantly, something hot and furious rose inside me.

This man had no shame. The fact that he was married and still trying to do this made me feel sick.

Angrily, I spat in his face. "You are so disgusting."

The saliva landed on his cheek.

For a brief second, he went still. Then, his jaw clenched.

Before I could react, he slapped me hard as pain exploded across my face. "How dare you?!" He snapped angrily.

Another slap came almost immediately after.

My vision blurred, my cheek burned as tears spilled down my face. "Please..." My voice shook. "Please just let me go. Don't do this."

How had everything gone so wrong so quickly?

Ten minutes ago, I had been hiding from Professor Thiago in a restroom.

Now I was here, alone, terrified and trapped.

I should've listened to myself. I should've turned around when my instincts told me to. I should've called Maya. I should've done anything except follow him into this office.

Panic clawed at my chest as I struggled against him again. "Let me go!" I cried. "Don't touch me!"

Then, an opportunity came and I reacted without thinking.

I brought my knee up hard into his groin. His grip loosened as his face twisted in pain. He stumbled backwards, giving me enough room to escape.

This is your only chance.

Run.

Run now.

My brain screamed the words at me as I lunged for the door.

This time, the handle turned as the door flew open.

I ran out immediately.

The door burst open behind me just as I stumbled into the hallway. Professor Reynolds laughed softly somewhere behind me. The sound sent ice flooding through my veins. "I told you, darling," his voice echoed through the empty lounge. "No one's here."

My heart skipped violently.

No one.

The professors were at the meeting. The offices were empty. The entire lounge was empty.

It was just me and him.

Oh God.

I ran.

My boots slammed against the polished floor as I sprinted down the narrow hallway, my eyes darting wildly from door to door searching for anything. An open office, somewhere to hide or lock myself inside. But every single door I passed was closed.

My breathing was turning ragged.

Behind me, I heard fast footsteps. They were getting closer. He was following me. He was actually chasing me.

Panic clawed violently at my chest.

I couldn't feel my legs beneath me anymore. They moved on instinct alone while my heart hammered wildly against my ribs.

This can't be happening. It can't be real.

My bag slipped from my shoulder and slammed against my hip as I fumbled inside it desperately.

My phone?!

Where was my phone?

My fingers finally wrapped around it as the screen lit up instantly.

MAYA CALLING.

Oh thank God.

I nearly dropped the stupid thing trying to answer it.

"Ariana?" Maya's cheerful voice burst through the speaker. "Don't tell me you're still hiding in that restroom because I'm almost done eating your lun—"

"Maya!"

My own voice scared me. It came out broken, breathless and terrified.

There was silence on the other end for a second.

Instantly, Maya's tone changed. "Ariana?" she said sharply.

"Help me." My chest burned as I forced myself to keep running. "Maya, help me."

"What the hell happened? Where are you?"

I glanced behind me. Professor Reynolds rounded the corner, getting too close.

My heart stopped. "The professor's lounge," I gasped. "Please—"

The call cut off into a strangled sound as I nearly collided with someone. Strong hands caught my shoulders before I could hit the floor. For one horrible second, sheer terror exploded inside me.

Not again.

Please not again.

Then I looked up.

Blue eyes.

Blue eyes, dark hair and broad shoulders and a face I would've recognized anywhere.

Professor Thiago.

For a moment, my brain simply stopped working.

Twenty minutes ago, I would've hidden in another country just to avoid this man. Now he was the only thing standing between me and absolute disaster.

His hands tightened slightly on my shoulders. "Ms. Castillo?"

His expression changed instantly because he saw everything.

The tears.

The panic.

The fact that I was shaking so hard my teeth were chattering.

My fingers closed desperately around his shirt. "Help me." My words came out as barely more than a whisper.