The Professor

by Kelli Callahan

  “Are you saying it can still happen?”

  He sighs but a smile plays on his lips. “Deliberately tempting me. Wicked, wicked woman.” His head dips to kiss me again, and I angle my face upward to eagerly receive it.

  “Abby?” A familiar male voice booms from the direction of the kitchen.

  I gasp and pull away from Bryce, leaping to my feet.

  “Abby? Lucy? Anyone here? Girls?”

  With shaky fingers, I pull up my zipper, re-snap my bra, and finger comb my hair.

  “Who the hell is that?” Bryce is on his feet, watching me with narrowed eyes.

  “That’s―”

  “Abby, baby girl! Didn’t you hear me calling?”

  I swing around to face the new arrival. Jake Griffin, a long-time family friend and my father’s right-hand man. The handsome devil, the epitome of a charming badboy is kind of like an honorary uncle. But Bryce wouldn’t know that. He’s glaring in Jake’s direction as if his competition has just arrived. Does he think that Jake and I…

  My eyes swing from Jake to Bryce. Apparently, he does. The look on his face is lethal. It doesn’t help that Jake is assessing him with suspicion.

  “Baby girl, who the hell is this?”

  The moniker certainly doesn’t help. It could be my imagination, but I swear I hear Bryce growl. I want to shout out that Jake calls every woman in his life who means something to him, baby girl. He’s been calling me and Lucy that since we were kids.

  “Bryce this is Jake, a family friend.”

  The men are still sizing each other up, and I want to roll my eyes. Men. Always with the pissing contest.

  “Jake, this is Bryce, my…”

  I glance at Bryce who’s looking at me with raised brows.

  “Uh…”

  He looks really pissed now. I want to shout out that I don’t know what we are because this is just our second date. Well, we did make out―okay, we did more than that. Still, I don’t know what that makes us.

  Jake breaks the silence and the mounting awkwardness. “Hey, aren’t you the mayor’s son? What the fuck are you doing on this side of town?”

  Never mind. The awkwardness just went up several notches. I glare in Jake’s direction and he shrugs. His slashing silver eyes return to Bryce. “You’re not by any chance messing with my Abby, are you?”

  “Your Abby?”

  I mentally facepalm myself. I’m going to kill Jake. I turn to Bryce. “He doesn’t mean―”

  “I should get going.” A muscle ticks in his jaw.

  “No, Bryce wait―”

  “I’ll see myself out.”

  “Bryce―”

  “Let him go, Abbs.” Jake’s arms are folded over his chest and he’s glaring daggers at Bryce.

  Without a backward glance Bryce marches to the door, grabs his coat and exits. Paralyzed by shock over Jake’s arrival and Bryce’s reaction, I don’t move immediately. I just gawk at the door. A few seconds later, I recover enough to run to the door and fling it open.

  Bryce is opening the driveway’s gate.

  “Bryce, wait a minute. Let me explain.” The cold wind bites into my skin.

  “You don’t owe me any explanation after a second date, Abby.”

  I take a step back as if he just dealt me a physical blow. Now he’s downplaying our...relationship? “Why are you being like this? I told you, Jake is a family friend. What, you don’t believe me?”

  He rounds on me. “It’s not that…’’ Looking skyward, he sighs. “You introduced me as your “uh…”. I know I said I’ll go as slow as you want but you could have introduced me as something more than uh.”

  Point taken. Hanging my head, I murmur. “I didn’t handle that well, I know. I was just in shock. I wasn’t expecting anyone to show up.”

  “Yeah. It’s fine.”

  Yet, it doesn’t sound fine. I can tell he’s still upset. “I’m sorry, Bryce.” Arms wrapped around myself, I grit my teeth, so they don’t chatter.

  “You should get inside. Don’t freeze to death on my account.”

  He doesn’t even want to talk. Shoulders drooping, I take the hint.

  “Fine. Go. We don’t want anyone seeing the Mayor’s son with trash like me, right?”

  “Abby, that’s not what this is about,” Bryce says with clenched teeth.

  “You go running when someone asks if you’re the Mayor’s son though. Just go, Bryce. We knew this was…” I can’t finish the sentence because emotion chokes my throat. I turn around and head down the dirt driveway, my feet cold since I’m not wearing shoes, and climb up the sagging porch steps.

  I hear a door slam and tires peel out of the driveway.

  When I enter the house, I glare at Jake and slam the door.

  “Come on, Abby, what are you mad at me for?”

  I glower at Jake’s stupid handsome face. The ladies love the hell out of him even though he has major commitment issues. I’ve never seen him in a relationship that lasts longer than two week... and two weeks is pushing it for him. Yet, women flock to him like cats in heat. Maybe it’s the tattoos or the bad boy persona. Hell, maybe it’s the air of danger that he exudes. I don’t know. I only see him as Uncle Jake.

  “How could you barge in like that and make it seem as if you and I are... ew!”

  He smirks and leans one hip against the counter, taking a huge bite out of one of the baked biscuits. “First of all, I didn’t barge in. I used my key. And how else was I supposed to get rid of that guy?”

  “His name is Bryce, and I didn’t want to get rid of him.” I growl my frustration.

  “What, are you dating him or something? That’s a bad idea.”

  “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

  “While your father is still locked up, I’m responsible for watching out for you girls.”

  My eyes narrow to slits. “Yeah, so responsible you disappeared for two months.”

  His jaw clenches. “I was taking care of something for your father and shit went south, alright? I was in the slammer for a few weeks.”

  I scoff and shoot him a disgusted look. He and my father are cut from the same cloth. “I should have guessed that’s why you disappeared. Lucy was worried.”

  He lifts a brow. “You weren’t?”

  I want to say no so badly but I can’t lie. When I didn’t hear from him for a while, I was beyond worried. Despite how pissed at him I am right now, he’s family. I pout and mutter, “I’m glad you’re still alive.”

  “Awe, come here, kiddo.” He engulfs me in a bear hug then ruffles my hair. “I missed you too.”

  I slap his hand away and scowl― with affection. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop ruffling my damn hair. I’m not twelve.”

  “Could have fooled me short stuff. You haven’t grown an inch since you were twelve.”

  I roll my eyes and plop down at the table, hand on my jaw. It’s hard not to think about Bryce and the way he left.

  Jake leaps onto the counter and I shake my head. That’s where Lucy gets it from. “Hey, I’m sorry,” he says. “It was just weird walking in on you with some guy. I mean, you’re my little Abigale. I’ve known you since you were running around in pink tutus.”

  I point my finger threateningly at him. “Never mention my ballerina phase again.”

  He smirks and grabs another biscuit.

  “How much did you see or hear?” I gaze at him, horrified.

  “Nothing.” He grimaces. “Thank God.”

  A relieved sigh whooshes from my lungs.

  “What are you doing with the mayor’s son, Abby? You should stay away from men like him.”

  “What do you mean men like him?”

  “Playboys.”

  “You mean like you?”

  He has the decency to look repentant. “Exactly. I don’t want to see you with someone like me. You deserve better.”

  “Bryce is better. He’s no playboy.”

  “Oh yeah? And you’re sure about that? How long have you
known him?”

  My face floods with heat. “About a month.”

  Jake grunts, and I feel myself blush harder.

  “But I know he’s different.”

  “Rich guys like him are only after one thing. Once, he gets it he’s gone. I don’t want to have to hunt down and kill the mayor’s son.”

  I stare at him, knowing he’s deadly serious. My dad may run their criminal organization, but Jake does the heavy lifting. “I’d never forgive you if you hurt him.”

  “I think you would,” he points at me, “once you learned that I was right all along.”

  “He’s different, I’m sure of it, and I like him. Thanks for ruining it.”

  Jake groans. “Come one, baby girl, you can’t be mad at me for too long. I can’t take it.”

  I snort. “You’ve been to jail like a million times. You can take my fury.”

  Rolling his eyes, he huffs. “If you’re right and he is different, what happened here shouldn’t ruin things between you two. Not if he’s really into. Talk to the guy.”

  “So you’re in support of me having a relationship with him all of a sudden?”

  “Hell no. You’re treading on dangerous ground. He’s a Marshall and you’re a Knight. You know what happened to Romeo and Juliet.”

  I glower at him. Picking up an apple from the fruit basket at the middle of the table, I hurl it at his head. “This isn’t a damn Shakespeare play.”

  Catching the fruit, he chuckles and takes a huge bite out of it. “Seriously, Abby, be careful.”

  “No one knows that we’re...seeing each other. So don’t go blabbing.”

  “You know I’m good with secrets.”

  Too good. That’s been the cause for most of his jail time. He’s been in the slammer more times than I can count for not giving up my dad or any of their associates. “Not even to Daddy.”

  “See, now that’s asking a lot.”

  “Jake.”

  He sighs. “Fine. I won’t say a word. You can tell him yourself when you go to see him.”

  “It’s none of his business or anyone elses.”

  “He’s your father.”

  “Then he should have given up his criminal life to stay with Lucy and me.” The anger and hostility resound in my voice. It’s enough to make Jake clamp his mouth shut. Arms crossed, he studies me silently for a while, and I will myself not to burst into tears.

  “I’m sorry, kiddo,” is all he says when he finally speaks.

  Letting out a long breath, I turn to stare out the window at the driveway. The look on Bryce’s face and the hurt in his voice will haunt me until I make things right. I can’t believe I couldn’t have at least introduced him as my friend. He’s been the most incredibly sweet, patient man I’ve ever come across, and I hurt his feelings. I hate that he has the impression that I’m not a one-man kind of girl.

  Jake clears his throat to get my attention. I’m still annoyed with him, so I turn to him with a scathing look. “Now that I’m back, you and Lucy can stop working and focus on school.”

  “No.”

  “Cut down on your working hours then.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Abby―”

  “We don’t want your blood money.”

  He grits his teeth and his nostrils flare. “It isn’t blood money. We’re not in that kind of business.”

  “Then we don’t want your drug money. Lucy and I are fine.”

  “Your father asked me to make sure you girls―”

  “We’ve been fine on our own without him...and you.”

  He hangs his head and exhales. “Yeah, you girls are tough but sometimes it’s okay to accept a little help. I’m still putting the money in your account. I have to keep my word to your old man.”

  I respond with a hostile stare, which I know doesn’t faze him one bit.

  “I’ll drop by a little later when Lucy’s home, and when you’ve calmed down.” He hops off the counter, makes his way to me and plants a kiss on my head. It’s amusing that he still does that now that I’m an adult. The familiar gesture softens me a bit, but I don’t say a word as he saunters out.

  I’m glad he is gone, but I want Bryce to come back. I don’t like that I’m left with the memory of us on the couch.

  It’s all I can see.

  And since it’s all I can see, it’s all I can want.

  I flop on the couch and it’s still warm from us. I can smell the lingering scent of his cologne and I bury my face in the pillow. I miss him.

  I cry, feeling empty and my heartbroken because I know this is something we won’t be able to get passed. Our social class differences are the nail in the coffin to our relationship if he can’t handle one person finding out about us.

  I’m a drug dealer’s daughter.

  He’s the mayor’s son.

  And that’s how it is always going to be.

  Even if I do love him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bryce

  “Did you break up with your girlfriend or something?”

  My gaze fly to my stepsister, Holly. She’s leaning against the counter of the bar Dad had installed a few years back. “What?”

  “You’re having woman trouble, aren’t you?”

  Can she read minds now? I stare at the seventeen-year-old with her too intelligent eyes, suspiciously. “Why do you think that?”

  “You have that look.” She shrugs. “You’ve been staring intently into your shot glass for five minutes.”

  “Don’t you have dolls to play with or something?”

  “Don’t patronize me, Bryce. I’m seventeen now.”

  “Yeah, old enough to use words like patronize.”

  She huffs, and I chuckle. I’ve known Holly since she was ten. She’s always been like this. Too grown and smart for her own good.

  “What are you drinking? Can I have some?” She reaches for the bottle of Jack, and I quickly snatch it from her finger.

  “No.”

  “Come on, just a taste.”

  “Diana will kill me.”

  “She doesn’t have to know.”

  Massaging the bridge of my nose, I ask, “Holly, what are you doing down here?” No one is allowed in Dad’s man cave, except me. I came in here to be alone before dinner. I figured I’d stop by for dinner since I missed breakfast a few days ago. It’s been three days since I left Abby’s place in a foolish bout of temper. I still feel like an idiot. After I calmed down, I realized that I may have overreacted. The last thing I need right now is a meddling teenager invading my pity party.

  Holly’s lashes lower to hide her eyes and she shrugs. “I just thought you needed company.”

  I’m about to tell her I don’t but detect her dejection. “Are you okay?”

  “Not really. Mom and Michael are fighting again.”

  I study her closely. “Are they fighting more often than usual?” There’s been many arguments between them since they got married. I honestly don’t know why they’re still married. I’ve always stayed out of their business. Now that I don’t live here anymore, I have no clue what goes on in Marshall mansion.

  Holly sighs. “Yeah. I think it’s because of me.”

  Giving her my full attention, I swivel my stool around to face her. “Why do you think that?”

  “I don’t think Michael has ever liked me much. I’m not his blood.”

  “Come one, Holly, you know―”

  “It’s true. I’m not stupid.”

  No, she’s far from that. Holly is incredibly perceptive. “Look, I’m sure they argue about plenty of other things.”

  Her lips twist into a sardonic smile. “That doesn’t make it any better.”

  Scrubbing a hand over my face, I let out a laugh. “I know.” I have no idea what else to say to comfort a teenager about her parental insecurities. “Hey, whenever you want to get away from the madness―” and there can be plenty with our tyrant of a patriarch, “― my door is open.”

  Her face lights up. “Real
ly?”

  I’m starting to think it’s time to pay more attention to Holly. She came along at a time when I was grown and engrossed in my own life, so we haven’t bonded all that much. But, I consider her my kid sister in every way. “Of course. As long as you ask your mother first.”

  “Thanks Bryce. I do want to get away from here sometimes.”

  “Yeah, I know the feeling well.” Reaching for a bottle of water, I slide it to her. “Here, have a drink with me.”

  “I’d prefer something a little stronger.”

  “Nice try, kid.” I point to the water. “Drink up.”

  She rolls her eyes but hops on to the stool beside me and opens the bottle. “So since we’re drinking together. You might as well tell me what you did to mess things up with the woman you’re pining over.”

  Glancing at her with disbelief, I let out a roar of laughter. “What makes you think I messed up?”

  There’s a sly smile on her face. “Because you guys always do.”

  “What the hell do you know about guys?”

  Her cheeks turn pink. “Enough to know that you guys can be jerks sometimes.”

  Unbelievable. A seventeen-year-old is giving me flack about messing up my relationship. “Alright, miss know it all, maybe I did contribute a little to messing things up.”

  “Typical man.” She takes a swig of water as I fight back my laughter. Holly is beyond amusing.

  “It wasn’t all my fault. Since you’re the relationship expert, what do you suggest I do?”

  “Man up and apologize even if you weren’t all the way wrong. Make sure there are flowers and a nice dinner involved. Make sure the place is five-star fancy. Jewelry is always a nice touch.”

  Chin propped in one hand, I gaze at Holly with a smirk. “That’s actually great advice.”

  “Of course it is. I know things.”

  “Uh huh.” Chuckling, I pour myself another shot. Holly and I sit in comfortable silence while we wait for dinner to be announced.

  Dinner is painful to get through.