Chapter 31 Thou Shalt Not Attempt Sexy Without Supervision #2
Growling at her response, I put my phone away again. Vanessa is still chatting about how helpful she could be as a TA next semester. Her ideas seem to involve a lot of dinners and wine.
I look at my phone.
Holly: She’s on her way! She’ll have to improvise! I’m sorry!
“…and I think we would make a great team…” Vanessa drones on.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Professor? It’s Tabby Andrews. I need to speak with you. It’s ahhh… a matter of life and death.” Tabby says, continuing to knock at the door.
Okay, she’s still tipsy and a terrible actor with too much dramatic flair, but I’ll take it because Veronica Kingston’s “thesis” was about to be ripped to shreds, followed by her face.
“Ahh, sorry, Vanessa. This sounds urgent. Your paper has been flawless so far though I’m sure the last five pages are fine. I’ll sign off that I have proofed it. Come in, Tabby,” he shouts at the door.
Flawless? It’s taking all my willpower not to punch him square in the dick right now.
“Oh… okay. I understand. Thanks, Professor.” She sounds dejected, and it’s music to my ears.
I hear shuffling and a door opening and closing as she leaves. I still can’t see anything but this man’s legs.
“Tabby, take a seat.” Professor Gabriel says, sighing. “What’s going on? What’s this life-or-death matter?”
“Uhhh... Erm... I’ve been having… feelings, sir?” Tabby squeaks out, and I try to stifle my laugh with my hand.
I get a hard kick to the elbow in response. Rude, cranky Professor.
“Feelings?” he snaps, his tone sharp with annoyance. “What feelings, Tabby? What is this about? Is this some sort of joke? Because I was in the middle of a very important—”
“No, sir, it’s not a joke,” Tabby cuts in. Her voice wavers, hesitant. “My feelings are… all mixed up. Making me feel… umm… strange things.”
“Strange things? Like what? Are you hearing voices?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” Tabby responds.
“You know when you really, really want something in life? Like you feel it HARD and DEEP in your soul,” Tabby emphasizes hard and deep, drawing the words out.
Hard and deep? What the fuck is she doing? She knows I’m down here and face to face with his… oh no.
“In your soul?” Professor Gabriel repeats, his voice edged with caution, like he’s not sure if the student is unwell or just unhinged.
“Well, you know when something you want super hard and super deep in your gut and it’s just -Right. Directly. In front of you?” She punctuates each word pointedly.
“Like you could just reach out and grab it.”
What the fuck does Tabby Andrews think she’s doing? Looking at the professor’s crotch, which I’ve been trying to ignore until now, I don’t know if it’s her words or me being so close, but it’s having an effect.
I’m going to kill her. All of them. Holly, Tabby, even Cleo… my best friends and obvious traitors, are all going to die for what she is doing to me right now.
“Universe help me,” the professor mutters. “I think it’s time for you to leave, Ms. Andrews.”
Professor Gabriel’s pants look like they are about to burst open. If I weren’t so mortified by what Tabby was doing right now, I would help those pants in that mission.
“Of course, Professor Gabriel. This was a stupid question,” She replies, laughing uncomfortably. “Sorry, I’ll just get out of your hair.”
I hear her shuffling towards the door.
“Oh, and Ms. Andrews?”
“Yes, Professor?”
“I would think very HARD and DEEP before showing up at my office inebriated with life-or-death questions again. I might just direct you to the Dean.”
“… Of course, Professor.” Tabby squeaks.
Professor Gabriel stands, and I hear the door slam and lock.
I’m pulled roughly out from under the desk by my elbow. “That girl is crazy; she needs help; stay away from her.”
“What she needs is a muzzle," I mumble while envisioning how I’m going to drag Tabby’s teeth out so she can’t ever use that filthy mouth again.
“This was a mistake; you need to go as soon as the hallway is clear,” he says, avoiding looking at me.
“A mistake?” My voice comes out panicked, desperate. “No… no, it’s not a mistake. We can fix this. I can—”
“No.” His voice slices through mine, harsh and final. “It was a mistake. And you need to leave. Now. Before someone sees you and I lose everything.”
The words hit harder than any blade. He doesn’t want me. The anger claws at my chest, tangled with the hollow ache tearing through me. Wraths aren’t supposed to break—but I feel the gut wrenching rip of my soul bleeds through the liquor and the potion. Why does it hurt so much?
“It’s not safe,” he presses, every word peeling me apart. “It’s dangerous for us to even try. You have to fight the bond. Push it down. We can’t let this go any further. Please—promise me. No more late night visits. No more books. No more. We can’t risk it, Arwen, I’m sorry. You need to go.”
And I see it in his eyes—he’s already decided. Resigned. Survival weighs heavier than whatever fragile bond sparked between us.
My throat closes. If I speak, I’ll shatter. So I don’t. I turn silent and walk out. Another bond—gone. Another rejection. This one cuts twice as deep. My raging fire turns into a drowning flood in my chest.