Page 150 of Wicked Little Secret

“I’m talking about the rumors about student-teacher relations. I’ve had someone anonymously reach out and mention there is inappropriate conduct between you and Miss Nyssa Oliver.”

I cut him a sideways glance, the severity in my glare making him stutter.

“W-Well, it’s none of my concern what consenting adults do. Lord knows there have been a few college-aged cuties I’ve had my fun with. But discretion is the key, Theron,” he says hastily, cracking me a toothy smile. “You never bring it to campus. You never bring it to any professional setting. Particularly with your history and the weirdnessof what happened before. Josalyn Webber and Professor Vise?—”

“I have places to be, Dean. Is there anything of actual importance you wanted to discuss?”

We’ve reached the end of the corridor, which opens up into the faculty parking lot. We’ve turned to face each other with the dean deciding to fumble with his pocket watch to check the time.

“I hope you know it’s not malicious, Theron. I stopped you to warn you. Not dredge up the past.”

“Yet that’s exactly what you did. Good evening, Dean.” I turn away to head off and then stop when a thought strikes me. It’s not my blue BMW XI that pushes the thought into my head, but instead, it’s the familiar little ruby-red convertible parked across the lot. “Veronica… where is she?”

Dean Rothenberg frowns. “I’m not sure. She was only here to visit me. She must’ve made another stop afterward if she’s still on campus.”

She’s making another stop, alright.

The exact place she shouldn’t be.

Tension lances through my jaw as I clench my keys in my fist and rush past the imbecilic dean.

I’m on a race against the clock, cutting down the same corridors I just walked moments ago. I leap down a short stack of stone steps and shove aside two jocks guffawing about some ‘rager’ later tonight.

Veronica is more or less harmless…untilshe believes something poses a threat to our relationship.

Once, when I broke up with her, she broke the living room window in my house and then claimed it must’ve been a burglary. On another occasion in between a failed round of our relationship, she called me to rescue herfrom a kitchen fire.

But, to my knowledge, she’s never hurt anyone.

“She wouldn’t,” I pant under my breath as I sprint down the corridor toward my office.

And yet as I come up on the unlocked door, I’m not so sure.

My footsteps slow up and quiet down the closer I make it to the door leading to the hidden room.

It’s cracked open.

Just enough for me to press my eye against the crevice and see for myself what’s going on.

Veronica has slid aside the glass wall and started toward Nyssa on the bed. But that’s not the most alarming part of what’s about to happen—clenched in one hand is a knife that she’s raised into the air.

“How much clearer can I get, Nyssa? Nothing and no one’s going to take Theron from me. Most of all you. If I have to eliminate you myself, then so be it.”

“Come near me and I’m going to smack the shit out of you!” Nyssa yells defiantly, though I see the hesitancy in her eyes.

She’s aware she’s at a disadvantage due to the chain.

Veronica ignores her and advances anyway.

“Silly girl getting in the middle of things she doesn’t understand. Your fault you’ll have to pay the price now—ahhh!”

I’ve abandoned the doorway to stop Veronica myself.

The knife’s snatched out of her hands and as she spins around in shock. I grab hold of her by the throat. Her eyes bulge at the sight of me, and she sputters out protesting words that go ignored. I grit my teeth at her and bring her up against the limestone wall, tightening my grip around her throat until she’s clawing at my hands.

“Theron!” she chokes out. “Theron!”

But I only squeeze harder.

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