“If you stay, you will address all staff as sir or madam. Is that clear?”
He was hurting me, but I couldn't look away from his grey eyes.
“And if I don't?”
“No college will take you with this on your record. That is, if you’re not in jail.”
Jail? Tears flowed down my cheeks. He finally released me, and I glanced down at the paper.
Terms of Discipline
I gulped. “Discipline?”
He adjusted himself as I looked up. His smirk was downright evil, sending an ice-cold shiver right through me.
“This was a cry for it. If you had structure and discipline in your life, this behavior wouldn't have happened.”
I gasped. What the hell was he talking about?
“You'll do as instructed tonight to wipe the slate clean. Then you'll be at our beck and call for the rest of your time here.”
“How many?” Did it really matter how many men I would be subjected to servicing? It wasn’t like I was being given a choice. How had I gotten here? Sell myself or not finish the degree I'd worked so hard for. If I walked out of this room without agreeing, I’d be throwing everything away.
He rounded my chair and settled his hands on my shoulders. “I wouldn't worry about that, dear.” He handed me a pen. “I just need your signature.”
It was hard to skim the contract through my tears.
I wasn't allowed to discuss this arrangement with anyone, or I’d be subject to the original punishment. I'd lose my education and go to jail.
I couldn't approach any of them if I were to discover who they were, but they could approach me. No safe words, no outs.
If I refused, I'd be kicked out. I bit back a sob, took the pen, leaned forward to sign on the desk and felt my spirit break.
This degree was my way out. If I had to get some old men off to do it, I would. I could hate myself after graduation.
He stroked my head like a pet and murmured the words, “Good girl.”
I wiped my tears and steeled my spine before I stood, turning to him. “What now, sir?”
He smiled and handed me a phone.
“Someone will be in touch, Miss Davis.” He leaned forward. “I can't wait to see you broken in.”
I blinked to keep more tears from more tears. Broken in? What the hell did that mean and what the hell had I gotten myself into?
2
OLIVER
I ranmy hand through my wavy black hair, wanting to pull it out in frustration. I’d spent the morning cleaning up a cyber prank and if I ever got my hand on who did this, there would be hell to pay. Not only did I have to fix it, but now we were upgrading our security, so it didn't happen again. Why had I signed on to oversee our technology department in addition to being the head of the computer science department?
Andrew Smith, the dean of the University, had said he’d found the hacker, and they'd be gone today. He hadn't given me a name, but there were only a handful of students that would have been capable, though all of them were good kids, so I couldn't help but think I missed something.
A knock at the door brought me back to the here and now.
“Yes?”
My assistant, Tiffany, popped her head in. “Your coffee, sir.”