Page 107 of The Wrong Quarterback

I shrugged, trying not to let her see just how little her words fazed me. “I think there are always ways around rules, Professor. Don’t you think?”

I was glad there weren’t any knives in the room because she kind of looked like she wanted to kill me after that statement.

Since I had no intention of being discreet about how I felt about Casey, I’d been preparing for this conversation, asking around if anyone had any dirt on Professor Hendrick for me to work with. But so far, I hadn’t found anything.

“I guess if it comes down to it, I can just resign as your TA,” I told her. “But I’m still trying to figure out why this is such a big deal. It’s not like I’m a teacher screwing a student…”

“Resigning isn’t going to stop me from informing the admin that you broke the rules. I have enough power at this school totoucheven you, Mr. Quarterback.”

Jace would have had a joke for what she’d just said, but right now I was really annoyed. Between what Coach had said in that meeting the other week…and now this, I wasn’t excited about all of these people trying to interfere with my relationship.

“I’ve seen far too many girls ruined by boys like you, Mr. Davis,” she sneered. “Boys who think that they are above the rules. Who think that the world and everything in it is their plaything. I promised myself long ago that I wasn’t going to facilitate it.”

She clasped her hands together. “This is your final warning, Mr. Davis. I expect you to arrive at our next class with a changed attitude…and a changed relationship status.”

This was bullshit.

I didn’t say another word to her, knowing anything I said right then would make it worse.

Casey was in her next class, so I went home, kicking off my shoes and throwing myself onto my couch. I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to think. Hendrick had made it clear she was coming for me. She wasn’t the type to bluff, either. She’d had a TA two years ago that she’d gotten kicked out of school. Obviously he hadn’t been Tennessee’s star quarterback, but it told me she wasn’t playing around. If she went to admin, it would be a headache no matter what. And if she tried to reach out to the scouts…

I wasted the next hour trying to figure out what to do…when I noticed it: an envelope lying neatly on the coffee table.

It was black, heavy paper with the Sphinx symbol pressed in red ink on the front. Right below, in red, sharp letters, it read, “Courtesy of the Sphinx.” My pulse jumped.

I needed to invest in better security for the house.

I tore open the envelope and slid out a stack of glossy photos. As soon as I flipped to the first one, I froze, then broke into a grin. Hendrick. Younger, but unmistakably her, with that no-nonsense haircut. And she wasn’t just posing for some faculty photo, either.

No, she was wrapped up with another professor, locked in a kiss that was way more than friendly. Her hands were tangled in his shirt, his hand gripping her waist. I flicked through the rest, and each photo got worse—more intense, more incriminating.

Because the other professor in that photo…was very married.

I grinned. I’d been wondering when the Sphinx would show it was worth anything besides annoying me. I guess they’ddecided to give me a little taste of what they could do, of the power they held. I would think about the fact that they’d known I needed this information in the first place at a later date.

Chuckling, I let the pictures fall loosely in my hands. Hendrick was done.

I walked into Professor Hendrick’s office, feeling really good about life. She looked up as I entered, her gaze sharp, a trace of smugness in her eyes.

“Here to beg, Mr. Davis?” she asked, her voice dripping with condescension.

“No,” I responded, my voice low, steady. “I’m here to hearyoubeg.”

I tossed the photos onto her desk, letting them spread out for full effect.

Her face blanched, the color draining as her eyes darted over the photos, widening with each one. She looked horrified, her voice catching as she whispered, “Where did you get these?”

I leaned forward, making sure she could see the smirk on my face.

“The Sphinx sends its regards.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but she got even paler, suddenly swaying in place like she was going to pass out.

“I expect my recommendation letter by Friday. No excuses, no delays,” I said mockingly, repeating what she told her classes all the time.

She stared at me, eyes wide, like I was a monster she’d never seen coming.

Turning on my heel, I headed out, whistling as I walked down the hall.

---