Page 62 of Tell Me Lies

Her jaw clenched. “I guess it’s because I spoke without being called on.”

“You guess?” I scoffed. God, she was cute when she wanted to lose her temper. I could see it just under the surface.

Her face was red. “I thought this was a discussion. Why do I have to ask permission to speak?”

My face warmed. “Because without order, there is chaos. And I am the director of that order.”

Anya’s pulse beat rapidly at her neck. I could see it through her olive-tan skin. The delicate flesh just under her mass of dark waves and down to her chest rising with her sharp breaths.

“No one else knew the answer, Mr. Miller. I did.” Her eyes lifted to meet mine, and there was the defiance I wanted to see.

“I wanted someone else to answer. You can’t carry this class. Students can’t rely on someone else to have the answers. They need to participate.”

“So, I’m being punished because I know the answers?”

She had no idea what punishment was. Clearly. “Is that what you think? That you’re being punished for knowing the answers?”

She lifted her hands, and waved them in frustration. “Yes. I do, Mr. Miller. And by the way, I’ve noticed how you’ve actively been cold to me. You’ve been harder on me than other students. Is it because I parked in your spot on the first day of class? I apologized, sir. I think you’re being extremely unfair to me. Not to mention you’ve given me C-pluses on the pop quizzes when I know I should have gotten As.”

“That’s quite entitled of you, Anya. Do you think you deserve anything better than what the other students receive from me?”

She bit her lip, dropping her gaze to her backpack. “No. But I don’t deserve worse.”

“And you forgot to mention your bribe.” I lifted my eyebrow the moment her eyes snapped up to me again.

“What?”

I stood. I thought I was clear enough. She needed to fall in line with my way of teaching. Period.

Walking to the door, I stopped just before I reached the knob. “You attempted to bribe a faculty member—me.”

She stood too, holding her sad backpack by the strap, the hem of her stupid tie-dyed bohemian dress fell nearly over her chunky sandaled feet. I didn’t like the casual, unstructured style.

“You mean when I offered to buy you coffee as an apology?” Her mouth stayed open, shocked even. “That wasn’t a bribe, sir. I swear it wasn’t.”

“Sure.” I rested my hand on the doorknob and turned, but didn’t pull it open.

Anya rushed to the door, her eyes pleading. “I swear it wasn’t, Mr. Miller.”

“Swearing isn’t good unless you’re under oath.” There it was, her saccharine perfume in my personal space, tingling the insides of my nostrils.

“And exercising your power to a student for your own entertainment isn’t good either.” The words fell from her mouth, and I think she was just as surprised as I was.

I was impressed. Truly. I didn’t think she had it in her to stand up for herself because, yes, I was purposely being an asshole to her. I was totally going out of my way to show her who was in charge.

But she called my bluff. Wow. Bravo, Anya Sanchez.

Chapter Five

Anya Sanchez

I was scared shitless, shaking like I was about to be murdered. And Mr. Miller was menacing, staring at me. He could easily have been one of the goons who worked for my father. His assassins, which was what my mother called them in court when most of that cartel were convicted. By Mr. Miller. My teacher.

Damn. What was I doing? How could I buck up to him like this? Was I insane? He just … God, he made me do things I normally wouldn’t.

“What I meant was—”

“No, don’t take it back if that’s what you feel.” His warm breath was on my face. When had he gotten so close? And he leaned in more. “If you back down, respect won’t be yours.”

---