Chapter 13

Elias

I knew she was no longer safe and was now a major target, but how? No one knew about our relationship. I had made sure of that. Even our engagement was made private to pull her away from the public eye.

I watched as she turned pale, staring at me for a solution now when things were getting out of hand, but since she was mine, I promised to handle it.

“You've got classes today?” I asked, staring at her. She seemed not to be with me and dragged her feet to a nearby couch before collapsing into it.

“No, no, I don't.” She muttered, staring into space. I guess she was still shaken from what she found out.

“Look, I already told you I would handle it; can you just trust me?”

She snapped her head towards me, worried about the issue. “Do you know how worried I am? I can't seem to think straight. Prof. Lucas isn't someone to be messed with. He knows his ways.”

I tilted my head, my eyes dark. Was she more scared of the professor than she trusted me?

Tropical.

“Fine. Give me one day to clean up our mess, and if I don't, then you can worry.”

“What?” She blinked several times, staring at me in disbelief. It seemed there was a lot for her to take in.

“You heard me. You should only worry if I don't handle it by tomorrow. Do you understand?”

She nodded, finally lowering her tensed shoulders.

“Let's get you something to eat; you must be starving.”

She nodded, and I headed into the kitchen to make some pancakes. I had planned to surprise her with some, but I had to go get her earlier than planned.

I served her the pancakes, and she ate to her full, taking a position on the couch. She wanted to rest. I'm guessing she had a rough night.

I watched her sleep, staring at her blank expression before exhaling. Lucas didn't know what he had done.

He had just drawn the battle line for trying to pick on what was mine.

My face turned dark, and I carried her into the room, laying her on the bed. Then he pulled out a piece of paper from my journal.

“Just in case you wake up before I return, I have a class to lecture today. I won't take long, okay?” I placed the piece of paper at the counter, then grabbed my keys. It was time to face him once and for all.

It wasn't long before I arrived on campus, and I headed straight to his office.

I didn't even need to knock; he just stormed into the office, slamming the door shut.

He snapped his head from his laptop the moment I stormed in and then furrowed his brows when I slammed it shut.

He had always known me to be a reserved man; well, that was until he began to show interest in what didn't belong to him.

“What is the meaning of this, Professor Elias? I hope you aren't going crazy.”

“Well, I'm not. I just came to see you about something urgent.”

“And you didn't bother to knock?” He asked the raised bows, staring at me with a dark look in his eyes.

I didn't lower my eyes either. “That was why I said it was urgent.”

He twisted his lips and didn't seem pleased. He stared into my eyes and gestured to me to take a seat.

I moved steadily, taking a seat opposite him, and for a few seconds, we stared at each other.

“What do you want?” he asked when he couldn't take a stare anymore.

“I want you to stop the lousy game you're playing. You've touched someone dear to me.”

“And who might have been?” He leaned into his seat, and “the last time I remembered, I hadn't touched students' grades yet.”

I scoffed. “Does the name Sienna ring a bell?”

He hummed, denying it flatly. “No, it doesn't ring a bell. In fact, I don't think I've met her in my life.”

I twisted my lips into a smirk. I love that he feared me and didn't want anything to do with me, but he couldn't ignore me just like that.

“I'm only going to ask you one more time, and don't you play dumb with me. Are you trying to tell me you don't know Sienna? The girl you took to a hotel and the one you're suddenly spreading rumors about?”

I watched how his face paled and how sweat formed on his temples. He seemed confused and was very much worried.

“I really don't know what you are talking about. I already told you, I–”

“You better save it. I have evidence of your meeting up with her last night. You know better than to lure students to hotels, right?”

He became too tense. “We were discussing things about her test, and that was all. I usually spend some nights at the hotel, and I invited her over. What's so bad about that?”

“Don't play down with me, Lucas. I know the dirty things you do around campus with young ladies. I choose to be quiet because you're my colleague but not with this one.”

He smirked. “Why are you so interested, hmm? Does she take care of you personally?”

“That's none of your business. I came to warn you because she's close to me, and I want the rumors you've been spreading to die down today!”

I watched how his pale face turned into anger, but he didn't raise his voice at me. Rather, he smiled.

“Whatever you say, Elias. After all, you are my colleague. What would it be if we can't talk to each other about things like this, huh?”

Despite sensing the sarcastic tone in his voice, I nodded. “Good.”

“Is that all, or do you have something else to say?” He crossed his hands over his chest impatiently, but I had said enough.

Despite my silence, I was a brutal man, and he knew better than to cross me.