Page 44 of Alive and Kicking
Baldwin’s lips press together firmly, his words directed at Viv. “I see no reason to even chance it. See, the pros do not outweigh the cons in this situation. Price is a great professor and I don’t want him to get wrapped up in a scandal.”
Viv is quick to fire back at that. “Dr. Price has been very professional. I honestly don’t see the need for this discussion or to change anything.”
My brows quirk. I hadn’t expected her to push back this hard at the first sign of opposition. Apparently Baldwin hadn’t either, since he takes a moment to evaluate her. “I understand Miss Russo, however it opens the department and the college as a whole up to a lawsuit if there were to be any favoritism or unprofessional behavior.”
Viv folds her hands on the table and tilts her head to the side. “Has there been any proof of favoritism or complaints made concerning my, albeit limited, relationship with Dr. Price?”
Baldwin takes a breath. “Not yet.”
Viv’s head nods. “I didn’t think so. Is it right to assume that you’ve already made up your mind and that this meeting is just a formality?”
Baldwin’s brows lower but he answers without any shame. “Yes. The conclusion of this meeting was always going to be that you would be transferred to another professor.”
A short sharp laugh leaves Viv and I’m suddenly reminded of the way she behaved at the meeting this summer. “I find it veryhypocritical for you to be making decisions about other people’s inappropriate relationships.”
Baldwin’s face falls. “What is that supposed to mean?” There’s an edge to his voice. Not tense or angry, but scared.
Viv leans down to pull a manilla folder of her own from her bag. With confidence, she sets it on the table in front of him. “Does your wife know that you’ve been sleeping with your secretary, or that the ‘business trip’ you’re going on next week is actually a romantic getaway for you and your affair partner?”
Baldwin flicks open the folder just wide enough to peek inside before snapping it shut. “I… I…” He clears his throat. “Are you trying to blackmail me, Miss Russo? Because that is a crime.”
Viv smiles at him, standing from her seat with her bag over one shoulder. “Yes I am.” She gives him a pitiful look. “And if that’s not enough… Well… I’m sure the police would love to hear all about your ex-girlfriend.” She pauses for a moment, her finger tapping at her lips. “What was her name again… Ah yes, Lilia Daniels.” She puts another folder down in front of him. “Sure, blackmail is a crime. But so is kidnapping and murder. Which one do you think the police will care more about?”
She nods her head toward the door and I don’t stop to ask questions, I get the fuck out of there. I’m the first one out of the meeting room while Viv pauses in the doorway. “Oh, and Nathaniel… I trust there won’t be any more talk about this nonsense and that Dr. Price will be receiving a formal apology via email.”
“Y.. Yes, of course. S… Sorry for the confusion,” he stammers.
Viv walks out of the room and lets the door close behind her with a very self satisfied smile on her face. I walk beside her down the hall, taking a moment to be sure that nobody is listening before leaning in slightly as I whisper, “A little warning would have been nice.”
Her eyes flick to me for only a moment. “Would you have been okay with me blackmailing your boss?”
I balk at that, because how can she seriously ask that. “Yes. I would have just liked to know what I was walking in on.”
Viv’s brows raise. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have come to you with this. You were nice enough to give me the heads up about your meeting with him, so I should have returned the favor.”
I open my mouth to disagree with her before I realize she’s agreeing with me. Teeth gnashing together, I force myself to calm down. “How did you even get all that information anyway. Did Nox help you?”
She shakes her head. “No. I just followed him around for a couple nights, broke into his email, and well it’s just suspicious when someone lays a concrete slab a day after someone they knew disappeared.”
I stare at her. “When the hell have you had time to tail him?” I demand.
As far as I know, the guys have been keeping close tabs on her to make sure nobody kills the little brat, and she’s just out there surveilling university personnel. She scoffs. “You guys never question it when I say I’m going to go study. Besides, Nox has to know. He’s got more cameras in that house than Fort Knox. There’s no way I was leaving without him realizing. When you confront him about this, let him know it’s payback for the whole ‘he didn’t say anything about photos on the wall’ thing from last year when Enzo stopped by.”
I blink at her. What the fuck is she talking about now? I don’t even know how to reply to that. I have her class for Criminology first thing this morning too so it’s not like I can just walk away from her, we’re going the same way after all. This girl is going to give me an aneurysm one of these days.
Viviana
I’m sitting on the couch with Psycho, running my fingers through his fur when there’s a knock at the door. “Come in.”
The door opens and Nox walks in. I smile up at him. “Hey. What’s up?”
He looks at Psycho on the couch and grimaces, but still sits down on my other side. He looks over at me from the corner of his eye and I grin at him. I already know what this is about. The silence stretches between us, neither of us willing to break first. We’re both stubborn that way. Thankfully, neither of us has to say anything because Zane storms into the room. “You’ve been sneaking out of the house?” he demands like he has a right to.
My eyes flick to him and I blink slowly. “It wasn’t sneaking out. I left the house because I wanted to. I used to sneak out back home because I wasn’t allowed to leave. See the difference?”
Nox grins but tries to cover it with his hand before Zane sees. The slump of Zane’s shoulders makes me feel a little bad, but I already told him once that I will not be trapped in a bubble again. I’m going to do what I want, when I want. I don’t want to upset them, but I just can’t live like that again.
Psycho crawls into my lap, bracing his paws against my chest to rub against my face. I hadn’t even realized I stopped pettinghim. Once he get’s what he wants, he settles back down into my lap while I stroke his fur.
