Page 76 of Give In

“Good idea.” Their overconfident smiles fell, crashing and burning when I added, “I’ll send Ben Peters an email and have him get you the contact information for some tutors. In the meantime, I’m in the middle of ascheduledmeeting—”

“Actually,” Eden interrupted, pulling the door fully open and wedging herself out, “our time is up, so don’t let me stop you.” Turning to face me, she took a few steps backward into the hall and held up her closed laptop. “Today was so… insightful, I doubt we’ll need any more of these meetings. That should free up some space in your schedule.” Her gaze skittered across the seniors before returning to me, a smirk curling her lips. “Not a lot, but your meetings never last long.”

Without another word, she turned and walked down the hallway, her hips swaying.

“Does this mean we can get some extra help, Caine?” one of the three asked. I wasn’t sure which since my focus was locked on Eden’s ass.

She’s earned worse than my palm for leaving me to deal with this shit.

I can’t wait.

*******

Eden

“Quit.”

I wish I could.

The night had been shit. Actually, most nights were. I’d known Hank’s silence after our drama wouldn’t last. Rather than being head bouncer, he’d become head asshole. If no one was around to call him on it, he’d begun purposefully turning a blind eye to handsy customers.

Maybe it was the winter weather giving everyone cabin fever. Or the approaching holidays stressing them out.

Or maybe it was just that people sucked and they were all pieces of shit.

Whatever the reason, work had gone downhill fast, each night bringing stress and an undercurrent of apprehension.

In that one shift, I’d already thought about quitting a dozen times, but I knew better than to vocalize that to Professor Caine. If I showed even a hairline fracture in my resolve, he’d work at it until I bent.

Until I broke.

Redressing after a heretofore silent dance, I forced a laugh at his order. “Sure. And while I’m at it, I’ll quit school. And living indoors. Oh, and eating.”

He muttered something—likely about my attitude and impending red ass—but I didn’t stick around to talk. Not because I was anxious to head back into the crowded club, but because if he asked me to leave, I would. I was too tired to pretend I didn’t want to.

When I reached the main room, I took a stool at a cluster of tables occupied by a bachelor party. I chatted and flirted on autopilot, but half my focus was on Professor Caine.

More specifically, that he hadn’t left.

Instead, he’d taken a spot at the bar with his back to the stage and his body aimed toward mine.

I did my best to ignore him, but my focus drifted, accidentally catching his eyes.

Their rawness stole my breath.

“Mandi,” someone called, breaking the moment and rescuing me from midnight skies before I got lost in their brewing storm.

I jolted and looked at Lita.

“Dance in room three,” she called.

I didn’t have to check if Professor Caine was looking at me. I couldfeelit. The hairs on the back of my neck stood and my skin heated with the intensity of his stare.

Brushing-off the nagging unease and general bullshit of the night, I squared my shoulders and walked into room three.

And then I immediately turned and stormed out.

“Get him out of here now,” I hissed at the nearest bouncer, my stomach revolting and my Bullshit-Meter going so far into the red, it snapped. As did my temper.

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