If I’m successful with the promotion, I’ll be taking care of all the professors here. It’s something that feels far away from me when I think back to last night. How can I head a department while I’m screwing one of my students? Screwing… that would suggest that I plan to do more than last night.
In the back of my mind, I still want more, so the next part of the game is seeing how long I can resist her.
Kevin stands and makes his usual greeting. He’s a tall, lanky, bald man in his early fifties with a handlebar moustache and a stick-shoved-up-his-ass personality.
He hates me for many, many reasons. My name being one thing. I wasn’t wrong when I told Paige that my name carried VIP treatment in a lot of places. It does, although I had to work my ass off to prove myself it did here too, at least to get my foot in the door. Grandfather taught here for years. Prior to that he was one of the board of governors and made sizeable donations to the university.
Kevin hated me for my wealth, influence and of course my links to the mafia.
He’s one hell of an idiot to not be wary like the average person would be. Most people are afraid, even to suspect it. Not him though, and that’s my fault. He knows I wouldn’t do anything to him because it would cause too much trouble for me.
My hard work to prove my worth showed I wanted to earn my way and my success, not buy it with money or power. Raventhorne University is an elite establishment known for being a favorite among the celebrities and wealthy. I didn’t come here with money on my mind.
I won’t pretend to be something I’m not. I was born into a crime family who is stinking rich, and just because my immediate family might not be directly involved in the nitty gritty of the business doesn’t mean we aren’t part of the famiglia.
But I’m not a mobster. Everything I have I work hard for. This prick, though, would love to see the back of me—my ass fired for something inappropriate. He’s lucky he’s not dealing with one of my cousins, or that I haven’t decided to act like any of them or he’d soon know what fear is.
“Morning, everyone. I wanted to take today to touch base with you on a few things,” Kevin begins, his voice a drawn out monotone.
He starts talking about the budget, then the policies. Why the hell do I think his focus is on me when he starts talking about sexual harassment and the policy on sexual relations with students?
Guilt, and yes… fear weigh in on me. Right now, I’m in limbo. Paige left my house this morning, so I don’t know what state of mind she left in.
And, what if she talks…
I don’t think she will, and I feel bad for the thought. She wouldn’t do that to me. Last night was unreal and the kind of night I never thought I’d share with anyone.
Prior to last night, there was the kiss. I knew from that kiss that I’d be a goner if I did more with her, and look at me today.
“Good luck to those who are in the run for the head of department position,” Kevin says. He directly looks at me now, but he’s not wishing me the kind of luck he’s wishing the others.
That look was to keep me in check. I’ve had too many run-ins with this man to make the mistake of thinking he’s suddenly changed overnight. He hasn’t. This fucker is the same old prick who wants my head.
The last meeting before the term closed off last year was a private one between me, him, and Marsha, informing me that I was in the run for the job. That came after all my students aced their exams and the ones I mentored for their LSAT’s all passed with flying colors.
He didn’t like that. The look is about that.
The meeting closes, and I try to leave before Nancy can get to me.
I’m not fast enough, however. I get stuck between the teachers talking over their plans and she catches up with me before I can escape down the hallway.
“James, you are always the first out the room,” she muses with a bright smile revealing perfect white teeth.
“I have a class in ten minutes. I like to get there before the students.” I won’t point out the obvious that, that’s the norm for every other teacher here. I’m hoping, once again, she’ll take the hint and leave me be. But she doesn’t.
“No wonder you’re so good. You’re so dedicated to the job.”
That shit won’t work with me. Buttering me up with compliments is the worst thing to do, especially when the compliments are fake, and I know they’re fake. It’s her eyes. They give her away. She couldn’t care one way or another if I was dedicated to the job or not. If she saw how I was outside of work, she wouldn’t think I could be a guy who was dedicated to his job, but she would still want me.
“I just want my students to do well,” I answer.
“I know. I love this look on you,” she states and reaches out to touch my chest. Her fingers linger there for far too long and I glance down at her hand. The touch is seductive. The lascivious smile on her face speaks of that too, and she doesn’t care who’s watching us.
“Thank you,” I answer. I keep my tone even and hope she removes her hand, but she doesn’t.
“You look more handsome like this. I can just imagine what you must be like outside work.”
“Everyone’s a little different outside work.”